Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!
I couldn't put this book down! The writing, worldbuilding and characters were amazing. I liked Juno and Wendarck very much and can't wait to see more of them in the next book. I recommend The Language of the Wind to everyone, who loves enemies-to-lovers, witches, demons and unique characters.

This book has such a dark rich fairyland feel that made me enjoy it even more. I love a book that combines horror, fairytales and fantasy. I really appreciated the trigger warning before hand as well. I'll admit I also loved that the main characters were a lot like trying to mix oil and water together. They didn't go but yet worked very well together! I love enemies to lovers. It's my favourite trope! Another part I loved was the combination of romantic prose and gothic body horror. I can't wait for the next installment.

This book is a lot. I loved it, and it’s so well written. It’s the authors debut novel, and it’s amazing.

The pacing, at times, is rough but is good for the most part. The characters are well rounded and I love Wendrack. The story is great.

The way Wendrack feels about their body speaks to me on such a personal level. I loved how the author explored body dysmorphia, and I think it was very well done.

Overall, this is a great book.

In Olenore Allas, there are more demons than there are human bodies to hold them. And humans do not just give up their bodies…

Juno, a witch, is trying to gain power by capturing a demon but her aunt is doing everything possible to stop her.

The balance in Olenore Allas is delicate between the humans, witches, and demons. Who knows what would happen if that balance was destroyed?

I really enjoyed this read and am so glad @netgalley and the publisher/author selected me for an ARC. It was a great universe with a unique twist on a fantasy series — it is much darker with horror vibes. There is even some romance with mild spice. I can’t stop thinking about the end 😱 and will be eagerly awaiting the second in this duology. 4 ⭐️

(This review will be posted on Instagram @borrowersbookclub on July 21, 2022).

This was a really great read. The magic in this story was very interesting and unique to me. I loved the diversity of the characters in this book!

Make sure before starting this book to check the trigger warnings.

Very much an enemies to lovers, which is always a great trope to go with.

I also enjoyed the wit and banter in this book.

I’m a person who used to only read fantasy. I would never read any other genre, just fantasy. It’s been a while since I’ve read a fantasy novel and so reading this one made me remember why I loved fantasy so much. I loved it for its creativity. This wonderful fantasy hooked me in from the very first line. 5/5 would recommend

In Olenore Allas, the bond between a witch and a demon is sacred.
Witches are born as wielders for magic, lacking lungs and hearts, but without a demon at their side they have no magic from which to draw from.
Demons are born as shapeless wisps, created from disasters and cursed to endlessly search for a body to inhabit that appeals to their vanity.
But it hurts to become, and Wendarck’s becoming, their bonding to Juno, is no different.

M. R. Grand has written the underdog queer novel of 2022. Her enemies to lovers gothic style fantasy tells the story of a bisexual, Latina, witch and her nonbinary demon. Set to the background of a beautiful but haunting continent where the balance they’ve known is tipping; body horror elements are interweaved seamlessly with humour, romantic tension, high-stakes battles and trickery.

Everything about this book stands out. It refreshes magical lore in a way that is both shocking and utterly brilliant. The main characters are unique and multidimensional, their relationship developing at the perfect pace from begrudgingly bonded to something more powerful, and unpredictable than either had expected.

Juno is crass, impulsive, but intelligent and quick-witted. She is unlikeable at times, but it makes getting to know her even more worthwhile.

Wendarck is gentle and refreshing. As a nonbinary reader their growing comfort with the body they harvest and nurture, as well as the firmness that they exude regarding their gender identity is so grounding and validating.

The side characters (incl: Lesbian, Bisexual, Demisexual , Latin and Black POC) are some of the most interesting and loveable I have ever read, each with their own exciting, individualised backgrounds and identities. Each shone so strongly beside the mains that no interaction felt unnecessary or boring.

Diversity of the characters is so intentional yet normalised. There is no coming out, no questioning the validity of relationships, and no unwelcomeness as a result. The Language of the Wind truly stands as a representation of what sexual and romantic diversity should be in a fantasy novel (and all novels).

This book had me laughing at the natural banter between characters, at the tasteful use of some of the most-loved romance tropes, and at the blunt jokes by a sentient demon-flower patch.
It had me holding my breath every time Juno and Wendarck got a little bit closer, and every time the two of them had to work together to escape whatever mess Juno had gotten them into.
Most of all, it had me captured. Every word, every page, the story unfolds so perfectly that I could think of nothing else but how much I want this book to be shared and read and loved.

*Thank you to NetGalley for sending me this ARC. All opinions expressed are genuine and my own.

Thank you NetGalley for a chance to read The Language of the Wind.

This Language of the Wind was so so so good, I was ensnared after the first sentence. This book was beautifully written. The characters were unique, the character development was sublime, and the world building was extraordinary. I have never read about witches and demons being bonded like this, nor have I read about demons needing bodies the way they do in this novel. Instead of seeming grotesque, the demon’s quest for the perfect body is quite beautiful. I also love the idea of being able to hear the language of the wind.

I loved this story and the characters. I will definitely read this again and buy a physical copy of the book when it comes out. Cannot recommend this book enough.

A demon is plagued by the search for the perfect body, every day of their wispy life. Guided by nothing but the winds, they know they want nothing more than to be themselves: mortal, beautiful, and loved. A thief, a witch, hungry for a perfect demon to strike a deal with, to create a bond that will grant her the magic she’s longed for all her life. And in exchange, Juno promises her demon everything. A name, a voice, sight, hearing…and, of course, beauty.

I really loved this book. The characters were fantastic, this book took my heart dust and put it back together. These characters will be in my heart for a long time after. I love how different the two main characters are. They are polar opposites and I am definitely here for that. I am definitely a sucker for enemies to lovers. The magic system was different. I read a ridiculous amount of fantasy, and it was refreshing to see something new. I also LOVE LOVE LOVE the LGBTQIA+ representation in the book, I adore when a book can include it, and it's just something normal and accepted, Like it should be. The elegant prose, and the almost gothic atmosphere works wonders for me. I can't wait to get a physical copy when it drops!

Thank you to NetGalley for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. The writing was beautiful, and atmospheric, the world-building fantastic, and the magic system unique. This is one of the most refreshing fantasy books I have read in a while. The main characters are amazing both by themselves and together, and the enemies-to-lovers romance was absolutely perfect. I also loved the representation and diversity in the story, something I don’t see as much of in fantasy.