Stephanie Garber has written two young adult fantasy series that have enchanted me in the past, so there was no doubt I would pick up her first adult fantasy, Alchemy of Secrets. Garber’s fantastical fairytale dust is coating this story, but this time, the golden sparkles are shifting a familiar urban setting into a new…
When you anticipate pain, you can prepare for it. You can see it coming, and you do what you can to pad yourself against the blow. But when you don’t see it coming, it’s like getting hit by a strong wave that has you tumbling underneath the surface. Red City by Marie Lu is one…
Faebound by Saara El-Arifi promises an intoxicating world where elves, fae, and humans collide, but I was not pulled under this story’s spell. I liked the premise overall, and think that some cool, hard-earned reveals could have made this story pack a punch, but the execution was lacking. The story’s biggest weakness is that it…
