if I start seeing Mr. Whatsit now I make no promises about not going with him

What a wonderful read to end the year with.

Bardugo has perfected the creation of fairytales in The Language of Thorns. The book features a handful of fairytales from the Grishaverse, none of which are explicitly connected with the main plotlines, though they are still overflowing with small connections and easter eggs. The tales tend to pull from traditional fairy tales and legends (the story of the Minotaur, Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel, The Little Mermaid, The Nutcracker, etc). My two favorite stories were "The Too-Clever Fox," The Witch of Duva," and "The Soldier Prince," though I enjoyed all of them. The art for this book is stunning, and I wish I'd read the physical copy instead of the ebook because I know the pages are beautiful.

I highly recommend that all Grishaverse fans check out this collection, even if you don't think you'll enjoy the format. I was hesitant going into it, but these fairytales are truly magical and capture the whimsy of a fully fleshed out fantasy world.

4.5/5

We need more protagonists with loyal dog sidekicks ASAP.

The Hanging Bones is a YA gothic fantasy standalone perfect for fans of Emily Lloyd-Jones and C.G. Drews. I picked this book up because I've been in the mood for dark forest fantasies lately, and it seemed to have a bit of a mystery subplot, but once I started, it became clear how similar it was to some of my new favorites this year, so I was immediately entranced by the vibes. I also read Elle Tesch's other book, What Wakes the Bells recently, and having read both, I can say I will continue to read her books in the future because she has a strong voice and a way with creating gothic atmospheres.

Every few years, the Scavenge Moon rises, and the hunt for the Breimar Stag begins. Hunters can choose to pursue the Stag in exchange for the death of another of their choosing, but should all adventurers fail to catch the Stag, it will kill one of them instead. Katrin is a gamekeeper, meaning she's supposed to escort the noble hunters through the forest, but after the baron she works for starts turning his vile interests toward her cousin, Katrin decides to join the hunt herself with the hopes of ending the baron's disgusting pursuits once and for all. But there's something different about this hunt, and when mutilated bodies of both animals and people begin appearing, Katrin must investigate why. Though the plot of the story takes a bit to get into, once you hit the 1/3 mark, it becomes more suspenseful. There are a few lore dump spots throughout the book, but overall, I didn't mind the pacing too much. I liked the balance of fantasy and mystery elements, although I think if you're going into this expecting a plot based mostly on the hunt itself, you might be disappointed. I predicted both main plot twists, but both were foreshadowed just enough to allow me to create the theories without being overly obvious. The ending did feel a bit rushed, but I was satisfied with how it left off. I think it works well as a standalone, and it reminded me a lot of The Wild Huntress, which I really enjoyed as well.

Books where the protagonist has an animal sidekick are amazing. I liked Katrin a lot as the FMC; I appreciated the aroace rep and found her to be relatable in a lot of ways. She has enough spark to be fun to follow while also containing enough emotion to make the reader connect to her. I particularly loved the relationship between Katrin and Rudi, her dog. They love each other so much, and it's wonderful to see a dog sidekick in fantasy. The side characters weren't as fleshed out as Katrin, but I liked how the dynamics between them were portrayed in a way that made it clear that Katrin can experience love beyond romance. I liked how she and Alma saw each other as sisters, and I also really like how her friendship with Elias was clearly just that: friendship. I loved seeing all of the characters interact and how Katrin's identity didn't isolate her. Even though the cast isn't as complex as they could be, they're wholesome together, and I liked the vibes of their dynamics a lot.

The Hanging Bones is a YA gothic fantasy standalone, perfect for fans of C.G. Drews (specifically Don't Let the Forest In), Emily Lloyd-Jones (specifically The Wild Huntress), and Hanna Howard's Our Divine Mischief. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC!

4/5