Can't-Wait... Tuesday?: Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear by Seanan McGuire, The Lotus Shoes by Jane Yang, & The Secrets of Underhill by Kali Wallace

      

Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! This meme is based off of Jill @ Breaking the Spine's Waiting on Wednesday meme.

Since tomorrow is Christmas Day for those who celebrate, I figured I'd go ahead and post my Can't-Wait Wednesday post today instead. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season! :)

Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear (Wayward Children #10) by Seanan McGuire
Publication: January 7th, 2025
Tordotcom
Hardcover. 160 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"Giant turtles, impossible ships, and tidal rivers ridden by a Drowned girl in search of a family in the latest in the bestselling Hugo and Nebula Award-Winning Wayward Children series from Seanan McGuire.

Nadya had three mothers: the one who bore her, the country that poisoned her, and the one who adopted her.

Nadya never considered herself less than whole, not until her adoptive parents fitted her with a prosthetic arm against her will, seeking to replace the one she'd been missing from birth.

It was cumbersome; it was uncomfortable; it was wrong.

It wasn't her.

Frustrated and unable to express why, Nadya began to wander, until the day she fell through a door into Belyrreka, the Land Beneath the Lake--and found herself in a world of water, filled with child-eating amphibians, majestic giant turtles, and impossible ships that sailed as happily beneath the surface as on top. In Belyrreka, she found herself understood for who she was: a Drowned Girl, who had made her way to her real home, accepted by the river and its people.

But even in Belyrreka, there are dangers, and trials, and Nadya would soon find herself fighting to keep hold of everything she had come to treasure."

I'm honestly still a bit behind on catching up with this series, but I'm always excited to hear about a new one coming out. I'm also a little surprised sometimes that it's still going, but I'm curious to see what else McGuire has up her sleeve.

The Lotus Shoes by Jane Yang
Publication: January 28th, 2025
Sphere
Hardcover. 400 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"An astonishing story set in 1800s China. Little Flower is sold into slavery, and Linjing into marriage . . .

As a child, Little Flower is sold to Linjing's wealthy family to become a muizai. In a fit of childish jealousy over her new handmaiden's ladylike bound feet and talent for embroidery, Linjing ensures Little Flower can never leave her to ascend in society.

Despite their starkly different places in the Fong household, over the years the two girls must work together to secure both their futures through Linjing's marriage. As the two grow up, they are by turns bitter rivals and tentative friends.

Until scandal strikes the family, and Linjing and Little Flower's lives are unexpectedly thrown into chaos. Linjing's fall from grace could be an opportunity for Little Flower - but will their intertwined fates lead to triumph, or tragedy for them both?"

I'm always on the lookout for some great new historical fiction and this one sounds really promising!

The Secrets of Underhill by Kali Wallace
Publication: January 28th, 2025
Quirk Books
Hardcover. 320 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"This immersive fantasy adventure combines vivid world-building with timely themes of environmentalism is perfect for middle grade readers of Kelly Barnhill and Jessica Townsend.

Nick Sixsmith has spent her whole life on the road. The daughter of a traveling arborist, she and her mother move from town to town, caring for the ironwood groves the communities rely upon. When a dangerous blight takes hold of these magical trees, they must journey to the city of Mistwood—her mother’s hometown—for answers.

Nick can’t wait to explore the prosperous city of Mistwood and all it has to the bustling markets and workshops, neighborhoods built under a roaring waterfall, and the vast ancestral grove of ironwood trees. But dark secrets simmer beneath the surface as people start to disappear, and tensions rise in the city.

As the mystery grows, Nick and her new friends must follow the trail where it leads underground, to a strange, enchanting world called Underhill. Only then, among the roots of ancestral grove, will Nick find a way to save her new home and the ironwood trees."

I've only had a chance to read Kali Wallace's adult sci-fi/horror so far, and I'm really excited to finally check out some of her middle grade work because I do love some great middle grade.

Review: The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door by H.G. Parry

The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door by H.G. Parry

Redhook

Publication Date: October 22nd, 2024

Paperback. 464 pages.

About The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door:

"All they needed to break the world was a door, and someone to open it.

Camford, 1920. Gilded and glittering, England's secret magical academy is no place for Clover, a commoner with neither connections nor magical blood. She tells herself she has fought her way there only to find a cure for her brother Matthew, one of the few survivors of a faerie attack on the battlefields of WWI which left the doors to faerie country sealed, the study of its magic banned, and its victims cursed.

But when Clover catches the eye of golden boy Alden Lennox-Fontaine and his friends, doors that were previously closed to her are flung wide open, and she soon finds herself enmeshed in the seductive world of the country's magical aristocrats. The summer she spends in Alden’s orbit leaves a fateful mark: months of joyous friendship and mutual study come crashing down when experiments go awry, and old secrets are unearthed.

Years later, when the faerie seals break, Clover knows it’s because of what they did. And she knows that she must seek the help of people she once called friends—and now doesn’t quite know what to call—if there’s any hope of saving the world as they know it."

I still believe H.G. Parry is criminally underrated and I need more people to read her work!

The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door is a stunning story of fae, academia, friendships, thoughtful writing and a captivating narrative. I am always most captivated by Parry’s meticulous care for language and how well she crafts her prose into such immersive and enchanting stories. This standalone fae/academia fantasy is perfect for readers seeking a magical adventure without committing to an entire series, and I know that there are plenty of people looking for more standalone, so this is for you!

Set in the aftermath of World War I, we begin following our protagonist Clover as her brother returns home from the war gravely injured by a fae curse that was caused when a fae broke through into the human world and wreaked havoc on the battlefield. Determined to help him recover from the effects of the curse, Clover sets out to study magic and discover how to reverse the curse–despite the fact that she lacks any magical blood and is not from a "Family" (longstanding bloodlines that carry magic down family lines). Still, this doesn't stop her from earning her place at Camford, a prestigious university of magic that is hidden from the non-magical, where she embarks on a brand new phase of her life.

Clover is a determined and fairly headstrong young woman, but she is more of a 'keep your head down and focus on what you need to do' person rather than someone who stands out and makes a fuss or big name for herself. At Camford, she meets the charming Alden Lennox-Fontaine and is subsequently introduced to Hero and Eddie, and the four quickly form a tight friend group. We see Clover initially struggle to find her footing at Camford and among her new friend group, but over time she eventually figures out where she stands and even manages to achieve a sense of comfort and almost belonging at this new school and in her life.

Alden is a hard character to pin down. He’s hard to get know on a deep level and is also very much focused on furthering his own goals, which we eventually learn intersect with Clover’s. While he’s not the kindest person, his charm makes him compelling and hard not to want to be friends with, which Clover finds herself struggling with.

Hero is as equally headstrong as Clover, though sometimes in different ways, and is determined to break barriers for women in magical academia and the magical world in general, which is currently dominated by men. She’s steadfast and loyal and truly a force to be reckoned with.

Eddie, however, was my favorite. Eddie brings a unique depth to the group and could be described as quiet, insightful, and deeply passionate about plants, botany, and hedge witch magics. He is a quietly loyal friend who often fades into the background or is taken for granted by his friends, especially since he is often outshone by the strong personalities of Alden and Hero. His contributions are subtle at times, but significant–I would never underestimate him–and I felt for him throughout the story.

One of the highlights of the book is the evolution of the friendships within this group. The dynamic relationships—sometimes changing for the better, sometimes for the worse—are intricate and deeply explored. Parry masterfully develops each character and their connections, showcasing how they grow in complex ways both individually and together.

The world-building is equally fascinating. I loved the idea that magic could be learned by anyone with the determination to study it, whether a part of a Family or not. I loved the deep dive into fae theories and how curses work and how they make their way to the human world. I wish we’d spent more time delving into other mechanics of fae magic and the fae world itself, but I understand that that may have changed some of the focus of the book. I actually appreciated that the focus on Clover’s studies kept the scope of the story tight, which instead added to the mystique of the fae world. For me as a reader, I tend to lean towards a ‘sometimes less is more’ preference, and Parry strikes a delicate balance here, leaving just enough to the imagination.

The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door story gave me subtle Harry Potter vibes (in a good way!) at times, particularly with the hidden magical world and the enchanted university setting. However, it had plenty to make it’s own world unique and stand out. Camford’s dark, magical ambiance always felt rich with hidden details, and the academia-focused first part of the book was developed incredibly well. And although the majority of the first portion of the book takes place at the university, there is a small variety of additional settings we visit as well. I found there to be nice balance of places and things that happen in this book that prevents it from ever getting boring or feeling like it was dragging.

I’d also like to point out that this isn’t a romance-heavy book. There are hints of potential romance, but it’s subtle and secondary to the story. Instead, the focus is on magic, friendship, and the complexities of this world, which felt really fresh and rewarding.

The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door tells what is truly a rather monumental story within a single, standalone volume. The character work is exceptional, the world expansive yet mysterious, and Parry’s writing is gorgeous—sharp, witty, and deeply immersive.

If you haven’t read H.G. Parry yet, this is a fantastic place to start. If you have, whether or not you enjoyed her previous works, I encourage you to give this one a try. It’s a brilliant, unique fae fantasy that offers something a little different from what’s out there. Overall, I’ve given The Scholar and the Faerie door five stars!

*I received a copy of The Scholar and the Faerie Door in exchange for an honest review. This has no affect on my rating.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Lightfall by Ed Crocker, We Do Not Part by Han Kang, & Voice Like a Hyacinth by Mallory Pearson

      

Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! This meme is based off of Jill @ Breaking the Spine's Waiting on Wednesday meme.

Lightfall by Ed Crocker
Publication: January 14th, 2025
St. Martin's Press
Hardcover. 384 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"No humans here. Just immortals: their politics, their feuds—and their long buried secrets.

For centuries, vampires freely roamed the land until the Grays came out of nowhere, wiping out half the population in a night. The survivors fled to the last vampire city of First Light, where the rules are simple. If you’re poor, you drink weak blood. If you’re nobility, you get the good stuff. And you can never, ever leave.

Palace maid Sam has had enough of these rules, and she’s definitely had enough of cleaning the bedpans of the lords who enforce them. When the son of the city’s ruler is murdered and she finds the only clue to his death, she seizes the chance to blackmail her way into a better class and better blood. She falls in with the Leeches, a group of rebel maids who rein in the worst of the Lords. Soon she’s in league with a sorcerer whose deductive skills make up for his lack of magic, a deadly werewolf assassin and a countess who knows a city’s worth of secrets.

There’s just one problem. What began as a murder investigation has uncovered a vast conspiracy by the ruling elite, and now Sam must find the truth before she becomes another victim. If she can avoid getting murdered, she might just live forever."

I have an ARC that I've just started getting into and it's been super promising, I can't wait to keep reading!

Voice Like a Hyacinth by Mallory Pearson
Publication: February 1st, 2025
47North
Paperback. 367 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"Five young women eager for success rely on the unspeakable to make their dreams come true in a chilling novel about martyrdom, ritual, and obsession by the author of We Ate the Dark.

Art student Jo Kozak and her fellow classmates and best friends, Caroline, Finch, Amrita, and Saz, are one another’s muses—so close they have their own language and so devoted to the craft that they’ll do anything to keep their inspiration alive. Even if it means naively resorting to the occult to unlock their creativity and to curse their esteemed, if notoriously creepy, professor. They soon learn the horrible price to be paid for such a transgressive ritual.

In its violent aftermath, things are changing. Jo is feeling unnervingly haunted by something inexplicable. Their paintings, once prodigious and full of life, are growing dark and unhealthy. And their journey together—as women, students, and artists—is starting to crumble.

To right the wrong they’ve done, these five desperate friends will take their obsession a step too far. When that happens, there may be no turning back."

I'm really intrigued by this premise–I'm always up for something involving a group of friends/people that sounds a little bit messy and complicated. 

We Do Not Part by Han Kang
Publication: January 21st, 2025
Hogarth
Hardcover. 272 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"Han Kang’s most revelatory book since The Vegetarian, We Do Not Part tells the story of a friendship between two women while powerfully reckoning with a hidden chapter of Korean history.

One winter morning, Kyungha receives an urgent message from her friend Inseon to visit her at a hospital in Seoul. Inseon has injured herself in an accident, and she begs Kyungha to return to Jeju Island, where she lives, to save her beloved pet—a white bird called Ama.

A snowstorm hits the island when Kyungha arrives. She must reach Inseon’s house at all costs, but the icy wind and squalls slow her down as night begins to fall. She wonders if she will arrive in time to save the animal—or even survive the terrible cold that envelops her with every step. Lost in a world of snow, she doesn't yet suspect the vertiginous plunge into the darkness that awaits her at her friend's house.

Blurring the boundaries between dream and reality, We Do Not Part powerfully illuminates a forgotten chapter in Korean history, buried for decades—bringing to light the lost voices of the past to save them from oblivion. Both a hymn to an enduring friendship and an argument for remembering,it is the story of profound love in the face of unspeakable violence—and a celebration of life, however fragile it might be."

I've actually already read an ARC of this and thought it was a very thoughtful and occasionally heavy read that I think any Han Kang fan would enjoy. 

Review: The Fury of the Gods by John Gwynne

***Note 12/16/24: I've just noticed something is going absolutely crazy with the formatting on this review and I'll attempt to resolve it as soon as possible–sorry about this!

The Fury of the Gods (The Bloodsworne Saga #3) by John Gwynne

Orbit

Publication Date: October 22nd, 2024

Paperback. 528 pages.

About The Fury of the Gods:

"The Fury of the Gods is the earth-shattering final book in John Gwynne's bestselling Norse-inspired epic fantasy series, packed with myth, magic and bloody vengeance

THE FINAL BATTLE FOR THE FATE OF VIGRIÐ APPROACHES

Varg has overcome the trials of his past and become an accepted member of the Bloodsworn, but now he and his newfound comrades face their biggest challenge yet: slaying a dragon.

Elvar is struggling to consolidate her power in Snakavik, where she faces threats from within and without. As she fights to assert her authority in readiness for the coming conflict, she faces a surely insurmountable task: reining in the ferocity of a wolf god.

As Biorr and his warband make their way north, eager for blood, Gudvarr pursues a mission of his own, hoping to win Lik-Rifa's favour and further his own ambitions.

All paths lead to Snakavik, where the lines are being drawn for the final battle - a titanic clash that will shake the foundations of the world, and bear witness to the true fury of the gods."

Haven't started this series yet? No problem--reviews for the first two books in this trilogy can be found here:
Book #1: The Shadow of the Gods
Book #2: The Hunger of the Gods

Writing a review for the finale of a trilogy can sometimes be a challenge. So much has happened over the course of the series, so much deserves to be said, and spoilers are lurking everywhere. I'll try to keep this review relatively vague in relation to details, but I want to emphasize just how epic this entire story has been from start to finish. Each book in The Bloodsworn Saga has felt monumental, and this final installment is not exception. 

In The Fury of the Gods, we continue to follow all of the characters we've come to know and love (and maybe hate) throughout the series. I've really enjoyed how Gwynne develops his characters over the entire arc of the trilogy and especially in this last book. Their motivations, passions, what they love and stand for, and their struggles feel so tangible that it's easy to connect with them, whether you like them or not. This book really puts the cast in a variety of intense, dire situations, and we really get to see every shade of their personalities and actions--good, bad, and everything in between. 

The Fury of the Gods is packed to the brim with battles of all sizes, so there was plenty of opportunity for Gwynne to flex his action-writing skills. I've mentioned plenty of times in other reviews in the past that action scenes are often one of my least favorite things to read and tend to bore me; I'd usually rather just know who was hurt and what the result of a fight was rather than slog through blow-by-blow description. But that is not so with Gwynne's writing, as I always find his action sequences to be vivid, engaging, and fairly easy to follow--and interesting enough to hold my interest, which is no small feat. 

One of my favorite things about this series that was enormously present in this book is its heart. There's a strong balance of realism and the fantastic, and within this Gwynne never shies away from the bittersweet reality of life. I finished this book feeling very satisfied because there's not necessarily a perfect happy ending for everybody, but neither is it entirely dark and hopeless, either. It's a very realistic and raw reality that I think works excellently for this series. 

All that said, The Fury of the Gods was probably my least favorite of the trilogy. I don't mean that as negatively as it may sound, as this bok is fantastic, it's just that I found the first two books slightly more captivating than the conclusion, and that is likely because I enjoyed getting to know the characters and world so much. Even so, this finale is grand, action-packed, and delivers everything you could want from an epic fantasy steeped in Norse mythology and Viking influences.

Overall, I've given The Fury of the Gods four stars. It combines classic storytelling with Norse mythology and Viking-inspired elements in a way that will appeal to a wide range of readers. If you're someone who loves battles, sweeping journeys, and characters you can't look away from, this trilogy has all of that to offer and more. And while The Fury of the Gods wasn’t my personal favorite of the three, it still delivers a fast-paced, intense, and deeply satisfying conclusion. If you haven’t read any of John Gwynne’s books yet, this trilogy is a great place to start. And if you’re already a fan, you’ll find plenty to love here.

*I received a copy of The Fury of the Gods in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

Can't-Wait Wednesday: All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall, Realm of Ice and Sky by Buddy Levy, & The Devourer by Alison Ames

     

Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! This meme is based off of Jill @ Breaking the Spine's Waiting on Wednesday meme.

All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall
Publication: January 7th, 2025
St. Martin's Press
Hardcover. 304 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"In the tradition of Station Eleven, a literary thriller set partly on the roof of New York’s Museum of Natural History in a flooded future.

All the Water in the World is told in the voice of a girl gifted with a deep feeling for water. In the years after the glaciers melt, Nonie, her older sister and her parents and their researcher friends have stayed behind in an almost deserted New York City, creating a settlement on the roof of the American Museum of Natural History. The rule: Take from the exhibits only in dire need. They hunt and grow their food in Central Park as they work to save the collections of human history and science. When a superstorm breaches the city’s flood walls, Nonie and her family must escape north on the Hudson. They carry with them a book that holds their records of the lost collections. Racing on the swollen river towards what may be safety, they encounter communities that have adapted in very different and sometimes frightening ways to the new reality. But they are determined to find a way to make a new world that honors all they've saved.

Inspired by the stories of the curators in Iraq and Leningrad who worked to protect their collections from war, All the Water in the World is both a meditation on what we save from collapse and an adventure story—with danger, storms, and a fight for survival. In the spirit of From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and Parable of the Sower, this wild journey offers the hope that what matters most – love and work, community and knowledge – will survive."

I tend to be really interested in books with these climate fiction/dystopian-esque premises, and this one is no exception. I'm especially intrigued by the angle of being inspired by curators who tried to protect their collection from war in the real. Can't wait to read this one!

Realm of Ice and Sky by Buddy Levy
Publication: January 28th, 2025
St. Martin's Press
Hardcover. 384 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"National Outdoor Book Award-winning author Buddy Levy's thrilling narrative of polar exploration via airship―and the men who sacrificed everything to make history.

Arctic explorer and American visionary Walter Wellman pioneered both polar and trans-Atlantic airship aviation, making history’s first attempts at each. Wellman has been cast as a self-promoting egomaniac known mostly for his catastrophic failures. Instead he was a courageous innovator who pushed the boundaries of polar exploration and paved the way for the ultimate conquest of the North Pole―which would be achieved not by dogsled or airplane, but by airship.

American explorer Dr. Frederick Cook was the first to claim he made it to the North Pole in 1908. A year later, so did American Robert Peary, but both Cook’s and Peary’s claims had been seriously questioned. There was enough doubt that Norwegian explorer extraordinaire Roald Amundsen―who’d made history and a name for himself by being first to sail through the Northwest Passage and first man to the South Pole―picked up where Walter Wellman left off, attempting to fly to the North Pole by airship. He would go in the Norge, designed by Italian aeronautical engineer Umberto Nobile. The 350-foot Norge flew over the North Pole on May 12, 1926, and Amundsen was able to accurately record and verify their exact location.

However, the engineer Nobile felt slighted by Amundsen. Two years later, Nobile returned, this time in the Italia, backed by Prime Minister Benito Mussolini. This was an Italian enterprise, and Nobile intended to win back the global accolades and reputation he believed Amundsen had stripped from him. The journey ended in disaster, death, and accusations of cannibalism, launching one of the great rescue operations the world had ever seen.

Realm of Ice and Sky is the riveting tale of the men who first flew the most advanced technological airships of their time to the top of the world, risking and even giving their lives for science, country, and polar immortality."

I've been working my way through an ARC of this and I'm really enjoying it so far! I've read my fair share of Arctic and Antarctic explorations and adventures (which is one of my top nonfiction interests), but I'd read to read one that combined both Arctic exploration and airships and air travel, so this has been fascinating. I briefly read about Amundsen's experiences in a previous book I read about him, but I'm excited about the focus on airships in this book. 

The Devourer by Alison Ames
Publication: January 7th, 2025
Page Street YA
Hardcover. 400 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"When Adra Dantes’ half-brother Cameron attacks their father and robs him of a priceless treasure map, he leaves him a shell of the pirate captain he once was. Now Adra’s only aim in life is to kill Cameron, retrieve her father's map, and claim the treasure herself.

But her plans are thwarted. A sudden surplus of magic in the world is causing ancient sea monsters to awaken. Worse yet, Adra discovers that the ship she's been chasing for almost a year now is captained by a girl who’s been impersonating Cameron, while Cameron himself is missing.

The two pirate captains will have to work together if they are to find Cameron, but before they can do so, they must vanquish the beast―known as The Devourer―that is sinking ships and causing so much fear. Adra will have to descend leagues beneath the sea to the creature’s lair to strike a deal with her, but she’ll discover she isn’t the only one looking for her brother―and what he stole."

I'm honestly captivated by this cover and love it so much. I'm just as intrigued by the premise of this one and can't wait to check it out!

Review: Honeymoons in Temporary Locations by Ashley Shelby

Honeymoons in Temporary Locations by Ashley Shelby

University of Minnesota Press

Publication Date: May 21st, 2024

Hardcover. 152 pages.

About Honeymoons in Temporary Locations:

"Eclectic, experimental, and wildly imaginative climate fictions from a familiar world hauntingly transformed

Climate disaster–induced fugue states, mutinous polar bears, support groups for recently displaced millionaires, men who hear trees, and women who lose their wives on environmental refugee resettlement trips. In these dispatches from a weirding world, the absurd and fantastic are increasingly indistinguishable from reality. Exploring this liminal moment, Ashley Shelby’s collection of climate fictions imagines a near future that is both unnervingly familiar and subversively strange.

Set in the same post-climate-impact era, these stories range from playfully satirical to poignantly humane, bending traditional narrative forms and coming together into a brilliant and unusual contemplation of our changing world. Featuring the Hugo-nominated novelette “Muri,” Honeymoons in Temporary Locations processes the unthinkable through riotous inventions like guided tours of submerged cities, Craigslist ads placed by climate refugees, and cynical pharmaceutical efforts to market a drug to treat solastalgia, the existential distress caused by environmental change.

Shelby reengineers the dystopic bleakness that characterizes so much climate fiction by embracing an eclectic experimentalism leavened with humor, irony, and the inevitable bathos that characterizes the human experience. Unexpected and clever, this innovative collection confirms her status as a visionary writer whose work expands the forms, attitudes, and possibilities of climate fiction."

Honeymoons in Temporary Locations by Ashley Shelby is a striking collection of climate fiction that delves into climate disasters and their aftermath, exploring how humanity navigates crises in a drastically changed world. I really liked this one, especially with its focus on a future where climate change has continued on its catastrophic course, leaving us with a world that feels both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.

The collection kicks off with two short stories and then adopts a 'mixed media' approach and incorporates documents, transcripts, advertisements, and more. This creative structure offers a multifaceted glimpse into the state of things in this speculative future while also providing a deeper connection to its characters and themes.

The opening story, "Muri," was a standout and easily my favorite. Without spoiling too much, it follows a man aboard a ship tasked with relocating polar bears from the Arctic to the Antarctic in a desperate bid to save the species. The isolation of such voyages takes its toll, and the men are warned before departure: if the polar bears start talking, no they didn't, it's just hallucinations. I found this to be a genuinely entertaining story that felt both ominous and gripping. "Muri" offers a lot of thought-provoking ideas and commentary on many climate-related themes, but what stood out to me the most was the commentary on humanity's misguided attempts to "fix" problems with quick solutions that often do more harm than good, which felt almost scarily relevant.

The "found document" sections are particularly creative. These include ads, menus, and other artifacts from a climate-ravaged world. One menu imagines dishes inspired by climate change, mixing humor and bleak reality in a really effective manner. Another standout is an ad for a "climate cruise" offering tours of once-famous cities now submerged beneath water. These elements all provide a stark look at what the future could hold while also creating a stronger sense of immersion into this world for readers.

A recurring thread throughout the collection is the condition of solastalgia--a term for the emotional distress caused by environmental change--and its varied manifestations. We see it woven into advertisements, personal experiences, and narratives, which brings all of these stories together with a sense of loss and adaptation to a new world.

This collection offers a lot of variety and some areas will work well for others, while some may not. I personally loved "Muri" the most because it fell most into line with my typical taste. Some of the other stories didn't work as well for me, but I still felt they had great merit. There’s so much to explore in this collection, and I truly enjoyed the journey. Each piece examines different facets of humanity’s reaction to climate-related disasters, from resilience and denial to innovation and exploitation.

One of the greatest strength of this book is simply Shelby's prose. Her writing is rich and evocative and truly showed careful thought and deliberation with each sentence. It's worth noting that Honeymoons in Temporary Locations would certainly fall into the "literary fiction" category so everyone's reception of this book will likely differ, but my own opinion is that this one is well worth the read. It's also only about 150 pages, so it shouldn't take you too long, either.

Overall, I've given Honeymoons in Temporary Locations 4.75 stars! A must read for any fans of climate fiction, or simply anyone looking for something creative and well-written. 

*I received a copy of Honeymoons in Temporary Locations in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org