Bookshelf Roundup 08/05/23: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on August 6, 2023 7 Comments
Bookshelf Roundup is a feature I do every weekend which fills the role of several blog memes, like Stacking the Shelves where I talk about the new books I’ve added to my library or received for review, as well as It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? where I summarize what I’ve finished reading in the last week and what I’m planning to read soon. Mostly it also serves as a recap post, so sometimes I’ll throw in stuff like reading challenge progress reports, book lists, and other random bookish thoughts or announcements.
With a blink of an eye, July is over and August is upon us! I still can’t get over how quickly 2023 seems to be zipping by. At the end of next week, my family will also be jetting off on our summer vacation before school starts, so right now I’m also dealing with a lot of pre-travel jitters as I try to get everything squared away before our trip, ahh! As such, just a heads up there will be no Bookshelf Roundup next Sunday, though I do hope to get a couple of reviews up in the next few days. Anyway, moving on to the books:
Received for Review
With thanks to Tordotcom for:
- Wild Spaces by S.L. Coney, an eldritch Lovecraftian inspired tale (if the tentacles on the cover aren’t enough of a hint) about a boy whose creepy grandfather comes to visit. Hard to believe this wasn’t on my radar before, but I’m definitely glad to receive this book.
With thanks to Blackstone Publishing for:
- Dark Moon, Shallow Sea by David R. Slayton, another surprise arrival but also very intriguing. I’m not sure how well I’d like this one, given the story and its themes sound very abstract, but fans of mythological fantasy should check this one out.
With thanks to Del Rey Books for:
- Dreambound by Dan Frey, who also wrote The Future Is Yours which I enjoyed immensely. This is one of my most anticipated fall releases and I was so excited when the ARC showed up.
With thanks to Berkley Books for:
- Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas, a supernatural western which pits vampires against vaqueros (in reference to cowboys in areas where Spanish is spoken) on the Texas-Mexico border. I’m always up for original and fun takes on vampires and this definitely sounds like it!
With thanks to Ace Books for:
- Medusa’s Sisters by Lauren J.A. Bear, a reimagining of the Gorgon myth of Medusa and her sisters, Stheno and Euryale, from before they were transformed into monsters.
With thanks to Minotaur Books for:
- The Trade Off by Sandie Jones. I have been following the author’s books for a while, and it was a nice surprise when a finished copy of her upcoming thriller about the cutthroat world of tabloid journalism showed up.
With thanks to Simon & Schuster Audio for:
- Whalefall by Daniel Kraus, a thriller survival tale about a scuba diver who has been swallowed by a whale, with only an hour to escape before his oxygen runs out. The thing about this that intrigues me most is the description that it’s supposed to be scientifically accurate.
- The Last One by Will Dean, also known as The Last Passenger in the UK. A woman goes on a cruise with her new love and wakes up after the first night to find she is completely alone on the ship. I first learned about this one from Lynn’s blog, and the twists just sound so crazy!
Reviews
- 4 of 5 stars to Silver Nitrate by Silver Moreno-Garcia
- 4 of 5 stars to Cassiel’s Servant by Jacqueline Carey
- 3.5 of 5 stars to Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle
Recent Reads
I certainly didn’t expect to finish this many books, but earlier this week I spent a whole day repainting my daughter’s bedroom and a couple of great audio listens kept me company and just made the time fly by. You guys, Delicate Condition was SO AMAZING. Let me just say I love being a mom but I didn’t particularly enjoy being pregnant because I was stressed out the whole damn time. Reading this brought back some of those anxieties and what the character went through was absolutely horrifying, but suffice it to say I devoured this book in one session. The other standout was Boys in the Valley. It’s one of those books where when you are done you look back on it and think, holy crap, that was spectacularly well done and put together. Also, someone really ought to make it into a movie.
Have you heard of or read any of the books featured this week? What caught your eye? Any new discoveries? I hope you found something interesting for a future read!
Book Review: Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle
Posted on August 4, 2023 5 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Horror
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Nightfire (July 18, 2023)
Length: 256 pages
Author Information: Website
Suffice it to say, the kind of stories and books Chuck Tingle is known for aren’t the kind you’d find in a conventional big box bookstore or featured on traditional book lists. While Camp Damascus is proclaimed as a horror debut, it is perhaps more accurate to say it is his first mainstream novel and as such I am probably a bit more critical than I would be with an author completely new to publishing.
High in the mountains of Montana is a small town named Neverton. It’s a picturesque community and a peaceful place to live, though its main claim to fame is Camp Damascus, touted as the most successful gay conversion camp in the country. Some of Neverton’s residents are part of the organization that runs it, the cultish Evangelical Christian organization known as the Kingdom of the Pine, which includes our protagonist Rose Darling and her family. All her life, Rose has been raised under the Kingdom’s strict beliefs, completely devoted to their teachings and to God. It’s a comfortable, harmonious existence, one that Rose knows will guide her to the perfect future where she will live in accordance with the teachings of her church, which she loves.
But then one day at the dinner table, Rose starts vomiting up mayflies. Understandably, this causes her much distress, though her parents seem to brush it off. She then notices that her bedroom lacks a door, but her father insists that this has always been the case. Next, she starts seeing a mysterious woman seemingly stalking—haunting?—her, and the stranger’s terrifying decayed appearance both rouses and frightens Rose, not least because visions of this demonic presence only seem to manifest when she is having impure thoughts. And admittedly, she has been having more of those lately, especially about a pretty girl in her social circle. As more cracks begin to develop in her happy, idyllic life and Rose realizes there are gaps in her memory, she takes it upon herself to investigate, starting with breaking into the office of her therapist who helps her with her autism. In his files, she finds out the shocking truth—that her name is on the list of those who have attended Camp Damascus—leading her on a mission to dig deeper to discover what other secrets the Kingdom and Neverton have kept from her.
More than this I will not reveal, because that would be giving away some of the best parts of the book. What I will say though, is that the plot does a good job setting up plenty of questions to be answered. Many of the story’s details, both minor and pivotal—such as Rose’s memory loss, her visions of the demonic figure, the effectiveness of Camp Damascus and the very methods they practice to achieve such a high success rate—will come into play at some point to form the full picture. I’m also genuinely impressed by some of the ideas in here, among them the unique angle used to illustrate the struggles of queer youth as well as the power behind the metaphors used to take on these themes.
But when analyzing Camp Damascus as a horror novel, I am somewhat more conflicted. While Chuck Tingle may have quite a stunning bibliography, that experience does not necessarily translate to stellar writing—or at least, stellar horror writing. Don’t get me wrong, the writing is certainly not bad here, but it’s also noticeably more tell than show, robbing a lot of the terror and anxiety from what should be legitimately scary scenes. Much of the gruesome violence, brutality, and sheer disgustingness that goes on in this book are in-your-face, and while there’s nothing wrong with thrills of that nature (like, especially if you are a fan of body horror), personally I just prefer a little more finesse and atmosphere.
Then there were the characters. To the book’s credit, Rose herself was an excellent protagonist and superbly written, though unfortunately, almost nobody else was. Sure, there were a few standout supporting characters, such as Rose’s dad or her metalhead friend, but the rest of the cast was rather forgettable. Still, I suppose that’s better than the caricature villains who were as nuanced as a wrecking ball, but maybe that just comes with the territory when writing about cults.
Now, looking back at what I’ve written, I realize I may sound a little harsh, but the truth is, I did enjoy this book. Even though the horror aspects may not have worked for me, the overall premise of Camp Damascus was intriguing and thought-provoking. Chuck Tingle tackles some tough subjects but handles them with great care and tact, demonstrating life’s many complexities where there are no simple answers and not everything is cut and dried. Here I will reiterate once more what a great character Rose is, as the author manages to translate the essence of all this through her experiences.
All told, Camp Damascus is a good story, and is an important story. Despite some aspects of it falling flat for me, I liked it overall, and I can see it working for a lot of others for whom the novel’s themes might resonate.
Book Review: Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Posted on August 3, 2023 6 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Horror, Historical Fiction
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Del Rey (July 18, 2023)
Length: 323 pages
Author Information: Website
Silver Nitrate is a book that’s all over the place, but in the best way possible! Leave it to Silvia Moreno-Garcia to come up with a highly original premise with a lot going on, yet she still manages to pull it all together flawlessly.
This story takes place in Mexico City in the 90’s—a time of sea change for Mexican cinema. Protagonist Montserrat Curiel is a talented sound editor working hard to get noticed in the film industry still dominated by men, and in her personal life she has all but given up on a fairy tale ending with her best friend Tristán, with whom she’s in love with since childhood. Both of them are horror film buffs, having grown up together watching the classics on TV. Handsome and charming, Tristán ended up turning to acting, becoming a soap opera star and achieving moderate celebrity until a tragic car accident and his subsequent struggles with addiction cut short his rise to success.
One day, Montserrat gets an excited call from Tristán who has just learned that retired cult horror filmmaker Abel Urueta is his new neighbor, and that he has invited them for dinner at his place. During their visit, the legendary director confides in them an extraordinary tale behind his most famous but unfinished movie, “Behind the Yellow Wall”, whose Nazi occultist screenwriter allegedly believed in drawing his magical powers from silver nitrate stock. It all sounded too incredible to be true, but then, so too had been the claims that the project was cursed yet bad luck seemed to have befallen everyone who worked on it. Abel himself saw his career ended, but he is convinced that he can rid himself of the curse if only he can finish the movie. That’s where Montserrat and Tristán come in. Abel wants them to help him shoot a missing scene which they readily agree to, not knowing that soon, they too will be inviting a dark presence into their lives.
“The curse of the lost film” seems to be a recurring theme in my horror reads lately. Earlier this summer I read The Devil’s Playground which had similar elements—and which was also a very good read. But while both books included a mystery plot and the paranormal, Silver Nitrate sets itself apart with an original setting, a wealth of Mexican film and horror movie history, plus a deeply moving and richly portrayed relationship between the two main characters.
Montserrat and Tristán may have a lot in common, but they also could not be any more different. As children, they bonded over an interest in film and both ended up working in the industry in some way. But while small, unassuming but fiercely independent Montserrat ended up in the technical side of things, Tristán’s capitalized on his good flashy looks to become a TV star. Still, while he may have the swagger and a dashing cinematic presence, his is the fragile personality compared to Montserrat’s bold fighting spirit. By his own admission, he is a coward whose life is a mess, always counting on his friend to save him and make things right. To his credit though, he is also a sweetheart and, like a devoted puppy, is completely loyal to his “Momo.” Relative to him, Montserrat is the one who has her life together and reads like she was born to be a heroine, always coming to Tristán’s rescue and being his emotional support even if he acts like he doesn’t appreciate it sometimes. Even with its ups and downs, the frustration and stresses, theirs is clearly a friendship based on a solid foundation.
Then there was the book’s unique setting. Of course, the backdrop of 90s Mexico City was certainly different, and not only did Moreno-Garcia do a fantastic job describing the visuals, but she’s managed to pin down the uniquely 90s vibe and atmosphere. The story also takes Montserrat and Tristán through many locations in the city, so much so that the milieu becomes as much a fundamental part of the story as the characters and plot.
In terms of the story, Silver Nitrate starts off at a slow-burning pace, gradually introducing the different elements, layer by layer, until the main premise is established. As such, if I had to give one caveat, it’s that a fair bit of patience may be required for the first half of the book. There’s just so much going on—a haunting, Nazi occultism, both the real and fictional magical properties of silver nitrate film, just to name a few things—it won’t be immediately clear how any of it is connected until much later.
However, I can promise that once all the puzzle pieces come together to form the full picture, it is absolutely worth it. Not only that, things wrapped up with a chef’s kiss of an ending. One thing’s for certain—I sure won’t let any more Silvia Moreno-Garcia books pass me by again. Highly recommended.
Waiting on Wednesday 08/02/23
Posted on August 2, 2023 4 Comments
Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme that first originated at Breaking the Spine but has since linked up with “Can’t Wait Wednesday” at Wishful Endings now that the original creator is unable to host it anymore. Either way, this fun feature is a chance to showcase the upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!
Mogsy’s Pick
Mal Goes to War by Edward Ashton (April 9, 2024 by St. Martin’s Press)
“The humans are fighting again. Go figure.
As a free A.I., Mal finds the war between the modded and augmented Federals and the puritanical Humanists about as interesting as a battle between rival anthills. He’s not above scouting the battlefield for salvage, though, and when the Humanists abruptly cut off access to infospace he finds himself trapped in the body of a cyborg mercenary, and responsible for the safety of the modded girl she died protecting.
A dark comedy wrapped in a techno thriller’s skin, Mal Goes to War provides a satirical take on war, artificial intelligence, and what it really means to be human.”
Book Review: Cassiel’s Servant by Jacqueline Carey
Posted on August 1, 2023 4 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Cassiel’s Servant by Jacqueline Carey
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 1.5 of Kushiel’s Legacy
Publisher: Tor (August 1, 2023)
Length: 528 pages
Author Information: Website
I think it’s fair to say that the Kushiel’s Legacy series has captured the imaginations of an entire generation of fantasy readers, and at least in my case, that’s no exaggeration. Growing up, I was not always into books and when I did get around to picking one up, fantasy was probably the last genre I would consider. But fast forward to now, epic fantasy is my favorite genre, I’m a voracious reader, and I credit much of that to Jacqueline Carey and a tattered dog-eared paperback of Kushiel’s Dart that I picked up for a song from a used bookstore while attending university.
Needless to say, the book blew me away. I have since read almost anything I could get my hands on by Carey, including everything set in her Kushiel universe like the Imriel and Naamah trilogies, but it’s the original novel that started it all which has and always will have a special place in my heart. So when I first heard about Cassiel’s Servant, a retelling of Kushiel’s Dart from the point of view of Joscelin Verreuil, my first reaction was an all-out unbridled lose-my-shit kind of excitement. At the time, the question of whether a book like this was even necessary did not enter my mind; I was just happy that Jacqueline Carey was returning to the world of Terre d’Ange.
For the uninitiated, the protagonist of Kushiel’s Dart was Phèdre nó Delaunay, a courtesan trained from childhood to be a spy. An “anquissette” marked by the angel Kushiel to find pleasure in pain, her special talents and proclivities make her popular among the high-ranking members of the royal court, giving her access to some of Terre d’Ange’s most valued secrets. In the process though, Phèdre stumbles upon a plot to usurp the throne, painting a target on her back. A bodyguard from the highly vaunted Cassiline Brotherhood was thus hired to protect her, which is where Joscelin comes in.
Recruited at age ten, Joscelin trained for years to be a warrior priest of Cassiel. Having made a vow of celibacy, his only loyalty is to his patron angel, his order, and his sworn charge. At first, it seemed a cruel joke when he was assigned to guard Phèdre, a servant of Naamah whose tenets are completely antithetical to those of a servant of Cassiel. However, Joscelin, obedient to a fault, will do his duty. But when the conspiracy against the queen sends him and Phèdre on the run through the frozen wilds of Skaldia, the two of them only have each other to rely upon for survival. Against all odds, they fall in love, leading Joscelin to struggle emotionally with his broken vows while holding steadfastly to his commitment to accompany and protect Phèdre.
So, was a rehashing of the events from Kushiel’s Dart from Joscelin’s perspective really needed? Probably not. But that’s okay. From the start, Cassiel’s Servant had the feel of a pet project pursued by Jaqueline Carey, for her fans and for herself. Sure, it can be read as a standalone, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Kushiel’s Dart is the phenomenon it is, precisely because Phèdre nó Delaunay is a force of nature unto herself. Joscelin may have completed her, but in the greater scheme of things, he was a supporting character in every sense of the word, tagging along like an accessory while Phèdre played heroine. If you’re reading Cassiel’s Servant as a newcomer, you’ll miss out on all the experiences and nuances from the original that made it so extraordinary.
And sure enough, the book became dispensable at the very point where Joscelin meets Phèdre for the very first time. Granted, I confess to sparing a brief swoon for this very consequential meet-cute moment, but everything that followed felt like a faded impression of the original events. While it was fascinating to get Joscelin’s point of view on certain things, in truth, his narrative on the whole added little to what was already known—not so surprising given his backseat role in Kushiel’s Dart. That being said, I could hardly fault him, for despite this being Joscelin’s novel, we all know the story is always and forever going to be Phèdre’s, and like everyone else, he was merely swept up in her orbit.
In fact, my favorite parts of the novel, and I wish there had been more, were the sections going back to Joscelin’s youth. Everything from his family life to his early days at the Brotherhood was brand new territory, and for fans of the character, these chapters may be worth the price of admission alone. They also dispel a lot of the mystery surrounding Joscelin, whose staunch discipline and stoicism in Kushiel’s Dart made him feel somewhat distant. The intro to Cassiel’s Servant goes a long way in painting him as an actual human being with a sympathetic backstory and a fleeting childhood full of hopes and dreams, doubts and fears.
Finally, I can’t tell you what a joy it is to read another Kushiel universe book by Jacqueline Carey. I have read her work extensively, from Santa Olivia and the Agents of Hel series to Starless and Miranda and Caliban. While she is a talented and versatile author who I’m sure is capable of conquering any genre, she’s hands down at her best when writing in the world of Terre d’Ange, falling into a lyrical and elegant style that flows richly off the page.
In conclusion, its questionable necessity aside, I for one am glad this book was written, and despite its limitations I enjoyed it very much. I would highly recommend Cassiel’s Servant for Jacqueline Carey fans, elevating it to must-read status if you’ve also read Kushiel’s Dart. For newcomers who haven’t though, I would advise against braving this one and suggest checking out the original novel instead. Not only do I feel it is the author’s best work, you also won’t get the most out of Joscelin’s side of the story unless you’re first acquainted with Phèdre’s.
Bookshelf Roundup 07/30/23: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on July 30, 2023 17 Comments
Bookshelf Roundup is a feature I do every weekend which fills the role of several blog memes, like Stacking the Shelves where I talk about the new books I’ve added to my library or received for review, as well as It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? where I summarize what I’ve finished reading in the last week and what I’m planning to read soon. Mostly it also serves as a recap post, so sometimes I’ll throw in stuff like reading challenge progress reports, book lists, and other random bookish thoughts or announcements.
Received for Review
With thanks to Minotaur Books for:
- North of Nowhere by Allison Brennan, an upcoming thriller that has been getting a lot of buzz, but I hadn’t expected to receive a review copy. The children of a crime boss have gone into hiding from their murderous father, only to have their small plane transporting them crash land in the icy Montana wilderness. Now their aunt is fighting to save them, racing against an expert tracker hired by the mob.
- Deadlock by James Byrne was the other surprise arrival from the publisher this week, and it’s the second book of the Dez Limerick series featuring the retired mercenary on another dangerous mission to stop a corrupt death-dealing corporation.
With thanks to Subterranean Press for:
- The Senior Girls Bayonet Drill Team and other Stories by Joe R. Lansdale, the newest collection of short fiction written by the author over his long and distinguished career. For some reason, the title and cover of this book just fills me with glee.
With thanks to Tor Books for:
- Masters of Death by Olivie Blake, the re-released edition of her novel about a struggling vampire real estate agent who needs to sell a haunted house whose ghost won’t leave until the mystery of his murder has been solved. I wasn’t crazy about the last book I read by the author, but this one sounds way more my speed.
With thanks to Simon & Schuster Audio for:
- Bonesmith by Nicki Pau Preto, a YA fantasy about a ghost-fighting warrior who seeks to win back her reputation and family’s respect by journeying into a haunted wasteland to rescue a kidnapped prince.
With thanks to Macmillan Audio for:
- Good Bad Girl by Alice Feeney, which will be my fifth book by the author, if you can believe it. Though Daisy Darker will be hard to top, I have faith she will deliver more exciting twists.
- The Guest Room by Tasha Silva whose protagonist is a host who just can’t help snooping on the lodgers staying in her late sister’s old room. She enjoys the thrill it gives her, until she finds the diary of her latest renter and the dark and disturbing things she reads in it.
- Dark Corners by Megan Goldin, the second book of the Rachel Krall series and the follow up to The Night Swim. The eponymous protagonist, a true crime podcaster, goes undercover at a popular influencer conference to investigate a missing woman connected to a suspected serial killer.
- Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree, a prequel to Legends & Lattes which tells the story of Viv back when she was still a mercenary. Taken out of action by an injury, her recuperation at a sleepy beach town turns interesting when a mysterious traveler turns up.
Reviews
- 3 of 5 stars to Star Bringer by Tracy Wolff and Nina Croft
- 2 of 5 stars to The Splinter in the Sky by Kemi Ashing-Giwa
Recent Reads
Three books finished, and I even got in an August release! But the really big deal this week is the fact I think I just had my first DNF (which is not shown here). Ever since I started this blog, I have never started a book I didn’t finish–partly due to mild OCD, partly due to just sheer stubbornness. But something in me snapped this week. Life has been crazy and I was falling further and further behind on my summer TBR which was full of books I was excited to read, yet here I was still trying to force myself through this one total borefest which was doing absolutely nothing for me. I told myself I’d set it aside and get back to it later, but let’s face it, that’s probably not going to happen. And you know what? It actually feels pretty damn great to admit that. I look forward to doing more of it in the future.
Have you heard of or read any of the books featured this week? What caught your eye? Any new discoveries? I hope you found something interesting for a future read!
Book Review: The Splinter in the Sky by Kemi Ashing-Giwa
Posted on July 28, 2023 9 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
The Splinter in the Sky by Kemi Ashing-Giwa
Mogsy’s Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Saga Press (July 11, 2023)
Length: 384 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
I have some conflicted feelings about this book. On the one hand, the general concept behind it is sound, though whether it is because of overzealous messaging or inexperience by the author (The Splinter in the Sky is Kemi Ashing-Giwa’s debut), the story itself comes across so aggressively bland and mediocre that it’s difficult to even point to what wasn’t working.
As the novel opens, we meet protagonist Enitan Ijebu, a linguistics scholar and tea hobbyist who lives in the province of Koriko occupied by forces of the Holy Vaalbaran Empire. While the Empire and the neighboring Ominirish Republic has ostensibly agreed to a peace treaty following years of bloody war, it is revealed that Vaalbara still has its sights on expansion. One day, upon returning home to find her sibling Xiang missing, Enitan learns that Vaalbara has been snatching citizens of Koriko off the streets in order to forcibly recruit them into their armies. And now, it has happened to her beloved sister.
Determined to rescue Xiang, Enitan agrees to be a political hostage so that she can be taken to the Splinter, the capital of Vaalbara. After all, if there are any answers to be found, they should be at the heart of the Empire. But then, things immediately take a turn for the worse when her transport is intercepted by the Ominirish. Rather than kill her though, they end up making her an offer she can’t refuse. With a new Imperator on the Vaalbaran throne, the Republic is desperate for information on their enemy and want Enitan to spy for them in exchange for their help to get her and Xiang out. Having no love for the Empire, Enitan readily accepts the deal, though matters quickly become more complicated upon her arrival at the Splinter when she makes the acquaintance of the very person she is meant to spy on. The newly elevated God-Emperor Menkhet is nothing like she expected, and when she too asks Enitan to spy on her behalf, our protagonist finds herself caught in a very difficult situation.
With a premise so strongly rooted in political intrigue, I truly did want to love this book—was fully prepared to love this book—but unfortunately, the more I read the more disenchanted I became. First of all, nothing about the story, the characters, their relationships, or the setting really excited me. Everything about The Splinter in the Sky was just so very average and at times also derivative and predictable that it was difficult not to feel a little disappointed.
Then there were the themes of colonialism. While on the surface I can appreciate what Ashing-Giwa was going for, her handling of the social commentary was simply way too ham-fisted and unsubtle, leading to the almost complete overshadowing of the political drama that I wanted to read about in the first place. Enitan herself was also a wholly unlikeable protagonist because of the massive chip on her shoulder. Even though I could sympathize with her people’s plight and understand the reasons for her resentment and anger, I can’t say I cared for the way she acted like she and she alone had a monopoly on righteous rage, and suffice it to say, this lack of self-awareness on her part got really old, really fast.
In general, I’m fine with social commentary in sci-fi, an ideal genre for exploring societal issues and themes through the topics it covers. But when an author tries to deliver that commentary at the expense of character and story development in a way that’s too obvious, that’s another matter entirely. Not surprisingly, that took away some of my enjoyment here. Along with the novel’s generic themes, cookie cutter characters and overall lack of standout traits, I’m sad to say The Splinter in the Sky fell short of my expectations.
Waiting on Wednesday 07/26/23
Posted on July 26, 2023 7 Comments
Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme that first originated at Breaking the Spine but has since linked up with “Can’t Wait Wednesday” at Wishful Endings now that the original creator is unable to host it anymore. Either way, this fun feature is a chance to showcase the upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!
Mogsy’s Pick
Only If You’re Lucky by Stacy Willingham (January 16, 2024 by Minotaur Books)
“A sharp and twisty exploration of female friendship from the New York Times bestselling author of A Flicker in the Dark and All the Dangerous Things.
Lucy Sharpe is larger than life. Magnetic, addictive. Bold and dangerous. Especially for Margot, who meets Lucy at the end of their freshman year at a liberal arts college in South Carolina. Margot is the shy one, the careful one, always the sidekick and never the center of attention. But when Lucy singles her out at the end of the year, a year Margot spent studying and playing it safe, and asks her to room together, something in Margot can’t say no—something daring, or starved, or maybe even envious.
And so Margot finds herself living in an off-campus house with three other girls, Lucy, the ringleader; Sloane, the sarcastic one; and Nicole, the nice one, the three of them opposites but also deeply intertwined. It’s a year that finds Margot finally coming out of the shell she’s been in since the end of high school, when her best friend Eliza died three weeks after graduation. Margot and Lucy have become the closest of friends, but by the middle of their sophomore year, one of the fraternity boys from the house next door has been brutally murdered… and Lucy Sharpe is missing without a trace.
From the author of A Flicker in the Dark and All the Dangerous Things comes a tantalizing thriller about the nature of friendship and belonging, about loyalty, envy, and betrayal—another gripping novel from an author quickly becoming the gold standard in psychological suspense.”
Book Review: Star Bringer by Tracy Wolff and Nina Croft
Posted on July 25, 2023 14 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Star Bringer by Tracy Wolff and Nina Croft
Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction, Romance
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Red Tower Books (July 11, 2023)
Length: 608 pages
Author Information: Tracy Wolff | Nina Croft
Star Bringer by Tracy Wolff and Nina Croft blends together elements from the space opera and romance genres, resulting in a sci-fi adventure that delivers on both fronts to varying degrees of success.
In a system with a dying sun, the race is on to find a way to save the nine planets and their billions of inhabitants who depend on the star for survival. Nineteen-year-old Princess Kali, daughter of the Empress, is on her first royal mission to tour the research facility where scientists have been working on a promising solution to the problem when suddenly, an act of terrorism leaves the whole station in shambles.
In the chaos, Kali and six others barely manage to escape the flaming ruins of the lab by fleeing aboard a dilapidated starship. Her fellow passengers include Ian, a rough mercenary who immediately claims leadership of the group; his brother Max, a bit more soft spoken but no less ruthless; Rain, a high priestess from the Sisterhood of the Dying Sun; her bodyguard Merrick, a stalwart warrior monk; Beckett, an escaped prisoner with a massive chip on her shoulder; and Gage, a shady ex-Corporation employee who is loyal to no one but himself.
Trapped together in an unfamiliar and volatile ship, our ragtag crew suddenly find themselves hunted by almost every major faction there is in the solar system. Everyone on board seems to have a secret they’re desperate to outrun or a dangerous mission they’re trying to accomplish. Among them, clashes immediately ensue, but so too does a little bit of unexpected chemistry.
Star Bringer is the latest release from Red Tower Books, Entangled Publishing’s freshly launched imprint featuring new adult speculative fiction romance titles. Keep in mind though, while sci-fi may be the name, love is definitely the game. What this means is that world-building is on the shallower side, and the science is practically non-existent. Still, you can’t really blame the story as it makes itself very clear from the start: it’s all about the relationships, baby. Plus, it’s not shy about the instalove either. All the threats facing the group notwithstanding, most of this 600-page novel’s middle is dedicated to the two separate romance arcs that quickly emerge, one between Kali and Ian, the other between Rain and Beckett.
If you’re a romance reader, Star Bringer will no doubt be right up your alley, especially if you are a fan of the tried-and-true genre tropes and spicy hot love scenes. Personally speaking though, the relationships in this book kind of left a bad taste in my mouth, mainly due to both Ian and Beckett coming across as shamelessly taking advantage of their respective love interests’ lack of experience and naivete. Sorry, maybe I’m just old-fashioned, but I prefer my romances built upon strong foundations and characterized by mutual respect, and Ian was certainly no charming scruffy-looking nerfherder capturing the love and heart of a princess. By the book blurb’s own admission, he was just an asshole, where pretty much every word out of his mouth was “fuck” or a putdown directed at Kali. Ugh, so gross.
Having expected Star Bringer to be lighter on the sci-fi elements, I wanted a little more out of the romance, but unfortunately that just didn’t turn out the way I’d hoped. Still, I feel the authors succeeded in achieving what they set out to do. The potential is there, and I can see this being a lot of fun for the right reader.
Cover Reveal: Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice by Elle Cosimano #FinlayDonovan
Posted on July 24, 2023 5 Comments
Exciting news! Today I am absolutely thrilled to participate in a cover reveal for a book that I’ve been looking forward to, from a series that I love! Later this year, Minotaur Books will be releasing the fourth novel in the hilarious Finlay Donovan series, Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice by Elle Cosimano featuring our protagonist as she embarks on another wild adventure. This time, Finlay and her nanny/partner in crime Vero are hitting up Atlantic City where they are certain to get up to even crazier shenanigans.
Check out the cover in all its glory!
Finlay Donovan and her nanny/partner-in-crime Vero are in sore need of a girls’ weekend away. They plan a trip to Atlantic City, but odds are—seeing as it’s actually a cover story to negotiate a deal with a dangerous loan shark, save Vero’s childhood crush Javi, and hunt down a stolen car—it won’t be all fun and games. When Finlay’s ex-husband Steven and her mother insist on tagging along too, Finlay and Vero suddenly have a few too many meddlesome passengers along for the ride.
Within hours of arriving in their seedy casino hotel, it becomes clear their rescue mission is going to be a bust. Javi’s kidnapper, Marco, refuses to negotiate, demanding payment in full in exchange for Javi’s life. But that’s not all—he insists on knowing the whereabouts of his missing nephew, Ike, who mysteriously disappeared. Unable to confess what really happened to Ike, Finlay and Vero are forced to come up with a new plan: sleuth out the location of Javi and the Aston Martin, then steal them both back.
But when they sneak into the loan shark’s suite to search for clues, they find more than they bargained for—Marco, dead in his bathtub. They don’t have a clue who murdered him, only that they themselves have a very convincing motive. Then four members of the police department unexpectedly show up in town, also looking for Ike—and after Finlay’s night with hot cop Nick at the police academy, he’s a little too eager to keep her close to his side.
If Finlay can juggle a jealous ex-husband, two precocious kids, her mother’s marital issues, a decomposing loan shark, and find Vero’s missing boyfriend, she might get out of Atlantic City in one piece. But will she fold under the pressure and come clean about the things she’s done, or be forced to double down?
Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice will be available March 5, 2024 and you can preorder it here. In the meantime, don’t forget to also add the book on Goodreads and connect with the author (Instagram: @ellecosimano, Twitter: @ellecosimano, Facebook: @ellecosimano) as well as the publisher (Instagram: @minotaur_books, Twitter: @minotaurbooks, Facebook: @minotaurbooks).
Are you reading the Finlay Donovan series? What do you think of the cover and description? Tell me your thoughts!
The BiblioSanctum 