Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong

An interesting follow-up to These Violent Delights. There was considerably more drama in this one and much less of the monsters. The ending was good, any other ending wouldn’t have been satisfactory considering this is a Romeo & Juliet retelling.

The Empress of salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo

A wonderfully feminist novella! Vo writes a compelling account of what happens when a woman is pushed to her limits and forced to the sidelines. Amazing storytelling.

A Dead Djinn in Cairo by P. Djeli Clark

What an interesting concept. And such amazing world-building. I am in awe. I love how Clark builds on what we already know about Egypt – the culture and the religions. Wonderfully done. I can’t wait to read/listen to more books from this universe. Suehyla al-Attar‘s narration was brilliant.

When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain by Nghi Vo

The second book in The Singing Hills Cycle, this wasn’t as interesting as the first one. The story was not as thrilling or remarkable as the previous book.

The Haunting of Tram Car 015 by P. Djeli Clark

I’m loving this universe – even the short story that takes place in Khan el-Khalili! Everything about this book was amazing. Djeli’s worldbuilding skills are awe-inspiring. The only thing that could’ve made me enjoy this more was if Suehyla Al-Attar had narrated it.

Lore by Alexandra Bracken

I’m obsessed with all things mythological. I’ve been looking forward to this book for a while. The story is interesting, and the plot feels unique. The twists were also pretty interesting. Overall it’s a good read.

An Unkindness of Magicians by Kat Howard

I couldn’t quite grasp it when I started it but it was such a wonderful read. I love how unapologetic Sydney is. I’m looking forward to the second part which is supposed to be the conclusion of Sydney’s story.

All the Murmuring Bones by A.G. Slatter

What a story. The best part about this is how real the protagonist, Mirin, was. She had good survival instincts and the perfect amount of suspicion of others’ intents. A great read.

Bryony and Roses by T. Kingfisher

I fell in love with this author when I read The Hollow Places by them. They’ve put an interesting spin on the Beauty and the Beast tale. It was mildly creepy in parts – which was perfect for me. The only problem I had was how inconsequential Bryony’s sister Iris was to the story – it would’ve been no different if she’d never been introduced. Seems a bit unfair to the character.

Finn by Stephen King

I was a big Stephen King fan growing up. But some of his newer works lacked that King pizzazz. This story saw some of it returning but we’re not all the way back yet. The ending was perfectly Kingesque – non-commital and confusing. [This story is a Scribd exclusive.]