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!
Bookshelf Roundup 07/23/23: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on July 23, 2023 19 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 Tor Books for:
- Cassiel’s Servant by Jacqueline Carey, a novel from her Kushiel’s Legacy series which tells one of my favorite stories from the point-of-view of Joscelin Verreuil. The gorgeous hardcover landed on my doorstep as the release date is finally nearly upon us, and I’m excited to dive into this one sometime in the next week.
With thanks to Redhook for:
- Shield Maiden by Sharon Emmerichs, a reimagining of Beowulf from the perspective of a female warrior. A book with Viking women and monster hunting epics, yeah you can just give it to me now.
With thanks to Orbit Books for:
- Cyberpunk 2077: No Coincidence by Rafal Kosik, a novel set in the world of the video game which I enjoyed despite some of the issues that plague it in its early days. The release of this book really snuck up on me but my interest is piqued especially since it’s been a while since I checked out a good media tie-in.
With thanks to Del Rey for:
- The Quiet Room by Terry Miles, the follow-up to the author’s mind-warping novel Rabbits which was based off the podcast of the same name. The first book was a wild ride so I’m curious about this sequel.
With thanks to Red Tower Books for:
- Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer, described as Once Upon a Time meets The Office. A fantasy, romance, and humor mashup is definitely something I can get behind.
With thanks to Titan Books for:
- Dark Water Daughter by H.M. Long, the author who also The Four Pillars series. This novel kicks off a new one called The Winter Sea, a swashbuckling maritime adventure about an ex-naval officer teaming up with a stormsinger to hunt a deathless pirate lord.
With thanks to Random House Children’s Books for:
- Defiant by Brandon Sanderson, the fourth book in his YA sci-fi series Skyward. I don’t check NetGalley that often these days, given the state of my TBR I hardly need any more temptation, but I did chance across this when I logged in to submit a review the other day. I couldn’t slam on that read it button fast enough.
With thanks to Listening Library for:
- The Narrow by Kate Alice Marshall. I loved her adult thriller What Lies in the Woods so I figured maybe it’s time to try out her YA.
With thanks to Hachette Audio for:
- Rook by William Ritter. I was always regretful for missing out on the Jackaby craze, so when this standalone set in the same world as the series popped up for review, I decided I wanted to give it a look.
Reviews
- 4.5 of 5 stars to The Block Party by Jamie Day
- 4 of 5 stars to The Malevolent Seven by Sebastien de Castell
Recent Reads
Between all my kids’ activities (which included tennis camp plus a horse show) and day trips to amusement parks and such, it’s been a busy summer so far and I have only been managing about two books a week in July which is putting me pretty far behind. It didn’t help that some of my recent reads have pretty big doorstoppers, but I did manage to finish Silver Nitrate which was a lot of fun, as well as Star Bringer which was okay but contained some of my romance genre pet peeves. I’ll have more details in my reviews of each, which I hope I’ll get to post in the coming week.
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!
Thursday Thriller Audio: The Block Party by Jamie Day
Posted on July 20, 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 (Overall): 4.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Thriller, Suspense
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Macmillan Audio (July 18, 2023)
Length: 12 hrs and 31 mins
Author Information: Website
Narrators: Megan Tusing, Suzy Jackson
Wow, so there are thrillers and then there are thrillers. When it comes to this genre, I can never resist a good domestic neighborhood suspense, and if you are like me and prefer them packed to the gills with drama and scandal, I’ll have a feeling you’ll enjoy The Block Party as much as I did.
Every year, the residents of Alton Road celebrate the arrival of summer by throwing an exclusive Memorial Day block party that is the envy of the entire town. And every year, the event is a spectacle, complete with sizzling barbecues, free-flowing booze, family games and activities for the children. It is the present when the book opens, and the party is in full swing. The story is first told through the eyes of wife and mother Alex, who has had a bit too much to drink. After falling onto her ass into a kiddie pool, her husband Nick orders her to go back home to sleep it off. Thoroughly humiliated, Alex crawls into bed and closes her eyes…only to wake up a few hours later to the sound of police sirens. At least one of her neighbors is dead.
The plot then takes us back to the year before, to the last Alton Road Memorial Day party. Alex’s daughter, Lettie, then a high school junior, has been suspended for the last few weeks of school for vandalism (but in her mind, it was for a good cause). We meet her cousin Dylan, the son of Lettie’s sister Emily and her husband Ken who also live on Alton. Next, we have Riley, Dylan’s girlfriend and Lettie’s former best friend turned nemesis. Riley’s parents are Willow and Evan, their troubled marriage headed for divorce. Rounding out the neighbors is Brooke, whose husband died under suspicious circumstances on their cruise vacation, leaving her a rich widow. On the day of party, Samir and Mandy Kumar are also in town with their college dropout son Jay, looking to buy a house on Alton.
The Kumars soon move in, and the rest of the story flows forward chronologically, hitting all the major holidays as the neighbors come together to celebrate throughout the year. Everything comes to a head exactly one year later, back to the same block party in the book’s intro, and we find out exactly who died and why.
Yes, there is a huge cast of characters to keep track of, making me think books like these should always come with a family tree or a web diagram for readers to refer to in order to remember all the different relationships. Everywhere you turn is another disaster (the good kind!) unfolding. Alex suspects that Samir may be abusing Mandy based on the couple’s strange behavior, while her own drinking problems get progressively worse. Her sister Emily discovers large sums of money disappearing from her joint bank account with husband Ken, who himself begins clashing viciously with “Bug Man”, an annoying rep from a pest control company. During a girls’ night out, Willow lets out a huge secret which would devastate and enrage her already volatile husband. Brooke causes quite a stir when the men discover her OnlyFans site, rankling their wives. And that’s just the adults! As for their children, Lettie befriends Jay, recognizing a fellow misfit, but realizes too late that he may be too much of a bad boy even for her. Dylan, already feeling overshadowed by his golden boy older brother, spirals further into anger and depression when he finds out his girlfriend Riley is cheating on him with a mystery man. Riley herself has recently come across a shocking piece of knowledge that has turned her world upside down, exacerbating her drug abuse.
As the story progresses, readers are kept abreast of the details surrounding these bitter disputes and all the juicy gossip, and it’s surprisingly easy to follow along even with so many characters. I definitely attribute this to the skill of the author in making sure that the focus is spread out and balanced, and the entire book had the punchy feel of a fast-moving TV series with an ensemble cast. Plus, the fact that there were only two POVs, Alex and her daughter Lettie, probably made the task of keeping track of everyone feel more manageable.
Ultimately, by the time we’ve reached the one-year mark, we’ve become aware of the many reasons why the residents of this neighborhood would want to kill each other. More importantly, the story does a good job of establishing that just about anyone could be the murder victim in the intro for whom the sirens tolled. Oh yes, with a story like this, it can only be murder. With the end taking us back to the beginning, I also loved the clever way this book was structured. The ending was even relatively believable, unlike a lot of thrillers that completely fly off the rails for the sake of sticking in one last twist or shocking reveal. Of course there are still moments of absurdity in this, but the point is, somehow I’m strangely cool with the way everything turned out.
Overall, The Block Party was amazing in terms of providing pure popcorn entertainment and might be the perfect contender for the ultimate beach read thriller of the year. The book was also extremely fun to listen to in audio, with both Megan Tusing and Suzy Jackson delivering fantastic performances.
Waiting on Wednesday 07/19/23
Posted on July 19, 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
The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett (February 6, 2024 by Del Rey Books)
“An eccentric detective and her long-suffering assistant untangle a web of magic, deceit, and murder in this sparkling fantasy reimagining of the classic crime novel—from the bestselling author of The Founders Trilogy.
In Daretana’s most opulent mansion, a high Imperial officer lies dead—killed, to all appearances, when a tree spontaneously erupted from his body. Even in this canton at the borders of the Empire, where contagions abound and the blood of the Leviathans works strange magical changes, it’s a death at once terrifying and impossible.
Called in to investigate this mystery is Ana Dolabra, an investigator whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities.
At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol. Din is an engraver, magically altered to possess a perfect memory. His job is to observe and report, and act as his superior’s eyes and ears–quite literally, in this case, as among Ana’s quirks are her insistence on wearing a blindfold at all times, and her refusal to step outside the walls of her home.
Din is most perplexed by Ana’s ravenous appetite for information and her mind’s frenzied leaps—not to mention her cheerful disregard for propriety and the apparent joy she takes in scandalizing her young counterpart. Yet as the case unfolds and Ana makes one startling deduction after the next, he finds it hard to deny that she is, indeed, the Empire’s greatest detective.
As the two close in on a mastermind and uncover a scheme that threatens the safety of the Empire itself, Din realizes he’s barely begun to assemble the puzzle that is Ana Dolabra—and wonders how long he’ll be able to keep his own secrets safe from her piercing intellect.
Featuring an unforgettable Holmes-and-Watson style pairing, a gloriously labyrinthine plot, and a haunting and wholly original fantasy world, The Tainted Cup brilliantly reinvents the classic mystery tale.”
The BiblioSanctum 