I’m sharing another instalment of my Mini Review Mondays, the most recent of which was a couple of weeks ago. In case you haven’t seen any of my previous posts, I do ‘mini’ reviews of books that I’ve previously read and am now ready to share my full thoughts about.
First up, I’d like to talk about A Venom Dark and Sweet by Judy I Lin. Thank you to Titan Books for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
A great evil has come to the kingdom of Daxi. The Banished Prince has returned to seize power, his rise to the dragon throne aided by the mass poisonings that have kept the people bound in fear and distrust. Ning, a young but powerful shennong-shi-a wielder of magic using the ancient and delicate art of tea-making-has escorted Princess Zhen into exile. Joining them is the princess’ loyal bodyguard, Ruyi, and Ning’s newly healed sister, Shu. Together the four young women travel throughout the kingdom in search of allies to help oust the invaders and take back Zhen’s rightful throne. But the golden serpent still haunts Ning’s nightmares with visions of war and bloodshed. An evil far more ancient than the petty conflicts of men has awoken, and all the magic in the land may not be enough to stop it from consuming the world…
Publication Date: 17th January
TW: poison, murder, death, executions, forced suicide, mentions of hanging, torture, violence, physical assault, substance abuse
My Thoughts:
A Magic Steeped in Poison was such a standout fantasy for me earlier this year. I thought it was ingenious, innovative and has its own unique flavour. This is unlike anything I have read before and stands out amongst the crowd. It reminded me just why I love YA fantasy. Safe to say my expectations for A Venom Dark and Sweet were in the stratosphere. Lin lived up to them in this stellar sequel.
I fell in love with Ning in A Magic Steeped in Poison, but here Lin splits the narration between her and Kang. This allowed me to delve into the layers of his character, complicating his loyalties and backstory. Lin also continues those political machinations that always fascinate me. The power dynamics and true allegiances are constantly shifting and through Kang’s eyes, the pieces start to come together. With Ning, we get even more exquisite worldbuilding. The places and people hinted at in the first book become places we get to visit here. Lin weaves in even more Taiwanese and Chinese mythology, particularly through the connections between the gods and Ning’s powers.
The writing of this duology is something that I adore. Lin has such a beautiful way of writing, fully sweeping you off your feet and into her imaginative and intricately crafted world. At once, it is tense and extremely fast-paced. I actually raced through this in one sitting, as the stakes were always increasing and the pages flowed so well. There are also these amazing moments where Lin allows a moment to breathe, with a flourish of romance or character development. The bonds between these characters excel and those quieter moments make the stakes resonate that much more.
A Venom Dark and Sweet concludes a duology that deserves the world. I cannot recommend them enough.
Next up, I’d like to talk about How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix. Thank you to Titan Books for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
When Louise finds out her parents have died, she dreads going home. She doesn’t want to leave her daughter with her ex and fly to Charleston. She doesn’t want to deal with her family home, stuffed to the rafters with the remnants of her father’s academic career and her mother’s lifelong obsession with puppets and dolls.
She doesn’t want to learn how to live without the two people who knew and loved her best in the world. Mostly, she doesn’t want to deal with her brother, Mark, who never left their hometown, gets fired from one job after another, and resents her success. But she’ll need his help to get the house ready for sale because it’ll take more than some new paint on the walls and clearing out a lifetime of memories to get this place on the market. Some houses don’t want to be sold, and their home has other plans for both of them…
Publication Date: 17th January
TW: death, murder, car accident, child death, body horror, injury, violence, terror, gore, drowning, fire, dismemberment
My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed The Final Girl Support Group when I read it last year. I thought it was a white-knuckle ride, with plenty of gory thrills in store, but also a complex and fascinating examination of the titular trope and its misogynistic undertones. That blend of classic horror references and thoughtful exploration of themes continues in How to Sell a Haunted House.
Hendrix has crafted another incredibly unnerving and creepy little crawling creature of a book. I mean, dolls, a haunted house and repressed trauma? Sounds like the perfect recipe for some scares. I personally appreciate the way the classic tropes of horror are used, undermined and flipped on their heads. It pays homage to the genre in a love letter style, but also gives a knowingly modern twist. The surge in artistic horror, used as a vehicle for exploring societal themes, is on full display here in a surprisingly touching look at grief, generational trauma and family.
There are scenes here that will haunt my dreams for a while. Hendrix brings every childhood nightmare and amps it up to eleven. It feels cinematic, as Hendrix evokes every last one of your senses. Dolls have always been something that unnerved me and there are plenty of them packed into this book. A standout is definitely Punkin, who is a character that I will not be forgetting any time soon. That voice freaks me out even now. Hendrix shines in his scenes, bringing creepy moments and action shots together in frightening fashion. Behind it all, there is a strong narrative about family and a mystery to piece together, to truly unravel the truth of that night and the years before it. The underlying trauma, secrets and lies that are revealed are chilling and culminate in an explosive but also deeply tragic final act.
How to Sell a Haunted House broke me out in chills. This genuinely got under my skin and kept me second guessing every shadow.
Finally, I’d like to delve into A Dark Inheritance by H. F. Askwith. Thank you to Candy Ikwuwunna and Penguin for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Once I had four brothers. Three of them are dead. I am next.
Felix Ashe is sure of only one thing. In thirty days, on his eighteenth birthday, he will die. He might be the only one convinced of this, but the gruesome deaths of his three brothers before him seem to point to only one thing: a curse, one doomed to stop anyone inheriting his family’s incredible fortune.
Felix doesn’t care about money, or himself, particularly. It’s hard to have a stake in the future when you know you haven’t got one. But he does care about his little brother Nick, very much. And when an opportunity to break the curse appears to present itself, it’s impossible not to heed its dark call.
Soon long-buried secrets will take Felix to the darkest underbelly of Jazz Age New York, to the far-flung wilds of the Yorkshire moors and back again. And bound to everything is a deadly secret society who will either be Felix’s downfall… or his one chance at redemption.
Publication Date: 19th January
TW: death, accident, grief, blood, gore, impalement, severe anxiety, fire
My Thoughts:
Pitch me a mystery combined with Gatsby vibes, Jazz Age New York, a touch of the fantastical and slick, sharp writing – I will always eat it up. A Dark Inheritance is a superb debut novel that you should definitely have on your radar.
This is one wild ride of a book and I loved every exhilarating second.
Felix is a fantastic protagonist. He is deeply impacted by the deaths of his brothers and the absence of his father. This emotionally manifests in severe anxiety, which is only intensified by the events of the book. Askwith has a strong focus on the importance of talking, listening and seeking help. That positive representation is so impactful and good to see. Felix’s vulnerability endeared me to him, as well as his puzzle-solving ability and tenacity. He wants to break the curse in order to protect his younger brother and will go to any lengths to achieve this. Also, in his character, there is a fascinating study of privilege, wealth and the true cost of success.
This is a book unafraid to go into some dark territory. Right from the gory opening, I was hooked. Askwith does not hold back with the tragic demises of Felix’s brothers and keeps you on your toes throughout. The pacing is perfect, creating a thrill ride across the Yorkshire Moors and the sinister underbelly of Jazz Age New York. It feels incredibly cinematic and ambitious in its scope. There are plenty of curveballs thrown though, particularly the secret society that emerges from the shadows. The fantasy elements are well-executed and I adored the macabre nature of the magic system.
A Dark Inheritance strips away the glitz and glamour in a blood soaked, devious little treasure of a book.
A Short Book Lover 
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