proseamongstthorns

‘The Pomegranate Gate’ by Ariel Kaplan | ARC Review

Am I saying I’ve found ANOTHER favourite book of the year? Yes. Am I also saying this may well be the BEST fantasy I’ve ever read? Also yes.

The Pomegranate Gate is the perfect type of fantasy book. A complex and interesting magic system and world with characters full of sass and depth and complex relationships between them all.

The Best Way to Bury Your Husband by Alexia Casale | ARC Review

As a fan of a good crime book I couldn’t resist this title – but the book that awaited me far exceeded my expectations. From the outset it was clear that The Best Way to Bury Your Husband by Alexia Casale would expertly balance humour and darkness.

‘Open Throat’ by Henry Hoke | ARC Review

Open Throat is a magnificent story that deserves every ounce of praise it’s receiving. Narrated by a hungry, lonely queer mountain lion, we follow their journey through LA from protecting a homeless encampment to fleeing wildfires.

This book doesn’t shy away from huge topics. The climate crisis, the inequalities of LA (and the wider world) and what it means to be human. Our narrator understands the world around them, they long for a way to express their language and a part of them is struggling with the conflict of whether they eat a person or want to become one.

I read this thing in nearly one sitting. Our narrator’s voice is funny and perceptive, with their misspellings of words (like ellay as opposed to LA) making it all the more humorous. There’s a perfect tension between the seriousness of the plot and the observations of our wonderful narrator.

Hoke is a powerhouse and this magnificent story cements that. While the novel itself may be short, this is one that will stick with you for a long time. Queer, haunting, insightful – I think this one is perfect for any reader.

Open Throat will be released July 27th, so get your pre-orders in and prepare yourself for this fantastic original novel that will blast your expectations out of the park.

Thank you to Netgalley, Pan Macmillan and Picador for providing an e-ARC in return for an honest review.

‘Over the Top’ by Jonathan Van Ness | Book Review

As a baby queer just coming to terms with their gayness through their first girl-on-girl relationship Queer Eye was a ray of hope – it showed me that being gay doesn’t hold you back, that you can be successful and fierce and confidant. Most of that was thanks to Jonathan Van Ness. His confidence, his exuberance, his dedication – Jonathan is himself unapologetically and if you’re not with him, well bye bye then. And reading his autobiography made me appreciate him even more.

‘Juliet Takes a Breath: The Graphic Novel’ by Gabby Rivera | ARC Review

I came into this graphic novel with high expectations – I had been looking forward to it since I’d been accepted for an ARC. But, sadly, it just fell flat for me. It felt as if this were aimed more at those already comfortable with Juliet’s story and not newcomers.

‘The Last Greek’ by Christian Cameron | Book Review

I picked up The Last Greek on a whim after seeing the gorgeous cover and assuming it had ties to Greek mythology – I was right, kind of. The New Achilles and The Last Greek both look at Ancient Greece, but shift the focus from mythology and folklore to the real people of Greece. And honestly, it was amazing.

‘The Bear and the Nightingale’ by Katherine Arden | Book Review

This one was a birthday present from my parents that had been calling out to me from my bookshelf. I’m a sucker for anything that incorporates mythology and folklore! I buddy read this one with the lovely @freyreads from Instagram and had such a brilliant time. It made the experience so much more memorable and I was able to freak out about certain events that happened…

#FiveforFriday | Five Great Books Influenced by Mythology

I’ve not met a person yet who doesn’t enjoy a good mythology retelling or re-imagining. But most of us are stuck on the Greeks. This small list will feature a few brilliant Greek retelling’s as well as look at some books influenced by mythology from further afield.

‘Tom Woolberson and the School for Watchers’ by K.J Brookes | ARC Review

This debut novel is the very definition of weird and wonderful. It’s like Harry Potter meets Deadly Education with Dante’s Inferno thrown in just for fun. Using Christianity as the basis for the mythology, Brookes builds a school for special dead children.

‘Haunted’ Anthology | ARC Review

I received Haunted: Ghost Stories to Chill your Blood in collaboration with Kaleidoscopic Tours and I’m so glad I did. A perfect collection of eerie, disturbing and just plain spooky short stories brilliant for spooky season. Plus it features authors such as Matt Haig, Philip Reeve and Derek Landy.