Betsy Snow White Bibliophile

Tag: Book Review

  • Betsy’s Book Report: Untethering Dark by Desiree M. Niccoli

    Betsy’s Book Report: Untethering Dark by Desiree M. Niccoli

    Set in the Black Forest (der Schwarzwald) in Germany we are introduced to Astrid a Hexe, a witch with aspirations to become a hag like her adopted mother, Mutter Perchta. Every Night for years Astrid has left out an offering to Altes Geweih, Old Antlers, an ancient forest protector who lives with her in the forest.

    Then one night a group of hikers come to Astrid’s home causing chaos, releasing her goats, and destroying her nightly offering to Altes Geweih. Realizing he has come and accepting her fate she brings a plate of cookies, and comes face to face with the monster in the woods. Expecting to be eaten, instead he allows her to live and accepts her offer of cookies.

    Soon she is flirting with him, and he is flirting back? He reveals his true name to her, Gudariks. And, Astrid begins to feel true attraction and affection for her unlikely new friend. The two of them have a burgeoning relationship that develops alongside the two also working together to attempt to rid the forest of a group of poachers who seem to be plaguing the forest.

    The characters in the book may be monsters, but they are beautifully developed and nuanced. The relationships also feel so real, including those between Astrid and her human friends. The inclusion of lore, history, and traditions of the area just adds to the richness of the story. I can believe that in this world there are mysteries in the dark woods that we cannot comprehend, set to protect the natural world from human corruption. In fact, I want to believe.

    I gave the book five stars and would recommend highly to monster romance lovers, and to those curious about the genre. I will warn you, though, that you may come out the other side with a longing for German Christmas Cookies.

    Untethering Dark by Desiree M. Niccoli is the first Monster Romance to be released by Harlequin books, a publisher every romance reader probably knows, and I was lucky enough to get approved to receive an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy). The book will be available February 4, 2025 as an ebook only at https://shop2.harlequin.com/shop/books/9780369762214_untethering-dark.html

  • “He Couldn’t Believe it was only wednesday.”

    For the LGBTA+ book club at Prologue Bookshop we read the book The House In The Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune. I technically have until the end of the month to finish the book, but I devoured it in three days (It would have been less but apparently I actually have to work at work, how inconvenient.) This book is transporting, beautiful and shockingly prescient given the current climate. Immediately upon finishing I was ready to pick it up to read it again.

    The book opens introducing us to a social worker named Linus Baker. Linus solidifies himself as the most relatable character in the world as it is established that he is overweight and on a diet, he enjoys his job but hates his boss and he is having a bad week. “He couldn’t believe it was only Wednesday. And it was made worse when he realized it was actually Tuesday.” (Klune 18) One day he is surprised to be given a special dispensation by Extremely Upper Management to evaluate a very unusual orphanage.

    This book will make you laugh, cry, cheer and best of all think. It reminds us that our weirdness can be the best part of us. It teaches to use ones privilege to lift up those who do not share it. That it is not enough to not be racist, you need to be anti-racist. And, that family can look whatever way you need it to look.

    The House In The Cerulean Sea is a magical, magical, magical book and if you have not read it I cannot recommend it more. TJ Klune wrote to my soul with this book, and maybe he also speaks to yours. Buy the book from your local independent, and maybe even black owned, bookstore today.

  • “We are made of stardust and stories.”

    “We are made of stardust and stories.”

    I finally finished The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern on Christmas. I was looking forward to this book immensely because I absolutely loved The Night Circus. In fact I re-listen to the audio book of The Night Circus every couple of months; it is read by Jim Dale who brings such life and sympathy to the characters. I need you to know this as I tell you how I felt about The Starless Sea as I am fully aware that I am not the most unbiased source. I will say that when I read the last page of the book I cried, not because it was sad but because it was over and I had to leave that world now. It hurt my soul a little, and still does.

    Zachary Ezra Rawlins is the son of a fortune teller who narrowly escapes an adventure as a child. As an adult grad student he discovers a book in the library and becomes aware of just how close. The discovery leads him into a world of stories that lies beneath our world and just on the edge of a starless sea.

    The world Morgenstern created is so lush and complex, and is laid out in a language of fairy tale and myth in a way that feels as though it was written just for me. I fell into the world freely and gladly, my little escapist Pisces heart happy to be taken away and allowed to live with people out of time, and curious cats. I have read several reviews of the book that say something to the effect of “if you are the kind of person who likes this type of book you will love it but…” I guess I am just that kind of person because I thought the story was original and nuanced, and as everything is starting to come together toward the end of the book her ability to blend and reveal was beautiful and engaging.

    The characters, including our hero Zachary, are unusual, complex and quirky as are the settings. I learned from this book the names of the lions on the steps of the New York Public Library (Patience and Fortitude). I fell a little in love with all of the characters including the cats and with the beauty of the Starless Sea. AS said previously this was obviously a book that was written for someone like me, and I found it beautiful.

    If you are the kind of person who likes this type of book I cannot recommend The Starless Sea more. I plan to read it again and again while waiting for Erin to write me another beautiful tale.