Audiobook Review: City of the Lost by Kelley Armstrong
Posted on June 15, 2016 30 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
City of the Lost by Kelley Armstrong
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 5 of 5 stars
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Series: Book 1 of Casey Duncan
Publisher: Macmillan Audio (May 3, 2016)
Length: 13 hrs and 47 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Therese Plummer
Wow, you’ll have to excuse me, but I think I’m having myself another one of those “Why have I waited so long to read this author?” moments. Yes, believe it or not, it actually took me this long to finally try Kelley Armstrong (despite the fact others have been telling me about her awesomeness for years). I also find it a little ironic that even though I’m more of a speculative fiction reader, it wasn’t any of her fantasy or paranormal books that finally caught my eye, but her newest mystery thriller/suspense novel City of the Lost, a book that was originally published serially in six parts. Anyway, the moment I read its description, I just knew I had to check it out.
Meet Casey Duncan, a homicide detective with a dark secret. In college, she killed a former lover, who was also the grandson of a crime lord. While the police didn’t have the evidence to catch who really did it, the mob knows and they never forget. Casey’s past finally catches up with her more than a decade later, when she suddenly finds her life in danger. At around the same time, Casey’s best friend Diana tells her that she is worried about her violent ex-husband, who has recently managed to track her down. After Casey discovers Diana brutally beaten and bloody on her bathroom floor one night, she knows that the two of them will have to do something about their situations—and fast—or they’ll both soon wind up dead.
It is Diana who finds a possible solution, letting Casey know about a remote community in the northern wilderness where people can go to disappear. Anyone who wants to leave their old lives behind can apply for entry—which includes abuse survivors like Diana, but also folks who are trying to run from their mistakes, hide from the law, or just don’t want to be found. That’s how the two friends ultimately end up in Rockton, a small town in the Yukon Territories where there’s no phones, no internet, no mail…but plenty of secrets. As it turns out, Casey’s application was almost rejected after a thorough background check revealed that she might have killed a man in college, but the town council is desperate; Rockton has just had its first real homicide, so they feel the local sheriff could use the help from a real homicide detective.
While I usually leave audiobook comments until the end of my reviews, I feel like I have to make an exception here simply because this was such a phenomenal listen. I also don’t doubt that a huge part of my love of this book was due to the format and the incredible performance by the narrator Therese Plummer. This is the first audiobook I’ve ever listened to her read, and I am beyond impressed with her voice acting. She reads beautifully, pulling me into the story so that I hung on to her every word. Her timing, accents, and inflections were all perfect, and the way she dramatized the suspenseful scenes had a way of making feel like I was right in the story, or sitting around a campfire listening to a tale told by an extremely talented storyteller.
Of course, Kelley Armstrong’s writing had a lot to do with creating the atmosphere as well. While there’s no clear speculative fiction element in City of the Lost, I also think that parts of this book can qualify it as horror. After all, there’s a possible killer on the loose, and there are also things lurking in the forest you don’t ever want to meet. The author has created an ideal setting for a psychological thriller, emphasizing the isolation of Rockton. Even without the murders making everyone in town nervous, there’s a real sense of danger and helplessness that hangs over all aspects of life in a remote community like this so far away from civilization, knowing that if the worst happens, you are on your own.
Yet at the same time, there’s a quiet, exquisite beauty about that kind of isolation. It’s a simple but relatively carefree life in Rockton, and the people around you may be quirky but they have their charms. Despite feeling the pressures of her investigation, Casey is also always taking the time to appreciate the wonders of the wilderness around her. I’ve always wanted to visit the Yukon, and the descriptions in this book reminded me why.
I really only have one criticism, and it’s a very minor one. There’s a romantic arc in this book, and around the two-thirds mark the plot stalls as we switch gears to focus on the romantic drama. Still, the romance is super sweet, the kind that I’m sure made other people wonder why I had this stupid, dreamy-looking grin plastered on my face as I was walking around listening to this one on my headphones. The love story might have been a bit much, distracting from the mystery and suspense, but it was also really nice.
By now, I think it’s obvious that I loved City of the Lost, and I seriously couldn’t be more pleased with my very first Kelley Armstrong novel. If you love twisty mysteries and psychological thrillers, I would highly recommend this one, especially the audio version narrated by Therese Plummer. This one made me an instant fan of both author and narrator. Will definitely want to read/listen to more!
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Waiting on Wednesday 06/15/16
Posted on June 15, 2016 16 Comments
“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that lets us feature upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!
Mogsy’s Pick
Sleep Over: An Oral History of the Apocalypse by H.G. Bleackley (January 3, 2017 by Talos)
I confess, I am a sucker for “oral histories” and other epistolary style novels, and so when I saw this one I was immediately intrigued. The release date is still a ways away so it’ll be a long time before I can sate my curiosity, but I can be patient…or not.
“For fans of the oral history genre phenomenon World War Z, a worldwide plague of insomnia creates a devastating new apocalypse.
Remember what it’s like to last an entire night without sleep? That dull but constant headache. The feeling of your brain on edge. How easily irritated you were. How difficult it was to concentrate, even on seemingly menial tasks. It was just a single restless night, but everything felt just a little bit harder to do, and the only real comfort was knowing your head would finally hit the pillow at the end of the day, and when you awoke the next morning everything would return to normal.
But what if sleep didn’t come the next night? Or the night after? What might happen if you, your friends and family, your coworkers, the strangers you pass on the street, all slowly began to realize that rest might not ever come again?
How slowly might the world fall apart? How long would it take for a society without sleep to descend into chaos?
Sleep Over is collection of waking nightmares, a scrapbook of the haunting and poignant stories from those trapped in a world where the pillars of society are crumbling, and madness is slowly descending on a planet without rest.
Online vigilantism turns social media into a deadly gamble.
A freelance journalist grapples with the ethics of turning in footage of mass suicide.
A kidnapped hypnotist is held hostage by those at wit’s end for a cure.
In Sleep Over, these stories are just the beginning. Before the Longest Day, the world record was eleven days without sleep. It turns out most of us can go much longer.”
Review: MEG: Nightstalkers by Steve Alten + Giveaway!
Posted on June 14, 2016 18 Comments
***The giveaway is now over, thanks to everyone who entered!***
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
MEG: Nightstalkers by Steve Alten
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction, Horror, Thriller
Series: Book 5 of MEG
Publisher: Tor (June 14, 2016)
Length: 368 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Oh boy, this was exactly the kind of book I needed in my life.
Not that my current to-read list is lacking by any means, being well stocked with all kinds of offerings from mind-blowing cerebral science fiction to sweeping epic fantasies. But sometimes you just gotta kick back with some giant rampaging shark action, you know?
Hence, the Meg, short for Megalodon or Carcharodon megalodon, a species of prehistoric shark that lived more than 2.6 million years ago and makes its extant cousin the Great White look like a precious little baby.
Thank all that is good and holy that these guys are extinct.
Steve Alten’s MEG series, the first book of which is soon to be adapted into a movie, follows the exciting and oftentimes terrifying underwater adventures of former US Navy deep sea diver Jonas Taylor and his family. Meg: Nightstalkers is the fifth novel of the sequence, though like all the other books it can be read perfectly fine on its own as a standalone. Being new to the series, I was grateful for the plentiful background information provided by the author which gently eased me back into this next chapter of the story. The first part technically began in the previous installment Meg: Hell’s Aquarium, and considering that it was published a little more than seven years ago, I am likely not the only reader who would appreciate all the recap details. Regardless, whether you’re a newcomer or just continuing the series, you shouldn’t have any problems at all.
The book starts off following a nightmare situation already underway, with Lizzy and Bela, the two massive Megalodon sisters, having been set loose from the marine facility owned by the Taylor and Tanaka families. They’ve been storming up the coast ever since, ultimately winding up in the Salish Sea off British Columbia. But while Jonas has his hands full trying to figure out how to recapture or kill the Megs, his son David is also dealing with some prehistoric sea monster problems of his own. After witnessing his girlfriend die in a gruesome attack, David has agreed to join the hunt for the creature responsible—a 120-foot, hundred-ton Liopleurodon which had escaped from its refuge in the Panthalassa Sea.
Because giant sharks obviously aren’t enough.
I’m not even going to try and pretend these books are anything more than they appear to be, nor will I deny the fact I read this simply out of pure guilty pleasure. The writing isn’t going to be raking in any awards. The plot is laughably absurd. The violence and gore is flagrantly gratuitous, the science lacks any kind of logic or credibility, and most of the characters are stupid arrogant blowhards with more balls than brains (plenty of shark fodder, yay!)
But man, did I have a helluva fun time with this one.
I’ll be the first to admit a weakness for the kinds of creature features made popular during the 70s and 80s, or those cheesy made-for-TV horror films featuring animals running amok or going on killing sprees. Meg: Nightstalkers felt a lot like the book version of that, and to be honest, I wasn’t about to pass up a chance to read about gigantic prehistoric sea monsters swimming around wreaking havoc on quaint seaside properties, sinking a bunch of boats, and devouring a crap ton of people.
Every once in a while I’ll find myself in a mood for an unassuming and shamelessly pulpy novel like this one, just to let loose and have fun. And I have to say, I was extremely satisfied to get my five hours of guts-splattering, blood-spewing terror and entertainment out of this book. From its fascinating intro to that explosive ending worthy of Jurassic World, I enjoyed every moment. Will it be for everyone? Probably not. But as the old saying goes, don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it. With books like these, what you see is what you get, which can be unbelievably refreshing and cathartic. I feel that my reading routine is made much richer by mixing in light and fun offerings on occasion, the sort of stuff that doesn’t take itself too seriously. When I get the chance to sneak them in between my longer heavier reads, they can be a real treat. After my experience with Nightstalkers, I would definitely read more MEG books. In fact, I’ve already placed a hold on the first one at my library.
So, when you’re heading out to the beach this summer, to hell with the other beach-goers who’ll probably give you and this book funny looks! Consider packing along a copy in your day bag. You’ll have a great time…even if you’ll want to stay out of the water.
MEG: Nightstalkers Book and Cover Poster
Giveaway
Look at it, you know you want it. Well, good news! The novel can be read as a standalone, and Tor Books has very generously offered The BiblioSanctum an opportunity to host a giveaway for a physical copy of the book MEG: Nightstalkers plus a poster of that badass cover you see there. This giveaway is open to residents in the US and Canada. To enter, all you have to do is send an email to bibliosanctum@gmail.com with your Name and valid Mailing Address using the subject line “MEGALODON MADNESS” by 11:59pm Eastern time on Friday, June 24, 2016.
Only one entry per household, please. The winner will be randomly selected when the giveaway ends and then be notified by email. All information will only be used for the purposes of contacting the winner and sending them their prize. Once the giveaway ends all entry emails will be deleted.
So what are you waiting for? Enter to win! Good luck!
Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Most Anticipated Audiobook Releases For The Second Half Of The Year
Posted on June 14, 2016 8 Comments
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. They created the meme because they love lists. Who doesn’t love lists? They wanted to share these lists with fellow book lovers and ask that we share in return to connect with our fellow book lovers. To learn more about participating in the challenge, stop by their page dedicated to it and dive in!
This week’s topic: Top Ten Most Anticipated Audiobook Releases For The Second Half Of The Year
On the Edge of Gone by Corinne Duyvis, narrated by Stephanie Willis
January 29, 2035. That’s the day the comet is scheduled to hit – the big one.
Denise and her mother and sister, Iris, have been assigned to a temporary shelter outside their hometown of Amsterdam to wait out the blast, but Iris is nowhere to be found, and at the rate Denise’s drug-addicted mother is going, they’ll never reach the shelter in time. A last-minute meeting leads them to something better than a temporary shelter – a generation ship scheduled to leave Earth behind to colonize new worlds after the comet hits. But everyone on the ship has been chosen because of their usefulness.
Denise is autistic and fears that she’ll never be allowed to stay. Can she obtain a spot before the ship takes flight? What about her mother and sister? When the future of the human race is at stake, whose lives matter most?
Hope and Red by Jon Skovron, narrated by TBA
In a fracturing empire spread across savage seas, two young people from different cultures find common purpose.
A nameless girl is the lone survivor when her village is massacred by biomancers, mystical servants of the emperor. Named after her lost village, Bleak Hope is secretly trained by a master Vinchen warrior as an instrument of vengeance.
A boy becomes an orphan on the squalid streets of New Laven and is adopted by one of the most notorious women of the criminal underworld, given the name Red, and trained as a thief and con artist.
When a ganglord named Deadface Drem strikes a bargain with the biomancers to consolidate and rule all the slums of New Laven, the worlds of Hope and Red come crashing together, and their unlikely alliance takes them further than either could have dreamed possible.
A Hundred Thousand Worlds by Bob Proehl, narrated by MacLeod Andrews
Valerie Torrey took her son, Alex, and fled Los Angeles six years ago – leaving both her role on a cult sci-fi TV show and her costar husband after a tragedy blew their small family apart. Now Val must reunite nine-year-old Alex with his estranged father, so they set out on a road trip from New York, Val making appearances at comic book conventions along the way.
As they travel west, encountering superheroes, monsters, time travelers, and robots, Val and Alex are drawn into the orbit of the comic-con regulars, from a hapless 20-something illustrator to a brilliant corporate comics writer struggling with her industry’s old-school ways to a group of cosplay women who provide a chorus of knowing commentary. For Alex this world is a magical place where fiction becomes reality, but as they get closer to their destination, he begins to realize that the story his mother is telling him about their journey might have a very different ending than he imagined.
A knowing and affectionate portrait of the geeky pleasures of fandom, A Hundred Thousand Worlds is also a tribute to the fierce and complicated love between a mother and son – and to the way the stories we create come to shape us.
The Paradox by Charlie Fletcher, narrated by TBA
Sometimes you look in the mirror – sometimes it looks back.
Those who belong to the secret society called The Oversight know many things. They know cold iron will hold back the beasts in the darkness. They know it is dangerous to stand between two mirrors. And they know that, despite their dwindling numbers, it remains their duty to protect humanity from the predations of the supernatural. And vice versa.
But two of the society’s strongest members, Mr. Sharp and Sara Falk, are trapped in the world between the mirrors, looking for each other, searching for a way back home. What they discover there will have ominous consequences both for The Oversight and the world it protects – effects that will make them question everything they thought they knew.
The dark waters rise. The candle is guttering. But the light still remains. For now….
The Peculiar Miracles of Antoinette Martin by Stephanie Knipper, narrated by Andi Arndt, Cassandra Campbell
Sisters Rose and Lily Martin were inseparable when they were kids. As adults they’ve been estranged for years, until circumstances force them to come together to protect Rose’s daughter.
Ten-year-old Antoinette has a severe form of autism that requires constant care and attention. She has never spoken a word, but she has a powerful gift that others would give anything to harness: She can heal things with her touch. She brings wilted flowers back to life, makes a neighbor’s tremors disappear, and changes the normal course of nature on the Kentucky flower farm where she and her mother live. Antoinette’s gift, though, puts her own life in danger, as each healing comes with an increasingly deadly price.
As Rose – the center of her daughter’s life – struggles with her own failing health and Lily confronts her anguished past, they, and the men who love them, come to realize the sacrifices that must be made to keep this very special child safe.
The Muse by Jessie Burton, narrated by Bahni Turpin, Maria Elena Infantino
From the number-one internationally best-selling author of The Miniaturist comes a captivating and brilliantly realized story of two young women – a Caribbean immigrant in 1960s London and a bohemian woman in 1930s Spain – and the powerful mystery that ties them together.
England, 1967. Odelle Bastien is a Caribbean émigré trying to make her way in London. When she starts working at the prestigious Skelton Institute of Art, she discovers a painting rumored to be the work of Isaac Robles, a young artist of immense talent and vision whose mysterious death has confounded the art world for decades. The excitement over the painting is matched by the intrigue around the conflicting stories of its discovery. Drawn into a complex web of secrets and deceptions, Odelle does not know what to believe or who she can trust, including her mesmerizing colleague, Marjorie Quick.
Spain, 1936. Olive Schloss, the daughter of a Viennese Jewish art dealer and an English heiress, follows her parents to Arazuelo, a poor, restless village on the southern coast. She grows close to Teresa, a young housekeeper, and Teresa’s half brother, Isaac Robles, an idealistic and ambitious painter newly returned from the Barcelona salons. A dilettante buoyed by the revolutionary fervor that will soon erupt into civil war, Isaac dreams of being a painter as famous as his countryman, Picasso.
Raised in poverty, these illegitimate children of the local landowner revel in exploiting the wealthy Anglo-Austrians. Insinuating themselves into the Schloss family’s lives, Teresa and Isaac help Olive conceal her artistic talents with devastating consequences that will echo into the decades to come.
Red Queen by Christina Henry, narrated by Jenny Sterlin
The author of Alice takes listeners back down the rabbit hole to a dark, twisted, and fascinating world based on the works of Lewis Carroll.
The land outside of the Old City was supposed to be green, lush, hopeful. A place where Alice could finally rest, no longer the plaything of the Rabbit, the pawn of Cheshire, or the prey of the Jabberwocky. But the verdant fields are nothing but ash – and hope is nowhere to be found.
Still, Alice and Hatcher are on a mission to find his daughter, a quest they will not forsake even as it takes them deep into the clutches of the mad White Queen and her goblin or into the realm of the twisted and cruel Black King. The pieces are set, and the game has already begun. Each move brings Alice closer to her destiny. But to win she will need to harness her newfound abilities and ally herself with someone even more powerful – the mysterious and vengeful Red Queen.
Rendered in exquisite detail, The Muse is a passionate and enthralling tale of desire, ambition, and the ways in which the tides of history inevitably shape and define our lives.
The Hatching by Ezekiel Boone, narrated by George Newbern
An astonishingly inventive and terrifying debut novel about the emergence of an ancient species, dormant for over 1,000 years and now on the march.
Deep in the jungle of Peru, where so much remains unknown, a black, skittering mass devours an American tourist whole. Thousands of miles away, an FBI agent investigates a fatal plane crash in Minneapolis and makes a gruesome discovery. Unusual seismic patterns register in a Kanpur, India, earthquake lab, confounding the scientists there. During the same week, the Chinese government “accidentally” drops a nuclear bomb in an isolated region of its own country. As these incidents begin to sweep the globe, a mysterious package from South America arrives at a Washington, DC, laboratory. Something wants out.
The world is on the brink of an apocalyptic disaster. An ancient species, long dormant, is now very much awake.
The Wolf Road by Beth Lewis, narrated by Amy McFadden
True Grit meets The Road in this postapocalyptic psychological thriller – narrated by a young girl who has just learned that her adopted father may be a serial killer and that she may be his next victim.
Everything Elka knows of the world she learned from the man she calls Father, the solitary hunter who took her under his wing when she was just seven years old. He has taught her how to shoot, track, set snares, and start fires – all the skills she needs to survive in a frozen, lawless land where civilization has been destroyed and men are at the mercy of the elements and each other. But the man Elka thought she knew so well is harboring a terrible secret. He’s a killer. A monster. And now that Elka knows the truth, she, too, is in danger.
Armed with nothing but her knife and the survival skills he’s taught her, Elka makes her escape and sets out on a journey to the frozen North in the hope of finding her long-lost parents. But judging by the trail of blood and bodies dogging her footsteps, Daddy won’t be letting his little girl go without a fight. If Elka’s going to survive, she’ll have to turn and confront not just him but the truth about what he’s turned her into.
The Wolf Road is an intimate cat-and-mouse tale of justice and revenge played out against a vast, unforgiving landscape – told by an unforgettable, tough-as-nails young heroine whose struggle to escape the terrors of her past and rejoin humanity are at once horrifying and heartbreaking.
The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher, narrated by Carrie Fisher
Carrie Fisher’s latest book is based on journals she kept while filming the original Star Wars movie.
What books are you looking forward to for the second half of the year?
Week 2: Any Other Name Read-Along
Posted on June 13, 2016 2 Comments
Our thanks to Hisham for the read-along banner!
We’re gaining steam on our read-along of the The Split Worlds series this month, continuing with the second book Any Other Name! If you’re interested in joining this Read-Along, visit the SF/F Read-Along group for more information and to join the discussion.
Cathy has been reluctantly married into the Iris family and moves to Londinium, the magical Nether reflection of London, setting her on a collision course with the restrictive, high-pressure social circles that demand propriety and obedience, things the vocal and free-spirited Cathy cannot abide. Will, meanwhile, is trying to find a compromise for his new bride, but whispers in his ear are urging him towards dark deeds…
Sam, determined to dive back into the world of Exilium to rescue innocents, crosses paths with Cathy and Max once again as Max and the gargoyle uncover more information about the mysterious Agency and the chain of events that wiped out the Bath Chapter. Sacrifices, terrible deals, and dreadful revelations mark this second installment of Emma Newman’s wondrous Split Worlds series.
Week 1: Monday 6th June, Chapters 1-6, hosted by Over The Effing Rainbow
Week 2: Monday 13th June, Chapters 7-13, hosted by x + 1
Week 3: Monday 20th June, Chapters 14-20, hosted by Lynn’s Book Blog
Week 4: Monday 27th June, Chapters 21-End, hosted by The Illustrated Page
1. Will wants to have his cake and eat it. Between his dealings with the Alba-Rosas and his efforts to coach Cathy for social success, how do you judge his behaviour this week?
Mogsy: HYPOCRITE! HYPOCRITE! HYPOCRITE! This society is starting to get on my nerves, which is probably why I sometimes struggle with this sort of “fantasy of manners” fiction. Objectively, I think Will is trying to be the best man he can be to both Amelia and Cathy so I’ll grudgingly afford him some credit for that, but it doesn’t change the fact he’s a cheater and liar whose actions still prove he’s only out for himself.
Tiara: *sigh* I think it’s safe to say after this week that I hate most of these characters. There’s really not much that can be done to redeem Will in my eyes at this point. And if I have to hear one more time about how bad it is for the men in this society, too. I just might scream because honestly… If it wasn’t for Sam and Leanne’s thing…
2. Cathy seems to be taking on the Agency – just as Max is sent to investigate them. Is she biting off more than she can chew?
Mogsy: I’ll bet having just blown the lid off the Agency’s little scam probably doesn’t make Cathy very popular with them right now, but she’s not making too many other waves at the moment so I think she’s still okay. I have a feeling the Agency has put her on their radar though, and I’m guessing this is going to snowball eventually into something more dangerous for Cathy.
Tiara: I’m undecided. She probably is, but it’s really going to depend on what she does next. She’s kind of toeing the line there.
3. Max drops a lot of hints that Leanne may not be entirely her own woman any more. What do you think is going on at Leanne’s flat? – and do you think there’s any chance for Sam to save his marriage?
Mogsy: I’m glad this book has Sam’s story getting a lot more page time, because quite honestly it’s the most interesting plot thread to me at the moment. Right now I have no concrete theories, though I think Max is on to something with his comment about how a cage can be as much about keeping safe what’s inside. I think Leanna might be in some kind of danger, but whoever is pulling the strings to get her to move to London and into this flat is trying to protect her in some way, not harm her. And if my suspicions are correct and Sam is being set up to be the one who helps solve the mystery, he might actually have a chance to untangle Leanne from this web and save his marriage yet.
Tiara: This is pretty much the only reason that I am here right now because I am very interested and seeing what’s going on with them. I think that he will definitely have the chance to save his marriage or at least this is giving me hope that he can. Maybe before if he was still ignorant of the fae it might’ve been difficult, but now, he’s in a position (or somewhat in a position) to find out what is going on with his wife and her job. I don’t think his marriage is beyond saving if he can get to the root of all this.
4. We get our first glimpse of London Society at the Tulipas ‘intimate’ dinner, and we get a hint that Cathy might be tempted to adapt her goals. What did you think of how she handled herself at dinner – and of how she reacted on the way home?
Mogsy: I like that Cathy is starting to think and plan in a more organized, thought-out manner. The previous strategy of simply standing her ground and refusing to budge has not worked out too well, so I’m glad she’s starting to compromise a little in areas where she thinks she can, and in doing so she’s discovering certain things she likes to do and things she’s good at. It’s also nice that not everyone in Will’s new social circle turned out to be as bad as she thought, and she might have even made a new friend or two in Margritte and Bartholomew.
Tiara: I think she handled herself very well. I don’t think Cathy gives herself enough credit. She obviously knows how to play this society game. She just doesn’t want to play it. There’s definitely a difference. She seems to be starting to understand that in order to game the system it has to appear you’re working with the system.
Audiobook Review: Wake of Vultures by Lila Bowen
Posted on June 13, 2016 16 Comments
Wake of Vultures by Lila Bowen
Genre: Fantasy, Western, LGBTQ, Young Adult
Series: The Shadow #1
Publisher: Orbit (October 27, 2015)
Information: Website | Twitter
Tiara’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Narrator: Robin Miles | Length: 10 hrs and 47 mins | Audiobook Publisher: Hachette Audio (October 27, 2015) | Whispersync Ready: Yes (As of this posting)
Wake of Vultures is the story of Nettie Lonesome, a half black, half Native American girl living in the Wild Wild West. Orphaned at a young age, Nettie was taken in by a white couple who have treated her like a personal slave. Dressed as a boy, Nettie helps to break in horses at a local, thriving ranch without being officially part of the ranch, and she wants nothing more than to be a wrangler. Fate has other things in mind for her after she kills a hostile vampire one night, and once you’ve killed a supernatural creature, there’s no unseeing them. After living a few glorious days of her dream to be an official bronc buster (and hoping to forget her encounter with the vampire), she’s thrust back into the supernatural world when she’s chosen to become the one to defeat a creature, known as The Cannibal Owl, steals children from various tribes and towns.
I’m always pleased when a book turns out to be so much more than I was expecting it to be. There’s nothing more satisfying than when a book hits me hard and makes me want more. While I was reading this book, I didn’t want Nettie’s story to end. I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning finishing this book. I dreamed about this book when I finally went to sleep. I suffered a book hangover so great when I did wake up from my four hours of sleep that I almost started listening to this book again. Robin Miles brings Nettie’s world to life with a phenomenal narration. This is the second book I’ve had the pleasure of listening to by Miles, and I’ve been impressed with the emotions she’s was able to evoke from the text. It was serious.
Discussing @DelilahSDawson‘s Wake of Vultures with a friend. I’d probably sacrifice my firstborn to read the 2nd book right now. LOL. #books
— Digital Tempest (@digitaltempest) May 16, 2016
From the beginning, readers are made aware that this book is to be associated with the movement for more diverse fiction by mentioning the hashtag #WeNeedDiverseBooks. Bowen (pen name of author Delilah S. Dawson) also dedicates this to the people who “buck” gender binary. With that in mind, I went into this story expecting more than I probably should have, but I wasn’t disappointed with what I found. Bowen does feature a diversity of characters. She manages to capture the feel of a country that has firm ideas about the roles of women and its non-white inhabitants. She’s able to do this without employing caustic, triggering scenes meant to show this. It gives a sense of the struggle without much of the grossness that accompany it with one exception that I’ll talk about later. Bowen doesn’t load her story down with social rebellion despite the circumstances. The characters go against the grain of what’s expected of them, but they’re subtle in their rebellion.
What’s truly impressive about this book is not only the diversity in the characters, but the diversity in regards to gender and sexuality as well. I would consider Nettie to be gender fluid, but a good argument could be made toward her being a trans boy (which can still fall on the gender fluid spectrum). Despite your standing on the issue, her situation is not as simple as a girl dressing as a boy because it’s more than just a superficial change to her look to fit in. Nettie’s struggle with gender is a very internalized thing riddled with conflicting emotions and feelings. She’s both confident in and puzzled by her own nature. It’s not so much because she doesn’t know who she is, but there is no “category” for her in the Wild West. Now, given the time period that Nettie lives in there is no social justice, as I mentioned, outside the wisdom of a pair of twins who have a very broad view of the world. These characters are living in a society, fictional or not, that punishes people for being too forward, too bold, too nonconformist. For that reason, Nettie and the supporting characters who exhibit “otherness” act according to the time period they live in.
Now, I don’t read much Western fiction. It’s not that I’m not interested in it because I actually do enjoy other media in a Western setting. In any event, I can’t really tell you how this stands up to other Western fiction. As a historical piece with a supernatural element, I think it works very well. Bowen paints a broad idea of the time period this is set in in American history while changing things to suit her needs such as her interpretation of the legendary and controversial Rangers. She admits to being influenced by Lonesome Dove, which you can see reflected in Nettie’s name. As a history nerd, I love to see history used in books in creative ways in speculative literature. Nettie herself is a wonderfully rounded character. She’s obstinate, kind, confused, confident, and brave–among other things. She struggles with wanting people in her life, but being afraid of people becoming close to her. There’s an abundance of emotions and feelings in her heart. It’s hard not to like her or the group of people she acquires during her journey.
While this is classified as Young Adult, it’s grittier and darker than most books in the YA genre. With that in mind, I do have to warn readers of a particularly intense attempted rape scene near the end. I’m one of those people who can be turned off with the usage of rape/attempted rape in certain fictional contexts. I won’t spoil the scene, but I feel like its inclusion was consistent with what readers learn and it doesn’t feel like it’s there just for the sake of emotionally manipulating the reader. Just be warned.
I never expected to become quite so invested in Nettie’s story. The ending left me emotionally twirling, especially under the fact that the next book won’t be out until October. I look forward to continuing this journey with Nettie as she finds out more about her heritage, herself as a person, and her new place as a protector of innocents against the things that hide in the night.
Book Review: Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee
Posted on June 12, 2016 21 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Book 1 of The Machineries of Empire
Publisher: Solaris (June 14, 2016)
Length: 384 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
I’ll admit, I was somewhat torn on this one. On the one hand, there were parts in this book that gave me a real struggle, but on the other, there’s no doubt Ninefox Gambit is one of the most fascinating sci-fi novels I’ve ever read.
Step into the incredible universe of Yoon Ha Lee’s Hexarchate, a civilization whose way of life is entirely dictated by an intricate calendar system. Mathematics is king, the governing force behind everything in this reality including physics and warfare. However, there’s also another side to this— and here’s where the lines between science fiction and fantasy start to blur—because in order for the calendar to function, the Hexarchate also requires belief. Throw enough calendrical heretics into the mix who observe a slightly different calendar, for example, and reality can suddenly go all awry. Say, the people might start acting erratically. Or your weapons might not work. As a result, the Hexarchate enforces its calendar with the utmost ruthlessness, bent on preventing such unpredictability from wreaking all kinds of havoc.
Thus explains how a Kel soldier named Cheris receives her next assignment. Expecting to be dismissed after a misconduct on the battlefield, Cheris is instead given the mission to recapture the Fortress of Scattered Needles, a star base recently taken over by a population of heretics. To aid her in breaking the siege, Kel Command has extracted the digital ghost of a brilliant general and tactician named Shuos Jedao, grafting his consciousness to hers so that the two can work as one to deal with the situation. The only problem is, in life Jedao was a madman, recognized for his victories but also notorious for having killed more than a million people including his own soldiers. While the general has never lost a battle, can Cheris really trust this manipulative genius not to make her his next victim?
First, just let me first state unequivocally that this book contains some of the freshest, most inventive ideas I’ve ever encountered in sci-fi. Story concepts rooted in mathematics are often tricky, and they’ve never really been my strong point. But when your math is virtually indistinguishable from magic? Then yeah, I can definitely get behind that. Ninefox Gambit is no doubt breaking new ground in combining elements from multiple genres, and it is extremely clever.
However, I also mentioned feeling conflicted about the novel, and this is in large part due to its inconsistent pacing. In the beginning, the reader is dropped into this strange universe and left to flounder, and it’s easy to become confused and overwhelmed if you’re not paying close attention. It makes this one a rather challenging read, especially since the story goes nowhere fast. After all, we are talking about a siege here, and the fact that it happens in space doesn’t change the basis of this long and drawn out process. Still, bursts of action occur do here and there, probably just enough to keep me going, so that in the end I found myself in the awkward position of alternating between not wanting to put the book down and wanting it to be over already.
Still, irked as I was with this book at times, I have to say both Cheris and Jedao were brilliant. In my opinion, their relationship is where this novel shines, and not least because of their unique psychic connection; both characters come from interesting backgrounds, and their combined strengths and talents make them a force to be reckoned with. However, by that same token, their individual foibles also result in multiple clashes. As a Kel soldier, Cheris has been trained from the start to follow her “formation instinct”, an urge that encourages obedience, loyalty, and conformity. Giving up that compulsion in favor to another authority like Jedao is a challenge to everything she feels is natural and right, and it’s a struggle that gradually threatens her sanity.
Then there’s Jedao, whose mind I find both alluring and downright frightening. It’s no surprise that the story got interesting as soon as he entered the picture. He may spout things about war that make a lot of sense in a twisted and horrible kind of way, but that doesn’t change the fact he’s a merciless, stone cold-hearted bastard. And yet, despite being a complete psycho, the general’s character is also delightfully intriguing and complex. Many of my favorite scenes involve the conversations between him and Cheris, and perhaps against my better judgement, I wanted her to let him in.
Overall, I think I would have enjoyed this book a lot more if the beginning had eased me into the setting more gently, as opposed to throwing all its confusing concepts in my face. While I enjoyed the story itself, my patience was also tested by the pacing, which was all over the place. These issues aside though, I have to applaud the fantastic world-building and character development. Both these aspects were extraordinarily well put together, not to mention the concept of a Hexarchate that uses mathematical calculations and a calendar to govern itself is one of those things that make you gawp in wide-eyed wonder at its ingenuity. Ninefox Gambit might not be an easy read, but there’s also a lot to like if you’re willing to invest in it. As such, I probably wouldn’t recommend this book to everyone, but if you’re a sci-fi fan interested in something more innovative and unusual, then this might be exactly what you’re looking for.
YA Audiobook Weekend: The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater
Posted on June 11, 2016 9 Comments
Genre: Young Adult, Supernatural, Fantasy
Series: The Raven Cycle #4
Publisher: Scholastic Press (October 21, 2014)
Information: Website | Twitter | Goodreads
Tiara’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Spoiler-free review! This is a book about endings, or maybe beginnings, perhaps both. This series started with Blue and a prophecy that she would kill her true love with a kiss. Soon she finds herself part of a group whose worlds are far different from her own. Together they search for Owen Glendower, the last king of Wales, hoping to be granted a wish once they wake him. After many trials, they’ve reached a critical point in their search for Glendower.
I thought this was a fitting conclusion to this story. As clichéd as this may sound, it considers that maybe the magic really lies in you, that you are the master of your own destiny. I did feel that one of the characters deserved better with his ending, and a new character introduced I never did get on board with. Some of the other secondary–yet important–characters were curbed sadly, but at the end of the day, this story is about Gansey, Blue, Noah, Ronan, and Adam. Many final revelations about these characters and their truths surface as we prepare to say goodbye to them. The last half of the book was amazing, and I came out of this mostly satisfied.
I hadn’t expected to do a general series overview, but there were some general things I wanted to say about the series.
Stiefvater is excellent with characters. She does an excellent job of fleshing out the characters she loves. A common complaint I see with YA authors is that adults who read YA books shouldn’t complain so much about young adults doing young adult things. On one hand, I agree with that because these characters are young adults and make mistakes appropriate to their age. On the other hand, some authors treat their YA characters like idiots. Stiefvater manages to avoid that. She made her cast of characters feel like real teens that you can love and hate. It’s easy to become attached to them. However…
Stiefvater’s antagonists were never anything special in this series, and honestly, by the time this book rolled around I wished she’d just forget about having villains altogether. There was nothing memorable or important about them for most of the story. I still can’t figure out if Neeve was really supposed to be some sort of gray area villain or not because there wasn’t anything that I really interpreted as antagonistic about her given the strange bubble these characters lived in. As I said in one of my earlier reviews, I dislike villainy for the sake of villainy, and Stiefvater’s villains in this series were the embodiment of that distaste.
Stiefvater’s strength is not plot. I know I probably shouldn’t make a blanket statement like that, but this feels like it could be a thing with her books. She loves her characters. I get that. I think that’s wonderful. I love characters, too, and sometimes, I’m only in the story for characters. There’s no way I would’ve finished this series if I didn’t have a love of characters. If you’re into characters, too, or can make exceptions if you like the characters enough, you’ll enjoy this series. If you’re wanting to get into this series for a strong plot centered around a quest to find a historical figure or one that explores this history in a modern day context, this series is not for you. While I enjoyed her characters, I was highly disappointed by how this really great plot idea became so weak.
At the same time, I still have to applaud her for many of the elements that she introduced into this book. She wrote some of the most refreshing ideas that I’ve read in the YA genre in a while. She knows how to keep readers turning pages and hanging on for dear life with those cliffhangers. These books were mythical, mystical, and dreamlike. This is a unique series that employs ideas that I can’t say I’ve seen hashed and rehashed repeatedly.
Will I read more Stiefvater? I don’t know. As much as I enjoyed this series, I’m still not really compelled to seek out more of her work right now. I won’t say “no” if I happen to obtain more of her books, but I don’t see myself snapping up everything or pre-ordering more of her books. (I did pre-order The Raven King. I rarely pre-order books. I don’t regret it.) She’s a master of words and does a masterful job of weaving them together, and I think this series is a great introduction to the writer.
More Reviews of this Series
The Raven Boys (Book #1, Wendy’s Review)
The Raven Boys (Book #1, Mogsy’s Review)
The Raven Boys (Book #1, Tiara’s Review)
The Dream Thieves (Book #2, Wendy’s Review)
The Dream Thieves (Book #2, Tiara’s Review)
Blue Lily, Lily Blue (Book #3, Wendy’s Review)
Blue Lily, Lily Blue (Book #3, Tiara’s Review)
#FavFiveFriday: Audiobook Edition
Posted on June 10, 2016 5 Comments
#FavFiveFriday is a personal challenge that I’ll be doing just for the month of June in celebration of Audiobook Month. I’ll be using it as a way to highlight my favorite audiobook listens so far in 2016, and I’ve listened to quite a few of them this year. To find out a little more about Audiobook Month and to see some past posts we’ve made during the month, please refer to this post: It’s Audiobook Month!
Wake of Vultures by Lila Bowen, narrated by Robin Miles
I did not know that I needed a speculative fiction book set in the Old West that explores gender, sexuality, and race until I got exactly that. This book gave me such a book hangover that I was discussing it for days after reading it. I can’t wait to get my hand on the sequel after such an dramatic finish. Robin Miles put on another A+ performance and made me love the characters in this book with all my heart.
Salvage Merc One by Jake Bible, narrated by Andrew B. Wehrlen
I have a feeling this is going to be one of my surprise reads for the year. Based on the description alone, I wouldn’t have expected to enjoy this as much as I did. I thought I was about to read a serious business military science fiction story, and it was in parts. But a larger part of it was funny. Jake Bible would make a great Mass Effect writer. (That is the highest compliment I can bestow on any writer.) Wehrlen was such an excellent voice for this story. His narration was infused with so much good humor that it was hard not to smile and chuckle during so much of this book. He made the main character, Joe, so likable.
An Artificial Night by Seanan McGuire, narrated by Mary Robinette Kowal
I started this series of books with the SF/F Read Alongs. This has been my favorite in the series so far because of the darker tone it took in this book and its focus on The Wild Hunt which is a subject I love to see explored in fiction. In fact, this whole series has been excellent with it’s usage of folklore, legend, mythology, and fairy tales. Mary Robinette Kowal is an authorator (that is an author that narrates books). It took me a moment to appreciate some of her voices, but mostly her narration has kept me mesmerized. I’ll definitely continue to listen to this story.
Lightless by C.A. Higgins, narrated by Fiona Hardingham
Psychological deep space story coupled with emerging A.I. awareness in a dystopian universe on the brink of civil war. Sign me up, please. I have quite a few books that Fiona Hardingham has read, but this is my first experience with her. Her narration worked extremely well with its straightforward manner, which I felt really fit this book.
You by Caroline Kepnes, narrated by Santino Fontana
This is not a speculative read, but I’d be remiss not to mention it. Told from the POV of a stalker, You is one of those books you love to hate thanks to the main character’s insane actions. This story employs second person: “If we were teenagers, I could kiss you. But I’m on a platform behind a counter wearing a name tag and we’re too old to be young.” I think that this could appeal to speculative fans who like quirky horror stories, as this story does incorporate some familiar ideas. Santino Fontana’s narration probably made me love this book more than I would. He was the perfect voice for Joe (the stalker) and his condescending aversion to everything “cool.” I would love to hear this narrator work on a speculative book probably something in the Urban Fantasy vein.
Book Review: Spells of Blood and Kin by Claire Humphrey
Posted on June 10, 2016 16 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Spells of Blood and Kin by Claire Humphrey
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books (June 14, 2016)
Length: 320 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
When all is said and done, if you’re in the mood for a fresh twist on magic and the paranormal, or simply looking for a story featuring an interesting confluence of relationships and thought-provoking characters, then you’ll definitely want to curl up with Claire Humphrey’s enchanting novel debut, Spells of Blood and Kin. And as an added bonus, the events of this book also take place before a charming and vibrant backdrop, in the heart of a city full of its own cultural magic and diversity. Things might not turn out the way you’d expect them to, but they’re guaranteed to keep you engaged.
The novel is mainly told from the perspectives of three people. First and foremost is Lissa Nevsky, a 22-year-old woman abruptly elevated to the position of koldun’ia—sorceress, or magical practitioner—in her small Russian folk community after the sudden death of her grandmother who previously held the title. Providing healing spells like sleep aids or fertility charms quickly becomes a part of her main routine, until she is completely caught off guard one day when Maksim Volkov shows up on her doorstep, calling himself “kin”. Failing to recognize the true meaning behind the term, Lissa initially mistakes this mysterious stranger for family, but understanding that he and her grandmother may have had a long-standing arrangement for healing services, she sets her mind to providing him the same help.
However, Maksim knows he has already come too late. On the last full moon, he remembers losing control, unwittingly infecting a young man with his savage and untamable nature. The sleep spells from the witch’s granddaughter have helped a bit, but they can never truly quench the desire for violence. Now Maksim feels the burden of responsibility to track down his victim, before the effects of his blood can manifest. The young man turns out to be a college student named Nick Kaisaris, who was out celebrating the end of finals with his friend the night he encountered Maksim in an alley. Ever since then, Nick has been feeling strange; his senses have been enhanced, and his strength has increased, but it hasn’t all been pleasant. Nick doesn’t want to hurt anyone, but something is wrong and he’s slowly losing his grip on his sanity.
This was a strange book, not at all like your typical urban fantasy, even if it does contain some of the usual elements. At first glance, you’d be forgiven for thinking this story was about shapeshifters, but it is actually a bit more complicated than that. The kin are not exactly like werewolves or any kind of shifter in that they don’t go through any form of physical transformation, but they are indeed immortal and their behavior also appears to be closely tied to the phases of the moon. To suppress the violence in their veins, Maksim and his fellow kin Augusta have to drown themselves in copious amounts of alcohol or let off steam by beating the crap out of each other. Maksim, being centuries older and susceptible to blinding rages, also needs the help of a witch’s spell to leash his inner animal.
That’s where Lissa comes in. She’s also not your typical witch, young and inexperienced in the eyes of her community. I really liked how the paranormal aspects described in this book had the feel of folk magic and tradition. Following in the footsteps of her grandmother who used eggs to bind and distribute her spells, Lissa has been trying to do the best she can while still dealing with her grief. Through her eyes, we learn the ways of her magic, like how her spells are performed on the few nights around a full moon, and how regular store-bought eggs can be imbued with the power of her special ingredients and incantations. When these eggs are subsequently consumed raw, the subject will experience their effects. I thought this was a very well-portrayed and captivating mode of magic.
There were some weaknesses, though. Chief among them was Lissa’s character. Given how central her role is to the book, I was disappointed to feel the least connected to her out of everyone else in the story. Shy, aloof, and not too savvy when it comes to social situations, Lissa always felt far removed from me, like I was never able to get close enough to see her true personality. Perhaps this perceived distance is by design, in which case the author might have done her job too well, because Lissa often came across cold, two-dimensional and emotionally vacant. I really disliked her in the first half of the book, especially when her stepsister Stella (who ended up being my favorite character) showed up with an offer to help out after her grandmother’s death. The brusque, unwelcoming response from Lissa turned me off even more, though fortunately my opinion of her gradually improved as the story progressed.
As well, the story’s pacing is somewhat inconsistent, with a lot of jumping around between perspectives. Like I said, this is not your average crisis-filled, action-oriented urban fantasy, so be prepared for slow-building momentum because this one does take some time to get really going. We also never get a satisfying explanation for the kin, like where they came from or how they came to be the way there are. It’s not information we need to know to understand the story, but those who crave a bit more world-building and context are going to be left wanting for answers.
However, I did love the setting. Being a former Torontonian, I was touched on a personal and emotional level by the author’s descriptions of the sights, sounds, and culture of the city. I was also a UofT student, so the places featured or mentioned in this book, like the pubs of the Annex or the eateries on College, Victorian-style houses tucked in the neighborhoods off Dundas, crappy TTC streetcar experiences, and convocation week, all of it brought me back to memories of my old haunts and good times. It was really cool to read a story set in my hometown, and Claire Humphrey captured the spirit of Toronto perfectly.
So if Spell of Blood and Kin sounds like a book that would interest you, go ahead and give it a try. The story’s tone and style will take some getting used to, but the ideas are fascinating and the magic is superb. If character development suffers a little, Humphrey makes up for that with her wonderfully expressive writing that brings the world around the characters to life. This was an impressive novel debut, and I’ll be watching to see what she has in store for the future.
The BiblioSanctum 