Book Review: The Fifth Heart by Dan Simmons
Posted on May 13, 2015 5 Comments
The Fifth Heart by Dan Simmons
Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (March 24, 2015)
Author Information: Website
Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
A Dan Simmons book is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re gonna get. And like a box of chocolates, you know they’re all good but some are going to be better than others. Simmons is a versatile author who seems to write a bit of everything, and I’ve come to the conclusion that for me personally, his Historical Fiction is kind of like those sticky little peanut nougats – that is, they’re not my favorite. I’d much rather prefer those with the milk chocolate filled with caramel or raspberry cream, which in the context of this yummy little example would be probably Simmons’ Horror or Science Fiction.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge fan of Dan Simmons. His book The Terror is one of my favorite novels of all time, and I’ll never look at time travel the same way again thanks to his Hyperion, which completely blew my mind. But then there are his books like Drood or 2013’s The Abominable that just didn’t resonate with me at all. Now that I’m finished reading it, I think my reaction to The Fifth Heart falls somewhere in between.
Waiting on Wednesday 05/13/15
Posted on May 13, 2015 17 Comments
“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that lets us feature upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!
Mogsy’s Pick:
The Bloodforged by Erin Lindsey: September 29, 2015 (Ace)
The Bloodforged is the sequel to The Bloodbound, and I’m super eager to get my next Erin Lindsey (also known as E.L. Tettensor) fix. I love books that feature a mix of fantasy and romance, especially those that balance the two elements. I really enjoyed the first book, and I’m looking forward to jumping back into this world to catch up with Lady Alix.
“The epic saga that started in The Bloodbound continues…
As war between Alden and Oridia intensifies, King Erik must defend his kingdom from treachery and enemies on all sides—but the greatest danger lurks closer to home…
When the war began, Lady Alix Black played a minor role, scouting at the edge of the king’s retinue in relative anonymity. Though she’s once again facing an attacking Oridian force determined to destroy all she holds dear, she is now bodyguard to the king and wife to the prince.
Still, she is unprepared for what the revival of the war will mean. Erik is willing to take drastic measures to defend his domain, even if it means sending Prince Liam into a deadly web of intrigue and traveling into the perilous wild lands of Harram himself.
Only the biggest threat to the kingdom might be one that neither Alix nor Erik could have imagined, or prepared for…”
Tiara’s Pick
Seveneves: A Novel by Neal Stephenson: May 19, 2015 (William Morrow)
I am relatively new to the Neal Stephenson party. I’m currently working my way through his Baroque Cycle series, which can be read in three bound books or eight separate novels, and I’m an almost in awe of how he’s blended science-fiction, fantasy, and history together to make such a compelling read. I wasn’t expecting it to be as cheeky as it is either, but he has quite the wry sense of humor. Now, I think I would like to try some of his futuristic science-fiction and see if its just as compelling as his historical endeavors.
What would happen if the world were ending?
A catastrophic event renders the earth a ticking time bomb. In a feverish race against the inevitable, nations around the globe band together to devise an ambitious plan to ensure the survival of humanity far beyond our atmosphere, in outer space.
But the complexities and unpredictability of human nature coupled with unforeseen challenges and dangers threaten the intrepid pioneers, until only a handful of survivors remain….
Five thousand years later, their progeny – seven distinct races now three billion strong – embark on yet another audacious journey into the unknown…to an alien world utterly transformed by cataclysm and time: Earth.
A writer of dazzling genius and imaginative vision, Neal Stephenson combines science, philosophy, technology, psychology, and literature in a magnificent work of speculative fiction that offers a portrait of a future that is both extraordinary and eerily recognizable. As he did in Anathem, Cryptonomicon, the Baroque Cycle, and Reamde, Stephenson explores some of our biggest ideas and perplexing challenges in a breathtaking saga that is daring, engrossing, and altogether brilliant.
Book Review: The Fangirl’s Guide to the Galaxy by Sam Maggs
Posted on May 12, 2015 21 Comments
Click to be taken to the Goodreads page.
Book Source: Free review copy provided by Quirk Books via NetGalley
Genre: Nonfiction, Humor
Publisher: Quirk Books (May 12, 2015)
Tiara’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Sam Maggs is known around the internet for writing articles about how geek culture and women intersect. She’s contributed to the book Chicks Dig Gaming and sites such as The Mary Sue, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t have a bias toward her for being a fellow BioWare lover.
@digitaltempest tattoo twins!?!?!?!?? 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖
— Maggsneto (@SamMaggs) May 3, 2015
@digitaltempest OMG I love it!!!! Yay!!!! #spectrestatus pic.twitter.com/pH0amHQVBa
— Maggsneto (@SamMaggs) May 3, 2015
This is the her first published book dedicated to geek girls. I’ve been in fandom since the late 90s, and I’ve watched it evolved over years. I’m old, and I’ve seen many things throughout the years in the various fandoms I love(d). I dabble in everything from games to television. Much of this information wasn’t new to me for that reason, but I still found Maggs’ tone engaging and fun. This is a gentle guide for girls and women who may want to to be more active in fandom communities and meet more people who share those loves online and offline. It explains things such as how to deal with the various trolls they’ll encounter, how to protect themselves on sites even from other fans, and explain basic fandom terms to them. What’s a SuperWhoLock? Why does fandom hate Aquaman? What’s a glomp? What’s a squee? How do you deal with different types of trolls? These are questions she poses in her book along with ideas.
This book also serves as a jumping point for girls and women who may not be in fandom at all right now, but are curious and want to know different places they can start/what might interest them. This book is in no way divisive or says that one fandom is better than others. This book just grouped things together in the simplest terms that would make it easy for some who would be overwhelmed by everything fandom and wouldn’t know where to start. It gives a very general idea of fandom.
Briefly going back to the conversation I referenced earlier in this post, she also includes different levels of fandom geekiness without coming across as condescending (to me). In case you’re wondering my level is hardcore because I have at least one fandom tattoo. My first geeky tattoo (I have two, and coincidentally, the author of this book has the same tattoo) was the Spectre tattoo from the Mass Effect series, and if you’re wondering why this is so important to me, feel free to read my Tumblr post on the subject if you want to know more.
I also have a Deadpool Corp tattoo, too, but I will not continue to overwhelm you with just how much of a geek I am… today... I did appreciate little sections like that. To me, it didn’t come off as if she was saying that if you don’t have a tattoo of your fandom, then you’re no good. It was just a tongue-in-cheek assessment of how far some of us go for our fandoms.
On top of this, there are brief interviews with various notable women in the geek community such as Jamie Broadnax who runs BlackGirlNerds (who I absolutely squee’d about being featured) and Victoria Schwab, author of A Darker Shade of Magic. I wish these interviews were longer, but I was glad to see even short interviews with such a diverse group of women in geek culture. And there are fun, cute illustrations throughout to punctuate her writings.
This book is Cuddly!Anders, not Angry!Anders.
I saw this book get some really bad reviews from other reviewers, so I was a little worried at first because it’s easy for me to fly into a geek girl rage about fandom. (Well, I’m an Aries; it’s easy for me to fly into a rage anyway.) It’s so easy for writers to write books like this and come across as being insulting. However, I found this book to be pure fluff and tongue-in-cheek that’s meant to be informative for new people and to poke fun at the same time at some of serious vets.
I guess some people were expecting some enraged geek girl manifesto as inspired by Anders (from BioWare’s Dragon Age) and nailed to the door. If you’re expecting that, this is not for you. You’re getting a kinder, gentler Anders hugging kitties direction here, and I was okay with that even as a fandom war veteran. If you want something more than that, I can’t really recommend this book for you. And I can understand wanting more from this book because there are bits that are lacking, but I’m not really the target audience other than to be support as a veteran for women and girls who may be slowly embracing this side of themselves. And I’ll totally hold your hand as you navigate fandom because, despite what anyone claims, that’s what this book encourages–camaraderie and safety because this can be a very toxic community.
This is a complete homage and love letter to the fangirl that encourages girls and women to embrace this part of themselves, even when some people would try to silence us or say that isn’t “ladylike.” Maggs shows that we are a growing force that refuses to be complacent, and no matter if you consider yourself new to fandom or an old hand, we’re in this together and we’re going to continue to change this landscape together.
Author Information: Twitter | Website
Book Information: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
A review copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher Quirk Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own. Thanks to the author, Quirk Books, and NetGalley for providing me with this review opportunity.
Book Review: Defiant by Karina Sumner-Smith
Posted on May 11, 2015 17 Comments
A review copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Defiant by Karina Sumner-Smith
Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction
Series: Book 2 of The Towers Trilogy
Publisher: Talos (May 12, 2015)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
This series definitely deserves to be getting more attention. Karina Sumner-Smith’s debut novel Radiant was one of the most unique speculative fiction titles I read in 2014, and it’s so good to see that its follow-up Defiant is still pushing genre boundaries and keeping things exciting.
Two months have passed since the events at the end of the last book, and we catch up with Xhea as she attempts to heal from the chaotic aftermath, though nothing seems to be helping her badly injured leg. She and the ghost Shai, her ever faithful friend, are holed up within one of the towers called Edren. Shai’s radiant powers essentially makes her an enormous battery, so her very presence is making Edren magic rich and that is definitely not sitting right with the rest of the towers who are stirring up political trouble in order to balance the scales again.
As things heat up, Xhea and Shai find themselves embroiled in a brutal power struggle. Everyone is looking to get their hands on Shai, but in a shocking turn of events, it is revealed that Xhea may be just as important to the survival of the towers. For someone who has always been dismissed, disdained or pitied for her lack of magic, this is a great change for Xhea. At last, she learns the dark nature of her own power, and it’s something that both thrills and frightens her. Then tower Farrow proposes a deal, offering her something she’s ever only dared dream of, but is it going to be worth what they are asking her to do?
Defiant expands greatly upon the world that we were first introduced to in Radiant, now that Xhea’s no longer on the streets scrounging work from people with ghost problems. Her life may have been hard, but at least it was remarkably simple: find food and a place to sleep every night. Ever since she met Shai though, things have become infinitely more complicated – and dangerous. Now we’ve shifted from the hardships of the Lower City to the cutthroat political arena of the towers. It’s a whole different ballgame, and yet this sequel retains so much of what I enjoyed most about the first installment.
As ever, the dynamics between Xhea and Shai make me cheer in support for meaningful friendships between strong female characters. Their loyalty to each other warms my heart, it really does. In fact, one plot development that got me down early on in the novel is the fact that Xhea and Shai become separated after a disastrous incident, and neither has any idea about the fate of the other. It’s only been one book, but already in my mind it feels wrong to see Xhea without Shai, Shai without Xhea. This could probably account for the part right after in which I felt the plot faltered, when Shai’s chapters felt weaker and lacked a bit of direction compared to Xhea’s after her tether to her friend is severed. Thankfully, the story picked up again very quickly, and even when the two of them were apart, their concern and thoughts for each other served to deepen their friendship in my eyes, adding another layer of complexity to it. Without each other, they were still able to accomplish some great feats on their own, proving just how powerful each young woman is in her own right.
There’s also a greater focus on the magical systems and concepts. In this world of radiants and floating towers, everything runs on magic. It can be found within its denizens and in its very infrastructure. Magic is treated on such a vast scale here that it boggles the mind; it’s infused everywhere to such a degree that an entire city literally comes to life. I’ve only read a handful of books where a physical location or the actual setting itself is rendered akin to a living breathing entity, and it’s always an amazing thing to experience.
As far as I can tell, there’s no sophomore slump here; this sequel is as rich and engaging as the first book and gives us even more in terms of surprising twists and revelations. Like its predecessor, Defiant is a brilliant cross-genre piece that blends elements from many sources so that the result is something new and never-before-seen. Looks like Karina Sumner-Smith has scored another hit with her second novel, offering a spellbinding story and characters who are sure to captivate a wide audience.
Also on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of Radiant (Book 1) | Guest Post by Karina Sumner-Smith
Book Review: Mother of Eden by Chris Beckett
Posted on May 10, 2015 14 Comments
A review copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Mother of Eden by Chris Beckett
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Book 2 of Dark Eden
Publisher: Broadway Books (May 12, 2015)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Mother of Eden certainly wasn’t a bad book, not bad at all. Still, I have to say it’s a far cry from the first book, which I absolutely adored.
First, it’s important to know that Mother of Eden isn’t exactly a direct follow-up to Dark Eden, taking place roughly five or six generations in the future. Be aware that if you are thinking of reading it as a stand-alone though, you’ll miss out on a lot of the background information in the first book. Remember how I’d ended my review of Dark Eden with the theory that characters like John Redlantern, Tina, Gerry and Jeff would eventually become the stuff of legends to their descendants, much like how “First Couple” Angela and Tommy became revered by Family? Turns out that is exactly the case, so it wouldn’t hurt to be familiar with the events of book one.
Still, the world of Eden has changed a lot since John Redlantern first destroyed Circle of Stones and took his supporters away from Circle Valley and over Snowy Dark. There are now thousands of humans living across the planet, divided into two main groups: Johnfolk, those who were descended from John and his followers; and Davidfolk, descendants of those who remained with the original Family led by David, John’s greatest rival. There are quite a few offshoot populations as well, and our protagonist Starlight Brooking is a young woman from one such tribe, a member of the Kneetree Folk who live on a tiny island far away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of Eden.
YA Weekend: 5 to 1 by Holly Bodger
Posted on May 9, 2015 13 Comments
Click to be taken to the Goodreads page.
Genre: Dystopia/Utopia
Publisher: Random House Children’s (May 12, 2015)
Author’s Information: Twitter | Website
Tiara’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Just when I come off a rant with some friends about how much YA novels have been getting on my nerves as of late, I find one that not only doesn’t get on my nerves, but it actually made me get all emotional toward the end of the story. Holly Bodger’s 5 to 1 is set in India in the year 2054. India, whose parents for years have chosen boys to girls seeing them as the more precious commodity, is now faced with a crisis of boys outnumbering girls 5 to 1. Girls are soon given to the highest bidder, but one city, Koyanagar, proposes its own solution from its matriarchs, a solution that would give every man a chance by holding a test that allows all boys to compete and win a wife. After their proposal is rejected, Koyanagar builds a wall and becomes its own country, allowing those who wish to leave one day to do so before their country is closed for good to the rest of India. In this new country, women are treated as the highest form of riches, but their lives are still far from being ideal, even in a society where men are cowed, ridiculed, and only valuable for producing daughters.
This story follows two teenagers seventeen-year-old Sudasa, a daughter of a wealthy family, who doesn’t want to be a wife, and eighteen year old Kiran (known as Five through much of the novel), a farmer’s son who doesn’t want to be a husband not even to a wealthy wife. However, their destinies, hopes, and dreams still intertwined in this beautifully, heartrending novel of two people who just want to be seen as people and not as their genders.
Read More
Mogsy’s Bookshelf Roundup: New Books and What I’ve Been Reading
Posted on May 9, 2015 21 Comments
Bookshelf Roundup is where I talk about the new books I’ve bought or received for review, what I plan to read soon, and what I’ve finished reading recently.
Received for Review
The Great Bazaar/Brayan’s Gold by Peter V. Brett – Print ARC, with thanks to Tachyon Publications. I was really surprised (and delighted) when the publisher emailed me after seeing my review of Brett’s latest Demon Cycle book to tell me about this collection of two novellas set in that world, and they very kindly sent this along in the post for me.
The Venusian Gambit by Michael J. Martinez – Paperback, with thanks to Night Shade Books. This is book three of the Daedalus series and it was an unexpected arrival, but I have plans on reading it as soon as I’m caught up. I’ve only read the first book, but it had some of the most mind-blowing ideas I’ve ever read.
Faces by E.C. Blake – Print ARC, with thanks to DAW/Penguin. I think I would have ended up requesting this one even if it hadn’t been unsolicited, because I really enjoyed the first two books and I believe this is the last book of the trilogy, so I really can’t miss that!
Mother of Eden by Chris Beckett – Digital ARC via NetGalley, with thanks to Crown Publishing. I loved Dark Eden so much, I went to request this follow-up even before I was finished. I an reading it now and will probably be done with it by the time this post goes live, but so far I have to say it’s quite good but nowhere near as subtle as the first book.
Seriously Wicked by Tina Conolly – Hardcover, with thanks to Tor Teen. Unsolicited review copy, but it looks seriously fun and I’ve enjoyed what I’ve read by Tina Connolly in the past, so I’m definitely going to give this one a read.
Marked by Sue Tingey – Paperback, with thanks to Jo Fletcher Books. I hadn’t even heard of this one before, but as soon as I arrived I went to look it up. Ghost girls and demon assassins? Yeah, I’m in.
Cash Crash Jubilee by Eli K.P. William – Hardcover, with thanks to Night Shade Books. Unsolicited review copy, but once again, it sounds like a book that I must check out: “In a near future Tokyo, every action—from blinking to sexual intercourse—is intellectual property owned by corporations that charge licensing fees.” Never stop introducing me to cool stuff, Night Shade.
The Hanged Man by P.N. Elrod – Hardcover, with thanks to Tor Books. Really excited to receive this one, as it’s on my 2015 most anticipated list of SFF books by women!
Binary by Stephanie Saulter – Hardcover, with thanks to Quercus USA. I still can’t get over how incredibly gorgeous the cover is for the US edition of this novel. I can’t wait to read it, I absolutely adored the first book.
Zero World by Jason M. Hough – Digital ARC via NetGalley with thanks to Del Rey. Great to see Jason M. Hough follow up his Dire Earth Cycle with this fantastic looking new sci-fi spy thriller.
Alive by Scott Sigler – Digital ARC via NetGalley with thanks to Del Rey. I had featured this one in one of my Waiting on Wednesdays, so I was very happy when I got approved for it!
The Shadow of Elysium by Django Wexler – Digital ARC with thanks to Penguin. A novella that ties into Wexler’s Shadow Campaigns series which should tide me over until the third book, an ARC of which I’ve been told should be coming my way soon, yay!
Back to the Backlist
No new backlist titles on tap for this week because I listed a bunch last month that I haven’t had a chance to get to yet. It’s possible to fall behind on a backlist, who’d have thought?
What I’ve Read Since the Last Update
A lot of books may be coming in, but a lot of books are also getting read and reviewed. Keep an eye out for my reviews of these books in the coming weeks. Ones for Hexed (dual review of the novel and graphic novel with Tiara), The Sword of the North (my guest review at Fantasy Book Critic), and The Gospel of Loki are already up.
Have you heard of or read any of the books featured in this week? What looks interesting to you?
Generation V Birthday Celebration: Series GIVEAWAY!
Posted on May 8, 2015 5 Comments
*** The giveaway is now over, thank you to everyone who entered! ***
Did you know, yesterday May 7th was the two year anniversary of the hit urban fantasy novel GENERATION V?
Happy birthday Fort, Suze, Chivalry, Madeline and yes, even you, Prudence!
To celebrate, M.L. Brennan and the BiblioSanctum are teaming up to throw a birthday giveaway for all three books of the series, signed by the author. That’s Generation V, Iron Night, and Tainted Blood:
Be sure to see below for the giveaway details. Right now is a great time to get all caught up before book four, Dark Ascension, set for release this August. Happy birthday to one of my favorite series, find out why I love these books and why everyone is talking about them!
* * *
GENERATION V SERIES GIVEAWAY
We’re very pleased to bring you this major giveaway of the three books currently out now in the Generation V series (Generation V, Iron Night, and Tainted Blood) all signed by the author M.L. Brennan — to one lucky winner! With apologies to international readers, this giveaway is US only due to shipping costs. To enter, all you have to do is send an email to bibliosanctum@gmail.com with your Name and valid Mailing Address using the subject line “HAPPY BIRTHDAY GEN V” by 11:59pm Eastern time on Tuesday, May 19, 2015.
Only one entry per household, please. The winner will be randomly selected when the giveaway ends and then be notified by email. All information will only be used for the purposes of contacting the winner and sending them their prize. Once the giveaway ends all entry emails will be deleted.
So what are you waiting for? Enter to win! Good luck!
Book Review: The Gospel of Loki by Joanne Harris
Posted on May 8, 2015 20 Comments
A review copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Gospel of Loki by Joanne M. Harris
Genre: Fantasy, Mythology
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Saga Press (US: May 5, 2015)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
It’s been so many years since I read Chocolat, that for all intents and purposes The Gospel of Loki may as well be the first book I’ve ever read by Joanne Harris. Highly entertaining and original, this novel chronicles the epic rise of the Norse gods all the way through to the coming of Ragnarok, completely retold from the point of view of none other than the trickiest trickster of them all – Loki.
First thing you should know though, if you’re like me and sometimes you get that temptation to skip everything before the prologue in a book? Well, fight it! Be sure to read everything, including the character list. I had started skimming it initially, right up until I glimpsed Thialfi and Roskva, the two siblings in Norse mythology who are the servants of the god Thor, respectively described as a “fanboy” and a “fangirl”. Chuckling to myself, I went back and read everything more carefully. Glad I did! Aside from being absolutely hilarious, the forward material sets the tone of the novel perfectly, and I knew right away that I was going to enjoy this.
The BiblioSanctum 