Dark One, Book 1 by Brandon Sanderson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Trust Brandon Sanderson to come with a concept that, even when illustrated, has characters, settings, and magic that is both convoluted and confusing at times; yet also engaging, elaborate, and elevated above (almost) any other graphic novel I’ve ever read. And I’ve certainly read my fair share of fantasy, horror, and science fiction graphic novels. With a cast of characters that span across timelines and worlds, real attention has to be given to not only what is being said, but what is drawn on the page and, thus, not being said through this first volume in the series.
Be forewarned, volume 1 ends on a cliffhanger. There are (at least) two more volumes to come; but nothing is said about publication timelines as of yet. Given Sanderson is heavily in the midst of a million projects (or so it seems) and has just released book five of ten in his penultimate Cosmere series, it seems fool hardy to hope for another instalment of The Dark One anytime soon. Therefore I suggest readers go into this one knowing that you may be just starting to unravel what is happening, and getting into the characters when everything comes to a twisting halt.
That’s not to say this isn’t worth a read, because it is. It’s merely the heads up that this is epic, elaborate fantasy. At this point I suppose we should all expect nothing less from the current reigning (and writing) master of epic fantasy.
I LOVED seeing some of Jackson Lanzig’s (co-writer) hidden references throughout. Something I’ve seen in all of Lanzig’s writing. The nod to Nirvana, when one characters says “all right now, entertain me”, was my favourite pop culture reference amongst a slew of tiny nods to rock music and known fantasy lore. I just can’t get enough of anything Lanzig has worked on; especially since meeting him at a local con. He is easily one of the most engaging guys out there in comic book writing. A super fun, really nice guy with a big outgoing personality, something not often seen in a writer.
I definitely look forward to volume 2, whenever that may be, continuing this story. In the meantime I’ll be sure to keep on watching anything and everything Sanderson does, in any format, as he has been establishing himself as this century’s Tolkien. The Dark One is just one more piece of what I believe will be a long lasting legacy of fantasy stories that people will never forget.
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Signal to Noise by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This is not really a fantasy or magical book. It has some magic in it which is a catalyst for some events, but otherwise largely a non-factor. There is no real discussion about how the magic works, rules for the magic, or any actual system of setup. For me, because I’m not a big fan of teen contemporary books I found this disappointing. It’s well written, interesting characters, and engaging enough (as Silvia Moreno-Garcia always is), but a bit too much teen angst for me. Call me pathetic that even at 41 years old I still have anxiety when I read teen books that are set in our world and focus on common family or friend dynamics wrong gone; but it was not a great time in my life and so I just don’t have any desire to revisit those feelings, in myself or vis other characters. I do hope some other readers, especially younger ones find something in this to learn about themselves. I’m just no longer that person.
I will (of course) continue to read what Moreno-Garcia publishes even though Signal to Noise didn’t do it for me. Not only because she’s a fellow Canadian, but because Mexican Gothic is brilliant and it wasn’t the writing here that was the problem for me, more the marketing making this sound more magical than it is.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
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The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Wow! What a creepy, suffocating, psychological disturbance this novel is! Caitlin Starling brings it big in her debut novel in a way I’ve never read before. If this were a movie I’d never be able to watch it as it would be too scary (like The Descent, which I’ve never seen). With only two characters, and a host of ghostly characters we enter a cave with a menacing, tunnelling beast, water in all kinds of places, rock waiting to squash or trap, and fungi that just might make you wonder if you’re seeing things? But what if you aren’t?!
Honestly had a hard time putting this down as I needed to know how it ended even when it was at its scariest. It is perhaps worth noting I am terrified of water; be it in large ocean expanses or small exposed places. Seriously I don’t even take baths because I hate soaking in or being near water (showers are the best!). So I may have had a more visceral reaction to this novel than some. Even without this factor the dread, ghostly images, creepy fungus, and constant rumbling of a tunnelling beast would have easily been enough to keep me on edge and terrified, at least for our main gal, if not in general.
I will be making my horror buff of a husband read this to find out what he thinks. If you enjoyed Drowning into the Deep by Mira Grant then The Luminous Dead is likely for you. While the ‘monster’ is more psychological here it is no less constrained to the space it can inhabit, subject to the futuristic technology of the cave suit, and the alien planet is as current pulling as the deep dark of the Marianas Trench.
Do not miss out on this novel if you need a good survival at all odds story, find ghosts and lies (maybe even betrayal?) behind each cavern you enter, and ultimately need to know what it takes for someone to be so far past their tipping point they can no longer function as a human being. Add in a mission with no monetary value and suddenly we have factors that don’t add up until the final pages. Starling takes the reader on a crazy journey through her caverns (thank goodness for the map at the front of the book that I referred to constantly) and never stops to emerge for air, sunlight, or sanity.
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Yours for the Taking by Gabrielle Korn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
3.5 stars rounded up to 4. The concept and ideas in Yours for the Taking, of how humanity might respond once Earth became (largely) inhabitable is well done here. The set-up and political intrigue of a purely feminine (identifying as or born as female) community is intriguing. In Yours for the Taking we span 20+ years to see how things might develop and what it might be like for a new generation to grow up in an indoor only environment.
The issues crop up when it comes to the set-up of the Inside (as it’s called) construction. While the plot, societal commentary, and characters are solid; the actual set-up of the Inside seems quite flawed for me. If you can overlook many of the logistical challenges of how the Inside is maintained then there is lots to like here. However, if you might get caught up on how the Inside manages to have endless fresh water and clean air, or how specific nutrients (like Vitamin D or UV from the sun) and other elements that humans need from the outdoors (not including food as that is addressed) are garnered then you may be frustrated by the lack of details. I had to get over lacking explanations about certain logistics of the indoor space (and its existence for 20+ years.
That said, I was able to largely ignore the bad scientific explanations and instead focus on the social commentary because the philosophical discussions and focus are very engaging. I especially liked that this is the first dystopian book I can think of that actually addresses how the trans community might adapt (or ‘qualify’) in a selected society. As well as handles the range of different sexual preferences in humans. With a large focus on the lesbian lead characters you almost forget there are heterosexual women in this little community (which kind of brings up another issue of where they get their pleasure from; but that’s just another oversight in the end). For me, as a bisexual woman, I could adapt to this environment; although I do wonder what a straight woman might say about living in this environment (or the idea of it at least).
At the end of the day I did enjoy this read. It starts a bit dull but definitely ramps up and intrigued me throughout. I’d have liked the narrative to go back to the plight of the women who could not bear a child (same as myself) but understand there is a lot that could have been analyzed here but might have bogged the overall key story down. If you love dystopian social commentary this one is definitely for you. It focuses on the corruption power can have, and that we need more than one person’s ideological set-up to be truly successful. If you want some extreme feminism ideals, and have ever imagined a world of only women (biological or identifying as) then this might be an interesting read for you. I’m glad to have read it and will recommend it out for some who will find the sociological context interesting; but it’s definitely not going to be for everyone.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
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by David Barnett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is classified as a folk horror novel. I think that is an apt description, to a point. The overall folklore used here was unfamiliar to me. Upon research it appears to be based in England. Therefore, I suppose I have to concede that the use of Pagan symbols (the pentacle) and holidays (Yule, Beltane, Lammas, etc.) is possibly appropriate. I didn’t personally like it, and feel it might have been better to have this folk story introduce more of its own symbology or lore. Nevertheless it was a decent read.
For the plot, we follow the story in an odd, non-chronological order. Going forward from days before our MC ends up in the town, and going backwards from near her final time in town. At some point the narrative flips around. Thankfully it’s easy to follow at all times and felt very nature in the set-up. I enjoyed the way the narrative swapped at times as it revealed secrets (or kept them) in a way that provided atmosphere and suspense.
Withered Hill is not a love story. It has many elements and shows relationships but is careful to never be a true love story. For which I was thankful. And the twisty ending is both logical, clever, and doesn’t cheapen the story or characters around it. Withered Hill is the kind of horror story that anyone new to folk horror will love. Those of us who’ve read enough (or a lot) of this type of story may find similarities and be able to predict some elements. For me that didn’t take away from my enjoyment of this novel as it’s just different enough.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
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The Dangerous Ones by Lauren Blackwood
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
A lot of tropes, poorly composed plot/logic scenarios, and overall fairly uninspired. Maybe I’m just not into US civil war books; but you’d have thought adding vampires would make it interesting enough?!
A little surprised at the white vampire saviour story here given the author is of colour. Although I do like the attempt to break people, races, and vampires (species?) from stereotypes and look at people as individuals first.
And then there are the tropes! For me, its odd that author Lauren Blackwood admits to wanting to write a book with all the tropes in her afterword… not sure why you would the tropes to be so boring and cliche the way they are here. I don’t mind tropes (generally) but the overall story has gotta capture me, or have really good characters; sadly this had neither. I didn’t hate the characters; but I also didn’t love them. I was very meh for a lot of this story. Again, it’s worth noting I’m Canada and USA civil war stories are far from my thing. That said I’ve read others where I loved the commentary on racism, classism, sexism, etc.
Overall this one just missed the mark for me. One of many subpar romance in a supernatural setting that are available today. Given the flood of these books to the market in recent years I feel that you really need to have something that is fast paced, well written, engaging reader with characters, and has an element that is unique. Vampires during the civil war is just not unique enough for me. All that said I might consider reading another novel Lauren Blackwood, however, I’d be sure the premise is something I really care about.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
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The Bloodless Princes by Charlotte Bond
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
There is no doubt that The Fireborne Blade is a superior novella to this one, it’s sequel. It had more wit, sarcasm, plot twists, and overall allure than its sequel The Bloodless Princes. We still get snippets of tales, writings, history and lore of the realm woven into the story (which I also adored in book 1). The biggest difference here is the story feels a bit secondary to the acceptance or display of love between our two ladies. And yet there is very little romance overall. Certainly the morale of the story (which gives nothing away to its end) is that you should love who you love openly and fervently, regardless of what others say; and yet I wanted more to the overall plot than what I got.
This easily could have been a full length novel that delved into death, an afterlife (of any kind), resurrection, and the consequences of stories being twisted over time. How do we, as humans, hurt ourselves my allowing stories of history (or fiction) develop and no longer represent truth. After all the writers of history are always the ‘winners’ who rule in its aftermath. An interesting thought with Trump winning his second term a mere two days ago. How will history see this (frankly depressing era for a bisexual, female Canadian like myself) time that indicates the larger portion of the USA population would rather any president that is not a women (even a convicted felon who spouts nothing but lies)? Im disappointed we don’t get more from Charlotte Bond on this topic. A real miss in the grand scheme of this wonderful dragon world she had created. Perhaps she can revisit it in another story?
Overall I just didn’t feel the same endearment for our characters (except maybe our dragon) that I did in book 1. If you were to read this one first, which wouldn’t make any sense in terms of character and plot development; but say you did, you’d likely walk away wondering why anyone cared at all. There is just a lack of substance here to bring our love and support of these lovely ladies (and a cat dragon or is it dragon cat?) much further than we were from book 1.
Perhaps the story was rushed? A bit unfinished or underdeveloped in a hope to publish it quickly on the heels of the successful first story? I don’t know. What I do know is I am still hoping for more stories in this realm, with or without these ladies, and I also desire Bond to write us a more fulsome story next time. One that really bites into the sociopolitical world our ladies live in that is grounded, as our own world is, in misogyny and an unfair set of ‘rules’ that keeps women lower than everyone, just because they can. If there was ever a time we could use some desire and strength to fight back against the patriarchy it must be today after another shattering loss; one that is just stacked on top of so many in these early days of this millennium.
Finally, this story is still worth a read. It’s short and cute at times. It just doesn’t quite live up to what I loved about the first book. That doesn’t undercut its cute cat dragon, nor that it is still a decent novella for a quick read
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How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
3.5 stars, rounded down to 3 because this is not a book that will age well. There are a lot of pop culture references that non-fantasy readers may not know, and that are possibly too timely and won’t age well. For a well-read fantasy reader like myself each reference was easily identified but I’m not sure even someone who knows a lot of fantasy pop-culture will get them all. It’s not that you need to know them to get the story but they are all the focus of jokes made by MC Davi.
Two more reasons why I ranked this one a bit lower..
It took me forever to read. At first I thought it was just me, but then I listened to some of the audiobook and realized it’s that my brain trips over the made up words. Especially the species names that have roots in Latin but are still made-up and difficult to pronounce. There is a fine line between creating new words for your fantasy realm and creating words that readers brains will trip over or stumble on. It may sound silly, especially if you’re a reader (like myself) who reads words but doesn’t say them in their head. However I have experienced this before and it is definitely a weird effect that happens when we read.
Finally I was not a fan of the abrupt, unresolved ending. Be forewarned it is a bit of a cliffhanger and you may not feel satisfied by the ending. I certainly did not feel like I had any sort of resolution.
What’s odd is that, all that said about what I felt didn’t work in Wexler’s fantasy comedy story. I still enjoyed it and will definitely read the next book. Not only is this very witty, sexy, and overall ridiculous; but it also quite entertaining. Although I’ll confess I did enjoy Dreadful more I would say if you like narrators that know they are narrating a story, silly or over-the-top comedic fantasy then definitely check this one out. So long as it’s read in the next 10 or so years it should date itself just yet (even if I believe it will eventually).
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
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Lost Gods by Brom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Finished just in time to put this down and not be stuck in purgatory prior to a surgery (I’m healing well). I felt it would be bad luck. I want to say lol, but I’m only half kidding that it felt like bad luck.
This was Brom’s weakest book to date I’ve read. It lacked likeable or even interesting humans (yes the gods are awesome but that wasn’t enough), a cohesive plot (that was lost in the prose); yet it has Brom’s gorgeous literary style and descriptions that make it worth a read if you’re devoted to Brom and his works (as I am).
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And Then She Vanished by Nick Jones
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This time travel story was okay. Nothing overly special. I anticipated the big twist fairly early on but that was okay. The writing is good enough; but it was a debut and I’m sure the rest of the series does improve. I’ll be honest and say I’m not sure I’ll continue with the series; but that’s only because I didn’t love the characters. I didn’t hate them but they just didn’t stick for me.
Greatly appreciated the physics that is brought into the concept of time travel and the rules established. That was very well done; without being too dry or boring.
Overall this is a good enough book. I wouldn’t dissuade anyone from reading it; but it’s not an immediate recommendation either.
If you love time travel stories then check it and see what you think.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
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A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jensen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Better than I had expected. While a ‘romantasy’ (gosh I hate this term) it’s still got solid fantasy world building, gods versus mortals, clans at war (politically and on the battlefield), and a lot to say about fate and destiny.
I’m so pleased I can give this a good review as the author is a fellow Calgarian! Yes that’s right from my home city of Calgary (in Canada).
A Fate Inked in Blood is actually quite complex given that the opening chapter has our two love interests ogling one another because they are just soo attractive *eye roll*. However once you get past the initial cliche set-up things begin to roll forward. Our magic system is a bit simple; powers come from a god/goddess; and generally everyone only has one power (if any). Of course our leading gals power is rare and wonderful. Again, somewhat cliche but I did go in expecting a number of typical tropes and so can accept this for what it is.
That’s the one Danielle L. Jensen gives us, without any doubt, is exactly what you are likely to expect. The pacing, reveal logic, magical rules, and (of course) lust to love pairing is all very typical. Yet I believe it works because the writing is solid, and our characters are genuinely likeable. From the feminist rage of our leading lady, to the stoic fierceness of our leading man. Put them together and you undoubtably have sparks flying with some intensity.
It should be noted that there is a bit of a push twist at the end to make everyone anticipate book two. Given that we get book two in early 2025, which is quite quick for most series these days, I can’t even complain.
Overall I was very satisfied with this read. It was what I expected, and a bit more with excellent pacing and world building. Plus I get to squee because Jensen lives here in my hometown! That makes for three popular writers of today that live here currently! And a few more up and coming ones that I hope make it onto folks radar. I actually went to my local indie store the other day and bought four books from local authors, three of which are (somewhat) well known! (All of which I’ll be sure to also rant and rave about, or so I hope!)
While my initial copy of this was from NetGalley; I did immediately make sure to get first edition, teal sprayed edge hardcover for my print collection. As always, a print copy I keep in my ever expanding library is the highest honour I can give a book.
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Ghost of the Neon God by
T.R. Napper
My rating:
4 of 5 stars
This urban cyberpunk novella is action packed! Whether our characters are
running from officials, debating with a sentient AI, or sparring with one
another; the pace is quick and non-stop in Ghosts of the Neon God. Not only has
T. R. Napper given us an amazing title, but he’s also written a story full of
philosophical anecdotes regarding surviving, capitalism, and AI technology.
”Small acts of resistance. Heterogeneity in the face of crushing corporate
assimilation.”
Napper discusses the issue of sentient AI being built and sold by ruthless
corporations only interested in profits. How can we allow someone to be owned,
in any way, by an entity that doesn’t care about its well being? The core
argument being that an intelligent AI, who is aware of themselves, should have
autonomy and the ability to choose its own future (or at least as much as any
human gets to).
Whether it’s our street rat, or university student, or
even the sentient AI; Napper asks us to consider that we all have the same
existence, even if our lives might be drastically different in the middle. Our
ending is certainly the same. A new way of viewing existence began to form the
more I read and really experienced Napper’s argument alongside our characters
”All life is a dream walking. Death is going home.”
Ghosts of the Neon God is a great addition to the amazing science
fiction short story/novella’s that already exist. My rating drop down to four
stars is really because I think there was a lot more to be said and done here.
I’m overall disappointed that the story felt cut down when it could easily have
been a full length novel that really explores what it means to be ‘yourself’.
There is a distinct part in which there is a discussion about conscious moving
from one ‘body’ to another; and if that makes you still yourself. I’d love to
read more of this debate and further past the ending we receive here.
Irregardless this is well worth the quick read it is and may leave you wondering
about how we are developing AI today.
I’ll leave you with my favourite
quote regarding when to panic. I might need to make it my personal mantra to try
and quell my own (seemingly constant) anxiety.
”Relaxing or not relaxing will have no impact on the future course of
events”
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
This is an honest and unbiased review.
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Anatomy by Dana Schwartz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This reminds me a lot of The Girl In His Shadow, in a good way. Both feature women in historical times unable to practice medicine the way they want due to patriarchal constraints, both also have sweet little love stories that enhance the overall novel without overpowering it or getting in the way, and lastly, both are fairly realistic in the time, setting, and portrayal of the caste system to keep the poor poorer and the rich richer. And both are excellent reads.
In Anatomy, our leading lady has a strong narrative voice, our main love interest is cute and a bit flippant, think Flynn Ryder from Tangled. The supporting characters left a bit to be desired. They are perhaps too archetypical and lack real development; but I also didn’t need 100 more pages of detail so I can accept that they were sacrificed to give more vibrancy to our leading two and the villains of the story.
At its crux, Anatomy: A Love Story is about corruption and power. Holding to task the idea that power corrupts absolutely. Our ‘in control’ men are able to change narratives to their own liking (true or not), select who lives and dies under what conditions, and spin fear into their society to retain control (plus cover up many ill deeds). There are certainly good people, including our leading lady and her love interest; however, little can be done when the truth falls on deaf ears.
Overall Anatomy: A Love Story is a cute love story, with a horrific villain, and reminds us of all the progress made to date; yet also inspires us to keep fighting for equality, fairness, and the truth. As my own province (state) is discussing privatizing our hospitals (in Canada) it disgusts me to think we would put the lives of our citizens into the hands of people whose entire function is to make money. And yet, here is a story of that exact same goal being laid out before us 200+ years sooner than now. I only wish we could learn and somehow reclaim the system back from those with power who think only for themselves. Hopefully this story reminds folks to be wary of what our elected officials do when it comes to health care; and emphasizes that it should be equally doled out to everyone, regardless of wealth, family lineage, or societal status.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
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Dead Girls Walking by Sami Ellis
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Unfortunately two stars is probably generous here. I should have DNF’d this. However I persevered; but didn’t really gain anything except more confusion in the end. I know this is a debut novel by a young writer. I understand what was being attempted; however, it was so poorly executed I’m shocked this was the ‘best’ final product. Sometimes when you are sent away by many, many publishers it’s because your book needs too much work. More work than an editor can reasonably provide. I believe that to be the case in Dead Girls Walking.
To keep this from being me ranting let me summarize some of the key issues I had:
- no rules are ever really set-up for the world and it’s resurrection style magic. There’s an attempt early-on but every time I turned around a rule is proven wrong
- it is possible to have too many twists and turns. In order to make a book feel cohesive, readable (ie: plot can be followed), and seem ‘realistic’ inside the confines of magic set-up it needs to have some stickiness that keeps it all together. Dead Girls Walking is a flat hot mess of jumping around, attempts to be clever that all fall down because nothing seems to fit together properly
- our leading girl is annoying. Her obsession with identifying herself as a monster for no real reason (besides her father is a serial killer) really bugged me. Especially as you learn some of the spoilers in the story… she clearly knows right from wrong even early on in the story. I think a survivors guilt complex would have been a smarter way to go
- the attempt to connect this all to a fictional novel written by a person close to the family is bizarre. We never get any real info about the novel (some excerpts with little context), and our heroine hasn’t read the book (which is also weird…); as she is our only POV we get snippets of the novel in the text but no real analysis of it. In some ways the inclusion of the novel tries to set boundaries for the magic (and maybe solutions?) but it felt gimmicky and incomplete
- finally, the first third of the book feels like it’s about a completely different type of ghost/horror story than the rest. The ghost set-up went from tiny to huge with little transition. I really want to read what the story should have been within the confines of the set-up of the first part of the novel. Instead it grew so quickly and by the halfway point Dead Girls Walking had become outrageous and out of control. There’s no real pacing, attention to timeline details, or magical rules to help define the world. Unfortunately for me that means it just didn’t ‘stick’ together well.
Overall, Dead Girls Walking has a bunch of poorly written fairly gory scenes, illogical plot jumps, a very annoying lead character, upside down twists that don’t fit, and no real cohesion. I’d love to read the story of lesbian girls at a ‘horror themed’ camp (who are obsessed with a real crime nearby) learning about the crime and themselves at the same time. That is the book I want to read. Unfortunately, while this is billed as such, it’s far from what I had expected or hoped for based on the blurb.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
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My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The Fireborne Blade is both a fantasy story featuring two strong willed women, and a feminist manifesto. Blatantly calling out the ridiculousness of the hurdles often put in the way of women achieving the same as men the reader can’t help but agree that it’s extremely illogical. As seen in this standout quote:
“Its illegal to train girls in magic without a dispensation, yet to get that dispensation, a girl has to show an aptitude first—which means someone has to train her up at least a bit, which means that someone is already breaking the rules in order to follow the rules. That seems ridiculous to me.”
Welcome to the classic fantasy world Charlotte Bond has created. Arguably a mirror in some ways to our own. Even as I say this is a statement on society, it’s also an action packed, mildly gory (at times), fantasy story. At only 168 pages it’s very short and yet still manages to set-up a ton of dragon lore (via mini stories or journal entries by other knights), send our leading lady on a dragon quest, bring forth the hypocritical magic user rules, and shun women from being knights. In all a perfectly balanced story, and one that feels like a mini introduction to (what I hope is) a huge fantasy series to come!
This is perhaps not like the fantasy many of us ‘older folks’ (lol) are used to. It is entirely based on women fighting back; without reliance on any men. In some ways The Fireborne Blade could be a story about Eowyn trying to prove herself in Mjddle Earth to everyone around her. It’s a simple concept; yet complex in its question: how does society get to accepting female knights and mages? I really hope Bond is continuing this forward to show us how it might work (and some gory details along the way).
The lovely British narrator for the audiobook has the perfect sort of ‘medieval’ accent one might attribute to fantasy. Her voice sets a mood right away; yet her accent is mild enough to not pose any concerns about understanding her. I will definitely look for her as a narrator in the future.
I cannot wait for more stories from this fantasy world! Hopefully they feature our two ladies, and more intriguing dragons (who all have slightly different powers or magic) to be slayed (or not).
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
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The Deading by Nicholas Belardes
My rating: 1 of 5 stars
DNF @ 50%
For a book with such an intriguing blurb, a badass horror cover, and great marketing it’s incredible disappointing to give up on it. But I cannot read another repetitive, useless, cyclical descriptive paragraph, or run-on sentence, again. There are so many issues with this story sadly.
Here are the big ones that stand out to me:
- I never know who is talking at the beginning of the chapter! I need names please, or immediate orientating of which characters POV I’m getting. It’s very annoying (and distracting) to try and figure out whose thoughts I’m reading.
- The extended descriptive, repetitive prose is unnecessary. I don’t need five different examples of birds being unable to fly or humans lying on the grass. This book could be less than half its size if the prose was cut down and made short, sweet, and impactful.
- The actual plot has been lost inside the descriptions and constant discussion of birds. I do not care this much about bird watching! The Deading could have been a cool opportunity to get people interested in birdwatching. Instead it will bore you into looking for birds; anything to keep you distracted from reading more on the page in front of you.
- The isolation of the town is illogical at times. Apparently no one was visiting when the quarantine was imposed? No one is missing family members who were travelling, all the kids have all their parents and friends in town at the moment of isolation? It’s strange that this assumption is put into place when it could have setup an interesting plot point about who is where and how the virus attacks locals versus tourists different. Huge lost opportunity in my opinion.
- I’m sooo bored. I do not care at all what is happening in the bay, with the animals and humans, etc. I went and crept on some other reviews and read a lot of the same complaints I have. And so I’m DNFing this one because it doesn’t seem worth it to carry on if it doesn’t get any better (which according to other reviewers it doesn’t).
It’s always disappointing to be unsatisfied by a book, but to be downright annoyed, bored, and disinterested takes a fair bit of work (ironically). The Deading needed a heavy handed editor, some story boarding to map out who is where, when and why, and some focus on the point of the story or at least a sense of where it’s headed. Thus I concede, I’m beat and ready to move on get or into something that (hopefully) doesn’t include anything about birdwatching.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
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Little Wolf's Howl: A Story of Getting Lost, only to Find One's Voice by Nelly Buchet
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is absolutely adorable!! I love how our little wolf cub can’t quite manage to howl at first. Upon getting lost he meets some other animals, all the while looking for North. When he finally sees the North Star (the brightest star in the sky) and heads toward home (using the skills his animal friends taught him) he is then able to howl!!
This is perfect for really any age or child. Toddlers will love learning to howl on the page (or hearing the reader howl).
I do think one of the reasons I love this is my 80lb pitbull dog (who’s just a big baby, named Zero) knows the command ‘speak’ but it often comes out as a sneeze. The kiddos in the park love to ask him to ‘speak’ and that they don’t always get a bark; however when Zero does get out a good bark they get so excited for him. This story reminds me of that kind of excitement when it takes a few tries to do something but eventually you get there.
A wonderful story about being lost, asking for help, and finding your way.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
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One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I struggled in the beginning with One Dark Window. Maybe because I had just come off a great book, maybe because I expected a lot out of the gate based on the praise heaped all over this book, or maybe because I just wasn’t ready. So I read a shorter book and came back. I’m sooo glad I came back!!
The last 75% of this book is brilliant! The ending is dark and I cannot wait to move onto book two! It’s nice to know this is a duology, has a distinct ending, and I’m hoping it’s as dark as I’m expecting! Lucky for me I had enough faith in previous reviews to buy both books at the same time. So glad I did!
One Dark Window has a very unique magic system that is a bit complex, and not like your standard magic set-up. While using the magic has consequences it’s not to make you tired; these consequences are much more nefarious. Each type of magic (based on which card you use) has a different side effect; just as the card only does specific things. I’m still a little shaky on what a couple of the cards do (besides our elusive Alders card) but I have accepted that it’s okay I didn’t have all the answers at my fingertips and the mystery about the cards and how the magic is affecting different people is what makes this such a great ending (as we learn some of our answers; but not all)! So if you usually read fantasy, like me, be patient I promise it’s worth it.
Overall, I think that is my main point on this book is be patient. The characters really start to come into their own, our leading girls side effect really starts to play a part (besides just annoying her and the reader), and the cute little insta-love (ugh) does evolve enough that I can accept they are falling in love. Ultimately it’s not five stars for me because it just wasn’t perfect; but I think book two has a real opportunity to elevate the darkness, deepness, and deliberateness for everyone and everything happening.
I definitely recommend One Dark Window with the caveat to be patient. It does get there.
My usual endorsement that shows I’m serious, One Dark Window is going into my print library (where I have to be very picky because I’m basically out of room for books).
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A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is the funnest, most horrific, scandalously proper book I’ve read recently (this description makes sense right? lol).
Kingfisher, once again, brings together her wit and sarcasm, adds it to a horror of all horrors, puts some charming characters in the horrors way, and thus gives us a wonderful book that is perhaps my favourite of hers (that I’ve read) to date!
If you’ve ever had a day, or perhaps many of them in which you want an overbearing adult to back-off then you will sympathize with our leading teen Cordelia. Her mother is, quite literally, evil. Capable of unfounded horrors with her magic; and, what’s worse, she has inflicted many of those horrors on her own daughter.
Thankfully her mother makes a miscalculation in choosing new ‘prey’ to finance her desires, and Cordelia finds some adults she can trust. The beginning of this story is definitely the Goose Girl tale. By the end I was completely engrossed and had forgotten entirely about it being inspired by an old story. Kingfisher makes this one entirely her own.
Between vivid descriptions, clever and snarky characters to magic, ghosts, and demons(?), oh my! A Sorceress Comes to Call held me rapt in suspense and thrills, right up to the last page. If you have enjoyed any of Kingfisher in the past you will love this one. If you are new to Kingfisher but enjoy thrilling stories, magical rules, clever evil, horrific situations (a bit of gore) and bumbling heroes trying to repel said evil then feel secure in picking up A Sorceress Comes to Call. It really is a witty, horror story (with a couple magical twists) that won’t disappoint.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
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Bury Your Gays by Chuck Tingle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
It’s been a long time since I went into a book with relatively moderate expectations and came out blown away!! I just read the last 70% of this book within 24 hours. I couldn’t put it down. After flipping the last page I feel out of breath!!
Chuck Tingle has taken a (mostly) closeted gay man’s story in Hollywood and turned it into a Stephen King, Michael Crichton, Blake Crouch sci-fi, horror, contemporary thriller!
What’s more, this book has a clear message, stop killing off all the gays! This resonates for me as a bi-sexual woman who first saw Willow and Tara kiss on screen, and then was horrified by the storyline being crushed only ONE episode later. ONE! They couldn’t let us have happiness for our lesbian ladies for more than a week or two (between airing shows) and for less time than it takes to watch the average rom-com. These types of stories are STILL being told 25 years later. We STILL see token gay characters written out in media (of all kinds) relatively frequently. Tingle has written the perfect aesthetic of horror, love, the question of existence (AI anyone?), and technology together to take the reader on the ride of their life AND give us a message worth shouting from the heights of the Hollywood sign; queer is here!
I want to say everything and yet nothing about the major plot points of Bury Your Gays! I went in fairly blind and I recommend that for everyone. Be aware it’s horror, there are some very squeamish, gory moments (I did have to stop listening to the audio and go to my ebook as I couldn’t stand the descriptions and ‘noises’ of the narrator, done so well but too much for my sensibilities), actual gays (who may or may not die), and a King/Crichton plot to ensnare you in for the duration. Seriously, be ready to read this all the way through from 30% on. You’ve been warned!
I know I NEED to see a movie adaptation of this; and yet it might be too scary for me to do so, lol. I’m so glad my horror buff husband has gotten me into horror since COVID started. Knowing horror’s many tropes helped me understand some of the dark humour, and nods to the past that are here. It is not necessary to pick-up on them, but it does add to the surrealism of the story.
I really didn’t think anyone would rival Blake Crouch and be worthy of the Crichton, King banner this decade. Let me tell you I was wrong! I feel the same, yet different, but equally blown away by Bury Your Gays as I did after reading Dark Matter (Crouch), Prey (Crichton), any of King’s older works, and all of Mira Grant’s (love her!) worthy contributions to horror. There’s the perfect amount of everything in this novel; just as I believe those authors have done before. Watch out for some possible Easter eggs to those who came before within these pages.
I suspect Tingle has more in store for us of this nature, and I’ve already put Camp Damascus on my TBR to see if it started there. All I know is this is a mystery man that can write! It may be worth noting that a key message in Bury Your Gays is about coming out and being your true self; an irony I can’t help but chuckle at given Tingle is a pseudonym and we don’t really know anything much about the writer himself.
Hey Chuck! My message to you, after you’ve given me so many great messages in this book, is Practice what you Preach! (Lol).
Okay stop reading this blabbering review and go get Bury your Gays! Be ready for twists, turns, horrors, coming outs (in so many unique ways, heh), and a dash of love that helps keep some of our characters just stable enough to crawl away stunned, like I am after finishing this novel.
On a personal note: this will be adds to my physical bookshelf in the near future and I will be forcing my husband to read it. Just like I did after reading Dark Matter. It’s that damn good!
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
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Medusa by Jessie Burton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
”you could cut off my head, and still not end the myth.”
This is divine! It is Jessie Burton’s inspirational story written for all women. We are given not only redemption for both Medusa herself, but for every woman living in today’s world, and throughout the ages.
This is not the Medusa story you know. Although, as one can assume with any story in which there is a hero with a sword and a gaze of snakes that turns men into stone, it does not end well for everyone.
Easily read over an evening, afternoon, or weekend this short novel packs a punch in its retelling of the stories for both Perseus and Medusa. My absolute favourite parts are when Medusa talks to her snakes (who have names!). As a snake owner I can tell you I talk to them all the time! I talk to my dog and husband too, but my discourse with my big boa is different as the narrative is distinctly one sided. Burton shows us the catharsis of speaking about traumatic events, and that having a listener is often all someone needs.
This brilliantly put together story should be in the hands of every woman in the world. It is a reminder that our beauty is not there to be exploited by others, that we can break free of constraints and make our own fate, and that ultimately us ladies belong to no one but ourselves. We can leave enduring stories behind, and while the matriarchy may twist those stories to make them more favourable to the ‘hero’, there will always be someone, like Burton, who can reclaim the story for what it should be and remind us all that women are neither weak, nor property to be owned.
This is a brilliantly twisted story that reinforces women’s strength and endurance. Burton is saying, and allowing her reader to say, I am woman hear me HISS!
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Dreadful by Caitlin Rozakis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Well this is just super fun!
A little bit of romance, a lot of funny quips, the identity of what it means to be evil (versus good); with a focus on stereotypes and how entrenched they are in people’s perceptions and expectations.
I like that the ending is fairly closed, could maybe do a sequel, but kind of hope this remains a stand-alone. All the characters, especially the goblins, are quite endearing, or at least interesting, and the focus on how everyone looks, sounds, etc. just amplifies these differences and makes our characters even more likeable.
The plot is not as thin as I expected, and the magic set-up, rituals, etc. explained better than I had hoped for. Overall this is a funny, cosy little fantasy which features a less-pretty princess, our leading dark lord with no memories, some (cuddly?) goblins, a few sinister dark wizards (or lords), and a lot of garlic. Yes that’s right, garlic.
You’ll have to read it for yourself to find out why Dreadful is dreadfully great.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
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A Tempest of Teaby Hafsah Faizal
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
3.5 stars, rounding down because I’m so disappointed in the ending. A Tempest of Tea is a pretty good book until about 80% of the way through. The characters are (mostly) believable and likeable (if morally subject) in their own ways. The setting is well put together, the world building is vague (but that didn’t seem like a deal breaker at first), and the plot is intriguing. Seems like a heist in a fantasy realm with some minor romances possibly bubbling up on the side… and then something happens that felt so out of character, that came off awkward, that just ruined every page that came after. It’s the first of a couple ‘bigger’ reveals; and it came off as cheap. It annoyed me as it didn’t feel natural (and the lack of world building just makes it seem more abrupt and ‘cheapens’ the whole set-up, as had we known more it wouldn’t have been such a big surprise…), and overall just irritated me. I am not a fan of books that change the rules or seem to leave rules out just to have reveals. I like when reveals are done in a way whereas soon as I read the reveal I can recall all the hints throughout the book, even if I never guessed what the reveal would be. In those books where I do guess the reveal I’m still less annoyed than with cheap reveals because at least it feels in line with what has happened and fits the narrative.
The reveal also leads us into a very odd little section and ending. Things are happening quickly as its climax time, and suddenly all the romances are brought together (presumably?) because characters are in peril. Another troupe I am not a big fan of. What’s worse is how lame and stilted the romantic moments come off as, and the lack of gothic allure (set up earlier in the book) is suddenly gone. It’s as though someone told Hafsah Faizal she had to put romance in her book and so she did. It would have been so much better with teasers and adhering to the less is more philosophy (to clarify it’s not raunchy romance or anything it just feels forced). Also less is more (should) make readers want to carry onto the next book in the series (not yet published). Instead this big ending made me go, meh. It’s truly unfortunate as Faizal has a knack for writing great one liner quotes, has cute little jokes throughout and real talent for sarcasm in her characters actions and words. But none of that matters if the core story and world building is not there. The plot was good, the characters (mostly) good, the writing very good; and yet I walk away from this one just feeling ‘meh’.
Is that a recommendation you might ask? I couldn’t say. If you love mild YA vampires then yes I might recommend you read this. However, if you are hoping for something more gothic or intimate then A Tempest of Tea will likely disappoint you in the end. It just feels too immature; not because it’s YA, but because the ending doesn’t seem like the same narrative. An unfortunate situation as the potential is all there; but final delivery must be bang on (for me) to make a book rise above being more than just good enough.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
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Jonny Appleseed by Joshua Whitehead
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book should be mandatory Grade 12 reading for Canadian teens (or anyone in a colonized country). Perhaps then more of them would be empathetic to the Indigenous, and understand how damn good they likely have it.
Crude, honest, ugly, and yet beautiful and endearing… nothing is pulled back in Joshua Whitehead’s story of a Two-Spirit Indigenous boy who ends up off the reserve selling his body to make ends meet. Whitehead portrays both the awfulness, and some of the lightness of our lead teen’s existence.
Jonny Appleseed has a clever set-up where we get a past story, then a current piece of the present. The present story is over 2-3 days as Jonny tries to make enough money to go home for a funeral service.
With short chapters, realistic dialogue, and hard hitting descriptions this is a story everyone should read. If only to remind you that it could always be worse, it is worse for so many, and that homophobia and racism are the stupidest, non-sensical human constructs ever.
I’m so proud this is a Canadian book, and will be placing this print copy in my personal library knowing it should be in everyone’s library as it’s the kind of book that only comes along once in a generation. This is the Anne Frank, Go Ask Alice for today, and everyone should read it.
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A Haunted Girl by Ethan Sacks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I love this set-up, the mental health representation, the scary ghosts, and the honesty of the plot and emotions. I have one protest, the ending is so dissatisfying! Yes I know it’s setup so we want to read the next issue; but as a trade (how I read these issues #1-3) it’s less fun to have it cliffhanger as it did. Ironically that cliffhanger could be considered an ending (from the perspective of a short story meant to leave options open) so my criticism may feel misplaced. What I know is getting to the end I was just so annoyed to realize that was the last page!!
I read this on my new Kobo Colour Libre so I didn’t get the full impact of the colours (as all colours are muted on this ereader, but better than black and white)! I did pull a couple single issues from my comic collection of this series just to see the art in its full glory and I must say it’s really wonderful! Just minimal enough to give a spooky aura but detailed enough on all the ghosts; and at the moments it really matters. You have to watch some of the subtleties in the art to get the full story. There are little hints to what is happening that you could miss. So be sure to read and look at the art so you get the full experience.
Check this one out if you want a good, accurate representation of depression (seems weird to say that but you know what I mean), some intense ghosts, a (perhaps!) twist ending, but maybe be sure to have the next issue ready to go so you can keep enjoying this intriguing world. Note: the ebook version I read had issues #1-3.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
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The Road to Woop Woop, and Other Stories by Eugen Bacon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I’m going to try very hard to be fair here. This is about 3.5 stars for me. I love clever, quirky, and twisty short stories with last line reveals. None of these are that kind. That doesn’t mean they aren’t good; because they are. Overall this is a decent collection of stories with paranormal, fairy tale, or existential spins. Worth a read.
It’s also note worthy as it is written by an Australian woman of colour. Certainly a minority not often found in writing circles. I would absolutely read more from Eugen Bacon in the future. In fact a couple of the stories in here, I think, need desperately to be made into longer stories. They have a lot of potential and could easily be fleshed out to be more than how they were presented here.
I know it’s always a fine line between word count and content and it’s certainly not always the right decision; but at least two stories have that quality. In between each of the stories are little snippets of tales that seemed to be native to Australia and like the type of tale you might tell to a child. I really adored these, and the illustrations were lovely!! They broke up the larger stories nicely, and in some cases setup a feel for the next story. This showed that the order of the stories was very intentional and I do appreciate that kind of effort being put in to make the reader feel immersed; even when each story is its own.
Certainly worth a pickup and read; and an author to watch for!
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
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What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
How do you follow-up a clever horror story that owes its roots to Edgar Allen Poe? T. Kingfisher will (perhaps) tell you that you go to a simpler horror format. More of a fairy tale type horror that brilliantly integrates PTSD with the myth. I cannot over state how smart I think What Feasts at Night is in its use of PTSD to both explain, justify, and debunk the story. On each page turn near the end you can argue that, our lead character, Easton and his PTSD is both fuelling, debunking, and creating the horror story. That is the kind of creepiness I like!
For book two we have our leading man back and side appearances by other known characters from book 1; but really it is Easton’s show. I would probably call this more of a 1.5 in the series book. Although not as long as book 1 (a novella) it felt much shorter to me. Whether that was due to the excellent writing or the pacing being a bit faster I’m not sure.
My biggest disappointment here was that it felt as though the characters from book 1, besides Easton, were just there because readers would like seeing them again. I’m not convinced we needed them; and in fact, it might have been scarier if we didn’t have anyone with Easton who had experienced Usher house and was used to bizarre happenings. A little more isolation with the cabin caretaker and widow homemaker might have been just the extra spice this needed to make it a five star book.
I felt the narrator on the audiobook (which I gave up on after like 15 minutes and returned to my ebook) sounds far too young to be the voice of Easton. Not that they aren’t a good narrator, as they are; but Easton is a war-torn soldier whose been around thus for his narrator to sound like they are a youngin’ just didn’t work for me. I wanted a deeper, more masculine voice (I know bad me on the stereotypes, but come on war torn soldier!). That’s not to say that Easton needs this narrator (as Kingfisher’s writing is more than good enough!); it’s just my image of him is a certain way and it didn’t match up with the narration. That’s okay, to each their own when it comes to how a character might sound. Plus audiobooks are still a struggle for me sometimes so I’ll always happily return to my e/print copy.
All that said, I enjoyed visiting these characters again and will certainly follow along in reading this series (as I hope there is more to come). Kingfisher continues to prove she is at the top of her game and I cannot wait for more stories from her, in any genre, that I can gobble up in a day or two.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
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A Botanical Daughter by Noah Medlock
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
The first three quarters of The Botanical Daughter is beautifully written with a rich gothic feel. We meet our closeted gay men and feel the sorrow at how close a secret their relationship must be kept. As we progress into getting to know our other main character, and leading lady, we realize she too has the calling of ‘forbidden love’ (ugh, hate to call it that but it’s the right terminology for the day) and has been hurt. Throughout the first sections of the book we meet the plant entities (in various forms) and create a bond with the botanical character that surprised me. I loved it and felt it was just an innocent in all everything, even in some of its more horrific moments.
There are clever messages of love is love embedded into the narrative, both blatant and subtle; even making myself (a bisexual woman) wonder if there is a limit to love being love. For the record, the answer is no. Love is always beautiful and always correct. When love becomes obsession or greed it is different; but in its rawest form love is never wrong, by any definition. Noah Medlock does a beautiful job of expressing and showing this sentiment that in different ways and creates a truly safe space for sexuality and identity of any/all kinds (even for a plant).
Moving through the story we have some bloody moments, of retribution and revenge, that are all very gothic and satisfying. It’s all wonderful! Then we reach a point, around the last 100 pages, in which things start to unravel a bit. The pacing felt lost, the outcomes were disjointed, and lacked common sense. For a very smart story, with very clever characters, to suddenly feel less intelligent hurt. Additionally the plot choices continued forward in ways I did not expect that just didn’t satisfy my gothic/horror desires. I have come up with three distinctly different ways to close off this novel that would have been more gothic, satisfying for the reader, and still have held to the final message of the story.
Thus the final conclusion was, for me, very unsatisfying. Not necessarily because of the events but more so that the gothic overtones are played down, there is a lack of scientific discussion to talk about what the future might hold based on the ending (where some horror could have been injected), and in general I just had trouble focusing (and started wanting to just be done with the book). I would have ended the story a bit sooner with a more open ended ending that would have fit the gothic romance feel quite well. Or if taken to where it was I would have at least given some scientific questions for the reader to ponder about the implications of the final state of things. Sadly we get neither of these and therefore I just can’t give this a higher rating.
All that said, for a debut author, this is amazingly well written up to that last 100 pages. It does have an odd pacing at times, but that kind of fits with our quirky men and the unpredictable nature of plants growing. Sometimes they grow quick, other times slow. I would still recommend A Botanical Daughter as a good gothic read; but I would warn the potential reader to brace themselves for an ending that may not be as satisfying as one might have hoped for. I will however watch for future stories by Medlock as I think all the right foundation is there, it’s just the final execution (admittedly always the hardest part of any horror novel) that suffered here. In a different story, and with some different feedback I think Medlock could deliver us the kind of LGBTQ+ gothic romance that most readers will be craving by the end of The Botanical Daughter.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
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