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Ahoy there me mateys! I wish I would have read reviews of this one before embarking on the journey. I had been interested in this because of the blurb and because it was a Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction (2019). I needed an audio book and this was available.
I have to admit that this audiobook had a rocky start. I didn't like the narration or the writing style. I also had an extremely hard time telling the girls apart. Even the other two secondary characters, the main character Hetty's friends, where difficult to distinguish at times. I also couldn't tell if some of the characters where students or teachers.
I frankly felt that the story was rather boring. The ideas behind the Tox and the changes it caused in humans and animals alike were interesting but hardly the "horror" that was claimed. There were no chills and really no anticipation. Most of the story seemed to center on all of the girls bickering and ruminations about what the Tox did and how no one knew what caused it. I read up until when Byatt goes missing. I wasn't feeling it and decided to read some reviews to see if it was worth finishing.
Basically all of the reviews say that the ending was horrible. So I went digging and got some ideas about the how the plot unfolds. I stopped there. I was entertained when I looked up the audiobook narrator to find that there is another narrator and that the POV switches. Also there is some romantic relationship angst that was only hinted at in the part I read. This book does seem to have major fans though. I got some spoilers from the wiki.
I do almost wish that someone could give me a brief play by play of how bad the plot gets even though I be abandoning ship. Arrr!
I have to admit that this audiobook had a rocky start. I didn't like the narration or the writing style. I also had an extremely hard time telling the girls apart. Even the other two secondary characters, the main character Hetty's friends, where difficult to distinguish at times. I also couldn't tell if some of the characters where students or teachers.
I frankly felt that the story was rather boring. The ideas behind the Tox and the changes it caused in humans and animals alike were interesting but hardly the "horror" that was claimed. There were no chills and really no anticipation. Most of the story seemed to center on all of the girls bickering and ruminations about what the Tox did and how no one knew what caused it. I read up until when Byatt goes missing. I wasn't feeling it and decided to read some reviews to see if it was worth finishing.
Basically all of the reviews say that the ending was horrible. So I went digging and got some ideas about the how the plot unfolds. I stopped there. I was entertained when I looked up the audiobook narrator to find that there is another narrator and that the POV switches. Also there is some romantic relationship angst that was only hinted at in the part I read. This book does seem to have major fans though. I got some spoilers from the wiki.
I do almost wish that someone could give me a brief play by play of how bad the plot gets even though I be abandoning ship. Arrr!
Ahoy there me mateys! I wanted to read this book ever since it was announced because as I said back then it deals with "murder mysteries, bio-engineered enhancements, possible other timelines." I read the first two books of Ashby's Machine Destiny series and found the ideas to be a lot of fun. Even though I had been denied for an Arc for this one, I could never quite let it go. Curiosity satiated.
This book was a fun way to spend a day but I have to admit not exactly what I wanted. To be fair, I adored the main character Hwa and why and how she is unenhanced. She was the highlight of the book for me. I also "loved" her mother Sunny. While the world set-up is intriguing (loved the beginning) I never felt it was really explored. Additionally there be a romance element in this book that I wish had been thrown out as a) it was obvious from the beginning; and b) drew the focus away from the better parts of the novel. I also felt that both love interest and Hwa's charge were too flat and stereotypical.
But much like Ashby's other works, while the ideas and characters are excellent, the plot flounders. For example, Hwa is supposed to stop her charge from being murdered. One of the main plotters is discovered but never dealt with. Also for a body guard she spends very little time with the person she is guarding. And why would she have to do the schoolwork too? But the build up to the ending is where the story took a deep dive for me. The straightforward story abruptly took a turn I didn't care for and the ending and bad guy reveal was both annoying and very nonsensical given how the rest of the story was built up. And well . . . just lame.
I happen to be in the minority for this one as the crew loved it. Take a look at what they had to say. Arrr!
Matey Tammy @ Books, Bones, & Buffy said "The last couple of chapters are exactly what I wanted, lots of action and danger, and I found myself worrying about what would happen to Hwa, Joel and Daniel. I wasn’t prepared for the ending, but I have to say it was immensely satisfying, and I finished the book with my heart racing and a smile on my face."
Matey Mogsy said "But while characterization was by far the strongest point, the story didn’t disappoint either. Sure, at times there was a bit too much going on, and I’m still trying to sort out my feelings about the ending (which had a mind-blowing twist!), but overall there’s no denying the allure of this mystery. The suspense was what kept me reading long into the night."
This book was a fun way to spend a day but I have to admit not exactly what I wanted. To be fair, I adored the main character Hwa and why and how she is unenhanced. She was the highlight of the book for me. I also "loved" her mother Sunny. While the world set-up is intriguing (loved the beginning) I never felt it was really explored. Additionally there be a romance element in this book that I wish had been thrown out as a) it was obvious from the beginning; and b) drew the focus away from the better parts of the novel. I also felt that both love interest and Hwa's charge were too flat and stereotypical.
But much like Ashby's other works, while the ideas and characters are excellent, the plot flounders. For example, Hwa is supposed to stop her charge from being murdered. One of the main plotters is discovered but never dealt with. Also for a body guard she spends very little time with the person she is guarding. And why would she have to do the schoolwork too? But the build up to the ending is where the story took a deep dive for me. The straightforward story abruptly took a turn I didn't care for and the ending and bad guy reveal was both annoying and very nonsensical given how the rest of the story was built up. And well . . . just lame.
I happen to be in the minority for this one as the crew loved it. Take a look at what they had to say. Arrr!
Matey Tammy @ Books, Bones, & Buffy said "The last couple of chapters are exactly what I wanted, lots of action and danger, and I found myself worrying about what would happen to Hwa, Joel and Daniel. I wasn’t prepared for the ending, but I have to say it was immensely satisfying, and I finished the book with my heart racing and a smile on my face."
Matey Mogsy said "But while characterization was by far the strongest point, the story didn’t disappoint either. Sure, at times there was a bit too much going on, and I’m still trying to sort out my feelings about the ending (which had a mind-blowing twist!), but overall there’s no denying the allure of this mystery. The suspense was what kept me reading long into the night."
Ahoy there me mateys! As some of the crew may know, I love me kittens and I think they make the best ship friends. I also don’t have kids and never plan to. They get in the way of pillaging. So this title intrigued me. I have seen some of the author’s comics before and so borrowed a copy from a local library.
Sadly, the title was one of the better things about this collection. This was a disjointed mix of one-track jokes. Babies poop and puke. Cats are jerks who begrudgingly deal with humans. Both of those things are true. But the included comics (with a couple exceptions) rarely made me smile at how they portrayed these facts. Plus there seemed to be poor organization of what material was included. Cats were only one topic. Besides babies, there was also commentary about dogs and introverted humans and a few where I missed the point altogether. Even the style of the comics jumped back and forth. Maybe this would have been easier to read in a physical copy but sometimes I was confused if a comic had even ended. Also way too many fart and poop jokes. I guess I was expecting something a tiny bit more clever. I feel these ideas about cats and babies have been dealt with by other illustrators with much better success.
This doesn’t walk the plank only because of the final section of outdoor cat safety and statistics. Arrr!
Sadly, the title was one of the better things about this collection. This was a disjointed mix of one-track jokes. Babies poop and puke. Cats are jerks who begrudgingly deal with humans. Both of those things are true. But the included comics (with a couple exceptions) rarely made me smile at how they portrayed these facts. Plus there seemed to be poor organization of what material was included. Cats were only one topic. Besides babies, there was also commentary about dogs and introverted humans and a few where I missed the point altogether. Even the style of the comics jumped back and forth. Maybe this would have been easier to read in a physical copy but sometimes I was confused if a comic had even ended. Also way too many fart and poop jokes. I guess I was expecting something a tiny bit more clever. I feel these ideas about cats and babies have been dealt with by other illustrators with much better success.
This doesn’t walk the plank only because of the final section of outdoor cat safety and statistics. Arrr!
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this sci-fi eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
I loved the book archivist wasp by the author and was excited to read her newest. While on the balance, I have to say that I liked it, I generally loved the first half of the story better than the second half.
I really did love the ideas of corporations at war and how water rights played an issue in this book. I loved how the corporations used the war in VR games and especially how the supersoldiers were used inside the game. I loved the main character, Mal, and her relationship with her roommate. I also loved those soldier superstars and their relationship with each other.
The problem for me is that the book is set into several sections. I really enjoyed the set-up in parts one and two. Once the truth is out, I found it to be not very interesting and the mechanism for saving the world to be lackluster too. There were parts of part three that I did enjoy. But once the showdown with corporate begins in earnest, it felt a bit drawn out and seriously unrealistic. I know that be super vague but further details lead to spoilers and I do think that many readers will love how everything plays out. There were just plot points in here that are generally not to be taste. I wanted the VR game to have more importance and impact. At least the ending did redeem the middle part a bit for me.
I have no regrets reading this one and will continue to read the author's work. I need to get the sequel to the first book in the Wasp Saga and she is apparently writing a third in that world. Plus I have another Nicole Kornher-Stace book lined up later in the year. Arrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Saga Press!
I loved the book archivist wasp by the author and was excited to read her newest. While on the balance, I have to say that I liked it, I generally loved the first half of the story better than the second half.
I really did love the ideas of corporations at war and how water rights played an issue in this book. I loved how the corporations used the war in VR games and especially how the supersoldiers were used inside the game. I loved the main character, Mal, and her relationship with her roommate. I also loved those soldier superstars and their relationship with each other.
The problem for me is that the book is set into several sections. I really enjoyed the set-up in parts one and two. Once the truth is out, I found it to be not very interesting and the mechanism for saving the world to be lackluster too. There were parts of part three that I did enjoy. But once the showdown with corporate begins in earnest, it felt a bit drawn out and seriously unrealistic. I know that be super vague but further details lead to spoilers and I do think that many readers will love how everything plays out. There were just plot points in here that are generally not to be taste. I wanted the VR game to have more importance and impact. At least the ending did redeem the middle part a bit for me.
I have no regrets reading this one and will continue to read the author's work. I need to get the sequel to the first book in the Wasp Saga and she is apparently writing a third in that world. Plus I have another Nicole Kornher-Stace book lined up later in the year. Arrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Saga Press!
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this fantasy novella from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
This be seventh book I have read by the author and me seventh five star read. Her writing floats me boat. I have said before that what I find amazing about all of the author's books is that they feel so different from each other. The first was a vampire story with stunning vampire culture and history. The second was a Mayan fairy-tale set during the Jazz age in Mexico. The third was a romance with a hint of fantasy set in the Belle Époque era. The fourth was a coming-of-age thriller set in Baja California in 1979. Then came a gothic horror set in 1950s Mexico. Six was a heart-wrenching novella set in space. Now we have a mesoamerican fantasy novella. I did not read the blurb going into this so everything was a surprise to me. It was awesome.
This one follows Yalxi a blood magic sorceress who has been cast low from her former ruling position and is ready to claw her way back to the top with pure fury and grit. The blood magic is nasty and takes it's toll on the wielder. Yalxi's only hope for her success is her own willpower and a nahual. I adored the nahual but started out not having much sympathy for Yalxi. I needn't have worried because the novella was quick-paced, enthralling, and had a very unexpected ending. The dark parts were lightened by Yalxi and the nahual's relationship. The story was perfectly contained in novella form and was absolutely satisfying.
I love Silvia Moreno-Garcia and am excited for her new books later this year. Arrr!
This be seventh book I have read by the author and me seventh five star read. Her writing floats me boat. I have said before that what I find amazing about all of the author's books is that they feel so different from each other. The first was a vampire story with stunning vampire culture and history. The second was a Mayan fairy-tale set during the Jazz age in Mexico. The third was a romance with a hint of fantasy set in the Belle Époque era. The fourth was a coming-of-age thriller set in Baja California in 1979. Then came a gothic horror set in 1950s Mexico. Six was a heart-wrenching novella set in space. Now we have a mesoamerican fantasy novella. I did not read the blurb going into this so everything was a surprise to me. It was awesome.
This one follows Yalxi a blood magic sorceress who has been cast low from her former ruling position and is ready to claw her way back to the top with pure fury and grit. The blood magic is nasty and takes it's toll on the wielder. Yalxi's only hope for her success is her own willpower and a nahual. I adored the nahual but started out not having much sympathy for Yalxi. I needn't have worried because the novella was quick-paced, enthralling, and had a very unexpected ending. The dark parts were lightened by Yalxi and the nahual's relationship. The story was perfectly contained in novella form and was absolutely satisfying.
I love Silvia Moreno-Garcia and am excited for her new books later this year. Arrr!
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this young adult sci-fi eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
They claim this book be for ages 8 to 12. I may be (much) older but that didn't stop me from really enjoying this space romp. The story follows eleven-year old Jillian who gets to go with her parents on Take Your Kid to Work Day. But her parents aren't accountants or lawyers. They are space explorers. How cool is that? But when Jillian accompanies her parents on a routine mission everything goes wrong and Jillian must save the day!
Good thing that Jillian has SABRINA, an artificial intelligence with a hive mind. I did love the robot and the developing relationship it had with Jillian. But what I loved more was how both characters had limitations that had to be thought through and dealt with. Jillian has anxiety and is . . . well, eleven. SABRINA's strengths and weaknesses are in it's programming. They have to use the skills they have to accomplish the mission. It was lovely to see both their teamwork and their individual growth. I was rooting for Jillian and loved seeing how everything worked out.
As an older reader I did have to suspend my disbelief a bit. However, I am positive that the younger readers will adore this excellent story. I continue to be a fan of Kornher-Stace's work and will read whatever she does next. Arrrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Tachyon!
They claim this book be for ages 8 to 12. I may be (much) older but that didn't stop me from really enjoying this space romp. The story follows eleven-year old Jillian who gets to go with her parents on Take Your Kid to Work Day. But her parents aren't accountants or lawyers. They are space explorers. How cool is that? But when Jillian accompanies her parents on a routine mission everything goes wrong and Jillian must save the day!
Good thing that Jillian has SABRINA, an artificial intelligence with a hive mind. I did love the robot and the developing relationship it had with Jillian. But what I loved more was how both characters had limitations that had to be thought through and dealt with. Jillian has anxiety and is . . . well, eleven. SABRINA's strengths and weaknesses are in it's programming. They have to use the skills they have to accomplish the mission. It was lovely to see both their teamwork and their individual growth. I was rooting for Jillian and loved seeing how everything worked out.
As an older reader I did have to suspend my disbelief a bit. However, I am positive that the younger readers will adore this excellent story. I continue to be a fan of Kornher-Stace's work and will read whatever she does next. Arrrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Tachyon!
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
This book lured me in with its promise of a story of a girl who takes the place of her dead brother who had been destined for greatness. It is set during the timeframe leading to the founding of the Ming Dynasty in China. There is also LTGBQ+ representation. This should have been a recipe for love. Instead, I sadly got an abandoned ship at 32%.
To be fair, I loved the set up and the beginning of the novel. I enjoyed how the main character, Zhu, is so determined to live that she rejects her fate and steals the path of her dead brother. Is she really going against her fate or was the switch fated all along? I felt that her time in the famine and the destruction of her family was extremely evocative and engrossing. I also enjoyed her time in the monastery.
However, there are huge jumps in time where we miss Zhu's personal development and this leads to a series of vignettes without the connective tissue. I wanted the missing sections and, frankly, found the given plot to be rather boring. The pace was uneven. Then the author chose to add in some new POVs. I didn't mind the introduction to Ma but really didn't enjoy the sections of the eunuch Ouyang which were tiresome. The last straw for me was how easily Zhu helped win her first battle. As the book progressed, Zhu accomplished her goals with very little insight into her thought-process and seemingly little hardship.
This book ended up not to me taste. But given how many five star reviews I have seen, I am in the minority. Arrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Macmillian/Tor-Forge!
This book lured me in with its promise of a story of a girl who takes the place of her dead brother who had been destined for greatness. It is set during the timeframe leading to the founding of the Ming Dynasty in China. There is also LTGBQ+ representation. This should have been a recipe for love. Instead, I sadly got an abandoned ship at 32%.
To be fair, I loved the set up and the beginning of the novel. I enjoyed how the main character, Zhu, is so determined to live that she rejects her fate and steals the path of her dead brother. Is she really going against her fate or was the switch fated all along? I felt that her time in the famine and the destruction of her family was extremely evocative and engrossing. I also enjoyed her time in the monastery.
However, there are huge jumps in time where we miss Zhu's personal development and this leads to a series of vignettes without the connective tissue. I wanted the missing sections and, frankly, found the given plot to be rather boring. The pace was uneven. Then the author chose to add in some new POVs. I didn't mind the introduction to Ma but really didn't enjoy the sections of the eunuch Ouyang which were tiresome. The last straw for me was how easily Zhu helped win her first battle. As the book progressed, Zhu accomplished her goals with very little insight into her thought-process and seemingly little hardship.
This book ended up not to me taste. But given how many five star reviews I have seen, I am in the minority. Arrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Macmillian/Tor-Forge!
Ahoy there me mateys! This book has been on me list ever since it was featured by Matey Lynn @ lynn'sbookblog in the SPFBO #6 in 2020. It's set in the 1920s America and features magic and a circus with fantasy animals. It has an awesome cover and I took a chance.
I got this for a whole dollar and it was a pleasant, if simple, story that I read quickly. While I loved the setting and animals, I felt that overall the major problem with this book was it was too light. Nothing was completely fleshed out and I just wanted more. More world-building, more character development, higher stakes for the plot, etc. While I was rooting for the characters, I felt that the ending was too easy and didn't resolve all dangling threads. Also the dragon didn't feature enough.
This felt like it would be a great book for younger readers if some of the plot points were changed. This is one I would not reread and am mildly disappointed by. It had some much unrealized potential. Arrr!
I got this for a whole dollar and it was a pleasant, if simple, story that I read quickly. While I loved the setting and animals, I felt that overall the major problem with this book was it was too light. Nothing was completely fleshed out and I just wanted more. More world-building, more character development, higher stakes for the plot, etc. While I was rooting for the characters, I felt that the ending was too easy and didn't resolve all dangling threads. Also the dragon didn't feature enough.
This felt like it would be a great book for younger readers if some of the plot points were changed. This is one I would not reread and am mildly disappointed by. It had some much unrealized potential. Arrr!
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
The Penric and Desdemona novellas take place in the World of the Five Gods from the trilogy of that name. Book one of the trilogy, curse of the chalion, is one of the best fantasy books I have ever read and I really enjoyed the remaining two. Penric, a sorcerer, and Desdemona, his chaos demon, are a fantastic duo that I ADORE.
In 2020, these novellas were republished in a two-book omnibus set. The first omnibus contained novellas 1 - 3 in the internal chronological order not publishing order. The second set had the novellas 4 - 6. I normally read in publishing order but have to admit that I strongly feel this series should be an exception if ye be new to it.
This novella is number 8 and it contains slight spoilers for other books though it can be read as a standalone. This story follows Penric and Desdemona as a local garrison falls ill with a mysterious illness. Aye, it be a plague novel. But don't let that get ye down. As always, it is a joy to read about Penric. Though this book has sad parts, ultimately it is a comforting type of fantasy. Bad things happen, even magic can't solve everything, and yet working towards the greater good is always worthwhile.
This book does not have an action filled plot like some of the others but was satisfying. I loved the two newer characters and I loved the ending. I am biased because I will read every book put out in this series. But try some of them. Ye might join me. Arrrrr!
The Penric and Desdemona novellas take place in the World of the Five Gods from the trilogy of that name. Book one of the trilogy, curse of the chalion, is one of the best fantasy books I have ever read and I really enjoyed the remaining two. Penric, a sorcerer, and Desdemona, his chaos demon, are a fantastic duo that I ADORE.
In 2020, these novellas were republished in a two-book omnibus set. The first omnibus contained novellas 1 - 3 in the internal chronological order not publishing order. The second set had the novellas 4 - 6. I normally read in publishing order but have to admit that I strongly feel this series should be an exception if ye be new to it.
This novella is number 8 and it contains slight spoilers for other books though it can be read as a standalone. This story follows Penric and Desdemona as a local garrison falls ill with a mysterious illness. Aye, it be a plague novel. But don't let that get ye down. As always, it is a joy to read about Penric. Though this book has sad parts, ultimately it is a comforting type of fantasy. Bad things happen, even magic can't solve everything, and yet working towards the greater good is always worthwhile.
This book does not have an action filled plot like some of the others but was satisfying. I loved the two newer characters and I loved the ending. I am biased because I will read every book put out in this series. But try some of them. Ye might join me. Arrrrr!