Tag Archives: fantasy

Quirky Fantasies: The Moonsingers & That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon

14 Jul

The Moonsingers
by Robyn J Pritzker
Ismay Beghart has never felt like she fits in, while her sister is content with attending balls and a life of leisure, Ismay wants to feel useful, but her efforts at becoming a teacher have not gone as planned and when she leaves her last post humiliated, she takes a position in a far away village tutoring three very unusual girls. I found The Moonsingers to be a fresh and unusual take on the typical fairy tale. Ismay is an interesting protagonist, she makes mistakes and often feels awkward but still manages to charm with her compassion. Neurodivergent readers may especially find her relatable, but she will will appeal to anyone looking for a unique and not stereotypical heroine. If you like The Moonsingers you may also enjoy The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna.

That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon
by Kimberly Lemming
That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon is a very silly story filled with absurd situations that manages to be uniquely original while still satirizing some of the popular tropes of fantasy cozies and steamy romantasies including modern language as well as culinary creations one would not expect to find in a medievalesque world. I felt the story would have been stronger if the author had not relied so heavily on cliched language in her descriptions, but her humor was well timed and kept me reading. If you are looking for something light and funny to bring with you to the beach or for a plane trip, than this would be a good pick. There are additional volumes in Mead Mishaps series and Lemming also has a series of equally ridiculous Science Fiction Series: Cosmic Chaos.

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

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Find Sanctuary in a Good Book: The Inn at the Foot of Mount Vengeance and Before the Coffee Gets Cold

7 Jul

The Inn at the Foot of Mount Vengeance
by Chiara Bullen
The Inn at the Foot of Mount Vengeance is the new debut novel by Chiara Bullen. This is a sweet cozy fantasy novel that will appeal to fans of Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries and Legends and Lattes. The novel begins at a D&Desque inn at the bottom of an ominous mountain which is said to be inhabited by monsters including a ferocious dragon. Ainsworth is a scholar who has been reluctantly sent to the inn to line up interviews with the adventures who will be tackling the mountain for a research paper. To his surprise though party after party chooses to not go up the mountain after they stay a night at the inn and the inn keeper, Honey, claims that no one has a actually chosen to make their way up the mountain. Ainsworth starts out as a seemingly vain and rude, but as he gets to know Honey and the other inn workers and guests, he begins to find himself opening up and healing from an abusive relationship. If you enjoy character driven stories with a focus on found families and strong friendships, this story will be one to check out. The Inn at the Foot of Mount Vengeance was a story I did not want to put down.

Before the Coffee Gets Cold
by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
Before the Coffee Gets Cold is the first in a series of novels by Toshikazu Kawaguchi set at a cafe in Japan where guests can go back to the past. But there are rules to the time travel, most importantly, they can only be in the past as long as it takes for the coffee that they have been served to get cold. The story was adapted from a play and this is reflected in the strong dialogue. Although they can not change the past, those that experience the magic of the cafe are often changed themselves and their future often takes a new path. We read the story for the Hoboken Public Library’s Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Group’s May discussion, but it will also appeal to those that enjoy magical realism, literary fiction, and are interested in Japan and life there. Our book group overall had a positive response to the story. I found Before the Coffee Gets Cold both touching and thought provoking.

If you are interested in joining one of the library’s upcoming book discussions, see our online calendar for a listing of upcoming dates. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Group will be meeting on July 27 to discuss Eliot Schrefer’s The Darkness Outside Us.

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

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