tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43358740326487426972024-02-17T02:51:13.849-06:00Writer and Editor C.B. Calsing/ G.G. RoyaleReviews, News, and UpdatesCorinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08751518371290032651noreply@blogger.comBlogger242125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335874032648742697.post-25128715110404871562024-01-22T11:24:00.000-06:002024-01-22T11:24:53.521-06:00A Review of A.M Vergara's "Firefax" (audiobook)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover308508-medium.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="255" data-original-width="255" height="255" src="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover308508-medium.png" width="255" /></a></div>A.M. Vergara’s “Firefax” is a bit hard to find on Amazon. Search for the author’s full name: Amelia Maria Vergara. Every time I attempted to search by the title, Amazon would autocorrect to “Firefox.” The extra work to find this title is worth it, however, if you are a fan of a certain sort of retro adventure story. <p></p><p>The Firefaxes are assassins. Some work for the family business; some work for spy networks on both sides of the Revolutionary War. One of them knows the secret of the island where the family has been hoarding its spoils of war for centuries, and another spy wants that gold for himself. The rest of the Firefax family must follow their eldest brother to the island, both to save one of their own and to protect their fortune from potential thieves. </p><p>This reminded me a lot of the book “The Twenty-One Balloons,” as well as quite a few other novels from the late nineteenth and early twentieth century: “Herland,” “The Mysterious Island,” “The Lost World.” When the earth wasn’t completely mapped out by satellite and there was the possibility of hidden lands full of wealth and adventure. If this is a subgenre of fantasy/ adventure you like, then this would be a good fit for you. I was a bit put off by what sounded like perspective changes in the middle of paragraphs, but maybe on the written page, there are better clues for the readers that a POV switch has arrived. </p><p>The narrator did a good job bringing all the characters to life. It was a fun, action-filled story with a good amount of tension and a kick-butt heroine. I would definitely like a follow-up with more adventures from the survivors. I received this book from NetGalley. </p>Corinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08751518371290032651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335874032648742697.post-67111136707916131302023-12-04T18:26:00.000-06:002023-12-04T18:26:34.119-06:00A Review of Premee Mohamed's "And What Can We Offer You Tonight" (audiobook)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover305961-medium.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="255" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover305961-medium.png" width="320" /></a></div>Premee Mohamed’s “And What Can We Offer You Tonight” is an ambitious, speculative-fiction novella. The main character, Jewel, is a prostitute in a very good house, but her situation goes horribly wrong when, first, one of her friends is murdered by a client. This friend then comes back to life to find revenge for her own murder. Then, another friend is mutilated by his own client. When Jewel and her dead friend go after the attacker, Jewel puts her own comfortable existence at risk. <p></p><p>Novellas are hard to write because they often must cut corners on one element or another: lack of characterization, lack of exposition, lack of narrative drive... Limiting the world-building to mostly inside the brothel walls and using a first-person perspective helped with that. I would like more background regarding Jewel and the world in which she exists. How did she get where she was? Why did the world become what it is? What magic exists to bring people back from the dead?</p><p>The narrator, Elana Dunkelman, did a great job. She was a good fit for Jewel’s first-person narration. She made this audiobook a very fast, satisfying listen. I definitely recommend it. I received this book from NetGalley. </p>Corinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08751518371290032651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335874032648742697.post-85318910737981578162023-11-28T12:19:00.000-06:002023-11-28T12:19:01.936-06:00A Review of Robert Jackson Bennett's "The Tainted Cup"<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover296385-medium.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="386" data-original-width="255" height="386" src="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover296385-medium.png" width="255" /></a></div>In a world where leviathans rise from the ocean, march across land, and threaten civilization, Din and his boss, Detective Ana Dolabra, must find a devious killer whose murders are putting the world even more at risk. <p></p><p>Robert Jackson Bennett’s “The Tainted Cup” is a masterpiece of world-building. Told in the classic mystery style of the first-person narrative from the perspective of the detective’s assistant, this book has the tropes of Doyle and Christie that you want, but in a fantasy setting rich in complicated detail. I enjoyed how different everyone was, the science/magic of the grafts people receive to enhance their skills, and the looming threat that a giant beast from the sea could destroy the town at any moment. </p><p>I loved this book. I savored it. I’d wake up in the middle of the night and read, not so that I could fall back to sleep, but to see what would happen next. Looking back over my reviews of 2023, I’d have to say this is easily in my top three. I recommend “The Tainted Cup” to fans of both fantasy and mystery. I received the title from NetGalley.</p>Corinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08751518371290032651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335874032648742697.post-74224290813769488812023-11-14T15:58:00.000-06:002023-11-14T15:58:08.531-06:00A Review of Stacia Stark's "A Kingdom This Cursed and Empty" (audiobook)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover306923-medium.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="255" data-original-width="255" height="400" src="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover306923-medium.png" width="400" /></a></div>“A Kingdom This Cursed and Empty” is book two in Stacia Stark’s Kingdom of Lies series. <p></p><p>Prisca, a hybrid, and Lorian, an elf, have been thrown together in a battle against a nefarious human king who uses other people’s magic to keep him young and in power. His reign of over four hundred years must come to an end, but exactly how can they bring that about? </p><p>This is standard fantasy with some very spicy scenes thrown in. I usually don’t read erotic romance to review, since it’s my job to edit said genre, but I do enjoy a fantasy adventure, so I took a crack at this one. Having not read the first book in the series, I was a bit lost at the beginning. This series does have the feel of one really big book that was split into three parts, so you can’t skip the prequels. I eventually figured out what was going on and afterward enjoyed the ride. I look forward to the next book in the series. </p><p>I like it when a book has multiple first-person perspectives (the direction a lot of romance is taking), and the producer uses multiple narrators. The experience is much more satisfying than the female narrator trying to do the male protagonist’s voice or vice-versa. Tim Paige and Meg Sylvan did a great job working against each other as the narrators. </p><p>If you like fantasy romance with the heat turned way up, "A Kingdom This Cursed and Empty" is going to be a fun read or listen for you. I received it from NetGalley.</p>Corinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08751518371290032651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335874032648742697.post-88461957320575117032023-11-06T12:07:00.000-06:002023-11-06T12:07:06.169-06:00Review of A.S. Thornton's "Son of the Salt Chaser" (audiobook)<p>I listened to the first book of this series, "Daughter of the Salt King" in June of last year. I realized I didn't post the review here, though. I've put it at the end so you can see my feelings on that as well.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover303958-medium.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="255" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover303958-medium.png" width="320" /></a></div>A.S. Thornton’s “Son of the Salt Chaser,” the sequel to “Daughter of the Salt King,” is a fantasy romance that draws on the lore and motifs of the Middle East. <p></p><p>Saalim, the genie Emel loves, has become human, and with this transformation, has forgotten their shared past. Now Emel is a refugee, following him to this city by the sea. She hopes she can rekindle their relationship, but his betrothal to a girl from the other side of the ocean may make that difficult. Instead, Emel finds comfort with Kas. But all is not as it seems, and Emel and Saalim slowly uncover secrets and information that will change their futures. </p><p>Like the first book, this is a very solid fantasy romance with lovely world-building and wonderful settings. I really enjoyed the developing relationships in the new setting, how old ones changed and new ones sprung up. I thought it was going to follow a similar romantic arc to Sarah J. Maas's “A Court of Thorns and Roses,” where a new love interest enters in the second book, but it doesn’t exactly follow that template. </p><p>The narrator, Vaneh Assadourian, made her return from the original story. I was very happy to have her back. I don’t like it when the narrator doesn’t do the next book in a series. She did an excellent job yet again with the tension and the voices of the various characters. </p><p>A.S. Thornton’s “Son of the Salt Chaser” is a great romance for a chill afternoon. I would recommend it to any fantasy romance lover. I received it from NetGalley. </p><h4 style="text-align: left;">And now my review of "Daughter of the Salt King"</h4><div><div>A.S. Thornton’s "Daughter of the Salt King" is a romantic, fantastical romp. It possesses some grim details, but they add to the dire stakes.</div><div><br /></div><div>Emel is the daughter of a king. Her one role in life is to secure favorable allies for her father through marriage. If she does not do this before her twenty-third birthday, she is cast off. When her fiance is killed trying to protect her father from rebels, Emel finds herself in possession, for a brief time, of her father’s jinni. Slowly they fall in love, even as the king continues to try to marry off his daughter. Because Emel freed the jinni from his vessel once, she can make wishes, but what are the right wishes to make? What consequences will she face for her decisions?</div><div><br /></div><div>This was a tight, fun story that I thoroughly enjoyed. It probably could have used a couple of trigger warnings for other readers (Emel is not always welcoming of the advances of her suitors). But it is a solid romance with an exotic flair. More authors should explore the fantasy and folklore of parts of the world other than Europe in the world-building.</div><div><br /></div><div>The narrator of the audiobook, Vaneh Assadourian, did an excellent job with the source material. She was able to flesh out the different characters and perspectives well. It was easy to tell the difference between the characters, and her accents added to the flavor of the story.</div><div><br /></div><div>Overall, I enjoyed Daughter of the Salt King by A.S. Thornton. It would make for an excellent vacation read, perfect for any upcoming summer vacation. I received this audiobook from NetGalley.</div></div>Corinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08751518371290032651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335874032648742697.post-6071040887650403002023-10-16T11:02:00.000-05:002023-10-16T11:02:18.407-05:00A Review of Hunter H. White's "Treasures of the Lochs" (audiobook)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover302892-medium.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="255" data-original-width="255" height="400" src="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover302892-medium.png" width="400" /></a></div>Hunter H. White’s “Treasures of the Lochs” was a fun, fast-paced read that anyone who liked “National Treasure” will enjoy. <p></p><p>You know the trope: a less-than-perfect son, Carter Porter, is dealing with a mystery surrounding his recently deceased father. Between Carter’s drinking, divorce, deaths of his daughter and father, and an attack on the historical site he was supposed to be guarding, Carter is having a bad run. It gets even worse when his car share driver is shot to death. When a mysterious letter arrives with the promise of a first-class ticket to Scotland, Carter takes it without thinking. In Scotland, inn worker Hassie Douglass is dealing with her own loss: her grandfather’s terminal lung-cancer diagnosis. When she finds some gold coins on the edge of Loch Ness, she believes they’ll help get her father better care. Instead she is drawn into a plot to find and steal a centuries’ old treasure meant to help the Jacobites put a Stuart king on the English throne. She and Carter, along with a dog and an amateur historian, fight to save the Jacobite treasure along with exploring one of the oldest stories in Scotland: Is Nessie real? </p><p>I enjoyed most of this book. It’s a pretty tropey treasure-hunter adventure with likable characters who are fairly three-dimensional. The magical element was fun, but I think there was a missed opportunity in rooting it more firmly in Scottish and Gaelic folktales and mythology. The biggest issue I had was some of the dialogue. One interaction between several of the characters was so rife with exposition that I sort of tuned out to a lot of it. The dialogue just didn’t sound natural. </p><p>Laura Darrell supplied a great narration. She had to switch between several accents: American, Scottish, Russian, Italian, English... The tension she imparted to the story worked great too. I listen at 1.5 speed, and the pace was appropriate for the narrative.</p><p>This seems to be the author’s first published novel, and I look forward to seeing what Hunter H. White does in the future. I received this audiobook from NetGalley. </p>Corinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08751518371290032651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335874032648742697.post-5464469561779489852023-09-14T13:00:00.001-05:002023-09-14T13:00:53.433-05:00A Review of Rande Goodwin's "The Witchfinder's Serpent" (audiobook)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover298274-medium.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="255" data-original-width="255" height="255" src="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover298274-medium.png" width="255" /></a></div>Rande Goodwin’s “The Witchfinder’s Serpent” is a fun, contemporary witch’s tale appropriately set in New England. The cast of characters and tropey plot are perfect for fans of Halloween-season movies and shows like “Hocus Pocus” or “Sleepy Hollow.” <p></p><p>After Nate and his little brother lose their father to cancer, a mysterious aunt takes them in, moving them into her large, Connecticut house. Things seem normal as the two boys start at new schools and begin making friends. But when Nate's brother steals his aunt’s key to the mysterious locked room, things start to go very wrong, very fast. </p><p>I enjoyed the mix of high school drama and Stephen-King-like macabre description in this story. Parts are not for the faint of heart, but I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this to teen readers who love horror with a splash of romance. The narrator, Nick Mondelli, did a fine job (even with the female character voices) and added the right amount of emotion and tension to the story. </p><p>I am looking forward to the next installment in Rande Goodwin’s The Witches of Windsor series, as there are definitely loose strings to be tied up. I’m also invested in the characters and their relationships, and I want to see where it all ends up. I received this audiobook from NetGalley. </p>Corinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08751518371290032651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335874032648742697.post-85766420277325614582023-08-26T10:55:00.002-05:002023-08-26T10:55:52.003-05:00<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover280356-medium.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="255" height="383" src="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover280356-medium.png" width="255" /></a></div>William Friend’s "Let Him In” is quite possibly one of the creepiest slow-burns I’ve read in a long time. Told from shifting perspectives, it has the reader constantly questioning what exactly is happening and who is to blame. <p></p><p>Widower Alfie is trying to raise his twin daughters after their mother’s odd and tragic death. Of course they are going through some stuff processing their grief. And luckily, their mother’s twin, Julia, is a psychiatrist who is more than capable of treating them. When an imaginary friend joins the girls, Julia dismisses it at a as coping mechanism at first. Then the imaginary friend, Black Mamba, starts causing problems. Is Julia going to be able to help the girls with their psychological issues, or is something deeper and darker afoot? </p><p>Twins, an old manor house, a mysterious death... “Let Him In” gives us plenty of tropes we know and love from the horror genre. This is more than just a plain rehashing of old ideas, however. The tropes work to draw the reader in, but the author creates a fresh and dark take that keeps the reader involved. While reading this, I had a new puppy. I’d get up to put him out in the middle of the night. Normally, I’d want to go right back to sleep. With “Let Him In,” however, I found myself opening my Kindle and reading for another half-hour or more! I really wanted to see where the story was going, and it kept me engaged. </p><p>I definitely recommend this book to horror fans, and I look forward to the next story from William Friend. I received this book from NetGalley. </p>Corinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08751518371290032651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335874032648742697.post-22137662674984688972023-08-13T15:54:00.000-05:002023-08-13T15:54:11.671-05:00A Review of Nancy Gardner's "Dream Stalker" (audiobook)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover297129-medium.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="255" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover297129-medium.png" width="320" /></a></div>I thoroughly enjoyed Nancy Gardner’s “Dream Stalker.” It’s an entertaining cozy mystery with a touch of the paranormal. <p></p><p>Lily Scott is an herbalist who’s gone through some rough patches. Her husband has died, and her daughter has just been released from prison after stabbing an abusive boyfriend. On top of that, Lily witnesses the suicide of her childhood friend, Kitty. But there seems to be more to the death than first appears. Lily must use her special ability, entering other people’s dreams to see their repressed memories, in order to solve a mystery that encompasses the town of Salem, Massachusetts. </p><p>There were quite a few twists and turns in this story, with plenty of red herrings as well. The setting of Salem around Halloween had me wishing for cooler temperatures and fall festivities. I enjoyed many of the secondary characters, though a few of them could have been fleshed out a touch more. The narrator, Karen Krause, gave me Bernadette Peters vibes, which I loved. I completely believed her as the voice of Lily Scott. </p><p>I hope "Dream Stalker” is the first in a series because I would love to see what else Lily gets up to, learn more about her sister and daughter, and definitely dive deeper into her powers as a dream walker. I received this book from NetGalley.</p>Corinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08751518371290032651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335874032648742697.post-27862552286626319722023-08-01T16:45:00.000-05:002023-08-01T16:45:34.140-05:00A Review of Kevin Lucia's "The Horror at Pleasant Brook"<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover293384-medium.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="373" data-original-width="255" height="373" src="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover293384-medium.png" width="255" /></a></div>“The Horror at Pleasant Brook” by Kevin Lucia is a trope-filled, small-town horror with plenty of gore. <p></p><p>Pleasant Brook is a hamlet in the Adirondacks with a constable and a few businesses. Only a handful of people have ever left the small town, and when they do, they tend to return. When one of these wayward residents comes back to find a creepy mask in an abandoned house, quiet life in the small town quickly unravels. Fighting the slowly growing evil is a teenager who conveniently knows a lot about horror plots, the town librarian, and the constable. To the reader, it is obvious this force is woefully inadequate, and we must wonder if Pleasant Brook can be saved at all. </p><p>This book took me a long time to finish. I had a hard time getting back into it every time I picked it up. I enjoyed the construction of the evil. It was an interesting take on a new monster, integrating Celtic mythology and maybe a little alien invasion. My main complaint is the same as a few of the other reviewers: A new character is introduced in a chapter, lots of backstory on them, and they die by the end of that chapter. Each victim has the same description of their attacker, the same sensory experience, and a similar death. These chapters were very formulaic, and when you started one, you knew exactly how it was going to end. That took some of the excitement out of the narrative for me. Though filled with classic tropes I love in this type of story (the rag-tag band fighting the evil, the small-town feel, the stereotyped characters), they weren’t carried through to the end. The main drunk that joins the rag-tag team for a while, for instance, doesn’t get to make it to the end for his redemption. He’s sober from the beginning, never backtracks, and never has to prove himself to the rest of the team. </p><p>Reading Kevin Lucia's "The Horror at Pleasant Brook" taught me something about crafting horror novels, so I can still recommend it to readers who are interested in a deep-dive into the genre and its tropes. I received it from NetGalley. </p>Corinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08751518371290032651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335874032648742697.post-71278024196193192942023-07-31T09:02:00.000-05:002023-07-31T09:02:05.943-05:00A Review of Delas Heras's "The Nine Lives of Bianca Moon" (audiobook)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover294632-medium.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="255" data-original-width="255" height="400" src="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover294632-medium.png" width="400" /></a></div>Delas Heras’s “The Nine Lives of Bianca Moon” is a book perfect for any fan of hard-boiled detective novels, but who wishes those novels were populated by cats and dogs instead of gumshoes and dames. Also, the book possesses a light-hearted paranormal element that adds a new twist to the genre. <p></p><p>Junior Detective Morton Digby, a border collie, and his partner, a Scottish terrier, are trying to solve the murder of one journalist, Flint Lockford: an Irish Wolfhound. Bianca Moon, Flint’s cat girlfriend, is also trying to track down the killer. Cats have nine lives in this story, getting resurrected wherever they were born each time they are killed. Bianca’s investigation doesn’t go so well, and there’s a question whether she’ll get out of it alive. On the other side of the veil, recently deceased Flint Lockford is trying to adjust to life after death while finding his killer and protecting his girlfriend. I mean, “fiancée.” </p><p>This was a fun, quick listen. It follows almost all the tropes you would expect from a detective novel, but the addition of the paranormal elements was entertaining. There is a lot of stereotyping of breeds: hounds make the best cops, terriers are tenacious, bulldogs drool... The author offers us a nice selection of red herrings, and the supporting characters all serve their function. </p><p>The narrator, Price Waldman, did a good job portraying all the different characters, though I didn’t take to a couple of the female voices. They felt a bit too trite. </p><p>This was a fun read and, being the first in the series promises to be followed by some more creative content. Being the owner of both a border collie and an Irish wolfhound, I enjoyed the fact that they were the main characters. I would definitely check out the sequel if I wanted something that promised to satisfy and didn’t take too much heavy literary lifting. I received this book from NetGalley.</p>Corinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08751518371290032651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335874032648742697.post-32643012261483004592023-07-22T14:55:00.000-05:002023-07-22T14:55:04.479-05:00A review of Lucy Holden's "Woven in Darkness" (audiobook)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover291824-medium.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="255" data-original-width="255" height="400" src="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover291824-medium.png" width="400" /></a></div>Lucy Holden’s “Woven in Darkness” is an epic fantasy with some really interesting world-building. Zaria is a slave with no memory of her childhood. One day, she and some other children simply appear mysteriously along with bags of gold that fill annually to pay for their care. Her childhood is rough, working in a brothel, but she does have caring adults and she gets to attend school to learn to read and write. When the bags of gold fail to magically fill one year, Zaria must try to keep her family together while gaining her freedom before she can be sold. Harken, the Savage King, comes to her aid but not without strings attached. As they work together to achieve both their goals, their relationship grows. <p></p><p>This book had a lot going for it. Some of the world-building elements were hard to get a handle on at first, but they became clearer as the narrative progressed. Because the story was told in first-person perspective, it would feel unnatural to give too much exposition as a third-person narrator could do. The challenges Zaria faces and her discoveries are intriguing and kept me reading. I was a bit put off by the age difference between her and Harken (same reason I never liked the Twilight series. What does an immortal want with a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old?), but other than that I enjoyed the story and the happily ever after. The narrator, Heather Takano, did an excellent job giving voice to Zaria and had me all the more engrossed. </p><p>“Woven in Darkness” By Lucy Holden is a definite read for those who love fantasy romance, and I look forward to other titles set in this world. I received this audiobook from NetGalley. </p>Corinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08751518371290032651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335874032648742697.post-37603067634246721702023-06-21T14:18:00.001-05:002023-06-21T14:18:56.201-05:00A Review of Eric LaRocca's "Everything the Darkness Eats" (audiobook)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover290076-medium.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="255" data-original-width="255" height="400" src="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover290076-medium.png" width="400" /></a></div>Who doesn’t love a horror novel that begins with a cursed archeological expedition? That and other tropes make Eric LaRocca’s “Everything the Darkness Eats” a satisfying read for most horror fans. <p></p><p>Before I go any further, however, this book does need some trigger warnings. Most notably for me, rape and hate crimes. Both are pretty graphic. Other reviewers had a hard time getting through the book as a result. </p><p>In this story, we follow multiple perspectives of people living around a rural New England town. Several citizens have gone missing. A mysterious, dashing man who drives a Rolls Royce and claims to sell funeral plots is involved, as is a widower who has a spirit around his neck and a police detective who has been the victim of a hate crime. In different ways, they attempt to bring an end to the paranormal threat facing the town. </p><p>This story, narrated well by Andre Santana, draws on a lot of tropes that will remind readers of Joe Hill and Stephen King: the car, the manor house, and the mysterious disappearances. LaRocca, though, doesn’t hold back with the graphic depictions of the struggles his characters are facing. The evil in this story is not just some supernatural being, but also the other people in the town who are bigots or disengaged. It’s a very quick listen if you can stand the darkness, and the ending is not as bleak as the rest of the novel. </p><p>I enjoyed it, and though I can’t remember having read other works by this author, I will seek them out. I received this audiobook from NetGalley. </p>Corinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08751518371290032651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335874032648742697.post-61189156951424354202023-06-14T10:30:00.000-05:002023-06-14T10:30:12.362-05:00A Review of Kaitlyn Davis's "The Raven and the Dove" (audiobook)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover289450-medium.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="255" data-original-width="255" height="400" src="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover289450-medium.png" width="400" /></a></div>Kaitlyn Davis’s “The Raven and the Dove” is the first book in what is sure to be an epic fantasy romance series. Mistaken identities, prophecies, and mysterious plots all play a role in the drama. In a world where the goods grant people living on floating islands the wings of birds, but magic is forbidden, Lyana and her brother enter the annual courtship rituals of the royalty. Lyana thinks she has chosen one prince but finds out she has ended up with his half-brother instead. She and her best friend, Cassie, follow him to his land for the impending nuptials. There are other plots at work, however, and the ending is not the wedded bliss anticipated by Lyana and her betrothed. <p></p><p>Narrated nicely by Sarah Sampino, this fantasy was an entertaining listen. The world-building was intriguing, and I look forward to learning more about the mechanics of magic versus the power of the gods as interpreted by the different cultures in the world. The love triangle between Lyana, Rafe, and Lysander was a little predictable, but it did its job in the overall story. There is no satisfying ending in this book, ensuring that you have to read it before you read the sequel. It doesn’t stand alone. I do look forward to what is next for the characters and how the conflict will resolve in the end. </p>Corinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08751518371290032651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335874032648742697.post-18761758481574136442023-06-05T14:05:00.003-05:002023-06-05T14:05:49.609-05:00A Review of Erin A. Craig's "The House of Roots and Ruin<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover280443-medium.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="385" data-original-width="255" height="385" src="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover280443-medium.png" width="255" /></a></div>“The House of Roots and Ruin” is Erin A. Craig’s follow-up to “The House of Salt and Sorrow.” Years after the setting of the first book, the narrative follows the youngest Thaumas sister, Verity. She’s recently learned a secret about herself and decides to flee home and strike out on her own. The opportunity comes in the commission to paint a young ducal heir on the far side of the country. Verity takes the job without consulting with her older sister. The duke, his wife, and his son (the subject of her painting) welcome her into their lush home. Verity is happy at first, but she begins to uncover secrets in the house that suggest something more sinister is going on. While her relationship with the duke’s son progresses beyond painter and subject, Verity learns she’s part of the plot and must decide to who to trust.<p></p><p>This was a thoroughly entertaining sequel to “The House of Roots of Ruin.” It starts a little more froufrou with flowers and pink candles, but the gothic qualities catch up by the end. There a few predictable bits that left me a smidge disappointed, but in all I was well satisfied by the story. I can’t say I loved it AS MUCH as the first in the series, but I eagerly await additional stories in this universe. I received this book from NetGalley.</p>Corinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08751518371290032651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335874032648742697.post-85535312500395471272023-05-16T12:50:00.000-05:002023-05-16T12:50:41.531-05:00A Review of “Unnatural Creatures” by Kris Waldherr (audiobook)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover288634-medium.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="255" data-original-width="255" height="400" src="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover288634-medium.png" width="400" /></a></div>As I’ve mentioned before in my reviews, I love a good adaption of the great works of fiction from our literary past. I’ll link at the bottom to a couple of other reviews that fall into this category. “Unnatural Creatures” by Kris Waldherr is inspired by and closely follows the action of Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein.” Instead of coming from the point of view of Victor or the creature, it is told from the three women involved in his life: mother Caroline, adopted “cousin” and betrothed Elizabeth, and the maid Justine. <p></p><p>The story is told in three parts, each one focused on one of the women, but also shifting on occasion. Each woman is haunted by the creature at some point, often blamed as a trick of the eye in the dark, a misidentified shadow, or a dream. If you’ve read “Frankenstein,” you’re going to know much of what goes on; we just get it here in a different perspective...until the end. The author takes some exciting liberties there, and it’s worth getting to the finish line to find out what they are.</p><p>This book was very well written and entertaining, even with having a solid background in the source material. I enjoyed the changes and perspective the author made. </p><p>The voice artist, Barrie Kreinik, also did a nice job with the narration and voices, though I did have one question as a result of the performance: Why do English voice actors, when voicing characters that are supposed to be speaking another language, like French or German, give lower-class characters, who would also be speaking French or German, a Cockney-like accent? I know there are “low class” accents in all languages, but do we need to default to that stereotype? It’s just a musing listening to this story prompted. </p><p>I enjoyed this book and will seek out others by this author. I received the audiobook from NetGalley. </p><p>Other reviews of books based on canon literature: </p><p><a href="https://cbcalsing.blogspot.com/2022/11/a-review-of-lauren-blackwoods-within.html">“Within these Wicked Walls” by Lauren Blackwood, source material “Jane Eyre” </a></p><p><a href="https://cbcalsing.blogspot.com/2022/05/a-review-of-silvia-moreno-garcias.html">“The Daughter of Doctor Moreau” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, source material “The Island of Doctor Moreau” </a></p>Corinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08751518371290032651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335874032648742697.post-5574642301384000362023-05-03T14:28:00.006-05:002023-05-03T14:28:00.156-05:00A Review of Kyrie McCauley's "All the Dead Lie Down"<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover273427-medium.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="385" data-original-width="255" height="385" src="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover273427-medium.png" width="255" /></a></div>Ah, yes. What’s better than an atmospheric, trope-filled romance that’s also a horror novel? Not much! In this, Kyrie McCauley’s “All the Dead Lie Down” delivers, both with its macabre content and its happily-ever-after (don’t ever take that away from my romances!). <p></p><p>Marin has recently lost her mother and has few prospects. Is this a Regency or Victorian romance? Nope, set in the present day. When a horror novelist she admires hires her as the summer nanny for her two young daughters, Marin takes the position at forlorn and remote Lovelace House. The children’s father has also recently passed. From the beginning, Marin is tested by the mother, the children’s cruel pranks, and the strange nature of the house. When the eldest daughter returns unexpectedly from her summer studies, however, Marin finds it too difficult to leave the strange property. Even though, with Evie’s arrival, things get even stranger. Together, the two must protect the young wards, navigate Mother’s odd behaviors, and unravel a mystery a few generations in the making. </p><p>The blurb compares this book to both “Bly Manor” and “House of Salt and Sorrows.” “House of Salt and Sorrows” was my favorite book from last year’s reading, so I jumped on the chance to read this as well. It lacks the fantasy aspect but does deliver on the haunting and the atmosphere. It’s a rather timeless setting on the coast of Maine, and it would make a lovely summer read if you like something that is both gruesome and light-hearted at times. The development of Evie and Marin’s relationship is sweet, and the younger girls seemed realistically portrayed, which can be quite difficult. I was hooked from the beginning on trying to figure out why their mother was behaving the way she was, and the answer does not disappoint. I was thoroughly entertained from beginning to end and look forward to other works in this genre from Kyrie McCauley. I received this book from NetGalley.</p>Corinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08751518371290032651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335874032648742697.post-46920884264755516922023-04-30T14:28:00.000-05:002023-04-30T14:28:47.753-05:00A Review of Helen Power's "The Ghosts of Thorwald Place" (audiobook)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover278632-medium.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="255" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover278632-medium.png" width="320" /></a></div>In “The Ghosts of Thorwald Place” by Helen Power, the protagonist is brutally murdered in the opening pages. The reader then follows her exploration of the building she is tethered to as she tries to determine who killed her and how to free herself from the threat of another, sinister being also lurking in the halls of the luxury condo building. Rachel, the main character, has a disturbing past, but as, in ghost form, she gets to know the other residents of the building, she realizes she is not the only one. <p></p><p>This was a fun horror mystery with so many twists and subplots, I was kept guessing until the end. I enjoyed the mix of ghost story, first-person narrative, and diary entries to give the background. Because our narrator was left in the dark regarding some things about her own life, the revelations seemed to work for both reader and main character, and I did not feel as if she was deliberately unreliable. This novel was thoroughly entertaining, and the narrator, Rachel Fulginiti, did an excellent job bringing the character of Rachel to life, or, erm, death, as it were. I look forward to other works in this genre from Helen Power. I received the audiobook from NetGalley.</p>Corinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08751518371290032651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335874032648742697.post-43826502392869896482023-03-18T11:16:00.000-05:002023-03-18T11:16:06.803-05:00A Review of Cassandra Khaw's "The Salt Grows Heavy"<p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover274294-medium.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="391" data-original-width="255" height="391" src="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover274294-medium.png" width="255" /></a></i></div><i>The Salt Grows Heavy</i> by Cassandra Khaw is a strange book. In a pastiche of <i>Frankenstein </i>and <i>The Little Mermaid</i> and <i>Lord of the Flies,</i> we are given an odd, often gruesome travelogue that ends sooner than expected.<p></p><p>After fleeing a plague—in fact, the mermaid’s children eating everyone in the kingdom—the silent mermaid and a cobbled-together plague doctor find themselves in a frozen village filled with children who regularly kill each other, only to be resurrected by a trio of masked doctors called the saints. These doctors are, in fact, the ones responsible for creating the plague doctor, and this gives our characters mixed feelings. When more information is revealed, and the purpose of the children uncovered, the mermaid must decide whether to flee or remain beside her loyal doctor as they do what they think is right.</p><p>The set-up of this story had me thinking we’d be following these two characters for a while, but their travels come to an abrupt stop in the snowy woods when they witness the brutal murder of a child by a group of other children. And it all unravels from there. The turns of events are unexpected all the way through, and the reader cannot guess what is going to happen next. Truly, when the blurb or I compare this to other stories, that’s really not going to set the reader up to understand what’s happening. </p><p><i>The Salt Grows Heavy</i> has to be read to be understood. And then you’re going to have to sit with it for a couple of days after. I received the ARC from NetGalley. </p>Corinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08751518371290032651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335874032648742697.post-22473073706559380812023-03-05T11:13:00.005-06:002023-03-05T11:13:52.673-06:00A Review of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's "Silver Nitrate"<p><span class="TextRun SCXW222072332 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW222072332 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: windowtext; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover276841-medium.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="255" height="388" src="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover276841-medium.png" width="255" /></a></div>I am a huge fan of vintage horror films of the sixties and seventies, so I was immediately drawn to<i> Silver Nitrate</i> by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. This is the third book of hers I have read, and I have yet to be disappointed. <br /><br />Montserrat is a sound editor in 1990s Mexico City who has grown tired and frustrated by her position at an old boys’ club studio. When her best friend, Tristan, moves into a new building and realizes one of his neighbors is horror director Abel Urueta, Montserrat takes it as a chance to diversify: researching a bit for television about Abel’s last, forgotten film. But the curious research project takes on a new tone when the film’s strange history and cast of characters come into play. Soon, Montserrat and Tristan find themselves embroiled in a decades-old plot involving the occult, flammable film, and possible immortality. <br /><br />I am hard to scare these days, having consumed a lot of horror fiction and film. But there was a scene in this book that got me. I won’t go into details because I don’t want to spoil it for anyone, but yeah, I got a little queasy and scared. The main characters and the supporting cast were all strong, with the proper amount of creepy where it was due. The magic “effects” were fun and original. I also enjoyed the ups and downs of the relationship between Montserrat and Tristan. <br /><br />I definitely recommend this book for fans of old horror movies. The nods here and there to directors and titles are little easter eggs for the savvy reader. Again, I’m looking forward to what comes next from Silvia Moreno-Garcia. I received the ARC from NetGalley. <br /><br />Read my other review of her work (I realized I never reviewed <i>Mexican Gothic</i>. What’s wrong with me?): <a href="https://cbcalsing.blogspot.com/2022/05/a-review-of-silvia-moreno-garcias.html">The Daughter of Dr. Moreau</a> <p></p>Corinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08751518371290032651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335874032648742697.post-20589983675526781772023-02-17T14:31:00.003-06:002023-02-17T14:31:36.862-06:00A Review of Shelley Wilson's "Blood Born"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover277150-medium.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="255" height="394" src="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover277150-medium.png" width="255" /></a></div>Tween, vampire-obsessed me would have devoured Shelley Wilson’s<i> Blood Born</i>. I would have loved having age-appropriate vampire novels with a touch of romance then, and I was highly entertained by it now, even if I’m not part of the target demographic. <br /><br />When Emma is turned into a vampire, her world is turned upside down. Her grandmother is kidnapped, a mysterious woman shows up on her doorstep promising to help her, and she meets a male vampire she has an instant attraction toward. All of this is hard to process for the loner who has always been haunted by a darkness she can’t quite explain. Now she needs to fight her own family, whom she’s only just learned about, to save her grandmother and her new-found friends at the Haven, a place for vampire half-breeds. Unfortunately, the vampire who changed her does not have Emma’s best interests in mind, and conflicting prophesies offer little guidance. <br /><br />This is clearly the first in a series, as the ending is a bit of a cliffhanger. The plot has all the tropes one wants in YA vampire novel. Is the protagonist an orphan or have at least one dead parent? Check. Is the protagonist a loner? Check. Does the protagonist turn out to be a princess in hiding? Check. Is the vampire she falls for older and pretty good-looking? Check... I could go on. The romance side of the story is limited to a few kisses, so it’s not too steamy for younger readers. The biggest draw is the kick-ass main character, Emma. Despite her change and upheaval, she stays true to her values and proves to be strong and capable. She works to help and protect her friends and family. <br /><br />I enjoyed <i>Blood Born </i>by Shelley Wilson and look forward to the sequels. I want to see how Emma confronts her future problems and learns to use her skills and strengths as a vampire. Corinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08751518371290032651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335874032648742697.post-16784655283433983562023-02-07T11:04:00.003-06:002023-02-07T11:04:55.293-06:00Cover art for "Ike Pāpālua - Science Fiction & Fantasy from the Hawaiian Islands"<p>Here is the cover artwork for the next anthology in which one of my stories, "Beneath the Ironwoods," appears. It is set for a May release!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5c7DI6bHfUd7A80Vx0tcU__1zW9nNrRJPUweQwYZfWjBjUChuEQ4ncXtEBv3CT9BEpd8VyR7RDxZpvGbtoildzR2-OSiUdEHyBBI0aAKKT11GSummeI4h9NQO75o2ZlyNGWlaboT5ym73d-qBBY5pqqWxEMPOZBG8H7PYw_bT0ggpGpOh1UgH4l1a/s2700/Ike%20Papalua.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1794" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5c7DI6bHfUd7A80Vx0tcU__1zW9nNrRJPUweQwYZfWjBjUChuEQ4ncXtEBv3CT9BEpd8VyR7RDxZpvGbtoildzR2-OSiUdEHyBBI0aAKKT11GSummeI4h9NQO75o2ZlyNGWlaboT5ym73d-qBBY5pqqWxEMPOZBG8H7PYw_bT0ggpGpOh1UgH4l1a/w266-h400/Ike%20Papalua.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Corinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08751518371290032651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335874032648742697.post-4931983606462428742023-01-20T11:28:00.000-06:002023-01-20T11:28:17.275-06:00A Review of Caryn Larrinaga's "Mouse Trap"<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover277213-medium.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="408" data-original-width="255" height="408" src="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover277213-medium.png" width="255" /></a></div>Caryn Larrinaga’s <i>Mouse Trap </i>is a quick, quiet horror read that will leave its audience satisfied and relieved. <p></p><p>Dakota’s family has suffered...a lot. Her parents had dreamed of fostering and adopting many children, but when their youngest of three dies tragically in the family home, those dreams die with him. Years later, Dakota, the middle child, returns to the family home to help bury her agoraphobic older brother, Lennox. Lennox had promised to protect her from the force she was sure killed her little brother. But now that Lennox is dead, who will look out for Dakota? And is it her grief haunting her or something darker, more nefarious? </p><p>This was a solid story with a satisfying ending that leaves the reader hopeful. The lightness at the end, however, does not permeate the story throughout, and there is plenty of tension to the otherwise quiet, not-very-gory plot. It’s one of those stories where you’re never quite sure whether the protagonist’s suffering is coming from within or without. Dakota is flawed but likable, though we have more sympathy for her deceased brother. That has to be deliberate on the author’s part. </p><p><i>Mouse Trap</i> is a fine read for an afternoon or a weekend for fans of quiet horror that is neither gruesome nor overwrought. I received the ebook from NetGalley, and I look forward to seeing what else Caryn Larrinaga has written. </p>Corinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08751518371290032651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335874032648742697.post-66657848355278842622023-01-18T15:38:00.003-06:002023-01-18T15:38:15.439-06:00A Review of Hailer Piper's "No Gods for Drowning" (audiobook)<p><span class="TextRun SCXW41573271 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: windowtext; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover273835-medium.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="255" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://netgalley-covers.s3.amazonaws.com/cover273835-medium.png" width="320" /></a></div>Hailey Piper’s <i>No Gods for Drowning</i> is a lesson in world-building and how to make a trope-filled murder mystery new and awesome. I found parallels between her work and China Mieville’s, one of my favorite writers. I would love to see more of Piper’s writing in this world. <br /><br />The plot seems simple at first: something of a ritualistic serial killer is stalking a city, just as the city prepares for its catastrophic rainy season. On top of that, the gods, who used to walk among the people, disappeared ten years previous, and no one really knows why. A cast of characters including a flood fighter, a detective, and two descendants of the missing gods are thrown together in this setting, and both enemy and ally must work together to save their homes.<p></p><p><span class="TextRun SCXW41573271 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">Elements of fantasy, noir, and horror meld together in Piper’s narrative, making for a book unlike any I’ve read in many years. The closest parallel I can draw is<i> Perdido Street Station,</i> but it’s not as odd as that, so if anything it’s more accessible. The world-building, particularly the history of it—the migrations, the generations of gods—is rich and detailed. The characters are well-rounded and fleshed-out, and there’s sympathy enough to go around even if you can’t decide who the villain and who the savior is.</span></p><p><span class="TextRun SCXW41573271 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">I highly recommend this book to fans of mystery, fantasy, and horror, and I hope Hailey Piper revisits the world of<i> No Gods for Drowning</i> in more of her writing. I received the audiobook version from NetGalley. </span></p>Corinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08751518371290032651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335874032648742697.post-37135737670810441092023-01-08T15:20:00.003-06:002023-01-08T15:20:55.089-06:00Review of Caitlin Marceau's "This Is Where We Talk Things Out"<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71VYkgCMymL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="533" height="400" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71VYkgCMymL.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>Caitlin Marceau’s <i>This Is Where We Talk Things Out</i> is a quick, tropey horror read suitable for fans of Stephen King and other classic horror authors. Miller has had a fraught relationship with her mother. Nevertheless, she agrees to go on a girls’ trip to a cabin in the woods...during a snowstorm. The tension quickly escalates when Miller recognizes the furniture, clothing, and accessories in the cabin are from her childhood home. Her mother, Sylvie, has recreated it almost perfectly. Thinking her mom is having trouble coping with Miller’s father’s death, Miller tries to make the most of the time with her mom. But one thing leads to another, and Miller realizes before long that there is more at work here. Can she get out and save herself? <p></p><p>A little bit <i>Misery</i>, a little bit “A Rose for Emily” (hope that’s not too much of a spoiler), <i>This Is Where We Talk Things Out</i> is a strong novella that had me gritting my teeth and wincing in sympathetic pain. Though a bit predictable, the story’s allure is not in the mystery or twists, but in the author’s execution of the tropes she selected. The descriptions are graphic and gritty. We are with Miller’s struggle every step of the way, even though we are fairly certain we know how it will turn out. The ending is a bit of a cliff hanger, and I hope to see the next installment from the perspective of Miller’s partner. The dramatic irony of that plot would be quite rich. Caitlin Marceau has done a good job with This Is Where We Talk Things Out, and I look forward to seeing what comes next from this author. I received the ARC of the book from the publisher. </p>Corinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08751518371290032651noreply@blogger.com0