JESS JUST READS

A BOOK REVIEW BLOG

White Stag by Kara Barbieri

As the last child in a family of daughters, seventeen-year-old Janneke was raised to be the male heir. While her sisters were becoming wives and mothers, she was taught to hunt, track, and fight. On the day her village was burned to the ground, Janneke—as the only survivor—was taken captive by the malicious Lydian and eventually sent to work for his nephew Soren.

Janneke’s survival in the court of merciless monsters has come at the cost of her connection to the human world. And when the Goblin King’s death ignites an ancient hunt for the next king, Soren senses an opportunity for her to finally fully accept the ways of the brutal Permafrost. But every action he takes to bring her deeper into his world only shows him that a little humanity isn’t bad—especially when it comes to those you care about.

Through every battle they survive, Janneke’s loyalty to Soren deepens even as she tries to fight her growing attraction to him. After dangerous truths are revealed, Janneke must choose between holding on or letting go of her last connections to a world she no longer belongs to. She must make the right choice to save the only thing keeping both worlds from crumbling.

White Stag by Kara Barbieri is the first book in a new dark fantasy series, featuring a large cast of magical creatures and abilities. This book was originally self-published and after it became a success, White Stag was picked up by a major publisher for print distribution.

Before the story has even begun, there are trigger warnings — There are things in this book that you may find distressing or disturbing. Be warned there is content in this book that may trigger you. — and an author’s note where Kara addresses to readers what you can expect to come across in the book. Trauma, sexual violence, rape, assault, mutilation, eating disorders and body dysmorphia are all topics that come up throughout the novel. I think readers who have experienced violent pasts will appreciate these notices, and it will help them decide whether or not this is a book they would like to read.

Janneke is a human girl who was kidnapped when her entire village and family were murdered over a century earlier. She was taken across the border by goblins and has been living as a goblin thrall in a land called the Permafrost — she ages slowly and her body adapts to live with goblins. She starts to become like them, against her will.

“If I could forget where I was, who I was with, what I was doing, it was almost as if I were back home so many years ago, hunting for my family. My heart sank in my chest; that would never happen again. Even if I managed to escape this and live in the human world, there was a nagging part of me that feared I would never belong.”

Lydian abused and mutilated Janneke for just under one year before passing her off to his nephew Soren. It’s been 100 years since Soren claimed ownership of Janneke, and her pain is very much still present and raw. She has flashbacks over what Lydian did to her, but Soren seems caring and trusting and he treats her better.

At its core, White Stag is about identity. Janneke doesn’t know who she is anymore, or who she wants to be. She’s not really fully human anymore, but not full goblin either. If she could leave Permafrost, would she want that? If she could become goblin, would she want that either?

Janneke really learns what she wants out of her life, and she discovers who she is among all these strangers and villains. She morphs into who she is meant to be.

You do have to suspend your disbelief a fair bit for this book, because even though this is fantasy and therefore anything is possible, the idea that a human can turn into a goblin because she’s been among them for so long does seem a little farfetched.

“The hurt in the young girl’s voice was clear. Perhaps whatever you were, you loved your family in some way. Perhaps knowing you were being taken to your likely death was just as painful as knowing you were being taken as a thrall. I shook myself. Attempting to humanise them would only make this worse.”

This first novel is really about the ancient goblin hunt. The Goblin King dies and so there’s a hunt to find the next goblin king. Soren and Lydian go up against each other, and there are high stakes involved. Janneke is at risk of being returned to Lydian. Soren is at risk of death.

Janneke accompanies Soren on this ancient hunt, and that’s when she must choose who she is meant to be. Her humanity is starting to fade and the goblin spirit within her is developing and growing stronger. It scares her.

Humans living in the Permafrost usually die after a few years, so the fact that Janneke is still alive after a century shows you just how strong and determined she is. She’s smart and she’s resourceful, and she and Soren bond over the course of the novel. They both need each other; they make each other stronger.

“He reached out and brushed my cheek with his thumb. i shivered, but not from fear. There was something burning deep inside of me that was beginning to make itself noticed. Something about his soft words and caresses, the strange mingle of fury and concern drew me close.”

Recommended for fans of fantasy, science fiction or paranormal fiction.

Please note the trigger warnings. I found some of the scenes very graphic and very violent and distressing. I can’t begin to imagine how sexual assault survivors may react to this book, so if that’s you, be aware before diving into this story.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

White Stag
Kara Barbieri
January 2019
Pan Macmillan Publishers

The Girl King by Mimi Yu

Two sisters become unwitting rivals in a war to claim the title of Emperor in this sweeping tale of ambition, sacrifice and betrayal for readers of Tomi Adeyemi, Kendare Blake and Samantha Shannon.

All hail the Girl King

Sisters Lu and Min have always known their places as princesses of the empire. Lu is destined to become the first female emperor, while Min is resigned to a life in her shadow. When their father declares their male cousin heir instead, his betrayal throws both their lives into chaos.

Determined to reclaim her birthright, Lu must flee the court in search of an ally. Her quest leads her to Nokhai, the last surviving wolf shapeshifter. After years in hiding, Nok is forced into an uneasy alliance with the girl whose family killed everyone he ever loved. Now they need an army to take back the throne.

Left alone in the volatile court, Min’s hidden power awakens. It’s a forbidden, deadly magic that could secure Set’s reign . . . or allow Min to claim the throne herself.

But there can only be one emperor, and the sisters’ greatest enemy could turn out to be each other . . .

The Girl King by Mimi Yu is the first book in a new fantasy series, about two sisters who become unwitting rivals in a war to claim the title of Emperor. This book explores issues surrounding family, sacrifice, ambition, prophecy, destiny and betrayal, perfect for young adult readers.

This debut is amazing — refreshing, unique, enthralling and extraordinary. I went into this book completely blind, having never heard anything about it. It was delivered to my door as an unsolicited request from Hachette Publishers, and I’m so so glad they sent me a copy. I demolished this book, and I’m now so eager for the sequel.

There are many characters in the book, but the main protagonists are princesses and sisters Lu and Min, and Nok, an apothecarist’s apprentice living in a poor village in the city’s North. When Lu flees home, she crosses paths with Nok — who has his own special abilities — and they work together to overthrow Set and his army.

Lu is determined but naive, which aligns with her privileged upbringing and her young age. She is determined to be the dynasty’s first female ruler, and her father’s betrayal is not going to stop her from being Empress.

“Chaos broke. Shouts went up from her men — there was a flash of steel as weapons were drawn. A crossbow twanged and someone in Hu reds fell to the ground. Lu tried to track who it was, who had shot — who, if anyone, was on her side, and who was the enemy.”

Lu is very flawed and the people she meets on her journey are not shy in acknowledging that. It’s refreshing. Lu is too young to possibly know everything she can in order to overthrow and rule her family’s dynasty. She needs to grow up and mature, and she needs allies. She needs to learn to trust others and honour promises, and she needs to learnt to connect with people so that they can trust her as a future ruler.

Set may be young, but he’s a great villain. He’s cunning and clever, he’s brash and careless. He’s also overconfident; he’s not as skilled as Lu in combat or swordplay. He’s a child. He’s unprepared for what he’s been thrust into, and once the Empress pulls the right strings to allow Set to be the new Emperor, he disregards her and pushes her aside and that’s probably one of the biggest mistakes he makes in this book.

Min is forever overlooked. The second sister, never destined to rule. She never receives the same kind of attention or training from her father. But she is not to be ignored. Unbeknownst to her, she harbours very powerful and effective magic that once unleashed, changes the empire and has a big impact on the war between her and her sister Lu.

“Lu felt a familiar pinprick of annoyance. Sisters, she was fairly certain, were supposed to present a unified front against their parents. Min acted more like a twice-shot, over-burdened messenger, running ragged between Lu and their mother, trying to keep the peace. Their mother was a tyrant, true, but if only her sister would stand up herself now and again.”

The plot moves quickly and the characters are all three-dimensional, full-fleshed out. It’s easy to become lost in the story, reading chapter after chapter, desperate to get to the end. The writing is smooth and visual, with effective dialogue and vocabulary used to allow the reader to visualise what’s happening.

I felt like Min’s magic, and her abilities, weren’t really explained as clearly as they could’ve been. I don’t 100% understand the magic she is able to do, and what the magic inside her means for her surroundings, but I believe this may become clearer as the series progresses.

Despite this, I cannot recommend this book highly enough. This is my first 10/10 for 2019, and I think anyone who loves fantasy books, or sagas or series will love this. But truthfully, I think all readers — young and old — will enjoy this story.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Girl King
Mimi Yu
January 2019
Hachette Book Publishers

The Witch Who Courted Death by Maria Lewis

Considering her status as the world’s most powerful medium, Casper von Klitzing and her twin brother Baristan have lived a pretty normal life – until now.

After a horrific incident in her home city of Berlin, orchestrated by the mysterious Oct, Casper is consumed with vengeance towards an enemy she doesn’t understand. But the only other person ever to escape Oct was a witch – and so Casper is soon on her trail. But this witch does not want to be found.

Diving headfirst into the supernaturally secretive world of spells, charms and covens, it’s not long before Casper is crossing more than just the line between the living and the dead . . .

The Witch Who Courted Death is the start of a new fantasy duology by Australian author Maria Lewis, reimagining the role of ghosts and witches in present day society.

This was a delightful read. I was completely smitten with pretty much everything inside these pages, from the plot to the characters to the world to the writing. Maria Lewis is so talented. I’ve read quite a few of her books now and The Witch Who Courted Death is my favourite so far.

After a horror attack in Berlin, protagonist Corvossier is planning revenge. In order to track down the people who killed her brother and stole her arm, she must team up with a witch who has escaped them before.

Maria Lewis has taken the concept of ‘mediums’ and ‘ghosts’ and completely reinvented them. Corvossier can interact with ghosts and help them move on. She can encourage them to cross through and find peace outside of our world.

When we meet her at the beginning of the novel, her and her brother Baristan are working to remove a vengeful, angry ghost from a haunted house. They’re strong and they’re prepared and this really sets the tone for the rest of the novel.

“As a general rule it was always best to navigate life as politely as possible, especially when dealing with the dead. The ghost looked up, blinking for a moment before glancing around the room with surprise. She registered their presence for the first time, somewhat snapping out of her daze.”

The Witch Who Courted Death illustrates an incredible amount of research from Maria Lewis; the book finishes with a four-page glossary, describing words for the reader like Alchemist to Selkie to Vankila.

The plot felt original and enriching, the dialogue realistic, and the characters diverse and relatable. I loved the strong bond between Corvossier and her brother, and the budding relationship between Corvossier and witch Opal. There were also a cast of secondary characters like Heath and Sprinkle who added humour and warmth to the novel.

“She remained still, Corvossier touching her fingertips to the woman’s temple. They could physically interact here, on this plane, and she could tell just by the way the ghost’s body stiffened that she had forgotten what it was like to be touched. Images flashed in front of her eyes, like a deck of cards being shuffled.”

I’m now heavily invested in the series and really looking forward to the sequel. I love that a disabled, bisexual character was the protagonist for the book and her relationship with another female was a dominant part of the story, not something glossed over or skipped.

Urban fantasy readers will love this new edition to the genre. The Witch Who Courted Death will also delight all readers, young and old, even if you’re a stranger to this genre.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Witch Who Courted Death
Maria Lewis
November 2018
Hachette Book Publishers

Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan

Each year, eight beautiful girls are chosen as Paper Girls to serve the king. It’s the highest honour they could hope for…and the most demeaning. This year, there’s a ninth. And instead of paper, she’s made of fire.

Lei is a member of the Paper caste, the lowest and most persecuted class of people in Ikhara. Ten years ago, her mother was snatched by the royal guards, and her fate remains unknown. Now, the guards are back and this time it’s Lei they’re after – the girl with the golden eyes, whose rumoured beauty has piqued the king’s interest.

Over weeks of training in the opulent but oppressive palace, Lei and eight other girls learn the skills and charm that befit a king’s consort. There, Lei does the unthinkable – she falls in love. Her forbidden romance becomes enmeshed with an explosive plot that threatens her world’s entire way of life. Lei, still the wide-eyed country girl at heart, must decide how far she’s willing to go for justice and revenge.

Girls of Paper and Fire is a YA novel by Natasha Ngan, set in a fictional fantasy world where nine girls are chosen to serve the King — they are to be his concubines.

Before the story has even begun, there are trigger warnings — Please be aware that this book contains scenes of violence and sexual assault — and an author’s note where Natasha addresses the reasons behind the story and the importance of telling stories like this. I think readers who have experienced violent pasts will appreciate these notices, and it will help them decide whether or not this is a book they would like to read.

“A high voice cuts through the quiet. It’s the girl we heard outside, Blue. She’s tall, even standing next to Madam Himura, with narrow shoulders and glossy azure-black hair, straight and smooth. Her features match the sharpness in her voice, angled cheekbones like two blades and narrow eyes shadowed with paint glinting out from beneath blunt bangs.”

Girls of Paper and Fire is a trilogy with an Asian-inspired setting, and Natasha leaves many questions unanswered to entice readers to continue with the series. Yes, there are some triggering scenes but it’s written delicately and is not too graphic. The characters discuss their feelings about what happens, and they have the opportunity to think and talk with each other about how they’re handling their situation.

17-year-old Lei is brave and outspoken, unwilling to accept her circumstances because others deem it to be an ‘honour’. She fights for what she wants, and she doesn’t want to be the King’s concubine. She wants to return to her family and she also wants to find out what happened to her mother years earlier when she was kidnapped.

Girls of Paper and Fire explores friendship and love, and the girls in the book are all very supportive and grow together over the course of the novel. Yes, there are fights and betrayals and not all of the girls are close friends, but they’re all going through this very scary situation and they come together in support of each other.

Lei falls in love with the secretive Wren, and this same-sex relationship is explored with sensitivity and authenticity. It’s heartwarming, reading about these two girls finding love and happiness when they’re surrounded by terror and threats.

“Silence, and rainfall, and Wren watching me with uneasy eyes. It’s the first time I’ve seen her undone like this, so unsure. The collar of her nightdress has fallen low, exposing the swell of her breasts, and from under it her bare legs are long and glossy in the moonlight. I think of her and the wolf, what intimate moment I might have interrupted. My gut twists.”

The writing and pacing is tight and very dialogue heavy, but the chapters flow and the prose is swift. Tension builds throughout the novel right up until its dramatic climax. We’re left wanting to know more. At times, the supporting characters were more interesting than Lei, but she’s still an engaging protagonist.

I enjoyed the story and am looking forward to the next instalment. This book isn’t going to be appropriate for every reader, so all I’d advise is to read the author’s note in the beginning so that you’re aware of what’s to come.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Girls of Paper and Fire
Natasha Ngan
November 2018
Hachette Book Publishers

Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor

In the wake of tragedy, neither Lazlo nor Sarai are who they were before. One a god, the other a ghost, they struggle to grasp the new boundaries of their selves as dark-minded Minya holds them hostage, intent on vengeance against Weep.

Lazlo faces an unthinkable choice – save the woman he loves, or everyone else? – while Sarai feels more helpless than ever. But is she? Sometimes, only the direst need can teach us our own depths, and Sarai, the muse of nightmares, has not yet discovered what she’s capable of.

As humans and godspawn reel in the aftermath of the citadel’s near fall, a new foe shatters their fragile hopes, and the mysteries of the Mesarthim are resurrected: Where did the gods come from, and why? What was done with the thousands of children born in the citadel nursery? And most important of all, as forgotten doors are opened and new worlds revealed: must heroes always slay monsters, or is it possible to save them instead?

Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor is the second and final book in this fantasy duology. The events in this book take place almost immediately after the end of Strange the Dreamer.

It’s been over 18 months since I read, loved and reviewed Strange the Dreamer for this blog. I’ve been desperate to get my hands on this sequel, and it’s been one of my favourite reads of 2018.

At the end of Strange the Dreamer, former librarian Lazlo Strange is revealed as a godspawn, a bastard child. 17 year-old Sarai has died after falling from the citadel and becoming impaled below.

In Muse of Nightmares, the reader is thrust back into the magical world of Weep and the Mesarthim, where dreams become nightmares and the godspawn want vengeance. Minya has saved Sarai’s soul so that she can live on, but she’s controlled by Minya and can’t always act of her own free will. She is at Minya’s mercy.

There were many questions at the end of the last book. What will happen to Sarai now that she has died? What will become of Lazlo and the city of Weep? What will happen to their powers? What really happened with Minya on the day that Eril-Fane slayed the children in the citadel?

“Sarai has lived and breathed nightmares since she was six years old. For four thousand nights she had explored the dreamscapes of Weep, witnessing the horrors and creating them. She was the Muse of Nightmares.”

Strange the Dreamer was really about Lazlo, but Muse of Nightmares is very much Sarai’s story. The blue-skinned goddess is front and centre in this book. And despite how the first book ended, she has a huge role in this sequel and her relationship with Lazlo strengthens and grows throughout this book.

We meet two new characters in Muse of Nightmares — sisters Kora and Nova. Both of them are intended to be sold by their father and married off, but they both harness very strong powers and are destined for much much more than that. We follow their journey throughout the book and as you can imagine, they cross paths with the other main characters in the story — Lazlo, Sarai and the other children.

The writing in the book is well-paced with concise sentence structure and the perfect build of tension. The story moves quite slowly but that’s not a bad thing. The reader can sense a big confrontation coming, but before we get there, we need to understand so much more about Kora and Nova and how the godspawn will seek vengeance on Eril-Fane and the city of Weep.

The character development is really strong in Muse of Nightmares. Minya holds a pivotal role in the plot, and we dive into her memories and find out more about her past and her trauma and how and why she’s transformed her army to benefit her own agenda. We come to understand her, and at times, sympathise for her.

“This was Minya’s dream. It if was keeping a secret, it was her secret, and her mind keeping it…Sarai thought that Minya must be hiding something with that blur. She needed to know what it was. She gathered her power around her. She was the Muse of Nightmares. Dreams did her bidding. They could not hide things from her.”

It’s wonderful to read a sequel that is just as good, if not better, than the original. I was invested in this book from the very first page, and this series has fast become one of my favourite fantasy series.

As Kora and Nova’s story develops and their paths cross with the other characters, tensions rise and the stakes become much higher and everything is brought to a very dramatic and satisfying conclusion.

In this sequel, love and hate, revenge and redemption, destruction and salvation all clash. It’s been worth the long wait for this book to arrive, and I highly recommend this duology to fantasy lovers.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Muse of Nightmares
Laini Taylor
October 2018
Hachette Publishers

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