Friday Face-Off: Armor
Posted on April 24, 2020 31 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:
“Pretty armour doesn’t make a warrior”
~ a cover that features ARMOR
Mogsy’s Pick:
Blood Song by Anthony Ryan
The story of Blood Song is about a young boy who trains and grows up to become a leader and one of the greatest warriors in the kingdom. It’s a tried-and-true formula in epic fantasy which by all rights I should have been sick to death of, but Anthony Ryan managed to pull it off without making me feel like I’m getting the same old, same old. But how do the book’s covers fare? Let’s take a look:
From left to right:
Ace (2012) – Orbit (2013) – Turkish Edition (2014)
Dutch Edition (2013) – Bulgarian Edition (2015) – French Edition (2014)
Portuguese Edition (2016) – Romanian Edition (2015) – Czech Edition (2015)
Russian Edition (2014) – German Edition (2014) – Serbian Edition (2019)
Winner:
Armor on book covers in the epic fantasy genre are nothing new, but I’ll let you in on a little secret: I can’t stand them! They just scream “generic” to me, and as you can see from the collection of covers here, many of which just feature a close-up for a chest plate and/or gauntlets, they do tend to blend together and one looks like the next. So it’s a tough choice this week, but I think I’ll have to go with the Portuguese edition. It’s unfortunate that the text is so frightful and takes up so much of the cover, but the image itself is quite gorgeous.
But what do you think? Which one is your favorite?
Book Review: The Book of Koli by M.R. Carey
Posted on April 23, 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 Book of Koli by M.R. Carey
Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Book 1 of The Rampart Trilogy
Publisher: Orbit (April 14, 2020)
Length: 416 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Oh, hype raises its ugly head once again. As you know, I’m big a fan of M.R. Carey and I was very excited to read The Book of Koli, the first volume of his new dystopian series called The Rampart Trilogy. From its description though, I already knew it was going to be quite different from his previous work that I’ve enjoyed. And that’s the kicker, isn’t it? Different can mean good or bad things; you never know what you might get.
The Book of Koli transports readers into the far-flung future, where our young protagonist Koli Woodsmith lives in a village called Mythen Rood. It is a bleak setting, filled with hardship and hidden dangers, most of them caused by the hostile fauna and flora. The plant life here has evolved to consume flesh, for example, and for Koli and his family, who are sawmill workers, this means they must be extra careful to only harvest and build with wood that is completely dead.
As the story opens, Koli has just turned fifteen, the age when all children must partake in a rite of passage that tests for their ability to awaken the treasured pieces of technology kept by the people of Mythen Rood. If they pass, they become leaders called Ramparts that are granted the responsibility to use tech to protect their village. It’s an honor Koli desperately wants, not only because he hopes for more out of life, but also because there’s a girl he’s seriously crushing on, and being a Rampart would definitely help him catch her attention.
But of course, nothing ends up going the way Koli wanted. After failing his test, our distraught protagonist sets off on his own, but not before swiping a mysterious piece of tech that turns out to be so much more than he realized, opening his eyes to a whole new world of knowledge.
So first, let’s talk about my mixed feelings for this book. It wasn’t bad by any means, and yet I was still disappointed, not having enjoyed it as much I’d hoped. The Book of Koli was my fifth novel by Carey, and it’s my least favorite by far, for a couple of reasons. I mentioned how it feels different from the author’s books, and certainly the strange dystopian setting along with the jarring narrative voice had a role to play in this. However, these are just surface level examples of “different,” most of which I did not mind at all. No, in truth, what let me down had more to do with the banality of the story’s overall structure and its uneven pacing, neither of which were issues I expected to encounter from the creative mind who brought us such brilliantly imaginative and suspenseful works such as The Girl With All The Gifts.
The characters, for example. I liked them…for the most part. Ironically, Koli was probably one of the least interesting, despite being the star of the show. His story arc begins like any number of YA dystopians do—an idealistic teenager with ambitions bigger than himself or his village, who must pass a ritualistic test in order to realize all of his life’s dreams. But of course, after the inevitable failure comes, instead of succumbing to defeat, our hero stumbles upon an earth-shattering secret, one that will have major consequences for the future of the world unless he undertakes this all-important journey. Sorry, but YAWN. Is it any wonder the book got leaps and bound better once other characters like Ursala and Monono were introduced? I’ll let you discover why for yourself, but I was just glad we had more compelling personalities along for this ride, because Koli and I were really not making a connection.
I also liked the world-building. In fact, that might be the one aspect with which I could find little fault, because I love the idea of killer trees and hostile wildlife. Yes, I know it’s become a popular trope in recent years, but I’ve always been a sucker for clever ways of incorporating biological concepts into SFF, which isn’t new for the author. The magic and the tech element was also very cool, and it’s a shame I can’t go into the reasons why because that would spoil too much. I do wish we’d gotten the opportunity to learn more though, because there were only a few places that touched upon the history and lore of the world. I feel like it could have added a special quality of a bit of uniqueness to an otherwise run-of-the-mill bleak dystopian setting.
Was I expecting too much? Probably. I was surprised to find the plot so formulaic, the themes and ideas so recycled and clichéd, but I do have to wonder: would I have been so critical if this had been by another author, someone whose work I was not as familiar with or whose previous books I didn’t hold in such high esteem? Regardless, I’ve decided to give this series another chance to win me over; I’ll most likely pick up the second book and continue Koli’s adventure. After all, there are clear signs that many of the issues I had with this one may improve, such as pacing and character development. But one thing I know for sure, I’ll definitely keep my hype in check next time.
Waiting on Wednesday 04/22/20
Posted on April 22, 2020 18 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
Memoria by Kristyn Merbeth (December 8, 2020 by Orbit Books)
I do so enjoy Kristyn/K.S. Merbeth’s books! From her post-apocalyptic Wastelanders duology to her first sci-fi novel Fortuna, they’re great to kick back with for some fun and action. That’s why I’m looking forward to this second book in the Nova Vita Protocol series and hope that it will have the same excitement and energy as the first.
“Two planets are on the brink of war in Memoria, the thrilling second book in an action-packed space opera trilogy, The Nova Vita Protocol.Book Review: Shorefall by Robert Jackson Bennett
Posted on April 21, 2020 37 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Shorefall by Robert Jackson Bennett
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 2 of Founders
Publisher: Del Rey (April 21, 2020)
Length: 512 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Looking back at my review for Foundryside, it seemed I loved the book, so I was actually surprised at how little I retained from the story. Luckily, its sequel Shorefall does a hell of a job catching readers up, and soon I was feeling comfortably back in the magical world of the series. That said, the initial disorientation may have impacted my overall experience, not to mention the “wearing off of novelty” effect that commonly affects sequels, because I didn’t think this novel was as strong as its predecessor, though it was still a very good, solid read.
Once more, readers are transported back to the city of Tevanne, where magic and industry co-exist and work hand in hand. A few years have passed since the end of the first book when we last left our protagonist Sancia, who has given up her thieving ways to help her employer Orso Igancio make the world a better place. Their scriving firm Foundryside is growing in reputation and influence by the day, making great contributions to the knowledge of magic while helping the city by teaching people how to utilize it.
And yet, it is not enough. Tevanne may be large and prosperous, but its successes are only enjoyed by a few at the top, and not surprisingly, the leaders of the ruling merchant houses are not too keen on sharing. To prevent themselves from going under, the Foundrysiders hatch up a plan to stay in the game, and make previous inaccessible magical technology available to the public besides. So, okay, maybe Sancia’s thieving days aren’t quite over, exactly.
But no sooner do they start celebrating their triumph than a new threat appears on the horizon, and this is one enemy that not even the merchant houses can avoid, despite all their riches and power. A legendary hierophant named Crasedes Magnus has resurrected, scrived to the wazoo, and he is bent on shaping the city and its population into his vision. Only Sancia may have the guts and the skills to take him on, but unfortunately, Crasedes already has his eye on our protagonist and her little group, believing that they have what he needs.
I was so excited when Shorefall opened with the adventurous energy and tone of a bold caper. Pretty soon, though, the story begins shifting into darker and more suspenseful territory, edging slightly into horror. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t perceive this as a negative, but it did cause my expectations to change slightly. Speaking of which, one thing I did miss was the humor. I may have forgotten quite a few things from Foundryside, but what had always stayed with me were the laughs, most of them resulting from the banter between Sancia and the sentient golden key Clef. Shorefall, on the other hand, was decidedly lighter on these moments of levity, which made sense, seeing as how Clef did not feature as prominently in this sequel (though he still had a very significant role).
In addition to a more somber and direr tone, you should also expect the writing to place more emphasis on the characters’ relationships rather than their exploits. While we still have action and intrigue aplenty, where Shorefall shines is the story’s in-depth exploration of Sancia’s friendships, with particular attention to her loyalty. Her Foundryside crew is her family, and we get to see this in her respect for Orso and Gregor, and of course her love for Berenice. Without giving too much away, I’ll just say that there are several developments in this book that cause each of them to reflect upon their trust for one another and bring them all closer together.
The world-building also remains ever impressive, but then, who’s surprised? Robert Jackson Bennett has always excelled in this area, and I find myself constantly recommending his books to fantasy fans who are looking for unique and interesting magic systems. In a nutshell, the concept of scriving involves using magical commands etched in the ancient language of the Hierophants to “convince” everyday objects to behave in a certain way. Following the same concept, talented scrivers like Sancia can also tap into these scrived objects and use magic to persuade them to be something they’re not. The idea is brilliant in its elegance and simplicity, but still, by expanding the magic system in this sequel, I think Bennett was forced to make it more complex. As a result, some of his explanations struck me as forced or too convoluted, and there were moments where I felt things got away from him. For example, certain solutions to magical problems were glossed over, and several times I felt like we were expected to just roll with whatever arbitrary explanations were given to describe how some new aspect of the magic worked.
But in the end, my criticisms were few, while reasons to love Shorefall were many. It’s a fantastic follow-up to Foundryside no matter how you look at it, with so much to add to the series’ story arc, characters, and world-building. If you enjoyed the first volume, you’ll likely find lots to love in this sequel as well, and after this be even more excited for the trilogy conclusion in the next book.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of Foundryside (Book 1)
Audiobook Review: The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
Posted on April 20, 2020 45 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 Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Horror
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing (April 7, 2020)
Length: 13 hrs and 49 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Bahni Turpin
Grady Hendrix’s books are always such a joy to read, combining humor and horror with just the right amount of weirdness and even a touch of the disturbing. Once more, The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires is no exception, and it might even be my favorite book by the author so far.
Our story opens on a closely-knit neighborhood in South Carolina sometime in the late 1980s. Patricia Campbell is our protagonist, a stressed out and overworked mom and homemaker who should have known better than to join a book club. Between the household chores, afterschool activities, doctor’s appointments, teacher conferences, vet visits, shopping trips, and millions of other little errands on her to-do list, she barely has time to read beyond the first page of this month’s pick, Cry, The Beloved Country. Normally, this wouldn’t be such a big deal…except she’s supposed to be leading the discussion at the club’s next meetup! After attempting to and failing to wing it, however, Patricia realizes that it’s not her lack of time that’s the problem, it’s the classic books they are forced to read. She’d so much rather be burying her nose in true crime or horror, so together with her fellow friends and stay-at-home moms, they started their own book club, reading only what they want to read while letting their husbands think they are a Bible study group.
Other than that though, life in the neighborhood is predictable as usual. That is, until a newcomer moves in across the street. James Harris claims to have arrived in town to take care of an elderly relative, but after they passed away, he decided to stay and put down roots. No one knows where he came from, but he has a lot of money and is well-connected. He quickly insinuates himself into the old boys’ club made up of the neighborhood men, charming his way into their businesses and lives. Despite this, Patricia senses something not quite right about James, and suspects he has something to do with some local children that have gone missing. Unfortunately, no one will believe her, not even her closest friends. Deep in her heart, Patricia knows she’s right, but how will she get others to listen?
The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires is my fourth book by Grady Hendrix, and like I said, it is probably my favorite of his so far, for several reasons. First of all, I felt an immediate connection to the main character, a mom whose workload and responsibilities never seems to end! Motherhood is an unending list of chores to do, errands to run, not to mention kids to feed, clothe, house, and shuttle back and forth to wherever they need to be. They’re not always the most thankful either, so I can relate. Plus, like Patricia, I love a good book and the satisfaction of letting one transport me to another world. Still, there were many aspects about our protagonist’s life that were new and fascinating to me too, such as her southern traditions and the fact her world felt distinctively late 80s/early 90s. It was a different time, and there were expectations for women like her to act and live a certain way.
Another thing I loved was the story. In a word, it was fun. Creepy too, at times. Of course, I would expect nothing less from a horror novel, except Grady Hendrix always brings his own unique brand of quirk to his work. You’ll get that here in spades, making this one a vampire book like no other, even though there’ll be plenty of classic Dracula references to tide you over (this is a book about a book club, after all). When it does its scary thing though, this book is nuts with the ick-factor and going overboard with the truly gruesome and macabre. Juxtaposed with the southern hospitality and the well-kept homes and manicured lawns, it just makes the horror even more pronounced with the overall wrongness of it all.
But now for the criticisms. None of these are dealbreakers by any means, but I’ve noticed how some of keep popping up again and again in the author’s books. One is the issue of cohesiveness. Hendrix’s stories feel like a bunch of pieces thrown together, and while most of these fit together the way they’re supposed to, every once in a while you’ll get a few plot orphans that go nowhere or they seem to hang untethered like a loose thread. One reason for this is the awkwardness of transitions, particularly the one big jump in time that occurs around halfway through the book. Also, the ending is just awful, anti-climactic and not very fitting. It’s like the author suddenly decided to throw as much blood as possible into the mix, and I’m just here shaking my head thinking, shock value does not a good ending make.
But overall, The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires was an entertaining read, no doubt about that. It was even more enjoyable in audiobook format, narrated by the incredible Bahni Turpin. I’ve listened to her narration on other books, but this was by far one of her best performances, considering the wide range of voices belonging to characters varying in age, gender, race, and class that she had to portray. Just a spot on and pitch perfect narration which I can’t praise or recommend highly enough.
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.”
The BiblioSanctum 