Fantasy

Bring Me Your Midnight / Rachel Griffin

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment
Cover of Bring Me Your Midnight by Rachel Griffin. A young woman with auburn hair's face sticks out of water that is surrounded by white flowers with a yellow and black center.
Bring Me Your Midnight
By: Rachel Griffin
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Number of Pages: 320
Published: August 1, 2023
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Dates Read: February 3, 2023 - February 10, 2023
Format: eBook / ARC

Tana has been betrothed to the Governor’s son, Landon, from the Mainland since she was born. The marriage would help to seal an alliance between her coven on the island and the humans on the Mainland who see them as a threat. Tana’s coven limits the use of their powers so as to not cause worry to the mainlanders – in order to do this, the coven releases their unused powers into the ocean on the night of the full moon each month.

But when Tana misses the ritual, there is no one who can help her – until she meets Wolfe, a witch who claims to be from a hidden coven on the island that practices dark (high) magic. Instead of rushing her powers out into the sea, Wolfe teaches her how to use the magic he knows, and that magic makes Tana feel alive and powerful.

As Tana learns more and more about the differences between the magic she grew up with and the magic that Wolfe does, she begins to understand the danger her coven is putting on not only the island, but the Mainland as well. With understanding, Tana will have to choose between love and duty; her coven or her heart.

Another wonderful, soft witchy novel from Rachel Griffin. I have really enjoyed all three of her novels and she will continue to be someone whom I will always grab a copy of their book!

This book focuses a lot on belonging and questioning your lifelong beliefs. Which is a theme I’ve always liked about Griffin’s novels – they’re witchy, but a lot of witchy books are usually so set in their rules or methods but in Griffin’s novels, the characters are always open to challenging that and changing those (though those around them may be a bit more stubborn).

With this being in first person POV with Tana, I really enjoyed getting to know her and her coven through her eyes. The covens in Griffin’s books always make me wish I was a part of them and this one is no different!

If you like witches, arranged marriages, secrets, and stories of finding one’s self then this is the book for your reading pleasure.

*Thank you Edelweiss+ and Sourcebooks Fire for a digital advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Unseelie / Ivelisse Housman

/ Alisha Helms / 1 Comment
Photo of an Advance Readers Copy of the novel "Unseelie" by Ivelisse Housman. The cover has two girls, twins standing in the forest. One twin has a long side braid and is wearing a red dress, electricity is crackling in her left hand. Her sister, who looks just like her, but with short, shoulder length hair, stands in all black behind her.
A 3 Star Gold Rating
Unseelie
By: Ivelisse Housman
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Number of Pages: 432
Published: January 3, 2023
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Dates Read: January 7, 2023 - January 18, 2023
Format: ARC

A few years ago, there was an accident in Seelie and Isolde’s home village and ever since, they’ve been on the run. Seelie is an autistic changeling trying to understand and control her unpredictable magic – it doesn’t help that she finds it almost as difficult to fit in with the humans around her. Her sister Isolde, is an amazing pickpocketer and uses her skills to keep them alive. When a heist goes wrong, the twins find themselves in a larger mystery than they expected and discover secrets of the history of both faeries and humans. With new companions on their adventure can Seelie get control of her magic in time to protect her sister.

“The perfect start to any morning. Who needs coffee when you have the icy shock of mortal terror?”

I was pretty excited to read this book portraying an autistic main character written by someone who is on the spectrum themselves. It is a wonderful portrayal for children and young adults to see themselves represented, especially in a fantasy, magic filled world like we see in Unseelie. Seelie’s character is honest and true, and you see this world through her eyes – with and without overstimulating events.

Each of the four main characters were fun to meet and learn about – though I am hoping we get to see more flushed out history of both Raze and Olani in the next book. 

The pacing of this novel was a bit slow in places, especially in the middle and then the ending kind of hit you fiercely. I didn’t realize this would be a duology until the last few pages, especially since nothing really wrapped up and you were kind of left with unexplained events and a cliffhanger. That being said though, I am super excited for the next book in the series and will for sure be waiting for that to hit the shelves.

*Thank you Inkyard Press for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review