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New Urban Fantasies Perfect for Halloween: Slayers of Old and The Devil She Knows

22 Oct

Slayers of Old
by Jim C. Hines
What happens if “chosen ones” don’t die young, but live to Old Age? Hines has created a funny, charming fantasy that follows three retired heroes who open a bookshop and gift store in Salem, MA only to find that something unexpected is lurking in town. Temple is an aging wizard who derives power from his family’s ancestral home. Jenny is a former slayer in the Buffy vain, who got fed up with being used and decided to chose a different path for herself. Anette is a former PI, half succubus/half human grandmother. The three represent standard urban fantasy tropes, but with hot flashes and c-pap machines. I think it is nice to see a trend where fantasy focuses on the older generation entering the next life phase now as well as young adults, just beginning their journeys. I’ve read several high fantasy books with this focus, but it was enjoyable to see an urban fantasy spin. Slayers of Old will be a fun read for any generation, but if you’re middle age or older it will especially hit hard. You can listen to a variety of Hine’s other works on Hoopla as digital audiobooks.

The Devil She Knows
by Alexandria Bellefleur
When Samantha Cooper’s girlfriend, Hannah, rejects her proposal, she is both dumped and left homeless; it seems like things couldn’t get any worse. Then Samantha is accosted by Daphne, a beautiful blond with a penchant for pink, in an elevator with a devil’s bargain to get Hannah back. She can have 6 wishes if she just signs over her soul. It is a deal that Samantha should, but of course doesn’t refuse. The twists lead to some funny and also disastrous results for Samantha who must come to terms with whether Hannah was truly her soulmate and if a nightmare demon might actually be her dream girl. The Devil She Knows is a fun romantic romp that also is a good read for those in the process of breaking up with it’s focus on evaluation of one’s own self-worth and finding a love who can appreciate a person for who they truly are. I also enjoyed and would recommend Bellefleur’s debut novel Written in the Stars, a 2021 Lambda Literary Award Winner, which is available from Hoopla along with her other previous novels in ebook and audiobook.

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

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Villains Re-imagined: How to Survive a Fairy Bargain and Kaikeyi

15 Oct

How to Survive a Fairy Bargain
by Laura J. Mayo
How to Survive a Fairy Bargain is the second in the Laura J. Mayo’s Fairies and Familiars series. The first novel, How to Summon a Fairy Godmother, used the story of Cinderella as a springboard which cleverly painted one of the ugly stepsisters, Theodosia, as not being the villain that she was portrayed in the original and the fairy godmother as not being quite as altruistic. This story continues Theo’s adventures and looks more at the world of fairies and their familiars (human servants who each also have an animal form and limited magic). I love that Theo’s form is an adorable hedgehog and that this novel gives a stepsister her own HEA story. Theo has begun trying to settle in to her new life and learning what it means to be a familiar to Cecily when a new adventure begins. There is a bit of romance and an intriguing plot about a missing fairy princesses and an ages old assassination added in to the mix. If you are a fan of stories that build on the lives of side characters then you will want to dive into the intriguing world Mayo has created. Also I have to say the covers for this series are some of my favorites; you might not always be able to judge a book by a cover, but these clever art nouveau-esque covers hold an equally enchanting story.

Kaikeyi
by Vaishnavi Patel
Kaikeyi is a feminist retelling of a the story of a well-known villain from India who in the Ramayana had banished the hero Rama for ten years to the forest. In the novel which focuses on the time before Rama’s banishment, Kaikeyi is seen as a courageous woman who sought to prevent needless blood shed due to war and championed the women of the kingdom. Unlike with Cinderella, I was not familiar with Kaikeyi’s story so I had to do a bit of research to find out how the novel diverged from the original material, a main change is that Kaikeyi has the power to see threads that connect her to other people, which helps her influence them, unlike in the original where her gift is to have a strong iron hand. Besides the main story, sprinkled throughout are other interesting folk-stories from India that Kaikeyi recounts. Whether you are new to Kaikeyi’s story or are looking for a feminist take on a classic you grew up with, Kaikeyi is a fascinating tale of a tragic woman. This is our November pick for Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Club, if it sounds interesting to you, please join us for a great discussion.

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

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