An intricate fairy tale of sisterhood and song that is lyrical and imaginative.

I’ve read loads of praise for Amal El-Mohtar’s writing. It took me two seconds to decide to push play on the audiobook when I received it. I highly recommend going with the audio as it brings the sounds of nature and music to life. It elevated the entire experience. Gem Carmella narrates and gives a vibrant portrayal. I loved how this was a fairy tale in novella form because it was the perfect length. So often stories with fantasy elements get bogged down with heavy detail, but the plot develops at an excellent pace here. The prose borders on flowery at times, but it resists going over the top.

The magic system is called “grammar” and is loosely explained. However, I felt like I got the gist of it from the story, but if you’re all about hard facts and loads of super clear explanations this one may come up short in that regard. The characters and their bonds are the heart of this story. The foreshadowing woven through with the lightest touch made for intriguing turns. I found the ending heartwarming without being saccharine.

Despite being otherworldly, family is at the heart of this fairy tale. An enchanting escape that kept me entertained.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing an Advance Listening Copy for review. All opinions are my own.

This is a must-listen audiobook for a must-read book!

Gem Carmella - with the help of the stunning sound effects and music - brings Amal El-Mohtar’s beautiful prose and story-telling to life in this short but mesmerizing audiobook.

The story follows two sisters and their path to love - and each other - as they navigate a magical land, fae, and dangerous suitors.

What already reads as a beautiful faery tale is elevated in audiobook - almost as if Gem is telling you this story as you huddle around her and she’s able to conjure the sights and sounds that being this story to life.

Absolutely recommend this book - especially the audio!

3.5/5

This book was just so pretty.

The cover is so cool, it's simple but effective and just works so well. It really is so unique, I really don't think I've ever seen a cover that looks anything like this. Although, I do have to say this...it doesn't give fantasy. But I don't care. It's pretty.

The writing style is also so pretty, it's lyrical and whimsical but not convoluted. It's balanced and works so well.

This is a very short story about magic and siblings (of the magical variety) and how they have to navigate the world. This is also a story about being different as well as consequences of your actions. I would recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley for the audiobook ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

The River Has Roots was ethereal. This leans heavily into folklore and feels more like a fable than a fantasy novel, which I really enjoyed. The prose was lyrical, but sometimes felt a little too purple and I kept having to rewind the audiobook to make sure I was processing the story. The magic system was a little difficult to figure out, but once I understood that didn’t bother me too much. I loved the symbolism of the river and how it transformed as the characters transformed. The sisterly relationship between Ester and Ysabel was so lovely and real feeling. The world building was pretty lush for such a short book, too. The audiobook was mostly really well done. The narration was incredible and the sound effects throughout added a nice touch. There were some unusually long blank spots between the chapters and I kept thinking my audio file was glitching. Overall, this was a very interesting read and has a super gorgeous cover!

Thank you so much to NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Another example of the beautiful prose that made This is How You Lose the Time War one of my favorite books (sorry, Max, I love you but I knew you weren't the one bringing that to the table 😉). A full experience audiobook, complete with music and sound effects that draw you into a beautifully drawn fairy tale world.