It’s winter in Sokcho, a tourist town on the border between South and North Korea. The cold slows everything down. Bodies are red and raw, the fish turn venomous, beyond the beach guns point out from the North’s watchtowers. A young French Korean woman works as a receptionist in a tired guesthouse. One evening, an unexpected guest arrives: a French cartoonist determined to find inspiration in this desolate landscape.
Long ago, The Lord Aiduel emerged from the deserts of the Holy Land, possessed with divine powers. He used these to forcibly unite the peoples of Angall, before His ascension to heaven.
Over eight hundred years later, four young men and women begin to develop supernatural abilities, and they’re being hunted..
When Gaspery-Jacques Roberts, a detective in the black-skied Night City, is hired to investigate an anomaly in the North American wilderness, he uncovers a series of lives upended: The exiled son of an earl driven to madness, a writer trapped far from home as a pandemic ravages Earth, and a childhood friend from the Night City who, like Gaspery himself, has glimpsed the chance to do something extraordinary that will disrupt the timeline of the universe.
A healer forced to become a killer for an empire that would grind his country to dust. My thoughts on this book and this stunning edition by Page & Wick.
Zachary Ezra Rawlins, a Vermont graduate student, discovers a mysterious book that recounts a childhood memory. This revelation leads him to hidden libraries, secret societies, and a magical underwater world. While opinions on “The Starless Sea” vary, I find it to be a captivating exploration of love, loss, and the power of storytelling.
The year is 2059. For two centuries, the Republic of Scion has led an oppressive campaign against unnaturalness in Europe.
Here are my thoughts on the first four books of this series, in anticipation of book five releasing in February 2025.
“Please Look After Mother” by Shin Kyung-sook tells the story of a family’s emotional turmoil after the disappearance of their mother, So-nyo. Through the children’s perspectives, the novel explores themes of familial love, guilt, and introspection, revealing deep-seated memories and unexpressed feelings about their mother’s sacrifices and dreams.
In France, 1714, Addie LaRue makes a Faustian bargain for immortality but ends up cursed to be forgotten. Her solitary journey spans centuries, exploring themes of loss, remembrance and human connection. However, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name…
Eighteen-year-old Ying aspires to be an engineer like her father, but his murder disrupts her life. Disguised as her brother, she infiltrates the Engineers Guild, seeking answers. However, her immature behaviour, the lack of actual engineering and an instant love trope hinder her journey and lead to a disappointing narrative.
In a land of fallen of gods, three protagonists—a huntress, a rebellious noblewoman, and a vengeful thrall—navigate a world of power struggles and mystical creatures. The novel features profound character development, intricate politics, and explores dark themes while delivering an engaging narrative, making it a highly recommended epic fantasy.
