Bookshelf Roundup: 02/05/22: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on February 5, 2022 16 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!
Starting this week with a trio of middle grade titles with thanks to Simon & Schuster. From their children’s imprint Aladdin, I received a finish copy of City Spies: Forbidden City by James Ponti. I’ve been reading this one to my kids before bed each night and we’re all enjoying it a lot; a review will be posted soon after we’re done. From the publisher’s McElderberry imprint, I also received a review copy of Wilderlore: The Weeping Tide by Amanda Foody, which my girls and I are probably going to read next. My oldest daughter loves marine biology and reading about sea creatures, so I think this one’s going to be amazing for her. And lastly from the publisher I also received a finished copy of Spy School: The Graphic Novel by Stuart Gibbs. The story and artwork look so fun, I’ll probably check this one out myself soon.
Moving on to more adult fare, with thanks to Redhook for a review copy of The Great Witch of Brittany by Louisa Morgan. I’m a big fan of her previous “witchy” books, so I can’t wait to dive into this one later this month. I’m also very excited about Locklands by Robert Jackson Bennett which is book three of The Founders trilogy, and I’m looking forward to reading the conclusion. My thanks to Del Rey for the ARC. And last but not least, thank you to Tor Books for a review copy of The Thousand Eyes by A.K. Larkwood, sequel to The Unspoken Name. I very much enjoyed reading about the orc assassin Csorwe in the first book, and would love to continue the series to see where it takes her next.
In the digital haul, with thanks to Macmillan Audio for an ALC of The Deepest of Secrets by Kelley Armstrong, book seven of her Rockton series which I love so much that I started this one right away! Courtesy of Simon & Schuster Audio I also received listening copies of a couple books I’ve been looking forward to, the epic fantasy Scorpica by G.R. Macallister and the horror-thriller Beneath the Stairs by Jennifer Fawcett.
Reviews
Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead by Elle Cosimano (4 stars)
Deep Dive by Ron Walters (4 stars)
Evershore by Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson (4 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!
Friday Face-Off: Grey
Posted on February 4, 2022 12 Comments
Welcome to The Friday Face-Off, a weekly meme created by Books by Proxy! Each Friday, we will pit cover against cover while also taking the opportunity to showcase gorgeous artwork and feature some of our favorite book covers. If you want to join the fun, simply choose a book each Friday that fits that week’s predetermined theme, post and compare two or more different covers available for that book, then name your favorite. A list of future weeks’ themes are available at Lynn’s Book Blog.
This week’s theme is:
“Brooding and dull like a cloudy sky”
~ a cover that is GREY
The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson
Sixteen-year-old Immanuelle hails from a shepherding family in the small isolated village of Bethel. Here, the people live in a closely-knit but insular community, following the word of the Father and a body of strict rules and laws based on the Holy Protocol. Still, the problem for Immanuelle is that her very existence is anathema to everything her society stands for. The product of her mother’s scandalous union with an outsider, our protagonist had been branded an interloper the moment she was born. One day, on the way home from the market, Immanuelle accidentally wanders into the forbidden woods surrounding the village, which are said to be filled with dark magic and evil spirits. After a terrifying encounter with witches, a curse is unleashed upon Bethel, putting everyone in it in grave danger.
Let’s take a look at the covers:
From left to right:
Ace (2020) – Bantam Press (2020) – Corgi (2021)
Portuguese Edition (2021) – Russian Edition (2021) – Hungarian Edition (2021)
Winner:
I think we have a tie this week between the only two editions that prominently feature the character on the cover. I just find the others too bland for my tastes!
But what do you think? Which one is your favorite?
Thursday Thriller Audio: Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead by Elle Cosimano
Posted on February 3, 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.
Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead by Elle Cosimano
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Series: Book 2 of Finlay Donovan
Publisher: Macmillan Audio (February 1, 2022)
Length: 9 hrs and 20 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Angela Dawe
Last year Elle Cosimano gave me my most entertaining read of 2011 with Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, and I simply could not wait to dive into the sequel! This time, our eponymous heroine is once more up to her shenanigans, all the while trying to finish her next novel and raise her two young kids by herself. After everything that’s happened, she’d thought her troubles with her scummy ex-husband Steven were behind her, but as it turns out, things are far from over.
On an online message board, an anonymous user has insinuated that they would be willing to pay a hundred thousand dollars to anyone who would permanently dispose of Steven, and another user, again using suggestive language, appears to have accepted the contract. A liar and a cheat he may be, but Steven is still the father of her children, who adore him. Plus, as badly as their marriage ended, Finlay doesn’t want to see him dead. Still, if she went public with information about the forum, that might lead to some difficult questions about how she got involved in the world of contract killers and the mob in the first place, so going to the police was out. That just leaves the option of taking care of it by herself, with help from her friend/nanny/partner-in-crime Vero, who also has her own secrets.
From there, the situation only gets wilder and more incredible, rapidly spiraling out of control for our two leading women, which meant and uproarious time for me. I love how this series doesn’t take itself too seriously and isn’t afraid to be a little cheesy or go over the top with its scenarios, a nice change of pace from the kind of mysteries and thrillers I usually go for. This definitely isn’t my usual kind of read, but fitting one in every once in a while can be quite refreshing.
That said, I didn’t laugh quite as much with Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead, though to be fair, I did expect the novelty and humor of the first book to be a hard act to follow. Regardless, I still had a blast reading this. Finlay and Vero are a hot mess, which is precisely why I love reading about them. Despite the chaos and confusion of her life, Finlay is actually the responsible one of the pair, while with Vero the only thing you can count on is to expect her to do with unexpected.
In the middle of all this is also a thread of romantic drama, as Finlay juggles a relationship with hot law student/bartender Julian while sexual tension remains high with Nick, the detective she worked closely with in the first book. One of the best quirks about this series is its meta-ness, in a sense, about the way much of the story also makes its way into Finlay’s novel that she is working on, in this weird art imitates life dynamic. There’s an amusing scene, for example, when Finlay’s agent harps on her about writing the hot cop out of her book, insisting she rewrite the manuscript to write him back in, etc. You just can’t but chuckle at the absurdity of the situation.
All in all, Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead is a gem of a sequel, one you will certainly appreciate if you also enjoyed the first book. The style of humor and some of the farcical elements are the same, but that’s not the end of it. The story is essentially a continuation of what came before, extending the plot threads along with a lot of returning characters. Unfortunately, this means it cannot be read as a standalone, or at least I wouldn’t recommend it—but then, why would you want to deprive yourself the pleasure of starting from the beginning anyway?
Obviously, I highly recommend this series, especially if you love mysteries but are looking for some fluffier fare, perhaps with a story that’s light-hearted with drama that’s a bit more on the fun side. I also switched to the audio format with this sequel, and I have nothing but positive things to say about the experience. Angela Dawe is a fantastic narrator and gives this series the wittiness and charm it deserves.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of Finlay Donovan Is killing It (Book 1)
Waiting on Wednesday 02/02/22
Posted on February 2, 2022 8 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
Book of Night by Holly Black (May 3, 2022 by Tor)
Like so many others, I’m curious to read Holly Black’s adult debut!
“In Charlie Hall’s world, shadows can be altered, for entertainment and cosmetic preferences—but also to increase power and influence. You can alter someone’s feelings—and memories—but manipulating shadows has a cost, with the potential to take hours or days from your life. Your shadow holds all the parts of you that you want to keep hidden—a second self, standing just to your left, walking behind you into lit rooms. And sometimes, it has a life of its own.
Charlie is a low-level con artist, working as a bartender while trying to distance herself from the powerful and dangerous underground world of shadow trading. She gets by doing odd jobs for her patrons and the naive new money in her town at the edge of the Berkshires. But when a terrible figure from her past returns, Charlie’s present life is thrown into chaos, and her future seems at best, unclear—and at worst, non-existent. Determined to survive, Charlie throws herself into a maelstrom of secrets and murder, setting her against a cast of doppelgangers, mercurial billionaires, shadow thieves, and her own sister—all desperate to control the magic of the shadows.
With sharp angles and prose, and a sinister bent, Holly Black is a master of shadow and story stitching. Remember while you read, light isn’t playing tricks in Book of Night, the people are.”
Book Review: Deep Dive by Ron Walters
Posted on January 31, 2022 12 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Angry Robot (January 11, 2022)
Length: 400 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Deep Dive by Ron Walters is truly the perfect book for the video game lover, but fans of thrillers and stories with deep family themes should also thoroughly enjoy this one.
Our story follows Peter Banuk, a developer for a small gaming company called Omega Studios that is struggling to stay afloat after their last game ended up being a commercial failure. Now Peter is working on a new project, a VR game that he desperately needs to succeed. As a result, work has been dominating his life, to the point where he has been neglecting family obligations, much to the disappointment of his wife Alana and young daughters Evie and Cassie.
The novel opens on Evie’s birthday which should have been Peter’s day off, but when he is suddenly called into the office by his business partner and best friend Bradley with a invitation to check out a ground-breaking new VR technology that could help his game, what choice did he have? After a promise to his daughter that he will be back in time to celebrate her big day, Peter goes to meet with Bradley and discovers that that new tech to be tested involves a highly advanced, top-secret virtual reality headset that his friend had developed. Code named Deep Dive, the headset is the first of its kind, offering full VR immersion. Unable to resist testing out the technology for himself, Peter plugs in…
…And wakes up in his truck in the middle of the night with no recollection of the entire day. All he knows is that he has missed Evie’s birthday and that there will be hell to pay with Alana. But when he arrives home, he is greeted by an unfamiliar place. His daughters are not in their beds. In fact, Evie and Cassie’s rooms don’t exist at all. There’s no evidence in his house that any kids have ever lived there. When he wakes Alana in a panic, she merely confirms his nightmare, looking at him like he’s crazy, telling him that they don’t have children. On the other hand though, his career has taken off, after the runaway success of his last game, the one Peter remembers being a flop. Overwhelmed with grief, terror, and confusion, Peter knows this world can’t be his, and that he needs to find a way out fast—for the longer he stays, the harder it will be to tell what is real or not.
Many similarities have been drawn between Deep Dive and Blake Crouch’s Dark Matter, and for good reason. The two books explore a few common themes, and both stories unfold at a breakneck pace. Ron Walters brings a unique hook, however, with his knowledge of video games and his clear enthusiasm for the subject. Granted, you don’t have to be an avid gamer to enjoy Deep Dive, but those who can catch all the references and Easter Eggs from everything like The Last of Us to God of War and what I imagine are some of the author’s favorite games will definitely gain a deeper appreciation for the story.
But what elevated Deep Dive to another level for me was the human element. To put it another way, I came for the gaming angle, but stayed for Peter’s journey to find his way back to his family. I knew as soon as I read the synopsis that I would love the deeper conflict at the heart of this book, because I cannot even imagine waking up one day to essentially find out that everything you thought you knew was but a dream, and to be told that the children you have watched be born, held in your arms, and watched grow up have never actually existed at all. Honestly, I feel gutted just thinking about it, and it is this premise that the novel holds at its core, never losing sight of the fact that seeing his little girls’ faces again is what keeps Peter going. The author does a phenomenal job of conveying his protagonist’s guilt, desperation and love, which made it all the easier to relate to him and root for him.
For all the sullen themes present in Deep Dive though, the story remained positively thrilling. Walters always manages to balance Peter’s complex emotions with his drive to constantly move forward and find answers, which adds up to an action-packed adventure full of mystery and entertainment. If anything, at times I felt the plot was actually moving too fast. That said, even though Deep Dive was not perfect because we do run into a few pacing issues, on the whole I felt it was an excellent debut and a solid four-star book. I’ll be eagerly awaiting his next novel.
YA Weekend Audio: Evershore by Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson
Posted on January 30, 2022 8 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Evershore by Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult
Series: Book 3 of Skyward Flight Novellas
Publisher: Listen Library (December 28, 2021)
Length: 6 hrs and 54 mins
Author Information: Brandon Sanderson | Janci Patterson
Narrator: Suzy Jackson
Everything I had felt was lacking in Cytonic, like the heart-pounding scenes of ship-to-ship combat or the easy conversations and camaraderie between the pilot characters, etc. managed to all find their way into Evershore, apparently. While in the main series, Spensa is working to free herself from the extradimensional limbo known as the Nowhere, her friends back at Detritus have been having a hell of a time with their own problems in this third and final volume of the Skyward novella spinoff trilogy.
This time, we follow Jorgen as he attempts to pick up the pieces following the disaster and chaos resulting from Superiority treachery. With no time to grieve everyone that he has lost, he is thrust reluctantly into a position to lead his team on another mission to intercept a strange signal from the planet Evershore, where they also hope to rescue two of their own.
Upon their arrival, the squad make contact with the world’s diminutive inhabitants, a race of small foxlike creatures called the Kitsen. Outside of the collective, the Kitsen nonetheless understand the threat of the Superiority and what it would mean for them if the enemy continues its relentless conquest across the galaxy. Still, would that be enough for the Kitsen to agree to an alliance? Within their ranks, there are factions that want to work with Jorgen and his team, while others are not so convinced of the humans’ trustworthiness.
For Jorgen fans, Evershore will be a treat. After the events of the previous novella ReDawn, that we would be getting an in depth look into the life of the DDF pilot known as “Jerkface” seemed like a foregone conclusion. His POV and development is needed now more than ever, as the series reaches its climax and end, requiring a strong lead character to bring it all together. Jorgen has always been a powerful presence in the main series, even if he isn’t the most interesting, but I have to say he impressed the hell out of me in Evershore. It took a long journey to get here, one full of struggle and strife, but I think the character has finally come into his own, and I am grateful that these novellas got to let us see that.
We also had a very action-oriented story. I don’t typically expect much out of novellas that take place outside of a main series, as in my experience a lot of them end up being throwaway side stories that are entirely optional—and unfortunately, most of the time that is also reflected in the effort put in. These novellas, however, are a rare exception. After finishing ReDawn, I decided to change my verdict about these books from a “maybe” to a “must-read” if you’re invested in the Skyward series. You’ll still be fine reading the main novels without them, but there is so much taking place in these novellas, it would be a shame not to learn more about what’s happening in the background or what Spensa’s friends might be up to while she’s off gallivanting in the Nowhere—especially since we’re seeing so much action here. These books also go into a lot more detail about Cytonics and their powers, which is another reason to pick them up if you want the full picture.
I also think Janci Patterson found a good rhythm with Evershore. It’s still apparent to me that she was responsible for much of the writing for these books, with Brandon Sanderson taking on more of a background role, but she’s done a superb job nailing the most important elements, such as the vividness of the world-building and the imaginative prose required to bring some of these new worlds and aliens to life. The character of Jorgen was also well handled, the internal conflict within him explored without getting too contrived or angsty. Patterson seemed to take well to writing about him, and we got the usual fantastic banter between him and his fellow squad mates as they rallied around him to help achieve their goals.
All in all, I have to say this was a great trilogy of novellas, and Evershore was probably the best of the three books, both in the way the story arc culminated and also in the depth of the emotions and conflicts where were at the heart of it.
Audiobook Comments: I do love Suzy Jackson’s narration and she’s excellent as Spensa in the main series, though I probably would have used another narrator here, as each of these novellas follow a different character and someone else for Jorgen might have felt more immersive. On the other hand, I can also understand why they would have wanted to keep the reader consistent, and a voice talent like Suzy Jackson is an asset to all the Skyward books.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of Sunreach
Review of ReDawn
Bookshelf Roundup: 01/29/22: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on January 29, 2022 11 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.
Thanks to everyone who asked after me following last week’s update. Things are still a bit uncertain as I’ve been dealing with some health issues, but I’ve definitely been getting the care I need and things are being sorted out. It’s still a stressful time, but I’ve been finding comfort in my books and writing lately so the reviews should still keep flowing, albeit at a slower rate.
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!
First, my thanks to Tor Books for a review copy of Rise of the Mages by Scott Drakeford, which sort of snuck up on me out of nowhere but it sounds really good. It’s got that modern fantasy feel with a cool magic system and yet a bit of that old school quest vibe at the same time. I’m really looking forward to read it.
And a huge thanks to the amazing folks at Del Rey for sending me an ARC of In A Garden Burning Gold by Rory Power. The author has already made a name for herself with her YA horror which I’ve enjoyed, which makes me even more excited to check out her first adult fantasy novel inspired by her own Greek roots.
Also courtesy of Subterranean Press, I received an ARC of The Jade Setter of Janloon by Fonda Lee, a standalone novella set in her world of The Green Bone Saga.
Just one audiobook in the digital haul this week. With thanks to Listening Library for an ALC of League of Liars by Astrid Scholte.
Reviews
Battle of the Linguist Mages by Scotto Moore (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!
Book Review: Battle of the Linguist Mages by Scotto Moore
Posted on January 27, 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.
Battle of the Linguist Mages by Scotto Moore
Mogsy’s Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Tor.com (January 11, 2022)
Length: 448 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Strange and weird does not even begin to describe this one. I really enjoyed Scotto Moore’s last offering, the novella Your Favorite Band Cannot Save You, and thus looked forward to Battle of the Linguist Mages with great excitement. But it appears shorter form may be the author’s forte.
Describing the premise is also going to tough, because I felt the story was only mostly coherent for the first half. The book follows Isobel, who is the self-proclaimed Queen of Sparkle Dungeon, a virtual reality game. She’s great at player her character, a magic user that uses her voice to cast spells, making her the ideal candidate for Sparkle Dungeon’s development team to test a new game.
But during her time testing, Isobel discovers that the agency is actually researching real magic—using “power morphemes” or complex syllables spoken in a certain way that will compel others who hear them to do whatever the caster wants. All this is made possible by extra-terrestrial punctuation marks, and yes, here’s where the story kind of fell apart for me.
With her new powers, though, Isobel rebels against her handlers as she learns more about their dastardly plans. Joined by her predecessor Maddy, they take their fight to the Governor of California herself, a linguist mage planning to use her abilities to turn the country into her own personal empire.
Where do I even begin with this? I suppose the first half of the book was pretty solid. As you could imagine, I was quite intrigued with the gaming angle, and Isobel, being an avid gamer, seemed like my kind of people. A little obsessed with Sparkle Dungeon, to be sure, but I admired her enthusiasm, her confidence, and strong voice.
The ideas in this novel were also interesting and unique. I don’t think anyone could disagree there. A magic system based on vocalization is something I can’t say I’ve come across before, and I enjoyed the way Moore conceptualized it. And then there are the more eccentric elements of the story, and while Battle of the Linguist Mages started to lose me here, there’s no denying it’s all pretty wild.
But unfortunately, that’s really all I can say was positive about my experience with the book. I do think as the ideas got more and more out there, the author started to lose his handle on the plot and the main character’s direction. As the story descended into more madness and surreal territory, my connection to it also started unraveling, and it became difficult to really feel for Isobel or any of the people around her. Gradually they became caricatures, as silly and nonsensical as everything else happening around them.
It’s a humorous novel at its heart, I suppose, but quite honestly, I felt its cleverness and wit had run its course somewhere in the first one hundred pages. I had just enough patience to finish the book, but I’d be lying if I said it was a pleasure or that I wasn’t struggling close to the end.
Overall, if you like your speculative fiction full of crazy and wild ideas, you might have fun with Battle of the Linguist Mages, but personally I would recommend picking up Scotto Moore’s Your Favorite Band Cannot Save You where you can still get your mind blown while having a much more enjoyable and entertaining time. I just think this one went on far longer than it needed to, and the more it went on, the more things fell apart, and ultimately, the story became something that really wasn’t my cup of tea at all.
Waiting on Wednesday 01/26/22
Posted on January 26, 2022 15 Comments
Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme that first originated at Breaking the Spine but has since linked up with “Can’t Wait Wednesday” at Wishful Endings now that the original creator is unable to host it anymore. Either way, this fun feature is a chance to showcase the upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!
Mogsy’s Pick
The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (July 19, 2022 by Del Rey)
Looking forward to the next book by Silvia Moreno-Garcia! I’ll read anything by her.
“From the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic and Velvet Was the Night comes a dreamy reimagining of The Island of Doctor Moreau set against the backdrop of nineteenth-century Mexico.
Carlota Moreau: a young woman, growing up in a distant and luxuriant estate, safe from the conflict and strife of the Yucatán peninsula. The only daughter of either a genius, or a madman.
Montgomery Laughton: a melancholic overseer with a tragic past and a propensity for alcohol. An outcast who assists Dr. Moreau with his scientific experiments, which are financed by the Lizaldes, owners of magnificent haciendas and plentiful coffers.
The hybrids: the fruits of the Doctor’s labor, destined to blindly obey their creator and remain in the shadows. A motley group of part human, part animal monstrosities.
All of them living in a perfectly balanced and static world, which is jolted by the abrupt arrival of Eduardo Lizalde, the charming and careless son of Doctor Moreau’s patron, who will unwittingly begin a dangerous chain reaction.
For Moreau keeps secrets, Carlota has questions, and in the sweltering heat of the jungle, passions may ignite.”
Bookshelf Roundup: 01/22/22: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on January 22, 2022 26 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.
Small update this week. I haven’t been reading a lot but also falling way behind on a ton of reviews because of general lack of time and just some stuff going on in real life right now, so apologies if I’m not as responsive when it comes to replying to comments or visiting blogs. There might also be fewer posts on the blog until life smooths out again when hopefully I’ll be able to get back on a more regular schedule.
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!
Towards the end of the year last year, Angry Robot was so kind as to thank their reviewers with any book of their choosing from their vast catalogue, and I just knew I had to pick up The Phlebotomist by Chris Panatier. I’ve definitely regretted not being able to read this one, especially after all the glowing reviews, so the choice was super easy!
With thanks also to DAW Books for a review copy of The Amber Crown by Jacey Bedford. I love that it’s a standalone epic fantasy, and I’ve always wanted to read more by Jacey Bedford!
And courtesy of Random House Audio and their YA imprint Listening Library, I also received listening copies of The Violence by Delilah S. Dawson and Castles in Their Bones, respectively.
With thanks also to Macmillan Audio for ALCs of Mickey7 by Edward Ashton, Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead by Elle Cosimano, Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves by Meg Long, and Waking Romeo by Kathryn Barker that all came in this week! Can’t wait to listen to them all.
Reviews
The Maid by Nita Prose (4.5 of 5 stars)
Far From the Light of Heaven by Tade Thompson (2 of 5 stars)
Roundup Highlights:
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!
The BiblioSanctum 