Mary Watson
Bloomsbury YA, April 2022
Paperback, £7.99
ISBN 9781526636706
Savannah, the teenage protagonist of Blood to Poison, is angry. It’s an anger that blooms in the everyday injustices of life in the wake of South Africa’s apartheid years, from the men who catcall her in the street to the angry customers who mind their manners for white men but not black women. It is against this backdrop that Savannah finds out she is cursed — an intergenerational curse stretching back to her ancestor Hella, who harnessed magic to curse her enslavers.
Women, magic, and anger are all intertwined in this urban fantasy. In a world where girls are often told that their anger is irrational or unladylike, Blood to Poison revels in female anger. Watson explores how Savannah’s anger can be both a weakness and a strength: “Anger can warn you when something is not right. It can be a powerful tool, but has to be wielded carefully and with precision. You have to control it, not have your anger control you,” the enigmatic Mama Daline advises Savannah in the early chapters.
The themes of female anger and strength are woven within a fast-paced plot where Savannah struggles to break her curse before it’s too late. Savannah is an excellent protagonist, spirited and fierce but also so very kind and loving. Some of Watson’s more ambitious fantasy scenes lose the tight grip the rest of her writing holds, but even in these rougher patches, the strength of the characters and plot are more than enough to keep readers at the edge of their seats. Blood to Poison is both an excellent fantasy novel and meditation on women and their power.
Aoife Sheehan
Set in Scotland, it follows the life of the Fitz and his bandmates in the days leading up to his friend Cassie’s disappearance. Cassie doesn’t seem like herself, she has always been a bit unique but this time something is different — she keeps complaining about a noise, a low hum that she can’t seem to get rid of. She thinks it’s the earth trying to fight back. Everyone thinks she’s crazy, and she might start to think so too. 
This novel is written from a third person point of view, but this doesn’t at all limit the reader’s connection with and understanding of the characters. Cain blends paranormality with an Irish teenager’s life to create an enjoyable novel, especially for those who enjoy folklore, mythology and Ancient Irish history. A story well worth a read!
The Wanderer is a poignant narrative that tackles the impact of death and loss while depicting a moving account of the joy and warmth of first love. Williams presents the reader with a vividly realised setting and a cast of colourful characters as the story of Maggie and Ryder’s growing love for each other unfolds.
This book helps to bring everything together in the series. We get to find out more about Rollo and what actually happened on his Justitium weekend with Shafeen’s father. The use of diary entries gave a more personal twist to the book, making Shafeen’s father more alive. Knowing Aadhish’s mindset was helpful in giving an insight into the thoughts and feelings of Rollo as a young man and how this might have influenced Henry.
