Hi there! I’m here with my fourth post in my 2023 Buzzword Reading Challenge series! **And every day we are reminded that discrimination against marginalized communities is still a serious problem, so click here to find a compilation of resources where you can donate your time, money, or whatever you can to support these communities. I still encourage you to research these causes on your own to educate yourself and find the best way to lend your support.**
This is the fourth installment of my Buzzword Reading Challenge series of posts for 2023. In case you’re new here, the Buzzword Reading Challenge (also called Buzzword-a-thon or the Buzzword Readathon) was originally created by Kayla at the YouTube channel booksandlala. It centers around readers choosing books that include specific words or ‘types’ of words. This is the third year where all 12 prompts were selected in advance and it’s being loosely hosted once a month on sites like Goodreads and Storygraph. Each month we search our shelves for books with either specific words in the title, or title words that fit a specific theme. Previous years I’ve done recommendations, or multiple books for each month, but in 2023, I think I’m just going to stick to one book per prompt, as to [hopefully] prevent burn-out later on in the year. This is a reading challenge after all, and it’s supposed to be fun. In April, we had to find books with an emotion word in the title, which proved a bit more difficult than I thought, and while I originally planned to choose a book with “love” in its title, I decided to go in a bit of a different direction.
“emotion” – In the Ravenous Dark by A.M. Strickland
April is also a month to participate in the Spring Equinox portion of Magical Readathon, a readathon created by booktuber G over at the channel Book Roast. Every April and August readers complete prompts to fulfill course requirements that will help us qualify for a calling. There’s so much time and effort she puts into every aspect of the readathon, and I highly recommend checking it out if you’re interested. One of the prompts I needed to complete this April was for the class Spells and Incantations – for the spell “Magic Missles” I needed to read a book between 389 and 415 pages. Luckily for me, A.M. Strickland’s sophomore novel In the Ravenous Dark came in at exactly 390 pages. The story takes place in Thanopolis, where those who wield magical powers are assigned undead spirits tasked with guarding – and controlling – them. Roven, whose father died trying to protect her from this fate, has hidden her magic for years. But when her powers are revealed, she’s thrust into a world of palace intrigue and deception, and bound to an undead spirit of her very own. While searching for answers and daring to attempt escape, Roven finds herself falling for two people she don’t fully trust – Lydia, a rebellious princess, and Ivrillos, the spirit capable of controlling her. Together they uncover a secret that will destroy Thanopolis, and Roven must find a way to start a rebellion in both the mortal and under-world, but that means she just might have to betray the two battling for her heart. I read A.M. Strickland’s debut, Beyond the Black Door, last year after receiving it in a book box, and I really liked the world-building and character work, along with the representation of asexuality. In the Ravenous Dark shares its predecessor’s intricate world, keeps you engaged with court politics and palace intrigue, and has you wondering who will win Roven’s heart in the end (or does anyone truly have to choose?). I listened to this on audio, and I think the narrator did a really great job expressing Roven’s emotion especially in some of the more painful and powerful scenes. We follow Roven while she tries to uncover secrets that, if revealed, have the power to start a war, all while she is trying to protect the ones she loves but understanding that not everyone can be saved. It’s an incredibly solid YA fantasy that will draw in readers with it’s story of betrayal, love, and the power of one’s determination to do what’s right. I highly recommend.
In conclusion, this was a solid installment of the Buzzword Reading Challenge, and since we’re officially done with a third of the year I can’t wait to see what the later two thirds brings.
Where to find In the Ravenous Dark:
Bookshop
Amazon
Goodreads
Storygraph
A.M Strickland site
**A.M. Strickland’s spouse was recently injured in a very serious accident, and their friends have set up a GoFundMe page in order to raise money towards his recovery. Please considering donating here if you are in any way able to do so. Or consider picking up their next novel Court of the Undying Seasons, out just a few weeks after this post goes live.**
Thoughts About Things 