Book Review: The Desert Prince by Peter V. Brett

Posted on August 17, 2021 21 Comments

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

The Desert Prince by Peter V. Brett

Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Book 1 of Nightfall Saga

Publisher: Del Rey (August 3, 2021)

Length: 656 pages

Author Information: Website | Twitter

It’s great to be back in the Hollow! Mind you, fifteen years have passed since the end of The Demon Cycle which saw the humans beat back the creatures of the darkness, but to be honest, much here still feels comfy and familiar. Now in The Desert Prince, which kicks off a new series called the Nightfall Saga, the next generation will have their chance to prove themselves.

The story is told mainly from two perspective characters. Olive is the daughter of Leesha Paper, now the Duchess of Hollow, and Darin Bales is the son of the hero known as the Deliverer. Both of them have grown up in this peaceful world, the feats of their parents having become the stuff of legends. However, Olive wants more. As a princess and the heir of the Hollow, she has her whole life planned out by her mother, who wants to keep her only child sheltered and safe. But Leesha has also kept a big secret from her daughter. Olive has always known she is different, being intersex, but the fact has never bothered her, until her mother reveals how she had been assigned the gender of female at birth because the alagai hora—prophetic dice made of demon bone—willed it so. Olive can’t help but wonder what her life would have been like, had the fates decided differently.

Her friend Darin on the other hand faces a different kind of problem. As the son of the legendary Arlen Bales, the world expects greatness from him, but it’s a different world now without any corelings to fight. All Darin really wants is to be left alone to find his own path, and that way, maybe he won’t be a disappointment to everyone around him. But then one night, Olive and Darin cross the protective wards around the village to find out that the demons are not all gone. The threat is serious enough that the Hollow elders decide to investigate, hoping it is not a sign of a new corbeling resurgence. But soon afterwards, Olive’s heritage catches up with her as the Krasian enemies of her father come calling, capturing her for their own designs. But somewhere in this strange turn of events may be an opportunity for Olive to discover more about herself, and for Darin, who will stop at nothing to rescue his friend, this could be his chance to save the world from the demons.

As many others have noted, while The Desert Prince is a start of a new series, the novel really feels more like a continuation of The Demon Cycle. Sure, it can be read on its own without any knowledge of the prior books since the author does a pretty good job at catching you up, but the truth is, there’s really no substitute for the massive body of lore and character development you’ll be missing out on. As such, the Nightfall Saga feels very much like it was written for existing fans, though that’s not to say newcomers won’t find plenty to enjoy as well. In fact, if you love the epic fantasy genre, this will make you feel right at home, featuring heroic characters, stunning magic, and world-building on a massive scale.

Speaking as someone with the benefit of having the original series under my best, I actually thought The Desert Prince was quite good, the quality of the storytelling and writing even surpassing the previous books in a few cases. Peter V. Brett has certainly learned from his successes and mistakes, and as a result, here we have a tightly told plot which also highlights the importance of having well-developed characters. Of course, in this case having a memorable cast is important—they are the children of some larger-than-life heroes, after all. There’s a good balance between the POVs, with Olive’s probably being slightly more prominent (which makes sense, since her arc feels more consequential to the overall story, at least at this early point in the series) though both threads take on major coming-of-age themes like self-discovery or living up to parental expectations, etc., making these characters and their struggles feel more genuine and relatable.

Arguably though, the real stars are the corelings. A renewed war against the demons was undoubtedly what I’d hoped for when I picked up The Desert Prince, and one of the main reasons I signed up for the ride. And I know I can’t be the only one. The harrowing night fights against the demons in this book are some of the best Brett has ever written, which is enough to make me overlook some of the more annoying aspects which have been carried over from the original series, like the excessive melodrama and relationship shenanigans or the prejudice and merciless attitudes of Krasia. Those new to the magic system based around demon bones and warding are sure to be in for a nice surprise, while returning readers will also be treated to additions and an overall expansion to the lore. In other words, the experience was fresh yet comfortable, and coming from The Demon Cycle, I was impressed with the seamless shift from old to new.

All in all, I was happy to be back in the world of The Demon Cycle, upgraded and looking sleek in a new fresh coat of paint. Peter V. Brett slips right back into the rhythm of things without compromising the characteristic elements of the original series while putting a new generation in the spotlight and allowing them a chance to endear themselves into the hearts of readers new and old. On the whole, long-time fans will probably gain the most appreciation out of The Desert Prince but I would recommend it for anyone who enjoys epic fantasy.

Review: City of Iron and Dust by J.P. Oakes

Posted on August 16, 2021 9 Comments

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

City of Iron and Dust by J.P. Oakes

Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 3 of 5 stars

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Titan Books (July 6, 2021) | Tantor Audio (July 20, 2021)

Length: 400 pages | 11 hrs and 27 mins

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Narrator (Audiobook): Dan Calley

In City of Iron and Dust, an oppressed society of Fae seek to rise up against their Goblin overlords in order to win their freedom. Writing in a contemporary urban fantasy style with dark undertones, debut author J.P. Oakes incorporates faerie folklore and magical themes along with dystopian elements to create a harsh world on the brink of violent change. This novel has a fascinating premise to be sure, but the pacing is extremely uneven which made reading it rather slow going.

In the Iron City, all that stands is a symbol of the Goblin victory against the Fae in their age-old war. Now the Fae are imprisoned within its walls, subservient to the five major houses of their Goblin rulers who reside in the towering spires at the center of the city. The only hopes the prisoners have left are fueled by Dust, a drug capable of restoring magic—if only briefly—to the desperate Fae eager to capture even a few moments of what they lost and what their lives used to be. Not only is this substance highly illegal, it is also extremely addictive, giving rise to vicious black market.

In the midst of this grim scenario, we have a varied cast including Knull, a drug dealer; Jag, a sheltered goblin princess; Sil, her badass bodyguard half-sister; Edwynn, an artist and idealist; Skart, an old kobold war veteran and freedom fighter; Granny Spregg, a depose noblewoman with designs to claw her way back into power, and a couple others I might be missing. Cut off from nature which is the source of their magic, the poverty-stricken Fae are barely surviving in these hopeless conditions, which is why the mere idea of a drug like Dust can hold so much power. And now a bag of it has found its way into the city, and whoever controls it will hold the city’s fate in their hands.

I liked this book but didn’t love it. While imaginative and action-packed, it’s also feels bloated and overloaded with way too many ideas and too much stuff going on. As I alluded to before, there are a number of POVs to follow, too many to even remember all of them after I finished the book. Not only that, I also feel the author treats character development far too casually, never giving readers a chance to connect with any of them on a deeper, more meaningful level. We flit back and forth between their perspectives like it’s going out of style, often shifting the focus just as things were getting good. There also wasn’t enough to distinguish between some of the voices, with the dialogue, tone and snark being somewhat interchangeable. Truth be told, none of them really made an impression on me in the end.

There’s also a breathless quality when it comes to many debuts, and I can feel that here. Oakes’ enthusiasm is practically palpable, which isn’t necessarily bad, but things do get a little dicey when you try to put in too much. The saying “less is more” comes to mind here, as a jumble of different styles seem to struggle against each other for dominance. Here and there you get a hint of crime noir, while at other times a touch of military thriller kicks in, all to a dizzying backdrop of fantasy and paranormal elements. And with how quickly the story moves, it rather tough to get a bead on things. Certain literary devices, like the humor, feel forced or ill-timed, coming in at the most awkward moments. The result is this chaotic and often confusing energy that sometimes makes the book hard to follow, which can be very exhausting, and it’s a shame because what should have been the story’s powerful message of resistance against oppression ends up getting lost in all the noise.

With a bit more polish, this book could have been great, and with more experience, the author’s future looks bright. J.P. Oakes clearly has the talent, the imagination, and the potential, but City of Iron and Dust could have done with some streamlining and character development to help it be more memorable. Despite its flaws though, I loved the world-building and the fact that all the characters in the story are non-human. It’s definitely a treat for fantasy fans looking for that sort of thing, as long as you don’t mind the prose and storytelling that’s a bit raw and rough around the edges.

Bookshelf Roundup: 08/14/21: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads

Posted on August 14, 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.

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Okay, so we’re nearly halfway through the month and my reading output has been dismal! I have one more road trip coming up next week to visit the in-laws which will probably be our last time to get away before the summer ends, so hopefully my schedule will return to somewhat normal sooner rather than later, because between work and family obligations I feel like I’ve been running on fumes these past few weeks. Anyway, some posts have been scheduled in advance, but my online presence will probably be sparse to none until I get back. I look forward to catching up with everyone’s posts upon my return though, and hoo boy does my neglected TBR need some long overdue attention!

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 big thank you to Orbit Books for a hardcover of Shards of Earth by Adrian Tchaikovsky, the first book of The Final Architecture series. I’m pretty excited, because as much as I appreciate his versatility in other genres, I very much prefer his sci-fi space opera. Also from the publisher I received The Pariah by Anthony Ryan, an all new epic fantasy trilogy from the author of the Raven’s Shadow books. I’m also looking forward to this one, but man, that’s one massive tome!

With thanks also to Angry Robot for Twenty-Five to Life by R.W.W. Greene. This was relatively new to me, but I am intrigued by the apocalyptic setting and the premise of using virtual reality to block it all out. I’m looking forward to exploring this one.

Thank you also to the awesome team at Tordotcom for this gorgeous copy of The Past is Red by Catherynne M. Valente. I can always count on her stuff to be pretty unique, and I’ve heard some great things about this book already, so I can’t wait to read it. I also received an ARC of Along the Saltwise Sea by A. Deborah Baker, which wasn’t even on my radar because apparently it’s the sequel of a book that spins off of Middlegame by Seanan McGuire, which I haven’t read (A. Deborah Baker is a pseudonym). I’m not sure if I’ll be completely lost if I haven’t read either Middlegame or Over the Woodward Wall but maybe someone who has can tell me if these Up-and-Under books are standalone?

And finally I also received a review copy of The Seventh Age: Dystopia by Rick Heinz. Thank you to the author for getting in touch and offering me this sequel to The Seventh Age: Dawn, which I read a few years ago and enjoyed!

On to the digital haul! With thanks to Penguin Random House Audio’s Listening Library imprint, I received ALCs of Burden Falls by Kat Ellis and The Woods Are Always Watching by Stephanie Perkins. Just a couple of YA horror novels to lighten the mood!

Also thanks to Hachette Audio for a listenign copy of Getaway by Zoje Stage, because how can I possibly resist anything described as a terrifying psychological thriller?

Last but not least, I just had to grab the eARC of The Beholden by Cassandra Rose Clarke when I saw it pop upon Edelweiss earlier this week. I’ve always enjoyed her work, and that cover is just stunning!

Reviews

The Guilt Trip by Sandie Jones (3.5 of 5 stars)
The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward (3.5 of 5 stars)

What I’ve Been Reading

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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: Holiday Read

Posted on August 13, 2021 15 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 HOLIDAY READ cover

The Dogs of Christmas by W. Bruce Cameron

There were several directions I could have gone with this theme, considering a “holiday read” can mean just about anything. But I’ve decided to go the classic route, and what could possibly put one in a holiday mood more than Christmas and puppies? I really love W. Bruce Cameron’s dog books, they can always be counted on to lift one’s spirits. So are you ready for an attack of the cuteness?

From left to right:
Forge Books (2013) – Pan Publishing (2013)

Polish Edition (2017) – Italian Edition (2013) – Portuguese Edition (2013)

Turkish Edition (2014) – Hungarian Edition (2017) – German Edition (2014)

Winner:

Cuteness overload! But my favorite is probably the Polish edition because of the “holiday card” look, and I think the reindeer ears are a bit different but still so adorable.

But what do you think? Which one is your favorite?

Thursday Thriller: The Guilt Trip by Sandie Jones

Posted on August 12, 2021 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.

The Guilt Trip by Sandie Jones

Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Genre: Thriller, Mystery

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Minotaur Books (August 3, 2021)

Length: 320 pages

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Twenty years’ worth of secrets and suppressed truths all come out in a single weekend, as two couples come together for a third’s destination wedding in a gorgeous cliffside villa in Portugal. Sandie Jones’ latest suspense thriller The Guilt Trip is so titled because the protagonist, Rachel, knows keep down she’s selfish for wanting her best friend Paige along by her side when her brother-in-law Will gets married. The younger brother of Rachel’s husband Jack is a great guy, but his fiancée Ali just seems to rub everyone the wrong way—she’s flaky, embarrassingly loud and impulsive, and has a tendency to exaggerate or overembellish her own accomplishments. Just the thought of having to spend the whole time making small talk with Jack and Will’s family while putting up with Ali by herself makes Rachel feel sick. Still, if Paige was there, things might not be so bad, especially since her husband Noah is also an old college friend of Rachel’s.

Even before they can get on the plane though, Ali causes a scene at the airport by misplacing her passport. Then she pretends to get drunk on the flight. Even after the group finally makes it to Portugal, where they meet Will, Rachel’s future sister-in-law just seems to have a knack for making them all feel uncomfortable. At just twenty-nine years old, beautiful and shapely Ali makes Rachel feel old and ungainly in comparison, but some of the others are practically hostile towards the younger woman. Paige doesn’t like Ali’s fake and attention-seeking ways, and Jack has admitted he doesn’t trust her and fears his brother is making a terrible mistake. When pressed why, Jack finally reveals that he believes Ali may have cheated on Will. Rachel, Paige, and Noah are shocked, of course, but with the wedding almost upon them, what could any of them do? The four of them agree that, for the sake of Will’s happiness, they’ll just have to keep their mouths shut and get through the weekend. But with the way Ali carries on, that might not be as easy as any of them think. There’s something not quite right about the bride-to-be, the way she seems just a little too friendly with Jack, or her propensity to lie and get all up in others’ business, stirring up old secrets that are best left in the past.

So, is The Guilt Trip really a mystery thriller? Or is it a drama-filled soap opera? Of course, you’d be forgiven for thinking the latter, if you simply go by the first half. For example, it’s revealed pretty early on that Rachel and Noah used to be besties in university. In a moment that changed the trajectory of their lives forever, Rachel decided not to go with Noah on his year-long trip abroad, choosing instead to stay behind to see how things will work out with Jack, her new boyfriend at the time. But while Rachel and Noah’s relationship had remained platonic up to that point, on that final night, one thing led to another, and well…let’s just say there are things Rachel hopes Jack will never never ever in a million years find out. Because by the time Noah came back from his year away, Rachel was planning a wedding and expecting a child, and so he went on to meet and marry Paige. While the two women eventually became best friends themselves, as you can see, there’s a lot of history there and it wasn’t all open and honest.

And then there’s Ali, which is like throwing a grenade into an already heated situation. She’s definitely a character with a boatload of secrets of her own, and I think at times the author plays it up a tad too heavily, threatening to reveal her hand early. You also have to be willing to suspense your disbelief, BIG TIME. I mean, it’s hard to imagine someone like Rachel who has been married to her husband for twenty years having all of these misconceptions about him and being so unwilling to communicate. The plot also thrives on misunderstandings, featuring of the kind of problems that can be solved in like two seconds if only the characters would stop making dumb assumptions and just sit down and talk to one another, for God’s sake. So, if those are the types of stories that frustrate you, then this one is going to really try your patience. With most of the book being told through Rachel’s perspective, and she being such a difficult protagonist to engage with (read: stupid and naïve), that can be a point of challenge as well. There aren’t too many likeable characters here, I’m afraid. From arrogance and dishonesty to pettiness and insecurity, they all seem to have their hang-ups and nasty sides to their personalities, but then, I suppose that’s also par for the course when you’re dealing with this genre.

Still, it was fun and never boring, and in the end, that’s what counts when it comes to thrillers. While the first half did not really feel like one, I think the final sections of the book went a long way to redeem that. My only criticism about the ending is that it was too rushed and wasn’t developed enough for the maximum impact, but on the whole I also enjoyed The Guilt Trip as much as my first two novels by Sandie Jones, so that’s definitely a win. For a more intense and full-bodied mystery thriller, there are no doubt better books out there, but if you’re just looking for something quick and entertaining as a popcorn read, this will do just fine. I look forward to whatever the author writes next.

Waiting on Wednesday 08/11/21

Posted on August 11, 2021 12 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

Last Exit by Max Gladstone (February 22, 2022 by Tor Books)

While browsing Amazon the other day, I was pretty excited to see this cover and description of an upcoming release by Max Gladstone, whose Craft Sequence books I really enjoyed. And it sounds pretty awesome too1

“American Gods meets The Amber Chronicles in Max Gladstone’s Last Exit: A hitchhiker wizard gathers her estranged friends to defend the world from her long lost lover—and the monsters that return with her.

Imagine that the American highway system is a vast magical network binding city to city. By soaking up magic from intentionally directionless travel, initiates can slip into alternate realities. Stray too far from our America, though, and things get weird. And dangerous. And terrifying.

When visionary mathematician Zelda Qiang was in college, she learned how to travel from one alternate reality to another. Her response was to take her friends on a road trip to strange new worlds. Six of them set out. Only five returned. Zelda’s lover, Sal, betrayed them: she walked into the jags—sharp cutting shadows like cracks in space—and didn’t come back.

Now Zelda still walks the road alone, a wandering magus keeping the jags from breaking through. But now Sal is coming back—with Dark Things in tow.”

Excerpt: The Fort by Adrian Goldsworthy

Posted on August 10, 2021 4 Comments

Today, we are pleased to be featuring an excerpt from The Fort by Adrian Goldsworthy, releasing today from Head of Zeus! Action-packed and highly authentic, this first novel of the City of Victory set on Rome’s Danubian frontier is sure to appeal to ancient history buffs and fans of adventure fiction.

The Fort by Adrian Goldsworthy

AD 105: DACIA

The Dacian kingdom and Rome are at peace, but no one thinks that it will last. Sent to command an isolated fort beyond the Danube, centurion Flavius Ferox can sense that war is coming, but also knows that enemies may be closer to home.

Many of the Brigantes under his command are former rebels and convicts, as likely to kill him as obey an order. And then there is Hadrian, the emperor’s cousin, and a man with plans of his own…

Gritty, gripping and profoundly authentic, The Fort is the first book in a brand new trilogy set in the Roman empire from bestselling historian Adrian Goldsworthy.

The fort at Piroboridava, Province of Moesia Inferior
Three days after the Ides of Februarius, in the consulship of Julius Candidus and Caius Antius (ad 105)

Snow starting falling again as they reached the top of the tower, the big flakes tumbling slowly through the still air to settle on the timbers. Two sentries were on watch, their drab cloaks dotted with flecks of white, and the men stiffened to attention when their centurion appeared. Sabinus, round faced, looking far younger than his twenty-seven years, was a relative newcomer to the legion and indeed the army, commissioned after several years on the council in his home town in Baetica, but was well liked. He grinned at the two legionaries, and gestured for them to stand at ease.

‘All well, boys?’ Sabinus asked them, knowing the answer already.

‘All well, sir.’ The ‘boys’ were both veterans, only a couple of years away from the end of their twenty-five years with I Minervia, and glad not to stand on ceremony. They pulled their cloaks tight and assumed the well-practised stare of sentries doing their job, apparently oblivious to the centurion and the officers with him, while making sure that they heard anything that might be useful or worthy of gossip. Rumours that they were to be relieved and allowed back to civilization had being doing the rounds of the garrison for weeks, and the arrival of the four riders at noon today was taken as a good sign. It was happening. No matter that it seemed odd to change garrisons before the winter was out, and no matter that it seemed even odder to replace a predominantly legionary garrison with a band of irregulars from the wilds of Britannia. If it meant that the vexillatio of I Minervia could return to their base – or anywhere other than here – then what did it matter if the army was making even less sense than usual. They were going, and soon by the look of things, and that promise helped to keep a man warm as he paced up and down on top of this tower.

One of the Britons’ boot skidded where snow had been trodden into sludge. The man next to him steadied him and then nodded as if to reassure his comrade. They were clean shaven, smart and might easily have been decurions in a regular ala of cavalry, true auxiliaries rather than half-barbarian irregulars. Each had a fine iron helmet with the shallow neck guard safer for a horseman than the wide ones on an infantry helmet. Both were slim, rangy men, with a stiff yellow plume atop each helmet adding to their height. The third was built along the same lines, but taller, the skin on his face so taut that even with his drooping moustache it looked skull-like. He seemed to sneer at the man who had almost fallen, although that may simply have been his usual expression. Swathed in a thick tartan cloak, with an old-fashioned army issue helmet, but no mark of rank, he struck Sabinus as more bandit than soldier.

The fourth man was slow to follow, but as he was the most important of the party – indeed the only man of account among them – Sabinus waited for him to appear. At long last the high transverse crest of the centurion’s helmet came up through the open trap door. Flavius Ferox was another Briton, but he came from a legion, even if currently put in charge of a band of cut-throats. From the start of the tour of the garrison the younger officer had done his best to be amiable. Ferox was senior to him, and by all accounts had a long, even distinguished, record, and it never did any harm to be pleasant to someone who was – or one day might become – a useful acquaintance. Pity the fellow was so surly.

‘The scorpio below,’ Ferox said abruptly before he was even off the ladder, ‘how often is it checked?’ On the level below there was a light bolt-shooting engine, covered as usual against the weather.

Before Sabinus could answer, one of the sentries slammed his boots down on the planking as he came to attention. ‘Cleaned every third day, sir!’ the man shouted his report. ‘Springs checked daily, sir!’

Ferox grunted, and Sabinus hoped that his gratitude to the soldier was not too obvious. He would have remembered the answer eventually, but had gone blank.

‘Can you reach the bridge with it?’ The fort lay beside the main track where it crossed over the river.

‘No,’ Sabinus replied, confident of this at least. ‘With luck and the right wind, you might get close now and again, but not with any accuracy. It’s just over two hundred and fifty paces from the gate to the first plank of the bridge. Two hundred and fifty-three to be precise,’ he added, having supervised the survey himself.

About the Author

Adrian Goldsworthy is a respected historian of the ancient world. He studied at Oxford, where his doctoral thesis examined the Roman army, and he went on to write acclaimed works of non-fiction including Caesar, Hadrian’s Wall, and Philip and Alexander. His fiction includes the authentic and action-packed Vindolanda Trilogy, set in Roman Britain.

http://www.adriangoldsworthy.com

Review: The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward

Posted on August 9, 2021 20 Comments

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward

Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Genre: Horror

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Nightfire | Macmillan Audio (September 28, 2021)

Length: 352 pages | 12 hrs

Author Information: Twitter

Narrator (Audiobook): Christopher Ragland

The Last House on Needless Street was an interesting read. Definitely odd, but in a good way. While I still have mixed feelings about it, I think that has a lot more to do with my own expectations for the story and less to do with the technical aspects of the book. In fact, everything about this novel will hinge upon “expectations,” which is why I suspect I’m in a small minority and that most readers will actually revel in getting their minds blown.

To keep the surprise a secret, I’m just going to give a brief overview of the book’s characters in lieu of my usual summary of the premise for this review, because I truly believe the less you know going into it, the better. In Washington, perched on the edge of a forest, lies the titular house located on a dead-end street, where Ted Bannerman has lived for his entire life. He has two other housemates, the first being a teenage girl named Lauren whom Ted refers to his daughter, but she isn’t allowed to go outside or interact with anyone. The second housemate is actually a cat, Olivia, whose life revolves around napping, the Bible, and being fiercely loyal to Ted.

Then there’s the new neighbor, Dee, who recently moved into the place next door—which, of course, was all part of her plan. Years ago, her sister went missing, and Ted was a person of interest in the case. Although nothing ever came of it, Dee is convinced Ted had something to do with her sister’s disappearance and is determined to get close enough to him so she can prove it.

What I loved about this book was the mystery, but it’s also not the kind of mystery you think. Many reviewers have pointed out the futility of trying to guess what’s going on, because you’ll probably end up way off base. I do think the author has done a great job leading the reader down a garden path, using misleading signals and other subtle types of deception. I have to say this aspect was done extremely well.

I also enjoyed the handling of the characters, whose POVs were unique in their own individual ways. It’s clear from the start, for instance, that there’s something “off” about Ted. His mind reveals a confused and somewhat worrying personality. He has frequent memory lapses, exhibits paranoid behavior, is quite possibly struggling with mental illness or substance abuse. His relationships with his companions are even more puzzling, especially when it comes to Lauren, an angry teenager. Ted’s interactions with her raise more questions than answers, but it’s clear he’s gradually losing control of the situation. Meanwhile, we also have Olivia, whose voice was simply adorable and delightful, though in keeping with the theme of the others, there’s a touch of darkness there as well. This little black cat is completely devoted to protecting Ted, which she believes is her calling.

Through these strange perspectives, the author keeps readers off-balance, until layer by layer, the truths are revealed. It’s a twist but also not a twist, if that makes sense (probably not). But once you read this book and get to the end, it’ll all come together (or not really—but most of it).

Here’s where my experience differed from the vast majority of positive reviews, and I really think it had a lot to do with catching on to what was happening way too early, which robbed the ending of its impact. Then there was my mood at the time. Sure, The Last House on Needless Street can be considered a horror novel, but it wasn’t what I had in mind or what I’d wanted when I picked it up, despite the story oozing with atmosphere. And finally, I think I just took too long to read it. Real life getting in the way meant I had to set this book aside frequently, and the prolonged time also meant I had a lot longer to mull over the story, making connections and spotting inconsistencies. Don’t get me wrong, I liked what the book was trying to do and what it achieved, and I found the overall concept to be one-of-a-kind and clever, but ultimately, my reaction was something closer to a “that’s it?” due to the reasons listed above.

Nevertheless, I believe The Last House on Needless Street is worth reading. I’m aware that my own experiences were something of an outlier due to specific circumstances, but most readers will probably enjoy the journey of having their expectations altered and shattered. The afterword is also fascinating. If you’re looking for a unique read, definitely check it out.

Bookshelf Roundup: 08/07/21: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads

Posted on August 7, 2021 15 Comments

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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!

Some of these new arrivals are from mid-July since I’m a bit behind on cataloguing, but there’s a good mix here! Thank you to Tor Books for a review copy of The Justice in Revenge by Ryan Van Loan, the follow-up to The Sin in the Steel which I somehow missed, but luckily this can be read as a standalone. The author has been making quite a splash so I’m excited to read him! And from the Tor.com imprint, I also received an ARC of a new-to-me book called A Marvelous Light by Freya Marske. A quick look on Goodreads reveals the description “Red White & Royal Blue meets Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell” set in Edwardian England with magic, contracts and conspiracies. I’d say it worth taking a look! Thanks also to Del Rey for a finished copy of Paper & Blood by Kevin Hearne, the sequel to Ink & Sigil. I’ll be starting this one soon.

With thanks also to the team at Grand Central Publishing for the following: An Ambush of Widows by Jeff Abbott is a psychological suspense about a pair of men who didn’t know each other, but died violently together in a place neither had anhy business being, and now their widows are trying to find out why. I was also excited to receive Hollow Kingdom and its sequel Feral Creatures by Kira Jane Buxton. I’m really excited to read the new book, but it was so awesome of them to send me a paperback of the first one as well!

It’s a new month, so the digital haul has exploded again with audiobooks. I did request an eARC from NetGalley though, something I hadn’t done in weeks, but it was hard to resist when I saw Cytonic by Brandon Sanderson pop up in my auto-approvals. This is such a great YA sci-fi series by one of my favorite authors.

Now to the new audiobooks! With thanks to Hachette Audio, I received Tides of Mutiny by Rebecca Rode. These days I’m still picky when it comes to requesting YA fantasy, but pirates won out. Thanks also to Penguin Random House Audio for Velvet Was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, because I’ll read anything this woman writes, as well as Reclaimed by Madeleine Roux, described as a claustrophobic science fiction thriller.

Thank you also to Brilliance Audio for Citadel by Marko Kloos, the third volume in the Palladium Wars series. I’ve been dying to get my hands on this one ever since the cliffhanger in book two. And thank you also to Simon & Schuster Audio for Billy Summers by Stephen King. I don’t usually jump on new King novels until more reviews come out to see if they’re worth it, but I the synopsis of this one interested me. From the publisher I also grabbed a couple of mystery thrillers, Where the Truth Lies by Anna Bailey and The Family Plot by Megan Collins.

Reviews

Hard Reboot by Django Wexler (3.5 of 5 stars)
Lux by Brandon Sanderson (4 of 5 stars)

What I’ve Been Reading

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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: Motel

Posted on August 6, 2021 15 Comments

This week’s theme is:

“They cluck their thick tongues, and shake their heads and suggest, os so very delicately!”
~ a cover featuring a MOTEL

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James

Glad I read this book, because it’s perfect for the theme (not to mention it was pretty awesome too).

From left to right:
Berkley (2020) – Wheeler Publishing Large Print (2020)

German Edition (2021) – Croatian Edition (2020) – Hungarian Edition (2021)

Winner:

And how do the covers stack up? Well, the book might be awesome, but none of the later covers really grab me. I still prefer the original first edition Berkley.

But what do you think? Which one is your favorite?