Book Review: Imbued (2024) - Helyna L. Clove

 

Imbued is a dark fantasy following Calla, a servant in Kiriong. Her quiet life life is uprooted when Gray, a magehunter, returns home and the magic deep within Calla rears its head.

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This review may contain mild spoilers.

Opening thoughts: I've read Skylark in the Fog, also by Clove, previously and absolutely adored it, so I knew I was in for a treat when I picked up Imbued. This is a story full of heart with characters that you really want to root for the whole way through.

Worldbuilding: I thoroughly enjoyed the worldbuilding in this book. Clove does an excellent job at fully immersing you in the world and expertly weaving in tidbits that both hint at the plot to come and the greater world around the characters. I really loved the backdrop of a world still recovering from the damage caused by foolhardy mages.

Emotions: Calla goes through it and I just want to bundle her up and tell her everything will be okay (will it though????). There's this constant back and forth of Calla hating and fearing the magic within her but also wanting to learn more about it, and Clove does an excellent job at pulling you into Calla's inner psyche as she struggles with this. The prose is at times very poetic, and I think that lends wonderfully to allowing the reader to really feel alongside Calla.

Intrigue: I was a huge fan of the dichotomy between the nature gods worshipped in Kiriong and the ancient, long dead Luor. I also absolutely love what Clove did with flashbacks and dreams in Imbued. We slowly figure out with Calla what happened to her in her past, and what the magic inside her truly is.

Relationships: The relationship between Calla and Gray is a complex, twisted thing built, at first, on distrust and survival instincts, but it slowly (ever so slowly) blossoms into a mutual understanding and, eventually, something more. I would have loved to have a couple Gray POV chapters to really get into his head, but even seeing him through Calla's POV it's wonderful to watch his and Calla's transformation as they grow closer. I really hope things work out for them because I think they just deserve love and happiness :') I also really loved Calla rediscovering the friendship she once had with Aesh and the complex emotions that dredges up for her. There's quite a large cast of background characters in Kiriong, and while I sometimes forgot some of their names, I think Clove did an excellent job at establishing Calla's relationship to each of them.

Descriptions: Imbued is full of incredibly rich descriptions that really transport you into the moment. I found myself lost within its pages more than once while I was reading. Clove masterfully weaves in sensory details that, combined with the first person narration, allow you to see the world through Calla's eyes.

Engagement: This is one of those books that took me a while to read, not because it was slow but because I wanted to savor every chapter. The pacing starts out gradual, as Calla begins to train with Gray and learn more about her magic, and then it ramps up at exactly the right moment and takes off at a break-neck speed towards the end. I was engrossed at every moment while reading.

Final thoughts: This was a wonderfully heartbreaking read. The characters all had an incredible depth that really made them come alive on the page and the world is rich and unique. Calla's internal struggle with her relationship towards magic and the outer forces working against her created a fantastic reading experience. I can't wait to see what happens in book two.

Book Review: Sweet and Wild (2025) - Alex Larkspur

Sweet and Wild is a cozy adjacent, MM fantasy romance by Alex Larkspur. Micah moves to a new town to escape his difficult past and finds a new home, friends, and love in Roseyard and its bordering forest.

*I received this book as an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review*

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Opening thoughts: I first learned about Sweet and Wild during a pitch event on Bluesky and have been excitedly waiting for its release ever since. Larkspur describes it as cozy adjacent which I think is the perfect descriptor. Sweet and Wild is warm, sweet, and cozy, but it delves into some darker corners at times that will leave you going "Woah. Oh my god! No!" and probably crying at times.  At least that was my reaction.

Worldbuilding: This is by no means an epic fantasy, but Larkspur expertly weaves in so much carefully thought out worldbuilding you can really get an idea of the larger world that Micah and Terran's story is set in. I love how the magic is very much tied to intention, nature, and caring for others. I also LOVE the lore for the forest guardians (I won't go into detail here to save you from spoilers, but trust me, it's very good lore).

Emotions: Now, I'm a very emotional reader, it's not particularly hard to make me cry, but when I tell you I was SOBBING during a particular scene (once you read it, you'll know what I mean) I am not exaggerating. But aside from making me cry like a little baby, Sweet and Wild is a very sweet (look I know I've already used sweet to describe it and it's in the name but that's just what it is) and heartfelt book that left me giggling, smiling like a fool, and generally just feeling very warm and fuzzy inside.

Intrigue: For me I think the most unique think about Sweet and Wild was just how human the story was. I think a lot of time in fantasy, even when the characters are human, things just feel so fantastical and out there that it doesn't feel grounded (which I also love, don't get me wrong). But the characters in Sweet and Wild just felt so real to me with very real struggles and very real emotions. And again, I just love the magic in this book. There is something very simple about it (not to say that it isn't fleshed out, it's clear that quite a bit of thought has been put into it) that makes it feel like it could exist in our own world. And who doesn't love magic accidentally baked into cookies. Also, a trope I wasn't aware that I liked but that Larkspur absolutely made me love is in this book (Who hurt you).

Relationships: At its core, Sweet and Wild is about relationships. Not only the romantic relationship between Micah and the forest guardian Terran, but also Micah's relationship with the town and people of Roseyard, his mother and her magic, the animals he cares for, the forest, and himself. It's a relatively short book, but each relationship develops so naturally and you can really feel the love every character has for Micah, and vice versa, by the end. Now, as for Micah and Terran's relationship, it's incredibly sweet (I know, I know, sue me, this won't be the last time I use that word in this review). It's clear from the very beginning that Micah is going through it and still hasn't fully processed some trauma from his past, and to contrast that with the unending kindness and love that Terran offers him almost immediately is just the perfect recipe for tugging on my heartstrings.

(I would be remiss to mention that if you're a fan of romance books without any on page spice, then this is the book for you) 

Descriptions: Larkspur paints a vivid picture of the forest, characters, and the town of Roseyard without using extremely flowery or purple prose. I'm a simple person, I like simple prose that tells me what the author wants me to see. I'm a sucker for books set in natural environments, and Sweet and Wild is rife with wonderful descriptions of the forest near Roseyard.

Engagement: I absolutely tore through this book. I think I read it in about three sittings, and I only ever put it down because I had to go to work (a job? in this economy? It's more likely than you'd think, unfortunately). It's a relatively fast paced book (though quite a bit of time does pass throughout the story), and reading it honestly felt like a casual stroll through the park. It was the perfect sweet treat (okay, okay, I'm done) to jostle me out of my reading slump.

Final thoughts: If you love sunshiney main characters, a dash of trauma, characters processing, healing from, and growing with that trauma, nature, and one of the sweetest (I lied, I'm not sorry) and most caring relationships I've ever read, then I'm sure you'll love Sweet and Wild.

Tempest Take Me Home (2025) - Charlie Knight

 Tempest Take Me Home is the debut novel of author Charlie Knight and is a romantasy that follows Captain Eli Rose, magical cartographer Max, and the crew of The Tempest on their journey to hunt down items of legend. 

*I received this book as an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review*

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Opening thoughts: I always thought I was going to die a romantasy hater, turns out I just needed to read romantasies written by queer writers! What really drew me in to this book was the mention of magical cartography. I absolutely LOVE when maps and magic collide, so I was hooked from the start. 

Worldbuilding: The worldbuilding is fairly light in this book. Not absent by any means, there was certainly enough to keep the fantasy junky within me happy, but I did find myself wishing we got a little more information about the gods of the world and a peak at different types of magic. I also wish that we had spent just a little more time with the hunt for the elements, but this book certainly puts the character relationships first (which I'm not complaining about, more details in the next sections) which means some things world building wise got left out. Knight absolutely delivered on the map magic and I loved the descriptions we get of Max working on the maps.

Emotions: I found myself laughing out loud on more than one occasion while reading. Jak and Eli's constant jabs at each other are the perfect tension breakers sprinkled throughout. I think on average this book just gave me the warm and fuzzies. There were a few heart wrenching moments to be sure, but I'd definitely plop this book in the cozy category.

Intrigue: Can we just talk for a second about the disability rep in this book?! The care Eli takes when moving around and with Max to not cause any extra pain, the care the crew takes to make Tempest accessible for Max in his wheelchair and crutches, and so many other big and small moments in this book put so much focus on Max as a disabled character and how that affects his daily life. It was such a refreshing view of disability in a fantasy setting.

Relationships: This is where Tempest Take Me Home shines the most. Eli and Max's relationship felt SO real and the struggles that they face throughout the book really shines because of that. They're also just incredibly cute together and then you throw Tevin in the mix and cuteness exceeds capacity. I also loved the unique relationship Eli has with each crew member and that Max develops with them. I really appreciated some of the small moments early on that we get to establish the relationship dynamics of the crew.

Descriptions: We get a few key descriptors of each character that paints a pretty good picture of who's who and I never felt lost trying to remember who each character was. Knight does a great job with the sensory descriptions and the whole book felt very atmospheric.

Engagement: This was a really enjoyable and easy read. It was one of those books that I could easily pick up in between classes or read a few pages/chapters. The pacing was great and ramped up at just the right moment (right about where I couldn't put the book down haha).

Final thoughts: I know I just said it but this really was such a fun read. If you're looking for a cozy romantasy set on a treasure hunting ship with a queer as heck cast then I'd definitely recommend picking this one up when it's released in March. I'm looking forward to see what else Knight writes in the future!

Hell Followed With Us - Andrew Joseph White (2022)

Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White is a YA dystopian horror novel that follows trans teen Benji as he tries to escape a religious cult all while being forcibly turned into a monster that the cult believes is their savior.

(The following review may contain minor spoilers, read at your own risk)

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Opening thoughts: Hell Followed With Us had been recommended to me a few times so I went into it with high hopes, and let me tell you, those hopes were met. I was absolutely blown away by this book, it was a great start to my 2025 reading.

Worldbuilding: Hell Followed With Us is set in Acheson, Pennsylvania in a not too distant future where global warming has ravaged the land and a virus, engineered by the religious cult The Angelic Movement, has wiped out a huge percentage of the population and turned many of them into monstrous abominations called Graces. White does a really fantastic job at bringing this dystopian world to life, feeding the reader bits and pieces of how The Flood came to be and how it has changed the way people live so drastically. We get to see both sides of this new life from the queer teens at the Acheson LGBTQ+ Center (ALC) barely scraping by to the small utopia that The Angel Movement have carved out for themselves in New Nazareth. While it has supernatural elements within it like the Graces and the virus tearing apart Benji's body to turn him into Seraph, a biochemical weapon for the Angels, the world of Hell Follows With Us feels like one that could become our reality.

Emotions: This book tugged at my heartstrings so much. Benji struggles so often just trying to fit in and feel like a boy after putting up with so much transphobia from his mother and the Angels while also having to come to terms with the fact that he is slowly but surely being turned into a monster. On top of all that, he has to keep the monster part a secret from the people that saved him for fear that they'll kill him or send him back to the Angels. Poor kid just can't catch a break. There were so many moments that made me cry or scream (both from frustration and joy) throughout Hell Followed With Us. White is also fantastic at ending chapters on cliff hangers that leave your jaw on the floor. 

Intrigue: I've read my fair share of YA dystopian novels, but I feel like White has done something really special with this one. Throughout the story, bible quotes are woven in to reflect what Benji feeling or is trying to rationalize in that moment. I think this was a great tool to help the reader understand just how ingrained the mindset of the Angels is in Benji, and how he is trying to break free from it. I also thought The Flood and how it later interacts with Benji as he becomes more and more Seraph was a really interesting driver of the post-apocalyptic setting. White also scatters bible quotes throughout to reflect how Benji feels about something or is trying to justify his actions which I think was a super effective tool.

Relationships: There are a lot of side characters in this book and they unfortunately get lost in the fray (but I think this is an issue a lot of books with large casts face). The members of The Watch all have great introductions, but then we only get a few lines from each of them scattered throughout the rest of the book. That being said, the complex relationships between Benji and Nick and Benji and Theo are fantastically written. White makes you doubt your own intuition on the intentions of the characters several times over with a wonderful payoff at the end. Benji struggles throughout the book with his relationship to The Angels. He wants to follow his fathers words to "be good" but does being good look like forgiving the people that tortured him, or is it fighting against them?

Descriptions: While I think some of the side characters could have benefited from a little extra description, White makes up for this tenfold with his visceral descriptions of Benji's transformation into Seraph. I physically cringed several times while reading, the descriptions make your skin crawl. White also does a great job at describing Acheson county and really transporting you into the dystopian world where global warming and a horrible plague has rampaged the land only to be further destroyed by the religious cult that released the plague. 

Engagement: I'd describe Hell Followed With Us as a medium-paced book. I absolutely devoured it, especially once I got to the 50% mark I just couldn't put it down. The contrast of Benji dealing with dysphoria combined with his transformation into a monster was just one of the many themes White played on that kept me utterly engaged from start to finish.

"It's harder for someone to pin you down as a girl when they need a moment to pin you down as human."

Final thoughts: Overall Hell Followed With Us was a fantastic first read of 2025. The ending fell a tiny bit flat for me, but it by no means ruined the book and this is definitely one that will stay with me for a long time. If you're looking for a book that heavily explores religious trauma, the dangers of a religious elite being in power, transness, and embracing the monster inside of you with plenty of gore then I would highly recommend it!

The Daughter She Wanted - Felix Graves (2025)

The Daughter She Wanted (2025) by Felix Graves is a speculative horror short fiction that dives deep into the psyche of a high school girl with an abusive foster mother. 

Opening thoughts 

This was a chilling and haunting read from start to finish.

Worldbuilding

The Daughter She Wanted is a very internal story focusing on the main character's mental state as she goes through what could probably be termed as psychological torture. So worldbuilding isn't really applicable here, but it's not needed. Graves does a fantastic job at make the reader feel as though you are experiencing these thoughts and feelings as if they are your own.

Emotion

I wanted to cry the whole time reading this book but I think I was in too much of a shock to be able to. Every time the main character put herself down, using her stepmothers words, I wanted to scream "No, you're wrong! Those aren't true!" Truly a heart wrenching read. 

Intrigue

I really loved the use of dreams as a way to reflect the character's mental state. I won't go too into detail about them since this is a short story and I don't want to spoil anything, but I also loved the bit of perhaps mystical or magical meaning they may have.

Relationships

This was such a clear and brutal depiction of an emotionally abusive parent. The foster mother time and time again sets such high expectations for her daughter while at the same time telling her and making her believe that she is worthless. And still, the daughter loves her. Because how could you not love your mother?

Description

This is another area that wasn't super present, but again wasn't needed. The main characters aren't given names, but you still feel such a deep emotional bond with them. It's a very internal story, focusing on the mental anguish of the main character. You truly feel all of her ups and downs. The dreams that I mentioned above are very vividly described however, and it's a very effective contrast to the rest of the story.

Engagement

A super quick read that kept me on my toes the entire time. I found myself highly engaged trying to pick out each manipulative tactic of the foster mother.

Final thoughts

The Daughter She Wanted absolutely gutted me. I was screaming at the characters the whole way through and was left speechless by the end.

New to the WEIRDE review system? Check out this post to learn more about it.

The WEIRDE Reviews System

 I've always had a hard time figuring out what to write when reviewing a book and reducing it down to a five star scale, but I do want to offer insightful reviews for those that might be interested in a book I've read. So I've created the WEIRDE review system (inspired by Erika McCorkle's, @kiraofthewind on Bluesky, WYVERN system).

This system focuses on the things I care about the most when reading a book: worldbuilding, emotion, ingenuity, relationships, descriptions, and engaging.

Worldbuilding:

I'm a sucker for thoughtful and intentional worldbuilding. If a book has a glossary (or heaven forbid footnotes) I know I'm going to be in for a good time. Of course, books that are lighter on the worldbuilding still have their merits, but I'm more likely to gush over a book that has a really intricate magic system or pages of lore than if it doesn't. Obviously, this category will mostly apply to fantasy and sci-fi books, but since that's the bulk of what I read I couldn't not include it. Books set in the real world that don't require worldbuilding won't be dinged for not having any worldbuilding.

Emotion:

Every book is going to illicit some kind of emotion from it's reader (hopefully). This section will be primarily a space for me to talk about the kind of emotions a book made me experience.

Intrigue:

What makes this book interesting and stand out from other books I've read. What tropes does this author play into or subvert that drew my attention?

Relationships:

I'm not a huge romance reader, but I love a book with a strong romance sub-plot. This category also extends to platonic relationships. I like to read about strong bonds, found family, blossoming new relationships, flourishing established relationships, and how the plot interacts and effects those relationships.

Descriptions:

I have aphantasia and have found that I really need vivid descriptions to ground me in the book. I can’t visualize a character or setting for myself so when authors do that for me it helps immensely. When descriptions are left vague or aren't present at all I have a really hard time following along and differentiating characters.

Engaging:

I have a pretty short attention span and it can be hard sometimes to find books that can keep me reading. Any book that keeps me up to finish that next chapter and forces me to think critically about the prose gets an A+.

And that's the system! There's no number score assigned at the end, just a way to break down my thoughts on a book.