The C.K. Beggan Bookish Blog is going on a break!
I need some time to catch up on some writing projects…plus I plan to migrate the book blog to its own site! (The current blog will become my author blog.) In the meantime, I’ll be taking some time off.
I hope you’ll join me at the revamped blog in 2023.
Cheers to you and yours, and a very Happy New Year!
-CKB
(The Outrageous Exploits of Jerrell Landish #1)
Humorous Fantasy, Fantasy Adventure
fantasy heist, anti-hero, morally gray hero
Meet Jerrell Landish, the light-hearted version of Kaz Brekker!
An itinerant thief, gambler and flirt rather than a crime boss, Jerrell is still every bit the anti-hero with no compunction about killing. Yet Thief for Hire is the kind of book you read with a smile on the edge of your lips, and frequent head shakes. It’s not often the word “outrageous” is an understatement!
This book won me over. I found it easy to dive in, but all the casual violence (though not overly graphic) made it hard to root for Jerell for a while. As he got into increasingly tight spots, I became invested again and read straight through to the end.
Did you know Halloween is just the start of the spirits rising? In Irish tradition, from which Halloween (aka Oiche Samhain) originated, it was the day that marked the start of the dark half of the year. What we associate with October 31st happened every day for the next 6 months (minus the fun celebratory stuff).
October is a great month for indulging in horror films and spooky reads. But in the spirit (oh, puns!) of that tradition, here are some reads that will keep that spooky feeling going long after Halloween
(Besides my spicy The Legend of Sleepy Hollow retelling, Lord of the Hollow Court, of course! I mean I couldn’t not put in a little self-promo. I’m done now though, I swear!)
Caution: Some content may not be appropriate for all viewers/readers.
That’s it for my list! What books do you love to read during spooky season? If you have a recommendation, comment below!
I should’ve called this 16 plus books, since so many of these are series…es?! In any event, I’m here with some bookish representation for those always in search of more. These 16 books represent places throughout Asia and Polynesia through fresh takes on mythology, settings and retellings. Check them out below!
Sunbolt, by Intisar Khanani – The intersection of cultures (and monsters) features prominently in this book. Set in a West Asian-inspired country with a feisty FMC whose mother came from an East Asian-inspured country, Hitomi is sure to steal readers’ hearts. (My review here.)
If you like your fantasy romances extra spicy, my Of Heists and Hexes review is here! This is the first time I’ve read anything by S.L. Prater, and she certainly knows how to turn on the steam. Read on!
Note: I received a free copy and have voluntarily written this honest review. Contains steamy open-door scenes, disturbing violent content and depictions of capital punishment.
Noah is an honest, likable sheriff. Robin is a witch and a thief on a mission to feed the people of Arm. The two are fated mates thanks to their magic, though Noah knows he should arrest her. The last thing he wants is for his young sister Marian and his nan to get caught up in Robin’s rebellion against the political status quo.
I loved the world-building, the witches and the cat and mouse game between Robin and Noah. Seeing Robin thwart him is genuine fun, and the tension, between them and throughout the kingdom, make it binge-worthy. There is a very serious side, too, as Noah brings depraved criminals to justice (the crimes are heartbreakingly real). Combined with depictions of poverty, these scenes show how broken their society is, because Noah and the witches are practically the only ones to do anything about it. With all he has to face, it is a challenge for Noah to be an honest law man.
I wish there’d been more in-person emotion between the two love interests. Much of the heart is in the form of notes, and when together they’re all heat (and yes, the heat level is VERY high). I was waiting for an emotional breakthrough to back the fated romance between these two that I never quite got, though they sometimes came close. I also thought the climax came up suddenly. Though the ending didn’t disappoint me, I’d invested enough in the characters that I wanted the epilogue to be longer, so I could learn the particulars of what they did next. And really, is that such a bad problem to have?
To learn more about this author, visit streetwitch.net.
For my review of Throne of Glass #1, click here.
Did you love Throne of Glass? In this Crown of Midnight review, we’ll take a look at how the tone of the series majorly shifts in book two of the series.
I thought the romance, grief and anger unfolded beautifully from Celaena’s perspective. Dorian’s POV becomes more of a placeholder and Chaol sometimes verges on bland (for a captain of the guard, the dude needs some backbone), but Celaena (and her sharp new frenemy Mort) shines as she struggles to solve more supernatural riddles. It’s an exceptional second book.
To learn more about this author, visit sarahjmaas.com.
African mermaids and dragons, mythological odysseys and mortals versus the gods, oh my! In this Skin of the Sea review, I delve into this spectacular book (and what other popular YA fantasy I’d compare it to).
This wonderful book has beautiful writing and true heart. Though it’s not for those who prefer a tidy ending (book two can’t come fast enough!), it should be required reading for mythology fans. Anyone who loved Six Crimson Cranes should likewise pick up Skin of the Sea.
For more on this author, visit natashabowen.com.
This one is for fantasy, romance and time travel fans. This Only a Monster review takes a look at the fast-paced YA fantasy by Vanessa Len, including the unusual romance and the one thing that might turn readers off.
This book was such an unexpected surprise for me! Full of heartache, adventure and moral dilemmas, Only a Monster takes its MC, Joan, from life as a history-loving teenager (admittedly, one who often reads as younger than 16) on a journey through recent history.
When one tragic night leaves Joan on the run with the strikingly dapper Aaron, it sets the stage for star-crossed but understated drama. Aaron is an Oliver and Joan is a Hunt; the two London Monster families don’t mix. Life was far simpler for Romeo and Juliet.
It was refreshing to see an earnest heroine with two love interests without a love triangle forming. In fact, all the tropes in Only a Monster are subverted. Joan has been told she’s the savior of all monsters, yet she’s clueless. The hero is the bad guy, there are gray areas galore, and destined love is all but impossible.
Fans of Claire North’s The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August and David Mitchell’s The Bone Clocks will enjoy this well-paced, heartfelt book, as will romantic fantasy fans. I’m excited to see what the rest of the series will bring.
For more information on this author, visit vanessalen.com.
For readers who like their fairy tale retellings a little darker, For the Wolf should be high on your TBR list. Keep reading my For the Wolf review to find out why!
The writing is equal parts plot and character driven and is dense with descriptive detail. It took a little getting used to for me, but there were many great lines and I appreciated that it delved into grief, actually making it a cornerstone of the plot. One caveat: this book is not for those squeamish about blood.
My favorite part of For the Wolf was the romance. The Wolf in question, Eamon, is almost literally set up with Red by the Wilderwood. Though they are essentially fated mates, the development of their relationship is gradual and sweet. Book two has very much earned its place on my own tbr.
To learn more about this author, visit hannahfwhitten.com.
Do you love retellings? Whether of classic books or fairy tale retellings, they make up a large portion of my reading list. I’ve reviewed quite a few, so now it’s time to put them in one place!
Note: This list will be updated as I review more titles.
Enchanting Fate – This Beauty and the Beast retelling by debut author Ashley Evercott has a Downton Abbey-style romantic twist. When the servants get POVs, you know you’re in for a fun and thoughtful retelling!
An Enchantment of Thorns – Veteran retelling team Helena Rookwood and Elm Vince take on Beauty and the Beast with the A Court of Fairy Tales series, bringing serious action, swoony romance and cottage core vibes to the tale.
The Fox and the Briar – Understated, Darcy-esque, a villain with swagger—all ways I’ve described the contents and characters of this fae Sleeping Beauty retelling by Chesney Infalt. The Fox and the Briar also has slow burn romance and the arranged marriage trope.
Of Silver and Secrets – Famous for her romantic fantasy stories, author Sylvia Mercedes puts her unique spin on Rumpelstiltskin. Though the retelling part comes in toward the end, this tale of a dream-walking witch and a trained mage is filled with non-stop action and major romance.
Six Crimson Cranes – Elizabeth Lim takes on The Six Swans in an East-Asian inspired fairy tale world of dragons, curses and truly lovable characters.
Spindle – W.R. Gingell’s madcap take on Sleeping Beauty has a unique thread-based magic system and no shortage of quirk.
Thorn – Now a traditionally published book, clean YA fantasy writer Intisar Khanani takes on the Goose Girl fairy tale with a Middle Eastern-inspired setting and a princess torn about her duty.
Throne of Sand – This is the first retelling by the powerhouse writing team that is Helena Rookwood and Elm Vince.One Thousand and One Nights(specifically the story of Aladdin and the lamp) gets a female lead with a penchant for trouble.
Ariadne – Jennifer Saint gives Ariadne and her sister Phaedra a voice in the Theseus myth with unforgettable imagery.
The Chosen and the Beautiful – The Great Gatsby gets a queer, female makeover with dark bargains, lusty Roaring Twenties party animals and secret magic, courtesy of the wonderful and creative fantasy author Nghi Vo (her Singing Hills Cycle books are also some of my favorite recent reads.)
Music of the Night – Angela J. Ford writes two types of fantasy: steamy romances and epic. This The Phantom of the Opera retelling is the former, with two narrators who are instantly attracted to one another. Unfortunately, one carries a terrible secret involving the local theater, and the other must become its star in order to survive.
Within These Wicked Walls – Jane Eyre is the love story that defied social class and the idea that only pretty, accomplished young women could be the object of love stories. Author Lauren Blackwood adds a super creepy cursed house and a streetwise spell-breaking protagonist to this tale of love that goes beyond the superficial.