Bookstagram Review: Lucha of the Night Forest, by Tehlor Kay Mejia

Information About the Book
 
Title: Lucha of the Night Forest
Author: Tehlor Kay Mejia
Release Date: 21st March 2023
Publisher: Random House Inc
Genre: YA

Blurb

An edge-of-your-seat fantasy about a girl who will do anything to protect her sister–even if it means striking a dangerous bargain. Dark forces, forgotten magic, and a heart-stopping queer romance make this young adult novel a must-read.

A scorned god.
A mysterious acolyte.
A forgetting drug.
A dangerous forest.
One girl caught between the freedom she always wanted and a sister she can’t bear to leave behind.
Under the cover of the Night Forest, will Lucha be able to step into her own power…or will she be consumed by it?

This gorgeous and fast-paced fantasy novel from acclaimed author Tehlor Kay Mejia is brimming with adventure, peril, romance, and family bonds–and asks what it means for a teen girl to become fully herself.

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Children’s Picture Book Review: Ellie-May & her toy dragon, Ben, by Genna Rowbotham

Purchase Links
Genna’s website:             www.gennarowbotham.co.uk/shop
Amazon (Paperback):    https://amzn.to/3InCyJN
Amazon (eBook):            https://amzn.to/3GmtLp1
Google Play: (eBook):    https://bit.ly/3QjcKR9

Ellie-May & her Toy Dragon, Ben

Feeling so excited for a new day ahead, Ellie-May struggles to sleep. So when her toy dragon, Ben grows into a real-life dragon, they take to the starry skies and embark on a night-time adventure together, where they visit Ben’s castle and enjoy a dragon party.

But as the sun begins to rise and the stars fade, will Ellie-May be able to stay awake?

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Review: Strong Female Character, by Fern Brady

14 February 2023
£16.99 | Hardback

Blurb

A summary of my book:

  1. I’m diagnosed with autism
    20 years after telling a doctor I had it.
  2. My terrible Catholic childhood: I hate my parents etc.
  3. My friendship with an elderly man who runs the
    corner shop and is definitely not trying to groom me.
  4. Homelessness.
  5. Stripping.
  6. More stripping but with more nervous breakdowns.
  7. I hate everyone at Edinburgh uni etc.
  8. REDACTED as too spicy.
  9. After everyone tells me I don’t look autistic,
    I try to cure my autism and get addicted to Xanax.
  10. REDACTED as too embarrassing.

If you’ve ever been on a night out where you got blackout drunk and have laughed the next day as your friends tell you all the stupid stuff you said, that’s what being autistic feels like for me: one long blackout night of drinking, except there’s no socially sanctioned excuse for your gaffes and no one is laughing.

In this book, Fern uses her voice as an autistic, working class woman from Scotland to bring her experiences with sex work, abusive relationships and her time spent in a teenage mental health unit to the page. Written with unflinching honesty, Strong Female Character is a game-changing memoir on sexism and autism.

(I changed some of the blurb copy because Fern Brady has made it clear she doesn’t like being referred to as neurodivergent and wants people to use ‘autistic’ instead.)

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Review: Expectant, by Vanda Symon

PUBLICATION DATE: 16 FEBRUARY 2023 PAPERBACK
ORIGINAL | £9.99 | ORENDA BOOKS

Blurb

The shocking murder of a heavily pregnant woman throws the New Zealand city of Dunedin into a tailspin, and the devastating crime feels uncomfortably close to home for Detective Sam Shephard as she counts down the days to her own maternity leave.

Confined to a desk job in the department, Sam must find the missing link between this brutal crime and a string of cases involving mothers and children in the past. As the pieces start to come together and the realisation dawns that the killer’s actions are escalating, drastic measures must be taken to prevent more tragedy.

For Sam, the case becomes personal, when it becomes increasingly clear that she is no longer safe, and the clock is ticking…

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Review: The Jaguar Path, by Anna Stephens

Second chunky new fantasy in two days, I’m spoiling you all!


THE JAGUAR PATH
│16 FEBRUARY 2023│
HB │ EB │EA
Anna Stephens

Book Two of the new epic fantasy trilogy by the acclaimed author of GODBLIND.

The Empire of Songs reigns supreme. Across all the lands of Ixachipan, its hypnotic, magical music sounds. Those who battled against the Empire have been enslaved and dispersed, taken far from their friends and their homes.

In the Singing City, Xessa must fight for the entertainment of her captors. Lilla and thousands of warriors are trained to serve as weapons for their enemies. And Tayan is trapped at the heart of the Empire’s power and magic, where the ruthless Enet’s ambition is ever growing.

Each of them harbours a secret hope, waiting for a chance to strike at the Empire from within.

But first they must overcome their own desires. Power can seduce as well as crush. And, in exchange for their loyalty, the Empire promises much.

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