I'm not sure if this was Holdstock's last book, but it was certainly his last book about Ryhope Wood, the first being the justly famous Mythago Wood. It's interesting to compare first to last. Mythago Wood starts off as science fiction, or at the very least with a character who is trying to understand mysterious phenomena in the ancient woodland next to his home scientifically. Before Avilion is over it seems like nothing but magic can explain all the bizarre goings on. Mythago Wood is very much about mythic archetypes. Avilion is very much about specific characters from myth/legend. There's a big difference between a warrior who unites a kingdom and Arthur who dies fighting Mordred; the latter is a specific instance of the former. Mythago Wood is about a family that breaks apart self-destructively. Avilion is about a family that despite separation, remains a strong, healthy unit. Mythago Wood is about outsiders entering an alien realm. Avilion is about people who have an inside perspective of the same realm.

When I think back over the several Holdstock works I've read, I notice a common theme of writing about broken families - families that have become physically or emotionally separated (or both), families where internal abuse of power occurs. Families that either struggle to repair themselves or dissolve into anger and hate or get their members hopelessly lost to each other in space or time or emotional distance. Interesting then, that this final Mythago book lays heavy emphasis on hope for the family that have been central to the entire saga. Unfortunate that it does so too heavy-handedly, at the end. Also unfortunate that the plot sags before the denouement, taking too much time to move the chess-pieces (aka characters) to their correct spots.

This has all the Classical (geddit?!) elements of an Asterix story; violence, boar, pirates, Caesar's latest plan to conquer the last outpost of Gaul that still resists the Empire and so forth. It also shows the more whimsical tone and more meandering plotting evident in the other volumes written by Uderzo. Feminism comes to ancient Gaul in the form of a female bard who wears breeches and teaches the women of the village to question accepted gender roles. Unsurprisingly, chaos ensues, and that's before Caesar's Secret Weapon arrives to add to the mayhem!

This isn't out there in the stellar regions with Asterix in Britain, Asterix in Corsica or Obelix and Co. but it's still funny and full of surprises.

          Arc Provided by Flatiron Books through Netgalley

                       Release Date: September 5th

Pitched as a feminist retelling, "Girls Made of Snow and Glass", doesn't disappoint in the least. Told in the alternative pov's of Mina, the stepmother Queen and Lynet, the snow Princess, this is a story that most surely will stay with the reader long after its read... What if there was more to the "tale" of the "evil" stepmother and her "naive" stepdaughter? What if there was a story of trying to break with one's past and one's sorrow? What if you only wanted to be loved, but never quite achieved that? How would you turn out with people trying to make a puppet out of you? This is the story of two women both trying to find out their true natures in a grey world . A world of snow and cold. And of bitter family ties. Along the way they will have to decide if they'll risk breaking those ties for a chance of finally being themselves. And of loving who they want. "Girls Made of Snow and Ice" is a tale of self discovery, friendship, and of budding young love, interwoven with bits of magic... In it, you have very different love stories. You have one between a woman with a heart of glass, and her creation. But for how long will it be her creation?

Another between two girls, both trying to survive in that world: One that has had everything given to her, except the love of a mother. And the other, who is trying to find her own station in a world filled with people who want to use her...

But for me, the most rewarding its between a mother and her child. Despite all obstacles, barriers, and wishes of kings. The writing is skilfully done, taking the reader successfully into a cursed world of snow, and many were the phrases _ so beautifully written _that I would love to share with you guys.

Really a remarkable read.

Arc Provided by Subterranean Press through Netgalley

Release Date: March 31st

The greatest compliment I can give to this novella, is that after being thoroughly pissed of with the way things ended in the third Cainsville novel, I am now _once again _ determined in finishing the series! So, well done! Objective achieved, lol As to what happens in this novella, obviously I'm not going to spoil it for you guys, but I'll say that the basic plot was extremely interesting... okay, there's ghosts...and other supernatural beings involved. Patrick, aka Gabriel's... now what have you read? Have you read the first four books and the anthology "Led Astray" who has some pretty good shorts on Gabriel and his childhood? Because in the case that you haven't, let's just keep things...secret. Okay? So, I was talking about Patrick who is a writer amongst other things... Olivia would probably use a much more colourful language about the guy!*snort* Patrick decides to get more involved in Gabriel's life, and of course things don't go as they probably should. A big mess ensues. Gabriel and Olivia's relationship is still on the mend, and people are getting lost. In more ways than one... Now if you're wondering, after all my blabbering, if you can read this novella without reading the previous stories, the answer is yes. Of course by doing so, you'll be losing more than half of the "fun" :)

       Arc Provided by Carina Press through Netgalley

                Release Date: February 20 th 

Another winner! Author Lucy Parker definitely knows how to write the perfect story, because I never thought that theatre "stuff" was that interesting, and then I just want to live in these stories. And be friends with these people. And as such, I am now going to re-read it, because I don't know when I'll read another good story. -_-

Lily is much more than a pretty face: she's smart, witty, and much more than meets the eye. Luc on the other hand, likes to live his life preferably free of taxing emotional dramas. He's forty _lol _ he's "old", and he already has enough on his hands with his latest project. He's known for his professional behaviour and he doesn't need someone with twenty six years old ( OMG! lol) mixing up things in his life. When these two meet, they definitely pay attention to each other... What happens next is a very well built story. I never felt like saying "oh, move on already..". I liked the "view" from the road, and meeting all the other characters? It was not a bore. When the time comes I'll be more than happy to read about them, because this author is most definitely on my auto buy list.