Short reviews

 These are the first 3 novels I have read in 2024. I haven't done reviews for a while and I don't want to go too far back, so fresh start and all that jazz.

   First up is Under the Mountain, by Maurice Gee.

This is a re-read for me, and is a book that is deeply embedded in the psyche of many Kiwi Gen X kids. The book came out in the 1970s/80s and a TV series followed.

Twins Rachel and Theo come to Auckland from the country to spend the summer holiday with their aunt and uncle. However, there's more going on than the twins realise, to do with the creepy and secretive Wilberforces and Mr Jones, a mysterious old man with an interest in the twins.

This is one of those books that I absolutely cannot be objective about. I love it for the story, for the nostalgia, and for the deep essence of Kiwi-ness that it just ... exudes. 

Next, is the graphic novel The Tea Dragon Society by Kay O'Neill. I know it's only halfway through January, but this was a five-star read. It's so charming and the art style is so lovely. Blacksmith's daughter Greta finds out about the dying art of tea dragon care-taking from a kindly tea-maker. 

She also discovers new friends - not least shy Minette, and also the tiny tea dragons themselves. First book in a series, and I need the rest of them immediately, if not sooner than that.

Highly, highly recommend.

Last up for this post is Paladin's Grace by T Kingfisher. The only other book I've read by T Kingfisher is Nettle & Bone, which I loved.

And ... I loved this as well. 

Stephen is a Paladin, but of a dead God. He's drifting a bit and doesn't really feel like he has a purpose. He and his fellow remaining Paladins serve the Temple of the White Rad, which means they mostly stand around looking intimidating.

Then Stephen meets Grace, a perfumer with a troubled past and it all kicks off.

I will say - I'm not a fan of "romantasy" novels. Romance generally isn't my thing, and this burgeoning genre which - given I don't read it - seems to mostly be made up of teenagers mooning about so definitely not my thing. HOWEVER, Grace is in her 30s and Stephen is in his 40s. They're adults with their own pasts and lives and - despite the severed heads - it's ... low stakes? Not Legends & Lattes low stakes (which is also great) but Stephen and Grace aren't out to Save The World. 

They just want to save themselves. A fun read.