Review: Makanuele Rumble (Jekua #3) by Travis M. Riddle

 

Makanuele Rumble (Jekua #3) by Travis M. Riddle

Independently Published

Publication Date: March 14, 2023

Ebook. 712 pages.

About Makanuele Rumble:

"Summoners travel from all over the world to compete in the biggest Jekua tournament in the Volukho Isles: the Makanuele Rumble.

Alani's sacred pilgrimage brings her group to bustling Makanuele at this crucial time. Her next stop is at the heart of the city, deep within an ancient crater. The Church led her along this path, but as the journey grows more difficult, she questions whether it is a path she wants to walk at all.

Meanwhile, Balt and Niona have been training for weeks just to earn a spot on the tournament bracket, but the competition is fierce. Facing savage Jekuas and harrowing environments, every battle may bring them closer to the champion's title – or else bring their journey to a premature end.

Yet as the group struggles with their inner demons and the mounting pressures of the tournament, greater dangers are prowling in Makanuele's streets."

This review will likely contain spoilers for the first two books in the Jekua series, so if you haven't read those already, you can find my reviews for them at the following links: 
Book #1: On Lavender Tides
Book #2: A Fracture in the Qwisdeep

Reading Makanuele Rumble was the most fun I've had with a book in months! It came at the absolute perfect moment for me to read. I'd been saving it to read in March closer to its publication, and I'm so glad I did because I went through a pretty rough February and this book really helped me through that time because it was just so much fun and such a genuinely enjoyable read that I was able to fully lose myself in. I just always knows that I'm going to have a great time every time I sit down and crack open one of Travis M. Riddle's books. 

Makanuele Rumble picks up right after the end of A Fracture in the Qwisdeep with Balt and Alani traveling around for Alani's pilgrimage. This time we are stopped in Makanuele where it is time for the Makanuele Rumble, a huge Jekua competition that Balt has been eager to compete in. Almost the entirety of this book centers around the competition itself and at 700+ pages, you might think that's overkill, but I absolutely promise you that it is not. Instead, it is an steady-paced, highly compulsive read that fully explores the world of Jekuas and immerses readers in a series of high-action Jekua battles and is filled with compelling characters that make it a lively read. 

As with the first two books, I really loved seeing Balt and Alani's relationship grow even more in this book. They've gone through some pretty tough times together, and here we can see them be what they really are–close friends who love each other, care about each other, and can move forward from conflict with one another. It was also really nice to see them interact with more people and friends as well. Seeing Balt and Niona's relationship grow in different ways has also been really interesting, and I've enjoyed how Riddle has crafted their interactions so far. Similarly, we see Alani meet up with an older friend, Aeiko, and it was nice the see her interact with someone new and different, especially since it is someone who she has her own confusing personal feelings about. Aeiko was a really welcome addition to the bunch; they aren't overly outgoing, but they bring a nice sense of normalcy to the bunch and have a very laidback demeanor that I think fit in well with the rest of the characters. We also meet a side character named Holly, also Aeiko's roommate and ex, and all I have to say about Holly is that she definitely helped facilitate some bonding among the rest of the group. 

The tournament was so much fun! I think this tournament really brought the entire world to life in such a strong way because everything really comes together with regard to the world and Jekuas. We've heard about all the competitions, summoners, Jekuas of higher levels and caliber, different areas people are from, etc. in previous books, and this book is where we really get to see it all. We get to see Jekua summoners from all over and we finally get to see what a real tournament looks like firsthand through our own characters we're following. This feels like a perfect mid-series book where you just get to hang out in this world that has been created. We aren't traveling much at all in this book so there isn't too much additional world-building in that regard, but I felt like this was a great break that let's us enjoy a setting while knowing there will be more world exploration later on. 

Initially, I thought that maybe getting the play-by-play detail of so many battles over and over might get a little repetitive, but I was very, very wrong. I was riveted by literally every single battle. I'm not entirely sure how Riddle does it, but he somehow makes each battle and Jekua incredibly unique to the point that I just couldn't help but feel excited, intrigued, and unbelievably curious to find out which Jekuas would appear for each battle, what they would be able to do, if any would be modified, how the summoners would handle them, and much more. This was a great setup for this book, and I liked that we really got to dive in and experience it all through each step from eliminations rounds through to the end. 

I also think this book was a nice sort of breather after how intense the last book felt. Balt and Alani had quite a bit of conflict in A Fracture in the Qwisdeep and I think this book worked really well for the overall pacing of the series. I could see where this might seem like a slightly slower one-off book in the series, but I think when considering the overall arc it works really well as a realistic cooling off period. Characters seem to be somewhat recovering from the past events, rediscovering their interests, and Alani is able to slow down a little and face the newfound challenges relating to the church and how she feels about her connection to the church and future with it. Honestly, this might sound a bit much, but I almost feel like this is one of the best plotted/paced/character-developed series I've read in a while. It feels very apparent that Riddle has planned things out for this series extremely well, and I look forward to seeing what else is in store. 

There is also major plot progression that occurs in this book, so don't let me make it seem like nothing happens because some big things happen–arguably some of the biggest things that are setting up for later books– but it feels mellower overall with the lack of traveling. All the subtle foreshadowing that we've been getting in the previous two books have finally really started to come to fruition and I'm thrilled about it. I love feeling like I'm finally vindicated that there is definitely something sinister and weird going on in the background of our seemingly happy-go-lucky pilgrimage (well... except for the attacks on the shrines, of course). I know it's somewhat obvious with everything going on with the attacks on the shrines, but the eeriness has felt deeper than that and has been growing. Some very big events happen in this book that really takes things to a new level, both character-wise and greater plot-wise, and it's made me that much more excited for future books.

I believe Riddle has said that this is a planned six-book series, and I'm really hoping that six books is enough to sate my appetite for this series because I really feel so close to it at this point and have been having way too much fun with. It's continuously captured me and always seems to help me take my mind off of other things happening in my life in all the best ways. It's hard to convey how I feel because sometimes because I say (a lot) how fun this series, but it really is more than just fun. This is a really close character examination of these two characters at an important crux in their lives as they go from teens to young adults and continue going on with their lives. Alani is moving into a really big potential future career with the church, and Balt is really getting a start with his summoning and leaning into this new particular path of being a more professional summoner. I cannot wait to see what's next for these two!

Overall, it's an easy five stars from me! It's out today in paperback, ebook, and it is also available as an audiobook if that's more up your alley. 

*I received a copy of Makanuele Rumble courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review.*

Buy the book: Amazon

Review: A Fracture in the Qwisdeep (Jekua #2) by Travis M. Riddle

A Fracture in the Qwisdeep (Jekua #2) by Travis M. Riddle
Independently Published

Publication Date: September 16th, 2022

Paperback/Ebook. 438 pages.

About A Fracture in the Qwisdeep:

"There’s no better place in the archipelago for a young Summoner to explore than the Volukho Wildlife Center. It’s an enormous wildlife reservation that houses rare, endangered Jekuas in a jungle called the Qwisdeep. Traveling through the reserve’s lush greenery and glowing flora with magical monsters in his sights is the best experience Balt could have ever dreamed of. 

But Alani is growing increasingly frustrated having to remind her friend that this is not a vacation, it’s her pilgrimage, and that they are here for the Church. The whole reason he’s even on this journey is to aid and protect her, but he has always had a one-track mind, and nothing matters more to him than imprinting Jekuas. 

While the jungle may be home to countless beautiful creatures, there are also untamed dangers lurking in its shadows, and Balt’s reckless nature may very well get them stranded in the Qwisdeep."

If you haven't read the first book in the Jekua series, On Lavender Tides, you can find my review for it here!

We have yet another winner from Travis M. Riddle! In A Fracture in the Qwisdeep, we pick up right after the events of On Lavender Tides and rejoin Balt and Alani on their journey together to complete Alani's pilgrimage and also allow Balt the opportunity to collect more Jekuas. There are a couple of minor subplots that pop up in this sequel that added a lot of intrigue and depth to the story, and one in particular that I felt really added a level of seriousness that I didn't necessarily expect, but really appreciated (sorry for the vagueness–I aim to avoid any and all spoilers!). 

This second installment goes a lot deeper with the world-building and character development, and I felt like we really started to truly get to know both Balt and Alani on a deeper level, as well as learning more about the world itself and its history, different areas, etc. This time, the journey requires Balt and Alani travel through the Volukho Wildlife Center, which encompasses an expansive jungle known as the Qwisdeep that is home to a wide variety of endangered Jekuas, and this is where we spend most of our time in this book. I loved exploring the Qwisdeep and all the different wildlife and nature that it had to offer, and I especially loved meeting a lot of new characters on this journey as well, which I'll discuss more later on. 

A Fracture in the Qwisdeep shows more conflict and tension pop up between Balt and Alani, and I appreciated how realistic their occasional bitterness towards one another was and how their arguments flared up and were generally resolved. It was almost refreshing to see them struggle with one another because, let's be honest, who isn't going to start bickering with their sole travel-mate when traveling on foot each and every day? One thing that I thought was interesting about their conflicts, however, was how often they seemed to be a direct result of their own internal conflicts manifesting into bigger issues, or internal struggles causing more irritability to manifest itself in their interactions with one another. Since we get POVs from both Balt and Alani, I really liked seeing how these two friends would perceive the other's irritation and how they also talked to themselves and each other to work on said issues.

I found Balt a little frustrating in this book at times because of his wandering focus from Alani's pilgrimage, but at the same time it was that frustration where you also totally understand why they're acting the way they are because, let's face it, there are some once in a lifetime opportunities to experience. Balt is first and foremost on this journey to assist Alani and escort her to the shrines, but he's also on a bit of his own personal journey to explore the world around him a bit and collect new Jekuas and practice his skills, which is what builds the tensions between the two friends. 

I mentioned in my review for On Lavender Tides that I personally relate more to Alani than Balt, and that remains true for this installment. We really see Alani start to question her decision to be a part of the church and whether she really wants to be doing what she is, and I felt like seeing her deal with these doubts about her choices and future really humanized her to an even greater extent and even allowed me to feel more connected to her. I am so curious to where she ends up and what choices she'll make in the future. 

One thing I've found to be a strength of Riddle's writing is his ability to write colorful and captivating characters. In addition to Balt and Alani, we meet a huge variety of characters in A Fracture in the Qwisdeep (and reunite with some) and each one was so distinct and full of personality. I particularly loved the brothers Yud and Yi and the sheer amusement and delight they brought me every time they entered a scene. They are the perfect comic relief characters and are delightfully dense, but also much more capable than they are probably given credit for. 

I've really loved this series so far because, on the one hand, it feels very casual and slice-of-life adventure, but there's always this ever-present sense of mystery at play for me that lingers in the background. This is especially true whenever some of the more mysterious things about this world are mentioned or something rather unexplained happens–a lot of these aren't mentioned in any particularly dark or mysterious way, but my mind won't ket me wonder just a little bit as some of these very subtle moments (and if they aren't meant to be anything bigger, then I guess I have bad instincts, haha). There's also some action in this adventure, from Balt's Jekua battles with other characters to his needing to summon Jekuas to defend himself and Alani at unexpected moments, so there's definitely never a dull moment. This also allowed the pacing to feel fairly even overall, with some faster-paced moments–often involving Jekuas–and some slower moments such as when were following Balt and Alani on their very, very long walk. 

Lastly,  I want to mention just how much I've been loving exploring this world! This a very island-based world and thus far I have really enjoyed exploring new cities and environments with Balt and Alani, and really look forward to all of the places we will continue to visit in the future. And don't worry–we still have a plentiful amount of wonderful food descriptions if you've been enjoying those as much as I have in this series. We also get to meet so many more Jekuas in this book and I just enjoy learning about all these different creatures so much. They are all so unique and full of surprises and I just can't get enough of them.

Overall, I've given A Fracture in the Qwisdeep a well-deserved five stars! There's so much more I could say about this book, but I'll try not to get carried away and leave it here. I have found this series to be an amazing comfort read with plenty of action and intrigue to keep you hooked. If you haven't already started the journey with Balt and Alani, you're missing out!

*I received a copy of A Fracture in the Qwisdeep courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review.*

Buy the book: Amazon 

Review: On Lavender Tides (Jekua #1) by Travis M. Riddle

On Lavender Tides (Jekua #1) by Travis M. Riddle

Independently Published

Publication Date: March 25th, 2022

Paperback/Ebook. 398 pages.

About On Lavender Tides:

"Ever since he was a kid, all Balt Vana wanted was to be a world-renowned Jekua Summoner like his grandmother, battling other Summoners in front of audiences of thousands. But from where he stands now, living up to the Vana name feels impossible. 

When his best friend Alani, an initiate at the local Church, is sent on a pilgrimage to find her path in life and the god she will follow, Balt sees the perfect opportunity to launch his career by escorting her across the archipelago and its purple seas. The islands are filled with monsters to imprint and Summoners to battle, with every victory bringing him one step closer to his dream. 

It will take more than just his family name to reach the same heights as his grandmother, but Balt won't stop until he does."

This was one of most enjoyable books I’ve read in a while, and I truly mean it when I say that absolutely everything about this book was so much fun. The creativity in this book is off the charts and combines everything I love, from adventures through a spectacular world to quirky and incredible animal-like creatures to charismatic characters–it has it all! This is the perfect escape from all the stresses in your life.

On Lavender Tides is the first book in a brand new progression fantasy series inspired by the author’s love of Pokemon. In this story, we follow Balt on his journey to become a Jekua Summoner and make a name for himself in the same way that his grandmother did before him. We also follow Alani, Balt’s best friend and an initiate of the local church, as she is sent on a pilgrimage by the church to discover what her next path in life will be. Together, the two embark on what is shaping up to be an adventurous and exploratory journey to adulthood and discovering who they are and what their purpose in the world is. 

Balt and Alani were both incredible characters to follow and have personalities that are the perfect foil to one another. Balt is a pretty casual guy overall and doesn’t tend to take things in life too seriously–except for summoning, of course. Balt may not be the most dedicated student in school, but he is an extremely dedicated budding Jekua Summoner who has spent countless hours poring over his grandma’s book of Jekuas and making sure he knows as much as he possibly can about the creatures inside. He’s a rather impulsive character and tends to let his emotions drive his actions and decisions–something that doesn’t always work out so well for him–and I can definitely see where he has already made a lot of growth in this book and where I’m sure he will continue to grow in future books. 

As mentioned, Alani is an almost perfect foil to Balt and seems to be slightly more responsible and serious about things. She is currently an initiate of the Church, a place that has been a refuge for her to escape from her difficult home life, and is told that she must complete a pilgrimage in order to determine which Veptist god will claim her. I really appreciated Alani’s outlook on life and how determined she is to make a better life for herself. I think I’m most curious to see how her journey will transpire, as I feel like this pilgrimage will be more than just a religious one, but rather one that may really help her discover who she is and what she wants out of life. The Church was a refuge to her at the time, but will it continue to be what she needs? 

Despite Balt and Alani’s differences–or perhaps because of–they have an incredibly strong friendship that balances out both of their personalities. Each complements the other’s personality by highlighting the areas in which they both excel, as well as by making up for each other’s weaknesses with their own strengths. For instance, Balt often lets his emotions take over his actions, which gives Alani the opportunity to share her own advice and help Balt learn to move past things that may upset him. I also found myself amused and appreciating the authenticity of this relationship by seeing Alani get annoyed by Balt’s recklessness throughout their journey, but being unable to stay too annoyed with him for long because they just work together too well. 

Also, I’ll talk about Jekua more a little later when I talk about the main 'magic system' of this book, but since they are sort of characters to me, I just wanted to note now how much I adored them and had such a fun time meeting each one. One of my favorite bits was Riddle’s inclusion of a few ‘excerpts’ from Balt’s grandma’s book of Jekua, which includes illustrations and notes about them. I genuinely cannot wait to (hopefully) see more of these in the future, as they really helped bring everything to life! 

As much as I love the characters in this book so far, let’s dive into the next best thing about this series: the world and magic system! I’m loving this world so far and am so excited by knowing that this is just the start of what is sure to be an even more expansive and exciting world. In this first book, we visit a couple main locations, and Riddle’s descriptions of these islands and Balt and Alani’s journeys to them were so vivid and intoxicating that it makes me want to visit them all myself. Riddle has done an excellent job of creating a world that I honestly just want to go hang out in and explore, and if we’re being honest, there aren’t always that many fantasy worlds I’d actually want to visit! 

The magic system is one of the main components of this book and also one of the most exciting, so let’s talk about that for a little. Much like Pokemon, Jekua are the many animal-like creatures that inhabit this world, each with their own unique skills and abilities. Jekua Summoners use special devices called kayets to ‘imprint’ them, essentially creating a copy of them, which they can then use to have battles with other Summoners and their own Jekua. Summoners have to train with their Jekua in order to work cohesively together and can learn a wide myriad of tricks and techniques to become better and stronger competitors, many of which go on to compete in tournaments and acclaim great fame for their skills. I haven’t read all that many progressive fantasy books, so I wasn’t sure exactly what I might be getting into this time around, but I have to say that I had such a blast learning about the mechanics of summoning. From the hard rules about imprinting and how to work Jekua to the more varied lessons about teaching Jekua new skills and learning how to better work with them, I was fully engrossed and watched everything play out in my hand like a movie. 

I also really appreciated the additional component of mana that go with working with Jekua, which essentially dictates how much ‘energy’ a Summoner has while working with their Jekua-if you run out of mana, you risk soulsickness, a deeply unpleasant illness that has more dire consequences if it becomes a more common occurrence. This reminded me so much of stamina bars in games (and also how annoyed I get at them, haha!). Even though Pokemon already exists, I wish this series could become a game so that I could play it and do all the fun things that Balt is doing, as well as explore all the different islands along with Alani. (Side note: Alani’s pilgrimage requires her to visit some different shrines from various churches, and I had a hard flashback to having to visit a bunch of different shrines from Breath of the Wild and I thought that was super fun, intentional or not.) 

The pacing of On Lavender Tides was perfect. I wouldn’t call it fast- or slow-paced, but rather relaxed and deliberate. It reminded me of a focused vacation where you’re relaxed and free from work so you can take your time, admire the view, taste the local food, etc., but you also have a goal in mind of where you want to go and what you want to see. It’s purposeful, but not rushed, and we readers get to take our time in each and every location and scene in all the best ways possible (and for those like me who love food descriptions in their books, Riddle once again does not disappoint in the slightest with that. I think I’ve actually started looking forward to descriptions of food in his books at this point…) 

I think this review is shaping up to be way longer than most people probably want to read, so I’ll try to wrap it up here by saying that if you are looking for a book that has a fun coming-of-age vibe, two friends embarking on a journey together to discover themselves, a vibrant and exciting new world to explore, adorable and intriguing creatures, and an all-around delightful and engrossing story, then you’re going to want to pick up a copy of On Lavender Tides. Trust me on this one.

Overall, it's five stars from me!

*I received a copy of On Lavender Tides courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review.*

Buy the book: Amazon 

Review: Dirt King (Houndstooth #3) by Travis M. Riddle

 

Dirt King (Houndstooth #3) by Travis M. Riddle
Independently Published

Publication Date: February 1st, 2022

Paperback/Ebook. 634 pages.

**You can find my reviews for the first and second books in the Houndstooth series here and here, respectively. Please note that although I will keep this review as spoiler-free as possible, there may be some minor spoilers for the previous books in the series in my review and the blurb below. 

About Dirt King:

"After unthinkable sacrifices, the Blighted have finally acquired all six ancient artifacts needed to re-seal the Houndstooth, keeping its dark energy at bay to save Ruska. 

But everything they were told was a lie. 

With Coal's newfound knowledge, they must now risk everything to reach the Dirt King's impenetrable Palace and attempt to undo centuries of turmoil that he has wrought upon the kingdom. If they fail, Ruska is doomed to wither away until only the Houndstooth itself is left. 

But the immortal king possesses all of their magical abilities and more, making him the most powerful person in the entire kingdom. Do Coal and the others have what it takes to stop him, or is this cycle destined to continue until Ruska crumbles?"

Dirt King is the final book in the highly original and endlessly entertaining Houndstooth series, and I am incredibly heartbroken to leave this world and these characters, but also ridiculously satisfied with how everything turned out in this thrilling, action-packed, and unforgettable ending. 

I always find it so difficult to write reviews for the final book in any series or trilogy–especially one that I've loved–because I sometimes wonder what I can say that's different from what I've already said because clearly it’s already a great story. Still, an ending is momentous and leaves us with a final impression of the series, and it can easily be messed up. Fortunately, in this case, I’m happy to say that Dirt King was a truly perfect ending and I couldn’t be happier with it. 

Dirt King picks up pretty much immediately after the events of Mother Pig–events which were pretty devastating and that I kept hoping wouldn’t stick (I won’t say what happened because there are some big spoilers, but just trust me). Still, I was excited to jump right back into the story and it felt like no time had passed since I finished the last book. I should also note that this was helped by Riddle’s wonderful inclusion of a “the story so far” section at the start of the book with a synopsis of the previous two books to make sure no detail was left unturned, which I always find immensely helpful. I wish more authors did this, and I’m glad so many are starting to! 

In Dirt King, we continue following Coal's POV, but much like in Mother Pig, we get one new POV to follow as well, which is that of Noswen. I really adored this chance to get to know Noswen on a deeper level, and I think having the opportunity to dive deeper into Noswen’s experiences really added a lot of depth to both her character and the story itself as we get to know more about the characters in this world. I’ve also appreciated how Riddle carefully chooses which POVs to feature in order to get the most well-rounded view of the events of the story and perspectives from different angles and groups. I would honestly love to get at least one POV chapter from every character because they all have such distinct personalities that I think it would bring a lot of great insight to the story–and to me, that just shows how well Riddle developed each character if it means I'm willing to read more from every other character. 

I really loved how Riddle handled the aftereffects and fall-out of some very momentous and intense events that occurred in Mother Pig and managed to put a clear amount of emphasis on it in a way that felt very realistic and effective. I think one of the things that I have most appreciated about this series and about this book in particular is that there is plenty of time taken to really explore different topics and situations that are often glossed over. People don’t tend to move on from intense experiences or huge responsibilities and obstacles in quick and easy ways, and Riddle manages to effectively capture many of the emotions involved in these circumstances, especially with showcasing how everyone reacts to things differently. Some people just want to forge ahead and keep doing whatever they’re doing and attack any big obstacles in front of them, others need a little more time to adjust and handle things more internally, and some people will just shut down and can’t keep going for a while. Each of the characters encapsulates these ideas and their individual reactions to different obstacles and events feel very authentic and realistic, and this is something that I have noticed in each book in this trilogy. 

On a lighter note, we as readers are once again treated to some truly delicious food descriptions, which I am still a huge fan of. For me, not only is the food fun to explore, but it’s also a big part of the world-building in that it helps readers see what sort of foods are popular and what different areas and cultures eat in this universe, which adds a great deal of character to the world. And speaking of the world itself, I loved that we got to explore even more areas than in the previous two books. This world has been so vast and colorful with so much going on in so many different areas and tons of unique societies and locales. 

The pacing of Dirt King remains very consistent with the pacing of the rest of the trilogy in the sense that it’s thoughtful and on the slower side, but not too slow and still includes plenty of more intense action scenes. In fact, I found that Dirt King had quite a lot of extended action scenes, so be ready for that. There are some pretty great battles in this book, if I'm being honest, and you won't want to miss them. The writing and pacing always leave me feeling very calm and content overall, though, and I think it’s just this sense of consistency and ability of the author to keep the story flowing in a very unhurried manner that still manages to convey urgency when needed that makes it feel so effortless and flowing.

Lastly, I just want to say that what has really drawn me in so much to this series is how much heart these books have. As I mentioned in a previous review, this is a pretty ragtag group that comes together and embarks on this momentous journey, people that likely wouldn’t have cross paths in life otherwise, and it’s really a fun and interesting experience to see how they play off of one another and develop some chemistry (or don’t, in some cases). These characters are all such individuals with their own hopes, goals, dreams, families, and lives, and I just really appreciated how Riddle developed all of that so well and made me feel so deeply connected to this story and these characters. 

Overall, I've of course given Dirt King five stars! I'm so bummed to see this series end, but I also am just glad I got to go on this journey with Coal, Noswen, Yurzu, Jatiri, and every single character that appears on the pages. I cannot wait to see what Travis M. Riddle has in story for us next.

*I received a copy of Dirt King in exchange for an honest review.*

Buy the book: Amazon

Review: Spit and Song by Travis M. Riddle

Spit and Song (Ustlian Tales #2) by Travis M. Riddle
Self-Published

Publication Date: November 19th, 2019

Paperback/Ebook. 510 pages

About Spit and Song:

"Kali is a merchant who yearns to leave the harsh deserts of Herrilock and travel across the sea, trading goods and soaking in the sights and cultures. With a new potion on the market undercutting her profits, though, her seabound dreams are put on hold indefinitely. 

Failed musician Puk hits rock bottom after yet another catastrophic performance. Wandering the city streets in search of any sip of booze or whiff of fire-spit he can get his hands on, he resigns to the fact that he’s stuck in the desert with no way back home to Atlua. 

Until one day, their paths cross with an illicit job opportunity. With its hefty payday, Kali and Puk could afford to finally escape the desert heat and set sail across the gulf. 

The black market job would see them travel endless dunes on a road made from a massive dead beast’s ribs and out to a mythical city in the sea, scuffling with monsters and thugs in search of a long-lost book that might be the most dangerous object in the world. 

How hard could it really be?"

This is the fourth book I've read by Travis M. Riddle at this point and it's also the fourth book of Riddle's that I've sort of loved. I'm not sure exactly how he does it, but Riddle certainly knows how to create a fantastic story.

Spit and Song takes place in the same world as Balam, Spring, but it acts as a standalone and there's no need to read Balam, Spring prior to reading this one (though you really should because it's fantastic). If you have read Balam and enjoyed it, but wish there was more adventure, then Spit and Song is going to be exactly what you're looking for. Spit and Song takes the fantasy world charm and intricate world-building from Balam, Spring and adds a heavy dose of adventure, mischief, and intrigue to make this a warm and welcoming yet also exciting and unpredictable book. I particularly enjoyed getting to explore more of this world and experience a variety of settings compared to the single setting of Balam, as well being able to go deeper into some ideas that were only briefly mentioned about this world prior.

Spit and Song is split POV between Kali and Puk which worked wonderfully and brought the perfect amount of variety and differing perspectives to the story. One of our main characters, Puk, is a qarm and a struggling musician trying to get by in life while also maintaining an addiction to the popular drug called spit. Puk is enormously endearing and despite his occasionally questionable choices that make you want to scold him, he has a charismatic attitude that also makes you want to see what he can do with his life because of how much potential seems to be simmering beneath the surface of his lackadaisical exterior.

The other main character that we follow is a faif named Kali who is currently working as a merchant and who has great future aspirations to become a traveling merchant that gets to travel to an abundance of far-off places and explore countless new things.Kali is extremely relatable in her desire to become something more than she is right now. She doesn't just want to be an average merchant, she wants to be something bigger and better than that and I found that desire was something that both drove her own actions in the story as well as helped to further the plot due to her willingness to take on a new adventure with Puk.

Kali and Puk were both characters that I loved getting to know and also getting behind in their journey--I couldn't help but constantly root for them and look forward to whatever adventurous event would happen next. They both have pretty different personalities and outlooks on life, but something about them together as a team fits perfectly and they couldn't be better suited to work together (well, maybe a little, but they really are a perfect team). There's a good deal of wit and humor that develops within their dialogue and interactions, which only added more depth and enjoyment to their friendship.

Spit and Song has a very steady pace that tends to lean more towards the slow side than a fast-paced one, but I personally thought it worked really well with the story and that the pacing was perfect. I also felt that Riddle incorporate a lot of great themes, morals, and ideas into his story in some really natural and flowing ways. This might be a story about two individuals traveling to track down something for a black market job, but it's also a story about following dreams, overcoming obstacles, hitting rock bottom, taking a leap of faith, and challenging expectations. And it's a hell of a lot of fun!

Overall, I've given Spit and Song five stars! If you loved Balam, Spring, you'll love this one too! If you haven't read Balam, Spring, then go read both of these books and you can thank me later.

*I received a copy of Spit and Song courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating.*

Amazon

Review: The Narrows by Travis M. Riddle

The Narrows by Travis M. Riddle
Self-published, 2018

Ebook. 256 pages.

About The Narrows:

"I can show you how to enter the Narrows to find what you seek.” 

Oliver and his friends have returned to their hometown of Shumard, Texas for the funeral of their close friend Noah. They each grapple with the loss in their own ways, trying to understand the strange circumstances of their friend’s unexpected death. 

While visiting the site where the body was found, Oliver stumbles across a chilling discovery that he knows must be related to what happened to Noah. Wanting to protect his friends from these newfound horrors, Oliver takes it upon himself to venture into the grotesque otherworld known as the Narrows to learn what happened to his friend and find a way to bring him back. 

Entering the Narrows is one thing, but will whatever he finds there allow him to leave?"

The Narrows is a spooky little horror story that combines a myriad of components to create a compelling, imaginative, and highly entertaining story. This is a great book to read for the Halloween and holiday reading period, as it has a wonderfully mysterious atmosphere that pervades the entire book as well as contains that post-holiday feeling of indifference that we all know and expect.

My favorite thing about Riddle's writing is how he slowly feeds information about the characters and the plot in small, essential doses--it's just enough to prompt you to understand something or cause you to ask more questions, which in turn makes for a book that is impossible to put down. He's also so a master at writing characters that I actively wanted to hear more about, including their background and minute details about them. 

The horror aspect was done really well. It was more of a quiet spookiness for the majority of the story, rather than something blatantly and obviously horrifying. There were, of course, some very overt and outrageous moments, but the rest of the time was more about wondering about the unknown and trying to figure out just what sort of crazy things were happening to Oliver and the town of Shumard. 

As much as I loved the main horror plot, the other main area in which Riddle shines is with his characters. This is something that I started to realize when I read my first book from Riddle (Balam, Spring), but that really stood out to me as I read this book. There's something exceptionally authentic and realistic about the characters Riddle creates, something that brings them to life in different ways than a lot of books seem to do. Every character somehow feels like someone I would actually meet or interact with on a regular basis. They aren't boring by any means, but they're wonderfully normal and simply living their lives like any normal person would, complete with complex relationships and, you know, the occasional otherworldly experience.

Oliver was a great protagonist. He's intelligent and caring, but as with any human, he can easily make mistakes or jump to conclusions. I did appreciate that he seemed rather open-minded about both people and the crazy things happening in this book, which made him someone I actively liked as a person. Oliver is a bit stubborn about doing dangerous things that he probably shouldn't be doing, but it wasn't overdone and he actually had good reasons for doing them most of the time, so I didn't really find myself annoyed with him at all. The rest of the characters in this book are all equally interesting and had strong, well-developed personalities. I thought that Riddle's inclusion of a transgender character was one of the best I've seen. It was very intelligently done in a manner that, although was very clear and highlighted this person's character, was still somewhat subtle and felt very natural. It's handled with a deftness that almost made it stand out more in a positive way than I expected.

Another great part about these characters was the friendships and various relationships among them all. Riddle created some strong and in-depth, complex friendships between different characters and examined the good and bad of those relationships, both of those that have lasted and those that have fallen apart.

I also have to mention how I loved the ending immensely. I can't actually say why I loved it because of spoilers, but suffice to say it made me enormously pleased and I had a huge smile on my face because of how Riddle chose to end it. And lastly, I just have to mention that I think the cover is fantastic and could not do a better job at representing the story. It's a bit creepy and unnatural and the details also reflects details of the story extremely well.

Overall, I've given The Narrows 4.5 stars!

Buy the book: Amazon

You might also like:
Balam, Spring by Travis M. Riddle
Slade House by David Mitchell
The Hazel Wood  by Melissa Albert