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MY FAVOURITE BOOKS OF 2022

To celebrate December, here’s a list of my favourite books I read this year.

THE RARKYN’S FAMILIAR by Nikky Lee

GENRE: Young Adult, High Fantasy, Dark Fantasy

If you haven’t read my review, here’s the link. 

This young adult fantasy is for those who enjoy Garth Nix and Trudi Canavan. The worldbuilding is amazing and the characters are complex. The second book in the series, THE RARKYN’S FALL, is yet to have a release date, so I’ll be keeping an eye out for that.

THE LOVE HYPOTHESIS by Ali Hazelwood

GENRE: New Adult, Contemporary, Romcom

Who doesn’t love a story about two nerds finding love? THE LOVE HYPOTHESIS is a new adult romance between a stem-science university PhD student and a professor – yes that does not sound appropriate but they’re only fake-dating, and the professor isn’t teaching any of her classes – the two made sure of that. So, it’s all goods. 

I think. 

Just read the book. It’s good.

KINGDOM OF THE WICKED TRILOGY by Kerri Maniscalco

GENRE: Young Adult, New Adult, Paranormal/Gothic Fantasy, Romance

Soooo…this was kind of a guilty pleasure read. It’s not deep, but it’s a lot of fun. The premise is a witch must team up with a prince of Hell to uncover the truth behind the murder of her twin sister. Along the way, there’s blood, demons, goddesses, magical tattoos, mystery, death, and sex…lots of sex. Chapters of sex – a small addition to the trilogy…

*Looks sideways*

ANATOMY: A LOVE STORY by Dana Schwartz

GENRE: Young Adult, Gothic/Paranormal Romance

Set in 1800s Edinburgh, the story follows wannabe surgeon Hazel Sinnett who uncovers a dark secret regarding the disappearance of its citizens, and it’s not all to do with the Roman fever. If you enjoy gothic romance and you didn’t faint when you dissected a frog in biology, you’ll love this book. One thing to note, Schwartz compares this book to FRANKENSTEIN. I see this book as more like THE STRANGE CASE OF DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE. Or maybe a mix of both. You decide.

ONCE UPON A BROKEN HEART and THE BALLAD OF NEVER AFTER by Stephanie Garber

GENRE: Young Adult, High Fantasy, Romance

ONCE UPON A TIME meets SABRIEL – definitely! Heartbroken Evangeline makes a deal with the Prince of Hearts (Jacks) to mend her heart. But striking deals with immortals isn’t wise, and Evangeline must travel to the magical and mysterious North to save herself and those she loves. If you don’t mind your childhood faith in true love and happily-ever-afters being destroyed, you should read this trilogy. The third and final book, A CURSE FOR TRUE LOVE, comes out September next year and Garber better let Evangeline and Jacks have their happy ending. Or I’ll cry. 

CIRCE by Madeline Miller

GENRE: Adult, Fantasy, Mythology, Retelling

Superb. Incredible. Rich. Hands down, my favourite book of this year. It’s Greek mythology from the perspective of the enchantress/minor goddess, Circe. Through her point-of-view, a spotlight is shone on the misogyny of the Greek gods. Despite this, Madeline Miller is able to weave in hope, love, joy and passion through her complex and rich characters. Definitely worth a read.

LITTLE THIEVES by Margaret Owen

GENRE: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Retelling, LGBTQ+

Very few books accurately portray PTSD, but Owen has nailed it in this retelling of the Goose Girl. I absolutely believed Vanja and her experience. Vanja, daughter of Death and Fortune, escapes her parents by stealing the identity of her old friend, the princess Gisele. There’s so much I liked about this book, especially the shape-shifting demigod, Ragne, who is given the responsibility of “keeping an eye on Vanja.” I think Ragne should have her own series. The second book in the duology comes out next year. Will totally be reading it.

THE FORBIDDEN WISH by Jessica Khoury.

GENRE: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Retelling

I rarely like Aladdin retellings because they are often Disney rip-offs and have little to do with A THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS. However, this retelling is an exception. Aladdin felt so real, as did the description of his appearance and behaviour as a peasant in ancient Arabia. And he was likeable. Zahra, the genie and narrator, was also a fascinating character. It’s not often books are told from the perspective of an immortal, and I thought Khoury did a good a job at making her feel believable.

THE CATS WE MEET ALONG THE WAY by Nadia Mikail

GENRE: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopia

The world is ending, and we have a road trip, and we don’t want the world to end because we love the characters and their cats so much. Yes, I was moved by this book. It was so sweet, so sad, so human. If you want to have faith in humanity during hard times, read this book.

WE ARE OKAY by Lina LaCour

GENRE: Young Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ+

I talk about WE ARE OKAY a lot because it’s SO FLIPPIN’ GOOD. It’s the first book that’s made me cry – EVER. The story follows Marin, who, after the death of her grandad and main caregiver, fled to New York without telling anybody. However, Marin must still face the tragedy of her grandfather’s death, when her ex-girlfriend and best friend Mabel visits with questions. I loved this book so so so so much and FINALLY a story with accurate lesbian and authentic mental health rep. 

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Realm of Kings

BY DUSTIN B FISHER

I sat on this book for a while as, although the pace picks up towards the middle and the characterization of the hero deepens, the opening is slow, and the female characters are a little problematically portrayed (more on that later). 

Realm of Kings follows DT who discovers he and his friends have superpowers and are called to save the Realm of Kings. 

The writing style shows promise. I know some reviewers have mentioned that there’s too much dialogue and not enough description, but I enjoyed the dialogue. It felt natural and moved the plot forwards. I thought DT was a complex and interesting character with some challenging flaws. 

However, some of the female characters seem to be stereotypically sexual in their demeanor, particularly in the opening. I would have liked a little more variation with their personalities.

Overall, I would recommend Realm of Kings to those who enjoy complex worldbuilding and layered protagonists.

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Interview with Nikky Lee (The Rarkyn’s Familiar)

Nikky Lee is a multi award-winning author of science fiction and fantasy. She’s twice been placed in the Aurealis Awards for Best Young Adult Short Story and Best Science Fiction Novella. She’s been published in multiple presses and magazines, including Deadset Press and Breach Magazine. 

Lee’s debut novel, The Rarkyn’s Familiar, will be released in April. I was lucky enough to read an ARC copy and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Read my review here.

Most of your works are rooted heavily in science fiction and fantasy, what is it about this genre that sparks your interest? Was it a conscious decision to stick primarily to one genre?

I’ve always been drawn to the unreal. I think it comes from my inner child who’s always wished magic was real. There’s a sense of wonder and wanderlust wrapped up in it too, I love exploring strange lands and different cultures—real or in my head. And intellectually, I enjoy playing around with ‘what if’ scenarios and imagining how worlds, technology, social structures and culture would develop if they have (or don’t have) certain magic or technology.

I don’t think it was ever a conscious decision to write primarily in the spec fic genre. It’s my favourite genre to read and I never imagined myself writing creatively in any other genre.

It’s no secret that you are a prolific short story writer, snapping up many awards and appearing in many publications, do you have any tips for writers who are looking to submit work to magazines, anthologies or short story competitions?

For the longest time I didn’t think of myself as a short story writer, my ideas were always these big, sprawling epics. Then I discovered that writing to a specific theme—be it a submission call out or even just a prompt—helped me narrow down my options and come up with a “small(er)” idea. The more short stories I wrote, the more I realised that limiting myself in this way actually makes me more creative. 

It’s been said that learning to write a good short story can help tighten your prose and sharpen your plot in novel writing. How has your experience in short story writing helped you with writing your debut novel? 

Not so much with my debut—I’d finished writing The Rarkyn’s Familiar before I fell in love with short stories. But writing short stories did make a massive difference when I was writing the second book in the series. I could rave for paragraphs about how good they were for experimenting with voice, style, tense—even just to practise elements that I knew I was weaker on or wanted to improve on. For example, Dingo & Sister, which won two Aurealis Awards, began because I wanted to prove to myself I could write a story with deep characters. Short stories have also been excellent for teaching me word economy. 

On the project front, they have also been a great palette cleanser between bigger projects. Because they’re short, you can write one and then move on to the next idea pretty quickly. Plus the writer’s high you get from completing a short story is just as good as finishing something longer. 

I know that you’ve been careful with which publisher you’ve chosen to work with. Could you talk us through your decision process? What advice can you give to aspiring authors?

I knew that I wanted to try and get published in the US or the UK since the markets there are so much bigger than little Aotearoa! I’d been querying The Rarkyn’s Familiar for about a year and a half, and had some nibbles of interest but they eventuated to nothing. At the same time, I was learning a lot about self-publishing and getting quite tempted there after seeing several Kiwi indie fantasy authors do exceptionally well. There was also the potential to earn a good return off a series, which is what The Rarkyn’s Familiar would be. However, the initial outlay to get even the first book professionally edited, formatted and cover designed was very off-putting. 

Then I participated in #PitDark on Twitter and got an invitation from Parliament House Press to submit to them. I went to their website, checked out their books on Goodreads and Amazon and liked what I saw. The covers were fantastic and the quality of the interior samples was high, so I submitted. When the offer came through, I hired an agent from Australia to vet the contract and make sure there were no red flags that I hadn’t picked up. I also contacted a few of Parliament House’s authors to ask how their experience with the publisher had been. They all came back with glowing reviews—with the usual caveats of choosing to go with a smaller publisher: I’d be expected to do some marketing and self-promotion myself and not to expect bestseller sales. I was okay with that. I view publishing as a long game, it takes most authors several books to start earning a decent income. So I don’t expect to quit my day job anytime soon!

In other interviews, you’ve mentioned how you’ve drawn on your own experience with anxiety in The Rarkyn’s Familiar. From my experience reading your book, you dig quite deep into this topic and I can imagine it might have been difficult to write. What did your self-care routine look like when writing this book?

I was very fortunate to write the majority of The Rarkyn’s Familiar when I was in a good place mentally. I hadn’t had an anxiety flare up for a couple of years and was fairly confident I had it under control (all that changed when Covid arrived!). When I was searching for a way to deepen Lyss’s internal struggles, I realised my journey of understanding and accepting my anxiety was very similar to Lyss’s journey of discovering and accepting her magic: at first she doesn’t understand what is happening to her, then she initially tries to suppress it and fight it off, until she finally realises that accepting it lessens its power over her. 

In terms of self-care, exercise is one of the best things for me. When I’m starting to feel stressed or anxious, it’s a sign I need to get up and move, even if it’s just a walk around the block. It does wonders for my sleep too, which then sets me up for the next day. Routine also helps (hence why Covid threw a spanner in the works). For managing a flare-up, I find square breathing works well along with making a conscious effort to set aside time for relaxation—be it some yoga, a hot bath and a book, or a short guided meditation. Lastly, the biggest leap forward in my self-care was the decision to go to the doctor and get professional advice—that has made a world of difference. 

There are no real heroes or villains in The Rarkyn’s Familiar, which is one of my favourite aspects of your debut novel. To write such morally complex characters, what were some of the challenges you faced and how did you overcome them?

I’m of the belief that villains aren’t born, they’re made. When I started writing The Rarkyn’s Familiar, I wanted to do more than the standard good versus evil setup. The antagonist’s motivation needed to be more than “because they’re evil”. I wanted to show characters who are the product of their society and their experiences within it; characters who think they are the heroes of their story, even when from another point of view, their behaviour is heinous.

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The Enchanted

J.C BRENNAN

As a fan of fairytales, I was excited to pick up J.C Brennan’s The Enchanted, which tells the story of Rebecca Gentry who, not only discovers her late Grandmother’s bedtime stories are real, but also that she is of royal ancestry and comes from a long line of witches. 

At first, I found the book difficult to read as some of the descriptions, particularly regarding the grandmother, dragged on. There were also moments where the writing shifted tenses. However, as the book progressed, the prose improved, and the pace quickened. 

The protagonist Rebecca is very fitting for the fairytale genre, particularly regarding how she is “the chosen one.” While some reviewers weren’t fond of the cliché characterisation, I thought it worked in this book because of the presence of other classic fairytale tropes, such as the difficult stepmother, the evil witch, Rebecca gaining special powers on her 16th birthday, and the inclusion of other fantastical creatures such as vampires and fairies.

Overall, this book is perfect for traditional fairytale lovers. 

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Chimera’s Fire (Project Chimera #1)

BY S.H. STEELE

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

It’s difficult to put this book into words.

At times I was totally immersed – it was fast-paced and entertaining – then, a spelling error, or a grammar error would knock me out of the hypnosis. It was a shame, because otherwise the book flowed well. There wasn’t a sentence that felt out of place – save for the odd sleezy line from Clark (I’ll get to him later). 

It’s a superhero whodunnit novella about three supernatural young adults who belong to a secret project called Project Chimera. The three return from a holiday to discover their boss and father-figure, Director Hunter, murdered and they’re the leading suspects. Together, the three young superspies must prove their innocence.

The protagonist, River Murphy, is a shapeshifter. I shamefully mistook him for a female for the first three quarters of the novella. Even when it was stated, quite boldly even, that he could only shapeshift into other men, my mind automatically dismissed the hint. It’s the way he describes himself… I can’t quite put my finger on why… but even now that I know he’s a he, I still picture a she. I’d be more convinced if he was a they.  

I also found something else puzzling about River. He never mentioned his parents. All we know of his backstory is that he was recruited at 17. Were his parents okay with that? Do they even know where he is? Or was he simply born by stalk? I’m curious because whatever the answer is changes the way we, the reader, would view Director Hunter’s decision to recruit him and his friends. 

River’s personality is a fascinating one. He’s a jokester – that is evident in his “literal” and funny impressions of his boss Director Hunter. He also likes to fool around with his friend, Clark. He has a quieter side too. He’s patient, observant and a strategist. It’s an interesting mix of traits that I haven’t seen very often in literature. In that sense, and it is the most important aspect of a character, he is well drawn. 

I can’t say the same for the other two heroes.

Verity – shy but hides it well thanks to years of training – has the power of invisibility. Two things I learnt about her; she fancies River, and she cannot control her temper (No spoilers!). There’s a missed opportunity here. It would be great if the reader could gain insight into how she overcame her shyness. It’s a fantastic idea to have a character who conquers their social anxiety, and I wish we became acquainted with Verity through her self-discovery. 

As for Clarke (the Truthsayer) … (oh boy). Disclaimer: Some of you are going to love him; some of you (me) are going to send his ass to a women’s group with a silver bullet in his butt (it prevents their magic from working). There he’ll be forced to earn a certificate in respecting women. For the duration of the book, he’s treating this perilous mission like a serial tinder date. I mean, I’m impressed by his ability to multitask (investigating a serious crime and dating), but come on, Clarke. You solve crimes with your head not with your… nevermind.

Onto the antagonist, I had him pinned three chapters in, so wasn’t surprised by the reveal. However, since finished the story, I realise it isn’t about who he is, but rather who he is working for. And with that, I applaud the author for hoodwinking me. It’s not a typical supernatural whodunnit… with the exception of maybe Supernatural!

I do have a problem with the book’s tone, nonetheless. It appears to dance between middle-grade and YA. One minute its style is closer to a Scooby-doo, then next minute it’s a more sophisticated X-men: First Class. I had to check Google to confirm it is indeed a YA. With that in mind, it should have been harder for the three superspies to defeat the villain and maybe a page or two about how River feels about the loss of his father-figure and the discovery of the big evil intelligence organisation that’s after him and other supernaturals.

Overall, this is a well-crafted tale. There wasn’t a moment I felt lost or my attention wandered. It’s succinct and entertaining and who knows? Clark might appeal to you.

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Beautiful

BY FRAN LANIADO

When I finished reading Beautiful by Fran Laniado, I had an empty feeling in the pit of my stomach. Not because the book was rubbish. Quite the contrary, I had become so involved, so present with the characters that when the story ended, I didn’t know what do with myself. It was as if I had lost my companions – Eimear, Finn and the horse Eachann. Why did it have to end? I can only hope there’s to be a second book… Is there? 🙁

The story is a Beauty and the Beast retelling and before you roll your eyes, this is not a typical retelling.

The main character Eimear is a socially awkward fairy princess with a weird-looking face and white hair – and before you roll your eyes again, the hair is compared to an old woman’s, it’s hardly exotic.

The love-interest Finn is a beautiful cruel and vein prince from “The World” (human world) whom Eimear accidentally curses, turning him into a sight for sore eyes. But hey, mistakes happen.

The danger with involving a character cursed with ugliness is that it risks communicating favour in conventional beauty standards. Finn was never described in a way that could have been associated with real conditions that result in deformity. In fact, there was a sense of an otherworldly magic in his features. 

In fact, what I appreciated most of all was that the majority of the supporting characters were beautiful except for the two main characters. Yes, take that Hollywood and conventional beauty standards. Think you can handle a supporting cast more beautiful than your stars? It’s a big ask, I know. It was hard enough with Ugly Betty, but I have faith in you. You will achieve it someday.

Putting looks and Hollywood aside, Eimear is exactly how I imagine Belle. I know she’s not Belle. She’s the enchantress. But her personality, the fact that she is clearly not neurotypical and that she’s curious but in an introverted manner, it’s exactly what I wanted in a retelling. 

I also appreciated the nod to the original story when Eimear suggests she go find a “beauty” for Finn to help break the spell. In the original tale it’s a merchant who fetches the beauty. What’s even funnier is that Eimear is so earnest, even though the idea is absurd and Finn points that out. (Don’t worry, she doesn’t follow through).

Maybe this is me on a delusive tangent, but some scholars believe, as well as those in my community (I am autistic), that changelings were most likely autistic babies. Some believe that even fairies – what with their large ears, expressionless faces, wide apart eyes and high voices – were metaphors for those on the autism spectrum. I may be barking up the wrong tree, but Eimear’s love of people-watching, her love of music, her earnestness, how every emotion is concentrated only in her eyes, her lack of interest in socialising, parties and fashion – everything really – made me wonder if Eimear was autistic. For most of the book I just assumed the likeness was a coincidence, but when Eimear had the heart-to-heart with her mother about how she felt like an alien, I began to wonder if she was meant to be autistic.

Regardless of my wackadoodle theory, I thought Eimear was perfect. It’s not every day that I read a book in three days – mostly because I find it difficult to relate to many protagonists. It’s why I like Belle (Disney cartoon Belle). I mean, she likes books and solitude – an all-round sensible human being. It’s about time we had a Beauty and the Beast retelling with a proper Belle character. It’s a cause I feel passionately about. More stories with Eimears and Belles please! 

And some nice sensitive Finns with proper interests like carving and woodwork. None of that “Look at me, I’m shirtless.” Or “I’m so broody and deep and I like my solitude, but hey I do small talk.”

Yeah, Finn’s cool. Apart from when he’s unwell, then he’s hot and sweaty (no swooning matter), but I won’t spoil it for you because you definitely have to read this. I’m calling to all Beauty and the Beast lovers – except those rare fans of Beastly (they tragically exist) – you all need to read this blessing of a book.

And if you’re looking for a heroine whose feelings of difference are not displaced, you’ve come to the right place. (And that kind of rhymed). 

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Nadya Harkness

Just finished a sketch of my oc, Henry’s aunt, Nadya. She’s a no-nonsence witch who runs her own coven.

For Nadya, I decided to go more traditional with my sketch because she is stubborn and isn’t easily swayed in her beliefs. I couldn’t help but add a little of my own style, such as the overly large eyes – guess it fits her subtle non-conformist nature.

I also coloured her hair and eyelashes in charcoal to portray her rebellious streak. Nadya is secretly in love with a vampire, and in this world marriages between vampires and witches are illegal.

I have Nadya looking away from the viewer because she is an idealist and often ponders about a better future. She hopes it’ll be with her vampire lover.

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