**spoiler alert** The largest failure with this book is the cult. Other than the bookends, it was so scarcely referenced that it almost felt like it w**spoiler alert** The largest failure with this book is the cult. Other than the bookends, it was so scarcely referenced that it almost felt like it was added in at the very end of the writing process simply because we needed an excuse to end things.
I had a hard time following what happened in the present versus what was flashbacks to childhood. I also wanted to see more of the actual apocalypse beyond an incident on the ferry (which could just as easily happened on a commuter train) and the ending. Like, why was it so important that this take place during the slow inexorable flooding of the world?
Unlike in Our Wives Under the Sea, where the poetic meanderings into body horror kept me fascinated and repulsed, Private Rites relies heavily on each sister’s internal monologues (and intrusive thoughts) to both carry the story and remind the reader that yes actually this is technically literary horror and not just a family drama set against the backdrop of the apocalypse. There were some funny one-liners as Isla or Irene or occasionally Agnes thought something absolutely bananas, but they were also one or two very poignant lines (again, I think Our Wives did this much better).
The writing itself is beautiful and enjoyable. Love that it’s inextricably queer. Just don’t think there was enough plot or structure to hold me
{Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review; all thoughts are my own}...more
You really can’t go into this one without clear memories of book two. I tried to power through without a reread and I think it negatively aff3.5 stars
You really can’t go into this one without clear memories of book two. I tried to power through without a reread and I think it negatively affected my experience. I tried to reimmerse myself using the character guide at the back, but just having names really wasn’t enough.
The first half of the book is almost boring, with Priya and Malini both focused on the day-to-day workings of running a country. And also lots of religious infighting (which ends up being way more important than I would have expected or particularly wanted). Bhumika and Rao definitely carry the first half of the book because they’re actually traveling and seeing new people and doing new things.
But the ending… the ending for all of our main four (Priya, Malini, Bhumika, and Rao) was perfect
{Thank you Orbit for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review; all thoughts are my own}...more
I had a really hard time suspending my disbelief in this one. The amnesia just felt super contrived and almost like an excuse to reveal clues without I had a really hard time suspending my disbelief in this one. The amnesia just felt super contrived and almost like an excuse to reveal clues without having to think up a way to uncover them; it didn’t build tension or give the plot a logical progression. I would have loved to see Tanvi interacting more with other people and doing more sleuthing rather than hitting dead ends and suddenly magically remembering things.
Also girl sustained two head injuries with memory loss - they wouldn’t have allowed a cop anywhere near her and she certainly wouldn’t have been discharged from the hospital that quickly. And the “red herring” characters not really panning out to anything or even getting confronted? It just didn’t unfold in a logical way.
What I really liked though was how Tanvi’s childhood and her mother’s downward spiral was described, the trip to India, the connection to spiritualism and just that whole series of letters. I would have loved to see more of Tanvi’s family both before and after her father’s death
{Thank you Recorded Books for the ALC in exchange for my honest review; all thoughts are my own}...more
Both Riley and Madelyn (as well as their trauma and how that shaped them and bent them towards each other) were such wonderful, dimensional charactersBoth Riley and Madelyn (as well as their trauma and how that shaped them and bent them towards each other) were such wonderful, dimensional characters. However, I think the book suffers for not showing much of their time together. They are only actually in each other’s company (on the page) for very brief snatches - and instead their connection is kind of backfilled by Madelyn and her inevitable drag into Riley’s orbit.
I also think the excerpts from Toby’s book + the sections from Lillian’s perspective genuinely don’t add much. That real estate could have been used to give more Riley/Sam time or more Riley/Madelyn time.
Where this book absolutely siiiings is in the spooky imagery, the gritty forest full of charms and superstition, and the picture of opioid-crisis dead New England town. Riley’s trauma flashback scenes were visceral pictures of life in the orbit of an addict and it hit hard every time.
{Thanks to the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review}...more
It’s important to note that since I received an early copy, the art was not finished and there was no color (the finished version will be full color) It’s important to note that since I received an early copy, the art was not finished and there was no color (the finished version will be full color) but that did have a dramatic impact on my reading. The art alone doesn’t do quite enough to distinguish most of the characters without also adding color
Beyond that, we didn’t spend enough time with the other side characters - namely Raoul and Alex (both of whom are mentioned by name I think twice in total including their introductions) who are quite important in Alanna’s story.
It still cuts to the heart of Alanna’s story and I think the scenery especially (the ruins of Olau, Persepolis, and the Black City most of all) will be absolutely stunning when the art is finished and colored.
So who’s next? Daine? Aly? Becka? Bring on all the graphic novel adaptations!
{Thank you Abrams Kids for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review}...more
The humor of Gideon the Ninth meets Inception-like layers of reality-bending - not to mention some classic sapphic pining between rivals - in this excThe humor of Gideon the Ninth meets Inception-like layers of reality-bending - not to mention some classic sapphic pining between rivals - in this exciting new series opener from Melissa Caruso. With dashes of irreverent humor, a well-grounded main character, and a uniquely complicated/nonsense world with its own wiggly and interesting rules, we’ve got a lovely self-contained mystery story (or maybe deadly trials? There’s a bit of both here) but a universe that can hold much more. This book definitely stands on its own which I can appreciate since book two is obviously not currently available.
Kembral is a very good main character: she’s implacable, she has a very good reason to not want to be involved in things, she has an equally good reason to fight tooth and nail to get herself out of things intact, she’s competent in a no-nonsense way (which invites imagination from Rika and other characters, which may or may not take our dear Kembral by surprise), and she’s got a cool party trick.
I also really liked the structure of the repeating party and moving deeper through layers of unreality as things become increasingly tense and also increasingly nonsensical. The rules don’t apply the farther you get from reality, and that keeps even a “repetitive” plot from ever getting boring.
Plus, hello, Moira Quirk narrates the audiobook.
{Thank you Orbit Books for the DRC and Hachette Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review}...more
This felt very surface level compared to Jaigirdar’s other books. I had a hard time buying into Rani’s and Meghna’s decisions and thought processes - This felt very surface level compared to Jaigirdar’s other books. I had a hard time buying into Rani’s and Meghna’s decisions and thought processes - and certainly can’t imagine a faculty advisor would allow that project to get past the proposal stage (for privacy violation concerns in particular). The book as a whole falls kind of into the same trap as the girls themselves: it’s so centered on the cheating and the mediocre boy that it leaves the all-important girls by the wayside.
Particularly when romantic feelings between Rani and Meghna come into play, it feels rather like it came out of nowhere, like there was no build up at all, like it had to be squeezed in before the book ended rather than happening rather more organically. Like, these girls don’t have an actual honest conversation from start to finish until their confession.
I also definitely wanted more with the families - especially in the middle of the book. I think they were set up to be a much stronger influence on the story than they ended up being. Particularly Meghna’s
All that being said, the writing style makes it easy to read and become invested in our characters, but I think I just expected more
{Thank you FierceReads for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review}...more
First it must be noted that this book has fantastic body horror/gore.
But the plot doesn’t feel very anchored. The other characters outside of Andrew/TFirst it must be noted that this book has fantastic body horror/gore.
But the plot doesn’t feel very anchored. The other characters outside of Andrew/Thomas should have been more present and/or we needed way more flashbacks to previous years. I would have loved to see much more of Lana and Chloe and ESPECIALLY Dove. There’s a twist that quite simply doesn’t land because Andrew and Thomas are so isolated - and Andrew is such a passive character.
Honestly, it would have made a brilliant novella, since most of the connective tissue was so thin. Then the prose could shine without the need to expand to fill space.
{Thank you FierceReads for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review} ...more
This one wasn’t quite as strong as the last one. It felt kind of like it lacked a driving force, like Zilan and company were kind of drifting3.5 stars
This one wasn’t quite as strong as the last one. It felt kind of like it lacked a driving force, like Zilan and company were kind of drifting aimlessly from place to place and solving each (smaller) problem with relative ease - and maybe that’s just because resurrection alchemy undercuts the fear of consequences (ie death).
It also wasn’t nearly as funny, which is probably a good thing tonally but made the text a bit less engaging. Though bringing Zheng Sili in allowed for some of that solid banter and witty comebacks.
I also think that Hong’s absence from the majority of the story cut the strength of Zilan’s motivation off at the knees. Wenshu claims that Zilan is moping because of Hong but we don’t really see that. She seems kind of adrift throughout the story - vaguely guilty, vaguely homesick, vaguely scared of the Empress. And we just kind of left Yufei to her own devices to the point where she’s honestly not even a major character in this book either, along with Hong.
{Thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review}...more
This is a very solid continuation of the world that was built in the first book. Once again, we challenged Maddileh’s worldview and her understanding This is a very solid continuation of the world that was built in the first book. Once again, we challenged Maddileh’s worldview and her understanding of her history (this is very much a case of paying attention to who it is recording the history and the legends, and who is benefiting from those records). This book was far less zoomed in on our characters and more a metaphor for larger society between the princes, the histories, and the legends.
Also very much did not feel like 3 whole years had passed since book one? We didn’t see enough of the impact of our main characters’ rise to power and the changes they made as part of that power.
{Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review}...more
This would have made a good novel, I think, but the manga format really works against it. The scenery doesn’t add to the tension except in the one sceThis would have made a good novel, I think, but the manga format really works against it. The scenery doesn’t add to the tension except in the one scene where the headlamp glow is blurring in the dark. Otherwise, the lack of scenery changes or significant changes in facial expression means that the manga just falls flat. The characters are literally chasing each other in circles and even the scene where one guy is literally stabbing a knife into his leg over and over again because he can’t feel anything goes totally unacknowledged.
We don’t get enough background info on either character or their college days around the time of the original murder. And the manga was so long only to have very little payoff.
{Thank you Kodansha for the complementary copy in exchange for my honest review}...more
I really liked the worldbuilding - with the post-climate disaster world and humanity’s inability to give up normalcy even in a completely unliveable eI really liked the worldbuilding - with the post-climate disaster world and humanity’s inability to give up normalcy even in a completely unliveable environment. It reminded me of The Ones We’re Meant to Find.
But the characters were a little too unserious for me. I would have liked a bit more of their backstories and less of their buddy-cop comedy routine / railfan nonsense. If the story was darker in tone, I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more.
{Thank you Kodansha for the complementary copy in exchange for my honest review}...more
Okay! I’ll profess that I haven’t yet read Sweat And Soap, but I’ve heard no end of good things about it, so snagging this one was a no brainer. I reaOkay! I’ll profess that I haven’t yet read Sweat And Soap, but I’ve heard no end of good things about it, so snagging this one was a no brainer. I really liked both Nokoru and Izumi; they felt like real people connecting unexpectedly because of the pandemic. Their relationship developed in a logical way and they were both very keen on communicating effectively with each other.
I also did laugh a few times, which is important to note. And since all the major laugh lines are Izumi’s, seeing Nokoru’s reactions made them land even better.
{Thank you Kodansha for the complementary copy in exchange for my honest review}...more
Deliciously complicated and full of “no right answers”, the Kindom Trilogy continues with a tangled and fraught second book. On Vicious Worlds does muDeliciously complicated and full of “no right answers”, the Kindom Trilogy continues with a tangled and fraught second book. On Vicious Worlds does much better by Jun than These Burning Stars did, making her less of the “perfect SFF underdog genius” and more into the complex emotional tangle that Esek and Chono and Six already exemplified in book one. In fact, I’d argue that Jun and Masar’s half of the book was more interesting than Chono and Six’s (at least until we got to the fight scenes, because for those two fighting is an art form).
I liked seeing characters we thought we understood breaking under pressure or from their own misguided ideals. And the messy, barbed trust/loyalty/bond between Chono and Six is fantastic. I wish we’d seen a bit more overlap between the two main groups of characters, but the frequent switches between them made the pacing much better than the looooong chapters in book one.
I’m beyond excited for what book three will bring
{Thank you Orbit Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review; all thoughts are my own}...more
A solid standalone fantasy (that I definitely thought was going to turn out to be a series starter) with a group of very interesting characters. LoranA solid standalone fantasy (that I definitely thought was going to turn out to be a series starter) with a group of very interesting characters. Loran is a pretty standard fantasy heroine, making a pact with a dragon to become her occupied homeland’s champion and wage war on the empire.
Cain filled the “detective” role, with his desire to solve his friend’s murder. Through him, we saw what lives were like for immigrants in the heart of the occupying empire, which did a good job at providing context for what Loran was doing.
Arienne was the most interesting character, a fugitive sorcerer whose destiny was to become a magical battery. Through her we got bits of history and legend as well as the basics for how magic works in this world.
All this without needing to be a doorstop. It was a very economical fantasy novel in that sense.
{Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review; all thoughts are my own}...more
I wasn't really sold at the beginning, but this is a big book so a bit of lead-up is certainly required. Based on what I've read so far, To Sleep in aI wasn't really sold at the beginning, but this is a big book so a bit of lead-up is certainly required. Based on what I've read so far, To Sleep in a Sea of Stars is going to be: cinematic, descriptive, and full of crazy alien stuff. I'm absolutely here for it. In this short span of pages, we already have a conflict, a strong sense of Kira's character, and crazy alien stuff. Plus, the science portion feels smart and not just glossed over, which I certainly appreciate.
The romantic scenes were a little awkward, but they were short and served to further develop Kira's character, which I know is going to be important going forward.
By the time I reached the end of the excerpt, I was not ready for it to be over. Props to whoever decided to end it there because now I want to throw my TBR out the window and read the rest.
{Thank you Tor Books and NetGalley for the ebook copy of the excerpt; thank you Macmillan Audio for the audio excerpt}
Merged review:
I wasn't really sold at the beginning, but this is a big book so a bit of lead-up is certainly required. Based on what I've read so far, To Sleep in a Sea of Stars is going to be: cinematic, descriptive, and full of crazy alien stuff. I'm absolutely here for it. In this short span of pages, we already have a conflict, a strong sense of Kira's character, and crazy alien stuff. Plus, the science portion feels smart and not just glossed over, which I certainly appreciate.
The romantic scenes were a little awkward, but they were short and served to further develop Kira's character, which I know is going to be important going forward.
By the time I reached the end of the excerpt, I was not ready for it to be over. Props to whoever decided to end it there because now I want to throw my TBR out the window and read the rest.
{Thank you Tor Books and NetGalley for the ebook copy of the excerpt; thank you Macmillan Audio for the audio excerpt}...more
Personally I’m not a fan of the fated mates/soulmates trope and I’ll explain why in the context of this book. Other than some wWe’ll say this is a 3.5
Personally I’m not a fan of the fated mates/soulmates trope and I’ll explain why in the context of this book. Other than some witty banter, we use the red thread to skip the building of trust / getting-to-know-you / initial bloom of attraction. Like the immediate “love at first sight” vibe just because they’re fated always feels like an excuse to skip the foundation of a relationship (again, this is a personal preference).
Things I liked: Jyn‘s character and the way she holds Sai and hope and the world in general at a distance (she does kind of flip very dramatically but I would say that fits with her character in the context of the story); I always love when stories are woven throughout a book and this one was no exception (even better when Jyn gets to correct the legends with the facts); the whole section of the book when they’re in the Wastelands was solid.
Things I didn’t like: the pacing was weird (the whole book took place over the course of a month??); injuries were totally shrugged off / magicked away (the man was fighting an army while walking on two shattered legs??); I would have liked the villain to be present more than as a framing device (like sure, we see some minions but that’s a different ball game); and I wanted a bit more resolution to the huntress’s story (why didn’t they go back to her village at the end??).
Overall, a solid debut with a lot to like
{Thank you Saga Press for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review}...more
This felt like the most direct story in the series so far - unlike the earlier books it didn’t feel quite so stretched thin. It also felt very timely This felt like the most direct story in the series so far - unlike the earlier books it didn’t feel quite so stretched thin. It also felt very timely (even though it’s set in the 50s) as it deals with queer books and the lengths people will go to prevent those books getting into the hands of people who need them.
Of course, we also had several layers of mystery. And I like that this one focused on Andy’s temperament and his ties to toxic masculinity (ie his hero complex).
Overall, this is a pretty cozy series with queer characters in a realistic 1950s backdrop that doesn’t shy away from murder, blackmail, corruption, etc
{Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review; all thoughts are my own}...more
Listening to this audiobook was like eating a baumkuchen cake: endless layers pressed so tightly together with pockets of air or sticky syrup between Listening to this audiobook was like eating a baumkuchen cake: endless layers pressed so tightly together with pockets of air or sticky syrup between that it was often difficult to determine just how many layers you’ve punctured. Though of course this wasn’t nearly so sweet as a German confection. This is a story of torment and abuse - with a twist that would be very familiar to thriller lovers but is so much more insidious for what it implies about all the layers that were built up from that previously hidden or unknown foundation.
And I think what makes this so much more heartbreaking is how we see the impacts of these siblings’ trauma radiating out to their children for both good and ill. How Ezri, so trapped in the prison of their own pain, can miss Elijah’s needs and the warning signs that have readers screaming at them to just look.
Above all, these characters are deeply flawed and bound up in their shared experiences. I think I would have liked to see more of Emmanuel in the first half of the book, because I think it would have made her reaction to the ending a bit more impactful, but honestly this book is a wrecking ball either way.
CWs for child sexual assault, dead animals/pets, suicide, racist and homophobic slurs, grooming, gaslighting (this is a noncomprehensive list, so maybe check out some other sources for more)
{Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review; all thoughts are my own}...more
There were some beautiful passages - especially in the beginning - as we wove through the streets and got to see our demon loving her city as she did There were some beautiful passages - especially in the beginning - as we wove through the streets and got to see our demon loving her city as she did best. Overall, though, it felt kind of distant, with the passage of time and everyone but the demon and angel falling through our fingers like water and fading inevitably into nothing much.
All throughout, I was kind of like “what was the point?” I suppose the demon did grow over time, but she never quite let go of her need to possess things and people and her city. And with fire and death on the horizon, she seems to just… abandon it? Is that supposed to be love?
Though I did like the metaphor of the glass cage in her heart and the burning of pages from her book/her memory.
{Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review; all thoughts are my own}...more
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