Spotlight on...
Arvia: Wings of the Wild by D. H. Willison

Today's spotlight is book 4 of the Tales of Arvia series. It's full of magical creatures and was just released on 22nd November 2023. Find it on Goodreads.

Book Summary

It’s easy to stand up for your friends. What about for anonymous creatures nobody else cares about?

With their homes apparently safe from the magical storms, Darin and Rinloh venture to an isolated elven village and another ancient mystery: ruins of an imperial city whose entire population vanished centuries ago.

The duo befriend a host of eccentric new characters, from a chipper ogress and hipster troll to a deadpan griffin. Yet the Forest of Nightmares challenges them as never before. Merciless carnivorous trees, subterranean horrors, ethereal creatures no mortal weapon can slay… and most sinister of all, the greed and ambition lurking within the human heart.

Darin and Rinloh’s empathic connection grows stronger the deeper into the wilderness they go, but will it be enough to stop a dark conspiracy from ravaging the land?

Arvia: Wings of the Wild challenges the harpy-human duo with their grandest adventure yet. They must balance their deepening relationship as they sharpen their skills and work together as never before to unravel a deadly new plot.

Author Bio

D.H. Willison is a reader, writer, game enthusiast and developer, engineer, and history buff. He’s lived or worked in over a dozen countries, learning different cultures, viewpoints, and attitudes, which have influenced his writing, contributing to one of his major themes: alternate and creative conflict resolution. The same situations can be viewed by different cultures quite differently. Sometimes it leads to conflict, sometimes to hilarity. Both make for a great story.

He’s also never missed a chance to visit historic sites, from castle dungeons, to catacombs, to the holds of tall ships, to the tunnels of the Maginot Line. It might be considered research, except for the minor fact that his tales are all set on the whimsical and terrifying world of Arvia. Where giant mythic monsters are often more easily overcome with empathy than explosions.

Subscribe to his newsletter for art, stories, and humorous articles (some of which are actually intended to be humorous).

Mix & Match 15

The weather lately has been pretty horrendous so I've made a Dark & Stormy cocktail to drink while you look through today's selection. I've got a real mix this time, from picture book to non fiction to novels.

Fill a tall glass with ice and add 50ml dark rum and 15ml lime juice. Top with ginger beer and enjoy.

Tapper Watson and the Quest for the Nemo Machine by Claire Fayers

Tapper loves adventure stories but really has no wish to live them himself. He's much happier at home, reading about his favourite hero, Isosceles. Of course, this all changes when he's sent to help some merchants with a delivery by submarine.

I thought this book had really great characters, but I must admit Morse was my favourite. The tapping Erisian Danger Plant had me smiling throughout the book, with its cheeky messages and always wanting to help everyone. I loved all the amazing worlds and the fascinating echolings, created from people's memories. And there were so many unexpected twists, the book was action-packed.

The use of the rivers of the underworld from Greek mythology was really clever, how it varied for each of the different nations. Every world had their own version of how the rivers fit into their origin myth. 

It sounds like this will be a series and I really hope so. I'd love to read more from Tapper, Fern and hopefully also Morse!

Can You See the Stars Tonight? by Anna Terreros-Martin

Nora and her puffin find a lost baby puffling (the cutest name for a baby animal ever!) and realise that many are getting lost because the can't see the moon and the stars any more. This has really adorable illustrations and a very important story that we can all learn from.

The Disappearing Diamond by Glen Blackwell

Emmie and Jack are sent to 1851 by a mysterious stranger. The Koh-i-Noor diamond has disappeared from the present and they must find out what happened to it in the past!

I don't know how they were supposed to know what to do, they were given absolutely no information! But somehow the two manage to find themselves at the Crystal Palace and discover the the diamond being stolen. Luckily they make some friends that can help them along the way. I liked reading about Victorian London and the Great Exhibition.

This was the second book in the series but even though I hadn't read book one, it didn't really affect the reading too much. It has made me curious about the previous books involving the Titanic and the Blitz. They both sound so interesting and take place in such fascinating time periods!

Biology: The Whole Story by Lindsay Turnbull

I love science books and this one was so easy to read with lots of fascinating subjects, written in a very accessible way.

This really is the whole story, from bacteria and eukaryotes all the way up to ecology and how different species in ecosystems work together. Including the dangers of interfering and affecting the delicate natural balance. The colourful illustrations help to explain the concepts.

Shiver Point: It Came From The Woods by Gabriel Dylan

As you probably all know by now, middle grade is my favourite and I do love a good spooky book. So this was not one I would miss out on.

To me, Shiver Point sounded like a perfectly creepy town, complete with an eerie forest, but the kids who live there are all so convinced that their town is terminally boring that they can't believe what's actually happening.

I liked getting the story from all the different kids' points of Views. They are all very different but at the same time have something in common and I was really hoping for them to get together and be a monster hunting gang!

Lots of mystery and action and I will never look at slugs the same way again!

PAX and the Missing Head by David Barker

Book Summary

In a country beset by civil war, New London defends itself behind a giant wall. Inside the city, children are forced to work from an early age, except for the lucky few who train to be leaders in the re-purposed Palace of Westminster. 12-year-old orphaned Pax is brilliant at recycling old tech. He enjoys working on the verti-farms and just wants a bit of peace and quiet. But when that is taken away from him, his only hope is to pass a near-impossible exam and join the other students in Scholastic Parliament. There he’ll make new friends and new enemies. He’ll get tested like never before. And he’ll discover that not everything is quite what it seems under the mayor’s harsh leadership.

First of all I must admit I really thought it was a completely different type of head from the title and description! I won't spoil it for you and anyway, probably everyone else got it right away 😂

This is set in a very mysterious new world. It's not really clear what exactly has caused things to change so horrifically but New London is now protected from the outside by a giant steel wall keeping out the old and the rich. Pax has never been outside but loves to look beyond the wall from high up in the vertical farms where he works.

I thought New London was such a depressing place! It's quite scary how things could escalate into a life like that. Pax really just wants to keep his head down but he's obviously really smart and Alderman seems to know that he could do better and bigger things with his life. Speaking of which, the end of the book definitely leaves things open enough for Pax to takes things much further.

It was kind of sad how Pax found it so hard to make friends so I was cheering when he found his people at Parliament. Though of course, not everyone was so nice. I find reading about bullies so frustrating and I was desperate for Pax to get back at mean-boy Zach.

Author Bio

"I attended the Faber Academy in 2014 and from that had three climate-fiction thrillers published (The Gold Trilogy, Bloodhound Books). I joined SCBWI in 2018 as I shifted my focus to a younger audience. My MG debut, Pax & The Missing Head publishes with Tiny Tree in late 2023. I live in Berkshire with my wife and daughter. I have a passion for stories, sport and boardgames."

I've made my own version of a Parliament Royale, it might give you courage while taking the terrifying scholastic test! In a a shaker full of ice, add the following, 40 ml citrus gin, 20ml apple sourz, 15ml lemon juice and a few drops of angostura bitters. Pour into a flute and top with champagne.

The Official Spooky Season Book Tag

I think this was one of the hardest tags I've done but I was determined to get it posted this month, before the end of the official spooky season! Thank you to Noly (The Artsy Reader) for tagging me, you can find her original and very good answers to the questions here.

The rules are as follows:

Tag the original creator (The Artsy Reader)

Use the official banner

Answer the prompts and questions

Tag 5 people

Have fun and get spooky!!!

Question 1: You hear a strange noise in the night – the monsters got inside! Which book character would you choose to protect you from harm?

Crisanta Knight from Protagonist Bound by Geanna Culbertson. She's got magic and many abilities to help protect me, plus she goes on tons of quests so has the experience. Also comes with her kick ass friends.

Question 2: You go on vacation and your hotel is located right next to a cemetery. Which book character do you really hope is not hiding in the shadows?

The creepy one-eyed stones in Marianne Dreams by Catherine Storr. This was one of my favourite books as a child and definitely the creepiest thing I can think of. They could easily hide in a cemetery!

Question 3: It’s a particularly cold night and you decide to stay inside. Which three book characters would you like to spend a trivia quiz and board game night with?

Irene from the Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman, Bethany from The Beast and the Bethany by Jack Meggitt-Phillips and Kurara from Rebel Skies by Ann Sei Lin. Each of them are really interesting and fun characters, though I now realise they would all probably beat me at any game we tried to play.

Question 4: Time for a big adventure! The scary book you pick transports you into its world. Where do you end up?

It would probably have to be Faerie. It would mostly be terrifying but at the same time really wondrous and amazing.

Question 5: No Halloween without Trick or Treat-ing! Which book character do you think has the sweetest tooth?

Aleja and her friends in Ship of Shadows by Maria Kuzniar. They always have cake ready and waiting and definitely would not go on any adventure without snacks.

Question 6: The fairies are angry and want a sacrifice from your bookshelf. Which scary book has to go and why?

This is really tough as I try not to keep books without a good reason. I am constantly having to give some away to make room for the new ones I love. I don't think I have any more that I am willing to give up right now.

Question 7: You decide you feel more autumnal rather than halloween-y today. Which book setting would you choose for a more cosy and less scary vibe?

Viv's cafe in Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree. The whole book makes me feel cosy, despite the high possibility of adventure.

Question 8: The witch is cooking up a spell in her cauldron and you have to add one magic ingredient. Which item from a book are you adding to the mixture?

I can't think of many magical book ingredients except from Harry Potter. Most of them are animal parts and I feel bad for the animals so I'd put in Moondew as I love anything to do with the sky and space.

Question 9: You get to decide which bookish place to visit for Halloween. Which book setting is the scariest – and gets crossed off the list?

The spider tunnels in Dread Wood by Jennifer Killick, mostly because I could not deal with the Latchitts. They just never seem to quit, no matter how many times you think you've escaped them.

Question 10: The big day is finally here: it’s Halloween! Which book character do you dress up as, and what would be part of your outfit?

I've always liked the look of those long white ancient Greek style dresses so maybe I could go as a Goddess from one of the many mythology-based books I read. Quite a few of them seem pretty scary to me!

I'm tagging:

@thepennotthesw1

@shelvesofstarl1

@BooksAre42

@AmysBookishLife

@AVoraciousReadr

And anyone else who's interested. Let me know if you have a go, I'd love to read your answers!

Marvellous Middle Grade (part 2)

It's time for some more magnificent middle grade books! Today you can start with the cocktail, a gorgeous Marshmallow Martini, then decide what to read with it.

This didn't turn out to be as sweet as it sounded so I ended up adapting the recipe a bit more to my taste. Also I only had giant marshmallows so had to cut one in half an it was still huge compared to the cocktail! Shake all the ingredients with ice and strain into a martini glass. 50ml vanilla vodka, 35ml passoa, 10ml lemon juice, 10ml sugar syrup. Garnish with a roasted marshmallow and add a side shot of champagne to make it extra fancy!

Old Gods New Tricks by Thiago de Moraes

The world is suddenly plunged into darkness when all the electricity stops working. No one seems to have a clue how to fix it, but luckily Trixie knows exactly who to go to for help!

This was such a funny book and Trixie is an amazing main character. She's so brave and super-sassy, even in the face of the scary gods, and she's even smart enough to out-trick the tricksters. There was mythology from all over the world. If you're not already a fan of myths, this will definitely get you interested. I loved the snippets of mythology between the chapters and at the end there's a great appendix with more about the five tricksters.

Matilda Meets the Universe by Dom Conlon, illustrated by Heidi Cannon

Matilda wants to know EVERYTHING! On her mission to meet alien life, she finds out about the formation of stars and planets, the speed of light, the Goldilocks zone, the Drake equation, interstellar travel and so much more. She's a lively, energetic character, never stopping on her journey to find things out. At times she switches to adult mode to give some useful information but there are lots of moments of humour in between.

This is great for any little scientists in your life, and also good for getting the more reluctant ones interested in science and space. Lots of starter information and it even got me thinking about some of the things mentioned. It feels more like a really fun text book than a novel but is still very easy to read.

The Myriad Mysteries of Eartha Quicksmith by Loris Owen

Kip is back at Quicksmiths and after discovering the Ark and escaping from Gorvak in his first year, you'd think he has time for a rest. However he and his friends feel like they are no closer to discovering Eartha Quicksmith's secrets and they won't stop until they do!

This is an amazing adventure through seemingly endless worlds. The descriptions of all the different worlds sounded so exciting and interesting, though I wouldn't want to find myself in most of them. I also love reading about the wonderful inventions which are created. For example, being able to jump into someone's dream would be fascinating. 

Book 3 is starting to get a mention so I think now is a good time to catch up if you haven't yet!

What Lives in the Woods by Lindsay Currie

Creepy and suspenseful. With a ticking clock that only Ginny can hear, a chilling mannequin that moves at night despite being bolted down and ghostly shapes in the ballroom.

I loved the ending and how all the clues come together, though in a completely different way than expected.

I've already read one of her books, which I didn't realise when I first found 'Woods' but this one is even better. I've now got 'Scritch Scratch' on my list and I'm really looking forward to it, as well as her newest book 'It Found Us'.

Ophie's Ghosts by Justina Ireland

I knew I'd love this right from the beginning. Ophie was a wonderful, lovable character who I sympathised with immediately. The writing was so easy to get into and very difficult to stop reading!

I love how buildings and railways are characters themselves, with the way their thoughts and emotions are described. Every chapter reveals some new information and interesting clues along the way to solve the mystery and the ghost lore is really interesting and unique. This was a great book for a buddy read, we had loads to discuss!

Scareground by Angela Kecojevic

Book Summary

Roll up, roll up, the Scareground is in town!

Twelve-year-old Nancy Crumpet lives above a bakery and her life is a delightful mix of flour, salt, and love. Yet her mind is brimming with questions no one can answer: Why did her birth parents disappear? Why can she speak with the sky? And why must she keep her mysterious birthmark hidden?

Everything is about to change when the Scareground returns to Greenwich. Nancy is convinced it holds the answers to her parents’ disappearance. Nancy and her best friend Arthur Green meet the fair’s spooky owner, Skelter, and discover a world full of dark magic and mystery. Nancy must confront her greatest fears to get to the truth. But is she ready for all the secrets the Scareground will reveal?

Deliciously creepy from the start, this book is full of mysteries. What is the significance of the horse-shaped mark on Nancy's wrist, why can she understand the sky, and why is everyone so unhappy about the fair that's arriving in town?

I always think rooftop worlds sound so wondrous and Nancy's life in the bakery by day and flitting about the houses by night does sound incredible. I loved the magical descriptions of colours and the illusions sounded fascinating, particularly Pepper's Ghost which I just had to look up and read more about.

Without giving away any spoilers I have to say I found it a bit hard to understand why Nancy would do some of the things she did. After vowing that no one would take her away from her parents, her actions seemed quite counter-intuitive. Then again maybe I shouldn't expect anyone to be logical in this situation!

Nancy and Arthur were really brave, confronting their fears of the fair and investigating, meeting lots of intriguing characters along the way. It was so sweet how they supported each other. The suspense kept me on edge the whole time and I was never sure if they would get away with it. There was a very mysterious ending, possibly paving the way to a second book??? 🤞

Author Bio

Angela Kecojevic is a senior librarian, author and creative writing tutor. She has written for the Oxford Reading Tree programme and the multi-award-winning adventure park Hobbledown where her characters can be seen walking around, something she still finds incredibly charming! She is a member of the Climate Writers Fiction League, a group of international authors who use climate issues in their work. Angela lives in the city of Oxford with her family.

To make a Carnival Cosmo, add the following ingredients to a shaker full of ice, shake well then strain into a martini glass. 40ml vodka, 25ml limoncello, 25ml cranberry juice, 15ml lime juice. 

Graphic Novels (part 2)

There are some really great graphic novels out there and I think they just don't get the love they deserve! I can't get enough of all the beautiful art styles and interesting fast-paced stories. So here are a few of the gorgeous books I've enjoyed this year.

But first things first, let's start with The Seventh Art cocktail. This one sounded amazing so I'm glad I got an excuse to try it out.

Muddle half a cup of popcorn (I used sweet) in a shaker, add 50ml white rum, 10ml yellow chartreuse, 20ml lemon juice and a dash of sugar syrup. Shake with ice and fine strain into a cocktail glass.  Once you've got your refreshment ready, on to the books!

Frontera by Julio Anta, Jacoby Salcedo

Mateo is making the dangerous journey through the desert, from Mexico to America. Luckily for him, he makes a helpful friend who just happens to be a ghost.

Between running from boarder patrol and running out of supplies, Mateo comes across many different challenges, finding help in unexpected places and even helping others. Guillermo's story is also really interesting, I feel like he could have his own series where he saves unsuspecting travellers. This was completely action packed but somehow also managed to be very touching, I had tears at the end! The art and colours are really vibrant, I'm sure the finished version will be gorgeous.

The Hills of Estrella Roja by Ashley Robin Franklin

Kat receives word of mysterious devil lights floating above the hills in a small town and decides investigating the phenomenon is the perfect thing for her spooky podcast. Of course she finds a lot more than she was expecting, including a cute girl who used to be local but now feels just as out of place as Kat.

I'm not usually one for romance in books but these two are just so cute! I loved the will they/won't they through the book and how they kept getting all embarrassed every time they accidentally touched. However, my favourite character was probably Ana, she really needed a bigger part. She always had this shrewd look on her face and seemed to notice everything. They'd have solved the mysteries a lot quicker if she was in charge.

There were a lot of characters which I found a bit hard to follow and I was slightly confused with the ending but I still really enjoyed it and wonder if there will be more books to follow.

My Heart in Braille by Joris Chamblain, Anne-Lise Nalin

Victor likes to mess around, playing in the band with his friends and always getting things wrong at school. Striking up an unlikely friendship with Marie-Jo, they find they can actually help each-other out.

This was such a sweet story, I had a tear or two by the end. Victor was a really honest character. So cheeky but all he truly wanted was to do well and make people proud. Meeting Marie-Jo opened up his world a bit and got him trying new things and making a huge effort to learn. The way they got on together was lovely to see and I think they both learned from each other. 

The art was delightfully soft and had a beautiful colour palette.

Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker, Wendy Xu

I finally got to read the book so many people have recommended over the years and it did not disappoint at all! Nova is a young witch who discovers dark forces in the woods and realises she has to find a way to fight them to save her childhood friend who pops up after being gone for years.

The spirits were just TOO adorable. And I loved how the Nanas just trusted Nova to get on with things, even when it could be dangerous. They were like mischievous children! Wonderful characters and a great art style. I want more!

20km by Woshibai

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book but it caught my eye and I had to give it a try. It was like lots of little stories. Some were really clever, a few made me smile and some were a little sad. I can't say I understood them all but it was amazing the amount of emotion that even such simple pictures could elicit.

Have you read any wonderful graphic novels recently? I am always on the lookout for more so please let me know your recommendations!

The Wrath of the Woolington Wyrm
(Miss Mary-Kate Martin's Guide to Monsters)
by Karen Foxlee

Book Summary

There are those that hunt monsters to harm them and there are those that hunt monsters to help them. Which one are you?

Dressed in sparkly red shoes and carrying her strawberry-scented notebook, Mary-Kate accompanies her archaeologist mother to the quiet English countryside to investigate some unusual bones found in an old well.

But soon she realises that the village of Woolington is not as peaceful as it seems; the ground trembles beneath them, there are mysterious noises, and the locals are obsessed with a terrifying old legend.

Could there be any truth in the myth of the beast who lives in the ancient well? With the help of a new friend, Mary-Kate starts getting to the bottom of this monstrous mystery.

I loved reading about Mary-Kate's investigations, the book is so easy to get into and quite fast-paced, there is always something happening.

Mary-Kate is so sweet, I really felt for her with all her worries, and she tries so hard not to cause other people stress. Her mother is lovely, so understanding but also no-nonsense and I think just the right amount of challenging.

I really enjoyed the snippets from P.K. Mayberry's Complete Guide to Monsters of the Northern Hemisphere. I feel like this might need a whole companion book of it's own!

This was such a comfort read, I'm just sorry I don't have book two yet to read next (The Trouble with the Two-Headed Hydra). From the excerpt it sounds like it will be just as much fun to read, specially as it takes place in a Greek island!

Mary-Kate definitely deserves a cocktail of her own so I've created one with strawberry and of course, glitter! Muddle a couple of strawberries in a shaker, add 30ml gin and 20ml lemon juice, shake with ice and strain into a flute glass. Add a sprinkle of pink edible glitter then slowly top with prosecco which will get the glitter swirling around beautifully.

Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

Book Summary

She's done slaying monsters

She's ready to serve coffee

After decades of adventuring, Viv the orc barbarian is finally hanging up her sword for good. Now she sets her sights on a new dream – for she plans to open the first coffee shop in the city of Thune. Even though no one there knows what coffee actually is.

If Viv wants to put the past behind her, she can’t go it alone. And help might arrive from unexpected quarters. Yet old rivals and new stand in the way of success. And Thune’s shady underbelly could make it all too easy for Viv to take up the blade once more.

But the true reward of the uncharted path is the travellers you meet along the way. Whether bound by ancient magic, delicious pastries or a freshly brewed cup, they may become something deeper than Viv ever could have imagined.

This was a surprise highlight of the year! I didn't think it was exactly my thing but I'd heard so much good about it that I had to give a go, and I enjoyed it so much. It was such a relaxing read, no angst or stress and just what I needed at the time. Cosy gets used a lot in book descriptions but in this case it is truly deserved.

I was really curious to see how a coffee shop would go down somewhere they'd never heard of such a thing and the customers had some pretty interesting reactions. There's also a lot of humour in the descriptions...

“Well, shit. Milky bean water. I'll be damned.”

Viv is the best! She's such a great character, both practical and level-headed, but can also be hot-headed at time. I love how she cares so much about everyone. The other characters are all so lovely too. by the end of the book you feel like you know them all.

Whether you love coffee or hate it, you won't be able to resist the wonderful descriptions of the smell and taste in this book.

I've wanted to try making an Espresso Martini for ages so this was the perfect excuse. First, brew some fresh espresso and add sugar to taste. In a shaker, pour 30ml espresso, 45ml vodka, 20 coffee liqueur and a tiny pinch of salt. Shake all with ice and strain into a martini glass.

Mysteries at Sea: Peril on the Atlantic

by A. M. Howell

 

 

Book Summary

July, 1936. As the Queen Mary sets sail across the Atlantic, Alice can't wait for the summer of adventure that lies ahead. She's excited to explore the huge ship, with its shops, animals and even celebrities on board.

As Alice's sailor father focuses on winning a prestigious race, she witnesses a shocking attack. Alice and her new friend Sonny start to uncover a dark plot to sabotage the race, and as they investigate gold bars, anonymous notes and lost silk gloves, secrets in their own lives come to the surface.

While fog threatens the boat's journey, and dangerous enemies show themselves, Alice and Sonny are in their own race to solve all the mysteries unfolding. But what they discover might change both their lives forever...

This is a thrilling adventure across the Atlantic, with more than one mystery on board and the nail biting race for the fastest crossing.

Alice is a great main character and I loved her mischievous nature. Of course she wasn't going to sit around her room doing nothing for the whole trip! The wonderful descriptions of the ship make you feel like you're actually there, exploring with Alice and her new friends. Halfway through the story, a whole new mystery appears, which was actually something I was hoping for. At the end, the reveals just keep coming, it was not predictable at all and there were lots of things I never could have guessed. 

The perfect cocktail to sip while enjoying the view from the sun deck is an Atlantic Breeze. Shake and strain all the following ingredients into a tall, ice-filled glass: 45ml white rum, 15ml brandy liqueur, 7.5ml Galliano, 75ml pineapple juice, 15ml lemon juice.

Flatlands by Sue Hubbard

Book Summary

Freda is a twelve-year-old evacuee from East London, who has been sent away at the start of the war, leaving behind everything familiar to her, to escape the expected German bombing.

In her new temporary home in Lincolnshire, Freda finds herself billeted with a strange, cold and, ultimately, abusive couple, whose lives mirror the barren landscape in which they live a hand to mouth existence, based upon subsistence farming and poaching. There, deprived of any warmth, she meets a young man – Philip Rhayader -a conscientious objector who has left Oxford and his prospective vocation in the church following a nervous breakdown.

Together they explore the wild, beautiful landscape of the Wash, teeming with migrating birds, and nurse an injured goose back to health. As they do so, Philip introduces Freda to the wonders of the natural world and its enduring power to heal.

I wanted to share a short extract from the book which I particularly liked. I felt it was quite touching and I also thought it gave a good feel for one of the main characters. I found the writing in the book to be so descriptive and it is full of evocative nature writing.

Author Bio

Sue Hubbard is an award-winning poet, novelist and art critic. She has published three acclaimed novels and numerous collections of poetry, and was commissioned to create London's largest public art poem at Waterloo. Flatlands is her fourth novel.

Magic Has No Borders
edited by Sona Charaipotra & Samira Ahmed

Book Summary

A pair of star-crossed lovers search for a way back to one another against all odds…

A girl fights for her life against a malignant, generations-old evil…

A peri seeks to reclaim her lost powers…

A warrior rebels against her foretold destiny…

From chudails and peris to jinn and goddesses, this lush collection of South Asian folklore, legends, and epics reimagines stories of old for a modern audience. This fantasy and science fiction teen anthology edited by Samira Ahmed and Sona Charaipotra contains a wide range of stories from fourteen bestselling, award-winning, and emerging writers from the South Asian diaspora that will surprise, delight, and move you. So read on, for after all, magic has no borders.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am sucker for any book involving mythology. I don't know much about South Asian myth so this anthology interested me immediately and I really enjoyed discovering these legends. I was excited to read more from some of my previously read authors, and to find lots of new ones.

This was a bit of a mixed bag for me. There were some stories which I really enjoyed, Kiss Me Goodbye and Dismantle the Sun were two of my favourites. Infinite Drift and Mirch, Masala and Magic both had me in tears! However there were a couple of the stories which had so many unknown words that I didn't understand half of what was happening.

To make this delicious Without Borders cocktail, shake the following ingredients with ice and strain into a coupe glass. 30ml calvados, 20ml Benedictine, 20ml maraschino, 20ml lime juice and half a pinch of salt.