I read this as part of the Nebula finalist packet.
First of all, major trigger warnings on this book for child abuse throughout, as well as a hefty warI read this as part of the Nebula finalist packet.
First of all, major trigger warnings on this book for child abuse throughout, as well as a hefty warning on animal abuse (though that is justified, within the context of the book). That said, this book is extremely well written, impenetrably dark, and often heartwarming in turns. Fourteen-year-old Cordelia has long been subject to her mother's whims--not simply abusive behavior, but being controlled like a puppet through magic. When her mother sets her sights on marrying into wealth that will better place Cordelia for her own future marriage, Cordelia finds an incredible new ally: Hester, the landowner's disabled sister. Hester has a sense of the evil around her brother's new beau, who she calls Doom, and deep sympathy for the obviously terrified, sheltered Cordelia.
I'm familiar with the "Goose Girl" story this is inspired by, but beyond a few elements, the plots are nothing alike. This book shocked me with its dark turns. There's a deep level of both psychological and body horror to be found here, but it's not all grim and dark. There is a beautiful found family aspect as well. ...more
Three storylines featuring resilient women are the focus of this unique book. In 2019, a young Australian womI received an advance copy via NetGalley.
Three storylines featuring resilient women are the focus of this unique book. In 2019, a young Australian woman, Lucy, awakens, choking the ex-boyfriend who recently betrayed her. She flees to a remote coastal town where her older sister lives, to find her missing. Meanwhile, Lucy is plagued by intense dreams about two sisters from Ireland in 1800 who are unjustly loaded onto a prison ship destined for Australia--and judging by the art in the household, her sister has been having the same dreams for years. Lucy struggles to understand herself, and begins reading through her sister's diary, discovering deep family secrets.
This is an engaging book, but a frustrating one in some regards, as the ending doesn't deliver much in the way of surprises. The title alone is a big giveaway about what is going on, and Lucy's big revelations are transparent incredibly early, though it takes her a long time to put pieces together. The diary format didn't work well, either, as the entries were nothing like believable diary entries.
There was a lot to like, though. The characters are very well done, and the deep insights into Australia's colonial history were disturbing and enlightening. I can see this being a major book club read in the coming years....more
I received an advance copy via NetGalley. Also, the author is a friend, and I've highly anticipated this book!
A haunting study of grief, death, and thI received an advance copy via NetGalley. Also, the author is a friend, and I've highly anticipated this book!
A haunting study of grief, death, and the complexities of "moving on," Dawson posits an incredible lighthouse on the brink of Chicago and Lake Michigan. There, a station master on guard for over one hundred years, since the Fire, helps spirits make it to the nearby Veil each night. Nera is his daughter, raised among the dead, but never fully alive--not until a living woman named Charlie stumbled into the liminal space as she searches for her dead sister. A dark threat looms in the city beyond and the lighthouse itself seems to be failing, raising the stakes as the two women gradually fall in love.
This is a beautiful book. Some moments and lines are especially heart-wrenching. While the general themes resemble T.J. Klune's Under the Whispering Door, this is a very different book, and powerful in its own right....more
This second book in the Shadow of the Leviathan series is somehow more gripping than the first. These books areI received an early copy via NetGalley.
This second book in the Shadow of the Leviathan series is somehow more gripping than the first. These books are brilliant: fantasy murder mysteries with a whiff of ancient Rome, overlaid with a veneer of weird horror. Bizarre as the combination is, it works in Bennett's masterful hands.
This mystery is set in an outpost that presents a peculiar mystery: a treasury official vanishes from a locked hotel room, pieces of his body later found in a remote swamp. On the case is Din, a magically-enhanced engraver, meaning he can commit to memory whatever he experiences by aligning it with scent cues. He works for Ana, a Holmesian reclusive genius who is blind, perhaps a lunatic, sometimes driven by bizarre, insatiable hungers and obsessions. She can see patterns no one else can.
This book is an incredibly fast read. I had trouble putting it down. I really hope Bennett continues this series for many more books, as I am in awe of the world and characters he has created....more
What a gorgeous treasure of a book! The voice delivers a perfect fairy tale vibe, readily capturing the distinct characters of the five puppets. The bWhat a gorgeous treasure of a book! The voice delivers a perfect fairy tale vibe, readily capturing the distinct characters of the five puppets. The black and white illustrations are reminiscent of classic works, too, and add immensely to the narrative....more
This book is much like others in this sub-genre; translated from Japanese, it features interwoven short stoI received an advanced copy from NetGalley.
This book is much like others in this sub-genre; translated from Japanese, it features interwoven short stories that draw together grieving people, food memories, and closure. There is no surprise to the plot, and that’s fine. It’s a purely formulaic comfort read.
This book focuses on the titular restaurant. They serve normal food, but also remembrance meals that are so profound that some loved ones return to feed on the fragrant steam and partake in a final conversation with a loved one. The stories are sweet without being saccharine. ...more
I received a gratis copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
To my chagrin, I haven't read any of the previous Laundry Files books. As a testament to StrI received a gratis copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
To my chagrin, I haven't read any of the previous Laundry Files books. As a testament to Stross's writing, I was able to immerse myself in the world right away and greatly enjoyed the ride. This book consists of a novella, "A Conventional Boy," which follows a forty-something autistic man who was wrongly imprisoned by the Laundry during the 1980s Satanic Panic. They thought his AD&D ways indicated the use of real magic, and by the time they realized their error, he was essentially lost in the system. But he now has a reason to escape: a nearby gaming convention. A convention that, unfortunately, hosts some nefarious folks who ARE delving into some nasty real magic.
I requested this book on NetGalley in part because, as a late-diagnosed autistic person, I wanted to see how Stross handled things. The representation was fantastic--not cliched at all, full of delightful nuance.
The book is rounded out by two short stories. "Overtime" is set at Christmas and is laugh out loud funny at times. The Laundry is such a brilliant lampoon of a particularly British bureaucracy. "Down on the Farm" delves into a mental institution for employees damaged by exposure to magic. The end had some fantastic twists.
Really, this book makes me want to read more in the series. ...more
I greatly enjoyed this collaboration between Shannon Lee, daughter of Bruce Lee, and Fonda Lee, one of my favI received an advance copy via NetGalley.
I greatly enjoyed this collaboration between Shannon Lee, daughter of Bruce Lee, and Fonda Lee, one of my favorite authors. This secondary-world setting, inspired by ancient China, draws on Bruce Lee's teachings.
Jun made a terrible, boastful mistake when he was a child, one that forced him and his father into exile, while his mother and his incredibly blessed twin went on to a life of privilege. A war and wall soon create a permanent divide. Jun is now sixteen, an arrogant young martial artist who is determined to compete in the brutal championship to become the Guardian of the realm. After his sickly father forbids Jun entry, Jun stows away in a flutist's wagon, determined to enter the bout on his own. Nothing goes as he expects.
In many ways, this book is a celebration of the martial arts and the ways in which discipline can help a person. To be blunt, Jun is an insufferable jerk at first, but if you're reading reviews and wondering if you should keep reading, I say, please do. Jun's character arc and maturation are incredibly satisfying, so stick with it!
There are many major twists and turns in the story. The end in particular went places I never anticipated. I am already eager to read the second book in this duology, and I hate that I probably have a long wait!...more
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
The Wayward Children series, now in its 10th iteration, follows children who venture into I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
The Wayward Children series, now in its 10th iteration, follows children who venture into portals to far distant realms. Sometimes the stories are about the aftermath, the often tragic return of the children to an Earth that they no longer consider home, or about how they came to cross in the first place. A few of them, I regard to be among the best novellas I have ever read; others fall flat. This one falls in the middle.
Nadya, born without an arm, doesn't miss the limb as she grows up in a Russian orphanage. Strong willed and pleasant, she has no expectation of am adopted home of her own, but is glad to help others find families. But when a Christian adoption agency comes, Nadya gains their attention because of her one arm. She is soon in Colorado, living awkwardly with people she must call Mom and Dad, missing the tortoise she raised to health back in Russia. Her one sanctuary is a nearby pond with turtles. After her parents force her to don a prosthetic arm--never asking her what she wants--she falls through a portal in the pond, landing in a world where water is strange and massive turtles form special bonds with their people.
One of the problems with the series conceit, really, is that all too often, the end must be tragic. I won't go beyond that, just in case this book is someone's first foray into the series. Here, however, the end is not only disturbing, but painfully abrupt. I was left feeling almost as if pages were missing, but there weren't.
Something I loved about this book was how it depicted disability and how it shows how different people regard disability. There is a powerful message here about agency, empowerment, and the importance of choice....more
I reread The House in the Cerulean Sea last week before reading the sequel, and I'm glad I did. Somewhere Beyond the Sea resumes soon after the first I reread The House in the Cerulean Sea last week before reading the sequel, and I'm glad I did. Somewhere Beyond the Sea resumes soon after the first book, in Arthur's point-of-view. I found that I missed Linus's quirky voice. Arthur isn't as engaging, and to my surprise, the book was a slow read for me.
I won't go into specifics and spoilers, but the book is centered on the escalating battle against DICOMY to keep the children together and safe. A new child is added to the brood, too--David, a yeti. The kids are such vivid characters. I laughed out loud a few times.
The book delves into heady issues about child abuse and agency, but the overall message is of fierce love and hope. It's beautiful. Love is love, and family can be found wherever you are. Even though I found the book to not be as strong as the first one, it still has incredibly important things to say and it was a joy to visit the house on the Cerulean Sea again....more
In Tokyo, some people think they are entering a restaurant only to find a pawn shop instead. Little do they I received an advance copy from NetGalley.
In Tokyo, some people think they are entering a restaurant only to find a pawn shop instead. Little do they know, they've crossed to another world where they can trade a regret--a choice--for peace as they move onward. This is the place where Hana has grown up, trained by her father to take over the shop someday, forever weighed down by the knowledge that her mother stole a client's choice and was killed because of it.
On the day after her father's retirement, she awakens to find the shop ransacked, her father gone. A strange man enters--a physicist from Earth, and someone who hasn't come to trade a choice. He insists on helping her--and continues to do so as they begin a fantastical quest to find her father and answers.
This is a mind-bending trippy book that put me in mind of the movie What Dreams May Come. Hana's parallel world to Earth doesn't operate as ours does. Something akin to magic imbues everything, and the plot unveils constant surprises. I'm a frequent fantasy reader and I struggled to track what was happening at times--I can imagine some people would be utterly lost. I found it to be a worthwhile journey, however, with a sweet romance and a satisfying finale....more
Creatures of Light wraps up the delightfully cozy Woodwalker trilogy. This book follows the point of view of the queen of the "bad guys," Gemma, as shCreatures of Light wraps up the delightfully cozy Woodwalker trilogy. This book follows the point of view of the queen of the "bad guys," Gemma, as she confronts the nature of her country's deeds, her marriage, and her future, all against a backdrop of rebellions and court politics. I won't delve into details, as I don't want to spoil anything, but Martin has created a satisfying conclusion for the trilogy. As always, I love the natural details that are integral to this original world--Martin's work as a park ranger really brings the setting to life.
I'm excited to start reading Sunshield next, the brand-new book set in this same world.
Merged review:
Creatures of Light wraps up the delightfully cozy Woodwalker trilogy. This book follows the point of view of the queen of the "bad guys," Gemma, as she confronts the nature of her country's deeds, her marriage, and her future, all against a backdrop of rebellions and court politics. I won't delve into details, as I don't want to spoil anything, but Martin has created a satisfying conclusion for the trilogy. As always, I love the natural details that are integral to this original world--Martin's work as a park ranger really brings the setting to life.
I'm excited to start reading Sunshield next, the brand-new book set in this same world....more
A beautiful, intense dark fantasy novel that reads like a thriller with characters of incredible depth and nuance. The setting is 1939 in Spain and FrA beautiful, intense dark fantasy novel that reads like a thriller with characters of incredible depth and nuance. The setting is 1939 in Spain and France. The earthly realm is in turmoil, and the supernatural war is escalating as well. This is historical fantasy at its finest, with realistic and heartfelt queer rep.
Merged review:
A beautiful, intense dark fantasy novel that reads like a thriller with characters of incredible depth and nuance. The setting is 1939 in Spain and France. The earthly realm is in turmoil, and the supernatural war is escalating as well. This is historical fantasy at its finest, with realistic and heartfelt queer rep....more
I love this book. It's as close to perfect as a book can get, which is saying a lot, especially when I add that this is a novel-sized volume of fantasI love this book. It's as close to perfect as a book can get, which is saying a lot, especially when I add that this is a novel-sized volume of fantasy poetry that truly reads like a novel.
The central character is King Xau, a fourth son never intended to be king. He never wanted to be king. Xau is a good human being, and that is one of the intense joys of this book. Even though it often deals honestly, graphically, with war and depravity, the verses are embodied with an overall positive message that good things happen when people strive to do good. We take that in through various viewpoints--Xau's, and those of dozens around him, from commoners in awe of a brief meeting to his avowed enemies to his beloved guards to the palace cat.
As a poetry book, it is entirely accessible. The verses flow, and emotions with them. This is a book that will make you FEEL. I can't even say how many verses brought tears to my eyes, and I had to fight sobs at the end.
I had read the first 60 poems in Mary Soon Lee's previous book Crowned (which I provided a blurb for), plus individual poems in a smattering of other publications. The Sign of the Dragon added 200 never-before-published poems to Xau's tale.
If you don't normally read poetry books, please, read this one. If you do read poetry, you'll be blown away at the beauty and flow of this novel told in verse. I already know this will be one of my favorites for the year. A favorite book, period.
Merged review:
I love this book. It's as close to perfect as a book can get, which is saying a lot, especially when I add that this is a novel-sized volume of fantasy poetry that truly reads like a novel.
The central character is King Xau, a fourth son never intended to be king. He never wanted to be king. Xau is a good human being, and that is one of the intense joys of this book. Even though it often deals honestly, graphically, with war and depravity, the verses are embodied with an overall positive message that good things happen when people strive to do good. We take that in through various viewpoints--Xau's, and those of dozens around him, from commoners in awe of a brief meeting to his avowed enemies to his beloved guards to the palace cat.
As a poetry book, it is entirely accessible. The verses flow, and emotions with them. This is a book that will make you FEEL. I can't even say how many verses brought tears to my eyes, and I had to fight sobs at the end.
I had read the first 60 poems in Mary Soon Lee's previous book Crowned (which I provided a blurb for), plus individual poems in a smattering of other publications. The Sign of the Dragon added 200 never-before-published poems to Xau's tale.
If you don't normally read poetry books, please, read this one. If you do read poetry, you'll be blown away at the beauty and flow of this novel told in verse. I already know this will be one of my favorites for the year. A favorite book, period....more
House of Frank is a queer, cozy fantasy that delves deep into hearty emotional issues around death and lettinI received an advance copy via NetGalley.
House of Frank is a queer, cozy fantasy that delves deep into hearty emotional issues around death and letting go.
Saika is a witch without magical power, a fact that she hides just as she hides her hair and her hands. She goes to the Ash Arboretum to at long last fulfill her sister's final wish that she be interred there, magicked to grow into a beautiful tree. Saika is defensive and angry, resistant to the overtures of the diverse staff of a household headed up by Frank, a unique monster. As Saika's heart softens, she realizes that the house and its residents hold many secrets, and their pasts--like hers--will soon be exposed.
I really like the vibe of this book. I love a good found family story, and this setting is incredibly original: witches are common, as are extraordinary beings. I was frustrated, though, because details about the greater world are teased but never explained. Such as, there is never an explanation for how death and grief are usually handled in this setting (much less how religion works as a comfort, if it does), which means context is nonexistent around the arboretum's beautiful work. ...more
I love Heartfield’s writing, and this book is my new favorite. She takes on Norse mythology against an underused backdrop of a Europe torn by war amonI love Heartfield’s writing, and this book is my new favorite. She takes on Norse mythology against an underused backdrop of a Europe torn by war among tribes, Huns, and Romans. With eloquent prose, the two heroines trade stories addressed to each other. Brynhild is a Valkyrie freshly exiled from Valhalla by Odin, while Gudrun is a princess to preserve her kingdom and family by wit and magic. Battles and politics twist and turn as war plays out between gods and humans. The novel is innovative and immersive, the kind where you’re sad to finish and say farewell to the characters....more
The Full Moon Coffee Shop is in the mode of several other recently translated Japanese books that feature ligI received an advance copy via NetGalley.
The Full Moon Coffee Shop is in the mode of several other recently translated Japanese books that feature light fantasy elements, tied-together short stories, positive life changes, and quite often, cats. In this cats, the cats can be human-sized as they run their titular coffee shop, or like normal cats.
The stories revolve around a down-and-out forty-something female scriptwriter. Her glory days are past, and she's now writing scripts for side characters in a dating game. But things are about to change for her and those around her, for they will gradually be invited to partake in life-changing drinks and desserts at the cat-run cafe.
The book is gentle and cozy. It's easy to picture this as an anime. It's a fairly short book by US standards, a fast read. I didn't expect the huge emphasis on reading horoscopes, though; in many ways, this is alike a primer of astrology and what it means for planets to be in retrograde. I was left craving something more... original, I suppose. Even so, it's still a fun read and an ideal escape during troubled times....more
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