Review: Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao

07:00 Jo No comments

Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao

Published: 10th October 2017 | Publisher: Philomel Books | Source: Bought
Julie C. Dao's Website

An East Asian fantasy reimagining of The Evil Queen legend about one peasant girl's quest to become Empress--and the darkness she must unleash to achieve her destiny.

Eighteen-year-old Xifeng is beautiful. The stars say she is destined for greatness, that she is meant to be Empress of Feng Lu. But only if she embraces the darkness within her. Growing up as a peasant in a forgotten village on the edge of the map, Xifeng longs to fulfill the destiny promised to her by her cruel aunt, the witch Guma, who has read the cards and seen glimmers of Xifeng's majestic future. But is the price of the throne too high?

Because in order to achieve greatness, she must spurn the young man who loves her and exploit the callous magic that runs through her veins--sorcery fueled by eating the hearts of the recently killed. For the god who has sent her on this journey will not be satisfied until his power is absolute. From Goodreads.

Book Depository | Wordery | Goodreads

Trigger Warnings: This book features animal death, problematic physical and emotional abuse, problematic ableism, mention of suicide, someone being whipped, someone being stabbed, murder, and cannibalism.

Monday, 1 April 2019

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Review: Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust

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Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust

Published: 31st December 2018 | Publisher: Flatiron Books | Source: Bought
Melissa Bashardoust's Website

Sixteen-year-old Mina is motherless, her magician father is vicious, and her silent heart has never beat with love for anyone--has never beat at all, in fact, but she'd always thought that fact normal. She never guessed that her father cut out her heart and replaced it with one of glass. When she moves to Whitespring Castle and sees its king for the first time, Mina forms a plan: win the king's heart with her beauty, become queen, and finally know love. The only catch is that she'll have to become a stepmother.

Fifteen-year-old Lynet looks just like her late mother, and one day she discovers why: a magician created her out of snow in the dead queen's image, at her father's order. But despite being the dead queen made flesh, Lynet would rather be like her fierce and regal stepmother, Mina. She gets her wish when her father makes Lynet queen of the southern territories, displacing Mina. Now Mina is starting to look at Lynet with something like hatred, and Lynet must decide what to do--and who to be--to win back the only mother she's ever known...or else defeat her once and for all.

Entwining the stories of both Lynet and Mina in the past and present, Girls Made of Snow and Glass traces the relationship of two young women doomed to be rivals from the start. Only one can win all, while the other must lose everything--unless both can find a way to reshape themselves and their story. From Goodreads
Trigger Warning: This book features child abuse; neglect, lack of love, manipulation, verbal abuse.