Books I Meant to Read In 2019 but Didn’t Get To
Posted on December 17, 2019 49 Comments
In news that should surprise no one, I did not manage to read all the books on my “Must Read” lists of 2019 (Jan to March, April to June, July to September, October to December), but considering that’s about 140 books all together, I think I did pretty damn well! I got to finish all but approximately 30 books, and here are some that I most regret not getting to. But who knows, there are still a couple weeks left in the year, and I may still knock a few more off the big old TBR yet, especially for December releases,
The Kingdom of Copper by S.A. Chakraborty
Nahri’s life changed forever the moment she accidentally summoned Dara, a formidable, mysterious djinn, during one of her schemes. Whisked from her home in Cairo, she was thrust into the dazzling royal court of Daevabad—and quickly discovered she would need all her grifter instincts to survive there.
Now, with Daevabad entrenched in the dark aftermath of a devastating battle, Nahri must forge a new path for herself. But even as she embraces her heritage and the power it holds, she knows she’s been trapped in a gilded cage, watched by a king who rules from the throne that once belonged to her family—and one misstep will doom her tribe..
Meanwhile, Ali has been exiled for daring to defy his father. Hunted by assassins, adrift on the unforgiving copper sands of his ancestral land, he is forced to rely on the frightening abilities the marid—the unpredictable water spirits—have gifted him. But in doing so, he threatens to unearth a terrible secret his family has long kept buried.
And as a new century approaches and the djinn gather within Daevabad’s towering brass walls for celebrations, a threat brews unseen in the desolate north. It’s a force that would bring a storm of fire straight to the city’s gates . . . and one that seeks the aid of a warrior trapped between worlds, torn between a violent duty he can never escape and a peace he fears he will never deserve.
Ship of Smoke and Steel by Django Wexler
In the lower wards of Kahnzoka, the great port city of the Blessed Empire, eighteen-year-old ward boss Isoka enforces the will of her criminal masters with the power of Melos, the Well of Combat. The money she collects goes to keep her little sister living in comfort, far from the bloody streets they grew up on.
When Isoka’s magic is discovered by the government, she’s arrested and brought to the Emperor’s spymaster, who sends her on an impossible mission: steal Soliton, a legendary ghost ship–a ship from which no one has ever returned. If she fails, her sister’s life is forfeit.
On board Soliton, nothing is as simple as it seems. Isoka tries to get close to the ship’s mysterious captain, but to do it she must become part of the brutal crew and join their endless battles against twisted creatures. She doesn’t expect to have to contend with feelings for a charismatic fighter who shares her combat magic, or for a fearless princess who wields an even darker power.
The Ruin of Kings by Jenn Lyons
There are the old stories. And then there’s what actually happens.
Kihrin is a bastard orphan who grew up on storybook tales of long-lost princes and grand quests. When he is claimed against his will as the long-lost son of a treasonous prince, Kihrin finds that being a long-lost prince isn’t what the storybooks promised.
Far from living the dream, Kihrin finds himself practically a prisoner, at the mercy of his new family’s power plays and ambitions. He also discovers that the storybooks have lied about a lot of other things things, too: dragons, demons, gods, prophecies, true love, and how the hero always wins.
Then again, maybe he’s not the hero, for Kihrin isn’t destined to save the empire.
He’s destined to destroy it…
Star Wars: Alphabet Squadron by Alexander Freed
The Emperor is dead. His final weapon has been destroyed. The imperial army is in disarray. In the aftermath, Yrica Quell is just one of thousands of defectors from her former cause living in a deserters’ shantytown—until she is selected to join Alphabet Squadron.
Cobbled together from an eclectic assortment of pilots and starfighters, the five members of Alphabet are tasked by New Republic General Hera Syndulla herself. Like Yrica, each is a talented pilot struggling to find their place in a changing galaxy. Their mission: to track down and destroy the mysterious Shadow Wing, a lethal force of TIE fighters exacting bloody, reckless vengeance in the twilight of their reign.
The newly formed unit embodies the heart and soul of the Rebellion: ragtag, resourceful, scrappy, and emboldened by their most audacious victory in decades. But going from underdog rebels to celebrated heroes isn’t as easy as it seems, and their inner demons threaten them as much as their enemies among the stars. The wayward warriors of Alphabet Squad will have to learn to fly together if they want to protect the new era of peace they’ve fought so hard to achieve.
The Fall by Tracy Townsend
Eight months ago, Rowena Downshire was a half-starved black market courier darting through the shadows of Corma’s underside. Today, she’s a (mostly) respectable clerk in the Alchemist’s infamous apothecary shop, the Stone Scales, and certainly the last girl one would think qualified to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders a second time. Looks can be deceiving.
When Anselm Meteron and the Alchemist receive an invitation to an old acquaintance’s ball–the Greatduke who financed their final, disastrous mercenary mission fourteen years earlier–they’re expecting blackmail, graft, or veiled threats related to the plot to steal the secrets of the Creator’s Grand Experiment. They aren’t expecting a job offer they can’t refuse or a trip halfway across the world to rendezvous with the scholar whose research threw their lives into tumult: the Reverend Doctor Phillip Chalmers.
Escorting Chalmers to the Grand Library of Nippon with her mismatched mercenary family is just a grand adventure to Rowena until she discovers a powerful algebraic engine called the Aggregator. The Aggregator leads Rowena to questions about the Grand Experiment she was never meant to ask and answers she cannot be allowed to possess. With her reunited friends, Rowena must find a way to use the truths hidden in the Grand Library to disarm those who would hunt down the nine subjects of the Creator’s Grand Experiment, threatening to close the book on this world.
Crowfall by Ed McDonald
A sorcerous cataclysm has hit the Range, the final defensive line between the republic and the immortal Deep Kings.
Tormenting red rains sweep the land, new monstrosities feed on fear in the darkness, and the power of the Nameless, the gods who protect the republic, lies broken. The Blackwing captains who serve them are being picked off one by one, and even immortals have learned what it means to die. Meanwhile, the Deep Kings have only grown stronger, and they are poised to deliver a blow that will finally end the war.
Ryhalt Galharrow stands apart from it all.
He has been deeper into the wasteland known as the Misery than ever before. It has grown within him–changed him–and now the ghosts of his past, formerly confined to the Misery, walk with him everywhere.
They will even follow him–and the few surviving Blackwing captains–on one final mission into the darkness.
The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter
The Omehi people have been fighting an unwinnable fight for almost two hundred years. Their society has been built around war and only war. The lucky ones are born gifted. One in every two thousand women has the power to call down dragons. One in every hundred men is able to magically transform himself into a bigger, stronger, faster killing machine.
Everyone else is fodder, destined to fight and die in the endless war. Young, gift-less Tau knows all this, but he has a plan of escape. He’s going to get himself injured, get out early, and settle down to marriage, children, and land. Only, he doesn’t get the chance. Those closest to him are brutally murdered, and his grief swiftly turns to anger. Fixated on revenge, Tau dedicates himself to an unthinkable path. He’ll become the greatest swordsman to ever live, a man willing to die a hundred thousand times for the chance to kill the three who betrayed him.
Howling Dark by Christopher Ruocchio
The second novel of the galaxy-spanning Sun Eater series merges the best of space opera and epic fantasy, as Hadrian Marlowe continues down a path that can only end in fire.
Hadrian Marlowe is lost.
For half a century, he has searched the farther suns for the lost planet of Vorgossos, hoping to find a way to contact the elusive alien Cielcin. He has not succeeded, and for years has wandered among the barbarian Normans as captain of a band of mercenaries.
Determined to make peace and bring an end to nearly four hundred years of war, Hadrian must venture beyond the security of the Sollan Empire and among the Extrasolarians who dwell between the stars. There, he will face not only the aliens he has come to offer peace, but contend with creatures that once were human, with traitors in his midst, and with a meeting that will bring him face to face with no less than the oldest enemy of mankind.
If he succeeds, he will usher in a peace unlike any in recorded history. If he fails…the galaxy will burn.
The Wolf’s Call by Anthony Ryan
Peace never lasts.
Vaelin Al Sorna is a living legend, his name known across the Realm. It was his leadership that overthrew empires, his blade that won hard-fought battles – and his sacrifice that defeated an evil more terrifying than anything the world had ever seen. He won titles aplenty, only to cast aside his earned glory for a quiet life in the Realm’s northern reaches.
Yet whispers have come from across the sea – rumours of an army called the Steel Horde, led by a man who believes himself a god. Vaelin has no wish to fight another war, but when he learns that Sherin, the woman he lost long ago, has fallen into the Horde’s grasp, he resolves to confront this powerful new threat.
To this end, Vaelin travels to the realms of the Merchant Kings, a land ruled by honor and intrigue. There, as the drums of war thunder across kingdoms riven by conflict, Vaelin learns a terrible truth: that there are some battles that even he may not be strong enough to win.
The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang
In the aftermath of the Third Poppy War, shaman and warrior Rin is on the run: haunted by the atrocity she committed to end the war, addicted to opium, and hiding from the murderous commands of her vengeful god, the fiery Phoenix. Her only reason for living is to get revenge on the traitorous Empress who sold out Nikan to their enemies.
With no other options, Rin joins forces with the powerful Dragon Warlord, who has a plan to conquer Nikan, unseat the Empress, and create a new Republic. Rin throws herself into his war. After all, making war is all she knows how to do.
But the Empress is a more powerful foe than she appears, and the Dragon Warlord’s motivations are not as democratic as they seem. The more Rin learns, the more she fears her love for Nikan will drive her away from every ally and lead her to rely more and more on the Phoenix’s deadly power. Because there is nothing she won’t sacrifice for her country and her vengeance.
Dispel Illusion by Mark Lawrence
Nick Hayes’s genius is in wringing out the universe’s secrets. It’s a talent that’s allowed him to carve paths through time. But the worst part is that he knows how his story will end. He’s seen it with his own eyes. And every year that passes, every breakthrough he makes, brings him a step closer. Mia’s accident is waiting for them both in 2011. If it happens then he’s out of choices.
Then a chance 1992 discovery reveals that this seeker of truth has been lying to himself. But why? It’s a question that haunts him for years. A straw he clings to as his long-awaited fate draws near.
Time travel turns out not to be the biggest problem Nick has to work on. He needs to find out how he can stay on his path but change the destination. Failure has never been an option, and neither has survival. But Nick’s hoping to roll the dice one more time. And this new truth begins with a lie.
December Titles:
Blood of Empire by Brian McClellan
The Dynize have unlocked the Landfall Godstone, and Michel Bravis is tasked with returning to Greenfire Depths to do whatever he can to prevent them from using its power; from sewing dissension among the enemy ranks to rallying the Palo population.
Ben Styke’s invasion of Dynize is curtailed when a storm scatters his fleet. Coming ashore with just twenty lancers, he is forced to rely on brains rather than brawn – gaining new allies in a strange land on the cusp of its own internal violence.
Bereft of her sorcery and physically and emotionally broken, Lady Vlora Flint now marches on Landfall at the head of an Adran army seeking vengeance against those who have conspired against her. While allied politicians seek to undo her from within, she faces insurmountable odds and Dynize’s greatest general.
The Hanged Man by K.D. Edwards
The Tarot Sequence imagines a modern-day Atlantis off the coast of Massachusetts, governed by powerful Courts based on the traditional Tarot deck.
Rune Saint John, last child of the fallen Sun Throne, is backed into a fight of high court magic and political appetites in a desperate bid to protect his ward, Max, from a forced marital alliance with the Hanged Man.
Rune’s resistance will take him to the island’s dankest corners, including a red light district made of moored ghost ships; the residence of Lady Death; and the floor of the ruling Convocation, where a gathering of Arcana will change Rune’s life forever.
Audiobook Review: Anyone by Charles Soule
Posted on December 16, 2019 16 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: Science Fiction
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: HarperAudio (December 3, 2019)
Length: 14 hrs and 1 min
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Emily Woo Zeller
Having very much enjoyed Charles Soule’s debut The Oracle Year, I simply could not wait to get my hands on his new novel, and I’m pleased to say I was impressed once again. Not only that, it appears he has outdone himself by writing something even more unique and mind-blowing, if you can believe it. Ratcheting up the excitement and knuckle-blanching action, Anyone is a relentless sci-fi thriller that would also make any fan of Blake Crouch or Black Mirror feel right at home.
Told through multiple timelines, the story first takes us inside a barn in Ann Arbor, Michigan where brilliant neuroscientist Dr. Gabriella White is on the verge of a breakthrough in her Alzheimer’s research project. Unfortunately, her funding is also about to run out, leading Gabby to throw caution to the wind and risk it all in an act of desperation. To her horror, after experimenting with her equipment in a way she’s never had before, she finds her mind mysteriously transported into the body of her husband Paul. And thus, “flash technology” was born, a process which allows an individual to transfer their consciousness into another person’s body, a process which would change the world forever—for of course, no discovery this big can stay buried for long.
In fact, its effects could be seen right away, as another timeline of the story takes us twenty-five years into the future and use of flash technology is rampant. Gabby’s original vision for her invention, which was to help society heal divides and increase equal opportunity, has largely been lost. Now anyone with enough money can rent a body for however long and whatever reason, and anything the law won’t allow can be circumvented in the thriving black market called the darkshare. So long as there’s demand, there is certainly no shortage of people offering up themselves as vessels for someone else’s “out of body” experience.
One of these individuals is named Annami, a young woman who is willing to risk the darkshare if it means making money quickly. Everyone knows flash technology can be dangerous if you allow someone you don’t know to use your body. When a person flashes their mind into someone else, their own body lies in a dormant state. The person’s whose body is being occupied, on the other hand, their consciousness goes somewhere in limbo, in a process no one can really explain. Once they return to themselves, they have no recollection of the entire period their body was being occupied. Sadly, Annami learns this the hard way, when following her darkshare experience she awakens to the scene of a bloodbath, with no idea what her body had been used for.
At first, it’s anyone’s guess what these two timelines have to do with each other. Gabby’s thread mainly deals with the origin of flash technology, and as you can imagine, that’s one journey fraught with peril and suspense. Not only is Gabby bewildered by her own invention, struggling to understand it through haphazard experimentation, she also gets in trouble with some powerful people by borrowing more money than she can pay back. I enjoyed her storyline so much, it was almost irritating the way the narrative kept bouncing back and forth between the present and the future, when all I wanted was to find out more about Gabby. Don’t get me wrong; Annami’s story was intriguing too in its own way, mainly because we got to see how life in the future has altered by flash technology. Not too surprisingly, there’s a lot of misuse and corruption, and Ammani’s world reminded very much of a Blade Runner style dystopian.
Still, the complete lack of connection between the two timelines grated on my nerves—at least at first. But as the plot developed, as both threads starting coming together to form a bigger picture, that was when the real fun was unleashed. And that’s the genius behind this novel. It takes a bit of patience and commitment, but if you’re willing to give it the time it needs and watch it unfold, it will reward you in a big way. Even when you’re on alert for clues and you think you know where the story is going, you might be surprised. This one is full of unexpected twists and turns, and so much of what you read will floor you with its sheer imagination and creativity.
Speaking of which, flash technology can be a bit confusing to grasp, and that might be my point of criticism. Much like in The Oracle Year, the concept behind of Anyone relies on the reader to suspend their disbelief and not ask too many questions, working best as “what-if” novel. If what you want are explanations based on hard science, this probably won’t be for you, but if you’re looking for a suspenseful, fast-paced sci-fi thriller with a unique and innovative premise, I think you’ll find this one will bend your brain nicely and get your pulse racing.
Audiobook Comments: It seems like every other book I listen to these days is narrated by Emily Woo Zeller, but I’m certainly not complaining! I loved her voices for all the characters (especially since there was so much body swapping), and it was impressive the way she switched between Gabby and Annami’s parts, making the transitions seem smooth and natural. I’ll always be a big fan of her work, and I thought her performance in the Anyone audiobook was fantastic as always.
Book Review: Salvaged by Madeleine Roux
Posted on December 15, 2019 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.
Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction, Horror
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Ace (October 15, 2019)
Length: 352 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
It’s hard for me to write this review, because Salvaged wasn’t a bad book—but I did feel like I was sold one thing at the beginning, only to receive something completely different by the end. To elaborate, I thought I was walking into a chilling edge-of-your-seat horror, and the way the first few chapters presented themselves certainly gave substance to those hopes. But that said, as the story progressed, it slowly, gradually began spooling out, losing all of its thriller edges, eventually becoming…well, quite tame.
Like I said though, the book started out promisingly enough. The story introduces us to Rosalyn Devar, whose life is a bit of a mess. Coming from a wealthy background and well-educated, our protagonist is nonetheless working as a custodian for a company that specializes in space clean-up, which often involves the retrieval of the dead from space disasters or missions gone wrong—not exactly a career that a gifted bio-engineering graduate like her would have chosen. But at the moment, Rosalyn needs the money and a place to lie low from her father after fleeing her past life, even if the daily horrors of the job are exacerbating her drinking problem. Also, as unpleasant as the work may be, it has to be done, and Rosalyn takes solace in the fact that she can help bring closure to the dead and their families.
Then one day, she is called to the boss’s office—her coworkers had reported her drinking on the job and her performance has been slipping. But Rosalyn manages to convince the company to give her one more chance, and so she is assigned a salvaging job on the Brigantine, a research ship that had recently gone dark, with everyone aboard believed to have perished. Upon arrival at the dead ship, however, Rosalyn and her pilot discover that it is anything but. While readings from the Brigantine show that nothing could have survived its inhospitable, oxygen-starved conditions, the crew members that Rosalyn encounters inside the ship are clearly alive, if not entirely human.
I mean, is this not an incredible premise? Does thinking about it not send shivers down your spine? I know it did for me, and I credit the powerfully effective intro that Madeleine Roux has written and the absolutely superb character development. Everyone likes a bit of intrigue, and the prospect of a ghost ship—especially given what our protagonist does for a living—has a way of making you sit up and pay attention. Even from the onset, I was practically salivating at the potential of the concept and prepared myself for a creepy ride.
Sadly though, that high was short-lived. In my opinion, the author made a couple of significant mistakes early in the book that threw off the entire tone of the story, from which it was never able to recover. The first was revealing the truth too soon, clearing up many of the questions that surrounded the Brigantine and what happened to its crew. Since a lot of the premise’s appeal relied in the fact that so much of it was shrouded in mystery, removing it this early on in the game didn’t make much sense to me. And second (and just a warning, mild spoilerish details to follow) was what I felt was the premature demise of certain character. Although this particular character was kind of boorish and not very likeable, I still found myself enjoying their interactions with the protagonist and was actually looking forward to the possible development of a meaningful partnership. Well, so much for that.
Instead, what followed was the introduction of a bunch of other characters, none of whom were really all that interesting because they each fell into a bland predictable mold and pattern. There was the romantic interest for Rosalyn, who’s also the compulsory good guy. The sweet earnest kid whom the group has adopted as their mascot. The wise, old grandmotherly woman who guides our protagonist. And finally, the mean nasty villain, and of course the author never passes up a chance to tell us just how bad he is.
On another level, I also think the problem with Salvaged is that it seemed confused as to what it wanted to be. Its genre tag says horror, but with the exception of the first handful of chapters which were mildly unsettling, this wasn’t a very scary book at all. The beginning was hands down the strongest part, and I’m sad to say that by the time it’s over, the story ends up being this jumbled mess of half-formed ideas and too many POVs. It came to have a lot of things—a little bit of drama, romance, mystery, thrills and action—but was definitely short on frights.
It’s a shame, because I really wish this one had continued building as a horror novel, but if that had been the case, I guess the story would have been drastically changed and we’d be discussing a different book entirely. To be fair, Salvaged was pretty good taken at face value, but if you are hoping for more thrills and chills, this probably won’t be too satisfying.
Bookshelf Roundup 12/14/19: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on December 14, 2019 26 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!
To start, thank you to DAW Books for these two lovelies: Titan’s Day by Dan Stout is the sequel to Titanshade which I — FINALLY — got to finish reading earlier this month, and a good thing too, because I loved it! Can’t wait to continue the series. Up next is an ARC of The Fenmere Job by Marshall Ryan Maresca, the third book of the Streets of Maradaine series. I’m pretty sure I still need to read the second one to get caught up, but I need to double check because there are so many of these Maradaine novels and series out right now, sometimes I get confused! My thanks also to Tor.com for sending me an ARC of Repo Virtual by Corey J. White; I’ve definitely talked before about how much I’m looking forward to reading this in early 2020. And I’m also really excited about this surprise ARC of Legacy of Ash by Matthew Ward that showed up last week, courtesy of Orbit. This one’s pretty high on the anticipated list from the publisher.
I’m also really excited to share this awesome package I received from the awesome folks at Minotaur Books. They sent a couple thrillers I had my eye on, including The Woman in the Mirror by Rebecca James, a historical mystery, as well as Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier, whose novel Jar of Hearts I really enjoyed last year, so I’m curious to check this one out too. Both ARCs also came in this super cute tote, which is nice and big enough to hold anything I want!
I continue to show restraint with my digital requests, only snagging a couple of audiobooks this week. Courtesy of HarperAudio, I received a listening copy of Anyone by Charles Soule, which I’ve already finished and a review should be forthcoming. Lately I’ve also been hankering for a good thriller, which is why You Are Not Alone by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen caught my eye, with thanks to Macmillan Audio for the listening copy. And finally, I saw The Dark In-Between by Elizabeth Hrib pop up on Edelweiss the other day, and after reading the synopsis I just couldn’t resist. Thank you to Swoon Reads for the eARC.
Reviews
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo (4 of 5 stars)
The Deep by Rivers Solomon with Daveed Diggs, William Hutson & Jonathan Snipes (3.5 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: Temple/Religious Icon
Posted on December 13, 2019 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:
~ a cover that features a TEMPLE/RELIGIOUS ICON
Mogsy’s Pick:
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
I had a really tough time coming up with a book for this week’s topic, so I had to look outside SFF to historical fiction for any depictions of temples or churches and the like. While I didn’t really care for this book, I figured, surely a novel about building a cathedral would have some covers that featured one on the cover, right?! Well, I wasn’t wrong about that, but I have to say the good choices were somewhat limited considering how many editions exist for this book. Here’s a small selection of those that I thought were the nicest and most interesting:
From left to right:
Pan Books (2017) – NAL Trade (2002) – Pan Mass Market (2019)
Slovenian Edition (2017) – Spanish Edition A (2010) – Spanish Edition B (2014)
Chinese Edition (2018) – Dutch Edition (2015) – French Edition (2014)
Polish Edition (2018) – Portuguese Edition (2016) – Serbian Edition (2005)
Winner:
There were a few this week that caught my eye, the Spanish Edition B and Chinese Edition among them, but ultimately I felt I had to go with my first instincts. I have a thing for Gothic style architectural drawings, so I think I’m going to have to go with the NAL cover.
But what do you think? Which one is your favorite?
Best of 2019: Notable Debuts
Posted on December 12, 2019 31 Comments
Yep, it’s that time of the year again! Starting this week I’ll be making lists…lots of lists. All of it will culminate into an end-of-year roundup post with my favorites and best-ofs, but in the meantime there also other categories I’d like to explore, like notable debuts. Each year, I’m always excited to have discovered new authors who have broken onto the scene for the very first time, and 2019 was no exception. So let’s shine a spotlight on these rising stars whose first novels really made an impression on me this year, and I’ve also separated the list into Adult and YA categories.
The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow is a lush and spellbinding coming-of-age portal fantasy about a young woman who finds answers to her past in a mysterious old book that can open pathways to other worlds. Transporting us to the early 1900s, the story follows January Scaller, who was just a little girl when she first discovered the Door. But as with many childhood recollections, soon the memory of that encounter began to fade, until many years later, when a teenage January stumbles upon a strange book that changes her life forever. As you know, I’m a huge fan of “books about books”, and The Ten Thousand Doors of January is in its own way a celebration of that love—not only in the way it reveres knowledge, but also in the way it recognizes reading as a form of escapism. If you love stories about the love of books and reading, you really need to check out this novel—and bonus if you enjoy portal fantasies. But this novel is also about so much more, including a thoughtful and heartfelt exploration of family, growing up, and finding your identify. (Read the full review…)
Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton
I thought after years of reading all kinds of zombie fiction I could get my hands on, I’d seen everything, but clearly I was wrong. Yes, Hollow Kingdom is a zombie book, but I guarantee it’ll be unlike anything you’ve read before, because not only are animals the primary focus of the story, they are also its stars. Our protagonist Shit Turd, abbreviated S.T., is an appropriately crass and potty-mouthed crow who leads us through this apocalyptic narrative. His best friends are Dennis, a dim-witted but sweet old bloodhound, and their owner Big Jim, who raised S.T. as a hatchling and taught the little bird all he knew. Things couldn’t have been better for the three of them, living a happy and simple life in Seattle. But then one day, Big Jim’s eyeball falls out. That was when S.T. knew something was wrong, even before his owner tried to take a big bite out of him. All around them, the city is descending into madness, with all the humans of the world turning into hollow, ravenous shells of what they once were. Escaping into this terrifying new reality, S.T. and Dennis decide that their new mission in life is to liberate all the household pets and other helpless animals now trapped behind locked doors, gates, enclosures. Never mind that we’re talking about a crow and a dog here, but these two easily topped my list of favorite book buddy relationships this year, and bottom line, this was a seriously entertaining read. (Read the full review…)
Do You Dream of Terra-Two by Temi Oh
Set in a more technologically advanced version of our present world, this novel follows six young candidates for a highly competitive British space exploration program to establish a colony on far-flung Terra-Two, a pristine Earth-like planet possessing ideal conditions for life. Having spent years studying at the Dalton Academy for Aerospace Science since they were preteens, our six astronaut hopefuls have trained their hearts out for the opportunity, beating out millions of others across the country. However, with emotions already raw from having to leave their loved ones behind and knowing that they will all be living within the tight confines of a spaceship for the next twenty-three years, life aboard their spaceship Damocles will prove to be a rough process, with homesickness, self-doubt, depression and other personal fears plaguing each of them in turn. It’s probably no surprise that I, being a huge fan of books devoted to telling human stories, absolutely adored this book, and if you enjoy character-oriented tales with interesting relationships dynamics and lots of personal growth, then this is one you can’t afford to miss. (Read the full review…)
Titanshade by Dan Stout
So glad I was able to sneak this one in before the end of the year! In this debut, Dan Stout takes us to the gritty, bustling city of Titanshade, where our jaded protagonist named Carter ekes out a living as a homicide detective. The mystery heats up right away as he is called into the scene of a gruesome crime involving the murder of a high-ranking Squib diplomat who had been in town with his people’s delegation to negotiate the funding of a new source of energy which could have saved Titanshade’s dying economy following the depletion of its oil supplies. But now, all that is jeopardized as the pressure comes down hard on the police force to solve the case quickly in order to prevent the political shitstorm that would destroy all chances of a successful deal. Carter is assigned a partner, a Mollenkampi rookie named Ajax, but before they can make much progress, the city is rocked by news of another murder, this time of a family in the suburbs. Despite the differences in the two cases, Carter has reason to believe they are related, but soon he becomes a target himself. In a word, this novel was awesome. Every once in a while, a book that is so entertaining and fascinating in its uniqueness will come along and breathe new life into the genre, and Titanshade is definitely one of those. (Read the full review…)
Unnatural Magic by C.M. Waggoner
Unnatural Magic was a solid read that was hard to pin down at times, but once you learn how to go with the flow, the book might end up surprising you in the best way possible. Set in a world where humans and trolls co-exist, albeit not always peacefully, the story opens on a setting which feels vaguely turn-of-the-century gaslamp. From an early age, Onna has displayed an aptitude for magic, though after being rejected from the local academy, she decides to forge her own path by traveling to the city of Hexos where they will be more appreciative of her talents. Meanwhile in another part of the world, Tsira is a half-troll who is also planning for a journey to Hexos. Despite being daughter of the clan leader, she has always been regarded as a bit of an outsider, and Tsira has had enough, choosing instead to find work among the humans. On the way to the city though, she saves the life of Jeckran, a human soldier who has been wounded. As Tsira nurses him back to health, the two of them grow closer and eventually become lovers, continuing on to Hexos together. While the ties linking all the storylines are initially tenuous, they quickly become more apparent when a brutal string of murders bring human and troll relations to a near state of war. As I said, once you get into the rhythm of things, Unnatural Magic can be absolutely delightful. It has the sprawling feel of an epic fantasy, but also features an intriguing mystery at its heart, and overall is a solid debut. (Read the full review…)
Young Adult
Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim
Spin the Dawn is Elizabeth Lim’s debut original fiction novel, pitched as Project Runway meets Mulan–and believe it or not, for once we have a YA blurb that is completely accurate! Maia Tamarin is the only daughter in a family of tailors who had to take on duties of taking care of her family after her mother died and her father grew weak and old. The situation only worsened with the Emperor’s war, in which her two older brothers were killed, while her youngest brother returned home alive but broken. Soon after peace was reached, a messenger from the palace arrives at their doorstep with orders for their family to send a representative to work for the emperor, but of course neither Maia’s father nor her brother are in any condition to do so. Problem is, Maia knows she’s perfectly capable doing the job, being quite the accomplished dressmaker and seamstress herself, but of course girls are forbidden to fill the role. Instead, she takes matters into her own hands, disguising herself as a boy to travel to the palace, posing as her injured brother. Once there, however, Maia realizes how she had been misled. The invitation extended to her family was not for a position to work for the emperor, but for a competition to choose the best candidate for the role of palace tailor, judged by none other than the emperor’s bride-to-be, Lady Sarnai. Needless to say, I was quite enchanted. A sewing contest is not something you get to see every day, and I was pleasantly surprised how well the concept worked with some light magic thrown in. (Read the full review…)
The Tiger at Midnight by Swati Teerdhala
Inspired by the culture of ancient India and Hindu mythology, The Tiger at Midnight features a cat-and-mouse game of deception and thrills between a rebel assassin and the reluctant young soldier tasked to bring her to justice. When Esha was a child, she and her family lived at the palace where they were close companions to the royal family. But that was until a bloody coup took everything she has ever loved away from her. Now a fighter for exiled prince’s resistance, she has dedicated her life to avenging her murdered parents and to taking down the current regime. By day, she plays the role of the innocent merchant’s daughter, but by night, Esha assumes the mantle of the Viper, a mysterious assassin who takes down important enemies for the rebels. And tonight, her mark is the ruthless General Hotha, a man who has the blood of innocents on his hands. Meanwhile, unaware that his life is about to be changed forever, a fort soldier named Kunal extends a helping hand to a doe-eyed young woman, unwittingly bringing the Viper one step closer to completing the task of assassinating his uncle, the general. The Tiger at Midnight was a novel that drew me in effortlessly with its vivid prose, robust world-building, and compelling story. The world felt lush and fully-realized, and I enjoyed the magic which began as a light touch in the early sections of the book only to play a major role later on. (Read the full review…)
Wicked Fox by Kat Cho
For 18-year-old Gu Miyoung, a half-human shapeshifting nine-tailed fox demon, immortality comes at a steep price. In order to survive, she must feed on the gi, or life energy of men. Unpleasant business to be sure, but it must be done, though making murderers and other evil men her exclusive prey is one way Miyoung seeks to assuage her conscience. But one night following a feeding, she encounters a Jihoon, a boy from school, out walking his dog and completely oblivious to the fact he’s about to become a goblin’s late-night snack. Miyoung rescues Jihoon, and inadvertently reveals her true nature in doing so, losing her fox bead to him and creating a connection between their life forces. At school, the experience has drawn them together, though Miyoung remains wary about letting any human boy get too close. Overall, I would recommend Wicked Fox for fans of urban fantasy and paranormal YA, especially if you are fascinated by East Asian traditions, cultures, and mythology. After a stellar beginning, the story took some time to develop, but time and patience will pay off in a big way in the end with plenty of delightful revelations and a satisfying conclusion. (Read the full review…)
Crown of Feathers by Nicki Pau-Preto
Crown of Feathers takes readers to the Golden Empire, a land whose people are no strangers to war. To the victor goes the spoils, while those defeated are left to lick the wounds. For our protagonist Veronyka and her sister Val, however, it also means being on the run from the anti-magic forces who are now out to hunt them down. Both of them are animages, individuals with the power to form magical bonds with animals. In practice, this connection is also the relationship that allows the famed Phoenix Riders to control their mounts, before their order was dissolved following their loss in the war. Consequently, anyone with the talent are now considered enemies to the current rulers of the empire, but some have chosen not to flee. Together the sisters scour the land for any surviving phoenix eggs, hoping to hatch new bond companions. But after much heartbreak and a riff between the siblings, Veronyka is left to strike out on her own, arriving at a secret camp where a group of rebels are hoping to establish the Phoenix Rider traditions. Joining them and their mission is everything Veronyka has ever wanted, except of one major setback—the rebels are only looking to recruit males. But not content to let a little problem like that get in her way, Veronyka decides to disguise herself and gains access to the camp as a stable boy. While Crown of Feathers is a novel that requires a bit of time and emotional commitment, overall the story was very enjoyable and a solid beginning to a promising new series. (Read the full review…)
Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte
This story is really more of murder mystery—but with a twist. The book’s title refers to the four queens that rule the nation of Quadara, so named because it is divided into four quadrants, each boasting its own unique culture and specialties. Queens are sequestered in their palace, never allowed to leave, and the only through death or abdication could they pass on their rule to an heir, who must be a daughter of their blood. But what happens when a queen dies without an heir? This is the problem Quadara currently faces, with four queens on the throne who have yet to produce female issue, and now they are being systematically targeted by a mysterious assassin. Meanwhile, a plucky thief named Keralie has unwitting stumbled upon a find of a lifetime–a set of comm disks that contain records of how all four queens are brutally murdered. Together with Varin, the messenger she originally stole the disks from, Keralie must discover the identity of those conspiring against Quadara before it’s too late. The overarching plot was really the main drive behind the novel, which was a refreshing change and kept me engaged and turning the pages. It’s also a standalone that ties up quite nicely, but just because there will be no sequel to anticipate doesn’t mean I won’t be looking forward to Astrid Scholt’s future projects with interest. (Read the full review…)
Waiting on Wednesday 12/11/19
Posted on December 11, 2019 14 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
He Started It by Samantha Downing (April 28st, 2020 by Berkley)
Last year I had such a good time with Downing’s debut My Lovely Wife, I knew that I would want to read whatever she writes next. What I didn’t expect was for her new book to sound so amazing, or that the cover would be so OMG! So yeah, who’s ready for a road trip, hmm?
“From the twisted mind behind mega hit My Lovely Wife comes the story of a family—not unlike your own—just with a few more violent tendencies thrown in….
Beth, Portia, and Eddie Morgan haven’t all been together in years. And for very good reasons—we’ll get to those later. But when their wealthy grandfather dies and leaves a cryptic final message in his wake, the siblings and their respective partners must come together for a cross-country road trip to fulfill his final wish and—more importantly—secure their inheritance.
But time with your family can be tough. It is for everyone.
It’s even harder when you’re all keeping secrets and trying to forget a memory—a missing person, an act of revenge, the man in the black truck who won’t stop following your car—and especially when at least one of you is a killer and there’s a body in the trunk. Just to name a few reasons.
But money is a powerful motivator. It is for everyone.”
Book Review: Titanshade by Dan Stout
Posted on December 10, 2019 28 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: 4.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Mystery
Series: Book 1 of The Carter Archives
Publisher: DAW Books (March 12, 2019)
Length: 407 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Titanshade was a novel that took me a long time to read, but it certainly wasn’t due to lack of interest. Rather, things have gotten really busy for me in these last few months, but believe me, all I could think of was getting back to this book and I am so glad I got to finish it before the end of the year because apparently a sequel is already on the horizon.
In this debut novel, author Dan Stout takes us to the gritty, bustling city of Titanshade, where our jaded protagonist named Carter ekes out a living as a homicide detective. The mystery heats up right away as he is called into the scene of a gruesome crime involving the murder of a high-ranking diplomat in his hotel room. The victim, who belongs to a race of a frog-like creatures called a Squib, had been in town with his people’s delegation to negotiate the funding of a new source of energy which could have saved Titanshade’s dying economy following the depletion of its oil supplies. But now, all that is jeopardized as the pressure comes down hard on the police force to solve the case quickly in order to prevent the political shitstorm that would destroy all chances of a successful deal.
Though he prefers to work alone, Carter is assigned a partner as part of an effort to improve inter-species relations within the department. A Mollenkampi, characterized by their large and powerful face mandibles, Ajax is a rookie fresh out of the academy, but the truth is, he’s not too happy to be working with Carter either, given the older cop’s dubious reputation. But the two men are determined to do their job, throwing themselves into the investigation to bring swift justice to the killer. Before they can make much progress, however, the city is rocked by news of another murder, this time of a family in the suburbs, and despite the differences in the two cases Carter has reason to believe they are related. What follows next is a journey into the seedier side of Titanshade as our characters follow up on clues leading them to question witnesses from prostitutes to corrupt cops. As they get closer to the truth, Carter also becomes a target, leading him to fear for the safety of his close friend Talena, a young woman who is like a daughter to him.
In a word, this novel was awesome. Let’s cut straight to the chase and talk about one of its strongest aspects, and that is undoubtedly the world-building. The cover sums it up nicely, featuring the gritty, neo-noir urban jungle that is Titanshade, rendered in a style which appropriately evokes the world’s unique brand of nostalgia. And I’ll bet your attention was also drawn to the green toothy monstrous looking creature, hanging out there in the back like it’s the most natural thing in the world. That’s because several races share the universe of Titanshade, in a dynamic you’d more typically see in a sci-fi novel, but of course this is more an urban fantasy and detective mystery mashup. The story has a lot of the hallmarks of the crime noir genre, served up with a generous helping of magic and wonder. From the potent mood-altering properties of Squib blood to the off-putting way the Mollenkampi eat, there are so many little details and I could list a lot more here but then we’d be here all night.
Story-wise, the start was admittedly a bit slow on account of the author introducing his characters, world descriptions, and plot details all at once in rapid succession, though the result was that many of these leads had to be put on pause while the rest of the book caught up. Having a well-established base ended up paying off though, because when all these plot threads starting coming together, the story took off like a runaway freight train and it was all I could do to keep track of all the shocking reveals and sudden developments.
Carter was also a difficult character to get on board with, though I warmed to him after a while, especially when more about his past on the police force was revealed, as well as his special bond with Talena and what she meant to him. Again, these moments, planted in the early parts of the book, came to have a powerful impact later on in the story as significant events unfolded. Dan Stout isn’t one to do anything by accident. Here or there I thought his writing could have been tightened up, but overall, I felt Titanshade was well-written and cleverly plotted. It’s simply a stellar debut, and I was extremely impressed at the way it all came together.
So check it out! Every once in a while, a book that is so entertaining and fascinating in its uniqueness will come along and breathe new life into the genre, and Titanshade is definitely one of those. I can’t wait to read the sequel.
Audiobook Review: Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
Posted on December 9, 2019 26 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 (Overall): 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal
Series: Book 1 of Alex Stern
Publisher: Macmillan Audio (October 8, 2019)
Length: 16 hrs and 21 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrators: Lauren Fortgang, Michael David Axtell
I was a bit nervous about starting Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo, but I actually ended up enjoying it quite a bit. I think many reviewers have hit the nail on the head with this one, when they say how you feel about the book will be highly dependent on your expectations and whether you were hoping for something similar to the author’s previous work, because I am telling you now—it is not.
First of all, Ninth House takes place in a contemporary real-world setting, and boy, can it get too real sometimes. The story follows 20-year-old Galaxy “Alex” Stern, newly admitted into the freshman class at Yale. An ex-junkie, raised by a hippie single mom in Los Angeles where her life plunged into a downward spiral of chaos and darkness after dropping out of school, Alex never thought she would find herself in New Haven getting a second chance.
But of course, there is more to everything than meets the eye. Some might say Alex is a no-good reprobate who has thrown her life away, but the truth is a lot more complicated than that. Following an incident involving the scene of multiple murder at which our protagonist emerged as the only survivor, her name came to the attention of a shadowy faction tracking the activities of Yale’s elite—many of them the wealthy scions of the most influential families in the country. In a place of such concentrated power, naturally you will see the springing up of secret societies and old boys’ networks of exclusivity. Known as the “Ancient Eight”, they are overseen by Lethe, called the Ninth House because of its role in keeping the others in line.
And now it is Lethe that has its eye on Alex Stern, because of a rare and powerful ability she has. For you see, Alex can see ghosts. Called “Grays”, these spirits of the dead are everywhere on campus, drawn to the occult ritual energies performed by magical practitioners of the Ancient Eight. In such an environment, Lethe recognizes the value of having someone like Alex on their side, but when the ugly truth behind the magic of the secret societies comes to light, it becomes clear that the school’s problems may be more than she can handle.
Ninth House was marketed as Leigh Bardugo’s adult debut, and in this book, she makes no bones about tasting this new freedom and spreading her wings, going bolder and darker than she’s ever gone before. Centered around a college setting, many of the novel’s themes deal with new adult issues—starting a new life, striking out on one’s own, dealing with many of the difficult transitions that come with becoming self-reliant and independent. But in Bardugo’s world of secret societies and dark magic, there are also monsters of both the fantastical and early variety. Even though this story is told through a paranormal lens, it doesn’t shy away from exploring very real-world problems with a focus on those affecting today’s college students, such as drugs, discrimination, sexual assault, suicide, corruption and more. Needless to say, this is not one for the fainthearted.
And let’s not forget too how the protagonist presents an additional layer to these dynamics. Alex has been a survivor of abuse, a victim of trauma, and a witness to unspeakable horrors. These experiences have shaped her, influenced her actions and decisions. The narrative will occasionally flash back to her past, revealing a troubled childhood of dealing with her mysterious ability. Something terrible happens to her at twelve years old, setting her upon a path of self-destruction to try and drown out the memories and pain. We are given an intimate understanding of who Galaxy Stern is, what exactly it is that makes her tick. Even so, she can be standoffish and tough to warm up to, but just give her a chance to win you over and eventually I guarantee she’ll be storming her way into your heart.
All told, it’s clear that Ninth House won’t be for everyone, but I found that it worked for me. Speaking as an adult SFF reader who is also a big fan of Leigh Bardugo’s YA, the darker, grittier, and more mature tone of this novel was a stark but welcome change, one I personally felt was quite refreshing. There’s just something about this one that’s so real and from the heart, that despite its grimmer outlook and more macabre themes, I’m glad I read it.
Audiobook Comments: Both narrators did a great job, though I’m particularly fond of Lauren Fortgang’s work, and for me, her name and Leigh Bardugo’s audiobooks have become virtually inseparable. I love the way Fortgang brings Bardugo’s characters to life, and her stunning performance Ninth House has once more proven just how talented and versatile she is as a voice artist.
Novella Review: The Deep by Rivers Solomon with Daveed Diggs, William Hutson & Jonathan Snipes
Posted on December 8, 2019 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 Deep by Rivers Solomon with Daveed Diggs, William Hutson & Jonathan Snipes
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Saga Press (November 5, 2019)
Length: 176 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Inspired by a song, The Deep tells of the Wajinru, water-dwelling mermaid-like creatures who are the descendants of the pregnant African women who were thrown overboard and left to drown during the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. However, their unborn babies survived, rescued and raised by whales. Eventually their numbers grew, and they created their own idyllic society under the sea.
But that life of contentment comes at a cost. For the Wajinru have forgotten their past, which is too traumatic and painful to bear. Only one of their members, designated the Historian, holds all their people’s memories and stories of their origin, and her name is Yetu. While her peers go about their happy and carefree lives, Yetu lives under a heavy burden, knowing the price of her role and why it is needed. But eventually, that agony and strain came to be too much. Days before the Remembering, an annual ritual in which the Wajinru come together to take back their memories, if only for a time, Yetu flees to the surface, leaving the crushing weight of responsibility and expectation behind.
However, as she’ll soon find, while she may have shed the role of Historian, letting go of history itself is not so easy. Among the mysterious two-legs, she learns more than she expected to find about the past of her people, as well as what the future ahead may hold.
I almost didn’t read this book after finding out some of its topics, which I find can be very difficult and upsetting to read at times, but I am glad I took a chance. Yes, there is discussion of heavy subject matter, depictions of violence, death, slavery and genocide. But for the most part, The Deep is a lyrical narrative, an introspective artistic take on the idea of shared history, tradition, and connectedness. I won’t lie; there is overwhelmingly profound pain in Yetu’s story as well as in the history of the Wajinru, but there is also a lot of beauty in the book’s themes and in the way they’re layered.
But it is important as well to know the style in which it is written. Coming in at roughly 175 pages, The Deep is a novella so it is a quick read, light on detail, and swiftly paced. It isn’t really a story told in the traditional sense either; rather, it reads more like an exploration of a concept. Structurally, the plot is a little haphazard, but this is understandable given how much of the book’s themes are based on the ideas of memory and forgetting, so we have some instances of repetition and the narrative bouncing back and forth and sometimes circling back. The writing also doesn’t offer much detail, direction or guidance, so it’s important for the reader to stay on top of things.
Normally, The Deep wouldn’t be my kind of read given its short length and style, but I have to say I ended up liking it more than I expected. Granted, I had trouble getting into the book from the outset, mostly because of the writing and the way the intro simply thrusts you into the middle of things with no explanation. But I think the situation changed once I got to know Yetu. I found the concept of a Historian, a single person who bears the burden of keeping memories for an entire society, to be entirely fascinating. But after a while, even more compelling to me was the effect the role was having on Yetu, and her journey was what kept me reading despite the book being rather light on plot.
I think I would have enjoyed this even more had I gone in knowing more about what to expect, but I also came away pleasantly surprised and curious to try more of Rivers Solomon’s work. The Deep was undeniably different from anything I’ve ever read before, in a good way. And while I wish it had contained more story, character development and history—which as you know is a pretty typical sentiment for me when it comes to novellas—I can nevertheless appreciate the book’s artistic merits and the way its premise and ideas were implemented.
The BiblioSanctum 