Review: The Companions by Katie M. Flynn
Posted on April 19, 2020 21 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 Companions by Katie M. Flynn
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 2 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopia
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Gallery/Scout | Audiobook: Simon & Schuster Audio
Length: 272 pages | Audiobook: 7 hrs and 59 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrators: Michael Crouch, Ramon De Ocampo, Hillary Huber, Erin Moon, Rebekkah Ross, Candace Thaxton, Jesse Vilinsky, Emily Woo Zeller
The Companions by Katie M. Flynn gave me mixed feelings after I finished it. Even now, I find myself struggling to put my thoughts into words, but it’s probably clear from my rating this book wasn’t for me.
Set in the near future, in a dystopic quarantined California amidst a deadly virus, the story begins with an introduction to two seemingly average friends, Lilac and Dahlia, though pretty soon the full explanation behind their complicated relationship is revealed. Welcome to a world where death doesn’t always mean the end. New technology has made it possible to transfer the minds of the recently deceased into robot bodies, creating “companions” for survivors of the virus, now under lockdown and unable to venture outside their sealed towers. Some companions stay with their families, while others are sold or rented to the general public, for purposes ranging from caretaking to sexual slavery. The point is, they are considered property, denied the basic rights of human beings because they are believed to be bound to their programming. Lilac, for example, had been acquired by Dahlia’s mother to serve her daughter, yet the two girls sometimes end up sharing stories into the night.
But from recounting details from her life before her death and the outbreak, Lilac starts to remember more about what happened to her—like the fact she was murdered—as well as the people she used to know, such as her beloved childhood friend Nikki. Escaping the wrath of Dahlia’s mother, Lilac sets out to find answers hoping they will also lead to Nikki, thus kicking off a narrative that explores the past and future, spanning time and geography while featuring numerous other characters from a wide range of backgrounds.
Since we’re in the middle of a pandemic-driven shutdown of our own right now, I thought it would be fun to torture myself by picking up a book about a virus outbreak and quarantine, but instead this one proved painful to read for all kinds of other reasons. I guess I just don’t do well with fractured rambling stories, which pretty much describes The Companions trying to cram multiple books’ worth of content into a mere 272 pages. The result is a convoluted mess filled with characters who inspired no emotional connection, and they were lucky if I could even remember their names for this review. The fact that many of them made so little impact tells you more than needs to be said about their development. While the writing wasn’t bad, and even shines through with a lyrical gem every now and then, the problem was in the story’s style and structure and how awkwardly its different parts came together.
Granted, the concept behind the book was interesting, but speaking as someone who has been reading sci-fi and dystopian fiction for years, I found nothing new and innovative here that would make me drop everything and pick up The Companions over other books that address a lot of the same themes and topics. So many the world-building elements felt incidental or just tacked on, like the entire quarantine aspect. Again, this appears to stem from a failure to bring everything in the story together in a way that captured my imagination, and it’s a shame because there’s actually a lot of potential in the setting and premise.
My final thoughts? Even with its familiar and well-trodden themes, I think The Companions could have added a lot to the genre if it hadn’t tried to do too much or if we’d been given more time to explore the characters and their relationships through the decades covered in this book. Instead, the way things came across felt too convenient and disorienting, and that in turn reduced the story’s emotional impact. Overall, I confess I came away more confused than satisfied, but others may do better with it if they can keep up with the plot and characters. There are good ideas here, the writing is decent and I wanted to like this book, but sadly things just didn’t come together for me.
Bookshelf Roundup 04/18/20: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on April 18, 2020 33 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!
This week, a couple of new books from the awesome folks at Subterranean Press! I received The Kraken’s Tooth by Anthony Ryan, which is the follow up to A Pilgrimage of Swords (which I still need to read), as well as Dancers in the Dark & Layla Steps Up by Charlaine Harris, featuring two intertwined stories from the world of Sookie Stackhouse.
Also thanks to Tachyon Publications for an ARC of Driftwood by Marie Brennan! I had picked up an eARC of this one a few weeks back, but it was a nice surprise to get a hard copy in the mail!
In the digital pile, it’s a colorful assortment of books this week. From Simon & Schuster Audio, I picked up If It Bleeds by Stephen King, a collection of four previously unpublished novellas including the title story, which revisits Holly Gibney after The Outsider. And because it’s looking unlikely that a hard copy will be coming my way soon with the country still locked down, I also picked up The Cerulean Queen by Sarah Kozloff, the final book of the Nine Realms quartet, with thanks to Macmillan Audio. I’ve also been craving more thriller/mystery lately, so thanks to Penguin Random House Audio I grabbed a couple of new titles including In Her Shadow by Kristin Miller and The Closer You Get by Mary Torjussen.
I still hope to pick up the paperback when it releases because it’s such a gorgeous book, but at this time I finally hit the button over on Edelweiss for Dragon Unleashed by Grace Draven just to have it on hand in case I get a hankering for some fantasy-romance. I was also thrilled to be approved for Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse, which I just featured for Waiting on Wednesday this week! My thanks to Ace Books and Saga Press, respectively.
Reviews
Crush the King by Jennifer Estep (4 of 5 stars)
The Woman in the Mirror by Rebecca James (4 of 5 stars)
The Last Smile in Sunder City by Luke Arnold (3.5 of 5 stars)
A Broken Queen by Sarah Kozloff (3 of 5 stars)
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: Out of Focus
Posted on April 17, 2020 23 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:
“Double vision or all a blur”
~ a cover that is OUT OF FOCUS
Mogsy’s Pick:
The Haunted by Danielle Vega
Well, I certainly didn’t think this one was as scary as some others, but it was decent enough from an entertainment standpoint I suppose. At least there are a couple of interesting covers!
From left to right:
Razorbill Hardcover (2019) – Razorbill Paperback (2020) – Russian Edition (2019)
Winner:
First of all, what were they thinking with the paperback edition? How does one go from a cool cover like the 2019 HC edition to something that looks so…well, low effort? Apologies if you like it, but I personally find it too plain. And much too green. With that said, my favorite this week is hands down the Razorbill hardcover. I’m not sure how many versions of it are out, but my finished copy that the publisher sent me also had this fun lenticular effect on its cover/sleeve which I thought was extra cool!
But what do you think? Which one is your favorite?
Book Review: The Woman in the Mirror by Rebecca James
Posted on April 16, 2020 24 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 Woman in the Mirror by Rebecca James
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Mystery, Suspense
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Minotaur Books (March 17, 2020)
Length: 368 pages
Author Information: Website
The Woman in the Mirror by Rebecca James genuinely surprised me. Normally I am skeptical whenever I see books described as “modern Gothic” because often I find the term never means what you think it means, but whether it was because I had no expectations or something else, I really enjoyed this one.
Told through alternating past and present timelines, this haunting novel takes us to the Cornwall coast, where an old ruined estate called Winterbourne Hall sits overlooking the sea. Rumored to be cursed because of its unusual provenance in the early 19th century and the strange stories which have surrounded the mansion since its construction, it was home to Captain Jonathan de Grey in 1947, who hired a young governess named Alice Miller to look after his son and daughter following the death of their mother. Upon arrival, Alice immediately falls under the house’s quiet and alluring spell, becoming infatuated with her handsome new employer. She also becomes charmed by his twin children Edmund and Constance, despite their troubled and sometimes mean-spirited natures.
Skip forward to the present day, New York City art gallery curator Rachel Wright has always felt adrift, longing for a family history she’ll never know, having been adopted. After discovering that her birth mother had died years ago, Rachel had long since given up hope of finding out where she came from, until out of the blue one day, she receives a letter of inheritance from across the ocean from an unknown English aunt, leaving her Winterbourne Hall. Seizing at this opportunity to learn more about her heritage, Rachel travels to Cornwall to see the house that now belongs to her, hoping to reveal the secrets of the past and how she is connected to the de Grey family who used to live there.
But within Winterbourne, Rachel uncovers a lot more than her family history. Tragedy and madness once lurked here, the decades of rage and grief trapped in the mansion’s dark halls. At times, Rachel feels like there’s a presence in the house with her, even when she knows she’s alone.
I had no idea what I was walking into when I picked up The Woman in the Mirror, but it certainly wasn’t this fascinating mix of mystery and suspense, with even a touch of horror thrown in. Initially, I found myself preparing to settle in with what I thought was a post-war historical drama, following naïve and starry-eyed Alice Miller as she takes on her new position as the de Grey governess. Having experienced her own losses during the war, she is looking forward to starting her life over in this idyllic setting, and soon even begins to regard Jonathan, Edmund, and Constance as her new family. Before long though, there’s a noticeable shift in the tone of the novel as Alice’s thoughts gradually turn from optimistic hope to disturbing obsession. That, and the spooky environment of the house starts playing tricks on her mind, making her hear and see things that might not be there. Oh, and we certainly can’t forget about the twins. Those creepy, creepy twins. Seriously, why do children in these Gothic novels always have to be so freaky?
Then, interspersed with these 1947 chapters are the ones following Rachel Wright in the present. Again, things in her storyline start off rather innocuously, painting a picture of a successful but unsatisfied woman. Winterbourne was supposed to be her chance to find some answers and finally move on, yet instead she finds herself drawn deeper into the estate’s secrets, unable to leave even when urged by her boyfriend to sell the land and return to New York. As more is revealed about Winterbourne’s complicated past, Rachel is determined to see this mystery through to the end, even though she risks the house’s malicious essence seeping deeper into her bones. I was pleasantly surprised to find a speculative element, however light it might be, threaded through the storyline, just a hint of ghostly paranormal horror to spice things up. The final parts of the book were also worthy of a pulse-pounding thriller, complete with a twist and too conveniently explained ending, but at least it was satisfying.
Overall, I was impressed with Rebecca James’ ability to create this dark, suspenseful and eerie mood, the way it creeps up on you when you least expect it. The sense of mystery was well-maintained, driving my interest in the dual storylines unfolding. The Woman in the Mirror was a good read, living up to its Gothic atmosphere, and I will be interested to see what the author writes next.
Waiting on Wednesday 04/15/20
Posted on April 15, 2020 28 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
Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse (October 13, 2020 by Saga Press)
I thought the next Rebecca Roanhorse book I’d be looking forward to would be the third one in her Sixth World series, but then comes this new book in a new trilogy called Between Earth and Sky, inspired by “the civilizations of the Pre-Columbian Americas and woven into a tale of celestial prophecies, political intrigue, and forbidden magic.” Well, when you put it that way. that sounds really good too. I’ll take it!
“A god will return
When the earth and sky converge
Under the black sun
In the holy city of Tova, the winter solstice is usually a time for celebration and renewal, but this year it coincides with a solar eclipse, a rare celestial event proscribed by the Sun Priest as an unbalancing of the world.
Meanwhile, a ship launches from a distant city bound for Tova and set to arrive on the solstice. The captain of the ship, Xiala, is a disgraced Teek whose song can calm the waters around her as easily as it can warp a man’s mind. Her ship carries one passenger. Described as harmless, the passenger, Serapio, is a young man, blind, scarred, and cloaked in destiny. As Xiala well knows, when a man is described as harmless, he usually ends up being a villain.
Crafted with unforgettable characters, Rebecca Roanhorse has created an epic adventure exploring the decadence of power amidst the weight of history and the struggle of individuals swimming against the confines of society and their broken pasts in the most original series debut of the decade.”
Book Review: Crush the King by Jennifer Estep
Posted on April 14, 2020 20 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Crush the King by Jennifer Estep
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 3 of Crown of Shards
Publisher: Harper Voyager (March 17, 2020)
Length: 416 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
This fun fantasy trilogy has come to an end, and like the previous two novels, this one was a blast. Once more we return to the kingdom of Bellona where Queen Evie continues to fend off threats to her crown. After all the attempted coups and assassination attempts, she has learned a great deal and now must go on the offense instead of waiting for the next attack. She also needs allies, and there is no better opportunity than the upcoming Regalia Games to kill two birds with one stone.
During these games is when dignitaries from all over the world come together to watch their greatest warriors compete in the various events to show off their sporting and fighting skills. Evie makes a note to keep a careful eye on the king of Morta, who has already tried to kill her many times. However, she is also hoping to make some friends and cut a few deals, and to do that she will need to impress the right people. As with all plans though, things don’t go exactly as she wants them to, forcing her to think and act fast on the fly. Although she has her magic to help her, there is still a lot to learn in order to reach her full potential.
Crown of Shards is one of those series you can kick back and relax with, knowing all the books will deliver straightforward entertainment and a good time. Granted, the action has died down ever since our protagonist became queen and her gladiator roots have faded a little into the background, but now we have some extra intrigue to make up for it. Evie doesn’t stop for a second in this book, whether she is scheming behind the scenes or practicing for the dance-off of a lifetime. They say keep your friends close and your enemies closer, but what to do when your archnemesis and her evil conniving brother are literally in the next camp over plotting your demise? There’s a lot of manipulation to be sure, of Evie trying to stay one step ahead of Maeve and Maximus, as well as some surprising gamechangers.
That said, if I had to nitpick and find one point of criticism, it is that there is barely any suspense or feeling that Evie is ever in any real danger. There’s always her magic to save her, or her incredible foresight has somehow yet again prevented her from certain death. Still, this was what I as alluding to when I said you can truly let your guard down with this book and let it take you on a carefree trope-laden journey where you know everything will turn out just fine—and I do mean that in the best way possible. I don’t deny we’re treading a lot of familiar ground here, but if you’ve been following this series since the beginning, you already know about its penchant for clichés and well-worn plot points. And like me, if you’re still here, you don’t mind.
Besides, just because something’s tropey doesn’t mean it can’t be satisfying. Case in point, I loved how the book ended. Sure, it wasn’t the most unexpected of endings, but it was the right one for this trilogy, and for Evie’s character. I also liked that we had just the slightest touch of romance. A main concern for me after finishing the first book was that the rest of the series would be focusing too much on the love story between Evie and Sullivan, but this was definitely not how things turned out. In fact, of the three books, Crush the King was probably the lightest on romance, which was a good move as it allowed the political intrigue in the story to really shine through. In addition, there was nothing to overshadow all of Evie’s successes which she achieved by herself by employing her own intellect and courage.
So once again I had a great time with a Crown of Shards novel, and I think this would be a great choice for anyone looking for a lighter fantasy series as a counterpoint to some of the darker, more overly-complicated stuff out there. Reaching the end of this trilogy also made me glad that I picked up Kill the Queen to begin with, as it was my very first book by Jennifer Estep. For her first try at an epic fantasy, I thought it was very impressive, and clearly she found an easy, sassy style that worked for herself and for readers. I look forward to her next project, and if we’re lucky, hopefully she’ll continue to explore the genre.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of Kill the Queen (Book 1)
Review of Protect the Prince (Book 2)
Book Review: A Broken Queen by Sarah Kozloff
Posted on April 13, 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.
A Broken Queen by Sarah Kozloff
Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 3 of The Nine Realms
Publisher: Tor Books (March 24, 2020)
Length: 419 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
To start, I have to say I’m a little disappointed with this installment, considering how strong the first two were. This one was still good but not my favorite, given the shift away from our main character to focus on some others. Pacing also took a hit as the author was clearly pulling things back, rearranging the stage in preparation for the next book, the conclusion.
The Broken Queen by Sarah Kozloff picks up not long after the end of the previous book, The Queen of Raiders. After the epic battle, Cérulia is left beaten, burned and, well…broken. Luckily for her, she is rescued by a group of travelers, who take her to be healed and nursed back to health. Unfortunately though, the damage has been done, and Cérulia’s trauma is more than just the physical, as this setback has also demoralized her and made her doubt her purpose.
Still, while her quest for revenge may have almost gotten her killed, it did provide her with a new sense of clarity. Cérulia realizes now that her fate lies back home in Weirandale, where she is meant to retake her mother’s stolen throne. But first, she’ll need to retain her strength and muster up her resources and allies. Her connection to her talent, the power to speak with animals, has also been affected when she was grievously injured, so she must learn to feel comfortable using her abilities again.
If only this novel’s focus had been more on Cérulia and her journey to physical and mental recovery, I think I would have felt a deeper connection to the story. Instead, Kozloff misses this opportunity further explore our protagonist’s internal conflicts, choosing to follow different characters for most of the book, so that Cérulia’s tale is almost relegated to the backburner. It is also starting to grate on me that she takes on so many aliases, especially now that these bird nicknames are getting a little contrived and cheesy—she calls herself “Phénix” in this volume, for example, and that’s just a little too put on for me.
Fortunately, Cérulia takes back control her own story in the second half and towards the end. But before this can happen, we must cycle through a bunch of POVs, many of which failed to interest me much, to be completely honest. I realize that Kozloff wanted to show readers what else is happening around the realm, but it was done at the cost of “parking” Cérulia and not giving her the extra page time she deserved during this crucial stage of her development, and I don’t know if I can get past that. None of the other characters, from Thalen and the resistance to Matwyck really called to me in this book, and while the political situation in Weirandale was important to know, reading about it was also a drag so that admittedly killed some of my enthusiasm.
Still, a lot of great things also came out of this installment, not least of them the expansion to the world-building or the attention given to the spirits, who are becoming a more influential force on the lives of our characters. Apparently, the lives of gods are as complicated and full of drama as the mortals. We’re also edging our way ever closer to the end of the series, with all the pieces being maneuvered into their proper places on the gameboard. Cérulia is becoming stronger, and by the end of the novel, she is exactly where she needs to be, poised to strike.
The good news is, all these are signs we’re building up to an unforgettable conclusion, and I am still excited to read the fourth and final book, despite being slightly disappointed with The Broken Queen. I’m sure lot of my dissatisfaction had to do with the reasons discussed here, though I also think some of it was due to the diminished status of Cérulia herself. After all, it’s tough watching a character you love brought low, but at the same time, there is always the promise of them coming back stronger and more interesting than before. This is where I think we are now, and if I’m right, The Cerulean Queen will be a stunning finale.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of A Queen in Hiding (Book 1)
Review of The Queen of Raiders (Book 2)
Book Review: The Last Smile in Sunder City by Luke Arnold
Posted on April 12, 2020 18 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 Last Smile in Sunder City by Luke Arnold
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of The Fetch Philips Archives
Publisher: Orbit (February 6, 2020)
Length: 318 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
This is going to be a short review because The Last Smile in Sunder City was a relatively short book—straightforward and uncomplicated, and that’s no bad thing. The story may be a bit on the sparse side for how fascinating its setting is, but author Luke Arnold makes up for this with the kind of care and intricate attention to world-building detail that we speculative fiction fans live for.
And really, what more do you need than a moody mystery that’s like a mix of urban fantasy meets detective noir? Welcome to Sunder City, a dreary home to a desperate populace doing whatever they can to get by now that all magic in the world is dead and gone. Six years ago, the human army, hungry for power, had sought to harness magic for themselves but instead destroyed it at its source, causing an apocalyptic event known as the Coda. From that moment on, everything that was fueled by magic failed or began its decline, and now a former human soldier turned PI-for-hire is trying o do all he can to atone for what he felt was his part in the disaster.
Meet protagonist Fetch Philips. When he’s not drowning his guilt and sorrows in cheap booze, he’s offering his services exclusively to non-humans as a way towards his own redemption. When the story begins, he has just been hired by his latest client, the principal of a cross-species school called Ridgerock Academy who wants Fetch to find their missing professor. It is a peculiar case in many ways, and not least because the victim is an elderly vampire—literally a dying breed since the Coda. And when further digging leads to more missing people and several close calls for Fetch, it’s clear something a lot more dangerous and complicated is going on.
That said, for a mystery novel, the detective story behind The Last Smile in Sunder City actually has very few mysterious elements, and in fact, one might reasonably say that it isn’t even the main plot at all. The true focus of the book is arguably the origins of Fetch Philips and the larger body of lore behind the setting, which explains the background and nature magic as well as how it all died in the Coda. Threaded through the present timeline are multiple flashbacks that also go on in rich detail about Fetch’s life, starting from his youth. While those who came into this hoping for more mystery and action might end up being disappointed in the constant shifts away from the investigative plotline, I believe fans of character-oriented stories will be very pleased with the depth and level of development Arnold has achieved here with his protagonist.
Then there is the truly awe-inspiring world-building. Clearly, a lot of thought has been put into this aspect of the novel, as everything from the history of Sunder City to the culture and lives of its people are inextricably intertwined and must be viewed as a whole. You can always tell when world-building is weak or lacking, since nothing feels connected and lots of explanations fall apart or don’t make sense when placed under even slight scrutiny. This is certainly not the case here, where the world feels like a real world should—a living, breathing system. Arnold has proven himself a double threat as an actor and an author, since his prose is evocative and solid (with even some delightful quirks added for flair), but his main strength in my eyes is his imagination and ability to convey his ideas and characters’ emotions in his writing.
Sure, I wouldn’t have minded something more on the story front, but even with a light and familiar premise at its heart, The Last Smile in Sunder City was a surprisingly good read. While its plot is nothing fancy, what the book does well, it does extremely well—namely, the world-building is clever and superb, not to mention the character development is to die for. I am very excited to see what Luke Arnold will bring in the next book in The Fetch Philips Archives!
Bookshelf Roundup 04/11/20: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on April 11, 2020 27 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!
With most publishers halting their physical book mailings at the moment, I was really surprised to find Chaos Reigning by Jessie Mihalik landing on my doorstep earlier this week, courtesy of Harper Voyager. This is the third standalone installment in the Consortium Rebellion series, featuring Catarina, the youngest sister of House von Hasenberg. With thanks to Ace Books, I also received this gorgeous finished copy of The Girl and the Stars by Mark Lawrence! And thank you also to Titan Books for this surprise arrival of Gears of War: Bloodlines by Jason M. Hough. It is the follow-up to Gears of War: Ascendance, the prequel to the Gears 5 video game which I read last year.
In the digital pile, I downloaded a couple of e-galleys from Edelweiss, including The Cabin on Souder Hill by Lonnie Busch, a mystery with paranormal elements which I first heard about from Tammy at Books, Bones & Buffy. Next, I grabbed The End of Her by Shari Lapena because I’ve enjoyed the author’s books so much in the past, at this point I would read anything new she writes. My thanks to Blackstone Publishing and Pamela Dorman Books, respectively.
This week I also received a bunch of new listening copies from audiobook publishers, first with thanks to Macmillan Audio for The House on the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune. From Harper Audio I also received Something She’s Not Telling Us by Darcey Bell, an intriguing psychological thriller. From Random House Audio, I received a sci-fi humor title called Bubblegum by Adam Levin. And finally, from Hachette Audio, I received Sword in the Stars by Amy Rose Capetta & Cori McCarthy, the sequel to Once & Future, a YA space opera retelling of the King Arthur legend.
Reviews
Night of the Dragon by Julie Kagawa (5 of 5 stars)
Otaku by Chris Kluwe (2 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: Moody
Posted on April 10, 2020 19 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:
“~ a cover that is MOODY/ATMOSPHERIC
Mogsy’s Pick:
The Winters by Lisa Gabriele
For today’s theme, “Moody”, I immediately hit up my mystery shelf. Not surprisingly, I found plenty of nice covers for The Winters, which I really enjoyed. Described as a retelling of Daphne du Maurier’s classic, Rebecca, the novel is a like a modernized version of its 1938 inspiration, though it also does a lot of things differently in order to stand out on its own. What it doesn’t skimp on, however, is the atmosphere and suspense. And the covers, as we’ll soon see, reflect that.
From left to right:
Viking (2018) – Penguin Publishing Group (2020) – Penguin Random House Australia (2018)
Vintage (2019) – Portuguese Edition (2019) – Thorndike Press Large Print (2018)
Winner:
This week, my favorite is…*drumroll*…the Vintage edition! I know, I know, it’s just a staircase, and yet I find there’s just something so unforgiving and dour about the layout and the lighting that it manages to make this cover exude both atmosphere and elegance.
But what do you think? Which one is your favorite?
The BiblioSanctum 