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The Demon in the Wood
The Demon in the Wood
Leigh Bardugo | 2015 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
HOLY MOTHER OF PEARL THIS WAS GOOD!!
“Fear is a powerful ally, but feed it too often, make it too strong, and it will turn on you.”

TRIGGER WARNINGS: bullying, death, murder

Review:
This novella is a bit shorter than most novellas I’ve read, but that doesn’t take anything away from this wonderfully executed novella! It delves deep into the past of the Darkling, allowing the reader to glimpse a semi-sweet boy that was turned dark because of how people wanted to use him for the rare powers he possessed.

Holy mother of pearl! I really truly enjoyed looking into where the Darkling came from and what his past contained before the Shadow and Bone Trilogy. At first, I was a bit confused but it eventually picked up. I do wish there was a way to pronounce all of the names as I’m clueless on how they are correctly said loll.

This story of the Darklings past, was not only heartbreaking but also soul crushing. You get to see the multi layers of the Darkling forming and he begins to become the complex character he is in Shadow and Bone. The yearning for a place to live, the loneliness he felt of not being able to get close with anyone, and the suffering created a beautifully written and executed novella. The writing had a captivating presence and I was left with wanting more of who the Darkling was. Which I got a bit in devouring Shadow and Bone, but I wish this novella was longer!

“The Grisha lived as shadows did, passing over the surface of the world, touching nothing, forced to change their shapes and hide in corners, driven by fear as shadows were driven by the sun. No safe place. No haven. There will be… I will make one.”
  
My Monticello
My Monticello
Jocelyn Nicole Johnson | 2021 | Fiction & Poetry, LGBTQ+
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
If you buy one book in October, it should be this one. MY MONTICELLO is a collection of short stories and a novella that explore race, identity, and more. Beautifully written, nuanced, and insightful, they each make you think. My introverted self found myself wishing for a book club so I could discuss these stories with others.

The eponymous novella is set in Virginia, where I live, and features a group of townspeople who must flee to Monticello after racial attacks and climate change. I wish I could describe how unsettling and good it is, but you just need to read it. It’s already been optioned for Netflix, which is awesome.

I cannot stop thinking about this book, and I also cannot recommend it enough.

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway -- thank you to Goodreads and Henry Holt for my copy.
  
I borrowed this book via KU.

What an exciting novella!!! I was captivated from the very beginning as the author's siren call caught me and swept me away in this mythical telling. Beautifully written and full of well developed characters. My only regret is that the story ended way too quickly. Everyone should take the time to read this as you won't be disappointed.
  
SS
Secret Santa
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Four Christmas novels - two romance, one mystery, and one chick lit. I bought it for Laura Levine's mystery novella featuring her sleuth Jaine Austen. I loved it as always. Two of the other stories were enjoyable, but Fern Michaels's contribution was just plain bad on all fronts.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/12/book-review-secret-santa-by-fern.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.