Skip to main content

Featured

Series Review: The Suitable 'Verse by R. Cooper

Greetings and welcome to Reviews That Burn: Series Reviews, part of Books That Burn. Series Reviews discuss at least three books in a series and cover the overarching themes and development of the story across several books. Full Audio Here Powerful noble families known as the beat-of-fours, answerable only to a ruler and the mysterious, godlike fae, scheme and squabble amongst themselves, and go to war for the chance to put one of their own on the throne. But the fae might be pulling more strings than the nobles realize and they definitely have their favorites. A series of love stories loosely centered around the political crisis that led to the current ruler, featuring oblivious librarians, crafty though loving kings, an innocent half-fae noble, a legendary outlaw turned conqueror, worried warriors, clever guards, and an infamous beauty. PUBLISHER: Independently Published LENGTH: ~1000 pages so far AGE: Adult GENRE: Fantasy, Romance RECOMMENDED: Highly Queer Rep Summary: m/m and m/m/...

The Circle by Mats Strandberg and Sara Bergmark Elfgren (Engelsfors, #1)

On a night after the apparent suicide of high school student Elias Malmgren, a blood-red moon fills the night sky.

Minoo wakes up outside her house, still in her pajamas, and is drawn by an invisible force to an abandoned theme park on the outskirts of town. Soon five of her classmates—Vanessa, LinnĂ©a, Anna-Karin, Rebecka, and Ida—arrive, compelled by the same force. A mystical being takes over Ida’s body and tells them they are fated to fight an ancient evil that is hunting them. As the weeks pass, each girl discovers she has a unique magical ability. They begin exploring their powers. The six are wildly different and definitely not friends . . . but they are the Chosen Ones.

In this gripping first installment of The Engelsfors Trilogy, a parallel world emerges in which teenage dreams, insanely annoying parents, bullying, revenge, and love collide with dangerous forces and ancient magic. An international sensation with rights sold in 26 countries, The Circle is razor-sharp and remarkable from start to finish.

TITLE: The Circle (English translation)
AUTHOR: Mats Strandberg, Sara Bergmark Elfgren
PUBLISHER: The Overlook Press
YEAR: 2011
LENGTH: 608 pages

Queer Rep Summary: No canon queer rep as of when I stopped reading.

Did not finish, 14% in. Maybe I’ll try this again someday, but the mood whiplash from the very early, very graphic death which kicks off the plot was too much for me. The plot shocked me and then meandered for a while, I’m sure it has a destination but I’m not ready right now for the journey.

CW for fatphobia, homophobia, bullying, toxic relationship, adult/child relationships, drug use, confinement, grief, mental illness, eating disorder, dysmorphia, blood, self harm, suicidal thoughts, suicide (graphic), child death (graphic), death (graphic).

A red book dripping with blood atop a garland with flowers and two black feathers.


Comments