Tag: 7 Rating

Kate’s Review: “Burn the Negative”

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Book: “Burn the Negative” by Josh Winning

Publishing Info: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, July 2023

Where Did I Get This Book: I received an eARC from NetGalley.

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: Some remakes aren’t just a bad idea…they’re deadly.

Journalist Laura Warren is mid-flight to LA when she learns that the streaming series she’s about to report on is a remake of a ‘90s horror flick. A cursed ’90s horror flick. The one that she starred in—and has been running from her whole life.

As a child star, Laura was cast as the lead in The Guesthouse. She played Tammy Manners, the little girl with the terrifying gift to tell people how the Needle Man would kill them. But her big break was her last, as eight of her cast and crew mates died in mysterious ways, and the film became infamous—a cult classic of fictional horror that somehow summoned the real thing. Hoping to move on from all the negative press, Laura changed her name and her accent, dyed her hair, and moved across the Atlantic Ocean. But some scripts don’t want to stay buried.

Soon after landing, Laura finds a yellow dress just like the one she wore in the movie. Then the words “She’s here” scratched into the wall in an actor’s trailer. And then people working on the series start dying. It’s all happening again, Laura’s worst nightmare brought to life, and she finds herself on the run with her sister and a jaded psychic, hoping to find answers—and to stay out of the Needle Man’s lethal reach.

An homage to slasher films with a fresh take on the true price of fame, Burn the Negative is a twisty thriller best read with the lights on.

Review: Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this novel!

We all know that of all the great horror film sub genres out there, I have a special place in my heart for a good old fashioned slasher film. I like the melodrama, I like the over the top nonsensical Savini-esque violence, I like the bursts of terror that come out in jump scares that then make me laugh in spite of myself. I also like weird real life strangeness, unexplained things or potential supernatural events. And when those two things come together, well that’s even better. So of course I was interested in “Burn the Negative”, a new horror slasher novel by Josh Winning about a cursed movie called “The Guesthouse” that is being revamped into a series called “It Feeds”, and how the old protagonist went into hiding to escape the notoriety only to be sucked back in. I mean that just screams “KATE, READ THIS!” And in a lot of ways it did everything that I wanted it to… Until it committed one of my most loathed sins of the slasher genre…

But let’s start with the positives! As there are a good amount! “Burn the Negative” is such a fun homage to not only slasher movies, but the lore around certain slasher movies that are supposedly ‘cursed’ films due to the terrible things that happened to various people involved in the productions. “It Feeds”/”The Guesthouse” has vibes akin to “Poltergeist” or “The Exorcist”, both horror movies that are beloved in the genre but have some really sad connections (“Poltergeist” especially: the actresses who played the daughters both died young, Dominque Dunne was murdered by her ex-boyfriend and Heather O’Rourke died of congenital stenosis). Everyone loves the idea of a cursed movie because of the high strangeness and lore of the unexplained, and “Burn the Negative” really runs with it. It also very much feels like a slasher movie, with lots of wacky deaths, a protagonist with secrets and a rough past, and a genuinely freaky “Needle Man” that has perhaps taken on a life of itself after being a horror movie villain whose actor was never actually publicly identified. I would absolutely watch this if it were a horror movie, and it was a quick and engaging read that had me hooked.

I also liked the other aspects of this plot, specifically those regarding Laura, the child star of the film who changed her name from Polly due to the notoriety, and her traumatic childhood as a child actress with an overbearing stage mom. Having this added layer to her character made her all the more easy to invest in, as man can this woman EVER catch a break? But it’s also something that feels like a real life horror to add to the supernatural ones, whether it’s the abuse that Laura/Polly endured from her zealous mother, or the way that it put a wedge between her and her younger sister Amy, or the way that adults involved with the film saw the difficulties she was having but ignored in favor of production, these things were almost more upsetting that The Needle Man.

But. BUT. We once again get a book that feels a need to do a final ‘gotcha’ kind of ending that yanks the carpet out from under the reader. And readers, we all know how I feel about such endings. I do appreciate that with a horror novel that is paying homage to/deconstructing slasher movie tropes and themes, the temptation to do a very slasher-y ending with a ‘but you were never REALLY safe’ is probably very, very present. But I’ve never liked stories that imply safety and release, only to make the antagonistic force come back for a ninth inning reappearance/victory. And I think that the reason it really cheesed my grits in this book is because there ARE a lot of other real life themes and metaphors like child exploitation, toxic parents, trauma, and self hate that it just felt especially galling to me. Sadly this was a situation where I was very ready to give this a pretty high rating, but the frustrating ending bumped it down a bit in my mind.

Hard pass on rugs being pulled out from under me. (source)

“Burn the Negative” is a clear love letter to slasher movies, and a fun take on the dark side of childhood fame and fortune. I wish it had stuck the landing a bit more. I’m interested in seeing what else Josh Winning has to offer horror literature, because there was a lot to like at the end of the day.

Rating 7: A fun homage to horror movies and a take on childhood fame and Hollywood pitfalls, though the ending was a bit hackneyed.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Burn the Negative” isn’t on any Goodreads lists yet, but I think it would fit in on “Slasher Horror Books”.

Serena’s Review: “Immortal Longings”

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Book: “Immortal Longings” by Chloe Gong

Publishing Info: Gallery / Saga Press, July 2023

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org |Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: Every year, thousands in the kingdom of Talin will flock to its capital twin cities, San-Er, where the palace hosts a set of games. For those confident enough in their ability to jump between bodies, competitors across San-Er fight to the death to win unimaginable riches.

Princess Calla Tuoleimi lurks in hiding. Five years ago, a massacre killed her parents and left the palace of Er empty…and she was the one who did it. Before King Kasa’s forces in San can catch her, she plans to finish the job and bring down the monarchy. Her reclusive uncle always greets the victor of the games, so if she wins, she gets her opportunity at last to kill him.

Enter Anton Makusa, an exiled aristocrat. His childhood love has lain in a coma since they were both ousted from the palace, and he’s deep in debt trying to keep her alive. Thankfully, he’s one of the best jumpers in the kingdom, flitting from body to body at will. His last chance at saving her is entering the games and winning.

Calla finds both an unexpected alliance with Anton and help from King Kasa’s adopted son, August, who wants to mend Talin’s ills. But the three of them have very different goals, even as Calla and Anton’s partnership spirals into something all-consuming. Before the games close, Calla must decide what she’s playing for—her lover or her kingdom.

Review: I was excited when I saw this book coming out from Chloe Gong. For one thing, the idea of a reimaging of Shakespeare’s “Antony and Cleopatra” into an epic fantasy story is incredibly appealing, right up the alley of my own particular preferences. But I was also interested to see what Gong had to offer in this, her adult fantasy debut. I know she’s an immensely popular YA fantasy author, but I’ve struggled to connect to her work in the past. However, I do recognize the overall strength of her writing, so if paired with a more adult approach to storytelling and a shift away from YA tropes, would I have better luck?

Alas, no. But before I get into what didn’t work, I want to, as always, focus on the things that do work. And one of them is the simple fact that if you have enjoyed Chloe Gong’s work in the past, you will definitely enjoy this book. Many of the aspects of her storytelling strengths are on equal show here. Her writing is solid. Her world-building is interesting. There are a lot of political through lines that weave in and out of the story. And the characters are multi-faceted, dramatic, and prone to on-again, off-again romances. If this all sounds like a backhanded compliment, it kind of is. Many of these things are also where I struggled with this author in her YA work. But the converse side of it is that this is all what’s made her incredibly popular as a writer, so can I fault her for giving her fans more of what they want, if packaged now in an “adult” fantasy novel? No, no I cannot.

But, all of that said, I didn’t particularly enjoy this book. In almost every aspect of the story telling I found myself becoming increasingly frustrated as the story went on. What starts out as interesting world-building quickly began to feel like unnecessary and a bit rambling paragraphs upon paragraphs of scene-setting. This is a long book, and I quickly began to feel the need to skim as I read along. Further, she introduces some interesting and unique fantasy elements early in the story, the ability to essentially take over the body of another while that person’s identity then goes dormant. But what seems to be an interesting concept quickly fell into confusion and doubt for me. How exactly does this world function with this sort of body-hopping? It’s never addressed really how this powerful and dangerous tool would affect literally every aspect of society. Further, there are some serious issues of consent when one person is in another’s body that are simply never addressed.

And look, I still liked the idea over all, but this is where I am going to expect more from you as an adult fantasy author than I might as someone writing YA. I’m a big proponent of not writing down to young adult audiences. But that said, there is a case to be made that an author be allowed a bit more lenience in the realm of plot-holes and detailed explanations for how aspects of their story work within a larger world or society when they are writing for teenage audiences. But if your book is marketed as adult fantasy, I am going to expect the author to have fully grappled with the ins and outs of the fantasy devices they are using, especially one as central as this “body swapping” is to this particular story.

Beyond this, I was very disappointed with the main characters. I’m beginning to get the feeling that Gong is either only capable or only willing to write the same sorts of characters in all of her books. Indeed, the central two characters in this book are almost identical (if aged up) copies of the main leads in her “These Violent Delights” duology. Again, if you enjoyed those characters there, you’ll probably like them again here. But that’s not what I was looking for when I picked up this book. Indeed, in the author’s interview at the end of my early review copy, Gong essentially admits to this repetition of story, saying that in this adult book she wanted to adapt the same enemies-to-lovers romance that she already did once in her YA duology but just amp it up to enemies-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers, etc. Not only is this exactly the sort of romantic plotline and angst that most particularly drives me nuts, it’s disappointing to see Gong essentially decide to write the same exact dynamic and think that increasing the angst level is what will elevate it to adult fantasy.

Overall, I really struggled to enjoy this book. To me, it felt like Gong simply doubled down on her same old bag of tricks and called it adult fantasy. That said, I’ve adjusted my rating from what, for me, would have been a 6, to a 7 because I do think this book will appeal to a lot of fantasy readers. As I’ve now said ad nauseum, if you’ve liked Gong’s previous work, you’re sure to like this one, too, as it’s, largely, much of the same.

Rating 7: Fans of Gong’s previous books will be delighted to find that she’s stuck to her roots in this, her adult fantasy debut. Those looking for something fresh from this author, less so.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Immortal Longings” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Asian Folklore/Mythology/Influence and Upcoming 2023 SFF Books With Female Leads or Co-Leads.

Serena’s Review: “The Curse of Saints”

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Book: “The Curse of Saints” by Kate Dramis

Publishing Info: Sourcebooks Casablanca, July 2023

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org| Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: As an elite spy and the Queen’s Third-in-Command, Aya has dedicated herself to a life of discipline and duty, using her gods-given abilities to keep dark magic from ever returning to the realm. Her oath ensures she will always act to protect those she fights alongside—including Will, the Queen’s Enforcer and Aya’s bitter rival.

Forced by circumstance to work together, Aya and Will struggle to come to an uneasy truce. But when tragedy strikes, Aya instinctively reacts, unleashing a power that hasn’t been seen in over 500 years. Shaken, she’s confronted with an impossible truth: one that threatens the precious grip she keeps on her control. One that forces her to work with Will to discover who—or what—she really is. And one that could turn her into a weapon in a war she doesn’t know how to win.

With Will at her side and untold power at her fingertips, Aya will have to decide: Has she been sent to save the realm she loves…or destroy it?

Review: I knew I wanted to read this book the moment I saw it (though, to be fair, I saw the UK cover which has an awesome golden wolf motif which I think is a much better fit than this cover, but oh well). The description itself is also right up my alley. Always love a good rivals/enemies-to-lovers story. Add on top of that a badass spy heroine who, whoops, discovers she has new powers and is more than she seems. Does this sound like a very tried and true plot description for fantasy stories, especially romantic fantasy? Yes, it does. Did this put me off in any way whatsoever? Absolutely not. Sometimes things are popular for the simple fact that they’re awesome, and that’s all I have to say on that.

Unfortunately, this book didn’t quite live up to my expectations. But there was still quite a lot to like about it. For one thing, I thought the world-building and history of this world was fascinating. Our main characters (the story was multi POV, which was something I wasn’t expecting and more on that later) each are born with powerful abilities. But due to a horrible war that required a terrible sacrifice years and years ago, magic users must always work for the protection and betterment of those around them and are never allowed to rule. I really enjoyed the slow reveal about how this particular history has influenced the various characters in this book, and how so many decisions are based around the fears of a similar power rising or a similar sacrifice being needed.

I also liked the action elements of the story, particularly in the beginning of the book when quite a lot happens in quick succession. We had a few early scenes where we see Aya’s skill as a spy master at work, and we also get some intense magic wolves action scenes. Which, of course, who doesn’t love magic wolves? Unfortunately, some of the strengths of this early section lead directly to some of my struggles with the rest of the book. For one thing, said magic wolves quickly disappear from the entire story, which left me wondering why they were included at all? I mean, they’re introduced as having bonds to Aya, Will, etc., and show up in several early scenes as important, unique creatures, and then they just…disappear for the rest of the book. You could literally take them out of this story and it would make zero difference to the overall plot.

Further, I was very disappointed to see Aya’s character quickly fall off her strong start as a master spy. After her magic flares up in unexpected ways, she seems to lose all sense of her original abilities. As the story continues, she and Will travel to a foreign court where they are supposed to be working to bring their allies onside for a brewing conflict. Aya, as a spy, should have invaluable abilities to bring to this mission. But, instead, she spends the entire time fretting about her powers and fighting with Will. Indeed, she blunders several times in ways that make no sense for a woman we are meant to believe is one of the top three advisors to her queen and a master of her craft.

This wasn’t helped by my increasing frustration with these fights between Aya and Will. Their rivalry and animosity starts off well enough, but as the story continued, it began to feel increasingly unbelievable and silly. Aya is a grown adult and a woman who, being a spy, should have an incredible read of people. So the number of times she flips back and forth from trusting Will to literally threatening to kill him (seriously, she does this flip flop at least 4 times over the course of the book, and, I can’t emphasize this enough, the “flop” side includes literal death threats/murder attempts even though she was trusting him just pages before) starts to become a serious detriment to my ability to respect her as a character.

For his part, I could never quite understand Will’s reasons for such extreme levels of secrecy. Once all of the truths are revealed, it’s never quite clear why he had to keep Aya so much in the dark to the point where he was almost intentionally making her hate and distrust him. So, yes, neither of these two characters really worked that well for me at various points. Which was made all the more frustrating because I think they each started off very strong and had a lot of potential!

Also, bizarrely, a third POV character and the sad hints of a love triangle showed up on the page about two thirds of the way into the book. This was honestly so abrupt a shift in the story that I had to flip forward a ways to confirm that yes, indeed, we were introducing a third POV and this wasn’t just an interlude. This was near the two thirds/half way point of the book, if I remember correctly, so it was just a really strange and abrupt shift. I didn’t have any problems with this third character on his own, but there was simply no recovering from the fact that his story started up so significantly behind the other two. We already were firmly in the heads of Aya and Will, and now here was this third character that was meant to compete with the two of them with his own chapters. It was an odd choice. I think it would have worked better had he been introduced right in the beginning alongside Aya and Will, thus creating an even playing field between the three. Or, honestly, left him out entirely. I’m not quite convinced that his POV really even added much to the story as a whole.

All of this said, I probably will continue with this series. The writing itself was strong, the world-building was intriguing, and even though I struggled with Aya and Will at times, I do feel that the author’s character work was pretty decent. I was frustrated with this particular story, but there seems to be a lot of room for growth and there were a few side characters who I would love to read more about in future books. If you’re a fan of romantic fantasy, especially if you enjoy angsty enemies-t0-lovers story arcs, this might be a good one for you!

Rating 7: While a bit wobbly on the character front, this romantic fantasy will likely still appeal to those looking for an interesting fantasy world and an angst-ridden love story!

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Curse of Saints” isn’t on many Goodreads lists, but it is on Best books of May, 2023 (the UK version was published in May).

Kate’s Review: “American Vampire: 1976”

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Book: “American Vampire: 1976” by Scott Snyder, Rafael Albuquerque (Ill.), & Francesco Francavilla (Ill.)

Publishing Info: DC Comics, November 2021

Where Did I Get This Book: I own it.

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: America is broken. Trust between the government and the American public has crumbled. Paranoia reigns supreme.

Skinner Sweet has exhausted all efforts to regain his lost immortality. With his powers and purpose gone, he is now determined to go out with a bang. At a seedy motorcycle rally in the desert where he’s closer than ever to his death wish, Pearl Jones and a shocking partner track him down for one last, desperate mission. The force known as the Gray Trader and its minions are tunneling through the bowels of the world to unleash hell on Earth–just in time for America’s bicentennial. With catastrophe looming, it’s up to Skinner and Pearl to reconcile and change the course of history–or die trying.

Review: Well folks, we have come to the end of another comic re-reading/comic completion hybrid, as “American Vampire: 1976” is the end of the road for the “American Vampire” series by Scott Snyder. There was a pretty substantial gap between “Volume 8” and “1976”, just as there was a gap in the real comics release of the series. I don’t know what caused the wait, but I remember part of my reason for kind of giving up on the series the first time around was due to the fact I knew it didn’t have an ending. Well, now it does, and to me it seemed like there were a few things that needed to be addressed in order to stick it. And…. I think that it mostly did, with a couple stumbles…

We have jumped forward to 1976, and our characters have scattered to the wind since we left them. Skinner Sweet, having been rendered mortal after his last tangle with the Gray Trader a decade prior, has accepted that he can’t regain his immortality and has decided to become a stuntman in hopes of going out in a blaze of glory. So when he’s approached by Pearl with one more mission, we find out what all our vampires have been up to leading up to the American Bicentennial. Pearl is barely holding things together with the VMS, Felicia is on a mission to save Gus from the Gray Trader who has taken him hostage, Travis Kidd blames himself for the loss of Gus, and we find out that Jim Book has returned to the fold and has been Pearl’s partner for a number of years. Oh, and Mimiteh has come back as well (and HOORAY, she isn’t just a stereotype AND he has clothing this time around). I loved that this took place in 1976, in a year that American was celebrating its history in the face of a lot of bleakness (the loss of the Vietnam war, post-Watergate disillusionment, etc), and as the VMS has to try and stop an apocalypse that is going to happen during the Bicentennial celebration. It’s a great tone, and a great way for the story to wrap up as America has it’s own, in a way, reflection moment. And the big last showdown with the Gray Trader and it’s final push to destroy the world was well thought out and had high stakes and lots of suspense.

There are a lot of characters that we need to tackle, and, for the most part, many of them get some good page time and a fair amount of focus. I loved seeing Pearl rally the troops, I enjoyed seeing Skinner being pulled in again as he’s trying to, maybe finally, be able to get his immortality back, and I liked seeing Travis Kidd have more growth and depth as he grapples with how he failed Felicia and Gus. But that does lead to one of the pitfalls here, as one of the characters who is a bit shafted is Felicia, as it felt like she was just a frenzied grieving mother as she worries about Gus’s well being. Sure, she gets some pretty okay moments, but she didn’t feel like Felicia, and since we were at the end of the road I really wanted more in saying goodbye. It ended up feeling abrupt and lacking for my favorite character in the series.

There was one other big stumble for me in this final collection as we wrap up this story, and I need to go into detail to explain the problem I had with it. SO, therefore I am going to have to tell you to skip to the last paragraph if you don’t want to know and give you a

SPOILER ALERT! (source)

So a few volumes back, it was revealed that Jim Book, the original hero who was the lawman pursuing Skinner Sweet back in the day after being his foster brother in childhood, was actually still ‘alive’ and was also a vampire from the American strain. It took this long for him to come back, and I was actually pretty amped to see him because I was excited to see him confronting Skinner, but more I was anticipating seeing him meet his daughter Felicia. And for awhile I was riding high on his presence, because it added a new interesting layer to Skinner, as his foil, who was not only an enemy but also his dearest friend and in some ways brother, was back in his life after so much baggage… But. BUT. Not only did we not get any pay off with Jim meeting his daughter Felicia (HONESTLY, HOW DARE THEY SIDELINE HER SO MUCH?)… Jim ends up betraying the VMS and has been evil and siding with the Gray Trader the whole time!!!!! WHAT THE FUCK?! What a frustrating and unearned heel turn for this character! And it felt like it was done 1) because it’s shocking and a HUGE blow and twist for the VMS, and 2) it just props up Skinner more as a hero because if Jim freaking BOOK is bad, then Skinner is going to look good by comparison, and you know what?

(source)

Am I being perhaps a little to precious about Jim Book as a character? Yeah, maybe. But it was also pretty damned rushed after a long delay to bring him back into the fold. There was a missed opportunity there because it would have been far more interesting for Skinner’s final push for potential redemption to be about his foster brother as opposed to his love for Pearl (especially since it made Pearl’s final story a bit too intwined with Skinner when she can stand on her own, thankyouverymuch).

Okay I complained a lot but for the most part I did enjoy “American Vampire: 1976”, I swear! The series had a lot to address and wrap up, and I thought that Snyder did justice to most of his characters and plot lines. And what a great moment in time for the story to end. I will miss Pearl, Felicia, Gus, and, God help me, even Skinner freakin’ Sweet. “American Vampire” is a great series, and I’m glad I finished it.

Rating 7: Overall this is a solid conclusion to an enjoyable series. “American Vampire: 1976” has some stumbles, but it’s nice to see Pearl, Skinner, Felicia, and others go out with a bang.

Reader’s Advisory:

“American Vampire: 1976” isn’t included on any Goodreads lists as of now, but it would fit in on “Recommendations for Buffy Fans” (though the entire series should probably be on that list too).

Serena’s Review: “The Book of Gems”

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Book: “The Book of Gems” by Fran Wilde

Publishing Info: Tor, June 2023

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: Some truths are shatterproof…

It’s been centuries since the Jeweled Valley and its magical gems were destroyed. In the republics that rose from its ashes, scientists craft synthetic jewels to heat homes, power gadgetry, and wage war.

Dr. Devina Brunai is one of these scientists. She also is the only person who believes true gems still exist. The recent unearthing of the Palace of Gems gives her the perfect opportunity to find them and prove her naysayers wrong.

Her chance is snatched away at the last moment when her mentor steals her research and wins the trip for himself. Soon, his messages from the field transform into bizarre ramblings about a book, a Prince, and an enemy borne of the dark. Now Dev must enter the Valley, find her mentor, and save her research before they, like gems, become relics of a time long forgotten.

Review: First of all, thanks to Emily over at Tor for sending me an ARC of this title! I know Fran Wilde to be a very prolific SFF writer, but for whatever reason I hadn’t gotten around to reading one of her books yet. So this felt like as good of a time as any. I will say I wasn’t aware that this book was part of a series, but after some quick perusing, it seemed like it could also be read as a stand-alone, so I dove right in!

One of the harder things, sometimes, when picking up a SFF title that is part of a series but has also been marketed as a stand-alone is trying to center oneself in the world and any magic system that may or may not be present. Unlike contemporary or historical fiction, the reader cannot rely on a knowledge of our own world to fill in any gaps that may have been missed from previous books. So I think it’s a mark of Wilde’s talent that it was a fairly smooth process orienting myself with this world. Necessary information flowed out in a natural, timely way without any info-dumping early in the novel, and the patient reader will be rewarded by looking up about halfway through the read and realizing that they already do know everything they need to about this series even without any obvious “telling” sections.

Beyond how the information was given, I enjoyed the world and magic that was laid out here. The gems and the way they operate is clever and unique. I also really enjoyed the blending of several genres that we see here. Fantasy, of course, but there were also strong hints of the mystery and historical genres. As our main character is also a research, this book also hits on the currently quite popular “fantasy academia” subgenre. I’ve really enjoyed this resurgence and very much enjoyed this nice blending of many types of stories.

I also liked the character well enough. Though here I will say is where the story fell a bit flat for me. There was nothing wrong with any of them, but I also never felt supremely invested in our main character’s story or that of any of the side characters. Here, perhaps, is where more familiarity with the first two books could have helped, as a better sense and expectation of overall tone could have aided in my feeling invested in these stories. However, the characters were still interesting and competently portrayed, so fans of the first two books will likely be very pleased with what we get here.

Overall, this was a solid novella, and one that speaks to an interesting wider world. I’ll definitely have to go back and check out the first two books in the series!

Rating 7: Short, sweet, and with a vibrant world and magic system. The only flaw was my inability to feel incredibly invested in some of the characters.

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Books of Gems” isn’t on any Goodreads lists yet, but here are the other books in the series!

Kate’s Review: “How to Kill Men and Get Away With It”

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Book: “How to Kill Men and Get Away With It” by Katy Brent

Publishing Info: Harper Collins, June 2023

Where Did I Get This Book: I received an ARC from the publisher.

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: Meet Kitty Collins.

FRIEND. LOVER. KILLER.

He was following me. That guy from the nightclub who wouldn’t leave me alone. I hadn’t intended to kill him of course. But I wasn’t displeased when I did and, despite the mess I made, I appeared to get away with it.

That’s where my addiction started…

I’ve got a taste for revenge and quite frankly, I’m killing it.

A deliciously dark, hilariously twisted story about friendship, love, and murder. Fans of My Sister the Serial Killer, How to Kill Your Family and Killing Eve will love this wickedly clever novel!

Review: Thank you to Harper Collins for sending me an ARC of this novel!

I’m going to get on my soapbox a minute, but I promise it won’t last long and I promise it has a point. I get frustrated by the literary box that the concept of ‘women’s fiction/chick lit’ gets put in. It’s pretty silly that sometime’s a book that centers on a woman and perhaps more emotional themes (love, loss, self exploration) is given this label, especially when that label can imply ‘less than’ to certain subsets of readers. That said, I do enjoy the occasional women’s fiction book, which has a pretty predictable formula and a general sense of comfort around it. So when I started reading “How to Kill Men and Get Away With It” by Katy Brent, I smirked to myself. Because this book has very women’s fiction-esque themes, but centers upon a woman who, when she isn’t cavorting with her friends or living a lavish lifestyle, is killing men who have been abusers in their past and present. Sometimes in very graphic ways. And if that doesn’t satirize the preconceived notions of women’s fiction, I don’t know what does!

I would say that if you threw “Sex and the City”, “Dexter”, and “Promising Young Woman” into a blender and hit the on button, you would more or less get “How to Kill Men and Get Away With It”. Which is, on the whole, a rather charming concept for those who enjoy twisted thrills with some black humor to boot. It makes for a pretty fun read, with a fizzy humor and sarcastic bite that firmly places the power in a character who doesn’t want to deal with victimization, whether it’s towards herself, her friends, or women as a whole, any longer. And goes to extreme means to stave it off. Kitty is an interesting protagonist in that she is oozing with privilege due to her wealth, beauty, and social clout due to her successful influencer lifestyle, but covertly slaughters men she as discovered or deemed to be predators while hiding behind these things. Her first person perspective can be a little twee and repetitive at times, and I’m not sure that we really delve too far into her character so as to make her deeply complex, but as the story stands she’s enjoyable and just a bit wicked in a very fun way. There is definitely something cathartic about seeing crappy abusive dudes getting bumped off, so while Kitty could definitely have had some room to grow and evolve, it’s escapist fun at the end of the day and that’s just fine.

There is also a mystery at hand, as Kitty, being a well loved and well known influencer, has a stalker that is lurking about. A stalker who seems to know that Kitty is out and about slaughtering shitheads and has been holding it over her head. I liked having this added layer of stakes for Kitty, as it does make things all the more complicated for her. I also found myself genuinely surprised by some of the reveals and twists that came along with this subplot, as it goes from general ‘oh geeze, stalkers are always a problem’ to ‘oh boy, the stalker knows what she’s up to!’. I was a little surprised that Kitty herself didn’t seem super concerned about it, viewing it more as a nuisance that this anonymous person being in her business than someone who could very easily turn her in or at least tip someone off about her. I’m not certain if this was supposed to be reflective of Kitty’s general sociopathy, or that it was a point that could have used more development, but it was always present and it added to the overall tension.

“How to Kill Men and Get Away With It” is the kind of quippy and engaging thriller that will certainly appeal to fans of the genre who also like a little bit of sudsy ‘chick lit’ to be in their reading piles. As someone who fits that description, I found it to be a pretty fun read for summer.

Rating 7: Witty and banter filled with some fun satire, “How to Kill Men and Get Away With It” has a dark premise and fizzy execution.

Reader’s Advisory:

“How to Kill Men and Get Away With It” is included on the Goodreads lists “Not a Handbook”, and “[ATY 2023]: Murder!”.

Serena’s Review: “And Break the Pretty Kings”

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Book: “And Break the Pretty Kings” by Lena Jeong

Publishing Info: HarperTeen, June 2023

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!https://amzn.to/41hV4dc

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: A crown princess. A monster the gods fear. A destiny no one can outrun. Inspired by Korean history and myths, the first book in the Sacred Bone series is a rich and evocative high-stakes fantasy that is perfect for fans of Gallant and Six Crimson Cranes . Mirae was meant to save her queendom, but the ceremony before her coronation ends in terror and death, unlocking a strange new power within her and foretelling the return of a monster even the gods fear. Amid the chaos, Mirae’s beloved older brother is taken—threatening the peninsula’s already tenuous truce. Desperate to save her brother and defeat this ancient enemy before the queendom is beset by war, Mirae sets out on a journey with an unlikely group of companions while her unpredictable magic gives her terrifying visions of a future she must stop at any cost.  

Review: Another awesome, dramatic cover! I love bright colors and the overall theme; I feel like I knew exactly the sort of book I was picking up with once glance at this cover. I was also drawn in by the intriguing description and the mention that it was inspired by the historical time period of the three kingdoms of Korea, a time and place I know very little about. I’ve loved how many fantasy novels recently have pulled in Asian folklore and mythology, greatly diversifying a SFF landscape that has re-told a small selection of fables ad nauseum.

Just a note before we start, I’m going to rework my review style so that it matches what Kate has been doing more closely. Obviously, we each have our own distinct tones, but I’ve been writing my own summary of the book here in the second paragraph, and I’m now going to forego doing this. The summary is always included, and I did this more out of habit from my old review style before I was working in a blog format that already includes a summary. More and more often I find that I am spending too much time trying to find ways to re-word information that can be found directly above. So, like Kate, I’m now just going to dive straight into the reviews themselves!

So, this book was a strange read for me. It was definitely a case where I felt like there was potential around every corner. But then it never quite reached the highs I was hoping for. One thing that is unquestionable, however, is that this is a fast-moving romp of a story. The story gets off to a fairly quick start and never really lets up. But, on the other hand, due to the fast pace of the plotting, I never felt like we really settled into any of these character, either our main character or the side cast. Mirae had a potentially interesting arc where she is forced to confront that her unwillingness to compromise can be both a strength, but also a weakness. But I don’t think the story every really settled enough for her to really express any of this growth. Instead, the reader is left to just bounce along and understand that inner reflection is happening.

There was also no romance in this story. I personally prefer to have a romantic plotline in my story (though I have to say, I’ve now read three other books back to back where the romance ended in some form of tragedy, and I’m SUPER over this tendency to need to make these stories bittersweet or grimdark to somehow justify them as “serious fantasy.” Ok, rant over.), but there have been plenty of stories I’ve really enjoyed without a hint of romance to be found. Just recently, I rated “Witch King” a 10 and there’s zero romance in that book. But here it was confusing because fairly early on the author seems to be setting up a romantic plotline. And then…it just goes nowhere. It kind of felt like a bait and switch and left me more frustrated than had there been nothing even hinted at.

I also really liked the idea of the time-switching, but I don’t feel like it was really used to the extent that it was hyped. The world-building also felt a bit all over the place, and the motivations, both for why these countries were at war, and why individual characters choose to do certain things, were lacking. I am curious to see if there is a second book planned and whether that would clarify some of this. Particularly, the strange non-love/love interest. Like, is this something that is going to be followed up on later? Overall, this was a bit hit and miss for me as a read. Like I said, I think there is a lot of potential here, and I do think that some fantasy readers will enjoy it. But it’s not as tightly knit or carefully constructed as I would prefer.

Rating 7: Lots of potential that did feel a bit squandered by a lack of attention to character and world-building.

Reader’s Advisory:

“And Break the Pretty Kings” isn’t on any Goodreads lists, but it should be on Asian Mythology, Legends, and Folklore .

Kate’s Review: “A Botanist’s Guide to Flowers and Fatality”

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Book: “A Botanist’s Guide to Flowers and Fatality” by Kate Khavari

Publishing Info: Crooked Lane Books, June 2023

Where Did I Get This Book: I received an eARC from NetGalley.

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: 1920s London isn’t the ideal place for a brilliant woman with lofty ambitions. But research assistant Saffron Everleigh is determined to beat the odds in a male-dominated field at the University College of London. Saffron embarks on her first research study alongside the insufferably charming Dr. Michael Lee, traveling the countryside with him in response to reports of poisonings. But when Detective Inspector Green is given a case with a set of unusual clues, he asks for Saffron’s assistance.

The victims, all women, received bouquets filled with poisonous flowers. Digging deeper, Saffron discovers that the bouquets may be more than just unpleasant flowers— there may be a hidden message within them, revealed through the use of the old Victorian practice of floriography. A dire message, indeed, as each woman who received the flowers has turned up dead.

Alongside Dr. Lee and her best friend, Elizabeth, Saffron trails a group of suspects through a dark jazz club, a lavish country estate, and a glittering theatre, delving deeper into a part of society she thought she’d left behind forever.

Will Saffron be able to catch the killer before they send their next bouquet, or will she find herself with fatal flowers of her own in Kate Khavari’s second intoxicating installment.

Review: Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an eARC of this novel!

It’s about a year since I reviewed the first Saffron Everleigh mystery, “A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons”, and I can tell you that I am still not really a plant person. It took me forever to get my act together this Spring when it comes to clearing my landscaping of refuse, so my bleeding heart wasn’t as, uh, hardy as I had hoped it would be, and the weeds have already taken over. But real life green thumb problems aside, I’m still very much into plant nerd Saffron and her love for various kinds of flora, and therefore I knew that I wanted to read her second adventure, “A Botanist’s Guide to Flowers and Fatality”! So back to post WWI England we go, with high hopes of deadly plants and Interwar sensibilities!

I am still really enjoying the time period and societal placement of this book. Post WWI London remains a setting that is rich with possibilities, and this time Khavari has implemented a device that I have a personal connection to: floriography! For those who are unfamiliar, floriography, or language of the flowers, is the Victorian social practice of using flowers to communicate feelings and intentions. When I worked at a Victorian Historic House in St. Paul, one of the tours I gave was all about sexuality and romance during this time period, and I talked about floriography in courtships. In “A Botanist’s Guide to Flowers and Fatality”, Saffron is brought into a murder investigation by Detective Inspector Green when bouquets of poisonous flowers are found at all the victims homes. It’s such a great way to make Saffron needed as not only a civilian, but also as a woman, and it’s such a great hook as a puzzle piece to the murder mystery. We also see the way that Saffron has to navigate her role as an amateur detective in this setting, facing a lot of issues not limited to misogyny and expected gender roles, and how she has to utilize her new academic partner, Michael Lee, in her works both at the university (where they are investigating plant poisoning reports throughout the countryside for research) and in the criminal investigation, because him being a man (a very smart and capable man, but no more so than Saffron herself) can open doors a bit easier than she alone can. I really liked Lee as a character, his sarcasm and wit egging Saffron on and leading to some fun moments of banter and sexual tension (we’ll be talking more on that in a bit), and I did like that while being a new member to the story he felt like he fit in almost immediately. His role both at the University parts of the book as well as the criminal parts rounded her out really well and complemented her without constraining her.

The mystery was also pretty well done. I loved seeing Saffron and Lee have to go into unseemly JAZZ CLUBS and have to wrangle with the idle rich and their COCAINE HABITS, and I loved the deadly bouquets and the undercover hijinks they have to get into to get to the truth. Given that this is solidly a cozy mystery series (ha, of the two of us it’s probably surprising that I’m the one covering the two cozy mystery series on the blog), it never goes into very suspenseful territory, as you generally know that Saffron is going to figure it all out and probably come out unscathed, and it’s never TOO gruesome. But that doesn’t mean that Khavari’s mystery is dull by any means, and I thought that there were well done red herrings and well executed ‘ah ha!’ moments.

I will say that there was one aspect that didn’t quite work for me that kind of brought down the rest of the book in some ways: we find ourselves in a bit of a love triangle with Saffron. Our first suitor is Alexander, her partner in detection from the first book, who has gone on the Amazon expedition mentioned in that novel. Saffron has been exchanging letters with him while he’s on the trip. The other, of course, is the aforementioned Lee, her new partner in detection who is pretty much the opposite of Alexander in all ways. Where Alexander is brooding, Lee is extroverted and vivacious. Where Alexander is earnest, Lee is sardonic and a bit of a bad boy. It’s a trope we have seen many times in a love triangle, and I was kind of bummed to see Saffron thrust into this when she is so much more interesting on her own and doesn’t need romantic conflict (some of which, on Alexander’s side, felt very out of character and made him pretty unlikable, at least to me) to buoy up her story.

So, aggravating love triangle aside, I did enjoy “A Botanist’s Guide to Flowers and Fatality”. It continues to represent the time and place in an enjoyable way, and Saffron Everleigh is still a fun and engaging heroine!

Rating 7: A fun new adventure for tenacious detective Saffron Everleigh, with interesting new characters and deadly flowers abound.

Reader’s Advisory:

“A Botanist’s Guide to Flowers and Fatality” is included on the Goodreads lists “Historical Mystery 2023”, and “Cozy Mysteries 2023 New Releases”.

Previously Reviewed:

Serena’s Review: “The Grimoire of Grave Fates”

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Book: “The Grimoire of Grave Fates” by Hanna Alkaf and Margaret Owen

Publishing Info: Delacorte Press, June 2023

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: Amazon | IndieBound | WorldCat

Book Description: Professor of Magical History Septimius Dropwort has just been murdered, and now everyone at the Galileo Academy for the Extraordinary is a suspect.

A prestigious school for young magicians, the Galileo Academy has recently undergone a comprehensive overhaul, reinventing itself as a roaming academy in which students of all cultures and identities are celebrated. In this new Galileo, every pupil is welcome–but there are some who aren’t so happy with the recent changes. That includes everyone’s least favorite professor, Septimius Dropwort, a stodgy old man known for his harsh rules and harsher punishments. But when the professor’s body is discovered on school grounds with a mysterious note clenched in his lifeless hand, the Academy’s students must solve the murder themselves, because everyone’s a suspect.

Told from more than a dozen alternating and diverse perspectives, The Grimoire of Grave Fates follows Galileo’s best and brightest young magicians as they race to discover the truth behind Dropwort’s mysterious death. Each one of them is confident that only they have the skills needed to unravel the web of secrets hidden within Galileo’s halls. But they’re about to discover that even for straight-A students, magic doesn’t always play by the rules. . . .

Review: I was definitely intrigued when I heard about this upcoming fantasy anthology. Not only was it a collaboration between a huge number of famous authors, but the idea of a murder mystery taking place in a school of magic as the foundation upon which the anthology is built upon is compelling as heck. Add an eye-popping cover, and you’ve got me! This is definitely a change of pace from the types of fantasy stories that I typically read, so I was very excited and curious to see what it had to offer.

I’m going to skip over my usual summary paragraph here, as I think the description given by the publisher is more than enough, and it’s hard to add more with anthologies that are, by their nature, built upon many layers of different characters, themes, and stories. So let’s get right to the review! First of all, I’d like to state how impressive of a project I think this book is. Collaborations are always tricky, but I have to imagine the more authors you include, the harder it is to ensure that the finished product feels complete and even. This is all the more difficult when you’re writing a murder mystery, a specific genre that requires careful plotting, close regulation of what information is made known and when, and a neat balance of pace to keep the reader engaged while not also losing them as the book builds to its final conclusion. But I think, overall, this aspect of the book came together very well, and none of the individual stories stood out as ill-fitting with the larger story as a whole.

That said, I didn’t wholly love this read. On one hand, this is purely a subjective opinion as I’m not a huge fan of anthology stories, in general. I have a long record here on the blog of my struggles with a book rising at the exact rate at which an author adds POV characters. The more you have, the more I’m going to have a difficult time connecting to the story. Obviously, that is unavoidable here. I did like several of the individual chapters, but this then lead me to become increasingly frustrated as, again and again, I lost these characters just when I was beginning to become invested in them. And even in multi-POV stories, there’s always the anticipation of returning to a beloved character, which isn’t the case here. I also liked the level of diversity that is included, but there were also moments where it began to feel a bit like “diversity Bingo” and less like a natural and organic collection of individuals.

I did like the magical elements we had in the story as well. There were a few particular characters who had very unique ways of practicing their magic that I was especially interested in. But, again, I was always left wanting just a bit more. And, while every chapter did move the murder mystery along, bit by bit, the overall experience did begin to feel a bit tedious. However, as I said, I struggle with this approach to story-telling in general, so this could definitely be more of “me” problem than an actual problem with the book itself. On top of that, the writing style did err towards the younger side of YA; again something that is really subjective to the preferences of the reader. If you’re a fan of anthologies or love any of the authors involved in this project, this is likely a book you’ll enjoy. If you tend to enjoy adult fantasy more, this might not work quite as well.

Rating 7: A cool concept and an impressive feat of collaboration, but the large cast of characters and the slow pace of the larger mystery itself left me struggling to fully connect to the book.

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Grimoire of Grave Fates” can be found on this Goodreads lists: YA Releases June 2023

Serena’s Review: “The Thorns Remain”

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Book: “The Thorns Remain” by J.J.A. Harwood

Publishing Info: Magpie, May 2023

Where Did I Get this Book: from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: Amazon | IndieBound | WorldCat

Book Description: A dance with the fae will change everything

1919. In a highland village forgotten by the world, harvest season is over and the young who remain after war and flu have ravaged the village will soon head south to make something of themselves.

Moira Jean and her friends head to the forest for a last night of laughter before parting ways. Moira Jean is being left behind. She had plans to leave once – but her lover died in France and with him, her future. The friends light a fire, sing and dance. But with every twirl about the flames, strange new dancers thread between them, music streaming from the trees.

The fae are here.

Suddenly Moira Jean finds herself all alone, her friends spirited away. The iron medal of her lost love, pinned to her dress, protected her from magic.

For the Fae feel forgotten too. Lead by the darkly handsome Lord of the Fae, they are out to make themselves known once more. Moira Jean must enter into a bargain with the Lord to save her friends – and fast, for the longer one spends with the Fae, the less like themselves they are upon return. If Moira Jean cannot save her friends before Beltine, they will be lost forever…

Completely bewitching, threaded with Highland charm and sparkling with dark romance, this is a fairytale that will carry you away.

Review: Here’s another example of cover lust! But I was also drawn in by the fact that I’ve been on a bit of a good run with Fae/Faerie books in the last few months. I gave high ratings to both “The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill”  and “Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries”. I was also particularly intrigued by the description of this one and its inclusion of dancing with the Fae. It’s a pretty well-established piece of fairy lore (I’ve always loved the “Seven Dancing Sisters” fairytale especially!) and it can swing either romantic or highly dangerous. With hints at powerfully dark Fae and bargains, I have to guess this one might swing towards the latter. Either way, count me in!

Moira Jean and her friends have always know there was future was to depart their small village and make lives for themselves out in the greater world. As young women, this departure and future would largely be tied to their marriages. But when Moira Jean’s beloved dies in the war, her world is rocked and her future torn to shreds. When her friends go out into the forest to dance and celebrate one last time before they leave home, Moira Jean joins them. There, they are joined in their dancing by the wild and dangerous Fae and one by one, Moira Jean’s friends are stolen away. Now it up to her to rescue them, entering into dangerous bargains with Lord of the Fae who is as mysterious as he is beguiling.

So this book both was and wasn’t what I was expecting. It’s always interesting to see the balance that different authors take with their Fae, some leaning towards the more human and romantic versions, while others delve deeper into the cruelty and danger the Fae represent. This book neatly presents both options, and I think this was probably the biggest strength of the book. There is a romantic plotline, but we are never allowed to forget that the Lord of the Fae is distinctly not human. Furthermore, many aspects of the relationship that Moira Jean develops with him is comprised of supremely unhealthy dynamics, and much of the story is Moira Jean confronting these realities. This is also tied into Moira Jean’s overall arch, one that sees her struggling to define herself and her life outside of the rather co-dependent relationships she has traditionally relied upon.

That said, I struggled with the end of this book. On one hand, I liked the resolution to the romance and how that was handled. But there were many questions left unanswered about just how these actions worked within the larger Fae world and rules that we had been presented with. Further, the manner in which Moira Jean escapes her situation undercut her agency. I wish she had been more actively involved in solving her problems, and I think this would have been the button that was missing on her character arc. The pacing was also a bit all over the place. The ending, especially, felt rushed and thus a bit anti-climatic.

As a character, Moira Jean was enjoyable when she was spunky and active. But there were also times that she read as very annoying and those were the times that it became hard to understand what a powerful Fae lord would see in her. Kind of like the pacing and the world-building, there was such a mix of good and bad elements that I was often left feeling off-kilter and struggling to connect to the story. I think there were a lot of good ideas here, it just didn’t feel like everything came together the way one would want. If you’re a big fan of Fae stories that focus on the darker element of these magical beings, than this book is probably worth checking out. But I do think there are more complete versions of a similar story to be found.

Rating 7: A bit of a frustrating read as I really enjoyed it at times and then, conversely, struggled at others.

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Thorns Remain” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Books like Hozier songs and Can’t Wait Sci-Fi/Fantasy of 2023