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THE COLOR OF DREAMS

An often engaging entrepreneurial quest that mixes family turmoil, positive thinking, and a helpful dose of magic.

Zajaczkowski offers a fantasy novel about one man’s dogged pursuit of a woodworking dream—and the angel that helps makes it possible.

It’s 1988, and Ben Davidson lives with his family in Tacoma, Washington. He has a passion for creating objects out of wood; more specifically, he makes custom mailboxes that look like houses as a hobby. Ben would love to do it for a living, but he wonders how he could ever make enough money selling them. However, after he loses his regular job at a plant nursery, it seems like a prime opportunity to try. His wife, Emily, thinks Ben should pursue what drives him, but she also thinks that it might not be the right time now. Soon afterward, Ben encounters an angel. This small being, who can communicate with insects and animals, also has a lot to communicate to Ben—teaching him lessons about, among other things, the power of thought: “The thoughts you plant in the garden of your mind are watered and nourished by your feelings and beliefs.” Ben needs to work on faith, the angel says, and see how consistent actions “always determine the course your life eventually takes.” However, Ben still has an uphill battle to make his business idea work and make sure that his marriage doesn’t disintegrate. Zajaczkowski’s unusual fantasy tale consistently works to keep readers involved in the narrative. The disagreements between Ben and Emily feel very real, for example, and their problems aren’t resolved swiftly or easily. As much as the angel can help, she can’t magically dissolve tensions in a relationship, which is a realistic touch. Other aspects of the angel’s abilities, though, feel heavy handed. Aside from the assistance in dream fulfillment, she informs Ben about such things as the arrival of a new family of foxes in the woods to the declining health of the family dog. Nevertheless, the narrative’s personal interactions and the ways in which Ben tackles his obstacles make for a diverting tale.

An often engaging entrepreneurial quest that mixes family turmoil, positive thinking, and a helpful dose of magic.

Pub Date: May 1, 2025

ISBN: 9798991769112

Page Count: 350

Publisher: Starlite Books

Review Posted Online: Feb. 9, 2025

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BURY OUR BONES IN THE MIDNIGHT SOIL

A beautiful meditation on queer identity against a supernatural backdrop.

Three women deal very differently with vampirism in Schwab’s era-spanning follow-up to The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue (2020).

In 16th-century Spain, Maria seduces a wealthy viscount in an attempt to seize whatever control she can over her own life. It turns out that being a wife—even a wealthy one—is just another cage, but then a mysterious widow offers Maria a surprising escape route. In the 19th century, Charlotte is sent from her home in the English countryside to live with an aunt in London when she’s found trying to kiss her best friend. She’s despondent at the idea of marrying a man, but another mysterious widow—who has a secret connection to Maria’s widow from centuries earlier—appears and teaches Charlotte that she can be free to love whomever she chooses, if she’s brave enough. In 2019, Alice’s memories of growing up in Scotland with her mercurial older sister, Catty, pull her mind away from her first days at Harvard University. And though she doesn’t meet any mysterious widows, Alice wakes up alone after a one-night stand unable to tolerate sunlight, sporting two new fangs, and desperate to drink blood. Horrified at her transformation, she searches Boston for her hookup, who was the last person she remembers seeing before she woke up as a vampire. Schwab delicately intertwines the three storylines, which are compelling individually even before the reader knows how they will connect. Maria, Charlotte, and Alice are queer women searching for love, recognition, and wholeness, growing fangs and defying mortality in a world that would deny them their very existence. Alice’s flashbacks to Catty are particularly moving, and subtly play off themes of grief and loneliness laid out in the historical timelines.

A beautiful meditation on queer identity against a supernatural backdrop.

Pub Date: June 10, 2025

ISBN: 9781250320520

Page Count: 544

Publisher: Tor

Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025

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SHIELD OF SPARROWS

A thrilling, immersive tale that shows that some bargains demand more than just a crown.

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  • New York Times Bestseller

A reluctant princess is thrust into deadly political intrigue in Perry’s sweeping, high-stakes romantasy.

Odessa is the overlooked and underestimated princess of Quentis, whose life takes an unexpected turn when a deal is struck between her father and the formidable Turan warriors force her into an arranged marriage with their enigmatic prince, Zavier Wolfe. Intended as a mere formality to secure trade routes and military alliances, the betrothal spirals into something far more dangerous when ancient magic, a ruthless Guardian, and a looming war threaten to upend everything she knows. Finally emerging from the shadow of her seemingly perfect half sister, Mae, Odessa must navigate court politics, monstrous creatures, and her own uncertain place in a world where survival often depends on strategy rather than strength. As tensions rise, she finds herself entangled with the dangerous, enigmatic Guardian—a man whose silver eyes hold secrets of their own. Perry’s worldbuilding is lush and immersive, crafting a kingdom rife with old magic, deadly beasts, and political machinations that add depth. The pacing is relentless, carrying Odessa from one life-altering event to another as she grapples with duty, defiance, and a destiny she never chose. Her internal conflict is compelling, torn between the expectations placed upon her and the fierce independence that threatens to make her an outcast in her own kingdom. Romance simmers as Odessa struggles to reconcile her obligations with her growing attraction to the Guardian, whose past is as shadowed as his reputation. Mae is introduced as Odessa’s political foil, and although her presence drives much of Odessa’s internal drama—being constantly overshadowed or underestimated—she’s mostly seen through Odessa’s perspective. Her motivations, ambitions, and political maneuverings might have benefited from deeper exploration to give more nuance to the power dynamics. However, Perry’s evocative prose and intricate plotting make for a gripping tale. Readers looking for a slow-burn romantasy with rich political intrigue and a protagonist forced to create her own fate will find much to enjoy.

A thrilling, immersive tale that shows that some bargains demand more than just a crown.

Pub Date: May 6, 2025

ISBN: 9781649378514

Page Count: 528

Publisher: Entangled: Red Tower Books

Review Posted Online: March 26, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2025

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