The BiblioSanctum

The 2023 Mid Year Freak Out Book Tag

Posted on July 18, 2023 21 Comments

The Mid Year Freak Out Book Tag was created by Ely @ Earl Grey Books and Chami @ Read like Wildfire, though I believe I first came across it on my friend Tammy’s blog, Books, Bones & Buffy. This is actually my third year doing this tag, after a gap of a couple years from 2021-2022 because I was slacking, but here’s to hoping that I can keep this feature a yearly thing again.

As you’ve probably noticed though, I’m not really a book tag person simply because there are too many reviews to write and too little time, but for this one I make an exception. Sometimes as life gets busy, I tend to lose track of checking in on my progress for reading challenges, but a tag like this is a good reminder that sometimes I’m not as far behind as I think I am and I could always use a shot of encouragement!

For instance, I am apparently chugging along quite nicely on my 2023 Goodreads Reading Challenge:

I always set a target of 100 each year, and was shocked to see that I was actually 17 books ahead. I feel pretty confident that I will reach my 2023 goal.

Best Book I’ve Read So Far

I’m making some wiggle room for multiple books in the other categories, but for this one there can only be one. And quite honestly, it was an easy decision. The top spot goes to The Tyranny of Faith by Richard Swan, and though we still have many months to go until the end of the year, I have a feeling it’s not going anywhere. I mean, it’s going to be really tough to beat.

Best Sequels I’ve Read So Far

Andrew Mayne never disappoints, but even he’s outdone himself with the fourth book of the Underwater Investigation Unit series. Then there are the sequels like Don’t Fear the Reaper and Hell Bent that blew me away, but whose predecessors I was actually kind of on the fence on, so those are always a nice surprise.

New Releases I Haven’t Read (But Want To)

For this category, I simply referred to my past “Most Anticipated Releases” posts and selected the top three books that I haven’t gotten to yet. I’m always trying to play catch-up, and Orbit likes to publish chonky books that tend to get set on the backburner.

Most Anticipated Releases for the Second Half of the Year

This was a tough category! There are probably a couple more books that deserve to be on here, but I have forced myself to narrow it down to three.

Biggest Disappointments

I had such high hopes for Nocturne, and I was so sad when we didn’t work out. But even more disappointing is when you pick up a book by a favorite author and it turns out to be a dud, which is what happened with Witch King by Martha Wells and Someone Is Always Watching by Kelley Armstrong.

Biggest Surprises

Hands down, The Will of the Many by James Islington wins for hidden gem of the year. But then there are the surprises like The Foxglove King by Hannah Whitten, whose first book I wasn’t especially keen on so I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this one. I also didn’t expect Justin Cronin to catch lightning in a bottle twice after the massive success of his Passage trilogy, but The Ferryman was surprisingly good–and it’s such a different genre too!

Favorite New Authors

What Lies in the Woods was my first book by Kate Alice Marshall, but she’s written a bunch of YA before her adult thriller debut. Likewise, this year also saw my first foray into work of Heather Fawcett with her brilliant Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries. And I’ve had several of Craig DiLouie’s books sitting on my shelves for years, but this year I finally read him for the first time with Episode Thirteen. Can you believe it’s taken me this long?

Favorite Characters

I loved: Sam from A House with Good Bones for her humorous voice, Livira from The Book That Wouldn’t Burn for her intelligence and pure moxy, and Tress from Tress of the Emerald Sea for being the sweetest and kindest protagonist you’ll ever meet.

Least Favorite Characters

On the other end of the spectrum, How to Sell a Haunted House was a great book but the siblings at the center of it, Louise and Mark, were both real pieces of work. And then you have What the Neighbors Saw, which took unlikeable characters in thrillers to a whole other level. Finally, we have The Splinter in the Sky which is a book I recently finished so I don’t even have a review up yet, but the protagonist grated on me so hard, she singlehandedly made reading this one a struggle.

Book That Made Me Cry

I rarely cry when reading books. Doesn’t mean it never happens, but when it does, it just means the book is very special. Untethered Sky by Fonda Lee didn’t make me cry technically, but the ending definitely packed an emotional punch. And it was an amazing book.

Book That Made Me Happy

Oh, how The Road to Roswell Made by Connie Willis made me laugh and laugh and laugh. If reading about a bunch of weirdos going on a road trip across the southwest with a tumbleweed-looking alien in a massive RV called the “Western trail wagon” doesn’t make you happy, then you have no soul.

Favorite Movie and TV Show

This section was supposed to be “Favorite Book to Movie Adaptation” but seeing as I don’t watch that many movies in the first place (who has the time when there are piles of books to get to) or the fact that I actually go out of my way to avoid watching adaptations in general (less chance to be disappointed that way), I will leave you with my favorite movie and favorite TV series that I’ve watched this year so far.

Favorite Post

My posts generally fall into three categories: review posts, feature posts, and update posts. So yeah, pretty boring. This is the first post I’ve done that actually counts as being somewhat different and fun and special, so I guess my favorite post so far this year would be…this one? LOL

Books I Need to Read By the End of the Year

Too many to list! But if you’re curious to see the 2023 must-reads I’ve got my eye on, you can always check out my “Most Anticipated” posts for the first three quarters of the year. Here’s the one from January to March, the one from April to June, and the one from July to September. Shocker, but I’ve actually gotten to most of them. Overall, it’s been a fun and productive first half of 2023 in terms of reading a lot of great books, and I’m happy I got to feature a lot of them today.

Book Review: The Malevolent Seven by Sebastien de Castell

Posted on July 17, 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.

The Malevolent Seven by Sebastien de Castell

Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Stand Alone/Book 1

Publisher: Mobius Books (May 16, 2023)

Length: 384 pages

Author Information: Website | Twitter

If you’re familiar with the work of Sebastien de Castell, you’d probably know his stories can be pretty dark but also hilariously funny. For this reason, his Greatcoats series still remains one of my all-time favorites, and I was excited when I learned that his latest fantasy novel The Malevolent Seven will likewise feature comedy, grit, and anti-heroes.

As the book begins, readers are introduced to protagonist Cade Ombra who seems quite adamant that we understand he is not your average wizard. He lives in a world where magic users—called “wonderists”—draw their powers from different planes of existence, and these sources would determine what kind of wizard you are. Cade, for instance, has a special connection with the demonic realm and can summon its denizens to help fuel his magic, which understandably also makes others feel very uncomfortable around him. For his part though, Cade has never claimed to be a good person and thinks it’s probably wise not to trust him. He’s a wily rogue who runs with other cutthroat mercenaries like his friend Corrigan, a Thunder Mage whose powers enable him to manipulate lightning.

After the last gig with their employer goes south, Cade somehow finds himself roped into a dangerous mission with Corrigan to travel to the most inhospitable place on the planet to confront seven deadly mages. Sure, it’s a suicide mission, but what has he got to lose? On the other hand, there’s plenty to gain, including lots of riches and perhaps even a way to reverse his bad fortunes. As the two of them embark on their journey, they also pick up companions along the way, forming a rough group of wonderist misfits who are each on the mission to advance their own goals.

The Malevolent Seven was a lot of fun, just as I expected it would be. A classic quest narrative forms the story’s backbone, introducing challenges and trials along the way. At the center of it all is also our questing party, whose interpersonal dynamics provide the conflicts and the entertainment. Each member of the group is a distinct individual, many of them outfitted with larger-than-life personalities. Most of them are criminals, who claim allegiance to nothing but their moneypurses.

Just as amusing as it was to watch the characters’ social interactions, it was also fascinating to see how their different magical abilities played off each other. The world-building was well thought out and robust, establishing a unique magic system. Beyond the fantasy elements, however, a mystical and almost metaphysical component also comes into play later on which I felt was a little strange and unexpected. So, for those who might be turned off by the weird and the abstract, there will indeed be some mind-bending fuckery going on.

But as for what really made this book special and why I think you should read it, I have to especially highlight and praise the overall tone and style of writing. If you are a fan of Sebastien de Castell, you are probably nodding along to this because you know exactly what I’m talking about. Cade is a gem of a narrator, and as insistent as he is in trying to convince you he’s a bad, bad person (providing plenty of evidence to support this too, I might add), you simply can’t help but love and root for him. But while he may be sarcastic and double-dealing on occasion, claiming to lack any morals, there is a part of him deep down that genuinely wants to right thing (like where a certain Blood Mage is concerned), and his plain-spoken and tactless honesty that sometimes comes through is admittedly quite refreshing.

Even though Sebastien de Castell’s stories sometimes toe the grimdark line, they are often still lighthearted and humorous enough to appeal to readers who would typically avoid the hopelessly bleak genre. If you haven’t had the pleasure of reading his work yet, well, you know I will never stop plugging his Greatcoats series! But if you enjoy fantasy with clever plots, witty dialogue, and characters with a keen sense of humor, you should also keep The Malevolent Seven on your radar.

Bookshelf Roundup 07/16/23: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads

Posted on July 16, 2023 23 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.

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Received for Review

With thanks to Delacorte Press for:

The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young. Not one week after I posted my Waiting on Wednesday featuring this book, an ARC landed on my doorstep. I love the author’s YA but missed out on reading her adult debut Spells for Forgetting last year, so I don’t plan on missing out on her second one.

With thanks to Tor Books for:

Starling House by Alix E. Harrow, described as a grim gothic tale about a sinister house that sits at the middle of a small haunted town, is another one on my highly anticipated list.

With thanks to Orbit Books for:

The Sun and the Void by Gabriela Romero-LaCruz, the first book of an epic fantasy series inspired by South American history and mythology. The book is gorgeous and I’m really looking forward to tucking into it later this month.

With thanks to Minotaur Books for:

Ghost Ship by Kate Mosse. A surprise finished copy of this third book of The Burning Chambers series showed up earlier this month, which I wish I was caught up on because a historical thriller set on the high seas sounds amazing.
Blood Betrayal by Ausma Zehanat Khan, the second book of the Blackwater Falls series featuring Detective Inaya Rahman. This time, our protagonist must team up with an enemy to prove the innocence of his son.

With thanks to Ace Books for:

The Weaver and the Witch Queen by Genevieve Gornichec, a historical fantasy following two women — one on a desperate search for her missing sister, the other on the path to become a witch but destined to be a queen.

Reviews

Recent Reads

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: Night’s Edge by Liz Kerin

Posted on July 15, 2023 15 Comments

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

Night’s Edge by Liz Kerin

Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Genre: Horror

Series: Book 1 of Night’s Edge

Publisher: Nightfire Books (June 20, 2023)

Length: 278 pages

Author Information: Website

One can argue that vampires are so overdone in fiction these days that anyone still writing about them need to tackle the subject from new and unique angles just to stand out from the crowd. Of course, this has spawned many interesting vampire books in recent years, and Liz Kerin’s gruesome, intensely heart wrenching Night’s Edge offers a particularly potent example.

In a way, the novel can be seen as a chilling allegory of a daughter’s struggle with a controlling mother whose codependency and tendency to get into abusive relationships have plagued her from childhood to well into her adult life. The story follows Mia who was only ten years old in 2010 when her mother Izzy contracted Saratov’s Syndrome from her boyfriend Devon. Caused by a mysterious virus, the disease was just beginning to emerge as a worldwide threat back then and not much was known, but those infected gain superhuman strength and immortality while becoming fatally sensitive to sunlight. They also need to consume fresh human blood to survive. Even at this early stage in the pandemic, the danger was clear. The infected, called Saras, were rounded up to be “monitored” at treatment facilities, though everyone knows there is no cure. To prevent being separated, mother and daughter go on the run, with Mia swearing to keep Izzy’s condition a secret.

Fast forward to the present, and Mia is now a 23-year-old woman trying to hold her life together. For the past thirteen years, she and her mother have been living in Tucson, Arizona where they remain hidden from the government and also from Devon, Izzy’s old boyfriend. To keep her mother alive but also from harming others, Mia provides Izzy with her own blood to drink. Their existence is a lonely one, just the two of them. By now, Saratov’s has become a full-blown pandemic, and with everyone on high alert, social engagement of any kind would only risk drawing unwanted attention. Still, Mia can’t help but be attracted to Jade, a young musician who frequents the bookshop where she works. As their friendship grows into something more, Mia begins dreaming of a future where she might finally be free to live her own life without the burden of her mother’s secret.

The story gradually unfolds by alternating between these two timelines. In the 2010 chapters, Mia is a child completely dependent on her mother for survival, though in truth Izzy can barely even take care of herself and this was before she became a vampire. After Izzy became infected, things got worse. Drinking blood becomes like an overpowering need for a Sara. As a result, Mia grew up in the most heartbreaking conditions with a mother who was in every respect like a drug addict going out every night with her menacing boyfriend in order to get their fix. All the while, Mia was kept in the dark, not knowing that every time Izzy and Devon were out until the wee hours of the night, someone had to die so they could feed.

But although older Mia in the present chapters is much less naïve, in a lot of ways she still has a childlike mind, likely due to the way Izzy has infantilized her. Even despite the traumas she has experienced and awful things she’s seen, Mia remains innocent and unsure of herself in social situations. She has no idea how to act around people, and never knows the right thing to say. Some days she dares to fantasize about being on her own, but also can’t imagine a life where she doesn’t come home to her mother every night to feed her blood. Mia loves Izzy, but also resents her deeply for her bad choices and all that she’s put them through.

As such, Night’s Edge probably isn’t the vampire book you’re expecting, but that’s okay, because it works for the story. Less about vampires or even the Saras pandemic, the primary focus is the mother-daughter relationship. It’s also about a young woman’s journey to find her own voice and say, ENOUGH. However, whether Mia actually achieves this may be a point of contention, and that’s what makes this book so thought-provoking and insightful. There is nothing simple or black and white about Mia’s dynamic with Izzy. Of course there are the moments where their loving bond is plain to see, but just as evident are the insidious and destructive elements.

In sum, Night’s Edge is harsh, brutal, emotional, tragic, beautiful, virulent and hopeful, all rolled into one. It’s a vampire book all right, but also guaranteed to be different from any you’ve read before, settling into that strange place where paranormal dread meets the horrors of a toxic parent you can’t escape. Because sometimes, it’s about more than blood.

Waiting on Wednesday 07/12/23

Posted on July 12, 2023 14 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

No One Can Know by Kate Alice Marshall January 23, 2024 by Flatiron Books)

“The author of What Lies in the Woods returns with a novel about three sisters, two murders, and too many secrets to count.

Emma hasn’t told her husband much about her past. He knows her parents are dead and she hasn’t spoken to her sisters in years. Then they lose their apartment, her husband gets laid off, and Emma discovers she’s pregnant―right as the bank account slips into the red.

That’s when Emma confesses that she has one more asset: her parents’ house, which she owns jointly with her estranged sisters. They can’t sell it, but they can live in it. But returning home means that Emma is forced to reveal her secrets to her husband: that the house is not a run-down farmhouse but a stately mansion, and that her parents died there.

Were murdered.

And that some people say Emma did it.

Emma and her sisters have never spoken about what really happened that night. Now, her return to the house may lure her sisters back, but it will also crack open family and small-town secrets lots of people don’t want revealed. As Emma struggles to reconnect with her old family and hold together her new one, she begins to realize that the things they have left unspoken all these years have put them in danger again.”

Audiobook Challenge 2023: Mid-Year Update

Posted on July 11, 2023 11 Comments

I know, I know. I haven’t been staying on top of my progress for the Audiobook Challenge for this year. Before you know it, half the year is over and we’re already a good chunk into July. Anyway, you’ll be getting two quarters worth of updates in this post, which is just as well, because my numbers have been quite dismal compared to past years. On the bright side though, I guess this means I’ve been making a dent in my physical books TBR.

As a refresher, here’s a quick rundown on the challenge details again:

Challenge Details

Runs January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023. You can join at any time.
The goal is to find a new love for audios or to outdo yourself by listening to more audios in 2023 than you did in 2022.
Books must be in audio format (CD, MP3, etc.)
ANY genres count.
Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed.
You do not have to be a book blogger to participate; you can track your progress on Goodreads, Facebook, etc. I recommend creating a shelf on Goodreads titled 2023 Audiobook Challenge. You can keep track and link the shelf.
If you’re a blogger grab the button and do a quick post about the challenge to help spread the word. If you’re not a blogger you can help by posting on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube or Tweet about the challenge.
Updates plus a giveaway will be posted twice during the year. The first update will be July 2, 2023, and the last update will take place on December 30, 2023. You’ll have one week to link up and share your progress

Achievement Levels

What level will you choose?

Newbie (I’ll give it a try) 1-5
Weekend Warrior (I’m getting the hang of this) 5-10
Stenographer (can listen while multitasking) 10-15
Socially Awkward (Don’t talk to me) 15-20
Binge Listener (Why read when someone can do it for you) 20-30
My Precious (I had my earbuds surgically implanted) 30+
Marathoner (Look Ma No Hands) 50+
Over-Achiever (Power Listener) 75+
The 100 Club (Audiobook Addict) 100+

For the first half of the year I listened to 19 audiobooks, and I’m already padding my numbers by including the books where I listened to the audiobook edition for *at least a part of it* even if it was just a few chapters I fit in here and there while driving or doing chores. I thought maybe I could manage my soft goal of Marathoner this year, but looks like I may have to give up on my lofty ambitions and aim for My Precious!

Are you doing the 2023 Audiobook Challenge? If so, how are you doing?

Book Review: The First Bright Thing by J.R. Dawson

Posted on July 10, 2023 12 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 First Bright Thing by J.R. Dawson

Mogsy’s Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Tor Books (June 13, 2023)

Length: 336 pages

Author Information: Website | Twitter

“It’s not this book, it’s me” always seemed a bit of a cop out, but in this case, I feel that it must be said. Time travel—especially unexpected time travel—has a way of putting me on my guard because when it works, it works, but when it doesn’t, things have a tendency to fall apart pretty quickly.

The First Bright Thing by J.R. Dawson opens on an alternate 1920s America where Sparks, the name given to those who are gifted with incredible powers, are mistrusted and feared by the general population. Think mutants in the X-Men. The story’s protagonist, Rin, also known as the Ringmaster on account of her role in leading the magical Circus of the Fantasticals, is able to not only teleport to different places but also jump to different moments in time.

Crewed by Spark performers, the circus charms audiences wherever—and whenever—they go, but there are more pressing reasons why they must stay on the move. Dire threats loom on two major fronts: first is the villainous Circus King, Rin’s nemesis who himself is a Spark possessing a dark power which he wants to use to control her. Second is of course the fast-approaching horrors of World War II. Having traveled through time, Rin is aware of what the future holds but has no idea how—or if she even can—do anything to avert the war.

What must it be like, to have an amazing superpower but is helpless to do anything with it at the same time? By all accounts, such a premise should hold nothing but despair and dreariness, but like its name, The First Bright Thing is surprisingly uplifting. While some things can never be changed, whether it be your past or the course of history, there are things you can do right now to improve your life. Rin has chosen her own family in her circus of misfits, with wife Odette by her side. When the adversity feels too overwhelming and challenges too great to overcome, it’s the supportive and loving relationships that form the heart of this novel.

But, as far as positives go, I’m afraid that’s where my praise ends. One prevalent issue that kept me from enjoying this book, even from the start, was the strained and sometimes clichéd writing which pushes what should be warm and touching moments into sappy, cringe-worthy territory. On top of that, the forced writing made it hard to connect with the characters, which might be why Rin always felt so flat to me. She conveys her thoughts in a rigid way that makes them feel unconvincing, and that extends to her relationships and feelings for those around her.

The time traveling aspect didn’t do much for me either. A lot of it felt needlessly convoluted and added little to nothing to the overall plot. Being unnecessarily complex also described the frequent time jumps which wore on my patience over time. The overall gist of the story boils down to trying to escape the Circus King and to stop WWII—two major points about stopping evil, which often converge. It needn’t have to be more complicated than that, and yet it was.

I wish I had a more favorable report, because the ideas behind The First Bright Thing are good, and fascinating, and tremendous. There’s a solid core here for sure, but ultimately the story’s different elements—writing, plotting, characterization—simply didn’t come together in a way that worked for me.

Bookshelf Roundup 07/09/23: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads

Posted on July 9, 2023 12 Comments

Received for Review

With thanks to Red Tower Books for:

Star Bringer by Tracy Wolff. After Fourth Wing, I’m interested in seeing what else the publisher has to offer. This time we’re delving into a science fiction romance.

With thanks to Del Rey Books for:

Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig, a horror novel about a small town transformed by dark magic when trees in a local orchard starts growing strange, magical apples.

With thanks to Tordotcom for:

Be Sure by Seanan McGuire. My prayers have finally been answered! Behold the first volume collecting the first three novellas in the author’s Wayward Children series, which I’ve wanted to start for a long time. This will make it easier.

With thanks to Nightfire Books for:

The Dead Take the A Train by Cassandra Khaw and Richard Kadrey, a story about monsters and mayhem in New York City’s dark magical underbelly. I confess to being very curious about this team-up.

With thanks to Gollancz for:

Against All Gods and Storming Heaven by Miles Cameron, the first two books of The Age of Bronze series. I thought I knew about every book by the author but I was unfamiliar with this trilogy inspired by gods and heroes of Greek mythology. The second book is about to be released and the publisher was kind enough to send me the first one as well.

With thanks to Orbit for:

The Hexologists by Josiah Bancroft, a new fantasy about a couple who help their clients solve mysteries with their hexes and bag of charmed relics. I had mixed feelings about the author’s Books of Babel series but this one sounds more up my street and I can’t wait to read it.

With thanks to Crooked Lane Books for:

The Sight by Melanie Golding, which I am very excited for. I have read the author’s previous two books and enjoyed both a lot, and I’m optimistic I’ll love this one too.

With thanks to Tantor Audio for:

The Lurk by Ronald Malfi, which collects four more of the author’s previously published novellas into one volume. His last collection, Ghostwritten, was fantastic and I’m hoping this one will also be great.

With thanks to Penguin Random House Audio for:

Mister Magic by Kiersten White, a dark supernatural thriller that takes place thirty years after a tragic accident shut down a children’s program called Mister Magic.
How Can I Help You by Laura Sims, described as a suspenseful thriller about two small town librarians who get involved with a mysterious death of a patron in the library bathroom. Definitely sounds like an interesting take on the good old “books about books”.

The other exciting arrival this week is Yumi and the Nightmare Painter by Brandon Sanderson, AKA Secret Project #3 from his Kickstarter campaign. So far, the rollout of the hardcover books and rewards has been almost flawless, and I’m so pleased this one has arrived right on schedule. The book itself is gorgeous, of course, and its design might be my favorite of the three so far. I definitely will find some time to fit this one into my TBR this summer.

Reviews

Recent Reads

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 Islands of Elsewhere by Heather Fawcett

Posted on July 8, 2023 7 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 Islands of Elsewhere by Heather Fawcett

Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Rocky Pond Books (June 20, 2023)

Length: 224 pages

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Earlier this year, Heather Fawcett took my breath away with her thoroughly charming, absolutely enchanting novel Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries. So, when presented with an opportunity to review her new novel, albeit one intended for Middle Grade, I did not hesitate for a second.

Steeped in magic and adventure, The Islands of Elsewhere follows the children of the Snolly family who travel to the Pacific coast of British Columbia where their grandfather lives. It’s summertime and the three older sisters—Hattie, 12; Bee, 10, and Plum, 8—are looking forward to a few weeks of sea and sunshine along with their baby brother in the appealingly named town of Misty Cove. But their mother also warns of a more serious reason for their visit. Their grandfather isn’t well, she tells the girls, and they’re here to keep an eye on him and offer him whatever help he needs.

Readers are able to quickly discern from clues that the children’s grandfather is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s or dementia, but the sisters are not aware of this. To them, granddaddy doesn’t look to be too ill. In fact, he’s his usual cheery self, baking cookies with the girls and telling them tales of his own grandmother, the witch pirate known as Lucy Juniper. A local legend in Misty Cove, she is said to have sailed the waters around the village, using her spoils to help the poor. From their grandfather’s seaside property, the Snolly sisters can see a cluster of three islands close to shore—known as Fairy Fairy, Little Fairy, and Ghost—and the story also claims that Lucy Juniper had hidden her treasure on one of them.

Whether or not these legends are true, there’s definitely something special about the trio of islands. The locals refer to them as the “in-between places” and say they are magical, which only makes the Snolly sisters even more curious. Perhaps, if they were to explore the islands and chance upon Lucy Juniper’s treasure, they can follow in the footsteps of their great-great-grandmother and help others, staying in Misty Cove forever to care for their sick granddaddy.

While the writing style is technically best suited for middle grade children or younger teen readers, I have to say the reasons that make this novel stand out and why it’s worth checking out can be applied to all book lovers and fantasy fans of any age. Even though the characters are young, the themes in this story are sophisticated, complex, and—most importantly—they feel real. The Snolly sisters embody qualities that anyone can related to: Hattie, the oldest, has an artistic soul and is caught between the responsibilities of maturity and clinging to the artifacts of her childhood; Bee, who receives the most focus in the book, is the science-y one who doesn’t believe in magic but is nonetheless willing to do anything to help her family; and Plum, the youngest and the freewheeler who delights in dressing up in costumes is simply enjoying all the wonderful things life has to offer.

Despite not being the target audience, I am also no less impressed by the storytelling. The tone is lighthearted and warm, but Fawcett still manages to weave in heavier topics without derailing the book’s spirit of fun and adventure. The children’s parents are divorced but by all accounts the separation was cordial, and mom and dad are still friends who are completely supportive of each other and their kids. Their grandfather’s deteriorating condition is a constant presence but is also handled gracefully by not letting it define his character, though neither does the story shy away from the challenges and realities of living with a family member who has dementia. It’s hard not to be touched by how much love there is in this family; at times it almost overwhelms.

For these reasons, The Islands of Elsewhere almost feels like a contemporary fiction story about family, life changes, and growing up. However, there is most certainly a strong undercurrent of fantasy here, perhaps enough to make this novel fall comfortably into the magical realism category. All in all, it is a refreshing read, perfect for those sun-soaked summer days that take you back to less complicated times when everything seemed possible.

Thursday Thriller: The Puzzle Master by Danielle Trussoni

Posted on July 6, 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.

The Puzzle Master by Danielle Trussoni

Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Random Houes (June 13, 2023)

Length: 384 pages

Author Information: Website | Twitter

The Puzzle Master by Danielle Trussoni has been pushed hard as the perfect book for fans of Dan Brown’s The DaVinci Code, but while I would agree that the story contains certain cerebral and paranormal elements that would appeal to that audience, it is also weaker in areas that sometimes made this a confusing and disjointed read.

The novel follows protagonist Mike Brink who rose to fame as a brilliant and inventive puzzle maker after a high school football injury left him with a real but rare condition called savant syndrome. The resulting synesthesia allowed him to see the world differently, granting him the extraordinary ability to recognize patterns at a glance. Suddenly, he could solve puzzles in ways no one else can, but like most gifts, it also came with a cost. He began struggling in social settings with his interactions with others, leading to isolation and loneliness. Following his graduation from MIT, he retreated into a quiet life as a puzzle creator for the New York Times, with only his beloved dachshund Connie (short for Conundrum) for company.

Everything changes when Brink is contacted by a prison psychologist with a request for him to meet with a notorious inmate named Jess Price. Once a promising young writer, Jess was convicted and sentenced to thirty years in prison for murdering her boyfriend, which was five years ago, and she hasn’t spoken a word since. Recently though, she has drawn a baffling puzzle, prompting the prison to consult with Brink. On his first meeting with the prisoner, our protagonist immediately senses something wrong with her silence, suspecting that there is more to her murder conviction. Clearly there is a greater mystery here that would involve more than solving her strange puzzle, one that will put Brink on the path to discover ancient secrets of Jewish mysticism and place him in the crosshairs of some powerful enemies.

In my opinion, The Puzzle Master was an enjoyable read, but there were also a number of issues that held it back from true greatness or even earning a solid four-star rating. The biggest of these was the focus—or the lack thereof. Trussoni appears to have subscribed to the “everything but the kitchen sink” method when it comes to storytelling. In a word, this book was STUFFED. Crammed to the brim with ideas, the plot was hard to follow as readers are jerked from one subject to the next. We have a puzzle master and a compelling mystery to solve, one that might possibly exonerate a woman who was wrongfully imprisoned—that I can handle. But it was when the story started veering off into “out there” territory that it started to lose me, with possessed porcelain dolls, secret societies, cyber security and quantum computing, Jewish Kabbalah, alternate dimensions and more all being mashed into a few hundred pages. Honestly, it’s hard describing what this book is even about, let alone determining its genre.

For novel called The Puzzle Master starring a protagonist who actually builds and solves puzzles for a living, I was also disappointed by the scarcity of puzzles involved in the plot. There weren’t that many flashes of inspiration, sparks of insight, or mind-blowing revelations from our characters, and Brink, whose cleverness and problem-solving skills are being hyped up constantly, seems to display relatively ordinary intellect in most situations. Of course, all of this is totally fine, for a standard mystery thriller. That is, the story is perfectly readable and entertaining, and I think most will find it worth reading. However, for a book that was really pitching the puzzle angle as a hook, I confess I was expecting a little more.

To conclude, The Puzzle Master was a quick and interesting read featuring lots of different topics, though none are really explored in any great depth on account of the sheer number of ideas packed into the story. This led to a plot that sometimes felt discombobulated and chaotic. Overall, I had a good time, but I feel that readers hoping for something more like The DaVinci Code will want to adjust expectations.