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  • Thirteen’s The Charm: Inside The Dark Enchantment Of Erin A. Craig’s The Thirteenth Child

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    Book Overview: The Thirteenth Child

    Content Warnings: death, parent deaths, gore, war, violence, illness and plague, cheating

    Summary: Hazel Trépas has always known she wasn’t like the rest of her siblings. A thirteenth child, promised to one of the gods, she spends her childhood waiting for her godfather, Merrick, the Dreaded End and Death himself, to arrive. When he does, he lays out his plan for Hazel’s future. She will become a great healer, known throughout the kingdom for her precision and skill. To aid her endeavors, Merrick blesses Hazel with a gift, the ability to instantly deduce the exact cure needed to treat the sick.

    But all gifts come with a price. . . .

    Hazel can see when Death has claimed a patient—when all hope is gone—and is tasked with ending their suffering, permanently. Haunted by the ghosts of those she’s killed, Hazel longs to run. But destiny brings her to the royal court,where she meets Leo, a rakish prince, and against her better judgment, she falls in love. But Hazel faces her biggest dilemma yet when she is called to heal the king. Hazel knows what she is meant to do and knows what her heart is urging her toward, but what will happen if she goes against the will of Death for the sake of love?

    The Thirteenth Child by Erin A. Craig

    Imagine being blessed at birth, not by a fairy godmother but by Death himself. That’s the haunting premise of Erin Craig’s The Thirteenth Child, a YA novel that spins a darkly enchanting tale from a Grimm fairy tale. It’s part epic fantasy, part romance, and it’s already topping bestseller lists. So what makes this gothic story stand out? Here are 7 reasons it’s casting a spell on young readers:

    1. A Grimm Inspiration Reborn

    Based on a Brothers Grimm tale, but far from a quaint fable. It draws inspiration from a lesser-known Grimm story called Godfather Death, but don’t expect a straight retelling. Craig uses that dark premise as a springboard for something much bigger! The novel nods to the original folktale’s themes of bargains and fate, then ups the ante with richer characters and higher stakes. It feels like a classic fairy tale at heart, but with far more twists and teeth.

    2. Hazel Trépas: A Heroine With A Dark Gift

    At the story’s heart is Hazel, a girl blessed (and cursed) by Death. Hazel Trépas is the thirteenth child of a poor family, promised from birth to the God of Death. When her eerie godfather finally shows up, he blesses Hazel with the power to heal any illness. The catch? She can also tell exactly when someone is beyond saving, and then she must end their suffering. Imagine the burden of that gift! Hazel is compassionate but haunted, determined to forge her own path despite the grim duty hanging over her. It’s impossible not to root for her as she fights for control of her life under Death’s shadow!

    3. Death As The Ultimate Godfather

    When Death becomes your mentor, expect the unexpected. Merrick, the god of Death himself, isn’t your typical hooded reaper. As Hazel’s godfather, he’s stern and otherworldly, yet oddly caring in his own way (more so than Hazel’s actual parents, frankly). He takes Hazel under his wing to mold her into the great healer he expects. Their bond is a fascinating push-pull of duty and affection. It’s not every day that Death plays dad, and here it’s equal parts chilling and touching.

    4. Gothic Atmosphere And Storybook Vibes

    Think candlelit castles, misty forests, and ghosts at the door. The book’s atmosphere is pure gothic goodness, from midnight chapel vigils to woodland spirits lurking by the road. Craig vividly renders a world where every blessing comes with a curse attached, making it feel like you’ve stepped into an eerie old storybook. Yet for all the dark, lush detail, the writing stays crisp and clear. It gives you goosebumps without ever getting you lost in the woods.

    5. Royal Intrigue And High-Stakes Twists

    Palace politics, family secrets, and fate hanging by a thread. When Hazel is summoned to the royal court to heal a dying king, the story kicks into high gear. Suddenly she’s navigating a den of vipers: scheming nobles, hidden agendas, and maybe even a murderous plot. In this kingdom, no one is entirely trustworthy, and danger lurks in every corridor. The novel delivers twist after twist as Hazel unravels what (or who) is behind the king’s illness. The stakes are sky-high, with Hazel’s own future tied to the fate of the realm, so by the climax you’ll be holding your breath hoping she can cheat Death itself!

    6. A ‘Romantasy’ Worth Swooning Over

    Amid the darkness is a swoon-worthy spark. Even in a dark tale, there’s room for love. Hazel’s chemistry with Prince Leo (the king’s younger son) brings a welcome glow to the gloom. Their banter is quick and witty (Leo’s cynicism meets its match in Hazel’s no-nonsense charm) and their reluctant alliance slowly blossoms into something more. Importantly, the romance never overshadows the main story; instead, it raises the emotional stakes. You’ll find yourself rooting for this couple to find a happily-ever-after, even as doom hangs over them. In a world so shadowed, their romance is a warm, defiant light.

    7. Haunting Themes With Heart

    A fairy tale that makes you think (and maybe cry). Beyond the magic and mayhem, this story tackles big questions about mortality and sacrifice. Hazel’s very role asks: What makes a life well-lived? How far should one go to save someone they love? There are definitely scenes that tug at the heartstrings (keep tissues handy), but there’s also a thread of hope shining through!

    The Thirteenth Child doesn’t just retell a fairy tale: it redefines it for a new generation, turning a morbid premise into a story about the fierce, fragile beauty of life!

    What are your thoughts on The Thirteenth Child? Let us know all your thoughts in the comments below or over on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook!

    Want more book reviews? Check out our library!

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ERIN A. CRAIG:
    GOODREADS | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE

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    Asia M.

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  • Book Review: So Let Them Burn By Kamilah Cole

    Book Review: So Let Them Burn By Kamilah Cole

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    Do you love dragons, magic, and mythical legends? Then you should add So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole to your TBR! We love diving into new fantasy worlds, and the one featured in So Let Them Burn is definitely immersive! Check out what we thought about it in our review below.

    So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole
    Image Source: Courtesy of Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

    Book Overview

    Summary: Faron Vincent can channel the power of the gods. Five years ago, she used her divine magic to liberate her island from its enemies, the dragon-riding Langley Empire. But now, at seventeen, Faron is all powered up with no wars to fight. She’s a legend to her people and a nuisance to her neighbors.

    When she’s forced to attend an international peace summit, Faron expects that she will perform tricks like a trained pet and then go home. She doesn’t expect her older sister, Elara, forming an unprecedented bond with an enemy dragon—or the gods claiming the only way to break that bond is to kill her sister.
     
    As Faron’s desperation to find another solution takes her down a dark path, and Elara discovers the shocking secrets at the heart of the Langley Empire, both must make difficult choices that will shape each other’s lives, as well as the fate of their world.

    Content Warnings: death, violence, war, colonization, racism, PTSD

    Intriguing Magic And An Exciting Plot

    Epic fantasies with in-depth histories and backgrounds are a staple in the fantasy genre. That’s why we really enjoyed how So Let Them Burn was filled with rich world history and intriguing mythology. We felt immediately transported into the world through the vivid description of its past. We were drawn to how Elara and Faron’s magic was rooted in their ancestry and how the dragons came to be in the Langley Empire. The interconnectedness of all of these contrasting aspects made So Let Them Burn a dynamic read.

    Dynamic Relationships

    Do you love sister relationships in books? Then you’ll enjoy reading about Faron and Elara! Both sisters have very different personalities but they definitely have one mission in common, protect the other no matter the cost. We also enjoyed the romances in So Let Them Burn which will have something for everyone. Are you a fan of the enemies-to-lovers trope? What about the childhood rivals-to-lovers trope? Then you’re in luck! We’re also excited to see how the relationships between both of the girls and the saints change in the next book.

    Character Growth

    We enjoyed watching how both of the main characters grew throughout the course of the book. Faron delved deeper into her relationships with the gods and their history. Meanwhile, Elara learned what it was truly like to be in the spotlight. They each persevered and fought tremendous challenges head-on. Seeing how they adapted and changed while sticking to their core values was inspiring and encouraging to see. We can’t wait to see how these characters continue to grow in the sequel!

    So Let Them Burn is a story of family, self-discovery, and magic that will leave you wanting more!

    Grab your copy of Kamilah Cole’s So Let Them Burn here!

    What’s your favorite magical creature? Let us know in the comments below or by tweeting us @TheHoneyPop! You can also visit us on Facebook and Instagram!

    Looking for more book reviews? Check this out!

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT KAMILAH COLE:
    INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE

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    Paige Lobianco

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  • ‘Don’t Look Back’: Refugee, plant worker writes of survival

    ‘Don’t Look Back’: Refugee, plant worker writes of survival

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    SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — As Achut Deng lay in her apartment bedroom in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, sickened alongside hundreds of her co-workers at a South Dakota meatpacking plant, she worried she was going to die.

    It wasn’t the first time she felt the imminent threat of death.

    Her childhood, shattered by war in South Sudan, had been filled with it. But as she focused on building a new life for her family — filled with long hours at the Smithfield Foods pork processing plant — she kept those traumatic memories to herself.

    In the spring of 2020, however, she spoke out to tell of the fear gripping the Sioux Falls workforce, adding to pressure that prodded the plant to implement new safety protocols that helped protect Deng and her colleagues.

    Now, Deng is telling her whole story — from fleeing massacres to the trauma she experienced as a refugee in the United States — through a memoir that she hopes will bring awareness of both the hardships, as well as the healing, for refugees.

    Deng’s book for young adults, co-authored with Keely Hutton, draws its name from the words Deng’s grandmother uttered as they fled when their village came under attack: “Don’t Look Back.”

    For decades, she followed that advice to survive. The book details her grandmother’s sacrifice to literally shield Deng from bullets during a 1991 massacre, to a refugee journey where a deadly river, a snake bite and malaria all nearly killed her. And even after arriving in the U.S., Deng writes, she suffered sexual abuse from a male guardian as well as accompanying suicidal thoughts.

    “I’m tired of being strong. I’m done being embarrassed. I’m done being ashamed of what I’ve been through,” Deng, now 37, told The Associated Press in an interview at her home in Sioux Falls.

    For years, she quietly kept her story buried beneath her work at the plant, a side hustle of catering sambusa and caring for her three sons.

    “There’s a reason why I created this busy schedule — because I don’t want to have time to myself so that I can think of the past,” she said.

    The hard work allowed Deng to achieve the life she dreamed of when she came to the U.S. as a teenager. She saved for a down payment on a home, paid for family vacations and even sponsored her parents’ immigration to America.

    When COVID-19 infections spread among Deng’s colleagues, however, her dreams came under attack once again. Sickened by the virus, she worried her sons would find her body and be left with only the stories others told about her. Deng was still haunted by finding that her own grandmother had been struck and killed by the bullets that might have hit Deng during that 1991 massacre.

    “I found myself at the very lowest point again,” Deng recounted.

    In the past, she had quietly focused on survival. This time, she spoke out. Deng appeared twice on the New York Times’ “The Daily” podcast.

    She described in compelling detail the suffering and fear among her colleagues — many of them immigrants — as the pork processing plant became one of the country’s worst hotspots for infections in the spring of 2020. Four of her colleagues died after being infected.

    Many workers at the time worried about the consequences of speaking with reporters, but Deng says she was only describing her own experience and that she does not blame Smithfield for the coronavirus. She says the plant requires hard work, but Smithfield also provides the wages, benefits and a schedule that allow a single mother to provide for her family.

    When a publicist at Macmillan Publishing heard Deng on the podcast, it sparked talks that led to the memoir. Deng wrote the book with Hutton, her co-author, in between working 12-hour shifts at Smithfield and ferrying her sons to school. She often slept just four hours between her overnight job as a supervisor and video calls with Hutton.

    Delving into the trauma of her past was difficult, Deng said, and required therapy sessions.

    Then, every Sunday, when Deng had a day off, she would sit with her sons around their dining table and read the draft of the latest chapter.

    “We cry together; we talk about it; then we put it behind; then we start the new week,” Deng said.

    She hopes that readers will come to understand refugees have their lives upended and are traumatized by forces beyond their control, but show incredible resilience by choosing to come to the U.S. She described the book’s cover, illustrated with the face of a girl overlaid by a night sky, as capturing her feelings at publication.

    “She’s wounded but fearless,” Deng said. “You can see the pain in her eye. But she’s not afraid.”

    ———

    Follow Stephen Groves on Twitter at https://twitter.com/stephengroves

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