Sunday, November 19, 2023

Book Review: The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill

The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill 
by Rowenna Miller
My rating: 3 of 5 stars


”I thought if I just kept on, I’d eventually get somewhere. But if you choose the wrong path, you’re not going to end up where you wanted to go by charging ahead, are you? You have to stop and turn around sometimes, even if it’s not easy.”

The women in The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill are tough and not easily put down. Thank goodness for that as they live in a time of extreme patriarchy and have to fight for every single small gain they get. The characters and premise that Rowena Miller gives us is brilliant.

Miller has a way with words that always captivated me early on. Sadly it didn’t hold throughout the novel. There is a lull about halfway through, about 75 pages, that felt too repetitive and boring. There didn’t seem to be a large need to show every single bargain made at that point. Thus, sadly when we got to the real fairy interactions portion of the novel it had lost its hold on me. I still enjoyed the last portion and the intricate bargaining with the fairies; but not near as much as I felt I should have.

Miller has not written a plethora of books. This is really only her second world (as her debut was a fantasy trilogy) so perhaps the refinement I desire will come in future stories. I would certainly read another novel by Miller, as I do think she has a true talent in writing. It just may be that a more stringent editor is needed to slice out those repetitive sections that do not serve to move the plot forward.

View all my reviews

Friday, October 13, 2023

Book Review: Stories from the Tenants Downstairs

Stories from the Tenants Downstairs
by Sidik Fofana
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This was an interesting 'anthology' of stories. Although it's not really an anthology as the stories all link together somehow. Each story is about or from the point of view of a tenant of the same building. They all share experiences, knowledge, and (in some cases) friendship throughout the entire set of stories.

Overall the stories are very sad. This is a low income building with a lot of barely hanging on, or already two steps into being evicted folks. That's not to say it isn't without its happy moments, as it does have some; but overall do not expect an uplifting set of stories here.

My favourite characters POVs we see include: a single mother with an autistic child and an elderly POC 'Mama' who faces constant, relentless discrimination regarding her skin tone, intelligence, and more. The overall stories themselves are very unique as their POV's are written in the vernacular you would expect from that specific person (yes including the typos of a child). Therefore you can't really get bored as by the time you might be tired of someone's narrative it's time for another one to come into play.

This set of stories does require some patience however. It's not obvious through the first 7 stories that they are actually going to tangibly connect in a meaningful way. It's story 8, the last, that really brings the whole set together. It's well worth the payoff in my opinion! It's a definite tear jerker, and I usually hate those books, so it's a pretty big compliment from me that I thought it was well done. I wouldn't read it again, except maybe for a book club or to discuss with a friend who might benefit from the stories; but I'm glad to have read it this once.

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

Follow me on Goodreads

Thursday, October 12, 2023

Book Review: A Garden of Creatures

A Garden of Creatures
by Sheila Heti
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A gem of a book about dying and where we go upon death. This lovely Canadian children’s book has gorgeous illustrations that feel calming. While sometimes sad they are overall loving in the end.
An amazing book to gift any child (or even adult) who has experienced loss recently and is having trouble coping. Or, I would suggest, as a way to prepare children for the idea of death.
I really wish our society was more open about death and my hope is that this lovely gem of a story can help.

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
Follow me on Goodreads