Tag: Romance

genre: related to relationships, with a focus on the relationship development throughout the plot

Cover of "The Witch Who Trades With Death" by CM Alongi, decorated with a red frog, a red number 9, a spear, and a dark green tunnel going off into the distance
Posted in [fiction reviews]

[Fiction Review] “The Witch Who Trades with Death” by C M Alongi

Posted on by Larissa Lee

Full Title: The Witch Who Trades with Death
Author: C M Alongi
Published: March 11, 2025 by Angry Robot
Genres: Fiction, Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Action & Adventure, LGBTQ+
Edition Details: 384 pages, hardcover (my copy was 488 pages, paperback)
Source: ARC – Requested directly
Rating: {5/5 stars}

This is a spoiler-free review. No details will be shared from the storyline itself that aren’t available or inferred from the book jacket and online descriptions.

First Glance

I followed this author on TikTok ages ago for her CaFae Latte skits, long before I realized she had published anything. When this book was described, I found myself intrigued by this potential twist on a story where Death is a character. I even wondered if it’d be written along the lines of a Persephone retelling, where the witch would fall in love with Death himself… but regardless, the description of a witch having to make deals with Death to survive had me jump at the opportunity to apply for an ARC.

Themes listed: trauma and overcoming it; fear vs courage; refugees; racism & xenophobia; toxic vs healthy relationship; found family & the power of friendship.

Content Warnings listed: graphic violence; sexual abuse; death; self-harm.

Positive Bits

Right off the bat, I’m in awe of how well Alongi handled all of the heavy topics listed for this story. As a survivor of sexual abuse, I was prepared to be made uncomfortable as we followed the story of an unwilling concubine. It implies certain experiences have to occur. While we do bear witness to abuse at the hands of the Emperor, it’s written with such nuance that we don’t have to experience it directly to recognize and hold its weight. The level of writing craft that went into this story will have me re-reading it for tips on how to do the same in my own work.

One of my favorite characters in this story is an old whore from a brothel with a no nonsense attitude and a twinkle in her eye. Sex work is treated as a completely valid and even borderline respected industry in the culture of our witch Khana’s new refuge. Similarly, all forms of representation are handled as vitally normal within the story. We see sign language used by someone with an injured throat, an amputee with a prosthetic leg, and a wide range of ability or disability among warriors in their village. We see a variety of relationships, including a hilarious request by a woman’s mother that she provide grandchildren with her AFAB nonbinary partner by either finding a third or adopting (she’s not picky). All in all, it was the way all of these diverse and unique characters were woven in as natural to the world they exist in that made the representation feel authentic instead of tokenized.

I appreciate closure in a story, especially if there’s a clear Bad Guy and Good Guy in the situation. Without getting too into the weeds or providing spoilers, I can say that the end of the story left me satisfied. There weren’t any frustrating loose ends or unanswered questions, and Khana got to grow into herself as both a witch and a person. The emphasis on found family and community made me teary eyed in the best possible way! All in all, this book full of heavy topics is surprisingly uplifting (at least to me) and left me in a good mood once I finished it.

Less Enjoyable Bits

I want more, but that’s the epic fantasy reader in me. Even if we’ve reached the end of the current problem, there are still bad people doing bad things out there. I would be very happy to hear Alongi say she’s planning another book in this world, even if it has nothing to do with Khana’s story.

There’s a fine line for those with trauma when it comes to reading about someone else’s. While I thought the balance in this story was perfect and didn’t trigger me, I could see it being a difficult read for someone with fresher wounds (especially anyone who has experienced domestic violence or sexual abuse). Go into this story expecting it to be hard in some places, but know that healing is part of their experiences as well. I trusted Alongi’s writing to handle the topics as well as her skits do on TikTok, and that trust was well placed. I just urge caution.

Is it weird to say I wanted more Death? While Death plays a vital role as a character and even gains a personality as we watch interactions between Death and Khanna, I found myself wanting to see more of those moments. We’re given enough to understand Death as a being with specific rules and attitudes, but that’s it. None of Death’s decisions or actions surprised me, but I still felt like I was missing something from them. Then again, I have a deep love for Death as a major character in stories, so this might just be a me thing.

Tidbits Worth Repeating

She didn’t truly believe in gods. And if they were real, they have ignored her prayers and those of all the other concubines. If they existed: she hated them. And yet, desperate times…

How did we get from me teasing you about your obvious crush to you both making me feel feelings? I’m outnumbered. This is unfair.

There was a place for her here. People who cared about her and who she cared about in turn. A future of joy and contentment and maybe some tragedy, but also healing and love. She was home.

Is it worth the coin?

Yes – I had planned to buy this book before asking for the ARC, so I already thought so. Now? Heck yeah, it’s an amazing piece of writing craft and a great story to boot!

The Legend of Meneka by Kritika Rao
Posted in [fiction reviews]

[Fiction Review] “The Legend of Meneka” by Kritika H. Rao

Posted on by Larissa Lee

Full Title: The Legend of Meneka: A Novel (The Divine Dancers Duology 1)
Author: Kritika H. Rao
Published: January 21, 2025 by Harper Voyager
Genres: Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, Adult Fiction, Mythology Retelling, Hindu Mythology
Edition Details: 368 pages, hardcover (my copy was paperback, 357 pages)
Source: ARC – requested and won via Goodreads
Rating: {5/5 stars}

This is a spoiler-free review. No details will be shared from the storyline itself that aren’t available or inferred from the book jacket and online descriptions.

First Glance

I’m a deep lover of mythology retellings, but I’ve made it a personal challenge to find non-Greek stories to read. I’ve yet to be disappointed by a retelling, even for myths I had no background understanding of before reading.

That said, I happen to love unique magic and requested this book when I read that apsaras used dance as the focus of their magical workings. Add in the enemies-to-lovers listed on the book’s listings, and I had to enter to win an ARC.

Positive Bits

Right off the bat, I want to note that I appreciated the use of spice fit perfectly into the story and the main relationship’s growth at the time. As apsaras are described on the book blurb as warriors of seduction, I honestly expected there to be gratuitous scenes to demonstrate that purpose. The author instead used spice as a delicious seasoning to enhance the story where it best applied, while making it make sense in the context of the myth being told.

The author managed to deftly use the enemies-to-lovers trope without falling into its less entertaining traps. I find myself struggling with the trope most often when miscommunication is the sole basis of the “enemy” side of the equation. I personally find that miscommunication in romances turns me off, kicking me out of immersion in the story as I consider all the simple solutions to the problem at hand. This story is woven to make the shift from enemies-to-lovers feel natural and expected in all of the best ways.

As I read the author’s notes at the end, I appreciated that she chose to take Meneka’s myth and expand upon her character. The idea was to make her real and whole in a way the original myths don’t allow, and I think this book truly honors that goal by following Meneka’s story of self-discovery as the primary thread holding the romance and fantasy portions of the book together.

Less Enjoyable Bits

The ending disappointed me, but in an expected way. There’s a hard cliffhanger, because we hit the crescendo of the action and then stop – with book 2 presumably picking up from there in the future. I knew there was a high chance of a cliffhanger, but I was still bummed at where it stopped. (And yet, it just makes me eager for book 2, so maybe it had the intended effect?)

I appreciated the glossary at the start of the book, but I would’ve liked to see other items and words included on the list. It mostly includes mythological people and objects, but there were pieces of clothing and other cultural references I had to look up on my own. Since I was reading a physical book, I didn’t have my phone readily at hand to clarify what we were looking at.

Given the notes of “an empowered, seductive FMC” and “spice & yearning”, I found the amount of seduction and spice actually found in the story to not match my expectations. I didn’t mind the discrepancy per se, but I feel like it’s important to point out for anyone who might be interested in the spicy side of the story more than the mythology. I still enjoyed the story and Meneka’s character arc, with or without more heat.

Tidbits Worth Repeating

My heart skitters in my throat. I totter on the precipice of something terrible, something beautiful.

We are two opposites bound to each other in this game of mark and seducer, each of us taking either role, unknowing, unaware. The lust I saw in him is mine, the empowerment of everything I can be, realized through the mirror he holds up to me.

We dance, and create, and hope.

Is it worth the coin?

Yes – If you like retellings of mythology, this is a wonderful story! Also, it’s great even if you aren’t familiar with Hindu mythology. I had very little base knowledge, and I still followed along and enjoyed the story on its own. I look forward to the second book and plan to get it once it’s written/available.

Posted in [fiction reviews]

[Fiction Review] “This Gilded Abyss” by Rebecca Thorne

Posted on by Larissa Lee

Full Title: This Gilded Abyss
Author: Rebecca Thorne
Published: June 6, 2023 by self-publishing
Genres: Fiction, LGBTQ+ Horror, LGBTQ+ Fantasy
Edition Details: 287 pages, ebook
Source: ARC – requested directly from author
Rating: {5/5 stars}

This is a spoiler-free review. No details will be shared from the storyline itself that aren’t available or inferred from the book jacket and online descriptions.

First Glance

I thoroughly enjoyed Thorne’s writing style in her cozy fantasy novels, but I’m glad she decided to try a different genre here. I like a variety of genres, and cozy fantasy limits you on the amount of action and trouble the characters can get into.

There’s a detailed list of content warnings for the book, and I believe they cover all of the topics you might find triggering.

Positive Bits

This story handles worldbuilding with a deft hand, keeping us from drowning in details but also providing enough information for us to come along for the ride. Anytime I found myself curious about a royal title or a historical reference mentioned, it was explained just pages later for us.

The enemies to lovers relationship between Nix and Kess (referenced in the description) feels authentic. The reason they fell apart in the past makes sense, allowing us to experience Nix’s hurt and grief as well as her processing of those emotions. I find many romance plots lean on misunderstandings in a way that feels silly or frustrating, but Thorne made their conflict feel real and important. We get to watch the tension of the main plot and the romance grind forward in ways that can’t be ignored.

In the intro of the book, Thorne left a note for her mother that there was spice in Chapter 23. This is true, but I wanted to make note for those who aren’t as interested in spicy stories. The intimacy between Nix and Kess isn’t just spice – it’s so well done! It feels necessary to the plot, showing us their connection and using their actions (spicy and not) to show us how they’re feeling.

Less Enjoyable Bits

I don’t like cliffhangers! The story ends without resolving the major problems at hand (at least a few of them), and we’re not safe and sound when the last page turns. I’m eager for book 2 in 2024, but I’ll admit I often avoid series of books for this reason.

Without ruining any plot points, there are details about the world’s conflicts (war, different countries, etc) that I just didn’t get enough information about yet. This plays a large role toward one of the main plot points, and it’s largely on purpose as a device to build tension. I enjoy more info dumping than most people, though, so perhaps this is just a me thing.

Tidbits Worth Repeating

Not yet, little speck.

Is it worth the coin?

Yes – Rebecca Thorne’s book is fast-paced and imaginative. Assuming none of the content warnings are huge red flags for you, I think this book is a fun ride worth taking.

#huntedbythesky
Posted in [fiction reviews]

[Fiction Review] “Hunted by the Sky” by Tanaz Bhathena

Posted on by Larissa Lee

Full Title: Hunted by the Sky
Author: Tanaz Bhathena
Published: Upcoming Release Date – June 23, 2020 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Genres: Young Adult, Epic Fantasy, Science Fiction & Dystopian Romance
Edition Details: 384 pages, Hardcover
Source: {Advance Readers’ Edition}
Rating: {4.5/5 stars}

This is a spoiler-free review. No details will be shared from the storyline itself that aren’t available or inferred from the book jacket and online descriptions.

First Glance

The gods of reading took pity on me, and I once again found a book in my Facebook feed. Fierce Reads promoted this novel via ads that allowed viewers to request an advanced readers’ edition. After reading the description, I had to take a chance:

Gul has spent her life running. She has a star-shaped birthmark on her arm, and in the kingdom of Ambar, girls with such birthmarks have been disappearing for years. Gul’s mark is what caused her parents’ murder at the hand of King Lohar’s ruthless soldiers and forced her into hiding to protect her own life. So when a group of rebel women called the Sisters of the Golden Lotus rescue her, take her in, and train her in warrior magic, Gul wants only one thing: revenge.

Cavas lives in the tenements, and he’s just about ready to sign his life over to the king’s army. His father is terminally ill, and Cavas will do anything to save him. But sparks fly when he meets a mysterious girl—Gul—in the capital’s bazaar, and as the chemistry between them undeniably grows, he becomes entangled in a mission of vengeance—and discovers a magic he never expected to find.

Dangerous circumstances have brought Gul and Cavas together at the king’s domain in Ambar Fort…a world with secrets deadlier than their own.

Added to that, the book is specifically mentioned that it explores identity, class struggles, and a world inspired by medieval India. I couldn’t resist!

Positive Bits

As someone who enjoys YA, I still find myself frustrated by characters who act a little too immature or naive. Thankfully, Gul and Cavas (the main characters of our story) manage to find that balance between youthful folly and energetic luck.

The chapters pivot between the viewpoints of Gul (female) and Cavas (male), which is one of my favorite methods of telling a multi-POV story. We even get a chapter at the end in the POV of an antagonist who will obviously be around for book 2.

The magic and beings in Ambar are built well, obviously steeped in a familiarity with mythology and a heavy dose of creativity. I admire the way Bhathena sketch out our experience, using a first person POV to allow us to really experience each location ourselves.

I love a good revenge scheme, especially if nothing goes according to plan. I won’t say more, as I’m not willing to share any spoilers, but I enjoyed being wrong about where the story takes us.

Less Enjoyable Bits

Some of the side characters should’ve been given more depth, in my opinion. The story isn’t made less by their flatness, but I think it could’ve been made even richer if we saw more of those people.

For example, the three main people Gul interacts with from the Sisters of the Golden Lotus are slightly 3-D, but I found myself disappointed to not get more out of their backstories and actions. We get bits and pieces, enough for their presence to make sense and be important, but we don’t get a full picture of their character.

I also wish more characters were given depth, largely because that tends to leave you wondering who is important to the plot. It’s not essential, but I prefer a little less lead-by-the-hand reading. When there are multiple fleshed out characters, you end up guessing (and sometimes being wrong about) who will play a key role in the story. When only a handful of specific people get full descriptions, you know they’re the important players and all of the guess work is lost. (Again, that’s a personal preference.)

Tidbits Worth Repeating*

* Without spoiling the plot, but giving you a taste of the mood…

“You have to eat sometime, princess.”

I look up from the plate full of lotus sabzi, dal, and rice and into Amira’s dark eyes.

“No one cares, do they?” I ask. “About girls like us.”

Something shifts in her gaze, something I don’t quite understand. “Eat,” she says again before leaving the room.

I don’t.

One kindness for another, the mammoth tells me as I cling to it. You did not let me die in the market; I will not let you fall.

Do not judge yourself too harshly, Savak-putri Gulnaz. Subodh’s voice feels like a gentle breeze in my mind. I am older than you are and have made mistakes that are even bigger. There are always ways to make amends. 

Is it worth the coin?

Yes! I recommend this book if you like big worlds based on various real world cultures (other than European). I’ll be keeping an eye out for book 2.