Blood Jade, the second book in The Phoenix Hoard saga continues right where the first one left off. After becoming the Sentinel of San Francisco, Emiko just can’t seem to catch a break with her new powers.
Ebony Gate: The Phoenix Hoard is a book full of compelling hooks that drew me in quickly. The idea of families hosting different kinds of magic is always fascinating, and Emiko’s place in that world, being seemingly depowered, was what initially grabbed my attention.
The Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope is a bit of a slow burn, but once it ignites, you can’t put it down. It’s an interesting mix of historical fiction, urban fantasy, and magical realism. The story follows Clara Johnson, a bit of a spirit medium cursed with magical debt to a powerful spirit, who is offered a chance at freedom. The catch? She just has to assemble a super-powered crew and pull off a magical heist.
I went into City of Bones with mild curiosity, as I know people that have been really into the series years. What I got was… mixed. On the surface, it’s a decent urban fantasy. There’s hidden societies, demon-hunting, and secret bloodlines. But then it leans hard into that Special Girl Trope. The main character who discovers she’s not ordinary at all but actually super important and central to everything. Sometimes I can roll with it. I’m a Buffy guy! But here? It felt tired and predictable.
Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a haunting dive into cursed film, a skin-crawling horror romp that will leave you unsettled.