Author: Aliette de Bodard
Publisher: JABberwocky Literary Agency, Inc
Publication Date: 28 June 2022
Pages: 77
Format: eBook - EPUB
Genre: MM Fantasy Romance
Source: ARC via NetGalley
From the author of the critically acclaimed Dominion of the Fallen trilogy comes a sparkling new romantic adventure full of kissing, sarcasm and stabbing.
It was supposed to be a holiday, with nothing more challenging than babysitting, navigating familial politics and arguing about the proper way to brew tea.
But when dragon prince Thuan and his ruthless husband Asmodeus find a corpse in a ruined shrine and a hungry ghost who is the only witness to the crime, their holiday goes from restful to high-pressure. Someone is trying to silence the ghost and everyone involved. Asmodeus wants revenge for the murder; Thuan would like everyone, including Asmodeus, to stay alive.
Chased by bloodthirsty paper charms and struggling to protect their family, Thuan and Asmodeus are going to need all the allies they can—and, as the cracks in their relationship widen, they'll have to face the scariest challenge of all: how to bring together their two vastly different ideas of their future...
Of Charms, Ghosts and Grievances was an enjoyable enough quick read. It had an interesting storyline, was well paced and had some fun dialogue. The world of the story was fascinating; however, I didn't feel I understood it to the extent I would have liked. This story is a follow-up novella to Of Dragons, Feasts and Murders which, in turn, is noted to be a spin-off from the author's Dominion of the Fallen series. The blurb when I requested this book on NetGalley stated it was a standalone read, and it is as far as the plot is concerned, the story starting and finishing neatly within its pages. However, I didn't feel I knew enough about the characters, their world, the magic being used etc. and I imagine all that world building took place in previous books and is treated as implied knowledge here. I certainly liked what I did garner from this work, so maybe I will try to go back to read some of the early books at some point. I am giving this book three stars based on my reading experience here and now, but I think, had I previously read the other works and known more what was going on, it would have been at least a four. So, if you are looking to try this book, I would recommend starting at least with Of Dragons, Feasts and Murders, if not going all the way back to the Dominion of the Fallen series first. I believe you will get more out of this work if you do.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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