themoonlightarchive's reviews
492 reviews

         The Future Second by Second by Meridel Newton is a short novella about a small dystopian village. Osto is a thriving community where everyone supports each other. Led by Vasha, an older woman who has been around for many years, this utopia has shared resources and an organized way of living. When raiders come looking to take advantage of the community’s success, a bargain is struck between the leaders of either group - a contest of sorts that will last one day and will determine the fate of Osto. What can happen in a single day? You would be surprised.

          With a wide variety of characters thrust into unexpected situations, this novella is a quick and easy read with an uplifting message, different from other dystopian stories. The Future Second by Second shines hope and light on a bleak world, filled with violence, cruelty and death.

          I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

 This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede follows Alessa, a girl meant to be the savior of her island home, Saverio. As a Finestra, her duty is to protect her people from a swarm of demons that comes every couple of decades by amplifying the powers of people with magical abilities called Fontes. Unfortunately, Alessa keeps killing her Fontes when she touches them. There have been three weddings and three funerals in her time as Finestra and time is running out.

The people of Saverio are beginning to doubt her ability to protect them and she no longer trusts the guards who are meant to protect her. Alessa hires a brooding street fighter with a few secrets up his sleeve as her bodyguard and begins to train with the Fontes that remain on the island, the few that didn’t leave in fear, hoping to build a connection that will stop her from killing them. But will this be enough to stop the demons when they come?

With beautiful, engaging and atmospheric writing, This Vicious Grace was a compelling debut with so many things that I adored, like the italian-inspired worldbuilding and mythology, the found family trope, a grumpy but sweet bodyguard, and endless batter. Thiede pairs divine magic and religious tension in the best way and crafts characters who grow with each page, who are deeply fascinating and loveable. If you love books with all of this, several scenes that will have you sobbing into the pages and more, This Vicious Grace is perfect for you.

I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

While it certainly isn’t the first or the last of it’s kind, Erin Vance shines new light on themes of motherhood, misogyny and violence against women in A History of Touch. This vivid and haunting collection of poetry is about the women history would have you forget about - the ones labeled ‘difficult’ or ‘hysterical’. With poems focusing on those women, the ones who have been mistreated simply for existing in a world that holds men above all else, this collection is immersive and thought-provoking.

Although I wasn’t familiar with many of the women mentioned in this collection of poetry, half the fun was in researching their stories and rereading the poems to connect the dots. I didn’t realize there was a reference sheet in the back of the book until I’d already finished but I’m certainly not going to complain about it. I truly enjoyed learning about these women from history that I hadn’t heard of before.

While I wish there had been a bit more warning about the contents of this book, I truly enjoyed this collection of poems and can’t wait to read more of Erin Vance’s work in the future.