What Moves the Dead is Kingfisher’s retelling of Edgar Allan Poe’s classic “The Fall of the House of Usher.” I’m continually amazed at how much Kingfisher can pack into her smaller word count stories. The last horror I read from her left me more unnerved than scared but this one hit the mark with utmost precision. I relished everything about this book. The sticky atmosphere and cloying Usher House left me with goose bumps at several points. I loved the narrator, Alex Easton, and retired soldier. It was interesting to watch his no-nonsense demeanor be completely rewritten between these pages as he encounters various aspects up the unknown. I feel like this was a great tribute to Poe without trying to become him. Since trying House of Hunger last year, I have discovered I enjoy gothic storylines and added many to my TBR last year. I recommend this to anyone on the fence about giving it a try. (4/5 rating)
Tag: Retellings
Book Review – For The Throne (Wilderwood 2) by Hannah F. Whitten
I had high expectations for this since the first book was one of my favorite reads of 2021. Since I don’t read nearly as much young adult anymore, that means it must be exceptional. I’m sure I’ll be in the minority when I say I didn’t like this one as much. I was excited to read about Neve’s side of the story after she is trapped in the Shadowlands. I loved the lore side of this story that expounded on many of the plot points of book one and two. The worldbuilding remained exceptional but the pace felt much slower to me. I had to keep coming back to finish it a few chapters at a time. I felt like Neve and Solmir don’t get time to form the same connection that Red and her Wolf created in book one. I loved Red in book one, but her actions while attempting to rescue Neve were frustrating. I didn’t enjoy Neve in book one, but I found a way to like her is this one, especially with her seemingly insurmountable task of defeating the Kings with Solmir‘s help. Raffe, the Wolf, and Solmir were the characters that remained the same for me in both. This wasn’t for me, but I am sure plenty of other people will love it. (3/5 rating)
Book Review – A Ruin of Roses (Deliciously Dark Fairytales #1) By K.F. Breene
This is the first in Breene’s latest book series. I wanted to wait until the entire series had been released until I dug back into this one. I was excited for this since it is a retelling of The Beauty and The Beast storyline. I loved every word and detail of this world and its characters. Breene, as usual, set the first book up to be a series of epic proportioned. I loved our strong heroine, Finley, and the fact that she refuses to back down from Nyfain, especially in the face of his obvious physical strength over her. Hadriel became a favorite side character since he made me laugh a lot. He was a perfect dose of hilarity amongst the heavier tones within this. The pace remained quick while the world building was off the charts. This is exactly why I horde my other Breene books, like a dragon myself. No one does it the way she does. This is not a typical fairy tale, but it is Breene’s fresh take on it, that makes it something else entirely. (5/5 rating)
Book Review – The Sisters of the Winter Wood by Rena Rossner
This was a retelling inspired by folklore that caught Rossner’s eye. I’m not gonna lie, I chose this one by the cover alone. This was my first written by this author. I enjoyed the magical atmosphere Rossner created. I liked the Jewish portion of the story as well as the shifter aspect. I’ve decided I want to be a swan shifter when I grew up. I struggled to rate this book since it felt a bit too YA for me but that is just my standard for reading nowadays. I also felt like the pace was slow for me and I struggled with aspects of the sister’s relationship. (3/5 rating)
Book Review – A Deal with the Elf King (Married to Magic 1) by Elise Kova
This was my first novel by Elise Kova. Each novel is a standalone book within the series, so they can be read in any order. This story is set between the Elven world, the Kingdom of Midscape, and the human world, particularly the town of Capton. The female MC, a human named Luella, discovers she has Elven magic and must leave with the Elven King, Eldas to save both worlds. I loved the magic system and watching Luella grow into herself. Midscape is bold and vivid, set with political intrigue, and Kova creates a deeply addicting world. I fell into the pages and into and her writing style so it’s only fair that I continue with this series. I also have her “Air Awakens’ series on my TBR. I recommend this to anyone looking for a great retelling of The Beauty and the Beast. (3/5 rating)
Book Review – Hunted (Haven Realm Chronicles 1) by Mila Young
This was my first novel by Mila Young. The premise, a sexy retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, I couldn’t help but move it to the top of my TBR. Scarlet, the female MC, is a healer who lives inside a forest. After she heals an alpha wolf, they uncover a curse affecting the surrounding wolves. Together, they must uncover the culprit behind it. I liked Scarlet and her quest for justice and family of her own. This world I has a lot of moving pieces between rulers, and I felt it set the base nicely for the next book. I am curious to learn where it goes from here since each book is a separate fairy tale within this realm. (3/5 rating)
Book Review – Gild (The Plated Prisoner 1) by Raven Kennedy
This is a re-telling of the King Midas story. Auron is our female MC and a gold touched part of Midas’s royal household. With her gold touched skin though, she spends much of her time in a cage to keep her safe. Auron admits she loves him, especially after he saved her from a childhood of poverty. Her feelings are put to the test after Midas betrays her trust by using her to manipulate a king and usher in war. A lot happens in only 400 pages. I know it’s obvious that Auron loves Midas, and he might love her back, but I hope he isn’t the main romance angle in this series because it’s obvious to me that he doesn’t treat her like he loves her. The relationship appears to be very one sided. War breaks out amongst several kingdoms and the ending certainly sets up the next book. I am hopeful Auron realizes she is worth more. (3/5 rating)
