Some Bizarre Hopes for This Mask of JoJo's

~Phantom Blood~
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
Part 1
By Hirohiko Araki
Translated By Evan Galloway
Amazon ~ Powell's

Young Jonathan Joestar’s life is forever changed when he meets his new adopted brother, Dio. For some reason, Dio has a smoldering grudge against him and derives pleasure from seeing him suffer. But every man has his limits, as Dio finds out. This is the beginning of a long and hateful relationship!

This month's pick in Maven of the Eventide's (aka Elisa Hansen's) Vampire Book Club was a first for me: my very first official (not fan-translated) Manga ever, and also my first foray into the world of JoJo. Sure, I've seen enough of JoJo here and there to know of him—his style, the references, and what have you—but I'd never actually gone and experienced it for myself. Not even an episode of the anime. So, with an open mind and bated breath, I took the plunge into the bizarre world of JoJo and DIO!

Change My Fate, Break My Curses

SPOILER ALERT
This review is for those who have read or are familiar with the previous book, All the Stars and Teeth, or don't mind knowing MAJOR spoilers for it.
SPOILER ALERT

~All the Tides of Fate~
All the Stars and Teeth
Book 2
By Adalyn Grace
Amazon ~ Powell's

Through blood and sacrifice, Amora Montara has conquered a rebellion and taken her rightful place as queen of Visidia. Now, with the islands in turmoil and the people questioning her authority, Amora cannot allow anyone to see her weaknesses.

No one can know about the curse in her bloodline. No one can know that she’s lost her magic. No one can know the truth about the boy who holds the missing half of her soul.

To save herself and Visidia, Amora embarks on a desperate quest for a mythical artifact that could fix everything―but it comes at a terrible cost. As she tries to balance her loyalty to her people, her crew, and the desires of her heart, Amora will soon discover that the power to rule might destroy her.


After reading the first book last year, I was eager to see how everything panned out for Amora and the Keel Haul crew. What with the Barracudas being unceremoniously dropped, the semi-dystopian world reveal, and Amora being cursed to be close to a man (torture, am I right?), there were quite a few threads left to explore. And so after (a slightly pained experience of) reacquainting myself with the series, I was ready to dive into the sequel and conclusion to this series.

The Air Is Wild With Gossip and Music

~All the Stars and Teeth~
Book 1
By Adalyn Grace
Amazon ~ Powell's

Set in a kingdom where danger lurks beneath the sea, mermaids seek vengeance with song, and magic is a choice.

She will reign.

As princess of the island kingdom Visidia, Amora Montara has spent her entire life training to be High Animancer—the master of souls. The rest of the realm can choose their magic, but for Amora, it’s never been a choice. To secure her place as heir to the throne, she must prove her mastery of the monarchy’s dangerous soul magic.

When her demonstration goes awry, Amora is forced to flee. She strikes a deal with Bastian, a mysterious pirate: he’ll help her prove she’s fit to rule, if she’ll help him reclaim his stolen magic.

But sailing the kingdom holds more wonder—and more peril—than Amora anticipated. A destructive new magic is on the rise, and if Amora is to conquer it, she’ll need to face legendary monsters, cross paths with vengeful mermaids, and deal with a stow-away she never expected… or risk the fate of Visidia and lose the crown forever.

I am the right choice. The only choice. And I will protect my kingdom.

Original Review

Gilda Had Written the Stories of Their History

~The Gilda Stories~
By Jewelle L. Gómez
Amazon ~ Powell's

Before Buffy, before Twilight, before Octavia Butler's Fledgling, there was The Gilda Stories, Jewelle Gómez's sexy vampire novel.

This remarkable novel begins in 1850s Louisiana, where Gilda escapes slavery and learns about freedom while working in a brothel. After being initiated into eternal life as one who "shares the blood" by two women there, Gilda spends the next two hundred years searching for a place to call home.

An instant lesbian classic when it was first published in 1991, The Gilda Stories has endured as an auspiciously prescient book in its explorations of blackness, radical ecology, re-definitions of family, and yes, the erotic potential of the vampire story.


Breaking out of my reading slump to read last month's pick in Maven of the Eventide's (aka Elisa Hansen's) Vampire Book Club proved to be no easy feat. Unfortunately, my library did not carry the audiobook, and it turned out I had other obligations the night of the meeting. Luckily I found a copy of the audio online, and, as always, the book club meetings are saved for posterity, so while I wasn't there for the live discussion, I was able to participate in some ways (unlike the previous month's when my library didn't even carry a text copy for The Silver Kiss). And though I'd never heard of this book before the club picked it out, the premise seemed especially intriguing and I was eager to experience it. Let me just say, wow.

The Men of the Hellfire Club Were Thus Bound Together Forever

~The Hellfire Club~
Charlie & Margaret Marder Mysteries
Book 1
By Jake Tapper
Amazon ~ Powell's

Charlie Marder is a World War II veteran and popular academic. He's also an unlikely congressman, thrust into office by his power-broker father's connections. Idealistic and determined, Charlie wants to use his new position for good. He quickly learns, however, that in 1950s Washington, little is as it seems. Struggling to navigate the treacherous waters alongside real-life figures such as President Dwight Eisenhower, Senator John F. Kennedy, and Roy Cohn, Charlie is confronted by a world in the throes of McCarthyism, where no one trusts anyone. His education in the compromising and occasionally illegal ways of Washington makes him question his own ethical compass and the morality of men he admires, including his father.

Alongside his pregnant wife, Margaret, a zoologist with ambitions of her own, Charlie struggles to do what is right while learning more about the mysterious circumstances of his predecessor's death. Amid the swirl of glamorous and powerful politicians and businessmen, a fatal car accident plunges Charlie and Margaret into an underworld of dark bargains, secret societies, and a conspiracy that could change the course of history. When Charlie learns too much, he has to fight not only for his principles and his newfound political career...but for his life.


I saw this one when Tapper was doing the rounds on Late Night (I believe he was on both Colbert's and Meyer's shows) and decided to pick it up. Actually, he was doing the rounds for the sequel, The Devil May Dance, which sounded like an interesting depiction of the Kennedy's and their possible mob ties, so I figured I'd need to read its predecessor. I don't read much historical fiction these days, and even less centered around USA politics, so it was a bit of a gamble for me. In the end, I think I came out about even.

It Was a Very Different Scenario in the Brujx Cemetery

~Cemetery Boys~
By Aiden Thomas
Amazon ~ Powell's

Yadriel has summoned a ghost, and now he can’t get rid of him.

Bestowed by the ancient goddess of death, Yadriel and the gifted members of his Latinx community can see spirits: women have the power to heal bodies and souls, while men can release lost spirits to the afterlife. But Yadriel, a trans boy, has never been able to perform the tasks of the brujas - because he is a brujo.

When his cousin suddenly dies, Yadriel becomes determined to prove himself a real brujo. With the help of his cousin and best friend Maritza, he performs the ritual himself, and then sets out to find the ghost of his murdered cousin and set it free.

However, the ghost he summons is not his cousin. It’s Julian Diaz, the resident bad boy of his high school, and Julian is not about to go quietly into death. He’s determined to find out what happened and tie off some loose ends before he leaves.

Left with no choice, Yadriel agrees to help Julian, so that they can both get what they want. But the longer Yadriel spends with Julian, the less he wants to let him leave.


I think I first saw this one through my library's new release emails, but I've since seen it all over the web. I was especially drawn to this one, not only for my curiosity about the brujx traditions, but because of the trans main character. Having a trans sibling, I'm all for supporting the trans community and learning more about their experiences. On the other hand, with my grandma's recent passing I was very hesitant to dive into a book dealing directly with death and lost spirits, and so I ended up putting off reading at all for a couple months. But, after an overly long hiatus I decided to finally take the plunge and find out if this book was really worth all the hype.