fierce girls

Sweet Saints

Leave a comment

by Cassandra Khaw
First sentence: “You can make a life out of saving seals from the altar.”
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Release date: March 30, 2027
Review copy pilfered off the ARC shelves at work.
Content: There are some uncomfortable moments and a little bit of violence. It will be in the Science Fiction/Fantasy section of the bookstore.

The animal-wives call her Sister Hound or Sister Hunt. Her job is to save them – the selkies, the foxes, the crane wives – from the men who take their skins and bind them. And she’s very good at it. What she’s not good at is parenting, so when a baby selkie is left on her door – whom she somewhat affectionately names Pest – she has no idea what to do with it. This unravels a story of desire and want, and the ultimate sacrifices we make for our children.

It’s a slim story – I did wish there was more meat to it – but I really liked it. I liked the characters and the way that Sister Hound interacted with both the animal wives and the other humans. It was cozy, but it also had a little bite to it. And I loved the fierce independence at the core of the story.

Maybe I ought to go find more books by Khaw; I really enjoyed her writing.

Audiobook: This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me

1 Comment

by Ilona Andrews
Read by Kristen Sieh
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Or listen at Libro.fm
Content: There is a lot of violence, including some pretty grisly murders. There is also some swearing, including a few f-bombs. It’s in the Science Fiction/Fantasy section of the bookstore.

One day Maggie goes to bed in our world and wakes up in the world of Kier Toren, a city she knows from her favorite book series, one that she has read and obsessed over for years and years. She knows the ins and outs of this world, and (once she realizes that if she is killed, she resurrects, even if it’s painful) decides that she has a chance to change the outcome of the story, to save the world from the certain chaos and doom it had in the books. It’s a dangerous path, one that is certain to make enemies, but with the help of people – she can’t think of them as characters – she collects on the way; she is sure she can do this.

I found this one on Bookstagram and thought it sounded intriguing. I have always liked it when the thing is poking fun at the thing – in this case, books where the heroine falls into a story – while being the thing. And this book does it marvelously. It’s twisty – some caught me entirely by surprise – and it’s intense. It’s a delightful romp in all the best ways, and Sieh does a fantastic job with the narration. I realized about 2/3 of the way through that this has to be a series, and the epilogue set up the next book well. I’m actually invested in this story now, and I’m curious to see where it goes.

Sometimes Bookstagram gets it right.

First Light: Sailing Solo but Not Alone

Leave a comment

by Cole Brauer
First sentence: “At seven in the morning I am just 15 miles into my journey sailing solo across the Atlantic Ocean, and can still see land off the aft port quarter, when I hit a problem.”
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Release date: September 15, 2026
Review copy provided by the publisher.
Content: There is swearing, including multiple f-bombs. There are some intense moments as well. It will be in the Biography section (though it could also land in the Sports section) of the bookstore.Cole

Cole Brauer fell in love with the sea at 17, but she didn’t fall in love with competitive sailing until she found herself at the University of Hawai’i. There, she learned that competitive sailing is a demanding, yet highly rewarding sport. One that put her – as a 5 foot 2 inch woman – at a disadvantage. She eventually found boats that she could crew, and worked her way up to the skipper. Brauer had known for a while that she wanted to compete in the solo around the world competition, but she didn’t have a boat or a sponsor that was willing to let her. And then she found First Light. The boat was perfect, and the owners supportive. So she gathered her team and in October of 2024, set off.

This is not only the story of that journey, but the way that Brauer worked towards that goal and the opposition she faced – not only from the outside bur from learning her own limits – in getting there. It’s harrowing at times (sailing solo around the Southern Ocean is no joke), but it’s also introspective, funny, and an interesting book. I do wish there was a map – there may be in the final version – because I ended up looking up where these places were that she was sailing past. I thorougly enjoyed Brauer’s story and am awed at the grit it took to accomplish.

A really good read, especially for those who long to be out on the open ocean.

Haven and the Fallen Giants

Leave a comment

by Jen Xu and Kate Rhodes
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Review copy provided by the publisher
Release date: June 16, 2026
Content: There are some depictions of violence and some intense moments. It will be in the Middle Grade Graphic Novel section of the bookstore.

Haven has grown up outside the town of Raqmu in the desert. She’s never been unhappy with her life, even though she has to sneak into the town to get at the parts she needs to sell her wares. As she is scavaging, she finds an ancient relic – but the Guardians of the town are after her. The majority of the book is her running through the town’s festival evading the Guardians, but she isn’t alone: a town girl, Lin, helps her out. It sounds unintersting, but believe me: it’s not.

While I liked the plot – Xu and Rhodes deal with the class issues between the city-dwellers and the desert-dwellers – it was the art that took my breath away. I haven’t seen a graphic novel this beautiful since Amulet, and I don’t say that lightly. there’s a spread near the beginning, as a young Haven sees a Giant, that is absolutely gorgeous. I can’t wait to see this in print. And while the book ended in a bit of a cliffhanger – it captivated me enough that I’m going to be invested in this series as it comes out.

It’s one of the best graphic novels I’ve seen in a long time.

Offside

1 Comment

by Christina Diaz Gonzalez and illustrated by Mari Costa
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Review copy provided by the publisher
Release date: July 7, 2026.
Content: There is some neglect by parents, and conflict between friends. It will be in the Middle Grade Graphic Novel section of the bookstore.

Jackson Middle School’s soccer team has gone co-ed. Al – the team captain – doesn’t like this, but mostly because his dad is staunchly against Al playing on a team with girls. Nicky, the girl who pushed for the team to go co-ed, is ecstatic once she makes the team, but is finding it difficult to be a team player. Palmer has been sidelined for the season due to a torn ACL, but is finding new talents writing for the school (and city) newspaper. And Fabiola and Seba are adjusting to life in America and learning how to belong here.

It’s a story of friendship and belonging, of teamwork and chasing your dreams, and I really enjoyed it. I do think there was a bit too much going on – not only did Nicky have issues with her old teammates who felt they dropped her for the boys, but she also had drama with her dad, who spent more time with his new girlfriend/wife than with her. Al’s biggest issue was his overbearing (and sexist) dad, a problem that was magically resolved when Al’s grandpa came to visit from Brazil and was suddenly okay with girls and boys playing soccer together. Fabiola and Seba’s problems were straightforward: they couldn’t speak English well and struggled to communicate. The characters were all pretty well developed, but I think I would have rather there be less going on. But maybe that wouldn’t have been realistic.

At any rate, it was a good graphic novel, and one I’d definitely recommend to soccer-loving kids.

Audiobook: The Scorpio Races

Leave a comment

by Maggie Stiefvater
Read by Steve West & Fiona Hardingham
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Or listen at Libro.fm
Content: It’s violent. But, if there’s a kid, say, 11 years old or so, who is interested in dark fairy-type tales, I’d give it to them. It’s in the Young Adult Bestsellers section of the bookstore.

Because this story isn’t this story without the first sentence: “It is the first day of November, and so, today, someone will die.”

I haven’t reread this in a handful of years, but I seem to be on a Stiefvater kick this year (seven of her books and counting!) and I couldn’t pass up the chance to listen to this one. And, like it always is, it’s an excellent story. The narrators did a wonderful job with the story, and I loved being back on Thisby in the thick of things again.

I adore Stiefvater’s work, and this is absolutely no exception.

The Everlasting

1 Comment

by Alix Harrow
First sentence: “It begins where it ends: beneath the yew tree.”
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Release date: October 28, 2025
Review copy provided by the publisher.
Content: There is a lot of violence and swearing, including multiple f-bombs. There is also some on-page sexytimes. It will be in the Science Fiction/Fantasy section of the bookstore.

This one’s plot is hard to tell, if you don’t want to give too much away. Let’s put it this way: it’s a time loop, it’s vaguely Arthurian, it’s talking about the stories we tell ourselves and the stories countries tell their people, it’s a strong case against colonialism, and it’s about love and power. The rest, I think, is immaterial.

I liked it well enough; I’m not fond of time-travel books, and I struggle with time loops. But, Harrow did this one well, and she managed to close it in a satisfying (and mostly logical) way. I do enjoy her writing, though I have not read much by her, and I was intrigued enough to keep going, even through my confusion. It’s a clever book done well.

(As an aside: this is fantasy with a side of romance, and I enjoy these MUCH more than a romance with a side of fantasy.)

Maybe I should get around to reading her other books.

The Guardians of Dreamdark: Windwitch

Leave a comment

by Laini Taylor
First sentence: “The wolf tasted the babe’s face with the tip of his tongue, and pronounced her sweet, and the fox licked the back of her head to see if it was so.”
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
I read my old edition; the new edition will be released on September 23, 2025.
Content: There are some intense moments of danger. It will be in the YA Science Fiction/Fantasy section in the bookstore.

I was on Instagram, when I stumbled across Laini Taylor announcing that she’s re-releasing her first book in a new edition. I was immediately excited, mostly because I remember loving this series and I know it’s been out of print for years. So, I decided to dig out my copies (which I have been meaning to reread for years) and give them a reread to see if they hold up.

And it does. I had one quibble: it’s not really a middle grade book anymore. Maybe 18 years ago, it was, but middle grade books have changed so much that I can’t really see giving this to anyone younger than 11 or 12. It’s not the content; it’s mostly Taylor’s writing style. She’s a very lush, descriptive writer (one of the things I like about her), and she’s not a very linear writer. Both of these add up to a more mature writing style for kids than I think kids are used to/want right now. I think my oldest read this when she was 11, but I couldn’t fathom giving it to my youngest at the same age, 10 years later. It’s a gorgeous book, with an intense plot, and the characters are fabulous, and it holds up all these years later. It’s just an older book than I remember it being.

Hekate

Leave a comment

by Nikita Gill
First sentence: “This is an ancient story written long before us.”
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Review copy provided by the publisher.
Content: There is some violence and a hint of romance. It will be in the YA Science Fiction/Fantasy section of the bookstore.

I know I’ve heard the name Hekate before, but I’m not sure I knew her myth before reading this novel in verse. I’m going to assume that Gill took some liberties expanding the myth – putting Hekate at Troy, or raising Odysseus’s puppy from the dead, for example – but perhaps it mostly keeps to the general thread of the myth. It follows Hekate from her birth, through her exile in the Underworld, to her finding and coming into her powers – both witchcraft and necromancy – and helping the Olympians defeat the giants.

It’s a beautifully written book; the poems are lovely, and I liked following Hekate’s story. But – and perhaps it’s because it’s an epic story – I never really felt connected to Hekate or her story. I wanted to cheer for her or feel bad that she’s exiled from her parents, or feel something. I wanted Song of Achilles or Circe. And maybe it could have been. Maybe it wasn’t because it was in verse, because we weren’t given the chance to really delve into Hekate’s trauma or her motivations. Or maybe it’s because it’s geared towards young adults, when it’s not really a “young adult” story. I don’t know.

In the end, I liked it, but I didn’t love it. Which isn’t a bad thing.

Audiobook: Lady’s Knight

Leave a comment

by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
Read by Helen Keeley & Barbara Rosenblat
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Or listen at Libro.fm
Content: There is some violence – jousting and dragon-killing and the like; and two f-bombs. It’s in the YA Fantasy section of the bookstore.

Gwen has dreams. She is the blacksmith’s daughter, and is running the forge herself pretty much these days, but she has designed her own armor, and wants to try her hand at jousting. And one day, she earns enough money and enters the qualifying rounds of the tournament… and wins. She thinks it’s a one-off, but then Lady Isobelle finds her and convinces her to continue. It seems that Lady Isobelle is the prize for winning the tournament, and she doesn’t really want to marry any of the other knights. She convinces Gwen to be her champion in the tournament.

Gwen reluctantly agrees, follows Isobelle to the castle, where she pretends to be “Sir Gawain’s” sister, and… well, falls in love with Isobelle. There’s more to the plot – including terribly chauvinistic knights and a lady’s maid who might be an assassin – but that’s the basic premise.

Oh, this one was a delight. The back blurb (do audiobooks have a back blurb?) mentioned The Knight’s Tale as a comp, and I think that’s spot on. It’s Knight’s Tale but with lesbian girls, and I couldn’t have enjoyed myself more. It’s laugh-aloud funny at parts (LOVE the narrator who breaks the fourth wall), and yet had me ugly crying and the show of unity among women at the end. It’s fierce, it’s sweet, it’s a joy to read (and to listen to!). I can’t recommend this silly, sweet, fun book enough.