Lisbeth Ivies
I admit the title is what first drew me toward wanting to read this novel. Provocative but simple, a book named Adapt or Die definitely deserved at least a look at the blurb. That it was near-future science fiction with an LGBTQ+ protagonist only made me more excited at that point. For the most part, author Peter Vernerac did deliver on that initial reaction.
Despite the rating, there is quite a lot to love about this novel. A thriller revolving around technology and the relationship humans have with it, the premise is more believable than farfetched. Rooting motivations in very real and tangible concepts such as survival plays a huge part in why. Corey Smalls, or Cosmo as he's called, is the point of view character for most of the story, and one of its brightest points. Both likable and competent while not being inhumanly so in either area, I couldn't help but cheer for the character as the plot progressed.
The content of the book is largely very sound, and if it wasn't for other issues, this could have possibly been one of my must-reads for science fiction. The dialogue was a bit of a hit or a miss at points, particularly between certain characters or when more than two characters were talking in a scene. I think a large part of this was it could be so strong at some points that the points where it wasn't stood out more.
What the novel had to say was amazing, how it was said is the main reason for the lower rating. There are quite a few skips in time throughout Adapt or Die. Forward, back, forward, further back, etc. Some were time-stamped, some weren't. And while most of the book is written in 1st person from Cosmo's view, quite a few parts are from 3rd person with the spotlight on different characters, also moving between omniscient and limited at various points. This could get very confusing to read because there could be inner thoughts not attributed to specific characters. There's also an early concept introduced that doesn't really ever get picked up on, and I wish it had.
Errors though were the biggest issue for me. There are quite a few missing words or other problems that kept drawing me out of the story because I had to reread for clarity. I don't want to make it seem like the writing is bad because the author did craft a rather wonderful story. But there were enough errors throughout that I feel another round of editing would be beneficial.
I would still recommend Adapt or Die to fans of science fiction despite the rating. Particularly if you are a reader who enjoys speculation and exploration into the increasing dependence on technology.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Like the author in one of the first chapters, knowing that there were people like me expressing themselves despite history doing its best to suppress that has a profound effect. Even as a reader without the familial connection, learning about Grandma Ruby and the life she was able to live if only for a short time created some visceral reactions.
Alternating back and forth between the author's journey of discovery and the life she's uncovering, ‘Don't You Dare' hovers between memoir and retelling, a connecting of dots based on personal photos and research done by the author. There's almost two books here, one situated around Ruby's life, and the other describing the author's journey. While it does work very well for the most part, largely because of date tags at the beginning of most chapters, it's not done for all, especially toward the beginning of the novel. In addition, we're sometimes presented with information like it's new when it's actually more of a reiteration from an earlier chapter. This, the fact some of the chapters are so short in general, and a few linguistic choices affected understanding at points, but overall I found the book a very enjoyable read.
I haven't read anything like this before, but I would compare it to the TV series ‘A League of Their Own' on Prime.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
As a fellow Texan, there was a lot I felt familiar with as I read through this novella. And with having gone through a certain winter event that many in the area called “Snowmageddon,” the premise drew me in almost instantly. It must have kept me there too because I read the whole thing in one sitting. Cup of hot cocoa in one hand with the kindle in the other, and happy that though it was cold outside, I actually had power unlike that time two years ago.
The content of the novella itself is rather well done. The characterization of the family that everything focuses around honestly surprised me compared to most novellas I've read. Usually in the smaller word counts, you don't get as real a sense for the characters as you do with this one.
The length, especially in terms of scope, is one of the main reasons behind the ultimate rating. Pacing needs a bit of work, and with how much emphasis is placed on the buildup, the culmination of it all just feels a bit too short. Dialogue was strong, but the prose could use some cleaning up. The word choice and descriptions were excellent but buried in overlong sentences. Because of that length, and how windy many lines could get, readability tanked in places. This only became worse in certain instances where the main actor could change from beginning to end.
With a little more editing and a fleshing out of the latter half of the novella, this could be an amazing read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Looking back, I am not sure if The City Grew Monsters uses the “z-word” even once in the actual novel. In most works, the characters pretty quickly start bandying it about when random people begin biting each other and adding to the hoard. The cardinal rules are quickly adapted to as well, such as going for the head! Thus, I found this title fresher in that respect, especially when it leads to a doctor narrowing down what works and doesn't work on one of the “infected.”
Action is where this novel shines. Adrenaline soaring, feet pounding on the pavement, and a much faster version than the usual shambling, decaying villains we usually get in works like these. Descriptive details and inner monologue capture just the right amount of tension and urgency. Even in the fastest scenes, I could visualize what was happening.
Hunter Adams doesn't just rely on human vs. zombie as the only source of conflict though. The stakes start high even before the outbreak and only get higher. What could be worse than being trapped in a high rise building as the city descends into chaos around you? Being 6 years old and there illegally. Oh, and your father, the only person to know you are there, has a medical condition that makes both of your survivals questionable. For the sake of not spoiling anything, I won't describe the other layers of conflict. Just know there are many more.
The City Grew Monsters reminds me of a geode. Rough on the outside, but you can crack it open to find a treasure inside. The plot and characters in the novel are honestly quite good. But the packaging surrounding them, the presentation of it all, lends to a lower rating. A lack of consistency makes the timeline of events hard to understand sometimes. This becomes crucial when more and more moving parts pile on, including multiple points of view.
Flashbacks and time skips (usually because of a character sleeping) had to be reread because of little transition. The sleeping annoyed me most, since it was largely used to create cliffhangers. Leave a character at the end of one chapter only to pick back up hours later. Instead of just continuing from that point, we'd then have a flashback to what happened. This artificially created some confusion while also dropping the tension from the previous chapter. That we could have several chapters between the different point of view characters only made this worse.
Every chapter starts with a timestamp, and some with an additional “Day [x]” format. Here too, there wasn't a lot of consistency with which day or how far past the beginning (and the day 0 prologue) we were. Some flashbacks also contradict what earlier parts of the novel establish. There are quite a few errors too, mostly missing words or the wrong word being used.
Despite some issues with presentation, I do still recommend The City Grew Monsters to any fans of the zombie genre or even fans of just thrillers in general. A fresh perspective on what can sometimes be a mindless or heartless genre, the story just needs a little more polish to truly shine.
As both an avid gamer and an avid reader, I was very excited to have the chance to read and review Old Man Gamer. Through the lens of the sardonic gamer in question, the novel takes a creative look at just how gaming and other forms of escapism could look within our lifetimes. Set in that not-too-distant future, the current slate of games is often used as comparisons or the brunt of some wonderful jokes.
There is quite a lot of breaking the fourth wall, but it's used effectively for the most part. In a way, it should almost be expected going in because the author is using the gamertag of the main character as the byline. Quite frequently, Sammyfantastic addresses the reader outright or references certain events outside the scope of the story. It's even mentioned that Old Man Gamer more of an account than a story with no beginning, middle, or end (despite the warning it does deliver for the most part on a true narrative).
The description of the game that makes up the bulk of the setting had me desperately wanting to have something to play like it right now. Characters, actions, landscapes, all of it is vividly depicted and one of the biggest strengths of the novel. The cast also somehow feels more real than in most stories too. A tough feat considering how most of the time they're on the page, they are fantasy creatures from cyborg orcs to thieving elves.
As good as the story is though, there are a few things that held me back from absolutely loving it. While drug use is something the reader is informed about at the beginning, I didn't realize quite how much of the plot and action would be directly tied to it. There is also a very interesting plot line regarding it that I would have loved to see more of or at least resolved instead of seemingly being dropped.
Several lurches in story occur as well, largely during the leveling journey. While skips forward are rather normal, this was bouncing around a bit. To save time, Sammyfantastic also frequently uses bullet points to list some of what he's done instead of writing them out. I can understand it, but it's not something I generally prefer.
If you are a fan of current games, especially MMOs, I'd highly encourage giving this one a look. Even if you aren't a gamer though, this is still a very interesting marriage of both sci-fi and fantasy.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Music can soothe, inspire, and lure pretty damsels in distress toward classical superstars in dark subway stations. For one young woman, the music means both pain but also the stirrings of hope. She's been ravaged, both mentally and physically for so long even despite her young age. Yet the meet cute in the middle of this self-styled dark romance might just be her redemption.
For the Love of Music has a lot to love (and yes, I did that on purpose). The descriptions, especially in the many sex scenes, are spot on. Many of them are nonconsensual as a warning though since the broad ‘trigger warning' issued at the beginning of the book isn't very specific. Emily/Emma, one of the two protagonists, has been through novels worth of abuse even before the book actually starts. And that abuse only keeps on coming. The fact there's any spirit still left in her was what kept me reading even through the hardest scenes.
At the same time, there's a lot not to love about the novel as well. Much of what happens or has happened to Emily/Emma helps develop her as a character and give readers insight into why she acts or thinks the way she does. However, dark romance doesn't always have to mean let's pound the female character into the ground for shock value. I was shocked to hear that the author was saying this was one of her less dark novels just because of the graphic content that Emma/Emily has to go through. There are definitely some events that cross the line into gratuitous or just there for shock value.
In one instance, I even felt like it was added in so that the other protagonist could experience some sexist shock of his own. The man who does drugs and engages in casual sex with orchestra mates he's just met as a form of teambuilding doesn't get to be as viscerally disgusted by other things later. Especially when those things aren't being engaged in by choice. This addition just seemed to perpetuate the social stigmas that casual sex for men is okay where it isn't for women. Within the context of the larger novel, it makes even less sense to be there too.
I did still find the novel well worth reading just because of how much of a trooper Emma/Emily is. Put her in a horror movie, and her sheer determination would make her the “final girl” hands down. The story would have been stronger without a few of the last particular type of obstacles she had to deal with. But readers who enjoy scenes that will make them squirm in both a good and bad way in the same novel should enjoy For the Love of Music.
As someone who has always been fascinated by the political machine, having that combined with my fondness for LGBTQ+ romance was a perfect match in a lot of ways. I'm all too used to romances treating their leads' careers and industries as nothing but window-dressing though and was trying not to get my hopes up too much. I shouldn't have worried ultimately because ‘Winning His Vote' very much serves up a novel where politics is integral to the plot. And the main characters are extremely competent at what they do.
The description and humor are some of the highest selling points of the story. Shifting first person point of view between David and Joe (most of the novel is in Joe's), both characters still have distinct voices for the most part. Humor and interests being the bulk of how that was done. While I enjoyed both, Joe was by far my favorite for phrases like: “his butt gave me a vertical smile.” The dialogue was also very strong throughout the novel.
However, despite the above praise, I ultimately gave the novel 4 stars. There were a few inconsistencies within the characters that made some of their actions feel less believable or the gains feel less earned in some ways. At certain parts, I also feel like the reader would have gotten a stronger attachment to the characters if the other point of view had been used instead to approach the scene.
The novel also fell prey to what I call secondary character syndrome. A character not to be heard from or seen again was fleshed out too much to just be a plot point and only offhandedly mentioned again when it's convenient to create artificial tension. I also think that two chapters were mixed up somehow (19 and 20) which led to quite a bit of confusion surrounding what is one of the most important developments of the two characters.
I did highly enjoy reading my copy of ‘Winning His Vote' and recommend it to anyone who likes their m/m romances with a little bit of extra drama in the form of politics. And despite not rating this one full stars, the author is clearly a talented writer whose work I'd like to see more of.
Every reader picks up a book for their own reasons. For me, if I choose to read nonfiction, I'm largely looking to either be inspired or to learn something new. With The Linchpin Writer by John Matthew Fox, I am happy to say I experienced both.
Borrowing the concept of a linchpin, or the thing that holds everything else together, Fox focuses on those emotional anchor points that keep a reader from putting a book down. Every chapter highlights a different type of linchpin or section of a story. From first lines all the way to last ones, every part is covered. What truly sets The Linchpin Writer apart from other books I've read on writing though boils down to three main things: actualization, relevance, and tone.
Every chapter ends with an action step in the form of a challenge for you as a writer as well as an avenue for finding extra information on the topic. Yes, that information is from Fox's own website, but it's done in such a way that doesn't feel self-aggrandizing. And having been on that site to look around a bit, there truly is a wealth of knowledge to be found there.
I blame the author for why my reading list has suddenly doubled almost. Instead of pulling examples from classic literature or what seems to be a shortlist I've seen referenced in other works, the quotes used come from so many genres and are, for the most part, relatively recent. These samples don't just represent great descriptions or first lines as the case may be in certain sections. They reiterate the overarching point: linchpin moments in novels are important. Without the full context of the rest of the stories they were pulled from or the blurb on the cover, I felt compelled as a reader to add quite a few titles to the aforementioned list because of those linchpins.
The tone of the writing is both conversational and engaging. Personal anecdotes connect and support the various points the author makes without ever feeling like too much. Fox often reminds me of a coach with the approach he takes, inspiring other writers by sharing both successes and failures. He never diminishes the sheer effort that good writing takes, but he does offer strategies that can help hone effort toward something substantial.
I recommend The Linchpin Writer to anyone interested in making sure what they write packs an emotional punch. Readers won't always remember every point of a plot or every action a character takes. But almost everyone will remember how a piece of writing makes them feel.
I'm not sure my first instinct would be to raise mysterious bees that are left on the doorstep of my new house. If I did end up doing so, I'd hope to meet the same handsome redhead that the main character here does. Read for one of the prompts for Around the Year 2023, the pun in the title is the main reason I selected this book. Or at least, it's why I read the blurb which ultimately sold me. The title isn't just a pun though, it's a bit of both a promise and a warning.
Many of the plot points in Meant to Bee are derived by either fate or happenstance depending on which school of thought you belong to. The main character faces this obstacle? The universe answers with x, y, or z solution. Things going too well? Here's this foil in the form of an unexpected ex being in a position of power. While I always struggle a little to stay invested when things seem all too convenient at points in terms of plot, the overall story was cute enough to keep me going.
In terms of the quality of the writing, the voices of the characters, especially the main character, were amazing. Smart, a little jaded, but still sweet, the single mother was determined to make things work for her own sake and that for her daughter's too. My only issue is that things kind of skirted the line of her not being able to make it without a man in her life. I would have liked a little less knight in shining armor, but it never fully crossed the line into being too much and forcing me to put the book away.
There was a pretty funny continuity error. A relatively large one, made more obvious by the fact the novel was pretty much flawless otherwise. I think the author might have liked one line in particular when describing the main character's daughter. Enough so that it was forgotten that daughter and father had actually interacted before the scene it takes place in the second time.
Meant to Bee works best as a feel-good romance. The content, despite the struggles of the characters, still strays more toward being on the lighter side. This is made more so by the way many of those hurdles are jumped, largely by chance instead of by intent or agency of the main characters.
Multiple times while reading ‘Awry With Dandelions,' I was struck by just how much I wanted to read more of the world the author has created here. From being able to create water using a nonsensical string of 17 words to having a custom of kissing cheeks or forehead based on gender, there were so many details shaping a planet akin to ours even though the work is quite short.
The characterizations of Mette, Orin, and Blathnaid were very well done but felt younger to me than their listed ages. The gender of Orin and xir portrayal, in general, was exactly what I hope for in the genre. Being nonbinary wasn't the primary focus of a flat character but only one facet of a fleshed-out, real personality.
The length of the novella is probably my biggest complaint, though it was also a compliment in some ways rolled into one because some of that was my selfish want for more as explained above. However, some of it was also from the technical side too, with the last two chapters especially feeling rather rushed while reading. It also broke one of the “cardinal rules” of the romance genre, but I can't really elaborate on that more without spoiling anything. Ultimately, I think this was just another symptom of the length.
Science fiction and fantasy melded into one, I found ‘Awry With Dandelions' stronger through that lens than as a romance. Though the concept of two characters sort of slipping into each other through short, nightly glimpses over the course of years was a very interesting one.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
For a book by a debut author, I was ultimately impressed by the end of The Unlocked Path. Don't get me wrong, the beginning worried me. In the end, I am more than happy to have made this novel my selection for one of the prompts in the 2023 Around the Year in 52 Books Challenge.
I don't really remember when or where I first started my fascination with the history of various people's fighting for their own voices to be heard or their struggles to obtain the same rights that other groups have always been bestowed with. I do remember having to do a year-long research project in grade school and selecting the women's suffrage movement as my topic where other students were choosing celebrities for the most part. Thus, I was relatively familiar with a lot of the history and connections sprinkled into the story throughout this novel. This might be her first book, but I honestly say that I would label the author an expert at weaving her fictional characters into a real life narrative.
The Unlocked Path exists somewhere on the line between fiction and nonfiction. It reminds me of the movies that are ‘based on true events' where the script writers created an amalgamation of various real people into one protagonist that the movie can root for. (Looking at you, Mark Wahlberg in Patriot's Day.) Family, the sisterhood of women, and all the many roles a female can hold (most of the time simultaneously) comprise the main parts of the novel. Even before women had the right to vote, many first had to find their voice or find other ways to prove themselves. Following the life and achievements of the Edwards family, their independent and intellectual sisters and daughters, the reader takes a journey through one of the most revolutionary periods for women in a way that feels immensely personal. Strong, competent, but still feminine characters resonated deep with me in a way I wasn't quite prepared for going in.
Just like the protagonist with a few flaws, the novel isn't without its own issues though. As mentioned earlier, the beginning was rather rough. I don't know if it was a new author trying to find her footing and writing style, or an attempt to make a period piece feel even more like a period piece. Either way, the end result made me unsure whether I'd be able to finish the story after all. The language used felt needlessly ornamental at points in the first few chapters, with that dressing up making some things just not make sense. One particular example that stood out and stayed with me was the main character walking into a room where she ‘espied' a book that two sentences later, we are told she couldn't actually see because of her height.
As the pages turned and the character grew, so too did the author's writing style and word choice. Reading became easier, and I sank into the story by the end. I think I read the last 200 pages faster than I read the first. The scope was the only other thing I'd have to say had some issues. At points, the novel slipped more toward a history lecture than keeping a full narrative structure. However, it did always slip back into place. And I can't really complain too much when I am given the opportunity to learn something new.
If you are a fan of historical or women's fiction, I highly recommend giving this title a chance. Imperfect but charming, the characters made me happy that I stuck through to the end.
This is a rather cute novel about two young men consistently dragged together by the friendship their parents share as well as the beach house both families co-own. Following 6 years of Christmas vacation and some of the stretches between, we see both Liam and Christian grow from high-schoolers to adults and beyond, and how the relationship between them evolves as well.
I do want to preface the rest of the review by saying I did actually like this book, and do recommend readers who enjoy light-hearted romances between seeming frenemies to give it a look. There are some moments between the two main characters that are so beautifully written I might have let out an actual audible sigh of happiness. But there are also many aspects that made it hard to connect to and enjoy the story at times.
Coming from a background of helping critique many of my friends' works, there have been so many discussions on whether a main character has to be likable for a reader to enjoy it. While I was more on the fence than most of the group, I did feel strongly that this becomes more important if the character is also the lens through which the reader sees the world a writer creates. And I'll be honest... I really didn't like the pov character, Liam, through most of this story. There just doesn't seem to be enough of a reason, at least to me, for why he acts the way he does toward Christian. It ultimately made him feel both petty and childish in quite a few scenes. If there had been more of a justification for the behavior, I think I would have received it quite differently.
From a stylistic stance, I was also pulled out of the story by relatively frequent jumps in time. Months could pass in a few lines that are pushed seamlessly between other paragraphs in the middle of chapters. Maybe I've become a lazy reader and have gotten used to more definitive ways, but I largely had to reread each of these time skips to make sure I understood exactly. Part of this confusion though is the jumps into the future that we get, small asides from Liam that push us past the scope of the actual story. Happening more frequently in the latter half than the first, I didn't really understand the addition of them, particularly when the novel itself isn't written like old Liam describing events to us.
A few minor things also kept me from staying hooked into the story. Though they are much better fleshed out later, both Liam's and Christian's mothers personalities seem to be just wine at the beginning. There are also lines that involve quite a bit of contradiction in their execution such as patiently waiting while simultaneously knocking on doors or calling a person so calculating that they don't realize it.
Despite what I've described above though, I do want to reiterate that I'm still happy I picked up and read a copy of this book. It is definitely one of those novels that largely smooths out the further you dive into it. And there is enough of a payoff that I do think fans of the genre will still enjoy the story as well.
I absolutely love dystopian stories, both written and otherwise. There are some wonderful ideas propping up this novel, but many of them are never acted on. And those that are...the packaging is just too poorly done to truly be able to enjoy. From numerous language issues including typos and errors to the fact that this was originally written in separate stand-alone parts and smashed together to form one book, it was a struggle to read.
Technical issues aside, this also hit way too many personal pet peeves: unreliable narrator, lengthy dream or vision sequences, numerous redundancies, and not a single character I really connected with. Written in first person, the pov character was whiny as well as tipping one way or another on either being clairvoyant for no reason (sometimes there was a reason) or grossly incompetent.
I originally picked up this title to meet one of the prompts for Around the Year in 52 Books Challenge 2023. Chosen for my affinity with the “Sporty” personality of the Spice Girls growing up, I wasn't prepared for just how seen I felt because of the character that didn't fit that description at all. Perhaps that could be because I was always both a nerd and a jock. Perhaps it's just the fact that Simply Connected manages to elevate itself above just another opposites attract romance novel.
The characters drive the story, and the fact one of the love interest's kids is a fully fleshed-out character and not just a plot device (usually just a romantic foil) speaks volumes. All of the supporting characters in general still manage to feel more multi-dimensional than many main characters I've read elsewhere. Yet, the author was still able to keep those more minor characters from stealing the spotlight too much. And their “realness” helped make both of the leads feel more real too. Incredibly competent in their respective fields, Christie and Blaise had me worried at first that I'd be reading a romance between Mary Sues. To liken them to such after reading their story though, doesn't do them justice at all.
My only complaint character wise would be that Blaise can be a little whiny at times...but it's never piled on too much, and it's usually justified for the most part. If I was to be completely honest, my issue with it might also just be because of how much of myself I found in common with them. Not just a mathematician but someone mired in it. Finding patterns where other people wouldn't even think to look. Or amusing oneself with the numbers that make up our lives. It reminded me of the numerology movie with Jim Carrey without the added dose of horror. But to have a character not only see the world that way but also struggle with the realization they don't quite fit the mold society thinks they should because of the equipment they were born with, I'm very thankful I read this book.
Despite that personal connection with Simply Connected and how much I enjoyed the characters, I couldn't quite give it full marks though. For me, I need a novel to be near perfect on both a technical standpoint and a content-based one. It was right about there on the content side for me, but there needs to be more polish when it comes to the technical. There are quite a few errors scattered throughout, usually confused homonyms or punctuation. In addition, there's just a bit too much repetition, especially when it comes to inner monologuing.
In a story of late stage capitalism run amok, The Hands We're Given drops the reader right onto the front lines of a 60-year-old war set in the near future. Names come at you fast. People, places, things, but it's somehow never actually too much. The first few pages especially can be dense, but I wouldn't say the narrative even gets close to crossing the line between story and info dump like many novels I've read in this genre. The world feels real, lived in, and this helps the characters feel just as tangible.
Told from mostly alternating points of view, the decision to start from the eyes of the new commander was a marvelous one. We're experiencing something new right along a character experiences it too: meeting their new ragtag team of operatives. The decision also lets the reader know almost immediately what makes Commander Headly unique even outside the scope of the actual novel. He is by far one of the best portrayals of a transgender character I've yet read. The other point-of-view character, and love interest, also felt multi-faceted. Largely because of his emotional journey and well-described motivations.
I did eventually love both of the main characters, and the vast majority of the supporting ones. But the start was a bit rocky for me because of the running internal monologue one had. It wasn't so much what was being conveyed as much as how, usually the same thing with largely the same wording. I felt like it was just repeated too often. Almost like someone checking their temperature every couple of minutes when they already know they have a fever.
Many times, I wish I could rate a novel by different criteria instead of lumping it all under one set of stars. The world-building would have been an easy top marks, it's just that good. The plot and characters would be slightly under that. Both for the reasons listed above, and because the novel's main through line flips genre and subgenre by the end. The technical side brought my ultimate rating to what you see though. There are a decent amount of errors, mostly just tenses, and they don't really impact the clarity or ease of reading. However, missing line breaks and extra line breaks quite often did make me have to go back and reread. Especially in and around dialogue.
I recommend The Hands We're Given to any reader that enjoys near future sci-fi or dystopian novels. Despite describing some of the roughness on the edges, I'm happy to have spent some time in the Dust with these characters.
While I admit that I dove into this novel fully expecting to enjoy myself because it centers around one of my favorite tropes, I didn't expect to be near blindsided by just how fun it actually was. The humor is phenomenal, and the alternating points of view every chapter have such strong voices that I truly felt like I was sitting in two different people's heads.
If you are looking for a new take on an old premise, look no further. Easy to read, and with a healthy amount of mystery twined with the romance, I frankly devoured the book in about 2 days.
As an avid reader that has also been a long-time patron of the library, I jumped at the chance to read this title for the 2023 reading challenge Around the Year in 52 Books. While the true prompt was a book where books are important, I think anyone would say that a book entirely arguing that libraries are important works under the same umbrella. At least I hope so anyway!
The sheer amount of information contained in The Library Book overwhelmed me a bit at first. Starting with the narrower scope of a raging fire in the Los Angeles central library in 1986, the reader is soon taken on a journey that spans the entire history of the Los Angeles library system. That focus continues, at least geographically for the most part, but there are some segues toward libraries in general and the author's personal life. A broad lense look so to speak, it became both a blessing and a curse.
When I wasn't at school, home, or sports, I was usually at the library growing up. Even now, there are days I go just to spend the time despite being able to check out virtually everything online without having to physically go there. Given that long history and connection, I was surprised by just how many new things I learned from this book. And from so many various perspectives too. The chronological history of the head librarians of Los Angeles provided some humor as well as made connections to some of the events of those times. Another way the author argues the case that libraries can be an important part of the social structures of a community.
I do appreciate the scope of what is being attempted here, and I do find the information valuable despite the enormous net being used. The issue then becomes less about just how much is on offer, but in just how it's being offered. The Library Book, at least to me, felt more like three possibly even four separate books all interwoven together. There is the through-line of the Los Angeles library fire and the aftermath, including an arson investigation. There is the timeline and succession of the colorful people who led the Los Angeles system. Layered on top of that, the author's personal connection to libraries, research and interviews that helped create this book, and a case study for why libraries are important round out the remaining page count.
Each does have something to add to the story, some more so than others, a lot of the impact feels lost because everything gets scattered around. We jump forward, we jump back. One of those ‘inner books' might have two, three, four chapters in a row then not be picked up again until 50 pages later. Perhaps it's just personal preference, but the skips made this less enjoyable a read than it otherwise could have been.
The only thing people fear more than public speaking is death according to many social surveys taken in America over the last few years. Much of that fear stems from the unknown or unexpected quality of death. But if you knew exactly how much time you had left, give or take a few hours, what would you do with it? That is the central question being posed within Final Notice by Van Fleisher, and the author does not shy away from presenting the many possible answers to it.
More medical accessory than smartwatch, a tech company releases a fitness wearable capable of accurately detecting a person's demise up to 30 days before it will happen. This “final notice” is a notification to the wearer that they should start getting their affairs in order and say their goodbyes. What the engineers of this watch do not anticipate is that part of those affairs for many people might include injuring or even killing those around them to finally right some perceived wrongs. With imminent death, fear of prosecution or jail time is a moot point.
Set primarily in America, the novel is incredibly relevant to current social and political climates. Although the material is presented with a healthy amount of authorial bias, it encompasses such topics as gun control, treatment of the elderly, technological advancements, and populism. The situations that the characters experience within the novel feel true to life, as do the many of their actions.
I was excited and fascinated by the premise of the novel, but I feel that the execution could have been better. As stated above, there was quite a bit of bias in the writing. The author centered his novel around some very controversial topics but presents them as black and white, right and wrong. The few times I find the novel veering toward the unrealistic, it is because of this polarization. The main characters themselves are polarized. They are either very young, attractive, and fit adults or very old, retired, and trying to stay as fit as possible.
Because of the wonderful premise and appeal to many types of readers, I eventually decided to rate Final Notice at 3 out of 5 stars. I recommend this novel to anyone interested in political fiction or near-future science fiction. I do not recommend this novel to any reader that cannot tolerate a heavy liberal slant on current hotbed topics.
While The Reel Sisters by Michelle Cummings could be described as that one book about a bunch of women who enjoy getting together and fly fishing, it is so much more than that. Written from the perspective of each of the five “Reel Sisters,” there is definitely fishing, but there is also a lot of story in between as well. The characters of Sophie, Rose, Amanda, Veronica, and Melody share a unique bond within the novel that transcends just a love for the same sport.
Popular media so often portrays women as unable to get along because of “catfighting.” It was extremely refreshing to read about women from vastly different backgrounds who actually get along. Even when the women do argue within the book, the characters never lose sight of the value that their relationships with one another holds. The characters in The Reel Sisters felt so real that I did research to make sure that the novel was actually fictional. The stories of these women and the relationship between them felt so tangible that I became invested in their lives as a reader. Be prepared to laugh, cry, and possibly even cry from laughing with these women.
I genuinely enjoyed reading this book from the very first pages as we are introduced through the perspective of Sophie. The humor, often irreverent, infusing that first chapter definitely had me interested in reading further. I also never realized how many analogies one could make between the art of fishing and the art of succeeding at life until I read this book.
However, a few issues did prevent me from giving this novel the highest possible rating. Sophie, the character that the reader is first introduced to, does not stay entirely consistent from beginning to end. The pacing of the story is also a bit sporadic. It hops back and forth in time and moves incredibly fast at the end compared to the rest of the novel. In addition, the number of errors I found exceeded 300. This largely consisted of missing commas along with missing words, misspellings, and subject-verb disagreements.
Because The Reel Sisters was such a joy to read, I gave the novel a rating of 4 out of 5 stars despite the errors and pacing issues. I do not recommend this novel to people who do not want to read anything with a healthy amount of descriptions of fishing or a plot based on the strong bonds between female friends. If you do enjoy strong female characters and are looking for a slice-of-life story with a huge helping of humor, I will borrow the words of the author and say: “what are you wading for!”
Cancer, or at least its impact, is inescapable. While many billions of dollars and years of manpower have been poured into the subject, not much ground has been won against this enemy. In Winning the War on Cancer, Sylvie Beljanski presents alternatives that might not be the sole weapons used to conquer cancer but are capable of giving those suffering from it a fighting chance. And, they are natural!
Sylvie Beljanski's work is many things: a memoir of her father's studies, a narrative of her own struggles, and a research paper describing several plant extracts with extraordinary properties. The weaving together of the author's personal life and her father's research might have been disjointed if it were not for the sense of hope stringing all of the book's parts together. One avenue for publishing or testing the research closes, and Beljanski just pursues an alternative.
Since a large chunk of the book is about the pursuit to validate the work of the author's late father, Winning the War on Cancer reads almost like a story of vengeance at times. I feel that this is partly because the first time the author is approached to help her family, it is to fight for them in court. Sylvie Beljanski is a lawyer, not an expert in the medical field nor a scientist. Yet, I would say this does not detract from the overarching medical message because the overwhelming majority of scientific information presented is both cited and backed up by clinical studies.
I largely enjoyed reading this book, but the formatting often frustrated me. The author employs quite a few bulleted lists that are not cohesive (indents not justified, some lines are double bulleted). The choice to put a double line space or a single line space between paragraphs also appeared arbitrary. I know that some double line spaces were to delineate a scene break, but roughly half were breaking up directly linked paragraphs. However, my biggest issue with the formatting was the way that the text was italicized. Anything in italics was in a completely different font face from, and considerably smaller than, the rest of the line. Considering italics were used every time one of the extracts was called by name, a flashback was recalled, or the author chose to emphasize a phrase or paragraph, large portions of the text were a struggle to understand.
I ultimately chose to rate Winning the War on Cancer by Sylvie Beljanski at 4 out of 5 stars. While I truly believe there is valuable information to almost any reader in this book, there is extensive editing that still needs to be done. I am not sure if the book was professionally edited based on the number of repetitions of the same errors. If changes were made, I think anyone interested in reading about alternative medicine would enjoy this book. I would find another book if you are not willing to view natural remedies as potentially useful in the fight against disease.
I will start this by saying I wish I could give this book two different ratings. The first part of the novel was an easy 2 possibly verging on 1 for me in some places. Everything after is a 4, bordering on 5 (that ending!). If you are the type that can plod steadily along on a not very straight road to get their reward, I promise a very juicy carrot at the end of it.
An older half-sibling makes a decision while deployed overseas that has severe ramifications for the rest of his family, with a particular focus on his younger brother and sister. As the alternating point-of-view characters chapter by chapter until the epilogue, everything that happens in the story filters through their perspectives. This created a few huge problems for me as a reader.
It's presented like the siblings' older selves are recounting things. That really isn't a thread that's kept up throughout and when we are introduced to the siblings as those older selves later...they don't really match up all that much either. The level of sarcasm and jadedness at even the younger age also feels a little out of place. There are some amazing lines, but when it's heaped on again and again, the feeling becomes redundant.
The main issue I took with the first part though is just how much the same the two points of view are. The voices, tone, perspective of the world of the two siblings felt almost homogenous despite the obvious differences of gender and age. I often had to go back to the chapter header to make sure I was understanding which sibling I was reading. After the age up into adulthood, they finally started feeling like truly separate voices.
What this novel really does have going for it though is that despite a rough beginning, I did feel paid off for reading this in the end. Despite the question in the title, I definitely wasn't still asking why at the end but where. Where can I find my own emotional support Scotsman?
As someone who reads across many genre lines and just frankly devours many books each year, something truly unique is hard to find sometimes. Regardless of anything else I say further about The Envoys of War, it is one of those hard finds. Spy thriller meets high fantasy with swords and magic and secret missions of utmost importance.
The envoys referred to in the title, Gen and Cordyn, are going to stick with me for a while. An odd pair, but one that enhances the unique voices and personality of each character. Other parts of the cast are strong as well, but it's those two who kept me engaged and enjoying the journey all the way to the end.
Any great fantasy relies on the world as much as its characters, to the point it might almost be defined as a character itself. The world here felt robust, nations and their machinations operating as more than just a backdrop. Having the magic system focus on one specific element was unique as well. I'm hoping the reasons behind that might be expanded on in a book two, along with a few more prominent female mages.
Despite all the things I loved about The Envoys of War, certain elements kept me from truly enjoying the novel at points. Some characters felt inconsistent with themselves and in their motivations. There are some romantic elements, but I think the story would have been stronger without. The budding connection(s) felt forced and actually read as a little predatory in some aspects. A few slips of clairvoyance, characters knowing things or interpreting environments in a way they shouldn't have, also broke immersion.
The Envoys of War is a great read for people who like their fantasy a bit twisty. Spy missions, betrayals, and questionable loyalties abound, I also just recommend the read for anyone who enjoys the idea of a large woman swinging an equally large sword around and having the time of her life doing it.
The premise of No Lie Lasts Forever drew me in almost immediately. A serial killer slinks off into the night for 15 years without getting caught. Convinced he has somehow cured his urges that led to the killings in the first place, he's reasonably incensed when a new murder is added to his tally. Determined to set the story straight, he leashes an infamous reporter into proving another killer is at play. The novel does ultimately deliver on this premise, but it stumbles a bit on the way there.
Only after sitting down to write this review did I really catch the musical notes filling each of the letters on the cover. It's a very nice touch considering how important classical music is to one of the main characters and to the plot. I wonder if the sheet music shown even matches one of the often mentioned artists this character enjoys so much.
The first chapter of No Lie Lasts Forever is fast-paced, and sets the reporter looped into helping the serial killer on a distinct arc. That swiftness makes the next bit drag more by comparison. I am used to novels written in the present tense moving a little more. Part of this is because of scope. Many of the characters are nuanced and multi-layered, but the cast feels too large to really enjoy them. Juggling all the names and institutions they belong to gets even harder considering how many also have nicknames.
The writing style felt—jumbled—for lack of a better word. Description mostly matches the sparseness of a noir mystery/thriller then delves into randomly elongated character attributes. This strange mix is further enhanced by how crassness that feels out of place to the larger work. I might have made a face at “upright wink” alone. The premise of the novel needed cemented character motivations to truly work. I think some of the meandering in plot happens because the purpose of some characters does the same thing.
If you can get through a few of the more mired down sections, No Lie Lasts Forever becomes worth the read. I recommend the novel to fans of twisty thrillers and morally gray to dark point of view characters.
Math teachers and mob bosses might seem like strange bedfellows, but somehow it just really works in A Love Most Fatal. The common tropes of mafia fiction—protector/protectee relationship, financial imbalance, family bonds, betrayal, criminal behavior but with morals—all factor in heavily. The flip of the mob boss being female, and particularly one as dynamic as this novel's Vanessa, turns the possibly too comfortable familiarities into something entirely new. Having sisters at the head of the organization, and just as multi-dimensional, helped shape this into one of my favorite romantic reads of the year.
The author strikes a rarely seen balance between the threads that make up A Love Most Fatal. A charming romance doesn't overshadow the fact this is a mafia story. Nothing is done just for shock value, and any twists feel earned without being too overt. The family dynamics and the characters upholding them feel realistic, lived in, and competent within their roles. I don't think there was a single character I disliked that I wasn't supposed to. Even then, the more villanous stay layered.
Errors are very few and far between, and other than a small bit of confusion regarding two goons early on in the novel, A Love Most Fatal is practically flawless. This novel might have been a debut for the author, but it doesn't read like one at all. I might just be a little biased toward the story as a math teacher myself, and I don't often get to see us as romantic leads at all, let alone stories like this. However, I do believe A Love Most Fatal has a much broader appeal than to just math teachers. Any romance readers who appreciate powerful women falling in love with less traditional but still strong men (toxic does not mean strong!) and a little bit of violence between the steamier scenes should enjoy. I'm already planning to read the sequel hopefully coming sooner rather than later.
My relationship with vampire novels, especially ones that fall in the romance category, is like a person who loves spicy food even if it gives them stomach problems most of the time. The reason I keep diving in despite that? The possibility of finding novels like Cutting Your Teeth. Many of the common tropes are there: much older vampire saving young human damsel dude in distress, some new twist on traditional supernatural lore, and a small dose of chosen one. Author Caylan MacRae crafts an LGBTQ+ narrative that transcends these.
A supernatural mix between horror and romance, it's the very real characters and their very real problems that anchor this story so much for me. I wouldn't have thought I'd find topics like childhood trauma and existentialism in my vampire novel, but I'm thankful for it. The plot reminded me of an onion, layers upon layers yet still managing to be cohesive all the same. And parts are going to leave a bad taste in your mouth, but they are supposed to. Don't forget those couple of elements of horror tossed into the blender even if sweeter moments can lull the reader into a false sense of security.
Tone and word choice round out why I enjoyed Cutting Your Teeth so much. The main character, a barely ex-teenager on the run, keeps the right amount of sarcasm and edginess without feeling overdone. I blame my decision to read the novel on the cage fight in the first chapter and excerpt. The description made it easy to picture what was happening, and more than in just a visual sense because of the frequent appeals to other senses too. That same quality persisted throughout. In fact, the novel was pretty near perfect with only a few scattered errors.
I highly recommend Cutting Your Teeth to any fan of supernatural, or any Supernatural fan for that matter. I hope the inclusion of an impala and the chemistry between characters (not just the romantic leads) were a nod in that direction. If not, the chords struck were very similar. A world was built with this first book, and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens to it in the rest of the series.