T. Kingfisher, Thornhedge

In this retelling of Sleeping Beauty, the heroine isn’t the princess in the tower. Instead, it’s Toadling, who was born human but kidnapped by fairies shortly after her birth. She’s been raised among the monstrous yet loving greenteeth, and she would have been happy to stay with them forever. But when a goddess summons her to her human parents’ household and says she can prevent great suffering, Toadling answers the call. Now, centuries later, she guards the princess’s tower and tries to keep humans away. She’s mostly successful — until an unconventional knight breaches her physical and metaphorical defenses. I’ve read two full-length novels by T. Kingfisher and loved them; this novella is very good too, but its shorter length didn’t allow me to sink into its world completely. I’d still definitely recommend it to fans of fairytale retellings, but since it’s just over 100 pages long, I’m glad I didn’t pay $20 for the hardcover!

Allison Ashley, The Roommate Pact

Graham and Claire have been roommates for about a year, and friends for much longer, but their relationship has always been strictly platonic. Claire wants a serious relationship, and she definitely doesn’t want to be with someone who takes a lot of risks — so thrill-seeking, commitment-phobic Graham is the last person she should date. But when he proposes a friends-with-benefits arrangement, Claire finds herself eager to explore their chemistry. When an injury leaves Graham stranded at home with Claire (a nurse) as caretaker, they get to know each other on a deeper level and are surprised by their growing feelings. I liked this contemporary romance, with its friends-to-lovers plot and opposites-attract vibes, but nothing about it really stands out to me. Claire and Graham are both likable characters with fun banter, and I liked how they were drawn to the “difficult” parts of each other. While this book isn’t an all-time favorite, I’d certainly read more by the author.

Nnedi Okorafor, Binti: The Complete Trilogy

This collection of interrelated novellas blends sci-fi futurism with African cultural elements. The protagonist is Binti, a teenage girl who leaves her family and her tribe on Earth to attend a prestigious university on another planet. On the way, her spaceship is attacked by aliens who kill everyone on board except the pilot and Binti. In an odd twist of fate, she ends up befriending one of the aliens and building bridges between their race and humanity. This book was definitely outside my comfort zone, and I found the world-building fascinating. Binti encounters people from many different cultures, both human and alien, and each feels unique and rooted in reality. But the bulk of the book is about Binti’s struggle to come to terms with her own identity, which I found a little less interesting — she seems to be a typical Super Special SFF heroine. Overall, I’m glad I read this one but don’t plan to keep it; I’d classify it as good, just not my thing.