Book Review: The Minders by John Marrs
Posted on February 18, 2021 22 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: 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Thriller, Suspense
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Berkley Books (February 16, 2021)
Length: 416 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
If you enjoyed John Marr’s The Passengers, then you should be no stranger to the exhilarating mood and over-the-top thrills of The Minders, his latest novel set in that same high-tech futuristic world of action.
Once more, our story sets out to explore the possible ramifications of cutting-edge technology on a population not quite ready for the potential dangers and pitfalls. Even as the internet continues to expand its reach and impact, cyber security is a never-ending arms race. After all, any computer can be hacked and sensitive information stolen, so the British government has developed a new and radical system to ensure that state secrets will always remain safe.
Subsequently, five citizens selected for a neurological condition which allows their brains to integrate and process massive amounts of information are recruited into this highly classified program. Designated “the Minders”, these men and women are put through a strict training regimen, then implanted with a tiny DNA bead containing the nation’s top secrets. Next, they are told to cut ties with everyone in their lives and move far away to random remote locations around the country known only to a single handler, essentially making them untraceable and presumably unhackable. In return for their services and sacrifice, in five years’ time the Minders will be released from their contract and rewarded with a sizeable paycheck, while any action to compromise the program or betray its secrets will be punished with legal action, jail time, or even execution.
These Minders are: Flick, a former restaurant owner who has lost all direction in her life and is questioning her own sanity after finding out from a DNA matchmaking service that her soulmate was a deranged serial killer (more on this later); Charlie, a 20-something who is feeling increasingly isolated and abandoned by his friends since he alone is the last among them to find a partner through DNA matching; Sinead, who is tired of being ground down by her controlling and emotionally abusive husband; and Bruno, whose wife had been killed in a self-driving car accident, leaving him to raise their autistic son alone. While these characters may come from disparate backgrounds, all of them are ready for a change and have nothing to lose—making them perfect for the Minders program.
But like I said, there are five Minders, and our final character is Emilia, who is the lynchpin to the entire plot. Suffering from amnesia, she wakes up one day to a man claiming to be her husband, but of course, she can’t remember him or anything at all. As the other Minders settle into their new lives, not all of them are adjusting well to the implant in their brain. Worse, despite all the safeguards put in place to preserve the program’s secrecy, somehow their identities have gotten out and now someone is hunting them down one by one.
It’s no exaggeration when I say there is a ton to unpack here. While The Minders can be read as a standalone, it is also the third novel set in the same world as two other John Marrs books, and the story frequently references certain events from both. For example, the self-driving car accident that claimed the life of Bruno’s wife was the result of the fallout from The Passengers, while the DNA matching system that had been causing Flick and Charlie so much misery was actually the premise of The One. Now, it’s okay if you haven’t the previous books, since I think for the most part Marrs does a pretty good job at catching you up. Still, moments of confusion are still possible. Case in point, I haven’t read The One and thought the DNA matchmaking system was just about the most absurd thing ever, though to be fair, I might not have, if I had gotten the full context.
That said, so much more about the book was far out there and completely bonkers. Take how the government “selected” the Minders, for instance, by putting out a brainteaser puzzle through a clickbaity ad on the internet which could only be solved by the kind of people they were looking for (a bit like that old Bruce Willis movie called Mercury Rising, and the fact that it was Bruno’s autistic son who actually solved the puzzle for him was also kind of reminiscent of that plot). And from there, it just gets weirder and wilder, not least of all the idea that the smartest and most highly qualified of Britain’s national defense and security experts were called together to come up with an impregnable and ultra-secure system to guard the nation’s top secrets, and the best they could come up with was to put all of it into the hands of five total basketcases who I wouldn’t even trust to walk my dogs.
In sum, it’s probably not worth the effort or energy picking apart everything in the story that doesn’t make sense, because let’s face it, your head will probably explode. If you’ve read The One or The Passengers, then you already know what to expect, and if not, the first handful of pages are enough to give you a good idea if this is the kind of book for you. Not going to lie, the story gets stupidly ridiculous and over-the-top at times, but if you can handle the tone, it can also be fantastic escapism and incredibly fun.
Waiting on Wednesday 02/17/21
Posted on February 17, 2021 16 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 Hidden by Melanie Golding (November 9, 2021 by Crooked Lane Books)
I loved Little Darlings last year, which was a suspenseful thriller with just a hint of the supernatural. So I was really excited to hear that Golding will have a new book out in the fall, one that sounds just as creepy and will even have a Celtic mythology angle.
“Following her acclaimed debut Little Darlings, Melanie Golding’s newest folkloric suspense is a spine-tingling twist on Celtic mythology.
One dark December night, in a small seaside town, a little girl is found abandoned. When her mother finally arrives, authorities release the pair, believing it to be an innocent case of a toddler running off.
Gregor, a seemingly single man, is found bludgeoned and left for dead in his apartment, but the discovery of children’s toys raises more questions than answers.
Every night, Ruby gazes into Gregor’s apartment, leading to the discovery of his secret family: his unusually silent daughter and his mentally unstable wife, Constance, who insists that she is descended from the mythological Selkies. She begs Ruby to aid in finding the sealskin that Gregor has hidden from her, making it impossible to return to her people.
DS Joanna Harper’s investigation into Gregor’s assault leads her to CCTV footage of the mother-daughter pair from town. Harper realizes she knows the woman almost as well as she knows herself: it’s her estranged daughter, Ruby. No matter the depth of Ruby’s involvement, she knows she will choose her daughter over her career.
Steeped in local legend and exploring the depths of what it means to be a mother, Melanie Golding’s newest novel is “a lyrical and atmospheric folktale for the modern age.” (Bustle, on Little Darlings)”
Review: The Power Couple by Alex Berenson
Posted on February 16, 2021 22 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 Power Couple by Alex Berenson
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Thriller, Mystery
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Hardcover: Simon Schuster | Audiobook: Simon & Schuster Audio
Length: HC: 432 pages | Audio: 12 hrs and 49 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
A domestic suspense with just a hint of espionage and political thriller thrown into the mix, The Power Couple by Alex Berenson was fun read. Best of all, it felt like getting two books in one, and the author won’t reveal how everything is connected until the very end.
Rebecca and Brian Unsworth have been married for twenty years, so for their anniversary they’ve decided to do something truly special, like treating themselves and their kids to a much-needed vacation in Europe. But behind the façade of this happy all-American family is a rot that has been festering for quite some time. Consumed with her work at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Rebecca has long been neglecting her relationships with her husband and children, leaving Brian quietly resentful even though her connections had helped him get a coder job at the NSA. Both are aware they’ve been slowly drifting apart, and their hope for this European getaway is that it will also help bring them closer together.
But one night in Barcelona, their teenage daughter Kira leaves for a dance club and doesn’t return to the hotel. Witnesses say she met an attractive stranger before leaving with him and some of his friends, the last anyone saw of any of them. Thus begins Kira’s terrifying journey as a kidnapping victim, taken for reasons she knows nothing about, though her captors seem to know a lot about her. Meanwhile, after the local police has done all they can, Rebecca and Brian scramble to mobilize their own resources in the US government to help track down their daughter. Surely, if Kira had just been a random target, her abductors shouldn’t be too hard to find. But what if it hadn’t been random? What if someone had gone after Kira to send a message?
Our story begins with practically no preamble, opening with the events leading up to Kira’s kidnapping, all of it unfolding from her point of view. After these harrowing sections, however, the narrative suddenly switches tack, flashing back all the way to Rebecca’s college days in law school. From there on out, we get the story of how she decided she was going to join the FBI, as well as how she met and fell in love with Brian, eventually getting married and starting a family. At first, this abrupt switch seemed counter-intuitive and even unwelcome, considering how rudely we were torn away from the present timeline and the heart-pounding events that were taking place. I wanted to know what was happening to Kira and what her parents were doing to get her back, so why on earth was my time being wasted with a rundown of Rebecca’s life story?
Well, suffice to say, I found out why in the end. This book is definitely a puzzle that requires all its pieces to make sense—put together the domestic suspense half with the half about the kidnapping, and voila, you have the key! Thriller fans will enjoy this story, which reminds me a little of Taken, but whereas Liam Neeson’s character was former CIA and Green Beret, Kira’s parents are not quite so badass. In fact, despite the novel’s title, Rebecca and Brian don’t hold much power at all at their respective agencies, though they do have some bureaucratic connections. Still, for the most part, the sections of the book dealing with the parents are less about the action and more about the mistrust and suspicions surrounding a poisonous marriage—themes that leave you on the edge of your seat in their own intense way.
As with most thrillers, the personalities of our characters also ended up playing a huge role. Brian and Rebecca are flawed individuals and neither of them inspire much sympathy, though that’s what makes books like this so fun. I loved how we got both their perspectives, allowing readers to compare and spot where their credibility might be compromised and speculate reasons as to why they would lie. It’s a guessing game all the way through, until the story ultimately culminates in a shocking yet satisfying ending.
The Power Couple was my first book by Alex Berenson, but after this, I’ll surely be looking out for more of his work. Had a great time with this one, with its compulsive storytelling and electrifying ambience. Recommended.
Review: A History of What Comes Next by Sylvain Neuvel
Posted on February 15, 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.
A History of What Comes Next by Sylvain Neuvel
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction, Historical Fiction
Series: Book 1 of A History of What Comes Next
Publisher: Hardcover: Tor.com | Audibook: Macmillan Audio (February 2, 2021)
Length: HC: 304 pages | Audio: 9 hrs and 22 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
A strange yet intriguing version of the space race is retold in this first installment of Sylvain Neuvel’s Take Them to the Stars trilogy, an alternate history following the lives of several generations of women from a family of otherworldly beings. Sara and Mia are the latest members in a long line of Kibsu, an all-female society whose ancient origins are believed to go way back beyond the dawn of human civilization. Since then, a team consisting of a mother and her daughter, identical in their genetic makeup, has existed with the sole purpose to shape and influence humanity with the end goal of helping them reach the stars, else an evil which has been hunting them for millennia will catch up and kill them all.
The ninety-ninth generation, Mia finds herself traveling to Germany in the mid-1940s on a secret mission to recruit aerospace engineer Wernher von Braun as part of Operation Paperclip, an American program to secure the space race. Soon after though, her mother Sara fears that the age-old enemies of the Kibsu, known as the Trackers, are dangerously close to discovering their location, forcing them to flee to Moscow. There, the pair begin a new undertaking to aid the Russian space program, hoping that this would also send the United States scrambling to develop their own rockets. Time, however, is running out in more ways than one. Humanity is close to making a breakthrough, but the Trackers are also hot on the women’s trail. Furthermore, Sara knows that a new generation must be created if their mission is to continue, but there can never be more than two Kibsu for long. While Mia understands what needs to be done, her heart breaks at the idea of giving up everything for duty, not to mention she is not yet ready to lose her mother.
It’s an interesting premise, to be sure. That said, if you’re the kind of reader who prefers their stories with clear, logical plot progression and convincing explanations, A History of What Comes Next will probably not be your cup of tea. To start, if you were reading my summary and wondered what the motives of the Kibsu might be, you’re sadly not going to get much more beyond what I’ve already outlined. As for their origins, the whys and hows are foggy at best, and not even the many flashbacks sprinkled throughout the narrative were able to provide much clarity. Ultimately, one gets the sense you’re not supposed to ask too many questions, since the characters themselves are unsure of the answers.
On a positive note though, the ideas in this book were very unique. Neuvel incorporates real events, writing about everything from the post-WWII period to the tail end of the space race with an eye towards detail, a point which should win a lot of favor with historical fiction fans. At the same time, he’s also weaving in the supernatural and other speculative elements which fantasy and science fiction fans should eat right up. Of course, given that the overlap between these two groups is going to be much narrower, the question is whether this novel will find an audience, and here’s where I think things get a little trickier.
As well, I can see the story’s format being an obstacle for some, for not only does the book’s structure employ multiple perspectives with flashbacks, the writing style is also somewhat reminiscent of the author’s Themis Files trilogy, unfolding mostly in dialogue. It’s a gutsy move, since so much could go wrong, and I confess that during my experimentation with different formats for this novel, I found that the style made for a very poor audiobook experience even with a full cast doing the different voices. Even when reading in print, the prose simply felt too broken up, and because a lot of times we were limited to dialogue, I often felt I was missing out on a ton of context due to a lack of description.
In the end, I am torn. The ideas here were great, and I loved the blend of history and SFF, but the book would have been a richer, fuller experience for me had it been told in a more conventional style. This was a niche read, one that will probably struggle to find wide appeal, though on the other hand, I believe those whom it speaks to will absolutely adore it. There’s definitely potential here, a chance for this trilogy to grow and become so much more. I guess we shall see with the sequel.
Audiobook Review: Star Wars: Into the Dark by Claudia Gray
Posted on February 14, 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.
Star Wars: Into the Dark by Claudia Gray
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction, Media Tie-In
Series: Star Wars Canon, Star Wars: The High Republic
Publisher: Listening Library (February 2, 2021)
Length: 11 hrs and 11 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Dan Bittner
Into the Dark was my fifth Star Wars book by Claudia Gray, but it’s probably the first one I didn’t love. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed it well enough, but I was also lukewarm about a lot of it. Unfortunately, I just don’t do as well with large casts when it comes to media tie-ins with their multitude of subplots and character perspectives.
Our story takes place in the era known as the High Republic, a setting created for a new series of written work launched in early 2021 to expand the Star Wars universe. Thus far there have only been a handful of books published, and Into the Dark is the first YA novel. Although it is intended to be a standalone, this story is also set around the Emergences space disaster featured in other The High Republic books. We are introduced to a padawan named Reath Silas, whose master had volunteered their services at the new Galactic Republic base established in the Outer Rim called Starlight Beacon. Along for the ride are also Jedi Knights Dez Rydan and Orla Jareni, as well as Jedi Master Colmac Vitus. Each of them have their own reasons to go, but all are committed to supporting the cause of their order and the Republic.
But when their transport is forced out of hyperspace by the Emergences, the Jedi must find a way to help bring the crew to safety. They end up at what appears to be an abandoned space station with a mysterious garden zealously protected by an army of droids, and that’s just one of many strange things they encounter. As more starts to go wrong, our characters discover the disturbing origins of the station, which is a remnant of an ancient race of aliens who have left certain safeguards in place to control an aggressive carnivorous plant species that would be a danger to the galaxy if set loose. And despite their best intentions, the Jedi may have inadvertently disrupted the careful balance of the station, putting everything at risk.
While Claudia Gray is still by far my favorite of the new Star Wars canon authors, I thought Into the Dark was probably her weakest. She usually writes great characters, but the attention here was simply spread too thin among too many perspectives, and even though Reath may be the closest thing to a protagonist, I also felt he was the dullest. The main gist of his character appears to be his reluctance to leave the comforts of Coruscant for the wild frontier of the Outer Rim, and he basically spends the entire book trying to broaden his horizons but still doesn’t quite manage it. Compared to Gray’s other novels where her protagonists typically grow a lot by story’s end, Reath’s journey didn’t seem to have much of an impact. It’s like his biggest challenge is still around the corner given the losses he experiences at the end of the book, and everything that occurred up to that point was just the leadup.
Also keep in mind that during this time, the Jedi were still all about eschewing attachments and forming any kind of emotional connection to anyone or anything, so one can’t help but think this might have also limited what Gray could have done with the characters. I therefore actually find it quite interesting and appropriate that this topic was touched upon in Master Colmac’s story arc. He was definitely one of the more compelling POVs, and I especially enjoyed his internal struggle and questioning of the Jedi’s ways (though I wasn’t so keen on the flashbacks to his early life which I felt were more distraction than explanation). Other characters I enjoyed included the pilot team of Affie and the spice-addled Leox who presented opportunities for cultural exchange and information sharing so that readers too can learn about the differences between the peoples of the core worlds and the Outer Rim.
In terms of the story, the plot involving the Amaxine and the Drengir might have come across as a bit convoluted, but what really excited me was when things started linking up to the bigger series arc concerning the Nihil. These are the main villains of The High Republic, after all, and naturally I was intrigued to read more.
That said, in many ways Into the Dark suffered some of the same issues I had with Light of the Jedi, and I believe the main reason has to do with the fact that this era’s timeline and its characters are still so new. We’re essentially starting fresh, and it’s inevitable that readers are going to need some time to get to learn the ropes. I think this is where I am now, but as time goes on, I’m sure it will become easier to feel more invested and connected to all the names, events, and places. Needless to say, I’m looking forward to getting more of The High Republic lore, and this is a series I will continue to stick with as long as I’m enjoying myself.
Bookshelf Roundup: 02/13/21: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on February 13, 2021 25 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.
The laptop saga continues. It was determined that my old one was well and truly busted, so I did get a replacement this week…only to get a faulty one that didn’t work right out of the box. So right now, that return is being processed and I’m still sharing my desktop with my kids, but hopefully by the start of next week everything will be sorted.
In the meantime, we had a couple of back-to-back snow events these past few weeks. I was driving in my neighborhood after a fresh snowfall one morning and just had to pull over and take this pic because I was struck by how perfectly beautiful everything was.
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!
Kicking off this week’s roundup is My Heart Is A Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones, a surprise arrival from the amazing folks at Saga Press. Ever since The Only Good Indians I’ve been meaning to pick up another book by the author, and with luck this one seems way more my speed. And seriously, that title is awesome!
Earlier in the week I also received an ARC of Wings of Fury by Emily R. King with thanks to 47North and the Wunderkind PR team. This one was new to me, but a quick look on Goodreads revealed it to be a Greek mythology inspired fantasy, which is all I need to know! Definitely want to check this one out if I can.
And with thanks to Subterranean Press, I also received Alias Space and Other Stories by Kelly Robson. I’ve never read the author, but her name has popped up on many of the biggest SFF anthologies in the last few years which has made me curious about her work. Getting a book collecting all of her best stories in one handy volume is pretty sweet!
This week, I received lot of exciting new audiobooks for review. With thanks to Harper Audio, I snagged a couple of YA titles I’ve had my eye on, including the highly anticipated The Iron Raven by Julie Kagawa, and a new fantasy debut called The Bright and the Pale by Jessica Rubinkowski. I was also happy when the audiobook of The Bone Maker by Sarah Beth Durst became available to request, because I think it has the potential to be a really good listen. There were also quite a few early ALC titles offered, and I couldn’t help but be drawn to the synopsis for Mother May I by Joshilyn Jackson, a mystery thriller about a mother who will stop at nothing to get her abducted infant son back.
And speaking of thrillers, with thanks to Penguin Random House Audio, I also received The Downstairs Neighbor by Helen Cooper. Not gonna lie, the blurb comparing it to Shari Lapena’s work was a big part of why I wanted to take a look. Last but not least, I was also super pumped to receive a listening copy of Quiet In Her Bones by Nalini Singh. I’ve always wanted to read her, maybe 2021 will finally be the year!
Reviews
The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec (4 of 5 stars)
Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell (3.5 of 5 stars)
These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong (3 of 5 stars)
Guest Posts
“Writing About Plague in A Time of Plague” by Stephen Deas
This Week’s Reads
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! Let me know what you plan on checking out. Until next time, see you next Roundup!
Friday Face-Off: Beastly
Posted on February 12, 2021 18 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 beast, something cuddly, or a fur covering”
~ a BEASTLY cover
Mogsy’s Pick:
Wild Country by Anne Bishop
I loved how this week’s theme was open and that we were pretty much free to go with any sort of furry creature or beast, but I kind of had my heart set on a bear, just because. I figured I would get some good hits with The Others series, which presents a curious view of the world if supernatural beings like vampires and animal shapeshifters had conquered the world instead of humans, and I was not disappointed. Looking through the editions available for the aptly titled Wild Country, I found exactly what I wanted.
From left to right:
Ace (2019) – Portuguese Edition (2019) – French Edition (2020)
Winner:
I had some beary particular preferences this week, so it’s probably no surprise which cover I chose.
But what do you think? Which one is your favorite?
Book Review: Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell
Posted on February 11, 2021 25 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction, Romance
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Tor Books (February 2, 2021)
Length: 432 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Well, this wasn’t awesome, but it was still pretty good! If you are looking for a fun and engaging sci-fi read that goes down easy, like a big bucket of buttery popcorn, then Winter’s Orbit might just fit the bill. That said, managing expectations is sort of critical with this one, as is being aware of its origins on Archive of Our Own, the open-source fanfiction website. For while you can take the book out of AO3, you can’t always take the AO3 out of the book, and this is a story where its fanfic roots are plain to see.
The main focus of Winter’s Orbit is on two princes, Kiem and Jainan, who must enter into an arranged political marriage in order to quell the hostilities rising within a beleaguered galactic empire. As the novel opens, an important peace treaty called the Resolution is in jeopardy when Prince Taam of Iskat suddenly dies, prompting swift action by the emperor to mend the broken alliance with the planet Thea, home of Taam’s widower Jainan. As a last resort, Taam’s flighty and disreputable playboy cousin Kiem is called upon to wed Jainan, so that the allegiance of the Theans is ensured and amiable relations between their two sides can continue.
Thrown together by duty and circumstance, our two protagonists try to make the best of the situation, understanding the importance of their roles in maintaining peace. However, as new evidence comes to light suggesting that Prince Taam’s death was no accident, and that Jainan himself might have been involved, the alliance between Iskat and Thea becomes threatened once again, leading the empire down a path of war. With the fate of worlds hanging in the balance, Kiem and Jainan must come to terms with their feelings for each other and learn to trust one another despite their differences, for only then can they begin working towards solving a murder and eventually uncover the greater mystery at hand.
So, let’s just get the negatives out of the way first. I’m going to preface this by saying there’s legitimately good fanfiction out there, speaking as someone who has enjoyed reading her fair share of them over the years. That’s also how I know there’s a bunch of silly tropes—tropes that might be perfectly fine if you’re bored and looking for a bit of escapism with some of your favorite characters based in some of your favorite worlds, but are admittedly not so ideal when you’re picking up a novel with the expectation for more pretext. My main issue was that, even from the very start, every major plot point in Winter’s Orbit has already been telegraphed, and so for the entirety of its four hundred plus pages, I chafed with sensation that we were simply going with the motions and witnessing theater. As a result, the intrigue and action elements were lackluster, mostly because I already knew everything that was going to happen, not to mention the romance itself was pretty shallow, permeated with manufactured conflict.
That said, I enjoyed the two central characters, for all that they were your standard cardboard cutouts playing predictable roles. Kiem reminds me of a big, adorable puppy, always bounding around getting into trouble because he’s a clueless, awkward, and larger-than-life goofball, and yet his heart of gold and his capacity to love is just so strong, you can’t help but find him endearing. Playing on the “opposites attract” theme, Jainan is far on the other side of the spectrum—quiet, introspective, and more prone to take a step back in any situation to analyze before acting. Again, it all just feels so put-on and fabricated as an excuse to inject unnecessary drama or create conditions rife for misunderstanding and miscommunication, though to be fair, I know plenty of other traditionally published romances that also utilize these very same tropes, for the very fact that they are entertaining, cute, and comfortably familiar.
Incidentally, those are also the words I would use to describe Winter’s Orbit. It’s science fiction lite, but while world-building may be on the sparser side, the story itself super easy to get into, and the good news is you won’t need multiple spreadsheets and character charts to follow along with the political machinations and intrigue. I also liked how the romance featured prominently but wasn’t overbearing or too distracting from the overall plot. Will this be the most original or inspiring novel you read this year? Probably not. But it certainly comes packaged with all the ingredients of mass appeal, which means readers looking for a fun, casual sci-fi read with a good balance of story elements will find plenty of enjoyment.
Waiting on Wednesday 02/10/21
Posted on February 10, 2021 19 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
Velvet Was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (August 17, 2021 by Del Rey)
Will I ever not be excited for a new Silvia Moreno-Garcia book? Nope, I don’t think so.
“From the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic comes a riveting noir about a daydreaming secretary, a lonesome enforcer, and the mystery of the missing woman that brings them together.
1970s Mexico City. Maite is a secretary who lives for one thing: the latest issue of Secret Romance. While student protests and political unrest consume the city, Maite escapes into stories of passion and danger.
Her next-door neighbor, Leonora, a beautiful art student, seems to live a life of intrigue and romance that Maite envies. When Leonora disappears under suspicious circumstances, Maite finds herself searching for the missing woman–and journeying deeper into Leonora’s secret life of student radicals and dissidents.
Meanwhile, someone else is also looking for Leonora at the behest of his boss, a shadowy figure who commands goon squads dedicated to squashing political activists. Elvis is an eccentric criminal who longs to escape his own life: He loathes violence and loves old movies and rock ‘n’ roll. But as Elvis searches for the missing woman, he comes to observe Maite from a distance–and grows more and more obsessed with this woman who shares his love of music, and the unspoken loneliness of his heart.
Now as Maite and Elvis come closer to discovering the secrets behind Leonora’s disappearance, they can no longer escape the danger that threatens to consume their lives, with hitmen, government agents, and Russian spies aiming to protect Leonora’s secrets–at gunpoint.”
Audiobook Review: The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec
Posted on February 9, 2021 23 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 Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Penguin Audio (February 9, 2021)
Length: 12 hrs and 4 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Jayne Entwistle
In the tradition of Madeline Miller’s Circe comes Genevieve Gornichec’s debut The Witch’s Heart, a creative reimagining the life of the Norse mythological figure Angrboda. The world may know her as the lover of Loki and the mother of monsters, but this novel seeks to present her as something more—a fiercely passionate and driven woman who will do anything to protect her children.
In the beginning is fire and death; Odin the All-Father is angered by a witch who denies him access to any more magic, so he punishes her by tearing out her heart and burning her at the stake. Thanks to her powers though, she was able to survive but just barely. Weakened and wounded, she retreats to the forest at the edge of world where she can be left unbothered and alone.
However, this new life of seclusion was interrupted when the trickster god Loki, having found the witch’s missing heart, decided to seek her out to return it. The two of them end up falling in love, and in time, three children are born from their marriage—Hel, who will later rule over the realm of the dead; Fenrir, the monstrous wolf; and Jormungand, the world serpent. All three of them, in some way, are prophesied to play a part in the coming of Ragnarok, the final destruction of the world, but to Angrboda, her children are her life and happiness. For their protection, she decides to raise them alone in the quiet and peaceful forest, shielding them away from the world of their father, who darts in and out of their lives as he pleases. But soon, the nightmares and visions start to become too much, and it is only a matter of time before prophesy catches up to Angrboda and her children, setting in motion a chain of events that will test her courage and will to overcome insurmountable challenges.
If you enjoy mythological fantasy and beautiful retellings, then you will love The Witch’s Heart. One does not even need to know much about Norse mythology to appreciate this novel, since at its core, the story is really more a character study of Angrboda than a rehash of the events that lead to Ragnarok. We begin with a low-key introduction to the protagonist, who simply wishes to live a quiet life as she recovers from the horrific ordeal of her burning. Still, even then, readers can sense the strength and powerful personality behind the character, which is only more apparent once Loki enters the picture. The dialogue is heavy early on, but it is also sublimely written, especially the banter between the trickster and our girl Angrboda, who is able to match her lover’s wit with a fiery intelligence and punchiness of her own.
Then there are the themes of love, friendship, and motherhood, which made this book an even greater joy to read. Little is written and known about Angrboda compared to her more famous husband and children, so in many ways, this gave the author more freedom and creativity to explore the character. What Angrboda wants is what any loving mother wants—to see her children thrive and be happy. When that is threatened, the results were gut-wrenching and difficult to read. Ultimately, The Witch’s Heart might be retelling of mythological events and figures, but its main character’s motivations and feelings are all human, and the theme of the devoted mother was the one that came through strongest of all. In addition to blending the myth with fiction, Gornichec managed to weave in layers of heartfelt emotion and meaning on top of the narrative, and the result is a very personal and relatable tale.
Overall, I found this novel to be a poignant and magical read. No doubt it’s a must for fans of mythological fantasy and retellings, but I have a feeling it will also speak to anyone who enjoys multilayered and character-focused stories of family and friendships. Crafted with no small amount of dedication and skill, The Witch’s Heart dazzled me, and I will be watching out for the author’s future work with great interest.
Audiobook Comments: My first impression of Jayne Entwistle’s performance was that her voice might have sounded a little too flat and mellow for Angrboda, but as the story went on, I think it became a better match as I gained a deeper appreciation and understanding for the character.
The BiblioSanctum