I love Gemma Amor’s descriptive writing and I especially liked the way Morgan was written. She’s a complicated character who has been through somethinI love Gemma Amor’s descriptive writing and I especially liked the way Morgan was written. She’s a complicated character who has been through something extremely traumatic and has all sorts of conflicting feelings about it. The way she treated her father was realistic and everything she felt was laid bare, even when she had horrible thoughts. I appreciated that, as I feel that a lot of times, the main character of a story doesn’t have enough realistic flaws or negative thoughts in order to keep them as likable as possible, but I prefer a character that feels more true to life.
I enjoyed the setup of the mystery and the arrival of the stranger was truly unnerving. But I found that I could best understand what was going on during the least important parts of the story, while I was incredibly confused when the most crucial event took place. I was quite lost during the climax, and even though I read the end twice, I’m still not sure what happened exactly. Some books have ambiguous endings, but usually I know they’re ambiguous on purpose. I just couldn’t tell if I was meant to be as confused as I was at the end of this book.
As much as I like the premise and the writing itself, I unfortunately finished The Folly feeling like something big was missing. I think I just needed a little more explanation at the end. What was happening, and how? I was so invested in the mystery that I was a little disappointed I didn’t get an answer I could understand....more
I read this book in less than 24 hours and the only reason I didn’t finish it in one sitting is because my body unfortunately needs sleep (rude). The I read this book in less than 24 hours and the only reason I didn’t finish it in one sitting is because my body unfortunately needs sleep (rude). The Only Way Up is Death so absolutely wild, I couldn’t stop, I had to keep reading. I read it while brushing my teeth, I read it while walking my dog. If you’re struggling to get out of a book slump, this is the book to get you out of it. If you’re not, this is the book to read anyway because it’s rad. It gets right into the action (of which there’s a ton) and as I mentioned before, it’s basically impossible not to keep turning the page.
It was easy to feel like a 14th person in the group of 13 confused people forced to climb the mysterious tower. No one knows what the hell is going on, so I was like, “hey, same,” and we all began the ascent together. And I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t… that. Sorry, no spoilers. You likely won’t be expecting it either but it’s all awesome.
Of the 13 people, there were some obvious main characters that were more finely developed. I loved Rakie and Earl, I despised Dirk (seriously, he is the worst and I just know people like him actually exist which makes me hate him more), and Nia was beautifully written and relatable, but I think I most closely related to Alden. As he ascended the tower, he came to some realizations about grief that hit pretty close to home for me and I found it comforting.
And I found more comfort in the book, which feels weird when I look back on it because I’d easily describe it as sometimes funny but mostly terrifying science fiction which doesn’t sound at all comforting. Between the violence, in-fighting, and general confusion, there were drops of commentary on humanity, the way we treat each other, and the things we value, as well as the importance of caring for and about the future regardless of whether or not we’ll be here to see it. I loved the inclusion of those themes and the ways in which they were perfectly woven into the story.
I’d been looking forward to reading this one for a while and am so happy I can now say I’ve read it and it lived up to my expectations and then some! Thank you so much to Angry Robot Books for including me in the cover reveal and providing me with an eARC of the book. ...more
I finished this book five days ago. I loved it so much that I made myself wait to write this review just to make sure I was no longer deliriously highI finished this book five days ago. I loved it so much that I made myself wait to write this review just to make sure I was no longer deliriously high on it and could write something that was 1) intelligible and 2) not so overwhelmingly positive that I seemed a bit out of control. But now that I’ve healed from the book hangover (the likes of which I have only seen once before), it’s still a 10/10, I have no notes, and I think I’m about to cry right now because thinking about how much I love this book makes me really emotional. Sooo, I’ve failed.
Sorcery and Small Magics is a big magical book about forgiving yourself and finding your place in the world. I easily fell in love with the main characters, Grimm and Leo, and I can’t pick a favorite but I have to say that Leo seems like he’d be so much fun. Maybe a little exhausting sometimes, but very fun. The idea of two characters that are complete opposites with more in common than they think isn’t new, but it’s done so well here that it felt fresh to me.
And the magic system! Okay. We have sorcerers, right? But they’re split into two types: scrivers and casters. Scrivers come up with and write the spells on paper. Casters take the paper and cast the spells. They must work together to create the magic. It’s an excellent system, it’s interesting and well defined, and also: Grimm is a caster, Leo is a scriver, they hate each other, and THEY HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER. Yes, it’s a common trope, no, it doesn’t feel common. It feels amazing, because witnessing the slow evolution of Grimm and Leo’s relationship from rivals to reluctant allies through forced proximity is like watching a beautiful sunrise. It takes time, but it’s never stagnant as there are tiny changes happening constantly.
I don’t have the ability to visualize but the world of Sorcery and Small Magics is so believable and feels so real that I could almost see it. When Grimm and Leo had to journey together in search of a counterspell, the woods they traveled through were full of danger, and I could nearly see it all, which is an extremely rare experience for me and the mark of fantastic writing. I had a thought that I’d love to watch a movie adaptation, but those are always disappointing, so I changed my mind. Who am I kidding though? It couldn’t possibly be as good as the book, but I’d still watch it and probably love it because Sorcery and Small Magics might be my personality now.
I’m so glad this book is the first in a trilogy because I need more. It’s charming, whimsical, and funny (both haha and hehe). I cried (three times) while reading and when I finished, I yelled “AHHHHHHH!” and then cried again because I was upset it was over. The only reason I haven’t preordered a copy is because I’m waiting to find out if I can get a ride to the book launch/author talk so I can meet Maiga Doocy and get a signed copy in person (and if I can’t, I will probably cry for a fifth time, just saying).
I will be more than eagerly and less than patiently awaiting the next book!
Thank you so much to both Netgalley and Orbit Books, from whom I received an ARC of Sorcery and Small Magics. I’m almost sorry I love the book so much because I’ve seen people say they don’t trust overwhelmingly positive 5 star ARC reviews. But not sorry enough to lie ...more
***PLEASE NOTE: There are two versions of this book. One version was self-published several years ago. The second version has been rewritten and publi***PLEASE NOTE: There are two versions of this book. One version was self-published several years ago. The second version has been rewritten and published in October of 2024 as a prequel to S.T. Gibson’s Evocation. Reviews here on Goodreads posted before the latter half of 2024 are of the first version of the book, which isn’t even available anymore. Please consider giving the new version a try, especially if you’re a fan of Evocation, as many of the complaints old reviewers have are not present in the new version of this book.***
I cannot begin to explain how excited I was to receive this ARC from Netgalley and Angry Robot Books after how much I loved Evocation. It was so nice to be able to spend some bonus time with these characters during what feels like the longest wait everrrr for the next book in The Summoner’s Circle series!
There’s an event involving David, Rhys, and Moira that took place before the start of Evocation that is alluded to but not exactly explained. Whatever happened, it caused a major rift in Rhys and David’s friendship, so we know it was something big, and in this prequel, we finally get some answers.
While it was certainly an important and dangerous event, and I’m happy that I now understand what happened, I was a little disappointed in the reasoning behind Rhys and David’s falling out. The two men weren’t besties or anything, but Rhys considered David a friend at the start of the book, and the point where he changed his mind felt very lackluster to me. I was expecting something much worse. But I’m sort of torn on whether or not it’s bad thing that I got less than I expected. It actually feels pretty believable that a friendship would end over something so silly.
This novella gives us more than an answer to the Rhys/David friendship question, though. I loved the glimpse into Rhys and Moira’s life before the events of Evocation, when their relationship was extremely new and was very pleasantly surprised to find that S.T. Gibson included the story of how they met, which I thought was very cute and fun.
There’s also some beautiful art throughout the book I had to stop to really take in and stare at before moving on. It was really lovely and totally unexpected - I had no idea there would be any illustrations!
Odd Spirits reads a bit differently from Evocation in that it kind of feels like reading a parable. There’s a clear moral to the story that ties it all up rather nicely. It can certainly be read before Evocation, but personally, I really enjoyed reading the prequel and having questions answered afterward. If you want to go into Evocation knowing everything, read prequel first. If you like a bit of mystery, read Evocation first....more
Brom is one of my favorite horror authors, in part because his stories are just that good, but also because I love that he writes horror with heart. EBrom is one of my favorite horror authors, in part because his stories are just that good, but also because I love that he writes horror with heart. Evil in Me is no different, and it’s also an exploration of emotional turmoil.
Even before her possession, Ruby felt out of control of her own life. Beel, the demon possessing Ruby, is only doing so because he’s controlled by a more powerful demon. Control is an extremely prevalent theme as even side characters have suffered due to circumstances beyond their control, or circumstances they believe to be beyond their control. It’s easy to relate to Ruby as she struggles not just in the fight for her soul, but the fight for her power, the control she lost long before the ring found its way into her life.
As always, Brom created a fun cast of characters for Evil in Me. I loved Vutto, as I expect most people will (I’m serious - I expect you to like him and if you don’t, we can’t be friends), and everyone needs a friend like Tina. The book has major “roadtrip with a punk rock band of weirdos” vibes, which makes it really fun for a horror novel. There were high stakes, but aside from one scene, I didn’t feel particularly tense. This one definitely had more of a fun, lighthearted feel.
The narration of the audiobook was honestly amazing. Stephanie Németh-Parker voiced most of it and I loved how she laughed, scoffed, sang, etc. along with Ruby, instead of just telling us Ruby was doing it. I’ve never listened to an audiobook with a narrator that consistently added those types of emotions into their narration. Shahjehan Khan also did a great job with Richard’s narration. You can really hear Richard’s confidence in the beginning and how the events of the book affect him in his voice. But the narration itself isn’t the only thing to rave about because there is MUSIC. Ruby has to write a song and when she performs it, an actual band, The Maxines, perform it on the audiobook. It is the bee’s knees, as Richard would say. I love audiobooks that include more than just a simple reading of the book, so this one really checked off a lot of boxes for me.
The print version of Evil in Me has nearly two dozen illustrations and I’ve seen enough of of them (and Brom’s art in general) to know they are not to be missed, so I recommend listening while reading if possible for an immersive experience with both music and illustrations. Best of both worlds!
Thanks very much to both NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, from whom I received an ALC of Evil in Me....more
It’s always impressive when an author manages to pack enough information into a short story or novella that the reader isn’t left feeling like somethiIt’s always impressive when an author manages to pack enough information into a short story or novella that the reader isn’t left feeling like something’s missing or it should have been a longer book, and Ziggy Schutz has absolutely accomplished that with Twice-Spent Comet, a beautiful story about Fer, who yearns for belonging and to find a strong connection that can’t be easily severed.
I love that each of the four prisoners living on the asteroid had deep, interesting backgrounds that were told so well within just a couple short pages that I was immediately invested in them. As a main character, Fer is easy to root for and personally, I related to their longing for connection. I also love that the book reads like a fairytale, with just the right amount of seriousness mixed with magical wonder.
I’ve been asked for novella recommendations before and I’ve never had a specific one in mind that I think would work for anyone who asks until now. This is definitely a favorite novella of mine and if you don’t like space mermaids, we probably shouldn’t be friends anyway.
Thanks very much to both NetGalley and Meerkat Press for the ARC of Twice-Spent Comet....more
I think Johnny Compton and I are psychically linked and he knows what I like: gruesome and violent AF horror, super unique vampires, and a straight upI think Johnny Compton and I are psychically linked and he knows what I like: gruesome and violent AF horror, super unique vampires, and a straight up cult. I also love a book that gives me room to form my own theories about what’s going on, and Devils Kill Devils did that from the start, then opened up a little and gave me more room for even more outlandish theories, which is so much fun.
I did find myself a little bored during Harrah’s early chapters and a tiny bit lost during Cela’s early chapters, but their later chapters were just as good as the rest and I loved the stark difference in prose between each character’s POV. The way they spoke, thought, acted… it was always obvious which character the story was following because the writing actually changed very organically. And oh my god the foreshadowing drove me crazy in the very best way, like I knew something was being alluded to and I wanted to know what it was SO BADLY. In a couple spots, I had to stop myself from skimming, not because I was bored or didn’t want to read it but because I was so desperate to know what was going to happen.
I liked most of the characters and that stories of their pasts were included to give context to their actions and motivations (especially The Northman). Sarita is a great main character and she has a lot of strengths but one of my favorite things about her is that she isn’t your standard Chosen One. I like the idea that a Chosen One isn’t necessarily more special than anyone else, that it’s more like “well, someone had to be chosen,” and happenstance is what gives the Chosen One their power.
The author’s note at the end was really cool - I always love when authors include information about their inspiration and influences. It’s very interesting. Don’t skip it!
Thank you NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for the ARC of Devils Kill Devils....more
The Ravening is a horror/thriller, and while aspects of both genres were present throughout, it felt less like a mix than a 50/50 split. The first halThe Ravening is a horror/thriller, and while aspects of both genres were present throughout, it felt less like a mix than a 50/50 split. The first half of the book was heavy thriller, with an adult Jenna trying to escape a house where she is being held against her will for nefarious reasons, then the horror really amped up in the second half as Jenna fought an ancient evil for control of her body (and not in the way you might be thinking). It was a pretty cool shift from “Oh no, the bad guys are these people!” to “Oh dear god, this is also terrifying in a crazy supernatural way!”
As a main character, Jenna felt a bit one-note. She has (with good reason!) a very hard time trusting people and opening herself up to love, and while I’d expect that to be mentioned a fair bit, it’s really the only deep thing we learn about her. The story is told in third person from her POV and she has a lot of conversations with her inner voice, which, when it responds, calls her ‘babe,’ and it drove me crazy. A ‘babe’ here and there would have been okay, but almost every time her inner voice said anything, it threw a ‘babe’ in there. I think it’s because Jenna sometimes thought the inner voice sounded like her girlfriend, Holly, who calls her ‘babe,’ but even so, it was just too much. Otherwise, Jenna was easy to sympathize with and root for, and I formed some pretty strong feelings for a couple other characters too. Like big time hatred! But I was supposed to hate the people I hated, so it was a good hatred.
The story is interesting with a unique premise. I’ve never come across anything like it and I enjoyed it. I want to talk about some specific bits but when I consider the blurb, I feel like anything I say could be a spoiler. There were some excerpts from old texts inserted between chapters throughout the book that gave vague information about the ancient evil, allowing the reader to piece things together, but as soon as you read the final excerpt, everything is explained by someone anyway. We’re given the same explanation, but less vague, as if the author doesn’t trust the reader to have figured it out. So the excerpts feel sort of purposeless. My favorite part of the book was the dreamlike sequences that reminded me a lot of some fantasy I’ve read and I think horror fans who are also fantasy readers would enjoy those scenes as much as I did. I wasn’t expecting such a strong fantasy feel but I liked it!
Thank you to both Netgalley and Angry Robot Books, from whom I received an ARC of The Ravening....more
I’d like to thank both NetGalley and Datura Books, from whom I received an ARC of Negative Girl.
I really liked the distinct neo-noir style of writing I’d like to thank both NetGalley and Datura Books, from whom I received an ARC of Negative Girl.
I really liked the distinct neo-noir style of writing in this crime thriller. Every other chapter switches between the first-person POV of Martin and his assistant Valerie, and I like a good dual POV story, but these two characters are so alike that they don’t each feel like their own person. Their voices are too similar and I often found myself glancing back or checking the last page for a clue as to whose chapter I was reading.
Everyone in the book is either in a band, used to be in a band, plays an instrument, and/or is super into music, which is cool, but Martin and Valerie both talk about music and name drop a lot of bands and songs to the point that it felt like a bit too much.
The plot was a little predictable but enjoyable, and I loved the relationship between Martin and Valerie. As mentioned before, they’re very alike so they ultimately have a lot in common, including similar toxic situations with old friends. Their friendship, however, was lovely even when it was rocky. It was nice to read a book with a purely platonic male/female best friendship, where they loved and took care of each other but there were no underlying sexual motivations or tension....more
I’d like to thank both NetGalley and Hachette Audio, from whom I received an ALC of Long Live Evil. Full disclosure: I rated this book 3.5 - 3.75 starI’d like to thank both NetGalley and Hachette Audio, from whom I received an ALC of Long Live Evil. Full disclosure: I rated this book 3.5 - 3.75 stars on review sites that allow it.
I wasn’t sure how I felt about it at first but once I gave in and embraced the camp, I had a really good time with Long Live Evil. I love the concept of the book and the idea that entering a story can change its plot. It’s a lot like the idea that if you travel to the past, you can’t change a single thing or the future will veer wildly off track. Rae’s presence in the book and the decisions she made changed the future of every character, and it was a lot of fun to see if those changes were for better or worse.
This is Sarah Rees Brennan’s first adult novel but the writing and especially Rae’s dialogue read to me like YA. I actually struggled to like Rae very much. At first I thought it was because of her childish dialogue and obsession with her new body’s boobs, and while that didn’t help, I think my main issue was that her insistence that none of the characters were real made it hard for me to care about anything, including her. By reminding so many times that no one was real, she was also reminding me that she isn’t real. She was telling me not to care for her either, and I decided to go ahead and listen.
Despite Rae’s best efforts, I found most characters interesting and each had a lot of depth. My favorite character, Key, is one of the first that Rae meets when she wakes up in the world of this story and he’s fascinating. I’m not much for book boyfriends but I might make an exception for Key.
I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Moira Quirk. That’s right, Mo from Nickelodeon GUTS narrated this audiobook. God, I’ve always wanted a piece of The Crag. Anyway, sometimes it seemed like she was reading parts of conversations too quickly, faster than the person speaking would actually say them, but for the most part I enjoyed her narration and I think she did the voices of the many characters very well.
Despite the few issues I had, Long Live Evil was ultimately a satisfying read. The ending left me wanting more so I’ll definitely be reading the next book!...more
I didn’t love Mr. Caesar in Mortal Follies but I was still happy for the chance to get to know him as the main character Confounding Oaths. UnfortunatI didn’t love Mr. Caesar in Mortal Follies but I was still happy for the chance to get to know him as the main character Confounding Oaths. Unfortunately I’m still not his biggest fan, but even he openly admits to being a shit, so perhaps I have the right idea.
Mr. Caesar isn’t the only carryover from Mortal Follies. Several characters from the first book make an appearance, including my favorite: Miss Bickle. She’s just as ridiculous as ever, with the added bonus of having become an author of Jane Austen fanfic. Alexis Hall—excuse me, the fairy hobgoblin narrator—seems to only tell queer stories, which I both love and respect, but it really is a shame that Miss Bickle is decidedly straight because I’d really love to be told a story in which she is the main character. Fingers crossed she’s a part of the queer community after all!
As for the story, I liked that it wasn’t strictly about Mr. Caesar saving his sister Mary, but also about Mary herself. She has a full-fledged character arc that is extremely relatable and reads a bit like a fairytale. Meanwhile, unlike Mortal Follies, Mr. Caesar’s romantic relationship with the captain isn’t front and center as much as it is in the background. Saving Mary is more important and all the crazy magical hijinks are distracting. I think it works for this book because I really liked Mary and for me personally, the romance between Mr. Caesar and Captain James wasn’t as captivating as the romance in the first book.
And so, my favorite hobgoblin narrator once again did a fantastic job of observing a great story, being 100% reliable, and making me laugh. I truly can’t believe Oberon hasn’t forgiven him yet, but I’m selfishly glad because he all but promised he has more stories for us and if he were to return to Oberon’s court, he would no longer have need to publish any more books.
Confounding Oaths could probably be read as a standalone, but there are enough characters from and callbacks to Mortal Follies that I highly suggest reading it first. It’s also a fantastic book, so it’s worth it!
I’d like to thank NetGalley and Random House / Del Ray from whom I received an ARC of Confounding Oaths....more
Years ago, I discovered an author whose books I absolutely loved. I found that his books were considered “bizarro,” but when I explored other books wiYears ago, I discovered an author whose books I absolutely loved. I found that his books were considered “bizarro,” but when I explored other books within that genre, they didn’t evoke anything close to the same feelings. Eventually, I gave up because my efforts were all in vain.
But finally, I’ve found a book (or, rather, the book’s author found me) that makes me feel the way that author’s work does. My Heart Belongs in an Empty Big Mac Container Buried Beneath the Ocean Floor is exactly what I was looking for ten years ago: unique, surreal, and strange without being weird just for the sake of weird, but also raw, full of heart, and extremely relatable (except for the part that says chunky peanut butter is the kind only sociopaths enjoy ...more
I’d like to thank both NetGalley and Levine Querido, from whom I received an ARC of Markless. These opinions are my own.
I don’t read a lot of young adI’d like to thank both NetGalley and Levine Querido, from whom I received an ARC of Markless. These opinions are my own.
I don’t read a lot of young adult books (they can be a little hit or miss for me), but sometimes I read a blurb and I don’t care if I’m the target audience or not – I’m definitely reading that book. I felt that way with Markless and I’m glad I gave it a chance because I enjoyed it quite a bit.
I don’t read a lot of fantasy with major romance plots (Romantasy? Is this romantasy?) but I do love the enemies to lovers trope and when it’s sapphic? Yes please! I also really like what Malburi did with the soulmates trope in Markless. I admit I haven’t read a whole lot of romance with the soulmates trope, so I’m not sure if what was done here is common or not, but I thought it was nice that it explored the idea that choosing your own soulmate is always a possibility.
The main character, Ruti, was so well-written. Not only did I love her, but I could easily feel whatever emotion she was feeling. If she was confused, so was I. Whether she was upbeat or distressed, I was too. The evolution of her relationship with Princess Dekala felt very natural, which I appreciated. Speaking of Dekala, she was… an enigma, but an intriguing one. My favorite thing about her was that she was so hard to pin down. Sometimes it was frustrating, but hey, I was only frustrated when Ruti was frustrated, so it was perfect!
I did feel that the magic system was a little confusing. As soon as I thought I had a decent understanding of it, something new was introduced that threw me for a loop. I don’t think I ever quite understood the limits of the world’s magic.
My only other issue was that towards the end of the book, there was a part that felt to me like the oft frowned upon “and then I woke up” moment used in some media. It wasn’t that, but it gave me a similar feeling, and I was disappointed. But the ending itself was great. It made up for some of that disappointment and left me feeling happy with the book overall.
I rated Markless 3.5 on my blog and review sites that allow half ratings. ...more
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