Review: Eclipse the Moon by Jessie Mihalik

Eclipse the Moon
(Starlight's Shadow)
Jessie Mihalik
Release: July 12, 2022
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Kee Ildez has been many things: hacker, soldier, bounty hunter. She never expected to be a hero, but when a shadowy group of traitors starts trying to goad the galaxy’s two superpowers into instigating an interstellar war, Kee throws herself into the search to find out who is responsible—and stop them.

Digging up hidden information is her job, so hunting traitors should be a piece of cake, but the primary suspect spent years in the military, and someone powerful is still covering his tracks. Disrupting their plans will require the help of her entire team, including Varro Runkow, a Valovian weapons expert who makes her pulse race.

Quiet, grumpy, and incredibly handsome, Varro watches her with hot eyes but ignores all of her flirting, so Kee silently vows to keep her feelings strictly platonic. But that vow will be put to the test when she and Varro are forced to leave the safety of their ship and venture into enemy territory alone.

Cut off from the rest of their team, they must figure out how to work together—and fast—because a single misstep will cost thousands of lives.

Review:
One of my favorite books of the year so far has been Hunt the Stars so you can say that I was more than a tad bit excited to get my hands on its sequel, Eclipse the Moon. And when I found it was going to be Kee's book I was even more exited! I may have squealed when I finally let myself read the synopsis and discovered who the likely love interest was going to be.

I was a little nervous going into this one based on a few of the ratings I saw on some of the early reviews but I loved this book so much! It was the grumpy/sunshine trope mixed with Jessie Mihalik's signature action-packed scenes and twisty mystery. This book picks up right where the first one left off with the Starlight's Shadow heading to Bastion station as the crew tries to dig up all the information they can to stop the powers that be from starting another war.

Y'all know how much I adore the found family trope and this book had it in spades. The tight-knit human crew and the Valoffs are becoming more and more of a family and it was everything! The standoffish Valovians from the first book have been settled in and taken their positions as part of the crew to heart. I loved seeing the crew interact with each other and to see how happy Tavi and Torran are. What really shined in this book was the romance though!

I wanted Kee and Varro to be paired with each other from the very start of their tumultuous relationship and Eli and Varro's subsequent sparring match. Kee is the heart of this small found family and is part of the glue that binds them together. She is sunshine incarnate and a genius hacker and gets to be a badass in a different way than Tavi. I too would rather eat cookies than train. She is convinced that Varro doesn't have feelings for her beyond being friends so she decides that she needs a vacation on the space station to get over him and do some sleuthing with a better connection. 

Things on the station don't go as planned and Varro reveals himself at the first hint of Kee being in trouble and things just escalate from there in both the romance and the action. I'm not a big fan of the miscommunication trope but I enjoyed how Mihalik used it in this story. It made the romance even sweeter. I loved Varro and his grumpiness! Getting to know more about the different psychic abilities the Valoffs have was fascinating! And I loved getting to know more about his ability! One thing I do wish is that we got a bit more of both Kee and Varro's backstories beyond the vague hints we got in this book.

I adored so many things about this book! The action! The romance! The crew! The mystery and its twists! The tech! The fashion! This book grabbed my attention and kept me on the edge of my seat until I ran out of pages to read. Was this book perfect? No. Some of the miscommunication got a bit repetitive in my opinion but my enjoyment of the story as a whole made up for it. 

I cannot wait for the next book! One, I need to know what happens next because HOLY COW! And two, THE NEXT BOOK IS LEXI'S ROMANCE! My body is ready! I have no idea how many books will be in this series but I am hoping this is going to more than a trilogy because I want to see some other crew mates ( *cough* Eli *cough*) get their happily ever afters as well! I'm totally on board with the polyamorous vibe that is going on. One thing is for sure, Jessie Mihalik is turning into my go to for sci-fi romance and has cemented her place on my auto-buy list.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley

    

  5 / 5 Stars

My reviews of other books in this series:
Hunt the Stars by Jessie Mihalik

Recommended for fans of:

Ilona Andrews's Kinsmen Series

Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling Series

Jessie Mihalik's Consortium Rebellion series

Review: August Kitko and the Mechas from Space by Alex White

August Kitko and the Mechas from Space
(The Starmetal Symphony #1)
Alex White
Release: July 12, 2022
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When an army of giant robot AIs threatens to devastate Earth, a virtuoso pianist becomes humanity's last hope in this bold, lightning-paced, technicolor new space opera series from the author of A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe. 

Jazz pianist Gus Kitko expected to spend his final moments on Earth playing piano at the greatest goodbye party of all time, and maybe kissing rockstar Ardent Violet, before the last of humanity is wiped out forever by the Vanguards--ultra-powerful robots from the dark heart of space, hell-bent on destroying humanity for reasons none can divine. 

But when the Vanguards arrive, the unthinkable happens--the mecha that should be killing Gus instead saves him. Suddenly, Gus's swan song becomes humanity's encore, as he is chosen to join a small group of traitorous Vanguards and their pilots dedicated to saving humanity.

Review:
Do you ever start a book and know within the first chapter that you are going to love it? August Kitko and the Mechas from Space was one of those books for me. This book is hands down my favorite book of the year so far! I tried to savor this exquisite space opera slowly but it was such a cinematic thrill ride that I ended up devouring it in every free moment I had. Holy Moly, y'all! I never knew I needed a book that combined music and mechas! Add in that it was an epic Gays in Space romp that is so delightfully and unapologetically queer and my heart was a goner! I cannot tell you how excited I am that this is the first book in a trilogy because I need more! Alex White is quickly cementing their place on my favorite authors of all time list.

It is the end of the world for humanity and all August Kitko wants to do is kiss gorgeous rockstar Ardent Violet and jam with them before they die. Then the unthinkable happens during their impromptu rockfest to play out the end of the human race. One of the murderous alien robots scoops Gus up so he and the rogue Vanguard can work together to destroy another Vanguard hellbent on destroying Earth. And it is nonstop action from that moment on.

I have been obsessed with mechas since I was a kid and the Traitor Vanguards have taken their spot on my favorites list. The Vanguards are like the Pacific Rim mechas on steroids had a baby with an AI. They are truly alien and have done some despicable things but are scarily cool. Actually, the only scarier thing than a Vanguard is their army of Golden Ghosts. The mecha battles in this book are so epic! Alex White did a fantastic job designing and outfitting the Vanguards with their abilities and weaponry! Each was so unique and I couldn't wait to see what they had up their sleeve next! And be still my heart! The tech in this book was absolutely fabulous in more ways than one!

I came for the mechas and space battles but I stayed for the characters and the romance. The story is told from the dual POVs of August and Ardent and I love them both so much! I just want to wrap Gus in a blanket and keep him safe. What I love about this book is that the characters are deeply flawed and not instantly transformed into badasses when they become Conduits. They feel more human because of it. Gus is a depressed cinnamon roll who knows more about jazz music than he does fighting styles. He's a bit mopey but his heart is ready to help save humanity anyway he can. His heart is also totally gone for rockstar Ardent Violet and he would do anything to keep him safe.

I loved so many characters in this book but hands down my favorite character is Ardent! They are loud and proud and a more than self-obsessed. But they have a heart of gold, can admit when they're wrong, and are totally head over heels for Gus (and their guitar, Baby) and just want to be their joyfriend. I found myself anticipating their POVs and when they would be present on page. They are gloriously epic with a wardrobe to match. I loved them and their agent, Dahlia, so much! I lived for the moments when Ardent and Gus got to be together on page. Their relationship and its development was so well done that I was literally squealing out loud at the cute one moment and yelling at them to get their act together the next.

I could go on and on about what and how much I loved this book but it is one that discovering its awesomeness is best done by reading it yourself. I need more space operas like this one in my life and the wait for book two next year might just kill me. If you are a fan of The Murderbot Diaries and/or Pacific Rim, this book is for you!

CW (this is what I caught. There could be more.): suicidal thoughts, blood, gore, injury/injury detail, violence,  panic attacks, body horror, medical trauma.

ARC provided by the Publisher via Netgalley.

    

  5 / 5 Stars

 

Recommended for fans of:
Pacific Rim

The Murderbot Diaries

Voltron: Legendary Defender

Release Day Review: A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers

A Prayer for the Crown-Shy
(Monk & Robot #2)
Becky Chambers
Release: July 12, 2022
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After touring the rural areas of Panga, Sibling Dex (a Tea Monk of some renown) and Mosscap (a robot sent on a quest to determine what humanity really needs) turn their attention to the villages and cities of the little moon they call home.

They hope to find the answers they seek, while making new friends, learning new concepts, and experiencing the entropic nature of the universe.

Becky Chambers's new series continues to ask: in a world where people have what they want, does having more even matter?

Review:
I've said it before and I will say it again. Reading a Becky Chambers book is like getting a warm hug in book form and A Prayer for the Crown-Shy was a much needed hug. One of my favorite books of 2021 was A Psalm for the Wild-Built and I am so happy that I can say that its sequel will be one of my favorites of 2022. I absolutely adored this book!

A Prayer for the Crown-Shy is full of hope and comfort like the best slice-of-life fanfic and it was everything I wanted for this book and more. Honestly, I had no idea about what to expect when I started this. The story picks up immediately after the events of the first book and we get to see Sibling Dex and Mosscap transition from acquaintances to companions as they travel across Panga in search of the answer to Mosscap's question. We got to meet a dazzling mix of individuals in this story and I loved seeing Dex and Mosscap interact with them. But their interactions with each other are what really make this story special! They had me laughing out loud one moment and thinking deeply the next. Becky Chambers has such a knack of writing such fully formed characters and their emotions while still including hard science.

This book was an absolute delight! Someone please tell me we're getting more novellas in this series!?! Our knowledge and view of Panga was expanded upon and we got to see so much more of this intriguing solarpunk world. Each chapter features Mosscap and Dex traveling together to new places and to many towns so Mosscap can ask and learn what people need as they travel to the City. Getting to read about Mosscap interacting with the villagers with whom they were delighted to meet and who were delighted to meet the robot in turn. Mosscap's curiosity and wonder in discovering the new things each region had and learning about the human experience warmed my heart. And Dex learning how to navigate this new experience while watching over Mosscap and searching for their own answers was heartwarming in its own way too.

This novella wasn't just a travel diary though. It also continued to expound on some of the struggles that Dex was having in book one. They are still learning how to deal with burnout and what it really means to rest. They are still struggling to not equate their value to how productive or helpful they are. And boy! Did that really strike a cord with me especially in our current world. The way that Becky Chambers wrote Dex's struggles with their mental health were so refreshing and so needed. One of my favorite things about her books (besides how fantastically queer they are) is the social commentary and the philosophical questions that get asked. I truly haven't been able to stop thinking about this story since I finished it and I don't think that will be changing any time soon.

Y'all. I'm not sure if I can truly convey how much I adored this book. To me, the story reads as unfinished so I'm hoping we get more books in this series. I could read the adventures of Dex and Mosscap forever. I'm going to keep my fingers crossed for more but I am also content with how this book ended. And hopefully if we get more we'll also get more robots in these two's future adventures.

ARC provided by the Publisher via Netgalley.

    

  5 / 5 Stars

My reviews of other books in this series:
A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

Review: Never Been Kissed by Timothy Janovsky

Never Been Kissed
(Boy Meets Boy #1)
Timothy Janovsky
Release: May 3, 2022
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Dear (never-been-quite-over-you) Crush,
It's been a few years since we were together, but I can't stop thinking about the time we almost...

Wren Roland has never been kissed, but he wants that movie-perfect ending more than anything. Feeling nostalgic on the eve of his birthday, he sends emails to all the boys he (ahem) loved before he came out. Morning brings the inevitable Oh God What Did I Do?, but he brushes that panic aside. Why stress about it? None of his could-have-beens are actually going to read the emails, much less respond. Right?

Enter Derick Haverford, Wren's #1 pre-coming-out-crush and his drive-in theater's new social media intern. Everyone claims he's coasting on cinematic good looks and his father's connections, but Wren has always known there's much more to Derick than meets the eye. Too bad he doesn't feel the same way about the infamous almost-kiss that once rocked Wren's world.

Whatever. Wren's no longer a closeted teenager; he can survive this. But as their hazy summer becomes consumed with a special project that may just save the struggling drive-in for good, Wren and Derick are drawn ever-closer...and maybe, finally, Wren's dream of a perfect-kiss-before-the-credits is within reach.

A feel-good summer LGBTQIA+ New Adult RomCom, perfect for fans of Red White & Royal Blue, Boyfriend Material, and What If It's Us.

Review:
This is one of those books where I read the synopsis and immediately knew I would be reading it. A queer romance that revolves around saving a drive-in? Yes, please! I grew up going to the drive-in and some of my best memories from high school revolve around my friend group piling into a couple of pickup trucks and going to see the newest releases. Never Been Kissed is the debut novel of Timothy Janovsky and it incorporated so many of the tropes I love! I would describe it as a coming-of-age, second chance romance and it was utterly delightful!

This book was the queer version of To All The Boys I've Loved Before that so many of us wanted. Wren Roland is still waiting to have his first kiss and he wants it to be movie perfect. Unfortunately, real life is not like the movies. After a disastrous birthday party, Wren drunkenly decides to send the emails he has written to the four guys he's almost kissed. The next morning brings regret and embarrassment of the OMG! WHAT HAVE I DONE?!? variety and it was so perfectly done!

Timothy Janovsky packed a lot into its 288 pages. Not only was there the romance and save the drive-in plots, this book was an exploration of the uncertainty that defines the transition from college student stage of life to the working adult stage. Wren and his friends have dreams but also have no idea how to achieve said dreams now that they have their respective degrees. Working at the drive-in is supposed to be their last hoorah before moving on to a 9-5 job. What Wren wasn't expecting was having to work with his former best friend who ghosted him freshmen year and one of the email recipients.

I loved the romance so much! Wren and Derrick have a lot of baggage and watching them work through it and start to fall for each other was *chef's kiss*. It was a little more dramatic than I am used to reading but it fit the story. I've seen mixed reviews on the Alice plot of the story and personally I loved the whole thing! Watching Wren and Alice both come out of their shells and learn to love other people was so heartwarming!

This story was also a beautiful and relatable exploration of what it means to be queer. And had the resounding message that it is okay to take your time. There is no deadline that you have to have your identity figured out by or that you have to hit any romance milestones by. Wren has figured out part of his identity but feels like gay is only the beginning of who he is. Labels are so important and when he finds that last missing piece of his identity so many things and past experiences fall into place. Wren's experience learning about the ace spectrum paralleled my own experience so much. I have started to see myself more and more in the queer books that have been released recently but this one made me feel so fully seen that I cried a few tears. Thanks for that Mr. Janovsky!

I loved this book so much and can't recommend it enough! I have already bought a physical copy to add to my personal library. I loved the cover! And I cannot wait for the second book in this series coming out this fall! I need it in my hands yesterday!

Also, can I say that it is so exciting and refreshing to see more and more romances written by queer authors?!? We definitely need more m/m romances written by more queer male authors like this one.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.

    1/2

  4.5 / 5 Stars

 

 
Recommended for fans of:
To All the Boys I Loved Before by Jenny Han

The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun

Review: The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun

The Charm Offensive
Alison Cochrun
Release: September 7, 2021
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Dev Deshpande has always believed in fairy tales. So it’s no wonder then that he’s spent his career crafting them on the long-running reality dating show Ever After. As the most successful producer in the franchise’s history, Dev always scripts the perfect love story for his contestants, even as his own love life crashes and burns. But then the show casts disgraced tech wunderkind Charlie Winshaw as its star.

Charlie is far from the romantic Prince Charming Ever After expects. He doesn’t believe in true love, and only agreed to the show as a last-ditch effort to rehabilitate his image. In front of the cameras, he’s a stiff, anxious mess with no idea how to date twenty women on national television. Behind the scenes, he’s cold, awkward, and emotionally closed-off.

As Dev fights to get Charlie to connect with the contestants on a whirlwind, worldwide tour, they begin to open up to each other, and Charlie realizes he has better chemistry with Dev than with any of his female co-stars. But even reality TV has a script, and in order to find to happily ever after, they’ll have to reconsider whose love story gets told.

In this witty and heartwarming romantic comedy—reminiscent of Red, White & Royal Blue and One to Watch—an awkward tech wunderkind on a reality dating show goes off-script when sparks fly with his producer.

Review:
Y'all. I get the hype surrounding this book now and it deserves it all! And I’m sorry I didn’t pick it up sooner. I was a bit skeptical that I would like it going in because I'm not usually a fan of reality TV dating shows like Ever After but I found myself fascinated with those parts of the story. Once I started reading I couldn’t put it down until I was done because I had to know what happened next.

I loved so much about this book! It was heartwarming, tender, and so, so queer! I wanted to give all the characters a hug from the start. I quickly fell in love with Charlie and Dev and their friends! And let’s just say that the romance is total relationship goals! The way Charlie and Dev were there for each other and were more than willing to give each other the support they needed just got me right in the feels. I was rooting for them from the moment Charlie fell out of the limo at Dev's feet. I wanted them to have a happily ever after but I couldn't see how they were going to end up together through most of the book. Was the end kind of cheesy and over the top? Yes, but I love it! I'm going to put this out in the universe. I would read a whole second book of just these two hanging out, doing their own things, being in love, and interacting with their friend group. Someone write me that slice-of-life fanfic stat! 

I will admit that I came for the romance but I stayed for mental health and queer rep! The ways mental illness and identity were discussed in this book were amazing and so essential! I was so here for the demisexual rep! It's nice to see yourself in a book. I cried a few times while reading this and that's not something I get to say often. It totally hit me in the feels though. I can't recommend this book enough! I also need more books with all of these characters! I am especially shipping Parisha and Jules and would love a book about them!

    1/2

  4.5/ 5 Stars


 

Review: Of Charms, Ghosts and Grievances by Aliette de Bodard

Of Charms, Ghosts and Grievances
(Dragons and Blades #2)
Aliette de Bodard
Release: June 28, 2022
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From the author of the critically acclaimed Dominion of the Fallen trilogy comes a sparkling new romantic adventure full of kissing, sarcasm and stabbing.

It was supposed to be a holiday, with nothing more challenging than babysitting, navigating familial politics and arguing about the proper way to brew tea.

But when dragon prince Thuan and his ruthless husband Asmodeus find a corpse in a ruined shrine and a hungry ghost who is the only witness to the crime, their holiday goes from restful to high-pressure. Someone is trying to silence the ghost and everyone involved. Asmodeus wants revenge for the murder; Thuan would like everyone, including Asmodeus, to stay alive.

Chased by bloodthirsty paper charms and struggling to protect their family, Thuan and Asmodeus are going to need all the allies they can—and, as the cracks in their relationship widen, they'll have to face the scariest challenge of all: how to bring together their two vastly different ideas of their future...

A heartwarming standalone book set in a world of dark intrigue.

Review:
One of my favorite books from 2020 was Of Dragons, Feasts and Murders and I didn’t know until a week ago that it was going to become a series with a second book coming out this month. Y’all! My favorite dragon prince and his murder husband are back to solve another murder mystery! I loved Of Charms, Ghosts and Grievances even more than the first book and it will definitely be on my favorites list of 2022.

This novella was everything! It starts off with Thuan (the soft bookish dragon husband) and Asmodeus (the stabby overprotective fallen angel husband with lots of knives) babysitting while visiting Thuan’s family. They soon find a ghost and uncover a murder that leads them into all sorts of troubles ranging from being attacked while babysitting to an ex-lover making an appearance. It’s mixed together with a hefty dash of emotional struggle, knives, and romance. I don’t think that these two will ever get to have a normal vacation ever.

Aliette de Bodard has built such an intriguing gothic fantasy world that instantly sucks me in. Her writing is beautiful and I adored the Vietnamese mythology mixed with the lore on fallen angels. The plot was intriguing and was a good mix of action, romance, and comedy. The babysitting scenes alone had me grinning like a loon. My heart didn’t know it needed the scenes with Asmodeus and Thuan being uncles to Camille and Ai Nhi but it did. It's now a huge pile of goo because of all the stabbiness and cuteness!

My favorite part though was the romance. Thuan and Asmodeus have come a long way since the first book but their marriage isn’t without its struggles and issues. The fight between them kept me on the edge of my seat and made me more than a little snippity to my family when my reading was interrupted. I just had to know if everything would work out and they would be fine.

Full disclaimer, I still haven’t read the original trilogy this series is a spin-off of despite having plans to do so in 2020. We all know how that year went. In this novella, we got a look at the start of Thuan and Asmodeus’s relationship and I’m dying to know more! The Dominion of the Fallen series is one I will definitely be continuing and finishing this year!

This series is so masterfully written and I can’t recommend it enough! It’s also a perfect Pride read with both bisexual and gay rep. I’m going to cross my fingers and hope with everything I have that we get even more novellas about my favorite murder husbands! I really can’t get enough of them or this world.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.

    

  5 / 5 Stars

 

My reviews of other books in this series:
Of Dragons, Feasts and Murder by Aliette de Bodard

Review: The League of Gentlewomen Witches by India Holton

The League of Gentlewomen Witches
(Dangerous Damsels #2)
India Holton
Release: March 15, 2022
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Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the teahouse...

Miss Charlotte Pettifer belongs to a secret league of women skilled in the subtle arts. That is to say—although it must never be said—witchcraft. The League of Gentlewomen Witches strives to improve the world in small ways. Using magic, they tidy, correct, and manipulate according to their notions of what is proper, entirely unlike those reprobates in the Wisteria Society.

When the long lost amulet of Black Beryl is discovered, it is up to Charlotte, as the future leader of the League, to make sure the powerful talisman does not fall into the wrong hands. Therefore, it is most unfortunate when she crosses paths with Alex O'Riley, a pirate who is no Mr. Darcy. With all the world scrambling after the amulet, Alex and Charlotte join forces to steal it together. If only they could keep their pickpocketing hands to themselves! If Alex's not careful, he might just steal something else—such as Charlotte's heart.

Review:
I finally read The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels earlier this year and I adored it! Lady pirates! Assassins! Flying houses! So many gothic romance references! I fell for not only the main characters, Cecilia and Ned, but also for Ned's best friend and pirate, Alex O'Riley. Let's just say I squealed in excitement when I found out the next book in the series was his story! Add in the fact that we'd get to learn more about the witches that were mentioned a couple times and I needed to get my hands on a copy immediately!

I didn't know what to expect going into The League of Gentlewomen Witches but I was hoping for a similarly delightful and fun story as the first book. And it blew all of my expectations out of the water! In fact, I loved this book even more than the first one. Part of that is because I was already familiar with the world so this book read a lot smoother and I was instantly pulled into the story. The shenanigans in this book are still absolutely bonkers but they are also delightful! I thought flying pirate houses were an excellent and refreshing twist. I didn't know I needed these witches in my life who were constantly trying to slightly maim or murder each other!

I loved Cecilia in the first book but Charlotte quickly replaced her as my favorite! I loved seeing her interactions with Cecilia and the other lady pirates! But what I adored was her interactions and constant banter with Alex! Y'all! The romance hit me in the feels and I just needed everything to work out for them to get their happily ever after. They both have some serious baggage they needed to work through.

And can we talk about all of the Jane Austen references in this book! It made my inner Austenite so, so happy! I found myself loving the side characters in this book as much as the first one. I can't be the only one absolutely intrigued by the butlers and maids in this series, can I? Y'all! They could easily have their own series and it would be just as delightful and bonkers! It was also fun seeing so many familiar faces from the first book as well as seeing a different take on the overbearing aunt trope.

My one critique of this series in general is that there isn't much plot in the two books. It is a very character driven series. That being said, I think that the lack of plot didn't phase me as much as it would in other books because the book was just so much fun to read! Honestly, I didn't recognize there really wasn't a plot besides steal the amulet until I started to write this review because of how delightful the story was.

I ended up listening to the audio of this one on my morning commute and Elizabeth Knowelden did an amazing job on the narration! I would highly recommend picking it up! It's one of my favorites of the year so far!

I hope we get more books in this series! Hopefully, one that follows a certain butler.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.

    1/2

  4.5 / 5 Stars

 

My reviews of other books in this series:
The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton

Review: Princess Floralinda and the Forty-Flight Tower by Tamsyn Muir

Princess Floralinda and the Forty-Flight Tower
Tamsyn Muir
Release: November 30, 2020
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When the witch built the forty-flight tower, she made very sure to do the whole thing properly. Each flight contains a dreadful monster, ranging from a diamond-scaled dragon to a pack of slavering goblins. Should a prince battle his way to the top, he will be rewarded with a golden sword—and the lovely Princess Floralinda.

But no prince has managed to conquer the first flight yet, let alone get to the fortieth.

In fact, the supply of fresh princes seems to have quite dried up.

And winter is closing in on Floralinda…

Review:
I'm not quite sure what I was expecting when I picked this novella up but it was definitely not what I read. This book read like a Gail Carson Levine novel but with a mean streak. It started out like so many fairy tale retellings and then proceeded to turn so many of the tropes we've come to expect of story of a princess trapped in a tower on their heads. 

I kind of really loved this messed up fairy tale! The story begins with Princess Floralinda being stranded in the tower by a witch to whom setting challenges is an art form. At first, Floralinda is hopeful that she will be rescued quickly by a prince. But as days and weeks pass and the dragon on the first floor's kill count increases, her hope begins to wane as she gets dirtier and dirtier and sick of the food the witch left. There comes a point where Floralinda has to make a decision on whether she's going to stay in the tower or try to rescue herself. And that choice dictates the rest of the story and it is a doozy and more than a little bit macabre. Which, truth be told, is very on point for the author of Gideon the Ninth.

This is a novella so I'm not going to tell you anymore about the plot. It's a story I believe that you should go into not knowing much about. It made the story intriguing and enjoyable for me. 

I listened to the audio of this novella on my commute to and from work and would highly recommend it. It is narrated by the always amazing Moira Quirk who also narrates most of Gail Carriger's Parasolverse books as well as Tamsyn Muirs Locked Tomb series. I would highly recommend listening to it if possible. Moira Quirk's narration takes an already amazing story and elevates it to mind-blowing.

ARC provided by the Publisher via Netgalley

   

  4 / 5 Stars