Review: Horseman: A Tale of Sleepy Hollow by Christina Henry

     

Horseman by Christina Henry
Berkley Books (US)/Titan Books (UK)
Publication Date: September 28th, 2021
Paperback. 320 pages.

About Horseman:

"Everyone in Sleepy Hollow knows about the Horseman, but no one really believes in him. Not even Ben Van Brunt's grandfather, Brom Bones, who was there when it was said the Horseman chased the upstart Crane out of town. Brom says that's just legend, the village gossips talking. 

Twenty years after those storied events, the village is a quiet place. Fourteen-year-old Ben loves to play Sleepy Hollow boys, reenacting the events Brom once lived through. But then Ben and a friend stumble across the headless body of a child in the woods near the village, and the sinister discovery makes Ben question everything the adults in Sleepy Hollow have ever said. Could the Horseman be real after all? Or does something even more sinister stalk the woods?"

Horseman is a deeply mysterious and atmospheric novel set in the classic town of Sleepy Hollow and following the grandchild of Brom and Katrina, Ben. This is billed as a Sleepy Hollow retelling, but just in order to set your expectation accurately, I’d classify this more as a sequel of sorts to Sleepy Hollow, since the story doesn’t really play with the ore-established Sleepy Hollow plot, but rather takes everything and continues on with it’s own unique story and interaction with the original Sleepy Hollow story. 

Horseman follows Ben as he struggles with learning more about both himself and his family as the legend of the Horseman of Sleepy Hollow seems to be rising back to popularity once again after a few vicious attacks occur in the town. Ben is told different and conflicting things about the Horseman and the town’s past and is left to question whether the stories he’s heard or real or not, how his family has played a role in those stories, and who he can trust to tell him the truth.

This story is, of course, set in the town of Sleepy Hollow, and it has a very isolated sort of atmosphere where inhabitants seem pretty cut off from the rest of the world. In fact, there are brief mentions about the fact that other parts of the worlds are different from Sleepy Hollow and it hasn’t really managed to keep up with any new trends or fashions, etc. It’s sort of stuck in this limbo with no real improvements or advancements. Christina Henry created a very successful atmosphere of mystery, intrigue, and isolation that I think worked really well with the Sleepy Hollow vibe and in creating a story that feels immersive. A great atmosphere is something I can always safely expect from Christina Henry. I can't say too much about the Horseman himself, but I loved how Henry played with the idea of the Horseman itself and sort of created different versions that terrorized the town and a specific character or two in very distinct and different ways, both tangible and non-tangible. 

Ben was a captivating character follow, largely due to Henry’s thoughtful character development and insight into Ben’s own introspection that really brought him to life and let me, the reader, really get to know him and attempt to understand his struggles. Henry does an excellent job of conveying his many conflicts, including those with his grandmother who doesn’t understand or approve of his identity and behavior; his struggle to fit in or find a place within the town; his struggles with understanding what’s going on with the Horseman and trying to figure out what stories are true and what aren’t; and, finally, with his own personal identity struggles as he slowly discovers his own independence and truly learns who he is in an even deeper way than he already has. Ben wants very badly to be like his larger-than-life and commanding grandfather and is often compared to his father, so identity played a large role in this book and it was a theme that I think Henry handled exceptionally beautifully. 

I will admit that this is not one of my favorite Christina Henry books (but honestly, I’m not sure if anything could be Alice or Lost Boy for me), but it is definitely a great one that I really enjoyed that I think anyone who likes an mysterious and atmospheric, character-focused story will also enjoy. I would absolutely recommend Horseman, and I personally had a great time reading it. And, as always, I am eagerly awaiting Christina Henry's next story, whatever it may be. Overall, I've given Horseman four stars!

*I received a copy of Horseman courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Indiebound 

Review: Near the Bone by Christina Henry

Near the Bone by Christina Henry
Berkley Books
Publication Date: April 13th, 2021
Paperback. 336 pages.

About Near the Bone:

"A woman trapped on a mountain attempts to survive more than one kind of monster, in a dread-inducing horror novel from the national bestselling author Christina Henry.

 

Mattie can't remember a time before she and William lived alone on a mountain together. She must never make him upset. But when Mattie discovers the mutilated body of a fox in the woods, she realizes that they're not alone after all.

 

There's something in the woods that wasn't there before, something that makes strange cries in the night, something with sharp teeth and claws.

 

When three strangers appear on the mountaintop looking for the creature in the woods, Mattie knows their presence will anger William. Terrible things happen when William is angry."

Before jumping into the review, I'd like to add a quick content warning that Near the Bone has some explicit depictions of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse. I won't be getting into any explicit details in my review, but just a head's up! 

I've loved all of Christina Henry's books up until last year's The Ghost Tree, which didn't quite hit the right note for me (although it was still a solid story!), so I was exceptionally pleased by how much I ended up enjoying this one! Near the Bone is a spine-tingling story that quite literally made it difficult for me to stop reading whenever I picked this book up. There's a very addictive quality to this story that makes it hard to look away from the action, even though a lot of the action is very difficult to take in and experience. 

Mattie lives alone in the mountains with only her abusive and despicable husband, William, for company--only, they're not quite as alone as they may think. There appears to be a monster living on the mountain with them that they discover after Mattie finds a mutilated fox, as well as a few other indicators when Mattie and her husband begin exploring to try to find the monstrous creature. Not only is there horror in the fact that Martha is stuck living with her abusive husband, but there's also a more conventional horror in the fact that there is what appears to be an actual monster lurking in the mountains where Martha and her husband live, and these two horror elements working together served to make this book a truly horrifying book to read. I found it particular interesting in exploring what seemed more horrific--the abuse or the truly terrifying and violent monster, and I think this opens up a door for some great conversations around abuse in general that are important. 

 

I really appreciated and enjoyed how Henry chose to portray Mattie's personality and the various thoughts and 'versions' of herself that fought in her hand. Without giving anything away, I loved seeing Mattie slowly begin to fight with her thoughts that have been influenced and molded by her abusive husband more and more and began to develop her own thoughts and deductions about things that her husband may have 'trained' her not to think or worry about.  Her fortitude was something that I didn't expect to be quite so meaningful to me, and I think Mattie will be a character that a lot of people will connect with on a variety of levels.

I'm not going to mention any plot points or characters other than Mattie and her husband so as not to give anything specific away, even though it's difficult not to mention some aspects related to these that I really enjoyed. The publisher also requested that reviewers not put up reviews until at least the day of the book's release (today!), so I want to respect what seems to be a desire to not have any spoilers. Suffice to say, Henry expands this story in a number of major and minor ways that adds a lot of depth and discussion to this book, and I think this is what really strengthens the themes and experience of the reading experience. 

 

The atmosphere and prose of Near the Bone is easily one of the best parts about it outside of characters, and this was not a surprise at all to me from Christina Henry. The way she is able to craft scenes ranging from fast and intense to get your heart racing to scenes that are slower and filled to the brim with foreboding is so deft and well-executed. I felt deeply unsettled and personally nervous for Mattie and some of the other characters in ways that felt as though I was in danger myself. It was definitely with baited breath that I turned (or tapped) the pages on more than a few occasions.

The only sort of "negative" that I have--and really, I don't think of it as too much of a negative in this case--is that I found some of the twists slightly predictable and a few of the plot points weren't quite as surprising as they could have been. That being said, it wasn't as if I could predict everything in the book, and I had a lot of fun slowly uncovering some of the secrets that lurked within this story. The ending was also extremely abrupt, and although I don't mind when endings feel somewhat open, I still have quite a few unanswered questions that continue to bother me at times. I'm not upset about the ending by any means, but I just feel ever so slightly unsatisfied. Still, I personally wouldn't let these minor critiques turn you away from this story!

Overall, I've given Near the Bone four stars! If you enjoy your horror mixed with some more serious elements and plenty of twists and turns, then definitely give this one a shot.

 *I received a copy of Near the Bone courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.* 

 

Buy the book: Amazon | IndieBound

Can't-Wait Wednesday: First, Become Ashes by K.M. Szpara & Near the Bone by Christina Henry

Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! This meme is based off of Jill @ Breaking the Spine's Waiting on Wednesday meme.

This week's upcoming book spotlights are: 

First, Become Ashes by K.M. Szpara
Publication: April 6th, 2021

Tor Books

Hardcover. 304 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"The Fellowship raised Lark to kill monsters.

His partner betrayed them to the Feds.

But Lark knows his magic is real, and he'll do anything to complete his quest.

 

K. M. Szpara follows Docile, one of the most anticipated science fiction novels of 2020, with First, Become Ashes, a fantastic standalone adventure that blends pain and pleasure and will make readers question what is real, and what is magical.

 

Lark spent the first twenty-four years, nine months, and three days of his life training for a righteous quest: to rid the world of monsters. Alongside his partner Kane, he wore the cage and endured the scourge in order to develop his innate magic. 

 

He never thought that when Kane left, he'd next see him in the company of FBI agents and a SWAT team. He never dreamed that the leader of the Fellowship of the Anointed would be brought up on charges of abuse and assault.He never expected the government would tell him that the monsters aren't real--that there is no magic, and all the pain was for nothing.

 

Lark isn't ready to give up. He is determined to fulfill his quest, to defeat the monsters he was promised. Along the way he will grapple with the past, confront love, and discover his long-buried truth."

I loved Szpara's debut Docile, so I am really curious to check out something else from him. I already have an eARC of this from NetGalley and I can't wait to dive in! I really have no idea what to expect based on this synopsis, but I am really looking forward to finding out.

and...

Near the Bone by Christina Henry

Publication: April 12th, 2021

Berkley Books

Paperback. 336 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"A woman trapped on a mountain attempts to survive more than one kind of monster, in a dread-inducing horror novel from the national bestselling author Christina Henry.

 

Mattie can't remember a time before she and William lived alone on a mountain together. She must never make him upset. But when Mattie discovers the mutilated body of a fox in the woods, she realizes that they're not alone after all.

 

There's something in the woods that wasn't there before, something that makes strange cries in the night, something with sharp teeth and claws.

 

When three strangers appear on the mountaintop looking for the creature in the woods, Mattie knows their presence will anger William. Terrible things happen when William is angry."

I love Christina Henry, so this is a must-read for me. I also already have an eARC from NetGalley and I am especially excited for this new horror! I love a spooky setting near the woods, so I have high hopes.

What do you think about these upcoming releases? What are your anticipated upcoming releases?

Review: Looking Glass by Christina Henry

Looking Glass (The Chronicles of Alice) by Christina Henry

(Left: US edition; Right: UK edition)

Ace

Publication Date: April 21st, 2020

Paperback. 304 pages

About Looking Glass:

"In four new novellas, Christina Henry returns to the universe she created for Alice and Red Queen, where magic runs more freely than anyone suspects, but so do secrets and blood. 

Lovely Creature 

In the New City lives a girl called Elizabeth, a girl who has a secret: she can do magic. But someone knows Elizabeth's secret--someone who has a secret of his own. That secret is a butterfly that lives in a jar, a butterfly made by a girl called Alice. 

Girl in Amber 

Alice and Hatcher are just looking for a place to rest. Alice has been dreaming of a cottage by a lake and a field of wildflowers, but while walking blind in a snowstorm they stumble into a castle that seems empty and abandoned...at least until nightfall. 

When I First Came to Town 

Hatcher wasn't always Hatcher. Once, he was a boy called Nicholas, and Nicholas fancied himself the best fighter in the Old City. No matter who fought him he always won. Then his boss tells him he's going to battle the fearsome Grinder, a man who never leaves his opponents alive. 

The Mercy Seat 

Alice has a secret--a secret that not even Hatcher knows yet, but pretty soon she won't be able to keep it from him."

It's taken me a little longer than I'd hoped, but I finally got around to reading Christina Henry's most recent addition The Chronicles of Alice, a set of four novellas centered around some of our favorite characters (and a slightly newer one). The Chronicles of Alice is one of my favorite series (duologies?)--it's almost hard for me to describe just how much I love Alice, Hatcher, Henry's prose, and the stunning, brutal world created by Henry. I was thrilled to have some new stories set in this world to dive into, and I was not disappointed in the slightest by these stories.

Up first is Lovely Creature, which follows Alice's sister, Elizabeth, who lives back in the New City with her and Alice's parents. In this story, Elizabeth finds that many unexplained references to an "Alice" and her similarly rather unexplained magical abilities have a stronger connection than she could have realized. This story wasn't one I expected from this collection, but it's one that I'm really glad Henry decided to write and include. I loved getting a chance to look back at life after Alice her family and to see how life continued on for her family. I also enjoyed watching Elizabeth make her own discoveries and, as a reader, uncovering some of the connections that reach back to both Alice  and Red Queen. 

Next is Girl in Amber, which features our favorite couple Alice and Hatcher--though after the introduction, it is mainly Alice we follow. I have mixed feelings about this story. I mostly loved it and the mysterious, unpredictable house that Alice entered into, but at the same time I found the plot slightly random and I didn't fully understand why certain elements were chosen to be a part of the story. There almost feels like a subtle sci-fi slant that I found both interesting and perplexing. Nonetheless, I loved the theme of this story and how Henry decided to execute. The atmosphere was also excellently crafted and I had a hard time pulling myself away from this particular story.

Third is When I First Came to Town, which is essentially a short prequel of sorts all about Hatcher's backstory as a fighter before he was captured and met Alice. This story was really a delight to get a chance to read, as Hatcher is easily one of my favorite characters in fiction and I had been curious to get a glimpse of what his background was really like. It was heartbreaking to read about some of the things he saw and experienced and I think it also really helped to convey to the reader how his personality developed in the way that it did. Some seems natural, and some seems created. 

Lastly is The Mercy Seat, which is another that I found ever-so-slightly odd, but  overall enjoyable and that was a truly beautiful way to end this story. There are two main threads in this story, one of which focuses on the present in which Hatcher and Alice are on their way to find a new place to live, and the second that focuses on a rather momentous life change for the pair. The former story had some classic airs of mystery around an unknown town and its unpredictable inhabitants that gave them familiar vibes similar to some scenes in Red Queen, but this time there were some rather different things going on that Alice and Hatcher found themselves embroiled in. The other thread is one that I won't mention, but that I will say brings me a lot of joy and curiosity to see how it will all play out.

I think one of the things that I have loved about The Chronicles of Alice and that these stories captured particularly well is how much growth both Alice and Hatcher have exhibited. Alice has grown from someone who is mostly unsure of herself and the world around her to someone who, although will always have her struggles of that nature, has begun to see herself as someone capable and worthwhile, and I absolutely loved that. Hatcher, similarly, has discovered that many of the things he sees as weaknesses or negative are in fact strengths in their own ways and things that aren't necessarily "bad" at all, they are simply who he is, and there's nothing wrong with that. Alice has similar discoveries about herself that I loved.

Overall, I've given Looking Glass a total of five stars. I really loved this return to the world of Alice created by Christina Henry, as not only was it a joy to revisit these characters, but it was also a worthwhile extra look into the character development, lives, world-building, and magic of The Chronicles of Alice. I would love to see more in this world, but I assume this is the final installment from Christina Henry (still, I'll keep my hopes awake!). If you haven't read any of these books yet, I'd highly recommend them! If you have, but haven't read Looking Glass yet, I would encourage you to, as I do think that they offer some very worthwhile extras for this world. 

Buy: Amazon | IndieBound

Review: The Ghost Tree by Christina Henry

The Ghost Tree by Christina Henry

Berkley Books

Publication Date: September 8th, 2020

Paperback. 432 pages

About The Ghost Tree:

"When the bodies of two girls are found torn apart in the town of Smiths Hollow, Lauren is surprised, but she also expects that the police won't find the killer. After all, the year before her father's body was found with his heart missing, and since then everyone has moved on. Even her best friend, Miranda, has become more interested in boys than in spending time at the old ghost tree, the way they used to when they were kids. 

So when Lauren has a vision of a monster dragging the remains of the girls through the woods, she knows she can't just do nothing. Not like the rest of her town. But as she draws closer to answers, she realizes that the foundation of her seemingly normal town might be rotten at the center. And that if nobody else stands for the missing, she will."

I have loved every single Christina Henry book that I've read (that's six books thus far, a pretty good track record!), so I was thrilled when I saw news of The Ghost Tree's existence, and I was even more excited to receive an ARC. The Ghost Tree ended up not being quite what I expected, but I still readily enjoyed it and the themes that Henry explored. 

The Ghost Tree takes place in Smiths Hollow, a small town where everyone seems to know one another and no one ever really seems to move away. Things start to go a bit awry when two girls who are not from Smiths Hollow are found dead in Smiths Hollow and others in the town, such as Lauren, her brother, and a new police officer, begin to suspect something a little abnormal might be going on when it becomes apparent that no one else in town seems to really care...or remember what happened.

If there's one thing that Christina Henry can do well (although to be frank, Henry does a lot well!), it's build a strong atmosphere and compelling cast of character. From the beginning of this story and descriptions of Smiths Hollow and its inhabitants, you can immediately tell that there's something just a little bit off about it. Things seem to move too smoothly, yet also with an undercurrent of tension that makes things in the town seem just a little off kilter--or at least it seemed that way to me.

Similarly, the characters are all developed extremely well and have very distinct roles and personalities to set them apart, as well as create interest in their roles. We also get POVs from quite a wide array of characters, from Lauren as one of our main POVs, to Miranda (Lauren's friend), David (Lauren's brother), police officer Alex Hernandez, (Lauren's mother), the racist neighbor, and quite a few others thrown in at various points when it fit the narrative. I loved getting to see all of the happenings of this town from so many different perspectives, but I also felt that sometimes switching to all these POVs and introducing new characters or digressing on some point about them occasionally slowed the pacing down and made me impatient to continue on with the plot and find out what was going to happen next. 

Some of my favorite things about The Ghost Tree were the ways in which Henry incorporated so many different relevant themes, from her mother's struggle to connect with her daughter while also making money stretch as a single mother to Lauren's friendship struggles and Miranda's difficulty with her own development into a young woman and the expectation of men, as well as social issues such as the racism that the Hernandez family experiences and so many more compelling and important topics. 

Despite all the positives, there was something about this book that just didn't grab me as much as other books I've read from Henry. It's actually hard for me to put into words exactly why The Ghost Tree didn't work for me as much as I'd hoped. It reads very much like an homage to classic 80s horror with a modern twist and Sleepy Hollow vibes. Although I liked the 80s horror influence, I also think that this is possibly where I found myself not connecting with the story as much as I usually do with Henry's books. I felt that a lot of the plot points seemed a bit too predictable and as a result a lot of the slower moments that build up to the big plot twists ended up making the overall pace of the book drag a bit. 

I don't want this review to come off as negative because I did really enjoy this book and would absolutely recommend it, but I wouldn't necessarily go into it expecting something fast-paced or overly fresh. There are certainly a variety of fresh elements added to this narrative, but the basic bones of the story didn't stand out as something new to experience. 

Overall, I'm giving The Ghost Tree four stars! I found the overall story very compelling, but I did think that the pacing was a little off and slow at times and this story just lacked a little something that I'm used to with Christina Henry's books. Still, I can't wait for her next release already!

*I received a copy of The Ghost Tree in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating of the novel.*

Buy: Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Mini-Reviews--Alice in Wonderland-Inspired Sequels Edition: Red Queen by Christina Henry & Blood of Wonderland by Colleen Oakes

Since I've been delaying some of my ARC reviews so that I can post them a little bit closer to their delayed publications, I decided to do another themed mini-review post today. Today's is all about some sequels in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland-inspired series!

Red Queen (The Chronicles of Alice #2) by Christina Henry
Ace
Publication: July 12th, 2016

Paperback. 291 pages.

About Red Queen:

"The land outside of the Old City was supposed to be green, lush, hopeful. A place where Alice could finally rest, no longer the plaything of the Rabbit, the pawn of Cheshire, or the prey of the Jabberwocky. But the verdant fields are nothing but ash—and hope is nowhere to be found. 

Still, Alice and Hatcher are on a mission to find his daughter, a quest they will not forsake even as it takes them deep into the clutches of the mad White Queen and her goblin or into the realm of the twisted and cruel Black King. 

The pieces are set and the game has already begun. Each move brings Alice closer to her destiny. But, to win, she will need to harness her newfound abilities and ally herself with someone even more powerful—the mysterious and vengeful Red Queen..."

Red Queen is the second book in The Chronicles of Alice duology, sequel to Alice (and there is a now a book of short stories out called Looking Glass!). I adore this series so much and it is one of my favorite Alice-inspired stories. It's brutally dark at times and Alice and all the other characters are put through so many trials, but it's also a truly beautiful story that s well worth the read.

What I liked: Everything! Henry's writing is beautiful and she manages to effortlessly convey an atmosphere of darkness and unease, but that is also incredibly imaginative and full of new ideas to explore. Her characters are one of my favorite parts of this story, as they are as well-done as her writing is and are so well drawn that I feel easily connected to them. As much as I love Alice, I have such a big heart and love for Hatcher as well and I find him to be such an incredibly fascinating and well-written character. I also continue to love the small details that make this world so detailed and connected to Lewis Carroll's original stories of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass--and as a huge fan of the originals, I love how much she combines old and new ideas and details.

What I didn't like: Nothing? I even went and read through some less positive reviews to see if any of the things other people didn't like are things maybe I forgot I had issues with, but nope, I respectfully disagreed with just about all of them! :)

Overall, Red Queen gets a five stars from me! I highly, highly recommend this series if you enjoy any Alice-inspired tales with a darker twist, though do be forewarned that some very heavy topics are involved, so if you struggle with those kind of topics be aware of that going into them.

Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Blood of Wonderland (Queen of Hearts Saga #2) by Colleen Oakes
HarperTeen
Publication Date: January 31st, 2017

Hardcover. 336 pages.

About Blood of Wonderland:

"The queen will rise. 

Dinah has been exiled from Wonderland. The vicious father she always feared has framed her for the brutal murder of her brother and turned the kingdom against her. 

Now hiding in the lush and mysterious Twisted Wood with only her war steed at her side, Dinah is faced with a choice. She could leave Wonderland forever or return and fight her father for her throne—a fight she knows would only result in bloodshed. 

When a chance encounter with one of her father’s long-lost enemies brings Dinah more allies than she ever could have imagined, war starts to feel inevitable. But before Dinah can lead her people into combat, she must confront certain truths about her heart and her destiny—no matter how dark those truths may be. 

Revolution is rising in Wonderland. 

Dinah’s battle has begun."

I have been thoroughly enjoying Oakes' Queen of Hearts Saga and I ended up loving this sequel as much as I loved the first book!

What I liked: Oakes' Wonderland-inspired world is full of imagination and has so many delightful nods to the original stories, but the story is wholly her own. Dinah is a really exciting character to follow and I've enjoyed getting to know her and watching her grow in so many vastly different ways as she learns how to survive and uncovers many dark secrets about her and those around her. I think Oakes displays great character development in all of the characters in addition to Dinah, and I also love Dinah's stunning and blood-thirsty horse, Morte. I also enjoyed exploring new settings, such as the Twisted Wood with its stunning descriptions, and getting a chance to learn more about the world and its inhabitants outside of where we visited in the first book.

What I didn't like: As a personal peeve, I found Sir Gorrann written dialect of 'yeh' instead of 'you' and such very distracting to read. It didn't affect my enjoyment of the book enough to lower the rating, but I found it a little annoying. The only thing that made me a little disappointed has to do with a huge spoiler near the end of the book, but it has to do with something that seems as though it's going to become a huge motivation for Dinah's future actions--I haven't read the third book so I can't say for sure, but I was just a bit disappointed that the thing that happened... well, was what it was. I realize how vague all of that is, but I don't want to give away any spoilers.

Overall, I've also given Blood of Wonderland five stars! What can I say? These are both great Alice-inspired tales and absolutely pass my tests!

Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Looking Glass by Christina Henry & The Empire of Dreams by Rae Carson

Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! This meme is based off of Jill @ Breaking the Spine's Waiting on Wednesday meme.

This week's upcoming book spotlights are: 

Looking Glass by Christina Henry
Publication: April 21st, 2020

Ace

Paperback. 304 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"In four new novellas, Christina Henry returns to the universe she created for Alice and Red Queen, where magic runs more freely than anyone suspects, but so do secrets and blood. 

Lovely Creature 
In the New City lives a girl called Elizabeth, a girl who has a secret: she can do magic. But someone knows Elizabeth's secret--someone who has a secret of his own. That secret is a butterfly that lives in a jar, a butterfly made by a girl called Alice. 

Girl in Amber 
Alice and Hatcher are just looking for a place to rest. Alice has been dreaming of a cottage by a lake and a field of wildflowers, but while walking blind in a snowstorm they stumble into a castle that seems empty and abandoned...at least until nightfall. 

When I First Came to Town 
Hatcher wasn't always Hatcher. Once, he was a boy called Nicholas, and Nicholas fancied himself the best fighter in the Old City. No matter who fought him he always won. Then his boss tells him he's going to battle the fearsome Grinder, a man who never leaves his opponents alive. 

The Mercy Seat 
Alice has a secret--a secret that not even Hatcher knows yet, but pretty soon she won't be able to keep it from him."

I've loved every single book Christina Henry has written, including her Chronicles of Alice books, and I have been so eagerly anticipating the release of this collection of novellas! I'm also super partial to the UK cover of this book, so I figured I'd share that cover as well below, as I tend to do when I love both. :)

and...

The Empire of Dreams by Rae Carson

Publication: April 7th, 2020

Greenwillow Books

Hardcover. 432 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"New York Times-bestselling author Rae Carson makes a triumphant return to the world of her award-winning Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy in this extraordinary stand-alone novel. With action, adventure, and a heroine set on destroying the patriarchal limits meant to keep her in her place, The Empire of Dreams once again proves that Rae Carson is a master of epic fantasy. 

Even though Red Sparkle Stone is a foundling orphan with an odd name and a veiled past, she's about to be adopted into the royal family—by Empress Elisa herself. Sixteen-year-old Red can hardly believe her luck. Then, in a stunning political masterstroke, the empress's greatest rival blocks the adoption, and Red is left with no family and no future. 

Grieving and lost, but determined to find her place, Red hatches a daring plan: she will prove herself as a recruit for the world's most elite fighting force, the legendary Royal Guard—something no woman has done before. But it's no coincidence that someone wanted her to fail as a princess, someone whose shadowy agenda puts everything she loves at risk. As danger closes in, it will be up to Red and her new friends—and maybe some new enemies—to save the empire. If they can survive recruitment year."

I still can't believe there's a new Fire and Thorns book coming out! I read the original trilogy so long ago that I know there is no way I can possibly jump into this without re-reading the entire trilogy again, which I've been wanting to do for a while, anyway. I think this is meant to be a sort of spin-off standalone so you might be able to read it without reading the prior trilogy (?), but I have no idea! I love the new covers for this trilogy as well, and I don't typically love cover remakes, though the originals will always be special to me.

What do you think about these upcoming releases? What are your anticipated upcoming releases?

Waiting on Wednesday: Summerland by Hannu Ranjaniemi & The Mermaid by Christina Henry

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released!

This week's upcoming book spotlight is:

Summerland by Hannu Ranjaniemi
Publication Date: June 28th, 2018

Gollancz
320 pages
Pre-order: Amazon | Book Depository 

From Goodreads:

"From Hannu Rajaniemi, one of the most exciting science fiction writers in the last decade, comes an awe-inspiring account of the afterlife and what happens when it spills over into the world of the living. 

Loss is a thing of the past. Murder is obsolete. Death is just the beginning. 

In 1938, death is no longer feared but exploited. Since the discovery of the afterlife, the British Empire has extended its reach into Summerland, a metropolis for the recently deceased. 

Yet Britain isn’t the only contender for power in this life and the next. The Soviets have spies in Summerland, and the technology to build their own god. 

When SIS agent Rachel White gets a lead on one of the Soviet moles, blowing the whistle puts her hard-earned career at risk. The spy has friends in high places, and she will have to go rogue to bring him in. 

But how do you catch a man who’s already dead?"

I'm honestly just really intrigued by the idea of discovering the afterlife and somehow exploiting that, so this book sounds like it might be a fascinating experiment. I'm not really sure what to expect, but I'm certainly looking forward to it!

and...

The Mermaid by Christina Henry
Publication Date: June 19th, 2018

Berkley
336 pages
Pre-order: Amazon | Book Depository 

From Goodreads:

"From the author of Lost Boy comes a historical fairy tale about a mermaid who leaves the sea for love and later finds herself in P.T. Barnum's American Museum as the real Fiji mermaid. However, leaving the museum may be harder than leaving the sea ever was. 

Once there was a mermaid who longed to know of more than her ocean home and her people. One day a fisherman trapped her in his net but couldn't bear to keep her. But his eyes were lonely and caught her more surely than the net, and so she evoked a magic that allowed her to walk upon the shore. The mermaid, Amelia, became his wife, and they lived on a cliff above the ocean for ever so many years, until one day the fisherman rowed out to sea and did not return. 

P. T. Barnum was looking for marvelous attractions for his American Museum, and he'd heard a rumor of a mermaid who lived on a cliff by the sea. He wanted to make his fortune, and an attraction like Amelia was just the ticket. 

Amelia agreed to play the mermaid for Barnum, and she believes she can leave any time she likes. But Barnum has never given up a money-making scheme in his life, and he's determined to hold on to his mermaid."

I love Christina Henry's books and her newest upcoming release sounds like it will be just as amazing as her previous work (Lost Boy, Alice). I really can't wait to finally read this gorgeous thing!

What do you think about these upcoming releases? What are your anticipated upcoming releases?

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Lost Boy by Christina Henry: Review + GIVEAWAY!

*Lost Boy will be released Tuesday, July 4th!*

Lost Boy by Christina Henry. Berkley Books, 2017. 304 pages. Paperback.

**I received a copy of Lost Boy in exchange for an honest review. This has no bearing on my feelings for the book.** 

I don't cry while reading books very often. In fact, it's incredibly rare for that to happen. I may tear up occasionally, but usually no matter how much a book might be ripping out my heart, I maintain my stone-cold exterior. Lost Boy broke that wall just a bit and left me feeling tears on more than one occasion.

Despite not being a huge fan of Peter Pan (the Disney version, anyway) growing up, I've grown really fond of Peter Pan-inspired retellings/reboots/etc. in the past few years, and I was so excited to see Lost Boy on NetGalley - even more so when I got the  email telling me that I was approved to read it. It did not let me down at all! This is a dark, brutal story that is everything I crave in retellings like these. Some of my favorite retellings are those that are dark and twisty and take classic stories, lands, and characters into new territories that retain the magic of the original, but add in so much more. This was why I loved Heartless by Marissa Meyer and Tiger Lily so  much - they took the classic stories and just completely flipped them. Lost Boy did very much the same, as it is quite a divergence from the ever-popular Disney version and even the original by J.M. Barrie.

Captain Hook has always been one of the main characters from Peter Pan that has most fascinated (Tinkerbell and the mermaids being the others), and Jamie was such a fascinating rendition of this character. He was very real and flawed. He wanted to do good and as a protector to the boys, but he had his own temper and his own tendency towards violence. And there's the fact that as much as he hated Peter, there he was however many years later, still caving to his every request and whim - of course, there are reasons he is trapped under Peter's 'rule,' but it does bring an interesting angle to the story.

The description of Peter was also fantastic and so fitting for some of the images I've had of Peter in my own interpretations. He's this completely unsympathetic 'villain' that is just so true to his character: a boy that insists on staying young forever, living on an island where only young boys and absolutely no girls or adults are allowed, wanting to play and fight all the time? Yeah, I don't think that's someone many of us would want to be around. Peter is awful, but also rather clever and mysterious, and he was developed wonderfully.

The remaining characters were no less developed or interesting than Peter or Jamie. Sal, Nod, Fog, and Charlie my favorites of the children and were all also uniquely developed. Nod and Fog are twins and, to me, the quintessential fit for a place like Neverland. They're just boys who never want to grow and don't mind having a leader like Peter Pan to take care of them. The rest of the boys seem okay with the situation at times, but there does seem to be a bit of lingering suspicion among them regarding the entire situation.

Lost Boy is very much focused on specific character relationships and developments. There are major events that occur, but they aren't really the focus -- it's more about how the characters react and how each event changes the dynamics, even if only ever so slightly. There is meaning in every glance, every touch, every movement - whether it is realized or not, not one action is meaningless.

I also thought the backstory of Jamie and Peter's friendship was really well-written, especially with how slowly the truth of their relationship was revealed and the impact it had. I liked how Neverland and the Other Place (aka, where we all live) existed in relation to one another, as I'm always interested in how alternate places are developed in stories.

Overall, I've given Lost Boy five stars. I'm a huge fan of these types of stories and this one was everything I wanted.

And now...

GIVEAWAY

The lovely people over at Berkley Books have been kind enough to provide me with one copy of Lost Boy for a giveaway! 

**PLEASE NOTE: This is a US-ONLY giveaway. Please also be aware that I will be forwarding your mailing address to the publisher for them to send you a copy. Your personal information will be used in no other way than to send to the publisher to send you your prize if you win. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository

Planning to purchase a book or two? Consider purchasing on Book Depository through my affiliate link! Book Depository has worldwide free shipping and millions of titles to choose from.

I am also an Amazon affiliate, so if you'd prefer to shop through Amazon, just click the banner on the upper right hand side of my blog! (above the 'Follow by email' box, you may need to turn off adblock to see it!)

You might also like:

Heartless by Marissa Meyer

Gilded Ashes by Rosamund Hodge

Uprooted by Naomi Novik

Waiting on Wednesday: Lost Boy by Christina Henry

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released!

This week's upcoming book spotlight is:
Lost Boy by Christina Henry

Publication Date: July 4th, 2017
Berkley Books
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

From Goodreads:

"From the national bestselling author of Alice comes a familiar story with a dark hook—a tale about Peter Pan and the friend who became his nemesis, a nemesis who may not be the blackhearted villain Peter says he is…

There is one version of my story that everyone knows.

 And then there is the truth. This is how it happened. How I went from being Peter Pan’s first—and favorite—lost boy to his greatest enemy.

Peter brought me to his island because there were no rules and no grownups to make us mind. He brought boys from the Other Place to join in the fun, but Peter's idea of fun is sharper than a pirate’s sword. Because it’s never been all fun and games on the island. Our neighbors are pirates and monsters. Our toys are knife and stick and rock—the kinds of playthings that bite.
Peter promised we would all be young and happy forever."

Growing up, I never cared much about the Disney Peter Pan movie/story. thought I did love the movie Finding Neverlad. However, in recent years I've started reading a variety of different Peter Pan retellings and Peter Pan-inspired stories (Tiger Lily, Alias Hook, etc.), and I've really grow to love it. This particular one really grabs my attention, and I am dying to read it!

What do you think about this upcoming release? What are your anticipated upcoming releases?

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