Review: The Night Before by Wendy Walker

The Night Before by Wendy Walker

St. Martin's Press
Publication: May 14th, 2019

Hardcover. 464 pages.

About The Night Before:

"'Laura Lochner has never been lucky in love. She falls too hard and too fast, always choosing the wrong men. Devastated by the end of her last relationship, she fled her Wall Street job and New York City apartment for her sister’s home in the Connecticut suburb where they both grew up. Though still haunted by the tragedy that’s defined her entire life, Laura is determined to take one more chance on love with a man she’s met on an Internet dating site. 

Rosie Ferro has spent most of her life worrying about her troubled sister. Fearless but fragile, Laura has always walked an emotional tightrope, and Rosie has always been there to catch her. Laura’s return, under mysterious circumstances, has cast a shadow over Rosie’s peaceful life with her husband and young son – a shadow that grows darker as Laura leaves the house for her blind date. 

When Laura does not return home the following morning, Rosie fears the worst. She’s not responding to calls or texts, and she’s left no information about the man she planned to meet. As Rosie begins a desperate search to find her sister, she is not just worried about what this man might have done to Laura. She’s worried about what Laura may have done to him…"

It had been a while since I'd picked up a good thriller, so I figured I'd rectify that and check out Wendy Walker's upcoming release since I enjoyed one of her previous books, All is Not Forgotten. Unfortunately, I'm sorry to report that this book did not live up to my hopes in any way and ended up being quite a disappointment. With thrillers, I like to keep my reviews on the vague side since almost every detail can be an important reveal. That being said, there's not a whole lot within this book that's surprising--the majority of things in this book were fairly predictable, with a few exceptions that I'll get into.

In The Night Before, we follow sisters Laura and Rosie, two women who have led extremely different lives, but who still hold a strong bond with one another. The two women grew up with childhood friends Gabe and Joe, the latter of which is now married to Rosie, and the foursome continue to hang out and spend time with one another as adults, especially since Laura decided to move back to live with Rosie for the time being. The friendship dynamic is fairly normal overall and although there is no present drama that the group deal with, but there is the thriller favorite 'momentous life-changing event that happened during childhood and changed everything' trope at play, which adds an underlying element of drama and suspense as we get to uncover what happened throughout the book.

The first problem I had with this book is that I didn't care about any of the characters. Okay, scratch that: I thought Rosie and Joe's son, Mason, was relatively harmless. He was also a toddler and hardly in the book at all, but you know, he was cute. Laura was...well, Laura has some personal struggles that she's been working through since she was a child, which makes her a somewhat difficult person to get behind. I never judged her for her actions that occurred as a result of her childhood, as I know well how trauma can cause lasting effects, but I was still frustrated with her actions throughout the book--she would blatantly and repeatedly tell herself not to do things, but she still did them. Even when she had a very easy out of the situation. I know we all do things like this in some format, but in Laura's case it was beyond reckless and potentially dangerous. 

Rosie was slightly more interesting than Laura and I appreciated that she took Laura's disappearance seriously from the start, but she's also rather forgettable. Same goes for Joe and Gabe--I'll probably forget everything about them in the next week or so and I really don't have much to say about them other than the fact that Joe seems like a really solid, stand-up guy. And speaking of boring characters, the person who ends up being the 'villain' in all of this was probably one of the most lackluster, utterly predictable, and uninteresting ones I've seen in a while. I'm really not trying to trash this book, but I just had such a hard time with it, especially the characters.

Despite all of the negative things I've mentioned, I will give this book the props it deserves in created one pretty big twist that I didn't actually see coming. It was extremely out of left field to me so it took a second to understand what it meant, but it worked in adding some depth to the thriller aspect of this book. I appreciate the ideas that went into this book, but it didn't execute very well for me.

Overall, I've given The Night Before two stars. I debated lowering it, but I wouldn't say I hated it enough to give it a one star; I can appreciate Walker's attempts to add in some new ideas, but the result ended up being predictable and like something I've read a thousand times already. Most of the early reviews so far are 4+ stars, so perhaps I'm just missing something, but nonetheless I can't say I enjoyed this book that much. I would still pick up another book by Wendy Walker in the future because I know she can write a good book, this just wasn't it. 

Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

You might also like:
All is Not Forgotten by Wendy Walker
Security by Gina Wolhsdorf
Grist Mill Road by Christopher J. Yates

Review: The Rosewater Insurrection by Tade Thompson

*The Rosewater Insurrection will be available Tuesday, March 12th from Orbit!*

The Rosewater Insurrection by Tade Thompson

Orbit, 2019
Publication Date: March 12th, 2019

Paperback. 416 pages.

About The Rosewater Insurrection:

"The Rosewater Insurrection continues the award-winning, cutting edge Wormwood trilogy, set in Nigeria, by one of science fiction's most engaging new voices. 

All is quiet in the city of Rosewater as it expands on the back of the gargantuan alien Wormwood. Those who know the truth of the invasion keep the secret. 

The government agent Aminat, the lover of the retired sensitive Kaaro, is at the forefront of the cold, silent conflict. She must capture a woman who is the key to the survival of the human race. But Aminat is stymied by the machinations of the Mayor of Rosewater and the emergence of an old enemy of Wormwood...'"

I read and reviewed Rosewater back in November and absolutely loved it for its inventiveness and fresh take on the sci-fi genre. I was excited to read this sequel because I knew it would follow more of Aminat's character, and on that count this book absolutely delivered. The Rosewater Insurrection picks up pretty quickly after the events of the first book, which made it easy to jump right back into it. 

I can't go into any specifics in this review because I don't want to give anything away, but the premise mainly focuses on Aminat as she is set to track down a woman who has proven to be vitally important to the survival of the human race itself. In addition to Aminat's storyline, we also largely follow Jack Jacques (a tongue-twister of a name for me), mayor of Rosewater, who is fighting to make Rosewater independent from Nigeria and thus angering the Nigerian president in the process.

The simple, matter-of-fact writing style that was present in Rosewater was just as strong here in the sequel and it also continued to keep be a style that kept me engaged. There's something about the clear cut style that helps me follow along an otherwise potentially complex plotline with many components to explore. Thompson does a wonderful job of examining the human vs. alien dynamic and how this sort of 'invasion' onto Earth could occur and what the ramifications of that could be. There are a lot of thoughtful themes to explore on this matter and that is also what makes these books so incredible. I also think the way that Thompson created his alien species was really inventive and had so many possibilities attached to it that kept me wanting to know more about them.

As mentioned, The Rosewater Insurrection follows both Aminat and Jack as its main protagonists, but it also occasionally jumps to a man named Eric's POV. Eric is the only POV that jumps between various time periods, so if the back and forth POVs of the first book were frustrating for you then you'll appreciate this book's much more linear storytelling. There are one or two other characters that pop up throughout the book, but these are also minimal and add some interesting extra elements. Aminat continues to be an awesome character who I really enjoy following. She's tough and not someone I'd want to mess with, but she's certainly not heartless or without care for others, both of which are traits that make her a well-rounded and engaging character.

The only less than positive thing I have to say about this book is that I felt slightly disassociated with the actions of the story at times. I've been trying to determine whether this was a personal issue since I read this during a couple of anxiety/stress-heavy days or whether there was something about the narrative that held me at a bit of an arm's length. There was just something about this book that didn't pull me in or make me feel quite as invested as I was with the first book. Things seemed to happen too quickly and I think part of it might simply be that I never had a chance to really ingratiate myself into the world since everyone was constantly on the move. A slight slowing of the pacing might have benefited this book.

Overall, I've given The Rosewater Insurrection four stars! If you enjoyed Rosewater, then I highly recommend you pick up the sequel if you weren't already planning to do so. If you didn't like Rosewater due to the POV and time shifts, then I still recommend you pick this one up and give it another chance! The alien/human aspect of this book is fascinating and totally worth the read.

Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Review: Vita Nostra by Marina & Sergey Dyachenko

Vita Nostra by Marina & Sergey Dyachenko, trans. Julia Hersey

Harper Voyager, 2018

Hardcover. 416 pages.

About Vita Nostra:

"Our life is brief . . .

Sasha Samokhina has been accepted to the Institute of Special Technologies. 

Or, more precisely, she’s been chosen. 

Situated in a tiny village, she finds the students are bizarre, and the curriculum even more so. The books are impossible to read, the lessons obscure to the point of maddening, and the work refuses memorization. Using terror and coercion to keep the students in line, the school does not punish them for their transgressions and failures; instead, it is their families that pay a terrible price. Yet despite her fear, Sasha undergoes changes that defy the dictates of matter and time; experiences which are nothing she has ever dreamed of . . . and suddenly all she could ever want. 

A complex blend of adventure, magic, science, and philosophy that probes the mysteries of existence, filtered through a distinct Russian sensibility, this astonishing work of speculative fiction—brilliantly translated by Julia Meitov Hersey—is reminiscent of modern classics such as Lev Grossman’s The Magicians, Max Barry’s Lexicon, and Katherine Arden’s The Bear and the Nightingale, but will transport them to a place far beyond those fantastical worlds."

Vita Nostra is an unassumingly ambitious novel with unpredictable developments that makes for a truly engrossing read. In all honestly, this review is probably going to be on the shorter side because I'm not entirely sure how to talk about it or explain it without going too deeply into the plot, something that I wanted to avoid as much as possible so as not to give away too much. This is absolutely a book that I think is best enjoyed when read without knowing more than the basics of the plot. 

This was a novel that genuinely felt unlike anything I've read in the past. There are some familiar core trope elements, such as a boarding school setting, but the story itself is so unconventional that it feels entirely its own. There are instructors that give the students a lot of work, there are some minor rivalries within the school, but it's the method of teaching and the way the students handle this 'education' that is what sets it apart and makes it such a compelling story.

I really liked how much we were able to get into the head of Sasha, the protagonist and the only POV that the story follows. Sasha undergoes so much internal stress, both emotionally-induced and school-induced, which is displayed in such a personal and open manner that I was able to have an extremely close connection to her character and understand her struggles and decisions. It was a compelling experience to follow along as she slowly learned more and more about what was happening while also navigating her attempts to maintain her familial and personal relationships. There are a few other characters that play prominent roles in the book that I also found myself extremely invested in and I'm impressed how well that authors created so many interesting characters. 

Another strong point of Vita Nostra was that the pacing was very steady throughout, and it was only in the latter middle half of the book that it seemed slightly slower than the rest of the book. However, this slower pacing almost acts as a plot/story enhancement in how it matches the mood of Sasha's current situation and the tone of the book perfectly. 

Vita Nostra is the sort of book that doesn't give the reader an overtly obvious plot destination to start with, which ended up being a major part of its charm for me. The reader is left just as unsure and in the dark as Sasha and the other students that end up at the Institute of Special Technologies. The authors crafted this setup masterfully and somehow managed to create a story that pulled me in almost immediately and left me glued to each and every page. There is a constant sense of foreboding, a mixture of hopelessness and desperate curiosity; this book feels like a masterpiece. It's an incredible addictive atmosphere that made me unable to stop thinking about this book and constantly want to learn more about everything that was going on.

 Overall, I can't help but give Vita Nostra five stars. I considered 4.75, but this book really went above and beyond for me and I feel it deserves that full five. 

Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Review: The Blighted City by Scott Kaelen

The Blighted City by Scott Kaelen

Self-Published, 2018

Ebook. 394 pages.

About The Blighted City:

"'To challenge the gods is to invite their wrath. So it is written of Lachyla, the Blighted City, in the Codex of the Ages. But who reads codices? And who really believes the tall stories of the Taleweavers? 

Dagra does. If it’s a story about the gods – even a dead god – he believes every word. When his sellsword team is offered a contract to cross the Deadlands and find a burial jewel in the crypts of the Blighted City, Dagra wants no part of it. His companions are undaunted by the legend; to them, the blurred divide between the living and the dead is superstitious nonsense. Completing the contract would earn their guild’s failing reputation a much-needed boost and secure them the bounty of a lifetime. They’re going, with or without him. Torn between the convictions of his beliefs and the importance of his friendships, Dagra reluctantly journeys into the godless region in search of the fabled city. But the Deadlands are only the first challenge. 

The sellswords uncover an age-old deception when they learn that Lachyla’s foul seed is much darker than its legend, that its truth must forever remain untold or risk plunging humanity into an eternal nightmare. Snagged on the barbs of the blight, Dagra faces the toughest choice of his life … and of his death."

The Blighted City is an ambitious dark fantasy that mixes a variety of different fantastic elements to create a unique and engaging story. It's also yet another fantastic self-published fantasy that also made it to the semi-finals of Mark Lawrence's SPFBO4, a well-earned spot.

The Blighted City has a few different storylines to follow over the course of the book, all of which I found equally interesting. The story starts out with a bit of a semi-traditional fantasy quest plot, a trope that I am always eager to read and therefore found myself enjoying right away. A group of mercenaries are hired to carry out this quest that involves journeying to an abandoned and rather haunted city that promises nothing positive and is instead often avoided by people at all costs. I loved the idea of the city and loved the anticipation for what they would find during their quest. I thought that the quest itself would end up being the main focus of the book, but instead there were a few other large components to the plot as well.

In addition to the mercenary group, the story also follows some hunters who are attempting to find the mercenary group for less than friendly reasons and later a group that is essentially trying to locate and rescue the initial group that set out for the city. There's a lot to explore within each group of characters, each of which added their own intrigue and excitement to the story. I liked seeing the different relationship dynamics between each character and how it all worked out throughout the events of the book. That being said, this creates of large array of POVs that the book switches between as a result of the large cast of characters which were occasionally slightly overwhelming. Still, it was a nice touch to have so many different firsthand experiences of different plot elements to explore. 

The pacing of The Blighted City was a bit uneven throughout, as it felt much slower and almost meandering at times, while others were much more action-heavy and fast-paced. The first portion of the book starts out with a steady pace, but does slow down quite a bit at times, which is initally why I thought it would be a larger section of the book. However, despite the uneven pacing, I didn't really find it bothered me all that much overall because I never lost interest in the story itself. It does lead to a bit of a varied experience while reading that I can see bothering some readers, but in my personal experience it doesn't hinder much of the enjoyment.

I also really enjoyed the world-building of The Blighted City. Kaelen did a great job at creating his world slowly and expanding it as the story demanded without ever info-dumping. Similarly, I also never felt lost in this world--Kaelen always provided adequate information in order to understand and appreciate each part of the story, which is something that I really appreciate in a fantasy novel.

Overall, I've given The Blighted City four stars! It's full of adventure, treasure hunts, fights, some creepy crypts and other unexpected surprises. I recommend this to any dark fantasy fans who are looking for something with a lot of intrigue and some unique concepts.

*I received a copy of The Blighted City courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating of the novel.*

Buy the book: Amazon

Review: No Way by S.J. Morden

*No Way will be published Tuesday, February 26th!* 

No Way by S.J. Morden (Frank Kitteridge #2)

Orbit, 2019

Paperback. 416 pages.

Note: This is the sequel to the first book, One Way, and although I will have no spoilers from this book, there will be things mentioned that may act as inadvertent spoilers for the first book. I never give specific spoilers, but I just want to give a head's up if you haven't read the first book.

About No Way:

"'In the sequel to the terrifying science fiction thriller, One Way, returning home from Mars may mean striking a deal with the very people who abandoned him. 

They were sent to build a utopia, but all they found on Mars was death. 

Frank Kitteridge has been abandoned. But XO, the greedy--and ultimately murderous--corporate architects of humanity's first Mars base made a costly mistake when they left him there: they left him alive. Using his skills and his wits, he's going to find a way back home even if it kills him. 

Little does he know that Mars isn't completely empty. Just over the mountain, there's another XO base where things are going terribly, catastrophically wrong. And when the survivors of that mission find Frank, they're going to want to take even the little he has away from him. 

If there's anything in Frank's favor, it's this: he's always been prepared to go to the extremes to get the job done. That's how he ended up on Mars in the first place. It just might be his ticket back."

No Way picks up almost immediately after the events of One Way and I would want it no other way. The intensity and the excitement are just as high as they were at the end of One Way, although this time Frank has some new high stakes to deal with that are vastly different than what he death with before--though they are just as deadly.

Frank is now alone on Mars--or so he initially thinks--and must take on all of the responsibilities around the base in order to keep himself alive for NASA's arrival in order for him to potentially go back to Earth one day. This, of course, includes cleaning up all of the mess leftover from the violent events that occurred at the end of the first book in order to keep XO happy and to ensure Frank is able to safely leave Mars. Predictably, nothing can possibly go smoothly on this dry, lonely planet, and Frank is suddenly dealing with even more stress than he already was.

Frank remains the same 'too-old-for-this-shit' sort of man that he was in One Way, and I appreciate how consistent Morden has kept his personality. Frank has definitely had major character development throughout both books, but the core things that make him who he is, such as his somewhat standoff-ish nature and his lack of a charismatic presence, continue to shine and make him an oddly and uniquely compelling character. I also enjoyed seeing Frank's interactions with the NASA crew that arrives, as it really put him in an uncomfortable position, what with XO still essentially controlling what he can say and Frank's own moral dilemmas with the information he holds onto. I liked that Morden took into account that Frank, who had spent months alone on Mars, would have some issues being suddenly inundated with an entire crew of new people, along with his trauma from the events of the previous book. I liked that Morden focused on the mental components of the entire ordeal in addition to the rest of the plot.

I mentioned in my review for the first book that the author trained as a planetary geologist, and his passion and dedication to the more technical aspects related to this story continue to shine in this book. I'm no rocket scientist myself and I can't say I have much knowledge of the specifics of how surviving on Mars would work so I can't professionally comment on it, but it appears his research is really well done and it adds so many layers of authenticity and realism that make this book all the more compelling. When something feels real, the stakes always feel higher and more personal and that's exactly what happened here. I think one of the things hat makes these books so captivating and chilling is that it all feels eerily believable. I do believe that there are people who would create companies that have such little compassion for human beings and would put them in dangerous situations.

No Way is the sort of book that you can't put down. Morden has true skill in knowing how to craft each chapter and event in such a way that makes the reader fully engaged with what's happening in the present, while also constantly yearning to find out what is going to happen next. He has a simple yet sophisticated prose that is filled with foreshadowing and excellent descriptions.

Overall, I've given No Way 4.75 stars (rounded up to five on Goodreads, etc.)! This is such an exciting series and I haven't been able to tear myself from the pages. I don't know if there is a third book in the works, but I desperately hope that there is because I will absolutely read it! 

*I received a review copy of No Way courtesy of Orbit books in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating of the novel.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

You might also like:
One Way by S.J. Morden
Wayfarer: AV494 by Matthew Cox

Review: The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders

The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders

Tor, 2019

Hardcover. 368 pages.

About The City in the Middle of the Night:

"''If you control our sleep, then you can own our dreams... And from there, it's easy to control our entire lives.' 

Set on a planet that has fully definitive, never-changing zones of day and night, with ensuing extreme climates of endless, frigid darkness and blinding, relentless light, humankind has somehow continued apace -- though the perils outside the built cities are rife with danger as much as the streets below. 

But in a world where time means only what the ruling government proclaims, and the levels of light available are artificially imposed to great consequence, lost souls and disappeared bodies are shadow-bound and savage, and as common as grains of sand. And one such pariah, sacrificed to the night, but borne up by time and a mysterious bond with an enigmatic beast, will rise to take on the entire planet--before it can crumble beneath the weight of human existence."

It's been a hard time trying to collect my thoughts around this book. On the one hand, it's a really fascinating look at a new planet and what it means to be human and a majority female cast, but on the other hand... it's at times a dry, uninteresting story about some highly unlikable characters. 

The world-building in The City in the Middle of the Night is one of the most interesting parts of the book. I actually wish that there had been more of it because although there is a good amount of explanation, there were still some pretty big gaps in my understanding of the world, and I wish I could have explored it further. Despite that, I still found it extremely intelligent and well-crafted and I certainly commend Anders on creating such a fascinating world.

The second most interesting aspect of this book are the 'crocodiles' that most people are frightened of, but that Sophie befriends and the subsequent events that follow. I think this exploration of humanity and the desire to advance society and technology is a truly captivating topic and I wish this book had spent more time on this area than it did on some of the characters and their relationships.

If this book was to be judged solely on the two above things I mentioned, it would probably get close to five stars from me, but unfortunately I didn't enjoy other aspects of this book, such as with the characters and their storylines. In general, as I've mentioned in numerous reviews, I have no problems with unlikable characters or narrators. I actually love some books with unlikable characters because, for me, there's something extra special about being engaged in a book and story when you don't even like the protagonist, but you still want to know what they will do and what will happen to them. Sadly, the unlikable characters in this book had very few redeeming factors and were instead rather bland, frustrating, and altogether uninteresting.

Before I jump into specifics about some of the characters, I do want to point out that the main characters in this book are all women, and I think that's something worth noting because it's rare when male characters are in such a small role that they aren't even part of the core cast, so I really appreciated that aspect. However, my biggest issues with the characters was their frustrating relationships with one another and their actions. The characters with the biggest roles are Sophie (the first POV we follow), Mouth (the second POV we follow), Bianca, and Alyssa. Sophie acts as one of the main protagonists and is exceptionally difficult to connect with. There are plenty of moments when I can mostly follow her thought process and understand her choices, but there are just as many--if not more--where I cannot for the life of me grasp what she could possibly be thinking when she makes the most horrible decisions. I know characters make dumb decisions sometimes--half the books out there wouldn't exist without that--but Sophie is too unpredictable and hard to follow. 

The next character is Mouth, who I would say is probably the most relatable and potentially likable character of the bunch. I don't have a lot of frustrations with her overall, but in spite of that I still didn't feel overly connected to her. I cared about what happened to her, but not that much. Still, I appreciated her strength and no-nonsense attitude when it came to some things she did or did not want to do. Mouth's closest friend--who could also potentially be her lesbian partner though it's never explicitly stated--Alyssa, is a character whose strong loyalty to Mouth is something I admire. However, she also seemed very flighty in other regards and her opinions and actions seemed to flip easily. 

The last brief character I want to mention is Bianca, and that's mainly to say that I couldn't stand her. To be fair, I don't particularly think we're supposed to like her, but since Sophie was so obsessed with her it made it almost unbearable to follow someone so insufferable, ignorant, and selfish. There are other characters in this book that range quite a bit in personality, and some that I liked more than others, such as Barney and Ahmad, but otherwise the remaining characters do not particularly stand out.

Overall, my conflicted feelings over this book continue. Parts I genuinely loved and parts I couldn't stand. Because of this, I've ended up somewhere between three and four stars, though probably closer to the three. If you enjoy big themes and the exploration unprecedented worlds, then this might be worth a look for you. I only wish the characters' and their storylines were more interesting.

*I received an ARC of The City in the Middle of the Night courtesy of Tor Books in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating of the book.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

You might also like:
Rosewater by Tade Thompson
Master Assassins by Robert V.S. Redick

Review: The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden

The Winter of the Witch (Winternight Trilogy #3) 
Del Rey, 2019

Hardcover. 384 pages.

About The Winter of the Witch:

"'Following their adventures in The Bear and the Nightingale and The Girl in the Tower, Vasya and Morozko return in this stunning conclusion to the bestselling Winternight Trilogy, battling enemies mortal and magical to save both Russias, the seen and the unseen. 

Now Moscow has been struck by disaster. Its people are searching for answers—and for someone to blame. Vasya finds herself alone, beset on all sides. The Grand Prince is in a rage, choosing allies that will lead him on a path to war and ruin. A wicked demon returns, stronger than ever and determined to spread chaos. Caught at the center of the conflict is Vasya, who finds the fate of two worlds resting on her shoulders. Her destiny uncertain, Vasya will uncover surprising truths about herself and her history as she desperately tries to save Russia, Morozko, and the magical world she treasures. But she may not be able to save them all."

*Although I will have no spoilers for this book itself, this review will have potential spoilers for the previous two books in the trilogy. 

I've been struggling a little to write this review because all I want to do is gush and ramble all over this book, but I'll do my best to be coherent. Hands down, this is one of the best trilogies I've read in a long, long time and it will stay with me for a long time. It will be one I recommend to anyone and everyone and that I will continue to re-read over the years (probably during the winter months, of course).

The Winter of the Witch is heart-breaking in every sense of the word, in both positive and devastating ways, and it's full of captivating prose and such a tight plot that it's impossible not to be completely sucked into the story. Arden's world-building is phenomenal and it seems as though just when I think I've seen as much as I can about this world or the magical aspects, there's always more and I'm constantly learning about the lore and hidden magical elements and characters at play. I honestly could not put this book down. The action is incredible and written in such a way that I was never bored or weary of the more excitement-driven parts of the book.

I love Vasya more than I've loved a character in a long time. It initially surprised me at times by how much I was drawn to her because she has a lot of qualities that I generally become tired of in books--impulsive, makes rash decisions, etc.--and yet I wanted nothing more than to keep her safe and happy. Vasya is incredibly impulsive and consistently does things that seem completely irrational and unsafe, but the reason she does all of these things is due to her own strong morals, which is what truly cements her character. She has a strong will that refuses to be pulled into darkness or evil; she has a desire to protect people and to instill justice and goodness into the areas she visits. It's not that she's someone who is steadfast and follows the rules, because she certainly does not follow the rules, but rather she will do whatever is necessary to follow the things that she feels are right and just. I have loved watching her grow from this awkward, unhappy child that saw no future for herself  because she didn't want to get married and into her own independent person and who refuses to let anyone take away her freedom and values.

Morozko continues to be a fascinating figure, and his relationship with Vasya has been one of the most compelling and unpredictable ones I've read in some time. There are so many different components to their relationship, and Vasya and Morzoko's own personalities even have a very basic trope element at their core, but somehow this ends up being so much more developed than one could hope for. Morozko himself is a very complex figure that constantly tugged at my attention and I loved that I was still able to explore more about him, even in the last book. We also get to see more of Vasya's brother, Sasha, and I appreciated his character arc so much in this book. Arden made me go back and forth between liking, disliking, and being unsure of him at so many moments, but by the end of it he stayed as true to character as I always expected of him and I was immensely pleased with that.

A minor thing that I also want to comment on is the dialogue, which I've found particularly well done throughout the entire trilogy. The historical tone is consistent at all times--something that many authors tend to struggle with--and it still remained fresh and captivating at the same time. Arden's usage of Russian terms also felt natural and expected and never felt as though it was forced just for effect as some books tend to do.

Arden's writing is something so rare and so deceptively perfect. She is not overt or obvious in her descriptions or prose, but there is an elegance and quiet beauty that accompany each and every line of the story. The themes that are interwoven throughout the events of this book are thought-provoking and carefully done, from dealing with the struggle of figuring out who you are to more contemporary themes and those associated with traditional folklore. The blend of true historical fact with the magical is something that I love.

Also, I need to talk about the horses. Solovey is everything to me and my heart was in such an emotional state throughout this book because of events surrounding him. I also love Pozhar and am so pleased that Arden never turned her into something she isn't, which also speaks to the respect that Arden has for all of her characters and their desires.

Overall, it's an obvious five stars from me. I could continue reading about these characters and this world forever, but I'm more than satisfied with this trilogy and cannot recommend it highly enough. If you haven't yet started it, be sure to do so! It's a perfect winter read.

*I received a copy of The Winter of the Witch courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating of the novel.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository

You might also like:
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
The Sisters of the Winter Wood by Rena Rossner

Review: Golden State by Ben H. Winters

Golden State by Ben H. Winters
Mulholland Books, 2019

Hardcover. 319 pages.

About Golden State:

"'A shocking vision of our future that is one part Minority Report and one part Chinatown. 

Lazlo Ratesic is 54, a 19-year veteran of the Speculative Service, from a family of law enforcement and in a strange alternate society that values law and truth above all else. This is how Laz must, by law, introduce himself, lest he fail to disclose his true purpose or nature, and by doing so, be guilty of a lie. 

Laz is a resident of The Golden State, a nation resembling California, where like-minded Americans retreated after the erosion of truth and the spread of lies made public life, and governance, increasingly impossible. There, surrounded by the high walls of compulsory truth-telling, knowingly contradicting the truth--the Objectively So--is the greatest possible crime. Stopping those crimes, punishing them, is Laz's job. In its service, he is one of the few individuals permitted to harbor untruths--to "speculate" on what might have happened in the commission of a crime. 

But the Golden State is far less a paradise than its name might suggest. To monitor, verify, and enforce the Objectively So requires a veritable panopticon of surveillance, recording, and record-keeping. And when those in control of the truth twist it for nefarious means, the Speculators may be the only ones with the power to fight back."

I am sincerely sad to say that this book was a huge disappointment for me. If we're being honest, I'm not entirely sure I understand all of what I just read and it definitely not in a good way. Golden State started out promising enough with a thought-provoking and expansive dystopian idea, but after about the halfway mark something went a little haywire and the entire plot thread started to unravel in incoherent and confusing ways. But let's start back at the beginning, shall we?

Golden State started out with a page-turning opener that gave me high hopes. Information about the world was sparse, but I just assumed Winters' style was going to be of the 'slow reveal' variety. We're introduced to the two main protagonists, Laszlo and Aysa, fairly early on, Laszlo being a more unlikable character and Aysa being someone that the reader could really come to root for. There were small problems in this first half concerning too fast pacing and not properly setting the scene for the world we're exploring, but things still mostly worked. The story was still enjoyable, and I could attribute the lack of explanation about the world to it being a first person narration from Laszo who things we, the readers, already know what's going on. Unfortunately, more of the world was not introduced. And look, I get that the background for the Golden State is supposed to be unknown to some of the inhabitants too, but it didn't work for me.

In order for me to really get on board with dystopian novels, I need some explanation on the 'how' and 'why' the world got to where it was, and as mentioned above, that was never fully explained. Winters seemed too eager to tell his story and therefore pushed things forward too quickly without enough expansion into the world and allowing the reader to fully follow it. I was waiting the entire book to finally have some moment of enlightenment where I would realize what I was missing--I already knew this wasn't going to be a five-star book, but I thought maybe it would redeem itself and be at least a high three or four. That didn't happen.

The only potentially redeeming factor of this book was with the characters and the overarching themes of the book. Although our protagonist Laszlo wasn't the nicest person, I held some respect for him and was curious to see where his character arc would go. I also though Aysa was a fascinating person who would bring a lot to the story since she was such a foil to Laszlo and had extra skill. Because of this, I was extra frustrated with the lack of world-building and coherent plot.

As mentioned, once the novel hit the halfway mark things went downhill quickly. I was already getting weary, frustrated, and confused in events leading up to one of the bigger plot twists, and then when it happened, I was lost. From that point, it was a struggle to finish this book. There were so many things I didn't follow and the characters lost much of the potential multi-dimensional aspects that they had; things just didn't move in a clear manner. There seemed to be a lot of things left for the reader to infer, and I just didn't get them. One of my biggest peeves, though, was something that's a bit of a spoiler, so I'm including it here under a spoiler tag (only highlight if you have read the book and/or don't mind being spoiled):I was so upset that Winters killed off the best character that also had the most potential of any of them. Especially since it was for what seemed to me to be absolutely no reason at all. If characters are going to die, I need good reasons that affect the plot, and I get there Winters was going with this, but it mainly frustrated me. End spoiler.

It's hard for me to rate this book because I really do love the concept of an attempt to keep absolute truths and eradicate 'untruths,' and I genuinely believe Winters has some great ideas to explore. A society attempting to prevent anyone from lying is a huge task and it was really interesting to see how this society attempted to do so (and, you know, a little creepy). Unfortunately, it was his execution that took away from those and left me feeling confused and unsure what to make of it all.

If you want a dystopian novel with an interesting concept that's quick to get through, go ahead and pick up Golden State, but otherwise I'd perhaps advise you to pick up another dystopian to fill that niche. I've seen some people really love this book, and I'm really happy to see that it clicked with other people, but it just did not at all with me. Overall, I've given Golden State 2.75-3 stars. 

*I received a copy of Golden State courtesy of the publishers in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating of the novel.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository

You might also like:
The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood

Middle Grade Review: Nightbooks by J.A. White

Nightbooks by J.A. White

Katherine Tegen Books, 2018

Hardcover. 304 pages.

About Nightbooks:

"A boy is imprisoned by a witch and must tell her a new scary story each night to stay alive. This thrilling contemporary fantasy from J. A. White, the acclaimed author of the Thickety series, brings to life the magic and craft of storytelling. 

Alex’s original hair-raising tales are the only thing keeping the witch Natacha happy, but soon he’ll run out of pages to read from and be trapped forever. He’s loved scary stories his whole life, and he knows most don’t have a happily ever after. Now that Alex is trapped in a true terrifying tale, he’s desperate for a different ending—and a way out of this twisted place. 

This modern spin on the Scheherazade story is perfect for fans of Coraline and A Tale Dark and Grimm. With interwoven tips on writing with suspense, adding in plot twists, hooks, interior logic, and dealing with writer’s block, this is the ideal book for budding writers and all readers of delightfully just-dark-enough tales."

I've been reading and enjoying J.A. White's The Thickety series immensely over the past few years and I was thrilled so see last year that he was releasing a new book. I didn't have a chance to read it until just recently, but my excitement never waned and I'm happy to say that this was another great book from White.

The story centers around a young boy named Alex who finds himself lured into a witch's lair (currently masquerading as an apartment) and is subsequently trapped, forced to write and read the witch scary stories every night. This premise hooked me immediately because it has a storytelling aspect much in the vein of Scheherazade, the fairy tale influence of fairy tales, and that dark, quirky undertone that you can readily find in middle grade books like Coraline and other slightly darker middle grade fantasy books.

Nightbooks really comes through in the scary story department, not so much through the frame story, but within Alex's own stories and a few additional surprising elements throughout the book. When Alex reads his stories to the witch, the reader also gets to read and experience them. I don't generally enjoy reading stories or documents within a book, but I genuinely enjoyed reading all of Alex's short scary stories. They were perfectly creepy in ways that were appropriate for kids, but also still unsettling enough for adults such as myself to enjoy them. There is also a wide variety of surprises in this book that kept me entertained and guessing at every corner.

Alex is an intriguing character. In a lot of ways, Alex is very similar to many other middle grade characters I've read, but there were definitely some things that set him apart in positive ways as well. His interest in the dark and scary side of movies and entertainment was one of them, and I really liked that White made his interest such a prominent role and example of it. I thought White did a wonderful job of showcasing that it's okay for kids to be interested in scary movies and monsters and that it doesn't make them "weird" for following their personal interests. I also liked seeing Alex's character grow, including how his insecurity grew into something more confident and sure as the story progressed.

The only problems I had with this book are actually hard to put my finger on. There were moments where the narrative just felt a bit lacking and some scenes acted as fillers instead of substantive. I was also a little thrown by how easily Alex felt comfortable at the apartment at times and almost looked forward to having her listen to his stories. I also found the witch a little lackluster; she's supposed to be scary and powerful--and she certainly does seem powerful--but I really didn't find her all that intimidating and it was hard for me to understand the fear that Alex and another character he meets, Yasmine, had at times. Despite these issues, it's still a strong and enjoyable story that I'd recommend to any kid or adult who tends to like scary stories and movies--and who is always ready for a good story.

Overall, Nightbooks is another success from J.A. White! I really can't wait to see what he writes next. Four stars from me!

Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository

You might also like:
The Thickety (Books 1 & 2) by J.A. White
Witchborn by Nicholas Bowling 
The Secret Keepers by Trenton Lee Stewart

Nonfiction Mini-Reviews: The Perfectionists by Simon Winchester & The Ravenmaster by Christopher Skaife

The Perfectionists: How Precision Engineers Created the Modern World
by Simon Winchester
Harper, 2018

Hardcover. 416 pages.

About The Perfectionists:

"The rise of manufacturing could not have happened without an attention to precision. At the dawn of the Industrial Revolution in eighteenth-century England, standards of measurement were established, giving way to the development of machine tools—machines that make machines. Eventually, the application of precision tools and methods resulted in the creation and mass production of items from guns and glass to mirrors, lenses, and cameras—and eventually gave way to further breakthroughs, including gene splicing, microchips, and the Hadron Collider. 

Simon Winchester takes us back to origins of the Industrial Age, to England where he introduces the scientific minds that helped usher in modern production: John Wilkinson, Henry Maudslay, Joseph Bramah, Jesse Ramsden, and Joseph Whitworth. It was Thomas Jefferson who later exported their discoveries to the fledgling United States, setting the nation on its course to become a manufacturing titan. Winchester moves forward through time, to today’s cutting-edge developments occurring around the world, from America to Western Europe to Asia. 

As he introduces the minds and methods that have changed the modern world, Winchester explores fundamental questions. Why is precision important? What are the different tools we use to measure it? Who has invented and perfected it? Has the pursuit of the ultra-precise in so many facets of human life blinded us to other things of equal value, such as an appreciation for the age-old traditions of craftsmanship, art, and high culture? Are we missing something that reflects the world as it is, rather than the world as we think we would wish it to be? And can the precise and the natural co-exist in society?"

My dad began working as precision CNC machinist in 1984 at a small machine shop, the same place that my started working at (and still does) as the office manager, and that is indeed where they met and fell in love. From the time my sister and I were born until we each graduated high school, we essentially grew up there. The long story short behind this is to basically explain why I decided to read this book and why it initially caught my attention, as I figured it would be a really neat way to learn more about the career that my dad had my entire life until he passed.

LIKES: I liked how Winchester divided the book in different categories of advancements as precision engineering progressed, going from things such as the Antikythera mechanism and watches to jetplanes and more. Even without the huge multitude of notes in the back of the book, it's clear the Winchester did an abundant amount of research to make this both informative and entertaining. The history of methods and the figures involved really felt as if they were brought to life, and his narrative style made it feel as though I were right there with them at various discoveries and challenges.

DISLIKES: There were a few portions within various chapters that got a little too technical for my taste, but I did expect there to be some of that so I didn't really let it take away too much from my experience. If that's something that you don't think you'd like, it would be easy to skim over those areas before getting back to the overall narrative. Other than that, I don't really have a lot of dislikes. Winchester does seem to get a little rambling at times, but his rambling is still interesting so it didn't personally bother me that much.

Overall, this is a really informative book that I'd say is definitely worth picking up if you'd like to learn about how so many modern things we use came to be. Four stars!

Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository

You might also  like:

Seven Brief Lessons on Physics by Carlo Rovelli

Physics of the Impossible by Michio Kaku

Science of the Magical by Matt Kaplan

The Ravenmaster: My Life with the Ravens at the Tower of London
by Christopher Skaife
HarperCollins, 2018

Hardcover. 256 pages.

About The Ravenmaster:

"The first behind-the-scenes account of life with the legendary ravens at the world’s eeriest monument 

The ravens at the Tower of London are of mighty importance: rumor has it that if a raven from the Tower should ever leave, the city will fall. 

The title of Ravenmaster, therefore, is a serious title indeed, and after decades of serving the Queen, Yeoman Warder Christopher Skaife took on the added responsibility of caring for the infamous ravens. In The Ravenmaster, he lets us in on his life as he feeds his birds raw meat and biscuits soaked in blood, buys their food at Smithfield Market, and ensures that these unusual, misunderstood, and utterly brilliant corvids are healthy, happy, and ready to captivate the four million tourists who flock to the Tower every year. 

A rewarding, intimate, and inspiring partnership has developed between the ravens and their charismatic and charming human, the Ravenmaster, who shares the folklore, history, and superstitions surrounding the ravens and the Tower. Shining a light on the behavior of the birds, their pecking order and social structure, and the tricks they play on us, Skaife shows who the Tower’s true guardians really are―and the result is a compelling and irreverent narrative that will surprise and enchant."

I first learned about the Ravenmaster and the Tower of London's ravens a while back when I discovered the Ravenmaster's Twitter account and fell in love with it. WHen I saw he had a book coming out, I knew I had to check it out.

LIKES: Skaife may not be a professional writer, but he sure knows how to tell stories. His stories about the ravens and his own life in the mystery were so engaging and full of wit and kept me constantly wanting more. I loved learning about the ravens at the Tower in addition to some history about the Tower itself and how the ravens came to be so prominent. I also appreciated that Skaife delved into the background on ravens as a whole as well, discussing the superstitions associated with them, how they make the strange croak-like sounds they make, and so much more.

DISLIKES: Much like Winchester, Skaife also seems to ramble on a few times that would have been fine, but they went on just a little too long at times. He talks a lot about his military career and although most of the time it was something that I found very relevant to the ravens and also interesting, there were those handful of times that I thought he could have left things out. I really don't have many complains other than that--this book is exactly what it sets out to be.

Overall, I really recommend this one if you like animals, history, or just like to learn about new things in an incredibly humorous and entertaining manner. I had an exceptionally fun time reading this book. Four stars as well!

Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository

You might also  like:

Pit Bull: The Battle Over An American Icon by Bronwen Dickey

American Wolf by Nate Blakeslee

Review: Never Die by Rob J. Hayes

*Never Die is now available!*

Never Die by Rob J. Hayes

Self-Published, 2019

Ebook. 274 pages.

About Never Die:

"Ein is on a mission from God. A God of Death. 

Time is up for the Emperor of Ten Kings and it falls to a murdered eight year old boy to render the judgement of a God. Ein knows he can't do it alone, but the empire is rife with heroes. The only problem; in order to serve, they must first die. 

Ein has four legendary heroes in mind, names from story books read to him by his father. Now he must find them and kill them, so he can bring them back to fight the Reaper's war."

Never Die is a story with a premise quite unlike anything else I've read. It starts out with a young boy named Ein who basically picks out four of the best warrior heroes to bring back from death to help him with a much larger overarching goal. That's not something you read everyday, but I almost wish I could because it was highly entertaining and inventive.

This is a shorter book, coming in at a little under 300 pages--definitely the shorter side for fantasy--but it didn't lack in content, world-building, or interesting characters in the slightest. I've only read one other book by Hayes so far (something that I hope to rectify this year!), but I felt that this was even better than the other that I've read and will have a much broader appeal to more people. The East Asian setting in particular was something that I really enjoyed, as it was one that felt vivid and fresh and I'm always looking for more non-Western fantasy.

As much as I enjoyed the setting, it's really the characters that make this book shine as much as it does. These are warriors who prove their power and might regularly through dueling, a concept that really sets the tone for much of the rest of the plot. I usually comment on a few particular characters in my reviews, but I couldn't decide on just a few to remark upon and I also think part of my enjoyment with this book was learning about each character as I went, so I've decided to not individually mention any. As far as personalities go, Hayes did a great job of developing a wide variety of character types, some of which get along and some that absolutely do not. Each character also tended to have a particular fighting skill that they excelled in, which was usually what they, as warriors, were most known for and that I loved seeing in action. That felt like a very classic element to add to the story and I  learning about that with each character.

One of the things I'd most like to praise about Never Die is the pacing. It's not as though there's constant action in this story, but there's always something interesting going on. There is still plenty of action, but it's balanced really well with other events that make this a truly satisfying read that I had no problems getting through. There is also plenty of humor peppered throughout the story, though it's balanced well with more serious discussion and events as well, which again helped the book to feel balanced in all areas.

The only potential issue I had was simply that I would have liked to see the world developed a bit more. It was developed well enough that I could understand and become somewhat immersed in the world, but it just didn't feel quite as detailed or expansive as it could have been. There were a few times when it felt as though it were on a larger scale without as much detail. That's a minor quibble, though, so it didn't impact my overall enjoyment much. 

Overall, I've given Never Die four stars! If you've not read anything by Rob J. Hayes before, I really think you can't go wrong with this great fantasy. 

*I received a copy of Never Die courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating of the book.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository

You might also like:
City of Kings by Rob J. Hayes
A Time of Dread by John Gwynne 

Review: The Gutter Prayer by Gareth Hanrahan

The Gutter Prayer by Gareth Hanrahan 
Orbit, 2019

Paperback. 560 pages.

About The Gutter Prayer:

"A group of three young thieves are pulled into a centuries old magical war between ancient beings, mages, and humanity in this wildly original debut epic fantasy. 

Enter a city of saints and thieves . . . 

The city of Guerdon stands eternal. A refuge from the war that rages beyond its borders. But in the ancient tunnels deep beneath its streets, a malevolent power has begun to stir. The fate of the city rests in the hands of three thieves. They alone stand against the coming darkness. As conspiracies unfold and secrets are revealed, their friendship will be tested to the limit. If they fail, all will be lost, and the streets of Guerdon will run with blood. 

The Gutter Prayer is an epic tale of sorcerers and thieves, treachery and revenge, from a remarkable new voice in fantasy'"

The Gutter Prayer is a remarkably inventive, unpredictable book that was as incredible as I anticipated. This is a book that has such depth and intricacies to its world-building that you truly never know just what to expect from it. On a basic level, there are familiar elements int his book that can be found in many fantasy books, such as a gritty city, intrigue everywhere, nonhuman characters, etc., but that's where the similarities seem to stop. There is so much more than I ever expected in regards to the types of nonhuman characters, the gods and magic systems, and the underground politics of this world. Despite these many positive elements, there were still a few things that bothered me and prevented me from giving it a full five stars and which I will mention later in the review.

Guerdon, the main city setting, is a very grimdark-inspired city that I can easily say I do not want to find myself lost in, ever. It's dark, dirty, and full of random, horrifying dangers and I was so impressed by Hanrahan's ability to create such a unique and wholly unparalleled world in a genre that already has so many different worlds out there. The Tallowmen in particular were fascinating and I would love to see some sort of illustration of what they would actually look like. There is also something called the Stone Plague that is rampant within the city that was such a unique sort of disease that I really enjoyed learning about. It's hard to talk about the magic system for me because there didn't really seem to be an overly defined one, but the magical components were extremely interesting and I loved learning about the types of gods in the book, although I would have enjoyed learning even more about them.

The main band of thieves in The Gutter Prayer consist of a young woman named Cari, a ghoul named Rat, and a Stone Man known as Spar. I loved how different each character was from one another and that they all had very different backgrounds and outlooks on life. It keeps the story interesting when the three main characters--and POVs in this case--have enough things that are different about their story to keep my attention. There are quite a few supporting characters as well to explore and I think Hanrahan did a good job of building up characters to make this world feel full of life.

The Gutter Prayer is a busy book. There is a lot going on all the time and a lot of different history, magical components, characters, plots, and other events going on simultaneously, which does make it a little difficult to keep up with things. I felt a little overwhelmed at times, and I found that the ending was a bit overstuffed with content. That being said and despite the abundance of constant information, Hanrahan did manage to rather eloquently and tightly bring together all of the different threads occurring in the story into a final conclusion that seemed to wrap everything up in a satisfying way.

The few other areas that I had issues were mainly with the characters and a some of the plot. The characters themselves seemed like interesting people and for the most part I enjoyed following them, however, there was something off about all of them. I felt like I was being held at a distance from all three of the main protagonists, and although we get a bit more in depth into the nature of those such as Spar and Cari, there was always some sort of wall between myself and the characters. Rat in particular was a character that had so many interesting elements (you know, being a ghoul and all) and I was enamored with, and yet we didn't gt to spend nearly as much in-depth time with him as I expected. Additionally, the book is pitched as being about a crew of three young thieves and yet we rarely ever saw them all in one place working together. In fact, Rat seemed rather emotionless and uncaring towards a lot, so if the group's bond hadn't been emphasized so much in the beginning I'm not sure how much I would believe it was there.

And lastly, in regards to plot, I thought it seemed slightly meandering in some places and that the ending, although I enjoyed it, was a bit confusing. I kept forgetting what the main plot goal was supposed to be while reading a lot of this book, which isn't necessarily something that should happen. As mentioned, this is a busy book with a lot going on and sometimes I felt that there was just a bit too much going on.

Overall, I've still (as of now) given The Gutter Prayer 4.25 stars! The imaginative elements and entertaining aspects kept me fully engaged and I look forward to see what Hanrahan does next.

*I received a copy of The Gutter Prayer courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating of the book.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository

You might also like:

Foundtyside by Robert Jackson Bennett

The Grey Bastards by Jonathan French