I have been absolutely terrible at keeping this blog updated with my reviews, especially my ARC reviews, so I thought I would do a quick round-up of said reviews (some of which are just a quick ramble of my thoughts because I’ve been a lazy girl these last two years) of 2023 with a Netgalley edition — this is also so I don’t feel too bad about my abysmal attempts at reviewing my ARCs on the blog. Enjoy, and let me know your thoughts on any of these books in the comments!
Godkiller by Hannah Kaner
disclaimer: I received this free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
rep: sapphic disabled m/c (amputee), m/c with ptsd, sapphic side characters, deaf side character
‘Gods are not always the enemy; even your godkiller knows that. People make gods, and, for better or worse, gods make people. We show each other for what we truly are. Yearning beings, desperate for love, power, safety.
Godkiller is a solid debut fantasy novel about gods & humans & the destruction we cause on the world. It’s a novel that starts out slow, lets you get to know the characters, understand the nuances of gods, and then throws you headfirst into the action and doesn’t really stop until the last page. While the world-building could be much improved on – I especially would love more focus on the rebellion and the politics of the world. I enjoyed this novel for what it was – a novel about a quest and a found family. We have 4 POVs; Kissen – our godkiller – who is rage-filled and on a path for vengeance, but is currently fulfilling a promise to Inara to protect her. Inara is a young daughter of a noble who has unknown power and an animal companion – a God of white lies. And finally, we have Elogast a knight turned baker who is on a quest to save his King. I enjoyed the journey these four embarked on, and the relationships they formed along the way. Highly recommend for fantasy fans.
Morgan is my Name by Sophie Keech
disclaimer: I received this free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Morgan is my Name is an atmospheric arthurian retelling following the early life of Morgan Le Fey, someone who is a fierce, wise, and rebellious main character. The novel is a very character-driven novel but does have elements of politics, family, and power which makes it rather enjoyable. It is also a novel full of female rage.
‘W-witch,’ he rasped. ‘She-devil.’ ‘My name is Morgan,’ I said. ‘And there aren’t enough words for all that I am.
Morgan is my Name is a captivating story and I’d love a follow-up novel about her later life as this finished just as she was coming into her power, so here’s hoping we get one!
Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
disclaimer: I received this free from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Silver Nitrate is a suspenseful horror novel that takes place in 1990s Mexico City. It follows two best friends, Montserrat and Tristán, as they are dragged into a dark world filled with occultists, decades-old curses, ghosts, and phantoms. It is eerie and atmospheric, and it is a must-read for horror fans.
The Dead and the Dark by Courtney Gould
disclaimer: I received this free from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
rep: f/f romance, lesbian m/c’s
tw: violence, drowning, attempted murder, murder, homophobia
Logan Ortiz-Woodley is the daughter of two of the most popular ghost hunters, and due to this, she travels around the country, always on the move. When her family arrives at Snakebite, Oregon it is just another stop for another episode. What Logon didn’t expect was the frost reception she and her two dads are met with. Soon there is murder, darkness, upheaval, and a web of secrets.
The Dead and the Dark is deliciously creepy, eerie, haunting, and full of secrets and ghosts and romance. I enjoy a good haunting full of mystery and darkness and The Dead and the Dark does it well. There is an f/f enemies-to-friends-to-lovers romance. It’s an unlikely friendship/relationship which draws a lot of negative attention in the conservative town of Snakebite. Both girls are flawed and realistic and are fighting against an invisible and dark supernatural force with brings them closer and threatens to tear them apart.
Highly recommend.
The Valkyrie by Kate Heartfield
disclaimer: I received this free from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
rep: sapphic m/c’s, f/f romance
content warnings: death, murder, violence, threat of sexual violence
The Valkyrie is a queer retelling of a Norse and the Germanic tale of Brynhild and Gudrun. The main sources used are The Song of the Nibelungs, the Völsunga saga, the Rose Garden of Worms, and the Prose Edda. I’m not very familiar with these particular stories, but I do know the basics, and I enjoyed the female perspective we got on the story. The Valkryie is narrated by our two protagonists, Brynhild – our fallen valkyrie – and Gudrun – princess of burgundy – as if the two were narrating their story to each other.
An enthralling read filled with monsters, epic battles, heroes and villains, and an endearing and tender love story.
What We Devour by Linsey Miller
disclaimer: I received this free from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
rep: asexual protagonist
content warnings: depictions & discussion of self-harm, murder, mass murder, depictions of sacrifices & executions, child abuse & death, blood & gore.
‘if you can’t tame your demons, set them free.’
What We Devour is about ancient gods, magic, rebellion, and sacrifice. It is about doors and monsters that demand blood sacrifices and unknown monsters. Lorena needs to repair this weakening magic door that is holding back the evil monsters. It’s a very interesting and complex sacrificial magic system. It’s about a fight for power and for freedom and while our protagonist made some bold and questionable decisions, she is also kind. A must-read for magical fantasy readers.
The Things We Don’t See by Savannah Brown
I received this free from the publishers via netgalley in exchange for an honest review
rep: lesbian m/c, bi side characters
“The year is 1987 and the sleepy village of Sandown Bay is waking up . . .”
the things we don’t see is a lyrical and poetic novel. Mona was chaotic, stubborn, & reckless but she made this book all the more enjoyable. Was it perfect? no, of course not, the story did lack in places but the emotion was all there and I really enjoyed it.
She is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran
disclaimer: I received this free from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
rep: vietnamese m/c, bisexual m/c, f/f romance
She Is a Haunting is a gothic novel about a haunted house in Đà Lat, Vietnam. A house that has a turbulent history steeped in colonialism and racism. Jade and her sister are spending the summer with her father in this house. Initially intrigued by her family’s history with the house, she’s soon drawn into the dark and grotesque history of its inhabitants. The house is hungry, loud, and lonely. Jade is a compelling character filled with rage and has a particularly complex relationship with her sister and her father which was interesting to read. The romance was enjoyable but very much took a backseat to the haunted house. The reason it is getting 3 stars is that it sort of lost my attention in the middle section but did end on a really high note. Highly recommend for horror fans.
Megan (pronounced MEE-GAN bc her Irish grandfather refused to use the English pronunciation) is a 27 year old british blogger, history graduate, lover of books and expert procrastinator. She is anxious and introverted and is currently attempting adulthood. She predominantly reads and reviews YA, but loves a good adult book. Enjoys genres such as historical fiction, science fiction, fantasy, contemporary. Always on the look out for more sapphic books. She loves reading about unlikeable female characters, positive female friendships & relationships, and is a sucker for a pretty cover.
The Bookish Twins 
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