Coloring Book Review: Animal Kingdom and Tropical World by Millie Marotta
Posted on January 14, 2016 33 Comments
Welcome to a new feature at The BiblioSanctum, where every month (or so!) I’ll be featuring and reviewing an adult coloring book. I first became attracted to the hobby because I love all things pretty and colorful, but whether you see it as a form of escapism or a social activity, there’s no denying adult coloring books are becoming an increasingly popular trend. As I begin my journeys through coloring, I’d like to share my thoughts and experiences along the way.
Today, I’ll be looking at…
Animal Kingdom and Tropical World
My thanks to Sterling Publishing for providing copies for review.
To be sure, if you love animals, then you’ll also love Millie Marotta’s coloring books! I’ve decided to review the two books together because they are both similar in format and, as you’ll see further in my review, in art style as well. Animal Kingdom is simply stunning, filled with pages and pages of gorgeously illustrated animal and plant life. Tropical World was published after the first book’s wild success, and it follows in the same tradition except with a heavier focus on themes and subjects inspired by the tropics. You really can’t go wrong with either one.
OVERVIEW:
Both books are square, with pages measuring 9.8 by 9.8 inches. Illustrations are printed front and back on bright and thick heavy-weight paper, perfect for color pencils and gel pens (which I used in my examples at the end of this review). I would personally not recommend water color or markers, as the paper will warp and you will potentially get color bleeding through the page, ruining the illustrations on the other side. The books are also bound in a way that won’t allow you to lay them open flat. You can press them down as well as you can or bend the books backward to crack the spine, but unless you do, coloring some of the 2-page spreads might present some difficulty.
Flamingo from Animal Kingdom
Peacock from Tropical World
ILLUSTRATIONS:
Simply gorgeous. I love Marotta’s style which utilizes shapes and lines to form intricate patterns in the outlines of a variety of different animals. Sometimes, the shapes themselves form the outline of the animals!
Red-Eyed Tree Frog and Armadillo from Tropical World, Owl and Seal from Animal Kingdom
Mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, insects, etc. are all represented here, and there are also pages full of beautifully illustrated flowers and plants. The line work is fantastically detailed and intricate – enough to make your head spin! Be prepared for hours of careful coloring as to not miss a single spot, but the results are worth it.
Peacock and Chameleon from Animal Kingdom, Parrots from Tropical World
In addition to the types of illustrations described above, there are also pages with animal designs for the colorist to “fill in” themselves, perfect for if you want to draw your own patterns. A few pages with illustrations also have text, little lines of “instructions” you can choose to follow or ignore; they don’t add anything, other than some flavor to the book.
Elephants from Animal Kingdom
If I have only one complaint about the art, it’s that the patterns and designs get repetitive after a while. The animals in the illustrations are all different, but the more you do the more you’ll see the same motifs in them utilized again and again. But as this is Millie Marotta’s “signature style”, I don’t really see this as a con, especially if you find yourself wanting more. As you can see, the style of the illustrations in both Animal Kingdom and Tropical World are very similar.
Fish from Animal Kingdom, Crab and Flamingos from Tropical World
Certainly, both books are worth checking out for the exquisite designs. If you do wish for more variation in the artwork for coloring though, you might want to opt for picking up just one of these books. Which you choose is entirely up to your own preferences because both books are filled with equally stunning and beautiful drawings. For more general wildlife, the outstanding Animal Kingdom will not disappoint, but I also personally felt a deeper affinity for the rainforest and coral reef designs in Tropical World. If you like colorful birds, tropical flora or ocean life, then this will definitely be the book for you!
Turtle from Animal Kingdom, Coral and Mandala and Jungle Cat from Tropical World
And now…time for more examples!
Whether you want to utilize the bold hues of gel pens or do some blending magic with color pencils, there are designs in these books to suit all your creative needs. I love how amazing the illustrations are for experimenting with color combinations.
Butterflies and Flowers from Animal Kingdom (Color Pencils)
Rainbow Fish from Tropical World (Color Pencils)
Butterflies from Tropical World (Pastel Gel Pens)
Owl from Tropical World (Metallic Gel Pens)
Book Review: The Aeronaut’s Windlass by Jim Butcher
Posted on January 13, 2016 32 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Aeronaut’s Windlass by Jim Butcher
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of The Cinder Spires
Publisher: Roc (9/29/15)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Jim Butcher. I am a big fan. I will read any new Dresden Files book as soon as it comes out, and considering it’s one of only a few long-running urban fantasy series I’m actually all caught up with, I’d say I’m pretty invested and the character and stories. When I first heard about The Aeronaut’s Windlass in his new steampunkish series though, I was both excited and a little hesitant. I feel Butcher is at his best when he’s writing modern characters in modern settings, where his clever humor and penchant for hilarious pop culture references can fully come into play—which is precisely what makes his urban fantasy so delightful and fun to read. That’s probably why I didn’t do so well with his epic fantasy series Codex Alera; even though I love the genre, I missed the easy wisecracks and the more intimate first-person narrative that I’m more familiar with when it comes to what I know of the author’s style.
Still, though. Jim Butcher and steampunk? My wariness notwithstanding, I also knew I wouldn’t miss this for the world. I could see him pulling this off with style.
And hell yeah he does. The Aeronaut’s Windlass might not have been everything I expected, but it was entertaining, action-packed and imaginative. Butcher really pulled out all the stops with this one, blowing me away with his wildly creative world building. This is not your traditional steampunk, with clockwork and corsets. In this world, nations are built upon towering spires, and their armies war against each other using flying warships, battle gauntlets, and other weaponry powered by energy crystals. The book follows a quite a few characters, including Captain Grimm, the airship captain with a tarnished military record he didn’t deserve; Gwen Lancaster, the young noblewoman who means well even though she can be a bit abrasive and overbearing; Benedict, Gwen’s cousin, who is a handsome and charming super-soldier; Bridget, who hails from an impoverished noble house; and Rowl, Bridget’s snobby sentient talking cat. Yes, I said talking cat!
The book begins with Grimm’s airship, the A.M.S. Predator, taking severe damage after engaging with an enemy battlecruiser. Lacking the funds for repair, Grimm has no choice but to accept a mission from the Spirearch of Albion in exchange for the expensive replacement parts required to get the Predator in shipshape again. He reluctantly agrees to join up with a group of young noble guards-in-training and couple of oddball etherealists on an adventurous journey across the skies. Together, this band of unlikely heroes are tasked to uncover a traitorous plot for the Spirearch, but what they end up finding is a threat even more ancient and powerful than any of them can ever imagine.
There’s no question about it; The Aeronaut’s Windlass was a lot of fun, with a plot fully-loaded with interesting and dynamic relationships, aerial combat action, conspiracies and intrigue. On the other hand, I also felt that the pacing dragged a little from the sheer weight of an overly complex storyline and too many character perspectives. Main and supporting characters would be “benched” for long periods of time while the focus was on something else, and I get the feeling Butcher probably struggled to find the right balance between all his POVs. He is definitely much better when he is writing in the first-person, where all the attention is on a single character and story events are more focused and immediate.
The prose also feels slightly different and more formal than what I’m used to from him, which is not surprising given the high fantasy setting replete with aristocratic houses and nobility. However, this is a good thing. Beneath the surface, the tone and humor is still 100% Jim Butcher. Any doubt of that would be removed as soon as you meet Rowl and his feline brethren. Plus, it would be criminal of me to write this review without mentioning the cats, because they were by far one of the most delightful and memorable surprises of this novel. Might Butcher have been a cat in his past life? Because he bloody nailed the attitude.
The fact he is able to adapt his style to make the characters and this new world so convincing is all the proof you need of Butcher’s brilliance and versatility. The Aeronaut’s Windlass was a great read even if it wasn’t perfect—but then, few series openers often are. This book certainly made an impression on me with its dazzling world building and fantastic characters though, and I am most definitely on board for the sequel.
Waiting on Wednesday 01/13/16
Posted on January 13, 2016 8 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:
Fireborn by David Dalglish: June 7, 2016 (Orbit)
Skyborn was a surprise gem for me in late 2015, and I can’t wait for more high-flying aerial action in this amazing looking sequel.
“The next novel in the Seraphim series following Skyborn from USA Today bestselling author, David Dalglish.
Bree and Kael Skyborn have seen their island invaded, their Seraphim disbanded, and their royal family imprisoned.
A rebellion grows from the ashes, demanding Bree to be their Phoenix, their symbol against Center’s tyranny, and for Kael to find the doomsday prophet Johan and sway his cult to their side.
Should they fail, the hope of their rebellion fails with them.”
Tiara’s Pick
The Emperor’s Railroad by Guy Hayley April 19, 2016 (Tor)
It has zombies (boo!), but it has an interesting post-technology world premise I think I’ll enjoy.
“Global war devastated the environment, a zombie-like plague wiped out much of humanity, and civilization as we once understood it came to a standstill. But that was a thousand years ago, and the world is now a very different place.
Conflict between city states is constant, superstition is rife, and machine relics, mutant creatures and resurrected prehistoric beasts trouble the land. Watching over all are the silent Dreaming Cities. Homes of the angels, bastion outposts of heaven on Earth. Or so the church claims. Very few go in, and nobody ever comes out.
Until now…”
Audiobook Review: The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
Posted on January 12, 2016 10 Comments
Genre: Gothic Horror
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Harper Perennial (December 30, 1987)
Author Information: Website
Tiara’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Narrator: Ralph Cosham | Length: 7 hrs and 35 mins | Audiobook Publisher: Blackstone Audio (December 6, 2004) | Whispersync Ready: Yes
Continuing on my quest to read more speculative classics, I decided to finally heed the call of this book. Christine Daaé, ingénue of the Opéra Garnier, gives an unearthly performance one night, a performance that dazzles the audience and is witnessed by her childhood friend, Viscount Raoul de Chagny, who is just this emotional wreck because of love for the whole book while Christine kept it (mostly) together for both of them. Christine credits her talent to the Angel of Music and his guiding hand, but when Raoul begins to show intentions of courting Christine, the Angel of Music proves to be more sinister in nature. While Christine continues to garner critical success in her music career, her patron is clear her continued success will be obtained only through him.
This Angel is known by a spookier name among the opera house workers–“Opera Ghost.” (Okay, I know it’s not terribly original, but it was 1909.) With the workers, he’s known as a malevolent spirit, orchestrating tragedies much like an opera that only he controls. Some share a strange semi-symbiotic relationship with him. Some jokingly speak of him, and others are very careful what they say about him lest they kindle his wrath. He is a mystery that some just accept while others seek out answers and search for some explanation for the strange occurrences in the opera house that are often blamed on him.
Thanks to the plays, movies, and operas, I think that sometimes people forget this story started life as a novel–well, a serial actually. I’m guilty of this as well. I have been a long time fan of The Phantom of the Opera in its visual formats for many years, but I’d never read the novel until now, and my review might show my total bias as a fan.
Starting with the narration, I found Ralph Cosham’s reading to be a bit more bland than I’d like. There were so many passages where I felt he should’ve been more passionate, more animated. Everything was read in such a straightforward manner, and I may be biased after watching the movies and operas and just expected more from him based on my experiences. He wasn’t a bad narrator and I quite liked his accent, but his reading just did very little to make the story compelling for me. If I wasn’t already invested in this story because of other media, I’m not sure if I would’ve finished it. There were also some audio issues where sometimes he’d sound like he was in the bathroom reading this book or his voice would sound strangely dubbed. If considering the audiobook, I don’t know if I can highly recommend this reading. There are other narrators available.
As for the story, the atmospheric aspects such as the horrors that you can just perceive out the corner of your eyes, the psychological mind games, are here. The eerie ghost story effect is here intertwined with music and romance. The themes explored in this novel are still explored today, showing how books like this served as a foundation for the horror genre as we’ve come to know it. Being that this started life as a serial, you can kind of tell there was probably some padding just to get to whatever count he needed. Much like modern serials, there are segments that well-balanced, and there are some that feel either too flimsy or seem to be a bit rambling. The characters aren’t terribly rounded save for Christine and the Phantom and even they lack some substance. While this may not be the scariest thing anyone has read and some people treat this as a unrequited love story featuring a tortured soul rather than a Gothic horror, this story is one that proves to be enduring.
Story: 
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Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten 2015 Releases I Meant To Get To But Didn’t
Posted on January 12, 2016 47 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 list 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 2015 Releases I Meant To Get To But Didn’t
Mogsy’s Picks
There are a ton of books published in 2015 that I didn’t get a chance to get to, and these are some of the ones I regret the most. Hopefully I’ll get to them this year, and if nothing else, I have plenty of possible titles to choose from for Backlist Burndown!
Tiara’s Picks
I had so many hopes for 2015, and while I did manage to read quite a bit of what I wanted, there were some things that I just didn’t get around to that I really wanted to read before 2015 was out.
Book Review: Angel of Storms by Trudi Canavan
Posted on January 11, 2016 14 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Angel of Storms by Trudi Canavan
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 2 of Millennium’s Rule
Publisher: Orbit (11/12/15)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
When it comes to magic, no one writes it quite like Trudi Canavan. I was first introduced to her work with the Black Magician Trilogy. Captivated, I went on to pick up several more of her books set in the same universe. Then a couple years ago, I found out about her new series called Millennium’s Rule and was doubly excited to dive into a brand new world.
There was something very interesting about the structure of the first book Thief’s Magic, however, and I’m sure those who have read it would know exactly what I mean. Essentially, it was like reading two books in one, with the narrative alternating back and forth between two character POVs: Tyen, a young archaeology student on a magic-rich world who uncovers a sentient book named Vella while excavating the ruins of an ancient tomb; and Rielle, a dyer’s daughter from a magic-poor world where using magic is a grave crime, akin from stealing from the Angels themselves.
What do these two seemingly disparate storylines have to do with each other? Curiously, absolutely nothing at all—at least in the first book. So what gives? Well, I was hoping the link would finally be revealed in the sequel, Angel of Storms.
Thankfully, we do get some answers…to a degree. As it turns out, there is a panoply of different worlds out there, both magic-rich and magic-starved, and both Tyen and Rielle are pieces of a much bigger puzzle. If there is one thing in common between all the worlds, it is that most of them have heard of a powerful sorcerer known as the Raen. Some regard him as an evil force, while others worship him as a benevolent god. What matters now though, is that the Raen has returned, and his arrival has caused ripples of uncertainty all throughout the worlds.
It has been several years since the end of Thief’s Magic, and Tyen is now a teacher at a well-respected magic school while Rielle has hidden her own magical talents and started a new life among the tapestry weavers of Schpeta. With the Raen’s reappearance, however, the peace is broken as worlds take sides. Tyen agrees to help spy for the sorcerer in exchange for a way to free Vella from her book, and Rielle accepts an invitation from the Angel of Storms to train and hone her burgeoning magical skills. For much of the book, the two characters’ lives are still rather separate and unrelated, though towards the end we do see some convergence in the storylines.
Overall, it’s not quite the connection I’d hoped for, but it’s a start. Still, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t just a bit disappointed. The main problem with Angel of Storms (and the series so far) is that it develops slowly, and it falls prey to the “second book” syndrome—instead of ramping up the plot, it drags. The book’s structure also makes reviewing it challenging, especially since I was more drawn to Rielle’s storyline than Tyen’s, even though his was filled with more action and suspense. How do I rate a book when I really loved one character’s half of it, but was only lukewarm about the other half?
To the novel’s credit though, I was pleasantly surprised at the role of the Raen in explaining how Rielle and Tyen’s worlds were linked. I’m also fascinated by the differences in their worlds’ cultures and the way each character’s attitude towards magic is shaped by their upbringing, setting each of them on their individual paths. In addition, Canavan ramps up the world building, further developing the concept of multiple worlds in this sequel. The characters travel to some truly amazing places, and readers gets to enjoy vivid descriptions of every kind of world imaginable.
So while Angel of Storms is far from perfect, there’s still lots to love. At times, I had difficulty staying engaged with the story, but by the book’s climax, that was no longer a problem. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that things got more interesting the moment Rielle and Tyen’s storylines started coming together; I’ve waited a long time for answers, and I’m glad we got some even when they were slow in coming. In spite of the book’s flaws, I was hooked by the enticing teaser at the end, and I’m looking forward to the third book to see what will happen next.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of Thief’s Magic (Book 1)
Rosemary and Rue Read-Along Week No.1
Posted on January 10, 2016 20 Comments
This Read-Along of Rosemary and Rue was arranged by Lisa at Over the Effing Rainbow. This book has been sitting on my TBR pile forever, and I figured now was a good time to read it along with other people! I enjoyed the last Read-Along I participated in which was for Full Fathom Five. The questions will be posted on Saturday, but I’ll be posting my responses on Sunday. If you’re interested in joining this Read-Along, visit the SF/F Read-Along group for more information and to join the discussion.
And oh, yes, there will be blood… er… spoilers…
Week 1: Saturday 9th January, Chapters 1-6, hosted by Over the Effing Rainbow
Week 2: Saturday 16th January, Chapters 7-14, hosted by Lynn at Lynn’s Books
Week 3: Saturday 23rd January, Chapters 15-20, hosted by Anya at On Starships and Dragonwings
Week 4: Saturday 30th January, Chapters 21-End, hosted by Over the Effing Rainbow
1. So, first impressions time! What do you think of the book setup, first of all? Setting, magic system, Faerie in general?
Amazing! It’s been so long since I started a new UF series because I’m always reading all these other speculative books, and UF is one of my long time favorites. This reminded me of how much I miss it. First, I’m a big fan of mythology, legends, and beliefs around the world. I was bouncing at the mention of beings like Tuatha de Danann, Water Kelpie, Cat sìth (Cait Sidhe), and Undine. Second, I always love stories where, instead of making these things commonplace in the human world, you basically have this whole magical world beneath the mundane world just waiting to be discovered. Third, learning more about faerie politics was intriguing, especially considering that changelings like Toby are regarded so lowly, but can actually be more powerful their pureblooded peers. The fine, forced, genteel song and dance the magical beings perform around one another seems fragile despite it happening for years, and I know it’ll be a matter of time before it breaks.
2. Now let’s take Toby Daye herself. We get to see some of how she’s grown up and how she fits in, or doesn’t, in the modern world as it is post-fish. What are your initial thoughts on her?
I feel for her as a woman whose lost everything and is back in a world where she doesn’t really belong to humans and she doesn’t really belong to the faeries. It’s such a fine balancing act for her. She had a husband and daughter once who haven’t seen her in fourteen years due to the curse she was under and want nothing to do with her, even though she’s reaching out and trying to make them understand. I feel her disillusionment with a magical world that she feels failed her and hates her, and now she no longer wants to have anything to do with it either. However, unlike her family, the magical world isn’t ready to be done with her. I’m rooting for her. I don’t know what will become of her and her family. Maybe it’ll never be at it once was, but I hope she’s able to at least come to a peace with them, even if it’s not in this book maybe later in the series.
3. We have yet to properly meet certain characters (Devin and Sylvester), though we’ve gotten brief intros to others (Tybalt and the Queen of the Mists)… Who stands out for you among these secondary characters, and why?
Tybalt was an asshole, but a sexy asshole. Dammit, why do these book always make me fall for the sexy asshole at least most of the time? Toby seems convinced that he has it out for her, but does he really? Devin stands out in a HUGE way because despite not seeing him in these first six chapters, her explanation of how he fits into the changeling world makes him sound both terrifying and charismatic, the type of person whose cruelty knows no bounds, but he somehow makes people still love him. I’m curious about Sylvester, too, who seems to have put much of himself on the chopping block to make sure that Toby had status that’s not typically granted to changelings. I’m also interested to see if Oleander and Simon show back up. You can’t have such an interesting pair of foils and not have them show again. The Queen of the Mist reminds me of all the queens/HBIC in things that stay so calm and cool until ONE THING triggers their trap card and they get out of control until they regain their composure. By then, though, the illusion is already broken. She made me think of the strongest vampire in St. Louis from Guilty Pleasures (the first Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter book) with how she flipped her charming switch off and then back on. And just like with the vampire queen in Anita Blake, I don’t know if to attribute her behavior to typical “I do what I want” behavior or if she has a motive.
4. Toby has a murder mystery to solve. Any initial thoughts on the whodunit?
It would be too easy for me to hope that Oleander and Simon are involved somehow wouldn’t it? Toby has already surmised they wouldn’t be willing to kill Evening with iron at the risk of stunting their own magic for hours even months, but that doesn’t mean they couldn’t work with someone. Maybe a group of humans are “enlightened” and attacked for some reason meant to hurt the faeries. Or some other magical being that aren’t faeries are mixed up in this. It’s way too soon to tell, even though the clues are probably already there waiting for me to make sense of them.
I am using Whispersync to listen to and read this book at the same time. Mary Robinette Kowal, who some readers might recognize as the author of the Glamourist Histories series, which is really does fit its description of Jane Austen meets magic and mayhem, is the narrator. (I’ve only read one book in the series Valour and Vanity, and I highly recommend it!) I’m enjoying most of her voices, but I didn’t really like her Spanish accent she used too much for the siblings Manuel and Dare. She did better with Manuel since his accent isn’t nearly as affected as his sister’s, but it still wasn’t my favorite moment. I’m still getting a little used to her Tybalt, too. I like his voice, but right now, it still feels a little stilted in some places (but not stilted enough for me NOT to be like ¡Hola cariño! *fans self*). We’re still early, However, I still liked the characters very much overall despite slight narration complaints.
“Cats never listen. They’re dependable that way; when Rome burned, the emperor’s cats still expected to be fed on time.”
“Dawn is one of those reasons. It pulls down our illusions, making us too easy to see and too hard to deny; after all, even the most stubborn humans will usually believe their own eyes. All it takes is one moment of carelessness on the part of the faerie world, just one, and after that . . .
After that comes the iron and the silver and the rowan wood, and the mass graves on both sides, and the burning. In the end, it always comes down to the burning, and that’s a risk I’ve never been willing to take. I may be playing at being human, but that doesn’t make me stupid.
People were starting to pass on the sidewalk outside the alley. Humans have always preferred to live their lives by daylight. I used to think it was because human beings have crappy night vision, and it wasn’t until I got older and more cynical that I realized it was because they have less to be afraid of during the day. Illusions don’t last as long in broad daylight. The monsters can’t find as many places to hide, and all Faerie’s lies get easier to catch and define. You can be human and still be safe, during the day.”
Book Review: Nightwise by R.S. Belcher
Posted on January 10, 2016 12 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of Nightwise
Publisher: Tor (8/18/15)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
It has been a few years since I last read R.S. Belcher’s The Six Gun Tarot, but I remember his distinctively imaginative style and vivid prose well. Now he brings his unique brand of gritty dark magic out of the Old West and into urban fantasy, taking readers off the beaten track into a world of the occult as seen through the lens of a classic noir mystery.
Laytham Ballard is the star of this show, a middle-aged and self-professed redneck wizard with long hair and a multiple-pack-a-day-smoking habit. His appearances and inclinations notwithstanding, Laytham’s actually something of a big deal in magical circles. At the tender age of ten, he performed his first act of necromancy. His achievements have only grown since, though his early struggles and some of the horrible things he’s seen have left a mark on his soul. Now he’s haunted by the past, and the burden of his experiences have made him into a rather cynical bastard.
But cynical bastard or not, Laytham is determined to honor a promise he made to a dear and dying friend. His task sets him on the trail of Dusan Slorzack, a Serbian war criminal responsible for numerous acts of atrocity. In spite of Laytham’s efforts, his hunt is made difficult by the fact that his quarry is an extremely powerful wizard with friends in very high places, which has helped him disappear off the grid while wiping away all clues to his whereabouts. Locating and destroying Slorzack will force Laytham to make some tough choices and pull out every trick in the book, but luckily, our protagonist has some talented allies of his own.
If you’re looking for an urban fantasy that feels fresh and doesn’t feel like it follows the usual formula, then Nightwise is definitely going to be up your alley. Belcher has taken the genre and transformed it, so that at the heart of this novel readers will still find the themes we know and love, but on the whole it is a different beast entirely. Take the main character, for example. Cynical and narcissistic trash-talking protagonists are nothing new, but I guarantee you’ve never known one quite like Laytham Ballard. He’ll go to great lengths to try and convince you that he’s a monster, an anti-hero, but I wasn’t fooled. It’s true you might need to dig a little deeper to find his conscience, but I assure you it’s there.
Still, it would be a mistake to underestimate Laytham’s capacity for destruction and his willingness to do some truly terrible things. In many ways, his mind is still that of a child’s, an angsty and cocksure teenager suffering from delusions of grandeur and believing he is smarter than he really is. He also recognizes when something is wrong, but would not hesitate to do it again and again as long as it would help him achieve his aims. It seems that age has not brought Laytham much wisdom or maturity, and it’s easy to see why his attitude will likely not win him many fans.
Instead of turning me off though, Laytham’s twisted psyche made him even more intriguing; in my eyes, he was an enigma simply begging to be unraveled. It made the character painfully fallible. And painfully human. That Laytham is a powerful wizard is also something no one can deny, but perversely, I also wanted to see just how far he would go and what he would be willing to do if push came to shove. Belcher, perhaps recognizing that same potential in his protagonist, obliged me by showing me exactly what would happen. Nightwise is a darkly suspenseful tale, often infused with brutal violence and freaky action, and we get to see exactly what Laytham Ballard is capable of, both at his best and at his worst.
Nightwise exemplifies why I enjoy reading dark urban fantasy, and I also thought the story had an interesting take on secret societies and conspiracy theories. Belcher’s prose is a genuinely unique blend of piercing clarity and staccato bleakness, working hand in hand with his cutting humor to provide the driving force behind this atmospheric and fast-paced, no-nonsense novel. The weakest part of this book was unfortunately its ending, where I felt the plot veered wildly off its tracks. The conclusion also came across too rushed and rather inadequate, especially when compared to the rest of the story which was richly detailed and developed.
That stumbling block aside though, I had myself a great time with this novel. Nightwise is a dark and gritty urban fantasy, but it’s nonetheless a gem that shines out from the rest. With this book, R.S. Belcher has also shown himself to be a talented and versatile author, and I can’t wait to see what he’ll come up with next.
YA Weekend Audio: The Weight of Feathers by Anna-Marie McLemore
Posted on January 9, 2016 16 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Weight of Feathers by Anna-Marie McLemore
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Audible Studios (11/10/15)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 4 of 5 stars
Narrators: Kirby Heyborne, Cynthia Farrell | Length: 8 hrs 59 min
Lately, most of my audio listens have been on the darker and heavier side, so when I was given the opportunity to review the audiobook of The Weight of Feathers, it didn’t take much convincing to give this lighter, more romantic title a try. Magical realism can be hit or miss with me, but even though I hesitated over some of the mixed reviews I’ve seen for this book, ultimately the theme of forbidden love won me over.
With shades of Romeo and Juliet, this novel tells a tale of two feuding families of traveling performers, the Palomas and the Corbeaus. The Paloma family’s claim to fame has always been their underwater attraction, with their women dressing up like mermaids to swim in elaborate dance routines, while the Corbeaus strap feathered wings to their bodies and put on tightrope acts and other feats of acrobatics high up in the treetops. Their competing exhibitions have always made them rivals, but twenty years ago, something happened between them to turn them into full-blown enemies. Since then, children of both families have been brought up to believe the worst of the other, adding superstition and lies to the flames of mutual hatred.
While the two families travel all across the country, every year they cross paths in Almendro, taking advantage of the large crowds drawn there by the annual Blackberry Festival. So it is there where Lace Paloma first meets Cluck, youngest son of the Corbeau matriarch. When disaster strikes the small town, Cluck rescues Lace from certain death, mistaking her for a local. Horrified that she now owes her life to the enemy, and cast out by her own relatives for being “cursed” by the Corbeaus’ black magic, Lace tracks down Cluck and inadvertently gets caught up in his family’s business. Not surprisingly, our two young protagonists end up falling in love, but the beginning of their relationship also sparks a mission to unravel the truth of what really caused the rift between their families all those years ago.
All told, I think I ended up liking this book a lot more than I thought I would, but it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Before I start singing its praises, I want to get the negatives out of the way first: for one thing, I had a seriously rough start with the first few chapters. Anna-Marie McLemore appears to trip up on the same hurdle that traps so many other talented but inexperienced authors, weighing down her writing with an overkill of flowery words and phrases. The thing about purple prose is that it is a lot more obvious in audio. The spoken words gave the impression of the writer trying too hard, with absolutely no subtlety or attempt to dial back at all.
But just as I was starting to regret my audiobook choice, the story started to grow on me. At first, I worried that the magical realism would hinder my enjoyment, since those aspects can sometimes get in the way of meaningful character development. Instead, I found the opposite. There’s no doubt that the romance between Lace and Cluck is the central focus, with magic being more of a background element and even downplayed. In truth, The Weight of Feathers is rather light on fantasy, with the exception of the ending and little smatterings of details here and there—like the fact members of the Paloma family bear birthmarks on their skin that look like fish scales, while those in the Corbeau clan grow feathers near their hairline. Even so, to me this is more about symbolism than magic. This book is filled with all sorts of opposing themes and imagery, contrasting the Corbeaus and Palomas: crows vs. doves, black vs. white, birds vs. fish, sea vs. sky, etc.
Strip that all away though, and the plot itself is actually very straightforward. It’s a love story, pure and simple, with a bit of family drama thrown in. I’ve seen people compare The Weight of Feathers to The Night Circus, but I really don’t see it. This one is much better in terms of featuring a more passionate and developed romance with a pair of lovers with whom you can feel more fully connected and engaged, relative to my lukewarm experience with Erin Morgenstern’s novel. I also highly recommend the audiobook, with Kirby Heyborne and Cynthia Farrell narrating Cluck’s and Lace’s chapters respectively. The two of them did a great job bringing the characters to life.
Ultimately, once I learned to look past the affectations in the prose, it was the simplicity and elegance of The Weight of Feathers that appealed to me. The plot and pacing was nice and tight with just the right amount of twisty familial relationships to keep me interested, and once I got caught up in the story, it was damn near impossible to break free from its spell. A quick and very enjoyable listen!
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Tiara’s 2016 Reading Resolutions
Posted on January 8, 2016 32 Comments
I don’t really make resolutions, but I thought I’d try my hand at a few reading resolutions. This was actually inspired by January 5th’s Top Ten Tuesday (Top Ten Bookish Resolutions We Have for 2016) at The Broke and the Bookish, but I didn’t get a chance to participate on that particular day, so this is my unofficial entry to that list of things I’d like to accomplish this reading year.
01. Interact more with my fellow book bloggers – I try to interact as much as I can around my schedule, but I want to pay more attention to the things you guys are writing about, even if it’s just to give a “fist bump like” on your post. I enjoy interactivity, and I want to discuss books more with fellow bibliophiles.
02. Stop making myself power through books I really, really dislike – I’m so stubborn it hurts. I hate to not finish a book no matter how much I hate it or am bored by it, so I powered through many reads unnecessarily just because I started the book. Sometimes, it’s fun to hate-read a book, but more often it’s just time wasted. I have to stop it.
03. On that note, stop feeling ashamed when I do DNF a book – DNF-ing a book feels like the bitter sting of defeat. A defeat I typically would not stand for. However, this year, I’m reminding myself that it may be a greater service to DNF a book I hate and can’t even hate-read (which can be as entertaining as a regular read) and talk about why I made the choice.
04. Stop being so hard on Young Adult Fantasy – I love 90% of YA genres except YA fantasy. This year, I’m going to try to go into some of my planned YA fantasy reads with a more open mind rather than one that’s ready to tear the book shreds from the opening lines. Internal pep talks about this will go as follows:
05. Read my own damn books (or mostly my own damn books) – I love ARCs, I do. I’m sure I will read quite a few this year, but I’m trying to focus more on whittling down my own massive TBR pile and stop collecting so many shiny new books. I’m like a damn magpie when it comes to books. (Yes, I am aware that is just a myth.)
Credit: Read Breathe Relax
06. Be more consistent with my review writing – I get fairly busy during certain times of the year, but there’s no reason I can’t churn out a review or two, especially if I stay ahead of my reading goals, which as of this writing I am.
07. Utilize the library to the best of my abilities – I love the library. Unfortunately, I haven’t gone to the library as often as I should, especially this past year. I will have to remedy this and visit my Fortress of Solitude.
08. Write more book-related topics – We write many reviews, but I’d like to break up our reviews with some other book-related topics or musings from time to time. Maybe once a month or so.
09. Read more with my kids – We’re big fans of Percy Jackson in this family which is when my kids, especially my son and I, bonded over such a magical story. We’re still working through PJ, but I want to start introducing other series into the mix that both my kids and myself can enjoy.
10. Keep up with my various challenges better – I’ve joined quite a few challenges this year, and I think keeping them updated will encourage me to keep reading more to keep beating my goals.
Let’s see how successful I am with all these goals. Happy reading! And if you made any reading resolutions, I’d love to hear them.
The BiblioSanctum 