A. M. Strickland

Beyond the Black Door is a young adult fantasy novel with a plot mostly driven by a mystery. The main character also goes through perils, family troubles, and a questioning of her identity, but most of these tie directly back to the problem at hand. Some of the danger she faces is clearly motivated by knowledge of the same secrets she's looking to uncover. Some threatens her if she fails. And the question of her identity takes on special significance in a world where soulwalking requires show more literally sleeping next to someone. There's only one way most characters can think to accomplish that while keeping one's true purpose secret.

Kamai definitely reads as a teenager: confident but sometimes impulsive, loving while rebuking and rebelling against her father, intelligent but lacking a certain amount of wisdom. Friendship is very important to her, and she's uncertain about who she is and what she wants for her future for much of the plot. I think these things will help younger readers connect with and identify with her, and the first-person narration puts them right into her thoughts.

As far as representation goes, I really liked the way the characters address Kamai's sexuality and explain concepts within the worldbuilding of the story while also keeping it in a format I could see young readers using to explore their own romantic, sexual, and gender identities. I imagine some might identify with the main character and feel less alone, while others may discover that they do when they never realized it before. Still others may walk away with a much better understanding of these identities and a strengthened sense of empathy for those who do identify as such. All of this is fantastic.

I also enjoyed the mystery, which had many twists and turns in the reveal and which was sufficiently complicated that even I didn't guess at the full truth of it until the end. Towards the end, I needed to slow down and really focus in order to put all the pieces together as the answers started flying in, but it all made sense after I did. And the action of the story intertwines with this very nicely.

As far as trigger warnings, there is a suicide attempt, but this occurs without the presence of major depressive disorder. There's also kidnapping and violence, both no more disturbing than in a typical YA adventure novel but worth noting for those sensitive to these things. Notably there is not any sexual violence, although there is the threat of it. Some of the characters are acephobic, while others don't understand at first. But all of the good characters respect consent, and their actions prove it. I really loved seeing this in a YA novel with a protagonist who fundamentally doesn't want to participate, as it shows readers that partners should not be pressuring them and they should not be pressuring their partners either. Really seeing what it looks like for a person to set up healthy boundaries and how other people should respect them can be so helpful for teenagers who might feel unsure.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this to teenage fantasy lovers, as well as teenage mystery lovers who can get behind the fantasy elements. And of course to teenagers who are questioning or who want to learn more about asexuality. I found this book enjoyable enough as an adult, but I really wish it had been around when I was a teenager myself. I know it would have had a huge impact on me then. show less

Rovan has hidden her magic ever since her father was taken from her and her mother in order to escape that same fate. But when she wakes up massively hungover on a roof with another girl, she accidentally uses her powers to save that girl from falling to her death, and then the authorities haul her off to the palace, where she's bound to a spirit and forced to become a blood mage. As she plots her escape she struggles to know whom to trust and whom to let herself love, including two other show more royal blood mages and the ghost she's bound to.

I loved this cool fantasy both for its plot and characters and for its fantastic LGBTQ+ representation (Rovan is pansexual, and there are lesbian, ace, and nonbinary characters as well). It's so well written that I'll definitely be looking for more of Strickland's work. show less

DAMN. Oof freaking oof. This book put me in such a trance state I feel like a part of my soul will be forever trapped in that world. It's hard to review it without spoilers but if you like books about souls, gods and goddesses, and dark twisty love, you'll adore this. The general premise is there are people with the power to explore the souls of others in their sleep. There are secret organisations of sex workers (pleasure artists) who are soul-walkers who trade secrets hidden in the souls show more of their clients. The main character is panromantic demisexual with a trans best friend. There is a whole section devoted to exploring gender and sexuality like in the Genderbread Person chart but fantasy edition using souls and moon phases, which was utterly perfect. The big forbidden love story between two asexual characters ruined me. Just so much love. show less

This fast fantasy read establishes an intriguing fantasy world of soul-walkers and court intrigue, rather cliche elements of the genre, but given a fresh perspective through the eyes of an asexual protagonist. Gender roles play an integral role in the plot.

Kamai, like her mother, is a soul walker who must keep her ability secret, as the ability is supposed to be strictly controlled by the clergy. From her earliest memories, Kamai has been haunted by a mysterious black door that begs to be show more opened as her soul wanders while her body sleeps. She's able to resist that urge until her mother is murdered due to some presumed court intrigue. What Kamai finds behind the black door changes her sleeping and waking hours forever.

The book is a quick and enjoyable read. I enjoyed the world immensely, and the end delivered many surprises. The author did a lovely job of portraying asexuality in a nuanced way, and other gender issues were likewise handled with respect. I was frustrated, though, by how Kamai asked many of the right questions early on only to be repeatedly told, "Oh, I can't tell you yet." That forced ignorance became grating at times. show less