Labyrinth meets John Connolly's The Book of Lost Things, kind of. I mean, I wouldn't say that I enjoyed it as much as either of those two, which isn'tLabyrinth meets John Connolly's The Book of Lost Things, kind of. I mean, I wouldn't say that I enjoyed it as much as either of those two, which isn't surprising considering the adoration I have for both (one of my favorite films and one of my favorite books!), but it definitely has some of the same vibes, seeing as how there's a young girl on a quest through a dangerous and magical land and all that that entails.
There are lots of things to love about this book. There are fairies and witches and handsome princes. There's a magical quest and monsters to be slain. The prose is lovely (although perhaps a bit florid for my tastes) and the world-building is immersive. There's romance and complicated mother-daughter relationships and curses to be broken. Basically, it's all one big dark fairy tale and I am all about dark fairy tales.
At the same time, however, Gemma's quest just seemed so superficial at times. She flitted from one dangerous circumstance to another, but there was very little depth to many of the situations. For example, her escape from the Woods Below (which you think would be an ordeal considering how difficult it was to get there to begin with) is essentially limited to “they searched around and eventually found an exit.” Woo boy, that'll get the adrenaline pumping.
My biggest issue with this book, though, is what was done to Silvanus's character. He started out as this mysterious and alluring fairy prince and them somehow ended up the Scrappy-Doo of the fairy woods (Lemme at 'em! Lemme at 'em!). I don't want to say too much and spoil things, but he pretty much becomes a caricature of himself and I didn't like it one bit. Props to Gemma for her reaction to his Scrappy-Dooing (yes, this is a verb, created by me just now) at the end, though.
But still, despite these issues, it's pretty much impossible for me to dislike a tale that involves a dangerous quest through a magical forest. It's not The Book of Lost Things (which you should totally read if you haven't already), but it is dark and fantastical and enthralling and maybe even a bit heartwarming too.
My overall rating: 3.65 stars, rounded up.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is November 12, 2024....more
Most important things first: Does the cat live? (view spoiler)[Nope, and it's an awful death and there's lots of talk about it for the rest of the booMost important things first: Does the cat live? (view spoiler)[Nope, and it's an awful death and there's lots of talk about it for the rest of the book. Definitely don't read this book if you can't handle cat death and mutilation. (hide spoiler)]
So, yeah, I have no idea what I just read. This started off as a fairly typical “people in a remote cabin in the woods have scary things happen” horror story, and then it got very, very weird. I mean, people are passing out and there's a moose and it maybe talks and everything gets fever-dreamy and I don't even know what that ending was supposed to be. And then I dozed off and had a half-dream that the food that I'd eaten at the Greek festival earlier in the day was drugged and that's why I couldn't understand anything that happened in this book … and to be honest, that's still my best guess as to why this story is so weird because the only other solution I can come up with involves the author and an entire sheet of LSD. One way or another, I'm positive that hallucinogenic drugs were involved.
I did enjoy the beginning. Well, perhaps “enjoy” is a strong word because it's all rather depressing, but I was definitely invested in the story because I am a big fan of the whole “broken people go into the woods and get monstered” trope. And then a moose maybe started talking and I'm sure there is some sort of deeper meaning to everything that happened but it obviously all went right over my head. The Goodreads blurb says it has something to do with “the horrors of grief and the hunger of guilt” so I guess I'll just go with that.
Moose aside, however, the most baffling part of this book is why Christine brings groceries into the house, cooks and eats dinner, and then puts the groceries away afterward. I mean, if it's all shelf-stable pantry-type stuff, okay, I guess. But there were obviously cold/frozen items and now that I think about it, maybe it was the main character who was on drugs because that is the only way that the grocery thing makes sense.
Anyway, if you enjoy fever dreams and (view spoiler)[cat mutilation (hide spoiler)] and defrosted groceries, definitely give Cold Snap a read – perhaps you'll like (and understand) it more than I did. 2.15 stars, rounded down.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Titan Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is October 15, 2024....more
Well, there is definitely a reason that all of the other mothers hate Florence – she's unbearable. She's immature and unreliable, a bad friend and motWell, there is definitely a reason that all of the other mothers hate Florence – she's unbearable. She's immature and unreliable, a bad friend and mother, and she has some impressively bad decision-making skills. This book, however, is an absolute blast. I mean, sure, Florence is awful, but she's awful in the most entertaining way possible. Kind of a humorous train wreck, I guess you could say. I'm glad she's not a real person because (the British equivalent of) CPS would need to be called, like, yesterday, but as a fictional character she's pretty amusing.
When Florence's 10-year-old son Dylan becomes a suspect in the disappearance of one of his classmates, she decides to investigate the case in an attempt to direct the suspicion elsewhere. And, well, Florence is morally bankrupt so, you know, shenanigans ensue. Seriously, some of the things she did in this book literally made me gasp out loud. Florence is such a terrible person, y'all. I mean, she's not a serial killer or anything like that and she obviously cares about her kid (although not enough to not leave him home alone overnight while she goes on a date, mind you), but let's just say that this is not a book about a worried mother who works calmly and rationally with the authorities to ensure that proper justice is served.
The mystery (what happened to that asshole rich kid Alfie?) is a solid one, and while I kind of guessed at the big reveal a few times, I didn't truly figure out what was going on until Florence did. It's well-written and suspenseful and almost unputdownable. Florence isn't exactly Sherlock Holmes, but she doe share his love of cocaine so I guess there's that? (Or at least I think it was cocaine. I dunno. The drug was never specifically named and I'm not exactly Pablo Escobar here, you guys.)
So, yeah. If you enjoy mysteries with unlikeable main characters and humor and all kinds of drama, definitely consider giving All the Other Mothers Hate Me a read. It's a wild ride!
My overall rating: 4.35 stars, rounded down.
Many thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is March 11, 2025....more
Beast of the North Woods: Brought to you by Culver's. Okay, so maybe not really, but it's kind of funny how many times Culver's is mentioned in this nBeast of the North Woods: Brought to you by Culver's. Okay, so maybe not really, but it's kind of funny how many times Culver's is mentioned in this novel.
But, anyway, this is another enjoyable installment of the Monster Hunter Mysteries series. I can't say that I enjoyed it quite as much as its predecessors, but it's a light and fluffy cryptid mystery and that's exactly what I was looking for when I picked it up. Newt, as always, is the star of the show, although I swear he spends most of this one sitting in the car. Honestly, I'm starting to worry about Newt a bit – Morgan doesn't seem to find leaving him in the car during the Wisconsin winter to be concerning, and does he ever eat actual dog food or does his diet consist solely of Culver's™ burgers??
The murder mystery is fun, though. I feel like it's a little less cryptid-y than the previous mysteries were, but I have no real proof to back up my claim. It was entertaining to learn about the Hodag and the town of Rhinelander, Wisconsin and its Hodag obsession. Morgan seems to lean on her friends particularly hard for solving this one, and somehow Devon the shop assistant has – conveniently for Morgan – progressed to hacking bank accounts and credit card systems at this point. And, although Morgan has always been a character with a defective sense of self-preservation, expect brilliantly stupid, um, stupidity (hey, you want a well-written review, go read The New York Times!) from her this time around. I mean, why shouldn't she walk off alone into the deep dark woods just because a random note pinned to a door tells her to??
There's also a short bit where Morgan becomes an insta-expert on pig breeding, so that's fun.
Ol' Flatfoot Sanders is back for this installment, although his and Morgan's relationship is pretty lacking in this one (which, whatever, he's boring and naggy). I mean, they spend an entire trip sleeping in separate beds in adjoining hotel rooms, you guys! And, sadly, no one actually calls him Flatfoot Sanders in this book, which is really a bit of a disappointment.
Anyway, this is an easy, uncomplicated, and entertaining read. It's not fine literature by any means, but I'm definitely still looking forward to the next book in the series. 3.6 stars, rounded up.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is January 28, 2025....more
DNF'ing @ 25%. I really, really wanted to love this one because Wicked was great, but this book is practically unreadable to me. The writing is … wellDNF'ing @ 25%. I really, really wanted to love this one because Wicked was great, but this book is practically unreadable to me. The writing is … well, I don't even know how to explain the writing. There are short, repetitive sentences that are written in such a way that they just don't make much sense. I wouldn't exactly call it purple prose, but it's like the text kind of skirts around what it's trying to say instead of saying it directly? I dunno. I read some sections of this book out loud to my husband to make sure it wasn't just me who found it incomprehensible, and he said that it sounded like I was reading poetry (and not in a good way). I don't know why Gregory Maguire decided that this was the writing style he wanted to use for this one, but it just does not work for me. I gave it until the beginning of Part Two hoping that something would change, but it didn't and I can't suffer through another 220 pages of this, sorry.
Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is March 25, 2025....more
What in the ever-loving fudge did I just read?!? I mean, the blurb told me exactly what this book was going to be about so I guess I shouldn't be surpWhat in the ever-loving fudge did I just read?!? I mean, the blurb told me exactly what this book was going to be about so I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but I absolutely did not expect it to be so dark. If you're going into this one planning to read about a benignly meddlesome old woman and a mischievous young boy playing harmless pranks on each other, well … it's certainly not that. Which I guess is a good thing, because that sounds like a boring read now that I think about it. Havoc is a lot of things, but boring is not one of them.
Our narrator is Maggie, a nosy octogenarian who has taken it upon herself to “fix” other people's lives, even if they haven't exactly asked for her help. She's already fled one hotel in Europe due to her meddling taking an unexpected turn. She's unlikeable and unreliable and should probably be in some sort of retirement home with locks on the outside of the doors. What will happen when Maggie pits herself against someone who's just as awful as she is? And what if that person just happens to be an eight-year-old boy?
It's probably best if you go into this book mostly blind, but I will reiterate that this is a dark (and insane) read. It starts off fairly tame and then goes completely off the rails. You can feel the tension build as you turn the pages. And then the ending is kind of insane but also kind of brilliant and I am not exactly sure how I should feel about any of it.
My overall rating: 4.45 stars, rounded down. If you like twisted and suspenseful tales narrated by awful old women with a whole host of personality disorders, definitely consider giving this one a read. It's a wild ride.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is December 3, 2024....more
I'm not generally a fan of “sappy” books, but I will read anything TJ Klune writes without hesitation … and probably even get a little teary-eyed at tI'm not generally a fan of “sappy” books, but I will read anything TJ Klune writes without hesitation … and probably even get a little teary-eyed at the end. If you've read his other novels, you likely have a pretty good idea of the basic outline of this one. There's a gay guy. And another gay guy. And a kid. And there's a whole “found family” thing going on. And there's humor. And bacon. Okay, so maybe that last one is a new addition to Klune's repertoire, I don't remember.
This story focuses on one very odd young girl named Artemis Darth Vader and her gruff “bodyguard” Alex. There's also Nate, a disgraced journalist who wants nothing more than to escape from the world for a while. And then they meet up and become a family and everything gets sappy and romantic and heartwarming and I'm not crying, you're crying. I'm not spoiling anything here … I mean, it's a Klune novel, you know it's going to happen sooner or later. But it's also so much more than just sap – there's also secret government agencies and cults and action and conspiracy theorists and comets and maybe even a crashed helicopter or two (or three). It's all fantastically wonderful and sad and hopeful and you should probably read it as soon as possible.
My overall rating: 4.5 stars, rounded up.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Tor Books for providing me with a copy of this book to review. Its expected (re)publication date is February 4, 2025....more
Honestly, I think that the blurb calling this a “feminist take on The Shining” is probably a bit … ambitious. They both involve alcoholic caretakers oHonestly, I think that the blurb calling this a “feminist take on The Shining” is probably a bit … ambitious. They both involve alcoholic caretakers of a hotel/motel and a winter storm, and that's about where the similarities end. There's nothing supernatural about this tale and the entire plot line revolves around there being an outside killer “terrorizing” the caretaker, not the caretaker's own descent into murderous insanity. I'm also not even sure how this book can be considered “feminist,” unless the two main characters simply being women counts (spoiler alert: it doesn't).
Really, The Last Room on the Left is mostly just a garden-variety psychological thriller. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but let's not pretend that this is some groundbreaking piece of literature. It's an easy, fast-paced read and it's entertaining enough, but it's certainly not deep. If you generally enjoy psychological thrillers, there's probably a decent chance that you'll enjoy this one. Just don't expect any iconic “Here's Johnny!”-esque scenes.
The mystery itself is okay. Who killed the previous caretaker and is the murderer still lurking around the hotel? I originally thought the plot was headed in one direction and was surprised when it went elsewhere, but after that the big reveal was fairly predictable. Red herrings abound, however.
Otherwise, expect lots of drunkenness and questionable decision making. Expect gratuitous (but extremely mild) S&M with questionable consent. Expect a main character who really likes the word "ass." Expect unintentionally hilarious scenes involving a bathroom window. Do not expect likeable characters or a super deep plot.
I realize that this review probably makes it sound like I didn't enjoy this one, but it really was … fine. I have a love-hate relationship with psychological thrillers and it takes an exceptional one to get me truly excited. This isn't a particularly novel novel (ha!), but it still kept me turning the pages.
My overall rating: 3.4 stars, rounded down. If you normally enjoy uncomplicated psychological thrillers that are not at all comparable to The Shining, you just might enjoy this one too.
Many thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is January 14, 2025....more
Huh. I definitely have some mixed feelings about this one. I mean, it was an interesting read. I never found myself getting bored and the premise was Huh. I definitely have some mixed feelings about this one. I mean, it was an interesting read. I never found myself getting bored and the premise was intriguing. A murder mystery set in a town on a mystical lake? Heck yeah! I read through it pretty quickly (or at least as quickly as I manage these days) and it was decently suspenseful and had me invested in where the story was headed.
But …
Sweet baby kittens on a cracker, I never came close to understanding the reasoning behind everything that happened in this novel. It's hard to explain without spoilers, but let's just say that I never quite got the why of the murders. I mean, I understood the superficial why, but I never got the why behind the why. And I realize that makes absolutely no sense to anyone, so let me try to explain further. (Note: There are no major spoilers in this explanation, but I'm putting it behind a spoiler tag just in case you don't want to know even the vague details beforehand.) (view spoiler)[Strange deaths have happened in Soap Lake, including the murder of (local girl recently returned home) Esme that's the main focus of this story. You find out that the murder(s) happened to prevent something from being revealed (the first “why”), but I absolutely for the life of me could not figure out why it was so important that it never be revealed (the second “why”). Maybe I missed a critical detail somewhere, but as far as I can tell, having the thing revealed wouldn't have affected anyone involved other than maybe some people saying “ooh, that sucks” and then going on about their day. (hide spoiler)] I mean, I have to be missing something here, right?
And then you get to the end and … nothing is resolved. The main characters start figuring things out and then it just ends. So many loose ends. So many questions.
But, still, I didn't dislike this book. As I said before, it's an entertaining read despite all of the muddlement surrounding the reason for the murder(s) (and the lack of a cohesive ending). There are urban legends and a mystical lake and murders and science-y bits, and it's all pretty interesting and unique.
My overall rating: 3.25 stars, rounded down. While Midnight in Soap Lake wasn't a perfect read, it was still decently enjoyable and I'd definitely consider reading future books by Matthew Sullivan.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Hanover Square Press for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is April 15, 2025....more
Damn you, Richard Osman. I was not planning on starting another series seeing as how I'm perpetually behind on the ones I'm already reading, but I supDamn you, Richard Osman. I was not planning on starting another series seeing as how I'm perpetually behind on the ones I'm already reading, but I suppose I'll add We Solve Murders to my list. Throw some humor into a thriller and it gets me every time.
But, seriously, how have I not read anything by Osman before? I loved this book. It's brilliant. It's action-packed. It's hilarious. I want Rosie D'Antonio to be my new best friend.
It's a little weird at first. I mean, Amy and Steve are very, very close for being in-laws. I've been married for over fifteen years now and I've never once called my father-in-law on the phone just to chat, much less teamed up for … *gesticulates wildly* … all of the shenanigans that Amy and Steve manage to get into in this novel. They're really a fantastic pair, though, and their obvious affection for each other really makes the story. Well, that and Rosie D'Antonio.
Rosie is witty and hilarious and the the type of old woman that I aspire to be someday (complete with private island). And, really, all of the characters are a lot of fun, from mysterious bad guy (and ChatGPT-enthusiast) François Loubet to Eddie, the hitman with a creative side hobby.
The mystery itself is solid. I figured out the identity of “Joe Blow” pretty early on, but otherwise it was all a complete surprise. I really liked how low-key the climax was considering the frenetic pace of the rest of the story. Nothing got blown up, nothing too outrageous happened, it was just “oh, hey, we've figured this out …” and then everyone goes on with their lives.
The last chapter is obviously a set up for the books to follow, and I am totally here for it. And it goes without saying that I need to pick up some more Richard Osman books in the meantime.
My overall rating: 4.7 stars, rounded up. If you like witty thrillers with humor and heart, definitely consider giving this one a read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Pamela Dorman Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is September 17, 2024....more
I have to admit that I was a little skeptical about this book prior to starting it. It's tagged on NetGalley as “horror” and “literary fiction,” and wI have to admit that I was a little skeptical about this book prior to starting it. It's tagged on NetGalley as “horror” and “literary fiction,” and while I do enjoy a good literary fiction read from time to time, I don't normally want my horror to be highbrow. And I can definitely see why this novel is labeled the way it is – its very … I dunno … artistically written, I guess? Kind of fancy-ish? (My alma mater's English department would totally revoke my degree if they could see the unscholarly way I talk about literature these days.) Everyone in this book is very artsy and poetically tortured, and even the villain is very … what's the word I'm looking for? … civilized, maybe? Basically, it just feels a little “deeper” than your usual run-of-the-mill supernatural thriller. The text doesn't include a single quotation mark, if that tells you anything.
But, with that said, this book isn't an inaccessible slog. It's rather light on the horror – I'd consider it more unsettling than outright scary – but it is gripping. The chapters switch back and forth between the stories of “Marion's” past victims (facilitated by Jake, a man searching for answers regarding the death of his best friend) and her present-day attempt to lure in her newest sacrifice. The present-day storyline takes place in under 24 hours, but with the frequent flashbacks in time it becomes a much slower, more meandering tale. Who is this woman and why does she seem to drive those around her to their deaths?
I particularly enjoyed the storyline involving the Sculptor (Theo). Can you truly say you love someone if you're willing to sacrifice aspects of their future in order to secure your own?
The ending made me want to scream into the void. I think that's a good thing. Probably. When it comes to horror novels, anyway. And then the epilogue is hands-down the creepiest part of the entire book and is straight out of a dark, dark high fantasy novel. It feels so different from the rest of the story but I loved it.
My overall rating: 3.95 stars, rounded up. If you're a fan of literary horror (and can handle dialogue that lacks proper punctuation), definitely consider giving this one a read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is January 28. 2025....more
Cinderella meets H.P. Lovecraft. I really think the author missed an opportunity by not calling this book CinderCthulhu, because, I mean, c'mon … thatCinderella meets H.P. Lovecraft. I really think the author missed an opportunity by not calling this book CinderCthulhu, because, I mean, c'mon … that title basically writes itself! But, anyway, this novel is weird and unhinged and gross and I think I probably liked it? It's not my usual type of read (I love horror but it doesn't usually involve tentacles) but overall it was pretty entertaining.
This book is a strange juxtaposition of fairy tale and cosmic horror. One moment you're reading about a ball thrown by a handsome prince, and the next … BAM! … tentacles all over the place. While the storyline does vaguely follow that of the original Cinderella (stepsisters, mice, ball, prince, etc.), it is overall a very different story. Really, if Cinderella had been named something else and glass slippers hadn't been involved, I don't know that I would have immediately recognized it as a retelling. It's certainly nothing like the Disney version – there are no cute cartoon mice or fairy godmothers to be found here.
But, yeah, it's dark. It's creepy. It's gross … so very, very gross. This book is not for the squeamish and not just because of the tentacles. There's rot and death and mutilation and gore and violence.
There were times when the story felt a little YA-ish, probably mostly due to the fact that it's narrated in the first person from a teenage girl's point of view. I don't mind a good YA read so it didn't really bother me, but it's something to be aware of if you're not into such things.
I'm honestly not sure what else to say about this book without spoilers. It's Cinderella, it's Lovecraftian, and it's completely demented. I wasn't particularly surprised by how the climax of the story played out but it was entertaining enough. And the very end? Completely unexpected (and kind of disgusting), but I can't say that there are many books that have left me shaking my head the way that this one did!
My overall rating: 3.65 stars, rounded up. If you like cosmic horror and/or fairy tale retellings, definitely consider giving this one a read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is September 24, 2024....more
I guess I'm going to be the outlier here because I found this one to be kind of “meh.” I mean, it was okay and I found the individual chapters enjoyabI guess I'm going to be the outlier here because I found this one to be kind of “meh.” I mean, it was okay and I found the individual chapters enjoyable, but there just wasn't enough of them to make an entire story. This is a very superficial tale with no real depth to the plot line or characters – it kind of reminded me of a dog-less Scooby Doo episode for adults, except for with way less action than the cartoons. If it had been longer and more fully fleshed out, I'm pretty sure I would have loved it. Insomniacs in a spooky graveyard are right up my alley!
But, yeah … what is the gravedigger doing in the graveyard so late at night? There's a tremendous sense of foreboding as our sleuths follow him around and you keep expecting something horrifying to happen, but then they move on to the next part of their investigation and it just kind of fizzles out. “Ooh, we discovered this crazy thing is happening in a totally mundane way! Anyway, let's eat breakfast burritos.” (This might be a slight oversimplification, but still.)
Despite my disappointment surrounding the ending, however, M.L. Rio really does know how to write atmospheric prose. The beginning bits in the graveyard are really top notch and I so wish that sense of creepiness had lasted through the entire novella.
Oh, and if you're wondering about animal death, there's definitely some in this book. Most of the deaths happen “off stage” and don't involve any gore, but there is a scene with a rat that's fairly awful.
The audiobook recording is pretty well done, although there is one character who sounds kind of flat and rather AI-narrated. It's 100% a real human voice, but my first thought was “this narrator sounds like one of those AI book readers.” Otherwise, though, it was fine.
My overall rating: 2.65 stars, rounded up.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is September 24, 2024....more
Okay, so I kind of loved this one. I mean, magical passengers on a magical ship? And there's a a murder mystery to boot? Yes, please! There's way moreOkay, so I kind of loved this one. I mean, magical passengers on a magical ship? And there's a a murder mystery to boot? Yes, please! There's way more romance in this book than I'm normally willing to read, but I only rolled my eyes a few times over all the lovey-dovey talk which is definitely an accomplishment (on both mine and the author's parts).
Ganymedes (Dee) is on a magical ship (steered by an insane emperor with incredible powers) with the other rulers of the provinces of Concordia. They each have a magical ability called a Blessing … well, except Dee. He's pretty ordinary. But when the Blessed start dying off one by one, it's up to Dee to unmask the killer.
I pretty much adored all of the characters in this book. Most of them are rather unlikeable – although I'll admit that I had more sympathy for several of them than I expected to – but they're also fascinating. Their backstories are well-fleshed out and the worldbuilding surrounding their provinces is fantastic, and it's interesting to see how the idiosyncrasies of their provinces affect their personalities. Dee is a great main character – he's witty and fun and perhaps just a little bit snarky. And who can not love Grasshopper? Such an adorable (and slightly scary) sidekick!
The murder mystery component is a slow burn but I never found myself bored. I think I suspected pretty much every character at one point or another, including Dee himself, so I guess in a way it turns out that I was right when it came to the identity of the murderer? (Okay, fine, maybe that's a stretch.) There are a couple of twists that I never saw coming – the one involving Bear is just … wow. That “if Agatha Christie wrote fantasy” line in the blurb is a pretty accurate description, honestly.
And the worldbuilding … I've already mentioned it once, but it is really, really well done. I'd love to visit Concordia and visit each of the provinces. Even the scary ones … I think. Maybe. If I'm feeling really brave that day.
The romance? Eh, it was okay considering I'm not usually much of a fan. Ganymedes and Bear really have some insta-love going on, although it did all make a lot more sense in the end. Dee's devotion to Ravi is kind of sweet, though, even if he did go on about it a lot.
My overall rating: 4.05 stars, rounded down. Voyage of the Damned is a magical (and romantic) romp of a murder mystery that will leave you guessing right up until the very end.
Many thanks to NetGalley and MIRA for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is August 20, 2024....more
Unicorn (and Horse) is an endearing children's book about envy and friendship. Horse is kind of a curmudgeon. Unicorn is a cheery extrovert. Horse is Unicorn (and Horse) is an endearing children's book about envy and friendship. Horse is kind of a curmudgeon. Unicorn is a cheery extrovert. Horse is brown. Unicorn has a beautiful rainbow mane and a sapphire horn. Horse eats hay. Unicorn eats pink cupcakes for every meal. Horse does not like Unicorn at all … but also maybe wishes he were just like him? When Unicorn is kidnapped, Horse is the only animal who can save the day. But does he even want to?
The illustrations in this book are fantastic. The animals are adorable, even (and perhaps especially) grumpy, plain Horse. Many of the drawings are done in bright rainbow colors and young children will likely love the vibrancy of the pictures. Horse's sour expressions are super cute too!
The lessons learned from Unicorn (and Horse) are overwhelmingly positive. Not only is Horse able to overcome his envy of Unicorn's seemingly perfect life, but he also realizes that he can be friends with someone who doesn't look or act like him (but maybe they have more in common than he initially thinks?). And even though Horse is plain, that doesn't mean that he can't be a hero!
The text is pretty simple with only a handful of words per page, although the youngest children in the targeted age group (3-7 years, according to Amazon) will most likely need this book read to them. School-aged readers won't come across too many difficult words, but there are a few (like “paddock” and “sapphire”) that might require assistance.
My overall rating: 4.25 stars, rounded down. If your child enjoys colorful books with adorable animals and hilariously grumpy main characters, you'll likely want to add this one to their collection.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Familius for providing me with a copy of this book to review. It's on sale now....more
This book gave me nightmares about being chased by flying insects, so thank you for that, Nick Cutter. If you have an insect phobia, you should definiThis book gave me nightmares about being chased by flying insects, so thank you for that, Nick Cutter. If you have an insect phobia, you should definitely not even think about picking up this novel. Trust me, you'll regret it.
But, anyway. I can't say that The Queen is anything like I thought it was going to be. There's some horror and Cutter certainly knows how to write gory scenes, but this book is much more science fiction-y than I expected. I guess I should have figured it out based on the talk of “gene manipulation” and “gene sequencing” in the blurb, but in the words of the great philosopher Forrest Gump, “I am not a smart (wo)man.” There's not a ton of scientific detail, but the entire premise of the novel revolves around a tech mogul's science experiment gone wrong (right?), so … yeah.
There are parts of this book that I mostly enjoyed. The flashbacks to Rudyard Crate's childhood are fantastic, and they are by far the most terrifying parts of the story. I've always been a big fan of ants, but I'll stick to our docile, non-flesh-eating northern climate ants, thank you very much. I also found Rudyard's bug fetish to be disturbingly entertaining, even if there are some serious WTF moments to be had. Rudyard's undoubtedly the villain of this book, but he's an interesting villain with a crazy origin story. I liked Harry as a character, too, and I absolutely did not see that twist (you'll know it when you get to it) coming.
There's also not as much animal cruelty in this one as in Cutter's other books, so it has that going for it. There's a few dead wasps but that's about it.
The sci-fi bits, though? Not my thing. I don't feel like I can say much without spoiling things, but just … no. It's a ridiculous premise and I still don't quite get the “why” or the “how” and it's probably one of the oddest things I've ever read. I also didn't buy Margaret and Charity's supposed friendship – they're best friends who love each other so much, yet Charity spends the entire novel basically torturing Margaret. I mean, I know it's (view spoiler)[kind of not really Charity, but also it is (hide spoiler)] and bloody hell I don't even understand this book at all.
My overall rating: 2.55 stars, rounded up. If you enjoy sci-fi/horror novels of the “science experiment gone wrong” variety, however, don't let my low rating deter you from reading The Queen since you'll probably enjoy it a lot more than I did. The other early reviews on Goodreads are mostly positive.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is October 29, 2024....more
It's his birthday and Turkey is up to some new antics! I know I should probably lie and say that I read this to one of my nieces or something. HonestlIt's his birthday and Turkey is up to some new antics! I know I should probably lie and say that I read this to one of my nieces or something. Honestly, though, I just wanted to see what Turkey's been up to since my (now 11-year-old) son outgrew the Turkey Trouble series. Turkey Trouble and Turkey Claus were two of his very favorite books for a long time, and they're actually still in a box in my basement because they're two of the few picture books that I couldn't bring myself to donate.
So, yeah, it's Turkey's birthday and he's really hoping that Farmer Jake is going to throw him a pizza party! I've missed the books in the middle of the series, so I have no idea when Turkey stopped worrying about Farmer Jake turning him into dinner and started hoping for pizza parties instead, but good for him. Farmer Jake's family is up to something in the backyard and Turkey really, really wants to know if they're setting up for a birthday party for a certain fowl, so he does what Turkey does best … he breaks out his costumes! Surely they won't notice if there's an extra cupcake or candle strutting about?
This book is very, very punny. So many puns. They're definitely of the dad joke variety, but they fit perfectly with Turkey's crazy antics … which, if you've read any of the previous Turkey Trouble books, you know never go quite as planned. Luckily he has his other farm animal friends to help him out!
The pictures are fun and bright. The preschool and early elementary crowd will almost certainly love the cheery cartoon animals, and I definitely found myself rooting for Turkey to get the pizza party that he so desperately desires. The youngest readers will likely find themselves needing assistance with the text, but there really aren't too many difficult words – “spectacular” and “disguise” are about as hard as it gets.
While I'm not sure that I loved this one quite as much as the other Turkey Trouble books I've read (which is probably just due to the nostalgia I have for the early installments), it's still a delightfully fun read. Turkey is as sneaky as ever and aging hasn't slowed him down one bit!
My overall rating: 4.25 stars, rounded down.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Two Lions for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is September 10, 2024....more
“And that's how the High Command Took my daddy from me” ~Pink Floyd
A sobering short story about the horrors of war. In the not-too-distant future, Chin“And that's how the High Command Took my daddy from me” ~Pink Floyd
A sobering short story about the horrors of war. In the not-too-distant future, China has invaded the western United States and is facing strong resistance from those living in the occupied territory. The war, which was supposed to be a quick and decisive victory on the part of the Chinese, has been dragging on for years with no end in sight. Chinese troops are growing disillusioned, and Tiger Chair is one “patriotic” officer's attempt at exposing the truth of the conflict.
Although this tale revolves around a fictional future war, it's a story as old as time … or as old as the human race, anyway. If you slightly change the details concerning nationalities and the methods and machines of war, I daresay this “letter” could have been written about pretty much any current or historical conflict, as it focuses primarily on how the big wigs in charge make questionable decisions and people die, both soldiers and civilians.
This is a well-written piece that really brings home the awfulness of war. Although there's no major gore, it's probably not a great read for the squeamish. The plot delves slightly into science fiction, but not significantly so. While it's set in the future with some futuristic technology, it's all very realistic feeling.
With that said, there's really not a whole lot to this story. It's just a letter that one guy writes home. There's no climax and no characters to really get to know, and all of the action is being relayed after the fact. It's not an uninteresting piece and it certainly has merit, but it's absolutely not a traditional short story. It still mostly managed to hold my attention, but I did feel that it dragged a little in certain spots due to the above.
My overall rating: 3.45 stars, rounded down. If you enjoy war stories, you'll likely find this one worth the short amount of time that it takes to read it. It's certainly unique.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for providing me with a copy of this story to review. Its publication date was June 1, 2024....more
Well, that was kind of fun. I mean, is it even possible to dislike a book that's narrated by a snarky terrier? I think not.
Honestly, though, I have tWell, that was kind of fun. I mean, is it even possible to dislike a book that's narrated by a snarky terrier? I think not.
Honestly, though, I have to admit that I didn't enjoy it quite as much as I thought I would. I'm a big fan of both anthropomorphic animals and snarky humor, so I really expected this to be a five-star read. And, well, it was amusing. But was it mind-blowingly awesome? Eh, not quite. Overall, it was probably a solid 3.75 stars for me.
So, what did I like?
Toto, obviously. He's feisty and witty and brave and totally the best good (bad?) boy ever. And the Wicked Witch of the West is absolutely delightful … in a wicked witch sort of way, of course.
I really enjoy the “found family” trope, and Toto certainly didn't disappoint there. All of the characters from the original Oz make an appearance, and Dorothy and Toto also make a few new friends this time around.
There's a revolution led by birds who call each other “comrade,” one of them being a bird named Crow who isn't actually a crow. Need I say more?
And, finally, this is a super imaginative and original retelling of The Wizard of Oz. It's enough like the original that you kind of have a general idea of what's going to happen, yet it veers off in its own direction often enough that you're constantly surprised. It's kind of the best of both worlds, I think?
So what did I not enjoy?
Well, I can't really say that I “didn't enjoy” any of it. It was a fun read. But I do feel as if the characters' relationships with each other were lacking a little. Not all of them, but (the Cowardly) Lion, for example, really didn't seem to develop a relationship with anyone. He was just kind of … there.
This book also can't quite decide whether it's a dark retelling of Oz or not. When Scarecrow is first introduced, I was all “ooh, heck yeah, creepy!” and then ... nothing ever really happens with it? The Tin Man, too, to a certain extent. And there are several other points where things briefly seem (awesomely) dark and disturbing, but then it just kind of peters out.
But, still, I can't complain too much. Toto is a light, enjoyable read narrated by a witty canine. It's not perfect, but it is a whole lot of fun.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Ace for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is November 12, 2024....more
![Unicorn [and Horse]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1508956900l/36476006._SX50_.jpg)
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