City of Others and other Singapore Inspired Fantasies

21 Jan

City of Others
by Jared Poon
Though it is only January, the new urban fantasy, City of Others may already be one of my favorite books of the year. The story follows Benjamin Toh, a middle manager for the Division of Engagement of Unusual Stakeholders in Singapore, which oversees the nonhuman members of the city. He himself is a Gardner, who has the supernatural power to look inside himself and reshape his soul to not only be braver but to be physically stronger as well. This story has a sweet mm romance, an adorable set of workplace found family members, and a parade of intriguing Southeast Asian mythic creatures and humanoids to discover. The storyline about a housing complex which is periodically glitching out of our reality and Benjamin’s attempts to stop it and the entirety of Singapore from permanently vanishing was enjoyable, but I hope this isn’t the end of Benjamin’s adventures since the world Poon has created is so intriguing that I was left wanting more of it. If you are a fan of Men in Black or The Dresden Files then I highly recommend checking out City of Others.

Looking for more Singaporean Fantasies? Check out these other works:
Black Tides of Heaven
by Neon Yang
Black Tides of Heaven is the first, LGBTQ Asian inspired fantasy novella in the Tensorate Series by Singaporean author Neon Yang. The series was one of the 100 best fantasy books of all time, according to Time Magazine and a Finalist for the Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy Awards for Best Novella.

Sister Snake
by Amanda Lee Koe
Sister Snake is a modern spin on the Chinese folktale “The Legend of the White Snake” which follows two sisters, one in Singapore and one in New York City.

The Wicked and the Willing
by Lianyu Tan
The Wicked and the Willing is the 2023 Lambda Literary Award Winner for LGBTQ+ Speculative Fiction. It is a sapphic gothic horror vampire novel set in 1927 Singapore.

Have a fantasy recommendation to share; let us know in the comments!

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

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For those Who Love Enemies to Lovers: Like in Love with You and A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon

14 Jan

Like in Love with You
by Emma R. Alban
Like in Love with You is a charming Regency Romance set in Bath, England in 1817 about two Queen Bees who start as rivals for the same gentleman and then realize that they are actually falling for each other. The first half of the novel was a page turner waiting to see if the two would ever announce their feelings for each other or continue their battle for a man they don’t have feelings for. Of course even when/if they do there is still the issue of the prejudices of the time period for them to overcome. I liked that Alban is able to depict Catherine and Rosalie’s scheming while keeping the two likeable. This book will have you rooting for the couple. Make sure you have plenty of time before starting this story, you won’t want to put it down. You can also borrow her Victorian romances Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend (about two debutantes who try and setup their widowed parents, but fall in love with each other instead) and You’re the Problem, It’s You (about a Lord and a Second Son who are rivals, but fall for one another).

A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon
by Sarah Hawley
A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon is a cozy contemporary romance/fantasy about a witch, Mariel, who accidentally conjures up a demon, Ozroth and is bound to him until she completes a deal for her soul. When her demanding mother catches them together she lies that he is her boyfriend and shenanigans ensue. What Mariel doesn’t know is that Ozroth has been secretly cursed to have a soul during another bargain. He struggles with atypical feelings for a demon including burgeoning feelings of attraction and possibly even love for her. Besides the romance story additional drama comes from Mariel and her friends attempts to block the building of a spa that threatens the magical forest that surrounds their town. If you enjoyed Violet Thistlewaite is Not a Villian Anymore, then you will also want to check out this story. You can also borrow Hawley’s other two novels in her Glimmer Falls Series: Book 2, A Demon’s Guide to Wooing a Witch, about her best friend, Calladia, and Book 3, A Werewolf’s Guide to Seducing a Vampire about her boss, Ben.

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

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