Excerpt of The Last Girl by Joe Hart + Giveaway!
Posted on March 23, 2016 3 Comments
***The giveaway is now over, thanks to everyone who entered!***
Dystopian fiction might be everywhere these days, but I can never resist a good one. Today we have a giveaway and excerpt to share with you from a book that has been on my radar for a while, and I can’t wait to check it out. Released March 1, 2016 by Thomas & Mercer/Amazon Publishing, The Last Girl is the first book of The Dominion Trilogy, a science fiction thriller series by Joe Hart, available now. First, let’s check out the synopsis:
A mysterious worldwide epidemic reduces the birthrate of female infants from 50 percent to less than 1 percent. Medical science and governments around the world scramble in an effort to solve the problem, but twenty-five years later there is no cure, and an entire generation grows up with a population of fewer than a thousand women.
Zoey and some of the surviving young women are housed in a scientific research compound dedicated to determining the cause. For two decades, she’s been isolated from her family, treated as a test subject, and locked away—told only that the virus has wiped out the rest of the world’s population.
Captivity is the only life Zoey has ever known, and escaping her heavily armed captors is no easy task, but she’s determined to leave before she is subjected to the next round of tests…a program that no other woman has ever returned from. Even if she’s successful, Zoey has no idea what she’ll encounter in the strange new world beyond the facility’s walls. Winning her freedom will take brutality she never imagined she possessed, as well as all her strength and cunning—but Zoey is ready for war.
Why is it that the more scary a dystopian sounds, the more I want to check it out? Be sure read on for the excerpt and the giveaway!
Excerpt from The Last Girl by Joe Hart, on-sale March 1, 2016. Published by Thomas & Mercer, an imprint of Amazon Publishing. Copyright © 2016 Joe Hart.
A knock.
“Come in,” she says. The door opens, and Simon stands there in the hallway. He wears his usual Cleric uniform—a black button-up shirt, closed tight at the throat, and dark cargo pants above hiking boots. His handsome features are wrinkled by lines on his forehead as well as on either side of his thin mouth. His dark hair, always combed so carefully to the side, seems to have grayed more at the temples overnight.
He looks at her with eyes very blue against the slate concrete, though there’s a softness to them that always reassures her no matter what’s happening at the moment.
“Good morning, Zoey.”
“Good morning, Simon.”
“You rested well?”
She nods.
“Good. Are you ready for breakfast?”
“Sure.”
He holds the door open for her, letting it coast shut when she steps into the hall, the lock hidden in the frame snapping quietly. They walk slowly down the hallway, their steps nearly matched. How many times have we done this? She could do the math, she supposes, but what purpose would it serve? Because she knows why they do it. It’s the same reason for the calendars in all the rooms, it’s why they’re taught to read the months and days only after the rules are memorized. It’s to add another wall around them, knowing how long they’ve been here doing the same thing day after day.
They near the end of the hall and turn a corner. Zoey glances at their strange, bulbous reflections in the curved mirror mounted near the ceiling. She makes a face at herself. The stairs are ahead of them, but she slows as she sees another Cleric standing outside one of the last doors on the left. He’s younger than Simon, but not by much. He has close-cropped blond hair that reveals his scalp beneath the fluorescent lighting. She knows him as Abbot, but most call him Abe. Zoey stops, and Simon halts as well.
“What’s wrong?” Simon asks.
“I was wondering . . .” She blinks and licks her lips. “I wanted to talk to her before she goes.”
Simon tips his head back, his mouth thinning until it’s only a bloodless line. “Zoey, you know you’re not supposed to speak with her in her room. Especially today.”
“I know. But what will it hurt? She’ll be gone this afternoon, and I won’t see her—” She starts to say ever again but corrects herself. “—for quite a while.” Abe has overheard them talking and is watching Simon, unmoving, unaffected. Simon frowns and glances down the hallway at the domed shape jutting from the ceiling. The cameras are everywhere, their opaque eyes always watching, judging.
“Please,” she says, surprising herself. Simon returns his gaze to her before looking at Abe. Abe shrugs, as if to say Fine with me.
“Only a few minutes,” Simon says.
Abe turns and knocks twice on the door. A murmured reply comes from within, and he holds his bracelet up to the reader beside the lock.
The door clacks, and he opens it for Zoey as she steps past him. The room is a duplicate of her own. There is the desk, the chair, the hateful calendar, and the room’s sole occupant sitting on the bed.
Zoey’s struck, as she always is, by how beautiful Terra can be. Her hair is long and blonde, bordering on white. It is straight and will do almost anything Terra wants it to. Now it’s pulled back from her face, accentuating her long nose, high cheekbones, and dark eyes that Zoey has never seen shine with true surprise until now.
“Zoey, what are you doing here? You’re not supposed to be in my room.” Her voice is commanding and powerful. She stands from the bed and rises a full three inches above Zoey’s height. It’s not so much that Zoey’s short, but more that Terra is tall. Everything about her cries leader, and that’s why Zoey is so afraid.
“I needed to talk to you. Before the ceremony.”
“About what?”
Zoey hesitates, hovering on the brink of an abyss before stepping off.
“Pretend you’re sick,” she says in a low voice. Terra tips her head and squints at her as if she didn’t hear what Zoey said.
“What? Why?”
“So you don’t have to go.”
Terra sighs. “Zoey, we’ve talked about this. You know it’s what we all want. I’ve been waiting for this day for years and years. For . . .”
Terra’s voice falters, and Zoey sees a sheen appear in her eyes. “. . . for as long as I can remember. The Program isn’t something to be afraid of, it’s something to embrace. It’s for the greater good of—”
Zoey turns from her, staring down at the floor, and moves to the desk.
“Please don’t say that to me.”
“Say what?”
“‘The greater good.’ Please don’t say that.”
Terra comes up behind her, places her hands on Zoey’s shoulders. They are strong and sure, radiating strength that seems to be the only thing other than kindness that Terra can produce.
“It’s true, Zoey. Today isn’t something I’m afraid of, and you shouldn’t be afraid either. I’m going to get to see them today. I’m going to see my parents.” Terra’s voice falters again, and Zoey knows that she’s crying behind her, but she can’t bring herself to look at her friend.
“There’s a place outside of these walls that’s safe for us, and after the waiting period I’m going to see it with them.”
Zoey turns then, gazing up at Terra’s tear-streaked face. “I don’t believe it. I think they’re lying to us.”
“How can you say that? They’ve always kept us safe here, sheltered from the plague, those that would hurt us. Why would they protect us
if they were lying?”
Zoey ignores the question. “Pretend to trip, to fall down the stairs. If you’re injured even a little, they’ll send you to the infirmary, and we’ll have a few more days.” Zoey can’t stand the pleading in her voice, but there’s no straining it out.
Terra smiles, and Zoey suddenly hates the expression. It’s full of knowing, and comfort, and regal condescension. “You know I won’t do that. I can’t. Don’t worry, it will only be a little while, and we’ll be in the safe zone together. We’ll get to see Grace and Halie, and we’ll be able to meet each other’s parents.”
Zoey steps away from Terra. “It’s a lie,” she hisses, unable to contain the sudden fury that’s bloomed within her. “I don’t know what’s after induction, but it’s not what they say. It’s all a lie. I can see it on Miss Gwen’s face whenever she tells us about the safe zone. She’s lying, and so is the Director.”
Terra looks like she’s been slapped. One of her hands reaches up to cover her mouth, which has dropped partially open. “Zoey, stop. You don’t know what you’re saying. That’s heresy.”
Zoey shakes her head and realizes she’s trembling all over, like after a long run. “Please, Terra, don’t go.”
Terra draws herself up, becoming once again the leader, the keeper of order that she’s been for the last decade among the other women. Her eyes harden, and she blinks away the last of her tears.
“I love you, Zoey. You’ll see soon that everything is okay. Everything is going to be all right.” Zoey looks at her and feels something shrivel in on itself within her chest.
“Goodbye, Terra,” she says, and moves to the door without looking back.
THE LAST GIRL GIVEAWAY
And now, time for the giveaway! With thanks to the publisher and the wonderful folks at Wunderkind PR, the BiblioSanctum has one print copy of The Last Girl up for grabs. The giveaway is open to residents of 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 “THE LAST GIRL” by 11:59pm Eastern time on Sunday, April 3, 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!
Waiting on Wednesday 03/23/16
Posted on March 23, 2016 13 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!
Wendy’s Pick
The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater (Scholastic Press: April 26th 2016)
This is the fourth and final book in The Raven Cycle, but as I said in my review of Blue Lily, Lily Blue, I don’t really care of Blue and the Raven boys actually find the Raven King anymore. I just want to spend as much time as I can with Ronan and Noah. But as the title implies, the Raven King is most likely going to show up and ruin my plans.
“All her life, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love’s death. She doesn’t believe in true love and never thought this would be a problem, but as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.”
Mogsy’s Pick
Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (Knopf Books for Young Readers: October 18th 2016)
It’s hard to imagine a sequel worthy of the work of art that was Illuminae, but I hope to be surprised again. In spite of the hype, I enjoyed the first book a lot more than I expected, and I have to wonder if the sequel will follow in its footsteps in terms of design and structure, again featuring a huge visual component even though the story will be following two new protagonists.
“Moving to a space station at the edge of the galaxy was always going to be the death of Hanna’s social life. Nobody said it might actually get her killed.
Hanna Donnelly is the station captain’s pampered daughter; Nik Malikov the reluctant member of a notorious crime family. But while the pair are struggling with the realities of life aboard the galaxy’s most boring space station, little do they know that Kady Grant and the Hypatia are headed right toward Heimdall, carrying news of the Kerenza invasion.
When an elite BeiTech strike team invades the station, Hanna and Nik are thrown together to defend their home. But alien predators are picking off the station residents one by one, and a malfunction in the station’s wormhole means the space-time continuum might be ripped in two before dinner. Soon Hanna and Nik aren’t just fighting for their own surivival; the fate of everyone on the Hypatia—and possibly the known universe—is in their hands.
But relax. They’ve totally got this. They hope.“
Novella Review: Alpha & Omega by Patricia Briggs
Posted on March 22, 2016 15 Comments
Genre: Shifters, Paranormal Romance, Novella
Series: Alpha & Omega #0.5
Publisher: Berkeley Books (August 7, 2007)
Information: Website | Goodreads
Tiara’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
I decided to (finally) start Patricia Briggs’ Alpha & Omega series on a whim when I’d finished all the books I’d planned to read for March much earlier than expected. So, I plucked the hardcover for Cry Wolf, which includes this novella, from my shelf and read the introduction by Briggs that mentioned that this series is a spin-off from her Mercy Thompson series. She also explained how this novella was written at the request of her editor. It was supposed to be a standalone for On The Prowl, but she and her editor enjoyed the story so much that it expanded it into a series. She mentions that this novella is somewhat necessary to start the first book, but she felt it would’ve been a disservice to rehash it to start Cry Wolf since some readers would be paying twice for part of the story. It looks like the decision was eventually made to include the novella with the first book after it was done and on shelves. I haven’t started Cry Wolf yet (but I will be as soon as I finish writing this review), so I can’t say whether I agree 100% with her recommendation or not for new readers. However, I can certainly understand why she would recommend reading this novella. I’m not a big fan of novella stories being necessary to a main storyline. In this Briggs’ defense, though, she didn’t expect to make this story a series, but the story decided it wanted to be something more than a novella.
Alpha & Omega starts with Anna, a Chicagoan who’s been living as a werewolf for the past three years, calling the Marrok (not much to go on, but assumingly, he’s over all the wolves in a certain area) in Montana to inform him that her pack leader is responsible for the abduction of a human boy that’s appearing in the local news. Her pack made the boy into a werewolf, but sold him off, which is taboo. In response to Anna’s call, the Marrok sends his son, Charles, to investigate the matter. It’s something like love at first sight between Anna and Charles. Normally, insta-love between two characters can turn me off to a story a little bit, but I think I overlook it more often than not in stories involving shifters, especially since I really did like Anna and Charles together. Anna learns that her pack isn’t exactly doing things by the book when Charles explains to her that she should’ve had a choice in her change. Information and rules were withheld for her and all the newer wolves in her pack. In fact, Charles learns that many things are out of place in Anna’s pack including her role as a submissive wolf. Anna believes herself to be a submissive wolf after dealing with abuse both sexually and physically for the last three years. However, Charles tells her that, while she’s not exactly a dominant wolf, she’s not a submissive wolf either. She doesn’t adhere to the hierarchy as an Omega. She’s a type of wolf that can calm others, a wolf who has some natural ability to make things go smoother in the pack.
If I’m to go by this novella, the Alpha & Omega series will be much more romance focused than Briggs’ Mercy Thompson series. There’s romance in that series, as well, but it’s more of a secondary part of the story. This novella is set solidly in romance and attraction from the first page, especially with Anna dealing with so much hurt. As I mentioned, I really liked Anna and Charles together. I did worry that Anna might turn out to be a bit too timid for my tastes, even though she would have a very good reason to be after withstanding abuse, but I was pleasantly surprised when her character did start breaking out of her shell more as this story progressed. We’ll see where Cry Wolf takes her character. Now, I can see where a series like this and Mercy Thompson with Native American leads who became a shifter much differently than everyone else, at least in Charles’ case (yes, it was based in Native American magic), might be a little problematic with the talk of medicine men and all that. I haven’t read Mercy Thompson in some time, and don’t really remember it being too bad with its handling. However, I am much older now and much more aware of how representation is handled. On one hand, I understand wanting to capture that mysticism, but on the other hand, I also understand why it can be seen as offensive rather than reverent. (See the latest controversy with Rowling trying to write Native Americans.) However, I’ll see how I ultimately feel once I’ve read a full novel.
I wish this story had been a full novel. There were so many things that I feel could’ve been explored in more detail in this story, but maybe some of those things are elements that I’ll find when I start reading Cry Wolf since this story jumpstarts that one. It was definitely an intriguing story that was tinged with some heartbreak due to Anna’s abuse. We’ll see if the first book can keep me hanging on with this series.
Book Review: Marked in Flesh by Anne Bishop
Posted on March 22, 2016 15 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Marked in Flesh by Anne Bishop
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Book 4 of The Others
Publisher: Roc (March 8, 2016)
Length: 416 pages
Author Information: Website
Even before I started this one, I had a feeling something big was coming. For three books now, Anne Bishop has been ramping up the tensions between the Others and the Humans First and Last (HFL) movement, a radical anti-terra indigene group that has been playing with fire since the beginning of this series. All that pent-up rage and energy had to be going somewhere, and that somewhere turned out to be in the pages of Marked in Flesh.
For centuries, a delicate balance has existed between humans and the creatures that inhabited the land before we got here. The Others, who see humans as prey, have only allowed this truce to continue because they benefit from the relationship as well, enjoying the useful trade goods that humans produce from the natural resources that are under terra indigene control. However, the HFL has made it clear that they are tired of this compromise, issuing a warning to all that a reckoning is at hand.
Caught in the middle of this conflict is Lakeside Courtyard and its leader Simon Wolfgard, the wolf shifter. The arrival of a cassandra sangue named Meg Corbyn has done much to alleviate the bad blood between the Others and the humans in this location, creating a relatively safe place for the two groups to get along. But as HFL violence starts spilling into their daily lives, Simon and the rest of the terra indigene will have to take steps to protect their own, and that may lead to some difficult choices.
Marked in Flesh is undoubtedly a turning point for this series, complete with a significant event that draws a line in the sand. Going forward, a lot of the characters will likely be defined by this moment. The world is also forever changed with the awakening of the Elders, which for all intents and purposes are the “super-terra indigene” of The Others universe. These are beings that even the earth natives themselves fear. For all their bluster and rhetoric, HFL is clearly screwed.
Still, these intense circumstances are merely the backdrop for what happens in Lakeside Courtyard, which is where the true interest is. Simon and Meg are again at the center of all this chaos, but there are also a lot of supporting characters to fill out the story. There’s a good number of perspectives to follow, but at this point in the series, I think this broader view is exactly what it needs. The Others is also somewhat of an oddity for me, since it’s one of the rare cases where I love the books but I’m not too crazy about its protagonist. Meg Corbyn hasn’t grown on me, and I feel her lack of agency in her own series continues to be a weak point, even in Marked in Flesh. She makes a bit of progress in this book, seeking other ways for her fellow blood prophets to get by without resorting to cutting, but in the end Meg is still a confused mess, even to herself. I still don’t really understand the reverence the terra indigene have for her. My enjoyment was instead carried by my love for some of the other characters, and so getting a bigger picture from those POVs actually worked well for me.
Of course, a lot happens in this very important volume, and Anne Bishop does not pull any punches. On the other hand, I also couldn’t help but feel that certain things have been dragging out. It took this long for the HFL conflict to finally come to a head, but certain other plot threads are still hanging. Not much progress has been made it comes to the fate of the liberated cassandra sangue, for example. And if there’s ever going to be any romance between Simon and Meg, then it had better come quick. When I look at the two of them now, I don’t see lovers; I see a relationship that reminds me of a child and her dog. Any chemistry between the two of them has been slowly leaking away, and if something doesn’t happen soon, I’m afraid it will fizzle out altogether.
In spite of my misgivings though, I’m still really excited for the future of The Others. It’s typical for urban fantasy series to have their ups and downs, and I feel that Marked in Flesh found a middle ground, holding steady on some plot points while also giving readers a watershed moment that will leave no one unscathed. If nothing else, I think this will set the stage for even greater things to come. I eagerly await the next installment!
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Mogsy’s review of Written in Red (Book 1)
Tiara’s review of Written in Red (Book 1)
Review of Murder of Crows (Book 2)
Review of Vision in Silver (Book 3)
Book Review: Fellside by M.R. Carey
Posted on March 21, 2016 18 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Horror, Mystery
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Orbit (April 5, 2016)
Length: 496 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
After the brilliant novel that was The Girl with All the Gifts, I swore to myself I would read anything else M.R. Carey writes. Not long after, I was practically beside myself when I found out he was going to be writing a ghost story.
Turns out, Fellside is a very different kind of ghostly tale, and not exactly in the horror vein. Instead, it’s a little bit of mystery, a little bit of paranormal, and even a little bit of court drama, all bundled up in a wonderful package along with Carey’s unique brand of imagination and creativity. The story follows Jess Moulson, a junkie convicted after she set fire to her apartment complex following a heroin bender, accidentally killing her neighbor’s ten-year-old son who was home alone. Even though Jess has no recollection of the events that went down that night, the court ruled it as murder and sentenced her to life in a maximum security prison called Fellside.
Jess is haunted the moment she arrives, not only by the ghost of Alex Beech, the boy she killed, but also by the shame, loneliness and guilt she feels from all the mistakes she made in the past. But instead of plummeting her further into darkness, the spirit of Alex actually rescues her from the abyss and gives her a new sense of hope. Jess immediately makes an enemy of a fellow prisoner named Harriet Grace, the boss of G-Block, when she refuses to run drugs for Grace’s corrupt racket. The road to redemption, Jess believes, is not to commit even more wrongdoings, even though she is aware such attitudes might eventually get her shanked in a place like Fellside. But she has a purpose now, and she is determined to see it through to the end even if it kills her.
In a book like this, there are not a lot of sympathetic characters. In fact, the beginning of Fellside made me boiling mad, and not just because of all the healthcare professionals, prison guards, and other authority figures who were corrupt and/or incompetent, but also because that seemed like such an easy way out for an author to paint someone as a villain. Even someone like Jess took time to grow on me, given the complete and utter disaster she was at the beginning of the story. After all, it is hard to sympathize with someone who has abandoned all hope, becoming entirely convinced of her own worthlessness. However, I now know that Carey set it up this way for a purpose; Jess had to fall far before he could raise her up again and juxtapose that to the new person she becomes. Even so, my favorite characters ultimately came from the most unexpected quarters, mostly minor bit players like Shannon McBride, Fellside’s resident storyteller, or Lorraine Buller, Jess’s taciturn yet compassionate cellmate.
The story also didn’t hook me right away, mostly because of its many moving parts that didn’t all come together until the second half of the novel. I didn’t care much for the humdrum chapters on Harriet Grace’s drug-running ring, for example, at least until that plot thread collided with Jess’s. Things became many times more interesting when the story morphed from a prison drama to a full-blown mystery. While I plodded through the first part of the book, I must have read the last two hundred pages or so in a single sitting, so energized as I was at the plot’s new direction. I definitely found the ending to be stronger than the beginning, even though it started running along a more predictable path. There was a court scene which was especially played up for dramatic effect, but hell, I ate it all up. I could hardly have made myself put down the book by that point.
Even if you enjoyed The Girl with All the Gifts, it’s difficult to say if you’ll enjoy Fellside, simply because the two books are so different. Fellside is not your typical ghost story, more suspenseful rather than creepy, and I can see it appealing more to mystery fans than horror buffs. Still, there are some mirroring themes. As ever, Carey is fond of keeping his readers in the dark right up until he springs the big surprises. And then there are scenes of intense violence, but when all is said and done, we’re also left with a spark of hope.
Finally, of course, there’s the author’s writing itself, which is as bold and hauntingly evocative as I expected. No disappointment there, as far as I’m concerned. If anything, this novel demonstrates Carey’s versatility and my admiration for his talent has actually increased. While it took me some time to warm up to Fellside, I ended up really enjoying the story’s poignant look at life on the inside of a women’s prison, as well as the memorable characters you’ll love to hate and hate to love. Recommended for fans of paranormal mysteries and suspense.
Novella Reviews: Of Sorrow and Such & Lustlocked
Posted on March 20, 2016 17 Comments
Review copies were provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Of Sorrow and Such by Angela Slatter
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Tor.com (October 13, 2016)
Length: 149 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
This is the first time I’ve read Angela Slatter, and now she’s gained herself another fan. Of Sorrow and Such is probably my favorite Tor.com novella of the ones I’ve read so far, a compact little tale that packs no small amount of emotional punch in spite of its length.
In a small fictional village in a world reminiscent of Europe in the Middle Ages lives a witch called Mistress Patience Gideon. Ostensibly, she’s just a local healer eking out a simple yet comfortable life taking care of the village’s sick and injured, but in truth Patience possesses power magic that she must keep hidden lest her secrets are discovered by the church and she is burned at the stake.
On the surface, this story might strike a familiar chord, but in time a rich complexity emerges. Of Sorrow and Such is beautifully told, with an attention to detail that often get overlooked in shorter works. I was really impressed with the depth of feeling and the intense atmosphere that came through in Slatter’s simple but elegant writing, which has this way of stripping away all the chaff to get to the raw core of what really matters. As a result, there’s almost no slowing down in Patience Gideon’s tale. We have plenty of suspense, though perhaps not in a traditional sense; rather, Slatter’s plotting is just so tight that almost every scene is charged with a strong feeling of involvement and agency.
That said, there’s also just the right amount of emotion to give this story a life of its own. I adored its themes of love and hatred, loyalty and betrayal, and of the deep yearning for things that can destroy you. It’s about the sacrificing something important to you for a cause greater for yourself, and it’s about the courage and the strength of a woman who will not be cowed. The characters in this novella are vividly drawn, showing the multi-faceted nature of both protagonists and villains. Patience feels genuine to the reader, the kind of person who is capable of great kindness, but within her also lies a terrible wrath one would do well not to underestimate.
This is just overall a wonderful story featuring great female characters and some very interesting relationships between them. Throw in Slatter’s delectable writing and a setting permeated with atmosphere and magic, and you have yourself a winner in your hands. I’m really pleased with how well it all came together. Highly recommended.
Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Book 2 of Sin du Jour
Publisher: Tor.com (January 26, 2016)
Length: 224 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
After the rip-roaring fun of Envy of Angels, I just couldn’t wait to be back in Bronko’s kitchen with all the gang. This time, things are really heating up as Matt Wallace serves up another course of humor-laden fare in Lustlocked, the second novella in the Sin du Jour series.
Having proved themselves on their first job, Lena and Darren are subsequently offered full-time employment by executive chef Byron “Bronko” Luck. Now all they have to do is survive the probationary period, which isn’t as easy as it sounds, given the unusual nature of the catering company at which they work. Sure enough, no sooner have the junior chefs signed their names to the contract than Sin du Jour receives their next big gig—a goblin royal wedding.
Unlike the mischievous, ugly and stooped creatures of folklore, Matt Wallace’s goblins are actually beautiful and talented beings, which explains why so many of them have found success in Hollywood and the music industry. It’s a star-studded night as all the goblin guests show up to the celebrations, excited to see their prince tie the knot with a human woman. As usual though, nothing at Sin du Jour ever goes as planned, and before long, giant lusty lizards are running amok through the wedding party, trying to have sex with everyone and everything. Let this one be a cautionary tale for us all: magic and love don’t always mix.
Like the previous book, Lustlocked is another rollicking romp into the culinary world, urban fantasy style. Once again, our characters are thrown into the zaniest and most absurd situations you can think of, playing up the action and the laughs. Compared to the Envy of Angels though, the plot feels much simpler and less adroit, giving this sequel novella a throw-away vibe which leads me to believe that it won’t stay with me as long. That said, I still had a great time with the story, which is no less entertaining for being shorter and less complex.
In fact, pacing is helped by the narrower focus, and we also don’t jump around as much following multiple groups of characters in different places. While Envy of Angels featured several side plots starring the Sin du Jour’s stocking and receiving department, the adventures of Ritter, Cindy, Hara and Moon are more integrated in Lustlocked. Fans of this unforgettable foursome need not fret though, for Matt Wallace makes it up to us by including a bonus story called Small Wars at the end of this novella. This was a free short published at the Tor.com website, revealing the origins of the team by explaining how they were all recruited and brought together by Ritter.
If a couple hours with a bite-sized, light-hearted urban fantasy novella sounds like a good time to you, then you need to check out the Sin du Jour series. Already I am excited for the next book Pride’s Spell, which promises to be even more wild and bizarre. At this point, anything can happen…and you can bet I’m looking forward to the insanity.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of Envy of Angels (Book 1)
Audiobook Review: Written in Red by Anne Bishop
Posted on March 20, 2016 11 Comments
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Shifters
Series: The Others #1
Publisher: ROC (January 3, 2012)
Information: Website | Goodreads
Tiara’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Narrator: Alexandra Harris | Length: 18 hrs and 32 mins | Audiobook Publisher: Penguin Audio (March 5, 2013) |Whispersync Ready: Yes
Written in Red takes the traditional shifter story and turns it on its head a bit. It starts with a brief history of the world. The goddess-like Namid created humans, gave them a fertile piece of herself, and kept them isolated from her other children. However, her human children became smarter. They began to innovate and spread until they pushed into the wild regions and encountered Namid’s other children. The Others, as these non-humans came to be known, didn’t accept humanity with open arms. They saw food, and they had the strength to enforce their dominance. This is the point where typically the humans would prevail over all odds in most stories, but instead, Bishop decides to take the alternative path. The Others have a strong hold on humanity. Humanity created things that could aid their fight and advance civilization, but the Others ruled over the resources they needed to create. Humans are only as useful as the things they create, making them “useful meat.” Larger cities have Courtyards, which are fenced communities where the Others live to make sure that humans keep agreements made between the two groups.
Fast forward to the present day, sweet, unassuming Meg Corbyn is a cassandra sangue (blood prophet) escaping the compound where women and girls like her are held. They have the unique ability to see prophesies if their skin is precisely cut. They live a sterile life inside a compound. They know things, but those things are disconnected from what use they could be to them. It isn’t until Meg endures a punishment for deceiving one of the compound’s clients that she’s able to use the images in her visions to make an escape. She finds refuge in the Lakeside Courtyard run by Simon Wolfgard, an Other with the ability to shift between wolf and human. He’s confused by her because she doesn’t hold the prey scent. This bothers him, as well as the fact that he knows she’s hiding something, but he still allows her to become the Human Liaison for the Courtyard. Meg knows it’s only a matter of time before her Controller finds her and tries to take her back to the compound. Her safest option is staying with the Others who cow before no human.
“… a cancer of this planet,” said the Others.
The Lakeside Courtyard is more progressive with how it interacts with humans, but Meg’s presence allows for a stronger trust to form between the humans and the Others. While the Others are certainly imposing, they’re not nearly as cunning as humans who have perfected lying and betrayal, something that doesn’t come easily for the Others (aside from maybe a group of them) who are mostly upfront. This may be because they are the apex predators in the story and have no need to for that type of dishonesty. The Others who choose to interact with humans are only slowly coming to realize that humans do share some of their base level emotions when confronted with things such as triumphs and injustices. Despite taking human forms, they’re only simulating humanity to the best of their abilities. They don’t understand many aspects of human life, and tidbits of useful wisdom about humans are imparted on them throughout the story, which in turns makes them begin to see them as more than just prey.
The story of how humans and the Other co-exist is a fascinating one, and while there isn’t a ton of back to back action in this like you might find in most urban fantasy, there’s plenty of delicious world-building as you get a feel for this. I found the various types of shifters fascinating, especially the avian shifters (Crowgard, Hawkgard, Owlgard). The narrator used a distinct speaking rhythm for them that made them instantly likable, especially the Crowgard who are as impish and intelligent as their animal counterparts. Even though the crows’ obsession with shiny things is a myth, I still couldn’t help being entertained by it being used in throughout the story. The vampires in the story are a mash-up of dated B-movie tropes, but they still add to the story in their own kitschy way, even if I did keep imagining Nyx (one of the vampires) as Morticia Addams.
Completely accurate representation of Nyx.
I thought it was great storytelling to have the shifters proud and in control. They’re not hiding who they are. They’re not holding control by working behind the scenes while humans remain oblivious. They’re not ruled by human laws and integrated into human society because they have to be. It was heartening to see humans and the Lakeside Courtyard accomplishing so much together as they learned to trust each other more, even if the catalyst is Meg’s sweetness. They’re not giving up control, but choosing to explore ways that humans and Others can continue to live together with more mutual trust and respect. Trust and respect are hard for both sides given their histories.
Having Meg squeak and stumble around while everyone felt the need to baby her was disappointing, though. I’m not saying that I needed her to be some superwoman who could handle anything because rounded female characters aren’t just the ones who can hang with the big boys, but it’s unfortunate when a character like Meg, a character that I could like wholeheartedly, isn’t allowed much agency. Instead, she has all these supposedly intimidating, scary shifters deciding that she’s too precious for this world and they have to protect her at all costs. That’s all fine and good, but where is her growth as a character around all this white knighting? Then, there’s the whole “sweet blood” thing and the changing so many aspects of their life to accommodate her. That’s why I preferred the character Monty in this case of showing how both humans and Others could actually have some sort of relationship. He’s a human in the story who smells like prey unlike Meg. For that reason, he’s not given automatic trust as Meg is, but because of his positive interactions with the Others, concessions and considerations are made for him, as well, because they start to see him as more than prey and even “useful meat.” That felt more believable considering the circumstances. That brings me to my next point.
The Others aren’t as scary as I think Bishop intended them to be (at least, not to me, YMMV). Yes, they’re intimidating. However, they’re not out of control. They’re not unreasonable. There’s talk of killing and eating people, but how often does that happen to someone who hasn’t threatened them in some way? Any other threat to people who do something minor that might offend them isn’t followed through with in this story, even if it’s mentioned things happened in the past. They make noise and scare the humans who interact with them away when riled up, but most of those humans come right back when they’ve settled down and it’s business as usual. Hell, even in the more secluded places where humans and the Others have to live without the separation and relative safety of a Courtyard, I didn’t get the impression they’re just gobbling down humans because they’re prey, except for maybe the wild ones. In any event, I’m not really afraid for the humans whose intentions aren’t ill, even with these parameters in place. The book tries to make me feel a dread that I just can’t dredge up because I don’t feel like there will be any follow-through with the threats for the humans who aren’t trash.
Not scary much like the Others.
Also, For the Others to be so fiercely independent and in control, some of them sure accepted the idea of having human law enforcement around and involved in certain incidents very quickly. Not only that, but once Meg was around, it seemed that they, even some of the Others who didn’t seem like they interacted with humans much if at all, were more accepting of other humans even humans they interacted with outside of the Courtyard’s regulars. I would’ve expected much more resistance. I understand that the Courtyard is trying to be more tolerant of humans, but given their history and how the book presented relations, that still seems like a bit of a stretch. I guess that HLDNA (Human Law Does Not Apply) sign amounts to about a hill of beans in most scenarios.
However, those aren’t things that hampered my enjoyment of the story. It was just a few things I noted while reading. Those things are not necessarily deal breakers, and they certainly won’t make me hesitate when picking up the next book. I just wanted to expound on the reason why they made me quirk my eyebrow a bit. Other than that, I thought this story was excellent.The narration for this book really added to my enjoyment. Alexandra Harris’ is exceptional. She captured the innocent vulnerability of Meg well, and I enjoyed the voices she used for the different animal gards and the Sanguinati. She does have a voice that can come off very young sounding, which can make the story feel a bit juvenile in places, but I still would highly recommend this audiobook for readers who enjoy audiobooks.
I’m anxious to find out what happens next. This makes it hard to stick to my reading plans, and I think I might have to make an exception for this series. I’m almost sad it took me this long to start this series.
Story:
Performance:
Overall:
Other reviews of this series:
Written in Red (Mogsy’s review)
Murder of Crows (Book #2, Mogsy’s review)
Visions in Silver (Book #3, Mogsy’s review)
A Local Habitation Read-Along Week No.3
Posted on March 19, 2016 12 Comments
We take a trip back to October Daye’s world of mystery and magic in the second book of Seanan McGuire’s October Daye series. If you’re interested in joining this Read-Along, visit the SF/F Read-Along group for more information and to join the discussion.
Week 1: Saturday 5th March, Chapters 1-8 hosted by Over The Effing Rainbow
Week 2: Saturday 12th March, Chapters 9-16 – hosted by Lynn’s Book Blog
Week 3: Saturday 19th March, Chapters 17-25 – hosted by Books By Proxy
Week 4: Saturday 26th March, Chapters 26-end – hosted by The Bibliosanctum
1. First things first, Toby braved the likelihood of being eaten alive by summoning the night-haunts! What are your impressions of this strange race of fae? And how do you think Toby’s relationship with the Luidaeg will change now that her final question has been asked?
Interesting lore, and it makes so much sense. Things like these can sometimes get muddied, but I like where this went with the night-haunts. I feel like this new knowledge Toby has about them will come again in the future. I don’t think that Toby’s relationship with the Luidaeg will actually change. I think pestering Toby to use her last question was just a way of keeping up pretense when she knew she was starting to like Toby. I’m not going to say that she won’t eventually attempt to kill Toby, but I think that, without this façade, the relationship will be seen for what it is, an honest friendship between two women who are an anomaly in the fae world.
2. The storyline has really kicked off with another death to add to the body count and yet another attempt on Toby’s life. How did you feel about this latest murder? Are you suspicious of anyone in particular or seeing any patterns regarding motivations?
I was actually not surprised. It seemed a little inevitable after harebrained theory, but it was sad, especially when thinking of April who doesn’t seem to understand death. This really just makes me dig in more to the fact that Jan, Gordan, and April were likely the guilty parties, especially since Jan was about to spill the beans with the comment she made about want October to come find her so she could explain a thing to her about what’s been going on. After this section, I think April’s part is more guilty by association and omission more than anything, and I am 99.9% certain that Gordan killed Jan, probably to cover up her part in all this, which means she may or may not need to do something about April, too. But I guess I can’t rule out the others also being involved.
3. Before her untimely demise, January was on the verge of revealing a secret regarding ALH and a mysterious project it was running. Do you have any suspicions on what this might be?
Again, I am 99.9% sure that she was going to tell October that she’d been attempting upload her own people to the servers, Gordan had to fabricate the systems making her an accessory, and April was doing whatever it is April does, which is probably just conveniently not knowing certain information to protect Jan. Then again, maybe all her programmers were aware of what was going on. That might’ve been a big undertaking for just three people. So much would need to be done. However, after the first death, I couldn’t see anyone being willing to continue to move forward, so maybe they were forced?
4. April is a fascinating and amusing character to read about, how do you think she’ll cope now she no longer has her adoptive mother? Can you see her becoming part of another court or as an addition to Toby’s life?
In the event she isn’t directly involved in what happened, ALH’s survivors are going to need someone to rally around and rebuild if that’s the route they decide to go. April would know enough about the operations to be that someone with Elliot’s help. She could hold on to Tamed Lightning, and I feel like she would, if she can, for her mother. I think that’s a big possibility especially since this section made such a big point of her being able to handle physical objects–both animate and inanimate–despite her state. That’s if they all don’t turn out to be guilty and aren’t sentenced to like eternity in whatever equates to Hell. I think she’ll mourn, but I think April is logical enough to do what needs to be done and not get caught in her own grief to honor her mother’s memory.
5. In this section of the novel a little more is revealed about one half of our suspicious siblings, Alex and Terrie. Whilst Alex gets very handsy and a bit hypnocreep with Toby, Terrie is almost non-existent! What are your thoughts on this pair? Was Toby’s reaction justified? And are you as suspicious of at least one half of this pairing as Toby?!
I was suspicious of them being the same person early in the story. I got doubly suspicious with Alex seeming to forget he had a “sibling” and then not even offering to call her or something when they have cellphones. Right. People are being murdered and you want me to sit here and believe he wouldn’t attempt to call his sister like immediately. This part pretty much only confirmed that with Elliot saying it was implausible and being on the cusp of the reveal. However, going on the fact that Alex was nowhere near one of the murders, it’s doubtful Alex/Terrie was involved. There might be one wrinkle in time where they’re two people like at dawn or something, but mostly… yeah… Alex seems like the sun and Terrie seems like the moon. I think Toby’s reaction to Alex was justified. I mean no means no. It does’t matter how scared you are. No.
6. Alex might not be able to turn off the seduction but in this section we see the return of both Connor and Tybalt. What do you think of Connor and his obviously complicated relationship with both Toby and Raysel? Do you think they have a future? Or is Tybalt too much of an infuriating temptation? Or more to the point, will either of them be of any use during the investigation? Thoughts please!
The Manicorn as Connor O’Dell. I have rainbows in my heart from looking at this.
I started laughing the minute Connor showed up. I wasn’t really expecting him. Connor is such a manicorn. I need him to go fall out of chairs and bark like a seal somewhere else while my OTP works itself into being. Sheesh. I don’t see Toby and Connor really moving forward. I think there’s familiarity there, and whether they want to admit it or not, Selkie men do have a low-level charm over human women, which Toby is half-human. It may not be as intense as what Alex has going on, and I’m not going to say there whole relationship was probably a lie… but he presses in his own way and she allows it because she used to date him. They could end up together again at the risk of the wrath of Ray, but I kind of doubt it. If it does, it’ll probably go in the “I made a mistake” direction. Been there, done that. I don’t really want to rehash their relationship at this point. I want to see her move forward, but I’m only the reader.
I guess both of guys could be helpful in some way. Tybalt’s already trying to be helpful. He’s already made the cats feel better at least and been relegated to bloodhound. Connor is on babysitting and “Be Mean to Alex” duty, so there’s that.
All the best rituals include blood, amirite? I’ll admit I might got a little misty-eyed when the night-haunt who took Dare’s face said that Toby was her hero. She died still believing in Toby. My emotions.
A manicorn seal, a capricious kitty, and a Quentin puppy walk into a bar…
Repetition is sometimes the best way to deal with the Luidaeg: just keep saying the same thing over and over until she gets fed up and gives you what you want. All preschoolers have an instinctive grasp of this concept, but most don’t practice it on immortal water demons. That’s probably why there are so few disembowelments in your average preschool.
* *
“Stop it!” I snapped, before I could stop myself. “That isn’t fair!”
“Since when has death been fair?” The innocence faded from her face, replaced by calm. “Death is how I know you. How we all do.”
* *
“Quentin, get something nutritious to go with your soda. A Snickers bar or something.” Peanuts have protein, right? Topping off my coffee, I walked over to the pay phone.
* *
A Local Habitation by Seanan McGuire (October Daye #2)
A Local Habitation Read-Along Week No.1
A Local Habitation Read-Along Week No.2
Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire (October Daye #1)
Rosemary and Rue Read-Along Week No.1
Rosemary and Rue Read-Along Week No.2
Rosemary and Rue Read-Along Week No.3
Rosemary and Rue Read-Along Week No.4
YA Weekend Audio: Into The Dim by Janet B. Taylor
Posted on March 19, 2016 17 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Into the Dim by Janet B. Taylor
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Series: Book 1 of Into the Dim
Publisher: Audible Studios (March 1, 2016)
Length: 11 hrs and 12 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Amanda Ronconi
While Into the Dim is not without its flaws (like calling it “an Outlander for teens” might be a bit of a stretch), there’s still no denying this book has its charms. The story is impressively robust for a YA time traveling book, and what it lacks in world-building and logistical explanations, it makes up for with pure entertainment and plenty of fun twists along the way. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed myself.
Most of this story actually takes place in the twelfth century, but first there’s a considerable introduction to establish our main protagonist and her circumstances. We begin with sixteen-year-old Hope Walton at the funeral for her mother Sarah, an academic who was lecturing overseas when an earthquake struck and brought the building down around her. Eight months later, her family has finally given up the search for her body and accepted that she is gone. To help deal with the grief, Sarah’s sister has invited Hope to spend the summer with her in Scotland, and after much reluctance, Hope eventually realizes she has nowhere else to go and accepts.
Now this is where the adventure truly begins. Hope arrives in Scotland and learns more about her family than she’d ever bargained for. Turns out, her aunt is a leader of a group of time traveling agents who are battling another group of rival time travelers to locate a powerful gem lost somewhere in history. That, and Hope finds out that her mother Sarah might be still alive, but trapped in the past. There may be a way to bring her back, but only a small window of opportunity to make that happen, and Hope will need all the training she can get to prepare her for the mission of her life.
Hope and her new friends, fellow time travelers Collum and Phoebe, end up journeying back almost a thousand years to 1154, the year of Eleanor of Aquitaine’s coronation as queen consort of England. As the focal historical figure for this novel, I thought she was a most fascinating choice. One of the most powerful women of her age, Eleanor led an incredible life and was appropriately portrayed as an important character in Into the Dim. Also, the High Middle Ages was a period of much significance and change in Western Europe, creating an intriguing backdrop for the novel. We’re plunged into this world to experience the social, political and religious climate of the times, and author Janet B. Taylor certainly does not skimp on details of the sights, sounds, and–unfortunately—the smells.
For me, there were only two major weaknesses, and they kind of go hand-in-hand with each other. The first is Hope herself. A poster child for “book smart, street stupid” if I ever saw one, our protagonist was born was a photographic memory, but her brilliance is also offset by her staggering social ineptitude. Kept out of “that inbred travesty they call an education system” by her snobby and overprotective mother, Hope grew up completely clueless, which would perfectly explain the scene where she meets Bran Cameron for the first time. This segues into my second gripe: the romance. I’m still appalled by Hope’s reaction to Bran at their first meeting, where she catches him taking stalkerish photos of her with his camera without her knowledge. But instead of running for the hills to the closest police station, what does Hope do? She flirts with the creepy creeperish creeper, and finds his behavior totally adorable and flattering. Ew, no. Sadly, this soured the rest of the relationship for me.
While engaging, the plot is also nothing too deep. The historical aspects and “science” behind the time traveling will not hold up to heavy scrutiny, though to be fair, that’s not really what this book is about. Yes, you’ll definitely have to roll with some punches, but the story is entertaining and holds up well. I liked the fast-pacing, as well as the no-nonsense way Hope and her friends come up with creative ways to solve problems.
It’s worth mentioning too that I listened to the audiobook version, which was amazing. Before this, I had never listened to anything read by Amanda Ronconi, but her performance for Into the Dim made me an instant fan. They couldn’t have chosen a better narrator. With her wide range of accents, she was perfect for a book like this, which features characters from the US and from Scotland. Then, there are those characters from the past. Ronconi’s Olde English accents are convincing, as is the slight French lilt she gives Eleanor of Aquitaine when she reads her lines. I can see how listening to this book might be more immersive experience, compared to reading the dialogue as it is written.
All in all, Into the Dim is quite a lovely novel, even with its flaws. It’s a simple, straightforward book, which serves its purposes to be fun and light-hearted, but that’s not to say there aren’t a couple of unexpected surprises thrown in as well. I found it very refreshing, given the string of bad luck I’ve had with the YA genre lately, and I ended up enjoying this a lot more than I expected.
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Book Review: The Chronicles of Riddick by Alan Dean Foster
Posted on March 18, 2016 4 Comments
The Chronicles of Riddick by Alan Dean Foster
Genre: Science fiction, space opera, dystopia
Publisher: Del Rey Books (December 2007)
Author Info: alandeanfoster.com
Wendy’s rating: 3 of 5 stars
“You’re not afraid of the dark are you?”
In my quest to read more movie novelizations this year, it’s unsurprising that Foster’s name would pop up on the list. In fact, in searching my library for more novelizations by him, this one popped up. Pitch Black and subsequently The Chronicles of Riddick are favourite films in my household and I am quite fond of the character of Riddick. I suspect Vin Diesel, the actor who plays him, is quite fond of Riddick too, and it shows with Chronicles. I could have done with a little less of Riddick being Riddick in what was perhaps Diesel’s attempt to bring back the macho tough guy of the 80s, but with less campiness, and more attempted intellectual and occasionally gross sexist comments and actions (I’ll never watch the third movie, Riddick, again for the latter reason).
Anyway, after surviving the monster infested planet in Pitch Black, Riddick has sequestered himself away from humanity, but is dragged back in thanks to the arrival of the Necromongers, a powerful race of beings bent on purifying the galaxy and preparing everyone for the great beyond. As with all fanatics, they believe they are doing their lord’s work. Alas, the Lord Marshal is going to have to deal with Mary Sue–I mean–Richard B. Riddick, who has now been imbued with magical Furyan powers thanks to a prophecy and upgraded backstory. Not that these new elements don’t work for the story. They do make sense, but it’s how Riddick is now portrayed that has me rolling my eyes. And yet, it’s for this very thing that I give Foster credit. Part of writing a novelization is being able to capture the feel of the film, right down to Riddick’s new found ability to be faster than fastness and more quiet than silence as he skillfully outsmarts and murderdeathkills vast hordes of bad guys.
“Riddick moved forward, seeming to cross the intervening space between the clerics and himself with barely a step. One by one, he pushed back hoods and examined faces. He had no divining equipment with him, needed none. He knew men better than any machine.”
Foster’s words drip with the sense that someone thought more of Riddick’s status than they should have, and I get the impression that, as he wrote, Foster was frequently peppered with phone calls and emails from Diesel with suggestions on how to improve scenes. So I feel like I should give Foster credit for capturing both the vibe of the film and showing such patience with our illustrious star.
Fortunately, this book was not just about Riddick and the perspective quite often changed. Kyra in particular is a character of interest, as is the Lord Marshall in his unwavering beliefs, but really, I am here for the Vaakos. Foster did not let me down with the sultry blade that is Dame Vaako.
I read novelizations with the hope that I’ll get a few new insights into the characters and events, and maybe a deleted scene or two. This honestly didn’t add much save for amusement in reading the Riddick loves Riddick story. I was disappointed though — or perhaps pleased with the final movie version of the parting between Riddick and Kyra. The movie moment is powerful and the line “Are you with me Kyra?” is a much stronger connection to the running theme of his abandonment of her in the first place. In the book, he demands to know “what side” she is on, which holds less emotional stakes. I’m guessing that was a last minute script change that made it into the movie, much like Leia and Han’s “I love you” “I know,” which was not in the original script, or the novelization of The Empire Strikes Back.
“I was always with you.”
Where the book did give me something more was the epilogue that detailed the history of the Necromongers and the chain of Lord Marshall’s leading up to Riddick’s eventual taking of the throne.
“You keep what you kill.”
The BiblioSanctum 