Review of Goddess of the River by Vaishnavi Patel
As an Amazon Associate and Bookshop affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Goddess of the River is Vaishnavi Patel’s second novel, following her beautifully written reimagining of the story of the vilified titular queen from the Ramayana, Kaikeyi. Like her first novel, this gives a voice to a female character who had an important role but is often overlooked in texts and studies focusing on the original work: this time, by reimagining the story of the river goddess Ganga from […]
Review of Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel
As an Amazon Associate and Bookshop affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Note: You may want to read this review on the website (instead of by email or feed reader). There are spoiler tags toward the end that should be hidden on the website but may be visible elsewhere. Book Description: A stunning debut from a powerful new voice, Kaikeyi is the story of the infamous queen from the Indian epic the Ramayana. It is a tale of fate, family, courage, and heartbreak—of an extraordinary woman determined […]
Review of Hall of Smoke by H. M. Long
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Hall of Smoke, H. M. Long’s Viking-inspired epic fantasy debut novel, follows a priestess of the Goddess of War as she tries to set things right after having failed her deity—and discovers there’s far more to her world and its pantheon than she’s been taught when she becomes entangled in a war between the gods of the Old and New Worlds. Hessa was only a child when she learned she was […]
Review of Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, a standalone Popol Vuh–inspired historical fantasy novel set during the 1920s, tells the story of a quest to reunite a formerly entrapped Mayan god of death with his missing eye, ear, and index finger—as the brother who separated him from his body parts and imprisoned him in the first place tries to thwart him in order to remain upon his throne. The journey begins […]
Review of Realm of Ash by Tasha Suri
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Empire of Sand, Tasha Suri’s fantasy debut novel inspired by Mughal India, is a gorgeous novel and one that I found deeply affecting—I loved it so much that it was my choice for Book of the Year in 2018 with its rich storytelling, fascinating world, and beautiful writing. Most of all, I was enchanted by the main characters and the vividly drawn relationships, especially the slow burn romance that grew from […]
Review of A House of Rage and Sorrow by Sangu Mandanna
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. A House of Rage and Sorrow is the second book in Sangu Mandanna’s Mahabharata-inspired Celestial Trilogy, a young adult series combining mythic fantasy with space opera to tell the story of Esmae Rey, a princess who grew up desperate to connect with her twin and the rest of the family she never knew—a princess whose very existence was kept secret by the mother who sent her away, fearing a curse involving her […]
