Top 10 Reads of 2013
Posted on December 31, 2013 1 Comment
2013 has been a fantastic year for our reading lists (or a horrible one, if you consider how much larger our to-read piles have grown). We’ve read a lot of brilliant books, but we’ve managed to narrow our list of favorites down to the top ten books that truly resonated with us this year.
Love Minus Eighty by Will McIntosh
MOGSY SAYS: I read more than 200 novels this year. 200. Asking me to pick just a handful of my favorites is a nigh impossible task, because I read so many amazing books in 2013. I could easily fill this list myself with 10, 25, or even 50 of my greatest reads this year, but alas I cannot, or my co-bloggers will surely beat me into coma with their heaviest of epic fantasy tomes (they already let me choose four instead of their three).
But Wendy has helped me narrow things down, with the description she wrote for the post above. The keyword is “resonate”. And I suppose few other books have resonated with me this year as strongly as Will McIntosh’s Love Minus Eighty. In a future full of advanced technology, people still strive for that timeless, formless, unshakeable connection to another soul known as love. It is what makes us human.
Provocative. Thoughtful. Beautiful. Passionate. This book is all that and more, and definitely deserves more attention. Way more. (Read more in my review)
The Boys by Garth Ennis
TIARA SAYS: This year has been all about the comics/manga for me, so while I’ve read some really great novels, I wanted to do something a little different and highlight some of the great comics I’ve read this year starting with The Boys. Now, I haven’t actually put up a review of this series yet, but I’ve been working on one that may find its way to my personal blog because it’s a long, introspective thing that keeps growing. The Boys is bloody disgusting. Within these pages, you will find an overabundance of disgusting human behavior. There is an excess of gross conduct and no one is truly beyond it. It’s offensive, hard to swallow, and out of control. It is also BRILLIANT.
Depending on your view of things, you may either feel that Ennis pointed out some very disturbing trends in comics, especially as they start to explore darker concepts with the audience shift, or you may feel that he missed the mark on some issues which has started some interesting debates. Personal interpretation is everything with this series. I’ve seen interpretations of the same events in to the book differ wildly, but prove to be valid ways of looking at things. Either way, this series is one of those stories that’s hard to shelve. You want to look away, but it’s such a veritable, horrific mess that you just can’t stop reading it.
The Thousand Names by Django Wexler
MOGSY SAYS: Like Wendy, one way to know that a book has impressed me is when I go on the hunt to track down all of the author’s other works as soon as I’m finished reading. This is exactly what happened when I finished The Thousand Names.
This book was so difficult to put down; I devoured all 500+ pages in days. I couldn’t even make myself slow down to savor it because it was just that absorbing. I’ve always had a soft spot for flintlock fantasy, Wexler gave me everything I wanted with his epic fantasy featuring magic, revolution, blood and gunpowder.
Military fantasy fans as well as wargamers rejoice, this book will put you right where the action is, with rich world-building as well as memorable and fully-realized characters to boot. (Read more in my review)
Attack on Titan by Hajime Isayama
TIARA SAYS: Before I started reading this (and watching the anime), if someone had asked me what my favorite manga of all time was, I would’ve said, “Simple. Tite Kubo’s Bleach.” If you were to ask me now, I’d probably do some fidgeting and get annoyed because I think this series has claimed the number one spot in my heart, and I feel like I’m cheating on my first love (Bleach) that I’ve been with for years. I still love you, Bleach. Don’t leave!
I’ve gotten into quite a few new mangas this year, but none have fascinated me quite like this one. What I love about this series and what always stays on my mind is how human these characters are, how vulnerable they are both physically and metaphysically, and how these characters, the situation they’re in, captures so much of the human need to fight and survive–even when it looks hopeless. It’s a story about the courage in the face of fear. It presses upon the reader that, in order to survive, humans have to depend on each other and bring their individual strengths to the table to win this fight. It captures the indomitable spirit of humans without compromising other emotions such as fear, trust, and uncertainty. The fact that all this captured with few words and visuals. Amazing! (Read more in my reviews)
The Best of All Possible Worlds by Karen Lord
WENDY SAYS: This is a sneaky little book. It’s actually a romance that cleverly disguises itself as science fiction. While you’re blissfully enjoying the displaced Sadiri people’s hunt for suitable mates to help replenish their society after the heinous destruction of their planet, you slowly come to realize that you’ve fallen in love with Delarua and Dllenahkh, who slowly come to realize that they’ve fallen in love with each other.
Part way through this book, Tiara asked how I was enjoying it and I gave her a gushing response about how it felt like sitting comfortably on a couch, hanging out with good friends – who happen to like science fiction.
This book was so subtle and unassuming, which made it easily able to get right under my skin. (Read more in my review)
Miserere: An Autumn Tale by Teresa Frohock
MOGSY SAYS: This was a book I read in early spring, so sadly I was unable to feature it in my “Best of Summer” list. That’s why I’m so glad to have the opportunity to talk about it now in our year end Top Reads post.
Simply put, this book is gorgeous. The writing, the depth of the characters and the strength of their emotions made me want to hurl myself to my knees and thank the book gods that we have writers like Teresa Frohock and novels like Miserere. It is an intensely alluring book, taking its time to reveal its true nature, doling out details about its world in a trickle as you read. Needless to say, patience will be rewarded — in spades. The author’s talent is on full display, giving us the most brutal and disconcerting elements of horror, but as well showing how the most powerful of loves can endure and offer redemption. And Teresa Frohock does it all oh so beautifully. (Read more in my review)
Batgirl by Gail Simone
TIARA SAYS: I’ve read many amazing comics this year, and I could gush on and on about books like Saga, East of West, and Locke and Key just to name a few. However, I wanted to highlight Gail Simone’s Batgirl for a few reasons. One being that it’s been a long time since I really appreciated the story in mainstream comic. This book joins books such as Kingdom Come and Old Man Logan as a book that rises above the usual wash, rinse, repeat in mainstream comics, and it’s not even an AU (alternate universe) like those two–unless you just don’t acknowledge the DCnU, which is totally legit in my opinion.
Now, admittedly, I think Gail’s writing can be a little corny (and I still think Barbara is more formidable as Oracle), but I have been enjoying Batgirl. First, I think Gail has done a wonderful job of showing Barbara as a survivor, a survivor who both rejoices in and questions her miracle, a survivor who has triggers that she’s still trying to overcome, a survivor who questions the validity and intent of Gotham heroes, even herself. Of the books I’ve read, Barbara’s stories have highlighted many of these issues, showing the upside and the downside. I think Gail does a wonderful job tackling some harder issues. Barbara’s return has been plagued with issues and doubts she’s dealing with, and I appreciate Gail doing that rather than trying to make Barbara’s return to the mantle all rainbows and good times. (Read more of my reviews)
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
WENDY SAYS: All of my subsequent YA reads have to stand up to this book in terms of characterization. I love the way Stiefvater writes young adults. They are not the obnoxious, completely self-absorbed creatures that I don’t enjoy reading. That is, sure they are a bit self-absorbed, but they aren’t written in such a way that their teenage flaws become grating. Yet they aren’t written as adults in teen bodies. Stiefvater handles them respectfully in a way that both teens and adults can appreciate.
The other thing that I adore about Stiefvater’s writing is the way she foregoes allusions when painting her world. Instead, she uses actions and absence to describe a scene, and most importantly, to make her characters very, very real. Her descriptions are absolutely delicious. (Read more in my review)
Hollow World by Michael J. Sullivan
MOGSY SAYS: It’s a great time to be a speculative fiction reader right now, with so many great and original ideas having found their way to being published in recent years. Crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter have their place too, because if it weren’t for them I wouldn’t have had the pleasure of reading this incredible book in 2013.
What struck me about Hollow World isn’t so much the story, but the main character’s personal journey — the things he learns about himself and the questions he asks about life and love. I didn’t expect such heavy subject matters when I first picked this one up, but it was a welcome surprise. The book took my emotions on a roller coaster ride — I felt ecstatic, shocked, angry, sad, annoyed, disturbed, deeply touched, so moved that I was almost in tears…all that and more just from reading the story, and any book that can give me the kind of feels that Hollow World did certainly qualifies as having resonated with me. (Review coming in Spring 2014 closer to release)
Book Review: Ice Forged by Gail Z. Martin
Posted on December 30, 2013 1 Comment
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of Ascendant Kingdoms
Publisher: Orbit
Date of Publication: January 8, 2013
Author Information: Website | Twitter
I’ve long been curious about Ice Forged. Though I also own The Summoner from her Chronicles of the Necromancer series, for some reason I just knew I wanted this one to be my first Gail Z. Martin book. They’re both stories set in high fantasy worlds, but lands of ice and snow have always fascinated me, I don’t know why. Maybe because I think these harsh settings are often fertile ground for exceptional protagonists, driven to be harder in an environment marked by extreme temperatures and scarcity. I love to read about characters becoming shaped by those experiences and overcoming those challenges.
So it was a pleasant surprise when the book began by throwing its main protagonist into a situation that was even more harrowing than I’d expected. Blaine McFadden is convicted of murder, and though his reasons for the killing were honorable, the young nobleman is sentenced to live out the rest of his days in a penal colony on Velant, an icy wasteland at the edge of the world. Six years later, Blaine (now known as “Mick”) is a new man, emerging as a natural leader in the eyes of the other convicts and colonists. Still, they are kept under the thumb of an oppressive governor, and are at the mercy of the mages who are always too keen to administer their swift and often cruel discipline.
But one day, the supply ships stop coming. War has torn Blaine’s former home of Dondareth apart, and the magic that civilization had always depended upon has been lost. It changes everything. Without the mage’s power holding them back, the colonists of Velant take back their freedom but afterwards they too must decide their own fate. For many, this frigid land has become home, and they would like nothing more than to stay. Blaine, however, still has a far greater destiny to fulfill.
This is good old fashioned down-to-earth epic fantasy. And I use that description as a compliment. In many ways, this book reminds me of the pure delight and enjoyment I felt when I read Michael J. Sullivan’s Riyria Revelations series, which I also loved; both share that same easy, straightforward writing style with story elements and character-types that won’t be anything new to the avid fantasy reader, and yet I felt warm and comfortable wrapped in their familiarity.
I was also glad to see I was right about the strong characters, all of whom are wonderful and likeable in this novel. They are what drives this story, and makes the reader care about what happens in this book. When the magic went away, I found myself completely gripped by the consequences, shocked by certain deaths I never expected or kept on edge about what characters would do in response to such a big change in their world. Despite how I described the novel in the previous paragraph, scenes like these are what sets Ice Forged apart and makes it special.
I’m particularly impressed with the world which Gail Z. Martin has created, with emphasis on the background of the lore and magic. Not that the descriptions and details of the places in Velant or Dondareth weren’t rendered well either, but I was much more drawn in by the histories of the land and people that she has woven. I love stories that establish a long, vivid past, because then the effects on the present and the future feel more impactful. That is the case here.
All in all, Ice Forged is a solid start to a new series. I eagerly await the next Ascendant Kingdoms novel to continue following Blaine on his quest to restore stability to his world.
Wendy’s Winter Reading List
Posted on December 29, 2013 Leave a Comment
My new year’s reading resolution for 2014 includes a half-hearted promise not to buy any more new books next year because I need to focus on my mighty to-be-read pile. There are a number of books that I have sitting right beside my bed or at the top of my ebook list because I keep meaning to read next, but something always hops in the way. Making a list challenges me to stick to it. Oh I’m sure a lot of other things will pop up, such as review requests, book club reads and other challenges, but these books are definitely going to be read this winter.
The Broken Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin
I’m a bit amazed to look at the calendar and see that it’s already been a year since I finished reading The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms for the second time within two months. I didn’t continue with the Inheritance Trilogy at that time because I just wasn’t ready for the emotional commitment. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms was emotionally exhausting! But a year is ample time to get over that, so here we go…
The Great Book of Amber by Roger Zelazny
The First Confessor by Terry Goodkind
A few years ago, my parents took the kids for a week and I had myself a Legend of the Seeker marathon. I really enjoyed the show and have been meaning to read its source material, starting with The Wizard’s First Rule. I mulled over this for a while, but decided to go with the newer book, The First Confessor, which is the beginning of a new series that predates The Sword of Truth timeline.
The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski
As far as gaming goes, I have determined that 2014 will the The Year of The Witcher. This game has been sitting in my Steam library for a while now as a result of the painful original Mass Effect 3 endings. I’m a fan of books based on my favourite video games, but I have not yet read a book that inspired a game.
Redemption in Indigo by Karen Lord
Goodreads recommended this book to me, but before I got around to reading it, Lord’s second book, The Best of All Possible Worlds, popped up on NetGalley. I loved The Best of All Possible Worlds, and the sequel for it will be out in the spring from Jo Fletcher books, but it’s about time I checked out Redemption in Indigo.
Miserere: An Autumn Tale by Teresa Frohock
Pronounced ” mee-seh-reh-reh,” this is a book that I’ve been meaning to read since Mogsy’s glowing review, but more so now that I’ve unofficially become one of Ms. Frohock’s twitter minions. One of the things I’ve come to appreciate about the book blogosphere is the opportunity to interact with the authors, and Ms. Frohock is absolutely one of the best of them. She is good, good peeps.
Wheel of the Infinite by Martha Wells
The moment I finished reading The Cloud Roads, I went and bought a whole bunch of Wells’ other books, including this one. I ought to be reading the next book in The Books of the Raksura series, but this one caught my attention first. I really enjoy Wells’ world building and, while I do plan to return to the Raksura, I’m curious about the other worlds she’s created.
Mogsy’s Book Haul
Posted on December 28, 2013 Leave a Comment
The Stormcaller – it was a truly epic haul for me this past fortnight, with my deepest thanks to Pyr Books, starting with The Stormcaller. I was very much intrigued by the full-length novels in the Twilight Reign series by Tom Lloyd after reading The God Tattoo anthology, so the publisher very kindly provided me with a review copy of the first book.
Blood and Iron and The Barrow – ARCs of two fantasy novels which are high on my list of most anticipated fantasy novels in 2014. I’m going to have to re-read the first volume of Mark Smylie’s Artesia as well as catch up with the rest of the series before tackling The Barrow, which is based on the world of the graphic novels (Edited to clarify that it’s a standalone though, and not being familiar with the comics won’t stop you from enjoying the book! You know me, I just like to brush up on the setting, not to mention any excuse to read comics!)
The Grendel Affair – the first book of a new urban fantasy series by Lisa Shearin that I got from Ace Books for review. I had a lot of fun with this one, so be sure to keep an eye out for my thoughts in the next week or two!
The Goblin Corps – I had such a good time with Ari Marmell’s Widdershins Adventures series, that Pyr also thought I might enjoy Ari Marmell’s The Goblin Corps. The tagline on the cover of this one reads: “The Few. The Proud. The Obscene.” Hmm, yeah, I think I actually will like this one!
We Are the Goldens – something a little different that I got from the recently-gone-defunct RandomBuzzers. It was a vibrant young adult books community, and I was sad to see it go. Before it shut down though, I had quite a few leftover points to spent on ARCs at their store and I thought this looked like an interesting tale about two sisters.
Primary Fault – I — wait, what? Can it be that I actually didn’t give in to any Kindle Daily Deals or ebook sales these past two weeks? It’s true, my digital pile is just review requests this time. First up is Primary Fault. A supernatural suspense involving magic, geophysics and seismology? Yes, please.
Tales of Jack the Ripper – a review copy and gift from one of the contributing authors Mercedes M. Yardley, whose novella Apocalyptic Montessa and Nuclear Lulu is a book I recently reviewed and very much enjoyed. I can’t tell you how excited I was to receive this! I’ve always had an interest in fiction about The Ripper, and this collection looks to be filled with a wide variety of interesting stories, and I can’t wait to read Yardley’s. As you know, I’m picky about anthologies, but this one grabbed my attention right away.
YA Weekend: World After by Susan Ee
Posted on December 28, 2013 Leave a Comment
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Fantasy
Series: Book 2 of Penryn & the End of Days
Publisher: Skyscape
Date of Publication: November 19, 2013
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Earlier this year I read Angelfall and was very impressed, more than I would’ve expected to be by a young adult paranormal novel which initially appeared quite typical on the surface. Featuring a teenaged female protagonist in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by invading angels, I figured it would do for an entertaining read, but didn’t think it would go beyond covering old ground. I was mistaken, of course! I ended up loving Angelfall for the high quality of the storytelling and fantastic characters, and thank goodness I didn’t discover the book until late summer because that meant much less of a wait for World After, this much anticipated sequel.
The story picks up where Angelfall left off, after the rebels’ attack on the angel stronghold. Penryn had spent most of the last book trying to find her sister and ultimately succeeded in her quest, though little Paige has suffered much at the hands of the enemy and is no longer the girl she used to be. Driven out by the other human survivors that consider her a monster, Paige takes off, leaving Penryn to try and track her down…again.
Meanwhile, the angel Raffe was left scarred in more ways than one in the aftermath of the explosive assault on the Aerie, still hunting his wings that were severed and taken away from him. Penryn is crushed knowing that he still thinks she’s dead, but she has more pressing things on her mind. While working for the resistance and looking for Paige, she discovers a nefarious plot at hand.
After reading World After, I still think Angelfall was a better book, though only by a small margin. The first book was a great debut that set some pretty high standards, and I knew it was going to be tough to beat. Nevertheless, the series continues to impress me with this sequel, which shows no sign of the plot slowing down. That’s what I’ve been loving so much about this story, the fact that there is very little filler and no tedious expounding of the characters’ emotional hangups or pointless dragging out of the romance. Less is more sometimes, and we all know a relationship is what’s shaping up between Penryn and Raffe after all; I didn’t need the extra bells and whistles to still have a great time anticipating the moment when the two of them will be reunited again.
So much of my enjoyment for a book depends on how much I take to the main character, and I think that is the key to why I’m a such fan. In a genre where topics like survival in the post-apocalyptic world (and even angels) have been done six ways to Sunday, Penryn is what makes this series stand out. She is a take-charge leader and a fighter, and the best part is that she is consistent, not switching from a tough girl one moment to a shrinking violet the next. She’s also sassy, but not in an over-confident or obnoxious kind of way. Of course, she is not without her problems, but what’s important is that she doesn’t dwell on them or whine about the things she knows she cannot change.
Basically, Penryn feels like a real person just doing her best to stay alive in a difficult situation, though the events of this book definitely tests her mettle. While she may be resilient, she is not dismissive of her own pain or that of others’. There are some very heart-wrenching moments when Penryn sees what her sister has become and has to struggle to accept her. Indeed, what chance does the human race have, when people are turning on their own, especially on those who have endured the worst? It will also be interesting now to see how Penryn will respond to her deepening feelings towards Raffe. In my experience, nothing changes a YA heroine faster than a burgeoning romance, and here’s hoping Penryn remains the strong female protagonist I know and love!
Book Review: Dragon Age: Asunder by David Gaider
Posted on December 27, 2013 6 Comments
Genre: Dark Fantasy
Series: Dragon Age #3
Publisher: Titan Publishing Company
Publication Date: 2011
Author Info: dgaider.tumblr.com
Wendy’s Rating 3 of 5: Despite the presence of three beloved characters from Dragon Age: Origins and a few amusing moments with them, the characters in Asunder fell flat for me – which is very unusual since I love Gaider’s characterization.
If you’re still clinging to the hope that your Warden and Darkspawn will show up in Dragon Age: Inquisition, this book should remove that silly notion. Darkspawn did make a brief appearance (though sadly, no random ogres) and the Hero of Ferelden is mentioned a few times, but otherwise, Asunder firmly establishes the Mage/Templar War as the new focus of this age.
Taking place a year after Anders blew up the Kirkwall Chantry, things are not particularly good for mages. Not that they were good before, but now a lot of the Circles have been put on lockdown by the templars, with some already sacrificed to the Right of Annulment. Asunder literally takes us deep into the heart of the White Spire, the Orlais Circle, and shows us just how poorly treated the mages are. Even without a war to fuel the templars, mages clearly don’t live a good life within the many of the Circles and we get some insight that was conspicuously missing from Dragon Age II.
First, we meet Cole, vaguely known as the Ghost of the Spire. He spends most of his time in the Pit, where mages are brought for punishment. He is also, apparently, a murderer, but since no one else can see him, blame for the murders falls on Enchanter Rhys, a spirit medium and the only one who can see Cole. Along with the murders, there is also the inconvenience of a mage’s attempted murder of the Divine, the leader of the Chantry. None of this works in Rhys’ favour, so it’s fortunate for him that Enchanter Wynne of Blight fame requests his accompaniment on a special mission ordained by the Divine herself. Wynne’s friend Pharamond, a Tranquil, has been possessed by a demon – something that isn’t supposed to be possible since Tranquils are cut off from their magic. Pharamond’s research may also imply that the Rite of Tranquility can be reversed, which the templars are none too happy about. Knight-Commander Evangeline is sent along with Wynne, Rhys and another mage, Adrian, to assess the situation and do whatever is necessary to protect the templars’ interests.
 |
| Wynne still won’t talk to me about griffons. |
While the templars continue to be painted in a very poor light as they were in the game, Evangeline serves as a counter. She believes in her duty and in the templars, but she does not follow the orders of the Lord Seeker blindly and, most importantly, respects mages as human beings. With this in mind, the outcome of events is not particularly difficult to predict.
One of the things I’ve loved about Gaider’s writing is his characters. I’ve even been able to overlook weak plots just because the characters and their interactions were so well done. Yet despite the presence of three beloved characters from Dragon Age: Origins, the characters in Asunder fall flat. There are some amusing moments with Shale’s snark and Wynne revealing what she’d really been doing while I was busy in the Deep Roads, but otherwise, this was a rather dull journey. It provided some interesting information that I assume will have significant ramifications in the future game. We also get a few hints about what the Orlesian Empress Celene is up to, which I assume will be expanded upon in Dragon Age: The Masked Empire. But overall, I don’t think I would have lost much by just reading the wiki version.
Worlds Without End Women of Genre Fiction Reading Challenge
Posted on December 26, 2013 Leave a Comment
A few months into the year, I discovered Worlds Without End, a site dedicated to critically acclaimed books of genre fiction. The site is a great source of literature, flaunting the motto “We don’t want you to ever have to read a bad book again,” and featuring a booktrackr that identifies where your reads fit on the many lists of great books out there.
This year, WWE featured the Women of Genre Fiction reading challenge, encouraging readers to discover the many books written by female authors. Personally speaking, I choose a book because it intrigues me and sometimes specifically because the author is a person of colour, but I had not chosen books specifically because of the author’s gender. I know some readers discovered their reading collection grossly devoid of female authors and I love that this challenge opened their eyes to all the incredible women who are and always have been writing genre fiction. WWE’s reviews certainly reflect that now, thanks to this challenge.
As it turns out, I already had several books by female authors under my belt, but the challenge introduced me to so many more. Not all of them ended up as part of my challenge, but a lot of them definitely ended up in my to-be-read pile. And now that I’m finished this challenge, I can’t wait to find out what next year’s challenge will be!
~WENDY
I’ve always lived by the tenet: “Read what you’re interested in…but also keep an open mind.” You’ll never know what you’re missing unless you encourage yourself to experience things, and that is what I love about Worlds Without End’s Women of Genre Fiction reading challenge.
I believe there will always be a place for challenges like these, for they introduce us to new books by authors we’ve never read before. More importantly, they also ensure that the speculative fiction by talented women do not go ignored — because sometimes, readers might not even realize they are doing it.
Throughout the years, I’ve always maintained a reading list with a good mix of books by authors of both genders, but participating in the challenge was still important for me. For one, it was a lot of fun — trying out new authors always is, as well as getting the opportunity to procure more books — and I also finally got to read many of the titles that have been on my to-read list for a while. All in all, I would say this challenge was a great success.
~MOGSY
The Gift of Reading
Posted on December 25, 2013 Leave a Comment
My children are, thankfully, healthy. That gives me all the more reason to support Sick Kids Hospital. My heart forever goes out to those who are not as fortunate as I, and so, this is one of two charities I support regularly with monthly contributions, as well as participating in events like Extra Life on an annual basis.
My daughters get to choose a charity to support each year at Christmas and what subsequent gift to give. They chose Sick Kids Hospital and selected the option to share our love of reading.
“Children use the Reading Room to escape from their daily and sometimes difficult hospital routine. Around the holidays children really love to read all the winter classics that we all love. Story-time and book delivery service, where books are delivered right to the children in their hospital bed, are just a couple of the children’s favourite services you can help support. Your gift may help provide a child with hours of enjoyment during their hospital stay and will help fund popular and classic books of all kinds – in different languages, on tape, and for all reading levels.”
On behalf of my family, and on behalf of my co-bloggers, Tiara and Mogsy and their families, I hope that the holidays are good to you and yours and wish you the very best for the new year. 🙂
Waiting on Wednesday 12/25/13
Posted on December 25, 2013 Leave a Comment
“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!
Because as Winter Knight to the Queen of Air and Darkness, Harry never knows what the scheming Mab might want him to do. Usually, it’s something awful.
He doesn’t know the half of it….
Mab has just traded Harry’s skills to pay off one of her debts. And now he must help a group of supernatural villains—led by one of Harry’s most dreaded and despised enemies, Nicodemus Archleone—to break into the highest-security vault in town so that they can then access the highest-security vault in the Nevernever.
It’s a smash-and-grab job to recover the literal Holy Grail from the vaults of the greatest treasure hoard in the supernatural world—which belongs to the one and only Hades, Lord of the freaking Underworld and generally unpleasant character. Worse, Dresden suspects that there is another game afoot that no one is talking about. And he’s dead certain that Nicodemus has no intention of allowing any of his crew to survive the experience. Especially Harry.
Dresden’s always been tricky, but he’s going to have to up his backstabbing game to survive this mess—assuming his own allies don’t end up killing him before his enemies get the chance….”
Book Review: The Troop by Nick Cutter
Posted on December 24, 2013 Leave a Comment
Genre: Horror
Series: Stand-alone
Publisher: Gallery Books
Date of Publication: January 7, 2014
Author Information: Website
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! I love delving into the horror genre every now and then, and I have to say the description on The Troop sold me right away. Something about being stranded in an isolated area like the woods or on a lonely island just invokes a primal kind of fear in my heart, the idea that no one can hear you scream when the stuff of nightmares comes to life around you.
Of course, for me the icing on the cake is that this book is written by a Canadian author (Nick Cutter is the pen name of Craig Davidson, according to the copyright details) and takes place in Canada, in a sleepy town off the coast of Prince Edward Island to be exact. A bucolic maritime province, P.E.I. is known for its fisheries, tourism and potatoes, and I’ll always remember it in my mind as a place of lush landscapes and gorgeous coastlines. That said, the contrasting effects created by juxtaposing this setting alongside the horrific things that happen in this book is probably what made it even more terrifying.
When I’m reading, there are two parts to being scared. First, there are the descriptive details that appeal to my senses — the sight of gore, the smell of blood, the taste of vomit on the back of a frightened character’s throat, etc. Also known as the gross-out factor, I think I can safely say that this book did that very well. Still, I find many authors are able to write very descriptively, but simply making me feel nauseous and disgusted is only half of the picture.
This is where the second part comes in, which is more abstract and subjective. For me to be truly creeped out, there has to be that factor of suspense; the horror novelist has to strike me with that sense of dread which makes me want to keep turning the pages and not want to at the same time. I’m happy to report that The Troop succeeded in this as well, artfully combining the two parts to make this reading the book a truly unnerving horror experience.
A big part of this is of course the idea behind the story — a Scoutmaster and his troop of five scouts being abandoned on a small deserted island to fend for themselves against an unknown infection. Reading about the boys and their interactions, I can’t help but be reminded of Stephen King and the easy camaraderie he usually has between the adolescent characters in his stories. I always think it’s so much more disturbing when a horror novel stars teenagers, because their behaviors are that much more unpredictable. The boys’ minds have not reached full maturity, and this leads to a lot of unsettling things happening, especially given the wide range of personalities present in The Troop. Being kids and scouts, their first inclination is to help others in need, and the fact this natural drive is exploited by the contagious threat is what made the book even more chilling.
You can kind of tell that the author delights in doing this to the reader as well, as the writing in the horror scenes seem to come off more naturally and elegantly than the other parts. Believe it or not, the introduction was the toughest section for me to get through, since the narratives of the Scoutmaster and the boys felt very awkward, rough and unfocused before finally smoothing out after the first few chapters. It’s like the book doesn’t settle into its groove until the horror parts are underway, but once it does the momentum just builds and builds and doesn’t stop! I was on pins and needles right up to the end.
The BiblioSanctum 