The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow

About the only genre I avoid is romance. Judging by the number of romance books out now, I seem to be in the minority here. This book, tagged as folklore and fantasy, is primarily a romance novel. An otherwise remarkable story, beautifully written, lost a star rating from me because of this.

Historian Owen Mallory, a former soldier dubbed a coward, is enthralled with the story of Una Everlasting, a knight and dragon slayer who dies for her queen and country. During his scholarly research into the tale, he receives a mysterious book about her, which a war minister then steals. When Mallory tries to retrieve it, his blood spills onto the book, and he is transported back in time, meets Una, and accompanies her on her last quest: to slay the last dragon and retrieve the grail for the dying queen. What he doesn't anticipate is that the two will fall in love, and Mallory is forced to recount and relive Una's death over and over again.

I'm a sucker for time-travel books, and The Everlasting is a good one. As I stated, the writing is exquisite, and I loved the way Mallory and Una tried to change history. The characters are well-developed, and I especially liked Una's horse. I wouldn't have read the book had I known about the romance element, but I skimmed the sex scenes and some of the overwrought narrative, and enjoyed a well-told tale. 

4/5 stars.

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Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher

 

This is the second time T. Kingfisher has dabbled in retelling fairy tales, A Sorceress Comes to Call being the other, and she does a masterful job. In her take on Sleeping Beauty, she twists it with dark humor and charm.

Toadling was switched at birth by fairies. The fairies loved and nurtured her, and she developed some magical skills, such as turning into a frog. Time passes faster in faerieland, and the adult Toadling is asked to return to her father's house to attend the Christening of the changeling, Fayette. She is to bestow a blessing that will stop Fayette from harming those around her. Unfortunately, Toadling doesn't work the magic correctly and spends several years trying to protect animals and humans from Fayette. Toadling eventually uses her magic to put Fayette under a sleeping spell, builds a thorn hedge to protect her, and spends centuries defending Fayette. All is going well until a hapless knight comes looking for the beauty in the castle. Now, Toadling must convince him to keep Fayette under the sleeping spell.

I love Kingfisher's writing and imagination. This is an excellent, thoughtful, and entertaining twist on Sleeping Beauty. Toadling is a wonderful character whose sense of duty overcomes her lonely task. This is another winner from T. Kingfisher. 

4/5 stars.

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A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher

 T. Kingfisher does an excellent job creating modern-day fairy tales that the Brothers Grimm would enjoy. Her dark tales are imaginative with a wicked sense of humor. A Sorceress Comes to Call is no exception.

Fourteen-year-old Cordelia has two friends: her horse Falada and a neighbor girl who is too polite to ignore her. Living with her mother, Evangeline, who can control Cordelia's movements and speech at will, Cordelia yearns for a normal life. Evangeline, however, has aspirations of marrying Cordelia to a wealthy man. To get a toehold in society, Evangeline enchants a wealthy Squire for herself to better Cordelia's chances of finding a worthy husband. Feeling helpless to stop her mother from using her magic on the Squire, Cordelia grows close to the Squire's sister, Hester, who recognizes what Evangeline is doing. Together, they try to outwit Evangeline, but can their cunning overcome magic?

This is a well-written book with excellent pacing and interesting characters. It contains mystery, murder, and intrigue. Kingfisher is a master storyteller who makes magic both believable and otherworldly. I found the book both engrossing and entertaining. 

5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Tor Books, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is August 6, 2024.

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