The story, overall, is fun, starting out with Eli, the greatest thief of all time, stealing not the typical salable items, but rather a King. I mean, sure, you hear stories of princesses being stolen in the night and held for ransom or whatever other nefarious reasons someone might have to steal them. But stealing a king is a bit more unexpected, not to mention ambitious.
I think I had two issues with this book, which unfortunately, turn out are not trivial when it came to my enjoyment. First, while on the surface, the premise of each of the characters sounds intriguing, in execution I don’t feel like they were fleshed out enough to feel any connection to them, including Eli. It was just missing something for me, and I decided while the concepts were good, there just didn’t seem to be enough there to fully engage me. Perhaps readers that prefer action over characters, this will not be an issue.
The other area I struggled with is that everything just felt over the top for me. There were certain scenes I am guessing others will love, but just didn’t work for me. For instance, persuading a door to let him through. I often don’t do well with anthropomorphic creatures, so anthropomorphic inanimate objects is just something that rarely works for me. Like I said, others will love this aspect, and that’s great. It just wasn’t for me and probably creates more of a detachment from the story in my case.
And then there was the humor, often a sticking point for me. Unfortunately I think choosing the audiobook production probably made this humor harder for me to swallow. Eli is a character that is supposed to be funny, and I was at the mercy of the narrator’s performance. How he delivered the lines and jokes may have been spot on with what the author intended, but I would prefer a bit less overt delivery of the jokes. You can say the same joke multiple ways, and the emphasis can really impact how it is received. When I have control of the emphasis, I can tone down overt humor a bit (if that makes any sense to anyone else). The performance in this made it a more over the type of humor than I enjoy. Please keep in mind, I often struggle with overt humor in books, so if you don’t, just ignore me.
Overall, I think it is a decent book, but was likely not a great fit for me. I may have done better with the print version, but I suspect even then I would still have listed most of the same concerns, especially with the characters, just the humor may have worked better for me....more
Ah, the final chapter in a trilogy. It is always bittersweet when pick up that last book in series, excited to find out what comes next, yet wondering how the final chapters will go for characters you have grown to love during the series, sad to think that your journey with them is almost at a close. I have really enjoyed the books in the Bloodbound series, so I definitely felt this going in. There’s almost a sense of nervousness if I will be satisfied the end of series. No one wants to depart on a bad note, and it is hard know that even if you love it, there’s no guarantee you will get to read more about the characters. But, excitement to read overshadows all of that, and so I dove into The Bloodsworn without hesitation.
The Bloodsworn takes off immediately, with our beloved characters facing situations more dire than ever before as they face the prospect of the complete loss of their land and people. The threat is very real and quite dire. With King Erik, well, let’s just call him “indisposed“, due to the bloodbinder from the last book, Alix and Liam face new challenges of running the land, while trying to not advertise the threat they faced from the blood binder. The plot moves at a great pace, and the tension and excitement last through out the book. This series is written in such a way that is is just fun to read and hard to put down. In other words? I race through these books, fully immersed and excited to find out what is on the next page.
The book also examines cost versus reward as opportunity for advantage present itself, but the characters have to ask themselves if the opportunity is moral, and how far are they willing to bend their beliefs to save Alden. What means more them? Standing the moral high ground or the fate of their land and people? It is an interesting dilemma to face because while it might be easy to say they would “do anything” to save Alden, is that actually true? How much is too much to ask to save the lives and future of not just those you know and love, but also all the people depending on you?
As for the characters, I continue to love them for all the same reasons as the previous books. Alix is still fierce and independent, the type of female lead character I love. She does face some challenges still identifying herself as Liam’s wife and adjusting to how that impacts her status. She is used to having status on her own, and acquiring it through her relationship with Liam is something she has to face. Liam is learning to have a bit more confidence in himself, but he always seems to shine. He has a natural way with people, and it is hard to not love him. Rig also faces the challenge of routing out a traitor in their midst. Once again, I found myself equally engaged with all of the POVs in this series, and I find that quite impressive.
This was a fantastic and exciting conclusion to The Bloodbound trilogy and so I highly recommend the series. It has excitement, intrigue and fantastic characters....more
This book released last year, and somehow I missed it. What I didn’t miss was how many Best Of lists it made at the end of the year. A clear sign I overlooked something good, and so I had to find a way to fit it in (and this is not a short a book). A perfect Backlist Burndown choice! Turns out I am very glad I chose it this month.
Epic fantasy is what drew me into the Fantasy genre, and its always so wonderful to read the first in a new series. This book is no exception. I was immediately hooked thanks to Çeda, the main protagonist. She is everything I love in a strong female lead character. She is not just strong willed and determined, but also a fighter that can kick some serious ass. I know women characters can be strong in many other ways, and I always appreciate that, but I have to confess, I do love it when they can also stand their ground strong in battle, or in this case, the fighting pits.
So right away, I felt like I was going to really enjoy this one just based on how quickly I connected with Çeda. Then came the benefit of the world building. This book doesn’t just stop at having an amazing female lead, it also creates a visually, politically and magically interesting story. It gets solid points in pretty much every category I can think of. With a desert setting, ports are for ships that sail not on water, but on sand. There is sand everywhere! And water is scarce. The story is set in the city of Sharakhai, which is thriving port city and major commerce point in the world. This brings all varieties of people and cultures to the city, giving you glimpses of the wider world.
Structurally, we learn more about the history of the world as well as the characters through flashbacks. This is a case of flashbacks done well. They broaden our understanding of magic, the kings, as well as of Çeda. The land is ruled by 12 Kings, who are both ruthless and immortal. Never a fun combination. Between the kings and their formidable soldiers and warriors, they are pretty much untouchable.
And as for the character Çeda, I felt she stayed compelling through out the book. She has been essentially on her own for years since her mother’s death, living with her friend Emre. She is certainly not infallible, which I appreciate. But is she is tough, a fighter in more than one sense of the word. She also has an air of mystery as she has several secrets, one is that she maintains a secret identity as “The White Wolf” when she competes in the pits and has a formidable record.
The story really kicks off as Çeda breaks the Kings rules to leave the city on a holy night, when being out is forbidden. From here, she is set on a journey to unravel riddles to solve a mystery that may allow her the vengeance she is seeking. I honestly don’t think I had any complaints or criticisms with this book. I was fully engaged and intrigued the entire time and was in a way sad to reach the final page, knowing I will have to wait for the next book before I can return. Highly recommend. (and luckily there is novella releasing soon to tide me over until the sequel to this one is released.)...more
Moxyland follows four storylines in this near future dystopia. Each perspective spotlights a different aspects of this world and culture. I really enjoyed each of the four characters, even if I didn’t feel quite as connected to any of them as I would have preferred. But then, I think this is the nature of the story. With the focus being divided, there is less material to really attach you to each perspective. Plus I think the overall goal of the story was maybe not so much about the characters, but about the world they were living in. In that, the book definitely succeeded.
In some respects, the world sounds great. There is technology that can be injected, make a person more physically attractive, enhance their immune system to prevent illness, enhance their mind. Abandoned AIDs babies are adopted and supported by corporations, given a life where they are set up to be successful. They have taken gaming to entirely new level, creating a much more immersive and real experience.
But then there are the details you start to notice. There is the class structure and social hierarchy that divides people. Technology, while very cool in many ways, also provides some disturbing abilities for those people “in control”. Technology can also be used to shut a person off from everything. Their phones are cut off, and since everything (even opening doors, food, water) is controlled through their phone, it is like shutting down their life. Even for people that can see the danger in this technology, it is still so central to everything that the fear of being cut off is very real. Corporate sponsors can make people addicted to their products, causing severe cravings/withdrawal. Because if they are going to invest in enhancing someone, they want this beautiful person to now be seen *needing* their products. Yeah, nothing says great sales strategy quite like a forced addiction! They will also use people as test subjects for experimental technologies. Seriously, this place just gets creepier the more you learn about it.
Overall, Moxyland another great book for Beukes. Especially considering this is a debut novel. Seriously, if you have not read any of her books yet, you should try. I can’t wait to find out what she has in store for us next....more
The Burning Isle is a book that captivated me from the very beginning. It’s fun, fast paced and I immediately felt connected to the protagonist, Cassius. I found myself both rooting for him and also growing more curious about him with each page. The story is told from his POV, and has a series of interspersed flash back chapters that help you piece together both his history and his motivation.
In the start of the book, Cassius has arrived in the island of Scipio, a place where the dregs of society find themselves when they have no where else to go. Lawless and ruthless, this is not a destination of choice. “Five miles of slum on the edge of fifty miles of jungle” is how it’s described in the blurb. While it may generally be lawless, there are powerful people there that have control. The city/slum is divided, each side being ruled rival leaders with the feel of a mob or gang type atmosphere. You know, that fun criminal underground setting that everyone loves to read. But the ultimate power on the island belongs to an elusive general who lives with his soldiers at a fort in the forest. The atmosphere Panzo created here was great. The place is as rotten as the people in it. There is a good amount of infighting and underhandedness.
When Cassius comes to the city, and you know he has an agenda, one that seems to be motivated by vengeance, though you don’t quite know what that agenda is or the reason he feels compelled to follow through with it. In many ways, he can be incredibly ruthless, but at the same time, you get glimpses of a softer side of him. And Cassius does make a couple of ‘friends’ (I use this term quite loosely. Maybe allies?) that let you see that different side of him. He is a character obsessed with doing the “right thing” and making sure the “bad guy” pays for the wrongs he has caused, even if the cost of making the “bad guy” pay can really make him seem like a type of bad guy himself.
Cassius is also presented almost like a mystery for the reader to unravel. Just how powerful is he and where did he come from? From the very beginning these are questions that you want to know the answers to. I am not sure if the author’s intention was for certain aspects about Cassius to be a surprise reveal late in the book, or if he intended for readers to have accurate speculation from the beginning. I found I had very strong suspicions about his character quite early on, but at the same time, I also enjoyed the way confirmation was delayed until the end.
As for the magic in this book, there is lots of it. Some aspects I found more interesting than others. In order to practice magic, spellcasters must wear gauntlets. The gauntlets have jewels that contain spells, so they can cast specific spells only. What is interesting, is that it renders a spellcaster powerless if he/she is not wearing them (I say he/she, but I can not specifically remember any female spellcasters in this book). One thing that didn’t work quite as well for me was the battles that spellcasters would have with each other. They would conjure live animals, and then the animals would battle. I mean, I didn’t dislike it, but something about it just didn’t work as well for me as I would have hoped. I also found some of the action towards the end of the book went on a little longer than I would have preferred. But overall, these were just small aspects of the book, so not even close to a deal breaker.
I am enjoying Panzo’s writing style. According to his bio, he has experience as an editor for Marvel. I really think there are aspects of The Burning Isle that fit that comic book style. I have seen this book referred to as grimdark, and for the first half of the book, I was really unclear why. In the second half of the book, I could understand the label much more, but I am still not certain it quite fits that tone of book for me. Personally, I would say it is more like Brent Weeks’ Night Angel trilogy, which can be dark and bloody, but its just not quite grimdark. Either way, it’s not a big deal. It’s just a label and people always disagree when you try to put labels on things.
The important thing is that overall I enjoyed reading The Burning Isle. I found it to be a very easy read that moved at a decent pace and I look forward to checking out what Panzo has in store next....more
I was incredibly impressed by how well this book has aged. It is a portal fantasy, so parts of it are set in the “modern” day we know, but with the exception of the absence of current technology and a few references to hippies, I could not have told you when it was written. It still feels very modern even though its 40+ years old.
The story begins with Corwin, who has woken in a hospital and seems to be suffering from amnesia. Now, I have read a number of books that start with amnesia, that have decidedly not worked well for me. I am happy to say this one actually did.
As Corwin learns and remembers more, we discover alternate worlds and in particular, we learn about Amber, the ultimate world. The world that seems hardest to reach, but also the most critical to return to. In this book, I felt the relaying of information and world building worked extremely well. We got relevant information as Corwin would come across it in one way or another, and it just felt natural.
Following his journey, meeting his companions, and learning about this world, discovering how Corwin came to wake up in that hospital all made this an enjoyable reading experience.
For me, perhaps the most telling aspect of this book that hints at its age is the length (or lack there of). I feel like I have read recent novellas that were longer than this novel. And for this reason, there is still much to know and learn. But since this is the first in a series, I can’t fault the book for that. The fact that I am interested to know more is always a testament to enjoying the book....more
The Summer Dragon is a wonderful tale full of dragons and mystery. The author, Todd Lockwood, is an established illustrator, and it shows with all of the wonderful illustrations included through out the book. Not to mention the absolutely gorgeous cover. I was immediately quite taken with the protagonist, Maia. She is a determined young woman, set on getting a dragon of her own. Her family runs a dragonry, so she has been raised with dragons and understands them. The special thing about dragons is they form a unique bond with one human, their rider. This bond is developed when the dragons are still young (called qits). This year, their dragonry has more qits than normal and both Maia and her brother are hoping to get one each, so they can then raise a new breeding pair (the dragons also bond with their mate at a young age). It seems the perfect plan, they are both of a good age to bond with a dragon, and a new breeding pair will help ensure dragon production in the future.
Dragon raising is a political business. Most of the qits are reserved for the war, to be handed over to the military. It’s a sad thing really. To see these wonderful dragons hatched and grow to send them off to an atmosphere where they are used as weapons, and most likely will not survive. When the convoy shows to get the new qits, things start to get interesting. Maia and her brother spot The Summer Dragon. This is a dragon that they believed was more myth than something real. The size and majesty of it makes the most impressive dragons they’ve known seem small and ordinary.
From this sighting, everything changes for Maia. What follows is a story full of mystery, suspense and intrigue. Along the way, Maia encounters many adversaries, human and unnatural. Horrors are unnatural beings made from pieces of people and dragons and the resulting creatures are extemely hard to kill. Kind of like zombies in dragon and rider form, the riders are actually melded to the dragons. They are terrifying and vicious. There is also another unnatural foe. One that is able to enter Maia’s mind and wage a battle that is fueled by her own fears and nightmares. And when Maia is not worried about these, there is also an invading army near by as well as people that are trying to overtake her family’s dragonry. There is so much going on an Maia is constantly at the center of it. I love her attitude and personality, she is a strong person who is determined to fight for what she believes is right.
The powers of deceit are ancient and prosper in the shadow of ignorance
The book also features a religious struggle for some of the characters. The accepted religion does not seem to accommodate some of the facts they have recently observed. The church wants to quiet and reports that would be contradictory to their beliefs, but trying to make something quiet doesn’t mean it goes away.
Lockwood proves he is able to create a vivid picture as strong with words as he can with pencils and paints. His illustrations through out the novel are a wonderful addition to the story. I guess it should not be surprising that Lockwood’s style of story telling is also quite visual, proving he can use words to shape pictures as well. He also gave some of the dragons (one in particular) wonderful personalities. I loved how dragons were portrayed as intelligent and able to communicate with their riders.
Overall, this was definitely an impressive debut, one that puts the sequel firmly on my to read list. If you are a fan of dragons and strong female protagonists, you can’t miss this one....more
Eleanor is an emotional journey of a book, a journey that takes you to some dark and uncomfortable places. But don’t let that scare you away, because the author did an amazing job balancing the darker parts. It was actually a touching and magical story that happened to have some sad, tragic and painful elements. Eleanor and Esmerelda were inseparable twins until a tragic accident kills Esmerelda, leaving Eleanor’s life forever altered and inevitably darker than the one she remembers from before, back when her sister was alive and at her side. It is a story about hindsight, dreams, letting go and moving forward. It is a story of loss and recovery. It is a story that really packs a lot in its pages. It may not have taken me very long to read (maybe 2 days), but it is a story that will stick with me. While this book is undeniably emotional, it was not as depressing of a read as I had anticipated, there felt to be more to it than just heartache. But definitely be prepared for some serious feels.
The structure of Eleanor does contain time jumps, but they are easy to navigate and help piece together Eleanor’s life as well as her mother’s and grandmother’s as the overall story crosses generations. The pacing was also very good. There is much of the plot, and the parts of this book that make it magical realism that I think are left better for the reader to discover for themselves, so I apologize if the review feels light on details. I just feel most of the interesting and important details are much better left unsaid so that you can experience them through the authors words.
Eleanor’s life after the death of her sister is not a happy one. Her mother disassociates, and turns to drink. Her father is largely absent. She is left trying to care not just for herself, but to keep her mother from destroying herself. There was much in this book that just felt real and raw, told in prose that was simply eloquent. The story also explores the mysterious disappearance of Eleanor’s grandmother. The characters and their relationships were expertly done. The story really examined how relationships are impacted by tragedy, straining characters to find their own ways to cope and not knowing how (or maybe not thinking about how) to best support each other.
Overall, this was a very rememberable, emotional story that I am happy to have experienced. It is one of those books that I enjoy thinking about long after the final pages have been read.
Ghost Talkers is an alternate history set during WWI. The British has a group of mediums, called the Spirit Corps, that is used for intelligence gathering. Their job is basically to interview the recently deceased soldiers before they move on to whatever awaits them beyond this world. The purpose of these interviews is to get critical information that would normally be lost forever , intelligence and information that a soldier would normally take to their awaiting grave.
I immediately found the premise of interviewing recently deceased soldiers as part of a war strategy for intelligence gathering fascinating. I couldn’t help but theorize how this could be used, what kinds of information could suddenly become available and I found the possibilities very intriguing (and plentiful). Kowal did a great job with the fantastical element in this story. I loved the mediums and how they were used to gain advantage during war time. Their abilities also carried a risk to themselves if not done properly as safely. Interviews were done with groups that contain supporting members to keep the interviewing medium from losing themselves in the process.
Ginger is our main character, and as one would expect, is a member of the Spirit Corps. Ginger’s character was wonderful. She is strong and pushing boundaries. She is making a difference in the war effort how she can. And she could also be amusing with her insights and off-hand remarks.
She finds herself in the middle of a mystery of conspiracy, espionage and possibly treason as they begin to suspect a traitor in their midst. Oh, and a murder as well, a murder of one of their soldiers by another of their own. I have to confess, I tend to be a hard sell on mysteries. Oh, I love mysterious, but detective style mysteries? Sorry, but my personal reading preferences tend to put these books at a bit of a disadvantage. I found this book to be no exception, I found so much of this book intriguing, I love the magic, and I loved Ginger as a character, but the “solve the murder” mystery part of it not nearly as much. For me, it did not feel so much of a mystery as, wait for Ginger to finally figure it out. And that may very well have been the point, perhaps it was supposed to be about her journey to solving the mystery, but as a reader it was far from the most interesting aspect of the book for me. This is not a strong negative, just more an observation that I did not engage with that part of the plot nearly as much as I would have preferred.
Audiobook Notes: The book was narrated by the author herself, which I always love, especially when then author has a talent for narration as well as for writing. Kowal definitely falls into this group. And since the narration was done by the author, you know you getting all of the correct tones and inflections as the author intended. It’s hard to argue with that.
Overall, I found Ghost Talkers to be an enjoyable read with a very interesting premise for the magic and war. This was the first book I’ve read by Kowal, and I will certainly read more in the future....more
Dark Matter is a science fiction thriller that hooks you instantaneously and just doesn’t let go. Addictive, to say the least. I ripped through it in about a day in a half, and happily found it to be one of those books that pretty much demands you neglect all other aspects of your life because it refuses to get to a point where you feel you can set it down. But I certainly wasn’t complaining. I love getting so into a story that I can’t/won’t do anything else. Thankfully not all the books I enjoy are like this as I do have a life that needs tending to, but when a book grabs me like this, I have to say I love leaving the real world behind for a bit.
The concept of this book is fascinating as well. It examines the questions, what would you do differently in your life if you were given a chance? How would that one decision impact the rest of your life? What would you do if one day your entire life has changed with no explanation of how or why?
We get a brief picture of our protagonist, Jason, in his current life (his life before the story really kicks into gear). His life might be somewhat lackluster in terms of fame or success, but one thing is clear. Jason is happy. His life with his wife and son is full of love and appreciation. He’s happy and content, and when it comes down to it, what is more important than that? But after being attacked one evening, he wakes up in a life which is not the one he knows. He’s surrounded by people that seem to know him and have expectations of him, but he’s at a complete loss. This is not his life, these are not people he knows, and where is his wife and son?
Part of the fun of this book is stumbling through with Jason as he tries to piece together what has happened to him, if he has lost his mind, or if one of these ‘realities’ is a dream or if there is a logical explanation for this completely illogical turn of events he has awoken to.
At about the 75% mark, I was honestly unsure how the book might end. As exciting as that can be, not knowing what was coming, it was also something I noticed because as much as I was loving the story, I could see possibilities for a less than satisfying ending. I wasn’t 100% sure what ending could happen that I would be happy with and I was hoping that the book would deliver. Turns out I needn’t have worried. I felt the ending was just as well done and exciting as the rest of this book.
Overall, I highly recommend Dark Matter. It is a great story that will tear you from your real life for a while as you experience Jason being torn from his. Loved it....more
The Wolf Road is a brutal and fascinating story that entrenches you in the mind and personality of Elka, a young woman living in a post apocalyptic world that can be harsh and unforgiving. I found her personality and story both riveting and touching. She is far from a sentimental type, quite the opposite really. She is driven by practicality and survival and gives little thought or need for much of anything else. In all honesty, her character has not had the luxury of being able to experience little beyond this.
Lost and on her own at the age of seven, she meets a man she eventually names Trapper. A man who can appear scary to her at times but when it comes down to it, he takes her in, gives her name (Elka) and teaches her all that she knows, takes care of her when she is sick or injured. They live in isolation in the remotes wilds where he teaches her to track, trap, hunt and survive. He becomes not only the largest, but also the only, influence on her as she develops from that lost young girl into a young woman. He also teaches her to fear other humans, solidifying her isolation with him.
As isolated as they typically are, there are some supplies they occasionally need to go to the nearest town for. As Elka grows older, Trapper starts trusting her with this, always making sure she remembers to talk as little as possible and to trust no one. But when she sees a poster with the face of the man she thinks of as “Daddy” (or Trapper) saying he is wanted for murder, her life changes forever.
As Elka flees, she also really comes into her own. She uses what Trapper has taught her, but she also initially has an incredible amount of naivety that comes from living in virtual isolation for most of her life. She really is on a journey where she not only has to fight for her life, but also where she learns about the world she lives in, about herself as well her past. She is faced with having to choose to continue to listen to Trapper’s advice to never trust anyone or learning how and who to trust. She is a solitary being trying to find her way in the world of people and having to come to terms with what she had thought was truth, what she was taught, may not be how things really are.
One thing about this book that I have to question is a structural decision in the story’s presentation. There is a climactic event from the end of the story that is presented at the beginning. I found myself dwelling on this scene throughout the entire novel. I am still quite undecided if it helped or hurt my reading experience. On one hand, it handed me an ending ahead of time, sort of dulling some mystery and suspense. On the other hand, I was quite focused on how the story would find its way to that point. I will never know if I would have enjoyed this story more or less had that scene been presented chronologically, but I have to admit it is something I wondered about. Overall, I did really enjoy the book, so if it hurt the story at all, it certainly wasn’t by much.
This is an incredible story of one young woman’s remarkable journey for survival, truth and justice. Her character is genuine, her experiences are brutal. This is a book that will stick with me for a long time to come, and the author is definitely one to watch. Highly recommend....more
Fellside is haunting and unique and at times, quite grim. Once I was hooked, I was firmly hooked. Our introduction to the protagonist is memorable and it takes a little time for both her and for us the readers to piece together the story of what brought her to that initial scene in the book. Turns out, our protagonist is actually a heroin addict. A horrible fire destroyed her apartment complex, killing a young boy. The last thing Jess remembers is shooting up, so when they place the blame on her, she can remember nothing in her defense.
The book takes place largely in the women’s prison that Jess is sent to. Her case was high profile in the media, she comes in to an atmosphere where some of the inmates have already decided to make her life harder. The one highlight for Jess, the one individual that really seems friendly and supportive (or at a minimum not openly hostile?) comes not from another inmate, but from what appears to be a ghost. A ghost in the form of the little boy she is charged with killing. Yeah, it kinda seems sad when the closest thing you can find to a friend is an apparition of the kid you were convicted of killing.
As you can imagine, there are lots of good characters and interplays between inmates. Well, good as in perhaps fun to read, not as in “good people”. Its a different atmosphere, and one were the most conniving seem to thrive, and we definitely get to see a lot of the darker side of human nature in this book. The fantastical elements of this really come in to play more later in the book. Before then it is more a creepy, ghostly mystery. I honestly feel like my only real complaint is that it took me longer to than I would have preferred. Maybe this is just because it is so different from The Girl With All the Gifts. But by the time I was hooked, I honestly could not remember why I wasn’t instantly hooked because it does get extremely good.
The narration was well done, capturing the emotion and tension throughout without ever feeling over the top. Definitely recommend....more
We all know, if you want creepy things, you have to hit the auction houses, right? Where old, dirty, dingy, creepy finds lurk in the shadows waiting for bids. OK. Typically it is just antique or faux-antique objects, but hey, this is a horror book, and so there have to be horrors to be found. An auction house sounds like a great place to uncover something that would be better not found. Our protagonist frequents auction houses as he took his family’s antique business and evolved it into a very successful interiors business for high end clientele in Los Angeles.
Seeing as there’s more history and antiques across the pond, he makes a yearly trip to auction houses there to find those unique and interesting pieces that he can fix up and sell for a considerable mark up. In a small auction house, his last stop in London, he happens upon a huge mirror. The frame is unremarkable but the glass is quite old and valuable. He instantly is drawn to it and has to have it.
After winning the auction, he returns to Los Angeles and remains drawn to this mirror in a peculiar way. He also becomes frightened as suddenly mysterious, sometimes violent, deaths are occurring within its vicinity. It seems cursed, and the death toll continues to rise. It becomes clear that this mirror is more than just a mirror, and it is both creepy and evil. It is also doing what it can to gain power and is trying to get our protagonist under its influence.
I have to take a moment here to mention that this book will not be for everyone. If you are disturbed by violence or gore, or are sensitive to rape or sex, you might want to give this one a pass. But, if those are not triggers for your, and you are comfortable reading the uncomfortable moments, then I found this to be a good, creepy book. It definitely has scenes and moments I would not expect. I don’t think this book holds anything back, and for me it worked. I was very curious about the mirror, how it worked, how it came to be, and most importantly, what they could possibly do to keep it from killing. Our protagonist starts out as a decent, together sort of guy. But the mirror begins taking a real toll on him between the stress of having an object that appears to be able to cause deaths, and also becoming obsessed with it. Is he under the mirror’s control or is he just going a bit insane? It is an interesting question to think about as the chaos ensues.
Mirror Image is the tale of a horrific and deadly mirror that tallies quite the body count in its quest for power (and whatever else it’s end goal may be). I definitely enjoyed this one and recommend it to fans of creepy horror that don’t have any of the sensitivities I mentioned above....more
The Girl with Ghost Eyes is a fun, fast paced story set in the late 1800s in San Francisco’s Chinatown. I found this to be a fresh and different setting and atmosphere. The protagonist, Li-lin, is a strong willed warrior who is fierce and devoted. She is a young widow with an over bearing father and struggles to find her place. Pride and shame are important emotions that drive her and others in this story. Li-lin is from an immigrant family who has established a rather interesting family business of exorcisms. Because, you know in a world inhabited with spirits, having people you can call to banish them is important. She also has the rare yin eyes that allow her to see the spirit world. All of these things make Li-lin different and interesting in so many ways. I sincerely enjoyed her character.
As this is based in a city, where the city’s culture and atmosphere play a critical role, this definitely had the feel of an urban fantasy. But it also featured some interesting tradition and folklore making it feel a nice blend of past and present. (Yes I know being placed in the late 1800s makes this entire story from historical, but there is still a blend of more ancient traditions and history with that of the late 1800s) Throw in plenty of martial arts action and the book has a whole lot going for it. The pace is quick and the story is easy to read and follow.
Now, for what I didn’t love about the book. Honestly, I do think the book is very well done. But I’ve said it a thousand times, I typically don’t do well with “weird”, and well, this book got a bit weird for me. Sometimes I feel silly with how I can find a line between made up magic, abilities, features I am willing to accept and those which ones cross the line, but I definitely seem to have a threshold and this one did surpass it a tad. The fantastical elements of this did cross that line at times, within the spirit world things would take different shapes/forms, which in general is fine, but extra legs and tails and such, for some reason I find harder to accept sometimes. Maybe that seems childish, its something I wish I didn’t have to admit, but its true. Also I guess spirit eyeballs go a little beyond it. And, while I point this out as something I personally struggled with a little, I did still enjoy the book! And I know many people do not have this problem. And keep in mind, this is still a 4 star review! So even with my hang ups of “weird”, this book is still well worth reading. For those without those hang ups, its probably a must read.
The only other weakness I could find in the book is probably more a nature of its length. There are areas that I felt could have been fleshed out a little more, but I also suspect there are more books to come, so it may be more a matter of waiting. Being curious about the characters and world in an ongoing series is always a good thing as it means there are plenty of reasons past the existing story keep reading.
N. K. Jemisin is certainly a gifted story teller, and the world she is crafting in The Broken Earth series is fascinating. This second installment gives readers a better understanding of both the magic and the world, it advances the plot and lets you start to speculate on where the story might go next, and how the trilogy could end (for good or bad).
The relationships in the book continue to develop and the characters are all terribly human (meaning that they all have shades of grey to them, there is not purely “good” or purely “evil”). In this book we get three perspectives, one is Essun (from the first book) and another is Nassun (Essun’s Daughter). I have to admit, I loved getting more information on these two, but particularly Nassun. It was very interesting seeing Essun through Nassun’s perspective.We learned more about each of these women, their motivations and their magic.
Now, I want to mention if you haven’t read Obelisk Gate yet, and read Fifth Season last year, you would probably benefit to brush up on what happened. While I loved Fifth Season, I found myself saying “oh, yeah! I forgot about that!” more in this book than typical epic fantasy second books. Perhaps I am just more forgetful. But I do think it would be a good idea to just glance over some reviews or discussions to refresh your memory a bit.
My first stumbling points with this book was I found the use of second person narration to be more distracting than I remember it being in the first book. I think if I could understand the reason for it, I would handle it better. But as it stands right now, I keep wondering about its use, and speculating for possible yet to be revealed reasons for this stylistic choice (one theory is it will take a turn like the movie, The Notebook, where some other character is narrating those chapters to Essun herself (and yes, I totally just referenced Nicholas Sparks in a SFF review! No apologies. And yes, I know the movie is based on a book, but since I’ve seen the movie but not read the book, that is what I think of). Anyway, I did wonder if perhaps listening to the book instead of reading made this more jarring (because of some ingrained reflex to think someone is talking to me when they say ‘you’, but I honestly think this would have distracted me in print as well.
I also felt that there were some pacing issues in this one, and that it took a very long time for the story to really take off. I do wonder if I had read The Fifth Season more recently, if that may have helped (to go in with the momentum gained at the end of the first book).
I do feel like with both The Fifth Season and Obelisk Gate, Jemisin kicks the book up an incredible notch when the book nears the end. She is does a fantastic job of bringing the book to a close, but also leaving the reader with enough information to leave them eager to get their hands on the next book.
At the end of every year, I think no matter how many books you read, there are a few that people rave about thaReview from Tenacious Reader
4.5/5 stars
At the end of every year, I think no matter how many books you read, there are a few that people rave about that you for some reason skipped over. Walk on Earth a Stranger was one of those books for me. Admittedly, I do not read a ton of books labeled as YA, so that could be part of the reason why this one fell under my radar. But, its also books like these that make me stick to my Backlist Burndown initiative.
What I found most striking about this book is the character’s voice. It just came across as authentic, making everything in the story that much more interesting. The protagonist’s personality really shines on every page. It pulled me in from the first paragraph, and quite frankly left me wanting to hear more even after the story was done.
It’s hardly a secret, I love the girl dressing as a boy trope, so I was even more excited about this book once I found out it also incorporated that! I know, I’m silly and predictable that way, but we all have to have our favorite tropes, and that is one that I really enjoy. Maybe partially because the girls that tend to do that also tend to have strong, independent personalities that buck social expectations at least on some level. Our protagonist Lee is no exception. She has been working to keep her family afloat, hunting, taking care of the horses and such. Jobs that are often assigned to men. But with her father unable to do them, Lee has taken over, and she is great at it.
But her tasks on her family land are not all that Lee excels at. Set during the California gold rush, Lee has an amazing ability. One that could make her rich or get her killed. She can sense and find gold, which is an amazing talent, but also something that could get her branded as a witch. It could also be dangerous as the wrong people could try to use her for their own schemes. So, it is a secret that she has held on to, not even trusting her best friend with the knowledge.
When tragedy strikes, Lee is forced to run, and what better place to run than to California where gold is rumored to be plentiful? With a talent like Lee’s it doesn’t even have to plentiful, as long as there is some there, she can seek it out. Her journey challenges her, forces her evaluate when it is worth trusting someone and when it is not.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable book. It has great atmosphere, and I just genuinely like the main character’s voice and personality. Highly recommend, and I look forward to the next one....more
Oh, this is not an easy review to write. Ultimately, this is a book I wanted to love, or at least like, but truthfully I struggled with it. I will say, I enjoyed all the words as they were written, I felt the prose was incredibly well done. So while reading any given page I felt like I was enjoying the book at that particular moment. But when I would look at the big picture, and the story over all, that was not the case. If I stopped reading, I was perfectly content to not return. I also felt like I wasn’t retaining the details like I should be, so at times I would stop and just feel unsure how what I just read fit into the rest of the story, or maybe just try to remember details of what I just read. It all came down to the structure for me. I enjoyed the prose, but never felt invested in the characters or overall story.
The format of telling the story through found footage is one that I’ve seen a few times recently in books that I loved. The Three by Sarah Lotz, The Last Days of Jack Sparks by Jason Arnopp, Arkwright by Allen Steel, The Deadhouse by Dawn Kurtagich. All of these books were told through found footage, and I loved every one of them. Some of them had mainly journal entries or writings from one particular point of view, but the general idea of piecing together a story by reading old When I sat back to try and understand why that format worked so well in these previously mentioned books versus Snakewood, one important difference I could think of is that the books that worked for me in this style all have some catch in the beginning; There is some major part of the plot that is revealed early on, something that really captivated me and made me want to keep reading so I could piece the story together through the found footage. I wanted to figure out how the story gets to that point that captured my attention so keenly in the beginning. With Snakewood, we do learn that someone is killing off people who were all once assassins together. But there was not suspense or emotion involved for me with this aspect early on. With Arkwright, I think I was on the verge of tears within just a single page of that book and because of this there was no way I could put that book down. I needed to know more. I had to keep reading. I never felt that with Snakewood.
I think if there had been less characters to keep track of, that may have helped quite a bit as well. But to have that many characters, it was much harder for me to become attached or to care. There are some series, like The Black Company by Glen Cook and Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson, where the reader has to have patience and go with the flow until everything starts to click, but with both of those, you are investing in a series, versus a standalone. I just feel like the ramp up time with this did not work well for a stand alone, especially without some thing major with the plot to really capture the reader from the very beginning.
My experience with this book leaves me certain I will read another book by the author, I felt I could really enjoy his writing, and the there were some very interesting aspects to Snakewood. I also really enjoyed the narration. That said, overall, the structure of this book really fell flat for me and left me disconnected from a story that I really wanted to enjoy....more
The Fireman felt very different from Hill’s other books. There is not the magical call of Christmasland, though there was a nod to it in the book as well as a slew of references to other genre books, particularly Harry Potter. There was not a ghost haunting a rock star or magical keys that unlock abilities, or horns that appear overnight. This book felt less fantastical and more thriller, but you’ll find absolutely no complaints here because it is an extremely thrilling read that I found almost impossible to put down.
The premise is that there is a new, incredibly dangerous plague called Draco Incendia Trychophyton (aka Dragonscale). Dragonscale is quite frightening because it can cause its victims to burst into flames, incinerating anything and anyone near by. Dragonscale is absolutely fascinating. I have to admit, it sounded like it would take a stronger suspension of disbelief until I read the book. Hill presents the Dragonscale in such a way that if feels clinically/scientifically possible. There are many traits he assigns to it, and when broken down makes it sound more plausible. Granted it is still fiction, but I thought the presentation of it was done incredibly well.
One of the things I loved most about this book is that it was about more than just an epidemic of some incendiary virus. It was about how hate and fear can be used in such a way to really fuel the fire (really, no pun intended) as well as how love and hope can overcome. The atmosphere surrounding those with the virus is border lining on hysteria. Yes, the thought of sitting next to someone who may at any time burst in to flames, potentially taking you and everyone else in the building with them is terrifying. But at some point, it seems that the healthy have removed any sense of humanity from the sick.
They no longer see the sick as people, humans who deserve some level of compassion or help, but they see them as evil intruders who are likely to destroy the world. Honestly, I don’t often bring politics into my reviews, but the correlations between this and modern day politics is absolutely hard to miss. I feel like I would be doing the book a disservice if I didn bring it up. I absolutely could not help but see how some of the behaviors motivated by hate and fear in this book paralled those of some political campaigns. Hate and fear have been used as a rallying cry by many politicians in the past, using voters’ fears and fanning their hate to make them afraid to vote for anyone else.
Now if politics is not your thing, and any ties to our real world don’t interest you, well, don’t worry. This story is absolutely gripping whether you choose to delve into deeper meanings or not. This is a long book, but I could not put it down. It was a fascinating read that made me curse real life every time I had to set it aside.
As for characters, I loved our protagonist, Harper. She is a school nurse and all around selfless, good person. The type of person who volunteers her time to go and treat the Dragonscale patients at the hospital, even if it means there is some increased risk for her. She spends her time and energy just trying to help people be a bit a happier and a bit more comfortable. Anything she can do to help, you can be sure she will. It just so happens she is not dealt the best of hands lately. When things start to get bad, entered The Fireman, a character who feels to be a living legend. Harper’s life is irrecoverably changed, and alongside The Fireman, she puts up a fight to make that change be for good.
Overall, I absolutely recommend this one. I honestly don’t think I can come up with any negatives. Absolutely loved it. The Fireman is relentless in all the best ways....more
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