clairetrellahill's reviews
3229 reviews

Hello the only word I can think of is Delightful. Wait let me try again: Splendid. A Hoot. So Fun. Eminently Charming.

The sequel to Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries, MAP OF THE OTHERLANDS deepens the story in the same style. Emily and Wendell are back at Cambridge after their first adventure, but not for long—fairy assassins are hot on Wendell’s trail. Emily sets out on a quest for the door into his realm—and also to work on her new map—with two new companions in two: her eager niece and their curmudgeonly colleague, both of whom insisted on being included in the adventure. Their trip takes them to the German/Austrian Alps this time, and run into more thorny species and uniquely fae probelms.

The author has made a fan for life. I am living for these characters and the mix of cozy and exciting that they manage to imbue the tales with. If there is not a book 3 I shall cry. I will 100% be running to the bookstore the instant this is released. Five enthusiastic stars.

Many thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this ARC. This is my honest review. EWMOTO releases Jan 16, 2024.

Just supremely delighted with this book. Went out and bought the book instead of waiting interminably on the library hold list because I got approved for an arc of book 2, rip to others but I’m different. Absolutely loved Emily and Wendell and their argumentative infatuation and ALSO delighted with the locale. One would not think based on the cover it is based on a small island outside Norway, with ice and snow and auroras. And having recently been to Norway that was just lovely. Five stars!!

This book was…interesting.

There is no handholding. You are thrown straight in with no explanation for the world or what’s going on and in the first third that serves well as you keep reading to discover more. Kai is a demon and he and his friend were imprisoned in a tower, and they break out and try to find answers as to what happened to them and who betrayed them.

The flashback chapters serve to introduce us to the beginning of Kai’s story and his past and to provide context for what is happening in the present. A whole coup has happened in the past, very significantly against the Hierarchy (and also the immortal blessed which are not the same thing but have worked with/for the hierarchy in the past….I didn’t pay attention). There is a lot of geopolitical background that forms the basis of the world currently and while it was cool to see a fantasy world that was non-western, a lot of it I wasn’t super invested in.

The first 30% where you’re learning more and getting exposed to the world and trying to figure things out along with Kai was cool. I liked the characters but not enough to be heavily invested in them? Ultimately I just think the narrative was more concerned with things I was not concerned with. It is by no means a bad book. Just…interesting.

I am unsure whether this is a solid standalone, or maybe a stand-alone that could go places as a series if the author decides. If there are more books I might read them. But I might wait to hear what they’re about before I get invested in it.

3.75 stars.

This book hits you like a KABLAM full of motherhood feels and I’m not even a mother.

Kristan Higgins knows EXACTLY where to punch. I started crying in chapter two. Her books are so poignant and real and this one is no exception. Harlow gave up her son for adoption at 17 and never told anyone and now here he is, walking back into her bookstore. This drops a bomb not just on her family’s life but on his family’s life, especially as teens act like teens. Trying to navigate the complex emotions is tough but KH walks the reader through the summer that is a revelation in many ways.

If you ever need an emotional catharsis with a good ending highly recommend her books and especially this one.

It’s kind of baffling to me why the reviews are skewed on this book. “Why wouldn’t you admit to someone you have a panic disorder” well maybe because the thought causes you to panic. Also because you think you have to manage everything yourself and not let anyone help you because no one has ever helped you in your whole life even when faced with adult responsibilities at a super young age by a negligent mother who was an alcoholic.

Even if you hate miscommunication/lying tropes, I think the author did a fantastic job of showing WHY both characters think the way they do. They’re both flawed characters with hidden secrets and wounds (Darcy is dyslexic and understandably doesn’t tell people because they assume things about her intelligence and no one has ever helped her manage it either.) And when Teagan realizes Darcy believes he’s an alcoholic, he likes her so much and is willing to hire her as a sober companion he doesn’t need just because he’s never had anybody care about him. Never had anybody who made her feel the way she does. Of course they’re both wrong in their approaches but that’s part of their flaws. And understanding and their character arcs is a big part of the book. I thought this was a good read.

4 stars ⭐️
Heat level: 3

I remain in awe of House Andrews and the Kate Daniels universe. This book deserves 5 stars because the authors are doing a very difficult thing, which is continue to grow and develop and expand your world and characters even when you could rest on your laurels and coast on wish fulfillment. While they do deliver on lots of things for the long time fans, they continue to examine and reassess the stories they have told and will tell, and it seems like there is still a lot of gas in the tank for Kate and Curran.

I so enjoyed the Curran POV sections of this book. It was a true delight. I also really loved that Kate and Curran’s relationship still feels like it’s depending and maturing. I think that this series really benefits from having a husband-wife writing duo because they do clearly communicate what it’s like to be married and still work on communication and developing your relationship. They do not fall into the typical tv trap of “oh no they’re married what do we do now.” And I know that House Andrews does work hard to give the right character development to their leads. I love this series and I’m very excited to see where the next chapter of their journey takes us.

5 stars!
Heat level: 3