Review: Spells For Forgetting by Adrienne Young (#Ad)

I was received this eProof for free from Quercus via NetGalley for the purposes of providing an honest review.

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Spells For Forgetting by Adrienne Young

Published: 27th September 2022 | Publisher: Quercus | Source: NetGalley
Adrienne Young’s Website

From the New York Times bestselling author comes an evocative, compelling novel of ancestral magic, an unsolved murder, and a second chance at true love.

‘There were tales that only the island knew. Ones that had never been told. I knew, because I was one of them.’

Emery Blackwood’s life was forever changed on the eve of her high school graduation, when the love of her life, August Salt, was accused of murdering her best friend, Lily. She’d once dreamt of running away with August, eager to escape the misty, remote shores of Saoirse Island and chase new dreams together. Now, she is doing what her teenage self swore she never would: living a quiet existence among this tight-knit community steeped in folklore and tradition, ruled by the seasons and ancient superstitions.

But when August returns after fourteen years to bury his mother’s ashes, Emery must confront her first love and the reason he left so abruptly. But the town wants August gone again. And as the island begins to show signs of strange happenings, the emergence of deep betrayals and hidden promises threatens to reveal the truth behind Lily’s death once and for all. From The StoryGraph.

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The StoryGraph | Goodreads

Trigger/Content Warnings: This book features recreational drug use, sex shaming, sex scenes - one semi-vague & one not overly detailed, death of a parent, arson, a person being burnt in a fire, alcoholism, child abuse - violent, and domestic violence.

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Review: Not Good For Maidens by Tori Bovalino (#Ad)

I was sent this finished copy for free by Titan Books for the purposes of providing an honest review.

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Not Good For Maidens by Tori Bovalino

Published: 12th September 2022 | Publisher: Titan Books | Source: Publisher
Tori Bovalino’s Website

Salem's Lot meets The Darkest Part of the Forest in this horror-fantasy retelling of Christina Rossetti's Goblin Market.

They'll lure you in with fruit and gems and liquor and dancing, merriment to remember for the rest of your life. But that's an illusion. The market is death itself.

Beneath the streets of York, the goblin market calls to the Wickett women -- the family of witches that tends to its victims. For generations, they have defended the old cobblestone streets with their magic. Knowing the dangers, they never entered the market -- until May Wickett fell for a goblin girl, accepted her invitation, and became inextricably tied to the world her family tried to protect her from. The market learned her name, and even when she and her sister left York for Boston to escape it, the goblins remembered.

Seventeen years later, Lou, May's niece, knows nothing of her magical lineage or the twisted streets, sweet fruits, and incredible jewels of the goblin market. But just like her aunt, the market calls to her, an echo of a curse that won't release its hold on her family. And when her youngest aunt, Neela, is kidnapped by goblins, Lou discovers just how real and dangerous the market is.

To save her, both May and Lou will have to confront their family's past and what happened all those years ago. But everything -- from the food and wares, to the goblins themselves -- is a haunting temptation for any human who manages to find their way in. And if Lou isn't careful, she could end up losing herself to the market, too. From The StoryGraph.

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The StoryGraph | Goodreads

Trigger/Content Warnings: This book features blood, gore, body horror, internal organs, and descriptions of mutilated corpses.

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Update & All Hallow's Queers

Hi all, I just wanted to give you a bit of an update. Since I last posted, I have been diagnosed with depression. I also had a two week holiday, which meant I got a break from a difficult work situation. Things are somewhat better at work now, so, while I'm still not great, I'm not feeling quite so overwhelmed and stressed now.

It's my hope to now start slowly coming back to creating content. I'm not yet at a stage where I can write my essay-length reviews on the blog, but I am starting to create content on Instagram - if you wish, you can find me there.

I've also created All Hallow's Queers, an LGBTQ+ horror and supernatural/paranormal fantasy readathon & photo / video challenge for spooky season. There are dedicated Twitter and Instagram accounts for it with templates and a giveaway. If it sounds like your thing, you can find out more on Twitter here or on Instagram here, depending on your platform of preference. There's also a reading challenge set up on The StoryGraph.

Most of my content on the blog's Instagram will be focussed on All Hallow's Queer for the time being. I hope to see you over there!

Continue reading Update & All Hallow's Queers

Blogging Hiatus

I’m going to take a blogging hiatus. I’ve been quite stressed and overwhelmed for the last few weeks, and it’s affecting my mental health. I’m drained and exhausted all the time, and I’m not able to come up with content right now, or have the motivation to actually create any content. This also applies to Instagram. No reviews or other content for the foreseeable. I’m not ok, but I am ok, if that makes sense. There’s no cause for worry. I just need a break.

For any publishers reading, I will still review the ARCs I’ve been sent, the reviews will just be delayed for a time.

I’ll still be about on Twitter, and I’ll probably still be posting Insta stories, as I’m still capable of reading - handle for both is @OnceUponABkcase - so I’m not disappearing completely. Just taking a break from creating content.

Hopefully I won’t be away too long. See you on the other side.

Continue reading Blogging Hiatus

Review: The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester by Maya MacGregor (#Ad)

I was sent this review copy for free by GMC Distribution on behalf of Astra Young Readers for the purposes of providing an honest review.

Links with an asterisk (*) are Ad: Affiliate Links, which means if you make a purchase through them, I'll make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester by Maya MacGregor

Published: 8th August 2022 (UK release date) | Publisher: Astra Young Readers | Source: Publisher
Maya MacGregor’s Website

In this queer contemporary YA mystery, a nonbinary teen with autism realizes they must not only solve a 30-year-old mystery but also face the demons lurking in their past in order to live a satisfying life.

Sam Sylvester's not overly optimistic about their recent move to the small town of Astoria, Oregon after a traumatic experience in their last home in the rural Midwest.

Yet Sam's life seems to be on the upswing after meeting several new friends and a potential love interest in Shep, the pretty neighbor. However, Sam can't seem to let go of what might have been, and is drawn to investigate the death of a teenage boy in 1980s Astoria. Sam's convinced he was murdered--especially since Sam's investigation seems to resurrect some ghosts in the town.

Threatening notes and figures hidden in shadows begin to disrupt Sam's life. Yet Sam continues to search for the truth. When Sam discovers that they may be closer to a killer than previously known, Sam has a difficult decision to make. Would they risk their new life for a half-lived one? From The StoryGraph.

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The StoryGraph | Goodreads

Trigger/Content Warnings: This book features blood, bullying, anxiety and a panic attack, self-harm stimming, misgendering, homophobia, biphobia, bi-erasure, and a physical homophobic and transphobic attack against a non-binary person.

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Review: The Book of Gothel by Mary McMyne (#Ad)

I was sent this proof for free by Orbit Books for the purposes of providing an honest review.

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The Book of Gothel by Mary McMyne

Published: 28th July 2022 | Publisher: Orbit Books | Source: Publisher
Mary McMyne’s Website

Everyone knows the story of Rapunzel in the tower, but do you know the tale of the witch who put her there?

Enter a world of dark magic, mysterious woods and evil princes. This is the truth they never wanted you to know, as only a witch might tell it.

With her strange black eyes and even stranger fainting spells, Haelewise is shunned by her village, and her only solace lies in the stories her mother tells of child-stealing witches, of princes in wolf-skins, of an ancient tower cloaked in mist where women will find shelter if they are brave enough to seek it.

But when her mother dies, Haelewise is left unmoored. With nothing left for her in her village, she sets out to find the tower of legend-a place called Gothel, where Haelewise meets a wise woman willing to take her under her wing.

But Haelewise is not the only woman to seek refuge at Gothel. It's also a haven for a girl named Rika, who carries with her a secret the Church strives to keep hidden. A secret that reveals a dark world of ancient spells and murderous nobles behind the world Haelewise has always known.

The Book of Gothel is a lush, enchanting retelling of the tale of Rapunzel from the witch's perspective, perfect for fans of Circe and The Bear and the Nightingale. From The StoryGraph.

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The StoryGraph | Goodreads

Trigger/Content Warnings: This book features vomit, someone late to starting their period, semi-vague sex scenes, pregnancy, morning sickness, childbirth, reference to abortion, reference to stillbirths, child neglect, sexual assault and threat of rape, male rape, references to stoning, violence against women, anti-Semitism, suicide, and reference to torture.

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Review: Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

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Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

Published: 4th August | Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books | Source: Bought
Aiden Thomas’ Website

Yadriel has summoned a ghost, and now he can’t get rid of him.

When his traditional Latinx family has problems accepting his gender, Yadriel becomes determined to prove himself a real brujo. With the help of his cousin and best friend Maritza, he performs the ritual himself, and then sets out to find the ghost of his murdered cousin and set it free.

However, the ghost he summons is actually Julian Diaz, the school’s resident bad boy, and Julian is not about to go quietly into death. He’s determined to find out what happened and tie up some loose ends before he leaves. Left with no choice, Yadriel agrees to help Julian, so that they can both get what they want. But the longer Yadriel spends with Julian, the less he wants to let him leave. From The StoryGraph.

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The StoryGraph | Goodreads

Trigger/Content Warnings: This book features blood, reference to drug use, unintentional ableist language: lame, transphobia, deadnaming, misgendering, reference to deportation, xenophobia, racism, forced burning, and child abuse.

Continue reading Review: Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas