Book Review | TORCHFIRE by Moira Buffini

TORCHFIRE

The Torch Trilogy Series , Vol. 2
BY MOIRA BUFFINI | PUBLICATION: AUGUST 28, 2025
FABER AND FABER | GENRE: YOUNG ADULT FANTASY / DYSTOPIA
RATING: ★★★★

"Readers will be challenged, justified, and confronted,
often in the same chapter."

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Welcome to a world where songlight is either your greatest power—or your greatest curse.

Elsa is on the run and is urgently seeking a safe haven.
Nightingale is being held captive and forced to use her songlight against her own people.
Piper has been promoted up the ranks of the Airmen, where nothing but bloodshed is demanded of him.
Rye has stumbled across an incredible airship, the likes of which has never been seen before . . .
All four are united by their desire for peace. But peace between the Aylish and Brightland feels more fragile than ever.

And there is a new threat, not just to Brightland, but to Ayland and the world beyond. The airship that Rye has discovered is owned by a race of elite Torches, recently returned to Earth.

The future of civilisation is on a knife edge, with those from Brightland wanting to stamp out songlight, those from Ayland wanting harmony and those from Sealand wanting songlight to rein, whatever the costs . . .

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Moira Buffini’s TORCHFIRE plunges us straight into the fray where Songlight (2024) left off, wasting no time in rekindling the tension, heartbreak, and hope that defined the first installment. The stakes are higher, the world broader, and the emotional toll deeper.

Elsa, Nightingale, Piper, and Rye return with new scars and sharper edges, joined by fresh perspectives that expand the narrative’s reach. Buffini juggles multiple POVs with remarkable precision—never losing momentum, never wasting a page. The pacing is relentless yet deliberate, building a slow, desperate crescendo that left me breathless and hungry for more.

The plot development is rich and immersive, but it’s the thematic expansion that truly sets Torchfire ablaze. Buffini doesn’t shy away from the raw parts—grief, betrayal, complicity, survival. These themes aren’t just explored; they’re felt. Readers will be challenged, justified, and confronted, often in the same chapter.

The characters are fully realized, flaws and all. Buffini doesn’t deal in shades of gray so much as she paints with bruised color—characters who are not whitewashed, not villainized, but deeply human. Their pain is palpable, and their choices—however flawed—are rooted in survival and belief. Even the villains are affecting; you hold your breath when they enter the page, not out of fear alone, but out of recognition.

What lingers most after finishing Torchfire is the way Buffini interrogates the concept of humanity itself. In this world, those who carry songlight are branded as “unhuman”—a label meant to isolate, devalue, and erase. Yet the very act of songlight, of shared thought and feeling, is what binds people together. The joining of songlight is called “harmony”—and isn’t that exactly what our world needs right now?

Buffini doesn’t just pose the question; she lets it burn through the narrative. Why would a right-thinking society try to rip out harmony? What are we so afraid of when people connect deeply, vulnerably, and without violence?

The new characters introduced in TORCHFIRE stand in stark contrast to this archaic belief system. They challenge the status quo with their presence. They are bringing a new world with them.

Songlight started the tune, it blends the harmony. And it is TORCHFIRE that started the blaze and starts the march onwards.

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About the Author:

Moira Buffini is an Olivier Award–winning UK playwright and BAFTA-nominated screenwriter, writing many plays for the National Theatre and the West End. Films include Tamara Drewe, Jane Eyre, Byzantium, and The Dig. She cocreated and was showrunner of Hulu's Harlots. Songlight is her debut novel. She lives in London.

*Faber and Faber provided the eARC
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Book Review | THE NIGHTBLOOD PRINCE by Molly X. Chang

THE NIGHTBLOOD PRINCE

The Nightblood Prince Series, Vol. 1
BY MOLLY X. CHANG | PUBLICATION: JULY 1, 2025
RANDOM HOUSE | GENRE: YOUNG ADULT FANTASY
RATING: ★★★★

"Fei’s defiance of the gods, her refusal to be a pawn, and the enigmatic premise kept me hooked."

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Two princes. One prophecy. A fate she cannot outrun.

The night Fei was born, a prophecy was made: she would one day become the Empress of All Empresses.

Torn from her family as a child and raised in the palace to one day marry the Crown Prince of the most powerful empire in the land, Fei has only ever known loneliness. When the opportunity arises to seize her own destiny for the first time in her life, Fei sets out to hunt a legendary tiger, knowing it might cost her everything. What she doesn’t expect is to fall under the mercy of Yexue, the beautiful runaway prince from a rival kingdom. Blessed by the night, harboring a dangerous magic, and capable of commanding an army of deadly vampires, Yexue could be the key to Fei gaining more than just her freedom.

But to outrun destiny, Fei must spark a wave of events that will change the world as she knows it. Torn between two princes and plagued by nightmares of bloodshed, she finds that the stars might be more inescapable—and more irresistible—than she ever considered before. . . .-PRH

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A prophecy. A tiger hunt. A prince cloaked in night. THE NIGHTBLOOD PRINCE delivers a sweeping tale of destiny, defiance, and blood-soaked magic that reads like a fever dream stitched from the histories of Vlad the Impaler and Genghis Khan.

Fei, the prophesied Empress of All Empresses, is a heroine who refuses to be confined by fate. Torn from her family and raised in a palace that treats her more as a symbol than a person, Fei’s journey is one of reclaiming agency—of choosing herself over the empire’s expectations. Her inner battle is compelling, though at times confusing. She longs to be chosen for who she is, not for what she represents. And while her arc is powerful, her inability to fully “let go” until it’s too late left me aching.

The story is fast-paced, with no dull chapters to slog through—a rare treat. The love triangle trope, which I usually avoid, didn’t bother me here. Perhaps because it’s woven into a larger tapestry of royal court intrigue, enemies-to-lovers tension, and slow-burning emotional stakes. Yexue, the rival prince with dangerous magic and a vampire army, is enigmatic and beautifully written. The romance simmers rather than scorches, and I appreciated that restraint.

Fei’s defiance of the gods, her refusal to be a pawn, and the enigmatic premise kept me hooked. There were moments that made me cringe—scenes that felt a bit too dramatic or forced—but they didn’t derail the experience. The familial connections and communal responsibilities added depth, grounding the fantasy in something tender and real. And the inclusion of Chinese proverbs throughout the story adds a quiet reverence for heritage, grounding the tale in cultural memory while honoring the wisdom passed down through generations.

Who Should Read This
Beyond its fantasy trappings, The Nightblood Prince feels eerily relevant and speaks to timely themes: autonomy, identity, and the cost of being a symbol. Fei’s struggle to define herself outside of prophecy mirrors the pressure many face today to live up to inherited expectations—whether cultural, familial, or societal. Her refusal to be used as a justification for conquest mirrors a deeper truth: power rooted in brutality is not strength—it’s cowardice dressed in armor.

In a world where war is still wielded as a tool of pride and dominance, I hope the younger generation reads The Nightblood Prince. Not just for the magic and monsters, but for the mirror it holds to history. This book invites readers to reflect—to see how power has been wielded, how symbols have been used, and how empires have risen on the backs of the unwilling.

We are living in a time that feels precarious. The world teeters between progress and regression, between civility and the savagery our ancestors tried to haul us from. I do not believe in “casualties of war.” Fiction like this reminds us that destiny is not fixed. I believe in stories that challenge the arrogance of empire and remind us that choosing wisely—choosing peace, truth, and autonomy—is the bravest act of all.

“Fate is not as strong as the human heart.”
(命不如心强 — Mìng bùrú xīn qiáng)

Final Reflection
As Fei learns, and as we must remember: Fate is not as strong as the human heart. Stories like THE NIGHTBLOOD PRINCE remind us that even in the shadow of prophecy, we can choose who we become.

I peeked at the hardbound cover art by Gollancz and loved how it captured the story’s haunting tone. I’ll be waiting for Book Two, curious to see how the stars shift next.

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About the Author:

Molly X. Chang is the bestselling author of To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods and the upcoming young adult fantasy The Nightblood Prince. She’s a first-generation immigrant born in Harbin, China. Photo by Katrina Wong

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Book Review | THE LAST TIGER by Julia Riew; Brad Riew

THE LAST TIGER

BY JULIA RIEW, BRAD RIEW | PUBLICATION: JULY 29, 2025
KOKILA | GENRE: YA FANTASY
RATING: ★★★

"...the blush of first love and bridging impossible divides."

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Inspired by true stories from the authors’ grandparents’ lives during one of the darkest periods in Korean history, The Last Tiger is a debut young adult fantasy novel about the power of love to give voice to a silenced people.

In a colonized land where tigers are being hunted to extinction and ancient magic stirs, two star-crossed teens—Lee Seung, a servant yearning for freedom, and Choi Eunji, a noble girl defying tradition—join forces to try and reshape their respective fates.

But their relationship evolves from begrudging accomplices to bitter adversaries as they soon find themselves on opposite sides of a battle over the last tiger, a symbol of their people’s lost freedom and key to the liberation of their country. As the ties between Seung and Eunji are complicated by their conflicting loyalties, tensions rise—especially when a charming princeling of the empire begins to rival for Eunji's affection.

In this friends-to-enemies-to-lovers story of forbidden romance, antagonists turned allies, oppression and liberation, neither Seung nor Eunji can abandon their mission—or each other. And as they embark on separate quests to find the elusive creature, each must also find the power within themselves to make their own destiny. -PRH

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I finished this book, but not without a fight.

The Last Tiger has all the ingredients of a compelling historical fantasy: a colonized Korea under Imperial Japan, magical realism rooted in dragon spirits and ki, and a symbolic quest to protect the last tiger—a living emblem of resistance and cultural identity. The premise is rich, and the authors’ inspiration from their grandparents’ real-life love story adds emotional weight.

But despite its potential, this story didn’t resonate with me.

The central romance—between a noble girl and a servant—leans heavily into the princess/poor trope, which I’ve never found appealing. The narrative still hinges on familiar beats: forbidden love, class defiance, and a princeling rival. It felt more like a YA fantasy checklist than a fresh take.

That said, the protagonist deserves credit. Choi Eunji didn’t wait to be saved. She climbed, she fought, and she earned her place through grit and determination. Her arc was the only thing that kept me coming back, even when the rest of the narrative felt like a chore. I huffed, I puffed, I put the book down more times than I can count—but I finished it.

I admire the historical context, especially the brutal depiction of tiger executions, which echoes the violence of cultural erasure. As someone whose own grandparents lived through the Japanese occupation of the Philippines, I felt a personal connection to the themes of oppression and survival. But even that couldn’t carry me through the story’s pacing and emotional tone.

This book might speak more deeply to younger readers—those drawn to the blush of first love and bridging impossible divides.

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About the Authors:

Julia Riew is a Korean-American composer-lyricist, librettist, and novelist from St. Louis and NYC. She is best known for her viral hit Dive, a reimagining of the Korean folktale Shimcheong, which has captivated millions online and is currently being developed for the stage at the American Repertory Theater with Tony-Award winning director Diane Paulus and GLAAD-Award winning playwright Diana Son.

Brad Riew is an MFA candidate in Fiction at New York University's creative writing program. He graduated from Harvard College in 2018 with a degree in Psychology, where he won the Ecker Short Story Prize. The Last Tiger, co-written with his younger sister Julia Riew, is his first novel. Brad lives in Brooklyn, New York.

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Book Review | THE BOOK OF LOST HOURS by Hayley Gelfuso

THE BOOK OF LOST HOURS

BY HAYLEY GELFUSO | PUBLICATION: AUGUST 26, 2025
ATRIA | GENRE: HISTORICAL FICTION
RATING: ★★★★✬

"An incredible premise with a deeply moving message."

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For fans of The Ministry of Time and The Midnight Library, a sweeping, unforgettable novel moving from pre-WWII Germany to Cold War-era America to the mysterious time space, a library filled with books containing the memories of those who bore witness to history.

Nuremberg, 1938: On the night of Kristallnacht, eleven-year-old Lisavet Levy is hidden by her father from approaching forces in a mysterious place called the time space, a library where all the memories of the past are stored inside of books. When her father doesn’t return for her, she becomes trapped, spending her adolescence walking through the memories of those who lived before. When she discovers that living timekeepers are entering the time space to destroy memories and maintain their preferred version of history, Lisavet sets about trying to salvage the past, creating her own book of lost memories. Until one day in 1949, when she meets an American timekeeper named Ernest Duquesne, who is intent on keeping her from her task. What ensues sets her on a course to change history and the time space itself forever.

Boston, 1965: Amelia Duquesne is mourning the death of her uncle and guardian, Ernest, when she’s approached by Moira, the enigmatic head of the CIA’s highly secretive Temporal Reconnaissance Program. Moira tells her about the existence of the time space—accessed only by specially designed watches whose intricate mechanisms have been lost to time—and enlists her help in recovering a strange book her uncle had once sought. But Amelia quickly realizes that the past—and the truth—are not as straightforward as Moira would like her to believe.

A sweeping, cinematic love story, this feat of imagination explores memory, time, and the lengths we will go to in order to protect the existence of those we love.

____________________________________________________________________

"We Choose Love"

From the moment I saw the cover, I felt summoned. Some books whisper. This one beckons.

Hayley Gelfuso crafts a haunting, poetic timespace where memory is both sanctuary and battleground. Unlike typical multiverse narratives, this story unfolds in a library of lost hours—a purgatory of recollection, where time doesn’t bend but bruises. Azrael’s description of this realm lingers: it’s not a portal, it’s a reckoning.

The premise alone is a marvel. But it’s Gelfuso’s lyrical voice that elevates the experience. Despite the dual timelines and shifting perspectives, her prose remains fluid and evocative, never losing its emotional cadence.

Lisavet and Amelia are compelling, but it was Ernest Duquesne who pierced me most deeply. A man who loves through ruin, who chooses tenderness even when time itself conspires against him. His love story with Lisavet doesn’t just endure—it defies chronology.

Gelfuso also knows how to sculpt a villain. The antagonist is despicable in the most effective way, a force that makes the stakes feel real and raw.

"Time is the beast that makes mortals of all, one way or another.
It takes everything heedless of wealth or status."
I read this slowly. I didn’t want it to end. I left marginalias in the edges—my own memory etched into the pages. And while I won’t spoil the final chapters, I will say this: even in death, Time can still take everything. But love, when chosen again and again, leaves a trace.

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About the Author:

Hayley Gelfuso is an author and poet who works in the environmental nonprofit sector. As a writer, she is drawn to stories of the wild and wonderful that are rooted in real world history and science. Her poetry about her experiences working in the conservation field has been published in the Plumwood Mountain Journal. She lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband.
Photograph by Angelo Gelfuso, Gelfocus Photography

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Book Review | IMPOSSIBLE CREATURES by Katherine Rundell

IMPOSSIBLE CREATURES

Impossible Creatures Series, Vol. 1
BY KATHERINE RUNDELL
ART BY ASHLEY MACKENZIE | PUBLICATION: SEPTEMBER 10, 2024
KNOPF | GENRE: YA FANTASY
RATING: ★★★★★

"It’s a rallying cry for every soul who still believes in wonder, in courage, and in the quiet power of kindness."

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The day Christopher saved a drowning baby griffin from a hidden lake would change his life forever. It's the day he learned about the Archipelago, a cluster of unmapped islands where magical creatures of every kind have thrived for thousands of years—until now. And it's the day he met Mal, a girl on the run who desperately needs his help.

Mal and Christopher embark on a wild adventure, racing from island to island, searching for someone who can explain why the magic is fading and why magical creatures are suddenly dying. They consult sphinxes, battle kraken, and negotiate with dragons. But the closer they get to the dark truth of what's happening, the clearer it becomes: no one else can fix this. If the Archipelago is to be saved, Mal and Christopher will have to do it themselves.

Katherine Rundell’s story crackles and roars with energy and delight. It is brought vividly to life with more than 60 illustrations, including a map and a bestiary of magical creatures. -PRH

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Remember Kindness

There are books that entertain. There are books that comfort. And then there are books like IMPOSSIBLE CREATURES—books that summon. Katherine Rundell’s tale of Christopher and Mal isn’t just a fantasy adventure—it’s a rallying cry for every soul who still believes in wonder, in courage, and in the quiet power of kindness.

Set between the Scottish Highlands and the Archipelago—a hidden world where mythical creatures still breathe—the story begins with a baby griffin, a boy who dares to save it, and a girl named Mal who can fly and is running from something far darker than monsters. Together, they race across islands, consult sphinxes, battle kraken, and negotiate with dragons. But the real battle? It’s against despair. Against the fading of magic. Against the kind of apathy that lets beauty die without protest.

The Archipelago feels like the kind of place that’s been waiting in the collective imagination—just out of reach, until someone like Katherine Rundell gave it form. The part that makes the Archipelago feel truly alive—not just the creatures, but the people who live alongside them. Rundell hints at entire civilizations tucked into the folds of the islands, each with their own stories, rituals, languages, and ways of understanding the impossible. Rundell doesn’t over-explain. She trusts us to feel the weight of what’s not said. That there are people we haven’t met yet, and when we do, they’ll change everything.

The Archipelago feels like a sanctuary—not just from danger, but from the noise and cruelty that seem to echo louder in our world lately. It’s a place where wonder is protected, where kindness is woven into the fabric of life, and where the impossible thrives because people believe in it together. It’s comforting to imagine that somewhere out there, tucked behind the veil of reality, there’s a place untouched by division. Where cultures coexist not in spite of their differences, but because of them. Where every creature, every person, has a place and a purpose. A world stitched together from myth and memory, where griffins soar and nereid slip through the waves, and where the impossible isn’t just possible—it’s home.

Rundell didn’t just build a world—she remembered it for us. Like she cracked open a secret door in the back of the wardrobe and said, “Here. You knew this place existed. You just forgot.”

Mal and Christopher are the archetypes of what we need more of: kids who ask hard questions, who risk safety for truth, who understand that saving the world means doing the work. And Rundell doesn’t flinch from the cost. There’s danger. There’s loss. But there’s also hope—and it’s earned, not gifted.

Christopher is the quiet heartbeat of Impossible Creatures. His magic isn’t mythical—it’s moral. And he’s the one who chooses to show up, again and again, even when the path is terrifying, even when he doesn’t fully understand what he’s stepping into. That kind of courage—the kind that’s rooted in loyalty, empathy, and instinct—is rare. And it’s beautiful.

And the way he never says no? That’s not just bravery—it’s deeply rooted love. For Gelifen, for Mal, for the Archipelago. He steps into the unknown not because he’s fearless, but because he cares. It captures something deep and ancient—like the Archipelago itself was waiting for Christopher, whispering his name through feathers and fur and wind. He didn’t stumble into destiny; he was claimed by it. Before he understood, before he agreed, before he even believed—the creatures knew. They saw the quiet strength, the kindness, the willingness to leap without asking why. That’s the kind of hero who stays with you long after the last page.

It’s rare in stories to see characters chosen not for power or prophecy, but for heart. And that’s why Mal and Christopher stays with us. They gave up their childhood innocence for something worth fighting for, accepted the quest, and they refused to be helpless. They are the kind of people the world needs more of—the kind who says yes, even when the cost is high, even when the path is unclear.

Rundell’s stories shimmer with strangeness—griffins, flying girls, impossible islands—but it’s the kindness that anchors them. Not just fleeting gestures, but the kind that demands courage, persistence, and sacrifice. She has this rare gift—she writes for young readers without ever condescending to them. Her language is lyrical, her ideas are layered, and her emotional truths are unflinching. She trusts her readers, no matter their age, to grapple with beauty and grief, with wonder and loss.

For the kind people: If you’ve ever felt the world growing colder, more cynical, more cruel—read this. Let it remind you that kindness must be taught, modeled, and fought for. That protecting innocence doesn’t mean shielding children from truth, but arming them with empathy and courage.

This book is a seed. Let’s plant it in every heart that still believes in impossible things.

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About the Author:

KATHERINE RUNDELL is the internationally bestselling author of Impossible Creatures. Her other books for children include Rooftoppers, Cartwheeling in Thunderstorms, The Wolf Wilder, The Explorer, and The Good Thieves. She grew up in Zimbabwe, Brussels, and London, and is currently a Fellow of St. Catherine’s College, Oxford. For adult readers, Rundell has written Vanishing Treasures: A Bestiary of Extraordinary Endangered Creatures and Super-Infinite: The Transformations of John Donne, which won the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction. She was the recipient of the British Book Award for Book of the Year and Author of the Year.

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Book Review | THE HOMEMADE GOD by Rachel Joyce

THE HOMEMADE GOD

BY RACHEL JOYCE | PUBLICATION: JULY 8, 2025
DOUBLEDAY CANADA | GENRE: LITERARY FICTION
RATING: ★★★★★

"It’s never the loudest character or the most dramatic twist—it’s the quiet truth that lingers."

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There is a heatwave across Europe, and four siblings have gathered at their family’s lake house to seek answers about their father, a famous artist, who recently remarried a much younger woman and decamped to Italy to finish his long-awaited masterpiece.

Now he is dead. And there is no sign of his final painting.

As the siblings try to piece together what happened, they spend the summer in a state of lawlessness: living under the same roof for the first time in decades, forced to confront the buried wounds they incurred as his children, and waiting for answers. Though they have always been close, the things they learn that summer—about themselves—and their father—will drive them apart before they can truly understand his legacy. Meanwhile, their stepmother’s enigmatic presence looms over the house. Is she the force that will finally destroy the family for good?

Wonderfully atmospheric, at heart this is a novel about the bonds of siblinghood—what happens when they splinter, and what it might take to reconnect them. -PRH

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"The Quiet Resurrection of a Goose: A Masterpiece"

In THE HOMEMADE GOD, Rachel Joyce once again proves that the heart of a story doesn’t need to be loud to be unforgettable. While the novel opens with the death of Vic Kemp—the flamboyant artist and flawed patriarch—it’s his son Goose who quietly steals the narrative. Often overlooked, Goose becomes the emotional compass of the novel.

Rachel Joyce is a genius at crafting fractured, complex characters who feel heartbreakingly real. Here, she places four siblings—Netta, Susan, Goose, and Iris—inside the sweltering heat of an Italian summer, in a lakeside villa that holds more ghosts than memories. What begins as a mystery surrounding their father Vic’s death and missing masterpiece soon reveals itself to be something deeper: a portrait of a family in quiet collapse.

The first part of the novel is deceptively warm. The siblings, despite their differences, share a bond forged in childhood and shaped by their adoration for their father. But Joyce, as always, knows how to shift the light. The second part dives into the undercurrent—the unspoken wounds, the buried resentments, the truths too painful to name. It’s here the novel breaks open. And it’s here that Goose, the third in the pack, begins to rise.

What struck me most was how Joyce, as she always does, finds her center (which I'd like to discuss in detail on a different post). It’s never the loudest character or the most dramatic twist—it’s the quiet truth that lingers. Goose reminded me so much of Benji from Fredrik Backman’s books. Both are beautiful, broken men who carry their pain with grace. Goose, despite his damage and breakdowns, remains open. Joyce paints him with aching tenderness: a failed artist, a wounded child, a man searching for something that doesn’t hurt to hold. And when Billy enters the story—a miracle in human form—everything changes. Billy is the kind of person everyone needs: gentle, firm, enveloping. His love doesn’t fix Goose; it allows him to heal. Goose's journey back to art, and into the arms of Billy, is not just a subplot—it’s a resurrection. In a family fractured by ego and grief, Goose chooses creation over destruction. His love story is gentle, his healing slow, but every step feels earned.

This book is slow. It takes its time. It cries out all its tears. And then, with quiet courage, it opens its palms to love again. Goose’s return to art, and his acceptance of love, is the novel’s heartbeat. In a story filled with grief and legacy, he chooses creation. He chooses peace.

In the final chapter, Bella-Mae’s masterpiece reminds us that art isn’t made from what’s pristine—it’s made from what’s lived. Broken things, forgotten things, everyday things. Together, they form something divine. And in that image, the Kemp family finds not just closure, but grace.

This novel doesn’t offer easy redemption. It offers something better: the possibility of peace. And Goose, with his paintbrush and his quiet heart, shows us how to get there. The Homemade God is a book of hope, of healing, and of art—the art of loving and being loved.

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About the Author:

Rachel Joyce is the author of the Sunday Times and international bestsellers The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy, and Perfect. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry was short-listed for the Commonwealth Book Prize and long-listed for the Man Booker Prize and has been translated into thirty-six languages. Joyce was awarded the Specsavers National Book Awards New Writer of the Year in 2012. She is also the author of the digital short story A Faraway Smell of Lemon and is the award-winning writer of more than thirty original afternoon plays and classic adaptations for BBC Radio 4. Rachel Joyce lives with her family in Gloucestershire. Photo by Justin Sutcliffe

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Book Review | SLANTING TOWARDS THE SEA by Lidija Hilje

SLANTING TOWARDS THE SEA

BY LIDIJA HILJE | PUBLICATION: JULY 8, 2025
SIMON & SCHUSTER | GENRE: LITERARY FICTION
RATING: ★★★★✬

"This isn’t a book that shouts—it whispers, aches, and lingers."

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Spanning twenty years and one life-altering summer in Croatia, Slanting Towards the Sea is at once an unforgettable love story and a powerful exploration of what it means to come of age in a country younger than oneself.

Ivona divorced the love of her life, Vlaho, a decade ago. They met as students at the turn of the millennium, when newly democratic Croatia was alive with hope and promise. But the challenges of living in a burgeoning country extinguished Ivona’s dreams one after another—and a devastating secret forced her to set him free.

Now Vlaho is remarried and a proud father of two, while Ivona’s life has taken a downward turn. In her thirties, she has returned to her childhood home to care for her ailing father. Bewildered by life’s disappointments, she finds solace in reconnecting with Vlaho and is welcomed into his family by his spirited wife, Marina. But when a new man enters Ivona’s life, the carefully cultivated dynamic between the three is disrupted, forcing a reckoning for all involved.

Set against the mesmerizing Croatian coastline, Slanting Towards the Sea is a cinematic, emotionally searing debut about the fragile nature of potential and the transcendence of love.

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"A Quiet Storm of Emotion Beneath Still Waters"

SLANTING TOWARDS THE SEA is a masterclass in subtle storytelling. On the surface, it’s a quiet novel—its pace gentle, its tone restrained—but beneath that stillness lies a powerful emotional current. The silence in this book isn’t empty; it’s charged with grief, longing, and the unspoken truths that shape our lives.

The story follows a woman returning to her coastal hometown, meant to take care of her ailing father. What begins as a simple act of "moving forward" becomes a profound reckoning with memory, identity, and the fragile threads of family. The sea, ever-present and symbolic, mirrors the protagonist’s inner world: calm on the surface, turbulent underneath.

Lidija Hilje’s prose is lyrical and hypnotic, weaving melancholy and memory with precision. It’s not just about lost love—it’s about the cost of silence, the weight of sacrifice, and the fragility of potential. Her eloquence almost acts as a counterpoint to the emotional repression her characters endure.

What makes the novel so compelling is how Hilje uses language to illuminate absence—the things left unsaid, the moments swallowed by pride, fear, or shame. Ivona’s internal monologue is rich and expressive, yet her actual interactions are often clipped, restrained, or evasive. That tension between inner eloquence and outer silence is where the novel truly sings. Hilje seems to understand that language can be both bridge and barrier. Her prose is lush, but her characters are emotionally parched. That contradiction is what makes the novel so haunting.

The blurred line between sacrifice and surrender is one of the novel’s central heartbreaks. Ivona’s decision is framed as noble, but it’s steeped in fear—fear of inadequacy, of being a burden, of not living up to the imagined future she believes Vlaho deserves. Her refusal to speak her truth isn’t just restraint—it’s a kind of disappearance. She vanishes from the relationship without explanation.

It’s a story that challenges the idea that love is always selfless. Sometimes, true love demands vulnerability, not withdrawal. And Hilje seems to suggest that the most painful regrets come not from what we did, but from what we never dared to say.

There’s a profound question, and one that Slanting Towards the Sea never answers outright, but constantly circles. If our choices define us, then Ivona is a woman shaped by absence, by the things she didn’t say, didn’t do, didn’t fight for. And yet, she’s not passive. Her silence is deliberate. Her withdrawal is chosen. That makes her both tragic and powerful.

So how do we define her? Perhaps as a woman who chose dignity over desire, silence over vulnerability, and ended up haunted by both. She’s not a cautionary tale—she’s a reflection of how complex, and sometimes self-destructive, love can be when filtered through fear and pride.

This isn’t a book that shouts—it whispers, aches, and lingers. It’s for readers who appreciate introspective literary fiction, where the most powerful moments are often the quietest. Reading SLANTING TOWARDS THE SEA feels like standing at the edge of something vast and unknowable. It’s introspective, poetic, and deeply human. If your book club is looking for a story that lingers, that invites reflection and conversation, this is the one.

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About the Author:

Lidija Hilje is a Croatian novelist and certified book coach. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times and other outlets. After ten years of trying cases before Croatian courts, she obtained a book coaching certification and has been working professionally with writers ever since. She lives in Zadar, Croatia, with her husband and two daughters. Slanting Towards the Sea is her first novel.
Photograph © Suzy New Life Photography

*Simon & Schuster provided the eARC
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Book Review | THE MIDWATCH INSTITUTE FOR WAYWARD GIRLS by Judith Rossell

THE MIDWATCH INSTITUTE FOR WAYWARD GIRLS

BY JUDITH ROSSELL | PUBLICATION: MAY 27, 2025
DIAL BOOKS | GENRE: MIDDLE-GRADE MYSTERY
RATING: ★★★★✬

"A must-read for middle-grade lovers and anyone who believes in the power of learning and compassion."

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For fans of The Swifts and A Series of Unfortunate Events comes the story of a young orphan at the edge of society who finds herself at the center of a city’s secrets.

Maggie Fishbone is not expecting much when she’s sent to the Midwatch Institute for Orphans, Runaways, and Wayward Girls—the last resort after causing a ruckus at the orphanage where she was living. Except . . . the Institute isn’t some dreadful, dreary place like she thought.

Instead it’s full of curious girls training to solve mysteries, fight bad guys, and keep the city safe. In between fencing lessons and discovering all the shortcuts in the building, Maggie finds herself making friends at the Midwatch and finally feeling like she’s home. And when a woman goes missing, Maggie’s off on her first assignment, with each step leading her deeper into the secrets of the city.

With gorgeous black-and-white illustrations and pages of “Useful Things Every Girl Should Know” (like how send messages in morse code and how to shout extremely loudly), The Midwatch is a whimsical, adventure-filled mystery from internationally bestselling author-illustrator Judith Rossell.

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"Holy Mackerel!"

Judith Rossell’s THE MIDWATCH INSTITUTE FOR WAYWARD GIRLS is a delightful, whimsical mystery that wraps adventure, heart, and empowerment into one beautifully illustrated package. It follows Maggie Fishbone—a spirited orphan who finds herself at a school unlike any other.

Sent to the Midwatch Institute after causing a stir at her previous orphanage, Maggie expects gloom and punishment. Instead, she discovers a vibrant world where girls are trained to solve mysteries, defend the city, and grow into their best selves. With fencing lessons, secret passages, and a missing person case to unravel, Maggie’s journey is one of friendship, courage, and self-discovery.

🌟 What Makes This Book Shine:

• A Joyful Adventure: The story is packed with excitement, warmth, and the thrill of discovery.

• Found Family: Maggie’s bond with the other girls is tender and uplifting—a reminder that belonging can be found in unexpected places.

• Gentle Wisdom: The Institute offers a safe space to make mistakes, learn, and be guided with compassion.

• Empowering Message: Knowledge is the greatest weapon—even the smallest, most frightened characters can rise when armed with understanding.

• Charming Extras: The “Useful Things Every Girl Should Know” pages are clever, practical, and full of charm.

• Gorgeous Illustrations: The cover and interior art add depth and whimsy to the reading experience.

This book is a celebration of curiosity, kindness, and courage. It’s a reminder that every child deserves a gentle hand and a safe place to grow. I finished it wanting more—more mysteries, more lessons, more Midwatch.

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About the Author:

Judith Rossell is the multi-award-winning author-illustrator of the bestselling Stella Montgomery series (Withering-by-Sea, Wormwood Mire and Wakestone Hall). Judith has written fifteen books and illustrated more than eighty, including the recent picture books Bogtrotter and Pink!, both written by Margaret Wild. Her work has been published in the US and UK, and translated into more than twenty languages. Before becoming an illustrator, Judith trained as a scientist, and worked for CSIRO, and for a cotton-spinning company. She lives in Melbourne.
Photo from PRH site. No infringement intended.

*Penguin Random House provided the eARC
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BBNYA Book Review | Madame Eldridge’s Wayward Home for Unruly Boys by Benjamin Ryan

MADAME ELDRIDGE’S WAYWARD HOME FOR UNRULY BOYS

5th Place Finalist, BBNYA 2024
BY BENJAMIN RYAN | AUGUST 1, 2023
GENRE: YA FANTASY
RATING: ★★★★✬

“Every chapter pulses with energy, emotion, and intrigue.”

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Deep in the heart of Virginia’s dense backwoods, the Wayward Home for Unruly Boys hides more than just troubled youth. Under Madame Eldridge’s watchful eye, three strict rules govern their behavior

1. What happens here stays here.
2. You must complete all eight steps—no exceptions allowed.
3. Forget your name; you’ll be known only by your problem.

But, there’s one unspoken rule that sends shivers down the boys' never enter the forbidden third-floor bedroom of the boy who vanished, leaving nothing behind but whispers.

When Vandalize and Stealer defy this warning, they uncover a treasure trove of bewitched artifacts, each with a strange and powerful ability. Using these relics, the boys tackle Madame Eldridge’s whimsical—and often bizarre—challenges, only to learn magic always demands its price.

Amidst the chaos, Fibbsy stumbles upon a peculiar object that sends him hurtling back in time, revealing an unfathomable truth about Madame Eldridge, the eerie town, and the missing boy’s fate. But who will trust the words of a liar?

Bound by the house’s darkest mysteries, Fibbsy, Defiance, Slob, and Secret form an unlikely friendship as they race to unveil the shrouded secrets surrounding the Wayward Home. Together, they confront their deepest fears, uncovering that the real magic lies in facing their own personal demons—and each other.

AMAZON | GOODREADS | THE STORY GRAPH

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Benjamin Ryan’s MADAME ELDRIDGE’S WAYWARD HOME FOR UNRULY BOYS is a masterfully woven tale that blends mystery, magic, and emotional growth into a story that’s as quirky as it is profound.

Set in a secluded summer boarding school deep in Virginia’s woods, the novel introduces readers to a cast of troubled boys—each stripped of their real names and renamed after their flaws. Through a series of whimsical and often bizarre challenges, they must confront their personal demons, forge unlikely friendships, and uncover the secrets hidden within the house’s haunted walls. What makes this story shine is its:

• 🌟 Brilliant pacing: Clues are revealed at just the right moments, keeping the mystery alive without ever feeling forced.
• 💫 Inventive magic system: Each enchanted object reflects the boys’ inner struggles, making their growth feel earned and meaningful.
• ❤️ Emotional depth: Themes of trust, friendship, and self-acceptance are explored with nuance and heart.
• 👗 Vivid descriptions: Madame Eldridge’s wardrobe alone deserves its own spotlight—every entrance she makes is unforgettable.
• 🔍 Compelling mystery: From the very first page, readers are invited to solve the puzzle alongside the boys, with satisfying answers and tantalizing new questions by the end.

There are no slow moments in this book. Every chapter pulses with energy, emotion, and intrigue. I was completely immersed in the world Benjamin Ryan created—and I’m already counting the days until the sequel.

A must-read for fans of magical realism, character-driven stories, and mysteries with heart. I can’t wait to return to the Wayward Home.

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[The Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award (BBNYA) is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists (16 in 2024) and one overall winner.

If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website https://www.bbnya.com/ or take a peek over on Twitter @BBNYA_Official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.]

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About the Author:

Once upon a time, there was a military brat named Benjamin Ryan, who traveled the world and embraced every unique experience he encountered. Being the new kid in town wasn’t always easy, and as he struggled with weight issues, he also had to deal with the hardships of teasing, male friendship, and acceptance. But, he was determined to find his place in the world and used his love for writing to create adventures that would transport him to a different world, where he could see things from a new perspective. Through his writing, Benjamin Ryan discovered his authentic self and found a way to inspire others. Armed with degrees in Art History, Education and World Religions, he became a New York City public Special Ed teacher, where he uses whimsy, creativity, and acceptance to inspire the youth of tomorrow. And thus, Benjamin Ryan was born—an author that embraces the power of storytelling to inspire and create change. With a deep understanding of the struggles that come with being different, Benjamin Ryan creates content that speaks to the heart and soul of their audience. He is active on twitter in the writing community (@BRClothwrites), hosting writing prompts, engaging with life’s unique perspectives, and inspiring others to create their truths.

*Book copy courtesy of the blog tour host, The Write Reads,
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Book Review | HELEN'S JUDGEMENT by Susan C. Wilson

HELEN'S JUDGEMENT

BY SUSAN C. WILSON | PUBLICATION: MARCH 25, 2025
NEEM TREE PRESS | GENRE: ADULT FICTION
RATING: ★★★✬

“Lyrical and deliberate—a myth seen through
a modern lens.”

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She’s the most scapegoated heroine in Greek mythology, but there’s never just one side to any story. This new framing uncovers the complexities of Helen of Troy—a woman tormented by the blame placed on her by others, and tortured by her own guilt.

We all blamed Helen.

Haunted by her decision to leave her child behind when she fled her unhappy marriage, Helen seeks to build a new life in Troy with her lover, Paris. She yearns to recreate the childhood family she lost when she married Menelaus, but her outraged husband vows to regain her by force, at the head of a vast army.

Facing hostility from all sides, Helen must decide where her loyalty—and her safety—lies.-NTP

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Two Voices, One Reckoning: Rewriting the Myth of Helen
The House of Atreus #2

In HELEN'S JUDGEMENT, Susan C. Wilson offers a striking reimagining of Greek myth, casting Helen of Troy in a light rarely afforded to her—one of depth, complexity, and painful reckoning. Gone is the passive beauty; in her place stands a woman navigating guilt, desire, and the crushing weight of legacy.

Told through the alternating voices of Helen and Achilles, the novel brings dual insight into both Trojan and Achaean worlds. This dual perspective not only amplifies the emotional depth of each character but also reframes familiar mythological events through a lens of empathy and introspection. Achilles, often painted as the archetypal warrior, is here shown reckoning with legacy and vulnerability—echoing Helen’s own journey of self-definition.

Wilson explores several rich and emotionally charged themes that reframe the myth of Helen of Troy through a deeply human lens. Here are the key ones that stand out:

• Guilt and Blame: Helen is portrayed as the most scapegoated heroine in Greek mythology. The novel delves into how she internalizes the blame placed on her by others and wrestles with her own guilt over choices like leaving her child behind.
• Autonomy and Agency: Rather than being a passive figure, Helen is shown making difficult decisions about her future, her safety, and her loyalties. The story emphasizes her struggle to assert control over her life in a world that constantly tries to define her.
• Reputation and Heroic Shame: Drawing from classical concepts, the book explores how characters like Helen and Achilles are driven by the need to preserve their honor and reputation, even when it conflicts with personal happiness.
• Family and Loss: Helen’s yearning to recreate the family she lost—especially after her unhappy marriage to Menelaus—is a recurring emotional thread. Her relationship with Paris is shaped by this desire for belonging and healing.
• Dual Perspectives: Achilles’ narration offers a complementary layer, reframing war as not just a battle of men but a crucible of grief and reputation.
• War and Consequence: The backdrop of the Trojan War serves as a constant reminder of how personal choices can ripple outward into epic consequences. Helen’s story is not just about love or betrayal—it’s about the cost of being a symbol in someone else’s narrative.

Wilson’s prose is lyrical and deliberate, mirroring classical storytelling while diving deep into psychological terrain. The pacing, though measured, suits the reflective nature of both narrators and encourages thoughtful engagement rather than hurried consumption.

This isn’t just a myth retelling—it’s a philosophical inquiry into who gets to tell their story and at what cost. By giving Helen and Achilles a voice, Wilson redefines how we see their legacies. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy literary fiction, feminist perspectives, and myth seen through a modern lens.

CLYTEMNESTRA'S BIND
The House of Atreus #1

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About the Author:

Susan C Wilson has a degree in journalism from Napier University and a diploma in classical studies from the Open University. She has worked in such environments as the Scottish Courts and the Scottish Parliament. As a writer she loves to explore what makes us human: the eternal motivations, desires and instincts that cross time and place. She also aims to make ancient stories resonate with a modern audience, through historical fiction and contemporary retellings. Her debut novel, The House of Atreus: Clytemnestra’s Bind was longlisted for the Mslexia Novel Competition 2019 and  published by Neem Tree Press in June 2023. This is the first of an epic trilogy and explores the Greek myth of Queen Clytemnestra from a feminist perspective.
Photo from NTP site, no infringement intended.

*Neem Tree Press provided the eARC, via Netgalley,
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Book Review | I BET YOU’D LOOK GOOD IN A COFFIN by Katy Brent

I BET YOU’D LOOK GOOD IN A COFFIN

BY KATY BRENT | PUBLICATION: APRIL 29, 2025
HQ DIGITAL | GENRE: WOMEN FICTION
RATING: ★★★★

“A family that slays together, stays together”
—that’s not just a line. It’s a vibe.

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Our favourite anti-heroine, Kitty Collins, is back! Expect more wit, sass, and, of course, murder…

My name is Kitty Collins and I'm a serial killer.

I don't want to kill. It's just so hard to resist. Some men really, really deserve it.

Men like Blaze Bundy, an anonymous influencer spreading misogyny online. He's making it very hard for me to control my murderous urges.

Meanwhile I'm in the South of France to watch my mother marry a man I've never met. I should be drinking cocktails and focusing on my tan, not plotting a murder.

But a woman's work is never done. Surely one more teensy little kill wouldn't hurt, would it?

Fans of How to Kill Your Family and Bad Sisters will love this wickedly witty novel from the author of How to Kill Men and Get Away With It and The Murder After the Night Before.

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Justice Served Cold (and in Couture)
Kitty Collins, Book 2

Let me start with this: murder-sobriety is apparently a thing. And somehow, in Katy Brent’s fierce, blood-splashed world, it makes perfect, razor-sharp sense.

Book two in the Kitty Collins series doesn’t just raise the stakes—it arms them with stilettos and sends them marching into the night. Kitty joins Angry Women Anonymous, a group of rage-fueled, justice-starved women who’ve been victimized and are sick of turning the other cheek. It’s not therapy. It’s a powder keg. And Kitty? She’s the match.

The plot is absurd in all the right ways—think Fleabag meets Dexter on a very bad hair day. It’s British dark humor at its finest: twisted, fast-paced, and just grounded enough to make you squirm. It’s like if Batman was an influencer with a killer wardrobe and a moral compass that spins like a lazy Susan. Think vigilante justice, but make it fashion.

What really hit me is how this book flips the murder-mystery genre on its head. As someone who adores traditional mysteries (hi, Alex Cross, Sebastian St. Cyr), Kitty is everything I’m not supposed to root for—and yet I do. Wildly. She’s not your polished detective. She’s your revenge fantasy in designer boots. She’s chaotic, unapologetic, and terrifyingly effective. She doesn’t solve crimes. She finishes them.

The murders? Unapologetically graphic. Weirdly satisfying. And somehow laced with the kind of warped empowerment that makes you question your own moral compass. Which is… unsettling. And brilliant.

Katy Brent’s writing is unrelenting in the best way. Her pacing is surgical, her dialogue could cut diamonds, and her sense of justice is as warped as it is strangely cathartic. You’re not just reading a thriller—you’re reading a manifesto in lip gloss and blood splatter.

And when the laughter fades and the blood dries, the true wound is somewhere quieter—where love meets consequence, and neither walks away unscathed.

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About the Author:
KATY BRENT is a freelance journalist and has been in the industry for over fifteen years. She started work in women’s magazines back in 2005. In 2006, Katy won a PTA award for New Journalist of the Year. More recently she has focused on television journalism. Writing a book has always been her dream and lockdown finally gave the time she kept using as an excuse for not doing it.

*HarperCollinsCA provided the ARC
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Book Review | PALM MERIDIAN by Grace Flahive

PALM MERIDIAN

BY GRACE FLAHIVE | PUBLICATION: JUNE 10, 2025
AVID READER PRESS | GENRE: FICTION / LGBTQ+
RATING: ★★★★✬

"Despite its melancholic premise, the novel hums with life."

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A rollicking, big-hearted story of long-lost love, friendship, and a life well-lived, set at a Florida retirement resort for queer women, on the last day of resident Hannah Cardin’s life—for readers of Less and The Wedding People.

It’s 2067 and Florida is partially underwater, but even that can’t bring down the residents of Palm Meridian Retirement Resort, a utopian home for queer women who want to revel in their twilight years. Inside, Hula-Hoopers shimmy across the grass, fiercely competitive book clubs nearly come to blows, and the roller-ski team races up and down the winding paths. Everywhere you look, these women are living large.

Hannah Cardin has spent ten happy years under these tropical, technicolor skies, but after receiving a terminal cancer diagnosis, she has decided that tomorrow morning she will close her eyes for the very last time. Tonight, however, Hannah and her raucous band of friends are throwing one hell of an end-of-life party. And with less than twenty-four hours left, Hannah is holding out for one final, impossible thing…

Amongst the guest list is Sophie, the love of Hannah’s life. They haven’t spoken since their devastating breakup over forty years ago, but today, Hannah is hoping for the chance to give her greatest love one last try.

As Hannah anxiously awaits Sophie’s arrival, her mind casts back over the highs and lows of her kaleidoscopic life. But when a shocking secret from the past is revealed, Hannah must reconsider if she can say goodbye after all.

Spanning the course of a single day and seventy-odd years, and bursting with irresistible hope, humor, and wisdom, this one-of-a-kind novel celebrates the unexpected moments that make us feel the most alive.

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"DESPEDIDA"

Some books don’t just tell a story—they unearth something. Like they reach into your ribs and tap your heart in a way that lingers, quietly messing with your perspective.

PALM MERIDIAN has that kind of undercurrent. There’s a strange and beautiful ache that lingers after finishing it. It’s the ache of witnessing a life unfold in quiet, intricate loops—of following Hannah Cardin through her final chapter, and all the ones that shaped it. The way time folds in on itself, how memory and desire blur, and all those silences between the lines that say so much more than the dialogue ever could. When something like that lands hard, it can leave you feeling sort of… hollow and hyperaware at the same time.

The novel’s heart is anchored in 2067 Florida, yet it drifts freely through time, memory, and meaning. Hannah’s decision to meet death on her own terms, refusing to let cancer dictate her ending, is not presented as tragic—but as an act of radical love and clarity. She is surrounded by beautiful people with stories as tender and fierce as her own. Every one of them deepens the texture of this novel like brushstrokes on a canvas.

The pacing is slow, but it’s never aimless. It feels like a constellation drawn deliberately, each moment orbiting the next with intention. The narration is a kind of map —not the kind that gets you from A to B, but one that asks you to stop, look, and feel your way forward.

Despite its melancholic premise, the novel hums with life. Friendship, memory, love found and lost and found again—it’s all here, brimming and bittersweet. In this quietly dystopian future, people still choose to love, to dream, and to walk forward. And when love moves mountains to reach you at the end, what do you do with that? How does the one left behind continue?

PALM MERIDIAN didn’t leave me hollow —it left me full. Of ache, yes. But also, of warmth. Of light. Of a kind of peace.

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About the Author:

Grace Flahive was born and raised in Toronto, Canada. She studied English literature at McGill University in Montreal before moving to London, UK, in 2014, where she’s lived ever since. Palm Meridian is her debut novel. © Robin Silas Christian

*Simon & Schuster CA provided the ARC
in exchange for this unbiased review.

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