Review: A Forest, Darkly by AG Slatter
2 February 2026
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: A Forest Darkly, AG Slatter, Book Review, Books, Fantasy, fiction, Review
My Five Word TL:DR Review: To Put it Simply – Brilliant
I loved A Forest, Darkly. I would go even further and say this is my favourite Slatter book so far – but, I seem to have that feeling every time I read her latest work, she just gets better and better. This author is definitely my catnip and A Forest, Darkly is just what I’m in the mood for at the moment. A wonderful concoction of dark forests and witches with a boost provided by folklore, fae and the mystery of missing children, all wrapped up in a fairytale style with hints of Little Red Riding Hood. To be clear though. This is an adult fairytale, it’s dark and serious in places and certainly not a story to read to little ones. I would also mention that although this is set in the Sourdough universe this can be read as a standalone.
So, this story starts off with Mehrab. Mehrab has a history, things in her past that she ran away from and doesn’t like to dwell on. She ran far, far from home and ended up in a small cottage, tucked into the forest, not too deep to be at risk from anything too dark and not too near to the bordering village to have them watching her. It’s the perfect spot, and Mehrab has her life in order. Until two things happen almost simultaneously and cause upset, not to mention becoming the catalyst for change. Firstly, Rhea ventures deeper into the forest one day, chasing a rabbit, and becomes trapped. Clearly, something lured her in and if it wasn’t for her quick wits she could have been stuck there waiting for whatever might appear. Secondly, an old friend visited and brought with her a young woman, also running away from home and needing shelter. Mehrab takes in Rhea and becomes, begrudgingly at first, her mentor. Now, as this is playing out, it turns out that a number of children have gone missing from the village, some have been returned but seem not so much themselves any more.
What I loved about this.
Well, firstly, it’s beautifully dark, tantalisingly twisty and perfectly witchy. I love the way Slatter writes women.
They’re just so real – by which I mean, they’re not perfect. Mehrab is grumpy, curmudgeonly and yet alternatively wise and thoughtful. She sometimes takes her own sweet time to come round to an idea but she eventually gets there. Rhea is young. She’s impulsive and stubborn but she does listen and she takes pride in Mehrab’s praise. The two go well together and start to forge a firm bond. In fact one of the really enjoyable aspects of this is the ‘found family’ feel as Mehrab gradually seems to gather more lost sheep into her flock.
The setting is great. We obviously spend a great deal of time in the forest and the writing is so evocative. There are dark and twisted elements but also beauty and it’s all tempered by the warm cosy cottage. Meanwhile, in the village, people are starting to become scared. Their children are being taken and although they’re being returned – they’re different. On top of this there is the persistent fear that things are beginning to change. Folklore and religion don’t sit well together at this time and witches and wise women are hunted. Given that both Mehrab and Rhea are running from mistakes you can feel that it’s only a matter of time before they become ensnared. Mehrab is starting to feel the itch to move on but she is also desperate to salvage the mystery of the missing children.
Then we have a dark entity, a horned hunter who seems to be stalking Mehrab, for reasons unknown. She’s taking as many precautions as she can but there’s a dark ominous feel to the story like it’s only a matter of time before this creature succeeds.
Finally, I loved the imagination. The Sourdough universe is full of all sorts of wild and wonderous critters and A Forest, Darkly is no exception. We have a shadow creature of the Wild Hunt, changelings, critters that live in the lakes, green women, summer husbands and much more.
I absolutely adored this book, I wish I hadn’t read it so that I could have the pleasure of reading it for the first time again and I have no hesitation in recommending.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 5 of 5 bewitching stars
Review: Outlaw Planet by MR Carey
29 January 2026
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Reviews, Books, fiction, MR Carey, Outlaw Planet, reading, Review
My Five Word TL:DR Review: Very clever, but, takes time
Okay, so I’ve read and enjoyed a good number of MR Carey’s books (with the odd one or two being misses) and so I’m always eager when I see a new one on the horizon. To be honest, science fiction doesn’t always work for me but Carey seems to cross over between fantasy and sci fi with ease and so I feel more confident picking up his books – even if they veer out of my comfort zone. Basically, he’s a fine author but when I saw Outlaw Planet I literally thought ‘no, this is too much, this looks hardcore sci-fi’ and it scared me a little, but I also wanted the gunslinging outlaw. I was equally daunted and desperate so when I picked it up, at least 50% (maybe 60%, maths isn’t my strong point either) of me expected to really struggle! I’m not even joking. As it happens, there was no need to fear. Trust in Carey. Yes, this takes its time a little, but for goodness sake, when did we all become so impatient. Give the story a chance to develop and I guarantee you this will hook you, line and sinker. There were even tears. Who even am I?
Firstly, I’m not going to attempt to outline the plot, this review is a little late, there are so many great reviews out there and I usually keep plot descriptions to the minimum, but those are not the reasons. This book is some kind of gender mash up, there’s the western, gunslinging outlaw, this whole other planet, multiverse ‘thing’ and of course this kind of military feel also going on so, you better believe I’m going to make a mess of giving you the description so here it is:
“This is the story of Bess – or Dog-Bitch Bess as she came to be known. It’s the story of the gun she carried, whose name was Wakeful Slim. It’s the story of the dead man who carried that gun before her and left a piece of himself inside it. And it’s the tale of how she turned from teacher, to renegade, and ultimately to hero.
This is also the tale of the last violent engagements in an inter-dimensional war – one of the most brutal the multiverse had ever seen.
This is how Bess learned the truth about her world. Came to it the hard way, through pain and loss and the reckless spilling of blood, and carried it with her like a brand on her soul. And once she knew it – knew for sure how badly she’d been used – she had no option but to do something about it.”
Now, I can move on to what I liked.
I will start actually by giving you my one slight downer – this is a slow build. But, trust the author. He has people to see and places to go that require the backstory. Take Bess, you need to know why she became an outlaw, she had a beautiful life.. no read it for yourself and find out. And, Bess isn’t the only backstory, we have these soldiers (I confess it took me a little time to really get into this storyline but then – wow, it all comes together in such a perfect way), the planet also has a backstory and a twist in the tale that I didn’t see coming.
I loved, absolutely loved, the idea of Wakeful Slim. A sentient gun. Slim is next level.
On top of this we have other standout characters and I loved the little crew that Bess eventually found herself surrounded by.
Anyway, I’m probably making a bit of a pig’s ear out of this review but the long and the short of it is I really enjoyed it. It took me a little while to get into and for part of that time I really didn’t know where the author was going but then he brings it all together in such a fantastic fashion. Heartfelt. Bittersweet. Emotionally satisfying.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The Above is my own opiniion.
My rating 4.5 of 5 stars
Review: Nightshade and Oak by Molly O’Neill
26 January 2026
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Review, Book Reviews, Books, Fantasy, fiction, Greenteeth, Molly O'Neill, Nightshade and Oak, Review
My Five Word TL:DR Review: History and Mythology Perfectly Blended
I absolutely adored Greenteeth and couldn’t wait to read more by this author and Nightshade and Oak certainly didn’t disappoint. O’Neill has a way of blending history and folklore that is quite magical, she also seems to like to bring together two totally different characters, who, on the face of it, really shouldn’t get on, and then throw them into a situation. In Greenteeth we had a lake monster and a witch and in Nightshade and Oak we have a Goddess and a warrior.
The start of the story is amazing. We witness the Goddess of Death, Mallt Y Nos, and her pack of dogs roaming as they sweep through the carnage of a battlefield. Mallt is responsible for sending souls to their final resting place, helping those that are stuck or unhappy. Unfortunately, during her work she is struck by an errant spell that strips her of her immortality. She becomes a frail human, no longer blessed with great strength and speed. The person responsible for this action is a female warrior called Bellis, daughter of Boudicca. The Iceni tribe were making a final stand against the Romans, it didn’t go well and Belis was trying a spell of healing. The two are now thrown together through need and to be fair, although they set out on a quite simple quest things become much more complicated along the way.
What I loved about this.
It’s a really easy story to engage with, similar to Greenteeth. It’s set in a period where myth and magic were still believed in and it blends into the story easily.
I love Mallt. She’s a great character to get along with. She’s been a Goddess for so long, she barely thinks about the things she now does, it’s all automatic, she takes for granted her long life and her abilities so when she loses them not only is it devastating for her but it does make for some situations that definitely bring light relief. She’s so naturally arrogant, but then she finds she can’t climb a hill without hurting everywhere, she feels hunger, she can’t run fast, and she’s smaller in stature than Belis. It’s all quite unbelievable to her and she has to go through a massive learning curve, understanding once again how to speak to others, how to ask for help and finally realising that she can be hurt, both physically and emotionally. She’s interesting and easy to read.
Belis isn’t quite as quirky so in some ways she takes a back seat. She also doesn’t share as much page time as Mallt so although we are treated to little chapters where we see her in the past, it’s not as easy to become attached. Don’t get me wrong, I liked this character, she’s steadfast and clearly been taught well but a lot of what she does takes place off page so you don’t really witness her capabilities. It’s like we’re more wrapped up in Mallt’s conundrum than Belis’s. Which I really didn’t mind.
The world building is to the point. It definitely is the sort of story that expects readers to pick up and run with things and I can’t deny that I found that easy enough to do. This isn’t a history lesson and I’m not sure how historically correct certain story lines depicted are but I enjoyed the way the story blends the Roman elements with the mythological. I also really liked the dialogue and the style in which the story is told. It isn’t heavily described but it conjures a picture and the dialogue isn’t olde worlde but at the same time it isn’t modern and I really appreciate that.
I think I’ve seen the author described as ‘cosy’ fantasy. I can see where this description fits in some ways as there is almost a fairytale element to her storytelling, probably more so with Greenteeth I think, but, I don’t know that I’d say this is cosy. This certainly doesn’t shy away from warfare and death. There is a very slow building romance but there’s also a bittersweet ending – which to me felt like the only real way that this story could end.
Overall, I had a really good time reading this and in fact practically completed it in only two sittings because I didn’t really like putting it aside. I think I can safely say that Molly O’Neill is an author that I will be watching with interest.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 4 of 5 twinkly stars
Review: Enchanting the Fae Queen (Queens of Villainy #2) by Stephanie Burgis
22 January 2026
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Enchanting the Fae Queen, Queens of Villainy #2, Review, Stephanie Burgis
My Five Word TL:DR Review: Loved it. Give Me More
Enchanting the Fae Queen is the second in Stephanie Burgis’ Queens of Villainy series and it’s an absolute cracker – or a banger, or a corker – whatever phrase you prefer. I inhaled this book in two sittings which, to be honest feels almost disrespectful, like I should have lingered, poured over the delicious wording and banter, but I couldn’t help myself. Colour me happy because I was enchanted.
If you haven’t started this series already the first book is Wooing the Witch Queen, which I loved and highly recommend. Don’t dive into this without checking out No.1, I beg you. Each story is self contained and focuses on one of three Queens. The first story was the Witch Queen, this was the Fae Queen and No.3 – well you can jolly well find out for yourself. because I’m sure if you read the first two you’ll have no hesitation in picking it up. It is possible that spoilers may lurk below for those of you who haven’t read the first book so beware.
I have to say that EtFQ surpassed my expectations. I mean, I thought it was going to be good and I really enjoyed the first but this one just went next level for me.
I feel like I already had a good grip of the world here so I’m not going to over elaborate. We have an alliance of three Queens who have come together because they realise the only way to stand firm is to unite. As the story begins we find out a little about our MCs. We learn that General Gerard de Moireul witnesses the execution of his parents at a young age, for being traitors. He has been raised in this shadow and it has certainly driven him. He is ambitious and popular with the people. He takes his vows seriously so its unfortunate that he has caught the eye of Queen Lorelei, who is absolutely determined to bring his shining career crashing down. The Fae Queen has a scandalous reputation and so a dalliance with the General won’t do him any favours, but, Lorelei hasn’t reckoned with Gerard’s stubborness and determination to be ‘proper’ in the face of all manner of temptation. Seven years later, she comes up with a cunning plan, a plan so cunning that it could finally shatter the very fragile peace and bring war to all their countries.
So, what did I love about this.
Firstly, the writing. Of course, I love a good plot and great characters but if the writing isn’t good then they’re hardly going to get a chance to sink their claws in are they! I love the way Burgis writes. She has a beautiful way with words that never fails to make me smile. Her banter is clever and funny and to be honest, I like that she doesn’t make everything too modern. I want modern speaking people when I’m reading contemporary fiction.
Secondly, I really enjoyed the plot, we get to spend time in the fae realm which I enjoyed and it had a really agreeable pace to it. Never a dull moment in fact. To be fair, yes, there is predictability going on here but realistically isn’t that why you read cosy romantasy – the guarantee of a safe and happy ending?
Thirdly, the characters. At the moment, I’m going to say Lorelei and Gerard are my favourite. Now I’m sure when I pick up the third those characters will become my favourites, likewise if I returned to the first. Yes, the characters are enjoyable to read and I liked them.
I’m going to keep this short and sweet, which feels fitting for this novel.
In conclusion, I have no hesitation in recommending this book and series if you are a lover of cosy romantasy, or if it’s something you’re thinking of dipping your toes into. I can’t wait for No.3.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own conclusion.
My rating 4.5 of 5 stars glittering and sparkly stars
Review: Fiend by Alma Katsu
My Five Word TL:DR Review: Family Drama, Low on Scares
I really like Alma Katsu, I loved her Taker series and also The Hunger so I was excited to see a new book, a contemporary gothic horror story with a dysfunctional family at its centre. A family with great wealth and power, a family where things have a way of working out in their favour. A family either greatly blessed or absolutely cursed. What’s not to love.
The Berisha Family. Zef is the head of the family. Ruthless, sexist, cruel. He rules with an iron fist and to be honest, you really don’t want to make him angry. There are three children. Dardan, the treasured first born and only male heir who will one day take over the running of the family business. Maris, the second born, very similar to her father and ruthlessly ambitious. Nora, the youngest, far from being the baby of the family Nora was more or less rejected by her father as a waste of time as a small child because he found her fanciful.
This is not really a loving family, although it is a family that sticks together, or at least, over the years, the Berisha family have stuck together through thick and thin. More recently tensions are running high. Maris, much more ambitious than her brother, wants control of the company. Zef doesn’t see Maris as anything more than a good prospect to marry off and breed more Berisha’s. Nora is the black sheep. She hates the family business but not enough to detach herself from the wealth and privilege it bestows upon her. She spends her day doing nothing but drinking and debauchery.
The story is told in alternating timelines. Then and Now. This way we get to see some of the earlier interactions between the family, get a feel for the dynamics between them all. The one thing that comes across consistently is that they are all totally ruthless, and to be blunt, not really likeable at all.
So, what worked for me.
The writing is good. The dialogue and family tensions all read well. The author sets the scene well. Then she ramps up the mystery a little, there’s a death in the family and from there onwards things start to go wrong.
But.
Unfortunately, in spite of so much promise, good writing and actually a really intriguing set up this book just didn’t wow me and I’ve been absolutely puzzled about why that is. I’m not sure I’ve totally pinned it down. I think the horror is too scarce. I can genuinely say that I didn’t have the heebies at all and that is somewhat disappointing, particularly given the cover. I think I was expecting a demonic presence, I really believed this would turn dark and full of tension, I thought I was going to get the creepy house vibe. I hate to say this but I think the scariest thing about this book is the cover. But, again, maybe I just hyped myself in all the wrong ways, I don’t know.
Ultimately, this feels more like the start of something rather than a complete tale. I feel like there’s more story untold, like this is just a taster, and if that was the case then this would certainly be a good start, but I don’t think that’s the case here.
As it is, this story is well told. You won’t like the characters but that’s intentional, you’re not supposed to like them. The family is pretty awful, the company is your basic nightmare. I think you could read this as a contemporary thriller, is there really any curse, or is it just this particular family doing what they do best? But, for me, well I came for the demon, the curse and the darkness.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks, the above is my own opinion.
My rating 3 of 5 stars
Books and travelling with Lynn 