Audiobook Review: All The Ever Afters by Danielle Teller
Posted on May 22, 2018 22 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
All The Ever Afters: The Untold Story of Cinderella’s Stepmother by Danielle Teller
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Fairy Tales, Retellings, Fantasy
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Harper Audio (May 22, 2018)
Length: 10 hrs and 50 mins
Author Information: Website
Narrator: Jane Copland
I’ve never been able to say no to a good fairy tale retelling. They are my absolute weakness, and I’ve been especially tempted as of late by the recent crop of novels touting the point-of-view of the “villain”. It ultimately led me to pick up All the Ever Afters, which boldly bears the tagline describing itself as the untold story of Cinderella’s stepmother, the notoriously cruel and wicked antagonist from the classic fairy tale we all know and love.
However, the author Danielle Teller’s approach to this novel is one that I’ve seldom seen in most fairy tale retellings I’ve read, in that she has completely eschewed all aspects of fantasy and magic, choosing instead to ground her story in history. Opening on the French countryside sometime during the mid-fourteenth or early fifteenth century, the tale introduces readers to Agnes, a young girl born into poverty. Her family could not afford to raise her, so she was sent at the tender age of ten to a nearby lord’s manor to become a laundress’s assistant. Worked to the bone and unfairly treated, Agnes had no choice but to use all her wits and wiles to finagle a better position for herself, eventually managing to escape the manor for a less punishing job at the local abbey.
All goes well for several years until Agnes is seduced by the Abbess’s ward and messenger, and their relationship results in a pregnancy. Ejected from the abbey, our protagonist is set up in a village where she becomes the proprietor of a brewery and alehouse, mostly raising her daughters on her own. But soon, tragedy strikes, and Agnes is forced into a situation where she must work her way up from nothing once more. A twist of fate lands her back in the manor where she worked as a child, but the lord is now married with an infant daughter. And thus, Agnes finds herself hired on to be a nursemaid to little Ella, the awkward but radiantly beautiful girl who will one day marry the handsome prince she meets at a fateful ball.
Now Agnes and her two daughters live at the palace, where she tells her tale in the hopes of showing how accounts of her wickedness have either been greatly exaggerated or are outright lies. In fact, she was a victim of forced labor herself, and All the Ever Afters is her own rags to riches story. It is a heart-wrenching novel about growing up with nothing to your name, of having to pull yourself up by your own bootstraps to make your own success. While there have been times where she had to use her cunning or resort to deception to get what she wants, Agnes is no villain. And if on occasion she was tough on Ella or punished her too harshly as a child, we learn that it is only because Agnes has been independent and hardworking her whole life, and as a result, she cannot bear idleness or watching her stepdaughter grow up helpless and spoiled.
In a way, All the Ever Afters is also the untold story of Cinderella’s stepsisters, called Charlotte and Matilda in this version of the retelling. Like their mother, they aren’t the awful people from the many popular versions of Cinderella either, and they’ve gone through their own share of hard times. Now that I’ve read Teller’s portrayal, I also doubt that I’ll ever think about the “ugly stepsisters” epithet the same way again, not after reading about a mother’s hurt and pain from Agnes’s perspective.
As I said before, this is also a purely non-magical story; there will be no fairy godmothers, pumpkin carriages, or singing animals here (though, I was amused to see, the author had managed to work in a tongue-in-cheek jibe at the popular depiction of Cinderella and her affinity for mice, except in this book, Ella’s friendship with her rat Henrietta is nowhere near as adorable…or hygienic). A lot of fairy tale retellings tend to give the mundane things of the world a fantastical twist, but it seems All the Ever Afters set out to do almost the exact opposite, downplaying the magical elements and addressing all that we know about the Cinderella story with realistic explanations.
I also found it interesting how the novel mirrored many of the original fairy tale’s lessons—that is, to always work hard and never let setbacks or difficult people get you down. However, while the classic version also taught that beauty is esteemed, but that having a good heart is the most important, things are not so idealized in Agnes’s more realistic world. Her stepdaughter Ella—who is naïve, spoiled, and rather soft and vapid—manages to snag a prince and is loved by all in the kingdom for no other reason because she is beautiful. Meanwhile, Charlotte and Matilda, who have endured so much more, will never have anywhere close to the same opportunities simply because they are homely. Agnes’s lesson for her daughters? Life is not fair, but you still do what you must to keep moving forward.
All in all, I enjoyed All the Ever Afters very much. With Cinderella only playing a bit part, this tale truly belongs to her stepmother, who has been given new life by Danielle Teller. In this heartfelt novel, there are no magical spells or fairy godmothers, for Agnes is a woman who relies on nothing but herself to change her life and make a better future for her children. If you prefer fantasy in your fairy tale retellings, you may wish to reconsider this one, but if you don’t mind a narrative that’s more rooted in realism, then I really can’t recommend this highly enough.
Audiobook Comments: I was very impressed by Jane Copland’s narration. From her voice, I imagined Agnes to be a proud, sharp-witted and dignified woman, which is exactly the way her character is written. The audiobook experience brought a whole new level of emotion to the story, which I would not have gotten if I had just read the book. A fantastic listen.
Book Review: Song of Blood & Stone by L. Penelope
Posted on May 21, 2018 20 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Song of Blood & Stone by L. Penelope
Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Series: Book 1 of Earthsinger Chronicles
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press (May 1, 2018)
Length: 384 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Although this book is now published by St. Martin’s Press, my first encounter with Song of Blood & Stone was in 2016 when an earlier version of it was entered into the Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off, the writing competition created by author Mark Lawrence. Ever since the SPFBO’s launch, several of its alum have already been picked up by traditional publishing, and it’s always great to see that number grow by the day. As I understand it, the novel has gone through many changes to get to this point, and as I am fascinated by indie publishing success stories, I was excited to check it out.
At its heart, Song of Blood & Stone is a fantasy romance. Starring Jasminda, a young woman of mixed descent, the story is set in world split by a veil called the Mantle which separates Elsira, a land with no magic, from the country of Lagrimar, whose people possess the power of Earthsong. However, the two nations are divided by a lot more. On one side, citizens are forced to worship and fear the True Father, a power-hungry tyrant who hoards the world’s magic for himself, while on the other side, the Queen Who Sleeps lies dormant, leaving her subjects directionless and without their true ruler for centuries. The Mantle has only been breached a few times in history, but every time it has happened, chaos and death have been the result due to the intense fighting and struggle for power.
As a child of two peoples, Jasminda grew up as an outcast in her mother’s homeland on the Elsiran side of the Mantle simply because she has inherited her Lagamiri father’s darker skin as well as his magical abilities. Ever since the deaths of her parents and siblings, she has lived alone maintaining a small goat farm by the mountains. One day, her quiet existence is interrupted by a group of Lagamiri soldiers at her door. Not realizing they have crossed the veil into Elsira and believing her to be one of their own, they demand that she open her home to her country’s soldiers and shelter them from an incoming storm. With them is a battered and broken prisoner named Jack, whom the soldiers claim is an Elsiran spy. Using her Earthsong, Jasminda heals Jack and helps him escape, and together they embark on a dangerous journey to warn the capital that the Mantle is about to fall once again—and that their people must prepare for war and another incursion from the brutal True Father.
Well written with beautiful and detailed flowing prose, Song of Blood & Stone showed immense promise right from the beginning. The world-building was compelling, and it is clear that L. Penelope put a lot of work and thought into formulating the book’s background and premise. The author’s characterization of Jasminda was also very well done, establishing her situation and making her a sympathetic protagonist to readers right away.
However, bearing in mind that this is a fantasy romance, these developments soon give way to the themes surrounding Jasminda and Jack’s burgeoning love story, which may prove frustrating to those who aren’t big readers of the genre. Personally speaking, I wish there had been a better balance between all the elements of the story, especially when the romance started taking priority over developing the characters and world-building. I also felt that there was very little lead-up to the romance itself, as Jack started developing feelings for Jasminda from the start, even as he was being held captive. Although I wouldn’t go so far as to call it insta-love, I still wish that the author had held off on exploring their emotions for each other until after they actually managed to escape (or at very least, waited until they’d known each other for more than a few days).
In time, the plot also revealed itself to be rather simplistic, despite the complex nature behind the history and politics of Elsira and Lagrimar. Part of this is due to the aforementioned lack of world-building once the characters arrive in the city. Queue the romance drama at this point, which—unsurprisingly—also began to impinge upon the story’s pacing. Racial conflicts and the problem of Lagamiri refugees in Elsira also started becoming central to the plot, and in this middle section I felt that the author was trying a bit too hard to inject real-world issues into the book. Normally I wouldn’t mind this, except that it was done very blatantly and at the expense of world-building and character development, ultimately making me feel less connected to the protagonists and their world, which became confusing to me. I had trouble picturing the characters’ surroundings and was never truly able to grasp the setting which came across as a mishmash of genres and time periods thrown together, with ancient magic, mysterious visions and immortals mingling with steampunk elements like airships and more modern tech like automobiles. World-building was certainly creative and ambitious, but due to the lack of attention in developing these ideas, things ended up being rather messy, which was unfortunate.
In sum, parts of this book worked well for me, while others didn’t so much. However, I do think readers who are more inclined towards the romance genre will probably like this one a lot better. While I personally prefer my stories, love or otherwise, to feature a more balanced approach to plot, characters, and world-building, if a fantasy romance is something you think you’d enjoy, then I highly recommend giving Song of Blood & Stone a try.
YA Weekend Audio: Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young
Posted on May 20, 2018 25 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Sky in the Deep by by Adrienne Young
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Macmillan Audio (April 24, 2018)
Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Some books are just so heartfelt and earnest, that they can be forgiven even if the plot is somewhat simple and a bit thin. That’s exactly how I would describe Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young, who eschewed all the fancy bells and whistles in her debut, avoiding bogging down her story with overly complicated and unnecessary details. What you end up getting is a straightforward Viking-inspired tale that never becomes extraneous, leaving way more room for meaningful character development and setting an energetic pace that never flags.
The book follows seventeen-year-old Eelyn, a young woman warrior from the Aska clan. For time immemorial, her people have been engaged in a bitter rivalry against a neighboring clan, the Riki. Every so often, their two clans will clash violently on the battlefield, each side losing people after each skirmish. That is how Eelyn lost her brother Iri five years ago, when she watched him get struck down by an enemy blade.
But then one day, the impossible happens. During their latest battle against the Riki, Eelyn’s life is saved by a familiar figure who appears out of nowhere amidst the chaos. To her shock, her rescuer is none other than her brother Iri, but he is alive and well, and not only that, he is with the enemy warriors—not as a prisoner, but as an equal and peer. Confused and angry, Eelyn goes after Iri for answers, but winds up being captured by the Riki, and during the time with their clan, she finally gets to witness the full depth of her brother’s betrayal. Not only is he fighting with the Riki, he has been taken in by one of their families, becoming the adopted brother of one of their warriors, a young man named Fiske. As the winter wears on, however, Eelyn gradually realizes that her captors are not that much different than herself—they all struggle against the bitter elements, are dedicated to their gods, and live to protect their loved ones. The Aska and Riki even have a common enemy, a ruthless clan long thought to be legend, but which is now rising again to become a threat. In order for both their clans to survive, Eelyn must team up with Fiske to convince their elders to put aside their animosities, for only united can they hope to have a chance.
Sky in the Deep begins in a rather typical fashion—with a battle scene. Here we are also introduced to Eelyn, who is a somewhat archetypal character as well, since, let’s face it: YA is chock full of “badass female protagonists™” like her, whose warrior training involves being taught how to act with more honor than sense, resulting in a worldview limited to winning glory on the battlefield by racking up a steep body count. In truth, I actually found myself wholly unimpressed by the book’s intro, turned off by the usual tropes and also by Eelyn, whose personality was predictable and shallow. And if I’m to be completely honest, the entire story is really just one big cliché, basically boiling down to our protagonist being taken out of her environment and thrust into her captors’, only to eventually become part of their world. There’s even the good old enemies-to-lovers romance which I saw coming a mile away.
Where this book really shines, however, is how these tropes are handled. I really don’t think the author set out to upend the genre here; I suspect she just wanted to tell a good story and focus on the growth of her characters over time. Credit where credit’s due: while I was less than enamored with Eelyn in the first half of the book, I gradually came around to her in the second half. My change of heart had a lot to do with the way her interactions with other characters were written, with her relationship with Iri being a central aspect of the plot. Within Eelyn rages a never-ending tug o’ war where her love for her brother battles the deep betrayal she feels for thinking he has abandoned her. It’s painful for our protagonist too, because the Aska essentially believe that those who kill their own people are denied entry to the afterlife. Eelyn fears that Iri has damned his soul to be alone forever, and thus we also often see her torn between hating him and wanting to save him.
Then there’s Eelyn’s relationship with the other members of the Riki household in which she finds herself enslaved. Inge, the family matriarch, is a stabilizing force with her calm and no-nonsense attitude. She makes Eelyn really open her eyes and look around her to see that maybe there’s more to every situation. Halvard is Inge’s younger son, a little boy whose innocent and child-like view of the world shows Eelyn how prejudices are learned—and how they can be unlearned. And finally, there’s Fiske, who only treated our protagonist well at the beginning for Iri’s sake, but later, he too comes around to see that he and Eelyn are actually very much alike. They both treasure family and care for Iri, and from that common ground is where a romance is sparked and begins to grow. Their love story didn’t exactly blow me away, nor did I find it to be anything special. However, it was sweet and relatively drama-free, which goes a long way with me these days.
All in all, nothing earthshattering to see here, but some books are just plain fun to read. Sky in the Deep is one such example, and I found the novel’s story and characters immensely enjoyable. Perfect if you’re looking for a quick and straightforward read, with almost equal amounts of action and emotion, brutality and sweetness.
Audiobook Comments: I just love, love, love Khristine Hvam. I’ve probably listened to dozens of audiobooks read by her, so as soon as I saw her name listed as the narrator for Sky in the Deep I knew that it would be a fantastic listen. Just as I anticipated, she delivered a wonderful performance, giving Eelyn the perfect voice.
Mogsy’s Bookshelf Roundup: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on May 19, 2018 37 Comments
Bookshelf Roundup is a feature I do every other 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 round up what I’ve read since the last update 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! For more details and full descriptions of the books, be sure to click the links to their Goodreads pages.
First up, a couple of exciting new arrivals from Orbit! The US edition of Spellslinger by Sebastien de Castell finally has has a publisher and release date (with the subsequent books in the series to follow swiftly) and I was super excited to be sent an ARC. I guess I’ll have no excuse now not to read this one ASAP! Especially if I want to keep up with the release schedule. I also got sent an ARC of Adrift by Rob Boffard, whose book Tracer I really enjoyed, so I’m curious to see what else he has in store.
From the wonderful team at Del Rey, I was also sent an ARC of The Memory of Fire by Callie Bates, sequel to the author’s debut The Waking Land. I had a good time with the first book, and definitely wouldn’t mind continuing with the series to see what will happen.
With thanks to Subterranean Press, a surprise ARC of The Dinosaur Tourist by Caitlín R. Kiernan arrived a couple weeks ago. I wish I knew more about this one, because it looks fascinating (that cover is amazing, am I right?) but early descriptions I found on the publisher’s website are still very vague, though I do know that it’s an anthology.
Also thanks to Tor Books for sending me a finished copy of By Fire Above by Robyn Bennis, one of the many exciting books featured for the publisher’s #FearlessWomen campaign this spring and summer. I read and enjoyed the first book The Guns Above last year, and I really hope that some time will free up later this month so I can read this sequel.
Earlier this month I also received an ARC of Nebula Awards Showcase 2018 edited by Jane Yolen. These volumes have been published annually since 1966, featuring the winning and nominated stories of the Nebula Awards, voted on by the members of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. Thank you so much, Pyr Books!
Up next, a parade of gorgeous finished copies! Kicking off this batch is King of Ashes by Raymond E. Feist, which I’ve actually reviewed already. My thoughts on the book can be found here. With thanks to Harper Voyager for the beautiful hardcover.
A few weeks ago I received a pitch for a Young Adult adventure-survival novel that I’d never heard of before called Damselfly by Chandra Prasad. It’s about a group of private-school teens who crash land on a deserted tropical island, and they have work together in order to survive. With shades of LOST and Lord of the Flies, I found the description really intriguing, so I decided to take a look. My thanks to Scholastic Press for the review copy.
I was also thrilled to receive a hardcover copy of Brief Cases by Jim Butcher from the amazing folks at Ace Books. Hard it believe the last book to come out in The Dresden Files was four years ago, and it seems the wait for the next volume will continue, though happily fans will get this anthology to tide them over in the meantime. I’m not even a fan of short stories and I’m still really looking forward to this, which shows you how much I love this series!
Next up are a couple of unsolicited arrivals with thanks to Simon & Schuster. These are both new to me, but they look interesting. From Scribner, In Dust and Ashes by Anne Holt is a crime novel from the celebrated Norwegian author whose Hanne Wilhemsen series is on bestselling lists worldwide. The only thing making me wary is, this is book 10! The story about Hanne trying to solve a cold case sounds great, but as this is also billed as the final book of the series which has been twenty-four years in the writing, I’m not sure how standalone it would be. If anyone knows, please chime in. From the publisher’s Aladdin imprint I also received this Middle Grade novel called Freya and the Magic Jewel by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams, the first book in the Thunder Girls series starring goddesses in Norse mythology. I might hold on to this one for my daughters to enjoy when they’re old enough to read it in a few years; the story looks fun and super cute, if the cat-drawn chariot on the cover is any indication!
And finally, wrapping up this batch is a surprise copy of Ascendant by Jack Campbell, the second volume in his new Genesis Fleet series. I’m not sure if I’ll continue with this since I didn’t really care for the first book when I read it last year, but there’s always a chance for a series to get better with later installments. I guess I’ll wait for reviews of this one to trickle in before I make my final decision. Regardless, a big thank you to Ace Books for sending me the hardcover.
In the digital pile, I picked up a few audio review copies this week. My thanks to HarperAudio for Onyx & Ivory by Mindee Arnett, an author I’ve wanted to try for a while. Courtesy of Listening Library, I also received Neverworld Wake by Marisha Pessl, a book I’ve been hearing a lot of buzz about lately, and it’s gotten me curious.
And yay for new eARCs from Tor.com! Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells is the third installment in the Murderbot Diaries series, which I’m hoping to jump into after I catch up with the second book later this month. And The Black God’s Drums by P. Djèlí Clark is a book I only found out about recently, but it looks fantastic and I’m looking forward to checking it out.
Reviews
My reviews posted since the last update:
The Queen of Sorrow by Sarah Beth Durst (4 of 5 stars)
The Night Dahlia by R.S. Belcher (4 of 5 stars)
The Defiant Heir by Melissa Caruso (4 of 5 stars)
Last Dragon Standing by Rachel Aaron (4 of 5 stars)
Space Opera by Catherynne M. Valente (3.5 of 5 stars)
King of Ashes by Raymond E. Feist (3.5 of 5 stars)
What I’ve Read Since the Last Update
Audiobooks are giving me a huge boost once again because I’ve gotten back into Conan Exiles, an open-world survival game based in the world of Conan the Barbarian. The best way I can describe this game is “Minecraft on steroids with 100% more gore and nudity”, with its entire premise revolving around exploring, crafting, and building. It’s the type of activity that goes hand in hand with listening to audiobooks since concentration requirements are minimal between running around in the world gathering materials and constructing my humble abode (while just keeping an eye out for the odd creature or hostile NPC that can ambush you). This means multitasking and more books completed, which is always good news for me. Here’s what I’ve managed to “unstack” from the TBR since the last update. Stay tuned for more reviews!
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: Gravestone
Posted on May 18, 2018 29 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:
“Let’s talk of graves, of worms, and epitaphs”
~ a cover featuring a GRAVESTONE
Mogsy’s Pick:
The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey
My pick for this week is one of the most frightening books I’ve ever read. It’s also a Young Adult novel, though I’ve seriously questioned that categorization as I wouldn’t recommend this one lightly to just any young reader. Gruesome and graphic, if ever a movie was adapted faithfully from The Monstrumologist, it would earn a resounding R-rating.
Set in late-1800s New England, the story is told from the perspective of a 12-year-old orphan named Will Henry who finds himself apprenticed to an eccentric scientist named Dr. Pellinore Warthrop. Sounds innocent and harmless enough so far, right? But then Will finds out that Dr. Warthrop is a “monstrumologist”, or someone who studies monsters, and he’s about to find out exactly what the job entails. One night, the doctor is visited by a grave robber and is presented with a grisly find – the corpse of a girl with half her face chewed off. Even more disturbing, however, is the tiny fetus of an Anthropophagus creature found in her womb. Anthropophagi, which are monsters that feast on human flesh, are described as a race of mythical beings that have no head, so that their facial features (like their giant mouths filled with razor-sharp teeth) are instead located on their chests. Warthrop concludes that a group of these predators must have moved into the area, taking Will Henry along on his investigation to discover how the creatures might have reached America’s shores.
Let’s take a look at the covers:
From left to right:
Simon Schuster BYR (2009) – Simon Schuster BYR (2010) – Saga Press (2015)
Simon & Schuster UK (2010) – German Edition (2012) – Korean Edition (2017)
Indonesian Edition (2016) – Persian Edition (2016) – Russian Edition (2014)
Winner:
The winner I’ve chosen this week is the original 2009 Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers edition – not really because this cover is my favorite aesthetically or anything like that. It was, however, the cover which first drew my attention to this book. I still remember seeing it for the first time, and I have a distinct memory of myself leaning forward to get a closer look of it on my computer screen, thinking, “What in the hell IS that?” The book was featured in a Kindle Deals email at the time, and after perusing the publisher description, I went right ahead and one-click bought it. It’s not a decision I’ve ever regretted, because I love this book, and it’s all thanks to this one cover.
But what do you think? Which one is your favorite?
Book Review: The Queen of Sorrow by Sarah Beth Durst
Posted on May 17, 2018 29 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 Queen of Sorrow by Sarah Beth Durst
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 3 of The Queens of Renthia
Publisher: Harper Voyager (May 15, 2018)
Length: 432 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
A couple years ago when I picked up The Queen of Blood, I had no idea it was going to grow into a series I would enjoy and love so much. Two more books later, the Queens of Renthia trilogy is now complete, and what an incredible journey it has been with this strong cast of powerful, fascinating women and the world of dangerous spirits in which they live.
In the first book, readers got to meet Daleina, a young Queen candidate who came from a humble background with less than stellar magical abilities. However, hard work and tragic circumstances ultimately led her to the throne of Aratay, her forest kingdom. Book two introduced us to another Queen, but Naelin is as different from Daleina as night is from day. Middle-aged and a mother of two, Naelin is naturally gifted with immense power, but without the years of formal training most candidates receive, her magic is raw and untamed. Unlike Daleina, she also never wanted to be Queen, content just to raise her family in seclusion and quiet.
It is highly recommended that you read the first two books before jumping into The Queen of Sorrow. While theoretically The Queen of Blood and The Reluctant Queen can be considered standalone companion novels, this third one on the other hand is the culmination of events from both and will tie everything together. Be aware that this review might also contain possible plot details for the previous books if you’re not caught up yet. Aratay now has two queens, and with Naelin sharing the responsibility of keeping the vicious spirits of the natural world at bay, Daleina believes her kingdom finally has a chance at peace. But then Naelin’s children are kidnapped and taken to neighboring Semo, a country ruled by none other than Queen Merecot—once Daleina’s friend and former schoolmate. Needless to say, their relationship has soured since Merecot tried to kill Daleina and take over Aratay, but it appears the Semoian queen is far from done with her scheming. Filled with a mother’s rage and sorrow, Naelin ends up tearing the land apart in her desperate attempt to take back her stolen children, leaving the kingdom in worse shape than ever before.
I just want to say I love these characters. Sarah Beth Durst continues to impress with her deep explorations into Daleina and Naelin’s personalities and motivations, and in The Queen of Sorrow, we also have the added treat of getting to know the series antagonist. Yes, the clever and manipulative girl we first met in The Queen of Blood before she was kicked out of candidate school has become a force to be reckoned with. I knew we hadn’t seen the last of Merecot, and I was glad this book gave her character such detailed attention. She now joins the ranks of my favorite complex villains of all time. Even though she is a megalomaniacal conniving narcissistic kook, you can’t help but feel for her. Despite her detached and calculating view of the world, Merecot’s twisted actions are ultimately all for the sake of her country and people.
And indeed, Durst examines how far each queen would go to achieve everlasting peace. For Merecot, it may be a numbers game. For Naelin, however, it’s her children’s lives above all others. One thinks with pure logic, while the other reacts with pure emotion. With Naelin having shown that she is willing to let the entire world burn as long as it means her own children will be spared, Merecot’s methods might even start to seem sane, and yet, I also believe it would be much easier to sympathize with the former’s viewpoint if you are a parent. At the end of the day though, it’s probably safe to say that neither queen possesses the qualities of a good leader, and so Daleina can be seen as the mediating force between their two extremes.
The author presents this trio of personalities so well, that I think it might be my favorite aspect of this novel, but I also adore the supporting cast and their relationships with the protagonists. There is some light romance involved, but I’m happy to say it’s only a small part of a bigger picture containing more complex and dynamic relationships. I enjoyed seeing how this concluding volume brought many of those connections to fruition, even the ones involving more minor characters. In fact, some of those peripheral characters ended up being my favorites, like Garnah or Hanna.
Bottom line, I think it’s safe to say if you enjoyed the first two books, then you will love The Queen of Sorrow. The book builds to an incredible climax and finale, one that will be intensely rewarding to readers who have followed the story since the beginning. All the characters have grown so much and have triumphed over so many obstacles and hardships, it’s hard not to feel a deep sense of joy and satisfaction at this beautiful conclusion even as I sadly bid farewell to the series. The Queens of Renthia has made me a fan of Sarah Beth Durst for life though, and I will look forward to her future projects with great enthusiasm.
More on The BiblioSantum:
Review of The Queen of Blood (Book 1)
Review of The Reluctant Queen (Book 2)
Waiting on Wednesday 05/16/18
Posted on May 16, 2018 21 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
Ship of Smoke and Steel by Django Wexler (January 22, 2019 by Tor Teen)
To my excitement, the cover to the first book of Django Wexler’s upcoming new YA series was revealed earlier this week. I’m a huge fan of the author, who has shown incredible versatility with a wide range of genres as well as writing for many different age groups, so I’m already confident I will love this one. Plus, it’s a heist story!
“Ship of Smoke and Steel is the launch of a cinematic, action-packed epic fantasy trilogy for fans of Leigh Bardugo and The Legend of Korra.
In the lower wards of Kahnzoka, the great port city of the Blessed Empire, eighteen-year-old ward boss Isoka comes to collect when there’s money owing. When her ability to access the Well of Combat is discovered by the Empire—an ability she should have declared and placed at His Imperial Majesty’s service—she’s sent 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.“
#FearlessWomen: By Fire Above by Robyn Bennis Spotlight & Exclusive Excerpt
Posted on May 15, 2018 7 Comments
Women are shining in every genre of speculative fiction, and it is no longer enough to say “Women arehere.” Instead, #FearlessWomen everywhere are taking a stand to say “Women will thrive here.”
Highlighting major titles from bestselling authors V.E. Schwab, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Jacqueline Carey as well as titles from acclaimed and debut authors such as Mary Robinette Kowal, Tessa Gratton, Sam Hawke, and Robyn Bennis, #FearlessWomen will be a coordinated social media celebration encouraging fans to start a dialogue about women in publishing, their worlds, their voices, and their unique stories.
By Fire Above by Robyn Bennis
By Fire Above is the rip-roaring new adventure in Robyn Bennis’s Signal Airship military fantasy series that Patricia Briggs hails as “full of sass and terrific characters.”
“All’s fair in love and war,” according to airship captain Josette Dupre, until her hometown of Durum becomes occupied by the enemy and her mother a prisoner of war. Then it becomes, “Nothing’s fair except bombing those Vins to high hell.”
Before she can rescue her town, however, Josette must maneuver her way through the nest of overstuffed vipers that make up Garnia’s military and royal leaders in order to drum up support. The foppish and mostly tolerated Mistral crew member Lord Bernat steps in to advise her, along with his very attractive older brother.
Between noble scheming, under-trained recruits, and supply shortages, Josette and the crew of the Mistral figure out a way to return to Durum—only to discover that when the homefront turns into the frontlines, things are more dangerous than they seem.
Exclusive Excerpt
Mistrals’ starboard rail might have been the wettest place on the hurricane deck, if not the entire world, but Bernat clung to it with one hand as tightly as he held his safety line in the other. Apart from drawing some small comfort form the familiar place, he felt a vague sense that this was his station, and as important a station as any other aboard the ship—the pesky fact that he had no official function notwithstanding. Besides which, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to make his way anywhere else in the dark, with the ship being buffeted and the deck swinging randomly underfoot.
Below, the streetlights of Kuchin were just visible through the clouds, still lit inside their ornate glass casings. They went by at a fantastic speed, and rather more sideways than Bernat would have preferred. “Are we meant to be moving right to left?” he asked.
“Yes, actually.” Josette must have seen his incredulous expression in a flash of lightning, for she went on, “With our steamjack in the condition it’s in, it’s too late to run straight away from the storm. It’ll only sweep us in. So we’re going to use the storm’s own vortex to slingshot around the worst of it and come out the back.”
Her unrattled confidence made him feel quite a bit better. “So you’ve done this before?”
She didn’t answer, but only looked briefly toward him in the darkness, and he hoped to God she was rolling her eyes, or at least shooting him a nasty expression. Anything, really, but the cocky smirk he was imagining—the one that said she was learning as she went.
About the Author
Robyn Bennis has done research and development involving human gene expression, neural connectomics, cancer diagnostics, rapid flu testing, gene synthesis, genome sequencing, and systems integration.
She wrote most of The Guns Above within sight of Hangar One at Moffett Airfield, which was once the West Coast home to one of America’s largest airships, the USS Macon.
She currently resides in Madison, WI, where she has one cat, two careers, and an apartment full of dreams.
You can find her online at according2robyn.blogspot.com or on Twitter at @According2Robyn.
Join the Conversation
Tor Books’ handles across Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (@torbooks) will be using the hashtags #FearlessWomen (and #FearlessFantasy and #FearlessSF) to promote excerpts, exclusive content, quizzes and giveaways beginning in May. There will also be exclusive giveaways at BookCon, San Diego Comic-Con, and New York Comic Con. Follow Tor Books online, join the conversation – and get reading!
Be sure to also check out the other blogs on the #FearlessWomen tour to read more exclusive content and reviews!
This is a Metaphor | Dark Faerie Tales | Cherry Blossoms & Maple Syrup | Sci-fi Chick | Books, Bones, & Buffy | Tenacious Reader | Itching for Books | Across the Words | Fantasy Literature
Book Review: The Night Dahlia by R.S. Belcher
Posted on May 14, 2018 19 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 Night Dahlia by R.S. Belcher
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Book 2 of Nightwise
Publisher: Tor (April 3, 2018)
Length: 368 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
The Night Dahlia returns to the dark world of Laytham Ballard, a man introduced to us in the first book Nightwise as “a cynical bastard who stopped thinking of himself as the good guy a long time ago.” Fans who enjoyed reading about the jaded, nihilistic perspective of our fallen hero will be glad to know this second installment is just as tantalizingly dark with all its action-packed and emotional twists.
While technically, The Night Dahlia is the beginning of a new mystery and can be read as a standalone without Nightwise as a prerequisite, I still highly recommend reading the books in publication order to get the full impact. There are developments by the end of this book that will make a lot more sense if you have followed the character’s journey from the beginning. This time, Laytham has been charged by the powerful fae mob boss Theo Ankou to track down his daughter Caern, who has been missing since she was 13 years old. As this was almost a decade ago, the trail has long since gone cold, but our protagonist has a reputation for having a number of magical underground connections and a knack for always finding what he needs. Because of this, Ankou is convinced that Laytham will succeed where all his other investigators have failed.
Provided with a near limitless amount of cash as well as an elf bodyguard named Vigil Burris to both protect him and keep him in line, Laytham embarks on his search for Caern, a mission that will take him from the stunning and luxurious islands of Greece to the seedy underbelly of Los Angeles’s nightclubs and porn industry. Along the way, he’ll face the many demons of his past, which includes a few bitter enemies as well as some former friends.
R.S. Belcher continues to be one of the best when it comes to dark and gritty urban fantasy, going places where most authors in this genre only dare dream about. He is bold and unafraid of pushing the boundaries, especially when it comes to his protagonist. As we learned in Nightwise, Laytham Ballard is more than just a conflicted anti-hero; at times he can be downright dastardly and villainous. Just when you think he’s coming around, he’ll show you how wrong you are by defaulting back to the aggressive, selfish and cowardly creature that he is. He’s someone you can never depend upon to keep a promise, someone who would sell out a friend at the drop of a hat if it means saving his own hide. To his credit though, he’s also self-aware enough to know he’s a despicable shitheel which is probably why he intentionally prevents anyone from getting close. You won’t want to get on his bad side either, because he can also be a cruel and vengeful bastard, having been known to go to frightening extremes just to settle a score.
For all that though, Laytham is still a fascinating character to read about, and while his world is a pretty grim and messed up place to be, everything about it piques my curiosity to learn more. The author’s creativity is on full display here as every page is steeped with magic and the paranormal—the kind where the Fae are a powerful drug running crime syndicate, Aztec wizard gangsters rule the streets, and even the infamous serial killer Charles Manson makes an appearance as a lunatic mage who creates monsters out of thoughts and nightmares. The wondrous and the fantastic are everywhere, even in the most hellish and most hopeless scenarios. As such, The Night Dahlia is not always an easy book to read, especially when it portrays situations that are uncomfortably close to some of the awfulness experienced in our own real world. That is immediately evident as the novel opens on a horrific scene of school shooting, in which a nine-year-old boy becomes possessed with the spirt of a psychotic killer and is made to commit mass murder. That enough should tell you the tone of these books. This isn’t merely dark urban fantasy; this is urban fantasy that frequently treads into horror territory.
But while this series may be filled with pain and suffering, there is also growth and a chance at redemption. Laytham knows he’s a terrible person, but perhaps owning up to his flaws and mistakes is the first step to doing better, and being better. His character is the embodiment of that dark place in all our psyches, the part that most of us try to ignore or pretend is not even there. In a way, that makes Laytham feel very genuine and human, so even when he is at his worst, you can’t help but feel for him on some level, even if it leaves a bitter taste in your mouth to admit it. Complex characters like that get to me every time, though, so I never once considered throwing in the towel, even if I personally find it difficult to relate to the protagonist. I was also pleased to see, by the end of the novel, that there may be hope for Laytham Ballard yet.
Perfect for readers of gritty and in-your-face dark urban fantasy with tinges of horror, the Nightwise series will ignite the imaginations and test the mettle of even those who think they’ve seen it all. The Night Dahlia follows marvelously in the tradition of the first book, with R.S. Belcher giving his fans more of what they love.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of Nightwise (Book 1)
Book Review: The Defiant Heir by Melissa Caruso
Posted on May 13, 2018 15 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 Defiant Heir by Melissa Caruso
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 2 of Swords and Fire
Publisher: Orbit (April 24, 2018)
Length: 560 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
I’m always a little nervous going into a sequel to a book I loved, especially when the story and characters are still fresh in your mind. Knowing you are jumping into a new adventure that can change the course of everything you know or shift the game as swiftly as the weather is sometimes a terrifying thing.
But as it turned out, I had an amazing time with Melissa Caruso’s The Defiant Heir. In fact, I pretty much couldn’t ask for more out of a sequel. In the first book, The Tethered Mage, readers were introduced to a historical fantasy setting reminiscent of Renaissance Venice, along with an irresistible cast which includes our protagonist Lady Amalia, a young noblewoman finds herself becoming a Falconer to the fire Warlock Zaira. Forever linked together by a magical bond neither of them wanted, Amalia nonetheless tries to make the best out of the situation, and although Zaira’s initial pushback was hard and aggressive, eventually she too started to come around to their new reality.
Friendships, however, are not forged overnight. There’s still plenty of conflict—both individually and between them—for Amalia and Zaira to work out, and this is where this sequel comes in. The Defiant Heir continues to develop the characters’ relationship by setting them on a quest to gather information behind enemy lines, with success only possible if both women can pull all their knowledge, skills, and abilities together to work as one. All this is also set to a backdrop of imminent war, as the seventeen Witch Lords who rule in Vaskandar gather for a rare conclave in the aftermath of the events that transpired in The Tethered Mage. As the scion of one of Raverra’s most powerful families, Amalia has been groomed to take her mother’s place on the Council of Nine since birth, even though she would much rather be ensconced in a library with a pile of books or tinkering with new contraptions in a workshop. But now the time has come for her to formally enter politics and take on the responsibilities of her role as La Contessa’s heir, even if it means giving up the things she loves.
I’m a big fan of stories that put characters to the test, because they always have the most compelling conflicts. Which path will a person take when faced with life-altering choices? Do they follow their sense of duty or their heart? What lengths will they go to achieve their goals? For Amalia, life has changed a great deal ever since becoming a Falconer. She has made a new friend in Zaira, even if that friendship is still complicated and somewhat precarious. She’s even found love with her fellow Falconer, Lieutenant Marcello Verdi. But as mad as they are for each other, a future together just isn’t in the cards, and that was even before Amalia decided to increase her efforts to follow in her mother’s footsteps. As the daughter of La Contessa, she must put the needs of the country before her own desires. And if her country needs her to play spy and court alliances, she’ll have to do that too, even if those duties require her to serve beyond her experiences and limits.
Amalia, however, is not the kind of person to give up when the going gets hard, which is what I loved about her character in the first book and she continues to show the same kind of persistence in The Defiant Heir. She’s also measured and calculating, preferring to keep all her options open, even if it does leave her personal life a bit of a mess. That said, it’s wonderful to see a flawed but genuine and intelligent female protagonist who displays such strength in the face of crushing social pressures, and still be a good, kind, and sincere person.
But once again, Caruso shows that her greatest strength is writing relationships—and a good thing too, since each and every single one of the story’s multiple threads have a basis in the character dynamics. Amalia loves her mother and wants to please her, which fuels her determination to be a good heir. She loves Marcello, but must put her feelings for him aside to allow herself to be courted by Kathe, a Crow Lord who is debonair and charming, but still pragmatic enough to understand how such a relationship would serve both their purposes. Then there’s the Falconer-Falcon bond between Amalia and Zaira, which has developed into something much deeper and more complex. They’ve put their lives in each other’s hands, and both women have learned to trust more because of it. Zaira has even let herself open up and grow closer to Terika, another Falcon. This particularly sideplot has expanded the scope of her character in many ways, showing a side of the cantankerous fire warlock that we’d only begun to explore by the end of the first book. All these relationships were woven together to form an intricate web of personal stories within a greater narrative, which made this book a joy to read because we got to watch each character grow.
Fans who enjoyed Caruso’s debut will find even more to please them in The Defiant Heir, a sequel that further explores the world and all the characters we’ve come to know and love. In addition, it’ll take us to new locales and introduce us to new players, adding even more depth to series. With this second volume of Swords and Fire, Melissa Caruso is well on her way to making a very big splash in the fantasy genre, and I can’t wait for the third book to get here.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of The Tethered Mage (Book 1)
The BiblioSanctum 