leandrathetbrzero's Reviews (412)

Foul Play or a Ghost Story come to life?

 

If you are in search of an atmospheric read set in the isolated forests of Norway, then look no further than André Bjerke’s The Lake of the Dead. Translated from its original Norwegian, this book is a national favorite within Norway. According to the book’s introduction (written by the translator), Norway’s horror genre does not go as deep as that of the U.S. and other countries, but this is as close to a Norwegian horror narrative as it gets. I would classify this as a hybrid between thriller and detective fiction. It mixes that feeling of always being watched with a band of amateur detectives, each with their own way of finding the solution.

After buying a cabin deep in the forest, one that the locals call “Dead Man’s Cabin,” Bjorn Werner goes missing within two weeks of arriving at the property. Legend says that over a century ago, a man killed his sister and her lover, throwing their bodies into Blue Lake, and then committed suicide after going mad with guilt. According to local authorities, Bjorn’s footprints led to the lake’s edge, leaving them to assume suicide. His family and friends think differently. Whether it was foul play or supernatural events, they are determined to come to the truth. Hopefully before more of them perish.

There is so much to enjoy about this book. I felt the tension and fear experienced by the narrator. Reading Bjorn’s last few diary entries was particularly unnerving. I am not an expert in horror, so I do not know what horror buffs would think of this narrative, but I do think it is a great title for those who enjoy elements of the thriller genre. Interestingly, there are also many classic mystery tropes and themes! The self-referential nods to detective fiction tropes – just the way I like it – reminded me of John Dickson Carr and Vincent Starrett. Bjerke features a variety of detectives, too: Gran, the classic deductive sleuth; Bugge, the psychoanalyst; Mork, believer in the occult; and Borge, our Hastings-inspired narrator.

 The only let down for me was the solution. I understand that some thriller and mystery readers find the entire book a waste of time if they did not enjoy or appreciate the wrap-up, but I don’t think my feelings about the solution dictate how much fun I had reading the rest of the narrative. I must admit that my current graduate coursework may be to blame for my distaste for the ending. Before picking up The Lake of the Dead, my brain had been fully immersed in Freudian theories, to the point where I never want to discuss Sigmund Freud ever again! Unfortunately, the ending gives the reader a very Freudian solution. And so, my feelings about the ending are likely biased. Be sure to give this book a try if the atmosphere and mystery have intrigued you! 

Janae Marks’s debut novel From the Desk of Zoe Washington should be required reading for all middle grade children. Not only is Zoe a loveable, humorous protagonist to follow, but the social justice topics covered in this book are crucial issues to which young people should be exposed. Zoe’s life is complicated enough with her baking internship and broken friendship with her next-door neighbor, Trevor. Yet when she receives a letter from her father, a man incarcerated for murder, on her twelfth birthday, Zoe begins an investigation that she refuses to stop until she uncovers the answers she seeks. Is her father innocent and, if so, what can she do to help him get out of prison?

Zoe, her friends, and her family all felt so realistic, and it is clear from the beginning that Zoe is surrounded by love and support. I love that the setting is clearly in Boston, referencing the Celtics and Harvard. There are many modern cultural references as well that set this book specifically in the late 2010s to 2020 with mentions of the Black Lives Matter movement and the very popular baking show craze we are experiencing in the last ten years or so. Speaking of the BLM movement, Marks does a brilliant job of addressing social justice issues, including the incarceration rates of black men and the prejudice/discriminations many BIPOC people experience every day. I think that our younger populations deserve to learn about these issues, and they are certainly not “too young” to learn about BLM or the failures observed in our current judicial system in the US. Marks is thoughtful and thorough, and never did I feel that the material was inappropriate or too mature for middle grade readers.

While this book does cover very heavy topics, Marks alleviates the narrative with moments of baking, bonding with family and friends, and Zoe simply growing up. It was lovely to become a part of Zoe’s world, and I think any child (or adult) reading this would want to be Zoe’s friend. I also love that this middle grade mystery features a young black protagonist. From my experience, the mystery industry is far too white for my liking, and I love that young readers have a new BIPOC author writing riveting mysteries with BIPOC protagonists. 

A middle grade mystery that everyone should read and cherish, From the Desk of Zoe Washington should be on your TBR shelves ASAP! 

After moving from Texas to Oregon, James and his family have to adjust to new jobs and friends, a new home and neighborhood, but also the strange appearance of letters signed from The Keeper. James brings these letters to his parents, but they chock them up to the sibling prank war that he has been waging with his younger sister, Ava. The children, however, know they aren’t behind these spooky letters. And in them is mentioned the Blood Moon, a lunar equinox just days away. The siblings set their pranking war aside to team up and solve this mystery before James and Ava both find themselves in serious danger.

This mystery had me on the edge of my seat with 100 pages to go. I don’t think I have gasped or shouted expletives as much as I did during the latter half of this novel. Guadalupe García McCall is the master of thrills and chills! Any suspect or solution that I came up with on my own was blown out of the water. The sibling detective team were brilliant, not only in their deductive skills but in their support and love for each other. I also love the family dynamic between them and their parents, as well as their deceased Ita. The family nights, consejos told by Ita, and Mexican folklore were insightful and enriching to the narrative. The inclusion of Mexican and Nahua history and culture felt natural, as did the use of Spanish throughout the dialogue. I love that McCall invites her readers to normalize multicultural backgrounds, especially those that originate just over this country’s borders. I was impressed by the imagery and setting as well, totally believing that the characters were in lush, very green and very wet, Oregon.

Entering this novel, I had no idea what to expect from a middle grade thriller, but I can say that the hairs on my arms were certainly raised a few times while reading. I hope to read something else by this author in the near future. 

Ever since Red, White, and Royal Blue arrived on the shelves in 2019, this book has received so much love and hype that I refused to pick it up. Fear the hype, I always say. Not to mention I have never been an avid romance reader. As overwhelming as it can be to decide which tropes I might like, and which authors I should try, the romance genre is one I am venturing to read more in 2022. And reading this Casey McQuiston best seller is all thanks to a virtual book club that I am part of, hosted by @Kay’sSecretLibrary (via Instagram).

I devoured the first 200 pages of this novel, adoring the snarky dialogue, the building romantic tension between Alex and Henry, and eventually the spicy scenes they shared. McQuiston does a pretty good job of intertwining serious political and sociocultural issues relating to the LGBT+ and Latinx communities into the narrative. I loved the diversity in this book, and I can imagine that many readers belonging to these groups feel seen and heard while reading it. 

While there is much to appreciate in Red, White, and Royal Blue, the second half of the novel lost a lot of steam. I do believe that the novel’s length is partly to blame. As I said, I am no expert in romance writing, but contemporary romance novels tend to be around 300 pages or less (in my experience). McQuiston’s book is over 400. The length was actually one of my main concerns entering the novel, wondering if the single leading romance would keep my attention. I found myself skimming certain conversations, including the email exchanges between Alex and Henry, which is never a great sign. While reading this book, I was meant to read Anonymous Sex alongside it for a video vlog, but by page 250, I was afraid to put RW&RB down in case I chose not to pick it up again, DNFing it! I attribute the slowed pace to McQuiston’s shift in attention to the characters’ individual sub-conflicts; i.e., the re-election campaign for Alex’s mother, Alex’s own career choices, and Henry’s duties to some of his homophobic family members. The issues highlighted in these “minor” conflicts were certainly important, but I wish they had not been dumped on me in the middle of the book without the romance woven in more artistically. I know this is a finicky criticism because romances usually leave their subplots underdeveloped which also bothers me. Sometimes too much, and other times too little…Apparently nothing will make me happy regarding the subplots in romances! [insert crying laughing emoji here]

Another reviewer described the writing to mirror that of wattpad/fan fiction narratives and – while there is nothing wrong with that if you are someone who loves those reading outlets – I would have to agree that I was getting a strange mix of YA and Adult romance vibes. The crude, sometimes forced, dialogue gave off teenager rebellion themes while the explicit sex scenes placed this book firmly in the adult romance genre. It was a jarring mixture of tones. It did not help that many Harry Potter references were included, another tendency of fan fiction/tumblr writers. Too many for me. I was never so obsessed with the HP series to be called a “Potterhead,” but I did enjoy the books and movies alike growing up. I just think the era of Harry Potter is past, and I am over the hype of it. Also, JK Rowling has proven to be transphobic and not a friend of the LGBT+ community. She is not someone I want to support or think about, and the many HP references did not help that.

I am very much aware that my opinions of this novel are among the minority of readers, and I can appreciate that. I understand why it has as many admirers as it does, and I still see myself recommending this book to the right reader. Glad I read it, and hoping to try more romance in the future! 

 Before starting graduate school in the fall of 2021, I spent five years after undergrad reading whatever title intrigued me, and at my own pace. During that academic hiatus, I read - and continue to read - a variety of genres and subgenres. One genre I made an effort to read more often for leisure was “classic” literature, the kind you might be assigned to read in a literature class. This is predominantly because I worried my negative feelings toward the genre were connected with the feeling that I was being forced to read it for a class. Thus began my experiment! I read various classics: Sense and Sensibility, Wuthering Heights, and Animal Farm to name a few. I would often tell friends and family how glad I was that I got the chance to experience these books for the first time while reading for pleasure. Returning to the academic sphere, I have been wondering if I would begin disliking classics once more. 

I am happy to report that I have been grateful these past two semesters to have an outlet for discussion and theory! Admittedly, the isolation forced upon many of us at times during the pandemic has made me all the more eager to attend my in-person classes and participate as much as possible. But I digress. This past week, I was assigned the novella, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, for my Critical Theory course. I want to preface this by saying that I am certain I would have thoroughly enjoyed this story as a pleasure read anyway, as it combines the atmospheric tension found in Frankenstein and the narrative mystery similar to Holmes. If you are a fan of either, then I would be surprised if you disliked this novella! Thus, I do not think the classroom environment is required for me to like it, but I do believe it allowed me to see connections to Freudian psychology, homoerotic nuances, and the semiotic significance of many terms and names. My professor and fellow students helped me dig deeper into the analysis of the book. With that said, I am still glad I did not read this book first in secondary or undergraduate school. I don’t think I would have appreciated it in the same way. 

This book is beautifully written and impressively complex for a novella. I loved the eerie London setting, and Mr. Utterson is a great choice as the narrative’s amateur detective. This is a classic that I can see myself recommending to others, and it encourages me to continue sifting through the many books under this label that I have missed. 

For the first four years of his life, Buck has lived comfortably alongside the Judge as the king of his own domain in the Southland. At the end of each day he curls up at the Judge’s feet by the fireplace. This blissful life is taken from him one night when Buck is stolen, sold, and moved up north to become a sled dog. He is introduced early to what he dubs “the law of club and fang” after being brutally beaten by the man in the red sweater. In the following years, Buck is sold multiple times, battles with other dogs to live another day, and the wild part of him – inherited from his long dead ancestors – is reawakened. This story is a brutal, heart-wrenching story of a dog who is too often equated to an object or commodity, and rarely as a fellow living creature. The Call of the Wild brought me to tears, and it does not surprise me that this book is a classic today.

Buck is such a compelling character to follow. The narration is third-person (or third-dog, in this case) limited, so the reader becomes well-acquainted with Buck’s thoughts and understanding of the world around him. I loved how London adapts his writing of imagery or society to fit the dog’s comprehension of it. For instance, California is called the Southland, Canada and Alaska are the Northland, and the brutal life of dog and master that Buck is introduced to becomes know as the law of club and fang, meaning that any man with a club must be obeyed. It pulls the reader further out of the prim and proper life of civilization, and it pushes us into the wilderness where the rules are far different. My heart ached for Buck as he slowly began to forget his old life, the one of comfort and trust, but I was grateful when he finally found John Thornton, the only master he truly loved.

While I am glad I read this book, I would say it is not for those highly sensitive to violence and mistreatment of animals, or anyone squeamish when reading about wounds or blood. I was very surprised by the many visceral scenes of violence. Many dogs perish in these pages, as do a few humans and other wildlife, but the dogs’ deaths were especially hard-hitting. The death match between Buck and rival Spitz was almost too much for me to read, and I cried at the death of Dave, a fellow sled dog of Buck since the beginning. I was quite upset during the scene where Buck’s brief time with the inexperienced family moving up north ended because I thought a few more dogs could have been saved, even though this led him to his life with John Thornton. As well done as The Call of the Wild is, I would not reread it willingly just because of the never-ending violence within its pages. An impactful book to read once! 

 

In a world coated in ice, the various Strongholds must do what they can to survive: trading goods with Pathfinders, hunting on the treacherous ice while avoiding Leviathans, and absolutely no singing. This proves to be harder for Ash whose only connection to his missing parents is a lullaby they used to sing to him. One day his urge to sing overwhelms him, and he and the rest of the Fira community realize he is a Song Weaver, one who can communicate with the deadly Leviathans living outside of their walls. Ash’s newfound abilities leave him exiled from his Stronghold, and he finds a place on the Frostheart, a ship full of fantastic characters that Ash hopes will help him to find his parents. 

I was inspired to read this book after the many many praises that Gavin (@gavgav7) has given to the entire series. And I am absolutely hooked! The icy world-building in this narrative is just so sophisticated. Made up of Strongholds with their own cultures and societal rules, the world is vibrant through Littler’s attention to detail. Not to mention the book’s author and illustrator are one and the same. The illustrations are gorgeous and plentiful. I loved that I was able to see the setting and events exactly as the author imagined them as he created the story. The characters are so lovable that I immediately became invested in the many perilous adventures they go on and, while Ash is our main character and his storyline is compelling, I am also very much looking forward to the growth and personal development of his friends aboard the Frostheart.

I enjoyed this book immensely as an adult, and I think you can enjoy this read at any age. Specifically, I can easily imagine middle grade readers seeing Ash as a relatable character. His internalized insecurities – and his simple wish to be accepted by his peers – are things many of us deal with, especially during our middle grade years. If you are an adult, I recommend you read this book. If you are a parent, aunt/uncle, older sibling, or grandparent, I recommend you buy this as a lovely present for a younger reader who I guarantee will love this title. 

Reread: 3.5
First read: 4.0

Fi is a treasure hunter known for her knowledge of witch history and languages. Shane is a hotheaded ax-wielding huntsman for hire with an insatiable desire for a big payout. What might be described as fate brings them together when Shane gains possession of a map leading to a witch ruin that requires Fi’s brains to help her reach the riches undoubtedly hidden within. The two agree to become partners for this one job. Little do either of these adventurers know that Fi will prick her finger on a bone spindle, awakening a hundred-year-old curse that she must break with Shane at her side. In this absolutely captivating heroes’ adventure, an unsuspecting friendship grows as they encounter dark magic, an ex’s curse, fanatical witch hunters, and problematic romances.

As someone who hasn’t read a YA or fantasy book in quite some time, I was admittedly nervous going into Leslie Vedder’s debut novel, The Bone Spindle. With that said, I pre-ordered this title after finding it on a list for 2022’s most anticipated releases because I wanted to move outside my reading comfort zone this year! YA, fantasy, romance…that’s the big three I tend not to read, so this book would certainly be a new experience.

Turns out, I had nothing to worry about because I had the best time following Fi and Shane’s journey to the fallen kingdom of Andar. While these two treasure hunters are different in more ways than they are similar, their dynamic was brilliant! Each character matched the other with snark and sarcasm, but also with growing trust and emotional support. One of the narrative’s big themes is loneliness, and I found their friendship and interdependence lovely and realistic. Along with the friendship, the characters each find themselves entangled in two different romances. While Fi is connected to the ghostly-yet-not-dead figure of Briar Rose after pricking her finger on the bone spindle, Shane is drawn to a lone traveler named Red whose mysterious identity screams danger. I enjoy both romances, particularly because they are very different from each other. I especially loved Shane’s romance not only because I loved how she is a complete bad ass in general but because Shane’s attraction to women is fully accepted by all of society. In my experience, fantasy books based in Kingdom-of-Old settings too often depict LGBT+ characters as taboo or exclude them from the narrative altogether. In Shane’s case, however, she is not only named the rightful heir to the throne as the first born child to a War King – even as a woman – but her arranged marriage automatically anticipates her to have a future queen at her side. I am sure that Vedder as a queer ace writer made a conscious effort in this aspect of the story, and I think everyone will agree it is exactly the inclusive environment that Shane deserves.

Vedder weaves many familiar elements into this Fairy Tale retelling while definitely including her own spin on things. She also modernizes some of the characters’ language; i.e., one’s “ex.” And I think that makes this book all the more fun! I also appreciated the many flashbacks to past memories, allowing us to see much of Fi and Shane’s conflicts and baggage that they collected individually before going on this adventure together.

This book ends on a cliffhanger of sorts, as the Spindle Witch is still a mysterious figure yet to be defeated, and there are many other loose ends to be dealt with by Fi and Shane. That only means that I have my own destiny to fulfill…that destiny being to read the sequel as soon as it comes out!!