Category: Fantasy

Fantasy, Ghosties, Horror, Magical, Makes You Think, Mystery, New Releases, Psychological

Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Description

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • From the New York Times bestselling author of The Daughter of Doctor Moreau and Mexican Gothiccomes a fabulous meld of Mexican horror movies and Nazi occultism: a dark thriller about the curse that haunts a legendary lost film—and awakens one woman’s hidden powers.

Montserrat has always been overlooked. She’s a talented sound editor, but she’s left out of the boys’ club running the film industry in ’90s Mexico City. And she’s all but invisible to her best friend, Tristán, a charming if faded soap opera star, though she’s been in love with him since childhood.

Then Tristán discovers his new neighbor is the cult horror director Abel Urueta, and the legendary auteur claims he can change their lives—even if his tale of a Nazi occultist imbuing magic into highly volatile silver nitrate stock sounds like sheer fantasy. The magic film was never finished, which is why, Urueta swears, his career vanished overnight. He is cursed.

Now the director wants Montserrat and Tristán to help him shoot the missing scene and lift the curse . . . but Montserrat soon notices a dark presence following her, and Tristán begins seeing the ghost of his ex-girlfriend.

As they work together to unravel the mystery of the film and the obscure occultist who once roamed their city, Montserrat and Tristán may find that sorcerers and magic are not only the stuff of movies.

My Thoughts

Moreno-Garcia keeps turning out macabre, nightmarish stories that explore the darkest reaches of the human psyche. Silver Nitrate explores the needs and desires of two flawed friends who move through life dodging memories and resentments. Their shared love of old horror movies and their own skills in acting and sound editing open a door to a true nightmare.

The exploration of film as the vehicle for possession and magic is such an apt allegory of the Hollywood experience. Moreno-Garcia lays bare the superficiality of the film business combined with the insatiable desire of those in that industry for power, love, money, and youth.

I’d love to see this as a film directed by Quentin Tarantino because Moreno-Garcia writes like he directs.

What a wild ride.

Publication Date: July 18, 2023
Published By: Random House Publishing Group; Ballantine, Del Rey
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy

Fantasy, Historical, Horror, Magical, Magical Realism, Witches, Women

Red Rabbit by Alex Grecian

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Description

From bestselling author Alex Grecian comes a folk horror epic about a ragtag posse that must track down a witch through a wild west beset by demons and ghosts—and where death is always just around the bend.

Sadie Grace is wanted for witchcraft, dead (or alive). And every hired gun in Kansas is out to collect the bounty on her head, including bona fide witch hunter Old Tom and his mysterious, mute ward, Rabbit.

On the road to Burden County, they’re joined by two vagabond cowboys with a strong sense of adventure – but no sense of purpose – and a recently widowed schoolteacher with nothing left to lose. As their posse grows, so too does the danger.

Racing along the drought-stricken plains in a stolen red stagecoach, they encounter monsters more wicked than witches lurking along the dusty trail. But the crew is determined to get that bounty, or die trying.

Written with the devilish cadence of Stephen Graham Jones and the pulse-pounding brutality of Nick Cutter, Red Rabbit is a supernatural adventure of luck and misfortune.

“Impossible to put down.” —Kelly Link, author of Pulitzer Prize finalist Get In Trouble

My Thoughts

Imagine if Stephen King wrote The Sisters Brothers; you would have this unexpectedly bewitching yet unceasingly horrifying story. Truly unlike anything I’ve read recently, author Alex Grecian blends an American Old West posse story with witch-hunters, demons, ghouls, ghosts, shapeshifters, and witches to create one of the best horror stories I’ve read in years.

The premise is basic to the genre – suspicious and frightened townspeople put out a bounty on the local witch with disastrous consequences. Everything else is completely off the rails, making this oddly refreshing.

The success here lies in the excellent character development that Grecian weaves throughout. From the mail-order-bride Rose who is made of sterner stuff than anyone imagines, to the apparently mute girl-child who is so much more than she seems, to the variety of cowboy caricatures who appear throughout – all elicit some level of pity or admiration from the reader. I was especially drawn to The Huntsman and would love a follow up book about him!

The narrative moves quickly and is filled with remarkably visceral description and dialog, and more than a few surprises, all leading up to a spectacular ending. Fans of horror and history will enjoy the ride.

This one will make my “Best Of” list for 2023.

Publication Date: September 19, 2023
Published By: Tor Publishing; Tor Nightfire
Thanks to Netgalley & the Publisher for the review copy

Fairytales, Fantasy, Horror, Magical, Mystery, Teens

Starlings by Amanda Linsmeier

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Description

A dark YA fantasy debut perfect for fans of House of Hollow and Small Favors. In the wake of her father’s death, a teen girl discovers a side of her family she didn’t know existed, and is pulled into a dark—and ancient—bargain she is next in line to fulfill.

Kit’s father always told her he had no family, but his sudden death revealed the truth. Now Kit has a grandmother she never knew she had—Agatha Starling—and an invitation to visit her father’s hometown, Rosemont. 

And Rosemont is picture perfect: the famed eternal roses bloom all year, downtown is straight out of the 1950s . . . there’s even a cute guy to show Kit around.

The longer Kit’s there, though, the stranger it all feels. The Starling family is revered, but there’s something off about how the Starling women seem to be at the center of the all the town’s important history. And as welcoming as the locals are, Kit can’t shake the feeling that they’re hiding something from her.

Agatha is so happy to finally meet her only granddaughter, and the town is truly charming, but Kit can’t help wondering, if everything is so great in Rosemont, why did her father leave? And why does it seem like he never wanted her to find it?

My Thoughts

This dark but uber-compelling blend of fantasy and horror with a touch of fairy tale will keep readers glued to their seats, devouring this in one sitting.

The base story is somewhat familiar – parent keeps their family secret from child, child is key to some age-old ceremonial activity, child kicks butt and breaks curse. In the hands of a less skilled writer, this could be second-rate drivel, but Linsmeier is no second-rate hack. Her plot is well-constructed and very clever, and her narrative prose is lovely and horrifying at the same time. I look forward to more from this debut author.

Fans of fantasy-horror will adore this.

Publication Date: June 27, 2023
Published By: Random House Children’s, Delacorte Press
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy

Fantasy, Magical, Mystery, Teens

Rook by William Ritter

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Description

This standalone adventure set in the world of the New York Times bestselling Jackaby series brims with humor, heart, and—of course—a hefty dose of supernatural mayhem.

Abigail Rook never intended to be the mortal bridge between the human and supernatural world. But now, the power of the Sight–and all the chaos that comes with seeing the essential truth of everything, every human, fairy, werewolf, enchanted slip of paper, and municipal building, at all times–is hers alone. With this overwhelming new gift, she should be able to solve crimes and help New Fiddleham, New England find calm in its supernatural chaos. 

The only problem? She has no idea what she’s doing.

And New Fiddleham isn’t waiting for Abigail to be ready. Local witches and other magical beings are going missing, as tensions between human and supernatural residents curdle into a hatred that could tear the city apart. Abigail’s fiance, Charlie, works alongside her to unravel the magical disappearances, but as a shapeshifter, he’s under threat as well. Then Abigail’s parents appear, ready to take her back to England and marry her off to someone she’s never met. Abigail has no choice but to follow her Sight, her instincts, and any clues she can find to track a culprit who is trying destroy everything she holds dear.

My Thoughts

This newest entry into the world of Ritter’s popular Jackaby series picks up with Abigail Rook getting used to being the Seer of New Fiddleham. She struggles to accept this momentous change to her life, complicated by guilt at having inherited the Seer ability from Jackaby, who is also trying to adapt to life without the sight.

Complicated is a good word for what’s going on here. As usual, it’s a good story and includes the colorful characters fans have come to love. There’s a lot going on, and lots to keep straight, which is challenging if it’s been awhile since you read the last book. It’s wonderful to see an entire book devoted to Abigail, who has been a character of strength and interest since her first appearance, right off the boat and wearing a coatful of pixies.

Even so, fans will adore this and will be looking for more from this author.

Publication Date: August 22, 2023
Published By: Algonquin Young Readers
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy

Children's, Fantasy, Magical, Middle Grade, Mystery, New Releases, Teens, Young Adult

New From Penguin Random House

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

I recently received a lovely package of upcoming middle grade and young adult books from Penguin Random House and thought I’d give you all a taste of what’s to come!

The Winterton Deception #1: Final Word by Janet Sumner Johnson

In this twisty middle grade mystery for fans of Knives Out, The Inheritance Game, and The Westing Game, thirteen-year-old twins Hope and Gordon enter a spelling bee in a last-ditch effort to save their family from financial ruin, only to find themselves in a cut-throat competition to uncover a fortune and dark secrets about the wealthy relations they’ve never known. Coming October 24, 2023.

The Curious Vanishing of Beatrice Willoughby by G.Z. Schmidt

When six-year-old Beatrice Willoughby vanished at the Amadeuses’ annual All Hallows Eve party, people in the tiny mountain town of Nevermore were quick to whisper: They were always odd. Their house is full of dark magic. And when Mort Amadeus was pegged for the crime, the Amadeuses, once the center of society, retreated. They closed their doors, disappeared from life. People almost forgot. Until thirteen years later, when six envelopes land at the doorstep of six households in town: We cordially invite you to a celebration on the 31st of October this Saturday evening at the Amadeus household. So begins the mystery of who was really responsible for the missing girl thirteen years ago. Coming September 5, 2023.

Dawnbreaker by Jodi Meadows

The thin membrane of magic separating the human and demonic planes has been destroyed. Nightrender, the immortal warrior of the gods, must find a way to rebuild it, but Hanne—the serpent girl, always too cunning to be trusted, too hungry for power—has become High Queen, and is too consumed with ambition to cooperate. Meanwhile, Rune—married to Hanne, but in love with Nightrender—is lost in the realm of demons after a disastrous battle, wandering alone in a  twisted landscape of mercury seas, black-glass spires, and winds blowing ash … In this second and final installment of the Nightrender duology, the circle will close, and the world will be saved—or burnt to a cinder. Coming November 7, 2023.

Plotting the Stars: Seagarden by Michelle A. Barry

Forced to hide her new-found magic or risk imprisonment or worse, Myra enrolls in an interplanetary academy exchange program to dig up more about the government’s many conspiracies, but instead uproots even darker secrets that could drown everything she’s grown to trust. The second book in the searing STEAM-inspired Plotting the Stars middle grade series perfect for fans of The City of Ember and Divergent. Coming October 3, 2023.

Nightspark by Michael Mann

Michael Mann returns for the riveting sequel to Ghostcloud! Several months after the ghosts freed the children of Battersea and uncovered Tabatha Margate’s sinister experimentation on ghostclouds and cloudghouls, Luke Smith-Sharma struggles to divide his time between learning the ropes of being a ghostcloud and studying to become a detective. But not everyone made it out of the power station, and as he tries to adjust to “normal” life by pursuing his dreams, the guilt over his friends left behind is eating Luke alive. Coming October 10, 2023.

Before the Devil Knows You’re Here by Autumn Krause 

Part folkloric fantasy, part journey into the bizarre, this delicious blending of tall tales and Latin American surrealism will haunt you as you devour it! It’s 1836, Wisconsin. Catalina lives with her pa and brother in a ramshackle cabin on the edge of the wilderness. Mamá died years ago, and the harsh winters have brought the family to the brink of starvation. Catalina has replaced her poet’s soul with an unyielding determination to keep Pa and her brother alive, period. Coming October 3, 2023.

I have been so impressed by the quality of middle grade fiction coming out in the last couple of years. The authors represented here by PRH are fantastic, and I’ll add some other favorites: B.B. Alston, Angie Thomas, Lora Senf, Nic Stone, Katherine Arden, Jess Redman, MarcyKate Connelly, and Kenneth Oppel. If you have middle grade readers in your life, check out these authors!

Children's, Fantasy, Magical

Nic Blake & the Remarkables by Angie Thomas

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Description

Internationally bestselling superstar author Angie Thomas makes her middle grade debut with the launch of an inventive, hilarious, and suspenseful new contemporary fantasy trilogy inspired by African American history and folklore.

It’s not easy being a Remarkable in the Unremarkable world. Some things are cool—like getting a pet hellhound for your twelfth birthday. Others, not so much—like not being trusted to learn magic because you might use it to take revenge on an annoying neighbor.

All Nic Blake wants is to be a powerful Manifestor like her dad. But before she has a chance to convince him to teach her the gift, a series of shocking revelations and terrifying events launch Nic and two friends on a hunt for a powerful magic tool she’s never heard of…to save her father from imprisonment for a crime she refuses to believe he committed.

My Thoughts

Angie Thomas is well on her way to becoming the best writer of her generation. Not many authors can swap genres, but here Thomas more than succeeds in moving from realistic contemporary fiction to building a brand new world full of magic and unimaginable power.

Nic Blake and her family are some of most engaging characters I’ve read in a while. Their remarkable abilities, drawn out of African folklore, family, and friendship are fascinating and fearful. Nic is the star here. A powerful but still vulnerable female lead in a new middle grade action-fantasy series is GOLD! She’s sassy, smart, and resilient and above all a loyal friend. Every main character is well-developed and the secondary characters show great promise.

This joins The Marvellers and BB Alston’s Amari books for kids and, for older readers, the Akata series and the Murder & Magic series by Nicole Glover in the new and exciting trend of books featuring African magic and power. This one will be the book of the summer.

Publication Date: April 4, 2023
Published By: Harper Collins Children’s Books; Balzer & Bray
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy

Children's, Fairytales, Fantasy, Folktales, Magical, Women, Young Adult

Unseelie by Ivelisse Housman

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Description

The start of a swoony, high-energy duology that Emily Lloyd-Jones, author of The Bone Houses, calls “reminiscent of classic fairytales yet brimming with a charm all its own.”

“A world of glimmering fae that sparkles with mystery, adventure, and enchantment.” —Andrew Joseph White, New York Times bestselling author of Hell Followed with Us

Iselia “Seelie” Graygrove looks just like her twin, Isolde…but as an autistic changeling left in the human world by the fae as an infant, she has always known she is different. Seelie’s unpredictable magic makes it hard for her to fit in—and draws her and Isolde into the hunt for a fabled treasure. In a heist gone wrong, the sisters make some unexpected allies and find themselves unraveling a mystery that has its roots in the history of humans and fae alike.

Both sisters soon discover that the secrets of the faeries may be more valuable than any pile of gold and jewels. But can Seelie harness her magic in time to protect her sister and herself?

“Housman’s stunning debut is the sort of love letter only an autistic author could write. Fae canon has been waiting for this one.” —H.E. Edgmon, author of The Witch King

My Thoughts

The author provides an informative and thought-provoking introduction to Unseelie where she discusses what it’s like to be a changeling. Ivelisse Housman, you see, is autistic. She presents an interesting case for the changelings – those unusual beings well-known in folklore as fairy children who have replaced human children – having been children with autism whose differences made them part of folklore.

In Unseelie, Housman has created a character who is different. Whose differences are acknowledged by her family, if not fully accepted, and who is loved unconditionally. Iselia or Seelie as she is called throughout the book, doubts herself and feels responsible for bad things that happened to her family. In Housman’s hands, though, Seelie becomes powerful as she accepts who she is and what she can do.

The story follows many of the familiar themes in folklore – there’s a quest, a treasure, and a band of misfits who battle powerful forces. There is also a strong theme of family and friendship which provides the backbone upon which the story is built. And this is a cracking good story – imaginative, clever, and full of vivid description.

This is a beautiful and powerful story that will surely appeal to fans of fantasy and folklore of all ages. Appropriate for upper middle grade and older.

Publication Date: January 3, 2023
Published By: Inkyard Press
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy

Children's, Fantasy, Quest

Breath of Mischief by MarcyKate Connolly

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Description

Brimming with danger and magic, this new fantasy adventure from acclaimed author MarcyKate Connolly will leave readers breathless as Aria discovers the strength of her courage—and the power of friendship.

Aria is raised by the Wind. She grew up in a castle, floating among the clouds with creatures of the air. She spends her days racing and soaring through the sky with her best friend, Gwyn, a young gryphling. At night, she falls asleep to the music of the Wind.

One morning, Aria is woken by a frantic Gwyn. The chimes are silent, there is not a breath of breeze, and their castle has settled on the ground. The Wind has vanished.

Aria and Gwyn go on a desperate search only to discover the Wind is being held captive by a sinister alchemist named Worton. To free the Wind, Aria and Gwyn must complete a series of trials to find and retrieve three magical talismans for Worton. 

Nothing will keep Aria from rescuing the element who raised her—not a riddle, not a quest, not a race against time. Except Worton can’t be trusted, and it’s not just the Wind that needs saving…

My Thoughts

Connolly has succeeded in creating yet another gorgeous “otherworld” peopled by “otherlings” – windlings, earthlings, waterling, and firelings. The primary character is Aria, a child of the wind who awakes one day to find the Wind is gone and her castle has descended to earth. Prior to this catastrophe, Aria has no idea that there are others like her in the world, making this as much a story of self-discovery and friendship as a quest.

As in her other stories, Connolly creates a fascinating and unique quest for the four otherlings, resulting in a showdown with the villain.

Connolly’s work is a fantastic introduction to fantasy for early middle grade readers who cut their teeth on unicorns and dragons, and she’s a darn good storyteller!

Highly recommended.

Publication Date: April 4, 2023
Published By: Sourcebooks Young Readers
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy

Fantasy, Magical, Mystery, Women

God of Endings by Jacqueline Holland

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Description

By turns suspenseful and enchanting, this breathtaking first novel weaves a story of love, family, history, and myth as seen through the eyes of one immortal woman.

Collette LeSange is a lonely artist who heads an elite fine arts school for children in upstate New York. Her youthful beauty masks the dark truth of her life: she has endured centuries of turmoil and heartache in the wake of her grandfather’s long-ago decision to make her immortal like himself. Now in 1984, Collette finds her life upended by the arrival of a gifted child from a troubled home, the return of a stalking presence from her past, and her own mysteriously growing hunger.

Combining brilliant prose with breathtaking suspense, Jacqueline Holland’s The God of Endings serves as a larger exploration of the human condition in all its complexity, asking us the most fundamental question: is life in this world a gift or a curse?

My Thoughts

I rarely read vampire stories anymore, and truthfully I did not realize God of Endings was such a tale. However, I’m glad I didn’t know because I found this to be a memorable reading experience which I would have missed if I’d known the “immortal” being was a vampire.

Holland skillfully weaves together multiple threads of Colette’s life, from her beginning as Anna through the Anya days and finally to her current life. I enjoy stories that slip back and forth between very different times, but often find a lack of attention to detail and consistency which muddles to story. None of that to be found here! It seems the author is a meticulous plotter and that care and skill form a solid foundation for beautiful descriptive and narrative writing.

The is a book to be savored, perhaps read over a rainy autumn weekend, wrapped in a blanket in front of a fire.

Highly recommended.

Published By: Flatiron Books
Publication Date: March 7, 2023
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy

Fantasy, Magical, Mythology, Women, Young Adult

Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Description

★THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED SERIES FANTASY READERS ARE RAVING ABOUT!★

Raised to protect her nation from the monsters lurking in the sands, sixteen-year-old Imani must fight to find her brother, whose betrayal is now the country’s greatest threat.

In the hidden desert city of Qalia, there is secret spice magic that awakens the affinities of those who drink the misra tea. Sixteen-year-old Imani has the affinity for iron and is able to wield a dagger like no other warrior. She has garnered the reputation as being the next great Shield for battling djinn, ghouls, and other monsters spreading across the sands. 

Her reputation has been overshadowed, however, by her brother, who tarnished the family name after it was revealed that he was stealing his nation’s coveted spice—a telltale sign of magical obsession. Soon after that, he disappeared, believed to have died beyond the Forbidden Wastes. Despite her brother’s betrayal, there isn’t a day that goes by when Imani doesn’t grieve him. 

But when Imani discovers signs that her brother may be alive and spreading the nation’s magic to outsiders, she makes a deal with the Council that she will find him and bring him back to Qalia, where he will face punishment. Accompanied by other Shields, including Taha, a powerful beastseer who can control the minds of falcons, she sets out on her mission. 

Imani will soon find that many secrets lie beyond the Forbidden Wastes—and in her own heart—but will she find her brother?

My Thoughts

It’s been awhile since I gave a 5 star review, but Spice Road 100% deserves it. This is one of the very best fantasy novels I’ve read in a long time. The basic plot isn’t that unusual – one group of people who have magic are threatened by another group that wants the magic – BUT the telling makes this so much more than a conflict between two groups. Brilliant characterization framed by lush description enhanced with the mythology and folklore of the Arabian Peninsula result in an unusual and compelling quest fantasy. It looks like this may be the start of series, and it is one I will eagerly anticipate.

Highly recommended.

Published By: Random House Children’s; Delacorte
Publication Date: January 24, 2023
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy