As defiant as well as defender: PERSEPHONE'S CURSE.

Persephone's Curse by Katrina Leno
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This story was not at all what I expected, but it was excellent!

Not that I'm surprised, because anything Katrina Leno writes is amazing.

The four Farthing sisters--Winnie, Bernie, Evelyn, and Clara--have always been told they are descended from Persephone. And who knows, it could be true, because there's a ghost that lives in their house, a young man named Henry, that only they can see.

It all works out until Evelyn and Henry fall in love and Winnie attempts to solve the problem. It seems each sister has a bit of magical powers, and Winnie sets off a series of catastrophic events involving closed portals and the Underworld.

It might sound over the top, but it all works really well. So much of this beautiful, magical ghost story is simply four sisters attempting to navigate growing up in the world. Bernadette, the eldest, is trying to figure out if she belongs at college. Evelyn is grappling with her love for Henry. Winnie, our main narrator, has big feelings and an ability to see the ghosts of Farthings past (and perhaps a crush on the cute girl at the magic store), and feisty Clara is the artistic wise youngest sister who despite her wisdom, still requires the love and guidance of her older sisters.

This well-written, lyrical story is an ode to New York City and sisterhood. It's utterly fascinating, with equal dashes of magic and Little Women mixed together, along with some lesbians! What more could we ask for, really? I loved it.


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She's never learned how to live for today: THE STRANGE CASE OF JANE O.

The Strange Case of Jane O. by Karen Thompson Walker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As with many a book by Karen Thompson Walker, this is a weird but mesmerizing story. It revolves around a psychiatrist, Dr. Byrd, and his patient, Jane, who seems to be losing time, hallucinating, blacking out, and more. She's found in a local NYC park, with no idea of how she got there or what happened before she arrived. Jane is a new mother--and single parent--to her young son Caleb and Dr. Byrd is trying to determine if her symptoms are related to her newfound motherhood or something else.

The book has a vague, hazy feel, where you never know quite what is real, even between Jane's version (including journal entries) and Dr. Byrd's account of their sessions. It doesn't help when we learn that Dr. Byrd has a slightly disgraced past.

Jane is a confusing but sympathetic character. Why is this happening to her? Is tied to the loss of someone she cared about when she was 17? Or is she simply an overworked and exhausted mother whose body and mind have been pushed too far? Beyond trying to figure out what is happening to Jane, the book posits that motherhood can slowly erase parts of your self.

This is a quiet sort of book, filled with lots of thinking and discussion, but it's fascinating. I won't say much more to ruin any of the plot twists. It's a different read, but a good one.

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My past has caught up to me, and I've lost track: GREYWAREN.

Greywaren by Maggie Stiefvater
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

I'm not sure I can adequately review this book, because the magical world within is so intricate that it feels wrong to judge it. I still get a little confused reading this series, with all the dreamers and Zeds and Moderators and dreaming worlds and real worlds, but I love it anyway. Perhaps the most amazing thing about book 3 is that it made me like Declan, ha! Overall I found this to be a fitting end to the trilogy, even if it dragged just a bit in the middle. 3.5+ stars.

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And we march towards the light: WHERE ECHOES DIE.

Where Echoes Die by Courtney Gould
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Courtney Gould can WRITE.

WHERE ECHOES DIE is a totally mesmerizing story written in Gould's gorgeous prose. I was completely drawn into the town of Backravel, Arizona-- a place where there are no cars, cemeteries, or churches. It seems like a picturesque place built among worn military structures. But Beck's mom started out writing an article on Backravel and eventually the town consumed her until her death. Now Beck and her sister Riley are spending two weeks in Backravel for a supposed vacation. But for Beck, it's so much more: she has to know why she lost her mom to Backravel.

This is an amazing fantasy tale that explores grief in deep and beautiful ways. The methods Beck uses to deal with her mom's death are not always healthy, but they are nuanced and touching. ECHOES is haunting in so many ways. Time just seems to move differently in Backravel. It's a mystical place, though not necessarily a good one. Gould uses the stark desert landscape to her advantage, creating an atmospheric story that is truly creepy and unsettling. You can feel Backravel as you read--see it, imagine the characters, sense the heat rising off the car-less streets.

The story dragged just a little for me slightly after the halfway mark. I needed Beck to be better to Riley, to communicate more, and things to move just a little faster. Otherwise, this was a great read. A wonderful spooky fantasy page-turner with a sapphic bent.

I received a copy of this book from Wednesday Books and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.

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My heart, it's like a loaded gun: THIS VICIOUS GRACE.

This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Alessa is a Finestra, revered in her society for a magical gift that is supposed to magnify the power of her partner, called a Fonte. The only problem is that Alessa keeps killing her Fontes instead. Three weddings, three funerals. Now a foreseen swarm of demons is heading toward their island, and Alessa must find a Fonte before it's too late to save her homeland. Her fellow islanders are frustrated and turning against her, so Alessa hires an outcast named Dante to protect her. Dante helps her refine her gift, but his secrets may also doom them all.

At first, I was not sure I would enjoy this book. It felt long and confusing as could be. There is a lot of terminology to learn, and it did not seem like everything was explained very clearly. It took me some time to get into the story. However, once Dante appeared on the scene, I was totally sucked in. Not that Alessa (aka Finestra) isn't a great character. She's pretty awesome--spunky and tough, but thoughtful, too. However, Alessa and Dante's friendship and chemistry made the story for me.

I loved the themes in this one--learning to work together versus tackling problems alone; not fearing the unknown; and pushing back on tradition. I guess all of those hit home for me! I am a sucker for a heroine coming into her own. And Dante was the best--who doesn't love a brooding hero with a (secret) heart of gold, right?

This had a rather abrupt and worrisome ending, but there's a sequel. I'll need to read that right when it comes out! Also, fun fact, my daughter's (very awesome) second grade teacher is thanked in the acknowledgements of this book! 3.5 stars.


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I was waiting for an indication, it was hard to find: MISTER IMPOSSIBLE.

Mister Impossible by Maggie Stiefvater
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In the second book of the Dreamer trilogy, the Dreamers are finding the source of their power (the ley line) diminished. Ronan Lynch and his mentor, Bryde, set out to restore it, along with Hennessy, but it seems to mean leaving everyone they love behind.

As with every Stiefvater book, this is a magical and beautifully-written tale. It centers on dreaming, family, and friendship. We still get the POV from Ronan's brothers and Hennessy's dreamed copy, Jordan. In the Dreamer trilogy, the Dreamers can dream worlds and bring back what they dream--anything from magical cars, ravens, and even people. It sounds wonderful, but sometimes what they dream is a nightmare and has horrible consequences. A group of people (the Moderators) believe the Dreamers are going to ruin the world and are out to kill them all.

The story is often a little weird and sometimes I found myself avoiding it. Other times, I was completely sucked in. A few twists blew me away, and I am so amazed how fantastic and imaginative this series can get. By the end, I was totally lost in the Dreamers battle for the world (in their eyes), and I'm looking forward to reading book three.

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