The Mask of Mirrors by M.A. Carrick
I was looking for a meaty fantasy series that I could sink my teeth into, so when I came across the Rook and Rose trilogy by M. A. Carrick, it instantly caught my eye! The Mask of Mirrors is the first in the series and I really got caught up in the story- so much so, I had to order the next two in the trilogy, to carry on without waiting for them to arrive.
Set in a fictional city, con artist Ren, has one goal; to con her way into a noble family and secure a future for her and her sister. Yet, as she becomes more intertwined with the people and the city, it seems she has more problems than she started with. Ren must team up with a mysterious vigilante to find the source of a corrupt magic weaving its way through the city.
I would highly recommend this trilogy to anyone who loves magic, mystery, betrayal, and adventure with hints of romance thrown in too, you’ll have a blast!
- Alisha
The Searcher by Tana French
I really enjoyed this, the second in Tana French's Cal Hooper series, which is a return to the townland of Ardnakelty and the lives of ex cop Cal, local girl Trey and Lena, the local woman in a relationship with Cal.
This is quite a slow burn, set against an unseasonably hot summer, and driven by the simmering unspoken undercurrents of the local community and complex characters and their histories. I loved the way the tension built as the heat rose, and how good Tana French is at expressing the unspoken tensions and implications between members of a small community.
I don't think you'd need to have read The Searcher, the first in this series, to enjoy this, although I'd recommend that one too.
-Marianne
Bad Habit by Alana S. Portero
I had this on my TBR list for a little while before finally picking it up. I’ve been wanting to read more translated fiction and Bad Habits really was a great decision. Portero has written an incredibly moving coming of age story of a young trans woman growing up in 1980’s Madrid.
If you want to read something that is quite sad but will also allow you to think from another person’s perspective, I’d suggest picking this up. The writing is sublime and incredibly emotional. It really solidifies the idea of someone’s personal journey with their own identity and the joy of finding a community you can love and grow with.
I love reading and learning new points of view when reading and if you do too and are wanting to read more translated and/or LGBTQ+ fiction, I’d very much recommend Bad Habit!
- Alisha
Bog People: A Working Class Anthology of Folk Horror ed. Hollie Starling
What a collection! I'm really in my horror groove at the moment and this was the perfect addition to the audio bookshelf. Bar one story ( I won't say which!), each of these tales were unique, intriguing, unsettling, and at times, genuinely scary. There's no such thing as apolitical- and that includes literature- so I found the sole inclusion of working class voices to be a radical choice that pays off. Ranging from stories of AI misogny and haunted hagstones, to cannibal stews and ossuaries, there's something in this for everyone with an interest in folk horror. There's a great sense of place and listening to the audiobook narrated by several voices, definitely added to the reading experience.
- Liv
You Are Here by David Nicholls
This is a tender, gentle love story, based around strangers, Michael and Marnie, who, within a loose friend group, are walking the coast to coast path. As the others fall away, Michael and Marnie are drawn inexorably together. The physical challenge of the walk allows both characters to be more vulnerable than they have so far allowed themselves to be in their ordinary lives, and begin to connect.
This is a light read, but tackles loneliness and alienation in a deeply compassionate manner. It's also quite funny, and the descriptions of the route and scenery (almost!) made me want to tackle this route myself.
- Marianne
