Bookshelf Roundup 12/04/22: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on December 4, 2022 19 Comments
Bookshelf Roundup is a feature I do every weekend which fills the role of several blog memes, like Stacking the Shelves where I talk about the new books I’ve added to my library or received for review, as well as It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? where I summarize what I’ve finished reading in the last week and what I’m planning to read soon. Mostly it also serves as a recap post, so sometimes I’ll throw in stuff like reading challenge progress reports, book lists, and other random bookish thoughts or announcements.
Received for Review
My thanks to the publishers and authors for the following review copies received, and be sure to click the links to their Goodreads pages for more details and full descriptions!
A quick update this week! Big thanks to Orbit Books for review copies of The Cuckoo by Leo Carew and The Ivory Tomb by Melissa Caruso. Both are third books of their respective series, which I’m excited to continue.
With thanks to Penguin Workshop, I also received a review copy of Deadly Hearts by Michael Burgan, a middle grade nonfiction book featuring sixteen biographies of history’s most dangerous people. My daughter snatched this one up as soon as it arrived and read it in a single evening. In case you missed it, here’s her review!
Thank you also to Tordotcom for sending me an ARC of Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh. I’ve read and enjoyed her The Greenhollow Duology, so I’m looking forward to see what this one has in store.
It’s the first week of the month so I also picked up a few new listening copies. Courtesy of Hachette Audio, I received an ALC of Children of Memory by Adrian Tchaikovsky, the third installment of the Children of Time series. I loved the first two books, so here’s hoping this one will also be awesome. From Macmillan Audio, I also received All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham. I adored her book A Flicker in the Dark so I am beyond excited for this! And finally, thank you to Simon & Schuster Audio for a listening copy of A History of Fear by Luke Dumas, which sounds like an intense horror thriller.
Reviews
Deadly Hearts by Michael Burgan (5 of 5 stars) (Guest Review)
Flight Risk by Cherie Priest (4 of 5 stars)
Reckoning by W. Michael Gear (4 of 5 stars)
Roundup Hightlights:
What I’ve Been Reading
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!
Guest Review: Deadly Hearts by Michael Burgan
Posted on December 3, 2022 21 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher. This does not affect the contents of this review, and all opinions belong to the reviewer.
Today we have another guest review by my daughter Alexis, a fifth grader who would like to share with you her thoughts on Deadly Hearts: History’s Most Dangerous People by Michael Burgan with illustrations by Karl James Mountford. The following is her review, edited only for grammar and clarity, with my own notes added at the end.
Deadly Hearts by Michael Burgan, illustrated by Karl James Mountford
Alexis’ Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Genre: Middle Grade, History, Biography
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Penguin Workshop (December 27, 2022)
Length: 144 pages
Author Information: Website
Deadly Hearts by Michael Burgan is a history book about the world’s most dangerous people. Some are conquerors and some are mass murderers, but basically to be in this book, you have to have caused the deaths of many people. I’m usually into fiction, but when my mom asked if I wanted to read this, I said yes because it looked very interesting and gory, and I like history and dark stuff.
It didn’t turn out like I expected. It was better. The book had a lot more dangerous people in it than I thought, and there was more information than I thought. I learned a lot about history. There were sixteen biographies, some of them I’ve heard of before, others I haven’t.
For the people that were new to me, I was most fascinated by Elizabeth Bathory, who captured young girls, tortured them, and then bathed in their blood because she thought it would keep her young forever. I also liked learning about Attila the Hun, who ruled a whole empire by burning and killing his way across the continent. Before I read this book, I had also never heard of Pol Pot, who caused the deaths of millions of his own people.
I also found out a lot more about the people that I’ve already heard of, like Vlad the Impaler. I didn’t know he inspired Dracula. I’ve also heard of Alexander the Great and knew that he was a great conqueror but didn’t know that his father helped him a lot with his education and his army. My favorite historical subject is World War II, so I was also not surprised to see that Adolf Hitler was included in this book.
One thing I wish is that the biographies were a little longer. Many of them were only five or six pages long, and I wish it told you more details on how the person died. When I got curious, I had to ask my mom or look it up on my own. Did you know Robespierre was killed by guillotine which was the same way he executed others? Or that Tomas de Torquemada was one of the few people in this book who died of old age? Or that Atilla the Hun died on his wedding night by choking on his own nosebleed? This all would have been good to have in the book.
I really liked the illustrations. They were very detailed and gave me a better vision of the people and what was being described in their biographies. I don’t scare easily, or this book would have disturbed me more, but I think the level of detail was just right. It talked about the deadly things the people did, but these were mostly just a few paragraphs or so. Most of it was focused on their backgrounds and families and how they grew up and not really on gore. But I would still recommend this for more mature middle schoolers.
I liked this book so much, when I finished it I gave it to my reading and writing teacher, because I know she likes history. I give Deadly Hearts five stars.
Alexis
Note: When I showed my daughter this book, she promptly snatched it from my hands and started reading, and did not stop until she was finished which was merely a few hours later. While I’d suspected Deadly Hearts would be right up her alley, it still surprised me how much she took to this book, considering how these days she’s reading mostly fiction.
For those curious, the full list of dangerous people featured in this book is as follows: Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Attila the Hun, Genghis Khan, Tomas de Torquemada, Vlad the Impaler, Hernan Cortes, Queen Mary I of England, Ivan the Terrible, Elizabeth Bathory, Maximilien Robespierre, Queen Ranavalona I of Madagascar, King Leopold II of Belgium, Adolf Hitler, Idi Amin Dada, and Pol Pot.
All the biographies were written in a style that was objective, factually driven, and meant to inform. But as you can imagine, some of the details in them can be quite dark. My daughter has always been a more mature reader, both in her personality and her reading level, so I knew she’d process the information just fine, but just be aware that although the publisher/Amazon lists the reading level of Deadly Hearts at ages 8-12, I would probably recommend this for the higher end of that range.
Audiobook Review: Flight Risk by Cherie Priest
Posted on December 1, 2022 18 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Mystery, Fantasy
Series: Book 2 of The Booking Agents
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio (November 15, 2022)
Length: 9 hrs and 18 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Ulka Simone Mohanty, Timothy Andrés Pabon
Flight Risk may be the second novel of The Booking Agents series, but protagonist Leda Foley is certainly spending a lot less time at her day job as a travel agent these days. Instead, she has taken to moonlighting as a private investigator, hoping to use the psychic angle as a way to drum up more side business. Her powers had proved helpful before, when she was a consultant for the Seattle police helping detective Grady Merritt solve a crime that had been stymying him, and this time, she might have even gotten a jump on them with her new case. Recently, a man had approached Leda asking for assistance in finding his sister. The woman had been gone for a month and her scum bucket of a husband hadn’t even reported her missing, and now her brother fears the worst.
Meanwhile, out on the remote trails of Mount Rainier, Grady has been frantically searching for his lost dog Cairo, who had wandered off the path while on a hiking trip a few days before. He eventually finds the wayward pet, but not without another surprise. Somewhere along on his adventure, Cairo had picked up a souvenir—a man’s severed leg. But who did it belong to? And where was the rest of them? As Grady sets off to find these answers, he is surprised to learn of a connection to Leda’s missing person case.
Cherie Priest is a very versatile author, and I’ve read everything from her young adult fiction to her steampunk and horror. But this series is probably my favorite of her projects yet. There’s an oddball quality to The Booking Agents that I wouldn’t have expected from the author, but she tackles the humor and quirkiness like she was born to it. The characters are lovably eccentric, the stories just plain fun. Following in the footsteps of Grave Reservations, this sequel doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that’s quite honestly one of the most appealing traits about these books because I know I can pick them up and enjoy myself no matter what.
The plot of Flight Risk is also intriguing but also has this light-hearted cozy quality to it so you know things won’t get too dark—chewed up, dismembered body parts notwithstanding. In fact, most of what I loved about the first book carried into this one, not the least of these being the paranormal elements. Leda’s psychic powers remain a prominent focus, playing an even stronger role in almost every single step of the case. The characters have taken to calling them her “woo-woo vibes” which I thought was charming and hilarious, and of course I’m thrilled to report Klairvoyant Karaoke is also back! Oh how I wish that was truly a thing.
And if the mystery wasn’t as tightly knit in this sequel, at least the character development more than makes up for it. A regular cast has been established at this point, and so far, I’m having a blast with the interplay between the different personalities and all the quick and witty conversations coming out of these interesting dynamics. Leda and Grady’s partnership has become the cornerstone of this series and it is currently one built upon a foundation of friendship and professional respect. Readers hoping for a romance will be disappointed, but I for one found this to be a breath of fresh air.
I also returned to the audio format for Flight Risk, after the amazing experience I had with the audiobook of Grave Reservations. Ulka Simone Mohanty reprises her role as narrator while Timothy Andres Pabon joins in this time as well for Grady’s chapters, a much welcome addition to bring out the energy in characters and their affable relationship. I hope there will be a third book, and I definitely wouldn’t hesitate to grab the audiobook again.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of Grave Reservations (Book 1)
#ScifiMonth Waiting on Wednesday 11/30/22
Posted on November 30, 2022 7 Comments
Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme that first originated at Breaking the Spine but has since linked up with “Can’t Wait Wednesday” at Wishful Endings now that the original creator is unable to host it anymore. Either way, this fun feature is a chance to showcase the upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!
Mogsy’s Pick
Hopeland by Ian McDonald (February 14, 2023 by Tor Books)
“A time-traveling, futuristic saga of a family trying to outlast and remake a universe with a power unlike any we’ve seen before.
When Raisa Hopeland, determined to win her race to become the next electromancer of London, bumps into Amon Brightbourne–tweed-suited, otherworldly, guided by the Grace–in the middle of a London riot, she sets in motion a series of events which will span decades, continents and a series of events which will change the world.
From rioting London to geothermal Iceland to the climate-struck islands of Polynesia, from birth to life to death, from tranquillity to terror to joy, Raisa’s journey will encompass the world. But one thing will always be true.
Hopeland is family–and family is dangerous.”
* All SciFi Month artwork courtesy of Simon Fetscher.
#SciFiMonth Book Review: Reckoning by W. Michael Gear
Posted on November 28, 2022 17 Comments
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Book 6 of Donovan
Publisher: DAW (October 25, 2022)
Length: 512 pages
Author Information: Website
Welcome to Donovan. Every new book introduces fresh meat for the planet to chew up and spit out, and Reckoning was no exception. This sixth volume of the series opens with the return of the Turalon, a ship carrying the representatives of the Corporation and members of some of the most powerful families back in the solar system. The word is out that Donovan is teeming with natural resources, and the rich are looking to get richer by getting their slice of that pie. This leaves Board Supervisor Kalico Aguila in the unenviable position of trying to keep all the newcomers alive once they arrive on-planet, while babysitting some massive egos. And of course, none seem to be taking the dangers of Donovan seriously, to her great dismay.
One of the passengers is Falise Taglioni, sister of Dek Taglioni who had come to Donovan years ago. Her plan is to snatch up Donovan for her family before any of her rivals can stake a claim, and that involves first finding her brother and then bending him to her will. However, unbeknownst to Falise, Dek had become assimilated into his new home, living in the bush. When the siblings unite, she’s certain to be in for a shock. Also onboard is Inspector General Soukup of the Corporation who has come to investigate reports that their once loyal subject Kalico Aguila has broken her contract and must be brought back to answer for her transgressions, bringing along Colonel Creamer and his team of Marines to keep the peace.
If you’ve come this far with the series, you should know what to expect by now. The major cast of Donovan remains largely unchanged planetside, with Kalico and Port Authority security head Talina Perez keeping the town running smoothly. Then there’s the quetzal-bonded teenager Kylee Simonov who has reluctantly come in from the wilderness to take care of a wounded friend. Dek has come into town as well to await the arrivals from Turalon, as it’s always fun times watching the “soft meat” get their first taste of Donovan—especially when one of them is your sister.
Things are always changing on Donovan, as evidenced by all the people always coming and going. In many cases, they are also dying, falling prey to the planet’s deadly fauna and flora. In that sense, Reckoning is another welcome addition to the series. It’s a familiar refrain, after all.
Perhaps that is why the previous book, Adrift, has become my favorite in the series. It offered something a little different, taking readers to the oceans of Donovan and switching gears to follow the characters of the doomed Maritime Unit. Reckoning was a return to Port Authority that also felt like a return to status quo, and although I was glad to be back with the PA crew again, there was also a part of me that missed the action, the exploration and the adventure. Plus, there’s just no denying Adrift was one of hell of a book to follow-up.
But lest you think I was disappointed with Reckoning, I really wasn’t. Sure, it was one of the more understated installments of this series with a story that was smaller in scope and less complex, but we did get to see more development in our core characters and their relationships. It was also an opportunity to take a step back and really see how Donovan has affected their lives and changed the way they looked at the world, and how the community of Port Authority as a whole has evolved. Take Kalico Aguila, for example, the woman who came to Donovan to rule it with an iron fist on behalf of the Corporation, but “found herself” instead—along with a new respect for the planet. In the process, she has also won the love and admiration of the citizens of Port Authority, every one of whom would fight to keep the Corporation from taking her away.
The point is, even when a new Donovan book comes out with a more low-key plot, there’s still a lot about it to enjoy. Those who come to Donovan and survive are changed by the experience; we’ve seen this time and time again and there’s at least one character that this happens to in Reckoning, a character I hope we’ll see more of in the future. The series doesn’t seem to be losing any steam yet and I think W. Michael Gear still has a lot more ideas for Donovan in store, so I’m liking my chances.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of Outpost (Book 1)
Review of Abandoned (Book 2)
Review of Pariah (Book 3)
Review of Unreconciled (Book 4)
Review of Adrift (Book 5)
Bookshelf Roundup 11/27/22: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on November 27, 2022 20 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.
To my readers in the US, I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I’m still trying to fight off this turkey coma to come back to reality, but definitely feeling thankful this weekend for everything good in my life. I just love this time of the year!
Received for Review
My thanks to the publishers and authors for the following review copies received, and be sure to click the links to their Goodreads pages for more details and full descriptions!
A quick update this week, but we have some very exciting new arrivals. First up, my thanks to Orbit Books for an ARC of The Foxglove King by Hannah Whitten, the first in her new series called The Nightshade Kingdom. I should probably catch up with her other series first, but still very excited about this one! Thank you also to Inkyard Press for a review copy of The Poison Season by Mara Rutherford, a fairytale inspired YA fantasy. I’m just utterly mesmerized by that pretty cover…
With thanks also to Del Rey for sending me an ARC of Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett. You might recall I featured this one in a recent Waiting on Wednesday, so as you can imagine how giddy I was when it showed up. And huge thanks to Tordotcom for the arrival of an ARC of Dead Country by Max Gladstone. This is a new story set in the same universe as the author’s Craft sequence and I’m really looking forward to returning to that world.
Only one audiobook for review this week. Thank you to Brilliance Audio for a listening copy of The Widow by Kaira Rouda. I can always count on her domestic thrillers being completely insane so I think I’m going to have a lot of fun with this one!
Reviews
All the Blood We Share by Camilla Bruce (4 of 5 stars)
The Stars Undying by Emery Robin (3.5 of 5 stars)
Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six by Lisa Unger (3 of 5 stars)
Station Eternity by Mur Lafferty (2 of 5 stars)
What I’ve Been Reading
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!
Audiobook Review: All The Blood We Share by Camilla Bruce
Posted on November 26, 2022 16 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
All The Blood We Share by Camilla Bruce
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Historical Fiction, Horror
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Penguin Audio (November 22, 2022)
Length: 11 hrs and 11 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrators: Teri Clark Linden, Cindy Piller, Michael Crouch
Thank you, Camilla Bruce, for once again introducing me to a gruesome piece of American history with All the Blood We Share, a novel based on the Bloody Benders. This family of serial killers purportedly killed more a dozen travelers while operating a general store and inn on the Kansas frontier from 1871 to 1872, and to this day their fate remains unknown. Combining real events with ideas from her own imagination, Bruce’s latest historical horror drama offers up a riveting take on what could have really happened.
As the story opens, Kate Bender and her mother Elvira are in the middle of making the long dusty journey from their old farm in Pennsylvania to their new homestead on the Kansas prairie. Things are tense between the two women, though at this point all we know is that they are fleeing from the law. Elvira clearly blames Kate for putting them into this situation, but the younger woman only sees opportunity. An aspiring spiritualist, Kate has big dreams of making a name for herself as a famous clairvoyant and isn’t about to let this latest hiccup in their lives—or her mother’s harping—derail her ambitions.
Meanwhile, at their destination in Cherryvale, Kate’s stepfather William Bender and his son John are preparing their newly staked property and getting it ready to receive the women. Unbeknownst to Elvira, who only wishes to lie low, her husband has other plans, fixing up their home to take in some money as a traveler’s rest stop and lodging. At a nearby trading post, a young boy named Hanson observes all of this activity and offers the Benders some help in getting their business set up, forming an even stronger bond with the family once Kate and Elvira arrive.
But getting established on the frontier takes time and money, and the Benders are getting impatient. Soon, lone travelers passing through Cherryvale start going missing, causing dark rumors about the Benders to circulate amongst the townsfolk. Never one to keep a low profile though, Kate remains intent on making waves and seeking fame, to the consternation of her mother who is doing her best to hold the family together even as their bloodlust rages on.
Much like how the author’s previous novel Witch in the Well was more akin to the paranormal horror stylings of her book You Let Me In, this one was more in keeping with the genre traditions and tone of her other historical novel about a notorious serial killer, In the Garden of Spite. So if you enjoyed that book, there is a strong chance you will like this one too. As well, I’ve come to the realization that I love the way Bruce writes her killer women; their personalities are just so strong and powerful, yet also so diabolical and completely insane! While much of the story unfolds though the eyes of Kate, Elvira, and Hanson, it is the first’s devious and deliciously unreliable POV that really stole the spotlight. Kate has a clear vision of the future all planned out for herself, and she’s not beneath lying, cheating, manipulating, or even killing to get what she wants. Woe to anyone who dares stand in her way.
On a wider and more general scope, All the Blood We Share is also about family ties, as the title suggests. The Benders have a saying: “We take care of our own.” Even as Kate chafes against her mother’s disapproving gaze, she’s aware she can never escape the blood ties that bind them. Historically, we know the Benders committed a number of heinous murders together, some of which were portrayed in this book in vivid, grisly detail. Hence, while this might not be classified as horror in the traditional sense, there are enough of these uncomfortable, distressing sequences that if you are a reader with a weak stomach, you might want to reconsider picking this up.
Additionally, knowing that Bruce had to work around true events while still managing to work in her own flare and ideas makes this novel even more impressive. The setting too was convincing and intensely atmospheric, evoking the old west vibe. Even though it is a mystery what ultimately happened to the Bloody Benders, the book also delivered an ending that was surprising yet still realistic and satisfying. If you have a penchant for historicals—especially historical crime fiction—you will definitely want to read All the Blood We Share.
Audiobook Comments: A great listen with fantastic performances by the narrators who brought the characters to life, especially Kate and Hanson.
#ScifiMonth Audiobook Review: Station Eternity by Mur Lafferty
Posted on November 25, 2022 19 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Station Eternity by Mur Lafferty
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 2 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Book 1 of The Midsolar Murders
Publisher: Penguin Audio (October 4, 2022)
Length: 15 hrs and 32 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Sarah Mollo-Christensen
Believe me, it gives me no pleasure to say this, but…what a mess! I came to Station Eternity after having enjoyed Mur Lafferty’s Six Wakes even knowing this one will be completely different. I’d thought I was ready for just about anything and yet, nothing could have prepared me for this utter disaster of a book. Not only was the plot all over the place, the storytelling and writing itself was choppy and disorganized which shocked me because this has never been the case in my previous experience with the author’s work.
Our story begins with an introduction to protagonist Mallory Viridian who is currently living in self-imposed exile on Eternity, a sentient alien space station that has only ever allowed a few humans aboard. Mallory had a good reason to leave Earth though. Everywhere she goes, she seems to attract death as people close to her tend to die in bizarre murders, and it got to be so frequent that Mallory has even become something of an expert at solving them. Many of these cases have also gone on to inspire her to write a series of mystery novels that she publishes under a pen name, but at some point, the guilt got to be too much. Mallory figured the only way to put a stop to the murders happening around her was to remove herself from society all together.
But now, Eternity has suddenly and inexplicably decided to allow more humans visitors, which is a problem. So far, aliens on the station haven’t appeared to be affected by her presence, but Mallory feels concern for the humans on the inbound shuttle, fearing that once they arrive, the deaths around her will start up once more. Her only solution is to run away, but before she can even work out a way off station, disaster strikes, sending Eternity into chaos. Just as Mallory feared, the bodies are piling up again—this time both human and alien—and escape is longer an option. Left with no other choice, Mallory will have to work with her friend Xan Morgan and their alien allies to solve the case before they too join the list of casualties.
At first, I was actually really enjoying this book. Sure, it felt like a bit of an oddball, and I could immediately tell this would be nothing like Six Wakes but still, this was the kind of different I didn’t mind at all. I also liked the setting of a sentient space station, and the whole backstory of alien first contact. Basically, the far more advanced coalition of alien races didn’t trust humanity, so they set up Eternity but barred any humans from setting foot on it, save for only a handful of exceptions—one of them being a single human ambassador; another being Xan who had requested asylum; and Mallory, who essentially traded room and board in exchange for being a human test subject for the wasp-like aliens called the Sundry. As you’ve probably already guessed, our protagonist is something of an oddball as well, but at this early stage of the novel I was still willing to give her a chance to win me over.
Everything was going well until the part where the humans arrived, which was supposed to be when things got good. Instead, this was the moment the story began its downward spiral towards catastrophe. The list of POV characters exploded out of control, bringing in side characters that we’ll eventually find out how they are connected to Mallory but the pathways that ultimately get us there were so convoluted and meandering that it ruined the effect. At this point, Station Eternity became less of a mystery and more of just a mishmash of seemingly random stories that killed the story’s pacing and any kind of cogency. It became exhausting being shuffled to one character’s POV to the next especially when I didn’t care about any of them, and whenever we did return to Mallory, I found her personality grating and unpleasant. While the book began with a good sense of humor, I was feeling none of it by the time all these threads came together. In fact, it was almost a relief when the end came in sight; I was just glad the book was over.
Bottom line, I give Station Eternity credit for trying to be fun and outside-the-box, but the execution left a lot to the desired and I’m sorry to say this did not work for me at all. I’ll probably still check out more of Mur Lafferty’s work in the future, but I’m afraid when it comes to this series, I’m calling it quits right here.
Thriller Thursday Audio: Secluded Cabin Sleep Six by Lisa Unger
Posted on November 24, 2022 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.
Secluded Cabin Sleep Six by Lisa Unger
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 3 of 5 stars
Genre: Thriller, Mystery
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: HarperAudio (November 8, 2022)
Length: 12 hrs and 20 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Vivienne Leheny
Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six is one of those wild thrillers that make me wish I had a flowchart to explain everything to me at the end! This being my first book by Lisa Unger, I can see why her work would have such wide appeal with their fast-paced plotlines and entertaining twists, though admittedly I think I was more in love with the premise of this story than I was with the actual experience of reading it. Towards the end, things got a little too messy and convoluted, and I dislike mysteries that deliberately withhold important information that would have otherwise been revealed naturally.
Still, I make it no secret how much I enjoy locked-room type thrillers set in remote, chilly places where our hapless characters are cut off from any kind of assistance. For this reason, I was drawn to Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six which follows three couples on what was supposed to be their dream getaway weekend to a luxury cabin in the woods. Hannah and Bruce, who recently welcomed their first child, were at first reluctant to make the trip given how young their daughter was. But Hannah’s older brother Mako and his wife Liza had spared no expense when renting this high-end cabin complete with spectacular views and gourmet meals prepared by a professional chef, and Hannah figured she and her husband could use this opportunity to reconnect romantically without having to worry about the baby who they will be leaving with her in-laws. In addition to the two couples, there is also family friend Cricket who is bringing along her new boyfriend Joshua, whom no one has met before, but Hannah can tell the relationship is getting serious from the way her friend gushes about him.
As you would expect though, once our three couples get to the cabin, their initial excitement is quickly extinguished by a host of problems, not the least of them being a bad storm rolling in, downing a tree and trapping the guests with no power, cellular reception, or any way off the mountain. When one of them go missing and blood is found in one of their rooms, panic ensues, reigniting bitter grudges and forcing long-buried secrets out into the open.
And then there is another storyline which introduces Henry, who is just a child when we meet him at the start of the book. We follow his tragic life as he grows up trying to figure out where he came from, even as readers are trying to figure out who he is and how he fits into this picture. Revealing more about Henry will risk giving away spoilers so I’m just going to leave it at that, though I will say the two threads eventually converge and once that happens, that’s when we start getting answers.
Clearly from the book’s description we’re not breaking new ground with this all too familiar premise, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, how I wish the plot had been simpler and more straightforward. As it is, there are too many characters to follow and at least a couple different timelines to keep track of, and it didn’t help that Unger kept certain details deliberately close to the vest, which resulted in some side plots that seemingly went nowhere, but conveniently it helped her in establishing all the red herrings and leading readers down wrong paths.
Needless to say, I prefer mysteries that unfold more organically without resorting to contrived tricks, so the final resolution when it came felt a bit like a copout. That said, I won’t deny Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six was entertaining and boy did it move damn fast! It’s got it all—a twisty plot that thunders along at a breakneck pace, an intriguing setting with creepy vibes, and a cast of too-rich-for -their-own-good characters you just love to hate. Be prepare too to suspend your disbelief and brace yourself for some over-the-top moments. But then that’s part of the fun of this genre, isn’t it?
And on that note, if you are experienced with thrillers, I would recommend the audiobook. The sheer number of characters makes the audio format less ideal and hard to follow if you’re not used to multiple story threads and characters, especially when there’s only one narrator. However, Vivienne Leheny delivered a great performance, considering the many voices involved. Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six was a decent listen, and I would be open to checking out more of Lisa Unger’s books if their descriptions interest me.
#ScifiMonth Waiting on Wednesday 11/23/22
Posted on November 23, 2022 9 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
Capture the Sun by Jessie Mihalik (June 20, 2023 by HarperVoyager)
While this one is billed as the conclusion to the Starlight’s Shadow trilogy, technically all the books in the series can be read as standalones. And a good thing too, because I still need to get caught up with the second book (on my list to read for Sci-Fi Month, hopefully I’ll be able to squeeze it in before the end of November). The thing I love most about Jessie Mihalik’s books is that they’re unapologetically romance, so they typically make for great mood reads when you’re just down for a bit of fun.
“Acclaimed author Jessie Mihalik returns with the thrilling conclusion to her Starlight’s Shadow trilogy. An intergalactic thief must join forces with the charming teleporter who stole her last job–and may now be her only hope for saving her former crew.
As a recovery specialist, Lexi Bowen’s jobs typically require more trickery and thievery than honest work. Her former captain might not approve of her flexible morals, but stealing artifacts for rich assholes pays the bills, and Lexi’s had enough of war and death. The FHP left her to die once; she doesn’t plan to give them a chance to finish the job.
Unfortunately, her latest contract takes her to Valovia itself–and right back into the orbit of Nilo Shoren, a Valovian teleporter who already cost her one payday and nearly stole her heart.
Armored against his clever charm, Lexi plans to get in, get the job done, and get out. But when her former crew goes missing in Valovian space, Lexi will have to work with Nilo to figure out what happened–and stop it–before the galaxy’s two superpowers can use the disappearance as an excuse to return to war.”
* All SciFi Month artwork courtesy of Simon Fetscher.
The BiblioSanctum 