BOOK REVIEW: The Dawn of Dusk and Twilight

THE DAWN OF DUSK AND TWILIGHT
by J. Dianne Dotson
Available now

I've been following J. Dianne Dotson's Inn at the Amethyst Lantern series since it began, and it's my first experience with lunarpunk fiction. To that end, it's sort of set my expectations for the genre, but that's not a bad thing at all. Her latest book, The Dawn of Dusk and Twilight, isn't so much a continuation as a prequel—though it does couch itself in a narrative told by Andraste to her young protégés.

Unlike the previous two books, which are meant for young readers, The Dawn of Dusk and Twilight is adult fiction. That doesn't mean it's got anything inappropriate for young readers in it so much as that it touches on issues adults will be more interested in. These protagonists, who will go on to be legends and mentors in the time of the other stories, are approaching or in middle age, and bring with it the perspectives that one gains from those years.

One of my biggest quibbles with modern post-apocalyptic literature is that it rarely gives a satisfying conclusion for how we got there. Why has the world ended up the way it is? What values were lost or gained from that move? How long did it take? So often, such stories are absorbed in making their points that we lose any sense of worldbuilding. Dotson's previous work in this series has been so charming that I never felt like asking why there's magic or talking animals. But even amidst explaining why the world moved to night-living, there are explanations for this as well. Too, it's a beautiful reminder that even in the midst of terrible things, there are those who want to work toward something better.

The Dawn of Dusk and Twilight, despite being a prequel, feels like a natural progression for this series—a sort of growing-up, as readers graduate from the youthful struggles of the Amethyst Lantern's heroes to the unique love and heartbreak of an older cast. For fans of all ages, it's a satisfying read, bringing the history of Dotson's lunarpunk world into focus and adding invaluable context to the lives of Andraste and her loved ones.

DRINK PAIRING: Elixir of Inner Light
This is my absolute favorite of Velvet Hammer's three elixirs, both for the way its orange sparkle looks in my morning tea and for its health benefits. It reminds me of Andi's newfound magic, both visually and in terms of the energy it gives. Use my code KARA15 for a discount on this and other elixirs from Velvet Hammer!

BOOK REVIEW: Legally Yours, Violet Lopez

 

LEGALLY YOURS, VIOLET LOPEZ
by Elba Luz
Available October 20

Violet Lopez dreams of going to Harvard law school and becoming a successful lawyer, and she's pushed herself into overdrive to do just that. So she's not at all eager to help laid-back basketball player Theo at his mock trial, where he stands accused of vandalism. Unfortunately, Violet gets cornered into representing him from two corners. Theo blackmails her into serving as his defense after discovering her attempts to find her father a girlfriend, and Theo's jealous ex bribes her to throw the trial and get Theo kicked off the basketball team.

The decision is relatively simple: Violet needs the money, and she doesn't care much about Theo. Until she does start to care about him. When she works herself to exhaustion, he's there to pick her up and force her to rest. And the two have a lot more in common than she first believed. Now she's crushing on him hard; but if she doesn't do as she's told, she could lose the future she's worked so hard for.

I conditionally enjoyed Build-a-Girlfriend, also by Elba Luz, but found that it stuck way too closely to the "on rails" teen romance plot formula. While some of that is still present in Legally Yours, Violet Lopez—the betrayal locked and loaded to go off pretty much when you expect it will—what comes between flows a lot more organically. It's also a great insight into what it's like to be a perfectionist, and how "the grind" can actually be physically and mentally detrimental.

What stands out most, though, is the final trial. That's what we're all here for, and it's worth it. I got big Ace Attorney vibes from it, and that's a compliment.

While anyone who's read a teen romcom in recent years can accurately predict the trajectory of the plot, the actual practice of reading Legally Yours, Violet Lopez is a lot of fun, and the characters are very much worth spending time with.

DRINK PAIRING: Elixir of Hydration
After reading about the absolutely heinous energy drink Violet concocts for herself, I figured she could use something a little sweeter. This is a pink lemonade electrolyte blend that has a magic sparkle to it and is formulated for daily use. Use my code KARA15 for a discount on this and other elixirs from Velvet Hammer!

FEATURED CANDLE: Pemberley Gardens
A seasonal candle inspired by Jane Eyre, this fits both for the enemies-to-lovers aspect and for Violet's floral-inspired name. Click the link for more book-inspired candles from Frostbeard!

BOOK REVIEW: The Christmas Wish

 

THE CHRISTMAS WISH
by Lee Heart
Available now

Joy Rudolph, as may be evident from her name, was born on Christmas day. And while she loves the holiday as much as the rest of her family, she's a little tired of her birthday being lumped in with it every year. So this year, she's decided she's going to have her own party, complete with un-Christmassy decoration. And she's going to invite her crush Kris (whose birthday is on Christmas Eve) to the party, too.

However, between her excitement for her party and her growing feelings for Kris, Joy becomes a little hyperfocused. She takes part in charity work not because it's a good thing to do, but for a chance to see Kris. While she still takes part in family traditions, she's fixated on her party prep, often to the exclusion of her friends and their needs. This one-two combo of crush and party could alienate her from her closest friends—which hits even harder when it starts to look like the party might not be able to happen.

The Christmas Wish is definitely one of those books that is completely targeted at young readers, rather than being an all-ages book that's readable by younger sorts. I'd recommend this to young family members who want to enjoy a holiday romance story but might be a little too young for more grown-up offerings. It's very cute, very simple, and very cozy.

TEA PAIRING: Sugar Cookie Gifts
Joy and her grandma stick to their Christmas tradition of baking cookies for the whole family, and this sweet rooibos smells and tastes just like sugar cookies! Use my code KARA15 for 15% off this and other book-inspired teas from Chapters Tea & Co.!

FEATURED CANDLE: Bookish and Bright
The Rudolph family gets extremely festive at Christmas, and this is one of the most Christmassy candles I've ever smelled. It's a bright blend of pine, clove, and cranberry that makes me nostalgic for the holidays no matter what time of year it is. Check out more bookish candles from Frostbeard!

BOOK REVIEW: 21 Days of Fear

 

21 DAYS OF FEAR
by Hervé Commère
Available now

Luca has not had an easy life, having lost his father and sister at a young age and being prone to fighting ever since. Now, he's moved from France to London to start over, booking a room at a hostel and taking a job at a bookshop. But on arrival, he receives an anonymous letter in a red envelope. And its contents are shocking: his missing-presumed-dead sister Telma is still alive, she is in the custody of the letter-writer, and she will die in 21 days.

The book is divided into 21 envelopes, which readers are encouraged to open and read at a rate of one per day. In addition to a letter (usually from Telma's kidnapper, but sometimes from other people), the "envelope" contains a chapter from Luca's point of view, tracing his attempts to investigate while desperately holding his life together. As strangers approach Luca with confusing messages and the instructions in the envelopes get worse and worse, he finds solace with Liv, a local bar employee. Throughout his investigation, he discovers secrets lurking in his family's past that could tie to Telma's disappearance. By the end of Luca's search, he'll no longer know who to trust.

When it comes to books like this with a "gimmick," my first question is always whether the book would be good without the gimmick. Fortunately, for 21 Days of Fear, the answer is yes. You could certainly read this book straight through as a traditional chapter book, and the plot would stand on its own. The format of the book, taking readers day-by-day through Luca's journey, is definitely an interesting way to go about it, and it means the book has to be carefully plotted and paced. Commère absolutely succeeds at penning a riveting read.

While the writer of the letters is not difficult to predict, especially for an adept reader of mysteries, the why of the story is still surprising. The path to the truth is very intricate, but ultimately satisfying. And the final page leaves the reader with a gut-drop that puts Luca's mindset so far into perspective.

Ideally, I'd recommend picking this book up and starting it at the beginning of a month (I'd say October but we're in the thick of it). Yes, you can read it at your own pace, but letting the suspense build day by day is much more fun.

TEA PAIRING: The Dragon's Flame
While this dark, cinnamon-spicy tea is inspired by legends of knights and dragons, it also feels appropriate for this particular read. Like the book, it's got a slow, delicious burn. Use my code KARA15 for 15% off this and other book-inspired teas from Chapters Tea & Co.!

FEATURED CANDLE: Salem Sisters
This limited-edition autumn candle has woodsy notes, bringing to mind Luca and Telma's ill-fated game of hide-and-seek that kicks off this whole story. Follow the link to check out more book-inspired candles from Frostbeard!

BOOK REVIEW: Gutterspace

GUTTERSPACE
by Justine Norton-Kertson
Available October 13

Ezra used to be a comic book artist. Now he's working behind the counter at a comic store, selling issues to hardcore fans, collectors, and casual browsers. It's all pretty much the same day after day, until he discovers a rare comic even he doesn't remember: Gutterspace #6, a surreal comic that seems to draw itself the further along he reads. But the more he reads, the more he feels it invading his mind.

Desperate for answers, he looks up the only other three people who have encountered this strange comic. One by one, he visits each, turned away whenever he seeks answers. The deeper he digs, the closer he gets to the entity lurking in the gutters of the comic. And unfortunately, by opening this comic, he's let this entity out into the world, where it will reduce everything to paper and ink.

Gutterspace is a quick read, but it's a packed one. Ezra is very much an everyman, but one with enough personality to not become an out-and-out cipher. The descriptions of the unnamed entity's attack on reality are vivid and terrifying, with enough detail to bring the scenes alive in your mind in cinematic (or perhaps comic) form.

If there is one downside to Gutterspace, it's that there was a fair bit of repetition across the discovery phase. I felt like I was relearning the same thing two or three times when there should have been more hooks. Regardless, this has a strong, dramatic third act, and an even stronger finish. The ending stays with you, and indeed what the ending is may change as you sit with it. While it doesn't actively play with form on the page like The Raw Shark Texts, it approaches that same malleability of story. Talking about it without spoiling it is impossible; suffice to say, the cover art by Chris Panatier feels very different once you've turned the final page.

TEA PAIRING: Poet's Study
This Poe-inspired Earl Grey (still one of my favorites!) brings to mind dark nights and ink-stained fingers... much like what Ezra was going through. Use my code KARA15 for 15% off this and more book-inspired tea from Chapters Tea & Co.!

Five of My Favorite Spots in London

 

By the time this goes live, I will be back in London! I've got lots of plans this go 'round, and I can't wait to write up the shows, shopping, and Halloween nonsense I get up to while I'm here. For now, though, I'm looking forward to hitting up my usual haunts as I prepare for my time away.

Wouldn't it be amazing if I could find little places no one's ever heard of? Well, for better or for worse, my tastes skew from nerd cafés to legitimately famous department stores. To that end, here are five places (large and small) that I will always visit in this town.

Fortnum & Mason

By no means a well-kept secret, this department store will always be a stop on my trip... mostly because it's a great place to pick up holiday snacks and gifts. I'll spend most of my time here tea-shopping, but they also have amazing biscuits and preserves. And I know for a fact their Christmas stuff will be out, meaning I can get ahead on those as well.

Additionally, Fortnum is home to the Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon, which I visited for the first time last year and which I'll almost certainly be hitting up again this year.

Chez Antoinette

While there are multiple locations (including one right near where I come into town from my friends' house), I love the Chez Antoinette on the bottom level of Covent Garden. It's a small, cozy French café that does amazing tartines. (Note: a tartine is an open-faced sandwich. A lady next to me last time I went was very confused because she thought it was a tart.)

I always go to Covent Garden on my first full day to buy tea and hot chocolate from Whittard's of Chelsea, do some window shopping, and get lunch here. And if you like a drink, try the French martini. It is fantastic.

K Minamoto

My friend JJ and I found this shop a couple years ago, and it was just fantastic. This shop sells a wide variety of Japanese sweets, including and especially seasonal ones. Seating is limited, and we were lucky to grab a spot to rest our feet and enjoy what we bought. If you go, I recommend being prepared to take yours to go.

There are apparently other locations around the world, including in New York. But it took going to London for me to find it!

The Loading Bar

The last two locations on this list, I learned about because of events I've been to. The Loading Bar was the original location of Oxventure filming, and last year was host to their Jingle Jamboree livestream (which I attended). I've also been to one of the other locations with friends Ginger and Mason pre-lockdown.

Whatever the location, the drinks menu is extremely good. Everything is game-themed (such as "Pitcher 3: Wined Hunt" and "Assassin's Mead"), and the chips are amazing.

Prince Charles Cinema

Another place I discovered through a special live show. Two years ago, I was in attendance for a live Mom Can't Cook! recording at Halloween, and it was held here. For Hampton Roads locals, it gives me big Naro vibes. Which is a good thing.

The Prince Charles appears to show just about anything, but it's largely dedicated to cult films, horror, special screenings with guests, and the like. Which is probably why they were willing to let two podcasters dressed as the stars of Brink! talk about Halloweentown 2 downstairs. It's a very cool venue, and one that's clearly well loved by the locals.