This is an informal review, in the sense that usually I follow a particular format, but not for this book (it isn’t the first time and won’t be the last).
The Art of Brave had been on my wishlist for a long long time. I am picky with my Art Of books, as they are expensive but also if done well, they tend to inspire my art and own ideas a lot. And they serve as study material for my art.
Obviously, it was an easy choice to buy this when it went on sale on Forbidde Planet, so I did and I do not regret it. The book has a lot of art, yes I know, it is an “art of” but some of them have more of this is how we did stuff and stock images that turned into this. We have some of that here, but also a wonderful quantity of sketches on the various approaches and potential ways of showing each integral character, and even smaller parts, like the will’o’wisps.
It is gorgeous, good quality and I am a happy fox, so I recommend that if you like Art of books, you may consider this one. Plus, maybe watch Brave alongisde (I ended up watching it after going through this book because it is like having a new perspective into it! I love that).
Finally, have a glimpse itno this book, with the page spread for Angus.
This is my last LitJoy for a while, as the shipping has spiked up and the box hasn’t really been giving me as much joy as I wish (and I have to decide where to spend my money). But let’s see what we had, starting top right with the contents booklet.
Under the booklet, we have the author letter. The art is kinda cool.
More collectible cards, I think it’s the last few but I am not sure I got them all as you had to get the Harry Potter boxes.
Night Court Stationery, it’s nice not too fussed, could’ve been nicer.
Hot pads, I like them, but again. nothing special.
Nocturna by Maya Motayne, super excited to read this one!
A Prince Cardan cushion cover, also not fussed (see, a pattern emerges). The art is cool but not my thing.
Malfoy Men Magnets, made a friend very happy with them.
Basically, I kept the book, the hot pads and that’s it? Which isn’t a really good outcome considering it had to come from the US and it costs the shipping fee and everything.
I have to say I wish the stationery had been a bit nicer, more fancy, more thoguht inot it as I would’ve loved to have more of that (I am not keen on paper items but good stationery is good!).
I am glad I chose a six month subscription when Illumicrate moved into monthly boxes. Because it meant easily being able to get this box. Yes, it had Aurora Rising in it and it is pink! But let’s go around and see every nice thing in it. Starting from the book and going clockwise:
A hot pink Aurora Rising with sprayed edges also in hot pink. I thought purple was awesome, but hot pink is also awesome!
An engineering dreamy pillowcase (this is how you do awesome pillow cases) with Kaddy and Ezra on one side and AIDAN quotes on the other.
A sampler of Emily Eternal peeks from the right corner (I really wanted to showcase that pillowcase, so much case here!).
Another sneaky sampler, but this time for The Furies. This sampler has been in almost every single box I’ve had recently, did they not sell enough copies or what? Instead of selling the book to me it’s making me not want to read it.
Howler luggage tag. Snazzy, relatively discreet but unique and matches my suitcase.
Illumicrate items booklet.
Space sticky notes. They have a moon for this Moon so I am in love. (All the gorgeous Moon themed stuff and I will love your book box)
Squad 312 (characters from Aurora Rising) glasses pouch. I’ve never used one of those despite wearing glasses most of my life. Probably won’t keep but it is nice (it’s due to not using it, not to not liking it).
The collectible magnet coin thing. I am still not sold on them and find them a waste of “space” (but they are small so whatever)
And a Lunar Chronicles cooler bag. I like cooler bags but this one doesn’t have a self closing system. I gave it away to a friend that loves them so that made her happy (I do use cooler bags).
All in all, a box that made me quite happy with only a couple of items I won’t keep (and that collectible but it seems I am just not into this thing and I am not seeing any reason that will make me like it) and I am still happy with the exclusive edition and that pillowcase.
When the Chinese empire is under the threat of the cunning Leopard and his merciless men, every man and boy able to contribute to the protection of the realm are called into duty. Zhilan’s father Hua Zhou, also known as the Wild Tiger, is a retired man with a bad leg, who was severely injured during his time serving as an high ranked officer. Still, the army calls him once more. Zhilan’s mum and younger siblings are devastated, and Zhilan is fearing for both of her parents lives. In a bold move, she uses her very special gifts to transform herself into Hua Zhi, the Wild Tiger’s oldest boy, now ready to fight in his fathers place. From that on, the story is rapidly spinning into a carousel of lies and deception, but also that of a new understanding of oneself and others. And when the war is over, it’s not that sure that Zhilan will ever return.
Rating: 🐖🐖🐖
I’m a cis-woman, and I can only take on this book from my own, sometimes very narrow, experiences and understandings of gender. With that disclaimer put out there, I do feel like this is a very sensitive depiction about the fluidity of gender identity, rolls and norms; a story that tries to explore different perspective on sex and the perception of belonging, rather than trying to explain or “own” a certain point of view. It’s also a very emotional journey, that makes me relate to and feel for Hua Zhi in a way that I normally wouldn’t with a typical soldier and hero figure in this kind of tale.
The Hand, the Eye and the Heart is a retelling of the legend behind Mulan but, as described above, with a hundred more layers, dimensions and complications. The war, that has to be said to be at least one of the novel’s main conflicts, isn’t action-packed or filled with the kind of one-liners that usually makes me page forward until the word “sword” isn’t appearing twenty times in every sentence. It’s still a thrilling and exciting story, but the focus on identity and relationships makes it deeper and more low-key than other fantasy retellings of the like. However, it took me a long time to get through the book. It’s still a bit too epic for my taste, and even though it’s interesting and thought provoking, it’s not brilliant or especially outstanding.
Dr. Bea approves
If you’re in for more mythical retellings, have a look at A Thousand Nights by E.K. Johnston. Totally different story, but similar in style and feels.
A nobleman’s daughter with magic in her blood. An empire built on the dreams of enslaved gods. Empire of Sand is Tasha Suri’s captivating, Mughal India-inspired debut fantasy.
The Amrithi are outcasts; nomads descended of desert spirits, they are coveted and persecuted throughout the Empire for the power in their blood. Mehr is the illegitimate daughter of an imperial governor and an exiled Amrithi mother she can barely remember, but whose face and magic she has inherited.
When Mehr’s power comes to the attention of the Emperor’s most feared mystics, she must use every ounce of will, subtlety, and power she possesses to resist their cruel agenda.
Should she fail, the gods themselves may awaken seeking vengeance…
Rating:
One thing I learned while taking this picture is a I need a more ornate knife/dagger.
Empire of Sand was one of those preorder I did that I am not sure what sold me initially on it, but I think it was the Mughal India and the magic system. And I am ever so glad that I preordered and bought.
I enjoyed this book SO much. Mehr isn’t the perfect strong female character. She has lived a sheltered life and despite having ordeals, those are minor compared to what is to come.
Because she is half Amrithi, she has been kept mostly in the dark about a lot of her heritage, to “blank” it out and to make sure she fits nicely in her father’s world. Sadly no one really bothered to explain much as to why this was a good thing and how this was a way to protect her (but I mean, adults do, do this and then there is politics and sometimes the less we know the safer we are in a way).
The world, or rather the Empire, is very well built and I could easily picture it in my head. And Mehr is a very real character. She has flaws, she has a temper (but not the “plot only” type of temper, but rather the kind that sometimes is triggered when you are tired or hangry, or just someone rubs you the wrong way, you know that kind, the one you regret soon enough), and she has a love for dancing. Oh and she has magic, but she’s just one of many that have magic.
Then she catches the eye of the Mara and well, she’s suddenly in a more sticky situation than what she thought wasn’t ideal life. I loved the concept of what an oath/promise means to the Amrithi, and I absolutely adored the relationship between Mehr and Amun was one of my favourite things. I kept cooing at them and just thinking that I wish there were romances as nice as this and wow was he a soft man inside and just aww. It is my favourite type of romance, what I call “love comes softly”.
I am a mess doing this review because I enjoyed this book so much. It is a delightful one in the style of Trudi Canavan, Robin Hobb, Robin McKinley and the rest of the wonderful female writers, and I just wanted to be part of that world (even if it is a harsh one).
The Daiva are also a wonderful element of the story as is all the lore that makes it so rich. I highly recommend this book.
(One caveat, do not come at it thinking it is a Western book and do not expect a YA book, despite the character’s age. This book explores topics in a way that isn’t exactly YA centric and is more an adult SFF book than a younger audince, this however doesn’t mean a teenager won’t enjoy it, more on how to approach it to avoid feeling out of sorts with it).
A box for royalty, or at the very least, a box with a royal theme. Let’s start from the top left with the main thing, the book!
Romanov by Nadine Brandes. I think it is a retelling of Anastacia so I am intrigued.
Evil Queen mirror, maybe it will tell you who is the fairest of them all, or at the very least show you if your makeup is spot on 😛
Lost Princess candle, I wasn’t too keen on the scent of it but maybe it is just me and that sweet orange isn’t my thing.
A pair of socks inspired by The Cruel Prince. I like them even if I am not into that book.
Bathing salts, which look glorious and I am so happy for them being in the box (plus they match teh candle perfectly in looks)
Two psotcards for other books, Beauty Sleep which I reviewed recently and the sequel to Fandom
A bookmark to match the book.
The clubhouse invite, which lets you chat with the author and ask questions (alongisde the rest fo the subscribers but it is still awesome!)
The theme card in the center.
Probably not my favourite box, but not the worst either and I like receiving and, plus I am intrigued by the book and how well it will go (I am not always keen on retellings as some are not idea but some are really good. so wondering which way this will go).
Branches and stones, daggers and bones, They locked the Beast away.
After
the death of her sister, seventeen-year-old Violet Saunders finds
herself dragged to Four Paths, New York. Violet may be a newcomer, but
she soon learns her mother isn’t: They belong to one of the revered
founding families of the town, where stone bells hang above every
doorway and danger lurks in the depths of the woods.
Justin
Hawthorne’s bloodline has protected Four Paths for generations from the
Gray—a lifeless dimension that imprisons a brutal monster. After Justin
fails to inherit his family’s powers, his mother is determined to keep
this humiliation a secret. But Justin can’t let go of the future he was
promised and the town he swore to protect.
Ever since Harper
Carlisle lost her hand to an accident that left her stranded in the Gray
for days, she has vowed revenge on the person who abandoned her: Justin
Hawthorne. There are ripples of dissent in Four Paths, and Harper
seizes an opportunity to take down the Hawthornes and change her
destiny-to what extent, even she doesn’t yet know.
The Gray is growing stronger every day, and its victims are piling up. When Violet accidentally unleashes the monster, all three must band together with the other Founders to unearth the dark truths behind their families’ abilities—before the Gray devours them all.
Rating:
This book surprised me. I wasn’t sure what to expect, as Justine warned about some animal violence and a previous book with it left me a bad flavour.
There is a lot of grief, and a lot of confusion. And at first I felt as confused as Violet. However, there was enough to keep me going rather than giving up. Each of the founder children (they’re teens but since there are technically still adults from some of them children it is for now) has their own “secret”. Justin is hiding one that will cost him his status and reputation if it is revealed.
May has a hidden ability and the cost of reading the Death Omen, meaning she has to tell the truth on what the cards say (even if it hurts, even if it is not what others want to hear).
Violet is dealing with grief and trying to figure out what her ability is and her ritual, plus, how do you manage to live in this odd town?
Harper is managing without a hand and making her best effort while being shunned by Justin who used to be her best friend (oh the betrayal of best friends, sad sad indeed)
And Isaac who is the only one from his family that stayed after his ritual happened.
All of it going on and the stakes keep getting higher and higher as Violet tries her best to figure out what she ought to do to get control of her powers. But it is hard in a town that is drowning under so many secrets and that has a Beast lurking in the Gray…
As I said, this book surprised me a lot and I was so invested in it but as the end became near I couldn’t understand why it hadn’t wrapped everything up but then it made sense that it had to be two books. However I didnt feel cheated or overfilled with other stuff to expand the book into two. Instead I liked the fact we learnt so much in this one even if it meant we didn’t get everything sorted out. The main secrets however were definitely sorted out and a lot of things that didn’t make sense suddenly did, and it was a little scary. The good thing is that it was scary because there was so much at stake, not just for the sake of scaring.
May’s Owlcrate had the theme of Epic Adventures and I am a bit unsure on it. I mean, it fits the book really well, but I mean more on the items. So I will do the unboxing, starting on the theme card on the top left and going clockwise:
Theme card, the artwork is cute and at the same time full of longing.
Underneath everything there is a pillowcase that is what I would put in a kids room if I had a child or a guest room. I would need a matching duvet to go with this if I were to use it. Plus I don’t use pillows so pillow covers don’t do much for me. (And even I did this one doesn’t do much anyway).
A sleep mask, which I like except that is the design that is in everything SJM themed and like yeah, love a sleep mask, SO tired of the SJM mountains and stars and quote thing. There are many other options that could be quoted on a sleeping mask.
The collectible pin which was designed by the author of the book, so woohoo as that is pretty neat, right?
A sticker for Howl’s Moving Castle which is super cute and one of my favourite things from this box.
The book, We Hunt the Flame which I had been looking forward to so happy to have this one and it has silver instead of gold and somehow I like that more so bonus points.
Character artwork.
A passport wallet. This is a fun idea and I like it but I have never been sold on it as you still need to get your passport out of the holder when you’re going through customs… But the wallet is nice nevertheless.
A glass water bottle. It is smallish and apparently it has broken for people (it does come with tbhe caveat that it appears it isn’t tempered glass, and well, it really should be). Haven’t used it but a glass water bottle doesn’t appeal to me and bottles with just quotes on them in pretty calligraphy aren’t my thing anyway.
That’s all there was, the box felt a bit weaker this time than previous months and that’s a bit sad. Hopefully June’s box will be nicer.
World War Two has shattered Valka’s homeland of Russia, and Valka is determined to help the effort. She knows her skills as a pilot rival the best of the men, so when an all-female aviation group forms, Valka is the first to sign up.
Flying has always meant freedom and exhilaration for Valka, but dropping bombs on German soldiers from a fragile canvas biplane is no joyride. The war is taking its toll on everyone, including the boy Valka grew up with, who is fighting for his life on the front lines.
As the war intensifies and those around her fall, Valka must decide how much she is willing to risk to defend the skies she once called home.
Inspired by the true story of the airwomen the Nazis called Night Witches, Gwen C. Katz weaves a tale of strength and sacrifice, learning to fight for yourself, and the perils of a world at war.
Rating:
True to form, I read this book at an RAF base while my boyfriend did pylon racing (I mean, Russia really wasn’t an option just to go read a book).
Among the Red Stars was one of those books I knew I needed to read, so I preordered it and then put it on my WWII shelf and didn’t read it for a long time. Reviews to do, books to read for x or y event, and then I wasn’t in the mood for it. I didn’t want to read it in the wrong mood because I knew it’d be a book I would love, and I wasn’t wrong.
The book takes you through two points of view. Valka as a young woman joining the one all female aviation group (who would later become known as the Night Witches, the women that gave Hitler nightmares). She takes you through the nuances of joining this force and of how training goes. And her narrative takes you through her journey as a Night Witch and what it entailed.
On the other hand, we have Pasha who is a gentle soul with a knack for radios, and who is now a soldier at the front. Both exchange letters, and through Pasha we learn a lot about the nuances of religion and what socialism meant to those born in it.
Valka talks more about what happened when you are suspected of being against the system. And she explores how the women of the aviation group were initially considered inferior by all the other regiments until they proved their worth and changed things around.
One of my favourite things is that there are all this gorgeous details about the aircraft (Po-2, which was later renamed U-2, this brought a long discussion between my boyfriend and me about why they renamed it and which one I was referring to) and the world of flying for the Soviet Union. But there are also everyday details like the women adjusting their own uniforms to fit, or Pasha learning to sign hyms through one of his fellow soldiers.
And it is also relatively “true” to the actual things that happened. I didn’t at any point feel like saying “woah, too many artistic liberties here”. Never had anything to complain, except that at first the whole “letter” and then narrative part was odd, but I got used to it quickly.
At the end there is a nice note explaining who inspired each character and which ones are based on real people that lived and fought and did the things they’re known for in the book.
If you’re a WWII enthusiast or an aircraft one, do read this, it is more than worth it!
I wrote this poem three years ago. I can’t remember what made me write it, but I was annoyed at people insisting that being x religion or born in y country meant you were less human or didn’t know your own mind, so I ende up trying to sort through those feelings in this poem.
you who shout “indoctrination” at others people’s beliefs, beliefs you don’t like or agree with, beliefs you don’t even understand or know about.
we don’t choose which country we’re born into, nor how rich or poor our family is, we don’t choose what religion, culture and customs will reign the home we’re brought up into.
We don’t decide how much love or hate will surround us and define who we are from the day we’re brought into this world.
You shout “indoctrination”, but tell me… if you were exactly in their situation, wouldn’t you be who they are?
It is easy to say “no I wouldn’t”, when you haven’t experienced anything like it. And in a way, you are indoctrinated too.
the habits of your parents help define yours, and maybe it wasn’t a conscious decision, but you are shaped by the rules and beliefs that defined your family and your life.
Most countries define themselves by rules and “values”, religions do too, culture does too (even inside countries). Isn’t that in it’s own way, being indoctrinated?
Weren’t you brought up to love your country, to feel proud of it and the achievements? Weren’t you brought up to believe in good and bad (regardless of what you define as good or bad)?
So don’t shout indoctrination, just because you don’t like someone. Because you might be John, but if you had been born in a different setting, could be Juan or Ian or maybe Yahya.
