Tag: writing

A New Year, A Look Back

Published by Frances Denny on January 15, 2026

It’s a new year, and with it comes a moment to reflect on the one just gone.

A meaningful experience I’ve had this last year, was delivering a speech for Hope Night, an event run by the New Zealand Eating Disorders Clinic (NZDEC). I spoke about my journey as someone who has recovered from anorexia, and about how being neurodiverse moulded that experience. Sharing something so personal was daunting, but also deeply affirming. I’m honoured that my speech will be featured on the organisation’s blog.

I also had the opportunity to speak as a neurodiverse writer for the Hyphen Project, an organisation dedicated to helping gifted neurodiverse teens in New Zealand thrive within the education system. Being able to talk about writing, creativity, and neurodiversity to a community that truly understands the importance of those conversations was incredibly rewarding.

On the creative front, this year has been one of steady progress, even in the face of some challenges. While one manuscript is still out on submission, I’ve been pouring my energy into my current project. I had hoped to have this manuscript ready by the end of the year, but catching long Covid slowed my momentum. Even so, it’s now almost ready to go to a developmental editor, a milestone that feels both exciting and a little surreal.

This year, I have some new goals. I’m planning to be more active on Instagram and Threads. How that goes remains to be seen 🤣. I’m also aiming to have my latest manuscript ready to send to my agent soon. Fingers crossed.

Hope this year is a good one for everyone.

MY FAVOURITE READS OF 2024

Published by Frances Denny on December 30, 2024

As 2024 comes to an end, I’ve put together a list of my favourite reads this year.

I haven’t read as many books as in previous years, hence the short list below, because, among other less exciting reasons, I’ve been finishing a YA gothic romantasy, which is due to my agent in March.

As some of you know, last year I signed with a literary agent and this year I went on submission with an upper-YA gothic romantasy. In the meantime, I have written another book (the one that’s due in March) and am in the final stages of editing it. I’m keeping my fingers-crossed for both these manuscripts to be picked up by a publisher in the new year. XD

Enough about me, here’s the list of my favourite reads:

THE PROJECT by Courtney Summers

GENRE: Young Adult, Thriller, Literature

Just a warning, this is not going to be an easy book to forget. The way Summers takes us into the mind of someone being seduced by a cult is truly clever. Lo is a fantastic character. She’s angry, quick-tempered, emotional, impulsive. She reads like an actual teenager, which isn’t guaranteed in YA these days.

All the characters are well-developed and interesting. I particularly love the relationship between the two sisters, Lo and Bea, although their story is heartbreaking.

Would definitely recommend to anyone who likes a good mystery and a good cry.

A CURSE FOR TRUE LOVE by Stephanie Garber

GENRE: Young Adult, Romantasy

Yes, I finally got around to reading the last book in The Once Upon a Broken Heart trilogy. And it was…

Wait a sec while I finish swooning…

SO CUTE! It’s a sweet ending to a sweet trilogy. Although I guessed the twist early on, I didn’t care because gah, Jacks and Evangaline got their happy –

I’ll shut up now.

A WINTER’S PROMISE by Christelle Dabos

GENRE: Young Adult, Fantasy

I really enjoyed this book. It’s set in a steam punk future where the leading families of the celestial islands (also called Arks) have family spirits that protect the islands. The protagonist, Ophelia, a member of one of these leading families, finds herself in an arranged marriage to a foreign man from a powerful clan and must travel to a dangerous Ark called the Pole. I loved Ophelia. She’s a breath of fresh air in the YA fantasy genre. She’s quiet, stubborn, curious, misunderstood and underestimated. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

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MY FAVOURITE BOOKS OF 2022

Published by Frances Denny on December 27, 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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Vale

Published by Frances Denny on November 19, 2022

STACEY L. PIERSON

Stacey L. Pierson’s Vale is a YA paranormal murder mystery about a group of teens who are all hiding something regarding the disappearance of an old friend.

The first thing that struck me about this book was the TV-script style of Stacey’s writing. It reads like I’m watching a television show; the layout, the immediacy of the writing, the fast pace, is all reminiscent of a TV show. And it works perfectly for the large cast.

The second thing that struck me was how well Stacey has characterized Vale High School. The High School itself feels like a living organism, as all the students are described in dispassionate terms of how they function in the school. And the school feels like it’s watching them.

Lastly, I love how Charles’s epilepsy is drawn. Stacey has mentioned this aspect of the book is #ownvoices and it reads as an authentic portrayal. So many books that feature characters with disabilities or conditions make a big deal about the disability/condition, but Charles is just allowed to be a regular character who is in no way different from the rest of the cast.

Double lastly, that twist at the end was totally unexpected!

Overall, Vale is an engaging read that I definitely recommend to those who love YA and mystery.

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Moneyland

Published by Frances Denny on August 31, 2022

By Michael Botur

If I were to describe Moneyland, I would say it’s Hunger Games meets Lord of the Flies, meets Squid Game. This is a futuristic horror novel, where robots have taken over the world and are experimenting on humans. One of these experiments involves leaving twelve teenagers in an abandoned suburb where they must fight over resources.

The main character, Eden, is a participant in this experiment. She is a wealthy and entitled teenager leading a consumerist lifestyle. Usually, I’m not a fan of this kind of trope: the bratty high school bully who comes from a rich family. But in this story, the trope works, because Eden is quickly thrown into an environment where there is a shortage of everything. This stark contrast to Eden’s old life offers very interesting character development.

The juxtaposition of settings is a compelling aspect of this novel. We have the humans who are rich and hedonistic. And then we have the human experiments who must fight each other for resources. These extremes reflect on how an imbalance of resources, whether too much or too little, breaks and tears apart society.

Just a note, there is violence towards animals in this book, so if you’re at all sensitive or squeamish, I would proceed with caution.

Overall, an intriguing read. Would definitely recommend to fans of horror and science fiction.

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Realm of Kings

Published by Frances Denny on April 20, 2022

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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The Rarkyn’s Familiar

Published by Frances Denny on February 10, 2022

BY NIKKY LEE

I received a free ARC from the author and am leaving a voluntary review.

Wow. What a ride this was. The Rarkyn’s Familiar by Nikky Lee is a YA: High Fantasy. It follows orphan, Lyss, who accidentally finds herself in a blood-pact with a beast from “the other world”: the rarkyn named Skaar. The magic bond she has with Skaar will drive her insane if she doesn’t find a way to break the pact.

First thing I want to clarify. I’ve heard this book being compared to Sarah J. Maas’s books. This is NOTHING like her books. The style, the content, the characters feel more in conversation with The Black Magician Trilogy by Trudi Canavan.

Now that’s out of the way…

The world-building is incredible. There’s so much history, lore and politics packed into 496 pages and a prose-style that zips along. Nowhere did I feel bogged down. And that’s amazing given Nikky Lee has created a made-up language, a foreign universe, a complex magic-system and an array of brand-new creatures.

The characters are beautifully drawn. There’s a large cast, as is expected in High Fantasy. Every character’s motives are clearly explained, making them easy to relate to. Even the antagonists have understandable motives, which adds to the richness of the world. I even felt sad when one of the major villains died. That, to me, is good writing.

The prose fits perfectly for the genre. It’s fast-paced, exciting and leaves enough room for world-building and character relationships to develop. It’s also at times dark and includes blood and gore, but not over-the-top. In fact, I would argue that readers who are not fans of dark themes, would enjoy this book too.

Over all, I recommend this book to anyone who likes their characters complex and morally ambiguous.

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A Santa Fe Xmas

Published by Frances Denny on January 5, 2022

BY CECELIA GUZMAN

This was a wonderful book to read over Christmas.

The story follows Evie And Alex. Evie bumps into Alex on the way to the family restaurant she runs and she ends up hiring him as a bartender. Things heat up between them and we learn some juicy family secrets.

Also included in this book are some family recipes from the author. I love this addition as it adds a personal touch.

This is a really sweet story about the importance of family in times of grief. It also has some adorable romantic moments between Evie and Alex.

I found the writing very easy to read. It was simplistic, but flowed well and the style fitted nicely in the spirit of a holiday read.

Overall, I definitely recommend A Santa Fe Xmas. It’s a quick read and a lot of fun.

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Borderlanders

Published by Frances Denny on October 27, 2021

GILLIAN POLACK

Borderlanders is about three friends who are dealing with everyday life issues, but against a backdrop of magical realism. Melissa, the main protagonist, suffers from chronic pain. Bettina is dealing with a family secret and struggling to come to terms with her psychic dreams. Zelda is writing a book while going through a difficult divorce.

I enjoyed how the writer leaves Bettina’s dreams to the reader to decide whether there’s a supernatural element to them.

I also appreciated the way Melissa’s chronic pain was handled. It’s rare you come across a book that addresses the toll physical illness has on a person’s mental health. I particularly loved this passage,

“She won’t give me tablets for depression because she says it’ll get better as I get better. Then, next visit, she admits I may not get better for years. Or ever. Not until we know more about things. And she sends me for tests and forgets the depression.”

The author doesn’t shy away from the real struggles the chronically ill face when trying to seek recognition and validation for their pain. It’s clear a lot of research has gone into writing this book.

Some other quotes that beautifully illustrate the chronically ill experience are:

“I’m doing this because I’m wonderful and you’re an invalid. You shouldn’t really exist but I’m making it possible because look, I’m washing your dishes while I tell you how to live.”

“I need to pretend to have a different disability in order not to be yelled at.”

“What I’m not so impressed about was the way he shouldered in front of me for everything. He was so sick. And the family treated him as special. And I sat there at dinner thinking, “Maybe I’m not as sick as he is. Maybe I’m kidding myself.””

One aspect I found jarring at times was that the dialogue felt wooden. Everyone sounded the same. Although the characters are well drawn and I didn’t feel that the dialogue detracted too much from the storytelling.

Overall, if you’re looking for a book that accurately portrays chronic illness, I strongly recommend Borderlanders.

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The Enchanted

Published by Frances Denny on October 13, 2021

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 16^th 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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