Review: The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart

The Bone Shard Daughter (The Drowning Empire #1) by Andrea Stewart

Orbit

Publication Date: September 8th, 2020

Hardcover. 448 pages

About The Bone Shard Daughter:

"The emperor's reign has lasted for decades, his mastery of bone shard magic powering the animal-like constructs that maintain law and order. But now his rule is failing, and revolution is sweeping across the Empire's many islands. 

Lin is the emperor's daughter and spends her days trapped in a palace of locked doors and dark secrets. When her father refuses to recognise her as heir to the throne, she vows to prove her worth by mastering the forbidden art of bone shard magic. 

Yet such power carries a great cost, and when the revolution reaches the gates of the palace, Lin must decide how far she is willing to go to claim her birthright - and save her people."

The Bone Shard Daughter has been getting some pretty intense hype calling it the most anticipated and best fantasy 2020 debut of the year and I can easily understand why! I don't think I connected with this novel quite as much as it seems other people have, but I also think this is one that I will appreciate even more on a re-read, which I'll probably do before the sequel comes out.

The Bone Shard Daughter has some inventive worldbuilding that really stood out to me and is part of what drew me to wanting to know more about this world. The world itself is essentially made up of a myriad of different islands with some interesting movements associated with them, and I really can't wait to hopefully see a map of this world one day.  Additionally, the magic system is one of the most interesting parts of this book (which is saying something, considering how incredible most other aspects of this book are) and I really loved learning about how the bone shard magic worked, even if I didn't fully understand it at all points. From my understanding, bone shard magic basically works to help create and direct these sorts of creatures known as 'constructs,' which are essentially put together with various animal parts and seem to be the sort of military/police of the land. Without these constructs, there isn't a whole lot to enforce law and order, so when the various 'commands' that are imbued into them fail, repercussions can be fairly momentous. I loved seeing all the different ways that bone shard magic functioned and how Lin learned how to use it most effectively.

There is a fairly large cast of characters, and readers follow five different POVs that utilize both first and third person perspectives. I've noticed more books seem to be doing this split-perspective style and I find that it tends to have mixed execution--fortunately, I think it worked well for this book. Not only does it provide a better look at Stewart's skilled prose, it also allows readers to differentiate between characters a bit and understand their role better in the story. The two first person POVs belong to Lin and Jovis, two people that I always enjoyed following the most.

Lin, the emperor's daughter, and Jovis, a smuggler, seem to be the two perspectives, however, that maintain the greatest amount of attention. There is also a bit of an 'animal' companion in Jovis' POV that I loved, as I'm a huge sucker for any animal companions and I love how Stewart incorporated that element into the story. Lin's entire narrative was easily the most interesting to me so how she lived as the emperor's daughter and attempted to gain his trust via her abilities with bone shard magic and the frankly weird dynamic she has with both him and those around her. 

The other POVs we get are Ranami and Phalue, as well as considerably less from a fifth character known as Sand. I really appreciated Ranami and Phalue's chapters, not only because they were compelling, but because they provided even more variety in looking at the different ways of life that exist in this world, as well as on a more universal level how those from different wealth and privilege backgrounds navigate relationships when their experiences are so different from one another. I always appreciate when authors choose to use a variety of POVs in order to showcase a fuller and more well-rounded view of the world they are living in. 

I think the only reason I didn't love this book as much as it seems most other people did is because I found the pacing slightly off. Personally, I think that this is due to the fact that The Bone Shard Daughter very much felt like a book that was setting up everything for future books--and that's not to say that this is purely a negative. I don't mind when fantasy books do this because I get that it's a lot to introduce an entirely new world, magic system, culture, etc., but I just found that there were a few different times where I wasn't as invested in the world and story as much as I felt that I should be considering how truly interesting the world and magic system are. 

Overall, I found The Bone Shard Daughter to be a really solid and exciting start to a new fantasy series! I completely get why everyone is so excited about this book and calling it the 2020 debut fantasy of the year--I can't wait to see what's next!

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

Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Anticipated September 2020 Releases!

Well folks, somehow we've just about made it to September! Not sure exactly how that happened, but the positive part of that is that it means new book releases! September is seriously overflowing with new releases, partially because I know a lot of releases meant for earlier in the year got pushed back to fall, but also because fall is always a big season for publishing. I am excited for so many of these, but unfortunately since it's still difficult to access my local library, I'm not sure when I'll have a chance to read some of these. Others, however, I've been extremely fortunate enough to receive ARCs of, so I'll be sure to dive into those. The only one I've read thus far from the list is The Bone Shard Daughter, which was really neat by the way, and I'm about to start Queen of Volts, one of my highly anticipated releases of this year!

I'm particularly excited for Lionhearts, A Deadly Education, Burning Roses, and I'm super intrigued by The Seventh Perfection. I also think the sequel Dead Man in a Ditch is going to be a lot of fun and I'm excited to see what's next in its world.Anyway, I hope you're all hanging in there and are as excited for all of these releases as I am!

What books are you most looking forward to? Have you read any of these already!? Let me know!

The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart || September 8th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

The Trouble with Peace by Joe Abercrombie || September 15th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

The Doors of Eden by Adrian Tchaikovsky || September 22nd -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Lionhearts by Nathan Makaryk || September 15th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

The Trials of Koli by M.R. Carey || September 15th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

The Ikessar Falcon by K.S. Villoso || September 22nd -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik || September 29th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Burning Roses by S.L. Huang || September 29th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

The Seventh Perfection by Daniel Polansky || September 22nd -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke || September 15th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

The Left-Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix || September 22nd -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Dead Man in a Ditch by Luke Arnold || September 22nd -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

The Forgotten Kingdom by Signa Pike || September 15th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Fable by Adrienne Young || September 1st -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini || September 15th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Master of Poisons by Andrea Hairston || September 8th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Queen of Volts by Amanda Foody || September 1st -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

The Other Side of the Sky by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner || September 8th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

The Orphan of Cemetery Hill by Hester Fox || September 15th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Night Shine by Tessa Gratton || September 8th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Watch Over Me by Nina LaCour || September th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Cursed Objects: Strange But True Stories of the World's Most Infamous Items by J.W. Ocker || September 15th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn || September 15th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Crownchasers by Rebecca Coffindaffer || September 29th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

What are your anticipated September releases?

Blog Tour: Where Dreams Descend by Janelle Angeles

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Title: WHERE DREAMS DESCEND
Author:  Janella Angeles
Pub. Date: August 25th, 2020
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Pages: 464
Find it: Macmillan

SYNOPSIS:

“In a city covered in ice and ruin, a group of magicians face off in a daring game of magical feats to find the next headliner of the Conquering Circus, only to find themselves under the threat of an unseen danger striking behind the scenes. 

As each act becomes more and more risky and the number of missing magicians piles up, three are forced to reckon with their secrets before the darkness comes for them next. 

The Star: Kallia, a powerful showgirl out to prove she’s the best no matter the cost 

The Master: Jack, the enigmatic keeper of the club, and more than one lie told 

The Magician: Demarco, the brooding judge with a dark past he can no longer hide 

Where Dreams Descend is the startling and romantic first book in Janella Angeles’ debut Kingdom of Cards fantasy duology where magic is both celebrated and feared, and no heart is left unscathed."

REVIEW:

Where Dreams Descend is a lush and magical tale of mystery, intrigue, and a magical competition that takes unexpected turns at every corner. This is a story that overflows with secrets and characters who are never quite who they appear, which seems to match the magic and illusions that are a part of the competition.

Although it didn't seem like it at the time, there is a surprisingly large cast of characters to get to know throughout the story. Kallia was a character with much more confidence than I expected, and which I really appreciated. She doesn't let the harsh antics of the rest of the men in the competition get to her and never allows them to dim her own showmanship in any way. Her personality once at the magic competition seemed quite a change from what I expected from her personality at the very start of the novel when she was with Jack, but I enjoyed watching it develop and how she handled all of the many unpredictable circumstances. 

Speaking of Jack, I can't say I ever fully understand who he was--I know what his role was, but I always felt slightly confused as to where exactly he came from and what his purpose was. However, I can definitely see the Phantom of the Opera comparisons with his role and the entire vibe that I got from his relationship with Kallia, though perhaps a little less magnetic than the Phantom, as Kallia has a pretty good head on her shoulders. I think one of my favorite characters was Aaros, Kallia's unforeseen thief-turned-assistant. His humor and levity absolutely made every scene he was in, and I found his burgeoning friendship with Kallia an absolute delight to follow. There are a lot of interesting relationship dynamics in this book that I found fascinating to follow, but Kallia and Aaros' really made my heart sing the most. 

There are some really interesting worldbuilding components in this book, though I do wish that there had been just a bit more given in regard to the greater world at large. I felt that it was a bit limited in scope, which fit for this book, but also left me feeling as though I didn't have a great overall view of the world. That being said, the components that were present were really beautiful and I loved the mysterious background built up about the city and the use of magic and magicians. The Conquering Circus also sounds like such a magical and entertaining event and I loved getting descriptions of it!

And lastly, speaking of descriptions... Angeles' prose is truly beautiful. She really knows how to write some descriptive and stunning images that brought everything to life in this world. She not only describes static images beautifully, such as the plants in one character's greenhouse and the building where the competition is held, but also movements and dynamic images, such as Kallia's performances and her more intense moments with Jack. 

Where Dreams Descend is a beautiful story that has a lot of potential to grow into something even more compelling and developed. It's easy to want to read to the sequel after the bit of a cliffhanger we get at the end, so be sure to keep your eye out for the next book! 

EARLY PRAISE FOR WHERE DREAMS DESCEND: 

"Janella Angeles steals the 2020 show with her fiercely imagined debut starring larger than life characters, a dangerous world alive with magic, and a dizzying dose of grab-a-fainting-couch-and-swoon-away romance!" - Roshani Chokshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Gilded Wolves 

"Where Dreams Descend is a glamorous dark gem of a tale, sparkling with romance, magic, and intrigue. Readers will be captivated by prima donna Kallia as the mystery is slowly unmasked. Bravissima!" - Julie C. Dao, author of Forest of a Thousand Lanterns 

“Lavish and opulent in a way that feels warmly familiar yet demands your attention. There are secrets upon secrets, a girl who’s boldly ambitious, and truly riveting stage magic. I didn’t want the show to stop.” - Emily A. Duncan, New York Times bestselling author of Wicked Saints 

"Vibrant imagery, jaw-dropping set pieces, sizzling romantic tension, and unstoppable heroine Kallia bring this ambitious debut novel to spectacular life. Fans of Caraval and The Night Circus will be delighted!" - Claire Legrand, New York Times bestselling author of Furyborn 

"[A] spellbinding melody of a book, and the true magic is how Angeles puts all the best parts of an enrapturing theatrical performance onto paper and ink. From the gripping twists in the first pages all the way to the final, heartbreaking crescendo, Where Dreams Descend will surge you to your feet in a standing ovation.” – Sara Raasch, New York Times bestselling author of the Snow Like Ashes trilogy

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

JANELLA ANGELES is a Filipino-American author who got her start in writing through consuming glorious amounts of fanfiction at a young age—which eventually led to penning a few of her own, and later on, creating original stories from her imagination. A lifelong lover of books, she's lucky enough to be working in the business of publishing them on top of writing them. She currently resides in Massachusetts, where she's most likely to be found listening to musicals on repeat and daydreaming too much for her own good. Where Dreams Descend is her first book.

LINKS: Website | Twitter | Instagram

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Surrender Your Sons by Adam Sass, Watch Over Me by Nina LaCour, Queen of Volts by Amanda Foody

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: 

Surrender Your Sons by Adam Sass
Publication: September 15th, 2020

Flux

Hardcover. 392 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"Connor Major’s summer break is turning into a nightmare. 

His SAT scores bombed, the old man he delivers meals to died, and when he came out to his religious zealot mother, she had him kidnapped and shipped off to a secluded island. His final destination: Nightlight Ministries, a conversion therapy camp that will be his new home until he “changes.” 

But Connor’s troubles are only beginning. At Nightlight, everyone has something to hide from the campers to the “converted” staff and cagey camp director, and it quickly becomes clear that no one is safe. Connor plans to escape and bring the other kidnapped teens with him. But first, he’s exposing the camp’s horrible truths for what they are— and taking this place down."

This sounds dark, intense, and incredibly important. I haven't really seen anyone talking about this one that I can recall, but I can't wait to check it out and hopefully start seeing others reading it as well!

and...

Watch Over Me by Nina LaCour

Publication: September 15th, 2020

Dutton Books for Young Readers

Hardcover. 272 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"Mila is used to being alone. Maybe that’s why she said yes to the opportunity: living in this remote place, among the flowers and the fog and the crash of waves far below. 

But she hadn’t known about the ghosts. 

Newly graduated from high school, Mila has aged out of the foster care system. So when she’s offered a job and a place to stay at a farm on an isolated part of the Northern California Coast, she immediately accepts. Maybe she will finally find a new home, a real home. The farm is a refuge, but also haunted by the past traumas its young residents have come to escape. And Mila’s own terrible memories are starting to rise to the surface. 

Watch Over Me is another stunner from Printz Award-Winning author Nina LaCour, whose empathetic, lyrical prose is at the heart of this modern ghost story of resilience and rebirth."

I'm really not sure what to expect from this book at all, but I'm still really intrigued by this synopsis??

and...

Queen of Volts (The Shadow Game #3) by Amanda Foody 

Publication: September 1st, 2020

Inkyard Press

Hardcover. 416 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"Return to the City of Sin, where the final game is about to begin…and winning will demand the ultimate sacrifice. 

Only days after a corrupt election and brutal street war, one last bloodthirsty game has begun. The players? The twenty-two most powerful, notorious people in New Reynes. 

After realizing they have no choice but to play, Enne Scordata and Levi Glaisyer are desperate to forge new alliances and bargain for their safety. But while Levi offers false smiles and an even falser peace to the city’s politicians, Enne must face a world where her true Mizer identity has been revealed…and any misstep could turn deadly. 

Meanwhile, a far more dangerous opponent has appeared on the board, one plucked right from the most gruesome legends of New Reynes. As the game takes its final, vicious turn, Levi and Enne must decide once and for all whether to be partners or enemies. 

Because in a game for survival, there are only losers… 

And monsters."

I have been thoroughly enjoying Foody's The Shadow Game series (I think it's a bit underrated as well!) and I have been so eagerly awaiting this final installment!

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

Blog Tour: Road Out of Winter by Alison Stine -- Excerpt!

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Title: ROAD OUT OUT OF WINTER
Author:  Alison Stine
Pub. Date: September 1st, 2020
Publisher: MIRA Books
Pages:
Find it: Harlequin, Amazon, Books-A-Million, B&N, Powell's
*Please note that some of the links used are affiliate links!

SYNOPSIS:

“Surrounded by poverty and paranoia her entire life, Wil has been left behind in her small Appalachian town by her mother and her best friend. Not only is she tending her stepfather’s illegal marijuana farm alone, but she’s left to watch the world fall further into chaos in the face of a climate crisis brought on by another year of unending winter. So opens Alison Stine’s moving and lyrical cli-fi novel, ROAD OUT OF WINTER (MIRA Trade; September 1, 2020; $17.99). 

With her now priceless grow lights stashed in her truck and a pouch of precious seeds, Wil upends her life to pursue her mother in California, collecting an eclectic crew of fellow refugees along the way. She’s determined to start over and use her skills to grow badly needed food in impossible farming conditions, but the icy roads and desperate strangers are treacherous to Wil and her gang. Her green thumb becomes the target of a violent cult and their volatile leader, and Wil must use all her cunning and resources to protect her newfound family and the hope they have found within each other."

EXCERPT:

Chapter One 

I used to have dreams that Lobo would be arrested. The sheriff and his deputies would roll up the drive, bouncing on the gravel, but coming fast, too fast to be stopped, too fast for Lobo to get away through the fields. Or maybe Lobo would be asleep, and they would surprise him, his eyes red, slit like taillights. My mama and I would weep with joy as they led him off. The deputies would wrap us in blankets, swept in their blue lights. We were innocent, weren’t we? Just at the wrong place at the wrong time, all the time, involved with the wrong man—and we didn’t know, my mama didn’t know, the extent. 

But that wasn’t true, not even close. 

I sold the weed at a gas station called Crossroads to a boy who delivered meals for shut-ins. Brown paper bags filled the back of his station wagon, the tops rolled over like his mama made him lunch. I supposed he could keep the bags straight. That was the arrangement Lobo had made years ago, that was the arrangement I kept. I left things uncomplicated. I didn’t know where the drugs went after the boy with the station wagon, where the boy sold them or for how much. I took the money he gave me and buried most of it in the yard. 

After his station wagon bumped back onto the rural route, I went inside the store. There was a counter in the back, a row of cracked plastic tables and chairs that smelled like ketchup: a full menu, breakfast through dinner. They sold a lot of egg sandwiches at Crossroads to frackers, men on their way out to work sites. It was a good place to meet; Lisbeth would come this far. I ordered three cheeseburgers and fries, and sat down. 

She was on time. She wore gray sweatpants under her long denim skirt, and not just because of the cold. “You reek, Wil,” she said, sliding onto the chair across from me. 

“Lobo says that’s the smell of money,” I said. 

“My mama says money smells like dirty hands.” 

The food arrived, delivered by a waitress I didn’t know. Crinkling red and white paper in baskets. I slid two of the burgers over to Lisbeth. The Church forbade pants on women, and short hair, and alcohol. But meat was okay. Lisbeth hunched over a burger, eating with both hands, her braid slipping over her shoulder. 

“Heard from them at all?” she asked. 

“Not lately.” 

“You think he would let her write you? Call?” 

“She doesn’t have her own phone,” I said. 

Lisbeth licked ketchup off her thumb. The fries were already getting cold. How about somethin’ home made? read the chalkboard below the menu. I watched the waitress write the dinner specials in handwriting small and careful as my mama’s. 

“Hot chocolate?” I read to Lisbeth. “It’s June.” 

“It’s freezing,” she said. 

And it was, still. Steam webbed the windows. There was no sign of spring in the lung-colored fields, bordered by trees as spindly as men in a bread line. We were past forsythia time, past when the squirrels should have been rooting around in the trees for sap. 

“What time is it now?” Lisbeth asked. 

I showed her my phone, and she swallowed the last of her burger. 

“I’ve got to go.” 

“Already?” 

“Choir rehearsal.” She took a gulp of Coke. Caffeine was frowned upon by The Church, though not, I thought, exclusively forbidden. “I gave all the seniors solos, and they’re terrified. They need help. Don’t forget. Noon tomorrow.” 

The Church was strange—strange enough to whisper about. But The Church had a great choir; she had learned so much. They had helped her get her job at the high school, directing the chorus, not easy for a woman without a degree. Also, her folks loved The Church. She couldn’t leave, she said. 

“What’s at noon?” I asked. 

She paused long enough to tilt her head at me. “Wylodine, really? Graduation, remember? The kids are singing?” 

“I don’t want to go back there.” 

“You promised. Take a shower if you been working so my folks don’t lose their minds.” “If they haven’t figured it out by now, they’re never going to know,” I said, but Lisbeth was already shrugging on her coat. Then she was gone, through the jangling door, long braid and layers flapping. In the parking lot, a truck refused to start, balking in the cold. 

I ordered hot chocolate. I was careful to take small bills from my wallet when I went up to the counter. Most of the roll of cash from the paper bag boy was stuffed in a Pepsi can back on the floor of the truck. Lobo, who owned the truck, had never been neat, and drink cans, leaves, and empty Copenhagen tins littered the cab. Though the mud on the floor mats had hardened and caked like makeup, though Lobo and Mama had been gone a year now, I hadn’t bothered cleaning out the truck. Not yet. 

The top of the Pepsi can was ripped partially off, and it was dry inside: plenty of room for a wad of cash. I had pushed down the top to hide the money, avoiding the razor-sharp edge. Lobo had taught me well. 

I took the hot chocolate to go. 

In the morning, I rose early and alone, got the stove going, pulled on my boots to hike up the hill to the big house. I swept the basement room. I checked the supplies. I checked the cistern for clogs. The creek rode up the sides of the driveway. Ice floated in the water, brown as tea. 

No green leaves had appeared on the trees. No buds. My breath hung in the air, a web I walked through. My boots didn’t sink in the mud back to my own house in the lower field; my footprints were still frozen from a year ago. Last year’s walking had made ridges as stiff as craters on the moon. At the door to my tiny house, I knocked the frost from my boots, and yanked them off, but kept my warm coveralls on. I lit the small stove, listening to the whoosh of the flame. The water for coffee ticked in the pot. 

I checked the time on the clock above the sink, a freebie from Radiator Palace. 

“Fuck,” I said aloud to no one. 

Excerpted from Road Out of Winter by Alison Stine, Copyright © 2020 by Alison Stine. Published by MIRA Books

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

ALISON STINE lives in the rural Appalachian foothills. A recipient of an Individual Artist Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), she was a Stegner Fellow at Stanford University. She has written for The Atlantic, The Nation, The Guardian, and many others. She is a contributing editor with the Economic Hardship Reporting Project.

LINKS: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

Review: Savage Legion by Matt Wallace

Savage Legion (Savage Rebellion #1) by Matt Wallace

Gallery/Saga Press

Publication Date: July 21st, 2020

Hardcover. 498 pages

About Savage Legion:

"They call them Savages. Brutal. Efficient. Expendable. 

The empire relies on them. The Savages are the greatest weapon they ever developed. Culled from the streets of their cities, they take the ones no one will miss and throw them, by the thousands, at the empire’s enemies. If they live, they fight again. If they die, there are always more to take their place. 

Evie is not a Savage. She’s a warrior with a mission: to find the man she once loved, the man who holds the key to exposing the secret of the Savage Legion and ending the mass conscription of the empire’s poor and wretched. 

But to find him, she must become one of them, to be marked in her blood, to fight in their wars, and to find her purpose. Evie will die a Savage if she has to, but not before showing the world who she really is and what the Savage Legion can really do."

Savage Legion is one of the most pleasant surprises of 2020 thus far! I was excited to read Savage Legion and I knew it had a ton of promise, but I had absolutely no idea that I would be hooked almost immediately and that I would love this book even half as much as I ended up. 

Savage Legion switches between three main POV segments. The first follows Evie, a woman who seems undaunted by most things she faces in life and sticks firmly to any task she is given--sometimes with a bit of ruthlessness to it, but mostly just because she's extremely efficient and loyal to what she has been tasked to do. Evie's story begins when she is taken to jail one night and transported to the military front the next day where she becomes a part of the Savage Legion, a group of people who have similarly broken the law and are now being utilized as diversions in battles. This Legion is essentially out first on the battle lines in order to provide a distraction before the trained military arrives. It's both brutal and ingenious at the same time, and I think this setup provided a lot of really interesting possibilities for the plot. (There are also 'blood coins' as a part of this process, an idea that I found particularly interesting, and of course a bit gruesome). Evie's chapters were easily some of the most exciting because you never really knew exactly what was going to happen, and as the story progressed things began to get more and more intense in ways that made it hard for me to stop reading. 

The next person we follow is Lexie, a young woman who is learning how to navigate life as the sole remaining member of her family's Gens after her husband--who had been acting as the public defender for the faction of society that they represent (the lowest of the factions)--goes missing. His whereabouts are unknown, as is whether or not he is even alive, and Lexie must navigate the 'political' landscape on her own while trying to earn the respect of those around her, as well as carefully investigate her husband's disappearance--all while everyone seems to be working against her. I really appreciated Lexie's determination and how she overcomes her fears and uncertainties in order to do what she feels is best for the people she represents, as well as for herself and her husband. She is aided by her bodyguard Taru, who has labeled themselves as Undeclared, meaning that they are non-binary. This world seems to have mixed opinions of the Undeclared, with some finding them 'confusing' and others being perfectly accepting (much like in our own world), and I thought it was a great inclusion on Wallace's part to add a bit more experience and considerations to the book. I also really loved watching Lexie and Taru's relationship develop in this book as each started to have to trust and become more comfortable with the other over the course of the book's events. 

And lastly we follow Dyeawan (aka Slider), an at-present homeless woman whose legs were crushed when she was a girl and who ingeniously gets around by a makeshift wheelchair of sorts in which she can slide around to get places (hence the name 'Slider'). Slider is first introduced on the same night that Evie gets hauled off to jail, but instead of being taken to aid the military in the Savage Legion, Slider is instead whisked off to an unknown place where she works with other scholars under the leadership of a man named Edgar to build and invent new devices, ideas, buildings, etc. for the empire. Slider was one of my favorite POVs to follow because I found the entire premise of where she was and what everyone there was doing so fascinating and full of ideas to explore. I won't say too much about it because I think a lot of it hinges on the experience of discovering for yourself, but Wallace excelled in developing this part of the story and introducing some really neat engineering concepts and executions, as well as introduced us to a lot of really varied and compelling side characters that I really would have loved to spend even more time with. I really enjoyed hearing about what everyone was working on and how Slider was tested for her own skills and fit in with everyone. 

I thought the pacing of Savage Legion was spot on. I've seen a few reviews mention that the pacing felt a bit slow, but I really don't see that from my reading experience. Lexie's chapters were the slowest of the three, but they still had some compelling plot developments and crucial worldbuilding included that I loved learning about. There was a great balance of action, plotting, and character development, and I found myself particularly enjoying the latter two in this book as well, as things just continued to get more and more sinister as the story progressed. There's also a great amount of social commentary present in Savage Legion that felt both timely and compelling. It wasn't done in an overhanded way, but it provided some strong thematic backdrops for a lot of what occurs in this sort of dystopian-esque landscape that is slowly unveiled over the course of the story.

Lastly, I really loved Wallace's worldbuilding, as it seemed to have the perfect blend of complexity and variety, as well as being conveyed in a manner that didn't leave me feeling lost or confused. I actually felt as those I understood this world thoroughly by the end of the book, but there are still plenty of things that I want to explore more and learn more about in future installments. I think that there is a lot of potential in these books for the world to keep expanding outward, both physically and with cultural/etc. developments, and I truly cannot wait to see what's next in this series/trilogy!

Overall, this was an easy (yet unexpected in the best way!) five stars from me! I am a new Matt Wallace fan and I intend to check out some of his backlist titles while I anxious await the next installment in the Savage Rebellion series!

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

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Review: The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline

The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline

Custom House

Publication Date: August 25th, 2020

Hardcover. 370 pages

About The Exiles:

"Seduced by her employer’s son, Evangeline, a naïve young governess in early nineteenth-century London, is discharged when her pregnancy is discovered and sent to the notorious Newgate Prison. After months in the fetid, overcrowded jail, she learns she is sentenced to “the land beyond the seas,” Van Diemen’s Land, a penal colony in Australia. Though uncertain of what awaits, Evangeline knows one thing: the child she carries will be born on the months-long voyage to this distant land. 

During the journey on a repurposed slave ship, the Medea, Evangeline strikes up a friendship with Hazel, a girl little older than her former pupils who was sentenced to seven years transport for stealing a silver spoon. Canny where Evangeline is guileless, Hazel -- a skilled midwife and herbalist – is soon offering home remedies to both prisoners and sailors in return for a variety of favors. 

Though Australia has been home to Aboriginal people for more than 50,000 years, the British government in the 1840s considers its fledgling colony uninhabited and unsettled, and views the natives as an unpleasant nuisance. By the time the Medea arrives, many of them have been forcibly relocated, their land seized by white colonists. One of these relocated people is Mathinna, the orphaned daughter of the Chief of the Lowreenne tribe, who has been adopted by the new governor of Van Diemen’s Land."

The first thing that caught my attention about this book was the setting! It seems so rare to see a 19th century Australia setting in historical fiction, especially in regards to the Aboriginal peoples that already inhabited the area, as well as the many people brought over as prisoners of the British government. Christina Baker Kline did a tremendous job in filling this historical fiction period gap and I thought her research and descriptions were incredibly thorough and fascinating to read about. 

The Exiles follows three women whose perspectives we shift between. The first of these is Evangeline, a woman wrongfully accused of theft where she currently works as a governess and sent to the Newgate prison. Before she is sent to prison, she discovers that she is pregnant after having been seduced by the son of the master of the house. It is once Evangeline is on a ship filled with convicts being sent to Australia that she meets Hazel, who is both younger and more outspoken than Evangeline. Hazel's crime is that of theft--that is, getting caught stealing a single silver spoon. Despite her youth, Hazel is much more world-weary and hardened than Evangeline at this point and begins helping out with midwife duties on board the ship, including Evangeline's own birth. I found Evangeline and Hazel's unlikely friendship unexpectedly compelling and I enjoyed seeing Hazel sort of break down her own hardened worldview in order to get to know Evangeline better and help her when she needs it the most. I wish we had gotten a little bit more development from Evangeline, but I still think she was a well-drawn character and Hazel's development was thorough and well-done. 

The third woman that we follow is that of Mathinna, who is actually an eight-year-old Aboriginal girl who has been orphaned and is now essentially ""relocated" (read: kidnapped/rehomed) by white colonists inhabiting Van Diemen's Land in Australia. Mathinna was a really fascinating character to follow and I loved being able to see the colonists' world through her eyes, especially in regard to their treatment of her and her confusion around different aspects of her life with them. 

All three of our main characters face an unforgivable number of injustices against them, but the white colonists' attempts to show that the Aboriginal people, whom they call "savages," can be "civilized" via Mathinna's education was exceptionally maddening to read. I think Kline did a really great job in tackling such big topics and conveying the injustices that each woman faced. The story flows fairly effortlessly and I had no trouble staying connected with the plot or the characters--rather, I was very drawn to each woman's story and had a hard time not thinking about them even after I had put the book down. It's incredibly difficult to think about the sad reality that although this book itself is fiction, everything that happened in this book is rooted in history and very likely variations of it did occur. 

Overall, I've given The Exiles four stars. There were a few moments where the pacing felt a bit off and I wish that this book had been a bit longer in order to give more time to certain time periods and events, but overall I really enjoyed reading this book and getting to be exposed to a new historical time period in fiction!

*I received an ARC of The Exiles in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating of the novel.*

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Can't-Wait Wednesday: Piranesi by Susanna Clarke, Cursed Objects by J.W. Ocker, & Master of Poisons by Andrea Hairston

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: 

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
Publication: September 15th, 2020

Bloomsbury

Hardcover. 272 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"Piranesi's house is no ordinary building: its rooms are infinite, its corridors endless, its walls are lined with thousands upon thousands of statues, each one different from all the others. Within the labyrinth of halls an ocean is imprisoned; waves thunder up staircases, rooms are flooded in an instant. But Piranesi is not afraid; he understands the tides as he understands the pattern of the labyrinth itself. He lives to explore the house. 

There is one other person in the house-a man called The Other, who visits Piranesi twice a week and asks for help with research into A Great and Secret Knowledge. But as Piranesi explores, evidence emerges of another person, and a terrible truth begins to unravel, revealing a world beyond the one Piranesi has always known. 

For readers of Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the End of the Lane and fans of Madeline Miller's Circe, Piranesi introduces an astonishing new world, an infinite labyrinth, full of startling images and surreal beauty, haunted by the tides and the clouds."

This sounds so delightfully quirky and weird, I can't wait to explore Piranesi's house. :)

and...

Master of Poisons by Andrea Hairston

Publication: September 18th, 2020

Tor.com

Hardcover. 512 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"The world is changing. Poison desert eats good farmland. Once-sweet water turns foul. The wind blows sand and sadness across the Empire. To get caught in a storm is death. To live and do nothing is death. There is magic in the world, but good conjure is hard to find. 

Djola, righthand man and spymaster of the lord of the Arkhysian Empire, is desperately trying to save his adopted homeland, even in exile. 

Awa, a young woman training to be a powerful griot, tests the limits of her knowledge and comes into her own in a world of sorcery, floating cities, kindly beasts, and uncertain men. 

Awash in the rhythms of folklore and storytelling and rich with Hairston's characteristic lush prose, Master of Poisons is epic fantasy that will bleed your mind with its turns of phrase and leave you aching for the world it burns into being."

Master of Poisons has such a unique-sounding premise and I'm really intrigued by the synopsis. Really looking forward to getting to read this!

and...

Cursed Objects: Strange but True Stories of the World's Most Infamous Items by J.W. Ocker

Publication: September 15th, 2020

Quirk Books

Hardcover. 288 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"An illustrated compendium that reveals the true stories behind the most infamous, creepy, and bizarre real-life cursed objects throughout history. Spanning decades and continents, subjects range from the opulent Hope Diamond to the humble Busy Stoop chair. 

They're lurking in museums, graveyards, and private homes around the world. Their stories have inspired countless horror movies, reality TV shows, campfire tales, books, and even chain emails. They're cursed objects, and in order to unleash a wave of misfortune, all they need...is you. As a culture, we can't seem to get enough of cursed objects. But never before have the true stories of these infamous real-life items been compiled into a fascinating and chilling volume. 

Entries include: 

• Annabelle the Doll, a Raggedy Ann doll which inspired the acclaimed horror franchise The Conjuring 
• The Tomb of Tutankhamen, the discovery of which kicked-started media hysteria over a rumored "Curse of the Pharaohs" 
• The Ring of Silvianus, a Roman artifact believed to have inspired J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit 
• The Hope Diamond, which was owned by kings and inspired the Heart of the Ocean in James Cameron's Titanic 
• The Dybbuk Box, which was sold on eBay and inspired the horror film The Possession 

Whether you believe in curses or not, the often tragic and always bizarre stories behind these objects will fascinate you. Many of them have intersected with some of the most notable events and people in history. But beyond Hollywood and beyond the hysteria, author J. W. Ocker suggests that cursed objects are simply objects which have been witness to great human tragedy, and thereafter operate as mechanisms for remembering and retelling those stories. Cursed Objects will be equally appealing to true believers as well as history buffs, horror fans, and anyone who loves a good spine-tingling tale."

I love learning tidbits about prominent/famed objects, and I love the cursed objects spin on this one. This sounds like it will be really interesting and a lot of fun!

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