Bookshelf Roundup: 10/24/21: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on October 24, 2021 22 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!
The amazing folks at Tor.com were great to me this week. A big thanks to them for review copies of the following: Flowers For the Sea by Zin E. Rocklyn is described as a novella that reads like Rosemary’s Baby by way of Octavia E. Butler, so just give it to me already! Also received was a surprise ARC of Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire, reminding me once again I should be reading the Wayward Children series because all I’ve heard are good things. This is the seventh book though, so I have a ways to go to catch up. And I also received an an ARC of Redwood and Wildfire by Andrea Hairston which I believe is a reissue, bringing back this award winning novel whose themes are just as or perhaps even more relevant today.
In the digital haul, with thanks to Dreamscape Media for a listening copy of The Hidden by Melanie Golding. I’ve been wanting to read this one since I read her debut Little Darlings! As well, thank to Macmillan Audio for a listening copy of Gilded by Marissa Meyer. I really liked her Lunar Chronicles series, so I was excited when I found out she was writing a retelling of Rumpelstiltskin.
Reviews
All These Bodies by Kendare Blake (4 of 5 stars)
A Spindle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow (3.5 of 5 stars)
The Expanse Reread
This past week I took part in Orbit’s epic reread event for The Expanse series by James S.A. Corey, and in case you missed it, my re-review of book 7 Persepolis Rising went up yesterday so check it out! Get excited for Leviathan Falls!
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 Expanse Reread Review: Persepolis Rising by James S.A. Corey
Posted on October 23, 2021 9 Comments
In case you missed my intro post at the beginning of this week, The BiblioSanctum is taking part in The Expanse re-read event hosted by Orbit in celebration of the ninth and final novel of the series which comes out next month. As much as I’m looking forward to Leviathan Falls, it’s always a bittersweet moment to have to say goodbye to a beloved series, which is why I’m so thankful to have had this opportunity to participate. Each blogger in the tour was given a book to cover, and I got Persepolis Rising which was very exciting for me—after all, it’s my favorite installment so far.
And it appears I’m not alone. Go to any review site and you’ll see many others proclaiming the same thing about Persepolis Rising, or that they think it’s the best book of the series. Of course, there’s a significant development here that might have something to do with that. And quite honestly, it wouldn’t even be a spoiler for me to reveal what it is, because the first line of the novel literally starts with, “Almost three decades had passed…”
For many authors, such a bold move would be a mistake. Generally, you don’t jump forward thirty years or so in time in your story and just expect your fans to just go along with it. But in this case, it kind of works. I said this in my first review of Persepolis Rising and I’ll say it again: when your epic space opera series is seven books in and you’ve already put your readers through some of the most intense and nerve-wracking experiences you can imagine, how else can you shake things up?
Well, apparently by pressing the “soft reset” button. And that’s how the book opens. We are reacquainted with familiar characters, albeit all of them are now older, and in some cases wiser. As with the other Expanse books, this one’s told through multiple POVs as well. The members of the Rocinante crew are represented of course, though the passing years have affected each of them very differently. And yet, some things remain the same, and that is why Persepolis Rising was such a joy to read—for the first time and for the reread—because you got to experience the best of both the old and the new.
The characters really take center stage in this one. Unlike the previous books, readers are not immediately accosted by some galaxy-wide emergency, giving us time to gather our bearings and maybe catch up on some of things we’ve missed. As ever, Holden is our main protagonist, as well as the glue that holds everything together. But now, having been through so much, he’s just tired. He and Naomi are getting on in years, and he’s thinking maybe it’s time to quit the space game and retire somewhere quiet to live out the rest of their lives.
However, the universe has other plans for him, starting with the return of an old enemy. Clearly there’s room in this series for one last adventure, and Persepolis Rising does a phenomenal job introducing this new threat, along with setting up the rest of the arc. Like I said, this book’s all about the characters, and not just the heroes but the antagonist as well. We meet Governor Singh, a severe authoritarian but also a tragic figure who is driven to do what he does out of love for his young daughter.
At the end of the day, it’s the relationships that keep me coming back to this series. Sure, I’m also a big fan of the space opera action and sci-fi thrills, but without the people in the story, none of it would mean as much. In a way, Persepolis Rising is a symbol of how far we’ve all come on this journey, following the characters from the beginning all the way to this point. While it might be thrilling and fascinating to see how much things have changed, there’s still this familiarity that keeps us grounded. Deep down, these are always going to be the character we know and love, even if we’re now seeing many of them from new angles and through fresh eyes.
In any case, I’m definitely not going anywhere. The Expanse is truly a spectacular series, and not only has this reread opportunity reminded me of how much I love these books, but I’m now even more fired up in my excitement for Leviathan Falls.
Before that though, there is one last book to cover, and I am pleased to be passing the torch to the next blogger on the list! Make sure to stay tuned for Quintessentially Bookish’s coverage of Tiamat’s Wrath!
Friday Face-Off: Book with “Queen” in the Title
Posted on October 22, 2021 10 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:
~ a cover of a book with QUEEN IN THE TITLE
The Caged Queen by Kristen Ciccarelli
Finding a book to fit this theme was pretty easy, as a fantasy reader. The Caged Queen is the second volume of the young adult series of standalone books, Iskari. Let’s take a look at the covers:
From left to right:
HarperTeen (2018) – Gollancz (2018)
Portuguese Edition (2019) – French Edition (2020) – Czech Edition (2019)
Dutch Edition (2018) – Polish Edition (2019)
Winner:
Spoiled for choice this week, with so many great options! However, as much as I’m enjoying the gilded look of many of these covers and all the animal motifs, I found myself drawn to the simple elegance of the HarperTeen or Gollancz editions, but the Gollancz probably comes out slightly ahead.
But what do you think? Which one is your favorite?
Waiting on Wednesday 09/20/21
Posted on October 20, 2021 10 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
Things We Do in the Dark by Jennifer Hillier (July 19, 2022 by Minotaur Books)
I first became a fan of Jennifer Hillier when I read Jar of Hearts. Then I read Little Secrets, and thought that one was even better. Hoping that trend will continue with Things We Do in the Dark, which sounds like another winning combination of thrills and chills.
“A brilliant new thriller from the award-winning author of the breakout novels Little Secrets and Jar of Hearts – The secrets of the past come back around when a woman, long believed dead, turns up alive.
Joey Reyes had a rough life. At thirteen, they took her mother, Pearl, away on a hot June night. In a case that was a media sensation, Pearl was tried and convicted for the murder of her married boyfriend. At twenty, Joey died in an apartment fire.
Or did she?
Years later, Joey’s friend, Drew – a journalist and podcaster – learns that Pearl is finally getting out of prison and she believes, she KNOWS, that Joey is still alive, living in Seattle under a different name. She was married to a very rich man who died unexpectedly and whose substantial estate is now in question. Death – murder even – seems to follow Joey around.
Drew is determined to find out the truth – whose body was found in the ashes of Joey’s apartment, why did she run away and change her name, and what happened on that fateful night when Joey’s mother’s boyfriend was killed. But with so many already dead, can any of them survive the truth?”
Novella Review: A Spindle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow
Posted on October 19, 2021 13 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
A Spindle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of Fractured Fables
Publisher: Tor.com (October 5, 2021)
Length: 128 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
So, this is going to be a relatively short review seeing as A Spindle Splintered was a pretty short read, but the story was nevertheless very enjoyable despite its limited length and scope. As the first novella in Alix E. Harrow’s new series offering fresh and unique takes on classic fairy tales, it does a good job of setting the tone for what’s to come!
In the introduction, we meet Zinnia Gray on her twenty-first birthday. While most young people her age would be out celebrating this momentous milestone with carefree abandon, our protagonist is just happy to be still alive. Pretty soon, she knows she will be dead because of an illness that is killing her, and despite the years of medication and treatment to try to control its effects, as far as our protagonist knows, no one with the disease ever lives long enough to see twenty-two.
In the face of this gloomy prognosis, however, Zinnia’s best friend Charm is determined to give her a birthday to remember. Knowing that her friend is obsessed with Sleeping Beauty, Charm has gone to lengths to arrange a surprise party in an abandoned tower, complete with an old spinning wheel. Impressed with the tableau, Zinnia decides to go full out on the experience by pricking her finger on the spindle, but when she does, something strange happens. Suddenly, she is transported to another world where she meets Primrose, a princess desperate to escape her own fate.
At its heart, A Spindle Splintered is a coming-of-age tale, though a somewhat unique one, seeing as our protagonist is preparing for her death rather than looking forward to the future. Is it any wonder that from a young age she has developed a fascination for Sleeping Beauty, whose story holds some remarkable parallels with her own? Much like the fictional princess who is destined to fall to a curse, Zinnia feels a sense of helplessness to change the cards that she’s been dealt. Admittedly, she is also very harsh in her critique of the fairy tale, but loves it all the same because her ability to relate to the character. Which is why, after breaking through to an alternate reality to come face to face with Primrose, a real-life Sleeping Beauty in the flesh, an immediate bond is forged between the two of them despite coming from very different worlds.
I also enjoyed Harrow’s handling of the story and its themes. While I’m a fan of her novels The Ten Thousand Doors of January and The Once and Future Witches, I certainly wasn’t expecting the same level of depth or character development from this novella, but I was impressed all the same. True, the shorter format was a limiting factor, but the author has still managed to pack a surprising amount into the story’s modest page count of 128 pages. Along with a new and imaginative approach to the Sleeping Beauty, there is also a refreshing, rather hopeful message embedded in the narrative arc for Zinnia, in which she makes some surprising discoveries about herself. There’s even room for some quirky and upbeat humor, which is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
Bottom line, I had a fun time with A Spindle Splinted, so it’s probably safe to say this compact little novella managed to succeed in its goals. Its bite-sized format was not as restrictive as it could have been, thanks to fantastic plotting and storytelling on the author’s part as well as a great sense of humor. The book certainly could have been longer, but I was also glad to find out that Zinnia’s tale will be continuing in the next installment, A Mirror Mended.
The Expanse Reread Intro: Book #7 Persepolis Rising!
Posted on October 18, 2021 11 Comments
In November, the long awaited ninth book of The Expanse series by James S.A. Corey will be hitting bookstore shelves, and what are us fans to do while we wait for the grand finale of the most epic sci-fi saga the genre has seen in years? Do a re-read, of course!
To celebrate the upcoming release of Leviathan Falls, the amazing team at Orbit Books has put together this multi-week event bringing together eight book blogs with a shared love of the series. I am so honored and thrilled to have been invited to take part, and as you can see from the participant list in the banner above, I’m in excellent company.
You may have already noticed some of the announcement posts and reviews around the blogosphere, but basically every blog has been tasked to feature a volume in the series, and this week it’s The BiblioSanctum’s turn to cover the seventh book, Persepolis Rising! At the end of this week, I’ll be sharing the thoughts of my re-read with you in a review, as well as to hand over the mantle to the next blogger on the list.
Anyway, out of all the books so far, Persepolis Rising is by far my favorite, so I’m definitely excited for it to be “my” book! 🙂
Be sure to stay tuned for my coverage on October 23rd, and in the meantime, you can head on over to the other blogs to see what’s been happening in the re-read event thus far. If you’re reading this series, you won’t want to miss this! And if you’re not caught up yet, don’t fret, because there’s plenty of time left before Leviathan Falls releases. Same goes if you’re completely new to this series, and I highly encourage you to check it out!
So, are you reading The Expanse? If not, are you planning to? Let me know your thoughts!
YA Weekend Audio: All These Bodies by Kendare Blake
Posted on October 17, 2021 24 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 These Bodies by Kendare Blake
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Young Adult, Horror
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: HarperAudio (September 21, 2021)
Length: 7 hrs and 19 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Matt Godfrey
It’s been years since I last picked up a book by Kendare Blake. Still, I remember the time I had with her Anna Dressed in Blood duology quite fondly, so when I first found out about All These Bodies, there were several key elements in the synopsis that really appealed to me, namely: the small-town setting, a true crime inspiration, and the possibility of a supernatural killer.
The majority of this story takes place in the late summer and autumn of 1958. A new panic is spreading across the Midwest, fueled by a series of bizarre murders where the victims are found with their bodies strangely drained of all their blood. Then one day in September, a teenage girl is found covered in blood standing outside her family’s farmhouse in rural Minnesota, while everyone else lay slaughtered inside. At first, authorities believed 15-year-old Marie Hale to be the sole survivor of a deadly home invasion, but after it was discovered that none of the blood found on her was actually hers, they began to view her as the main suspect.
Pretty soon, the police are connecting her case with the string of other murders in the area. Viewed with renewed scrutiny, Marie is held in prison and monitored while the investigation is ongoing. The entire country wants to know about this strange girl and how it’s possible she could have perpetrated such heinous crimes alone, and it is thought that she must have had an accomplice. Unfortunately though, Marie is choosing to remain tightlipped, and when she does finally agree to tell her story, she will only do so to Michael Jensen—the son of the sheriff who arrested her. As someone who is passionate about journalism and who wants to work for the papers one day, Michael is stunned when he is singled out this way, but also knows he cannot let this opportunity pass by, recognizing it as the only way to get to the bottom of the truth.
If you’re looking for a supernatural thriller, then move along because this is not the book you’re looking for. It’s not even all that scary, despite its horror tag. At the end of the day, the plot reads more like a mystery suspense, with lots of ambiguity and an open-ended conclusion. The fantastical aspects are also on the lighter side and treated with vagueness, which will leave readers with lots of questions. Bottom line, this is not a novel for those who prefer stories that flaunt their paranormal elements. Likewise, if you like clear-cut answers and closure, you will probably find yourself frustrated by what would be considered the end reveal.
However, if you can deal with a bit of ambiguity in return for a unique take on the vampire mythos, All These Bodies is certainly worth the read. Using the murders as a backdrop, the story explores the role of the media and the way it feeds off the public on their panic and their fascination and their need for answers. Michael is an interesting character, with one foot in both worlds, having been placed in an unusual position of being an outsider but also privy to the inner workings of the investigation. A journalist-in-training, he knows his goal is to seek the truth, but also sees the challenge of trying to cut through the desperation and hysteria.
Marie herself is shrouded in mystery, and mostly kept at arm’s length by design. As such, we really only have Michael’s point-of-view to go on, but eventually we do gain some understanding of Marie through his eyes as the two of them grow close. Still, one thing to know is that at no point does their relationship become overtly romantic; rather, they start to see in each other a worthy counterpart or a valuable ally of sorts, and this was a welcoming dynamic that I did not expect to see.
I also enjoyed the atmosphere, which is mostly generated by the story and questions surrounding Marie. The author manages to pull off a fine balancing act, holding back on the supernatural elements just enough to confound the situation. It was actually the setting that I was somewhat disappointed in, because I was unable to feel a connection to the place or the time. The overall sense of the world was simply not there, which may have played into my slight disillusionment over the ending. Without getting into any details in case of spoilers, I understood what Blake was trying to get at, but just wasn’t entirely convinced. Still, it’s not a reason to write off the entire book, especially since the rest leading up to that point was rather well executed.
Overall, All These Bodies is probably worth checking out if anything about the story piques your interest, though keep in mind it might not be the horror or paranormal novel the description leads you to believe. I also would recommend the audiobook narrated by Matt Godfrey, whose performance heightened the suspense and made this strange and mysterious plot feel even more tense and immersive.
Bookshelf Roundup: 10/16/21: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on October 16, 2021 17 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!
I always love getting Orbit book mail! Earlier this month, a finished copy of Warriors of God by Andrzej Sapkowski arrived from the publisher. This is the follow up to The Tower of Fools, which was okay. I’m too much of a fan of the author’s Witcher books to just give up on this new series though, so if I have time this fall, I wanted to give this sequel a try before I make up my mind about this trilogy.
With thanks also to Minotaur Books for the surprise arrival of Echoes of the Dead by Spencer Kope. This is the fourth installment of a series called Special Tracking Unit, but the good thing about these types of series is that their individual volumes are usually written as stand alone cases/stories. I’m kind of digging the premise of the series, which follows a world famous “tracker” known for his ability to follow a person’s trail anywhere, and in this one he is tasked to find a group of four high-profile friends who went missing in the Sierra Nevada range.
Thanks to the kind folks at Subterranean Press, I also received this gorgeous, humongous ARC of Holy Terror: Stories by Cherie Priest. This is the author’s first collection of short fiction, and weirdly, even though I’m not big on anthologies, I’m actually pretty excited about this one. I’m currently reading her book Grave Reservations and it’s reminding me of all the reasons I love her style. I’m especially interested in a couple of the standalone novellas collected in here, but there are also some stories that take place in her series like Clockwork Century.
In the digital haul, I’d like to thank HarperAudio for a tri of exciting new ALCs: Trashlands by Alison Stine, Any Sign of Life by Rae Carson, and The Seven Queen by Greta Kelly which I’m so excited about because I loved the first book The Frozen Crown. And I gotta know how that cliffhanger resolves!
And with thanks to Listening Library, I also received ALCs of Aurora’s End by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (hard to believe the third book is upon us already) as well as ReDawn by Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson, which is the second volume in the Skyward novella series. I’ve just recently reviewed the first one, so I’m ready to dive right in.
Reviews
The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke (4 of 5 stars)
Sunreach by Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson (3.5 of 5 stars)
Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw (3 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!
Friday Face-Off: Favorite Book of Magic
Posted on October 15, 2021 9 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:
~ a cover to a FAVORITE BOOK OF MAGIC
Written in Red by Anne Bishop
I reached further back this week for one of my favorite books with magic, since this was the novel that re-sparked my interest in Anne Bishop’s books and made me a fan of her urban fantasy. In the world of The Others, the mundane and the supernatural coexist in a fragile balance. As long as the humans keep in line, the creatures of magic will tolerate sharing their living space.
Let’s take a look at the covers:
From left to right:
Roc (2013) – Voyager (2013) – Portuguese Edition (2015)
Polish Edition (2013) – French Edition (2014) – German Edition (2016)
Winner:
I like several of these, but if you asked me which one would stand out most if I saw all of them on a shelf together, I would have to go with the Portuguese edition. That fiery color just makes it pop!
But what do you think? Which one is your favorite?
Novella Review: Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw
Posted on October 14, 2021 17 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw
Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Genre: Horror
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Tor.com (October 19, 2021)
Length: 128 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
The cover to Cassandra Khaw’s Nothing But Blackened Teeth is really something else. I mean, I kind of hate it but I also really love it, if that makes sense. It’s definitely one of the most disturbing covers I’ve ever seen, such a nightmare-inducing sight that I can barely even stand to be in the same room as the book most nights. And yet, as a lover of scary stories, how could I resist the temptation? Not possible, of course.
So, steeling myself, I dove into this dark and broody tale following a group of childhood friends as they travel to a Haian-era mansion in Japan to celebrate a union between two of their own. For Nadia, having her wedding at a haunted house has been a forever dream of hers, one that her likewise adventurous husband-to-be Faiz was happy to make come true. They’ve invited their three friends Cat, Lin, and Philip to come along, though in truth, things aren’t really all that friendly between the five of them, as they’ve all dated each other at some point, resulting in a history full of hurt feelings and bitter grudges.
The story is actually told from Cat’s point of view, and her animosity towards the bride is immediately made apparent, since she never got over the fact Nadia once stole Phillip from her, back when the two of them dated. It is later revealed that the feeling is mutual, as Faiz also used to date Cat, something that still very much bothers Nadia to this day. However, all this pent-up hate and frustration turns out to be no match for the negative energies of the house where, according to a famous legend, was where a young bride had herself buried alive after her fiancé was killed on the way to their wedding. Notoriously unhinged, her restless spirit, a ohaguro-bettari, is said to be still haunting the halls, waiting for the ghost of her lost love, while demanding sacrifice from innocents and visitors who dare enter her domain.
At 128 pages, Nothing But Blackened Teeth was a short read, and at the end of the day, I suppose a novella is the perfect format to tell this kind of story. By that, I mean it’s not complicated. Much of the book is given to the endless drama between this group of frenemies, and ultimately, the collective weight of their emotional baggage pretty much cripples any kind of meaningful character development. Essentially then, all you have left is the horror plot that matters, and it’s one that’s pretty straightforward.
Here’s what I enjoyed: I’ve always had a fondness for Japanese mythology, especially the huge body of legends and folktales surrounding yōkai or supernatural creatures that include monsters, spirits, and ghosts. Didn’t really take me long to realize that this book wasn’t scary at all (it was a bit too over-the-top for that), but that was fine because it had the creep-factor and the atmosphere, both thanks to the wonderful way the author built up the mansion’s disturbing details and history.
As for the rest, I confess my feelings are somewhat mixed. This being my first book by Cassandra Khaw, I’m unfamiliar with her writing style so I’m not sure if the prose here is how she usually writes or just an affectation which she adopted for this story only. While at times her descriptions felt overly embellished, dialogue is another matter, coming across as shallow and simple. The words “soap opera script” came to mind, given the kind of fickle characters we’re dealing with. As you can imagine, taken together, the two clashing forms made for a jarring experience.
I also don’t think you’re really meant to like any of the characters, but it was very bizarre how this aspect was handled. Clearly a lot of effort was put into trying to make them sympathetic, because otherwise there wouldn’t have been so many words invested into everyone’s backstories which included a long list of their relationship problems, insecurities and hang-ups. If this was meant to humanize them though, or make them more relatable or pitiable even, it completely backfired on me, as I didn’t even make it halfway before I was ready for the ohaguro-bettari to tear them all to pieces. In that sense, I guess, the book scores another win, because everything goes to hell in the ending, but in a good way where the blood and guts are literally flying.
Still, bottom line, I can’t say that I was overly moved by this novella, though it had its moments of creeping dread and genuine spookiness. However, I can also say that it was the perfect length, and despite my issues with the prose or the thoroughly unsympathetic characters, the entertainment value was enough that I’m honestly not sorry I read this. Nothing But Blackened Teeth might not be anything too special, but as someone who enjoys horror stories with a cultural and mythological bent, it was a fun way to spend a couple hours in the afternoon as we head into the Halloween season.
The BiblioSanctum 