Book Review: The Scarlet Alchemist

Title: The Scarlet AlchemistAuthor: Kylie Lee BakerGenre: YA Historical FantasyRating: 4.5 stars Zilan Fan is an orphan who lives with her two cousins and her aunt and uncle in Ancient China. She is also an alchemist. Her family is poor so she uses her alchemy to raise people from the dead and make some extra

Book Review: The Spells We Cast

Title: The Spells We CastAuthor:  Jason JuneGenre: Queer YA FantasyRating: 3.25 stars Nigel Barrett lives on a ranch with his grandma and dad, and he can also do magic. When he is old enough to do the “Culling” – a competition that will determine if he can keep his magic – he meets an unlikely

Book Review: Shards of Glass

Title: Shards of GlassAuthor: Michelle Sagara Genre: FantasyRating: 5 stars Shards of Glass takes place in the world of Elantra. Robin and Raven are orphans in the Warrens until Robin goes to study at The Academia. When Raven decides to journey there to find him, strange things start happening and many truths are uncovered about

Book Review: The Antique Hunter’s Guide to Murder

Title: The Antique Hunter’s Guide to MurderAuthor: C.L. MillerGenre: MysteryPublication date: February 2024Publisher: Simon & Schuster CanadaRating: 5 stars Freya Lockwood is a divorced empty-nester who used to be an antique hunter until she gave up her career. When her mentor in antiquing, Arthur, dies, Freya and her eccentric aunt Carole get drawn into a

Book Review: Her Body Among Animals

Title: Her Body Among AnimalsAuthor: Paola FerranteGenre: Speculative short storiesPublication date: September 12, 2023Publisher: Book*hug PressRating: 3.5 stars To preface, I don’t read a lot of short stories, as I usually like longer books with more time for plot and characters to develop; however, this book kept me entertained and engaged. This collection of speculative

Book Review: Curious Tides

Title: Curious TidesAuthor: Pascale LascelleGenre: YA fantasyPublication date: October 3, 2023Publisher: Simon & SchusterRating: 5 stars Emory Ainsleaf is a student at Aldryn college, a magical school where she is a healer. Last year her best friend Romie drowned alongside seven other students in a freak accident. Emory, along with Romie’s brother, Baz, tries to

Book Review: The Alchemy of Moonlight

Title: The Alchemy of MoonlightAuthor: David FerraroGenre: YA fantasy, LGBT+Publication date: May 2023Publisher: Page StreetRating: 3.75 stars Emile is a young marquis trying to hide from his aunt who wants to force him into a straight marriage, even though he is gay. While working as a footman in a household, Emile befriends Henry, the son

Book Review: The Jasad Heir

Title: The Jasad HeirAuthor: Sara HashemGenre: FantasyPublication date: July 2023Publisher: Orbit BooksRating: 4.25 stars Jasad is a country that has been decimated and the royal family destroyed – or that’s what everyone thinks, but the daughter of the Malik and Malika (King and Queen) survived and ends up a lowly orphan in Omal. When Arin,

Book Review: A Girl Called Echo Omnibus

Title: A Girl Called EchoAuthor: katherena vermetteGenre: YA Graphic NovelPublication date: 2023Publisher: Highwater PressRating: 5 stars Echo is a Métis teenager in Winnipeg who is learning about the history of Métis in school. She has interactive dreams about cultural ancestors at pivotal times in Métis history and learns more and more about where she comes

Book Review: Blood Betrayal

Title: Blood BetrayalAuthor: Ausma Zehanat KhanGenre: MysteryPublication date: November 7, 2023Publisher: Minotaur BooksRating: 4 stars Blood Betrayal is the sequel to Blackwater Falls. Blackwater Falls is a town in the USA flush with racist townspeople. Inaya Rahman, a Muslim detective, works with her Community Response Unit on the separate deaths of two racialized people in