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Ahoy there me mateys! I received this fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
I was excited about this book when I heard about it. The hook - a group of monsters that eat magic and everything else that they can get a hold of. The only thing standing in the way are a group called sweepers. These sweepers are described on Amazon as "bomb squad that defuses magic weapons." The blurb claims that sweepers are non-magical beings and that a sweeper named Laura is all that stands between the city and annihilation. Part of the problem with this book is that the blurb and this descriptions are NOT what the book is about. Laura is not the last sweeper left standing. The sweepers are not non-magical. The sweepers do not feel like a bomb squad at all.
The positive things that made me finish the book were:
- I loved the characters in this book. The main character, Laura, was intelligent, daring, snarky, and caring. This type of character always floats me boat. I also liked her teacher, Clae, and the other apprentice. I even liked the side characters like Morgan, Laura's aunt who cares about her niece but just doesn't understand anything about her.
- I liked the weird monsters and how they manifested. I loved the opening scene told from the monster's point of view. I wanted to know more about the monsters and how they worked.
While those things keep me reading, the world-building and plot made it harder and harder to finish the book. Unfortunately, there were major issues that made this an unlikable read for me.
- The Monsters - Well this be the entire reason I wanted to read this book. I love me some fierce fighting of nasty beasties. Sadly the fighting was lackluster. There never seemed to be any real tactics for fighting or finding them. The two responses seemed to be throwing bombs at them and running away from them. Luck not strategy seemed to decide every encounter.
- The Magic - This was one of those books where ye be thrown into the magic system and have to learn as ye go. There are cool hints to how the magic is used. The main basis for magic use is amulets. I liked the idea that these amulets are highly regulated. They have to be cataloged, recharged, and recycled. However, they also made no sense. For example, if ye use them as an assassination technique there be no guarantee that the target would die. Like why try to kill a rich man by putting one in the kitchen - a place he would never go in? Plus to use one like that means that the city might be destroyed. Dumb.
- Info-Dumping - I don't mind learning the world structure or rules as the story progresses. I do hate info-dumping. In this story, the plot abruptly stops so that Laura can give lessons to the other apprentice (a former slave) in history, magic use, politics, etc. And it is furtively done while her teacher is out. I didn't find the history or piecemeal magic explanations to be anything but boring and nonsensical.
- The Training - This is one of those books where the teacher withholds vital information. There is only the teacher and two students protecting the entire city. If the teacher dies then the city is screwed. So why wouldn't there be an open exchange of knowledge? Makes no sense. His method of teaching is mostly to learn on the job. No wonder he lost eight former apprentices. They spend a ton of time sitting in the shop waiting for clients or police to inform them of monster attacks. Shouldn't that time be spent training or investigating? Also the teacher, Clae, makes the point multiple times that book learning is pointless. Then DO something.
- The Social Structure- Much of this book is spent focused on how Laura is not in the norm because she doesn't want to get married or wear dresses. And yet the police chief is a woman. A major politician is a woman. A investigative journalist is a woman. Lots of seekers in other cities are women. These facts go against the author's own premise of the society.
- Diversity - I support diversity in literature. Yet this book seems set in a "normative" society. Heterosexual relationships. Standard gender roles. Monogamy. Then randomly, Clae and his student have an awkward conversation about past relationships. There is a random lesbian relationship thrown in. In the context of the story, this seemed tossed in to fill a check box and to help set up a future romantic relationship between teacher and student. I was not a fan.
- Plot - There really wasn't a cohesive story line or decent explanations for events. It felt like the author had filler around the couple of scenes she wanted to write. This book felt more like a very rough first draft that needed massive editing and rewrites. This concept should have the reader on edge instead of trying to make sense of what is happening most of the time.
Fun concepts here. I wish this one would have focused on the monster battles and how the monster fighting community works! Shame because I wanted to like this one. Unfortunately it must walk the plank! Arrrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Macmillian-Tor/Forge!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
I was excited about this book when I heard about it. The hook - a group of monsters that eat magic and everything else that they can get a hold of. The only thing standing in the way are a group called sweepers. These sweepers are described on Amazon as "bomb squad that defuses magic weapons." The blurb claims that sweepers are non-magical beings and that a sweeper named Laura is all that stands between the city and annihilation. Part of the problem with this book is that the blurb and this descriptions are NOT what the book is about. Laura is not the last sweeper left standing. The sweepers are not non-magical. The sweepers do not feel like a bomb squad at all.
The positive things that made me finish the book were:
- I loved the characters in this book. The main character, Laura, was intelligent, daring, snarky, and caring. This type of character always floats me boat. I also liked her teacher, Clae, and the other apprentice. I even liked the side characters like Morgan, Laura's aunt who cares about her niece but just doesn't understand anything about her.
- I liked the weird monsters and how they manifested. I loved the opening scene told from the monster's point of view. I wanted to know more about the monsters and how they worked.
While those things keep me reading, the world-building and plot made it harder and harder to finish the book. Unfortunately, there were major issues that made this an unlikable read for me.
- The Monsters - Well this be the entire reason I wanted to read this book. I love me some fierce fighting of nasty beasties. Sadly the fighting was lackluster. There never seemed to be any real tactics for fighting or finding them. The two responses seemed to be throwing bombs at them and running away from them. Luck not strategy seemed to decide every encounter.
- The Magic - This was one of those books where ye be thrown into the magic system and have to learn as ye go. There are cool hints to how the magic is used. The main basis for magic use is amulets. I liked the idea that these amulets are highly regulated. They have to be cataloged, recharged, and recycled. However, they also made no sense. For example, if ye use them as an assassination technique there be no guarantee that the target would die. Like why try to kill a rich man by putting one in the kitchen - a place he would never go in? Plus to use one like that means that the city might be destroyed. Dumb.
- Info-Dumping - I don't mind learning the world structure or rules as the story progresses. I do hate info-dumping. In this story, the plot abruptly stops so that Laura can give lessons to the other apprentice (a former slave) in history, magic use, politics, etc. And it is furtively done while her teacher is out. I didn't find the history or piecemeal magic explanations to be anything but boring and nonsensical.
- The Training - This is one of those books where the teacher withholds vital information. There is only the teacher and two students protecting the entire city. If the teacher dies then the city is screwed. So why wouldn't there be an open exchange of knowledge? Makes no sense. His method of teaching is mostly to learn on the job. No wonder he lost eight former apprentices. They spend a ton of time sitting in the shop waiting for clients or police to inform them of monster attacks. Shouldn't that time be spent training or investigating? Also the teacher, Clae, makes the point multiple times that book learning is pointless. Then DO something.
- The Social Structure- Much of this book is spent focused on how Laura is not in the norm because she doesn't want to get married or wear dresses. And yet the police chief is a woman. A major politician is a woman. A investigative journalist is a woman. Lots of seekers in other cities are women. These facts go against the author's own premise of the society.
- Diversity - I support diversity in literature. Yet this book seems set in a "normative" society. Heterosexual relationships. Standard gender roles. Monogamy. Then randomly, Clae and his student have an awkward conversation about past relationships. There is a random lesbian relationship thrown in. In the context of the story, this seemed tossed in to fill a check box and to help set up a future romantic relationship between teacher and student. I was not a fan.
- Plot - There really wasn't a cohesive story line or decent explanations for events. It felt like the author had filler around the couple of scenes she wanted to write. This book felt more like a very rough first draft that needed massive editing and rewrites. This concept should have the reader on edge instead of trying to make sense of what is happening most of the time.
Fun concepts here. I wish this one would have focused on the monster battles and how the monster fighting community works! Shame because I wanted to like this one. Unfortunately it must walk the plank! Arrrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Macmillian-Tor/Forge!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Ahoy there me mateys! A while back I was introduced to this author because of a cat on the cover of scat. I enjoyed that book so much that I decided to listen to all of Hiaasen’s other juvenile books. This be a review of the other four books: hoot, flush, chomp, squirm. These books have some common themes. All of them involve a young boy who lives in Florida, gets bullied, loves animals, has a quirky sense of humor, makes new friends, and saves the day. Weird names also seem to be a trend. While the bad guys are very two-dimensional, the good guys are quirky and fun. Also there tends to be loving, if odd, parents involved which is nice.
hoot: This was apparently a best novel nominee for the Newbery medal. I also think at some point I watched some of the movie with me nephews. In this one, Roy Eberhardt moves to Florida. He is chosen to be the school bully, Dana Matherson’s, new punching bag. It is while being smashed into the school bus window that Roy first sees “the running boy” who is running away from the school bus and appears to be wearing no shoes. Roy is pulled into a mystery to find out who the boy is and what he is doing. The running boy is called “Mullet Fingers” and is on a quest to fight a pancake house and save the owls. I loved Roy and the girl Beatrice. I loved the pancake house actress.
flush: In this one a boy named Noah is determined to help his dad stop the local casino boat from dumping sewage into the water. His sister Abbey joins in. Me favourite character was Shelley. There are side plots about the kids trying to save their parents marriage. Also this is one of those books where the dad actually acknowledges faults and takes steps to improve. I particularly loved the family dynamics in this one.
chomp: This was me other favourite. This book follows a boy named Wahoo (worst name ever) as he works with his dad as an animal wrangler for a wildlife reality tv show. His friend Tuna (second worse name ever) joins him on location. This was a tongue-in-cheek look at reality television and made me laugh. The reality star, Derek Badger, is something else. It is over-the-top and ridiculous and I loved it.
squirm: This book was slightly different in that part of it takes place in Montana and there is an absent dad who certainly doesn’t win any awards for best parent. In this book, Billy is determined to meet his father and gets answers to his questions. Like in hoot, snakes are a major theme. For me this plot was the strangest. There is supposed to be a mystery in terms of what the exactly Billy’s father does for a living. The answer was not that interesting to me and the dad seemed to be an idiot in general. I did like Billy though.
I was very glad to read these books. They are rather lighthearted and silly but I can see the appeal for younger readers. They certainly appealed to this older one too. Me personal preference of reading order be scat, chomp, flush, hoot, then squirm. Scat and chomp in particular had some laugh out loud moments. I highly recommend. Arrr!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
hoot: This was apparently a best novel nominee for the Newbery medal. I also think at some point I watched some of the movie with me nephews. In this one, Roy Eberhardt moves to Florida. He is chosen to be the school bully, Dana Matherson’s, new punching bag. It is while being smashed into the school bus window that Roy first sees “the running boy” who is running away from the school bus and appears to be wearing no shoes. Roy is pulled into a mystery to find out who the boy is and what he is doing. The running boy is called “Mullet Fingers” and is on a quest to fight a pancake house and save the owls. I loved Roy and the girl Beatrice. I loved the pancake house actress.
flush: In this one a boy named Noah is determined to help his dad stop the local casino boat from dumping sewage into the water. His sister Abbey joins in. Me favourite character was Shelley. There are side plots about the kids trying to save their parents marriage. Also this is one of those books where the dad actually acknowledges faults and takes steps to improve. I particularly loved the family dynamics in this one.
chomp: This was me other favourite. This book follows a boy named Wahoo (worst name ever) as he works with his dad as an animal wrangler for a wildlife reality tv show. His friend Tuna (second worse name ever) joins him on location. This was a tongue-in-cheek look at reality television and made me laugh. The reality star, Derek Badger, is something else. It is over-the-top and ridiculous and I loved it.
squirm: This book was slightly different in that part of it takes place in Montana and there is an absent dad who certainly doesn’t win any awards for best parent. In this book, Billy is determined to meet his father and gets answers to his questions. Like in hoot, snakes are a major theme. For me this plot was the strangest. There is supposed to be a mystery in terms of what the exactly Billy’s father does for a living. The answer was not that interesting to me and the dad seemed to be an idiot in general. I did like Billy though.
I was very glad to read these books. They are rather lighthearted and silly but I can see the appeal for younger readers. They certainly appealed to this older one too. Me personal preference of reading order be scat, chomp, flush, hoot, then squirm. Scat and chomp in particular had some laugh out loud moments. I highly recommend. Arrr!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Ahoy there me mateys! A while back I was introduced to this author because of a cat on the cover of scat. I enjoyed that book so much that I decided to listen to all of Hiaasen’s other juvenile books. This be a review of the other four books: hoot, flush, chomp, squirm. These books have some common themes. All of them involve a young boy who lives in Florida, gets bullied, loves animals, has a quirky sense of humor, makes new friends, and saves the day. Weird names also seem to be a trend. While the bad guys are very two-dimensional, the good guys are quirky and fun. Also there tends to be loving, if odd, parents involved which is nice.
hoot: This was apparently a best novel nominee for the Newbery medal. I also think at some point I watched some of the movie with me nephews. In this one, Roy Eberhardt moves to Florida. He is chosen to be the school bully, Dana Matherson’s, new punching bag. It is while being smashed into the school bus window that Roy first sees “the running boy” who is running away from the school bus and appears to be wearing no shoes. Roy is pulled into a mystery to find out who the boy is and what he is doing. The running boy is called “Mullet Fingers” and is on a quest to fight a pancake house and save the owls. I loved Roy and the girl Beatrice. I loved the pancake house actress.
flush: In this one a boy named Noah is determined to help his dad stop the local casino boat from dumping sewage into the water. His sister Abbey joins in. Me favourite character was Shelley. There are side plots about the kids trying to save their parents marriage. Also this is one of those books where the dad actually acknowledges faults and takes steps to improve. I particularly loved the family dynamics in this one.
chomp: This was me other favourite. This book follows a boy named Wahoo (worst name ever) as he works with his dad as an animal wrangler for a wildlife reality tv show. His friend Tuna (second worse name ever) joins him on location. This was a tongue-in-cheek look at reality television and made me laugh. The reality star, Derek Badger, is something else. It is over-the-top and ridiculous and I loved it.
squirm: This book was slightly different in that part of it takes place in Montana and there is an absent dad who certainly doesn’t win any awards for best parent. In this book, Billy is determined to meet his father and gets answers to his questions. Like in hoot, snakes are a major theme. For me this plot was the strangest. There is supposed to be a mystery in terms of what the exactly Billy’s father does for a living. The answer was not that interesting to me and the dad seemed to be an idiot in general. I did like Billy though.
I was very glad to read these books. They are rather lighthearted and silly but I can see the appeal for younger readers. They certainly appealed to this older one too. Me personal preference of reading order be scat, chomp, flush, hoot, then squirm. Scat and chomp in particular had some laugh out loud moments. I highly recommend. Arrr!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
hoot: This was apparently a best novel nominee for the Newbery medal. I also think at some point I watched some of the movie with me nephews. In this one, Roy Eberhardt moves to Florida. He is chosen to be the school bully, Dana Matherson’s, new punching bag. It is while being smashed into the school bus window that Roy first sees “the running boy” who is running away from the school bus and appears to be wearing no shoes. Roy is pulled into a mystery to find out who the boy is and what he is doing. The running boy is called “Mullet Fingers” and is on a quest to fight a pancake house and save the owls. I loved Roy and the girl Beatrice. I loved the pancake house actress.
flush: In this one a boy named Noah is determined to help his dad stop the local casino boat from dumping sewage into the water. His sister Abbey joins in. Me favourite character was Shelley. There are side plots about the kids trying to save their parents marriage. Also this is one of those books where the dad actually acknowledges faults and takes steps to improve. I particularly loved the family dynamics in this one.
chomp: This was me other favourite. This book follows a boy named Wahoo (worst name ever) as he works with his dad as an animal wrangler for a wildlife reality tv show. His friend Tuna (second worse name ever) joins him on location. This was a tongue-in-cheek look at reality television and made me laugh. The reality star, Derek Badger, is something else. It is over-the-top and ridiculous and I loved it.
squirm: This book was slightly different in that part of it takes place in Montana and there is an absent dad who certainly doesn’t win any awards for best parent. In this book, Billy is determined to meet his father and gets answers to his questions. Like in hoot, snakes are a major theme. For me this plot was the strangest. There is supposed to be a mystery in terms of what the exactly Billy’s father does for a living. The answer was not that interesting to me and the dad seemed to be an idiot in general. I did like Billy though.
I was very glad to read these books. They are rather lighthearted and silly but I can see the appeal for younger readers. They certainly appealed to this older one too. Me personal preference of reading order be scat, chomp, flush, hoot, then squirm. Scat and chomp in particular had some laugh out loud moments. I highly recommend. Arrr!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Ahoy there me mateys! A while back I was introduced to this author because of a cat on the cover of scat. I enjoyed that book so much that I decided to listen to all of Hiaasen’s other juvenile books. This be a review of the other four books: hoot, flush, chomp, squirm. These books have some common themes. All of them involve a young boy who lives in Florida, gets bullied, loves animals, has a quirky sense of humor, makes new friends, and saves the day. Weird names also seem to be a trend. While the bad guys are very two-dimensional, the good guys are quirky and fun. Also there tends to be loving, if odd, parents involved which is nice.
hoot: This was apparently a best novel nominee for the Newbery medal. I also think at some point I watched some of the movie with me nephews. In this one, Roy Eberhardt moves to Florida. He is chosen to be the school bully, Dana Matherson’s, new punching bag. It is while being smashed into the school bus window that Roy first sees “the running boy” who is running away from the school bus and appears to be wearing no shoes. Roy is pulled into a mystery to find out who the boy is and what he is doing. The running boy is called “Mullet Fingers” and is on a quest to fight a pancake house and save the owls. I loved Roy and the girl Beatrice. I loved the pancake house actress.
flush: In this one a boy named Noah is determined to help his dad stop the local casino boat from dumping sewage into the water. His sister Abbey joins in. Me favourite character was Shelley. There are side plots about the kids trying to save their parents marriage. Also this is one of those books where the dad actually acknowledges faults and takes steps to improve. I particularly loved the family dynamics in this one.
chomp: This was me other favourite. This book follows a boy named Wahoo (worst name ever) as he works with his dad as an animal wrangler for a wildlife reality tv show. His friend Tuna (second worse name ever) joins him on location. This was a tongue-in-cheek look at reality television and made me laugh. The reality star, Derek Badger, is something else. It is over-the-top and ridiculous and I loved it.
squirm: This book was slightly different in that part of it takes place in Montana and there is an absent dad who certainly doesn’t win any awards for best parent. In this book, Billy is determined to meet his father and gets answers to his questions. Like in hoot, snakes are a major theme. For me this plot was the strangest. There is supposed to be a mystery in terms of what the exactly Billy’s father does for a living. The answer was not that interesting to me and the dad seemed to be an idiot in general. I did like Billy though.
I was very glad to read these books. They are rather lighthearted and silly but I can see the appeal for younger readers. They certainly appealed to this older one too. Me personal preference of reading order be scat, chomp, flush, hoot, then squirm. Scat and chomp in particular had some laugh out loud moments. I highly recommend. Arrr!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
hoot: This was apparently a best novel nominee for the Newbery medal. I also think at some point I watched some of the movie with me nephews. In this one, Roy Eberhardt moves to Florida. He is chosen to be the school bully, Dana Matherson’s, new punching bag. It is while being smashed into the school bus window that Roy first sees “the running boy” who is running away from the school bus and appears to be wearing no shoes. Roy is pulled into a mystery to find out who the boy is and what he is doing. The running boy is called “Mullet Fingers” and is on a quest to fight a pancake house and save the owls. I loved Roy and the girl Beatrice. I loved the pancake house actress.
flush: In this one a boy named Noah is determined to help his dad stop the local casino boat from dumping sewage into the water. His sister Abbey joins in. Me favourite character was Shelley. There are side plots about the kids trying to save their parents marriage. Also this is one of those books where the dad actually acknowledges faults and takes steps to improve. I particularly loved the family dynamics in this one.
chomp: This was me other favourite. This book follows a boy named Wahoo (worst name ever) as he works with his dad as an animal wrangler for a wildlife reality tv show. His friend Tuna (second worse name ever) joins him on location. This was a tongue-in-cheek look at reality television and made me laugh. The reality star, Derek Badger, is something else. It is over-the-top and ridiculous and I loved it.
squirm: This book was slightly different in that part of it takes place in Montana and there is an absent dad who certainly doesn’t win any awards for best parent. In this book, Billy is determined to meet his father and gets answers to his questions. Like in hoot, snakes are a major theme. For me this plot was the strangest. There is supposed to be a mystery in terms of what the exactly Billy’s father does for a living. The answer was not that interesting to me and the dad seemed to be an idiot in general. I did like Billy though.
I was very glad to read these books. They are rather lighthearted and silly but I can see the appeal for younger readers. They certainly appealed to this older one too. Me personal preference of reading order be scat, chomp, flush, hoot, then squirm. Scat and chomp in particular had some laugh out loud moments. I highly recommend. Arrr!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Ahoy there me mateys! A while back I was introduced to this author because of a cat on the cover of scat. I enjoyed that book so much that I decided to listen to all of Hiaasen’s other juvenile books. This be a review of the other four books: hoot, flush, chomp, squirm. These books have some common themes. All of them involve a young boy who lives in Florida, gets bullied, loves animals, has a quirky sense of humor, makes new friends, and saves the day. Weird names also seem to be a trend. While the bad guys are very two-dimensional, the good guys are quirky and fun. Also there tends to be loving, if odd, parents involved which is nice.
hoot: This was apparently a best novel nominee for the Newbery medal. I also think at some point I watched some of the movie with me nephews. In this one, Roy Eberhardt moves to Florida. He is chosen to be the school bully, Dana Matherson’s, new punching bag. It is while being smashed into the school bus window that Roy first sees “the running boy” who is running away from the school bus and appears to be wearing no shoes. Roy is pulled into a mystery to find out who the boy is and what he is doing. The running boy is called “Mullet Fingers” and is on a quest to fight a pancake house and save the owls. I loved Roy and the girl Beatrice. I loved the pancake house actress.
flush: In this one a boy named Noah is determined to help his dad stop the local casino boat from dumping sewage into the water. His sister Abbey joins in. Me favourite character was Shelley. There are side plots about the kids trying to save their parents marriage. Also this is one of those books where the dad actually acknowledges faults and takes steps to improve. I particularly loved the family dynamics in this one.
chomp: This was me other favourite. This book follows a boy named Wahoo (worst name ever) as he works with his dad as an animal wrangler for a wildlife reality tv show. His friend Tuna (second worse name ever) joins him on location. This was a tongue-in-cheek look at reality television and made me laugh. The reality star, Derek Badger, is something else. It is over-the-top and ridiculous and I loved it.
squirm: This book was slightly different in that part of it takes place in Montana and there is an absent dad who certainly doesn’t win any awards for best parent. In this book, Billy is determined to meet his father and gets answers to his questions. Like in hoot, snakes are a major theme. For me this plot was the strangest. There is supposed to be a mystery in terms of what the exactly Billy’s father does for a living. The answer was not that interesting to me and the dad seemed to be an idiot in general. I did like Billy though.
I was very glad to read these books. They are rather lighthearted and silly but I can see the appeal for younger readers. They certainly appealed to this older one too. Me personal preference of reading order be scat, chomp, flush, hoot, then squirm. Scat and chomp in particular had some laugh out loud moments. I highly recommend. Arrr!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
hoot: This was apparently a best novel nominee for the Newbery medal. I also think at some point I watched some of the movie with me nephews. In this one, Roy Eberhardt moves to Florida. He is chosen to be the school bully, Dana Matherson’s, new punching bag. It is while being smashed into the school bus window that Roy first sees “the running boy” who is running away from the school bus and appears to be wearing no shoes. Roy is pulled into a mystery to find out who the boy is and what he is doing. The running boy is called “Mullet Fingers” and is on a quest to fight a pancake house and save the owls. I loved Roy and the girl Beatrice. I loved the pancake house actress.
flush: In this one a boy named Noah is determined to help his dad stop the local casino boat from dumping sewage into the water. His sister Abbey joins in. Me favourite character was Shelley. There are side plots about the kids trying to save their parents marriage. Also this is one of those books where the dad actually acknowledges faults and takes steps to improve. I particularly loved the family dynamics in this one.
chomp: This was me other favourite. This book follows a boy named Wahoo (worst name ever) as he works with his dad as an animal wrangler for a wildlife reality tv show. His friend Tuna (second worse name ever) joins him on location. This was a tongue-in-cheek look at reality television and made me laugh. The reality star, Derek Badger, is something else. It is over-the-top and ridiculous and I loved it.
squirm: This book was slightly different in that part of it takes place in Montana and there is an absent dad who certainly doesn’t win any awards for best parent. In this book, Billy is determined to meet his father and gets answers to his questions. Like in hoot, snakes are a major theme. For me this plot was the strangest. There is supposed to be a mystery in terms of what the exactly Billy’s father does for a living. The answer was not that interesting to me and the dad seemed to be an idiot in general. I did like Billy though.
I was very glad to read these books. They are rather lighthearted and silly but I can see the appeal for younger readers. They certainly appealed to this older one too. Me personal preference of reading order be scat, chomp, flush, hoot, then squirm. Scat and chomp in particular had some laugh out loud moments. I highly recommend. Arrr!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this sci-fi eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
This book takes place on the planet prison 11-H37, otherwise known as the razor. Those who are sentenced there stay there for the rest of their short lives. The prisoners are disposable tools used to mine the galaxy's primary energy source. The more useful ye are, the longer ye might live. Gang affiliations are recommended and corruption is the norm.
This was just an okay read for me. I loved the weird prison culture that was set up. Unfortunately, the story doesn't take place within that culture because a problem breaks out fairly quickly that leads to the evacuation of the prison planet and the breakdown of the social structure. The planet itself has an odd habitat in that there is a hot side and cold side of the planet with a small livable region in the middle of the two. However that region is becoming unstable and a small group of prisoners must try to get off the planet before the balance tips towards total annihilation.
The highlight of this book for me was in the characterization. I liked the six main characters that ye end up following. In particular, Key and Zane were favourites. The characters are what kept me reading. The book was engaging up until the half-way point and then slowed down significantly. Part of it was the gaps in plot structure and the other part was the unbelievably of the action sequences. I also didn't like the ready-made romance elements. There is an evil monster that is conveniently added in so the main characters have a lot of chase scenes with last minute close calls.
What I wanted was for the characters to cleverly use their set of talents to escape. Instead there was a continual series of close calls and escapes by chance. The main characters should have died over and over again and yet none did. The plot was sloppy and the tech, while interesting, didn't make sense.
And yet I did want the characters to succeed. And I did want Zane to get answers. So I kept readin' to find out why. I didn't get answers to Zane's questions. But I did get an ending that I wasn't expecting. The set-up for the next book does seem promising but I am hesitant to pick up the rest of the series because I didn't like the plot elements. I think this book has potential but it just wasn't completely to me taste. Arrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Macmillian-Tor/Forge!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
This book takes place on the planet prison 11-H37, otherwise known as the razor. Those who are sentenced there stay there for the rest of their short lives. The prisoners are disposable tools used to mine the galaxy's primary energy source. The more useful ye are, the longer ye might live. Gang affiliations are recommended and corruption is the norm.
This was just an okay read for me. I loved the weird prison culture that was set up. Unfortunately, the story doesn't take place within that culture because a problem breaks out fairly quickly that leads to the evacuation of the prison planet and the breakdown of the social structure. The planet itself has an odd habitat in that there is a hot side and cold side of the planet with a small livable region in the middle of the two. However that region is becoming unstable and a small group of prisoners must try to get off the planet before the balance tips towards total annihilation.
The highlight of this book for me was in the characterization. I liked the six main characters that ye end up following. In particular, Key and Zane were favourites. The characters are what kept me reading. The book was engaging up until the half-way point and then slowed down significantly. Part of it was the gaps in plot structure and the other part was the unbelievably of the action sequences. I also didn't like the ready-made romance elements. There is an evil monster that is conveniently added in so the main characters have a lot of chase scenes with last minute close calls.
What I wanted was for the characters to cleverly use their set of talents to escape. Instead there was a continual series of close calls and escapes by chance. The main characters should have died over and over again and yet none did. The plot was sloppy and the tech, while interesting, didn't make sense.
And yet I did want the characters to succeed. And I did want Zane to get answers. So I kept readin' to find out why. I didn't get answers to Zane's questions. But I did get an ending that I wasn't expecting. The set-up for the next book does seem promising but I am hesitant to pick up the rest of the series because I didn't like the plot elements. I think this book has potential but it just wasn't completely to me taste. Arrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Macmillian-Tor/Forge!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Ahoy there me mateys! So a while back, the winds shifted regarding me original take on the first book in this series. After finally understanding the hype about Locke Lamora and crew, I knew I had to read the second book in the series. If ye haven’t read the first book then ye might want to skip this post and do that. Worth the read. If ye keep reading this log then ye have been forewarned and continue at yer own peril . . .
Arrr! There be pirates in this book. Female pirates. Of course, much like in the first book, the plot took a while to really get going. This time I was better prepared for the rather long set-up section about the planned heists, the new city, the political maneuvering, and what the gang had been up to since the last book. The main plot didn’t really pick up until about half-way mark. But book one paid out in spectacular fashion so I went with it. Reading in short spurts also helped with this one.
Of course, I be biased towards the sea so this book made me happy that ships and sailing were integral to the plot. The “whys” of Locke Lamora ending up shipboard were, frankly, ridiculous. That con was never gonna succeed. But much of the joy in this installment had to due with watching Locke and Jean be in way over their heads and scramblin’ to stay afloat. I adore watchin’ them work together.
I absolutely loved that Locke and Jean had to process the events of book one and what that entailed. And of course the pirate crew of the Black Orchid was awesome. They were the best part of the book. I adore that cats and female sailors are a necessity to sail on the Sea of Brass. I did think the ending was fun and unexpected. I did want a little more time in the Sinspire and was slightly miffed when that plot line veered away. But all in all I thought this was a fantastic book. I just still like book one better. But I will certainly be reading book three. Luckily it is already out. Arrr!
Side note: Sadly, I did not listen to book two on audiobook with the brilliant Michael Page. He was missed!
If ye be one of the two crew members who haven’t read these books for somesuch boneheaded reason then pick this one up. Because as me matey, Millie @ milliebotreads says:
"Scott had me constantly wondering what the hell was going to happen – I love how layered his plots are. It’s always a challenge to figure out who is conning who and how far Locke and Jean will go to keep their complex schemes going. As I mentioned in a previous update on this book, I also love the way Lynch portrays women in this universe. I’ll say it again (albeit briefly) – women are portrayed in the same way men are. They can be guards, pirates, theives, rich or poor and they’re not made out to be special. Locke and Jean don’t around marveling when they run into a female guard, nor are they amazed by a female ship’s captain. The women aren’t around just to be lusted after either. Great job!"
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Arrr! There be pirates in this book. Female pirates. Of course, much like in the first book, the plot took a while to really get going. This time I was better prepared for the rather long set-up section about the planned heists, the new city, the political maneuvering, and what the gang had been up to since the last book. The main plot didn’t really pick up until about half-way mark. But book one paid out in spectacular fashion so I went with it. Reading in short spurts also helped with this one.
Of course, I be biased towards the sea so this book made me happy that ships and sailing were integral to the plot. The “whys” of Locke Lamora ending up shipboard were, frankly, ridiculous. That con was never gonna succeed. But much of the joy in this installment had to due with watching Locke and Jean be in way over their heads and scramblin’ to stay afloat. I adore watchin’ them work together.
I absolutely loved that Locke and Jean had to process the events of book one and what that entailed. And of course the pirate crew of the Black Orchid was awesome. They were the best part of the book. I adore that cats and female sailors are a necessity to sail on the Sea of Brass. I did think the ending was fun and unexpected. I did want a little more time in the Sinspire and was slightly miffed when that plot line veered away. But all in all I thought this was a fantastic book. I just still like book one better. But I will certainly be reading book three. Luckily it is already out. Arrr!
Side note: Sadly, I did not listen to book two on audiobook with the brilliant Michael Page. He was missed!
If ye be one of the two crew members who haven’t read these books for somesuch boneheaded reason then pick this one up. Because as me matey, Millie @ milliebotreads says:
"Scott had me constantly wondering what the hell was going to happen – I love how layered his plots are. It’s always a challenge to figure out who is conning who and how far Locke and Jean will go to keep their complex schemes going. As I mentioned in a previous update on this book, I also love the way Lynch portrays women in this universe. I’ll say it again (albeit briefly) – women are portrayed in the same way men are. They can be guards, pirates, theives, rich or poor and they’re not made out to be special. Locke and Jean don’t around marveling when they run into a female guard, nor are they amazed by a female ship’s captain. The women aren’t around just to be lusted after either. Great job!"
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Ahoy there me mateys! Ever since I read the bear and the nightingale, I have been in love with this author’s writing. So while waiting for book 3 of that trilogy, I thought I would give her middle-grade novel a whirl because I don’t put age limits on reading. And this was a fun one.
This story follows Ollie who finds solace in being alone and reading in order to escape the pain of losing her mother. Then one cold day she goes to her favorite spot by the creek to find someone has gotten there first! An older woman is there raving about a book and is preparing to toss it into the water. But Ollie can’t let a book be destroyed and so she grabs it and runs. Curious about the book, she begins to read what appears to be a journal and becomes completely engrossed. But suddenly weird things are happening in her town that seem to mirror that of the book. Can Ollie solve the mystery before bad things happen to everyone around her?
I absolutely adored Ollie and her schoolmates Coco and Brian! I loved watching their relationships and beliefs about one another change because they are thrown together in their unusual situation. I also thought this was a poignant portrayal of loss and depression – both for Ollie and her dad. Ollie uses books to help her with her grief. It shows how two people can love each other and yet grown distance because of pain. I also loved her dad for his baking, paint choices, and silly jokes.
But the book does have its creepy moments with ghosts, getting lost, and an evil being. Oh and the scarecrows. I have never been one to think scarecrows were anything less than harmless. But I may have to rethink that sentiment and look over me shoulder whenever in a corn field. Eek!
I think this be a delightful book with wonderful themes and lessons. Don’t just take me word on it (though yer Captain’s word should be enough!). Check out these other reviews by me crew. Then go get a copy. That’s an order. Arrr!
Amy @ acourtofcrownsandquills– “But aside from the horror plot line, there were so many wonderful themes I appreciated. This story beautifully showcases the importance of friendship and teamwork. It’s about standing up for someone and caring for them in dire times. It’s about facing your fears while also coming to terms with loss and healing emotionally.”
Melanie @ meltotheany– “Small Spaces is Katherine Arden’s debut middle grade novel and I loved it so very much friends. Many of you know that The Bear and the Nightingale is one of my favorite books of all-time, and even though these stories are nothing like one another, the beautiful writing, amazing characters, and important themes shine through. I went into this expecting a fun and spooky read (which it was), but what I also got was such a beautiful love letter to grief, depression, and trying to live in a world that has taken away someone who you feel you cannot live without.”
Side note: Anyone else super excited for the winter of the witch? I can’t wait. Arrr!
Check out me other reviews on
This story follows Ollie who finds solace in being alone and reading in order to escape the pain of losing her mother. Then one cold day she goes to her favorite spot by the creek to find someone has gotten there first! An older woman is there raving about a book and is preparing to toss it into the water. But Ollie can’t let a book be destroyed and so she grabs it and runs. Curious about the book, she begins to read what appears to be a journal and becomes completely engrossed. But suddenly weird things are happening in her town that seem to mirror that of the book. Can Ollie solve the mystery before bad things happen to everyone around her?
I absolutely adored Ollie and her schoolmates Coco and Brian! I loved watching their relationships and beliefs about one another change because they are thrown together in their unusual situation. I also thought this was a poignant portrayal of loss and depression – both for Ollie and her dad. Ollie uses books to help her with her grief. It shows how two people can love each other and yet grown distance because of pain. I also loved her dad for his baking, paint choices, and silly jokes.
But the book does have its creepy moments with ghosts, getting lost, and an evil being. Oh and the scarecrows. I have never been one to think scarecrows were anything less than harmless. But I may have to rethink that sentiment and look over me shoulder whenever in a corn field. Eek!
I think this be a delightful book with wonderful themes and lessons. Don’t just take me word on it (though yer Captain’s word should be enough!). Check out these other reviews by me crew. Then go get a copy. That’s an order. Arrr!
Amy @ acourtofcrownsandquills– “But aside from the horror plot line, there were so many wonderful themes I appreciated. This story beautifully showcases the importance of friendship and teamwork. It’s about standing up for someone and caring for them in dire times. It’s about facing your fears while also coming to terms with loss and healing emotionally.”
Melanie @ meltotheany– “Small Spaces is Katherine Arden’s debut middle grade novel and I loved it so very much friends. Many of you know that The Bear and the Nightingale is one of my favorite books of all-time, and even though these stories are nothing like one another, the beautiful writing, amazing characters, and important themes shine through. I went into this expecting a fun and spooky read (which it was), but what I also got was such a beautiful love letter to grief, depression, and trying to live in a world that has taken away someone who you feel you cannot live without.”
Side note: Anyone else super excited for the winter of the witch? I can’t wait. Arrr!
Check out me other reviews on
Ahoy there mateys! I have a fascination with archaeology and with lost cities of treasure (Arrr!). This book discusses the trials and tribulations of finding the legendary White City in Honduras. The book kinda had three parts. The first was a look into the history and legends regarding trying to find the lost city. The use of satellite technology to find archaeological sites of interest is absolutely fascinating. The second part was the search for the physical city itself. Surprisingly, this was me least favorite part of the book. It seemed quick and incomplete. I wanted specifics about the sites and specific findings about those people who lived there. Unfortunately the data and research are in the very early stages. So the look at the cultural significance of the sites was mild though intriguing. The last part dealt with a specific tropical disease that the research group caught. This was surprising, scary, and weirdly awesome. A quick read that I recommend.