Hannah Heath

FULL REVIEW
PFW is releasing another anthology, so you know I jumped on it. I'm super thankful to have gotten another of their ARCs, and this one is quite possibly my favorite yet. It's definitely their best anthology yet, and if they keep improving their quality at this rate I'm going to have to create a six-star rating or something. XD Anyway, into the actual review. (And here's the necessary disclaimer that even though I got an ARC I wasn't required to give a positive review and this is all my honest opinion.)

Mistakes Were Made

Everything about this story is fantastic. The tone of finals week at a space-fantasy-style university, the characters and their snark and values and just... character, the folklore-inspired worldbuilding, the voice of the prose... Oh, and did I mention that this one starts a trend of diverse characters with struggles and strengths and whatnot that aren't often portrayed in fiction? Because that's one of my favorite things about this anthology, as a whole. I love getting to see different types of people represented, and Of Myth and Monster does a fantastic job of that. Guillerma is diabetic, which is not only a fact of her character but plays deeply into the story as such things should. Hannah does an excellent job of this throughout all of her stories, and Mistakes Were Made is no exception.

This story is funny, too. It had me legitimately laughing out loud multiple times, and it was just so much fun to read. But the humor doesn't detract from its depth, as the relationship between the two main characters is explored and Mundo's motivation, in particular, is revealed.

Anyway, just a fantastic story all around.

The Boy Who Listened

In an effort to avoid repeating "Everything about this story is fantastic" at the beginning of each review... I'm just going to say now that they're all all-around fantastic and you should just mark the book's release date (this Saturday) on your calendar now and buy it as soon as it comes out and enjoy it and then come tell me so I can say I told you so and we can freak out about it together.

Did you mark the date? Awesome. Back to the review.

Magic academies are awesome. Greek mythology is awesome. Neurodivergent rep is awesome. Sphinxes are awesome. So, naturally, this story is also awesome. It's also written beautifully, as is pretty much always the case with Shultz's work, it's thoughtful, and the character voice is spot-on. And what I said about things like diabetes and neurodivergence being woven with the story, not just disconnected facts? That's true of this story, as well (and the others in the anthology, too). These authors understand those issues, understand character, and understand storytelling, which leads to a skill in telling stories that are incredibly effective in their purposes.

H.E.R.O.

Urban fantasy. Anxiety rep. More Greek mythology. Oh! And a pet phoenix! The worldbuilding in this one was really interesting, putting creative twists on Greek mythology. I really enjoyed the blend of ancient mythology and a sci-fi urban world. I also especially loved the conclusion of this story.

The Gods of Troy

This one blends Greek mythology with space-based sci-fi, and I liked the worldbuilding of the Titans. The story stays very true to its source material, while still putting an interesting spin on it. I liked it a lot.

The Unicorn Tamer

Andorians are adorable, the writing of this story is hilarious, and grumpy characters are super fun to read about. Probably my favorite moment in the story has to do with fuzzy copyright laws. XD (Which is a pun, come to think of it...) There's also a unicorn named Greg, another phoenix (because phoenixes are epic), and... an unexpected ending. Overall, thoroughly enjoyable.

Lamp of Silver

This story was an intriguing look at both a different kind of genie from most and a deep theme. Plus, pirates and others who live on the ocean are cool. I don't have as much to say about this one specifically, but it was well-done.

The Staff of Callewhyr

This story centers around a monk, which is super cool because I feel like we don't get enough scholars and religious folk as MCs in epic fantasy and I love reading about those aspects of a world. The Staff of Callewhyr did not disappoint. The world is fascinating, the characters in it both involved in it and deep in their own right, and the writing befitting of classic epic fantasy. I very much enjoyed reading this story, and I would love to read more about this world and these characters.

Aura

When I first read this story I described it as "sad and beautiful," and I stand by that description. Philbrick seems to have a knack for those types of stories. The characters and their relationships form the core of this story, and they're done extremely well. Philbrick does a good job of writing emotional stories, and that's exemplified in Aura.

EDIT:
The Eyes of the Barghest

Ahhhh! I was so afraid I'd do this. I forgot one! And not at all because it's forgettable. I loved The Eyes of the Barghest. It was deeply emotional and beautifully written. The atmosphere was stunning and fit the story perfectly. Everything from the characters' different reactions to grief, to the setting, to the Barghest itself, to the ultimate conclusion of the story was skillfully crafted and moving.

I think this isn't my most coherent review, which is a side-effect of waiting too long to write it and my just getting over a mental health dip, but hopefully I've communicated that Of Myth and Monster is amazing and you should definitely check it out and support these fantastic authors and read some awesome stories. ;)… (mehr)

This is a short story, so there's not a whole lot to it as far as words go, but it's a really rich story despite how brief it is. I was immediate invested in the main character and his family, and the portrayal of his emotions was incredibly well-written. The orange-haired elf also fascinated me, and I really wanted to see more of her.

The world was just as enthralling as the characters. Even though you see only a tiny piece of the world in this story, you can tell how deep and rich the world is, and how different it is from most fantasy worlds. Even tiny things like the scars bring so much depth and realism. The use of color, almost like synesthesia, was also really intriguing.

I was disappointed when this ended because I absolutely loved the world and characters, and I can't wait for The Stump of the Terabinth Tree to come out.… (mehr)

"As far as he (Gabriel) was concerned, there were only two all-important laws on earth:
1. don't murder people
2. don't swear in front of Lilly."
--Skies of Dripping Gold, Hannah Heath

So, this line made me giggle. In the midst of a thirty-page book about darkness, hope, and faith, there was somehow room for some humor too. Skies of Dripping Gold has a tremendous range of emotion, put down in ethereal prose that serves as a stark contrast to the bleakness of its dystopian city world.
I fell in love with the characters, Gabriel especially. Unlike the generic tall, dark and handsome heroes of most YA fiction, Gabriel is a young man of mixed emotions, shifting doubts, and very human flaws, as well as great courage and an undying loyalty to his pain-wracked sister, Lilly.
Also I found the ideas of the dystopian world itself, with its mysterious disease and tales of a glorious Paradise, both unusual and intriguing.
overall, this is an immensely enjoyable story, and one I'll most likely read more than once :)… (mehr)