I have heard for years how lovely Katherine Arden’s The Winternight Trilogy is, and despite it sitting on my shelves, I hate to admit that I have not read it yet. So it feels weird to be here today, reviewing Arden’s newest release, The Unicorn Hunters. But I had to start somewhere, and I’m very…
Tag: Historical Fantasy
The Red Winter – Bloody Good
The Red Winter by Cameron Sullivan has got me howling; it’s so good. The book’s synopsis had me at monster slayer, but then give that monster slayer immortality and a demon that lives in his head? Hi, hello. I’m your girl, and this book is right up my alley. There’s horror. There’s a mystery. And…
The Magician of Tiger Castle – A Potion Of Many Stripes
I found myself delightfully surprised while reviewing the list of notable Fantasy and Science Fiction releases of 2025 to see a book by Louis Sachar, of Holes fame, on the list. The Magician of Tiger Castle is an adult standalone historical fantasy (Sachar’s first) about a recalcitrant alchemist trying to potion his way out of…
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Written On The Dark – Criminal Couplets
It has barely been a week, and we are back with another Guy Gavriel Kay book. This time, we are taking a look at his newest release, Written on the Dark. Set in a historical fantasy version of France, this is the story of a man with the most dangerous job in all the land:…
The Familiar – Slow Summoning
Leigh Bardugo described The Familiar as romantic and character-driven, but I found it to be neither of these things. The premise is interesting and the protagonist enticing, but the narrative is slow and struggles to keep up with its own plans. Burned bread becomes a fresh loaf, a meager basket of eggs begins to overflow,…
He Who Drowned The World – Destined for Greatness
He Who Drowned the World, by Shelley Parker-Chan, is the perfect closer to the story that began in She Who Became the Sun. Parker-Chan doubles down on characterization, crafting a story that surpasses the expectations set by its predecessor. The stakes are high so let’s get into it. Zhu Yuanzhang may have defeated the Mongol…
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Ordinary Monsters – Ordinary Indeed
Is Ordinary Monsters too long? Possibly. But while I was not dissuaded by the page count, I was exasperated by the end of the book. The book’s strong, descriptive start quickly turns into a chaotic story that hopped, skipped, and jumped to its ending. There are extraordinary children in the world, children with unnatural Talents.…
A Restless Truth – A Sinking Ship
Me and A Restless Truth by Freya Marske did not get along. After an enchanting frolic through book one in the series, my expectations were high, and they came crashing down quickly. Our original characters, Robin and Edwin, set the standard, and I found that this adventure could not live up to the first magical…
Heaven Official’s Blessing – Divine Storytelling
I’ve seen the hype surrounding Mo Xiang Tong Xiu’s light novel, Heaven Official’s Blessing, and felt like an outsider having not jumped into the fandom as soon as Seven Seas Entertainment published its English translation. I had a feeling I would love this story, and I’m happy to share I proved myself right. Graced with…
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All The Seas Of The World – (Exile)irating
Every three years, like clockwork, Guy Gavriel Kay puts out a new historical fantasy masterpiece and I get to slowly luxuriate in its beauty as I stroll through the pages. This year we have All the Seas of the World, a hauntingly thoughtful tale about the nature of home, exile, and finding a place of…
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