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thecaptainsquarters
Ahoy there mateys! Though this log’s focus is on sci-fi, fantasy, and young adult, this Captain does have broader reading tastes. So occasionally I will share some novels that I enjoyed that are off the charts (a non sci-fi, fantasy, or young adult novel), as it were.
One standard “non-standard for me” genre is historical fiction. While I love history by itself, I enjoy historical fiction for the blending of history and getting to feel like the historical characters are real people. I mean, I know many of the historical characters in historical fiction books were real people, as that is the point. But I like the idea of knowing what they may have thought about the strange circumstances they found themselves in – especially if it involves women’s perspectives.
This story is told from the perspective of Alice Hopkins. Tragedy forces Alice to go back to stay with her brother whom she left under less than ideal circumstances. However, when she goes back she does not find the brother that she remembers. Matthew Hopkins has gone from a nobody to one of the most important figures in the village. Why? Because he is determined to hunt down all the witches.
Matthew Hopkins is the actual historical personage in this novel. He is credited with having helped kill over 300 women in the period from 1644 to 1646. Some believe that is over 60% of all “witches” killed in over three centuries. And he did that in just over TWO years. Ugh. He seems to even have given himself the title of “Witch-Finder General.”
Apparently he also wrote a book called “The Discovery of Witches” in 1647. Matthew Hopkins’ book was later used in law texts and to help catch witches located in the the United States, including Salem.
While there is no historical record concerning his sisters, Matthew Hopkins likely had two. I thought telling the story from a sister’s perspective was excellent. Alice was able to give her perspective on the women she knew who had been accused, life as a woman at the time, and how women actively participated in the accusations and torture of the “witches.” Even though women were seen as technically inferior and beneath men, their pettiness and gossip could be power in and of itself, and some of them used it.
I thought Alice’s story was disheartening and compelling. Every relationship shown was fraught with subtext and peril. In fact, the histories of all the characters were rich and in depth. The pace, while slow, was filled with tension and confusion about what was going to happen next. Even though it seems crazy that witch hunts existed then, I am reminded that they still occur today in some places of the world.
Overall this was a fantastic book that I am glad I read.
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
One standard “non-standard for me” genre is historical fiction. While I love history by itself, I enjoy historical fiction for the blending of history and getting to feel like the historical characters are real people. I mean, I know many of the historical characters in historical fiction books were real people, as that is the point. But I like the idea of knowing what they may have thought about the strange circumstances they found themselves in – especially if it involves women’s perspectives.
This story is told from the perspective of Alice Hopkins. Tragedy forces Alice to go back to stay with her brother whom she left under less than ideal circumstances. However, when she goes back she does not find the brother that she remembers. Matthew Hopkins has gone from a nobody to one of the most important figures in the village. Why? Because he is determined to hunt down all the witches.
Matthew Hopkins is the actual historical personage in this novel. He is credited with having helped kill over 300 women in the period from 1644 to 1646. Some believe that is over 60% of all “witches” killed in over three centuries. And he did that in just over TWO years. Ugh. He seems to even have given himself the title of “Witch-Finder General.”
Apparently he also wrote a book called “The Discovery of Witches” in 1647. Matthew Hopkins’ book was later used in law texts and to help catch witches located in the the United States, including Salem.
While there is no historical record concerning his sisters, Matthew Hopkins likely had two. I thought telling the story from a sister’s perspective was excellent. Alice was able to give her perspective on the women she knew who had been accused, life as a woman at the time, and how women actively participated in the accusations and torture of the “witches.” Even though women were seen as technically inferior and beneath men, their pettiness and gossip could be power in and of itself, and some of them used it.
I thought Alice’s story was disheartening and compelling. Every relationship shown was fraught with subtext and peril. In fact, the histories of all the characters were rich and in depth. The pace, while slow, was filled with tension and confusion about what was going to happen next. Even though it seems crazy that witch hunts existed then, I am reminded that they still occur today in some places of the world.
Overall this was a fantastic book that I am glad I read.
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Ahoy there me mateys! When I read the first novella in this series, every heart a doorway, I had no words to do that story justice. Then I read this one. Words fail me again, but I will try. So basically this novella was as stunning as the first. This second book gives us the story of what went before - a prequel if ye will. Getting the new perspectives on two characters from the first book changed me perception of book one in an awesome way. If I had time I would have immediately picked up the first book again to read it with me new insights. Another time mehaps. I just utterly adore this series and am so glad me crew recommended it over and over and over again until me noggin finally caught on and listened. If ye haven't read the first novella then do yerself a favor and grab it. Do read them in order. I also didn't read the blurb before reading this one which I highly recommend. I want the next book in the series. Something to look forward to in 2018!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
Arrrrrr mateys! Ships, magic, islands, assassins, dragon-kind, merfolk, gods, and so much more. Of course the cover drew me in but the main idea in this book is what tickled me fancy.
A woman named Selena possesses magic in exchange for service to the Two-Faced God. Ten years prior to this story, Selena used her magic to destroy a naval army. Only she lost control and killed the hundreds of innocents she was meant to save. In retribution, the god marked her breast with an icy hole in the shape of a crescent moon. The wound does not heal and Selena has never been warm since her mistake. These ten years later, an order has come that may lead to her redemption. She swore she would never kill again. But will she if it means she might be warm at last?
So Selena was an excellent character. I loved following her journey. She does appear a bit naive at times but I chalked it up to being raised in a temple and the ramifications of that. Her magic is awesome. She can summon the sea and heal and such. But because of her grievous mistake, she is wary of using her own power and it causes extreme internal conflict. Her wound is creepy and otherworldly. It is a void that she can put her hand into up to the elbow! Cool and gross!
The other characters are also extremely fun and multi-faceted. There is the assassin, Sebastian Vass, who has taken one final job to get out of the business altogether. Snarky, intelligent, and ruthless. There is Selena's companion, Ilior, who is a dragon-like creature and her best friend and self-appointed protector. Caring, stoic, and faithful. There are bad folks who have actual reasons for being evil and other folks that I remain ambivalent about in the best ways possible. Best of all, these characters change and grow as the plot progresses!
The world-building was lovely too. I loved the island world and its reasons for existing. I would certainly find adventure sailing in those waters. Some more dangerous than others. The religion of the world was very interesting. The ramifications are only hinted at in this book but what ideas were there were thought-provoking, and to me mind, fun.
The only downsides for me were the somewhat uneven pacing and the romance. The book is over 500 pages and there was a little too much filler for me taste. Mostly at the beginning. That said, the majority of the book kept me avidly flipping pages. Also I would find meself thinking of the characters when I put the book down and would be excited to pick it up again. So a minor grumble.
The romance itself was overall fine and it certainly isn't all perfect rosy goodness all the time. But I found meself wanting them to get over the angst. Of course then I got a sex scene that just seemed out of place. Again minor quibble. I was glad when the deed was done.
I very much enjoyed the voyage and certainly want to read the next book which I believe comes out in 2018. Arrrrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Trillian!
Side note: I couldn't find the e-book version on sale. But being as I read an e-book it's likely out there somewhere.
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Arrrrrr mateys! Ships, magic, islands, assassins, dragon-kind, merfolk, gods, and so much more. Of course the cover drew me in but the main idea in this book is what tickled me fancy.
A woman named Selena possesses magic in exchange for service to the Two-Faced God. Ten years prior to this story, Selena used her magic to destroy a naval army. Only she lost control and killed the hundreds of innocents she was meant to save. In retribution, the god marked her breast with an icy hole in the shape of a crescent moon. The wound does not heal and Selena has never been warm since her mistake. These ten years later, an order has come that may lead to her redemption. She swore she would never kill again. But will she if it means she might be warm at last?
So Selena was an excellent character. I loved following her journey. She does appear a bit naive at times but I chalked it up to being raised in a temple and the ramifications of that. Her magic is awesome. She can summon the sea and heal and such. But because of her grievous mistake, she is wary of using her own power and it causes extreme internal conflict. Her wound is creepy and otherworldly. It is a void that she can put her hand into up to the elbow! Cool and gross!
The other characters are also extremely fun and multi-faceted. There is the assassin, Sebastian Vass, who has taken one final job to get out of the business altogether. Snarky, intelligent, and ruthless. There is Selena's companion, Ilior, who is a dragon-like creature and her best friend and self-appointed protector. Caring, stoic, and faithful. There are bad folks who have actual reasons for being evil and other folks that I remain ambivalent about in the best ways possible. Best of all, these characters change and grow as the plot progresses!
The world-building was lovely too. I loved the island world and its reasons for existing. I would certainly find adventure sailing in those waters. Some more dangerous than others. The religion of the world was very interesting. The ramifications are only hinted at in this book but what ideas were there were thought-provoking, and to me mind, fun.
The only downsides for me were the somewhat uneven pacing and the romance. The book is over 500 pages and there was a little too much filler for me taste. Mostly at the beginning. That said, the majority of the book kept me avidly flipping pages. Also I would find meself thinking of the characters when I put the book down and would be excited to pick it up again. So a minor grumble.
The romance itself was overall fine and it certainly isn't all perfect rosy goodness all the time. But I found meself wanting them to get over the angst. Of course then I got a sex scene that just seemed out of place. Again minor quibble. I was glad when the deed was done.
I very much enjoyed the voyage and certainly want to read the next book which I believe comes out in 2018. Arrrrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Trillian!
Side note: I couldn't find the e-book version on sale. But being as I read an e-book it's likely out there somewhere.
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this fantasy ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings. If ye haven’t read the first book in this series, the bear and the nightingale, then ye might want to skip this post and go read the first book. Worth the read. If ye keep reading this log then ye have been forewarned and continue at yer own peril . . . . . .
The first book, the bear and the nightingale, was one of me top 5 reads of 2017. So imagine me delight when I was given a copy of this sequel. Like book one, this installment contains another stunning cover and another beautiful lyrical story that had me besotted.
While book one could be read as standalone, I am so very glad that I got to experience more of Vasya’s adventures. This book immediately transported me back to medieval Russia. The difference is that in the first book, ye got to read about a tiny village in the dark Russian countryside. Now Vasya has fled her childhood home and is trying to figure out what she wants her future to be all while dealing with the realities in the world-at-large.
I continued to love reading about the relationships between Vasya and her siblings. Time has passed since they all saw one another and all three of them are struggling to deal with the changes that time and growing up have wrought on one another. While love is there, societal pressure is a force to be reckoned with. There also continues to be the juxtaposition of Christianity and pagan beliefs that leads to some fascinating events.
The highlights continue to be Solovey, the portrayal of the society of women, the awesome folklore creatures, and the rich character relationships. I cannot wait to read more about Vasya and the Winter-King, Morozko. It was a magical thrilling story that transported me to a different time and place. I want the next book!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Random House!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
The first book, the bear and the nightingale, was one of me top 5 reads of 2017. So imagine me delight when I was given a copy of this sequel. Like book one, this installment contains another stunning cover and another beautiful lyrical story that had me besotted.
While book one could be read as standalone, I am so very glad that I got to experience more of Vasya’s adventures. This book immediately transported me back to medieval Russia. The difference is that in the first book, ye got to read about a tiny village in the dark Russian countryside. Now Vasya has fled her childhood home and is trying to figure out what she wants her future to be all while dealing with the realities in the world-at-large.
I continued to love reading about the relationships between Vasya and her siblings. Time has passed since they all saw one another and all three of them are struggling to deal with the changes that time and growing up have wrought on one another. While love is there, societal pressure is a force to be reckoned with. There also continues to be the juxtaposition of Christianity and pagan beliefs that leads to some fascinating events.
The highlights continue to be Solovey, the portrayal of the society of women, the awesome folklore creatures, and the rich character relationships. I cannot wait to read more about Vasya and the Winter-King, Morozko. It was a magical thrilling story that transported me to a different time and place. I want the next book!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Random House!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Well me mateys, while this be an enjoyable read, it certainly wasn’t what I was expectin’. If ye read the blurb, ye get an idea that this is going to be a post-apocalyptic tale about a virus killin’ off both cats and humanity with a scientist racin’ to find a cure as quickly as possible. This is not the case. I kept waiting for the human death count to spiral out of control. The first confirmed human death didn’t even arrive until around the 60% mark and there was never another. And the solution to the problem was certainly not a real rush. So if ye be expectin’ that kind of tale then this is not fer ye.
This book was is what the author calls “lab-lit.” Her amazon page says that it “is a small but growing genre of mainstream fiction about scientists and science as a profession.” Her website explains more about the ramifications of the term. Amazon also says that Jennifer Rohn “leads a research lab at University College London in the United Kingdom, studying how bacteria subvert human cells during infection.” Cool!
So while this book did not end up being what I thought, I still very much enjoyed it for both the science and characters. I have no scientific background except fer some chemistry classes back in the day and a best mate who is a vet. This story takes us through a mini-crash course of virology specifically concerning VSN RNA and feline leukemia (FeLV). I could follow along fairly well. The science part of the plot involves trying to figure out what the virus is and how it is evolving. Ye spend the majority of the time in the lab hearing about the day-to-day life, experiments, and politics. Oh and there is some stuff about epidemiologists and mathematical modeling. The math stuff did go over me head.
The characterizations were where much of the tension in the book came from. All of the main characters suffering from mental illness of some kind – autism, phobias, etc. The scientists were a quirky bunch. Artemis, the main protagonist, finds herself in complication relationships with the three other male scientists that are working on the problem with her. There are so many secrets and complicated issues that she is not sure who to trust. And of course one of those men happens to be both her post-doc and odd love interest. So add sexual tension in there. Oh and Aremis is trying to go through a divorce too. More sexual tension and angst.
I would normally find all these science and relationship elements to be overwhelming but instead I found meself pondering how it would all resolve. This kept me readin’. The answers for both the epidemic and relationships where a little underwhelming but nicely wrapped up. It ended up being a pleasant read. So if ye like lots of science in detail and crazy people doing crazy things then this read might be for ye.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Biting Duck Press!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
This book was is what the author calls “lab-lit.” Her amazon page says that it “is a small but growing genre of mainstream fiction about scientists and science as a profession.” Her website explains more about the ramifications of the term. Amazon also says that Jennifer Rohn “leads a research lab at University College London in the United Kingdom, studying how bacteria subvert human cells during infection.” Cool!
So while this book did not end up being what I thought, I still very much enjoyed it for both the science and characters. I have no scientific background except fer some chemistry classes back in the day and a best mate who is a vet. This story takes us through a mini-crash course of virology specifically concerning VSN RNA and feline leukemia (FeLV). I could follow along fairly well. The science part of the plot involves trying to figure out what the virus is and how it is evolving. Ye spend the majority of the time in the lab hearing about the day-to-day life, experiments, and politics. Oh and there is some stuff about epidemiologists and mathematical modeling. The math stuff did go over me head.
The characterizations were where much of the tension in the book came from. All of the main characters suffering from mental illness of some kind – autism, phobias, etc. The scientists were a quirky bunch. Artemis, the main protagonist, finds herself in complication relationships with the three other male scientists that are working on the problem with her. There are so many secrets and complicated issues that she is not sure who to trust. And of course one of those men happens to be both her post-doc and odd love interest. So add sexual tension in there. Oh and Aremis is trying to go through a divorce too. More sexual tension and angst.
I would normally find all these science and relationship elements to be overwhelming but instead I found meself pondering how it would all resolve. This kept me readin’. The answers for both the epidemic and relationships where a little underwhelming but nicely wrapped up. It ended up being a pleasant read. So if ye like lots of science in detail and crazy people doing crazy things then this read might be for ye.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Biting Duck Press!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Ahoy there me mateys! So this book is a bit of a conundrum. Ye see I normally write me reviews immediately after finishing a tome. I like to put me thoughts in me log right away as it helps me process what I read. And yet this novel was read months ago and I am still struggling with pinning this one down. Me rule be to review every book I read so I figured come hell or high water, today be the day.
The Good:
- extremely fun magic system. magic spells are written out in luminous text using parts of the body. it is an odd system but totally works.
- a main character, Nicodemus, who has failed to live up to his golden child destiny. they thought he was the chosen one and then gave up on him.
- Nicodemus has dyslexia, a major factor in why he has disastrous consequences when using his magic. woven into the story and magic in a beautiful way. the author has dyslexia too so #ownvoices.
- a spellcaster named Shannon who is the mentor of Nicodemus but is just plain awesome. easily me favourite character in the book.
- golems. very cool constructs. kinda want one.
- dragons. 'nuff said.
The Not So Good:
- the pacing. so very hard to get into the story. the world building is intriguing and kept me going but parts of the story were a slog. wanted to abandon ship multiple times.
- Nicodemus is annoying. very much sympathize with his situation. he is just so bitter and angry and not in the sarcastic clever witty way. he is a hot headed fool.
- Nicodemus cannot breathe without looking for his mentor, Shannon's, approval. totally get why this is part of the story but urg. in combination with the previous note, makes me want to wring his neck.
- evil beings for the sake of evil. perhaps there is a greater reason then the usual. but this book didn't explore it.
- dragons. well this trilogy claims to have dragons which be part of why it was begun. got a dream dragon. huh?
So there it be - me thoughts. I like the world building and magic quite a bit. The main character and pacing irk me. So do I want to read the next in the series. All these months later and I still be unconvinced. So has any of me crew read this series and want to tip the ballast one way or the other?
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
The Good:
- extremely fun magic system. magic spells are written out in luminous text using parts of the body. it is an odd system but totally works.
- a main character, Nicodemus, who has failed to live up to his golden child destiny. they thought he was the chosen one and then gave up on him.
- Nicodemus has dyslexia, a major factor in why he has disastrous consequences when using his magic. woven into the story and magic in a beautiful way. the author has dyslexia too so #ownvoices.
- a spellcaster named Shannon who is the mentor of Nicodemus but is just plain awesome. easily me favourite character in the book.
- golems. very cool constructs. kinda want one.
- dragons. 'nuff said.
The Not So Good:
- the pacing. so very hard to get into the story. the world building is intriguing and kept me going but parts of the story were a slog. wanted to abandon ship multiple times.
- Nicodemus is annoying. very much sympathize with his situation. he is just so bitter and angry and not in the sarcastic clever witty way. he is a hot headed fool.
- Nicodemus cannot breathe without looking for his mentor, Shannon's, approval. totally get why this is part of the story but urg. in combination with the previous note, makes me want to wring his neck.
- evil beings for the sake of evil. perhaps there is a greater reason then the usual. but this book didn't explore it.
- dragons. well this trilogy claims to have dragons which be part of why it was begun. got a dream dragon. huh?
So there it be - me thoughts. I like the world building and magic quite a bit. The main character and pacing irk me. So do I want to read the next in the series. All these months later and I still be unconvinced. So has any of me crew read this series and want to tip the ballast one way or the other?
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/