Book Reviews

I have a particular soft spot for urban fantasy, partly because it’s one of the genres that I write, but also because any story where you get to throw an average, modern day human into a situation full of magic and mayhem is bound to be entertaining. Dead Man Walking by Zach Adams does just that, and oh, the shenanigans.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Isaac, a librarian in Anchorage, Alaska, as he discovers a mysterious book and suddenly starts seeing otherworldly creatures everywhere. He is helped by the elf L’æon, who may be more trouble than he’s worth. Isaac has to navigate these new monsters who are trying to kill him, then figure out just why they’re trying to kill him. And the answer may be more complicated than he can imagine.

In general, I think the plot was done well. The situations that Isaac gets involved in are a bit wild, but all make perfect sense within the context of the story. I like the action and the drama interspersed with the relatively normal aspects of Isaac’s life. I do think that the jumping around in time to Isaac’s past, as well as the story that he reads in this mysterious book, do interrupt the plot line enough to be confusing until the very end, when everything comes together. It’s a minor thing, just a matter of a few scenes maybe switching around for a bit more coherence. Otherwise, a good plot.

2. Thoughts on the characters

Isaac is an entertaining, singular character. He has conversations with himself in various forms throughout the story that may or may not help the situations at all. He’s a bit awkward, anxious and nerdy, all of which make him being in the right place to sort out this magical mayhem the more unlikely. Yet, it somehow fits, too. As a main character, Isaac is definitely a good one. I think the secondary characters were a bit underdeveloped, but this is the first in a series and I imagine we’ll see more of them in future books.

3. Favourite part

I really like the library. It serves as both a home base, the cause of all the troubles, and the place where many of the characters interact with Isaac and make his life all the more insane. It’s not the typical use of a library and I enjoyed it.

4. Critique

Some of the narration—not all—is a bit strange to get around. For the most part, this book reads as a relatively modern/coloquial third person limited narration, which is great fun and lends a certain veracity to the situation of the book. However, on occasion, the narrator acts as though they are directly talking to the main character as well as breaking the fourth wall to smooth over details or make a snarky comment. I don’t have a problem with this in general, but to do it only rarely interrupts the flow of the narration. If it started out that way, or were more common, then I could see it easily interspersed with the third person limited perspective, but just randomly thrown in, it feels a bit awkward and pulls me out of the story.

Overall, I would say that Dead Man Walking was a fun, entertaining story about what might very well be the end of Isaac’s world as he knows it. It has magic, mayhem, snark and a plot that was very inventive. I enjoyed it. Good to very good I would say.

Travel amongst the stars is a highly talked of topic in these times. That our future may lie “out there” somewhere is a source of great hope and great terror. I love reading stories that explore this knife’s edge dichotomy, and The Second Star by Alma Alexander is one of the best examples of the consequences—and miracles—of star travel that I have seen.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Dr. Stella Froud, who is called in to help in the matter of the recently recovered crew of the Parada, a ship that went to the stars with near-FTL technology nearly two-hundred years ago. Barely aged thanks to the technology, the crew of six may have come back, but their personalities are fractured in pieces. Stella, with the help of Jesuit Father Philip Carter, must determine whether the crew’s fracture precludes all future star travel, and whether the crew can ever return to the society that remembers them as heros.

This story is a deeply psychological book. It explores depths of the mind that most people don’t even know existed, and it does so beautifully, without bogging the reader down with unnecessary jargon. It is also a deeply exciting book, with terse interpersonal politics, search and rescue situations, and questioning authority in a startling way. I cannot say much more than that except that the plot, and the twist at the end, were captivating and stunning and un-put-downable.

2. Thoughts on the characters

Psychological explorations—and explorations of space, for that matter—in books can go one of two ways, I find. One: the depth of mind (or space) is explored in such a way that is extremely profound, but done in such a way that the characters feel flat and unrelatable. Two: there is no way not to relate to the characters because they are human made manifest in words. This book was definitely the latter. Stella, as the main character, displayed a proportionately large emotional range, with a depth that was almost like talking with an actual person. The other characters, from Father Philip to the crew of the Parada, however, had the exact same depth, even if we weren’t reading the story from their perspective. I have only seen such characterisation but rarely and every time it takes my breath away.

3. Favourite part

I could wax on about the plot twist (sans spoilers, of course) or the characterisation, or the prose, or any of it, but really, I have to say, my favourite bit was the cat. Never forgotten. Details like that make a book.

4. Critique

Frankly, I haven’t got a critique for this book because it was just so good.

Overall, The Second Star is one of my favourite books of the year. Perhaps of all time. It scours the depths of the human mind at the same time that it opens up new horizons amongst the stars, leaving us standing in the wake of profundity and starstuff. An excellent read.

For all the many books I read, it has been a while since I have found an epic fantasy in which to wallow and forget the world around me. When Alma Alexander’s Changer of Days crossed my review desk, though, I knew it was going to be one of those books. I was right.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Anghara, a child queen, given the throne immediately after her father’s death and then usurped by her half-brother days later. From there, her journey takes her to a family home, to a school for the Sighted, and even across a desert to a land of witches and old gods. She learns to harness the power within herself and about her purpose in life, all the while waiting for the right moment to return home and claim that which was hers.

The general plot I’ve given does not do justice to this book at all; it is far richer and deeper than anything I could write in a single paragraph. The story weaves things like overcoming trauma, self-discovery, the bonds that lie between people, and a journey of impossible odds together into a tapestry that is stunningly vibrant. I couldn’t help but be pulled along on this journey with Anghara, whither it went.

2. Thoughts on the characters

There are a few primary characters in this story, besides our girl-queen. Her half-brother Sif is the ever looming shadow that stands behind her motivations, though he gets comparatively little page time. His actions drive most of the other characters in one form or another and while Anghara is the rallying point, he is the force which pushes them to achieve their goals. Exceptionally well done for an antagonist. There are also several characters that join Anghara on her journey to discover herself and her power, and while they get only a little more page time than Sif, they are equally rich and intriguing.

Anghara, though, as a main character is stunning. At first, it seems impossible that a child growing through hardship could be so perfectly calm, so steady in her character and intent that it is just the tiniest bit difficult to like her. But, as the story weaves on, her character unfolds into a many-layered living thing, full of flaws and personal fears and triumphs that may transcend humanity but are just as deeply rooted in the human.

3. Favourite part

My favourite part is probably the desert scenes. The culture created there is full and deep and stretches into time long past. Woven with the home which Anghara must reclaim, I think the desert highlights the struggle she is trying to overcome. Also, despite my deep and abiding love for rain and winter and cold, I have a fondness for stories that take place in a desert.

4. Critique

My only real critique for this story has to do with the last two pages of the book. The end is nigh, the characters are ready to step into their proper roles, and then there is just a touch—only a tiny touch, mind you—of a suggestion that things are going to change. It threw me off for a moment, as it seemed like the story was poised to continue in a new vein despite having its threads tied off quite neatly. If there is a sequel, then it makes perfect sense, but I do not know whether that is the case. Either way, it’s a tiny issue, hardly changing my impression of the story at all.

Overall, I would say that Changer of Days is a spectacular and effervescent work that builds upon details of character and life to create something that elevates the reader to another world. It was fascinating, the characters engaging, the plot engrossing. Basically, I loved it. An excellent book.

Horror novels are tricky things to get right. It’s difficult to provide a jump-scare when reading, but if you have too much gore or violence or any of that, you can desensitise the reader. Getting the perfect amount of fear, disgust, horor, is an artform. One that I think PD Alleva manages quite well in Golem.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows John Ashton, circa 1951, who was recently promoted to detective and given a case of a missing child to investigate. His only lead is socialite Alena Francon, who has been in Bellevue sanatorium for years. She tells him the story of a statue she brought to life, a demonic force trying to infiltrate the world, using children as hosts for its army. Ashton must investigate, but it’s hard to believe someone who has been locked up in a psychiatric facility.

The plot was far more intricate than I expected, in the best of ways. We got to see both Ashton’s investigation and Alena’s push towards incarnating Golem and what happened afterwards. The different perspectives on everything was fascinating, with different visceral reactions to the situations Golem put them in. There was not a great deal of suspense in this story, except in the ways that the characters reacted to things, but the novel did manage to evoke feelings of fear, disgust, pain—all the cornerstones of a good horror novel—at nearly every turn.

2. Thoughts on the characters

I really liked both primary characters in this story for entirely different reasons. Ashton, because he has a certain amount of cleverness that takes him far, but is tempered by his suspension of belief about the truth of the matter. Alena, on the other hand, is fully open to the truth and her unrelenting statement of the truth leaves her in a precarious situation with the rest of society. Both are capable characters, and both are fascinating to read.

3. Favourite part

The setting of this book was great to read. I have rarely read a horror novel set in a historical time, and this one was as realistic as if I were living it myself.

4. Critique

I don’t really have a critique for this novel as far as characters and prose and such go, and the plot was quite good. I did have a question regarding the golem mythos, as I was taught ages back that golems were creatures of protection, raised from clay and created with the name of God in their mouths. I have not seen a situation where the golems turn on their creators, but my knowledge of Jewish lore is minimal at best. So it’s not really a critique, but more of a question. Otherwise, this book was very well done.

Overall, Golem is a novel that delves into the world of lurid desires, myths come to life and overlooking the things that stand right before you. A great book.

Salem Moon is the second book in the Six of Salem series by Kristin Bapst, an urban fantasy that combines several different mythologies into something both familiar and unique. Being the second book in a series, I was already familiar with the characters and the story that came before. That did not change the fact that this book managed to create an immersive world for these characters and their struggles.

1. Thoughts on the plot

As a continuation of the series, Salem Moon explores the coven (the Six of Salem) and their continuing battle against evil. This book focuses on Rose, the youngest, and her growth into new powers and into adulthood. There are also discussions of relationships—healthy and unhealthy—and an exploration of self. As far as the plot goes, I think everything fit together really well. The characters were drawn from event to event both by their own volition and choices, and by the overwhelming momentum of the events themselves. I would say that there were a fair number of scenes that I would have liked to see more of. For example, the various arguments felt truncated, and the training scenes felt too short. This is mostly to do with a lack of sensory description of the world around the characters, instead focusing on character interaction to move things along in the scene. Which is fine, but it felt a little too fast.

2. Thoughts on the main character

Rose is a perfect example of someone who is trying to figure out her place in the world. She is in university for an arts degree, trying to navigate loss—see book one—and the start of a new relationship. I think her character is expertly done; she feels real in her emotions. Her reactions ot things are realistic and relatable. Also, she’s got awesome powers, which is fun. I would say, again, that I want to see more of Rose’s development or personality through the way she reacts (non-verbally) to the world around her (something that comes from sensory description rather than dialogue or dialogue tags). Still, I like Rose a lot. Having read book one, I think that she is probably my favourite of all the characters.

3. Favourite part

The food. This has nothing to do with anything, but my goodness, the food described just sounds so good. I mean, yes, I liked all the other bits too, but seriously? The food.

4. Critique

As previously stated, I think this book could do with a bit more narrative or sensory description. It doesn’t necessarily detract from the story to not have this—everything plays out really quite well—but I just want to explore the world a bit more. See more of what’s going on. It would add a little…je ne sais quoi to the book.

This series is one that I enjoyed a fair bit. I think the use of mythology is great, the characters are interesting, and the plot entertaining. If you are fond of magic, witches, battling against evil, and a little extra spark when people find their soulmates, then this is definitely a book for you. I would say that this book is good, and could be very good with just a little more exploration.

For as much as I read, rarely do I get a chance to review a poetry collection. Oh, I am quite fond of poetry and have several volumes (though, to be honest, many of them are not from this or even the previous century) that I peruse frequently. But I rarely get a chance to review poetry, and I am glad to have this opportunity.

Ode to Eight Years is a collection of poems by Kristin Bapst, about the journey from scarred past to acceptance and to love and onwards. It is primarily about love, with some darker questions about a person’s ability to love after past trauma and difficulties. And I think it’s that dichotomy that makes this collection work.

As far as the poems themselves go, they are not quite in the style of Dickinson, or Auden, or Byron. (Again, my previous experience is showing through.) However, I think it does very well with the contemporary style and it works very well with the themes. The thoughts that cross line breaks often break the flow to focus on a particular sensation or revelation. And where things are choppier, therein lies the struggles to be overcome. Or at least, that was my impression. (I haven’t done academic-style poetry analysis for a while and my skills are a bit rusty.) Since it’s impressions that make the difference in poetry, I think this worked very well.

Also, it was just nice to read poetry about overcoming struggles and growing in love and in self. I think it’s a perfect time to be reading something like that.

Anyways, I would say that this collection is a solidly enjoyable one. The themes were readily present and didn’t require meta-analysis, the poems were well-written in terms of flow and style, and I enjoyed reading it. I would say that if you are into the highly-contemporary style where the primary theme of the poem is hidden beneath layers of meaning and word-play, this is not the collection for you. It is down-to-earth, rich, and enjoyable.

Given how much I read, it is rare for a book to truly surprise me. This is not bad; I love stories of all sorts, even if I know what form it will take and what will happen. But being truly surprised? There’s something spectacular in that. So when I read Jeffrey Bardwell’s The Knight’s Secret, I was thrilled to be truly surprised.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Kelsa as she disguises herself as her recently dead grandfather so that she can  go to the capital and collect his pension, thereby allowing her family enough funds to escape the persecution of mages. Her mother, a mage, disguises Kelsa with magic so that she takes the body of Sir Corbin, and Kelsa does her best to mimic his personality and bluster. But she finds herself in over her head when she comes across old lovers and finds the politics far more complex than before.

The general structure of this book is a fairly standard epic fantasy beginning/hero’s journey type story. The hero (in this case Kelsa rather than Sir Corbin) has to enter into a difficult situation in order to enact some sort of task (saving her family), but gets drawn into a situation far more complex than originally intended. The events from then on have a large-scale effect on the world. This is all familiar and much-enjoyed, so I had no problems there. The interesting part is how the plot was carried out.

Body switching is also not an uncommon trope, but I have never seen a young girl take the place of an old man, and oh my goodness, was it fascinating. This went beyond mere disguise, and I was enthralled through the entire story.

2. Thoughts on the characters

Kelsa is a great main character. She has enough intelligence and spunk to pull off this particular plot, with enough hero-worship of her grandfather to complete her mimicry well. However, we don’t see a whole lot of Kelsa throughout the story. She appears at the beginning, when we are first introduced to the situation, but after that up until the end, the character that appears is mostly Kelsa-as-Sir-Corbin. It is almost an entirely different character and the true Kelsa shows up only rarely in his thoughts. I would have liked to see a little more of Kelsa as she was before, but I did find the intersection of the two characters very interesting.

3. Favourite part

The mix of Kelsa and Sir Corbin was definitely my favourite. While I know that it was the same character, just pretending to be another, the switch was so complete as to be entirely deceiving. Until the end, that is, but I shan’t spoil it, even though it was a great ending.

4. Critique

My only real critique for this book is what I mentioned above; I would have liked to see more of Kelsa as she was so that I could understand the contrast between her and who she pretended to be just a tad more. However, I don’t think this was a major thing at all and definitely did not diminish from the story.

Overall, The Knight’s Secret was a great first book in a series and I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and the premise of the plot. The idea took something that was familiar and made it surprising, which is not something I see very often at all. An excellent book.

Books are many, many different things and they are wonderful for different reasons, but sometimes, it’s nice to just read a book about overcoming some really awful odds, whether that be by magic or sheer determination or anything of the sort. Pariah’s Lament by Richie Billing was exactly that sort of book, and I am glad for it.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows a somewhat standard low-magic, epic fantasy plot, with two warring nations, the political scheming to deal with the war, and much of the story being driven by people who would, under normal circumstances, never become anything other than what they are at the beginning of the story, but who become something more because of the specific circumstances brought about in the book. This book follows two primary characters: Edvar, a young councillor to the Keeper (similar to a King), who is trying to thwart assassination attempts and other problematic situations; and Isy, a girl with a birthmark on her face who has been shunned by her town and family and falls into extraordinary situations one day in the forest. The two of them, as well as a lost people called the Amast, various forces loyal to the Keeper, and other sundry forces, must work together to try and overcome a threat from their neighbours as well as from within.

In general, the plot is a fairly standard epic fantasy, low-magic plot. I have absolutely no problem with this, as it is one that I enjoy quite a bit. I think this book really shines in the details, though, giving each character something to work through personally while also trying to sort out the external situations. Everything flows well and it was never confusing to try and sort out what was happening. A very good plot!

2. Thoughts on the characters

I liked the characters in this book, on the whole. I think Edvar and Isy are both relatable in that they have struggles they seek to overcome, but also strive towards something better. I like reading about flawed characters who actually work hard to achieve something more than characters who suddenly excel and become something far more than an average person could achieve. This book was definitely more realistic with the characters, I think, and I enjoyed it quite a bit.

I will say that the main villain of the book, while obviously with justified motivations for doing what he did, felt a little flatter than I would have expected. He did not seem to have any other motivations or feelings besides those that drove him to such ends, and it felt more plot-central than character central. However, given that I liked the main characters so much, I think it wasn’t that much of a problem.

3. Favourite part

I think following Isy in overcoming her personal setbacks was probably my favourite part. She never let her situation completely overwhelm her, as Edvar occasionally did, and her growth felt very steady and sure, as if she just needed an extra push to set her off on her path. Relatively speaking, Edvar and Isy both managed to achieve their goals, and I liked them both a fiar bit, but Isy just struck some chord in me that made her fascinating to read. Possibly because she liked books so very much.

4. Critique

My only real critique for this book is the very ending. Not the entire ending, since I think Edvar and Isy both did what they needed at the end of the book. I think the way that things ended was a perfect conclusion tot he situation, except in the fact of the main villain. This is where the problem of his lack of other motivation besides the ones that drove him to do what he did really shows through. The way that Tesh reacts at the end, leading to the concluding scenes and the end of the immediate struggles, was so sudden and overwhelming. He just seems to disregard previous motivations and reactions. It makes sense from a plot perspective, but from a character perspective, it does not quite fit.

On the whole, I think Pariah’s Lament was a good book, exploring how people can struggle to overcome the things that plague them, external or internal, and not lose themselves in the process. I think the plot was rich and entertaining and the characters both relatable and something to strive for in the way that all the best book characters are.

When a favourite author puts out a book, it is pretty much guaranteed that I’ll read it as soon as I can. When a favourite author co-authors a book in the same world as the original series, causes shenanigans and then promises the sequel in a few months? Yeah, well, I’m a goner. Thanks to The Crown’s Secret by Kelly Blanchard and Matthew Dale for the latest rabbit hole. It was a grand time!

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book takes place some several decades before The Chronicles of Lorrek, the first series by Kelly Blanchard. It follows Ensula, Crown Princess of Ceraleo, who is returning home after ten years in Cuskelom with an agenda. She wants to find out, once and for all, who killed her father and brother ten years ago. And she wants to know what her mother is hiding in her all-too-pleasant letters from home. She’s returning to a battlefield between her mother and the country’s mages, but she is more prepared than you think. Enter also Adrik, the Lord Inquisitor and attack dog for the Crown. He has a particularly dark brand of magic that lets him kill with relative ease. But when Ensula returns, his world is turned on its head and he has to protect her not only from outside threats, but from himself.

The plot of this first book is less intricate than I had originally expected from Kelly and Matthew. The Chronicle of Lorrek books were like reading a 3D chess game: many pieces intertwining and working towards a goal that was, at the beginning, undecipherable. This book was no less interesting, but read more like a standard chess game, with a very definitive goal in mind and players taking a certain stance. That is not to say that this book is boring or predictable at all. It was not. It was a well paced plot with all the elements I wanted to have an interesting book.

2. Thoughts on the characters

As always, I had a great time with these characters. Ensula was strong, but yielding enough to know when to hold her tongue. I think many of her plans were a bit hasty in their initial stages; however, she was walking into a situation relatively blind, so I cannot fault her for working on the go. Adrik is definitely one of my favourites. He has this wounded intensity about him that puts him in a perfect category for protector and potentially super dangerous teddy bear. Absolutely fun to read.

I would have liked to see more from the secondary characters, Recalina, Sirros, and the others, but I have a feeling book two and onwards will answer any questions I may have about the other characters.

3. Favourite part

I shall try to state this without spoilers. But the bit with Adrik and the particular secret he protects was just about the best thing in this book. It really raised the stakes and made the situation so much more intense and desperate. Also, it was very sweet.

4. Critique

The ending. It was just a tad abrupt, with character conflicts coming to a a head without a massive amount of arguing or discussion. The situation with Risema just sort of happened, as if she was simply waiting for someone to prod her into action, rather than yelling at everyone as she’d done for a good portion of the book. It worked out, and it made perfect sense, but I would have liked to have seen a touch more.

Of course, the bonus scene fixed this entire situation, so one should take this critique with a grain of salt.

Overall, I would say that The Crown’s Secret is a great first book in a new series. The world is, as always, fun to explore. The characters were wonderful. And now I want the next book, please! A very good book.

The second book in a series can either fall flat, or really push the series forward. Or, as I have recently discovered, it can push the series forward and also make you want to grumble at the authors for ten minutes about that thing that they did at the end that really made the book, but also was just cruel to the readers. The Crown’s Burden by Kelly Blanchard and Matthew Dale does that.

1. Thoughts on the plot

The plot picks up where book one left off, with Ensula on the throne trying to reclaim her kingdom from the insidious forces that have been trying to take power. Adrik and her allies are trying to help her, but there is a lot getting in the way. The plot starts out relatively straightforward, with events seeming simple and just as one would expect for the new queen. Then, things get complicated. And twisty. And fantastic.

I can’t say too much without giving away spoilers for both book one and book two. I can say that it’s a great plot. Even the bit at the end that I’d like to complain about but can’t because it really helped the story along.

2. Thoughts on the characters

As I expected for this book, the familiar characters get an extra layer of depth and intrigue. They come into the book a little beat down, a little wiser than before, but the fight’s not over. I really enjoyed seeing them grow even further rather than just resting on their accomplishments from book one. And the new characters that were presented were just as interesting, with their own motivations and twisty secrets that almost matched the familiar characters. I like them all.

Except for Danroth. Read the book and you’ll understand.

3. Favourite part

The climax all the way to the ending. Not the bit that instigated the whole affair, because while it was exceptionally well done it was quite sad. The bit after, where everything went—there’s no better way to describe this—kaboom.

4. Critique

I don’t really have a critique for this book. It was entertaining, well written, twisty, and had characters I both loved and hated. And I keep mentioning that bit at the end, but it’s not a bad thing per se, just sad, which doesn’t earn a mention as a critique.

Overall, The Crown’s Burden is a great read, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Do read book one first, though, or you will be quite lost.

The Crown’s Sorrow is the third book in the Hand of Sorrow series by Kelly Blanchard and Matthew Dale, and we are now getting into the heart and soul of the story. Not to say that the first two books weren’t significant or full stories in of themselves, but this book is where certain details get tied together and events really start to move.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Ensula as she tries to protect her kingdom from being harried by neighbouring kingdoms that still follow the Fane of Tenillith. In doing so, she hires the Five Houses of assassins to effectively reduce the royal families of the various kingdoms, inadvertently hiring Adrik, former Inquisitor and friend.

There is a great deal of drama in this book on both sides of the story, following Adrik and Ensula. I can’t reveal a lot of it because it would spoil a great many things, but events in this book were a lot more involved and even a touch darker than the previous two books. It felt like the plot was intensifying in very vibrant ways, giving the characters a great deal more to fight for, and consequently more to lose.

2. Thoughts on the characters

In conjunction with the plot moving in new, unexpected ways, the characters too felt far more intense, far more involved and deep. This was a very good thing for the main characters, because it means that us readers get to see more of them and learn more about them, as well as watch them evolve over the course of the story. However, some of the side characters by comparison felt like looking at shadow after staring at the sun; a little lost in the afterglow. While this is fairly common in stories with large casts of characters, this is the first time i’ve noticed such a phenomenon in this particular series. However, it’s not really that big of an issue since the story is about the main characters more than any others.

3. Favourite part

Ensula got very, very dark there for a while. I liked it a lot, because it showed how far she was willing to go, but it was also a bit frightening. Very well done.

4. Critique

There’s a particular character in this book who starts out very well and who ends up not so well. I can’t reveal his name for spoilers, but he’s an idiot. A really big idiot.

Overall, I would say that this third book is a great expansion on the series and I am most curious to see where the rest of the story is going, because now I am well and truly invested in these characters’ lives.

I enjoy getting further into a series, because it means I can explore the world more with characters I get to know better and better every chapter. Such it was with the latest instalment of Kelly Blanchard and Matthew Dale’s Hand of Sorrow series.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book is where the previous events of the series really start coming together. Ensula is leading her armies against the tyrannical forces of the Fane and Adrik is called in to help her. They have a great deal of work ahead of them, though, and things only get more complicated as the book goes on.

While there is a very lovely amount of drama in this book, it felt a little…predictable. I could tell pretty much exactly where the story was going to go. Granted, for me, there are only a few ways a fantasy novel featuring an actual war can go, which is why I don’t often read and enjoy military fantasy fiction. I liked the zooming in on the individual characters and their interactions rather than the broad strokes of the battles, but even that felt a little predictable.

2. Thoughts on the characters

These characters have been great throughout the series. I think, out of all the characters in this world, that Ensula and Adrik are some of the most complex, which is quite impressive. However, in this book, they felt almost flat. I know that their interactions were meant to follow a prescribed route, meant to line up with certain facts from the Chronicles of Lorrek series, but it felt like the authors were trying too hard to have the characters follow that route, in spite of every obstacle that they placed in the way prior. I get it, I do, and if it were a different genre or done by different authors, I doubt I would have noticed the somewhat flat interactions. But from these two authors, it was a little disappointing.

3. Favourite part

Sindric and the dragon. 

4. Critique

I think the biggest reason that this book felt a little flat to me was that the author parts did not mesh up the way they did in previous books. It was very obvious to me where one author’s voice ended and the other’s began, and the transition was very jarring. Again, it felt like they were just following the prescribed route that had been laid down in CoL, which limited the chance for exploration.

Overall, I did like The Crown’s Valor, but I think it didn’t quite match up with the quality of the previous books. It was a good book, and I think it will lead into a very interesting fifth book, but I was a little bummed by the predictability.

The Crown’s Wrath is the last book in the Hand of Sorrow series by Kelly Blanchard and Matthew Dale, and there’s a lot going on.

1. Thoughts on the plot

Last we left the story, Ensula had been kidnapped. This book starts with the plan to get her back and the events that take place as she is ferried about by the Fane. Ceraleo is still at war, but everything hinges on Ensula. 

In general, I like the plot. Fighting to get their queen back, still dealing with the treachery of the Fane, all taht is well and good. But a lot of the scheming and planning that went into trying to get Ensula back, or in her case, escape, felt staged. It was creating a build up to this clever, intricate plan, when in reality it was circumstance and luck that changed things. And I am all for circumstance and luck; I use it in my own books. But when you keep referencing a plan, and needing time for the plan, and putting together pieces for a plan, I want to see the plan. I think one or the other could have been perfectly fine, but the reference to one and the switch to the other felt a little like things were meant to be clever, but weren’t quite outlined enough for that.

2. Thoughts on the characters

We meet some new characters in this book, but mostly it’s the same characters we’ve seen for the last five books. Perfectly fine, as I love exploring character development and figuring out where things are going to go based on previous character interactions. In this instance, everyone was true to form and I enjoyed exploring their interactions more.

Though. Danroth is a serious idiot. I mean, not just because he’s a terrible person, but he obviously didn’t think a whole bunch of things through this book and is seriously an idiot.

3. Favourite part

The Fade Wolves, though I think this fed into the circumstance and luck portion of the book, I really like the Fade Wolves.

4. Critique

Disregarding the points made in section one, I think that the battle with the Fane, the whole culmination of the war, was not handled particularly well. Yes, the ending made sense once this had happened, and I think that was handled nicely. But the actually battle, the whole readying of the forces, ended…well, in a manner that felt like a foil, or a cheat. It worked in the end, but in the moment it felt like, “here’s this thing that could easily have been done before and thus truncated this whole issue, but I didn’t want to do it because…reasons.”

Given how well crafted the rest of the series was, this felt a little disappointing. I get it, and like I said, the ending worked well under the circumstances, but still.

Overall, I would say that The Crown’s Wrath tied up the loose ends of the series effectively, but it was not as well plotted as I would have liked. A good book, but not quite as good as the rest of the series.

I enjoy books (and series) that twist and turn and take unexpected detours along the way, making the journey end up somewhere entirely new. Kelly Blanchard’s Chronicles of Lorrek is a series that does just that, and Someday I’ll Be Redeemed, the first book, wastes no time in throwing you into the deep end.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Lorrek, sorcerer prince of Cuskelom, as he reappears after ten years of absence following a creature attacking his home and sending him into a void. The only thing is that none of his family know he’s back, and he’s going to keep it that way until certain schemes can be set into motion that will fix the mistakes he made all those years ago.

The plot, while seemingly relatively straightforward from the very (very) brief synopsis I’ve given, is not at all that simple. Lorrek’s life intertwines with those of his brothers, Theran, Heldon and Honroth, as well as the assassin Vixen, the mysterious sorceress Fawn, and many others. One action set into motion in one part of this land of science-fantasy is enough to ripple outwards into unknowable dimensions. The plot is twisty, yet easy to follow, and absolutely does not end up where one would expect. Very well thought out.

2. Thoughts on the characters

These characters are…very complicated to get to know. Lorrek is the main character and there are still facets of his personality and story that I feel I haven’t fully examined, and I’ve read the books before. That being said, I absolutely love the characters. They are well thought out, have enough depth to drown in (a good thing, I promise), and interact with their world in fascinating ways. I love all the different perspectives and enjoy the way their lives twine together.

Except Roskelem, but everyone hates him.

3. Favourite part

The sneaky nature of the author who lets certain things creep up on you in the plot and then, suddenly, they become really important and you’re left wondering how in the world that could possibly happen. It’s pretty fantastic.

4. Critique

*Cough*Roskelem*Cough*

No, but really, my only real critique for this book, and the others in the series, is that it takes me a minute to get into the style of the story. This book is told from third person omniscient perspective, and it is not one I encounter often. However, after the first couple of chapters, the prose starts to flow quite well and I start to enjoy the style, because it means I get to know what characters are thinking before everyone else knows what they’re thinking. This is also the style that lends itself to accidentally throwing the book against the wall, because if the characters would just talk to each other, then there would be less drama. Okay, not really. There is no chance of less drama, and I love it.

Overall, Someday I’ll Be Redeemed is a great start to this epic science-fantasy series, and I am thrilled to be rereading the series!

In book two of Kelly Blanchard’s Chronicles of Lorrek, we have action, adventure, some misunderstandings that may or may not have caused an entire war, and all the magic and mayhem you could want. 

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book picks up where the first left off, with our sorcerer, Prince Lorrek of Cuskelom, trying his best to figure out what’s going on because his memories were taken by Roskelem in an effort to exact revenge on Lorrek for a number of different events. Lorrek, with absolutely no idea who he is, is tasked with killing the assassin Vixen in order to get his memories back. Of course, this isn’t as simple as it seems.

As always with Kelly Blanchard’s books, the plot never goes in the direction that you anticipate. Characters and events move in an organic fashion that tends to take any predictability out of the story. This isn’t to say that a reader has no idea what’s going on, because that is not the case. It’s just that familiar plots in fantasy novels have no bearing on this series, and it is wonderful.

2. Thoughts on the characters

These characters are, for the most part, the same cast that we met in book one. They are explored a bit more deeply, and with insights that come from new interactions with other characters and new events. They are pushed to the limits and then challenged in ways that are unique and interesting, and their reactions are fascinating to read. They are all uniquely wonderful characters. Except Roskelem.

3. Favourite part

Vixen. All the staby bits. Because it seems like a perfectly rational response to the situation.

4. Critique

I haven’t got any major critiques for this book, to be honest. I like the plot, and I like the characters. I do wish that the ending wasn’t quite so…well, spoilers…as it was, but that’s just the author being the author and I can do absolutely nothing about that except to say, “No! Why?!” and then sniffle along while I reach for the next book.

Overall, I would say that I Still Have a Soul is a great continuation of The Chronicles of Lorrek series!

One of the benefits of diving into a series, especially an epic fantasy (and sci-fi) series, is that I get to see all the character and story arcs and connect all the dots into the larger picture. The third book in Kelly Blanchard’s Chronicles of Lorrek, I’m Still Alive, ends one story arc and dives into another, with all the usual magic and mayhem that you expect from these books.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book takes place one year after the end of the last book, following Lorrek and Vixen as they try to stop Princess Mordora, who has unwittingly been targeted by an ancient artefact. They are trying to undo the damage that she has done, while also uncovering secrets of an ancient past, and dealing with everyone else who gets pulled into the situation.

This plot starts pulling in a lot of threads from the distant past, which undergirds the rest of the series. The threads become more intricate, drawing on things from the previous books as well as introducing world lore in such a way that familiar characters reveal a great deal more than we knew. As always with these books, the plot is very detailed and pulls the reader in a lot of different directions, all of which end with one of those dramatic gasps as we get to the finale.

2. Thoughts on the characters

Most of the characters in this book are familiar, so much of the development is merely to do with learning more about them and how they interact with the world. Included in this development is the introduction of events that happened some many generations ago, which set of a series of chain reactions that won’t be fully realised until much later in the series. Which was quite clever, but also frustrating for the reader—at least for me, as I am one of those, “I want to know all the stuff now!” types. Ah, c’est la vie.

3. Favourite part

That snarky bit at the end, where Lorrek is thumbing his nose at….sorry, spoilers. 

4. Critique

My only real critique for this book is one of those annoying, nitpicky things that us reviewers pull upon when we can’t find anything else to critique; I would have liked a little evidence of some of these dramatic past events to appear in the first two books, if only to hint at what was to come. It’s really not necessary, since we learn all that we need as the series progresses, but it’s possible that I’ve read too many mysteries in my life and like books to have clues as to future events. Only really a problem if you grew up with a mystery book in hand before you leaped into the fantasy genre. So…not really relevant to the book at all.

Overall, I would say that I’m Still Alive is a great third book to a great series, starting off on more story arcs and bringing in a lot of details that really make these books worth reading.

Book 4 in the Chronicles of Lorrek!

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book goes back in time, to a point in Lorrek’s past where a) he fell in love, and b) where certain events started taht would change his entire future. I’d get more detailed, but, you know, spoilers.

The plot of this book was very interesting indeed because it explores a point before the first three books, where Lorrek is already the super-powerful sorcerer prince to Cuskelom, his fingers in so many pies that you can’t quite count. This book was not that. Here, he is still in training to Countess Verdrra, and he has to deal with a new student, Eldrila, whose presence is meant to shake things up. Well, they certainly do that! Assassinations, political schemings, and Lorrek’s brothers being terrible. Such fun.

2. Thoughts on the characters

The characters in this book were mostly familiar, but since these events happen before the first three books, we get to see a different side to the characters. They are younger, certainly, but also have fewer dimensions than they do in the first arc, which is fascinating. Rarely do I get to read characters devolve (okay, that sounds terrible, but it’s not really) to a point where situations start off something new. Yes, prequels are common, but they don’t often happen to this extent. Very nice.

3. Favourite part

Trying to evade the future. Ah, whoops!

4. Critique

I haven’t really got a critique for this book, except to say that my goodness, Lorrek’s brothers were really, really terrible people before book one! I wanted to smack them over the head more than once. Not a critique on the story, just a note from a reader. 

Overall, I would say that book four starts off a really great arc in this series and I am super excited to keep going. Excellent book!

You Left Me No Choice is the fifth instalment of the Chronicles of Lorrek series by Kelly Blanchard, and my goodness does the drama increase.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book takes place about a thousand years before the previous book, depicting events surrounding the kelliphs, dragons and the Thymord Order. In this book, Rykeldan, the kelliph king, is searching for his soulbound, Therina, who rejected him after he broke the Dragon prophecy. His search is violent and encompassing humans and dragons alike, leaving little choice but to fight back. But how to kill a being who cannot be killed?

The plot for this book is generally outlined in some of the previous book by characters who reference these events, but is much, much more detailed. The plot involves ag reat number of political entities and personal vendettas, each one somehow working together to solve the biggest problem: Rykeldan. I found the plot very interesting, and it explained a great deal about this particular origin story.

2. Thoughts on the characters

While some characters, like Rykeldan, Therina and a few others were central to the story and familiar from previous books, there were also a very large number of other characters. In general with these books, I find that the characters really make the story, and this book was no exception. However, there were a lot of characters to keep track of and I found myself getting a little lost at times. While I appreciate a well woven story with many details, the number of characters here seemed a little too overwhelming for keeping the story straight.

3. Favourite part

The dramatic scene near the end with the dragons and two kelliphs. I can say no more than that because of spoilers, but my goodness! The drama! Very exciting.

4. Critique

As mentioned above, the number of characters in this book was a little difficult to follow. Otherwise, I really did enjoy it.

Overall, I would say that book five of the Chronicles of Lorrek series is another great instalment of an adventure that encompasses races and worlds, magic and technology, and all the things in between.

Book six in the Chronicles of Lorrek continues with adventures into the past, and I must say, the DRAMA is intense!

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book takes place about 500 years after book five and before the “present time” in books 1, 2, and 3. It follows the Thymord Order as they try to save the galaxy’s dying worlds. Specifically, it follows Rilolean, a former member of the Order, as he not only tries to uncover the answer to a failed mission, but also save his own world. There is intrigue, mystery, technology, magic, and a great deal of people trying to make everything work in their favour.

This plot is a little more straightforward than book 5, I think, even with the events taking place on multiple worlds. Possibly because there were fewer characters to keep track of, but also because the overarching politics were more concentrated. Frankly, the plot was very entertaining and had a lot of cool twists and turns.

2. Thoughts on the characters

The characters in this book were mostly the members of Rilolean’s “team” of disgruntled Thymord agents and a few outside assistants as they tried to solve the central mystery in the book. I really enjoyed getting to know the central core of characters and found them highly entertaining. I think Rilolean was definitely a great main character to follow and the others—specifically Miradan and ELF—were probably my favourites.

3. Favourite part

I think, honestly, that the mystery at the centre of this book was probably my favourite bit. I really enjoy mysteries, especially when combined with fantasy and adventure.

4. Critique

I don’t really have a critique for this book, because it was a super fun read! I do want to know what happened to ELF…

Overall, They Must Be Stopped is a great continuation to the Chronicles of Lorrek series and I am super excited for the next book.

The closer we get to the conclusion of the nine book Chronicles of Lorrek series, the more ties and dramatic scenarios appear. Find Me If You Can, book seven, by Kelly Blanchard is no exception.

1. Thoughts on the plot

Back from their excursions of viewing the past, Lorrek and Radella are finally on their mission to find other World Orbs and avoid the Thymord Order. But to do that, they must not be seen by the massive AI that the Order has, which means finding its creator. Only, they’re not the only ones looking.

The plot from this book felt a little like a combination of Star Trek, Jules Verne and that movie where there’s the one day you can do whatever you want with no consequences (I don’t remember the name and am too lazy to Google it). Only, there’s magic. And mayhem. It was definitely dramatic and brought together a lot of different threads, but it also added some new dimensions. An interested plot.

2. Thoughts on the characters

It was nice to see the familiar characters back from the past, as well as some I recognise from the Hand of Sorrow series (coughcough) who proved to be quite as dramatic as I expected. I like all the interactions with these characters and think that the new ones added a nice freshness on the story.

I will say that some of Vixen’s developments in this book felt a little sudden, despite being built upon this whole series, but that could just be that it’s been a while since I’ve seen her.

3. Favourite part

I have a fondness for hyper intelligent AIs 

4. Critique

I like the new dimensions that each book adds to the series, but I will say that after a while, it does become a little difficult to hold each of the threads together. I have grown a little accustomed to tossing the single-story threads away after each book, but there are many elements I am not sure about with this particular story.

Overall, I would say that book seven is definitely building towards more drama and excitement, and it was a great adventure.

Book 8 of the Chronicles of Lorrek!

1. Thoughts on the plot

I have to admit, it took me a while to get into the plot of this book. There are a lot of threads that need tying from previous books, but this book almost kept adding new threads for the characters to follow. It turns out, a lot of these new threads are just explanations for previous events; you learn this about halfway through the book. Up until that point, though, this feels very much like an entirely new adventure with the same characters. Good, but not quite what I had imagined for the 8^th book in a series. Still, once everything started coming together I liked it quite a lot.

2. Thoughts on the characters

There’s a lot of soul-seeking from the main characters in this book. Some of it was done well, especially on the part of Lorrek and the people who are *finally* seeing him for what he is. I liked that quite a lot. I do think the twist at the end, involving him and his bloodline was a little…abrupt, but I wouldn’t go quite as far as to say it was contrived.

Vixen, on the other hand, bothered me. Throughout the series, she has been one of my favourite characters. In this book, though, she seemed to just be a really negative, almost toxic person in how she treats everyone around her. I get that it comes from certain traumas, and that she’s working through some things, but she really doesn’t treat people very well, even when they’re nice to her.

3. Favourite part

About the halfway point, things started to come together, bringing a whole pile of events from the first part of the series into this part of the series. I liked it quite a lot.

4. Critique

Most of my critique were just the plot seeming almost unrelated to the rest of the books, but that was resolved at about the halfway point. The rest of my critique is that Vixen’s character development went a bit…sideways, I think.

Overall, I would say that You’re Not Alone is a good penultimate book in the Chronicles of Lorrek, and that book 9 promises to be very dramatic indeed.

I have a fondness for time travel that is probably a bit overwhelming to people who encounter me on the street. So when I got the chance to read a time travel novella by Claudia Blood, I was quite excited.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Ravenne, whose daughter perished in a terrible accident. Only, Ravenne learns that she may not have, and must travel through time to find her again. Using such methods as near lightspeed travel, bending space, and other really cool technology, Ravenne learns that her future-self has been manipulating things, and that she may not be the only one.

As far as plots go, I think the premise of this book is really interesting. Time travel is always interesting, partly because there are so many different ways to go about it. I liked the exploration of the technology, and the different changes that Ravenne experienced during her near lightspeed journeys. However, I think the plot itself was a little thin. The entire novel seemed to focus on the technology, which is fine, but the drama of the beginning and the search for her daughter never seemed to expand past the basic plot point stage. 

2. Thoughts on the characters

As far as characters go, I think Ravenne could have been very interesting indeed. She is a mother on a mission, and there are so many different ways to go about exploring her psyche and character. Some of that was there, especially with Lucky, but otherwise the whole focus was on the technology. I especially was disappointed in that we never really learned about the enemy in Ravenne’s future, who is so determined to see her fail. This person only appeared about 3/4 of the way through, and even then it was vague. There were other side characters who I think where interesting, but none really seemed to stand out.

3. Favourite part

I really liked the worldbuilding in this book, because it looked at Earth at several different points in its theoretical future, which is both very cool and slightly disturbing. I liked the extrapolation of certain events and the way that these events became such major, world-changing things.

4. Critique

Apart from the plot being a bit thin on the ground (which, honestly, I do get because this is technically a prequel novella), my biggest critique for this book is a nitpicky, indie author thing: the cover does not fit the genre at all. The current cover looks like a fantasy novel, or perhaps a romantic fantasy or something similar. I was not expecting time travel at all until I read the blurb just before my review read. I still enjoyed the book, but was not expecting it.

Overall, I would say that Ravenne was an interesting, entertaining time travel adventure. I really enjoyed the technology and am always pleased to read a book about time travel. A good book.

It has been a while since I’ve read a story, fiction or non-fiction, about World War II. Mostly because a lot of the books I review happen to be in the fantasy genre (though I read everything, it just happened that a lot of fantasy authors signed up all at once), but also because these stories really hit hard. But I think they are very important stories and should be told, so when I got the opportunity to read Martin Bodek’s Zaidy’s War, an account of his grandfather’s time during the war, I was very keen indeed.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Benzion “Zaidy” Malik, a Hungarian Hassidic Jew who was conscripted into the Hungarian army on behalf of the Germans during WWII. The story follows Zaidy as he crosses continents, joints multiple armies, faces down potential canibalism, treks 2600 kilometers, and settles in new lands. Without getting too much into the plot, because it is deep, and I don’t want to spoil it, I can say this is a story about bravery, staunch faith, and determination. It also is not an easy read, because this topic in general is just a hard one to explore. Still, it is well written, well organised, and worth a read.

2. Thoughts on the characters

It can be difficult, sometimes, in non-fiction pieces to really get to know a character, simply because they often focus on events rather than personal interactions. However, I think this book does well at expressing Zaidy’s reactions to the events in such a way that lets the reader know exactly what sort of man Zaidy is. It is impressive and difficult, especially given the style in which the story is written—facts and events placed first, with people as facilitators of those events. 

I will say that some of the other people in the story do not always come through as clearly as Zaidy, but that is understandable. 

3. Favourite part

The description of Zaidy’s home life in Hungary was fascinating, and a very good foundation for the rest of the book. I think it coloured things perfectly and gave a lovely undertone of hope for the people moving through the story.

4. Critique

My only real critique is not really a critique so much as a point of confusion. I received this book in hardcover to read for review, and it is well formatted and crafted, but the actual story only takes up about half of the book. Now, I know that non-fiction pieces require a fair amount of reference material, but I was surprised at how much reference material was actually included in the book. (For example, the original transcripts of the author’s interview with Zaidy.) I know this is common in academic pieces, but I was not aware that it was necessary in trade non-fiction pieces. If I am mistaken, then obviously I need to read more non-fiction pieces! But be aware that the story only takes up about half the pages.

Overall, I would say that Zaidy’s War was a very impactful piece of literature about a man’s journey through the perils and trials of WWII. I think it was well written, crafted finely, and definitely worth a read.

As a child (and occasionally on Tuesdays in my current existence) I would dream that someone would come whisk me away to go and a grand adventure to save a magical land. It never happened for me, but for Nyx in Paige Burks’ book Return to Royalty, her life is about to change.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Nyx, a college-age girl who is trying to figure out her life when strangers start making things a little difficult. Jet is a magic-user from a distant world sent here to retrieve Nyx, the lost Princess who can perhaps save their world from being overrun. Only, getting her to believe that is going to be very difficult. Jet only has a year to convince Nyx of her powers and prepare her, and things are not going to plan.

The premise for this book is fairly standard for YA portal fantasies. I have no problem with standard. I do wish that there had been a bit more of the adventure side of things rather than Jet trying to fit in with Nyx’s life as it was. It felt like he just sort of hung around Nyx rather than doing what needed to be done for a good portion of the book. This led to Nyx being woefully unprepared and a whole lot of mysteries for the reader to solve as we are just as unprepared as Nyx. While I understand the slow burn when uprooting someone from their life, in this particular instance, I wish the bandaid would have been ripped off.

2. Thoughts on the characters

Nyx is, so far as I can tell, average college student. She is busy worrying about her studies, about her crush, and about her friends. She isn’t thinking about a world she doesn’t know exists, and she is definitely unprepared for any sort of battle. I cannot fault her for any of this. It makes sense, therefore, when she sort of freaks out at the realisation of what is really going on. However, it was a little painful to read, as I wanted her to take action on her own rather than depend on Jet for everything.

Jet, on the other hand, knows exactly what is going on. He is, understandably, angry about being sent to fetch Nyx, but is the only one who can really do what needs doing. Only…he doesn’t. At first, it seems like he’s just being polite to Nyx’s guardian in heeding her wishes, but after a while, it seems like he’s trying not to be involved at all. I don’t particularly like Jet. He’s obviously very capable and yet chooses to do nothing and while this happens all too often in real life, I struggle with it in fiction. If a character can do something, they should, unless the reasons to the contrary are well laid out for the reader.

3. Favourite part

The bit where things really started moving, plot-wise. I can tell you no more than that because of spoilers.

4. Critique

I think a lot of the issues I had with the characters could be fixed if the plot were to move a little more swiftly, rather than trying to integrate Jet into Nyx’s Earth-based existence, then the story would have gripped my attention a bit more. As it was, the book was good, just not quite what I had anticipated.

Overall, Return to Royalty is a YA portal fantasy that draws on many familiar elements to create the story. It is perhaps a bit slow, plot-wise, but it is a generally good book.

I’ve read a lot of books where the main character is accompanied by an animal of some sort, be it cat, dog, horse or dragon. But it’s been a good long while since I’ve read a story where the main character was wan animal and in the case of Jeff Chapman’s The Great Contagion, I am all for it.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Merliss, a human who has been cast into the body of a cat. Over the centuries, she’s attached herself to the cunning men (healers and mild sorcerers) of the region. This particular set of cunning men might be in more trouble than they can handle when an unknown plague begins to spread. Merliss must get involved, using all her feline wits and her connections with the magical world to help where she can. But the consequences are more than she could possibly anticipate.

I really liked this book, both as a fantasy novel in its own right, and as a story where the main character was not what you would expect. The plot itself was well crafted, with enough danger and escalating stakes to keep you reading. And the fact that a cat, possessed of a human spirit or otherwise, was the instigator of change made for fun reading.

2. Thoughts on the characters

As a cat, Merliss is a fun one. She’s got enough human characteristics to make her relatable and entertaining, but enough feline aspects to add that element of unknown and mystery which all cats love to cultivate. And I think the wide variety of characters in this book does quiet well in the story craft as well. Slynid is exceptionally fun, Fendrel just this side of a silly fool with the potential for greatness, and the others equally entertaining. I am curious to see how the characters will interact in book two.

3. Favourite part

Probably the gradual chance in Fendrel’s perspective of Merliss. That was just fun to read.

4. Critique

My only real critique for this book has to do with a bit at the end, where the cats are making their way off into the yonder (all I can say without spoilers). I think this bit was good, and it fit well with the rest of the story, but it felt a little rushed and sudden compared to some of the other parts of the book. Not the events leading up to this journey, but the journey itself. Still, I liked the concept.

Overall, I would say that The Great Contagion is an excellent fantasy adventure and I’m off to read the next book!

I remember reading Dr. Seuss as a kid, and enjoying it thoroughly, but I must say that I am impressed with the wide range of children’s books that are available these days. Little Aiden: A Feelings Book for Toddlers by Albert Choi is a very good example of exploring a topic that has, occasionally, been taboo for children. In this instance: expressing and feeling all available emotions, regardless of positivity or negativity, and being allowed to do that.

I thought the content of the book was fairly straightforward. Each page had a different scenario, and little Aiden was feeling a particular emotion. Then, the book said, “that was okay”. It ran the gamut from happy to sad to frustrated to embarrassed to joyful etc. It seems simple, but I really liked how powerful it is, simply because it has often been dictated to children (and adults) that only expressing certain emotions—if any at all—is acceptable. Which is bunk. So I really liked that this was such a powerful message in such a simple form.

I also really liked the illustrations. They really explored the emotions well, in such a way that can be difficult with words (especially for children). How do you explain frustration to a toddler? Well, seeing a picture of a ball that’s just out of reach, and the associated facial expressions, can paint the emotion splendidly. Combined with the words, and being told that it’s okay to feel emotion, I think the book is very illustrative.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to any parent wanting to teach their children about emotion and expression. It’s also just great for looking at pictures! Very good book!

Scales is the second book in Alexzander Christion’s By The Hand of Dragons series, a dark adult fantasy series about a young dragon named Shefa and his quest to become the best lord and protector of Fuumashion he can. Of course, many things are going to stand in his way, including the very animals themselves, potential allies, and others.

1. Thoughts on the plot

Now, just a note. I have not read these books in chronological order. I read them in the order of publication, which means I read AlinGuard (book 3), then Rook (book 1), then Blood of the Lunacorn (sort of an in between novella), then Saber, and finally Scales. So I will admit to being a little lost when it came to where this book came in on the story line. There were characters I had to place again, and I had to remember just where our young dragon was on his journey. And, given that there has been more than a year between my last read of this series, it took me a minute to figure out what was going on. (Don’t be like me, read them in order.)

Once I did figure out what was going on, however, everything began to fit together, mesh in a way that I see but rarely in books this complex and intricate. The plot of these novels is always singular. It seems like events that have nothing to do with one another happen in succession, until you reach a critical point and everything falls together, creating a plot that just works, in the slightly magical way that a Rube-Goldberg machine of epic proportions just works.

2. Thoughts on the characters

See note above regarding my reading order. And again, once I figured out where our characters were in this journey, they fit much more than before. Shefa is, as always, a character to enjoy reading. Neither a hero nor a villain, he is merely dragon: not to be trifled with. His goals do not always make sense on the surface, and he is most certainly learning about himself, his world, and his own limitations. Surrounded by his Crown Jewels, which are equally fascinating to read, the characters are like a symphony of what might happen when given such power.

3. Favourite part

My favourite part of this book (and all these books, frankly) is the prose. It is purple, have no doubt, but it makes sense, and it is beautiful, and it is sometimes profound. How something so intense and dark can be so myriad and stunning is an art I appreciate very much.

4. Critique

My only critique is to do with my brain, the things I had forgotten and didn’t remember from previous books, and the fact that I really should have read these in a slightly more logical order. Ah, well. I sorted it out eventually.

Overall, Scales is another example of a great work of dark fantasy with elements of grimdark and shining magic, exceptional prose, and a story that will take you on a wild ride. A great book.

I may be biased, because I am a language nerd of extreme measures, but I really, really like Alexzander Christion’s books. They are inventive, story-wise, and stars and stones, the language used to paint the story? Superb.

1. Thoughts on the plot

Rizel takes place after Shefa becomes bonded to the Pform. And, as is usually the case with Christion’s books, things fall to pieces. The sky shatters, war is all but on the steps of the world, and Shefa and his friends must journey to a distant place in order to learn a way to stop it.

The plot in this book is reasonably complex, and I would definitely not approach this without having read the other books. As is the case with epic fantasy of this porportion, there are many adventures and winding quests that eventually lead to the whole. I think this book does a good job of using those not as just “side tasks” but ways to advance the knowledge of the world and characters and story.

2. Thoughts on the characters

I always love the array of characters that are in these books. Shefa, obviously, is entertaining to read. But the range of personalities that is presented, as well as needs and desires and actions that are shown and explored is impressive. I find some of the character motivations to be a bit mysterious, but that usually gets resolved later in the book, or in future books. 

Fara is definitely a favourite of mine, though. 

3. Favourite part

The battle scenes. I’ve read a lot of books, and there are only a couple of other authors who can actually make a battle scene exciting for me to read. The scenes in these books are fantastic, described in such excruciating and sublime detail as to be almost real. (Except you’re glad they’re not, because it’s a bit gruesome.)

4. Critique

My only real critique for this book is that it ended without giving me all the answers I wanted. And that means I have to wait for the next book. What a tragedy.

I will say in general, that if you do not have a love for poetic language, these books are not always easy to read. Grammatically, there are forms here that are not commonly used in modern English. All correct, but not common. It’s prose with poetry and flair, and as a linguist and language nerd, I love it. Excellent book!

With all that’s been going on in the last year plus, you would think that reading a book that involves a plague, and the walking dead and some other stuff wouldn’t be at the top of my list. Well, given how much I enjoyed Lee C Conley’s A Ritual of Bone, I figured it would turn out okay. And I was right! Well, it definitely did not turn out okay for the characters, but it was still an absolutely enjoyable read.

1. Thoughts on the plot

There is a lot going on in this book, not just a plague that is slightly more problematic than the current situation. The book follows several characters as they face the consequences of book one, as well as deal with the fact that everything is getting much, much worse. I can’t say a whole lot, because that would involve spoiling the first book, which I shall not do, but I can say that I really appreciated each complex thread that was left untethered at the end of book one. They were taken and woven expertly into the various scenarios for this book, and it really made things come together perfectly. The characters’ threads all seemed to collide, and the way that this was done involved a steady escalation of events. I have rarely seen things done so steadily and expertly when causing mayhem; definitely a good story, plot wise.

2. Thoughts on the characters

This book had all the familiar characters from the first book, which I liked. I enjoy seeing further developments of characters and situations. I think that Bjorn’s development and furthered situation was perhaps my favourite, but I also really enjoyed the whole…situation…with the apprentice.

Quick note on the apprentice: he has a name! I shan’t say what is is, again to avoid spoiling book one, but the way that this was revealed felt so…almost anticlimactic. It was just stated, and seemed almost to ruin the mystery of having the information withheld for so long. However! I think that the way it was done really emphasised the character and made for an excellent transition when things went a little wonky and started going pearshaped. Such insignificance in the mystery really hammered some of the later development home and it was perfect.

Also, everyone else was just great.

3. Favourite part

The whole naming thing, as described above. It just made such a quiet point, and I liked it.

4. Critique

I think the only real issue I had with this book had very little to do with the book itself, and more to do with the world. It was a harder task than I anticipated to read a story about a plague that gets a whole lot worse during a pandemic. Things just struck a little close to home, and it took me longer than I would have liked to get through the books. Of course, once things got exponentially worse in this book, it was completely fine, because my brain is weird. So not really a critique about the book, just a statement about life, I suppose.

If you are interested in an expertly written story that weaves a stunning tapestry together, and also has the dead, a plague, people being potentially problematic, and all the elements of dark/grimdark fantasy, then this is definitely a worthwhile read. It follows on perfectly from book one, and now I really need all the answers for the next instalment. An excellent book!

I think there’s something fundamental in fairy tales, either in the way they see the world or provide a lovely story that has magic, but also depicts reality. So when I read fairy tale retellings, or explorations into folklore, I am immediately interested. Leslie Conzatti’s Princess of Undersea was like this, grabbing me from the start.

1. Thoughts on the plot

The original Hans Christian Anderson Little Mermaid is not quite the light and pretty story of the Disney movies, and I think that Princess of Undersea is perhaps more in line with the original. However, it manages to combine both versions into something even better, merging a quest for wisdom and strong leadership into a love story that saves the ocean and the sea.

The story follows Ylaine, a mermaid princess, who is trying to prevent a war. She grows curious about the humans and seeks the help of her godmother, Nayidia, to let her spend time amongst the humans to better understand them. In the course of this, she meets Nathan, prince of Overcliff, who is being prepared to step forwards and rule. There are threats, though, to both their realms and they must work together to prevent these terrible things from happening.

I really like the way that Ylaine and Nathan move the plot forwards without it seeming contrived. There is more to this story than the pretty undersea princess trying to win the heart of a human, and this features in the story to a point where the love story is almost secondary, but not enough to dismiss it entirely. The combination of these two motivations and plot lines really works well, I think, to create something deeper than the original fairy tale while still holding to its origins.

2. Thoughts on the characters

I really like the fact that the merpeople are not just humans with fish tails. They have their own culture and way of life, anatomy and practises, and I think Ylaine is the perfect example of this. She is very devoted to her father, and by extension, the wellbeing of her people. But she is also curious about the humans and the things that they might offer the undersea kingdom. As far as characters go, I think she is certainly the most interesting. There were a few points when she was first interacting with Nathan that I thought her a bit silly, but I think most of that comes from being, literally, a fish out of water. It did not detract from her at all.

I will admit, though, that I didn’t much care for Nathan until the latter half of the book. At first, he seems a bit…shallow. His attitude is dismissive and he doesn’t really seem like someone who Ylaine would find interesting or worthy. However, this changed dramatically in the second half of the book. In fact, a good portion of the plot was centred on his development, and I think this works really well. So, while I didn’t immediately like him, I did find him a good character in the end.

3. Favourite part

I think my favourite part is probably to do with the culture and lifestyle of the merpeople. I found it quite fascinating and enjoyed the descriptions of their life, their thoughts on fish and sharks and such, even the way that they bowed. It really managed to make them seem like a distinct people rather than just humans with tails who live in the water. It was also really nice to see the interaction of that culture with the human culture.

4. Critique

I think my only real critique is that parts of the love story seemed to move a bit quickly near the end. I understand that this was meant to be the moment of realisation, rather than an insta-love situation, but it moved a touch quickly for my tastes. However, given all the other plot points, I would say that this was not really a terribly big issue and that the story did not suffer at all for it.

Overall, I would say that The Princess of Undersea is a very good retelling of The Little Mermaid, only with intent and depth as opposed to the original (and later interpretations). The story managed to be both entertaining and poignant, while still retaining the connection to the original and providing the familiar ground that comes from fairy tale retellings and reimaginings. Very good.

I have a great fondness for books—especially spec fic books—that deal with the minutiae behind politics and revolutions. (It’s possible that this is so because I wrote a sci-fi/dystopian piece about how language invoked a revolution, but I digress.) Keith Crawford’s Vile is one of the best books I’ve seen in a while that deals not only with a potentially politically (and otherwise) explosive situation, but the minutiae behind it. Oh, and it was spectacularly well written, too.

1. Thoughts on the plot

There is a lot going on in this book. Magistrate Elianor Paine goes to Shadowgate to bring back a Vile (the father or the children) to vote in the next election, ostensibly for one goal and quietly for another. However, there are things going on in Shadowgate that involve the long-gone threat of the Kindred, secrets between family members, and rivalries that divide the town. Every piece initially seemed like a separate thing, something that didn’t quite fit with the others but was still important. And then I read on.

The sheer capability of weaving each piece together so that one leads seamlessly to another, and when put together create a whole image is hugely impressive. I enjoyed going through the plot and figuring things out immensely. I would say that this was absolutely well thought out and well crafted. Basically, it was great.

2. Thoughts on the main character

For all her capabilities, Elianor Paine doesn’t initially seem like a likeable character. (Okay, yes, this is grimdark and yes, that means morally grey characters, but still.) She has her own motives and is a bit arrogant. However, the more I read about her and the other characters, the more I liked them. Oh, yes, they were absolutely morally grey and perfect for grimdark. (coughPersephonecough) But their motivations were so perfectly woven into the plot, and their backstories superbly well done. Basically, I enjoyed all of the characters, but especially Elianor. She was a perfect main character. Perhaps manipulated, but not dumb. And certainly very capable.

3. Favourite part

The revelations of all the characters as they finally figure out what is going on in their lives. This was done so as to be a surprise, and yet expected. I felt what the characters felt and I absolutely thrilled in it.

4. Critique

Actually, I don’t really have one. I think the language was well crafted, the characters entertaining and, if not likeable then at least intriguing, and the plot superb. I really want to know more.

This book is beautifully written. It fits perfectly into the questionable characteristics that make grimdark what it is. The minutae are described well and pieced together to form a whole that is the perfect start to a series. Definitely on my best books for 2020 list.

Oddly enough, in reading the many fantasy books that I read, I haven’t read all taht many about hidden immortals in modern society, which is strange because it’s actually a very popular sub-genre of urban fantasy. I think it’s just a matter of the right books crossing my desk—or not. In the case of E.G. Creel’s The Immortal, however, it took that sub-genre and explored it quite well.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Emma, who went to an island on vacation and ended up the only survivor of a culling by a group of immortal Vikings. These Vikings must eat a human heart every so often or their bodies will remain old while they march through time. Emma, as the only survivor and now witness to the secret, is adopted by the leader of the Vikings, Bjorn. Only, two problems. Emma may have the key to saving the Vikings and she also may be losing her heart in an entirely different manner.

As far as originality goes, I really liked the plot. It was unique, interesting, and had a few twists and turns that I did not expect in the slightest. In that regard, I liked it quite a lot. However, I think things moved too quickly for Emma. She went from surviving what was basically a massacre, to trusting these people with her life and more in a matter of days. That seems highly unlikely, and sort of ruined the rest of the plot for me, no matter how interesting.

2. Thoughts on the characters

In general, I liked the characters a lot. Emma is strong and capable, not afraid to start living her life. The Vikings all have unique and interesting personalities. The interactions are sweet, even funny at times. And the way Emma reacted at the end of the book was wonderful. But again, her nearly split-second decision to start trusting the Vikings after what happened to her friends was really hard for me to swallow.

3. Favourite part

The ending. It was stellar and fascinating.

4. Critique

As mentioned previously, the change in Emma from terror to trust was just too quick for me to really get into the book.

Overall, I would say that this book had a very unique plot, great characters and an ending which I thoroughly enjoyed. If it weren’t for that one detail, I would say this is a great book. As it stands, I will say it was good.

Every now and again, I’m in the mood for a fun, adventurous shifter romance, and Wolf Gone Wild by Juliette Cross was definitely one of those.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book is definitely primarily a romance. It follows Evie, a witch and Hex-breaker, and Mateo, a werewolf who has been hexed so he can’t shift. He goes to her for help, sparks fly, they spend more time together and, and, and. There are a few elements here that could be considered “mystery”, such as who spelled Mateo, why, and how to fix it, but those take a back seat to the primary romance.

I will say that I liked the romance a lot. It was fun and just what I was looking for in a more comedic style shifter romance. Some of the obstacles to Evie and Mateo didn’t really feel like obstacles, and felt like they were put there as almost as cursory plot points, like the fact that Evie wasn’t really supposed to be associating with a werewolf. That was solved almost immediately, with no difficulty, and that’s fine, but then why bother putting it in to begin with? Otherwise, I’d say the story was nice.

2. Thoughts on the characters

It’s always a bit tricky when you’re dealing with a series that follows multiple characters, as they usually all appear in all the books and can sometimes overwhelm the story. In this instance, Evie has several sisters and their personalities were a little muddied at first. I really like Evie, though, and Mateo was an absolutely wonderful hero to the story. The other characters felt a little like throw away characters, even the antagonist who spelled Mateo in the first place. Still, it’s a romance, so I didn’t mind.

3. Favourite part

Date night! That was so thoughtful and sweet. Loved it!

4. Critique

Again, this book is a romance, but if you’re going to include any elements of other genres, do them justice. In this instance, there is somewhat of a mystery surrounding who spelled Mateo, but there were no real clues, the investigation was more cursory and romantic plot moving than helpful, and the solution was fast and a bit easy. A great romance, not so much on the mystery side of things.

Overall, I would say that Wolf Gone Wild was a fun book, and it made me happy, so I say very good to that.

Not all book series need to be connected in every way. Sometimes, it’s fun to just explore the same universe, spend time with a side character from a different book, see how the magic and the world evolve. Such is the way with Glen Dahlgren’s The Game of War, which is both book two in his series and a prequel to A Child of Chaos, which I loved.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Dantess, a priest of war, in his quest to earn enough clout to free his father from War’s prisons. In the midst of his journey, he becomes a great squad leader who participates in the once-in-a-lifetime Game of War, a challenge to see who is the best among the priests and therefore worthy of guarding the Conclave of the Divine. Only, not everthing with the priests and the temples is as it seems.

I really like how this plot turned out. Dantess has such a fascinating backstory for a priest. It almost feels like a reluctant hero situation, but not quite, because he embraces his role quite readily, even eagerly. The circumstances surrounding his role, though, are not at all what a normal priest would expect and that, I think, is what makes this story so fascinating.

2. Thoughts on the characters

As with the first book in the series, the characters here are both varied and deep enough to feel real. Dantess is a great main character, but many of the side characters are just as interesting. I really enjoyed exploring all the different people, their various motivations and resulting actions. I think they were done very well. Except Kevik. He deserved what he got.

3. Favourite part

I think, honestly, the ending was probably my favourite part because it combined everything that we’d seen in the story thus far, even the pieces that were contradictory, and did so in such a way that I could not stop reading until I finished the book. Well done!

4. Critique

My only critique is the situation with Jyn. Why?! That just…nooo!

Overall, I would say that The Game of War was an excellent continuation in the series and I absolutely would recommend this book.

So many series end when the wrold changes and prophecy has taken shape. It was fascinating, then to see Glen Dahlgren’s House of Prophecy, which takes place after the momentous Child of Chaos, and deals with the aftermath of what is, essentially, the end of the world as it is known.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Galen as he tries to heal his mother, Lorre, after she fulfilled prophecy and released Chaos into the world. He has allies in Myra, his sister and the high priestess of Charity, Dantess, a former priest of War, and Gusset, his longtime friend. As well as new characters in the form of the Harbringers of Chaos, who are taking advantage of the new world order to establish themselves. Only, not everything is as it seems and it turns out that there is more to the prophecy that Lorre broke than anyone could know.

I really liked this plot. It had all the elements that make a really good story while also being unique and creative. I really enjoyed the quest for prophecy as well as the fact that most of the plot really had to do with character interactions as much as outside events. Also, that ending! The drama!

2. Thoughts on the characters

Most of these characters were familiar from book one, and the prequel novel, A Game of War, featuring Dantess and his cohorts. It was really nice to see all the characters again, especially in their new roles after the events of book one. I really liked the changes that took place, as well as how they continued to adapt and change. I think that the new characters were perhaps a bit less real for me than the others, simply by virtue of lack of detail, lack of information about their past or their beliefs or the grounding forces. Granted, this is normal given that they are new characters, but I would have liked a little more, especially regarding Eve.

3. Favourite part

That ending! Oh my goodness!

4. Critique

I don’t have any major critiques for this book, except that I want to know more about some of the new characters. I guess I’ll just have to wait for the next book for that!

Overall, I would say that House of Prophecy is an excellent sequel to Child of Chaos and I am really excited for the next book. Perhaps too excited, but that ending was dramatic enough to have me throwing the book into the air. Or, well, I would have done if I weren’t reading electronically.

For some reason, stories about Death (or death, depending) always intrigue me. Okay, yes, some of this is because I quite like the darker side of fiction. But a good portion of that is also just curiosity about how people think about death, whatever comes beyond, and what value they place on life. So when I get to read a fantasy book about a character who meets death, I find it absolutely fascinating. Night Latch by Anela Deen (SPFBO entrant for 2020), is definitely in that category, and has the added benefit of being really well written and thought out.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book is actually quite interesting for the fantasy genre (even in urban fantasy) because the stakes are, generally, low. This book follows Sam, a locksmith who can open any lock. He meets death when she needs his help to open a door. From there, he discovers the world of magic, of the metaphysical, and his own place in that world.

I found the plot to be very interesting, because it mixed Sam’s normal life with his newfound place in a hidden world. There were mundane things he had to deal with, as well as some not so mundane. This mix of large and small problems made the plot very interesting and entertaining to read, with very good pacing and a gentle build in drama.

2. Thoughts on the main character

As far as main characters go in fantasy novels, Sam is quite ordinary. He is a locksmith who lives above the garage of his mother’s house, where his family is. He wants little more than a quiet, comfortable life. And when he finds that fantastical things are being thrown in his direction, he does his best to help however he can. He requires some help in this, and inevitably tries to do the right thing as best he can.

Generally speaking, when we find an “ordinary” character in a fantasy piece, it’s really a hero who has been hiding (or raised in hiding) until the day they are called upon to become extraordinary. Sam is really just an ordinary person. And because of this, his flaws and good traits really resonate more than I initially expected. I find that I really like Sam, for being a person who feels familiar and yet still has a touch of magic in his life. Definitely one of my favourite characters that I’ve read in a while.

3. Favourite part

I think the situation with Maggie was probably my favourite part. I can’t really say much more than that without spoiling the novel, but I like the fact that this book doesn’t gloss over the hard things, or force a happy ending to make the reader happy. (Though this isn’t the end of the book.)

4. Critique

My only critique for this piece is that the ending felt like it had been cut off. Okay, I know that this book is only the first of two, and things were about to get suitably more dramatic if they continued, but it felt a little too abrupt to tie up this first book nicely. However, this doesn’t really detract from the rest of the book in my opinion, it just makes me want to read book two right away.

On the whole, I would say that Night Latch is a fantastically well-written piece. The language flows well. The plot is highly entertaining. I really like all of the characters (but especially Sam) and I really, really want to know what’s going to happen next. I would have to say that this is definitely on my list of best books for 2020. It’s really quite excellent.

There are a lot of fairy stories out there these days. The stories of history that have grown through the ages have become incredibly popular, and for good reason. The Fae, those creatures just across the invisible barrier, with good or bad intentions, are a tempting prospect. However, there are also a lot of paranormal romances involving the Fae out there, and it’s nice to see something as straightforward as a coming of age adventure story, such as Craig Deenan’s Fae or Foe?, the first book in the Cracklock Saga.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Jack Crackley, a boy going about his business at school and on his paper route, until one day, in the midst of some trouble, he begins to see odd creatures. When he’s attacked, he not only learns of beings called Fae that wander around this world, but also of a larger plot to cause him—and his friends—harm.

This book follows the relatively straightforward coming of age pattern, where the main character finds out he’s special and then has to do his best to save either the world or those around him who are in danger. In this case, it’s the latter, but with hints to the former. I like the story; it has enough twists that the plot isn’t entirely predictable, but it also is comforting in the familiarity. A good plot, though there are a lot of threads by the end that need tying.

2. Thoughts on the characters

A lot of time, these sorts of stories can have a main character who is either too noble (read, noblebright style stories), or entirely the opposite. Jack reads very much in the middle of those two, more like a normal teenager who is dealing with some difficult things. He’s not annoying to read, and he’s not ridiculously noble, either. He’s just a good kid in some weird circumstances, which I really appreciated. The other characters around him read very much the same way, excepting the antagonist(s) of the piece. They read a bit more like caricatures rather than villains with a twisty back story. However, the characters are generally quite good.

3. Favourite part

Dorcas the brownie is absolutely my favourite out of the entire book, and I dare you to prove me wrong.

4. Critique

The ending of the book is a cliffhanger, which is perfectly fine in the grand scheme of things, since this is the first of a series. However, this cliffhanger left most of the threads of the story in book 1 untied, which is a little problematic. I like to see all the threads except for one or two overarching plot points tied up. That way you have a complete story that transitions into the next story rather than stopping a story right in the middle of important information. I understand that there was drama that needed to be there in order to edge into book two, but so very many threads were left untied that I just felt like the story was incomplete in a very large way.

Overall, I would say that Friend or Foe? was an entertaining read with characters who were enjoyable and a plot that was not standard, with enough familiar elements to draw you in. A good book.

Part of what I love about fantasy is the ability to explore new worlds without ever leaving my house. In the case of Trine Rising by C.K. Donnelly, I was absolutely enthralled by the world that was created; it was vivid, well-crafted and featured a conlang that had me eagerly working out its pieces.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book is something between a coming-of-age piece and an epic fantasy. I suppose it would be YA fantasy, but it felt deeper than a lot of YA that I’ve read recently. The basic premise is that there is a prophecy stating that two trines, or people who controlled all three magical Aspects rather than just one, would appear: a dark and light trine. The whole of Kinderra would then be at their mercy, destroyed and then rebuilt. The only problem is, Mirana is a trine and her visions have told her that such a thing does not necessarily bode well.

This book had two particular styles of plot advancement that I liked quite well. The first is the action, the events that require Mirana to make a decision. They are increasingly pressing, and tie up a good deal of the characters, as well as force the second mode of plot advancement: the character development. The characters must make decisions, move forwards with their lives, and face the consequences of previous actions before things get worse or things will, ah, get…worse. Much worse. I liked the intertwining of the plot-based and character-based writing styles and think it works exceptionally well.

2. Thoughts on the main character

Mirana is not your typical YA hero. For one, she seems to act on her dislike of her powers in a rational manner. Instead of just rejecting her place in the world out of hand, as I have seen in many YA pieces, she has a reason for doing precisely that. She is perhaps more rational than you would expect, but she also has emotions driving her to move. These two pieces are at war, which makes for a very interesting piece of conflict. I especially like the scene in the library, as well as the climactic piece towards the end, where her decision is made.

3. Favourite part

I cannot really say a whole lot about my favourite bit, because spoilers, but I can say that the ending, where Mirana’s mentor is musing on things…and the fantastic plot twist that reveals…cue sharp intake of breath as I gasped in surprise. Stunning.

4. Critique

Oddly, as I love linguistics, the main critique I have has to do with the naming conventions. Not in any structural way, or for any dislike of the conlang (actually, I loved it), but the way that they were interspersed throughout the novel. This mostly is to do with who people are and where they are from. These things are quite intricate, which makes sense because there is a great deal of political machinations behind the dramatic plot. I haven’t got a problem with that. But I would have loved just a touch more explanation of where these people were from—describe the setting of their homeland or province—so I wouldn’t have to flip back to the map every few pages. With an ebook that was difficult to do. It honestly isn’t a huge thing at all, just enough directions and places that my directionally/geographically challenged brain had a hard time keeping up, especially since I was trying to dissect the names as they were constructed.

Overall, I would say that Trine Rising is a fantastic first book in a series. It has a fun plot, great characters, a plot twist that had me smiling, and a conlang phrase at the top of the chapters, which was pretty great. If you are looking for a book into which you can immerse yourself, this is the one for you. A very good book!

Sometimes, you just need a good book with magic and adventure and characters you like. Unexpected Magic by Laura Drake was just that sort of book.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book is a magic academy book mixed with a bit of mystery. It follows Emmie, a girl who supposedly has no magic and yet attends one of the most prestigious magical academies in the country. She is there with several friends, and she hopes that one day her own magic will manifest. In the meantime, though, there are girls disappearing, dangerous magic is on the rise and her own academy may be at risk.

As far as plots go, this one was just the right mix of familiar and unpredictable, with a story that I could really get into without having to read a passage several times to figure out what was going on. The twists were interesting, the adventure just the right mix of exciting and trepidatious, and the ending dramatic.

2. Thoughts on the characters

A lot of the time, magical academy books (and a fair number of YA fantasy books in general) have the main character possessed of some sort of special power or ability that marks them by the others in the story. In this case, the fact taht Emmie didn’t have magic was the thing that marked her, and i found that to be a fascinating take on teh traditional story. I enjoyed it a fair bit, learning about her struggles with her identity and ability. The other characters were fun, also, having far more depth than I usually see in stories of this type.

3. Favourite part

The duelling club. I appreciate that scene a lot.

4. Critique

I don’t really have a whole lot of critique for this book. The plot is a bit predictable, given how closely it follows the standard for the genre, but that didn’t take away my enjoyment of the story at all.

Overall, I would say that Unexpected Magic was a fun read with an adventure I enjoyed, characters I rooted for, and an ending that makes me want to read more. A very good book.

I’ve read horror, fantasy, sci-fi, paranomral, romance, and more, but rarely have I read paranormal romantic suspense. So when I got the chance to read Laura Drake’s The Move, I was intrigued.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Selena as she moves from California to Oregon with her dad. Only, the house where she lives has a mysterious and ominous past and not everything is quite right within its walls. With the help of her neighbour, she has to solve the mystery of the house before things go from bad to much, much worse.

The book was sort of a standard haunted house story, only with a touch of romance thrown in. I really enjoyed the plot, the way the characters investigated, and the ultimate cause for the hauntings. I think all the elements worked well together, which really made the story for me.

2. Thoughts on the characters

For a novella, these characters are quite deep. I really appreciate the way that the little details fleshed out Selena’s personality in a way that made the most of the shorter word count. It’s a difficult thing to do in a novella and I really enjoyed it. I think I would liked to have known more about her dad, but that may be a topic for the next book.

3. Favourite part

Okay, okay, I know that this is a ghost story with a touch of romance, but honestly? I liked the depictions of food. Sue me.

4. Critique

I don’t really have a critique for this book. It followed the genre perfectly, had characters to root for and left you wondering what would happen next. I will say that I think the police officer is an idiot, but that’s not a critique of the book, just a reader razzing a character.

Overall, I would say that The Move is a charming paranormal romantic suspense novel. It takes all the elements of a ghost story that we love, added a dash of romance, and really made it work. An excellent novella.

Satirical fantasy is a subset of comedic fantasy, in which all the tropes of fantasy that we know and love are used and then laughed at. Basically, logic is suspended—or used to such a high degree that all the familiar tropes make no sense, which achieves essentially the same result—and the ridiculous is expected. It’s a commentary on what we find interesting, and it takes itself perfectly seriously. It just doesn’t expect the readers to do so. So when I say that The Alehouse Wars by Michael Evan and JMD Reid is a highly entertaining satirical fantasy, you should know precisely what to expect. Only…add seals and walruses.

1. Thoughts on the plot

As with the typical epic-style fantasy, there is an outside threat that, well, threatens the way of life of our entire cast of characters. In this case, the harbour seal community and their beloved ale. The threat is epic—everyone is going to die or become slaves and their ale is going to be taken—and the response must be similarly epic. This sort of plot is fairly familiar, given that it is used in many large-scale fantasies. If you ignore the fact that the characters are seals, the threat is from walruses, and the stakes are beer, then everything is familiar. The fact that this plot contains all of those things allows us to smile at the ridiculousness of taking something as familiar as a way of life, and trivial as beer (says the non-drinker), is entertaining. It has a battle scene, a daring rescue, and all the associated character development.

2. Thoughts on the main character

We have two main POV characters in this book, Matthias—the patriarch of his family and general leader of the seals—and his son JM, who is, well, your typical angsty not-quite-adult with a crush. These two take on the world, er, walruses, in order to save the beer and the crush respectively. They are, in essence, the ordinary person who is raised to hero status. And, frankly, they are both a bit absurd. Highly entertaining and a bit absurd. I enjoy them both. JM is perhaps the more interesting to me, simply because I find snark highly amusing.

3. Favourite part

There are two bits I enjoy for this: one, the narrator basically saying we should ignore all the illogic and just go with it; two, the whole deus ex machina being, well…openly discussed.

4. Critique

The ending. While highly interesting and terrifically tragic, it has nothing to do with anything. I get that it’s satirical fantasy, and there are certain expectations to maintain, but…I have no idea what was going on. I still enjoyed it thoroughly, but that particular out-of-nowhere trope is one of my least favourites. Apparently, even when it’s being openly satirised. Of course, this is just my own opinion, so the critique is more or less invalid. Oops!

If you’re looking for a bit of fun in the style of Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams, then this is the sort of thing you would enjoy. Irreverent, snarky, entertaining, slightly illogical, so on and so forth. Oh, and it’s about seals. A very good book.

There is an artform to not taking oneself too seriously, to enjoying life and putting a bit of humour into the darker situations. In this case, the situation is the fantasy world of The Alehouse Rebellion, the continuation of The Alehouse Wars by Michael Evan and JMD Reid. And you know what? It was great fun.

1. Thoughts on the plot

Okay, after book one, you wouldn’t expect there to be a whole lot of plot to continue. The walruses were defeated, the harbor seals won the day and had magical powers, and things were basically fantastic in the ale industry. But what would happen if the walruses weren’t really dead? If they got something that put them on an even footing with our magical seals? The seal society (and the ale) would be at risk.

As expected, this book took the plot of what would be a fairly typical fantasy revenge sequel novel thing (there is a proper word for this sort of plot, I just don’t remember what it is), and then supercharged it. You see some of the common fantasy tropes used in fantastic and hilarious ways. The ridiculousness of the first book is matched, and even exceeded. It does new things rather than repeating the events of the first book. Basically, it’s a wild ride and highly entertaining.

2. Thoughts on the characters

This is the next step in the life of our seals Matthais and JM, some couple of years down the road. As one would expect with a sequel, the characters maintain that kernel of what makes them the characters we know and love, but also gives them new challenges to overcome and face. In this instance, family life for JM takes control. I liked the descriptions of the new life that our heroic seal has to face. Not everyone can transition from hero to family life well, but JM seems to have succeeded. And then he embraces his new challenge (the walruses have returned!) with that same zeal of the first book. This sort of character depiction is consistent across the whole cast, and makes for a seamless transition from book one. (Which, incidentally, is very well done in terms of the plot, also, as the ending from book one makes much more logical sense when put together with the beginning of book two. But I discussed plot in the last point, so I now move on.)

3. Favourite part

My favourite pieces would have to be Bob, the dad-joke making narwhal, who seems to exist purely as a plot device from the authors. Highly amusing, all around. And then there is the AI that we meet later in the book. It’s like Marvin the paranoid android from Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, except the personality went in the complete opposite direction. Perhaps like the doors from the Heart of Gold ship, but perhaps more independently intelligent. Both characters were that perfect amount of ridiculousness to make this story extra fun (and satirical, which is the genre, so rather important).

4. Least favourite bit

Um…Hmm…This one’s hard. I enjoyed this so much, because everything was that great mix of fantastical, satirical, serious and amusing. Honestly, if I can even think of a critique, it’s going to be pretty minor, so I shall instead just say I liked it. A bunch.

Overall, The Alehouse Rebellion is a pretty perfect continuation of the satirical fantasy book The Alehouse Wars. I had a great time with the characters and the story and really can’t think of a reason why you shouldn’t read this book about walruses and seals and science and magic and whatnot. Absolutely entertaining.

The thing about fantasy is that it can literally be anything. If there’s a hint of magic, then you have fantasy. If you have sidewinder snakes going on a quest to bring back a mystical cider and save the desert, then you have fantasy. Granted, the latter might be less common, but it is still quite the adventure. Hence, Michael Evan and JMD Reid’s Cider of Legend.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book, intentionally, follows the standard fantasy quest novel. You have your average person (snake) set a dangerous, but necessary, quest. They go off, meet other characters who help or hinder their quest, defeat challenges/monsters, get sidetracked, go complete their goal and end up back where they started with the world a better, or more interesting, place. This is the quest novel that you see in The Hobbit or The Wizard of Oz or any number of fantasy pieces. It is one of the more common epic fantasy plots and, in this particular instance, it follows the quest plot to the letter.

Granted, this book is a satire, which means that it follows the standard plot intentionally. The fact that you know what is going to happen is part of the point, and the intrigue comes from such things as bits of humour regarding the plot, breaking the fourth wall, and the character interactions.

For me, though, there is a fine line between satire and formula. This book follows the standard so precisely that it feels more like formula than satire and I could predict, quite easily, what was going to happen next, which ruins the fun a bit for me.

2. Thoughts on the characters

The main characters of this book are the narrator, a sidewinder named Mik’hai, and his wife Le’thal, who our our adventurers out to find this mysterious cider and save the desert from a plague. As worried as they are about the situation, I must say that these two characters manage to keep up quite good spirits  during their adventure. Their banter brings levity to the situation and they can face down the greatest threats with determination and cheer.

Basically, I like them. These two, in my opinion, really make the story what it is.

3. Favourite part

The way that Mik’hai and Le’thal interact is probably my favourite bit. It’s not quite your standard romantic banter, the sort that you would get from a romantic fantasy or even a romance novel. This feels more like friends polking each other with sticks, just because they can, but only with the best intentions. Never goes too far, but doesn’t let up if the other needs a bit more prodding. Quite fun, I think.

4. Critique

As discussed with the plot, the satire gets a little lost in the formula. And even the character banter gets a little lost in the formula. I’ve read enough books and watched enough television shows to tell you precisely what is going to happen next a good portion of the time, even down to bits of dialogue. When books surprise me, then I get really interested. Excepting the characters and their banter, this book didn’t really surprise me. It was good, don’t get me wrong, just familiar. Even with sidewinders and hawks and cider.

Overall, I would say that this book is a good quest fantasy novel that just happens to feature sidewinders and the desert as our characters and setting. Apart from that deviation, it is a perfect example of quest fantasy. It even has elements of satire, though I wouldn’t necessarily classify it entirely that way. I just would have liked a bit more entropy, a bit less formula, and something that truly surprised. Though, I did like the characters. They were quite fun.

Have you ever said something to someone and then they took that one comment and ran with it like a hyper-competitive pre-teen during a game of capture the flag? Yeah… I mentioned that Michael Evan and JMD Reid’s Cider of Legend was a little too predictable, a little too on-genre, even though it is a satirical fantasy poking fun at said genre. I said that it needed some entropy. And you know what happened? Cider for Harborland happened.

1. Thoughts on the plot

Now, you must understand that this book is a crossover between the Alehouse books—featuring seals, walruses, ale, epic battles, magic and mech—and the quest-novel featuring snakes on a search for a mystical and magical cider. So you’re not going to get a standard plot out of this. However, being a satirical fantasy, there is also a generally accepted requirement that the plot has to follow standard fantasy guidelines. This does that.

How? Well, at first, we start with the snakes in the desert, called by mysterious dreams to spread the Cider of Legend to Harborland. Why? Well, we’re not sure until much, much later. This first part of the book follows a mostly-standard quest-by-dreaming plot, except things are, as expected, a little odd. The standard pieces that you would find in such a novel are twisted, changed, poked fun at, etc. Which is entertaining in of itself, but this then leads into the slightly-more-chaotic world of Harborland.

The first two Alehouse books were…well, let’s just say that logic was not a requirement. The part of this book featuring our seal friends is equally illogical, providing the perfect ground for the crossover from the desert.

Trust me, as crazy as all this sounds, it does make sense.

2. Thoughts on the characters

The characters in this book are the familiar ones that we’ve seen in all the previous books. We have Mik’hai and Le’thal the sidewinders. JM and Matthais as the seals. They are familiar and enjoyable.

The other characters in the book that we get to see more of are Sandy Sam (sidewinder), Scotty (cider-brewing lizard), Mary Sue (don’t get me started), and a cameo by the authors (trust me, it’s better if you find out yourself on this one). I like the new characters and the old characters; they mix together very well and make the crazy plot make sense, which is a feat in of itself. I think that the linguistic oddities of Sandy Sam and Scotty are probably my favourites, but that could be because I want to hit Mary Sue upside the head. Twice.

3. Favourite bit

The ending portion of the book featuring the authors. As talking about this would likely spoil a good portion of the book, I shall say very little. Only, all the questions were answered and what could have been an extremely pointless ending was instead turned into something (intentionally) ridiculously poignant that was both perfect for a satire and somehow completely sincere. And it explained the whole problematic thing I had with the end of the first Alehouse book, so there was that, too.

4. Critique

I was promised entropy, and entropy I got. It didn’t make a lot of sense to me until the end, so up until that point, I was a little frustrated with the seemingly pointless weirdness. But, as the ending cleared all that up, I can’t really call that a critique. Just…delayed expectation.

Overall, this book is—weirdly—the perfect culmination to the “series”. (I hesitate to call it a series since the books, excepting the Alehouse books, seem to have nothing to do with one another besides the fact that they feature animals and alcohol. Still, they fit together well, so disregard my inability to categorise things properly.) As a satirical fantasy, this book managed to both follow the expected tropes and poke fun at them, while still not taking itself too seriously. A feat of great shenanigans, to be sure. If you’re interested in the mostly ridiculous, want some magic, some mayhem and a mystical cider, then this is a good book for you.

Stories are…fun. They’re this magical thing that can take reality and make it absolutely unbelievable, while still remaining entirely believable. They can become something more than reality, describing our best selves and our worst selves. And when they turn back and look at themselves as a story, understanding its a story, well that’s when things get really weird. Enter The Adventures of Max and the Captain by Michael Evan and JMD Reid.

1. Thoughts on the plot

On the face of it, this story is a somewhat-standard urban fantasy gamelit piece. You have The Captain, a decent guy who opened his home to a bamboo-eating, talking giant panda named Max. The two of them start out trying to solve the whole “but giant pandas eat a lot of bamboo” issue and from there, it gets progressively more involved. The gamelit piece comes from a strange disembodied voice that only The Captain can hear, detailing how many Experience points he’s gotten, or what part of the game he’s at. And that’s just the beginning. This story involves various issues with having a talking panda around, trying to find love, and eventually figuring out just what the heck is going on with this whole story thing.

Okay, so here’s the thing. At first, the plot seems relatively straightforward. Events happen that lead to other events, as one would expect from a story. But after you get to the 50-60% mark in the story, you have to realise that this is not at all a simple straightforward piece. At this point, I would recommend going back and taking note of the little things that don’t quite make sense. Parse them together and poof! Understanding!

These sorts of stories-that-don’t-follow-standard-guidelines are a bit tricky to pull off. You have to have a specific spot where the expected meets the unexpected, and still have it make sense. I think this piece did pretty well with that, stepping a little farther into the unexpected with each progressive chapter and scene. By the time things get really into the story-examining-itself mode, the readers are prepared to suspend all expectations and just go along for the ride.

2. Thoughts on the characters

Given the non-standard nature of the plot, it’s actually a little surprising that the characters are precisely what I would expect from an urban fantasy gamelit novel with high emphasis on humour. They have just enough depth to feel real, but have enough suspension of disbelief to actually go along with the fact that there’s a giant talking panda ruling the plot. And when push comes to shove in the latter half of the book, they react appropriately. I think it makes a good contrast to the plot, lending the novel a sense of steadiness that would otherwise be missing.

3. Favourite part

I think that the ending bit, involving a certain familiar character and the shenanigans that are promised to come afterwards, is probably my favourite. I can tell you no more than that, because spoilers, but it makes the book very worth it.

4. Critique

I think the only real critique I have for this novel is the fact that the escalation of events into the unexpected takes a dramatic turn during the Good King George segment. Up until that point, the addition of some strangeness is fairly regular and therefore moves along at a good pace. But this section escalates things to such a degree that it takes a moment to adapt. Once you understand what is going on, I think it works out just grand, but for the first few pages, it is a bit jarring. I would have added a bit more oddness to the first sections, or perhaps changed the pacing ever so slightly. But really, I don’t think it’s that big of a deal, more something you notice in retrospect after having finished the book.

Overall, this book is exactly what I have come to expect from the two troublemakers that are the authors, in the best possible way. It’s quirky, humorous, entertaining, and promises to cause great deals of trouble in the future.

Some days, you just need a bit of existential ridiculousness to perfectly justify sitting on your couch reading a book. While the whole Cider and Ale series is good for this, The Whiskey Eternal by Michael Evan and JMD Reid is definitely worth the read.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Sandy Sam, the sidewinder who died then came back during the Cider Chronicles. He’s a little bitter about this whole side-character schtick, so has decided to write a book in which he is the hero on a quest to discover the Whiskey Eternal and thereby gain immortality. Only, it’s not so easy being a writer. There are things like plot holes to fill, the curse of writing without editing, and the pesky passage of time to deal with.

This plot is almost entirely unlike the plots of the first books in this series, by which I mean that it follows the same structure, has the same search for something (in this case an immortal elixer in the form of whiskey), and characters who are just a little too aware of the world for the average writer’s comfort. The pacing in this book is very well done, with all the major events happening just when you start to worry for the characters. Of course, any time you bring up writing a book in the process of actually writing a book, then I’m pretty pleased.

2. Thoughts on the characters

I like Sandy Sam. Partly because he expounds on the weirdness of the English language (to answer all his questions, by the way, English is the way it is because it thieves and steals from other languages, lumping things together that have no business being together just because it sounds good). But also because it’s hard being a secondary character and discovering that you were just some plot point. This book is his chance to rectify those wrongs and he seizes it with, ah, open arms. Or fangs, since he’s a snake. His character development is perhaps a little tied up with the existential crisis near the end of the book, but there is enough depth throughout the novel to be entertaining.

I do feel a little badly for Scotty in this one, though. He’s just along for the ride and doing his best not to go crazy.

3. Favourite part

Blip!

That’s all I have to say, because otherwise I would spoil things, and that would be sad.

Blip!

4. Critique

Frankly, I don’t really have a critique for this book. It takes all the ridiculousness of the first several books, throws it together, shakes it about and adds some questions about writers and language. Ridiculous and entertaining, just as I would expect.

Overall, this book is a fun, fast paced adventure about a side character getting his chance to shine. It’s fun, strange, and has enough philosophy to add just a touch of seriousness to the situation. But mostly, it’s a great conclusion to the series.

Some of the fun with the different stories I read comes in the form of the narration style. You can do so much with the different perspectives, tenses, prose style and sometimes the way the story is told strikes me more than what the story is about. Such was the case with Justin Fike’s first three books in his Farshore Chronicles series. (Though, the what was just as fun, I will admit.)

1. Thoughts on the plot

The first three books in the omnibus edition of the Farshore Chronicles follow Charity, a thief sentenced to transportation from Byzantia. She travels to the Farshore colony, a place on the opposite end of the world from her home, where she is set to work out her prison sentence in the arena. There, she meets magical creatures the likes of which she thought were legends: an elf, a dwarf, a feral halfling, an orc, more. But Charity quickly becomes more than just a fighter in the arena and that leads her on a magical adventure that may or may not hold the fate of the world in her hands.

I really like the way that the stories in each book are woven together with the next. Each book has its own adventures, its own complete plot, but the overarching story creates something larger, more significant, than the individual plots on their own. However, it is also nice to have each story because of all the little pieces that make up the larger plot. They give you an inisght into the caracters, the world, and they are just entertaining in their own right.

2. Thoughts on the characters

Charity is a fantastic narrator. The story is told in first person perspective, so we get to see all the inner workings of her head and we get to figure out the reliability of her thoughts. Her personality shines through spectacularly well in the form of snark, precise action and a fair bit of causing trouble. As a main character, she shines through very well.

She is also a great vessel through which to explore the world, as she is learning about this forgotten land for the first time, just as the readers are. We learn about the magical creatures, the beings that live in this land, and the way in which it is revealed works very well for the story.

Of the characters, I think Charity is probably my favourite, but Sheska, the angry halfling (a species completely unlike what you would expect, but perfect for the story) is definitely a close second.

3. Favourite part

I think the growing connection between each of the characters as they create this band or found family is probably one of the best elements of the story. It allows for the character development to shine through very well, and by the end of book three, you feel poignantly for all the characters’ actions and reactions. And, of course, they get to defy expectations in creating such a band, which I always enjoy.

4. Critique

If I have a critique, it’s mostly to do with the endings of the books. If you are reading these first three books not in omnibus form—individually, possibly with gaps between books—then the endings of books one and two are desperately dramatic. The cliffhanger leads right into the plot of the next book and you really want to know more. The end of book three ties things up nicely, so there’s not a huge cliffhanger before book four (sort of like television series), but one and two do have the cliffhanger.

However, if you’re reading these books as the omnibus, all you have to do is turn the page and your questions will be answered so…the point may be moot.

Overall, these three books were a pleasure to read. They were entertaining, fast-moving fantasy adventure books with a snarky narrator, a world that was both familiar and different, and characters that really tugged at the heart strings. I definitely enjoyed these and would say that they were very good.

I love romance, so it’s odd that I rarely get a chance to review romance books. But when I had the opportunity to read and review Hadley Finn’s Braxton, I leaped at it.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Braxton, who discovers he’s a father of six-month-old Colt after Colt’s mother dies in a car accident. The only problem is that her twin sister, Emberleigh, is prepared to do anything to stay in her nephew’s life.

I will admit, I very nearly DNF’d this book within the first 10% because there were just a few situations (such as Emberleigh moving in to Braxton’s house without permission) that were just so illogical as to be enough to almost ruin the story. But, then, the author actually does something not a lot of other authors do, and explains things! And it works! I love that and appreciate it a great deal. I will say that the plot of this book borders on the overdramatic/unrealistic, especially at the end, however it manages to work relatively well with the story that is presented. I do feel like some of the motivations (esp. Bronwyn) are a little rushed, or are missing altogether, but a few small paragraph long explanations being missing aren’t going to ruin the plot for me.

2. Thoughts on the characters

Just as I was not super keen on the first 10% of the plot, nor did I immediately like Braxton and Emberleigh. Braxton started off like a bunch of other alpha romance heros I’ve read and hated; a little quick to judge, a little quick to dismiss, and a little loud in his very angry opinions. But he grew on me massively and actually had some of the best dialogue in the whole book. Emberleigh became more interesting, also, once it was explained that her rash actions weren’t because she was, at heart, a rash and unthinking person, but because she actually cared so much that she couldn’t contain it. I appreciate that a lot, as I have read a bunch of stories where people are rash just because and it rarely ends well for the book.

I think, again, there were some scenes missing that could have added a lot of background info with the characters, such as direct interactions with Emberleigh and her parents before the plot happenings happened. Or Braxton and Colt’s mother, even in thought. But those were fairly minor things and I still like the characters regardless.

3. Favourite part

Braxton’s dialogue, and the overall way that he treated Emberleigh and people. I just…swoon.

4. Critique

My only real critique are those potentially missing scenes/details mentioned above. Not major, did not ruin the plot or characters at all, but could have really expanded the story in parts where it was lacking.

Overall, I would say that Braxton was a steamy, well-crafted romance novel with characters to love and a story I can get behind. A very good book.

One of the things I love about science fiction that speculates on the potential future is that there are so many possibilities, so many different choices that could change the future and the entire world. Whether that be post-apocalyptic sci-fi, utopian sci-fi, the rise of technology, the fall of technology, disease, famine, whatever, there are so many different ways that things could go wrong. Or, alternately, ways that they could go right. Jason Ford’s The Stray is a musing on a world following the rise of AI, and what it means to be human.

1. Thoughts on the plot

A lot of contemporary futuristic/fate of the world sci-fi is very action oriented. The character has a particular goal, either to improve the world or to get back to the way things were. This book is more about a mental journey by means of character interaction, which I think was very interesting indeed.

This book follows Ethan, a worker at a Water Recycling Plant who gets selected to participate in a sleep study where an AI analyses his dreams. For thirty days, he lives in a house and helps the AI to learn about humanity. During this time, Ethan interacts with people from his past, memories he thought long forgotten, and the ever-present question of what it means to be human.

While there is little direct action in this book, I think that the plot is actually very rich. The interactions between characters determine choices and push both Ethan and the AI into a sequence of events that may, in fact, change everything, or change nothing at all.

2. Thoughts on the characters

As far as characters go, I like Ethan. He is not hugely go-get-em at the beginning of the book, and starts off maybe a bit boring. He is this way due to situations in his past, with his ex-girlfriend Cameron, who was something like his opposite, but not quite. Therefore, the decision to apply for this sleep study is actually a huge leap forwards for Ethan, and leads to an ever increasing pace to discover the meaning of life as a human. He delves into philosophy, remembering character interactions, and also experiencing new things that essentially change him from someone who accepts things to someone who seeks things out. A very good main character.

The other primary characters in the novel, with whom Ethan interacts, include his ex, Cameron, a friend, Jimmy, and the scientists running the sleep study. These characters are hugely significant in terms of plot, but none of them have quite the depth that Ethan has. I think, overall, that this works out very well, since it is Ethan we’re focusing on. As individual characters, separate from the plot, I think they don’t quite fit the mold. Frankly, though, it doesn’t much matter as they suit the story perfectly well.

3. Favourite part

I liked the discussions of philosophy quite a bit. Now, I think there were some points in the philosophical musings that could have used slightly more clarification (namely in the last five percent of the book), but even ambiguous, they push the boundaries of reality and force questions of what really matters in life. I really enjoyed this, since a lot of the time, we see AI in sci-fi with single-minded focus rather than a search for greater meaning. That, and the fact that these discussions played such a large role in Ethan’s character development made this more than something incidental in the story, to something essential.

4. Critique

My only real critique for this book has nothing to do with the characters or the story, but with the formatting. There were instances in the book where dialogue spoken by two separate characters appeared in the same paragraph, sans dialogue tags. Now, I was able to generally decipher who was saying what, but it took me out of the story and required a bit more puzzling than I had anticipated. This isn’t a huge issue, since the story was clear even with this formatting quirk, but I did notice it.

I think that The Stray was a very good story about what the role of humans is in a world where we are perhaps not entirely relevant, where AI manages a great deal and people do not need to strive to reach such great heights any longer. I especially liked the philosophy, the drive that Ethan had to choose his path, and all the questions that were brought up by a world where the problems we face are all but solved.

It’s been a while since I’ve read an historical fantasy, let alone one with romantic elements. I’m not talking about a fantasy that takes place in a medieval-style world, but one that takes place in our world, only…earlier. In the case of Disrupting Destiny by Jan Foster, I got to read exactly that, and it was quite the adventure.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Annabella and Joshua, Fae who are hiding out amongst humans in the world of Tudor England. They have to be careful not to feed their need for Lifeforce too often, and to hide their magical selves from the wary humans. But when someone learns of their secret, Annabella is kidnapped and Joshua starts out on a journey to find her again.

I was not expecting a plot this rich from this book. I don’t know why, but for some reason, I expected a quick, romantic adventure. Yes, there was romance, yes there was adventure, but there were so many fantastic twists and turns and unexpected delights that I got sucked in quite thoroughly. I really enjoyed the historical element and the different things that Annabella and Joshua had to go through to reunite with one another.

2. Thoughts on the characters

The characters, I think, were some of the best part of this book. They were so varied in their personalities and each struggled with their own demons. It was fascinating to see how they worked together (or not) to reach their goals. Very well crafted.

3. Favourite part

The characters were definitely my favourite. I think Joshua takes the cake on best overall, but Annabella has spunk, which I love.

4. Critique

My only real critique for this book has very little to do with the book itself and more to do with my own memory. I couldn’t quite recall, as the story went on, if the wings were described as avian or insectoid, and for some reason I kept tripping over that detail as I tried to picture the story. A tiny, tiny detail, and all to do with my own memory.

Overall, I would say that Disrupting Destiny was an excellent book, with rich history, well crafted characters and a plot that sucks you in.

Rarely have I read books in the romance genre that deal with such issues as mental illness, self-love, even poetry. But there are always exceptions to the rule. Such was it with C.B. Gabriel’s Trey & Kate, a contemporary romance that focused more on the reality of relationships and life than it did romance. This book is written in a completely different style than what you would expect from a romance novel which is why I would tentatively place this book in a cross-genre category: literary fiction and romance.

1. Thoughts on the plot

There are a few things you can expect from a romance novel. One is that there will be romance. Two is that the road to getting there will be difficult, with many ups and downs. This book was no exception, however it did not follow the formula that is often standard for the romance genre. Instead of figuring out life’s ups and downs together, the two main characters were apart more often than they were together. They were figuring out how to deal with their own demons. yes, they pined for the other, but it was learning to deal with their own emotions and traumas that was centre stage. This made for a completely different sort of romance than what I had expected. It was far more realistic and therefore more like literary fiction than otherwise.

2. Thoughts on the main character

These two main characters, Trey and Kate, are extremely realistic; they are messed up individuals with problems that just about anyone can relate to. They have both been burned in the past and it is difficult for them to trust. I can appreciate that this story does its best to be realistic, but I think I would have liked these two to perhaps be a bit more consistent in their journey. They jump around from problem to problem—trust issues to mental illness to dealing with the problems from the past to addiction—without every really solving or conquering one first. This makes them feel a little too much like characters who would perhaps belong in a series rather than a single book, wherein they focus on one primary problem rather than several. Again, though, this fits with the style of realism and so does make sense with the rest of the story. I just, personally, like a little more consistency and linear progression.

3. Favourite part

One of the things that is rarely seen in a romance (though I have seen it more frequently in the last couple of years than otherwise) is the focus on self-love before romantic love. This book manages to make self-love and self-acceptance an extremely important factor. Actually, much of Trey and Kate’s journey is to do with learning to accept themselves and their issues before they can commit to a relationship with each other. I really liked this idea, because it emphasises something which I consider to be really important. You can’t look to another person to make you happy; that comes from within.

4. Critique

My only real critique for this book is to do with the style of writing. This book uses metaphor quite heavily as a means for these characters to both relate to each other and to understand life. That in itself is fine, but the regular interactions that often flesh out a character and make them so interesting are then ignored to be almost non-existent. There is a lot of information that seems to be missing and when coupled with the heavy use of metaphor, this book reads more like poetry than it does a coherent story. Granted, that fits the genre-mash that I mentioned earlier, however it does make the coherence of this story a bit rough. The characters are also a little bit more difficult to get to know because a good number of people do not communicate or think primarily in metaphor and the lack of average interactions makes them feel a little stiff.

Overall, I would say that this book was definitely not what I expected from a romance. It deals more with the issues that one might face in real life. It examines the concept of self-love and it puts the characters through a number of scenarios that you would not typically see in a romance novel. For this reason, I add the classification of literary fiction. I would say that given these things, this book is GOOD.

Due to some strange machinations of the universe, I have had rather a lot of futuristic sci-fi/dystopian books cross my review desk lately. I am perfectly alright with this, as they are a favourite of mine. One of these books to become involved in this weird phenomenon is Run Like Hell, the first book in the Cassidy Chronicles by Adam Gaffen. And, by golly, the title says it all.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book takes place some couple hundred years into the future, when the current United States has evolved into several different countries and collectives, some at war, all with different levels of rules and currency and the like. The main characters are Aiyana Cassidy and Kendra Foster-Briggs, and the book starts with their wedding. Before the vows can be said, someone tries to kill Cass and things, naturally, devolve from there. Now, Ken and Cass go on the run while trying to figure out what’s going on, while also not getting killed. Old secrets come to light and our main characters may be in for more than they expected.

The plot in this book moves very quickly. That is to be expected, given both the nature of the plot (run away, someone’s trying to kill me) and the title. However, despite the fact that it moves very quickly, I never felt overwhelmed. The plot was very well structured, with the salient points precisely where I would expect them to be. And, given the drama of the ending, I fully expect the pace to continue into the next book.

2. Thoughts on the characters

It can be occasionally difficult to have two main characters of the same gender unless their personalities are wildly different, even opposites. The main characters here were not opposites, yet I think they were both very distinct and fun to read. I liked the dynamic of their relationship, with each pushed the other just enough for growth without turning into a problematic argument or situation. I will say that I wish there were just a bit more growth to the characters as they moved through the story. Generally, they did change and develop, but after about the thirty percent mark, they stayed relatively static. However, given the vast nature of the series, I think that the growth I want is likely to happen further into the books, when the situations become more involved/intense and more information about the situations is presented.

3. Favourite part

The car. Oh, stars. That car!

4. Critique

I really liked this book, with all its adventure and fast pace, so the critique is slightly ironic in that sense. Most of the plot was portrayed to the reader through character dialogue. There was very little narration, very little action, that was not shown with dialogue. This is a very valid style, and it did work well given how swiftly things needed to move in this book, but I wish there were just a little more narration outside of dialogue. Mostly to do with character interaction, simply because I think body language and movement is equally important as dialogue. It’s a fairly minor issue, but i did notice it.

Overall, I think that Run Like Hell was a very good book with interesting characters and a premise that was fascinating to explore. I enjoyed the situations, the plot, the drama, and the characters, and would recommend this book to any interested. A very good book.

The advancement of technology can bring about many wonderful things. However, these potentially world-changing advancements are often supported by people who care about power more than they care about helping people or making the world a better place. In Enigma’s Virus by Gary Paul Garrett, the intertwining of politics and power-hungre individuals with technological research brings about problems that could very well change the world as we know it… and not for the better. Only a few people stand in the way of this destruction and they have to use their own technology to stop these terrible events.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book reads a little like science fiction meets techno-thriller. It has all the elements of a thriller—replete with secrets that the government is keeping, as well as people who are surprisingly well-equipped to stop them—and the technical pieces of a book focused more on technology and its effects than anything. Overall, the plot is fairly standard, which does not mean that it is uninteresting. In fact, I found the plot itself to be one of the best features of the book.

2. Thoughts on the main character

There are many characters in this book, which makes it rather difficult to determine which one is the main character. I believe that Keith or Tim are the two that I would nominate for the position and they are both likeable and extremely capable. However, I think this can be a little problematic, as they are often facing the same situations and sometimes deal with them in the exact same way. This makes things like individuality a little difficult to determine since the character responses are so similar. They are very unique in their connections to other characters, though, so that makes them quite distinct.

3. Favourite part

My favourite piece of this book is probably a tie with the technical pieces (because who doesn’t love science) and the relationship that develops between Keith and Allie (incidentally the daughter of our villain). I think that lends this book a little bit of the human aspect which otherwise is a little flat in this book. Other characters have relationships and close connections with other characters, but none of them feel very deep or memorable compared to the one between Keith and Allie.

4. Critique

I think there are a few larger problems with this book. One is that the prose itself is a little difficult to follow. Events happen that make sense, then the next paragraph has more events that came out of nowhere. It feels almost like a jump in logical sequence with the story. Another critique is that there are certain plot holes that were not filled and make the credibility of this story hard to swallow. One such example is the Presidential security being almost non-existent, allowing certain events to happen when otherwise they wouldn’t. My main critique, though, is that the villain, who sets the events in the book in motion, feels like nothing more than a garden variety pervert. He does not seem capable enough to do most of the things that are attributed to him. He just seems like a person with anger issues who could not have possibly gotten to where he is without someone else pulling the strings. The other question with this villain is…why? Why is he so interested in this technology? Why did he invest in it? What’s the purpose? All of that seems to be missing. Unfortunately, with the villain being so difficult to believe, that makes the rest of the story equally difficult to swallow because none of the characters would be in that situation if the villain made logical sense with the description given.

Overall, I liked the plot and the main characters. This book feels like a standard techno-thriller/science fiction piece that you would find at your bookstore. But, with the unbelievability of the villain and his motivations, I would have to say that this book sits between AVERAGE and FAIR.

Jane Austen’s works have been a must read in the world of romance for years. Somehow, she managed to capture the essence of people in books whose plots have little more than families living out their lives. Still, they have captured the hearts of many readers. So when Florence Gold took some of the concepts of Jane Austen’s works and applied them to the time of World War I, I was intrigued. And, as it turns out,  Elizabeth and Darcy was very interesting. It explores the history of Jane Austen in all her glory and criticisms, while also exploring the love story that exists separately—or perhaps not so separately—from Austen’s works.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This plot centres on Elizabeth Jane Austen, the original Jane Austen’s grandniece. She is a lecturer at Oxford in 1916 and must work with Nevin Darcy Lancashire, a Captain sent home from the front due to injury, in order to write a forward to the new printings of Jane Austen’s works. While trying to convince Nevin of the merits of Jane Austen’s works, Elizabeth must also explore her own mind and heart. This plot is actually quite interesting in that it combines an overview of the history and analysis of Jane Austen’s pieces while also investing in the lives of their “modern” counterparts. Some of the characters mimic those in Austen’s books, as do some of the situations. But there is much more that goes on in this story, which is evident of how we have both changed and stayed the same from the time of Austen. In a nutshell, I quite liked the plot and found it very fun, with enough seriousness to be able to become thoroughly engrossed.

2. Thoughts on the main character

I would say that Elizabeth in Gold’s book mirrors the Elizabeth in Austen’s, only she is more self-aware. I do not know if this ability to introspect comes from the situation—an Oxford education and a job—or the history—1916, right in the middle of one of the most devastating wars in all of history—but it is fascinating to read. She is obviously capable and yet has enough insecurities that the reader can relate to her. It was quite entertaining to watch her go through the romance with Nevin—or I should say, Darcy. Their relationship was character-enhancing and also quite charming. I think there were bits where Elizabeth was incredibly stubborn or foolish, but on the whole I liked her quite a lot.

3. Favourite part

That is a difficult one. Possibly the confrontation between the Duchess of Lancashire and Elizabeth and her Darcy. That was quite entertaining. I can say no more, because of spoilers, but I shall say that it is reminiscent of a certain scene in Pride and Prejudice.

4. Critique

This was such a good book, a combination of history and literary analysis and romance, that it is difficult to want to critique this book. But there was one bit where things just sort of fell apart and that bit was the ending. The story was moving along very well, and then everything just sort of stopped. Yes, it was a strategic point of ending. Yes, there was history to consider. But even one more interaction between Elizabeth and Darcy would have been enough to tie this up extremely well instead of just sort of dropping you off the edge of a cliff. It was such a shame, because the rest of the book was wonderful.

Given that this book was, overall, extremely well written and researched, with all the fascination a good story and characters can bring, I would like to say that this book is excellent. However, the ending did sort of jar me enough that I shall say, instead, that it was VERY GOOD.

I’ll say this simply: I love epic fantasy. When it’s done well, the world is fascinating and immersive, the characters are intriguing (or really annoying in only the best way) , the story is dramatic…yeah, it’s pretty exciting. Which is why, when I get a new epic fantasy to read, such as Dave Green’s In Solitude’s Shadow, I am excited. To say the least.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book takes place two millennia after a war was hard won, with human and elves on one side and the First Ones—or later, the Banished—on the other. As usually happens so long after an event, the reason for certain things has been forgotten and the memories of the war are twisted and changed. Which makes it difficult when the aftermath, the true consequences, begin to reveal themselves. This book primarily follows Zanna Alpenwood, a mage guarding the fortress Solitude from a long forgotten threat in the north, and her adventures onces she realises that the Banished are returning. Also significant is her daughter, Calene, a mage who discovers a Banished far from home, and learns further secrets about the world they thought they knew.

This book is the perfect mix of lore and action, spreading the events of the book out over a well-paced plot, which makes it really easy to get absorbed. As far as epic fantasies are concerned, this book was not overly action or event oriented; in fact, I have a feeling that the next books in the series are going to be exponentially more dramatic than this one. (Okay, minus the ending, that was pretty dramatic.) Still, I enjoyed it, was engrossed, and want to know more.

2. Thoughts on the characters

As far as characters go, Zanna is a pretty fantastic one. I appreciate her slightly subdued nature, given all the things that have happened to her. She could easily be cynical, but I feel like she’s more…cautious. And Calene, a feisty sort who is capable of thinking, despite being able to rush into a situation with magic blazing. 

There are more characters that I would like to know more about, but as a first book in a series, I feel like the appropriate amount of information was presented so that we knew the characters but weren’t inundated with information that wouldn’t be necessary until later.

3. Favourite part

The dramatic bit at the end. I mean, my goodness!

4. Critique

I haven’t really got a critique for this book, to be honest. It was entertaining, rich in world lore, and with characters to root for.

Overall, I would say that In Solitude’s Shadow is an excellent first book in an epic fantasy series that looks to be a truly awesome adventure.

After reading book one of the Empire of Ruin series by David Green, I had high expectations for book two, and I was not disappointed.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Calene, Arlo, and the others during the aftermath of the fall of Solitude. Arlo and his Banished companion, Tilo, head north to the lodestone, while Calene and her companions head south to try and save Vettigan from the shadow that consumes him. Only, everything is far more complicated than one might anticipate, and the Empire is poised for change.

The plot of this book was a bit more involved than the previous book, simply because it focused on more characters. I think it worked out reasonably well, and everyone got to where they needed to be without too many unnecessary detours along the way. I think the plot worked out well.

2. Thoughts on the characters

It was nice to see more of these characters, since I had such a good time reading book one. I really think Calene’s journey was the most significant, and I liked seeing her development throughout the book very much. I will say that Arlo’s journey was perhaps the most important to the plot, and I wish we had a bit more about him (book three, I’m guessing, will involve him more). And, frankly, I could have done without Nexes’ chapters entirely, as they didn’t feel massively significant to the plot and he was a bit of a flat character to me.

3. Favourite part

Calene keeps destroying buildings. It’s a thing, now.

4. Critique

My only real critique is just the fact that I didn’t enjoy reading Nexes’ chapters. I get why they were put in there, but they were fairly flat, and his primary characteristic seemed to be that he was a truly terrible guy with some misguided loyalty issues. It didn’t feel very significant to plot and I was a little bored by them.

Overall, though, I would say that Path of War was a good second book to the series. Very entertaining.

I happen to  be really fond of fairy tale retellings. I think it harkens back to a time in my childhood when I thought that being a fairy tale character would be just about the coolest thing ever. Of course, I’ve wizened up a bit and discovered that being a fairy tale writer is even cooler, but my fondness for fairy tales and reimaginings remains very strong. So when I read Dawn Rising by Lisa M. Green, a reimagining of Sleeping Beauty, I knew it was going to be a wild ride. And you know what? It was.

1. Thoughts on the plot

Okay, first things first. You should know that this is not your standard Sleeping Beauty retelling. When I say reimagining, I mean reimagining. The basic premise is that Aurianna is living in a time when things are bleak, surrounded by Darkness, and full of questionable practises.  Until one day, someone comes for her from the past and says he has to take her back. Why? Because she has to save the world. Aurianna travels back to discover a world that is fundamentally different than her own. For one, there’s magic. There’s transportation. The number of people is larger. And it is under threat. Aurianna just wants to know the truth, but everyone is looking to her to save them.

This plot is really very imaginative. The theory that Sleeping Beauty’s curse involve time travel is really fascinating. As is the threat that she must face. This takes the traditional, not-so-involved heroine (mostly because she’s asleep) and turns her into the instigator of her own destiny. I really enjoyed it, and I’m curious to see where the next books in the series go.

I will say that the ending did feel a little abrupt (from climactic battle onwards). Part of that, I know, is due to the fact that the series has only just begun and there are things not yet understood, but it was just a bit too quick and not quite in line with the rest of the pacing.

2. Thoughts on the main character

As far as characters go, Aurianna is a great one to follow. For one thing, she isn’t going to blithely go along with what she’s told about her past/future, or her supposed destiny. She questions everything, taking action when she feels its necessary and basically causing trouble. She has spunk and I like her. I do think she’s perhaps a bit grumpy at times, but it is an understandable grumpiness. After all, everything she had was left behind in the future so she could go back.

In fact, Aurianna is so well developed that she makes some of the other characters look a little flat. There isn’t a lot of this, but every now and again, we meet characters (like the Regulus) who don’t have quite the same amount of development. Some of this is because of the lack of time spent inside their heads (Aurianna is the main character) and some of it is just that we don’t yet fully understand their motives, as this is the first in a series.

Still, I like Aurianna. A lot.

3. Favourite part

The descriptions of the world were just exquisite. I think that the author managed to spend just the right amount of time on these descriptions, showing us the world in a way that we could really see the differences between past and future. The images were vivid, but didn’t overwhelm the story. I really found myself absorbed by the descriptions and thoroughly enjoyed it.

4. Critique

As previously stated, the ending of this book felt a little abrupt. As a reader, I knew that some sort of confrontation was inevitable—this was the whole purpose of the story—but it felt like the confrontation came without any real interaction with the “problem” and then ended without an actual understanding of what just happened. Again, I know that this is partly because most of the answers will come in later books in the series, but I just want a little bit more detail in that section.

Overall, I would say that Dawn Rising is a beautiful reimagining of Sleeping Beauty, taking something that is familiar and making it into so very much more. It is unique, the characters are fascinating and the world is absolutely stunning. A very good book.

For all the many, many books that I read, I don’t often get a chance to read sequels or series continuations for the books that I review. I have a never ending list, and going back on my own time to read farther is not always an option. So when I get a sequel to a book I’ve already read on my schedule for review, I’m thrilled. And Darkness Awakening by Lisa M. Green is no exception.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows the continuing adventures of Aurianna, the saviour from the future, in the fantastic reimagining of the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale. There is still magic and technology, political scheming and questions of what is right and wrong, but this story delves more into Aurianna’s past, which I enjoyed a fair bit. I will say that the beginning of the book dives right into pulling her through time again, without any time for her to enjoy returning to the future that she knows/knew. This is important for plot, but it starts the story off at a very fast pace and things do not slow down once throughout the novel.

Overall, I enjoyed the story. I think that the moments of plot-significant action mixed with moments of character bonding between Aurianna and her friends made for a story that was entertaining to read and didn’t overwhelm you with too much action or information, despite being fast paced. The only part I had issue with was the ending, but I’ll discuss that in a bit.

2. Thoughts on the characters

I always find character development in sequels/follow-on novels to be almost more interesting than the initial story. We get to see the character continue to grow from where we left them at the end of book one, and really come into their own. In this story, Aurianna starts off with her angry and reluctant hero attitude and really turns it into righteous indignation at the shape of the world. She also deals with the discovery of her past, which is enough to throw anyone for a loop, and still ends up being a character that you love. Especially at the end, when things are…really, really bad (spoilers, sorry) and she does the awesome thing to fix the problem (again, can’t say because spoilers), she really shows her colours and the reason why we like her so much.

She may not be convinced she’s this saviour, but by George, she’s going to bust some heads if it means getting things done!

3. Favourite part & critique

Okay, here’s where things get a bit… tricky. Because my favourite part is the ending. But it’s also my least favourite part. The part I really enjoyed was seeing Aurianna put all the puzzle pieces together (as much as was possible) and really start to show the world just what she thinks of its scheming. She grows into her abilities and is a friend that you want by your side. I love the pain and anguish that she goes through while in this moment of self-discovery, and also the way that she resolves the issues. Also, I enjoy the whole Pharis “situation”.

Now, the part about the ending I don’t like? The whole thing with Javen. Okay, I saw it coming almost from the beginning of the book. All the clues are there and I knew it was going to happen. That’s fine, I have no problem with plot twists that come from a solid ground of logic. Where I find issue is the piece where the motivation for the plot twist comes in. I know how, I know what, but why is a complete mystery. And it’s a complete mystery to everyone else in the book, too, which is really quite frustrating. I like to have at least a logical reason for characters to behave the way that they do, and this felt far from logical. It just sort of…was.

Now, I understand that the answers will be provided in the next book. That’s standard for a series. The part that I would change is to add just a touch of motivation/hint of the emotional core earlier in the story so that it doesn’t feel like it is just twirling moustachery of character development. The actions themselves were seen earlier on, but the reasons why were not, and that disparity bothers me just a touch.

Even so, I did love the ending. I just…hated it, too.

Overall, I would say that Darkness Awakening is a fantastic sequel to Dawn Rising and really moves the story along in an intriguing direction. The characters were just as enjoyable as ever, the plot was great to read, and excepting that one bit at the end, I had a great time with this story. I would definitely recommend this book!

I read a lot of first books in a series, simply because those are the books for review that cross my desk, and I don’t always have time to finish the rest of the series, even if I enjoyed the first book. So when I do get a chance to finish a series that I enjoyed, I’m always pleased. In this case, Lisa M. Green’s Midnight Descending is the third book in her fascinating, unique and entertaining reimagining of Sleeping Beauty.

1. Thoughts on the plot

The first two books were relatively straightforward in their plot, even if they did leave a few questions rather unanswered (I’m looking at the end of book two, especially, though it worked very well for the story). This book takes all those questions, and then some that I did not even know I had, and answers them very thoroughly. I think the plot does well in this regard, providing answers while also moving our characters to the place they need to be in order to, well, save the world.

I will say, though, that this book moves a whole lot faster than the first two books. Each chapter seems to jump from one thread to another, answering questions and then bringing up new questions to be answered later on. This makes for a very fast-paced book that is a little complex. I would say that it worked very well as a stand-alone piece, but in conjunction with the first two books, which were a little slower in pacing, it felt like there was a lot of information that was being presented without prior interaction in the first two books.

However, the plot was very well thought out, and fit together with the first two books nicely. I, unfortunately, can give no more information than that, because spoilers abound and I would not want to ruin the series for anyone who has not yet read it.

2. Thoughts on the characters

Aurianna is a far more interesting character in this book, in my opinion, than in the first two, and I liked her a lot there. She finally seems to understand the things that have been happening to her, and she is having none of it. Oh, she’ll sort everything out, but let it be known that it was her choice, that she was not acting as a mere puppet to other forces. I think this, in conjunction with her emotional development, and her better understanding of the world, really made her a great main character to complete the series. I like her a lot.

I also think this book did very well in exploring Pharis’s character, as we better understand where he is coming from, what sort of motivations he has, and also his reaction to a certain event involving a certain person from his past was absolutely perfect. I appreciate him so much more, now, and I think he makes a perfect counterpart to Aurianna.

3. Favourite part

The bit about time travel. Well, okay, time travel weaves through the whole series, but in particular the scene where Aurianna must fetch her necklace. I can’t say any more than that, because it would spoil things, but I really, really liked this whole scene.

4. Critique

Mostly, I think my critique is to do with the points mentioned in my discussion of the plot. There was a lot of information presented in this book that was not discussed in the first two books. While this is generally fine, I think that maybe one or two more hints in the first two books that were slightly more concrete than the whispers that are there already would have been useful. Of course, I must take into account that I have read a lot of books between each of the three, and sometimes my memory is a bit faulty, so I could easily have found something in the first two books and then forgotten about it by the time I got to book three. So, take this critique with a grain of salt.

Overall, I would say that this book is a dramatic and entertaining conclusion to the series, and I am pleased to have been able to follow the development of the characters through the whole trilogy. I really enjoyed it, and I must say that it is the most imaginative fairy tale reimagining that I have ever seen.

It can be difficult, sometimes, to explain concepts to people of all ages in a way that can be easily understood. Especially when the concepts are as complicated as climate change and social justice. I think, though, that Tanni Haas does a very good job of exploring both those topics in a way that is inclusive for people of all ages. Not to mention the book is fun!

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Spider, a HouseBoater who lives on the water with his family. His twin brother Luke gets arrested for leaving their designated area and taken to The Island. Spider goes after him, and meets Ruby, an AquaGrower, who lives in an underwater greenhouse. Together, they learn that this world of water that they inhabit was not always that way, and that their society is inherently unfair. But maybe they can change that…

I think the plot of this book is actually quite inventive, given the two topics that are the primary focus of the book. The plot never felt predictable, though it wasn’t so unfamiliar that I was at all lost. I liked it quite a bit.

2. Thoughts on the characters

Spider and Ruby are interesting characters, I think, especially as far as heroes go. They’re sort of outsiders, at least from the main society on The Island, and have to navigate a new world while also keeping in mind how to fix their own. I think they were perhaps a little stereotypical, in that they seemed to fulfil their roles without having a fully-formed personality of their own, but frankly I still enjoyed reading about them.

3. Favourite part

The inventiveness of the world is absolutely my favourite part. Figuring out how everything works together in a world where the planet it 99% water is very interesting, especially moving from a water-going setting to a land-dwelling one. Well done.

4. Critique

There were, unfortunately, a few logic issues in this book. Granted, it’s middle grade, so you don’t need to have the answers to the universe at your finger tips. However, there were a few small issues, such as how Spider could have lived to the age of 12 by only consuming fish (essential nutrients being missing and such). Also, the time Luke was in prison was only a matter of days, yet the skills he learned were long in the making. There were several other little things like that (such as how Ruby knew how to swim). None of them broke the plot in any way, but they were enough to make me think outside the story.

Overall, I would say Journey to Justice: The Adventures of Spider and Ruby was a fun, entertaining book that had a good message at heart. I enjoyed it. A good book.

One of the most interesting things about the speculative fiction umbrella, in my opinion, is the ability to muse on just about everything. Spec fic books can explore societal variants based one one simple change, or they can be as complex as the mechanics of artificial intelligence or space ships. Whether it involves magic or science or something in between, if it can be dreamt, it can be created. In the case of Elliot Harper’s The City Around the World, the familiar becomes the unfamiliar, and wandering is not always a good idea…

1. Thoughts on the plot

I will admit, at first I had no idea what was going on. This book starts out in a fascinating manner; it takes a vague image and follows it through layers of complexity and specifics until we, along with the nameless main character, have as complete an understanding of the world as can be managed.  This phenomenon was done very well, indeed.

This book follows our main character as he wakes from a drug stupor, and then seeks out another hit, just doing his best to make it through the day. In the course of coming off of the high, he finds a mysterious object. Not knowing its purpose, he tries to trade it for more drugs, but this ends up causing more problems than otherwise, until the entire foundation of his world is changed. This book involves a megacity of the Slums, a mysterious city surrounding the equator, a religious order that may or may not be valid, and many other mysteries.

I think that the nature of the reveal at the end really worked incredibly well when taking into account the means by which the book is first started. The fact that we know so little about the world at the beginning is what makes it so successful. And each successive piece brings just a touch more clarity, until such time as a full understanding is reached. At that point, the story is so gripping that it is hard to put it down.

2. Thoughts on the character

Because our main character is nameless, we only learn a little about him. It is enough to get a general sense of his beliefs and a base line for any character development. But, just as with the plot starting out from a place of vagueness, I don’t think any more than this is actually needed. The focus here is not on the character, though he is obviously important, but on the world and its wrongs and mysterious past and structure. As we follow the main character on and on, he changes some, but mostly he is a vessel through which we understand the world. I see this device occasionally, but mostly more in pieces of literature where the purpose of the novel is not to explore a single mind, but to discover the wrongs with the world, both in the book and without. In that regard, the character is a perfect means to do that.

3. Favourite part

My favourite part is definitely the reveal at the end, where we finally understand what in the world has been going on and why it has been going on. And, unfortunately, I can say no more than that because of spoilers. This is definitely one you’ll have to discover on your own.

4. Critique

Frankly, I don’t really have much of a critique for this novel. The parts that were a little shocking make perfect sense in the context of the story. And the ending left just enough to chance and imagination to really cement the story home. The characters were interesting, and the interludes between the chapter were fascinating once their purpose was understood. The prose was smooth and flowed well.

Overall, I would say that this dark sci-fi novel (novella, sort of) was expertly done and was really fascinating to read. An excellent example of its kind.

With the rapid pace of technological advancement, you’d think I would be tired of reading AI stories. The answer I will give is, “Never!” So I was quite glad to pick up Wren Handman’s Wire Wings.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Gracie, a sixteen year old daughter of the inventor of the Waves, who spends more time Diving than she does socialising or exploring her own world. Diving is like VR, but more immersive, and there are games and places in the Waves that help Gracie feel and be anything other than what she is: sad. So when she forms an attachment to the mysterious AI that the world has been trying to find, it is something of a dream come true. But there’s more to this than meets the eye, and the secret may shatter her world—digital and otherwise—forever.

The plot of this book was spectacular. I loved the different depictions of the games and the world around Gracie. I loved her interactions with her family and the seemingly little things that led Gracie to the AI and to the decisions that ultimately change everything. Even the ending, which under different circumstances would feel sudden, was pulled off so well it nearly took my breath away.

2. Thoughts on the characters

Gracie is a fantastic character to read, probably because she manages to convey so many traits that a lot of people her age experience. She has a slightly strained relationship with her family, but wants to be good. She has friends, but still feels disconnected. She has experienced tragedy and isn’t quite ready to face the reality of that yet. It is an amalgamation of things that I think a great many people can relate to, and I really enjoyed that.

The AI, too, was fascinating to read, and that is partly because he was so mysterious and intense, in an entirely tantalising way.

3. Favourite part

The epilogue. It just took all the pertinent elements of the story and tied them up into an allegory that was just…stunning. Truly stunning.

4. Critique

I don’t really have a critique for this book. I will say it took me a minute to get used to the tense shifts, but that adds to a bit of coherence with the story and is not a downside at all.

Overall, I would say that Wire Wings is an excellent book and I highly recommend it to anyone with a love of technology, or just the human condition.

I love a good enemies to lovers romance, especially when the characters are independent, capable, and haven’t actually done anything so terrible that I would be annoyed at them in real life. That’s why I really like Ali Hazelwood’s books, because her characters are intelligent, capable, and not terrible people. Also, it’s a great romance.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Bee Könnigwasser, neurostimulation expert, as she works on NASA’s new project with her nemesis Levi Ward, who has hated her since grad school. And when you put two scientists who hate each other on the same project? Sparks. Lots of sparks.

I really liked the premise of this book, partly because it’s nice to read women in STEM books, but also because I like that Bee and Levi are both in equal roles on the project. There is no power imbalance, no sucking up to the boss, just two people who have to work together. I also really liked how the interactions played out between the characters. I wasn’t surprised when Levi’s true feelings came to light, but I think the way that it was done was absolutely fantastic. I will say that the plot twist at the end with the person causing the problems was a bit abrupt and out of the blue, but I’ll forgive it, since this is a romance novel, not a mystery.

2. Thoughts on the characters

I really liked both Bee and Levi, as they were the most well-developed characters and were a pleasure to read. Their interactions were just what I was hoping for: no power play, no disrespecting the other person, just really good dialogue. And they were great characters in their own rights, not just because of the romance. I will say that the other characters were a little less realistic than Bee and Levi. Partly because we spend less time on the secondary characters than otherwise, but also because I think they had more roles to fill that were plot-oriented rather than character oriented.

3. Favourite part

The cats!

4. Critique

Most of my critique is to do with the plot twist at the end, just because it was extremely abrupt and seemed to come out of nowhere. We got some backstory about the reasoning earlier, but it was apparently incomplete, which is a thing I loathe in mystery novels. As this wasn’t even close to a mystery novel, then it’s fine.

Overall, I would say that Love on the Brain is a fun, entertaining, respectful romantic comedy and I wish there were more like this book. Very good.

The world is not always what we were taught to see. There are things beyond our understanding, beliefs differing, ways of life unfamiliar to us. The ability to see this and accept it for what it is, still maintaining compassion and purpose, is a challenge. Faith and Fury, the first in Tiger Hebert’s Riftborn Demon Hunters series, is an exploration of such challenges set in the backdrop of a fantasy novel.

1. Thoughts on the plot

Generally speaking, the plot of this novel is somewhat familiar. You have two hunters of demons, looking to stop the demons from gaining a foothold in this world and thereby causing trouble. They face challenges. Etc. However, this book takes that pleasantly familiar plot and expands on it in a unique way. This is done through the exploration of the Riftborn, what it means to have that power. There are also fantasy creatures which are always entertaining to read about: frost giants and dragons. The challenges are also just as much about humanity than they are about magic and demons. I think those things make this plot just a bit more than what you would expect.

2. Thoughts on the main character

Our main character is Vacinne LeDroux, a Lightborn Warden tasked with protecting the world from demons. When we first meet her, she is young and inexperienced, out on her first mission to destroy a demon. She ends up meeting a sell sword and hires him to help her. He also ends up teaching her about the reality of the complexities of the world beyond what she’s been taught. I think the development for Vacinne is fairly steady throughout the novel. She still maintains much of her stubborn streak through to the end, but it is tempered by a bit of experience and wisdom. I enjoyed reading about Vacinne and her growth a fair bit.

3. Favourite part

The whole segment with the villain of this particular piece (not the demons) I thought was very good. There was motivation behind this villain’s movements and actions, and the more we understood them, the more interesting things became. I can say no more because, well, spoilers.

4. Critique

I will say that this book felt a little short on some of the detail. I know it wasn’t meant to be a particularly long epic fantasy piece, but I would have liked just a little more detail in some of the encounters with the dragon and the frost giants, for example. And a little more background on the Wardens and their whole order would have been nice. However, for that last point, I have a feeling those questions will be answered in book two.

Overall, I would say that Faith and Fury was a book that took a familiar plot and expanded it, creating a unique and interesting read. The book wasn’t terribly complex, but it was light enough (yes, I know it’s a dark fantasy) to be just what I needed right now. I would say that this book was solidly good.

Generally speaking, I’m not a huge fan of royal romance. I think it’s a bit silly in a world where there are a very, very small number of monarchs remaining, so it falls into the really implausible category for me. Yes, I know that it’s romance, and anything is possible (shifter romance, anyone) but for some reason this trope is harder for me to enjoy. Until, that is, I read Laura Hefferman’s A Royal Farce. Why? Because it actually made sense!

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Lila as she tries to repair the massive DIY project her brother left her with after he ran off to Brazil. She needs to sell the condo immediately, os she can get out of the financial pit. Her neighbour, Pierre, offers her a deal which will let her do just that. He needs a greencard, and will pay for the renovations if she marries him. Lila, desperate, agrees. Sparks fly, drama ensues, then she discovers that he is reallya prince of a tiny island nation, and everything gets much, much more dramatic.

A greencard marriage makes a great deal of sense, and, ironically, so do Pierre’s reasons for keeping his royal identity secret. I think the way that this book dealt with what is normally a ridiculous scenario was logical, intelligent, and thoughtful. It was well woven into the story, and made so much sense without drawing attention away from the characters and their love story.

2. Thoughts on the characters

I really like Lila and Pierre. They’re both individuals without becoming caricatures, which is another pitfall of these sorts of stories. They have fun quirks, thoughts on life, and are generally just entertaining characters to read. Especially when they get into trouble.

I even liked the side characters. A lot of stories I read have two-dimensional side characters, which can be fine since they’re not the focus of the story. This book, though, did well with all the characters and I really enjoyed them.

3. Favourite part

Lila’s job. I think it played just a large enough roll in her life to be significant without overwhelming her other characteristics. I think it was extremely well done how this was explored.

4. Critique

I don’t really have a major critique for this book. It was fun, entertaining, and thoughtful.

Overall, I would say that A Royal Farce was a humorous, intelligent romantic comedy, and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

There’s something about epic fantasy that just tugs on all the right strings of heart and mind, creating a fascinating tapestry of a story…when done properly of course. JV Hilliard’s The Last Keeper is an example of such a story.

1. Thoughts on the plot

The book primarily follows Daemus Alaric, a Keeper—one who can see the future as sent by Erud—as he travels from his cloister to the city of Castleshire on a journey that is far more perilous than it seems.

That is a very, very basic understanding of this plot. I would try to describe more, as there are several other characters in focus and magical creatures and plots to unravel, but I don’t want to get into spoiler territory. Just know that there are many pieces to fit into the puzzle of this plot, which makes it a fascinating read. I appreciate how each major character got an appropriate story and was not just a pawn for the overarching plot. This means, though, taht there are numerous details to follow, and each one could be potentially significant. Perfect for an epic fantasy.

2. Thoughts on the characters

While Daemus is the primary main character, there are several others as well. Normally in books with multiple POVs, one character dominates the screen time, as it were, or the other stories are not as developed. This does not do any of that. The characters each have enough of the book to delve into their individual adventures, their wants and dreams, fears and goals. And I appreciate that very much.

I think Daemus is a great main character. He’s got a sort of quiet, gentle sort of personality with enough of a kick to make you think twice. I really like him and his adventures with the others. I also like Ritter, because he is the one most likely to keep his cool head. Also because of Storm, because it’s pretty cool.

3. Favourite part

The ending, where everything came together in such a way that it felt entirely natural, even though it required a great many pieces to fall exactly into place. Very well crafted and it ended on exactly the right note to make me want more.

Also, and this isn’t necessarily relevant to the story, but that About the Author section was pretty cool.

4. Critique

I wish there were a little more indication of Greytorris’ motive for his actions. I get most of why he’s doing what he’s doing, but I would like a little more definitive reason for why he did what he did. I know that doesn’t make much sense, but spoilers.

Overall, i would say that The Last Keeper is a truly excellent example of how threads of story can be woven together to create something complex and intriguing and really very good. More please!

I love sequels to really good books. The possibilities are vast, and the opportunity to learn more about the characters I grew to really love are impossible to deny. So, when I got the chance to read Vorodin’s Lair, the second book in J.V. Hilliard’s Warminster series, I was excited. Really, really excited. And I was not disappointed.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book picks up where the last one left off. Our hero, Daemus, is fleeing for his life again, but this time with several good friends at his side, and a purpose instead of random hope leading him. There are also problems awaiting Monty as his family tries to wrestle with the fact that their kingdom will soon be at war. Not to mention the looming threat Greytorris still poses. 

As you might expect from an epic fantasy, the plot was twisty. And dramatic. There was a lot going on, which could be overwhelming, but was definitely not. I think the distribution of character pov chapters in this book was not as well distributed as the previous book, but the plot managed to be clear and detailed nonetheless. I really enjoyed it. Also, the ending!

2. Thoughts on the characters

It was really nice to see these characters again. I love the depth that these characters manage to have, even in only a few chapters. They’re all fascinating and so very different. I think that some of the characters could have used a bit more screen time, as it were, but overall, the distribution was pretty good. I do have to wonder at some of the Keepers, though. Are they truly that daft?

3. Favourite part

The drama. This book really had no shortage of it. Just when I thought things were going to even out, that there had to be some down time, nope! Let’s make it worse! 

4. Critique

I haven’t really got a major critique for this book. There was just so much to entertain, and I really enjoyed myself. Of course, the book ended on a cliffhanger, so there is the urge to throw things until the next instalment is available, but I can’t really call that a critique…

Overall, I would say that Vorodin’s Lair was a fascinating, entertaining sequel and I am eagerly awaiting book the third. An excellent book.

The Dog Who Ate the Vegetable Garden & Helped Save the Planet by Dorothea Orane Hurley (the dog) and Margaret Hurley is a book that talks about ethical veganism from the perspective of a white boxer, Dori. This book explores the why behind ethical veganism and also explores the life of a vegan dog.

Now, before I get into the review, I would like to mention that I am not an ethical vegan. I am a dietary vegetarian and have coeliacs (gluten-free). I tend to go all natural—which often includes, but does not always mean veganism—in all my skin care, hair care, cleaning products and the like as well, but that is because I don’t process chemicals well. At all, really. So while I often use and consume vegan products, I am not an ethical vegan. Ethical veganism is a philosophy that a person should consume and use no animal products in any aspect of their life because that would entail cruelty to animals and enables many of the large corporations in using and exploiting animals.

Okay, now that we’ve got the definitions cleared up, let’s get on to the book.

I think, generally, that it is an interesting idea to tell a story from the perspective of a dog, or other innocent party, so that the reader can experience the world or idea from the ground up. Often this allows for a greater exploration of a concept, which, when trying to persuade or inform, is a very useful tool. In this case, I understand the idea and think it very interesting, I just don’t think it was executed well.

The prose was extremely difficult to get through. Not because of spelling inconsistencies or grammatical issues, but because the sentences were broken up into incomplete thoughts. This would be like: I went. To the store. Yesterday. The full thought that makes up the sentence is broken up. And, because our brains are trained to treat periods as a full-stop, I had to pause at each and every one. This made reading incredibly difficult. I couldn’t follow the train of thought and a lot of the impact of the story was lost to a headache. If that sort of linguistic phenomenon doesn’t bother you, then the rest of the prose was fairly coherent.

As for the story itself, that is a difficult one. A lot of times, the arguments behind ethical veganism appeal to emotions. They argue that consuming such things as dairy or eggs or meat involves a great deal of harm to the animals, because they are crammed into small spaces, mistreated, forced to endure great discomfort at the hands of humans, etc. A lot of the language I have seen in the past regarding ethical veganism is designed to be inflammatory, because the argument is being made that humans are cruel and violent beings in regards to animals, and that needs to stop.

I understand the emotional appeal. However, it is not an argument I often appreciate. Nor is it one that works well on me. For me, logic and science are two things that will make a lasting impression. Mentioning the emotional impact once or twice is plenty; I get the message. But repeating it over and over with as graphic imagery as possible—that actually pushes me away from the argument. I find that the best way to persuade—at least in my case—is with the presentation of logical arguments backed up by science. I saw a few logical arguments here, in the form of descriptions of what is done to animals, but little science to inform me why I should pursue a vegan diet or lifestyle. At the beginning, science was mentioned once in that it hadn’t been proven that veganism was bad for a person. There were a couple of other times where the difference between animal protein and vegetable protein were mentioned, but that was about it.

As a story with a tale to weave from beginning to end, I think this lacked in coherence because of the prose. As a political or philosophical argument, I think that the inflammatory emotional descriptors were far less effective than a logical, sequential argument. I understand that the perspective of the dog was meant to create empathy, but I didn’t feel particularly connected to Dori.

Overall, I would say that the book is not bad. It was definitely difficult for me to read, though I understand the reasoning behind using such an unusual and choppy sentence structure. And the arguments were designed for people who are not quite so logic-based as am I. So, I think this could be a good book, even a very good book, just not for me.

Most shifter stories I read are Paranormal Romance in genre, so it was interesting to get to read one that was something entirely different, courtesy of Wally Jones and Sam the Chosen.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Samantha as she goes with her family to the mountains for camping as a vacation after the world has suffered a series of deadly attacks. Only, things go very badly and Sam ends up being helped by a group of wolf shifters known as Chosen. Not everything is as it seems, though, and Sam has a great deal to learn about this new world.

In general, I would say that the plot was good. Entertaining, even. However, the actual plot points were so interspersed by detailed exposition and backstory that I had a hard time actually figuring out what was plot and what was not. I understand that there is a great deal of lore involved in this story, but the constant exposition and telling of lore by the characters very much diminished the plot movement to the point where I felt more like I was reading a wiki article about the book’s lore than the actual story. Which is a shame, because the story was otherwise interesting.

2. Thoughts on the characters

As a main character, Sam is a reasonable one. Very human in her characteristics, she has to learn to adapt to a new world. I appreciate seeing her actually struggle with this, instead of accepting everything and being adept immediately. The other characters, though, felt more like standins for archetypes than people I could get to know. They were very flat to read, especially against the rich background of Sam’s thoughts and emotions and actions.

3. Favourite part

The ending, because it showed a certain amount of growth in Sam that was both heartening and a little worrying given the events that were going on. She learned the consequences of actions and I think that’s very important.

4. Critique

My main critique for this book is the vast amount of exposition that happened. Most of it was done through the “story telling” style where a character relays the information in the form of a story. That’s perfectly fine for a small amount of information, but for approximately 80% of the book to be that sort of exposition, it became quickly very dull and overpowered the actual plot.

Overall, I would say that Sam the Chosen has potential to be a very good shifter story that strays from the normal Paranormal Romance genre, but was too caught up in the exposition and lore to really focus on the plot.

In some stories within the fantasy genre—including all the grimdark, horror, epic, adventure, and otherwise—there are beings that are as old as the world. Usually these beings are gods, or monsters. In Brent Kelley’s work, Chuggie and the Desecration of Stagwater, the main character is one of these beings. And he manifests as a drunk, more-than-slightly sarcastic person with a chain and anchor protruding from his ribs. Chuggie is the manifestation of Drought and he is, unknowingly, about to enter into a series of events that is going to change the lives of a good number of people and also cause a whole lot of trouble.

1. Thoughts on the plot

There is a lot going on in this book, which is actually quite nice. There are so many different elements that all exist separately and yet come together to make the whole. For people like me who enjoy a well-woven story just as much as puzzles, this is a really good combination. The way that Chuggie interacts with the world seems to be a haphazard and drunken staggering from plot point to plot point. The characters around Chuggie have their own intent, their own mechanisms, their own motivations, and yet everything that Chuggie does expands upon and renders moot all that these characters do. Basically, this world has no idea what hit it. The way that this is explored is really well done on the author’s part. It is a difficult feat to manage to make everything come together under the attentions of a character who seems completely blown about by chance. And also quite impressive.

2. Thoughts on the main character

For as much as Chuggie seems to be a drunken wanderer who has no real intent beyond living his life and enjoying it, he is actually a very complicated and interesting character. It is sometimes hard to relate to these incomprehensibly old and powerful beings in stories, simply because their experience is so far beyond our own. With Chuggie, however, he seems to be a perfectly ordinary guy. Well, except for the super old bit. And the embodiment of Drought bit. But everything else is just a result of Chuggie trying to eke out a decent life and encountering rather dangerous and unfortunate situations along the way. The really entertaining part, though, is the way that all of the other characters seem to underestimate him. He may act like an ordinary guy, but he really isn’t. And honestly, it’s more than a bit amusing to see the other people floundering when they realise their mistake.

3. Favourite part

There are so many pieces of this book that I enjoyed that it’s really hard to pick a favourite part. Is it the bit where we’re introduced to Chuggie and he’s stuck in a tree? Or the bit where he impulsively runs off to go fetch a goat-faced purse to save his trapped love? Or the part where the other characters finally realise what idiots they’ve been? I don’t know. So I shall instead say that my favourite part was the fact that everyone is going around riding goats like horses and pretending that it’s completely normal. Every time I read that, I had to fight from laughing out loud and scaring my cat. Even in dire circumstances.

4. Critique

I think out of everything, I had a hard time with the ending. This book does such a spectacular set-up and building of the dark-possibly-horrific world that we find ourselves in. There is so much going on that comes together so nicely. The bits that push this book into the horror category are really well described and quite vivid. So when everything ends so abruptly, it felt a little strange. Okay, yes, the ending does make perfect sense. And, yes, there is a book two that will (hopefully) answer all the remaining questions. But it felt a little like everything just stopped. It was a little like being yanked out of the story by a string of strangely spelt words (this didn’t happen, but for a linguist, this is the best parallel I’ve got).

Overall, though, and even disregarding the ending, I would say that this book is very well written, well thought out, and well done. The characters were interesting (if a touch grotesque in parts, which is to be expected), the plot was entertaining and the whole goat situation… Anyways, I would say that this book was VERY GOOD.

It has been a long time since I have read a novel where the main character never has a name. It’s not a terribly common tool—at least that I’ve seen—because it is difficult to identify a character when they have no name, but I think that it can be a fascinating means of exploring personality. And, in the case of Scott Kimak’s I Call Him HIM, I think it works very well.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows several different characters, all revolving around one particularly impressive man who is almost single-handedly saving the world from the demons that overran it after the nuclear apocalypse. The narrator is one of our unnamed souls, and he rides along with Billy, a rather chatty individual with no end of commentary. Both of them follow the dark man, whom the narrator has dubbed merely HIM. They are journeying around as demon hunters, doing their best in the world, until they meet a young girl about to be sacrificed for still praying to God. HE saves the girl and together the group ventures off to go stop the demons from getting even stronger.

Overall, I think the plot worked very well. It is a fairly simple concept—demon hunter has to stop the demons with his band of useful friends at his side—but the fact that it is simple does not make it at all uninteresting. The interest here comes from the characters, how they interact, how they build upon one another. Their backstories are explored while twining with current events and each piece works very well together. The pacing is smooth and I never felt lost or bored.

2. Thoughts on the characters

I really do like the concept of leaving characters nameless. It adds an element of mystery that can either be heightened or reduced depending on how the character presents in the story. In this instance, the narrator has less mystery and the big bad demon hunter has more. I think this dichotomy works spectacularly well, especially when we get closer to the end of the novel and certain truths are revealed.

I will say that those particular plot twists were not entirely unexpected. There were enough hints throughout the first part of the novel to make it fairly obvious what was going on with the narrator, Billy and HIM. However, that did not diminish my enjoyment of the piece.

3. Favourite part

I think the relationship between HIM and the girl—who actually has a name—is very sweet. They’re almost like father and daughter, but perhaps more brother and sister in the way they are protective of each other and trying to help each other.

4. Critique

I will say that the prose could be smoother. The narration was fairly consistent, style-wise, despite switching between our first-person narrator and the various other characters in third-person. However, the fact that it was so consistent made the narrator’s voice blend into the background, which I think reduced some of the effect. Also, the timeline was a bit wonky, with the apocalypse supposedly happening some mythic time ago, but events in the characters minds flit back to “before”, which seems a bit off. This, and other details just made things feel a little choppy, despite the pacing of the plot.

Overall, I would say that I Call Him HIM by Scott Kimak was an interesting exploration of a post-apocalyptic world, with interesting characters and a well done plot. A good book.

There is something almost intriguing about short stories. I generally read full-length novels where the details are many and the questions are (usually) answered quite neatly. Short stories, such as Emilie Knight’s Silver Knowledge tend to raise more questions than answers and have so many mysteries to solve that I just really like them.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Errol after he receives a mysterious pen as his inheritance from his father. When he writes with this pen, he receives a message. And it turns out that the message saves his life. This leads to a string of events that shapes Errol’s life as he finds love, happiness, and plans for the future. All with the hope and simultaneous threat of the pen hanging over him.

I really, really liked the premise of this book. A pen that sends mysterious messages as you write with it? I’m hooked. Butt he way that this plot was laid out left just enough doubt as to what was going to happen that I couldn’t help but be intrigued. And the ending! Oh my!

2. Thoughts on the characters

It can sometimes be difficult to get to know characters in shorter stories, simply because we don’t spend as much time with them. However, Errol may be an exception to that rule. He is, at first, a little angry at his father for leaving him a pen when all he wanted was something more out of their relationship. But when he learns what the pen is…well, let’s just say that Errol is quickly moulded into the shape of a true believer. This is fascinating to read as he interacts with the world, since he is shaped by something that other people could not possibly comprehend. Does this make him different? Special? Just a little abnormal? I don’t know, but I love it.

3. Favourite part

The pen. Okay, yes, that is literally the point of the story, but it’s a PEN that WRITES back! Cue excited squealing.

4. Critique

My only real critique for this story—as is usually the case with short stories—is that I want more! I wish there were more adventures, more stories, because I just loved this one so much.

Overall, I would say that Silver Knowledge is a story that has the perfect amount of suspense, consequences, characters to love, and an ending that just steals the breath away. An excellent story.

Rarely do I get a chance to read children’s stories, despite having a special fondness for them. So I was thrilled to get to read and review Cindy Kovacik’s Chicken in the City.

This book follows Chicken, who wakes up in a strange yard with no memory of who he is or where he came from. With him are Jack the squirrel and Lupito the possum, who offer to help him figure out where he came from. They take him on a journey through cat infested streets, to find answers. But it’s dangerous out there…

Honestly, I had no idea what to expect from this book. My memory of children’s stories was that some were good, but predictable, while others were fun just for the pretty pictures. This book, though, managed to be fun and entertaining without being at all predictable. I really liked the writing and flow of the story, as well as the hints of what’s to come in the next book. For being such a short story, I really enjoyed it!

My one critique is that there is a bit of violence in the book that may not be age appropriate. I don’t actually know the age range for this book, but it seems like maybe elementary school. And, granted, kids are precocious, but the actions of Domino and the mouse seem slightly over the top for this book. Nothing dramatic, and all the details were removed, but even just the hint of it might be a bit much for young children.

Overall, I would say that Chicken in the City is a fun, entertaining book and I enjoyed it quite a bit! A good book.

I don’t know precisely what I was expecting when I picked up My Daddy the Serial Killer by Cindy Kovacik, but what I got was a very intriguing story indeed!

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Katelyn from the age of six into adulthood, as she discovers her father is considerably more than he seems. She must figure out her place in his plans, and try to escape as best she can. But it’s not quite that easy. It all starts with finding a woman chained in the cellar… Honestly, there’s not a lot I can say about this book that won’t spoil the plot a fair bit, but it was definitely very interesting. 

I really liked seeing Katelyn’s change in perspective on the situation as she grew older. I do think that some of the later events in her teenage years felt more like she was rebelling rather than dealing with her life as the daughter of a serial killer, but it did end up making sense in the end. And there were a few plot holes, but they were fairly minor. I would say that the plot was very interesting!

2. Thoughts on the characters

This book was definitely more about delving deep into Katelyn’s mind than anything. The plot feels fairly mundane compared to the psychological exploration we get. I liked all of her reactions to situations; they felt very much like what a rational person would do under the circumstances, which are very dire indeed. I especially liked the change in her perspective over the years, as both her understanding changes and the situation changes. And it was a very nice interpretation of a serial killer’s unsteadiness, psychologically speaking, as viewed through the eyes of a child.

3. Favourite part

The progression of Katelyn’s perspective over the years was definitely my favourite part. I think it was really intriguing and very disturbing, but in the best way.

4. Critique

The biggest critique I had were the few plot holes. (This section may contain spoilers.) At the part where Katelyn fakes the bruises to show to a teacher and therefore get taken from her father, things don’t turn out as Katelyn expects. However, I am fairly certain that Child Protective Services would not believe a potentially abusive parent over a bruised child when directly told that the parent did it. It’s normal that they would lie to cover up their image, so it doesn’t make sense that Katelyn wasn’t removed. This, and a few other circumstances (like no one ever seemed to question why so many people went into their house but not out) pushed the book a little outside the realm of believability for me. The psychology was great, the practical application was a little lacking.

Overall, I would say that this book was a delightfully disturbing adventure into the world of serial killers. It was entertaining and a quick read. A good book.

I love language. I studied linguistics in university, and have been obsessing over language construction and conlangs and words for most of my life. So I was very, very excited to read a mainstream speculative fiction book featuring language!

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Robin Swift, a Cantonese boy who is adopted by Professor Richard Lovell and taken to Britain, where he is tutored in Chinese, Latin, Greek and English in the hopes that he will join Babel, the source of translation magic in Oxford, England. Over time, Robin makes friends with various other people who were adopted from their home countries and brought to Oxford. But such translation magic comes at a cost, and the reach of the British Empire may have finally pushed too far. 

The plot in this book, to be honest, is a bit slow. There are a few extremely dramatic bits at around the 3/4 mark, but most of the book is dominated by theme. That’s fine, really, as I have no problem with a book expounding on a specific theme. However, when it overpowers the plot and becomes a bit of a rambling exposition rather than a story, I get quickly bored.

2. Thoughts on the characters

I liked the characters. They managed to be very realistic, as both representations of students and people who manage to hold contradictions in their head. I really enjoyed reading about their interactions and their learning and the journey. I will say that at the end especially, they became very much like caricatures that were specifically written to fill a role in the thematic element of the story rather than people. 

3. Favourite part

The language. I adore language

4. Critique

I think I would have enjoyed this book a great deal more if the theme—against imperialism, racism, sexism…anything that diminishes the differences of people, really—weren’t so overwhelming. I have not a problem with any of these themes in the slightest. I think it’s very important to explore the concepts. But when the theme overpowers story and characters to where everything becomes nothing more than a representation of that theme, then it feels very much like I am being lectured at, and that is quite dull indeed.

Overall, I would say that Babel is a technically good book, with characters and prose that are exceptionally well crafted. But it leaves a sense of dissatisfaction.

Magic comes in all shapes and sizes, especially in books. There are actual magics, like those a wizard or witch might use. There are divine magics, used by the gods. And then there are the ordinary magics of people who are just doing what they believe is right, when the world stands against them. A Bard’s Lament by Poppy Kuroki focuses on this type of magic, and it was absolutely stunning.

1. Thoughts on the plot

Being a novelette, there is a very concise plot that the story follows. In this instance, the story follows Ella, a bard, and her sister, Lucinda, who works as a prostitute. Both sisters are working to earn their way out of a debt that they inherited, leaving them with very little. In the midst of everything, there is aslo the fear of the Rathole, a place of nightmares, that hangs over their heads. Ella is forced to face her fears when things go wrong and her sister gets caught up in a terrible mess. But there is also something else that hangs over their heads. Something far greater…

This novelette manages to capture a decently large number of events in the midst of the story, without making it feel like the author is doing too much. I liked the way that events transitioned smoothly from one to another, growing ever more dire and significant until we reach the final scenes. I think this worked really quite well, even though we didn’t have quite as much of the worldbuilding that one would expect from a fantasy novel. I got a clear picture of everything that was happening and was just as enthralled in the characters’ actions.

And the ending! Oh, my!

2. Thoughts on the characters

Ella is a truly sympathetic main character. She isn’t particularly strong or powerful; she is perfectly ordinary except in her ability to play music. I think this makes her relatable. What really makes her a sympathetic and interesting character is the way that she cares for her sister Lucinda throughout. She wants to be there for her family no matter how tough things get, and she does that with compassion and grace.

And that bit at the end, that extra knowledge that lends so much more significance to Ella’s actions? Oh, my!

3. Favourite part

The ending. It was superbly done, with drama retroactively lacing the book with intrigue. That just adds a certain je ne sais quoi to the whole plot that elevates it to something really wonderful to read. I can tell you no more, though, because, well, spoilers.

4. Critique

My only real critique for this book has nothing to do with the plot, the characters, or the prose. It is just the matter of the QR codes at the beginning of each song. Okay, yes, it is nice to have the option to listen to the music as the book is being read, but they sort of jar me out of the story. Now, granted, this is purely my opinion based on the fact that I don’t tend to listen to music as I read, even if it’s relevant to the story. But I think that maybe the QR codes could be put at the beginning, just following the introduction, so it doesn’t interrupt the flow of the story.

Overall, this piece was really quite lovely to read. I enjoyed the characters, the plot, and the prose and found myself thrilled at the ending. I almost wish that the story had been a full novel, because there is the potential for so much more story to explore. However, it really works just as it is and I wouldn’t change it. An excellent novelette.

I’ve always been fond of stories that involve someone starting out in dire circumstances and, through wits or skill or even fate, finding where they’re meant to be. It’s not quite a rags-to-riches tale, but more of a rising from the ashes sort of thing. And when that story also defies my expectations and makes me love the characters, no matter what choices they make, then I’m all in. Thus was Poppy Kuroki’s Oath, a wonderful low fantasy novel which explores choices and consequences and hope for the future.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Collette, a young woman who has been on the streets almost her whole life. She decides that she is done starving and freezing and sneaks her way out of her Queendom and into the neighbouring Empire, a place where there is at least there is the chance of making a better life for herself. Once there, she falls into the company of some assassins in service to a dark goddess and nothing is ever the same again.

The plot begins rather as one would expect: our main character starts the process to pull herself up and meets a group of people who may very well be her new friends and purpose. After that point, though? Everything I expected about this novel changed. The twists of this piece were absolutely wonderful, using logical people interaction and character development to move the story in a direction that was both unexpected and made perfect sense. And the ending? Oh, the ending! It was perfect for the story and I enjoyed it quite a bit.

2. Thoughts on the characters

As a main character, Collette is a wonderful one to follow. She is reserved, but as a product of her early life. She doesn’t trust easily and yet she so desperately wants to trust. She is one to adapt to what life throws at her rather than fight it. As we get to see her grow throughout the novel, I found it was the little things that made her a character worth reading. The way she eats her food, the way she talks to people, where she goes to think. All of these traits and more are well thought out and put together in a character I really liked.

Most importantly, though, when we see Collette in action, her thoughts and reactions and actions all make sense. There’s nothing that seems wildly out of character. She acts as you would expect a person to act under similar circumstances. All of these things make her pop right off the page.

3. Favourite part

As much as I liked the plot and the characters, my favourite part is the description of the foods. Oh my! I really enjoy reading descriptions of food because they help to both illuminate how the character sees things, and also they depict the world in a way that is specific to a sense people often overlook: taste. Also, I just really like food.

4. Critique

If I have one critique about this novel, it is that there are certain points near the 75% mark that start bringing up questions of, “Oh, but that doesn’t work unless you take x, y, or z into account.” This is more a matter of such things like, a character would freeze if exposed to certain temperatures for a certain amount of time, or fire doesn’t spread that way (just examples, not actually in the book). However, almost as soon as I started thinking such a thing, the novel addressed each issue in such a way that made perfect sense and progressed the story. So…my critique is moot. 

Overall, I really like Oath. I like seeing the benefits and consequences of people’s choices thought out in a well woven, well told story. The characters were likeable (except one, but that’s on purpose) and the story was interesting. I would say that this was a very good story indeed!

I like novellas. I rarely read novellas because I go through full length books so quickly that I’m usually just jumping from book to book without really reading smaller pieces in between. It seems counterintuitive, but just go with me on this one. When I got a chance to read Poppy Kuroki’s Rhoda, I was thrilled, because it is a novella and also by an author I really like. Instinct was definitely correct on this one.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book deals with Rhoda’s backstory. We first meet Rhoda in Oath, the first in the Black Diamond series, as a member of a group of assassins, spies, and all the things that need doing in the shadow. This book explores with her backstory, following her transformation from a girl who wants to marry and have children to the assassin. I won’t give a huge amount away here, because this is such a concise plot and I don’t want to spoil it for anybody, but I can say that it was stunning to see the change in Rhoda’s dreams based on her experience, and on reality being so very far from expectation. I found it heart wrenching to see her hopes fall to pieces, but also conversely really enjoyed watching her make something of herself rather than just accept everything as it was.

2. Thoughts on the characters

It was definitely interesting to see Rhoda, as known in Oath, be something other than what we knew her to be. I think the transformation and character development on this worked out really well, keeping elements of her strength that we saw later throughout her earlier development. She is definitely a relatable character, though the horrible things that she had to endure were not easy to read. I really appreciate that the author went down those dark holes to explore how these things came to be, but also to allow Rhoda to rise above her circumstances.

3. Favourite part

As always with Poppy Kuroki’s books, I loved the world descriptions. They are done in such a way that the world is seen through the character’s eyes without providing information dumps. The character simply interacts with the world and this allows the reader to learn and see the world as it is seen by the characters. This book describes the differences in climate from Rhoda’s homeland to her new home, and I just loved how the simple addition of rain or lack of rain could be such a defining piece of the story.

4. Critique

My only real critique for this novella is that I wish it were a full-length book. While I love the smaller, concise story and the ability to portray such groundshaking events while not extending into unnecessary lengths, I think this would have been a good story to sink my teeth into. Either way, I really enjoyed it.

Overall, Rhoda is a fascinating exploration of a character who was somewhat mysterious in a larger piece. It explores the world and illustrates the complexities of the characters, of the world that makes up the Black Diamond series, and provides hints and stories for future events. An excellent novella!

I love books that return to worlds I’ve come to enjoy. Basically, new books in a series that expand on the story or character or just continue from where things left off. Poppy Kuroki’s Langley may not continue from where things left off with Black Diamond, but it expands on what came before, and I do so love her world.

1. Thoughts on the plot

If you’re not familiar with Poppy Kuroki’s world, it follows the members of the Black Diamond organisation, a group of assassins devoted to the goddess of death. They came to join the organisation by different means, each one of them finding their place in this unlikely group. This story follows Langley, a boy raised as a traditional dancer by his father. One day, however, his father is attacked and Langley must determine by whom and how to stop it.

The plot is fairly straightforward, given that this story is firmly in novelette territory at about 75 pages or so. That does not make it any less interesting. Langley’s story is one of family and duty and love and I really enjoyed the twist at the end. Very surprising!

2. Thoughts on the character

Of the Black Diamond members I’ve seen so far, Langley is perhaps the most focused and disciplined. He has a devotion to his craft—dance and performance—and spends hours applying himself to improving his ability and seeking the approval of the master performer, his father. I appreciate the depth of Langley’s character, as well as the arc of a child who prefers to embrace his family legacy instead of turning away from it. That extra bit of character development at the end, with the twist that I can’t talk about because of spoilers, well that really made Langley a character to root for.

3. Favourite part

That twist that I can’t talk about because of spoilers. Well done!

4. Critique

My only critique is that I would have liked more. This book was so well done and I love this world and could happily spend hours there, so am always a bit disappointed when the story ends.

Overall, Langley was another stunning instalment of the Black Diamond series and I would highly recommend it and all the other books to anyone looking for a story that breaks from the unexpected and makes you feel.

Chanya is the latest instalment of the Black Diamond origin stories by Poppy Kuroki, and as ever, I am thoroughly enjoying getting to know these characters and their stories.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This story follows Chanya as she is saved from execution in her home town for partaking of violet smoke. She instead gets recruited to join an illustrious general as he journeys about to recruit other soldiers for a war in the south. The farther north they journey, however, the more secrets are uncovered, and Chanya does not agree with all the actions taken.

The plot was fairly straightforward, with the characters getting into increasingly difficult circumstances, pushing each other and themselves into situations that could prove deadly. Straightforward though it was, I did enjoy it. It was a creative use of the natural elements and the character traits that were revealed along the way were very interesting.

2. Thoughts on the characters

Of the Black Diamond characters I’ve read thus far, Chanya is the one I am completely unsurprised to see as an assassin. She is tough, intelligent, and takes no nonsense from others. Yet she still manages to keep a strong sense of loyalty and does not fall into despair, despite the circumstances of her life. I really liked her search for a found family, even if that wasn’t what she initially set out to do. It makes her somehow more real, less a cold-hearted assassin, which is waht makes this series so fascinating.

3. Favourite part

The general’s deterioration and reasons for doing what he’s doing. I think that was done spectacularly well and I really enjoyed how it just sort of pushed everybody over the edge. I can, alas, say no more for fear of spoilers.

4. Critique

This story was a little concise for my tastes, not because the story needed to be any longer, but because I think that there is much potential there for a more intricate examination of the characters’ minds and ideals. Still, that is more a desire of mine to read more of these stories because they never fail to entertain.

Overall, Chanya is another lovely example of a story that does not always do what you expect, despite straightforward plots and characters who appear to be one thing. The story was entertaining, the characters revealed a great deal about themselves and I got once again to delve into a favourite world of mine.

There are some authors out there who, when they have books for you to read, demand all your attention. You then stumble back into the world a little bleary-eyed, but so much the better for it. Matt Larkin’s books have this effect. Always. 

1. Thoughts on the plot

The Gifts of Pandora is the first book in the Tapestries of Fate series, which I just realised is a prequel series to the Gods of the Ragnarok Era series (did I think otherwise literally the whole book? Pffff). No matter what order you read the series in, I can say that the books will not disappoint. This book follows Pandora as she navigates a world ruled by Titans and Olympians, not all of whom take into account the Men around them. Oppressed, especially as a woman, Pandora tries to survive. But when an encounter with the Oracle Prometheus brings about a series of events that are ordained by Fate, Pandora does whatever she can to change it. Including stepping through time.

This book is fascinating in the way that it combines some of the stories that are familiar about the Greek gods, and makes them entirely different, yet recognisable. Stories weave together to create a tapestry, if you will, of events that will change the world. I really can’t say a whole lot about the plot, because a) spoilers and b) everything is so well woven together that it’s impossible to talk about without a) spoilers. All I can say is that it was definitely fascinating, entertaining, and twisty!

2. Thoughts on the characters

Now, I’ve read several other of Matt Larkin’s books, and have some theories on the interweavings of the characters. One character in particular. And I am gratified to say that I am correct. Of course, I shall say nothing on that matter because, a) spoilers.

All the characters, though, have a depth that is hard to find in other books. I like the history of the characters, their personality, the way that they interact. It’s all fascinating, and whether I liked the character as a person or not, I was eager to read more. A difficult feat when recrafting familiar legends.

3. Favourite part

Having my theories confirmed. I am ridiculously pleased that I managed to piece some of the interweavings together.

4. Critique 

Frankly, my only critique is that it ended. I must, as such, immediately go out and read the next book.

Overall, you cannot possibly go wrong with any of Matt Larkin’s books, but The Gifts of Pandora is a great place to start. Be prepared, though. Once you delve into this world, it’s really hard to pull yourself out. Excellent read! 

Can I just say that sometimes, I read a book and am absolutely ready to exclaim about all the things and elements and pieces, and sometimes I just want to do nothing more than shout, “AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH”. 

This book, the second in Matt Larkin’s Tapestries of Fate series, is more in the latter category.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book picks up directly where book one left off, which means if you haven’t read book one, you should. There is time travel, intrigue between gods and times and characters, and a whole lot of me going, “Oh, wait. No. That’s not. WAAAATTTT?” (If you want me to actually go into the plot, then know this follows, generally speaking, the myths of both Bellerophon and Perseus, only with Pandora’s involvement. There is also a lot more character development of Hekate and Athene and such.)

That is to say, this plot is fascinating and entertaining and I enjoyed it.

2. Thoughts on the characters

Honestly, this book felt like more of Hekate’s book than Pandora’s to me. Yes, Pandora was still the primary character, but I think a lot of her development (such as we saw in book one) remained a bit stagnant. That’s not a bad thing, not at all, especially since the plot of this book focused more on the heroes and Hekate than anything. I think Pandora actually served as a good counterpoint, since she was so steady. The other characters though, oh my waffles and bacon did they really put me through the wringer. I mean, COME ON!

3. Favourite part

That one bit of the epilogue where every theory I had was confirmed. YAS!

4. Critique

That one bit of the epilogue where every theory I had was confirmed now means that I have to go reread all the other books so I can put more puzzle pieces together. Congratulations, Matt, I now have to reread all your series.

Overall, I would say that this book is a great sequel and I am very excited to read book three, and the books following. Excellent book, as always.

This is the third book in the Tapestry of Fate series by Matt Larkin that I’ve reviewed, and may I just say, “AAAAAAAaHHHHHHhhhh.” In the best possible way, of course.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book focuses mainly on the rescue of Prometheus, and the aftermath. There is more travelling through time for Pandora, as well as appearances by Herakles and Odysseus. And that is all I can really say about the details without spoilers. I can say that things are getting very twisty, and I love how the details of the story and the myths are built upon one another, as well as the earlier events, to just add a layer of complexity to everything. I mean, my goodness!

Of course, we’re also getting hints of a larger plot to this world (which makes sense as this series is part of a larger collection of books in the Eschaton Cycle). And oh my, those extra hints? I love it.

2. Thoughts on the characters

Many of these characters are the same ones that have been appearing in the other books, so there’s not much more for me to add about them. Except for the thing with Pandora, that I can’t tell you about because of spoilers. All I can say is, “Oh my stars and stones! How many more layers can you add? AAAHHHAaahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaa”

3. Favourite part

Honestly, I can’t quite decide, which just means there are a lot of really good pieces to this story.

4. Critique

No real critique here, only that it ended, and now I need to read the next book.

Overall, I would say that this is a great continuance of the series, and I am eager to see what happens next! Excellent read.

I like puzzles. A lot. So much so that if I read a book (or, in this case, a series) that interconnects and has twists and turns and puzzles, I am over the moon. Such it is with Matt Larkin’s Ragnarok Era series, specifically The Mists of Niflheim.

1. Thoughts on the plot

It’s been a while since I’ve read the first book in this series, so it took me a minute to remember what had happened. But, if you’re at all familiar with Norse mythology, then this book makes perfect sense. I like the blend of the strangeness of the Norse myths (and let’s be honest, some are quite odd) with the dark realities of trying to survive. I think it works very well, especially the pieces where Odin ventures deep into the ether.

And, of course, the book ends on a dramatic bit that just…I mean…COME ON! Now I have to go read the next one or be severely disappointed that I don’t know what’s going to happen next.

2. Thoughts on the characters

As always with mythology retellings, it can be difficult to have the characters become something more than the stereotype that they were made in the original myths. I think this whole series does quite well at taking a base character and making them something more, something deeper. Tyr especially brought this out, and I really loved the development. I think Sigyn could have used a bit more depth, but frankly, where she was left at the end of the book promises a great deal of depth. 

3. Favourite part

I know that this is accurate to the mythology, but Tyr’s sword being named Gramr made me smile every time. A god of war, battling with grammar. It just warmed my writerly heart. Yes, I know, I know, mythology and homonyms and all that. But still. 

4. Critique

My only real critique is that I couldn’t quite remember what had happened in the first book, so it took a minute to get rolling into the story. But that’s mostly on me and the fact that I read the other book a while back. Definitely do not go into this wondering, though!

Overall, I am perhaps far too eager for the next book. Excellent, as always!

Some days, instead of sinking my teeth into a book the size of my thumb, with a massive cup of tea, I like to read a fun, fast paced fantasy novel. (Still with a massive cup of tea.) Patrick LeClerc’s Broken Crossroads, the first book in his Knights of the Shadows series, is a perfect book for that desire.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows two characters: Trilisean, a thief with the skills of an acrobat and the arrogance to match, and Conn, a former mercenary needing a new path in life. Fate throws these two together in the broken down, dirty, crime-ridden city of Laimrig when Trilisean needs some help on a job.

This book takes place in almost episodic segments, with each chapter representing a full tale that then leads into the next segment. It’s like watching a television show where each episode is its own story, but there is an overarching plot that you only get when you see the whole thing. It was a different format than I usually see in a novel, as it felt more like a collection of short stories, but I really did like it quite a bit. The plot of each story was fun and easy to follow, and once I got through the whole book, I began to see connections between each scene and the whole story. I really liked it.

2. Thoughts on the characters

These two characters were just…fun to read. Trilisean was definitely on the arrogant side, but she had the skill-set to match. Conn, while also sure of his skills, was more snarky trending towards sarcastic. The combination was humorous and worked perfectly for the story. I do think that they were maybe a bit too skilled, as all the difficulties they came across stumped their fellow thieves and fighters, but were almost child’s play for these two. Granted, they were well-trained, but it seemed almost too easy. However, for a book of this sort, I don’t think that this was a problem, as the story was the more important and the situations were never absolutely ridiculous in what they could do.

I especially enjoyed the banter between the characters. When things got rough, the banter got more entertaining.

3. Favourite part

Definitely the characters. They really made this story what it is.

And, on a completely different note, the male character on the cover looks weirdly like David Tennant as Doctor Who. Not at all relevant, but interesting.

4. Critique

I know this book is meant to be part of a series, but the ending did not really indicate that there was more to come. I wouldn’t suggest a cliff-hanger ending, not for this format or style, but perhaps an epilogue with some scurrilous character preparing to cause trouble would have moved the reader to seek out the next book. That’s my only critique, though. The rest of the story was great fun.

Overall, I really enjoyed Broken Crossroads. The story was fast and fun, entertaining and every so slightly absurd without crossing into the realm of the ridiculous. I think the characters were great and I had such fun reading this book. A very good read.

I have a fondness for steampunk stories. Or, as the case may be, historical fantasy stories that have a strong steampunk bent. Airships and trains and all those wonderful things are like candy to me and I am thrilled by a chance to read anything even remotely related to it. Enter in Patrick LeClerc’s The Beckoning Void and suddenly I have a new story to devour.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This story follows Emilia DuMond, an actress turned spy for an organisation determined to stop a group of eldritch being worshipping zealots from getting a key piece to their plan to summon their lost gods. She travels across Europe in an airship piloted by a former slave who escaped the Civil War in America and guarded by a middle-aged Scots swordsman and an Arab woman who prefers fighting to politics. Of course, nothing is ever quite so easy as merely stealing a book…

I really enjoyed this plot. From the start, it felt like a thievery-to-prevent-bad-things novel, and it was for the most part. However, there were extra elements that involved action, airship battles, and characters performing acts of heroism that fuel fandoms for ages to come. What started as a fairly straightforward plot took twists and turns that were great fun to read and watch unfold. I enjoyed it, and would have enjoyed it even without the airships.

2. Thoughts on the characters

Again, at first the characters seemed simpler than what they turned out to be. I thought they were going to be caricatures of certain stereotypes that sometimes appear in fantasy adventure novels (for good reason, given they’re entertaining), but that notion was quickly dispelled. The characters were intelligent, clever, and had just enough snark to add the perfect amount of humour to the story. I especially liked the raport between Alya and Connolly, (whose names I may have misspelled) which worked as a great counterpoint to some of Emilia’s more serious moments.

3. Favourite part

For a person who doesn’t fly, I have a strange fondness for airships and airship battles. I have no intention of ever stepping foot near one (if they were a thing), but I’m happy to read about them.

4. Critique

My only real critique for this novel is that the ending felt a little truncated. I wanted to know what happens with some of the characters, and while the primary threads of plot are tied off, there are a few questions of what happens with certain characters that I want to know. Granted, that could just be me bemoaning the cliffhanger. I’ve been known to do that.

Overall, I would say that The Beckoning Void was an excellent fantasy adventure with eldritch beings, history that doesn’t always follow the remembered lines, and characters to root for. A great book.

I read a lot of fantasy. It so happens that I really like all varieties of fantasy (and almost every genre) but there are some that just make you sink back with the biggest cup of tea you can find and smile. In this particular instance, the book was Shattered Dreams by Ulff Lehmann, a book that combines epic fantasy with some of the more fiddly aspects of detailed oriented historical fiction, as well as a touch of the grimdark to spice things up. This book, I shall tell you with great delight, is what I imagine a literary chess game to be. It has strategy, threads woven together, forethought, false directions, intrigue, and that wonderful fascination that puzzles invariably provide.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This plot is definitely one that is not simple. Some epic fantasy stories will follow a character or a group of characters on a quest. Some follow more intricate details that move through various characters’ lives and create a world, fully formed, fully fledged, stunning. This book does that. There are definitely a few things to follow: Danaster is being invaded by its neighbour, Chanastardh. The Danasterians would agree that this is a problem. Therefore, some of the people in Danaster, namely a holy warrior, a slightly-befuddled wizardess, and a few other people who are smarter than you might think, have decided that perhaps they should do something about this. Naturally, there are other forces at work. Ones from the long past. And they’re bringing other people into play.

The plot is expertly woven together, with details about the actually-terribly-important history of the world that I found fascinating. Often, epic fantasies rarely manage to get the history involved in a truly realistic manner. Or, they give you an info-dump at the very beginning disguised as a prologue. This plot involves the history in careful remarks, chance phrases, and an elf perhaps screaming too loudly about such matters.

Again, this is like a chess game, only with death being the result if you lose a piece.

2. Thoughts on the main character

There are a few really important characters in this book, but I shall focus on two: Drangar and Kildanor.

Drangar is a man fleeing his past. His very mysterious past. We first meet him in the isolated backwaters and he is invariably mysterious and interesting. This is a potent combination, which usually—in epic fantasy, as well as other genres—means there is a tragic backstory. This tragic backstory, though, is actually rather central to the plot and does more than just develop Drangar’s character. To be fair, it does that, too. Drangar tries to flee, but the past has claws and does not so easily let go. In facing it, he becomes a key upon which events turn.

Kildanor, on the other hand, is fully aware that he is significant. This is not arrogance, but experience. He is one of an order of holy warriors, belonging to a religion that current times have done their best to ban. (It hasn’t worked all that well, as these things go.) Kildanor has power and he has the influence to wield it. So, he does. All in the name of his god, Lesganagh, god of Sun and War. But there are other dangerous forces afoot, some of which haven’t been seen since one of the last wars and hoped to have been locked away forever.

The characters in this book read like wildly interesting and realistic people. They have quirks and fears. They joke with their friends. And they both shape and are shaped by the world around them. These are really well done characters, ones I enjoyed reading almost as much as I enjoyed the situations in which they found themselves.

3. Favourite part

There was a bit where things caught fire and people were complaining by means of axe-strike. That was definitely my favourite bit.

4. Critique

My critique for this book has very little to do with the book and more with my inability to read a map. It took me a few chapters to figure out who was fighting whom and which side everyone was on. However, it was all made completely clear once I looked again at the map so helpfully provided at the front of the book. Otherwise, I really have no major critiques. Just the knowledge that I am directionally challenged and geographically incompetent. C’est la vie.

Overall, I would say that I have not read a book of this depth and detail and thought for a while. Sometimes I read to melt my brain and clear the synapses. But most of the time, I like to think and to be invited to think. This book definitely did that and I am glad for it. I could probably read this book over and over and still enjoy unravelling it. I would therefore say that this book was EXCELLENT.

I hold a great fondness for epic fantasy. It was one of the first books I read (Tolkien) and has persisted to this day. However, there are some epic fantasy authors that just capture the imagination above and beyond what others have done, and Ulff Lehmann is one of them. Thank goodness for the latest book!

1. Thoughts on the plot

Shattered Walls is the fourth book in the series, and it begins right in the middle of, well, battle. This book takes places over a relatively short period of time (a few days to a week, if I am counting correctly), but the amount of action that appears in this book is staggering. Drangar is fighting with the Eye of Traksor against the demon Turuuk and his ageless hordes, only the Eye is walled in and with very little in the way of resources against a demonic army. There are other forces in the mix, but can they hold out against the siege, or is all lost for Drangar?

The plot of this book is just…wow. Normally, I don’t really like battle-based epic fantasy because it can get bogged down in the details very quickly and become boring. Here, there is no boredom. There is only strategy and detail that grabs the mind and pulls you in. And that ending! 

2. Thoughts on the character

This book, I think, is where we really get to see Drangar shine. He has finally started to unravel some of the threads that have brought him to where he is. This realisation, as well as facing the past, the future, and some really, really bad monsters, lets him solidify into a badass character in a very short amount of time. Also, that ending!

The other characters, Bathne in particular, also get some very involved point of view sections, which help to flesh out both the other characters and the situation in which they find themselves. I really like how the overlapping points of view emphasise the different personalities in the mix, as well as driving the action in very specific ways. Also, Bathne is just cool.

3. Favourite part

The ending. I mean, my goodness! 

4. Critique

My only real critique for this book isn’t really a critique at all, but just a warning. Compared to the other books, this one is dark. Not that the first three weren’t dark, but this one delves just a bit into horror more than pure epic fantasy (even of the grimdark variety). I found it fascinating, but it can also be disturbing if you’re not prepared for it.

Overall, I would say that Shattered Walls is probably my favourite of the series so far, and I really, really want to read the next book. Ulff Lehmann remains one of the few authors who can write a battle scene that isn’t boring to me, and I highly recommend this whole series.

Anthologies rarely cross my desk for review, possibly because they’re put together by so many different people. I enjoy them; it’s nice to see different stories from a wide range of people all focusing on a central theme, but for some reason I rarely get the opportunity to review them. So when Behind Closed Doors showed up on my “To Review” list, I was both excited—because stories!—and worried, because how do I review multiple different stories all at once? The truth is, I have no idea, so I’m making up this format as I go. 

1. Thoughts on the theme

Behind Closed Doors is a mystery anthology featuring work from fourteen different authors, all writing a whodunnit or mystery or some variation on that theme. Now, I love mystery stories. I read everything, and enjoy everything, but mysteries hold a special place in my writery rain because puzzles are just so much fun. Searching for answers, trying to find the solution to problems…yep, love it all. So I was thrilled to read a mystery anthology. I think each writer did very well following the theme while also having unique voices. Some stories followed the more traditional style of whodunnit, i.e. a problem to solve, and others simply suggested at a solution or the problem. Both style, I found, worked very well. So yeah, a great range of mysteries.

2. Thoughts on the stories

I won’t mention specific stories, because I can’t remember which title went with which story (this is what happens when I read before having my tea) but I can say that there was not one story in this whole collection that I disliked. I think each was well crafted with the mystery both engaging the mind and being crafted by the characters rather than existing independently from the characters. I especially liked the variation in the stories; there were a wide range of problems from murder to scientific puzzles, and each one fit together well with the others. I liked them all quite a bit and found each of them worth the read.

3. Critique

My only critique for this anthology is that there wasn’t really an introduction. I had to discover what the anthology was about purely from the stories and the blurbs. Granted, I think the stories were cohesive enough that an introduction wasn’t strictly necessary, but it would have been nice to know how this collection came about. As for the stories themselves, all were very good.

Overall, this is one of the better, more cohesive anthologies I’ve read in a while. Each story was unique without completely turning the direction of the entire anthology. And, I really do love a mystery. Very good.

There’s something about reading urban fantasy, whether contained of romance or not, that fascinates me. I think it’s to do with the intersection of magic and real life. The world is full of stories, full of live to be lived, and adding magic—be that in the form of witchcraft, shifters, dragons, vampires, whatever—just makes things a little more wonderful. So when I got the chance to read Lillah Lawson’s Dead Rockstar, a dark, paranormal romance set in Georgia, I was thrilled.

1. Thoughts on the plot

The premise of this plot is that Stormy Spooner performs a spell to bring back her favourite rockstar, Phillip Deville, some twenty-odd years after his death. She doesn’t actually expect it to work, and when it does, she has to deal with an undead rockstar coming to terms with life again, people following after them, and trying not to get into trouble now she’s a necromancer.

This plot started off relatively simple, with a character whose life was falling to pieces, and a late night summoning that only the main character and her friend didn’t believe would work. So far, I’m enjoying myself quite a bit. But when things become real, with real problems, real emotional conflict, as well as magical, that’s when this story really kicked into gear. I think the plot was fascinating, and it definitely did not follow the road that I expected, which was a bonus. This book, for all its magic and mayhem, though, is really about the characters.

2. Thoughts on the characters

Stormy Spooner is an absolutely fantastic main character. She’s capable, snarky, and is dealing with situations that feel very real to me, even if I haven’t personally experienced them. Her relationship with her best friend Sloan seems a little strange at first, but it really works for them and for the story. Stormy isn’t presented as someone who has a perfect life, or will have a perfect life as soon as other people get out of her way and stop holding her back. She is real, has real flaws, and is an absolutely wonderful narrator. Not to mention she takes all this necromancer stuff in stride, considering she doesn’t believe in any of it.

Phillip Deville, too, feels real, which is impressive considering he’s an undead rockstar. He has struggles with coming back to life and dealing with his old life. He would be a really difficult character to like if he weren’t such a teddy bear when it comes to Stormy, actually acting as her friend rather than just a potential romantic interest. It is fun to witness his journey into his new life alongside Stormy, especially when things go a bit wonky.

3. Favourite part

It’s hard to choose one favourite, since this novel has so many nuggets of interest sprinkled throughout. I think the tiny details really make this book what it is. The bit with Phillip and tea, the discussion of songs, the conversations about and over food. All of these things come together to create an immersive world that is more than just story.

Basically, I can’t choose a favourite, I like it all.

4. Critique

My only critique is the ending. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the ending. But I want more! (I read that there will be a sequel, so this point may be moot.)

Overall, Dead Rockstar exceeded my expectations in every way. The characters are great, the story is quirky and unexpected and fun to read, the drama is perfect, and I liked all the little details. If you’re interested in paranormal romance with undead rockstars, amateur necromancers and the potential for huge amounts of trouble, then this is an excellent book to read.

Find the book: https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Rockstar-Lillah-Lawson-ebook-dp-B08F5Z38TX/

Death does not always mean the end. Certainly not in fantasy stories. But what if all of the ideas that you had about what went on after the grave were, well, somewhat mistaken? The Last Soul by Jonathon Lively is book one in the Oreniah Codex, an exploration of one soul’s journey through what comes next, but also how to get back.

1. Thoughts on the plot

The initial chapter, dealing with the cat soul Ches, led me to be extremely intrigued in what was going on. When we then encounter the main character, Lathan, I was thrilled to be able to see how he was going to interact with Ches and all the intricacies of Oreniah. Lathan’s life, though, does take a while to examine. Yes, it is important because it describes his relationships and his reason for wanting to get back—and therefore undergoing all the things he undergoes while on Oreniah—but it does take a while to get into. I found myself a little confused by how ordinary Lathan’s life was. However, this does change after a bit. We are introduced to some of the oddities which lead to his death. Then, things really start to pick up.

I would say that this plot may start off slowly (excepting the introduction with Ches) but it definitely does not continue that way. There is a lot going on in Lathan’s life after he, well, dies. And objectively, it may seem like simple things, but it is also so much more than that. Once this plot starts really going, it really goes.

2. Thoughts on the main character

At first, Lathan seems, I have to admit, like a bit of a bumbling fool. He is obviously in love with his family and he really enjoys his life. He does seem to be a bit oblivious to some things, though, and that really shows in his relationship with his wife, Tara. However, when push comes to shove, Lathan is a definite hero. He has a firm sense of right and wrong. He will do as much as he can to help those he cares about. He listens and tries to understand.

Also, his soul—and related abilities—is pretty awesome. Controlling the air? Very cool!

3. Favourite part

My favourite part would probably be the bit near the end where Lathan and Justice finally get to whollop their opponents and see what sort of team they can be. I can, unfortunately, give you no more than that because of spoilers, but believe me when I say that it is not only a great character building moment, but it is also just an epic throw down.

What can I say? Sometimes I like the bits where they just hit stuff. It’s therapeutic.

4. Critique

My biggest critique is probably to do with the worldbuilding. That is to say, the world of Oreniah and all its lore is extremely interesting and very cool. However, the way that this world is described overwhelms the story a bit.

A lot of the scenes that are pivotal to character development or plot development or just a really big fight are interspersed with huge amounts of description. This means that the world itself is very clear, but it can also be a bit too much. For example, there were a couple of fight scenes where I had to go back and re-read a good deal of the action because every movement and detail was depicted. This made it hard to imagine in my head because what might have felt natural for me to imagine was not what was depicted. This isn’t to say that what was depicted was wrong or off, just that it was a little too much. This also happened a few times with simple descriptions of scenes. There were just too many details and it overwhelmed what was actually happening with the characters themselves.

On the whole, though, I thought this book was really very interesting. The story was unique. The characters were well written and very interesting. I think they will continue to expand and grow in subsequent books and that will be a great journey. The action sequences are done on an epic scale and that is highly entertaining to read. So, even with the world itself being perhaps a bit too much for the characters and the action, I would say that this book was definitely fun to read. I would say that it is GOOD, bordering on VERY GOOD.

I like reading sequels to books, because sometimes I know precisely what I’m getting into and am thrilled, and other times I have absolutely no idea what’s going to happen and am still thrilled. Chris Lodwig’s Host, the second book in the Systemic novels, was a case of the latter. And, oh, my, did it work well.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book takes place a couple hundred years after the events of book one, where the System (technology, AI, etc.) was powered down. The world continues under the care of the Professors who teach the System to villages under their care. Reyan is a girl who doesn’t quite fit into her village and goes with the Professors when they come on their annual trip. But as she starts learning about the System, she discovers that things are not quite what they seem, and maybe what’s being taught isn’t quite right.

This book’s plot was fascinating to me. I honestly could not predict what was going to happen moment to moment, and yet everything flowed well and made perfect sense. Reyan’s unique experiences really illustrated the world, and the events fit in with that distinct world view with drama and intent. And THAT ENDING! AAAAAAHHHHH!

2. Thoughts on the characters

I really, really liked Reyan as a character. She was very clearly neurodiverse, and as someone ND as well, it was something I intimately understood. The particular issues she had, the quirks, the way of seeing the world were all very well described without being “othering” as often happens with ND representation. I liked that she was described as a girl just trying to find her place in a world that she didn’t quite understand, and that didn’t quite understand her. 

I also liked the other characters, and how they interacted with the world as seen through Reyan’s eyes. There were a few other POV segments, and those worked well for the story, but I liked viewing the characters from Reyan’s perspective, because they felt more real somehow.

3. Favourite part

That ending! AAAaAAAAAHHHhhhhhh!

4. Critique

My only real critique is that some of the description of the Systemic requirements (such as decision matrices) were a little vague as to be almost throwaway details, despite being central to the story. I understand that giving mathematical analyses is not always possible in fiction, especially when it’s complicated maths, but I would have liked a little more clarity on how it worked. It’s a very small detail, though, and really doesn’t detract from the story at all.

Overall, I would say that Host is a fantastic second book and I would highly recommend it, and the whole series.

Dragon’s Trail by Joseph Malik is a fantasy techno-thriller, which is to say it is a mash of two genres that rarely get seen together. The magical nature of fantasy—with elves and men riding about on horses, wielding swords—combined with the detail-oriented techno-thriller, which uses technology to solve whatever horrid problem is facing the main character and the world that particular day. This story follows two people from Earth: Jarrod, a former fencing and martial-arts master who now works as a stuntman; and Carter, a former linebacker who has a penchant for medieval style fighting. These two are summoned to Gateskeep, where they are tasked with getting the army up to snuff in order to combat a sorcerer named Ulo. Jarrod and Carter do this, only they bring some of the might and knowledge of Earth with them. The result? A fantasy with huge amounts of actual information on fighting and strategy, where the characters have an advantage and are still faced with struggles, and where the major conflict hinges on bringing a gun to a knife fight, relatively speaking.

1. Thoughts on the plot

If you look at this story from the surface level, the plot is a fairly typical portal-fantasy novel. A person—usually from Earth—is brought in, accidentally or otherwise, to solve a massive problem facing some fantasy realm. This person applies their Earther knowledge and faces the fantastical challenges with great aplomb. Or, at least, a whole lot of style. If you zoom in to the plot, this story is a whole lot more complex than the typical fantasy, portal or otherwise. There is strategy behind the decisions that characters make on either side. The things that you would expect to be so are not quite what they appear. And the characters from Earth are indeed quite capable and do have great style and aplomb (I’m looking at you, Carter, with that massive suit of armour) but face actual challenges from all quarters.

Then, there are the technical details that make this a techno-thriller. Technology is central to any society. This book explores the technology of the time and does so in such detail that you know precisely that it matters. A lot. And, as it turns out, the technology does matter. A lot. These details, combined with the strategy of a grand-scale fantasy, make this plot one of the more interesting and complex ones that I have seen in a while.

2. Thoughts on the main character

Jarrod is the primary main character here, though Carter plays a rather significant role. Initially, he seems a bit arrogant and probably mad at the world. However, it is soon shown that he actually knows what he is doing and asks rational questions. Okay, yes, he is still arrogant, but there is reason.

The interesting part is watching Jarrod’s development as he explores the world surrounding Gateskeep. He doesn’t change quite so dramatically as some characters do in fantasy novels, but it is definitely there. The arrogance, though, doesn’t ever really go away. Frankly, I’m okay with that. It makes him an entertaining character and I enjoy the snark a fair bit.

3. Favourite part

Well, I’m a linguist. I shall say, then, that my favourite part of the book started with the discussion of the phonetic attributes of the word gbatu and continued with the various descriptions of the language-learning process. I liked all the technical pieces, too, but honestly, language. What’s not to like?

4. Critique

If I had a critique for this book, it would be one of two things. I would say that Jarrod and Carter seem to make mincemeat of their challenges. The odds are stacked in their favour, for obvious reasons. However, since that is rather the point of the book and the challenges are, well, actually challenging, I would say just sit back and enjoy the technology. Even if you have to look up some of the terms.

The other critique I have is that the map at the back of the book is rather unhelpful for people like me who need a map constantly.

Basically, the few critiques I had were more or less irrelevant.

My overall rating for this book is definitely EXCELLENT, which tops the scale. A good way to start the year, no? Now, on to book two, where I imagine things are going to get rather worse for our characters. This should be quite entertaining.

I don’t often read a lot of contemporary literary fiction. Part of this is because most of the books I was made to read during high school were of the literary fiction genre, and they were, usually, quite frustratingly terrible. (Would it kill English teachers to just once pick books that were relatable to a student rather than about things we most certainly found dull?) I don’t dislike literary fiction, don’t get me wrong. I think it is a fascinating genre. However, most of my early impressions were shaped by those unfortunate books. Also, not that many books of literary fiction sort drop across my review schedule. (Why? I don’t know.)

So when I got the chance to read and review Rebecca Marsh’s contemporary fiction piece, Where Hope is Found I was thrilled. And then I actually read the book and found it equally thrilling.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Marissa, a woman who lost her husband and her oldest child in the same tragic accident, and her youngest daughter Maisy as they navigate the aftermatch of that selfsame accident. Interwoven in their story is the story of Owen, Marissa’s brother, and Charlie, his son, as they deal with an entirely different sort of relationship. This story focuses a lot on how people deal with tragedy and how they navigate difficult waters to make a life for themselves.

I will admit, parts of this book had me sniffling a bit. The difficulties that Marissa, Maisy, Owen and Charlie deal with are all so terrible that you can’t help but feel for them. But there is also an element of relatability, because their story could just as easily belong to anyone else and still be just as powerful. The evolution of the plot was intimately tied together with the evolution of the characters and I liked that quite a bit. It was nice to see something that couldn’t exist without one or the other, rather than separate plots and characters that, while they worked well together, were actually separate creatures. This was definitely compelling in both regards.

2. Thoughts on the characters

This book shifts perspectives between Marissa and Owen as they navigate their lives and I liked that it followed both. You see events unfolding from the eyes of two different people, which allows us to see how different people interpret the same events. Each piece of the characters that we say, either from ther own perspective or from the perspective of someone else, helped to illustrate them into a whole, complex being. Again, the character evolution was intricately linked to the plot and I enjoyed seeing both progress simultaneously. Marissa’s journey impacted me perhaps slightly more than Owen’s, but that is because I relate to her a fair bit, not that I don’t relate to Owen. Both characters were worth reading in my opinion.

3. Favourite part

I think my favourite part is actually the relationship that both Marissa and Owen have with the rest of their family. That particular “I love you, but you’re difficult” feeling that both sides seem to feel resonated a fair bit with me. It felt acutely familiar and made this book all the more real. It was also nice to see this relationship both evolve and stay the same throughout the book, as is the case with most family.

4. Critique

My only real critique for this book is that the ending was rather abrupt. I understand why it ended where it did. Everything did get resolved and there were no more questions to be answered. But the story was moving at a rapid pace at the very end, then just sort of…stopped. I think even just an epilogue showing one more scene some indeterminate amount of time later (say a year, or so) would have rounded out the story to the point where I didn’t feel a bit shortchanged by the ending. Though, as I said, everything was resolved, so it’s more just a personal opinion than anything.

Overall, I really enjoyed Where Hope is Found. It may not be quite so intentionally dramatic as many of the literary and contemporary fiction pieces I read in high school, but it had all the important pieces that define the genre and was, besides that, an enjoyable book to read. I would say that it was very good.

Rarely do I get to read emotional family dramas in my books for review. It has nothing to do with my dislike for them—I find them fascinating, because they reflect reality a great deal—but more to do with the randoms election of books that crosses my desk. So when I got a chance to read Rebecca Marsh’s The Rift Between Us, I was very pleased. There is just something about examining real life problems through the lens of fiction that appeals greatly. This book was precisely the means to do just that.

1. Thoughts on the plot

Now, compared to many of the fantasy and science fiction books that I read, this book’s plot is relatively calm. There are three sisters, Maria, Lauren and Avery, and they do not particularly get along with one another. Their father dies suddenly, and the sisters discover that in order to inherit their father’s estate, they must spend two weeks in a cabin together to try and mend fences. This brings up difficult conversations about each other’s lives, and eventually the secrets they share must come out.

I can’t tell you a whole lot about the individual secrets, as that would involve spoilers, but I can say that these problems mirror some that many people have. There are issues of health, of marriage difficulties, of anxiety and other things that, unfortunately, are very common. I think that the way in which these problems examined, and the conversations between the sisters, really made this plot shine. It involved simple steps, really, but those are often the hardest to take and I think it worked out really well. Even if the plot was relatively sedate, I think it worked perfectly for this book, because it is the characters and their development that matters

2. Thoughts on the characters

I found each of the three sisters to be very real, in their own way. They built their lives around their relative issues, and I think that this could have gone poorly if the issues were the only things that the characters felt. However, each sister had their own quirks, their own interests, their own personalities that managed to transcend their issues and ultimately let them come together in a way that only family can really achieve.

Again, I cannot say a whole lot about the individual issues, since that would involve spoilers, but I can say that they felt very real, and the reactions to them felt very real. I think Lauren was the one to whom I related the most, but Avery’s personality felt the most intense and popped off the page. Maria was the steady character, even with her own problems, and I think she was the one that really held this book together.

3. Favourite part

I don’t know if I have a favourite part. There was much in this book that drew my attention, from the description of the scenery to the ideas portrayed through art. The sensory details, I think, really made this book what it is.

4. Critique

This is more a personal preference sort of thing, but Blake, when he does the thing that I can’t tell you about because of spoilers, really irked me. I know that a lot of people feel this way regarding such problems as Lauren’s difficulties bring up, but it infuriates me to no end. Yes, it all turned out well, and I appreciate that greatly, but coming from a place where he had experience with such a thing, I think Blake should have been more understanding. Then again, I have a personal bias on this issue, as I have my own problems similar to Lauren’s (though not as extreme).

Overall, I think The Rift Between Us did really well in exploring the bonds between family and how they can fray, but still remain strong. I think that it mirrored life really well and I appreciate the honest discussion that was had. I think this book was really stunning on the emotional level and it is likely one that will stick with me for a while. A good book.

A lot of the books I read are possessed of magic or science or mystery or love, so it is a rare pleasure when I get to read a book that delves into the soul of people. Rebecca Marsh’s Remember the Butterfly is just such a book, an exploration of love and loss.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Jillian, who is dealing with survivor’s guilt after the death of her sister, and who is also experiencing unexpected tragedy when her desire for a child ends in a series of failures from fertility treatments. Just when she gives up all hope, she gets the chance to become a mother. But even that isn’t as secure as she would hope, and she may have to give up everything for the one she loves.

This book is a heartwarming story about a woman learning what it means to love and to live, even after tragedy. It does involve a lot of situations that seem normal, if incredibly unfortunate, but when put together into one life seem almost incredible. There are a lot of pieces that went into Jillian finding her happiness, and while I am pleased with how the story turned out, it did feel like a lot.

2. Thoughts on the characters

I liked the characters, in general. They felt like they could be real people with real lives, though there was an exceptional amount of tragedy in their lives specifically. They had enough depth to feel like they could be real, but I found myself a little disconnected from them. It is possible that this is because this book was focused mainly on having a baby and trying to build a family, since that is something I’m not especially keen on. I think, however, that it was a bit more than this. Jillian felt almost single-minded in her desire, which added a touch of two-dimensionality to this. I don’t think that this is entirely accurate, since a lot of time passed between scenes and the story simply focused on these things, but most of her desires were the only thing she thought about.

3. Favourite part

I think the turn into Keelie’s story was probably my favourite part, though I can say no more for spoilers.

4. Critique

I think my biggest critique is the piece I mentioned above, about Jillian’s desires being almost single-minded and thus leaving her character a little flat. It made the story more about the plot than it did the characters, which is effective in some genres, but not one I’ve seen often in women’s fiction, where the story takes place primarily on internal thoughts and actions.

Overall, I would say Remember the Butterfly was a good story, heartwarming, and nice to read on a snowy afternoon.

I think a lot of the time, books romanticise being orphans or having unsuitable parents. This happens mostly, I find, in fantasy books, but it is very common in other genres as well. The reason for this, I think, is that it gets parents out of the way when all we want to do is focus on the main character; it also gives the protagonist a reason to struggle and strive and adds a level of relatability to them. So when I read Rebecca Marsh’s When the Storm Ends and saw the reality of such situations, from all angles, I was pleased that this issue and situation was being addressed in such a profound manner, and also one that reflected reality.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book contained a story within a story that was meant to help the main character, Beth, a child psychologist and someone who went through the foster care system help a young girl, Erin. The story follows Beth as she tries to get Erin to talk with her after having killed her own father. Beth needs to relate her own past to try and understand Erin, and to get Erin to open up and realise that there is good in the world, too.

I won’t go into a great amount of detail, for fear of spoiling the books, but I will say that I really liked the framework that this novel set up. Following Beth on her journey to help Erin while also seeing the development of her childhood was very insightful and created a very vivid picture of the characters in both the story Beth was telling and the situation with Erin. The ending really cemented the positive pieces in the dark while simultaneously still feeling real and relatable.

2. Thoughts on the characters

Now, I liked both Beth and Erin. I think they were the most real of the characters in this book, partly because we spent the most time on them, but also because they have the widest emotional range. I think their experiences are a big help in that extra push towards feeling real, jumping off the page and resonating with readers.

As for the other characters, mostly they seem to serve important plot points, which is perfectly fine, but they do not feel as real as Beth and Erin. The characters that appear in Beth’s childhood are perhaps the closest to deep and realistic characters, but the ones in adulthood, in Beth’s life after she comes through her struggles, feel a little flat. I think this comes partly because they represent a more stable, happier part of Beth’s life rather than the tumult of her childhood, and therefore display a smaller range of emotions.

3. Favourite part

I think the story within the story, the inner framework, of this book is probably my favourite. It mirrors what’s happening in the other parts of the book, and lends it a certain emotional depth that drives home the point of the story, the hope at the end of the storm.

4. Critique

If I have a critique for this novel, it is to do with the prose. The story and the characters feel very real, but that is negated slightly by the prose. It is structurally sound, there are no grammatical issues, but the story depends a great deal on narrative description rather than character action and interaction. It’s not a major thing, just enough to pull me out of the story and remind me that I am reading a book.

Overall, I think When the Storm Ends is another lovely display of Rebecca Marsh’s ability to take the muddy waters of real life and craft it in such a way that it is insightful and still reflective of reality. This book is a good psychological drama that ends in hope, and I enjoyed it a fair bit.

There is something intrinsically magical about exploring the worlds of books, regardless of whether or not they actually have magic themselves. I think anyone with the desire to create a world from the ground up, building cultures and languages, pasts for characters and religions, all of it is highly impressive and reminds me of first exploring the world of Middle Earth. In the case of F.T. McKinstry’s The Hunter’s Rede (and subsequent books, though I will only talk about the first one here) the level of intricacy and completeness is really quite fascinating. To be able to dive into a world with such depth and with characters who both reflect and transcend real life, is a wonderful thing indeed.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This first book in the series follows Lorth, an assassin in a land that is not his own, as he is called back home and faces the consequences of his decisions, and the scheming of the world around him. While he is not a wizard, he has many of the same talents, and these talents get him into rather a lot of trouble. He must unravel a plot by an invading army and gets caught up in two murders which have been laid at his feet. To make matters worse, it seems as though the gods themselves are involved.

This story is one of those that weaves together individual threads to create something magnificent. I really enjoyed seeing the pieces come to light and the final picture revealed, especially in light of the worldbuilding. I think the plot plays a variation on a theme of reluctant hero returning to face his past, and while I am generally fond of such stories, this one seems to transcend many of the one’s I’ve read in the past to stand on the level of some of the greats.

2. Thoughts on the characters

As far as heros go, Lorth is probably one of my favourite. He is a slightly-grumpy lone wolf sort who chafes at arbitrary rules placed on him, but also has a very firm sense of doing things that do not violate the dictates of his god, the Old One. Lorth is, I think one of the better developed characters I’ve read in a long while and I find his many facets fascinating. He manages to convey all the traits of a real person such that he jumps off the page when reading him. This book is the perfect introduction to him, and the subsequent books really flesh him out, though he doesn’t actually need it.

The other characters in this story are equally three dimensional. They go about their lives as people with true desires and motivations, with no need to explain their actions beyond a reasonable level. The characters have mystery and they have purpose, and I really like them all. Though, I will admit that Lorth, Eaglin and Leda are most certainly my favourites.

3. Favourite part

Ooh, this is a really hard thing to choose, since I really did like this entire book. I think perhaps, if i had to choose my favourite bit, I would say that the confrontation between Lorth and Eaglin probably rises to the surface. Not because I like seeing our protagonist in such dire straits, but because it displayed his personality in the most perfect sense. His and Eaglin’s I think. The potential for things to be much worse was definitely high, but Lorth turns it into something more or less par for the course, without rolling over and giving up. Eventually Eaglin admits his mistake, but even that really makes the scene what it is.

I can’t actually say a whole lot more than that because of spoilers, but it is the sort of thing that evokes a great deal of sympathy for the characters.

4. Critique

Honestly, I think the only critique I have is to do with the various geographies involve. Mostly, I had a hard time following some of the names of places, but that doesn’t actually have much to do with the book, since a map was provided, but my own brain being completely incapable of determining anything remotely close to a direction. So, it’s not really a critique and more of a comment on my own brain being severely navigationally challenged. I did like the names of all the places, though. Very fun, from a linguistic perspective.

Overall, I would say that The Hunter’s Rede is probably one of my most favourite fantasy novels of all time, which is saying something because I have read rather a lot of fantasy novels. The language, the characters, the plot, it is all really wonderful and I am likely to be reading them again, and again, and again. Excellent book!

I have never reviewed a children’s book before, because honestly they are so amazingly difficult to create that I was always a bit wary. You wouldn’t think that children’s books would be difficult, but children see the world in such a way that we adults often have a difficult time relating. And as an adult, reviewing a book meant for someone with a far more open and flexible mind is something that is quite difficult. That being said, I am going to give it a go, starting with Katie Lynn Melko’s Paw Elementary: Roxy’s Adventure to the School Dentist.

Usually, in a picture book, the part of the story that grabs me are the pictures. These have to tell the story to someone who can’t read (or is just starting out) and is having someone read to them. These pictures have to match up with the story well enough that you can tell what’s going on without the words. And you have to have enough interest that the child doesn’t get bored. These pictures do very well with that. The expressions reflect the emotions that the characters should be feeling (even with the stylistic features of a cartoon dog and friends). There is enough to interest a child in the scene. I think the bits with the dental tools might require some help with the words, but half the time I have no idea what the dentist is doing anyways, so that’s something to consider.

As for the actual story itself, the concept is a good one. The idea is to make a trip to the dentist less scary for children. It is a bit frightening when someone shoves pointy objects into your mouth and expects you to hold a conversation. This does well at explaining what a dentist is doing to children. However, it does forget the bit about ‘what if you actually have a cavity and they have to drill your tooth out’. (I do understand this, though, because that is not a fun experience and you probably shouldn’t include such things in a children’s book.) On the whole, I think it does well in making the dentist a more understandable thing, while also talking about the importance of brushing your teeth properly.

I think that if I have a critique for this book, it would be in the placement of the text. Yes, the picture is the most important part, but the text is very cramped and close together, and if a child is trying to read along, the words are going to be difficult to pick apart. Making the words just a touch bigger and maybe changing the colour to be slightly lighter would be helpful. 

On the whole, I like this book. I think it does well with making a potentially scary situation less frightening. And teaching children is one of the main points of children’s books. 

What is a portal fantasy if it’s not precisely a portal fantasy? What if two worlds—ours and one with magic—collide? When they do, and the fate of the world(s) rests on two people who are trying to be everything they can, that’s when things get interesting. Anne Miles’ Sorrowfish explores all these topics and more, and it was quite a read.

1. Thoughts on the plot

For once in my reading life, I actually read the blurb of the book I’m meant to be reviewing before reading the book. In this particular instance, the blurb tells very little about this story. We follow two characters in two worlds. Sara is an art student from Louisville, Kentucky, who is trying to find the inspiration to finish her final project. Instead, she is distracted by her twin sister, who is in a coma, and trying to come to terms with that. Then, we have Dane. He is a dewin, a person naturally attuned to the Song, illegally crafting musical instruments in order to save his world from people corrupting the Song. Only, in his craftings, he is pulling Sara to his world through her dreams.

At first, I had absolutely no idea what was going to happen in this book. The two worlds being written about, while equally interesting on their own, seemed to have nothing to do with one another, nor no intersection points where one is drawn to the other. Once I got into the story, however, the disparity made itself clear and that’s when things got really fascinating. The plot here was very interesting, as it managed to contain two complete stories while also intersecting together into almost a third story. Expertly woven.

2. Thoughts on the characters

The characters in this book were wildly different. It is rare that I get a chance to read about a character who fits perfectly into our world intermingling with one who fits perfectly into his own. Usually, in stories of this sort, the main character doesn’t fit and they end up finding their place in the other world. This was not the case here, and it was a great take on the concept of portal fantasy. I found the characters—all of them, in fact, including the secondary characters—to be very well crafted, with depth and enough mystery to be very, very realistic.

3. Favourite part

I think the gnomes were perhaps my favourite, as they were almost underestimated by everybody, but were actually doing precisely what they intended all along. Such fun to read, too!

4. Critique

My only real critique for this novel is that the blurb doesn’t do the story justice. It doesn’t explain much of anything about the two worlds, the dangers that lie with each, any of it. If it were not for my reading this for review, I would have passed over the book entirely based on the blurb. I am very, very glad I did not.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The story was quirky and entertaining, the characters were wonderfully written and the prose was smooth and fun to read. An excellent book.

I love worldbuilding. I love books that transport me to a different time and a different place, creating a world that is similar in some ways, but also completely unlike my own world. I like it even better when that world is portrayed through a character’s eyes rather than dumped on me. Sarah Mensinga’s Shimmerdark did exactly that, and my goodness, what a great book.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Xylia, a shimmerling who was the apprentice to the Great Drae of her country, only she’d been shipwrecked on an island for seven years. Finally rescued, she returns home to discover that she’s been replaced. Now, Xylia must venture to the outer reaches of her home to work as an Authenticator, someone who identifies shimmerlings with enough power to serve. Only, Xylia asks one too many questions and gets herself into a world of trouble. With magic and mystery, she must now venture back to the city to figure out just what is going on.

This plot seems fairly simply on the surface—a girl trying to regain what she has lost, until she stumbles on some secrets people want buried—but oh my goodness is it far more involved and intricate than that. There is certainly intrigue, but there is also adventure, discovery, characters that move the story along in a way that I did not anticipate, and more drama, just for good measure. The plot is perfectly paced, the actions of our main character both logical and perhaps a little crazy. I never once was bored or overwhelmed, which is very impressive.

2. Thoughts on the character

Xylia is a perfect main character. She desperately wants her position back, and loves her life. But after seven years shipwrecked, she has to come to terms with the fact that she has changed and maybe the world has, too. She’s intelligent without being overbearing in her smarts, capable and independent. Her development through the story is subtle, bu also a central piece of the story. I liked Xylia a lot, and I think she was great fun to read.

I will say, I wish there was a little more about her relationship with the people she was shipwrecked with. The second half of the story expands on those relationships a bit more, but by the end, I almost feel like there needs to be a sequel to explore more of that, and also the potentially world-changing mysteries that are hinted at. It’s not necessary; the plot was wrapped up nicely and there was no great cliffhanger, but I just wanted a little more.

3. Favourite part

I think Glowy Pony is probably my favourite. That snark! Coupled with that name, there’s just so much entertainment to be had.

4. Critique

Finding a critique is difficult for this book. The prose was smooth and well-written. The characters were all great. The dramatic tension was at just the right level to keep me involved without being overwhelming. I think my point mentioned in section two, wanting a little more of the relationships Xylia had explored, is probably my only critique, and that could just be my desire for more of this world.

Overall, I would say that Shimmerdark is an excellent book with a great world, dramatic adventure and characters to root for.

Since childhood, stories about dragons—either as a force for good or evil—have fascinated me. While I am perhaps biased towards stories where these massive, fire-breathing, dangerous flying reptiles are closer to benevolent than malicious, I do enjoy a traditional world-against-dragon story. A.N. Miller’s Through Dragon’s Fire is a perfect example of this sort of story.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This story reminds me a lot of the Tamora Pierce books featuring Tortall; the protagonist is a girl trying to find herself and her purpose. Our main character Amara flees from a home that ostracises her, and discovers a past that she didn’t know she had. In trying to understand this past, she joins the BouldAras, a rank of elite warriors charged with protecting the kingdom. The only thing is that there is far more to becoming a BouldAra than simply learning how to wield a weapon. Amara must face her forgotten past and the monster that set her on her past before she can truly become who she was meant to be.

I think the plot is well done and well thought out. There is a decent amount of time spent on each of the important pieces of Amara’s journey and you can easily see how each piece of the puzzle fits together to create something new. The story is entertaining to follow and I think it works very well.

2. Thoughts on the characters

Amara is a good main character to follow. She has mysteries to solve, not the least of which is discovering who she is and what her purpose is moving forwards. I think that she reacts very well to the various challenges set in her path and I like her overall. She is definitely worth reading about.

The other characters, though, I think could use a bit more exploration. Primarily, her mentor in the BouldAras. You see some of his personality and motivation, but most of it is simply left as a sort of standoffish person without any real reason why until the very end of the book. While the ending scenario does explain his motivations nicely, I think the pieces leading up to that point could have been expanded just a touch more, giving more of a clue as to why, rather than just presenting the information at the end.

Otherwise, I like the characters; they’re not stereotypical and they are perfect for the story, acting more like real people than sometimes is presented in traditional-style world-vs-dragon stories.

3. Favourite part

I think, actually, that the whole situation regarding Amara discovering her past and figuring out where she was meant to be, as well as reconciling what happened, is my favourite bit. It is a thread that winds through the whole story, interspersed with pieces of other events that temporarily distract Amara. However, it is not the entire world that Amara involves herself in, just a significant piece, which I think works really very well.

4. Critique

I think my only real critique for this book is that some of the secondary characters (see point 2) need just a touch of further exploration, in regards to motivations or personality. This is not really a huge thing, as Amara does not require this for her journey, but it would serve to really illustrate the story very well. As it is, though, I think this story does well with characters; I just want a touch more.

Overall, I would say that Through Dragon’s Fire is a story remnant of those I read when I was younger, with characters trying to discover themselves and the world, trying to right the wrongs of the past, and taking a stand with what abilities they possess. It was an entertaining read, and I would say that it is a good book.

Sometimes, when the world gets tough, all you need is a good adventure with dragons (which are awesome), characters you can really root for, a challenge or villain to overcome, and dragons (still awesome). Eileen Mueller’s Riders of Fire series does just that. But since I don’t want to spoil later books, I shall focus on Ezaara, the first in the series.

1. Thoughts on the plot

In this book, Ezaara is found by Zaarusha, the Queen of the dragons, and they imprint as rider and dragon. From that dramatic beginning starts a series of events that land Ezaara right in the middle of a fight between the dragons and Zens, a being from another world who wants to conquer the realm of Dragons; a series of political machinations that call her right to ride Zaarusha into question; a quest to prove her devotion to her friends and to the realm; and some serious drama. There are many things going on and it is really wonderful.

I was hesitant at first because things started off so quickly, but once you got past the first five percent of this book, events really started to take form and it works really well. This series focuses not just on the overarching battle between the dragons and Zens, but the little details as well. The training, the character growth, the relationships that form between friends and more, the back story, all of it is woven together in an intricate web that draws the reader from one scene to the next in an enthralling manner. The plot, in short, is quite fun.

2. Thoughts on the main character

I like Ezaara. A fair bit. From the outside, she looks like a hesitant sort who can’t quite seem to figure out what to say to appease the politicians, and isn’t quite certain of her place in this world. But as we get to see what Ezaara is thinking, and how she grows, we learn that she really is just someone with a bit of spunk who wasn’t born into this world of dragons, but grows to become one of its most valued assets. That, and she really does very well at not caring hugely what others thing. Well, she cares, but isn’t afraid to stand on her beliefs, either. And the growing connection between her and Roberto? I think it adds that extra element of depth to the story.

3. Favourite part

I think my favourite part has to be the bond between Ezaara and Zaarusha. They just seem to be matched so well in personality, but are independent thinkers, too. It works so well and makes the story more than your typical YA fantasy.

4. Least favourite part

The cliffhanger! Aaaah! I will warn you that every book of this series that I have read so far (1-3) ends in a dramatic cliffhanger. It makes sense, because each story is leading into the next and we can’t be allowed to forget that there is a larger story at stake and things are going to get worse, but…my goodness!

As a writer, I can appreciate the cliffhanger, because it makes the stories flow together quite well. But as a reader, I give that all-too-typical dramatic “oh, no!” that comes with such things.

Overall, I would say that Ezaara is a great first book to a really fun and interesting YA fantasy series. The plot does not follow the formula that you would expect. The characters are deep and interesting. There is always something new to discover around the next corner. Basically, I enjoyed it quite a lot. I would say that it is very good.

A goodly portion of my school days was spent completely ignoring the books we were meant to be reading and instead devouring any sort of literature I could get my hands on. Usually it was from the 19^th century, but occasionally from other periods. Since then, my literary tastes have expanded dramatically to include…just about everything, frankly. But I still hold a soft space in my heart for literature, especially that with a satiric or historical bent. So I was thrilled to read Marina J Neary’s The Gate of Dawn.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book takes place in the midst of unrest in the Baltic region of Vilnius in the 1880s, a place where Russians, Germans, Jews, Poles and Balts live. It follows several characters, though it primarily follows Renate, a young German heiress who is married to a Polish farmer by her dying father. Renate’s presence is disruptive to the quiet countryside farm, both for her and the peasants who work the land. Disillusioned, she flees back to Vilnius, but life there is just as harsh as in the country, and there are some things that one cannot escape.

This book is definitely on the fascinating end of the literature spectrum. Each detail is introduced so casually, yet ends up being essential to the characters and the direction of the story. The plot itself unfolds without haste, yet pulls you along as you try to see what the characters are going to see or do next. And the ending? Oh, my!

2. Thoughts on the characters

Renate, Sebastian, Aurelia and all the others are characters that are not only depicted with a well-honed sense of realism, but are products of their time. They would not be people you might encounter in modern day society; in their place of history, though, they are perfect examples. It is intriguing to be able to see the history so clearly though these characters. They have such realistic details: a dislike of the way certain clothes fit, or foods taste, or how people behave. Yet they are almost impossibly true to the history. I found Renate the most intriguing of the characters, even including the ending, possibly because she was so dispassionate about certain things and fiery about others. A truly volatile mix, which I thoroughly enjoyed. 

3. Favourite part

Part of me wants to say the ending of the novel was my favourite part, just because it made perfect sense, yet came about so suddenly that it was nearly shocking. However, I think that the fact that every single aspect of this novel came about through one dying man’s decision was what really made this story work. Truly well woven.

4. Critique

Honestly, I haven’t really got a critique for this novel. The prose is done in a matter-of-fact style which befits the story perfectly. The characters are cynical or naive or both, and I enjoyed all of them. The plot was thought provoking. I really enjoyed the whole thing.

Overall, I would say that The Gate of Dawn was a truly exceptional example of an historical literature piece, taken from a volatile portion of history and displayed openly for the world to see. An excellent book.

History is a funny thing. Reading about it in books can boil down an era, a movement, an ideology to a few words. Living through history, on the other hand, is a collection of so many moments and influences, people who are involved and people who are just trying to go through their lives. It’s made up of so many different people, and portraying that is a difficult task. Marina J Neary’s Ulster Lament, though, manages to capture a moment in Irish history that feels exceptionally real.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Peter Greenwood, son of Major Greenwood. He was born with a limp, raised in relative isolation in Ballycastle, Ireland, and decides to go to Belfast to study journalism. In the midst of meeting new people, some of whom are friends and some who are not, he runs into the Irish nationalist movement. When interviewing retired Captain Pryce, Peter gets swept up in both the Pryce family and their enemies in nationalist cause. He must use his literary skills to cover up their crimes, but will his loyalty to the English crown remain staunch, or will the ulster lament sway his thoughts.

I will admit to knowing less than I should about the rise of Irish nationalism. It was very interesting, therefore, to see how it was described in this book. It was, for me, like looking through a lens to the early 20^th century, but with the added element of two competing ideas about Ireland. I thoroughly enjoyed Peter’s exploration of the subject, as it mirrored my own; he knew very little at the beginning and managed to uncover a great deal by the end. The story itself was very interesting in that it was about a university student just as much as it was about the nationalist movement. Very well crafted.

2. Thoughts on the characters

I really enjoyed Peter’s journey, especially as he interacted with other characters. I found both his thoughts and the other characters’ actions a well-crafted mirror of my experiences of reality. I think that Peter’s willingness to go along with things made him the perfect narrator for this story, especially as he began to change and stand on firmer ground as far as his beliefs went. I think Peter’s open acceptance of Robbie was really the point where things began to turn, just as his changing ideas about Alec were pivotal to the plot. The characters were great, and really made the story.

3. Favourite part

I think Peter’s final interaction with Alec was my favourite part, simply because I’d been waiting for him to do it for a good portion of the story. Well done, Peter.

4. Critique

As much as I really enjoyed the exploration of the various sides of the nationalist movement at the time, I think the ending of the story didn’t really leave me with the feeling of Peter having changed his stripes, as it were. He did his bit, thought a great deal about the situation—or else the story wouldn’t have happened—and then just went on living his life. Perfectly acceptable in a story about a university student finding his way, but I had hoped for a bit more on his personal beliefs. 

Overall, I would say that Ulster Lament was a very good book and literary exploration of a slice of history, depicting it in such a way that was not overwhelming, but real. Just normal people living their lives in the times, as it were. As it always it.

Reading the sequel to a book that you enjoyed can go one of two ways: either you hate it, or you’re stepping back into a world that you loved and everything feels more, better, the adventure a perfect extension of book one. Shadow Pantheon by Eric Nierstedt was like that.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book would have a hard time being as world-changing and dramatic as book one, but somehow, it managed that quite well. This time, our pantheon of gods stuck in the modern world have a better handle on how to deal with the world around them. That doesn’t make the challenge they’re facing any easier, though, because what they’re facing is their past. And if there’s one thing that people have a difficult time with, it’s the past. I can’t really tell you anything more specific than that because of spoilers for book one and book two, but I shall tell you this:

The plot was, as expected, well thought out. The pieces were a mystery at first, but they seemed to flow together very well so that by the end, you knew exactly what was going on and desperately needed our characters to fix it. And the way that was done…well, it was a great application of mythology, fantasy, and highly capable storytelling. (And this mythology was done right.)

2. Thoughts on the main character

As with book one, there are several main characters in this book. They are our pantheon of gods from various different cultures, living in New York and doing their best to get along with mortals. I really liked seeing these characters again. They are precisely as you would expect, coming from the first book, but there is enough further development in consideration to the new situation and the resurgence of the past that you don’t get bored with them. You get to grow along with them (although I’m not sure Coyote really grows, but more moves sideways to expectations). I enjoyed reading them just as much as before. Balder is still one of my favourites, but this time Anubis probably takes the top slot for me.

3. Favourite part

I enjoyed the particular plot with Anubis and Carlos, the boy holding a part of Anubis’ past. I think there was really great depiction of the characters from mythologies, without watering it down like you would see in some television or movies. The essence was captured perfectly, but the human side of Anubis as Mustafa was just as intriguing as the mythology. Definitely a great piece of the story. (Though, the plot twist at the end was really great, too.)

4. Critique

I think the only issue I had with this book was to do with some of the unanswered questions at the end. Of course, this is more to do with my curiosity than anything, so there isn’t really a problem with the ending. Actually, the ending is quite good. I just…I want to know more. How they continue, what comes next, all the usual things that happen when a book I really like is finished. Sigh.

Overall, I’d say that Shadow Pantheon is a fantastic sequel to the first book. The characters are still wonderful to read, the situation is new and interesting while retaining what they learned before, the plot twists are fun, and it was a great modern exploration of various mythological and religious systems. Essentially, a VERY GOOD book.

Now, here’s the thing. I’m a bit of a Christmas curmudgeon. I like the holiday as it is meant to be, but the commercialism, the songs (oh, stars, the songs), the expectations of familial harmony and all that stuff gets on my nerves like you wouldn’t believe. Far better to just celebrate quietly and ignore the rest of the world. So when I was asked to read Eric Nierstedt’s A Child Shall Lead, his Silent Pantheon Christmas story, I said yes, but didn’t expect to enjoy it as a Christmas story, but rather as a continuation of one of his books.

So.

Yeah.

I actually enjoyed it for both reasons.

This book is a short story featuring Anubis and the Christmas holiday traditions. If you’re not familiar with the Silent Pantheon books, there’s no big deal, except you might be a little confused on some of the smaller details. In essence, Anubis is, as he does every Christmas, staying home while the others of his godly friend group celebrate their revels together. His plans are interrupted, though, when a child shows up in his home, chased by the dark Germanic counterpart to Santa: the Krampus.

I shan’t say any more than that, because I wouldn’t want to ruin the fun, but this book was definitely worth reading. It was entertaining, had all of the good writing that I expect from this series, and even managed to produce some of the warm Christmas fuzzies that I haven’t felt in a long, long time. Also, there was Krampus, which is just fun in of itself. (If you don’t know what I’m talking about, I suggest Google. Really, it’s fascinating.)

So if you’re interested in a short read that has a bit of adventure, a collection of gods in the modern world, some magic, and a bit of self-discovery, this one is worth a read. Even if, like me, you think that all but a few Christmas songs can go step into the sun.

If you haven’t read the first books of the Pantheon Saga by Eric Nierstedt, then I absolutely do recommend them, since they are a fascinating mix of urban fantasy, stories of gods who exist as legends only, and a journey to save the world (multiple times). So when Spider Stories came out, I was thrilled to get to read it.

1. Thoughts on the plot(s)

This book is a collection of short stories, offering origin stories on the various main characters of the Pantheon Saga. It follows Balder, Anubis, Coyote, Kali-Ma, Athena and Loki, sharing stories of the gods before people knew they were gods, or stories never heard before that define who they were. All of the stories take place before the Pantheon Saga stories, excepting the last, which is a Christmas story that takes place between books one and two. The stories are narrated by Anansi, the African spider god and storyteller, who catches all interesting tales in his web.

I enjoyed the chance to explore the identity of the gods before they appear in the Pantheon Saga. Each tale gave a defining moment that highlighted one of the most important traits or events for each god, be it through their making, them claiming their role or a shift in perception. While I enjoy the adventures in the books quite a bit—I’m a sucker for urban fantasy stories that catch the imagination—it was nice to see them on their own turf, as it may be.

2. Thoughts on the characters

I am already familiar with all of these characters from other books, and so already know what traits they claim and how they interact with the world. However, these stories take place long before the other books and so show the moment where these traits become defined. This lends an extra air of depth and gives a chance to understand better where these characters are coming from. It was also nice to see them before I knew them in the books, to see how far they’ve come and grown.

3. Favourite part

I think the narrative pieces given in Anansi’s voice were probably my favourite part. They managed to tie the stories together and also provide a bit of context for each situation. That, and Anansi seems to have mastered the art of sincere snark, which I appreciate quite a bit.

4. Critique

I don’t really have a critique for this book except that it needed one more proofread. There weren’t an overwhelming number of errors, but just enough that I noticed them. Otherwise, the prose was great and very easy to read, the characters were entertaining and the stories themselves fun to read.

Overall, I’d say this is a charming collection of short stories, and one that adds an extra element to a series that I enjoy thoroughly.

The shadows of our pasts haunt us all, whether we know it or not. Such is the premise of Ashley Olivier’s The Raven Thief, a delightful YA fantasy that reminds us of such shadows, but also makes the journey of discovery enjoyable. At least, I found it throughly entertaining to read over the weekend.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows the adventures of Enya, the Raven Thief and leader of the Grims street gang as she tries to run from the palace, against whom she has been rebelling. This leads her into an adventure with three not-so-dead “dead” princes, who have been set a task to find a magical sword. This task takes Enya, her second in command Carson, and the three princes on an adventure to unbury secrets of a dark, magical, and dangerous past.

Overall, the plot is a good one. There are enough things going on that we never grow bored, but the characters also have enough down time in order for us to process the events right along with them. The events are interesting and the way that they all link together is quite entertaining.

2. Thoughts on the main character

I like Enya. I think she’s snarky enough to take on the burdens of the rebellion herself, but smart enough to know she needs friends. But I also like the way that she has been portrayed, with the traumas of her past having been forgotten by Enya as a defence mechanism against said trauma. I think that this is a far more common means of moving past difficulty than people often expect, and this doesn’t often show up in books where the MC has a tragic backstory. The way that this was done was perhaps a little strong, given that most people don’t think about having forgotten the difficult times simply because they have been forgotten. However, Enya’s past with the royal family, for whom she worked, is intricately linked with her current circumstances and the story’s events as she works with the princes, so that does make sense.

Also, her relationship with Carson is truly adorable to read.

3. Favourite part

Carson is probably my favourite, well, character if not event. He is unswervingly loyal, and his feelings for Enya are both annoyingly subtle and too obvious. As a character goes, he supports Enya’s role perfectly and later on in the book makes for great intrigue. And that ending!

4. Critique

My only critique is that some of the worldbuilding—primarily at the beginning—is a bit too obvious. This is mostly done in the way that Enya muses about the world around her, which is perfectly acceptable. The only problem is that some of these musings fall in between moments of intense action, where something happens that require an immediate reaction that is then interrupted with these moments of worldbuilding. The action Enya takes appears after these moments, but it also supposedly the immediate reaction required, which can bet a bit jarring because of the lag. However, this doesn’t happen but two or three times and mostly at the beginning, so it really doesn’t impact my impression of the book much.

I would say that The Raven Thief is a delightful YA fantasy with characters who are interesting and even fun to read, a challenge of increasingly desperate proportions to overcome, and an ending that leaves you eager for the next book—in a good way. This book is very good.

I don’t know why, but considering the fact that literally every book I’ve ever read has been written by a writer (no duh, right?) there seems to be a dearth of proper writer characters in said books. Occasionally, I will come across a scribe in an epic fantasy, or a romance novel has a romance writer as the main character, but that’s about it. The writing never seems to be a big part of the story. And frankly, given that writers write the books, this confuses me. So when I saw that Caleb Ortega’s book actually had writer in the title, I was very eager to see a writer come to life on the page. Thus: The Writer and the Throne by Caleb Ortega.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Aaron, who has been brought to the realm of the gods by the Most High so that he can write and record the events following a meeting. Aaron has to go around and observe the events between the Olympians (or Immortals) led by Zeus, the Asgardians led by Thor, and the Duati, led by Osiris as they vie for power or peace  and determine the fate of their realm.

A good portion of this book is taken up with discussions of politics, secret meetings, planning and scheming and eventually battle. All of this is perfectly fine, and even expected in epic fantasy/military fantasy stories. I fully expected the scheming and politics and all of that, so hurrah! However, I was a little disappointed to see that the writer did not seem to have a plot-central role; Aaron is journeying to discover the truth, but he is to observe only. His role becomes more plot central in the last ten percent of the book or so, but I would like a little more prior to that. Still, I think the plot worked out decently well.

2. Thoughts on the characters

One of the problems that often occurs while writing about such familiar characters as gods known on earth in various mythologies or active religions is that their personalities are already well established and people know a great deal about them before even opening the first page of the book. I think this book did a decent job in explaining how those preconceived notions were not following expectations. This gave the author a fair amount of wiggle room with the personalities and actions of familiar figures, lending the story the ability to twist and turn in unexpected ways. In general, I think this worked well. There were a couple of spots where characters were so far off the expectation that it fell a little flat, but they were relatively minor.

As far as Aaron goes, I liked him overall. I think, being the main character mentioned in the blurb, that he could have had a larger role. We really only got to get to know him and his ideas, thoughts, personality, later on in the book. Now, when we did get to know him, I liked him quite a bit, but up until that point, he felt rather minor.

3. Favourite part

I think my favourite part were the bits that dealt with Sjofn. She was a relatively minor character, but I think she stood apart from the other characters in the story and I really enjoyed reading about her exploits and ideas and way of life.

4. Critique

My only real critique for this book is that Aaron did play such a relatively small role. In theory, his purpose was incredibly important, but it was dealt with in such a minor way that he became almost negligible until the last ten percent or so of the book. Now, there is going to be a sequel, and I think he will become much more important there, but given how much significance was placed upon Aaron in the description of the book, I expected to see more of him.

Overall, I think The Writer and the Throne was a good epic/military fantasy book. There was intelligent scheming, enough politics to intrigue, and a battle that was described quite well. As a book featuring a writer, I think this one was similar to other books I have read that feature a writer; good, but the actual writing was a minor plot point. Still, I look forwards to the sequel!

I often find it interesting when I get a chance to review a sequel for books. Sometimes, I get to review a whole series, but most of the time, I only have the first book in the series cross my desk. This week, I got to read and review the second book in Caleb Ortega’s Warfare of the Gods series, only a week after it came out. Sit back, put your feet up, and enjoy the ride of Sekhmet and the Curse. (Note, this review may contain spoilers for book one. I will try to avoid them, but the plot follows events of book one.)

1. Thoughts on the plot

Sequels, I find, can go one of two ways. They either begin directly after the events of the first book, telling the events in sequence, or they jump in time to somewhere in the distant future or distant past, building on events over and done with in the first book. This book does the former, following Sekhmet and her journey after the war in book one concludes. Sekhmet seems like she is the only one who cannot move forwards after the end of the war, still mourning her sister Bastet. She does not want to live in a world where Bastet isn’t around, so she decides to do the unthinkable and fetch her sister back from the land of the dead, Sheol. Teaming up with a couple of other gods, Sekhmet embarks on a perilous journey that could have greater consequences than even she can imagine.

The plot was very well paced, with events building upon each other quite well. There were few points where I felt things were moving too slowly, or too quickly, and I think that the pieces all fit together quite nicely. This segment of the series, I think, is what really leads to the potential for more, as events were not entirely resolved at the end (or at all, really), which means the next book is going to be very dramatic.

2. Thoughts on the characters

I think the characters that appeared in this book fit very well with how they were portrayed in book one, only possessing more involved characterisation, more involved backstories, and more depth. Sekhmet in particular showed a great depth of characterisation, building upon the broad strokes that were painted in the first book. I really liked her dynamic with the other gods, both of her sect and without it. Her single-minded determination to rescue her sister was both an endearing representation of familial love, and a little frightening, as she seemed to use this as a weapon against any and all challenges. I think her growth was great to read, up until about 2/3ds of the way through the book. Here, her growth and development sort of stopped, leaving her with a certain range of emotions and reactions without any other motivations or feelings. It makes sense, given where the plot was intended to go, but I think that the ending could have been made better, more impactful, had we seen more growth in Sekhmet, either in a positive or negative direction, rather than stagnation. Plot wise, it makes sense, but she felt a little stuck as a plot device at the end of the book, rather than a proponent of change.

3. Favourite part

I can’t say a whole lot about this bit, since it would spoil a great deal, but the maze and her escape from it was probably my favourite.

4. Critique

The only other critique I have for this book, besides Sekhmet’s character development, is that it needed another round of proofreading. There were a few more mistakes that made it through than should have done.

Overall, I think Sekhmet and the Curse was a good continuation on the story set about in the first book of Caleb Ortega’s Warfare of the Gods series. It sets up a number of interesting potential directions for the series to expand into, and I think it was an entertaining read.

I like epic fantasy. I love the adventure, the world-changing events, the tiny details that go into the whole. It’s wonderful. Which means it’s strange I haven’t ready any for a while. So I was thrilled to get into Martin Owton’s Exile, the first book in the Nandor Tales.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Aron of Darien as he stumbles into the Earldom of Nandor. He kills their blademaster and as recompense must rescue the Earl’s son from the neighbouring land Sarazan. This may be more complicated than Aron expects, since he has to deal with determined nobles, guards both competent and incompetent, spectres from the past, and divine powers who have taken an interest in the goings-on.

The plot started out relatively straightforward; Aron must rescue Maldwyn from Sarazan. Then, things became complicated. I really enjoyed the various twists and turns of this book, which went places I had not expected. I thought it was very well crafted, with each turn adding more to the story and enriching the reading experience.

I do feely badly for Aron, though. It’s difficult to deal with so many incompetent people.

2. Thoughts on the characters

For a main character who is both running from his past and determined to seek vengeance for past deeds, I found Aron remarkably down-to-earth. He was calm when the situation called for it, humble when people around him were spouting off their accomplishments or abilities, and capable when things got…problematic. He was perhaps a little too “as the wind blows” at the beginning, but the purpose became clearer and more prominent with the movement of the story.

The other characters were also interesting, though I think Lady Alice was perhaps my favourite. She’s very good at what she does.

3. Favourite part

The decision at the end. Smart man.

4. Critique

I haven’t got any major critiques for this book. The writing was smooth and interesting, the characters were enjoyable, the plot was well paced. Everything was enjoyable, though I am curious about what will happen next, seeing as Aron’s decision at the end lead me to question the series title. I apologise if that’s vague. Spoilers.

Overall, I would say that Exile was a very good epic style fantasy adventure. I enjoyed it quite a bit and am curious to see where the series will go!

The hardest part of, well, life is the fact that we have to reap the consequences of what we sow. The same holds true for fantasy novels as well, especially the farther into a series you get. And such is the case with Martin Owton’s Nandor, the second book in the Tales of Nandor series.

1. Thoughts on the plot

The last book left us with Aron being offered a choice to marry either Edith or Celaine, two daughters of the Earl of Nandor. He refused and then went off to go on other adventures. This book starts with those adventures taking hold of him, in the form of Celaine getting kidnapped and appearing to Aron in a truedream. He travels to Nandor, where he, Edith and Maldwyn, the new Earl, venture forth to find Celaine and get her back, no matter the cost.

The plot of this book was very interesting. A standard adventure novel requiring the rescue of a loved one, which is generally a story form I enjoy, especially when other shenanigans happen along the way. In this instance, there are shenanigans. I do think that there were a few plot points that happened a little too quickly and didn’t seem to have much of an influence on the larger plot except to get our hero into trouble, unlike in book one where the shenanigans were almost all plot-relevant. This is fine, just a little different than what I was expecting given book one. 

2. Thoughts on the characters

I really liked seeing how the various characters, Edith especially, had changed because of Aron’s actions at the end of book one. I think this is one of the better examples I’ve seen of actions having real, definable consequences that show up in the characters as well as the plot. And the development was very good indeed. I really liked that aspect of this story.

3. Favourite part

Probably the change in the characters. It was still consistent with who they were in book one, but the changes were very visible, as they would be in anyone who had dealt with such things. 

4. Critique

My only real critique is the bit I mentioned in section one, where a few of the incidents that our hero found himself involved in felt less relevant to the story than otherwise. This is a perfectly valid style, and can be used to great effect for character development, but it is a different style from book one and I was not expecting it. Still, once I figured it out, everything was fine.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this second book of the Tales of Nandor and I am curious to see what will happen next, because I have a feeling that there is going to be a next. A very good book.

Usually when I read a short story, it is either an individual piece, or an anthology with stories by many authors. It was a fun change, then to see a collection of short horror stories by one author, as in The Captivating Flames of Madness by Jeff Parsons. (Though, I will admit that it took me two stories to figure out that it was a collection of short stories and not a full-length novel, because I was smart enough to not read the blurb. Whoops!)

1. Thoughts on the plot(s)

This collection of horror stories runs the gamut from general depravity of people to the paranormal and terrifying. I will say that most of the stories tended in the direction of the supernatural, but there was a wide range of options. With such a wide range of stories, it’s difficult to comment on the plot of each, but I will say that I liked the variety; they were each very inventive and intriguing. 

I will say, though, that each story did follow a particular pattern. The character was introduced, there was a sense that things were not quite right, the character stumbled upon the “problem” (or creature or situation or what have you) and then wham! The reveal, then the story ended. This is perfectly fine, as far as form goes, but reading the same structure each time did get a bit frustrating, especially as I was hoping to have a few where the character got to sit with the horror for a bit instead of having a jump-scare style ending. The ending was so sharp upon the climax that it always felt abrupt, like maybe there should have been more. Naturally, this is difficult to do in a short story, and like I said the form is actually fine in general. I was just hoping for some variation.

2. Thoughts on the character(s)

Again, with so many stories, it’s difficult to talk specifically about the characters. I will say that I liked the varied cast in this collection. There were people of all ages, races, cultures, and backgrounds. I found the different people really helped make each story unique and interesting; they didn’t feel like carbon copies of each other with different names thrown in. It was very well cast.

3. Favourite part

I liked the stories that had a bit of mystery to them, but then I’m a sucker for mystery, so what can I say?

4. Critique

My only real critique is the bit mentioned in part one, where the endings and form of the stories felt very similar in structure. I think varying the form would have suited this collection well, but it wasn’t a deal-breaker for me.

Overall, I would say that this collection of short stories was entertaining, perfect for those who want bite sized horror stories to give you a bit of a spine tingle without requiring a whole novel. A good collection.

If you haven’t read book one of Allegra Pescatore’s The Last Gift books, then I definitely recommend you do, because this book will not make much sense otherwise. If you have read the first book, though, then you will absolutely love this sequel.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book picks up right after Where Shadows Lie, and my goodness, let me tell you the drama is intense. I had almost forgotten what was going on in book one, but once I remembered, I was eager to get right back into the story and see our characters. In essense, the Lirion king is dead and the queen is missing, leaving Elenor in charge with political hyenas nipping at her heels. The death of the Red dragon has left chaos in its wake and the Gatekeeper is trying to control powers that were difficult at best to control. Meanwhile, there is scheming from all sides and by forces that have been meddling behind the scenes since the beginning. I can say no more without serious spoilers, but I can say that this book is one of those that weaves a magical and rich tapestry, threads interconnecting and knotting together in wonderful ways.

2. Thoughts on the characters

While the plot is richly complex and detailed, the characters are what really make the story for me. I am thrilled to have so many characters who struggle with issues that come from within themselves as well as without. It makes them relatable and real and makes each struggle they have so much more intense for me. Elenor is my favourite (not that the others aren’t wonderful) and I cannot wait for the third book, where I fully expect she will kick some tailfeathers.

3. Favourite part

I was going to say the character growth, and while that is truly magnificent, it pales in comparison to the baby mock dragon. Because, let’s be honest, I really want one.

4. Critique

My only real critique is to do with me not remembering events of book one. I had a hard time getting caught up on what was happening and who was where, since most of this book doesn’t reference the first except to move forwards. Perfectly fine as far as construction goes, but it’s been a while since I read the first book and it took me a minute. Definitely recommend reading this book shortly after the first, unless you have a prodigious memory.

Overall, I would say that Whispers of Stone is another great book by an author who manages to weave words and characters together to make a story so complex and real that you can’t help but be swept away. Excellent.

Every time I read one of Allegra Pescatore’s books, I get far too involved and start freaking out whenever the world goes sideways for the characters. Which, to be fair, is often. These Gossamer Strings was no exception.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This is the third book in The Last Gift series, and if you have not read books one and two, you will be mightily confused. However, if you have read books one and two, be prepared for the reuniting of certain characters, the return of Elenor the cunning and awesome main character, and a whole pile of intrigue and intricacy. There really is no good way for me to describe the plot simply, as it is a highly involved set of events that rely on such marvellous details of character interaction to advance the story. It’s like slowly zooming out on a wall-sized tapestry, where you start with one thread and slowly, slowly, add more until you see the final picture. And that final picture? It’s a battle scene. With magic.

Anyways, the plot was fantastic. I was never lost or confused and I loved seeing plot lines and threads from earlier books tied up neatly, if with flair.

2. Thoughts on the characters

This book, I think, is where the characters really get to shine. In books one and two, there was a bit of floundering for information as the characters tried to come to terms with their new realities. In this book, they still lacked certain information, but the characters—all of them, frankly—decided that they were going to do something about the situation regardless. And the effects were stunning.

Elenor really managed to shine in this book, and Gabriel did as well. I really loved them taking charge and stealing the show.

3. Favourite part

The basement cult! The really creepy basement cult! 

4. Critique

I don’t really have a critique for this book. The prose was fantastic, the story was decidedly fascinating, the characters made me smile (or not, depending on the situation), and the mock dragon won the day. My only real problem is that I don’t know when the next book will be available!

Overall, I would say that These Gossamer Strings was an absolutely exceptional third book to a series that I will probably read over and over again.

I will say, before I even get into the proper review, that once I finished this book, I was up for several hours just running it over in my brain. If I’d had a physical copy, I would have chucked it across the room, because the authors just took my heart and ripped it out. Why would you do that?! I loved it.

Okay, on to the review.

1. Thoughts on the plot

A Peddler of Chains is the second book in the Mountain Fell series, so there are some details that you absolutely need to read book one for (which is also fantastic). But this book follows Willow of Herb as he tries to hunt down the infamous Asherah the Red, a warrior from the other side in the long-ended War that has been his obsession for years. But once he finds Ash, she claims that she isn’t the person he’s looking for. They both have to relive and forgive terrible things, all while discovering why it is, exactly, that they can’t seem to leave each other’s thoughts.

Okay, that’s a poor description for how twisty and imaginative this book is. It’s definitely dark, with some very intense scenes, but the plot itself was just…my goodness. Every time I thought that things couldn’t possibly get more dramatic, more intense, they DID! By the ending, I was engrossed and so sad that it was over. 

2. Thoughts on the characters

Ash and Willow are so very interesting. They’re not my normal favourites for character archetypes (the big bad warrior, that is) but I was fascinated with their depth and development. I really enjoyed the banter, and the way they looked out for each other? Yep. 

All the other characters, too, were quite fascinating in their own way. I really loved Maeve in this, probably because I wasn’t sure whether to throttle her or thank her. I think the way it was depicted was fantastic, and I was rooting for her at the very end. 

I want to know more about everybody! Except Moss. He can stuff it.

3. Favourite part

That ending! My goodness, can you bring any more drama to the table?

4. Critique

My only critique is that it ended, and now I have to wait for the next book. Harumph.

Overall, A Peddler of Chains is an excellent book, designed for really getting into your head and taking over your thoughts. I would highly recommend this book.

I rarely get a chance to read straight westerns, mostly because I haven’t actually been in touch with a lot of authors who write westerns. Now, that being said, I have a special fondness for all things space opera (read, western with sci-fi) or even westerns with fantasy elements (I don’t know if there’s a specific genre name for this) and any chance to delve into a series with such things is really quite a treat. Reading R.S. Penney’s Desa Kincaid series was no exception. This review is for the second in the series, though I read both books and shall try to provide some context.

1. Thoughts on the plot

The second book in the series, Bullets and Bones starts where the first left off. For context, our hero Desa has just been through the desert and all sorts of uncomfortable and dangerous situations in order to track down her nemesis, a villain who uses Field Binding (sort of like Jedi powers) to hurt people and bring some unknown force into the world. After this, Desa and her friends were transported by this unknown force back to her home of Aladar. And things there are…complicated. Now, with a stronger enemy to face, a past to reconcile, and politics to battle, Desa’s trials are far from over.

I think this second book did a really good job of continuing the story from the first book, while also providing more in the way of world building, specifically regarding Desa’s past. We learn a good deal more about where she came from and those added elements make things much more difficult for the characters. Then, in the second half of the book, when they set off to go defeat their enemy, things pick up a bit in pace. This could have been done badly, to the point where the pace shift gives you a bit of whiplash, but I think that this particular change was perfect for teh story and the situation. Though, the travel was a bit hard to follow, but that’s because I am geographically challenged.

2. Thoughts on the characters

Any sequel, featuring the same cast of characters, is meant to take those familiar faces and give them more struggles, highlight their character even more, and provide more insight into their lives. In short, the character development in any sequel should be a continuation and expansion of what we learned in the first book. And this book definitely did that.

The first book was really quite good in that I liked the characters while also acknowledging their flaws. I could see the way that they were growing and I had fun reading them. Bullets and Bones, though, really let me see the characters for what they were. Desa’s past added a whole element of answers to questions that I didn’t know I had. Learning about Miri and Marcus and their lives in Aladar was perfect for both plot and character. And that plot twist at the end…just lovely.

3. Favourite part

Probably the technical/mystical exploration of Field Binding. There seems to be a good portion of this art which is grounded in science, and some which is not. I can’t really explain it more than that, but I loved seing something that looked slightly familiar transplanted into a new, action-oriented and fascinating environment.

4. Critique

Some of the action scenes—and there were quite a few—did overwhelm the plot just a touch. They were important, yes, but they seemed almost scripted rather than flowing from the natural progression of the plot. While I enjoyed the action scenes quite a lot, I think they didn’t need to be quite so over-the-top dramatic. Still, that’s more of a personal preference than anything.

Overall, I would say that this second instalment in the Desa Kincaid series is a gripping adventure that combines some of my favourite elements of both sci-fi, and westerns: a defining sense of right and wrong, a technological element that shapes the world, and characters that cause a good deal of trouble. Very good.

Disregarding the weirdness of reality, how far can ridiculousness go before it’s just absurd? Given that I love Douglas Adams, write my own brand of ridiculous books, and have a penchant for snark, I’m probably the wrong person to ask. C.T. Phipps, with his Rules of Supervillainy, is also probably the wrong person to ask, but by George, the book was entertaining!

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book is sort of the hero’s journey, only our hero is a villain. No, not just labelled by the readers as a Bad Guy, but actually, honestly, a supervillain. Gary Karkofsky inherited, somehow, the cape of the now-deceased superhero Nightwalker. With the sentience therein, and the powers granted to him, he decides to follow his childhood dream and become a supervillain, namely Merciless: The Villain Without Mercy. From there, he embarks on a quest to become the biggest bad in Falconcrest, only there are a bunch of other villains that get in his way. With his wife, an ex-girlfriend-slash-henchperson, and a former villain turned mentor, he has a ways to go before he reaches that goal. And it’s not only the superheros he has to worry about.

The plot was fascinating, because it read exactly as I would expect if a hero (not an MC, a hero) received some powers, discovered how to use them and went about doing noble things to save the world. Only, Gary’s not acting from noble intentions. It was intentionally twisting the bits of the hero’s journey story into something more suiting a less noble character, and it was done in such a way that you knew precisely how the plot was meant to turn out, but weren’t entirely sure if we would get there. Also, it was just plain entertaining.

2. Thoughts on the characters

As villains go, Gary isn’t particularly scary. Okay, yes, he cares more about money than noble intentions. And, yes, he doesn’t actually feel remorse for taking his villainous rivals down. But he’s otherwise perfectly normal. That’s the part that makes him a great character to read. He just has this sort of…eager, dog-like quality about him that is endearing and a little frightening. Just thrown him a bone and he’ll run with it, no matter if it’s the smart thing to do. One has to wonder, just a little, how he gets as far as he does. I’ll chalk it up to the magical cloak and the rational mind of his wife, Mandy. Who is, definitely, a favourite character of mine.

3. Favourite part

Out of all the slightly ridiculous, but somehow still logical scenarios in this book, I think the unabashed snark and sarcasm put forth by the cloak is definitely my favourite. It takes these absurd situations and makes them merely ridiculous and entertaining. That could be because I have a fondness for snark, but I think there’s probably a bit more to it than that.

4. Critique

I don’t really have a critique for this book. The prose was great, the characters entertaining, the situations perfectly ridiculous, and the ending trending just enough towards a cliff hanger to grab attention without leaving important questions unanswered.

Overall, The Rules of Supervillainy is definitely a book worth reading. If you’re into the absurd, with a bit of logic, a whole lot of snark, and some magical powers thrown in, this is worth a read. An excellent book.

I am a person who runs on snark. Okay, occasionally, I use proper and polite language, but in many of the books that I read, I usually appreciate the character with the most snark. Which means that I fully expected Charles Phipps’ Space Academy Dropouts to be a highly entertaining smorgasbord of snark, because it’s written by the Snark Master himself. And you know what? I was right.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Vance Turbo, a dropout of Space Fleet, who gets recruited for a black ops mission that is so secret it’s populated entirely with the rejects of Space Fleet and related arms of the Community. Which is the first clue to Vance that things are about to go terribly wrong. Now second in command of a sentient ship with a crew who barely tolerates him, he must go save the galaxy before war can break out.

The plot of this book sounds, at face value, like any other Star Trek-esque “go save the galaxy” adventure, with little more than a ship, plucky joie de vivre, and duct tape. And you’d be right. Only, the characters aren’t what you’d expect, the solution to the problem isn’t what you’d expect and things are, really, about to get much worse. A thoroughly entertaining plot.

2. Thoughts on the characters

As much as I like snark, I also appreciate the underdog who knows full well that they’re the underdog, and yet somehow manages to succeed anyways. Vance Turbo is exactly that sort of character, and I really appreciated his attitude towards things, as well as the marginally relevant internal monologues that he had. The other characters were equally entertaining, but they definitely served to highlight his struggles. Perfectly acceptable in a first-person narrated story, and in this case, absolutely wonderful to read.

3. Favourite part

The ending. It goes against everything those standard “save the galaxy” stories are meant to do at the end, and I couldn’t help but snort-laugh at the various reactions.

4. Critique

Frankly, I haven’t got one. This book was far to entertaining to get caught up in critique.

Overall, I’d say that Space Academy Dropout is a great foray into the world of space opera and space comedy, with a bit of action and adventure thrown in. If you’re having a bad day, or even a really good one, this is a book that will make things better.

I am very used to CT Phipps’ books being gritty and humorous, so Cthulhu Armageddon was a great departure from the wild humour of some of the other books. This was dark, unabashedly full of Lovecraftian ideas and philosophy, and fascinating. That is to say, I liked it.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows John Henry Booth, a soldier of the Remnant, one of a few remaining cities that survived the rise of the Great Old Ones when they remade the world. Humanity is dying, and these last dregs are touched by things that the human mind can’t quite comprehend. When Booth is blamed for something that he didn’t do—the death of his unit—he goes on a quest to seek vengeance on the man that truly caused the deaths. Along the way, though, are reanimated dead, monstrosities that boggle the mind, and friends who may not be all they seem.

The plot in this book felt a lot like an epic (or dark) fantasy, only Lovecraftian and Western. There was adventure, a fair amount of death and sacrifice by our antihero, and monsters. Lots of monsters. There’s not a lot I can say without spoiling things, but I really enjoyed the plot of this book. 

2. Thoughts on the characters

The primary character in this book is Booth, and as a narrator he is severely unreliable. I like it, though. Getting into the depths of his mind, seeing the downfall of humanity from the cynical perspective of one right in the middle of it, is a great way to tell a story. It does mean that some of the other characters lose out a bit on explorations of their motivation, but I think it all works out. I do wish there had been a bit more with Richard, but I understand why that situation happened the way it did. 

3. Favourite part

The monsters. How does one even describe things that the mind cannot comprehend? This book will tell you!

4. Critique

I think that the ending, specifically the final battle, was a bit…well, it felt rushed. The lead up was great, the various “side quests” and adventures were perfect, but when it all came down to it, the battle at the end happened so quickly that I was a little stunned. It works, certainly, and I don’t think that it’s illogical, but it was very quick.

Overall, if you’re looking for something dark, gritty, monstrous, and with a bit of humour (let’s be honest, there’s not a CT Phipps book without some humour) then this is absolutely the book for you. Very good.

What happens to AI when it’s not in use? Does it still think? Learn? What happens when AIs begin to want something? Such is the exploration of Nicholas Poe’s The Empty Night, and an expertly done exploration it is.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This story follows Dante, a five-year-old AI system who is in his last year to compete for Selection to be a human’s companion. He is a little outdated and has hardly managed to shine before now, but he is determined to show that he is a worthy companion, because the alternative is “retirement”, or the equivalent of AI work in a drab office block.

I think the premise of AIs competing to be chosen as companions for humans is really quite interesting, especially in this age of growing technology. I really enjoyed going through the competition and seeing how the AIs problem solved and tried to be the best companion for us unpredictable, emotional humans that they could be. And Dante’s ultimate realisation at the end, well that was very nicely done, indeed.

2. Thoughts on the characters

It can be difficult to portray AI in a way that makes them seem other enough to know we’re not reading about humans. Especially given the fact that AIs are literally built to think and learn and do things that people can do, only better. I think this book managed to maintain the right combination between technological logic and a hint of emotions to make the characters more relatable. I think that Dante is perhaps the most human of the AIs that I read, simply by virtue of the readers spending more time in his head. It was mentioned in the book that the AIs were meant to balance out the emotional unpredictability of humans, but I think that wasn’t really focused on as much in the character development. Completely fine by me; I am content reading about human-esque AIs.

3. Favourite part

The bits with Michael, which I cannot discuss, because spoilers. But I liked those pieces!

4. Critique

My only real critique for this book is that the AIs feel almost too human. But, as previously mentioned, I liked reading about the characters even if they were less tech and more emotion, so I guess the point is moot.

Overall, I would say that The Empty Night is a very good story about exploring one’s own purpose, no matter what that purpose may be. A great AI story.

One of the things I love about dystopian books is the fact that they basically describe what could go wrong in the world, in great detail. And that list is almost endless. It’s fascinating to look at the way that things we take for granted, or believe to be innocuous, can be morphed into something entirely different. Michael Pogach’s Spider in the Laurel does this exceptionally well.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book takes place in a parallel reality to our own. In essence, the United States and much of the world has gone through a series of revolts or revolutions that have basically forbidden all talk of Belief, which includes religion, mythology, even much of mythic history. The new world order is doing its best to control what people believe, because if they can do that, they can control their people more absolutely—of course, they don’t say this out loud. Enter Rafael Ward, a Professor of mythic history who has been conscripted into helping take down believers. On his first mission, though, he gets in over his head and starts on a world-wide chase to recover something that may be lost to legend, but could change the world.

This plot is incredibly well-thought out. There is a lot going on, and it would be easy to get lost if it weren’t for the fact that everything is relatively logical and there are enough details and explanations of history and mythology to ground the reader. I enjoyed the massive scope of this novel; it was great to puzzle through and to think about. The characters made it even more entertaining, because their place in this interconnected maze was sympathetic.

2. Thoughts on the main character

Rafe Ward seems like a guy caught up in things beyond his control. He’s been conscripted into the REC to help destroy artefacts of Believers, but he teaches mythological history at university. The world surrounding him is incredibly complex and there are machinations behind machinations. Only, Rafe is far from dumb, so he figures things out before anyone would like him to; this only puts him into greater danger.

As a character, Rafe is very interesting to read. His character development from start to finish is quite staggering. Part of it is that we learn a considerable amount about him throughout the novel. Part of it is that the circumstances push him to his limit and he is forced to grow. But the amount of depth that Rafe displays is impressive. The only other character that comes close is MacKenzie, who also shows a good deal of depth, but not nearly as much as Rafe. Which, frankly, reads perfectly well.

3. Favourite part

I really enjoyed all of the historical digressions, discussing things that are apocryphal or mere legend. There was obviously a great amount of research done and I really liked to see the integration into the wider plot of the novel. That, and I just really like the application of history to the wider context of a book.

4. Critique

I think the only thing that was a bit off was to do with some of the more intense action sequences. They read well, but every now and again something would seem to jump and I would have to backtrack and figure out how we got from point A to point B. On the whole, this did not interfere with the story at all, but it was a little jarring and took me from within the story to without.

If you’re interested in a book that is both incredibly well written, and incredibly well thought out, this is definitely one for you. I would say that the intricate nature of this book was done extraordinarily well. I rarely see something so massive done to this degree of capability and I enjoyed it thoroughly. This book has great characters, fascinating world-building, a whole slew of entertaining plot points and history thrown in for good measure. Spider in the Laurel is definitely on my list of best books for 2020.

Competent main characters are something I absolutely love in books. Yes, the MCs who need to learn and grow into their abilities are thrilling to read, but stumbling across an MC who already knows what they’re doing, who just grows further into themselves throughout the book? That’s definitely worth a read. And Evangeline Rain’s Fatal Extraction definitely has a competent main character.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Nirvana, a space pirate who is hired/blackmailed into staging a reconnaissance mission on a hostile and dictator-ruled planet in order to prevent an interplanetary war. She gets assistance from Zane, a defector. Whether the bookish genius will be of help to her is an entirely different question, though.

The plot of this book is more politic and intricate than I had anticipated. I thought there would be a fair amount of gunslinging, with Nirvana pulling Zane out of danger at various points, sort of like an action movie. Instead, I got something that was thoughtful, with characters who actually considered their moves before making them, and far more oriented towards the planning and relationship-building. I was fairly impressed that this book managed to defy my expectations almost completely and still maintain good plot structure. Very interesting.

2. Thoughts on the characters

As I said before, Nirvana is an extremely competent main character. When we meet her, she is already a captain of the most successful pirate gang this side of the Andromeda galaxy. She can fight, but more importantly, she can think. As far as characters go, I really appreciated the fact that Nirvana knew herself well enough to be able to handle just about any task. The part that was really interesting was that she faltered when meeting with Zane. She didn’t quite know how to handle him, and that led to much of the conflict and interest throughout the book. I like her quite a bit. And I especially like her relationship with Zane.

As for Zane himself, he is a very likeable character. His background gives him a sad-eyed quality that garners immediate sympathy. And the reactions he has to situations and people provokes amusement or frustration. Put all those reactions together and I think that he is probably one of my favourites.

3. Favourite part

There wasn’t really one part of this book that struck me as a favourite, standing above the rest. I enjoyed it all fairly equally.

4. Critique

I think the ending was a bit rushed. There was quite a bit of detail in the build up, but once the ending happened, the aftermath leading into the next book took a matter of a few pages. Decisions were made that felt like they could have made sense, but there was little thought that went into them. And events happened so quickly that they were a little hard to follow. I liked the ending, and I think it made general sense given what came before, but it was definitely a little rushed.

Overall, I think Fatal Extractions was a book that managed to defy expectations and still please. I liked the characters and the plot was interesting enough for me to be curious about book two. A solidly good book.

A lot of the books I review are fiction, which is perfectly lovely since I love fiction, but occasionally something non-fiction crosses my review desk and it is always a nice thing to expand my horizons and explore the world around me instead of one inside my head. Robin Raven’s The Kindness Workbook especially did that.

1. Thoughts on the premise (as there’s no real plot to a workbook)

This book is an exploration of kindness in both yourself and the world. It pushes you to examine your desires and dreams and habits in such a way that you do so in a kinder way to yourself. Then, it gives ways that you can engage in active kindness with the world around you, be it with friends or family or complete strangers. It has many different activities, and you can either go through them all or decide which are most pertinent and work through those.

I like the idea of trying to instill a larger element of kindness in the world and in my own life. I think that there is a great deal these days that does not even take kindness into account, which is quite sad. So actively pursuing such things is a great idea.

2. Favourite part

I like the call to introspection in most of this book. It pushes the reader to actually think about their own wishes, dreams, actions and thoughts, creating something kind and beautiful from those things. It doesn’t put the reader down in any way, just nudges into a pattern that is productive and kind. That, I think, was done spectacularly well.

3. Critique

I think I am not the intended audience for a lot of these exercises, which makes it difficult for me to judge how efficacious these will be. For one, I am autistic, so my brain literally does not think or work in the same was as neurotypical people. Therefore, a lot of the emotional connections or sensory assignments would either be very difficult for me to do, or they would require me to mask, which is the opposite of what I think this book is trying to achieve. That does not mean I can’t find benefit in the book; I really do like the concept and some of the exercises are useful for people who do not often spend time introspecting and examining their goals and thoughts. Nor do I think that this book is irrelevant to people who are neurodivergent—on the contrary, it may be very useful. It just has a few more pieces that are not useful for me specifically, so I cannot provide a completely objective review.

Overall, I think that The Kindness Workbook is an idea that should be aspired to. Instilling kindness and bringing about intentional thinking and actions is a very admirable goal, and these activities are a great place to start that journey. A good book.

There is a lot that goes into the making of a good fantasy novel. There is worldbuilding, the dramatic and often impactful nature of the plot, the characters who are affected by this plot, plus so much more. Oftentimes, you see fantasy novels that focus on one thing above others: worldbuilding or characters or plot. Rarely do you see all of these. JMD Reid’s Diamond Stained, the first book in his Secret of the Jewels series, manages to capture all of these elements and blend them together into something that is unique, epic, entertaining, and a pleasure to read.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book starts off small. The main character, Ōbhin, finds himself in a situation he’d rather not be in. He performs his duty—which in the grand scheme of things is a relatively minor thing—and events spiral outwards from there. Things grow organically, one event leading into another which then presents more and eventually, the whole realm (so far) is involved and Ōbhin finds himself at the centre. The way that this plot builds is expertly done, not something you see often when the standard is to throw the characters—and the world—into the midst of a crisis (also a perfectly good way to do a story, just entirely different). I found myself really enjoying the way things grew and watching how the characters pushed the plot along, as opposed to the plot pushing them.

2. Thoughts on the main character

Ōbhin is a great main character to have. He has some of the standard fantasy hero qualities—follows a strict set of principles, dangerous but with a good heart, a tragic back-story—but there is so much more that goes into his character. He is perhaps quieter than most heroes, with more time to think and reflect on his action. His blushing sense of propriety is another thing which helped to flesh him out and make him real. As far as characters go, he is definitely one of the most developed that I’ve seen in a while, which was truly great to read. I will say that his tragic backstory does make him a little less three dimensional and more like a character from a book than a person you would interact with, but as this doesn’t occupy his every thought, it works well.

3. Favourite part

I think I probably enjoyed all the character interactions the most. They helped to move the plot along and made the characters more realistic, which was great to read (especially in a genre where you usually see the dialogue doing one or the other, depending on the focus of the book). Smiles was hugely entertaining, poor man. Fingers, too, but Smiles wins that honour.

4. Critique

The main critique I have for this is to do with Avena, our secondary protagonist and a character as entertaining and interesting as our main protagonist. The section later on in the novel where she reflects on her actions and her emotional well-being feels a little forced. The conclusion that she comes to makes sense, but the way that she thinks about it reads a little too stiffly. However, she is a great character in all other regards, so I would say that this critique is minor.

Overall, Diamond Stained was a truly great book to read. I was drawn through the novel as though I were with the characters. The worldbuilding was expertly done—not too much information, but not too little, either. I could picture things perfectly. The characters were well developed and fun to read. And by the time the plot really hit exploding point, I was so invested in the outcome that I almost freaked out at the end. Therefore, I would say that this book is VERY GOOD.

Some of the best fun that can be had with epic fantasy is the chance to explore new worlds and get lost in the experience. JMD Reid’s books are always exceptional on the worldbuilding and Foundations of Courage was no different.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book is the first in the Shadow of the Dragons series, which means that the plot is only going to barely scrape the surface of the overarching story, as is the case with most epic fantasy series. In this instance, the book follows Euddan, a young man in a quiet village known for their luminous sheep. He ventures into the neighbouring wood, a place of monsters and poisonous trees, to try and find a cure to save his sick mother. Once there, he comes across a fox made entirely of light, and from there his life changes. One of those changes is venturing on a quest to help the woman he loves as she leaves their town to escape the legacy of her cruel, sorcerous father. But the world is far more dangerous than either of them anticipated, and there are dangerous forces hunting Euddan’s friend.

The plot for this book is fairly standard for an epic fantasy. Hero gets shoved out into the world, either after some sudden good deed or due to encroaching dangerous forces. In this instance, there are both. I think the plot was entertaining, if a bit generic. One could almost predict where the story was going to go, if not the particular world-related elements that were involved. Good, yes. Entertaining, yes. But generic. Not that it’s necessarily a bad thing.

2. Thoughts on the characters

At the beginning of the story I liked Euddan quite a lot. He was a bit naive, a bit eager, and he was not afraid to accept adventure when it basically fell into his lap. All traits that are fun to read in a hero, especially when he starts to learn more and develop into the character we know he can be. Except…he sort of never did. Granted, this is the first book in a twelve book series, so there is a lot of ground left to cover for Euddan. However, his character was almost exactly the same at the end of the book than at the beginning, despite the dark and dangerous paths that he and Voinee walked. Voinee (I think I spelled it wrong), his friend and travelling companion, does have a fair bit more development in this story, but hers halts about halfway through the story, right at the point where she starts questioning her identity and relationship with Euddan and her past. Then, that is all that occupies her thoughts for the rest of the book. Again, this is a twelve book series, but I was hoping for a bit more.

3. Favourite part

Lumi and Nettles, definitely. They may not speak, but they have such personality!

4. Critique

The book is good, entertaining. It’s a perfect example of the first book in an epic fantasy series. And, for me, that’s sort of the problem. I was hoping for a bit more variety, a bit more character exploration. Instead, this book feels very formulaic and predictable. Again, that’s not bad if you want something familiar, but for me it was a bit too familiar.

Overall, I would say that Foundation of Courage is a good book, and an interesting start to what would appear to be a well crafted, highly involved epic fantasy adventure.

Rarely do I read a prequel novel before reading the first in a series. I don’t know why, it’s just how my reading seems to work out. I know that a prequel happens before the initial story, but for some reason, they rarely cross my desk until after I’ve already started into the series. So when I got the chance to read Diana Rose’s Arranged Love, which was a prequel to her Power of Love series—which I haven’t read—I was intrigued.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Alyona, a princess of the Moon Kingdom, as she grows up and must choose between two potential loves: a baker and a prince. She lives a very sheltered life, heavily monitored by her parents and controlled so that she isn’t put into unnecessary danger. Being a teenager (or, really, twelve at the beginning of the book, through seventeen at the end), Alyona disobeys her parents and tries to live the life that she wants. This leads to her deciding whether to love the baker or a prince from the neighbouring kingdom.

In general, I think the idea for this plot is a good one. Choosing the life you want rather than one forced on you is a plot I almost always enjoy reading. I was, therefore, interested in this one. However, there were several logical inconsistencies that soured the plot for me. One was the reasoning for her parents strictness; it was hinted at being unsafe, but never explained at all beyond a vague concern for danger. This made a lot of the reasoning from the King and Queen very flimsy, in my opinion. Another was that Alyona was being trained to be Queen, but all her lessons were in things like needlepoint or manners. No kingdom I’ve ever heard of would train a future political leader with needlepoint. There was no reference to her having to be dependent on a husband for her politcal prowess until the very last bits of the book, which again made her parents’ reasoning seem very flimsy. And the various relationships that Alyona was trying to decide between fell apart for very flimsy reasons that could have been prevented with a single sentence of explanation.

I think the plot was a good idea, but in practise, there were too many logical holes for me to believe it all.

2. Thoughts on the characters

Alyona is a character I wanted to like. She’s fighting against everything being determined for her. Great ambitions. She wasn’t terribly rude, nor was she portrayed as “not like other girls” which I appreciated. However, she never seemed to argue her desires beyond the life being chosen for her being, “unfair.” She wants to be a child with a normal childhood, yet wants to be treated as an adult, sometimes within the same paragraph. While I can accept this as the incomplete reasoning of a twelve-year-old, these inconsistencies persist. Also, she never seems to appreciate the consequences of her actions, such as other people being blamed for her indiscretions. I think she is a great example of a young child who needs to learn consequences and logical arguments, but I didn’t much care for her beyond that.

3. Favourite part

The premise of the plot—choosing your own destiny rather than doing what others demand of you—is probably my favourite part. I do love stories of this sort.

4. Critique

The logical inconsistencies, in both plot and character, really did not help this story at all. They made what could have been a great story into something that felt like a child trying to eat only sweets rather than a balanced diet. The ending also didn’t feel much like Alyona’s choice, but I could have misinterpreted her desires.

Overall, I really wanted to like this book. It had a good premise, but there were just too many holes in the story for me.

Every now and again, you just need to sink your teeth into an epic story. And when that epic story comes with an equally epic sequel? Well, there go my weekend plans! I was really excited, therefore, to read Christopher Russel’s Divinity’s Twilight: Remnant, the sequel to the first book, where everything goes from oh my, to ohmygoodnesswhatjusthappened.

1. Thoughts on the plot

As with book one, there’s a great deal going on in this book. This book primarily focuses on the aftermath of the fall of Darmatia. There are a few people who find the Rebellion, there’s the schemes of the Sarconian emperor, and the plans of other ancient forces finally being brought to fruition. I would go into more detail, but honestly there’s a massive amount going on in this book. I enjoyed the plot a fair bit, especially given that itw as a sequel. Oftentimes, sequels can fall flat, as they require a bit of extra plot to fill in the gaps between the first book and the dramatic next book. In this case, there was a bit more of a focus on character development than in book one, but the plot did not feel flat in any way at all. And towards the end, it got very dramatic indeed!

2. Thoughts on the characters

This book focused a great deal more on character development as the catalyst for the story than book one, which, frankly, I did not mind at all. I think this focus worked fairly well, especially given how, ah, unlikeable certain characters were in book one (coughVallencough). I think that the focus on character worked especially well because it was used in conjunction with plot, not as replacement for plot. 

I will say that the only part of this book that didn’t flow as smoothly as the other parts was the reconciliation of Major Reev and Colonel Holcome. It made sense up to a certain point, but the final situation, at least on Reev’s part, felt a little too fast. 

3. Favourite part

Renar and his art. Very cool!

4. Critique

To be honest, there’s not a great deal for me to critique in this book, except that one thing mentioned in section 2. Otherwise, mostly, I’m just waiting for Vallen to continue with his improvement. Maybe by the end of book three, I’ll actually like him as a person instead of just liking him as a character.

Overall, I would say that Remnant is a great sequel to a great first book, and I cannot wait for the epic story to continue. Also, I have theories that I need confirmed!

I think that every author dreams of what would happen if their characters came to life. If the creations of their mind, the depictions of themselves, were to appear in real life. For the main character in Jordan J. Scavone’s Night Warrior, this actually happens. And it’s nothing like what she anticipated.

1. Thoughts on the plot

I really enjoyed seeing this twist on the typical YA portal fantasy, where instead of being pulled into a magical world, the characters of Viranda’s fantasy novel are pulled into our world. This presents a whole slew of very interesting possibilities: technological difficulties, interacting with “normal” people, what happens when magic appears, etc. I think the plot was fairly good in combining the events of the magical world of Lingard with the reality of Earth. Each situation was of a higher degree of danger and drama and the characters had to learn to face it accordingly. I would say that a lot of the worldbuilding was a bit info-dumpy, since we learned of the situations through doors in Viranda’s mind being opened and revealing lots of information at once.

2. Thoughts on the main character

Viranda is an interesting main character, given what one usually sees as the stereotype in YA novels featuring a female lead. Instead of the pretty and perfect magical warrior who just doesn’t know it yet, Viranda is flawed. She injures herself at the beginning of the novel and that stays with her. She is uncertain and deals with normal emotions like jealousy and fear and selfishness. But she also is a good friend, determined to help solve the problems, and willing to do what it takes. I like her, basically. I think it would have been nice to see a bit more development in her actions and interactions with others rather than being informed of what it was that was happening with her, but on the whole I like her.

3. Favourite part

This isn’t really a specific scene, but rather the fact that when Viranda injures herself at the beginning of the book, the injury takes time to heal. It doesn’t magically go away. It stays with her throughout the book and becomes another challenge to overcome. I like it when things like this are consistent throughout a story, because I’ve seen too many books where a character gets injured and then ignores it until all the action is done. It made this more real.

4. Critique

My main critique is to do with the worldbuilding. Viranda learns about the situations with her characters and the world of Lingard by means of doors in her mind opening and revealing information. This could be done to very cool effect, and is, for the most part. However, there are some parts near the end of the book where Viranda seeks information and things that have not been hinted at or mentioned at all throughout the book appear to flesh out a character or to provide a solution to the problems that have been plaguing them the whole book. It feels a little like a McGuffin and throws a solution at us without really having an impact on the characters or the plot that we’ve seen thus far.

Overall, I would say that Night Warrior is a fun book that twists the typical YA portal fantasy into something new and entertaining. The plot is interesting and there is enough going on to keep you engaged. I would say that this is a solidly good book.

I don’t often get a chance to read paranormal shifter romance, but I like paranormal stories, I like shifter stories, and I like romance, so I’m usually pleased with the result. Desiree Scott’s Crescent Vendetta was one such example.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Vanessa and Travis as they escape from an underground fighting ring meant for shifters. Travis is the leader of his own pack and Vanessa is an outsider. But in the aftermath of their trials, he takes her in. Only, no one quite expected that things might get more dangerous.

I actually really enjoyed this plot for a reason I hadn’t anticipated but am thoroughly pleased with: the author does not treat the reader like an idiot. Sometimes in worlds that are almost, but not quite like our own (e.g. urban fantasy or paranormal stories) the author takes if upon themselves to explain every nuance of this not quite our reality. That can be helpful in situations where the magic system is incredibly complex, such as one might find in epic fantasy, but it’s rarely necessary in urban or paranormal fiction. This author does not do this and I really appreciate that.

Otherwise, the plot is fairly standard for this sort of story. Difficult situation leads to hero rescuing/helping heroine, which leads to sparks/feelings but also causes danger, onwards into bits that involve spoilers. A straightforward plot, but one I enjoyed.

2. Thoughts on the characters

I almost felt like I was supposed to have met these characters before. I think that might be because there is another series by this author featuring other characters mentioned in the book, but I’m not entirely sure. Either way, I think it works out well enough. The characters are interesting and fun, though there isn’t a massive amount of depth in the backstory or development area. For a book like this, though it’s not necessary.

3. Favourite part

The fact that our hero gives our heroine agency. I am super frustrated by how few books of any genre do this and I really appreciate it when it does happen.

4. Critique

My only real critique for this book is that the relationship moved a little quickly, almost creating feelings spontaneously from a few interactions. Realistically, I know time has passed for the characters, but I wouldn’t mind a few more on-screen interactions.

Overall, I would say that Crescent Vendetta is a very good paranormal shifter romance with an entertaining plot and characters to root for. Note: this book does contain darker themes such as sexual assault and potential abortion.

The Unwanted by Z.T. Soyoye is a story about a fifteen year-old Alex Charon, who is trying to come to grips with a new school. Oh, and new powers, too. He is trying to learn these powers when he witnesses the kidnapping of his friend. Now he must perfect these powers to fix what was wrong, without falling into despair.

1. Thoughts on the plot

As far as plot goes, this is a fairly standard anime-style urban fantasy middle-grade novel. Our main character develops powers. As he does, something terrible happens to his friends and he must do his best to try and fix things. This takes place at a school and the cast of characters is precisely what one would expect from this sort of story. Which is all grand, excepting one thing: the plot twists don’t feel much like twists. They feel more like precise representations of what you would expect from the genre.

This is not a problem, necessarily. Genre fiction always contains the expectations and tropes of that genre. Many books contain similar plots and ideas. The trick is trying to make them unique enough that you’re not reading the same thing over and over. This book does a decent job at that.

2. Thoughts on the main character

Alex fits the role of main character for this sort of novel exactly. He has principles. He has doubts. He is trying to fit into a new world and perhaps pushing himself too hard to succeed. So when things go wrong, he takes that drive to the extreme. This fits well with the story and Alex is a likeable character. I will say that some of his internal monologue is a bit existential and asks questions that are more telling us what is going on than showing us how Alex is dealing with a situation. (Yes, I know it’s a cliche to use those terms, but that’s what it felt like.) Most of this is fine, but near the end when things go all sorts of wonky, the internal monologues felt like they broke up the story too much; we were focusing on Alex’s internal struggle rather than the fact that external struggles were doing their best to pulverise him.

3. Favourite part

I liked the mash-up of urban fantasy with an anime-style story. It’s done frequently enough that you see this sort of thing in the genre a lot, but I still liked the execution.

4. Critique

A lot of my critique for this book is to do with the fact that things were pointed out to the reader very plainly. There was no mystery. No intrigue. The questions were answered fairly quickly and the things that weren’t answered quickly did not necessarily follow any sort of logic. I felt a little like the author was trying to explain the world instead of show me the world. Don’t underestimate your readers, no matter how old you expect them to be. (I was reading my way through the entire catalogue of 19^th century literature, and Shakespeare, by the time I was eleven. This is not uncommon in people who read.) They’re smarter than you think.

On the whole, as far as a middle grade anime/urban fantasy mash-up goes, this fit the bill precisely. The characters were what you would expect, and the plot was, too. I think that there could have been more done to create a bit of intrigue or struggle for the readers, but overall, it’s what you would expect. I would say, therefore, that this book is FAIR.

Isra Sravnheart’s Her Dark Soul is the first in a series of stories about the witch Lady Isra of the Dark and her descent into the depths of magic and evil.

1. Thoughts on the plot

Fairy tales are tricky things for me. On the one hand, they are classic stories that undergird so much of modern story telling that I can’t help but love them. On the other hand, the original form (think Grimm’s Fairy tales) is sometimes tricky to really enjoy because the stories move so quickly, sometimes leaving out character details. I love retellings of these original stories because they often go into so much detail. This book very much follows the original style of fairy tale. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that; it’s a very valid style, but it is not my favourite. As such, the plot felt a little…stiff.

The plot follows Lady Isra on her journey into darkness. She kills a dragon, casts spells of invisibility, tortures trespassers, and the like, There is not a lot of character development, and most of the story is important plot points but little more than that. It was exactly what you would expect of a traditional fairy tale (if about a villain) and in that regard it was well done. I just prefer a bit more detail.

2. Thoughts on the characters

Lady Isra as the main character was described—many times over—as being wicked, or doing wicked things. And, frankly, that was the biggest character development in the book. This is, again, very on par with original-style fairy tales. They are concerned more with events than with the people doing the events, except in very broad strokes. Perfectly acceptable, only I wish there was a little more character development, or at least a bit more backstory to explain why she became evil.

Also, the other characters in the story often just appear out of nowhere. This is again very much in style, but if the character is to serve as more than a plot point, it helps to have a bit more backstory and development.

3. Favourite part

I don’t really have a favourite part of the book. I thought it was good, and I generally like reading stories about villains, but the original style fairy tale aspect of this book sort of threw me off.

4. Critique

Again, I don’t really have a critique for this book except that I didn’t care for the style. However, that’s a personal opinion, as it’s a very valid style and beloved by many people.

Overall, I think this book was good for the type of book that it is. It was coherent, events moved properly and the characters behaved according to their archetypes. Just because I don’t love fairy tales in their original style, and much prefer retellings, doesn’t mean this is a bad book. It’s just not my preferred style. A good book.

Dystopian novels serve a very important and specific purpose for society. They paint a picture of what could happen if things continue in a particular direction, and warn us away from it. In the case of The Big Smoke by Nathan Srith, the warning refers to what could happen when social media and charisma go too far, when ideals get mixed with ideology, and when power is within one’s grasp.

1. Thoughts on the plot

Generally speaking, having a dictatorial leader who rules by fear and force or by charisma alone is not an uncommon feature in political-based dystopian novels. This one is unique in that it features a female dictator and also the role of social media. This lends a few interesting points to the escape from her rule. And the fact that this novel focuses also on both the rise to power and the subsequent escape by our main character, Nick, allows for a greater range of events than the simple “escape” sequence, including discussion of the role of politics and social media.

2. Thoughts on the main character

Overall, I like Nick. He’s a guy with ideals and principles. He may have a firm belief on how the world should be, but he is also flexible enough to listen to other opinions (namely his sister) and adapt to the changing environment. He’s battling his demons and his role in the new world of the Independent State of England (what used to be London). This makes him a good character, a decent hero, and an interesting main character to follow. I do have one problem with him, though; he only fought back against his role after his sister was captured. Every other horrible thing that happened up to then he acknowledged as bad, but he only seemed to break away after his sister was captured. This makes it hard for me to like him for his strong principles, because he seemed able to ignore them prior to the start of the novel.

3. Favourite part

The ability to find food in a completely looted city.

4. Critique

My main critique for this book is plausibility. Dystopian novels are usually a bit implausible, simply because they take problems and move them into the extreme. However, there has to be a certain amount of believability, or the whole point of dystopian novels being used to warn society becomes moot. In this case, the ability of The Boss to take over the British government and then subsequently wall off London, support a rebellion and continue her rule is highly implausible for a couple of reasons. One: the dissolution of government. The British government system can be dissolved by means of what is essentially a vote of no confidence by the PM or the other parties. Or, the monarchy can call of the same thing, depending on the circumstances. Barring that, an election must be held every five years. So the Boss remaining in power after such horrid events seems highly improbable. Two: the walling off of London into an independent state. As London is the capital of England, and a cultural and economical mecca, it would not be allowed to fall into the hands of a rebel people or party. The military would step in. And, even if they did manage to keep the military out initially, there is no way that the rest of the world (which is supposedly continuing on as normal) would allow a dictatorial state to appear in the midst of one of the larger powers of the Western world.

Everything else with the book is perfectly acceptable, as long as you can suspend disbelief of the initial premise. Unfortunately for me, that premise is difficult to ignore.

Overall, I would say that this book has all the proper hallmarks of a dystopian novel. The politics, the warning, the world falling to pieces, even our hero’s disillusionment. As long as the problems with the process of how this world came to be can be overlooked, then this novel is perfectly fine. For me, though, this reads too much like a Snake Pliskin movie. I would say that it is FAIR to GOOD.

For some reason, this year I’ve had several books involving machines, potentially dystopian futures, and proper AIs cross my desk. It is, generally, a topic that I enjoy quite a lot, and Dreaming Your Dream by Starwing reminded me of why.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows John, an electronic repair person in the distant future, where people have to wear gas masks outside, their lives are run by AI, and they take a special supplement to remove any emotions during the day. Their AI moderated dreams, as such, become the only place where they can feel the full range of human emotion. But John has a secret; he still feels a measure of emotions during the day, and he may not be the only one.

The plot stars of relatively small stakes, with John’s focus being narrow on himself. This changes throughout the book, and was done in such a way that felt absolutely natural and intriguing, eventually making the stakes immeasurably large. The day-time plot was interspersed with dream sequences, which initially did not seem to have a bearing on the story, but soon became integral. I cannot say a whole lot, but the plot twist at the end, where things take that extra step and begin to change, really made the whole story, I think. Everything up to it was interesting, but that piece at the end was enough to launch the story into excellence.

2. Thoughts on the characters

Generally speaking, I found it a bit difficult to sympathise with John and the other characters at the beginning of the book. I think part of the initial difficulty was that the characters were written to have little to no emotions during the day. This was done exceptionally well, with the dream sequences interspersed throughout feeling almost like a different story. The further the book progressed, however, the more interesting and relatable I found John, and the other characters. I think the prose actually highlighted the discrepancy between daytime and nighttime emotional states, and while it takes a bit to get into a very flat, emotionless world, the end result really makes the characters shine. I think the only one that did not quite fit that mold was Kira, but we see very little of her after a bit, and again, that makes sense.

3. Favourite part

The ending was definitely my favourite. The whole situation there really sold the book for me, and I really enjoyed how it turned out. Unfortunately, I cannot tell you much more about that, but I can say that I found it absolutely fascinating and even if there are no more books in the series (though I think there will be), the book did really well with ending things perfectly.

4. Critique

The only part that I think didn’t necessarily fit the story for me were the illustrations. It was interesting to see the illustrations reflect the story, and if it were a different form of book, or even a video or graphic novel, I think they would have done really well. But I’m not used to reading books of that level accompanied by illustrations and I think that threw me off just enough to pull me out of the story and make me realise I was reading a book rather than being immersed in one. Granted, I like the illustrations; they were done very well. And this is more of a personal preference than anything, so it’s not really a relevant critique on the story or the book. So if that sort of thing does not bother you, then this will be absolutely no problem at all. And even if you’re like me, and it’s a bit out of the ordinary, I think the story was good enough to make this critique irrelevant.

Overall, Dreaming Your Dream was a book that grew on me more than I expected. I like th story, and the concept is fascinating. The characters started out simply being characters in a book, but in the end, they were wonderful representations of potential, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. A very good book.

While many fantasy stories are epic in scale, not all of them move from action scene to desperate situation; some are more deliberate and intentional in their collection of details into a story. Nether Light by Shaun Paul Stevens is, I would say, an epic fantasy that is happy to burn slowly into something dramatic.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This story follows Guyen, a refugee in the land of his enemies. He plans not only to survive, but to fight back, until his brother falls into a coma to do with the Faze—the magical energies of the world—and Guyen is called to the capital. There, he works on Faze and Binding, deals with political intrigue, and discovers the world is much, much larger than his own problems.

Taken as a storyboard, this story is fairly typical. Person washes up in land of his enemy, discovers he is something a bit more, learns from his enemy and discovers that things are not what they seem. It’s a generally standard epic fantasy-style story where the stakes grow ever larger as our hero’s knowledge increases. However, this plot is very, very detailed. The intricacies of Guyen’s day-to-day life are often laid out and we see much of his thought proceses as he goes about his life.

Generally speaking, I like stories that delve this deeply into a character, because I find that the details are the pieces that really make a story interesting and relatable. This story is fairly good in that regard, but I think that there is too much detail and the overarching plot gets lost in the minutiae. At least, that is true until about 65% of the way through the novel when the threads start to really weave together. Okay, that’s generally fine with me; I don’t need to understand everything all the time and having things come together later is usually what I prefer. But this novel is also 650 pages and it took a very long time to get to the point where the plot really took off.

So the plot was good, even very interesting, but a little too bogged down in detail, I think.

2. Thoughts on the character

Guyen is, on the surface, another example of a fairly standard epic fantasy-style hero. He has a staunch loyalty to his family—his brother in particular—and a firm belief in right and wrong. He is fond of books and learning and determined. These are all fantastic character traits, and Guyen displays them well. He is a likeable hero and, given the detail that is presented in describing his life (mentioned above) we see a lot of what goes into his thought processes.

The only thing I would like is a little more definitive presentation of intent in his actions. There is most certainly a purpose in what he is doing (no spoilers, sorry) and that makes perfect sense to drive his actions for about 90% of the book. But there is that extra 10% where his purpose doesn’t apply, either because he has to wait for something else to happen or because something else gets in the way. In these situations, Guyen’s actions make perfect sense, but they don’t really seem to have a reason behind them other than they further the plot.

I would say that I like Guyen; he’s a nice hero to follow and I grow really sympathetic towards him around the point of the trial (again, sorry, no more than that for spoiler purposes). Actually, at that point, he really begins to shine as a character and I find that I like him quite a lot.

3. Favourite part

The trial! I cannot really describe this a whole lot because spoilers, but I can say that I really like it when logical arguments win out despite political machinations and angry people getting in the way. It’s pretty much my favourite thing to read.

4. Critique

My only real critique for this book is mentioned in section 1; the plot gets a little too bogged down in the detail. I don’t really have a problem with slow burn novels. In fact, I often prefer them. In this case, I just feel that the overarching plot was a little lost amongst the individual pieces. It’s not a huge issue, especially once you hit the 65% mark in the book and the pacing picks up a significant amount, making all those earlier details important, but it did take a bit to get through.

Overall, I would say that Nether Light is a solidly good book. The characters were interesting (Mist was my favourite) and the story was more on the unique scale for all of the pieces that seem “standard” for an epic fantasy. The magic was well-crafted, the world very realistic, and the ups and downs well paced. If you’re looking for a story to really sink your teeth into for a long weekend, this is definitely one to consider.

With all the craziness in the world, you would think that I wouldn’t love dystopian novels so much. I mean, reading a whole book about how things have gone from bad to worse, often with very little hope in the telling, isn’t usually something one appreciates when in the midst of craziness (though, to be fair, when aren’t we in the midst of craziness). Yet, I do like them. A lot. So when I got the chance to read Chris Sykes’ The Fifth: Indoctrinated City, I was thrilled.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book starts with a family running from Patrol officers after they were targeted by discrimination under the new British government. Jenny, and her younger sister Zo get separated from their mother Evie and brother Jack. Jenny and Zo end up with their long-missing father as he leads them to the underground civilisation of people known as the Fifth. Evie and Jack, on the other hand, end up in a Scottish castle, hiding in plain sight from the government behind the fortified walls. From there, this broken family must learn to not only come to grips with their new reality, but also see if maybe they hold the key to changing the world.

I think the plot was paced very well. There were no times when I got bored waiting for something to happen, but nor did I get overwhelmed with action scene after action scene. The shift in perspectives from Jenny to Jack also worked very well, balancing out the drama between characters. The only issue I have with the plot is that the premise—the changes in government, who is being discriminated against and why—is never explained. The story flows very well, and some of the pieces can be put together as the story progresses, but the initial premise is missing.

2. Thoughts on the characters

I think both Jenny and Jack are written very well. They have a depth of emotion which is well thought out and complete, even for being in such an overwhelming situation. The emotional development of each is fascinating to read. I personally like Jenny the most because she seems to explore a wider range of emotional situations, and I think she’s got spunk. Jack’s situation, however, is the more empathetic and I like his depth better than Jenny. Both characters are fascinating to read.

I do wish, however, that they would have been described a bit more. I didn’t even find out their relative ages until the last three percent of the book. I had no idea what they looked like, nor what their lives were like before throughout.

3. Favourite part

The party, I think, was my favourite piece. I can’t say a whole lot about it, since it happens closer to the end and would involve a fair number of spoilers. However, it was a relatively low-action scene for Jenny, yet still held that same tension and depth that was found in other, more dramatic scenes. It was also, I think, a turning point in the book that worked very well.

4. Critique

As mentioned in section 1, I think that the only real issue I had with this book was the lack of explanation of the premise. Yes, there is a government causing problems (described as fascist in the blurb), but how. Who built it? Why did it come about? What did it mean specifically for Jenny and Jack and the other people in the Fifth and BLA? I can infer a bit, but not nearly enough to complete the picture. This  is a shame, because the rest of the book was done so well. I really would like to know more, the information just wasn’t there.

Overall, I would say that The Fifth: Indoctrinated City is a good example of a dystopian novel exploring potential outcomes of terrible situations, with characters that are relatable and intriguing, thrust into situations that are beyond anything you could expect. Except for the lack of premise information, I would say this book is very good. Given that lack of information, it falls squarely in the good category.

Portal fantasy (and sci-fi) has become a favourite of readers, ever since the advent of The Chronicles of Narnia. There is just something mythical and fascinating about being transported to another world. In Rosalind Tate’s Stranded, which is the first book in her Shorten Chronicles, the portal travels in time, to a place in the distant past, where social graces and keeping secrets to oneself may be the most important thing. Oh, and there’s a dog. Already, this is a great start.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Sophie Arundel, a new University student who is transported to the past with her acquaintance from school, Hugo, and her not-quite-official service dog, Charlotte. The portal leaves Sophie and Hugo stranded in a lane in the England of a different time, and once they leave the portal, it vanishes. Now, Sophie and Huge must blend in as best they can while they try to decipher the workings of the portal. The only thing is, history in this England isn’t the same.

I will admit, it took me a little bit to really get into the story on this novel. The first part, about the university, and then Hugo and Sophie’s initial trek to the Shorten Manor, didn’t really grab me. It felt a little like a typical portal fantasy, and even their thoughts about it being a dream felt a little too typical. But, as soon as we got to the Manor and learned that the lift portal had vanished, I was hooked. This story unfolded in a slow unfurling, and it was done spectacularly well. Each piece of the story built on what came before and fit in so perfectly with the adventure, the questions about the portal, and Sophie’s character development. By the end of this book, I was really keen to read more (and still am!).

This book is a slow-burn sort of book, but the detail that went into the construction of the plot, down to the clothing and food, not to mention science, was exceptional.

2. Thoughts on the characters

Despite my not really getting into the plot until we reach the past, I did like Sophie’s character right from the start. Any girl who has the gumption to arrive at University with her dog in tow, but no official service animal paperwork, is one I’m interested in reading about. She has spark, and doesn’t always think things through, but is fully aware of how her actions affect others. Only, maybe, after they’ve already happened.

I really enjoyed reading about how Sophie’s character changed and adapted to the circumstances throughout the novel. Learning tahe social graces of a different time is always complicated, but Sophie’s leap first philosophy made it even more entertaining to follow. I also like the various relationships she formed while on her adventure, from friends to family and maybe more. It will be fascinating to see how those unfold in future stories.

3. Favourite part

Charlotte’s antics must get an honourable mention here, since she is absolutely a wonderful dog and character. But my true favourite part would have to be all the detail that went into this piece. The house, the products described, the social attitudes, the science, everything was just so well placed as to make the world come alive without overwhelming you with information. It was such fun to read, to see history come to life.

4. Critique

I really don’t have any real critiques for this novel. Despite it being a slow start, I thoroughly enjoyed it and even will say that the beginning makes perfect sense once you reach the end (or even middle) of the story. And even though the story ended on a cliffhanger, I can’t complain about that, either, as it was a perfect end to the story and didn’t leave you hanging. Yes, I do note the irony of that statement. Trust me, it makes sense when you read the book.

All in all, I should say that Stranded was an absolutely charming, delightful fantasy with just a touch of romance and romanticism. I enjoyed it a lot, especially Charlotte, and would recommend it to anyone who wants to see a bit of history come to life.

Sometimes, it feels like the world ended with the pandemic. But, if J.E. Taylor’s book, Dragon Tempest is anything to go by, it could have been a great deal worse.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book takes place about a decade after a pandemic (perhaps not ours, the situation is unclear) reduced the human population enough that the world felt strangely quiet. Due to this quiet, a vast number of ancient beings—leviathans, sea serpents, and dragons—rose from the depths to retake their throne. The humans stood in their way. Enter young Holly Woods, a soldier trying to fight the monsters. She goes to negotiate the human’s surrender and ends up fleeing with the help of a renegade dragon, armed with a potential weapon to rekindle the human’s war against the beasts.

In general, I think the plot for this book was relatively creative. I like the idea of ancient monsters rising up during the humans’ end of days. It brings a certain je ne sais quois to the end of the world. Also, dragons. I’m a sucker for dragons. There were a number of tiny issues I had with the plot, though, some holes that just made things a little hard to swallow. For one: the food. I don’t understand how Mik could have so much food. Also, the ending. It just sort of…switched gears, changing the whole angle of the book into something else entirely.

2. Thoughts on the characters

I like Holly. She has spunk for someone who is facing really awful situations. And she seems to be very intelligent about thinking problems through, which is nice.

I will say that her commander’s motivations didn’t feel very authentic to me, though I understand his actions were necessary to move the plot forward.

3. Favourite part

The honey. Yes, that sounds weird, but I promise you it’s not and it’s great.

4. Critique

There were just a few too many believability issues with this book for me. Specifically, the food situation, the ending, certain character motivations. There were others, as well, but those were the main ones. They just added up to me having a hard time with the believability of the story. Yes, I know this is a fantasy and there are dragons and such, but the details matter to me.

Overall, I would say that Dragon Tempest was a good book with a fun adventure and likeable characters.

Imagine you’ve woken up in an unfamiliar place. Not jut an unfamiliar place, but an unfamiliar body and an unfamiliar life. You then discover that this is intentional. You have been brought to this place to solve a crime. There are eight chances. Eight bodies. And if you don’t solve the mystery, then you shall have to start over from the beginning, with no memory. Here’s the rub, though. You’re not the only one trying to solve the mystery. Stuart Turton’s The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a mystery novel that is something like a combination of Agatha Christie, Quantum Leap and it is stunning to read.

1. Thoughts on the plot

There is a lot going on with this plot. Not only do you have several main characters—well, only one main character, but the body jumping adds eight more to that—but you have several supporting characters, including the suspects. Included in this complex web are the events of the day that lead up to the murder of Evelyn Hardcastle, some of which make absolutely no sense, some of which seem like one thing and then become another. The plot clears up a touch as you move along, but this is definitely not something you can casually read. As a lover of mystery, I thought the plot was absolutely wonderful and really well thought out. I can only imagine the storyboarding involved in trying to keep everything straight.

2. Thoughts on the main character

Our main character, Aiden Bishop, is not an easy person to suss out. Part of the problem is that his personality often clashes or is overwhelmed by the personality of his host body. This makes for a very interesting read, as it is quite difficult to determine what parts are those of Aiden Bishop and what parts are those of the people whose lives he’s borrowed. Despite this complexity, I find that I really like Bishop. He is a character who doesn’t know why he’s been thrown into this horrid situation, but still manages to do his best to stop it. Not because solving the mystery brings his freedom from the terrible place, but because he seems to genuinely care about what is going on and about the people involved. Bishop is a likeable character, which is very interesting, since many of his hosts are not at all likeable. The way their personalities overlay Bishop’s and the way their lives cause the drama to play out is nothing short of artful.

3. Favourite part

This book was filled with so many interesting twists and turns that it’s not really possible for me to narrow it down to a single favourite part. I liked seeing the mystery being pulled together with the various threads. I think the part where we realised that things could be changed was extremely significant and the reactions of all involved probably made that one of the most noticeable for me. Though, I should have to say that I liked the whole book. There was no one favourite part.

4. Critique

I think the revelation about the, ah, circumstances that put Bishop into this realm of mystery (sorry, cannot say more for spoilers) was a bit underdeveloped. This is significant—hugely so—and it feels almost like an afterthought in the light of the mystery. Don’t get me wrong, I love mystery. I think that this book could have been nothing other than what it was, but I would have liked to have known more about this particular… situation.

Overall, I would say that The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle was an extremely well-done mystery novel. The premise was unique, the characters were interesting and I devoured this book within a very short amount of time. It was not at all what I would have expected and I’m thankful for that. I think that this book is definitely EXCELLENT.

Most epic fantasies that I have read have the main character as our hero. This makes perfect sense; after all, if we’re going to follow a character around for several hundred pages, we might as well follow the hero, right? But what if we weren’t following the hero? What if we were following the person meant to find and train the hero? Sean Valiente’s The Lightning Knight does just that, but in a way that was entirely unexpected.

1. Thoughts on the plot

Epic fantasies are typically done on a grand scale. This book is no exception, though the grand scale this time takes place with the number of plot points, as well as the effect on the world. Oliver Quartermain is a rich noble who has no worries in life. He is well versed in fighting and has very few worries in life. When he is tasked with finding and saving magic, focused on the boy Po, who is the key to it all, Oliver finally has something greater than himself to worry about. And he’s not entirely sure he’s prepared for it.

This book is very intricate in the number of details it goes through to move the story along. This is not at all bad. Most of this is very entertaining. Everything builds on itself, growing organically and becoming the larger story that we need. However, at around 80% of the way through the novel, the details falter a little bit. There are plot points that are left to fester, becoming holes that are not explained in favour of the larger story. Granted, these holes are really quite small, and—as far as I can tell—have no real bearing on the overall plot, but I did notice them. For a book that was so entertaining up to that point, I was a little disappointed.

2. Thoughts on the characters

At first, I didn’t like Oliver Quartermain. He was arrogant enough to be annoying, seemed to deal with affection in such a way that precluded the use of communication skills, and did not seem to have a care in the world. As it turns out, he gets much, much more entertaining. The introduction of some struggle into his life is just what this character needed to become a character with depth and intrigue, someone a reader could really root for. I really like Oliver (after about the first 7% of the book) and found him even more interesting as the story goes on. By the end, I think he was at just the right point to be absolutely fascinating.

The other characters didn’t develop nearly as much as Oliver. Though they were side-characters, and this is understandable, we did see them a lot and I was hoping that they would show some of the same depth. However, it didn’t really detract from the story for me at all, and I did like Oliver.

3. Favourite part

The ending. I think that ending was the perfect solution to the story and it was a great twist on the premise. Can’t go into details because of spoilers, but I really liked the ending.

4. Critique

The biggest critique I have is the point mentioned above in section 1, regarding those plot points that just sort of fizzled out. Without going into detail, I would say that the Professor, Ridhan and Oliver’s relationship, and Roc and Iris’s situation at the end are the main ones. They either appear out of nowhere, or are never fully explained. These are fairly minor, but significant enough to be noticed. I didn’t miss any of the overarching plot, and nothing felt as though it was a glaring hole, but they did leave questions unanswered.

Overall, I think The Lightnight Knight was an interesting twist on the hero’s journey, with Oliver training the hero instead of featuring as one. I like the premise and I found the characters very interesting. A good book.

Thriller novels, where the world is threatened by something terrible, be it virus or bomb, and must be stopped by means of a couple very capable but under appreciated characters, rarely involve dolphins. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve read a fair number of science fiction novels, so the application of dolphins to world-saving efforts is not unheard of (Douglas Adams, anyone?) but a thriller novel is something else entirely. So when I started reading John C Waite’s The Turpsios Syndrome, I was a bit surprised to learn that it involved actual dolphins. Except for that surprising piece of science fiction, this book is a contemporary thriller novel through and through, from the lawman trying to start a new life to the cop who is tired of being seen only as an attractive woman. Oh, and the world-threatening situation.

1. Thoughts on the plot

As far as plot goes, this particular novel did not deviate from the standards of the thriller genre. This made it fairly predictable, but not necessarily in a bad way. It is always good to know that the heros of our story—Hickory and Kevin—will triumph and that we average citizens will not end up dying by terrible means—in this instance, a nuclear bomb. I also think this familiarity helped smooth over some of the unusual nature that the focus on dolphins brought. That particular piece of science could very well be accurate (and, the science did check out as far as I can tell) but it was a little startling. However, when placed in conjunction with the adventure that Hickory and Kevin were on, it became an interesting piece of tech utilised in conjunction with our heros’ smarts and abilities to solve the immediate problem. That is, death.

2. Thoughts on the main character

This book follows a few main characters, but I am going to name Kevin and Hickory as our two primary main characters. Kevin is a former FBI agent turned National Parks Ranger after the tragic death of his wife. Hickory is an attractive woman who finds herself underestimated in her calling as a cop. These two meet up when Hickory finds a dying dolphin on the beach and calls in Kevin for help. They becoming increasingly entangled in terrible events and each other from there.

As far as characters go, I would have to say that neither Kevin nor Hickory is terribly spectacular. They follow the mold that has been created for them in many other thriller stories, being both disillusioned and capable, as well as dangerous and slightly-more-attractive-than-normal. This lack of uniqueness made them fit right in to the familiar thriller guidelines that we also get with the plot. However, I do not necessarily think that their manifestation as precisely what you would expect is a bad thing. It fits in with the plot and makes it easy to read, integrating you right into the story without much effort.

3. Favourite part

My favourite part is actually the main characters, Kevin and Hickory. They really did fit right in to the story and made reading it very smooth. There was no disjointedness with these characters; they flowed well and they did not defy my expectations. They were a great pleasure to read.

4. Critique

My least favourite part is also to do with a character, this time the doctor who makes the dolphins so important. Dr. Crabtree is definitely the odd-man-out in this book. He is written to be sensational and shocking in that his emotions for the dolphins borders on creepy (though it never crosses the line). And honestly, it doesn’t fit. If this book were perhaps more psychological than action-oriented, that would fit better. But as it stands, he is a character whose psychological motivations do not line up with the rest of the novel. For someone so smart, he misses a whole lot of extremely obvious points. And he is just a bit too creepy to fit into this novel of greedy villains and righteous villains. He soured me on the whole concept of the dolphins and their scientific benefit; taken alone, that would have been really fascinating. But taken with him, it was just strange.

Overall, I think this book is a good example of a contemporary thriller. It has all the elements you would expect and enough action to paint a clear picture (explosions included) in your mind. Excepting the piece with the dolphins, which loses its fascination due to their keeper, this piece is a good read for an afternoon when all is rainy and dull. I would rate this book as GOOD.

Short stories are a completely different form factor than novels. They try to tell a lasting story without having several hundred pages in which to do it. The best short stories create compelling characters, interesting plot points and memorable reactions with just a few words. Writing such a thing can be incredibly difficult, though, so when you find a good short story, take note. John C Waite’s collection of short stories, Beauty and the Singularity has a mix of short stories, which had an interesting take on many different thoughts.

I am not entirely sure on the theme for this collection of short stories. They seemed to all favour contemporary settings, with a few focusing more on thriller-esque ideas, and others on more human emotions and problems. This slight disparity in theme, though, worked well for this collection because you were not quite sure what to expect with each story. That was a compelling reason to keep reading.

Most of the stories were ones that I did not particularly care for, and part of that is just that they didn’t have a lasting effect on me or stir any great emotions in me. That is one of the harder parts of writing a short story—especially collections of short stories—is that they have to all be compelling. These were interesting, but not necessarily compelling. However, the signature piece in this collection, to do with a beautiful woman found in a coffin just when history seems to be repeating, was very good. It was interesting in its plot points; it kept me guessing and wondering until the very end. The characters were unique individuals that had the potential, I think, to be a whole story in of themselves. And the writing was fluid and smooth enough to keep me in the story. This story alone was so good that I could almost discount the lack of stirring emotion in the others.

There were two instances where I had to skip the story entirely. One was because I had read the story before, in a chapter in John Waite’s The Tursiops Syndrome, which I had previously read and reviewed. The other was because the formatting was so difficult and jarring that I couldn’t read but two paragraphs before having to give up. I would say that if such things as formatting errors don’t bother you, the story would potentially be good, but this formatting was a bit much for me.

On the whole, I would say that there were some gems in this collection and some average stories. This is much like what I would expect from a collection of short stories. The gems, though, were very good. However, for a collection to be taken as a whole, I would have to say that this collection was AVERAGE to FAIR.

In this modern time, people are often surrounded by social media. Taking pictures for Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, posting status updates on Twitter or Snapchat, these things are all normal activities for many people every day. It can be an empty feeling to be unconnected in the world of social media, but it can be just as pressure-filled to be always connected. Ideal Angels by Robert Welbourn explores the idea of connection in the age of social media. This book follows a whirlwind relationship between two characters as they navigate the ups and downs of living a life online. Ideal Angels is written in the second person and throws you right into the middle of one of the fastest weeks of your life.

1. Thoughts on the plot

The plot itself is fairly simple. Boy meets girl—probably the perfect girl—and they end up in a relationship. Said relationship moves quickly until life happens and then, well… spoilers. I would say that this familiar plot is actually a useful device, as the book takes a very, very close look at what goes on during this whirlwind week. Everything explored is a typical reaction or feeling and yet it is quite different seeing things on such a minute scale through the eyes of a character that is meant to be, as strange as it is, you.

2. Thoughts on the main character

It is a very strange thing to be told that you are the main character. Often people can relate to characters in books and they can see themselves participating in the plot, facing the problems, saving the day. However, when you are told that you are the one doing all of the action as opposed to just watching it, things become very strange. The main character makes questionable decisions. I know they’re questionable, you know they’re questionable, even he—you as he—knows they’re questionable. But suddenly everything feels different because it is not some person that you’re reading about making these decisions. You are making these decisions.

For me, this was a very bizarre sensation. I found it easier if I thought about myself as the narrator and the main character as someone I know and can picture in the situation. This made things easier and it was then possible for me to distance myself from the character enough to see the story rather than the moment.

3. Favourite part

I found the progression of the main character as the most fascinating part. He developed in a direction that I would not have expected. It was very interesting to see that progression in regards to you/myself as the main character. It was also interesting because the reader got to see every thought, every idea, every action, as the character saw and participated in the action. The imagery was vague, but the thoughts were clear. It was, frankly, very much like life. And to see that character progress in such a manner was extremely intimate and a little disconcerting. But fascinating.

4. Critique

This was one of the first times I’ve read a longer piece in second person perspective. I would have to say that it, combined with the longer, run-on sentences and the slightly disjointed progression of thought, made this book a little difficult to read. Reading Ideal Angels felt unlike any book I’ve read before (well, except some of the samysdat books from the twentieth century Russian authors). Instead, this felt very much like reading an avant garde piece of art. Which is to say, it was interesting, I understood it, but it was a little unsettling and bizarre. I imagine this is rather the point, but even so.

Overall, this book read a lot like an Albert Camus novel with a modern take on the world. It was a completely different artform from what I’m used to and it was fascinating and a little strange to see how it turned out. Still, the message was very clear and this is definitely a story that will stick with me for a while. I would rate this book as right between GOOD and VERY GOOD.

Any time a favourite author’s book crosses my desk, I can’t help but read it. And, thus far, with CF Welburn’s work, I have never been disappointed. Nor was I with I Shall Return With Winter.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Oben, a farmer from Edale, whose village is attacked by northerners known as Skalgs. He goes north to exact revenge, but the north holds many enemies and they are not entirely what they seem. Prophecy speaks of a Conduit that will deliver Edale to them, and now Oben must prove the prophecy wrong while also attempting to take his revenge and not lose himself in the process.

This book is a large-scale dark fantasy. I would edge it close to the epic fantasy genre, but primarily stick it with dark fantasy. And oh, my, what a fantasy it was! This book is great on plot. Just when I think I had a handle on what the world had in store for Oben, something new came and added an extra twist, an extra knot. It made the plot intricate and entertaining, something to puzzle through while desperately rooting for Oben.

2. Thoughts on the character

I’ve never read a story where a character gets captured by enemies, only to become their agent of prophecy. It is very similar to being plucked out of your ordinary life to become a chosen one, but not quite. That difference was slight, but it really solidified the story and made Oben that much more interesting. At the beginning, he is a character that is certain to be swiftly overwhelmed by circumstances. Yet, he never gives in, his determination to see his wrongs righted subsuming everything until there is only will remaining. He has the sort of grit that I want in a main character, with enough of a soft side squirrelled away to make me actually care about him instead of just root for him. And how he is at the end of the book? I can say little, for fear of spoilers, but it was perfect.

3. Favourite part

As stated just prior, the ending was my favourite part. The twist on the prophecy, the aftermath…sublime.

4. Critique

My only critique is that the bit with the aubergines was a bit rushed and didn’t quite make sense with the rest of the story. However, that’s a minor situation and it was really not a big deal at all.

Overall, I Shall Return With Winter is a stunning dark fantasy, with characters to root for, a plot that keeps you thinking and prose that draws you in and doesn’t let you go until you finish the story. An excellent book.

In the world of Princess of Beasts by Joanna White, all is not well. Sahri is a princess controlled by her family so that her gift of talking to animals belongs to them alone. Her bodyguard, Jekre, perhaps the only person she truly trusts, is controlled by her family also. His Rune of Obedience requires him to protect her and obey her at all costs, and it is distinctly possible he hates her for it. When further disaster strikes the kingdom and Sahri is the only one who can help, how far will she go to make things right?

1. Thoughts on the plot

Generally speaking, this plot follows a fairly standard set of expectations. You have your princess, her bodyguard, and a disaster that only they can fix. This is a familiar—and for good reason—fantasy plot that has wowed people for years, and will likely to do so for years to come. It is a quest novel, following a pair as they discover who they are and what really matters. In this instance, I was not disappointed even a little bit.

The plot moves quickly enough that you are not left wondering when things are going to happen. There is enough intrigue to provide questions about how things are going to turn out. And there is most certainly enough drama to keep you enthralled as you follow the main characters on their quest. I quite liked the plot, from beginning to end and have no complaints. Even when the ending tugged at the heartstrings. A lot.

2. Thoughts on the characters

Sahri is a wonderful main character to follow. She does not have any serious weapons skills. She does not seem to care about politics. She is simply smart, capable, and kind, and I honestly wish there were most characters like her. She has enough questions about her place and roll in the world to make her development intriguing to follow. Her family and the rules placed on her by them are the weight that could potentially ruin everything; Sahri must come to terms with them and how she feels about them. Oh, and how she feels about Jekre, too.

As a bodyguard bound by magic, I think Jekre’s backstory and character traits fit the roll perfectly. He is infuriated at the binding placed on him, so that he does not even have free will. Yet, he seems to recognise that Sahri is worth protecting, and there is enough of a push-pull factor there that watching the two of them interact is almost as pivotal to the plot as the actual quest itself.

I think my only real critique for the characters is that the villains of the piece feel a little too villainous without having a well-developed cause. I won’t say a good cause, because the reason given does make sense (if you’re a terrible person). But it is only mentioned a few times and feels a little flat. Otherwise, I love the characters.

3. Favourite part

The ending. I can’t tell you much, because that would involve spoilers, but I can tell you that it was dramatic and poignant and, despite giving me all the “oh, no!” feelings, fit the story perfectly. That’s as far as I can tell you, sorry. (Not sorry.)

4. Critique

The ending. While it does fit with the story nearly perfectly, I think the final climax that leads into the very last image with Jekre and the afterwards bit moved just a touch too quickly. I would have liked to have seen the true consequences of that, and where it might lead, as well as make sure everyone else in the story understands just how significant the events were. Still, I think it was a good ending. Even if it was really terrible of the writer to do that to me… (As a writer, I appreciate this so much. As a reader, less so.)

Overall, I would say Princess of Beasts is a really charming and entertaining book. It has great characters and a plot that is both familiar and fun in the best ways. Even if you disagree with me about the ending bits, I would say this book is absolutely worth a read. Very good.

I remember reading books like Lord of the Rings, Eragon, and most of the popular nineteenth century English literature when I was a child, simply because I could not find anything that was “meant” for my age group that actually grabbed me. Now that I am a book reviewer, I get a chance to read more middle-grade and YA fantasy and I am so glad that books have evolved since then. Katharine Wibell’s The Twelve Tasks is one of the books I probably would have enjoyed quite a lot as a younger me, had it existed then.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Katie, a girl just turned thirteen who wakes on an unfamiliar planet habited by animal-like creatures who walk and talk as humans would. She does not know how she got there or who these people are, but she is told that she may be a djed, a saviour of twelve worlds. To prove this, she must complete twelve tasks and gather twelve items. If she fails? Her life, and the fate of the universe, may be at stake.

The plot started out as a fairly standard portal fantasy, with the main character pulled into a new world and told they may be the key to saving everything. Where this book differed from standard was in the way it approached the saviour of the world piece; instead of a foregone conclusion, Katie had to prove herself, and in doing so learned more about her tasks, about herself, and about the worlds she was meant to save. The tasks were unique and interesting, each focusing on different abilities that Katie might need.

2. Thoughts on the characters

I liked Katie; she’s vivacious and eager. Sometimes, this eagerness gets her into trouble, but I think it works very well for the sort of story that she finds herself in. I also like the other characters taht end up helping Katie on her journey. Ike is very interesting to read, and the three monarchs who guide Katie to her tasks present a stable base for her to lean on in her journey. The only character I do not like is Sa’ra, who seems keen on arguing or dictating how things go. She helps some of the time, but mostly feels like an obvious foil to Katie’s journey.

3. Favourite part

The richness and variety of the worlds to which Katie travels was absolutely fascinating to read. I like all the different things and peoples found there and commend the author on the worldbuilding.

4. Critique

The ending of this book felt very abrupt. Rege, one of the monarchs, offers Katie a choice that could easily have been mentioned earlier in the story to make for deeper character development or better plot, and Katie takes it without second thought. It just feels very forced, and while I know that it is setting up a plot point for the second novel, the artificial feeling of the ending just pulled me out of the story almost entirely.

Overall, I would say that The Twelve Tasks was an entertaining middle-grade fantasy novel with characters that were enjoyable and a world that was fascinating to read. It was a good book.

After the intensity of The Twelve Tasks, book one of the Djed Chronicles by Katharine E Wibell, I was not entirely sure what to expect with book two, The Vargarian Sire. It somehow managed to be everything that book one was, and more.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book picks up one year after Katie was sent back to Earth, having completed the twelve tasks that proved her to be the Djed, saviour of the twelve worlds and defender against the darkness. She is pulled back to Wect in time to solve a mystery that is killing worlds and brining monsters through gateways where they should not be. During this struggle, Katie encounters her old friends, Ike, Sar’ra, and Gullfaxi. She also meets some new friends, and new enemies.

The plot for this book was just as intricate as book one, with each action Katie made leading into something significant that has the possibility of changing the fate of the twelve worlds. I like the intricacy, but there was also a little lack of direction that the first book had. This time, there were no set tasks to fulfil, but a mystery that must be solved. This was perfectly fine, but I felt like I was meant to be reading something a little more structured after book one. Still, I enjoyed the plot!

2. Thoughts on the characters

The characters in this book were mostly familiar, with Katie as our hero and her friends as loyal assistants. There were a few new faces, though, which I think added spice to the story. I will say I still don’t like Sar’ra—she feels a little too spiteful for someone who is meant to be a friend to Katie. Also, Thomas was just a bit too rude to be someone I like as well, despite his significance to the plot.

3. Favourite part

Fenrir! I shall say no more because of spoilers.

4. Critique

Mostly, my critique is that Sar’ra and Thomas were both meant to be characters helping Katie along and yet were not very fun to read. They just had a bit too much attitude and were putting Katie down a bit too much for me to enjoy.

Overall, I would say that The Vargarian Sire was a great second book to a series that looks as though it will have great promise.

I am not normally one to read women’s fiction, but I was intrigued when Life is Yours crossed my review desk. So, I gave it a go and was pleasantly surprised.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Jess as she tells her story of overcoming heartbreak. She and her fiance broke up after seven years of being together, and after that nothing seemed to quite go right with work or her emotions. But she worked and pushed through it to overcome the pain.

In general, I thought the plot was good. A person learning to continue on through grief and pain is a good topic because it’s so relatable. However, I will say that some of the “learning points” that were sprinkled throughout the book, where Jess made significant progress or changed her mental picture dramatically, were very obvious, almost to the point of taking me out of the story. It felt like a textbook for thinking positive rather than a fictional story, which is fine if this were a guidebook, but feels a bit much for a fictionalised depiction of events.

2. Thoughts on the characters

I liked the characters in this book. I think they felt very real, perhaps because they were going through such real circumstances. I think that Jess was really the primary focus, and so a lot of the secondary characters didn’t have quite as much depth or development, but as this was a first person pov story, and the events really revolved around her, that is perfectly fine. I didn’t feel like I was missing a whole lot. 

I will say that Jack didn’t feel like a great person from the beginning, just because of the way that Jess was thinking about him and orienting her life around him. I know that hindsight, and being outside of the relationship can grant clarity, but I really didn’t get why she was so desperate to get back with him, as he seemed very controlling.

3. Favourite part

Taking back the pendants. Can say no more because of spoilers.

4. Critique

My main critique for this book is what I mentioned in section one. The lessons felt very forced, very much straight out of a textbook, and almost unnatural in terms of Jess’ character development. Granted, I’m not massively familiar with women’s fiction, so I don’t know if this is normal, but it really took me out of the story.

Overall, I would say that Life is Yours was a good book about overcoming heartbreak and grief, and living life to the fullest. 

You know that feeling when you get invested in a story, and no matter where the next journey goes, you have to follow? Yeah, I’m now that invested in Abigail Yardimci’s Destiny is Yours, the second book in her trilogy about overcoming heartbreak and learning to live again.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Jess and her friend Gilly on their month-long sojourn in Turkey, while they try to figure out what comes next. Jess has already dealt with heartbreak, and the failure of her business. Now, she has to figure out what’s next, and what better place to do that than on holiday in Turkey? Only, once there, she has a series of challenges from a friend to complete, and there are people she may not be able to let go.

Okay, honestly, I had no idea what to expect from this book. The first book, while very good, had a few moments where the character development felt a little textbook. This book was not like that at all. It flowed from situation to situation and felt very natural, but also intriguing in a way that I was not prepared for. Jess’ relationship with Gilly, with Mesut, with Ekrem and all the others…I mean, my goodness! It was really great to read this book, and now I’m highly invested.

2. Thoughts on the characters

Jess’ development definitely started in book one, but I feel like it really took hold in this book, and was done in such a way that it felt perfectly normal. The journey that she went on, the way she started looking at the world, I really enjoyed reading it and was fascinated to think like that. (I’m also just the teensiest bit in love with Mesut [sp?].) 

I’m also really curious about Gilly, and what’s going on with her. I feel like that was touched on in just the right amount of depth for this book to set up the next book (or so I assume, as I haven’t actually read the next book yet). 

3. Favourite part

The stars!

4. Critique

The ending. Not because the ending was bad, no, but because I am desperate to know what’s going to happen next. Silly author, making me wait until I read the next book. Pfft.

Overall, I really enjoyed Destiny is Yours and am eagerly arranging my reading schedule so I can get to book three. An excellent book.