I’m sharing another instalment of my Mini Review Mondays, the most recent of which was the other week. 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 Roar by Manjeet Mann. Thank you to Penguin Random House Children’s UK and Nina Douglas for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Rizu lives a comfortable life in the gated middle class suburbs of Delhi; her biggest worries are getting her homework done and keeping up with the mean girls at school. That is, until she’s accused of being a witch and the hysteria that follows triggers a chain reaction that ends in tragedy and life as she knew it changes forever.
Alone and fearing for her life, Rizu runs away and joins a group of pink sari wearing, stick wielding women, known for their revenge vigilantism. Together they can help Rizu take back her life and seek justice against those who wronged her.
Because sometimes you have to run through the streets and ROAR.
Publication Date: 2nd October
CW: death, murder, violence, sexual assault, harassment, sexism, manipulation, racism, colourism, classism, bullying
My Thoughts:
Roar is an empathic challenge and a declaration of the power of claiming all aspects of yourself. It is a rallying cry to stand up to injustice and let your voice be heard.
Mann captivated me with this novel in verse – tapping into the emotional rawness inherent in the form and channelling the rage that fuels Rizu. I have previously enjoyed her work and how she uses this form to tackle difficult topics with care and nuance. There is an emotional rawness and vulnerability inherent in novels told in verse for me, something about the precision of language needed lands differently with me than prose does. Mann’s triumphant streak continues with this considered celebration of anger, though it warns that you cannot let it consume you. This is specifically within the lens of colourism, classism and sexism. The intersections of this are crucial to understand and Mann carefully explores how Rizu benefits from these systems of injustice even as she is under attack.
At the centre of it all, we follow Rizu. She starts as a girl in a bubble of the community she has always know and how this turns against her with a mistake that spirals into insidious gossip with dire consequences. Mann explores a modern-day witch hunt and ties it into the bloody history of persecution and systemic misogyny that still reverberates today. Rizu’s journey over the course of the book is wonderful and layered, allowing her to be a messy teenager growing into her power. She is authentic and imperfect, needing to learn valuable lessons about life outside her privileged bubble and feeling the consequences of her actions.
Roar is a scream into the void, a calling to create true community that stands up for those the world would like to silence. It draws on empowering inspirations and weaves this wonderful, nuanced story.
Next up, I’d like to talk about Witchlore by Emma Hinds. Thank you to Usborne Books for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
At Demdike College of Witchcraft, Orlando is an outcast. Not just for being the only shapeshifter in a college of witches. Not just for being a really bad shapeshifter, with no control over their magic or when their body switches between male and female forms. But because their girlfriend Elizabeth died – and it was Lando’s fault.
And then charming new boy Bastian arrives with a proposition: he knows a spell that can raise Elizabeth from the dead. It’s dangerous, but Lando will try anything. But as Lando’s attraction to Bastian grows, questions start to arise. Who is Bastian? What does he really want? And who will survive the resurrection spell?
Publication Date: 9th October
CW: death, grief, self-harm, suicidal ideation, transphobia, homophobia, sexism, misogyny, sexual assault
My Thoughts:
Witchlore was an impactful and extremely timely YA fantasy about grief, guilt and learning to fully accept yourself & stand in your power.
This has a beautiful throughline about bereavement and the feeling that it forever fractures your life. The death of Elizabeth has profoundly changed Lando, physically through the unexpected shift and emotionally through the overwhelming guilt and social ostracism. We delve into the fragile territory of their grief alongside them, with Hind’s writing conveying the nuance of Lando’s experience, combined with their own mental health crisis. Lando openly wishes to die at times, to stop the hurt caused by their experience of living. It is gut-wrenching and will hopefully reach readers who need that story of hope and love that doesn’t disregard the hurt and pain that remains. I also loved how Hinds used the magic system here to delve into identity, creating a powerful way to explore dysphoria and gender in fascinating and thought-provoking ways. Lando’s demonisation is ripped from the headlines and speaks to the terrifying culture of fear and outrage. To contrast this with acceptance and queer romance, fiercely showcasing the power of community is a powerful statement and one that will resonate with many readers.
Lando and Bastian are such compelling characters with a dynamic that feels adorable and grows naturally. That shift in their relationship feels earned but inevitable, though there may be further bumps in the road. You are rooting for them throughout thanks to Hinds’ excellent characterisation. Lando is deeply wounded and reckoning with their place in their world, something that has always been prescribed for them through didactic teachings of fear and shame. Their trajectory is incredible and something that feels necessary. Bastian is mysterious and complicated, bringing a new perspective to Lando’s life but not without his own secrets.
Witchlore was tenderly written with an aching heart that spilt out from the pages. It is perfect reading for those who enjoy sensational YA speculative fiction as these darker nights draw in.
Finally, I’d like to delve into Quantum of Menace by Vaseem Khan. Thank you to Zaffre Books for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Q is out of MI6 and into a new world of deceit and death.
After Q (aka Major Boothroyd) is unexpectedly ousted from his role with British Intelligence developing technologies for MI6’s OO agents, he finds himself back in his sleepy hometown of Wickstone-on-Water. His childhood friend, renowned quantum computer scientist Peter Napier, has died in mysterious circumstances, leaving behind a cryptic note. The police seem uninterested, but Q feels compelled to investigate and soon discovers that Napier’s ground-breaking work may have attracted sinister forces . . .
Can Q decode the truth behind Napier’s death, even as danger closes in?
Publication Date: 23rd October
CW: death, murder, violence, suicide, blackmail, cheating
My Thoughts:
Quantum of Menace was a wonderfully written crime story following Q after being kicked out of MI5.
Vaseem Khan has a knack for characters that pull you in and do not let you go. I loved the surrounding cast of characters as well, with a particular affinity for the lovable Bastard the Bulldog (I was lucky enough to win a plush of this and I treasure him) whose tragic backstory will bring a crack in the coldest heart. As a mistreated outsider, you can see why Q grumpily brings him in, showing the true heart behind the exterior. Khan’s take on Q is a fish-out-of-water, slightly bitter but incredibly intelligent man forced back into the small pond he tried to escape. He is relentless in his pursuit of the truth, unashamedly utilising his skillset to investigate. The return home makes him confront the shadows of his past, particularly in mending some relationships that showed a softer side to him. There was an unexpected emotional heft to the plot with a homecoming that has a ripple effect that will be interesting to see how it plays out.
The concept of Q in a cosy crime setting is ingenious and Khan builds on this wonderfully. His sharp mind applies itself to the mysterious death of his childhood friend and in doing so, steps into a web of lies and deceit. As a man used to living in an unknown world where only a select few know the truth, this is quite a turn but Q soon learns that this sleepy-looking suburbia has plenty of dirt they’d prefer to keep buried. As I would expect from Khan, this is a tightly plotted story with twists that will give you whiplash. It escalates brilliantly with stakes that are sky-high. The threat always feels present and horrifying, even as we take a moment to explore the childhood connection that underscores proceedings. Everything is centred around our evolution and the single-minded pursuit of greatness – that desire to leave a mark on the world and an undeniable legacy.
Quantum of Menace was darkly funny, slick and smartly delivered by a brilliant mind in the UK crime scene. I’m very excited to see where this may go next.
A Short Book Lover 
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