[4.5/5 stars!] One of my favorite things I’ve picked up this year – Foul Days is worth a second look!
One of those genre-bending novels, I loved this a[4.5/5 stars!] One of my favorite things I’ve picked up this year – Foul Days is worth a second look!
One of those genre-bending novels, I loved this as both a fantasy and urban fantasy reader. Rich in Slavic folklore, it had an abundance of monsters and great cultural infusion. The marketing was pretty accurate when it advertised “Witcher meets Naomi Novik,” with a similar moodiness and feel of Novik’s works (especially Spinning Silver) and an loads of dangerous magical creature encounters. I found it wildly entertaining.
The book had great pacing, with plenty of exciting moments but also enough slow stretches to form connections with the characters. The characters! All fun profiles, and the relationships between them were especially well done and realistic – I actually felt the connections, which doesn’t happen often.
I also thought the staggering of certain reveals was particularly well-paced. There were several times throughout the book where I went, “oooh, okay, one more chapter.” It made the pages fly by, and had enough substance to the plot to make me feel like I was getting something satisfying. The writing was superb.
Foul Days was oozing with fun-factor. This is one of those books that makes it easy to talk about and recommend. I loved it – with so many great elements and a good sense of humor, after only one book I’m already convinced Dimova is going to be an auto-buy author for me.
I had the chance to pick up an early copy of the audiobook from Macmillan Audio about halfway through the book, and narrator Zura Johnson was an excellent match for the tone and mood of the story. With her accented delivery, she elevated the text even more, making for an immersive experience. I particularly liked how she performed the dry humor between characters - great back and forth exchanges! I definitely recommend the audiobook route. :)
There honestly wasn’t anything I didn’t like about it. The second half of this duology, Monstrous Nights, comes out October 22, 2024, and you’d better believe I’m already hounding for a copy!
Recommendations: for a fun-filled, culturally-infused, monster-tastic story, look no further! Foul Days was one of the best debus I’ve read in ages. I can’t wait to see what this author has in store for us next!
Thank you to my Patrons: Dave, Katrin, Frank, Sonja, Staci, Kat, Betsy, Eliss, Mike, Elizabeth, and Bee! <3
I’d like to thank the publicists at TOR for providing me with review and finished copies of Foul Days and Macmillan Audio on Netgalley for the chance to read/listen/review this very exciting new title!
If this is your first Tchiakovsky, there are better places to start… but it was still a fun read!
Far from my favorite of his works, but like everythinIf this is your first Tchiakovsky, there are better places to start… but it was still a fun read!
Far from my favorite of his works, but like everything he produces, it was still quality. The best thing about the book was the deep immersion into the main POV, Un-Charles: a protocol-abiding service model who just wants to serve his function… it was a delightful adherence to character, down to the incredibly inefficient back and forths between robots when humans fail to give specific-enough (or too specific) instructions to these very literal minds. I’ll admit at first the drag of all of this processing and protocol-following was tedious. What had I gotten myself into? But by about the 30% mark some personality started to show through, and by halfway I was sold.
The slow growth was undoubtedly by design, which is why it gets a pass. Showing the ins and outs of where the MC started his journey made all growth and discovery a lot more profound. It helped that the humor also became more prevalent the further along, and this story boasted the single funniest thing I’ve read from Tchiakovsky to date. If for nothing else, it was worth the read for that alone! But it’s also great that the concept was interesting and the writing compelling.
Speaking of concept, I haven’t read a lot of robot stories, but even so I don’t think anything in here was truly revolutionary (pun). But they were done well. I’m finding these more post-global-trauma stories to be interesting enough in concept to make up for any other lack.
I got early access to an audio of this via Netgalley, and wouldn’t you know it – it’s narrated by Tchaikovsky himself! I often cringe when an audiobook is self-narrated, but he gave a seamless performance. His voice reminded me of the Winnie the Pooh narrator with that kindly, very proper British accent. It’s warm and easy to listen to. And perhaps the nostalgia it brough back BECAUSE of that WtP similarity actually enhanced the experience for me because it made Un-Charles come off with an innocent, almost childlike quality. One that made his journey of discovery more earnest. I’m not sure it will have the same effect on the masses, but I thought it was great.
Recommendations: if you’re new to Tchaikovsky’s works, starting here probably wont give you the best of what he has to offer. If you’re a mega-fan like me, this’ll probably sit somewhere in the middle. Robot fun, good humor – a quick read!
Thank you to my Patrons: Dave, Katrin, Frank, Sonja, Staci, Kat, Betsy, Eliss, Mike, Elizabeth, and Bee! <3
[4.5/5 stars] I love that we’re getting more scifi from these amazing authors! And to boot it’s something tied to the Expanse universe, albeit far rem[4.5/5 stars] I love that we’re getting more scifi from these amazing authors! And to boot it’s something tied to the Expanse universe, albeit far removed from almost everything that’s familiar about that series. But so far, the Captive’s War is shaping up to be a completely different, but equally satisfying, experience!
But one thing that hasn’t changed is their mastery of character work. To take you into the granular details of what it means to be human coping with an unsympathetic existence. That brilliance is why I always feel so connected to the people in these stories and feel their stuff on a visceral level. I love Abraham’s fantasy works for much the same reason. There’s this way of slowing down events for the sake of connection that’s almost unparalleled (in but maybe a Hobb book) that always leaves an everlasting impression on my being. I’m a huge fan, and Mercy of the Gods is only the latest punctuation to that sentiment.
The Expanse was amazing. I’ve thought on occasion how for a scifi it was really only missing one point of interest… something that if included would’ve felt like it was trying to do too much. Mercy of Gods is where all that extra stuff came to play. It’s where the authors could throw off constraints and just have fun. And play they did! This was a wildly creative experience and I loved the overall concept of the story. It was slow and gripping and fast and action-packed and always exciting. Every bit as good as the best of Expanse!
Speaking, yes (I suppose) you could read this by itself without having read Expanse. It’s a 100% self-contained narrative at this point. However, if you ever plan to read Expanse and don’t want any of the progressions of things in that story ruined, trust me – start there. The tiebacks here were subtle but somehow also profound, and I’m most excited to figure out more ways in which this story ties back to the Expanse in future books… I have a feeling it’s going to be great. EDIT: I’ve just been informed that this is not actually a part of the Expanse universe, and a quick google search seems to have confirmed that. Well, blimey! I’m not sure if that’s a marketing claim to help this new one sell better, or if I just imagined similarities between certain entities in both series, but either way it kind of makes this whole review a bit moot. Whatever.
I always say one of the reasons I love scifi is for the creature creation and new world explorations. I love the creativity involved and even more so when authors can tap into the biological workings of the aliens. Mercy of Gods was definitely one of the more satisfying books I’ve read in that regard, and I mean it when I say I can’t wait to see what’s in store for us in the next book. Is it out yet?!
Recommendations: James S.A. Corey fans, dive in without hesitation – this was awesome!! Daniel Abraham fans, dive in without hesitation – the character work is superb! New to the authors fans, consider whether or not you’ll ever want to read Expanse before diving in. It wont affect your enjoyment of this story much, but implications read in Mercy of Gods will wreck a good portion of the story arcs in the Expanse in one very specific regard…
I’d like to thank James S.A. Corey, Orbit Books, and Netgalley for the chance to read and review an early copy of Mercy of Gods – y’all made my year!
Thank you to my Patrons: Dave, Katrin, Frank, Sonja, Staci, Kat, Betsy, Eliss, Mike, Elizabeth, and Bee! <3
[2.5/5 stars] I really wish I’d enjoyed this more.
Some really good scenes early on had me boCheck out my Booktube channel at: The Obsessive Bookseller
[2.5/5 stars] I really wish I’d enjoyed this more.
Some really good scenes early on had me bouncing with anticipation for what was to come, but many of those cool ideas that I thought would play a bigger role in the story were never revisited. In a way it felt like promises never fulfilled in the name of packing too many things into one book. A lot of good ideas, mind you, but perhaps they could’ve had more of an impact on the story in the long-run.
The book was marketed as “a must-read for fans of Joe Abercrombie, Nicholas Eames, and Scott Lynch,” three authors I love primarily for their strong, distinctive writing voices and brilliant splashes of dry humor… neither of which I got from the Silverblood Promise. Perhaps the setting and the underground politicking had glimmers of similarities, but I found it more comparable to Sullivan’s Riyria Revelations and Weeks’ Night Angel trilogy.
At times the book read more like a mystery set in a fantasy world than it did a fantasy with mystery components. Unfortunately, as almost the entire book revolved around the mystery, it wasn’t a very good one. Too many conveniently placed pieces to the puzzle. Too many thinly-veiled setups. Too easy to deduce. And then you add a character who isn’t particularly suave or clever with too many implausible “close calls,” and you can see why I didn’t like this one as much as I hoped to.
Additionally, some things just felt off. Even near the end there were a couple of odd POV switches (after we’d been following a single POV the entire book) that made it seem like the MC was no longer the center of the most interesting things happening, temporarily irrelevant. It killed the momentum and left me wishing he’d been written closer to the action the entire way through.
Overall, the combination of all of these minor things kept the story from feeling completely composed. It had a lot of potential, but for me it didn’t quite get there.
Recommendations: A story that started out strong eventually turned into a struggle to finish. Many of the things that bothered me don’t seem to be phasing other early readers (it currently has a 4.42 average rating and some high praise from other reviewers I respect), so if you’re excited to read this, take my opinion with a grain of salt (and let me know what you think when you read it)!
Thank you to my Patrons: Dave, Katrin, Jen, Frank, Sonja, Staci, Kat, Betsy, Eliss, Mike, and Elizabeth! <3
A new book from IA I hadn’t realized was coming out? Sign me up immediately!
These authors are some of the very few who qualify for the “drop everything and pick up on release day” category. As the Innkeeper series is actually a web serial first and only later published into volumes, I suppose I could be even more on the ball and read them as they’re published. As it is, these books are very episodic and wildly entertaining.
My favorite thing about Sweep of the Heart was the alien interactions. Hosting a matchmaking event at the Inn, the main characters had to navigate many off-world politics while keeping their guests from being eaten by other guests. It was loads of fun – the different biological makeups adding even more variety to an already enjoyable read. I also liked the element of competition in the book, as these species were all in attendance seeking the hand of a single ruler in marriage. Now, how the marriage and, er, succession producing would work between two different alien species was a little over my head, but the technicalities of it didn’t seem to take away my enjoyment of the story.
That’s something I can say about all of IA’s works. They’re so much fun and some of the few stories that can take me out of critical mode into just enjoy it mode almost every time. The fun components here were entertaining enough that I think under different circumstances I may have given it a five stars, but it took me a bit longer than it should have to get reacclimated with the story and the characters. It had been so long since I’d read book four that I spend a lot of time at the beginning trying to remember context and who everyone was (yet another reason why I should probably follow the series online instead of waiting for it to go to print). Once I figured it out though, it was smooth sailing to the end.
I consumed this one on audio and would endorse going that route for the series. Most of IA’s works are narrated by Renee Raudman, but this one was performed by Nora Sofyan and honestly I didn’t even notice the shift until researching for this review. I thought she did an excellent job at bringing the story to life and had a good mix of character accents.
Recommendations: the Innkeepers is another delightful series from my ultimate favorite urban fantasy writers. If you want the full effect of everything going on in this series, consider reading the Edge series first, as there is some crossover.
Thank you to my Patrons: Filipe, Dave, Frank, Sonja, Staci, Kat, Katrin, Melissa, and Derek! <3
[3.5/5 stars] Not quite as slam-dunk as the second book, but still a satisfying ending to a Check out my Booktube channel at: The Obsessive Bookseller
[3.5/5 stars] Not quite as slam-dunk as the second book, but still a satisfying ending to a great trilogy.
I don’t often regard middle books in a series as the best, but I’ll continue to talk endlessly about how much I loved Tyranny of Faith. And it’s not that the story peaked in that book, as this final installment still had a fantastic momentum, culmination of events, and a great ending. It’s that it had less of those slow, deep character connections. It was also more bleak, not leaving much room for that great humor that tipped the second book from good to phenomenal. There were glimmers of those elements, but they were few and far between.
I liked the exploration of character and morality – a common theme in this series. This really good examination of sticking to the letter of the law vs the spirit. Is it just to break the law when it’s for a greater purpose? And who determines that purpose as righteous? I love how it looked at both sides of that argument and illustrated how it can be used for both good and evil (and a lot of in-between). A nice food for thought that added substance to an already entertaining story.
The main character, Vonvalt (who isn’t actually the POV character, but I still consider him the star of the show) was incredibly unlikable, and not written in a way where you can tell the author is making an unlikable character more appealing to the reader in a “but you’d like him if you could just get to know him” way by showing redeeming qualities. I loved it. As a result, he was one of the most interesting characters I’ve read about in ages. And seeing him through Helena’s eyes made it work even better, as it didn’t provide the reader any means to judge him by but off his actions. It’s such a creative series in that regard, with style and voice, and one of the reasons I’m looking forward to reading more from the author in the future.
If you listed out all of the components in the first two books and told me to pick my least favorite one, it would’ve been the supernatural stuff. I generally like supernatural, but it felt kind of out of place in the first book and took the story away from the legal conflicts and interpersonal character work I was enjoying so much. Unfortunately, supernatural is what Trials of Empire focused on almost exclusively. It was integrated a lot more seamlessly the further I read, and overall I enjoyed it, but my lack of enthusiasm for the story to take that direction might be another reason why I didn’t enjoy this as much as I could have. Totally a preferential thing. Also, I could’ve used more time with the wolf men…
Overall, I’m happy to have read this series and, as mentioned, I can’t wait to see what the author will come out with next!
Recommendations: if you’re in for a well-balanced, totally engaging trilogy with interesting character work and moments of pure brilliance – give this a try!
Thank you to my Patrons: Dave, Katrin, Frank, Sonja, Staci, Kat, Betsy, Eliss, Mike, Elizabeth, and Spinflight! <3
[4.5/5 stars] Untethered Sky is one of the best books I’ve read this year – I loved it!!
Granted, I’ve a particular fondness for these types of stories. The ones where we get the nitty gritty details of trainers taking care of their dangerous animals. I usually get my kicks from dragon books (see other books you might like section), and loved seeing Lee’s version of that framework with Rocs (giant birds).
The book had a lot of slow moments where we really got to appreciate the bond between the main character and her bird. Everything from its initial acclimation to hunting drills – it was superb. I love it when authors take their time to highlight the selling points of a story. That may seem like a “duh” comment, but I can’t tell you how many books I’ve picked up on a good premise that never quite delivered on its promises. Untethered Sky definitely didn’t feel like an opportunity wasted.
The MC was my favorite part of the book. She had such a poignant connection to the overall conflict of the story that I couldn’t help but be drawn in. She really believed in her cause, and that personal connection and motive behind becoming a roc trainer added a lot of meaningful depth to the story. I also loved her awkward navigations when dealing with other humans – she was incredibly endearing.
The x-factor in books for me tipping them over from just good to freaking amazing seems to be a combination of pacing and momentum. This story had the perfect balance of both, leaving me reeling at the end of the book in the best way possible. I haven’t finished Green Bone yet, but if this novella and the wild popularity of that series are any indication, I’m in for quite the ride.
Recommendations: pick this up for a fun story filled with interesting characters, awe-inspiring creatures, and excellent pacing. I loved it.
Thank you to my Patrons: Filipe, Dave, Frank, Sonja, Staci, Kat, Katrin, and Melissa! <3
[4.5/5 stars] Yep – this solidifies Islington as a personal favorite!
You never know what to expect going into an Islington… and you may not always know what the heck is going on while you’re in there. But you can bet it’s always going to be a wild ride! I loved Licanius for its classic fantasy feel (told with a modern writing style) and its wildly dynamic plotting ideas. He brought that same weirdness and creativity to The Will of the Many and amped it up even more.
It had so many elements I love in books – fight/training sequences, school settings, competition, cool magic systems – so many great elements that I was a nervous wreck while reading it. I was so worried he was going to get my hopes up only to dash them by not delivering on all the promises. But have no fear – he completely delivers on every account with everything explored to it’s fullest. It was so satisfying!
Even though it ultimately delivered, this book is a platypus. It has a lot of wild elements that by all accounts shouldn’t work together (and perhaps wouldn’t if handled by a less deft writer), but somehow he pulled it off. I’ve found the key with Islington is to just go with it – trusting that he knows what he’s doing and it’s worth the effort. He certainly hasn’t let me down yet.
The Will of the Many had killer momentum and some of the best mic-drop scenes I’ve read in ages – many of which were so vivid and gut-punching that I’ll remember them for years to come. I loveloveloved the academic aspect and how often the main character put his skills to the test. I loved the cast of characters and the fact that I still want to know more about all of them. I loved the friendships and rivalries and that survival depended on the MC’s ability to navigate socially. I loved the competitions and that none of them were just brushed over. And I loved the epilogue – slamming down my 5-star rating and fangirl status. You’d better believe I’m already clamoring for the next one.
I loved it.
Recommendations: Just go with it! You wont regret it!
Thank you to my Patrons: Dave, Katrin, Frank, Sonja, Staci, Kat, Melissa, Tonya, Betsy, Eliss, Mike, and Jen! <3
What?! A second book out from a favorite author within the same year?! Sign me up!!!
Mammay’s Scifi books are my ultimate feel-good reads. I can always expect adept characters, witty dialogue, and a compelling mystery. With his books I just sit back and enjoy – trusting it’s going to be an enjoyable ride.
This audible-exclusive title was a fun, light read – perfect for those who prefer Scifi as their ultimate beach-reads. I loved the idea for the premise going into it – a young lieutenant forced into leading an army long before she’s ready. It was a fun change of pace from the usual, more experienced main characters and I appreciated seeing her blunder as much as she succeeded. I’ve been reading about a lot of overly savvy characters lately, so one who felt a little more fallible and human was a breath of fresh air.
Recommendations: Planetside is one of my all-time favorite books, so if you’re new to Mammay’s work, start with that one. Venture into this for witty characters, fast-paced plots, and great momentum!
Thank you to my Patrons: Filipe, Dave, Frank, Sonja, Staci, Kat, and Katrin! <3
A decent continuation, but far from my favorite of the series so far.
There are two types of Wayward Children books -> the plot-progressing school-setting ones where multiple characters are involved. And the single character deep-dives that usually involve exploring a new place (through a door). The latter often end up being my favorites of the series because not only do I get an adventure, but I also develop deeper connections to the characters involved.
This installment was a plot-progressing one where many characters converge to move the overall arc of the series forward. This was entertaining in its own right, but I’ll admit a disappointment that it wasn’t a deep-dive given that there are mf DINOSAURS on the cover. My friends, there were no dinosaurs in this book. Not “on screen” anyway. It was more a bridge novel wrapping up loose ends from the previous book. I can only assume she’s going to return to this world eventually, but for now I’ll have to wait for my dinosaur fix. Woe is me.
Glimmers of an overarching plot regarding the door magics of this world have been hinted at occasionally, and learning more about that has been one of the reasons I’m eager for more WC books. Even after nine of them, it hasn’t become a strong through-line yet, but just the few casual mentions here and there are enough to keep me hooked!
Overall I can’t wait to see what adventure McGuire has in store next!
Recommendations: sometimes edgy fluff, sometimes deeply profound, you never know what you’re going to get with a Wayward Children book. The discovery is half the fun! But “Be Sure.”
Thank you to my Patrons: Dave, Katrin, Jen, Frank, Sonja, Staci, Kat, Betsy, Eliss, Mike, and Elizabeth! <3
I’d also like to thank the marketing team at tordotcom for the chance to read and review an early copy of Mislaid in Parts Half-Known!
[2.5/5 stars] Sweep of Stars was an interesting read.
The first half of the book was very mucCheck out my Booktube channel at: The Obsessive Bookseller
[2.5/5 stars] Sweep of Stars was an interesting read.
The first half of the book was very much all about the characters – establishing the many POVs and introducing the reader to their society. My favorite thing about the book was this inspiring sense of community the group created – one where looking out for one another and doing things in the interest of the people rather than the self was commonplace. A place where everyone genuinely cared about one another and found this familial unity because of it. I think our world could use a bit more of the Muungano spirit. Granted, some characters were better at upholding the “Muungano way” more than others, but that’s where the story’s conflicts start to trickle in.
It took a while for the driving plot/purpose of the story to become evident – almost 50% through the book. I was wondering well before that if there WAS going to be an external conflict or if we’d be getting a more B.Chambers-style novel. Craving a bit more from the story, I thought the conflicts sparked a bit of life back into it and provided some decent momentum through the end of the book.
Because the novel was so character-driven from the start, I’m surprised that I didn’t have more of a connection to them. I think part of the problem was the shear number of POVs (7 or 8), so it took a long time to get back to any one character, effectively killing all the momentum. By the time the conflicts started hitting, I cared about what happened, but didn’t feel more than an arms-distance investment in the story as a whole. I think fewer characters and a quicker inciting (a clear one, anyway) moment would’ve gone a long way to improving my experience.
While most of the characters were written in the third person, one was written in second person, one in first, and one in (I believe) first person plural (like, “we do this, we do that”). I’m generally a lot more welcoming than many readers when it comes to authors playing with perspectives in books, especially if it’s incorporated for a purpose. It can lead to some cool payoffs, like the reason for the second-person perspective in N.K. Jemisin’s Broken Earth trilogy (which is brilliant, and still one of my favorite reveals of anything I’ve read). In this case, I imagine the variety of perspectives was fun for the author to play around with, but I didn’t see evidence in this first book indicating it was any more than just a novelty.
To that end, and I’m by no means an expert on this, some of the perspective dynamics didn’t make sense to me. For example, if you have both an “I” (first person) and a “you” (second person) character, doesn’t that usually indicate that it’s the “I” character narrating both perspectives? Like, “I do this and you do that?” And if the two were to come together in the same scene, the “I” (let’s call him Bob) character wouldn’t say “you look at Bob,” he would say, “you look at ME.” … only, that didn’t happen in the book when the characters met, indicating that there are perhaps two “I” perspectives (or three, counting the “we” perspective) and we just haven’t met the third “I” yet? Lol are you confused yet?! I’m still trying to make the POV math add up in my head. The discrepancy wasn’t a huge detraction from the story, but thoughts about it did pull me out a lot more than I wish they had.
Creative POVs aside, the writing was very artfully done. The prose flowed well and some of the basic sentence construction choices screamed to me of a writer who knows his voice and conveys it well. Even though I didn’t always feel connected to the characters and the story, I still appreciated the writing.
As a minor note, I attempted to switch to audio several chapters in for my commute and found it a wildly different experience. The cultural cadence of the narrator put pauses into sentences that weren’t present in the text – giving the narrative a very disjointed feel that I don’t think served the beautiful writing style very well. Because of that I’d suggest going the text route with this one.
Recommendations: this is an interesting Scifi with some great initial ideas. If you enjoy more character-driven Scifi and don’t mind some creative perspectives infusions, this might be a great pick. To get the most out of the prose, skip the audio on this one.
I hope this isn’t the last we’ll see of the Baylor family.
This unlikely series has quickly jumped to one of my all-time favorites. To the point where the pending release for Ruby Fever was my most anticipated book of 2022. That’s crazy! But these authors have earned their place in my top spots by dazzling me again and again between their many series.
Two things about this series make it stand out to me: the cool structure for a magic system, where these competing houses pass magic down through their lineages, and said magic takes on all sorts of interesting forms. It’s everything you love about superhero powers, but in a much more accessible (and less cheesy) presentation. The wide variety of magics turns every book into a discovery process, and I lovelovelove the world building component.
The second thing is the characters themselves. This family is a hoot. Spending time with them reminds me of being included in the family festivities of my best friend growing up (who had 10 siblings… welcome to Utah), and the crazy sorts of dynamics and arguments that ensue with that many people under one roof. But at the end of the day, they support and love one another and work together to build their house into something to be proud of. Reading these books feels like tapping into the hopeful part of me I don’t see very often, and I love that. And considering how many fun family members there are to keep track of in this series, I’m impressed at how complete and well-developed most of them feel. The grandma is a riot.
Although these books are marketed as romances, they more closely resemble traditional urban fantasy than many others that I’ve read. The point of a paranormal romance is to see if the two are going to get together in the end (amidst some supernatural squabbling). The point of an urban fantasy is to see if they’re going to defeat the bad guy, with romance as a secondary arc. This last book had practically no romance development at all, but you wouldn’t know that from the covers. It’s why I have such a hard time recommending this amazing series to anyone, save those who have already read Ilona Andrews and know how brilliant they are. Take it from me, ignore the covers. This series is legit.
The only thing I found disappointing about the book was that it didn’t resolve a plot point I was most interested in seeing continued from the first two Catalina books. It kind of touched on it, but nowhere near where I think it could’ve gone given all the good setup. Given rumors on how annoying this book was to write for the authors (well, not really rumors considering I read it repeatedly on their blog), I wonder if at the end of the day they only had so much room to try to cram all the elements in and some things just didn’t make the cut.
The highlight of the book was actually the epilogue. I found in it the spark I love so much about the series and promises of more to come. I hope the writing duo do indeed continue the series, even if they go the self-pub route (I’ll be buying!).
Recommendations: as this is the second arc to the Hidden Legacy saga, I’d suggest starting back with Burn for Me (that title, though). And if you can’t get past the covers, I understand (although I actually really like the vibrant covers and pretty dresses of the newer ones, but you get my point). Start with the Kate Daniels series instead (the first book is meh, but then it grows into something amazing!) and maybe once you see how good they are, you’ll find your way back here. :)
I’d like to thank Avon and Harper Voyager, Ilona Andrews, and Netgalley for the chance to read and review an early copy of Ruby Fever!
Thank you to my Patrons: Filipe, Dave, Frank, Sonja, Staci, Kat, and Katrin! <3
Locklands was a satisfying ending to a unique trilogy.
If I’m honest, I had a weird reading eCheck out my Booktube channel at: The Obsessive Bookseller
Locklands was a satisfying ending to a unique trilogy.
If I’m honest, I had a weird reading experience with this series. I read the first book, Foundryside, on a complete whim and absolutely loved it. Within days of finishing, an eARC of Locklands became available and I pounced on it without a second thought.
And then I read Shorefall (book 2) and did not enjoy my experience with it at all (in hindsight I’m thinking it was at least partially due to the lack of voice variation in the audio – everything was delivered in full voice and I felt like the book was screaming at me the whole time).
So there I was, clutching my ereader loaded with the final book in the trilogy and feeling absolutely no motivation to pick it up. But I’d committed. So I read it. And I’m happy to report that I enjoyed my experience with it a lot more than I thought I would.
I don’t normally preface my reviews with so much backstory, but it’s important to note that I went into Locklands almost begrudgingly, so my experience was skewed right from the beginning. In evaluating all three books as objectively as I can, I think Locklands will provide a better than 3-star rating for most readers who have loved the series up to this point. I, however, thought it was a good installment, but not quite on the same wow-scale as the first book.
Locklands brought back more of that awesome magic system involving infusing objects with predetermined commands. It’s such a cool combination of magic systems and I think what I liked most about this final book was seeing how all of the technology evolved over the series and the types of things the characters are able to do with it now by contrast. It’s a very satisfying growth arc, and readers who eat up books where smart characters get more adept at cool systems as the story progresses will likely enjoy this series too.
The book was also a great mix of high and low moments, with a culminating arc at the end which was a complete snowball of events. The book had more dynamics than the second one, and I appreciated that it at least gave me a few moments to breathe between hitting me over the head with action scenes.
Another thing I loved about the first book was finding out more about the lore of the world and all of the magic predecessors. Locklands did a great job answering some burning questions and giving more depth to characters we’ve been curious about since the beginning.
It also avoided excessive evil monologuing, which I appreciate tremendously.
So, while reading this when I wasn’t in the mood was a weird experience, one I’ll take more care to avoid in the future when ARC requesting, ultimately I’m glad I got to see how the trilogy ended. I think readers who are less cranky than me about the whole thing will enjoy it immensely.
Recommendations: if you like cheeky characters, cool & intricate magic systems, and loads of action and excitement, this series is a great pick. The audio worked well for the first book but I’d skip it on the second two.
I’ve had so much fun with this series. It’s such a breath of fresh air between all of the deCheck out my Booktube channel at: The Obsessive Bookseller
I’ve had so much fun with this series. It’s such a breath of fresh air between all of the dense fantasy novels I’ve been reading lately.
I don’t generally read overviews, preferring to go into everything a little blind. With this series, I was even less inclined to see what was next – the surprise of what McGuire had in store for me was one of the main draws of the series. Even when I get an indication from the title, as was the case here, I still never know what direction the author is going to take, and I love that. In a market where there’s a lot of formulaic storytelling, something that’s completely unconventional is a welcome variation.
I wasn’t totally sure what this novella would bring, but I was hopeful it would still follow one of my favorite characters of the series so far: Cora. I really love everything about her. Even though Beneath the Sugar Sky wasn’t her story, I found meaning in her POV – an acceptance of herself and a celebration of body positivity that was inspiring. Her growth arc in this book was a little more understated, but it gave her a lot more dimension and I can see the buddings of some profound convictions forming that will hopefully play a role in future installments.
So far in the series we’ve experienced some pretty weird stuff. Hair-raising phenomenon like shocking murders, corpse reanimation, and man-eating kelpies. But this novella, which takes place in our realm, was easily the eeriest one yet. It had that very clinical, white-coat regimented conviction that there’s something wrong with these kids and they’re going to “fix” them no matter what. Certain elements regarding this part of the story introduced what I thought was a brilliant idea for an overarching conflict for the series. And although I’ve been terrible at predicting so far where things are going to go next, I really hope that idea is explored heavily in future novellas. As is, I cannot wait for the next one!
Recommendations: this portal fantasy series is awesome if you like cool concepts, unconventional storytelling, great representation in characters, and food for thought beyond what’s on the pages.
I would like to thank TOR Publishing for an early copy of Where the Drowned Go – it prompted a read of the whole series that ended up being a highlight of my year. Thank you!
[4.5/5 stars!] Yep, it’s official: Mammay is my favorite scifi author.
I find myself genuinely excited for each new book, and that giddy anticipation for a new book is something I haven’t experience a lot of lately. These are my feel-good scifi reads – make way, Becky Chambers.
One of my favorite things about Misfit Soldier was the humor. The characters find themselves in a few awkward situations, but the overall tone of the narration and cheeky perspective of the main character is what makes this book so charming. Gas is such a fun character – equal parts resourceful and able to bullshit his way through the rest. Even the cover tag line, “One Man. No plan. What could go wrong?” Practically drips with that sardonic humor that I love so much about Mammay’s books. All of his works so far have been quick-witted and filled with that dry situational humor I love so much, and this was no exception. One scene in particular had me busting a gut… so good.
I also really enjoyed the structure of this book. Essentially, it was a science fiction high-stakes heist novel! There’s a grand scheme which required the gathering of a highly skilled (and quirky) team, but instead of breaking into a bank for some loot, they were figuring out how to get planetside behind enemy lines to retrieve a soldier. I love reading about people with special skills in any field, so it was especially fun to see these people work together to make things happen. All with a great payoff to boot. It’s one of those stories where you have to let go a bit and trust the process that there’s more going on than what’s on the surface.
Overall this was an absolute delight – I can’t wait to read what he comes out with next.
Recommendations: if you love cheeky scifi like Scalzi’s Old Man’s War and Wells’ Murderbot, this book is right up your alley. Great characters, fun plot, and excellent dry humor – what’s not to love?
I find his stories incredibly addicting. I Check out my Booktube channel at: The Obsessive Bookseller
[4.5/5 stars] Abraham’s writing sings to my soul.
I find his stories incredibly addicting. I had a massive TBR in between me and this book, but kept finding myself opening it to read a couple pages at a time. The first several passages were so gripping, by the time I was “supposed” to be reading it, I was already almost 20% in.
There are so many things I love about Abraham’s stories. One being the subtle, yet robust world building that just oozes off the pages while you’re focused on other things. He doesn’t take a lot of time setting the scene, but when he does, it’s beautiful and absorbing. Kithamar feels like a real place, a familiar place. Yet at the same time it’s unique in so many ways that only living day-to-day with another culture can bring. I loved spending time on these streets, filth and all, and can’t wait until I get to go back.
Another thing I love is the deep character immersion that only happens when an author isn’t self-conscious about taking his time to really immerse you with his characters. I thrive on that kind of connection and found myself despairing, angry, and a whole myriad of other emotions right alongside them. I talked to the book a couple times, which for me is a sign of true investment. And the cool thing is he probably hasn’t even scratched the surface on what’s planned for this series (with upcoming perspectives for characters we saw only on the periphery here), and that’s incredibly exciting.
This was one of those books I enjoyed so much, I could set aside my over-critical mind and just appreciate the journey. It’s only in retrospect while trying to compose this review where I consider what might not work for other readers. There were no major earth-shattering revelations in this story. Very few what I’d call “action” scenes. And in truth I find it hard to describe exactly why reading it was as wonderful as it was, aside from highlighting broader themes of Abraham’s work. It’s one of those cases where if his writing and unique perspective of subtle, character-driven storytelling works for you, then this book is a grand slam. And after hearing some things about the big-picture development of the series as a whole, I’m so there for every last word.
Recommendations: if you love subtle, immersive world-building and highly character-driven novels, then Age of Ash will be right up your alley. I loved my experience with Long Price Quartet and so far Kithamar is starting out just as strong.
I'd like to thank Orbit Books, Daniel Abraham, and Netgalley for the chance to read and review an early copy of Age of Ash - y'all made my year!
This installment was a little different than the last two. It focused more on the plights ofCheck out my Booktube channel at: The Obsessive Bookseller
This installment was a little different than the last two. It focused more on the plights of a third party, still relevant to the overall advancing plot, but felt more tangent as a result.
I still really like the trajectory of the series and think it massively creative. Because the page count is so small, things have to progress more quickly, and I think that’s why some of the happenings in this book seems a bit too easy or convenient. But I’m happy to go along with it because of how much I’m enjoying the journey. I’ll say it again – it amazes me how expansive and rich the world building is in this series considering how short the books are. It’s as full and imagined as any full-length fantasy series I’ve read, the only drawback being we don’t get to explore it in quite the same depth.
Overall, another good installment, and I can’t wait to see what adventures await in the next book.
Thank you to my Patrons: Filipe, Dave, Frank, Sonja, Staci, Kat, and Katrin! <3
Niki Hawkes
>
Books:
arcs
(63)
