More of a 3.5. CW: blood magic, self harm I have only read Gods of Jade and Shadow by the author before and thought her writing was very beautiful. I never did get to Mexican Gothic despite all my friends loving it because I’m not really into horror. So I was pretty excited to get back to her writing, within the fantasy genre again. I’m usually a huge fan of novellas and authors who can say a lot in few pages. And this seemed like the perfect choice especially I’m in the middle of a bad reading slump. And I loved how this was such a quick read. The author gets right in the middle of the proceedings when the main character has just escaped from her captor/former lover and is seeking ways to get her revenge. It was interesting to see someone once powerful grapple with her current vulnerable predicament, and think about all the choices that she made which led to the present. The dialogue between Yalxi and her nahual is also very sarcastic and fun, adding some mirth to an otherwise dark situation. But the author definitely is best at writing gorgeous descriptions that captivate us, bring the world to life and make us feel the depth of emotions. However, this time I felt the book was too short. There was a good amount of build up towards the final confrontation, and the climax fight was spectacularly written. But it still felt too simple and easy, and didn’t evoke the awe I was expecting. Maybe I just had too high expectations. Or maybe it would have been better if the story was more fleshed out, with deeper look into the characters’ backstories. Overall, it was a fun and quick read with gorgeous writing, and fascinating characters. I just think it could have been wonderful with a longer page count. But I’m very much looking forward to the author’s other upcoming releases.

Having read two books by Silvia Moreno-Garcia in the past and enjoyed the cultural backdrop, I was definitely intrigued to pick up her novella The Return of the Sorceress. I certainly enjoyed the diverse magic system, the adventure, and the memorable chapter names (classified by colours). I think it showcased morally grey characters and sorcery snugly within the novella length: the essence of the typical fantasy elements I enjoy. On the other hand, I do think the novella length didn't provide me enough opportunities to connect to the characters. It would be nice if I had the chance to read about more detailed backstories about Yalxi and Xellah. And how they grew to become so morally ambiguous. I feel like this is definitely a material that deserves a full length novel treatment. Despite the drawbacks of the novella, I nevertheless found The Return of the Sorceress an adventurous short story about sorcery and morally grey female characters. It certainly has all of the ingredients for a solid high fantasy novel. N.B. This book contains following content warnings: weapons, violence, and blood mention