Bookshelf Roundup 07/18/20: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on July 18, 2020 11 Comments
Bookshelf Roundup is a feature I do every weekend which fills the role of several blog memes, like Stacking the Shelves where I talk about the new books I’ve added to my library or received for review, as well as It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? where I summarize what I’ve finished reading in the last week and what I’m planning to read soon. Mostly it also serves as a recap post, so sometimes I’ll throw in stuff like reading challenge progress reports, book lists, and other random bookish thoughts or announcements.
Hey everyone, I hope you’re all having a great summer and staying safe! Before I continue on to my usual roundup, I actually have a few updates. Tomorrow I’ll be off on a family trip and I have no idea if I’ll have reliable internet or time to get online, so for the next week I probably won’t be as regular in visiting your blogs or replying to comments. That said, I’ve left a bunch of posts scheduled in advance so the blog will still have content, but next Saturday might be roundup-less depending on when I get back. Either way, I look forward to catching up on everything upon my return!
Received for Review
My thanks to the publishers and authors for the following review copies received, and be sure to click the links to their Goodreads pages for more details and full descriptions!
I think a lot of publishers are resuming their regular mailings again, because activity in my mailbox has been picking up. With thanks to Saga Press, I received a finished copy of Savage Legion by Matt Wallace. I’ve read and enjoyed some of his Sin du Jour novellas, which makes me super excited for this! The publisher also sent along this beautiful hardcover of Live to Tell the Tale by Keith Ammann, who also authored The Monsters Know What They’re Doing, a compilation of villainous battle plans from his Dungeons & Dragons blog. This one can be seen as the players’ answer to that, providing them the tools they need to fight back!
Next, I’d also like to thank Orbit Books for sending me a finished copy of Ashes of the Sun by Django Wexler. I started this one a few days ago, and even though reading has kind of stalled, I’m actually enjoying it a lot. The epic fantasy genre being what it is though, the story is just really rich and dense, and unfortunately my concentration this week has been all over the place. I’ve been alternating in some quicker reads in the meantime, but will definitely be done with this one by the end of the month and will hopefully have a review up soon after.
My thanks also to Subterranean Press, from whom I received a box earlier in the week containing these lovely gems. Dying With Her Cheer Pants On by Seanan McGuire sounds like a total blast, a collection of stories about the physical challenges and dangers of cheerleading starring the supernatural members of the Fighting Pumpkins squad. Next is The Best of Michael Marshall Smith, a mammoth anthology containing the author’s classic tales as well as his previously uncollected fiction. And finally, Comes A Pale Rider by Caitlín R. Kiernan is the second collection of short stories featuring Dancy Flammarion, considered to be one of the author’s most enduring creations. Readers will follow the character across the country as she continues to battle monsters in her never-ending holy war against darkness and evil.
Some exciting new audiobooks in this digital haul this week. With thanks to Harper Audio, I received listening copies of Survivor Song by Paul Tremblay and The Bright Lands by John Fram. My TBR has certainly been seeing an influx of horror titles lately!
From Simon & Schuster Audio, I also received a review copy of Every Sky A Grave by Jay Posey. It’s been years since I read his book Three, and I’m so excited to dive into his newest project.
I was also thrilled to receive a listening copy of Incursion by Mitchell Hogan. Huge thanks to the author for offering me the opportunity! This book is also a contestant in this year’s SPFBO, so I’ve been seeing it around a lot and wanting to check it out!
Reviews
The Dead Girls Club by Damien Angelica Walters (4.5 of 5 stars)
Malorie by Josh Malerman (4 of 5 stars)
Unravel the Dusk by Elizabeth Lim (4 of 5 stars)
The Half-Sister by Sandie Jones (3.5 of 5 stars)
Roundup Highlights:
This Week’s Reads
Have you heard of or read any of the books featured this week? What caught your eye? Any new discoveries? I hope you found something interesting for a future read! Let me know what you plan on checking out. Until next time, see you next Roundup!
Friday Face-Off: Holding An Object
Posted on July 17, 2020 13 Comments
Welcome to The Friday Face-Off, a weekly meme created by Books by Proxy! Each Friday, we will pit cover against cover while also taking the opportunity to showcase gorgeous artwork and feature some of our favorite book covers. If you want to join the fun, simply choose a book each Friday that fits that week’s predetermined theme, post and compare two or more different covers available for that book, then name your favorite. A list of future weeks’ themes are available at Lynn’s Book Blog.
This week’s theme is:
HOLDING AN OBJECT
Mogsy’s Pick:
City of Lies by Sam Hawke
City of Lies might not have completely won over my heart, but I do have to give it credit for a most intriguing opening line: “I was seven years old the first time my uncle poisoned me,” begins our protagonist Jovan, whose family the Oromanis have long been entrusted to serve a sacred duty. Their job can be likened to that of Secret Service, keeping Chancellor Caslav and his nephew Tain safe from unseen threats, though recognizing signs of poison is their specialty. From a young age, both Jovan and his sister Kalina have been trained by their uncle, the spymaster Etan, to identify all kinds of harmful substances, which sometimes involved being poisoned themselves in order to learn and become inured to their effects. But one day, the unthinkable happens. Caslav falls to a powerful poison, one that is unknown even to Jovan and his extensive records of poisonous substances. Tain is called upon to take up his uncle’s mantle, despite the heir being young and untried. The Oromani siblings subsequently pledge to become his protectors, all three of them stepping dutifully into their new roles.
Only two covers to go head-to-head today, but both feature an object being held:
Tor Books (2018) vs. Bantam Press (2018)
Winner:
I’m going with the Bantam Press edition for this one. The Tor edition is nice too, but it’s also pretty generic, as “holding a weapon” covers are pretty ubiquitous in fantasy. In my opinion, the Bantam Press cover also has more to do with the story, what with the focus on poisons and all, plus the colors are just so rich and gorgeous I can’t help but be drawn to it.
But what do you think? Which one is your favorite?
Thriller Thursday Audio: The Half-Sister by Sandie Jones
Posted on July 16, 2020 12 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
The Half-Sister by Sandie Jones
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Thriller, Mystery
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Macmillan Audio (June 16, 2020)
Length: 10 hrs and 12 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Kristin Atherton
Sure, The Half-Sister might feel more like a family drama with some mystery and excitement rather than a true psychological thriller, but I still had a great time with it. In fact, Despite it being less pulse-pounding and breathtaking as the last Sandie Jones novel I read (The First Mistake), I might have actually enjoyed this one more, because nothing makes me turn the pages than juicy lies, gossip, and scandal.
The story alternates between the POVs of two sisters, Kate and Lauren. Older by a couple years, Lauren is more down-to-earth, introverted, and practical—even more so ever since getting married and having three kids. In contrast, Kate is bolder, more hot-headed and ambitious, which has served her well in her career as an investigative reporter always hunting for the next big story. However, Kate also has a secret pain: for years now, she and her husband Matt have been desperately trying to have a baby, but without success. She envies her sister and her big happy family. Despite her lucrative job and glamorous life, Kate would give it all up if it meant being able to hold her own child in her arms.
But what Kate doesn’t know, is that that her sister is actually deeply unhappy. Lauren is married to Simon, a total cad who has become more abusive and controlling as the years go by. She had to put her own career on hold in order to take care of their three children, and wishes her life was as carefree and glitzy as Kate’s. Needless to say, the sisters don’t really have the best relationship. In fact, they haven’t been close since they were children, and the gulf has only widened since their father Harry died a few months ago. Kate, who was especially close to him, took his death hard. Still, the two sisters decided to continue keeping the tradition of meeting at their mom’s house every Sunday for dinner. Except during their most recent get-together, their meal was interrupted by an unexpected visitor. A young woman, introducing herself as Jess, claims to be Harry’s daughter and Lauren and Kate’s half-sister. Plus, she insists she has the DNA evidence to prove it.
Ever loyal to their father, Kate refuses to believe he could have fathered a secret child outside of his marriage. She thinks Jess must be mistaken, or trying to pull some scam on them. But Lauren, who doesn’t remember Harry through rose-colored glasses like her sister does, actually thinks it could be possible. While she might not have been as close to their father, Lauren knew things about him no one else did—and what he was capable of.
Although I enjoyed this one, I can see it not working out for a lot of thriller fans. Truth be told, calling it a thriller might even be a stretch. The pacing wasn’t fast (though to be fair, it wasn’t slow either) and I think the overall mystery was a bit forced, considering the matter could have been put to rest with a simple solution. The characters’ actions also felt contrived, written to create conflict rather than to reflect their actual personalities.
Still, the book was fun to read. And fast, despite sections of repetitiveness watching Kate and Lauren go back and forth on what to do about Jess. It’s a mystery that sucked me in as well, I confess. Kate is an especially talented sleuth, putting her investigative journalism skills to good use digging up anything she can find on the woman claiming to be her half-sister. She’s definitely the stronger of our two POVs, both in terms of personality and her storyline. In contrast, most of the interest in Lauren’s POV felt manufactured, like her chance encounter with an old flame, or her surreptitious outings with Jess.
But one thing I will say for the story is that it ended well. While it may have been sudden, for what the resolution required, I think it wrapped up with just the right tone. Sorry for being vague, but that’s the nature of the genre.
In conclusion, The Half-Sister is not without its flaws, but it did its job. If what you’re looking for is true thriller, it might not be as satisfying, but as a gripping tale about one family coming to terms with its dark history of secrets and lies, it kept me entertained.
Waiting on Wednesday 07/15/20
Posted on July 15, 2020 12 Comments
Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme that first originated at Breaking the Spine but has since linked up with “Can’t Wait Wednesday” at Wishful Endings now that the original creator is unable to host it anymore. Either way, this fun feature is a chance to showcase the upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!
Mogsy’s Pick
Persephone Station by Stina Leicht (January 5, 2021 by Gallery/Saga Press)
All right, I’ll admit it, I’m a bit obsessed with anything to do with The Mandalorian, so when I saw the blurb for this I automatically took notice. And I mean, who doesn’t love a space Western? I’ve also been curious about Leicht’s work for a long time, so maybe I’ll finally be able to give her a try.
“Hugo award–nominated author Stina Leicht has created a take on space opera for fans of The Mandalorian and Cowboy Bebop in this high-stakes adventure.
Persephone Station, a seemingly backwater planet that has largely been ignored by the United Republic of Worlds becomes the focus for the Serrao-Orlov Corporation as the planet has a few secrets the corporation tenaciously wants to exploit.
Rosie–owner of Monk’s Bar, in the corporate town of West Brynner, caters to wannabe criminals and rich Earther tourists, of a sort, at the front bar. However, exactly two types of people drank at Monk’s back bar: members of a rather exclusive criminal class and those who sought to employ them.
Angel–ex-marine and head of a semi-organized band of beneficent criminals, wayward assassins, and washed up mercenaries with a penchant for doing the honorable thing is asked to perform a job for Rosie. What this job reveals will effect Persephone and put Angel and her squad up against an army. Despite the odds, they are rearing for a fight with the Serrao-Orlov Corporation. For Angel, she knows that once honor is lost, there is no regaining it. That doesn’t mean she can’t damned well try.”
Audiobook Review: The Dead Girl’s Club by Damien Angelica Walters
Posted on July 14, 2020 13 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
The Dead Girl’s Club by Damien Angelica Walters
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 4.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Tantor Audio (June 30, 2020)
Length: 10 hrs and 38 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
I know, I know, I should have read this book a long time ago, but it had fallen off my radar and only popped back on it recently when the audiobook was released. And I’m so glad! Thinking it was going to be your typical run-of-the-mill thriller suspense mystery, I picked up The Dead Girls Club for some reliable entertainment but discovered it to be about so much more.
Like so many other novels of its kind that I’ve read lately, the story is told via dual timelines. In the present, our protagonist Heather Cole has a successful career helping troubled teens and is happily married to the love of her life. But one day, she receives a mysterious package that suddenly brings all the chilling memories of her past rushing back. Inside the innocuous envelope is an item she knows well from her childhood: a cheap metal half-heart pendant friendship necklace which used to hang around the neck of her best friend Becca, and that was also where Heather saw it last—the day the other girl died, almost thirty years ago. Unnerved, Heather tries to convince herself that it must be some sick prank. Might it even be possible the perpetrator is Becca’s mother, who was convicted for murdering her daughter? The woman did recently get released from prison, after all. Surely, no one else but Heather knows what really happened that night?
In the second timeline, we find out exactly what happened to Heather and Becca that fateful summer when they were both twelve years old. Following them and two other friends, Gia and Rachel, who together made up the Dead Girls Club—so named because the four of them would get together every week in an abandoned old house to share stories about true crime and serial killers—we flash back to 1991, when everything between them was still easy and carefree. But the trouble begins when Becca shows up to a meeting one day wanting to tell a very different kind of story. Through her reading, Becca claims to have found a record of a woman known as the Red Lady, executed centuries ago by her village on suspicion of witchcraft. Fascinated, the other girls demand to know more, thinking it is just a story, but Becca seems to believe the Red Lady was real, and not only that, her spirit also still haunts the real world and speaks to those who want to make contact. As Becca sinks deeper into her obsession, a crack develops between her and Heather’s friendship, becoming wider by the day as the stories about the Red Lady become increasingly more disturbing, growing wildly out of hand.
What began as a suspenseful mystery with eerie undertones ultimately transformed into full-blown horror as things got underway. And yet, I think the book did a good job maintaining that hybrid balance, featuring plenty of thrills along with the creeping supernatural dread. It’s hard to decide which timeline I enjoyed more; they both brought their strengths to the plot, keeping momentum and interest high as we alternated between the two threads. In the present, Heather is stricken with fear and paranoia as the ominous arrival of the friendship necklace is followed by other surprises in the mail, along with signs that she may be being stalked. Gradually, readers also get to learn the reason for Heather’s anxiety, as her past unfolds the “Then” timeline—revealing that our protagonist isn’t exactly the innocent victim she appeared to be. The paranormal element is also stronger in this past timeline, making you question what’s real and what’s not. It doesn’t help that Becca likes to play mind tricks, getting into the other girls’ heads. In addition, Heather is not the most reliable of narrators, especially in the present, where it is unclear if she is experiencing fugue states and her memory is repeatedly questioned.
Unfortunately, this resulted in some holes in the story that didn’t make sense—not big ones, but they were enough to prevent the book from getting the full five stars. Ironically, I think the author may have tried too hard to definitively tie everything together with explanations when leaving some vagaries out there may have been more advantageous, allowing readers to use their imaginations and draw their own conclusions.
However, this doesn’t change my positive impression of Damien Angelica Walters. While I’ve had her books on my TBR for ages, this is the first time I’ve actually read her work. And I will say right now, it will most definitely not be the last. I just love her style and the way her prose hooks you from the very start. And on a personal note, I also discovered while reading this book that she is a local author, from the way she incorporated the areas of central and northeast Maryland in her setting. I had a chuckle at the way she described the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel, because it is just so darn true, and it also felt pretty neat to recognize a lot of the cities and towns mentioned, being able to say, “Hey, I know where she’s talking about” as the character traveled from place to place.
Overall, I’m excited to finally say I’ve read Damien Angelica Walters, considering how often her horror has been recommended to me and how long I’ve had her work on my reading list. The Dead Girls Club ended up being a screaming good time and an absolute spine-tingling joy to read!
Audiobook Comments: Fantastic performance by Devon Sorvari, who gave Heather a realistic down-to-earth voice while still keeping a high level of tension in the tone of her narration, keeping me on my toes at all times.
Book Review: Malorie by Josh Malerman
Posted on July 13, 2020 23 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Horror
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Del Rey (July 21, 2020)
Length: 240 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
I’ve read several of Josh Malerman’s books before (with mixed results), but never Bird Box, the predecessor to Malorie. However, following the recommendation of several bloggers who assured me I should be fine jumping into this sequel without having the first book under my belt, I decided to go for it (though I did watch the Netflix movie).
And yes, for all intents and purposes, Malorie can be read as a standalone. That said, there are some key points about the setting readers need to know first, but the book catches you up with all that rather quickly. Around seventeen years ago, the world was invaded by creatures that suddenly appeared, and the mere sight of one is enough to drive a person to suicidal and/or homicidal madness. Cue death, the apocalypse and all that jazz. The use of blindfolds was swiftly adopted in order to prevent a person from losing their mind, and although it was a strategy that worked, it meant having to bring the whole world to a standstill and plunging people’s lives into darkness.
In the first book, our titular character Malorie spent the early years of this chaos trying to find a safe haven for herself and her two children, before winding up at a place she thought they could finally call home. Obviously, that didn’t last. When this book opens, our protagonist and her now teenage children Tom and Olympia are on their own again. A terrible incident at their last place of refuge has broken all the trust she has in the human race. The only person she can rely on is herself, and to that end, she has forbidden Tom and Olympia to ever have contact with outsiders and has instructed them to never ever take their blindfolds off.
But teens will be teens, especially Tom, who has a rebellious streak. He has never known a world without creatures, doesn’t really understand Malorie’s fear, and resents the isolation and strict rules she has imposed. Then one day, a man claiming to be a census taker visits them at their lonely abode, leaving behind a report which turns Malorie’s world upside down. Weighing the significance of the news she has just received, she decides it is worth the risk to venture out once more with the children, blindfolded, and make the journey to discover if the information is true. And for Tom, their new mission is also a secret hope at an opportunity—a chance to break free of Malorie’s hold and see the world for himself.
By far, Malorie is the best book I’ve read by Malerman, probably because it is so straightforward. He has an incredible imagination and seems to like experimenting with different styles, so admittedly, a couple of his books have been too strange for my tastes. Yet this one I enjoyed it a lot because the story was quick and entertaining, plain and simple. Malorie, Tom, and Olympia go on a quest, and we find out in the end whether they get to fulfill what they’d hoped to achieve, and while following them, we get to see them learn a few lessons about themselves and each other.
One thing that struck me though, was the prescient nature of this book. Reading Malorie in the midst of this pandemic has made me see some of its themes in a whole different light. It’s hard not to draw parallels between the unfathomable creatures and an invisible, little-understood virus. Blindfolds can easily be seen as an analogy to masks. And like all polarizing issues, there are extreme views on each side. “Live by the fold” Malorie represents irrational fear, paranoia, and over-protectiveness, even if they do come from a place of good intentions. Tom has a more positive, realistic, and proactive outlook on the situation, but he is also reckless, inexperienced, and lacking knowledge in his youth. That said, I don’t think there’s intent of any strong message here, other than the fact the right way forward in dealing with a world full of creatures probably lies somewhere between the two characters’ views (and, of course, the inescapable truth that the parent-child bond is forever and always going to be frustrating and complicated).
Probably my one complaint would be the pacing. I loved how quickly the plot moved, but I wish more time had been spent on the ending. When the climax hit, I looked skeptically at how close I was to the end and thought to myself, “No way this is going to wrap up satisfactorily with so few pages left in the book.” And I was right. Don’t get me wrong, I thought what actually happened did a good job providing closure, but there’s no doubt those events could have been a lot more emotional, rewarding and meaningful had the ending not felt like it was tied up with a perfunctory bow, and then let’s kick it out the door and be done with it.
But overall, while Josh Malerman’s books have been mixed bag for me in the past, I enjoyed Malorie unequivocally. He’s definitely an author I will continue to read no matter what, because you just never know what unique and imaginative stories he will have to tell.
YA Weekend: Unravel the Dusk by Elizabeth Lim
Posted on July 12, 2020 17 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Unravel the Dusk by Elizabeth Lim
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Series: Book 2 of The Blood of Stars
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (July 7, 2020)
Length: 416 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
I know I can be pretty picky when it comes to YA, but last year Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim was one of the handful that impressed me, and as soon as the details for Unravel the Dusk was revealed, I knew I needed to get my hands on this sequel.
By the way, since this book is the second half of a duology, readers should be caught up first and be advised that this review may reveal possible spoilers for the previous novel. To recap, our protagonist Maia Tamarin is a girl from a family of tailors who had to take on the duties of caring for her family after her mother died, her father grew sick, and the war took away one of her brothers and left the other maimed. In order to win the prestigious role of royal tailor, Maia disguised herself as a boy and entered a competition at the palace, with the judged being the emperor’s bride-to-be, Lady Sarnai. However, the challenges of the contest were difficult, with some bordering on the impossible. Still, with a little help from her family magic as well as a court enchanter named Edan, Maia was able to succeed and win.
Now though, the true test of wills begins. Despite all her hard work to keep the empire from descending into total war, Maia returns from her perilous journey to find everything in chaos. The emperor’s marriage, which was supposed to bring the peace that was promised, is now in jeopardy, causing the kingdoms to again mobilize their troops. Edan, with whom Maia had grown close to and fallen in love is unfortunately far from her and unable to help. To stave off the violence for as long as possible, Maia devises a dangerous plan which would require her to don a disguise once more—this time, as the emperor’s own fiancée, Lady Sarnai. But believe it or not, pulling off this deception is the least of her worries. For within Maia, a malevolent force has been fighting for release ever since she was touched by a demon and tainted with its essence. With each passing day, she fears that she will finally lose the battle, destroying herself and putting her friends and loved ones at risk.
Unravel the Dusk continues to deliver the goods, offering magic, intrigue, and adventure. The scope of the plot has also exploded to become something much bigger—and not just in terms of intricacy and detail. Compared to the previous book, which mostly focused on Maia’s personal challenges and her own goals, everything she does in this one affects so much more than herself. It is not an exaggeration to say the entire empire now rests on her ability to impersonate Lady Sarnai, a harsh and caustic woman so very different from earnest and kind-hearted Maia. Readers will also want to root for our protagonist to conquer the demon that threatens to devour her from within, not only because good needs to overcome evil, but because there is just so much wrongness to see such a pure soul corrupted.
Speaking of which, this sequel brought a lot of changes to our characters—mostly good ones. I think some will be disappointed that we don’t get as of Edan in this book, especially given the tender and passionate way their romance developed in the first one. Personally though, I didn’t mind his absence too much. I felt it gave Maia a chance to work things out on her own, making me appreciate her independence and strength all the more. Besides, Edan does show up again later on, and believe me, you’ll end up getting your fill of swoon. We also see changes in the dynamics between Maia and other characters, including Ammi, a servant girl at the palace whom she befriended, as well as Lady Sarnai, who I was surprised to find I didn’t hate as much this time around.
As for criticisms, I don’t have any major ones, but the pacing for certain parts of the story felt a bit off. The intro, for example, felt like it flew by in a blur, leaving me with questions and confusion. Of course, while feeling rushed is still far better than the opposite, which is feeling bored because of slow pacing, there should be a balance. When comparing the first few chapters to the rest of the novel, the difference is clear. The sections after Maia and Ammi go on the run are given much more attention than everything that came before, and considering how the latter provides the setup, I think the beginning should have been more fleshed out.
But all told, I have to say The Blood of Stars duology is one of the most well-written and outstanding YA books I’ve read in years and I think Elizabeth Lim is well on her way to making a name for herself. I look forward to her future projects.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of Spin the Dawn (Book 1)
Bookshelf Roundup 07/11/20: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on July 11, 2020 29 Comments
Bookshelf Roundup is a feature I do every weekend which fills the role of several blog memes, like Stacking the Shelves where I talk about the new books I’ve added to my library or received for review, as well as It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? where I summarize what I’ve finished reading in the last week and what I’m planning to read soon. Mostly it also serves as a recap post, so sometimes I’ll throw in stuff like reading challenge progress reports, book lists, and other random bookish thoughts or announcements.
Received for Review
My thanks to the publishers and authors for the following review copies received, and be sure to click the links to their Goodreads pages for more details and full descriptions!
Earlier this week, a surprise arrived from Subterranean Press in the form of Princess Floralinda and the Forty-Flight Tower by Tamsyn Muir. The author also wrote Gideon the Ninth, and while that book and I got off to a rocky start, by the end I was having a lot more fun, and that’s reason enough to make me keep this ARC on my radar.
I also don’t recall if I had requested a copy of Eventide by Sarah Goodman, but when an ARC ended up landing on my doorstep, I was nonetheless thrilled beyond belief. I’ve been wanting to check this one out!
From the kind folks at Del Rey, I also received a finished copy of Malorie by Josh Malerman, sequel to the acclaimed Bird Box. I already finished this one, and despite not having read the first book, I really enjoyed it! Stay tuned for my review, which should be up in a couple of days.
And what’s this? Only one book in the digital haul this week? Well, I guess lately I’ve been painfully aware of my huge TBR of listening copies I still need to get through, so I’ve been extra diligent in resisting making new requests. With thanks to Listening Library, I snagged a review copy of The Damned by Renée Ahdieh, I can’t wait to listen to this one!
Reviews
Peace Talks by Jim Butcher (5 of 5 stars)
Public Enemy Zero by Andrew Mayne (3.5 of 5 stars)
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones (3 of 5 stars)
If You See Her by Ania Ahlborn (3 of 5 stars)
Roundup Highlights:
This Week’s Reads
Have you heard of or read any of the books featured this week? What caught your eye? Any new discoveries? I hope you found something interesting for a future read! Let me know what you plan on checking out. Until next time, see you next Roundup!
Friday Face-Off: Tunnel
Posted on July 10, 2020 28 Comments
Welcome to The Friday Face-Off, a weekly meme created by Books by Proxy! Each Friday, we will pit cover against cover while also taking the opportunity to showcase gorgeous artwork and feature some of our favorite book covers. If you want to join the fun, simply choose a book each Friday that fits that week’s predetermined theme, post and compare two or more different covers available for that book, then name your favorite. A list of future weeks’ themes are available at Lynn’s Book Blog.
This week’s theme is:
“At the end of every light, is a tunnel of darkness”
~ a cover featuring a TUNNEL
Mogsy’s Pick:
The Anomaly by Michael Rutger
The Anomaly follows protagonist Nolan Moore, an amateur archaeologist and the host of a web series about the strange, the paranormal, and the odd. If it’s something that can’t be explained, you can bet he’ll be there on the ground covering it. And thus explains how Nolan and his crew find themselves at the Grand Canyon, hoping to retrace the steps of a turn-of-the-century explorer who claims to have discovered the mouth of a deep cavern system hidden in the side of the rocky walls. Knowing the premise of the novel, I lucked out and was happy to find that a couple of its covers feature a long dark tunnel.
From left to right:
Grand Central Publishing HC (2018) – Grand Central Publishing PB (2019)
Zaffre (2018) – French Edition (2020)
Winner:
Several good options this week, but I love the concept of the Zaffre edition with the tunnel stretching into the distance, a point of light surrounded by dramatic shadows.
But what do you think? Which one is your favorite?
Thriller Thursday Audio: Public Enemy Zero by Andrew Mayne
Posted on July 9, 2020 17 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Public Enemy Zero by Andrew Mayne
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Thriller, Science Fiction
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Tantor Audio (June 9, 2020)
Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Kevin T. Collins
Imagine this: You wake up one day to the whole world suddenly wanting to kill you. Just the mere sight of you makes people fly into a uncontrollable frothing rage, coming at you with gnashing teeth and clawing hands ready to tear you limb from limb. This is what happens to Mitchell “Mad Mitch” Roberts, protagonist of Public Enemy Zero by Andrew Mayne. One evening, he was simply on his way to the radio station where he works as the late night show host, when he notices a young woman struggling with a flat tire on the side of the road. Nice guy that he is, Mitchell stops to offer help. Everything seems normal until he gets the woman’s attention, and she takes one look at him before launching into a snarling attack with murder in her eyes.
Terrified, Mitchell takes off, not knowing what he did to set the woman off, but chalks it up to just a random occurrence. But then it happens again. And again. At his ex-girlfriend’s house, where he barely gets a chance to say hello before being chased down the street by her and her new boyfriend. Then there was the traffic cop, who practically shreds herself to pieces in her mindless rage to get at Mitchell through the shards of his broken car window. Or at the mall, where he foolishly thought he would get reprieve with lots of people out and about. The ugly results of what happens next makes headline news, but even after studying the security footage for hours, cops are unable to explain how one man could have caused a mob to go after him like that with such mindless ferocity. Babies still strapped in their strollers were abandoned. Purses and wallets left behind. Injuries caused to themselves and others ignored by the horde as people fell and were trampled to death in their determination to get at Mitchell and rip him apart.
Meanwhile, our protagonist who barely managed to escape has gone into hiding. He knows something is seriously wrong with him, but he doesn’t have a clue what. He also can’t turn himself into the police or ask for help, not trusting the authorities not to have a similar violent reaction as everyone else the moment they get close to him. Besides, who will believe him?
Like many of Mayne’s other lead characters, Mitchell is a clever and resourceful guy who next proceeds to try and Macgyver himself out of this sticky situation (sometimes, he even feels a little too smart for a supposedly everyday Joe Schmo). And like many of the author’s books, this one was an action-packed, humorous, and over-the-top read. However, keep in mind that it’s one of his earlier works, and admittedly, that fact is pretty evident in the writing which feels more forced and awkward than his more recent stuff like The Naturalist series. I’ve become a huge fan in recent years though, and so when I found out an audiobook version of Public Enemy Zero was getting a new release, I decided to take this opportunity to explore his backlist, even knowing that it could get a little rough.
In the end, I’m glad I did, especially since the audio format worked well in this case, as Kevin T. Collins’ natural, easy narration was able to smooth out a lot of the writing’s rough edges. The book was also easier to enjoy, knowing you aren’t supposed to take it too seriously. The premise, as you can probably tell, has the feel of a fun “what-if scenario” experiment, no doubt inspired a little by zombie movies and conspiracy thrillers. From the story’s tone, I think Mayne had quite a blast writing it too, exercising his imagination and trying out some new ideas. The result is a wildly entertaining romp, as long as you don’t mind not getting much realism or answers. In fact, the one attempt at explanation using a side plot involving an Earth spirit and her fanatical follower ultimately fell flat, and honestly, the story would been better off without it at all.
So, would I recommend this book? That depends. For readers curious about checking out Andrew Mayne, I would definitely point to The Naturalist series or his new book The Girl Beneath the Sea to read first. For existing fans wondering if it’s worth picking up his earlier work though, Public Enemy Zero might be something you want to look at, keeping in mind the prose is a bit raw, with some hiccups like too much telling and not showing, clunky phrasing, clumsy transitions, awkward internal monologuing, etc. Mayne’s newer stuff doesn’t really have these problems because his writing has clearly improved and he’s found his rhythm and style, but for me it’s always fun to visit a favorite author’s older work—something I’m aware I don’t do enough. I still enjoyed this, and will likely continue to revisit Mayne’s early stories whenever I get a chance.
The BiblioSanctum 