Someone: hey-Me, busy being emotionally invested in this 19th century mafia story featuring genderfluid shape-shifters, an amazing queer romance and an iconic and unabashed obliteration of the concept of gender binary: shhh please be quiet So, what’s this book about? Teodora di Sangro, the daughter of a mafia don, pays for the safety of her family with the coin of her own conscience, parceled out every time she wields her secret magic—a shadow talent of turning her father’s enemies into decora...

Unique YA fantasy is hard to find, but this is one! The worldbuilding is inspired by pre-unification 19th century Italy. Teodora is a daughter of the mafia Di Sangro family--she's also a strega who turns enemies into inanimate objects. She has to journey to the capital when her father falls magically ill. Along for the ride is Cielo, a genderfluid shape-shifting strega. Thoughtful interrogations of politics, gender identity, and the patriarchy. Fantastic audiobook narration too!

I had discovered a special way that women could be dangerous. They were trained to play close attention to people. To take them apart, like Luca had done with his clockworks, and study how they ran. 3 1/2 stars. This was so. freaking. interesting. A story following a genderqueer narrator who can turn people into boxes, and her love interest who can literally magically switch sexes, all set in a 19th-century-Italian-inspired world by an Italian-American author. Like, come on, how can I

Teodora di Sangro’s life is built on secrets. The Brilliant Death sucked me in pretty much instantly when the protagonist - Teo di Sangro, who is a strega - waltzes onto the page and turns a man into a music box for threatening the well-being of her family. As it turns out, this guy is just one more trinket added to Teo's collection. You'd better learn it fast: while Teo's around, no one screws with the di Sangros.Hell yeah.From there, a bigger fantasy world opens up, filled with stregas and

If any of this interests you I highly recommend picking this up:- 19th century Italy inspired world- mafia family- political intrigue - unique magic system- queer main character- genderfluid love interest

I wanted to love this one bc the queer rep was AMAZING, but I’d be lying if I said the plot didn’t have my eyes glazing over for 90% of the book. It takes a lot for me to like fantasy and this just didn’t do it for me 😕 womp

I've thought about it and while a lot of the premise of this book sounds amazing, as an Italian person the mafia element makes me way too uncomfortable to even consider reading it.

I had to do a little thinking before writing this review.It’s likely clear from my star rating that I didn’t like it very much. I won’t give it one star because there was something I appreciated about it.I like the fact that this is a diverse author who gives us a main character who is also diverse. I looked at the author’s website out of curiosity and she self identifies as bi, demi-girl, and queer. And this seems to be who her main character is, which is awesome. I think there will be readers

3.5 StarsThis was nice enough, but I wanted something a bit more! The storytelling was well done, but at times it felt a bit rushed. I think I'd of enjoyed this more if it was a duology so it could build the story that little bit more.The characters were well done and learning about the Strega had me gripped, but as previously mentioned things happened too quickly and I wanted to find out what happened to certain characters.There were certain twists that I didn't expect and I enjoyed that aspect...

*This text might contain mild spoilers*DNF 130 pages in. I was so so excited about this book. But it turned out to be the biggest book disappointment of 2019 so far.💀 But let's start with the good things I guess. 1. It's an easy read, in the sense that the pages just ran away from me. 2. Queer characters!3. Discussions about gender.And now, the bad things: 1. Discussions about gender. The author is non-binary, but the way they talked about gender and sex made me very uncomfortable. The love inte...

Well this book was most thoroughly...wait for it...BRILLIANT. (((oh please you absolutely knew I was going to say that. I was given an opportunity and I took it.))) I was absolutely in love with the premise as soon as I heard about it and it turned out to be everything I want in a fantasy?! It absolutely kicked it's way past generic doors and gave us what we crave: queer narrators, strong family ties, really interesting and different world building, magic that's sometimes soft and sometimes terr...

DNF 32%When I first decided to DNF this over the weekend I had a lot to say about it. Now, I just don't care. I don't care enough for a roast, I don't care enough for a lengthy review, I just do. not. care. about this book.At. All.What I do care about is that I freaking bought this at full price, which I never do and it was so disappointing, and now I'm pissed and I want my money back. So, without further adiu a quick run through. 1. The characters were boring and flat. I didn't care what they t...

wow our main characters are a genderfluid couple, amazingThe Brilliant Death is set in an Italy-inspired land, Vinalia, where they’re ruled by the five mafia-esque dons. In this world, stregas are people who have various powers— such as being able to bake food that helps uncover hidden memories or turning someone’s worries into physical form— but most of them are hidden to the outside world. Teo, the protagonist, is the daughter of one of the dons and secretly a strega: she often turns her fathe...

4.5 starsThis book was FANTASTIC.Wait no, sorry, let me try again, I don't think I was clear enough. THIS BOOK WAS REALLY FANTASTIC AND AMAZING AND I LOVED IT SO SO SO MUCH GO READ THIS BOOK.There we go. That was better.What? I haven't convinced you to read it yet? Okay fine. Here is a list of (some of) the reasons why you need to read this book: - The wonderful world building! I fell completely in love with this world. It felt so real and rich and complex. I wanted to know so much more about it...

AMAZING QUEER REP 🙌🏼 the plot didn’t hook me as much as I’d have liked, but overall it’s a solid story. Definitely recommend giving this one a try if it interests you!

“Understanding rustled through me, soft as leaves. It wasn’t quite the same, but I’d often felt I didn’t fit inside the boundaries of the word girl. It reminded me of a country I could happily visit, but the longer I stayed, the more I knew I couldn’t live there all the time. There were moments when I sorely wished to be free of the confines of this body, the expectations it seemed to carry.”...Well, this was fabulous!YA fantasy is a genre that I'm starting to feel weary of. I'll always have a s...

First off, Amy Rose Capetta can write her a$$ off. Every sentence, shoot, every clause within a sentence is razor sharp, zigging when you think she’s going to zag. “The day shaded into a subtle blue evening and sounds of a gathering led through the Palazza like a beckoning finger. I followed the shiver of violins, determined to meet the crowds with a face that suited the di Sangro heir. “ If you like that kind of writing, then this is your book. Five families in this mythical country are being f...

Amy Rose Capetta called her partner her “very own sexy magic tutor” in the acknowledgements and your loss if you don’t want to read a book about sexy magic tutors, magic that can turn men into objects, and gay// buddy read with felix and bad memory

What's this magic and when can I read it?! I mean:- A Mafia don's daughter- A gender fluid character - Magic!!!- A queer romance- Some sort of blood feud?!Sign me up!! I need this in my life ASAP!!! This is what I call intriguing. XD

4 starsIf I could pick three words to describe this book with, it would be "lush," "conspiratorial," and "queer."Because this book is "lush" in almost every way:- It's magic system--with the strega who are going through a time of change as people attempt to exploit their magic and use it for nefarious purposes--fully embodies the word "lush" with the elegant way the magic works and its smooth execution.- "Lush" in the way that the characters are rich and developed and shaped in a way that you un...