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ws_bookclub's review
5.0
Smart and funny, Small Places is a wonderful addition to the fantasy genre. The book follows Jamie, a man who has just found out that his mom has cancer. He goes back to their little village to see how he can help, and falls into an unexpected adventure. As he tries to juggle the ordinary stress with the “what on earth is happening” stress, Jamie is thrown into one logic-defying situation after another. Buckle up, everyone. This is going to be a rave.
I loved everything about Small Places! From the story arc to the characters, everything was fantastic. Author Matthew Samuels has crafted a genius story, one that immediately drew me in. His cast of characters were quirky and creative. There were some of the more common fantasy creatures, but every single one subverted stereotypes and became creative twists on the norm, unique and different. Some were definitely creepy, and others made me laugh way too hard. I ended up reading snippets out loud to explain the snort-laughing. There’s a particular conversation involving vaping that had me rolling on the floor…
Jamie is one of the most likeable main characters I’ve read who also happens to be believable. A little lost, and inundated with some of the harder things in life, Jamie is just trying to make it through, taking each day one situation at a time. He gets drawn into a problem of the fae variety when he agrees to help a witch in exchange for a potion that might help his mom’s health.
The witch in question, Melusine, is cantankerous and snarky. She also kept the story moving smoothly, giving information in a way that made sense but felt natural. There was no dreaded info-dump; instead, knowledge is given throughout the book as needed, which is how I prefer it. I loved her slippery view of morality. I never knew where she would land on any given issue, or how far she was willing to go to achieve her goals.
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My favorite character, though, is Merovech. A tinkerer with a child-like sense of wonder, and a penchant for inventing dangerous gizmos; they packed an emotional wallop. I loved every single scene they were in. They also caused what might be my favorite quote in the book (which I will not spoil by sharing here, don’t worry).
I loved the combination of ordinary and flat-out bizarre, the day-to-day grind and the unexpected. In fact, it probably would just be easier to say that I loved everything about Small Places. I am desperate to read book two, and I’m rather peeved that I have to wait (patience is not a virtue that I have in abundance). Matthew Samuels is a talented writer and Small Places is an excellent book.
https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.home.blog/2021/06/15/small-places-by-matthew-samuels/
I loved everything about Small Places! From the story arc to the characters, everything was fantastic. Author Matthew Samuels has crafted a genius story, one that immediately drew me in. His cast of characters were quirky and creative. There were some of the more common fantasy creatures, but every single one subverted stereotypes and became creative twists on the norm, unique and different. Some were definitely creepy, and others made me laugh way too hard. I ended up reading snippets out loud to explain the snort-laughing. There’s a particular conversation involving vaping that had me rolling on the floor…
Jamie is one of the most likeable main characters I’ve read who also happens to be believable. A little lost, and inundated with some of the harder things in life, Jamie is just trying to make it through, taking each day one situation at a time. He gets drawn into a problem of the fae variety when he agrees to help a witch in exchange for a potion that might help his mom’s health.
The witch in question, Melusine, is cantankerous and snarky. She also kept the story moving smoothly, giving information in a way that made sense but felt natural. There was no dreaded info-dump; instead, knowledge is given throughout the book as needed, which is how I prefer it. I loved her slippery view of morality. I never knew where she would land on any given issue, or how far she was willing to go to achieve her goals.
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My favorite character, though, is Merovech. A tinkerer with a child-like sense of wonder, and a penchant for inventing dangerous gizmos; they packed an emotional wallop. I loved every single scene they were in. They also caused what might be my favorite quote in the book (which I will not spoil by sharing here, don’t worry).
I loved the combination of ordinary and flat-out bizarre, the day-to-day grind and the unexpected. In fact, it probably would just be easier to say that I loved everything about Small Places. I am desperate to read book two, and I’m rather peeved that I have to wait (patience is not a virtue that I have in abundance). Matthew Samuels is a talented writer and Small Places is an excellent book.
https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.home.blog/2021/06/15/small-places-by-matthew-samuels/
kaylacreviews's review
4.0
Small Places by Matthew Samuels plodded along at a slow but comfortable pace that suited the quaint characters. If you're looking for a book that'll grant you time to appreciate the magical, charming atmosphere and settings the author created, you'll probably love this. Though I expected more action sooner, many other facets of the story held my interest well, including the exciting, otherworldly scenes, the mystery aspects of the work, and the splendid world-building. I adored the assortment of unique characters, especially the nonbinary character, Merovech. There's some profanity and mild gore, so I think Small Places is more suitable for mature young adults and older audiences.
Matthew Samuels told the story from Jamie's first-person perspective, but while Jamie was a decent, sympathetic main character, a few other characters stood out to me more. Jamie's palpable grief added extra heaviness to the work, but it was balanced out well by a good amount of humor. Despite an epic climax, the abrupt conclusion felt somewhat incomplete. Jamie's arc seemed clipped, as I was left wondering what he'd end up doing with his life. At the same time, since my other questions were answered and I could infer what wasn't explicitly stated, the ending was satisfying enough. All in all, Small Places was a delightful, imaginative urban fantasy read that I recommend to lovers of the genre.
(Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of this book from Storytellers On Tour for review purposes. All opinions in this review are my own and are honest and unbiased.)
Trigger Warning: Strong language and violence throughout, with some graphic injury detail, scenes of involuntary restraint, giant spiders, dead animals, implied cruelty to animals, some fantastical creatures of a horrifying nature, cancer, mention of previous self-harm, and an instance of a drink being tampered with.
Matthew Samuels told the story from Jamie's first-person perspective, but while Jamie was a decent, sympathetic main character, a few other characters stood out to me more. Jamie's palpable grief added extra heaviness to the work, but it was balanced out well by a good amount of humor. Despite an epic climax, the abrupt conclusion felt somewhat incomplete. Jamie's arc seemed clipped, as I was left wondering what he'd end up doing with his life. At the same time, since my other questions were answered and I could infer what wasn't explicitly stated, the ending was satisfying enough. All in all, Small Places was a delightful, imaginative urban fantasy read that I recommend to lovers of the genre.
(Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of this book from Storytellers On Tour for review purposes. All opinions in this review are my own and are honest and unbiased.)
Trigger Warning: Strong language and violence throughout, with some graphic injury detail, scenes of involuntary restraint, giant spiders, dead animals, implied cruelty to animals, some fantastical creatures of a horrifying nature, cancer, mention of previous self-harm, and an instance of a drink being tampered with.
cassidee_omnilegent's review
4.0
“They’re inside faery magic, in what is best described as a small place. A place between places.”
Small Places is one of the books that FanFiAddict has been allocated for our SPFBO judging. This review is solely my opinion only and doesn’t represent the feelings of our team as a whole.
I was really charmed by this book! I thought it was so cozy and easy to settle into. I’ve read Samuels’ YA book, Parasites, and you can definitely see the way he has cultivated his writing since then. Parasites was a YA Sci-Fi book and Small Places falls under the adult category. What I like about it is that it is definitely suitable for people that are looking to dip their toes into the adult fantasy category. It’s more adult in content but not graphic enough to turn stomachs. The humor is cheeky and tasteful, I found myself chuckling aloud often.
“‘Buying drugs? No, never,’ she says, turning back to the kettle, pouring boiling water into a mug and flicking a teabag into the back room. She hands me the mug. ‘I was selling them. It’s amazing what you people will buy online.'”
This will take you back to the mystical books that first made you love fantasy settings; a magical door leading to a witch, the adventure of a lifetime, and mischievous creatures. I loved the different courts, the wild fauns, and drunken trolls. Instead of the usual sword as a weapon, Jamie has a pair of guns with various charmed bullets. This was a nice change of pace from the usual dark fantasy that I’ve been reading. Even though our main character’s mother is struggling with cancer and there’s grief throughout the novel, it still had a light tone. I found this to be such an easy and quick paced read. I don’t think it will be for every fantasy reader because some people are looking for more complexity or darker themes, but I enjoyed it.
The book is wrapped up nicely but right at the end, Samuels throws us a twist. He leaves it open for the reader to ponder this revelation, but there’s definitely room for a sequel if he so chooses. Super happy I had the opportunity to read this cozy book, stay tuned for an interview with Matthew Samuels.
“Get a handle on, Jamie, I think to myself. You’ve got weird shit to do.”
Small Places is one of the books that FanFiAddict has been allocated for our SPFBO judging. This review is solely my opinion only and doesn’t represent the feelings of our team as a whole.
I was really charmed by this book! I thought it was so cozy and easy to settle into. I’ve read Samuels’ YA book, Parasites, and you can definitely see the way he has cultivated his writing since then. Parasites was a YA Sci-Fi book and Small Places falls under the adult category. What I like about it is that it is definitely suitable for people that are looking to dip their toes into the adult fantasy category. It’s more adult in content but not graphic enough to turn stomachs. The humor is cheeky and tasteful, I found myself chuckling aloud often.
“‘Buying drugs? No, never,’ she says, turning back to the kettle, pouring boiling water into a mug and flicking a teabag into the back room. She hands me the mug. ‘I was selling them. It’s amazing what you people will buy online.'”
This will take you back to the mystical books that first made you love fantasy settings; a magical door leading to a witch, the adventure of a lifetime, and mischievous creatures. I loved the different courts, the wild fauns, and drunken trolls. Instead of the usual sword as a weapon, Jamie has a pair of guns with various charmed bullets. This was a nice change of pace from the usual dark fantasy that I’ve been reading. Even though our main character’s mother is struggling with cancer and there’s grief throughout the novel, it still had a light tone. I found this to be such an easy and quick paced read. I don’t think it will be for every fantasy reader because some people are looking for more complexity or darker themes, but I enjoyed it.
The book is wrapped up nicely but right at the end, Samuels throws us a twist. He leaves it open for the reader to ponder this revelation, but there’s definitely room for a sequel if he so chooses. Super happy I had the opportunity to read this cozy book, stay tuned for an interview with Matthew Samuels.
“Get a handle on, Jamie, I think to myself. You’ve got weird shit to do.”
lsuvalleygirl's review
5.0
Love it! I’m a huge fan of urban fantasy & fantasy horror. Author’s prose has an incredible accessibility to it—makes you forget that you’re reading a novel, which is all I ever really want from a novel! Fans of Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments will love it.
dinipandareads's review
4.0
I read this book as part of the blog tour hosted by The Storytellers on Tour. Special thanks to the author for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review. This was such a delightfully unexpected story and I’m so glad that it was put on my radar thanks to this tour! 4 stars
Check out more reviews on my blog!
Small Places is an absolutely charming story that mixes the magical and mundane in a funny, captivating and entertaining way. Prior to Jamie returning to the village as an adult, we only get a few glimpses of the magic in small places, but only once Jamie and Melusine reunite does the adventure really begin! And from there we experience the wonderfully weird, hilarious and often quite scary world of magic. Who knew that stoned faun, beer-brewing trolls, an eccentric (and adorable) inventor of deadly machines, and gun-toting elves, orcs and banshees would be the combination of characters I'd need right now? It just works!
Check out more reviews on my blog!
Small Places is an absolutely charming story that mixes the magical and mundane in a funny, captivating and entertaining way. Prior to Jamie returning to the village as an adult, we only get a few glimpses of the magic in small places, but only once Jamie and Melusine reunite does the adventure really begin! And from there we experience the wonderfully weird, hilarious and often quite scary world of magic. Who knew that stoned faun, beer-brewing trolls, an eccentric (and adorable) inventor of deadly machines, and gun-toting elves, orcs and banshees would be the combination of characters I'd need right now? It just works!
midlifehedgewitch's review
4.0
I’m an absolute sucker for UK urban fantasy. I love the Greta Helsing and Ben Aaronovitch series, so when the opportunity to join the book tour for Small Places by Matthew Samuels came my way, I jumped up and down!
Small Places is a brilliant book with LOTS of feels.
I’m especially talking to all my lovelies out there who think fantasy isn’t for them. This is the gateway dru...err book for you.
This means YOU, lovely.
No. STOP. Don’t scroll on. I’m talking to YOU.
I know you love feelgood books. This is one of them.
Jamie is a young man desperate to help his mum who’s dying from cancer. He’s moved away from his village home to London and lives in a crappy flat with crappy flatmates. As his mum gets sicker, he has to go home and get her affairs in order.
There, he’s drawn into helping a strange old woman from his childhood, Melusine, who’s a whizz with herbs (she sells cures on the darkweb) in exchange for a tincture that eases but not cures his mum’s cancer.
Help turns out to be a step into the world of the fae - the Seelie and Unseelie Courts and a desperate mission to save Gaia, the earth spirit.
I’m not going to give any more of the plot away, you’ll just have to read this for yourself. I’ll warn you there’s a curveball ending and new take on the wicked witch trope.
Apart from playing with a lot of well-trodden urban fantasy tropes, Small Places has a real cozy mystery feel - although it’s a bit darker than most cozies I’ve read.
I loved Jamie’s character, the setting, the humour, and especially Melusine the not-so-wicked, internet savvy witch.
Many thanks to Matthew Samuel and Story Tellers on Tour for the ARC.
Small Places is a brilliant book with LOTS of feels.
I’m especially talking to all my lovelies out there who think fantasy isn’t for them. This is the gateway dru...err book for you.
This means YOU, lovely.
No. STOP. Don’t scroll on. I’m talking to YOU.
I know you love feelgood books. This is one of them.
Jamie is a young man desperate to help his mum who’s dying from cancer. He’s moved away from his village home to London and lives in a crappy flat with crappy flatmates. As his mum gets sicker, he has to go home and get her affairs in order.
There, he’s drawn into helping a strange old woman from his childhood, Melusine, who’s a whizz with herbs (she sells cures on the darkweb) in exchange for a tincture that eases but not cures his mum’s cancer.
Help turns out to be a step into the world of the fae - the Seelie and Unseelie Courts and a desperate mission to save Gaia, the earth spirit.
I’m not going to give any more of the plot away, you’ll just have to read this for yourself. I’ll warn you there’s a curveball ending and new take on the wicked witch trope.
Apart from playing with a lot of well-trodden urban fantasy tropes, Small Places has a real cozy mystery feel - although it’s a bit darker than most cozies I’ve read.
I loved Jamie’s character, the setting, the humour, and especially Melusine the not-so-wicked, internet savvy witch.
Many thanks to Matthew Samuel and Story Tellers on Tour for the ARC.
readerofthenight_'s review
5.0
This book heavily reminds me of Narnia, Harry Potter, LOTR, and Percy Jackson with a Lemony Snicket narration, but in a modern setting. Is that too much? I don't think so. It was a fresh and fun read. I absolutely love the Lemony Snicket type of narration where there seems to be someone telling you a story rather than simply narrating.
It was fast-paced but not to the point where you will question things. The world building is amazing! I love the fact that after reading I'll just be there thinking, "What if small places exist? What if its really there?"
Small Places is a page turner with lovable characters. Jamie is someone you could relate to especially when you struggle with life or you are transitioning through it. Mel's character, on the other hand, mystifies me but she's the character I will surely be furious if something terrible happens to her (next to V, ofcourse)
Overall, it was a great way to start my August read.
It was fast-paced but not to the point where you will question things. The world building is amazing! I love the fact that after reading I'll just be there thinking, "What if small places exist? What if its really there?"
Small Places is a page turner with lovable characters. Jamie is someone you could relate to especially when you struggle with life or you are transitioning through it. Mel's character, on the other hand, mystifies me but she's the character I will surely be furious if something terrible happens to her (next to V, ofcourse)
Overall, it was a great way to start my August read.
_tomeraider's review
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
wittyandsarcasticbookclub's review
5.0
Smart and funny, Small Places is a wonderful addition to the fantasy genre. The book follows Jamie, a man who has just found out that his mom has cancer. He goes back to their little village to see how he can help, and falls into an unexpected adventure. As he tries to juggle the ordinary stress with the “what on earth is happening” stress, Jamie is thrown into one logic-defying situation after another. Buckle up, everyone. This is going to be a rave.
I loved everything about Small Places! From the story arc to the characters, everything was fantastic. Author Matthew Samuels has crafted a genius story, one that immediately drew me in. His cast of characters were quirky and creative. There were some of the more common fantasy creatures, but every single one subverted stereotypes and became creative twists on the norm, unique and different. Some were definitely creepy, and others made me laugh way too hard. I ended up reading snippets out loud to explain the snort-laughing. There’s a particular conversation involving vaping that had me rolling on the floor…
Jamie is one of the most likeable main characters I’ve read who also happens to be believable. A little lost, and inundated with some of the harder things in life, Jamie is just trying to make it through, taking each day one situation at a time. He gets drawn into a problem of the fae variety when he agrees to help a witch in exchange for a potion that might help his mom’s health.
The witch in question, Melusine, is cantankerous and snarky. She also kept the story moving smoothly, giving information in a way that made sense but felt natural. There was no dreaded info-dump; instead, knowledge is given throughout the book as needed, which is how I prefer it. I loved her slippery view of morality. I never knew where she would land on any given issue, or how far she was willing to go to achieve her goals.
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My favorite character, though, is Merovech. A tinkerer with a child-like sense of wonder, and a penchant for inventing dangerous gizmos; they packed an emotional wallop. I loved every single scene they were in. They also caused what might be my favorite quote in the book (which I will not spoil by sharing here, don’t worry).
I loved the combination of ordinary and flat-out bizarre, the day-to-day grind and the unexpected. In fact, it probably would just be easier to say that I loved everything about Small Places. I am desperate to read book two, and I’m rather peeved that I have to wait (patience is not a virtue that I have in abundance). Matthew Samuels is a talented writer and Small Places is an excellent book.
https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.home.blog/2021/06/15/small-places-by-matthew-samuels/
I loved everything about Small Places! From the story arc to the characters, everything was fantastic. Author Matthew Samuels has crafted a genius story, one that immediately drew me in. His cast of characters were quirky and creative. There were some of the more common fantasy creatures, but every single one subverted stereotypes and became creative twists on the norm, unique and different. Some were definitely creepy, and others made me laugh way too hard. I ended up reading snippets out loud to explain the snort-laughing. There’s a particular conversation involving vaping that had me rolling on the floor…
Jamie is one of the most likeable main characters I’ve read who also happens to be believable. A little lost, and inundated with some of the harder things in life, Jamie is just trying to make it through, taking each day one situation at a time. He gets drawn into a problem of the fae variety when he agrees to help a witch in exchange for a potion that might help his mom’s health.
The witch in question, Melusine, is cantankerous and snarky. She also kept the story moving smoothly, giving information in a way that made sense but felt natural. There was no dreaded info-dump; instead, knowledge is given throughout the book as needed, which is how I prefer it. I loved her slippery view of morality. I never knew where she would land on any given issue, or how far she was willing to go to achieve her goals.
REPORT THIS AD
My favorite character, though, is Merovech. A tinkerer with a child-like sense of wonder, and a penchant for inventing dangerous gizmos; they packed an emotional wallop. I loved every single scene they were in. They also caused what might be my favorite quote in the book (which I will not spoil by sharing here, don’t worry).
I loved the combination of ordinary and flat-out bizarre, the day-to-day grind and the unexpected. In fact, it probably would just be easier to say that I loved everything about Small Places. I am desperate to read book two, and I’m rather peeved that I have to wait (patience is not a virtue that I have in abundance). Matthew Samuels is a talented writer and Small Places is an excellent book.
https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.home.blog/2021/06/15/small-places-by-matthew-samuels/
the_book_suite's review
4.0
My two favorite kinds of urban fantasy are any stories that feature faeries or witches. So, it came as no surprise to me that I thoroughly enjoyed Small Places; both of those elements were central to the plot in this book.
I loved Samuels’ interpretation of all the different magical beings in the story. His take on the Seelie and Unseelie Courts was particularly interesting. I liked his descriptions of how one entered those realms, and I liked how he worked classic creatures like the banshee into the book.
As for his presentation of witches, I quite liked it. I normally prefer either soft, cottage-core vibes or dark, dramatic plots when it comes to witch stories, but Small Places had something a little different, which I appreciated. It wasn’t quite in between those two things, but it also was, in a way, so.
Of course, I also enjoyed the general plot of the book. It had a lot of excitement, for sure, but Samuels also spent a good amount of time fleshing out the magical world. The story also had some pretty surprising twists that I didn’t see coming, which I obviously loved.
Plus, I can’t say I disliked any of the characters; they were all relatively well-written and I enjoyed reading about them. Obviously, there were those characters who didn’t have much screen time and therefore had less development, but that’s to be expected in any story. And even those characters intrigued me; I’d give a lot to read a spin-off about any one of them.
So, in the end, I definitely recommend reading this one; fans of urban fantasy will almost certainly enjoy it.
I loved Samuels’ interpretation of all the different magical beings in the story. His take on the Seelie and Unseelie Courts was particularly interesting. I liked his descriptions of how one entered those realms, and I liked how he worked classic creatures like the banshee into the book.
As for his presentation of witches, I quite liked it. I normally prefer either soft, cottage-core vibes or dark, dramatic plots when it comes to witch stories, but Small Places had something a little different, which I appreciated. It wasn’t quite in between those two things, but it also was, in a way, so.
Of course, I also enjoyed the general plot of the book. It had a lot of excitement, for sure, but Samuels also spent a good amount of time fleshing out the magical world. The story also had some pretty surprising twists that I didn’t see coming, which I obviously loved.
Plus, I can’t say I disliked any of the characters; they were all relatively well-written and I enjoyed reading about them. Obviously, there were those characters who didn’t have much screen time and therefore had less development, but that’s to be expected in any story. And even those characters intrigued me; I’d give a lot to read a spin-off about any one of them.
So, in the end, I definitely recommend reading this one; fans of urban fantasy will almost certainly enjoy it.