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thecaptainsquarters
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this sci-fi fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here are me honest musings . . .
Okay as usual, the cover with a bad-ass woman led me to take a closer look at the novel and read the blurb.
The main character, Skeen, is described as a tough thief of artifacts - in space. So, yes, I was interested. I like to think of her as sort of an Indiana Jones and space pirate combined. Arrrr! She gets stranded on a planet with no money and no ship. A rumor leads her towards a set of ruins where she hopes to get enough artifacts to raise capital to get off planet. Instead she goes through a portal to another dimension.
The author was new to me. Apparently the author is known for her "complex, beautifully realized societies set it exotic worlds and stories inhabited by compelling heroines." She unfortunately passed away in 1998 due to multiple myeloma. This publisher is reissuing the Skeen trilogy as e-books.
I gave this one a read. Complex societies. Check. Compelling heroines. Check.
Things I loved (in no particular order)
- Lots of strong female characters!
- Skeen - a tough, crafty, intelligent woman who is just plain awesome. I could certainly learn a new trick or two from this accomplished thief.
- Shapeshifters! Hooray!
- Alien / Different cultures. The description of the 8 waves of people are fun. The book doesn't not really get into the nitty gritty of the other cultures but the peeks into them are super fun.
- The rag-tag bunch of people that end of being in Skeen's traveling party. They are all oddly endearing in their own ways. I like them all.
- Sea Captain Maggi. She and I are kindred spirits. Arrrrr!
- Women are in charge of their own sexual lives.
- Victorian Era sounding chapters titles like "A Day, A Night, Another Day of Dull Travel. We'll Skip all That and Get Right to the Next Exciting Bit."
- Flowery Descriptions.
Things I didn't like (in no particular order):
- Slow pacing.
- Flowery descriptions.
- Traveling.
- Those three things tie together. There is a lot of traveling. Like the whole book. Lots of descriptions of land being traveled through, food being eaten, and sleeping places. I would say this book is a lot of showing interspersed with some actions scenes.
- Some sex scenes where there is guilt involved even though the two parties are consenting adults. Not sure what the point of the scenes were. Maybe it gets explained in later books?
This book to me was more fantasy then sci-fi due to the setting and feel of the novel. Some of the weapons were sci-fi and space-like but much more were rather primitive bow and arrow kinda things. It didn't really feel like sci-fi because the other dimension seemed more magical - like do ye usually see shapeshifters in space? Of course, that could be awesome. But that is for another story another day. This novel is an unique little book that is somewhat hard to classify but I definitely want to read the rest of the series! Plus the e-book is currently on Amazon for $1.99 so ye might want to give it a shot.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Open Road Integrated Media!
Okay as usual, the cover with a bad-ass woman led me to take a closer look at the novel and read the blurb.
The main character, Skeen, is described as a tough thief of artifacts - in space. So, yes, I was interested. I like to think of her as sort of an Indiana Jones and space pirate combined. Arrrr! She gets stranded on a planet with no money and no ship. A rumor leads her towards a set of ruins where she hopes to get enough artifacts to raise capital to get off planet. Instead she goes through a portal to another dimension.
The author was new to me. Apparently the author is known for her "complex, beautifully realized societies set it exotic worlds and stories inhabited by compelling heroines." She unfortunately passed away in 1998 due to multiple myeloma. This publisher is reissuing the Skeen trilogy as e-books.
I gave this one a read. Complex societies. Check. Compelling heroines. Check.
Things I loved (in no particular order)
- Lots of strong female characters!
- Skeen - a tough, crafty, intelligent woman who is just plain awesome. I could certainly learn a new trick or two from this accomplished thief.
- Shapeshifters! Hooray!
- Alien / Different cultures. The description of the 8 waves of people are fun. The book doesn't not really get into the nitty gritty of the other cultures but the peeks into them are super fun.
- The rag-tag bunch of people that end of being in Skeen's traveling party. They are all oddly endearing in their own ways. I like them all.
- Sea Captain Maggi. She and I are kindred spirits. Arrrrr!
- Women are in charge of their own sexual lives.
- Victorian Era sounding chapters titles like "A Day, A Night, Another Day of Dull Travel. We'll Skip all That and Get Right to the Next Exciting Bit."
- Flowery Descriptions.
Things I didn't like (in no particular order):
- Slow pacing.
- Flowery descriptions.
- Traveling.
- Those three things tie together. There is a lot of traveling. Like the whole book. Lots of descriptions of land being traveled through, food being eaten, and sleeping places. I would say this book is a lot of showing interspersed with some actions scenes.
- Some sex scenes where there is guilt involved even though the two parties are consenting adults. Not sure what the point of the scenes were. Maybe it gets explained in later books?
This book to me was more fantasy then sci-fi due to the setting and feel of the novel. Some of the weapons were sci-fi and space-like but much more were rather primitive bow and arrow kinda things. It didn't really feel like sci-fi because the other dimension seemed more magical - like do ye usually see shapeshifters in space? Of course, that could be awesome. But that is for another story another day. This novel is an unique little book that is somewhat hard to classify but I definitely want to read the rest of the series! Plus the e-book is currently on Amazon for $1.99 so ye might want to give it a shot.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Open Road Integrated Media!
Ahoy there me mateys! This is the first book of a military sci-fi duology called Vatta's Peace. The duology follows the 5 book Vatta's War series. If ye are not already familiar with the Vatta's War series, I would not begin here. I have read this story before but was extremely excited when I found out there was an audiobook version. I absolutely loved listening to it.
In this novel, the systems should be at peace as the interplanetary conflict has ended. Ky is headed to her home planet to deal with family business affairs. A straightforward trip ends up sabotaged when the shuttle crashes. Ky uses her intelligence and grit to survive.
Kylara Vatta is a great character to root for. One of the best things about both series is watching Ky's progression and character development. I also enjoy other characters like cousin Stella and Aunt Grace. Additionally, the author has twists to the story that seem so realistic. People die. Artic weather sucks. Rescue takes a long, long time. Even in times of crisis, personalities clash. I really do enjoy survival stories.
There are several small issues with the novel. There are a couple of plot points that are solved easily. The novel ends on a cliff hanger. And the people behind the island's secrets are not really explained in this book. To get full story, ye need to read the next book.
I don't remember everything that happens in book 2 but I hope Tantor Audio has the conclusion to the duology. I need to refresh my memory of what happens next. Arrrrr!
I received a copy of the audiobook from Tantor Audio in exchange for me honest musings.
*************************
Ahoy there me mateys! This here be a combined review of the Vatta’s Peace duology. While I try to post no spoilers, if ye haven’t read the Vatta’s War series and ye keep reading this log then ye have been forewarned and continue at yer own peril . . .
Ye think I would have enough of Ky Vatta after readin’ the 5 books in the Vatta’s War series. Well no, I wanted more! Luckily for me this companion series exists. Ever wonder what happens to the Admiral when war is over? Then this be for ye!
I loved book 1 so much plus there was a crazy cliffhanger so I just leapt straight into the remainder of the story. And was very satisfied by what I got.
This story follows Ky as she goes back to her home planet to quickly take care of some business and return to the fleet. Only she never gets to her destination. Sabotage finds her stranded in arctic conditions with a very small band of survivors. I adore survival stories especially when it involves treacherous seas, islands, and people! This aspect was me favourite part. I thought how the author chose to portray the timeline of the survival story was particularly lovely. The only minor quibble was the “rescue” was a little anti-climatic.
But of course after the survivors are saved, the pace gears back up. I certainly did not expect what happened to Ky and the others after that. Politics and chaos become the order of the day. It was super fun. Ky, Stella, and Grace all play their parts. And what was fascinating is that they continue to grow and change more in these two books. Like real people do. So that was fun.
While the Vatta story can end here, I will certainly take another companion series that looks into the unsolved mystery of this duology. Arrr!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
In this novel, the systems should be at peace as the interplanetary conflict has ended. Ky is headed to her home planet to deal with family business affairs. A straightforward trip ends up sabotaged when the shuttle crashes. Ky uses her intelligence and grit to survive.
Kylara Vatta is a great character to root for. One of the best things about both series is watching Ky's progression and character development. I also enjoy other characters like cousin Stella and Aunt Grace. Additionally, the author has twists to the story that seem so realistic. People die. Artic weather sucks. Rescue takes a long, long time. Even in times of crisis, personalities clash. I really do enjoy survival stories.
There are several small issues with the novel. There are a couple of plot points that are solved easily. The novel ends on a cliff hanger. And the people behind the island's secrets are not really explained in this book. To get full story, ye need to read the next book.
I don't remember everything that happens in book 2 but I hope Tantor Audio has the conclusion to the duology. I need to refresh my memory of what happens next. Arrrrr!
I received a copy of the audiobook from Tantor Audio in exchange for me honest musings.
*************************
Ahoy there me mateys! This here be a combined review of the Vatta’s Peace duology. While I try to post no spoilers, if ye haven’t read the Vatta’s War series and ye keep reading this log then ye have been forewarned and continue at yer own peril . . .
Ye think I would have enough of Ky Vatta after readin’ the 5 books in the Vatta’s War series. Well no, I wanted more! Luckily for me this companion series exists. Ever wonder what happens to the Admiral when war is over? Then this be for ye!
I loved book 1 so much plus there was a crazy cliffhanger so I just leapt straight into the remainder of the story. And was very satisfied by what I got.
This story follows Ky as she goes back to her home planet to quickly take care of some business and return to the fleet. Only she never gets to her destination. Sabotage finds her stranded in arctic conditions with a very small band of survivors. I adore survival stories especially when it involves treacherous seas, islands, and people! This aspect was me favourite part. I thought how the author chose to portray the timeline of the survival story was particularly lovely. The only minor quibble was the “rescue” was a little anti-climatic.
But of course after the survivors are saved, the pace gears back up. I certainly did not expect what happened to Ky and the others after that. Politics and chaos become the order of the day. It was super fun. Ky, Stella, and Grace all play their parts. And what was fascinating is that they continue to grow and change more in these two books. Like real people do. So that was fun.
While the Vatta story can end here, I will certainly take another companion series that looks into the unsolved mystery of this duology. Arrr!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
This book is the sequel to the testing and represents another port that I have plundered. Arrrr! In this novel the main character Cia has passed the testing and has entered formal studies as an entry-level University student. The testing has ended . . . or has it? Cia is trying to find the truth behind the testing process.
While this book was enjoyable, it was not nearly as good as the first novel. Book 2 seemed to be one long set-up for book 3. The hazing, classes, and assignments seem almost pointless and Cia gets through fairly easily. However, unlike yesterday’s book, Cia seemed to be a lot more clueless and lost in this part of the story in terms of the bigger picture. A lot of what she does learn seems accidental and/or has information given directly to her with no real effort on her part. The secondary characters also have a lot less of a role to play, though I did enjoy the addition of the city students. Cia doesn’t seem to connect to or really care about any of them. The novel kinda felt like Katniss wallowing in mockingjay forever with no major purpose.
Ultimately I think this entire novel could be summed up with a couple of chapters and the rest skipped with no real loss. It was kinda boring even though I still was rooting for the main character. The plot’s “twists” were not even that surprising even with the cliff-hanger ending. But I am still looking forward to finding out what happens next.
If you would like to read more of my reviews visit https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
While this book was enjoyable, it was not nearly as good as the first novel. Book 2 seemed to be one long set-up for book 3. The hazing, classes, and assignments seem almost pointless and Cia gets through fairly easily. However, unlike yesterday’s book, Cia seemed to be a lot more clueless and lost in this part of the story in terms of the bigger picture. A lot of what she does learn seems accidental and/or has information given directly to her with no real effort on her part. The secondary characters also have a lot less of a role to play, though I did enjoy the addition of the city students. Cia doesn’t seem to connect to or really care about any of them. The novel kinda felt like Katniss wallowing in mockingjay forever with no major purpose.
Ultimately I think this entire novel could be summed up with a couple of chapters and the rest skipped with no real loss. It was kinda boring even though I still was rooting for the main character. The plot’s “twists” were not even that surprising even with the cliff-hanger ending. But I am still looking forward to finding out what happens next.
If you would like to read more of my reviews visit https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Ahoy there mateys! The spiders, magical silk, and historical setting made me excited to read this novel. Unfortunately, the annoying characters, bizarre plot, and real lack of use of both the magical spiders and silk led this book to walk the plank! The premise was very interesting but the author failed to use the existing elements satisfactorily. I expected a fantasy book and this barely fit the bill.
The book has two timelines. The first is set in 1820 where a scientist and his wife are on a remote Greek island to look for rare spiders. The second takes place several decades later. A silk is made from the rare spiders and it has unusual properties. An audiologist is introduced to the silk and gets involved with the factory owner to make the silk world renown.
The majority of the plot focuses on the second timeline. Henry, the audiologist, is the the main point of view. He was extremely frustrating. A lot of his plot involved queer longing for his employer which got tedious. He is incredibly self-absorbed and willfully ignorant. He makes excuses for the factory owner's evilness over and over again. The other viewpoint deals with the scientist's wife in the form of her diary. She is a more sympathetic character but also excuses her abuser husband repeatedly. There are annoying viewpoints on how the husband is always right, non-white people are superior, and self-absorption in her obsession for a child. There is also an uncomfortable lesbian relationship due to its build up and resolution.
Besides the awful characters, there are too many unnecessary or odd plot elements. ***Here be slight spoilers.*** Henry's audiologist background is used to get him to the factory town and never really touched on again. The factory owner's deaf daughter and governess appear periodically but to no real purpose. The town is also filled with deaf factory workers as a plot device for attempted murder. There is a factory manager with a secret laboratory that is used as a side plot towards the end of the book with the real use of the silk i.e. total mind control and/or torture. But how the mind control worked was nonsensical. There is a flood subplot to remove the evil factory. There is a dead character who turns up magically alive at the end. Ugh.
Then comes the spiders. The silk mind control subplot was awful enough. However the silk was supposed to cause psychosis or deafness or pain when facing one side and complete silence when facing the other. It may also cause birth defects. But the author failed to explore the uses of the silk on any practical level. Basically the main use was curtains. The bad effects never seemed consistent and seemed used only to shock the reader i.e. torture. Some people get headaches and can take a medicinal pill. Some lose their minds. The majority go deaf. Henry never seems overly concerned with these elements of the silk. Why was he so mesmerized by the silk other than as a plot device? Also if the spiders were gods on the Greek island with seemingly magical properties, why did that disappear in England with them just regular spiders? These spiders and their silk had such possibility and sat in the background.
Ultimately, I do not recommend this book for anyone. The major ideas that could be explored i.e. capitalism, classism, industrial conditions, treatment of children, white-savior complex, use of sign language etc. are not discussed or used in any compelling or engaging way. This walks the plank and good riddance. Arrr!
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for me honest musings.
The book has two timelines. The first is set in 1820 where a scientist and his wife are on a remote Greek island to look for rare spiders. The second takes place several decades later. A silk is made from the rare spiders and it has unusual properties. An audiologist is introduced to the silk and gets involved with the factory owner to make the silk world renown.
The majority of the plot focuses on the second timeline. Henry, the audiologist, is the the main point of view. He was extremely frustrating. A lot of his plot involved queer longing for his employer which got tedious. He is incredibly self-absorbed and willfully ignorant. He makes excuses for the factory owner's evilness over and over again. The other viewpoint deals with the scientist's wife in the form of her diary. She is a more sympathetic character but also excuses her abuser husband repeatedly. There are annoying viewpoints on how the husband is always right, non-white people are superior, and self-absorption in her obsession for a child. There is also an uncomfortable lesbian relationship due to its build up and resolution.
Besides the awful characters, there are too many unnecessary or odd plot elements. ***Here be slight spoilers.*** Henry's audiologist background is used to get him to the factory town and never really touched on again. The factory owner's deaf daughter and governess appear periodically but to no real purpose. The town is also filled with deaf factory workers as a plot device for attempted murder. There is a factory manager with a secret laboratory that is used as a side plot towards the end of the book with the real use of the silk i.e. total mind control and/or torture. But how the mind control worked was nonsensical. There is a flood subplot to remove the evil factory. There is a dead character who turns up magically alive at the end. Ugh.
Then comes the spiders. The silk mind control subplot was awful enough. However the silk was supposed to cause psychosis or deafness or pain when facing one side and complete silence when facing the other. It may also cause birth defects. But the author failed to explore the uses of the silk on any practical level. Basically the main use was curtains. The bad effects never seemed consistent and seemed used only to shock the reader i.e. torture. Some people get headaches and can take a medicinal pill. Some lose their minds. The majority go deaf. Henry never seems overly concerned with these elements of the silk. Why was he so mesmerized by the silk other than as a plot device? Also if the spiders were gods on the Greek island with seemingly magical properties, why did that disappear in England with them just regular spiders? These spiders and their silk had such possibility and sat in the background.
Ultimately, I do not recommend this book for anyone. The major ideas that could be explored i.e. capitalism, classism, industrial conditions, treatment of children, white-savior complex, use of sign language etc. are not discussed or used in any compelling or engaging way. This walks the plank and good riddance. Arrr!
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for me honest musings.
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
I absolutely loved this novella. It follows the orphan, Creeper, who inadvertently hears a plot she is not supposed to know about and then gets drawn into the struggle to stop it. This is set in an alternate 1884 New Orleans, has airships, shows an America where slavery in the South is not illegal, and also has Gods alive and well and getting involved in human affairs. And me description does not really begin to do it justice. The world-building is exquisite, the characters are quirky and wonderful, and the writing captivated me. Though short, it packed an emotional punch. I want many more stories set in this fantastic diverse world. 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!
Melanie @ meltotheany's review - "I loved this book and P. Djèlí Clark is now forever on my auto-buy list. And in this ownvoices novella, the entire cast is black. And the characters in this book are a tier above most, and you can’t help but fall in love with them in only 100 pages! Creeper, Madame Diouf, Anna-Marie (the bi or pan airship captain of my heart, also physical disability rep because she’s missing a leg), Feral, Eunice and Agnes, I loved them all. And I want nothing more than more books from this world."
Elise @ thebookishactress' review - "I absolutely love the worldbuilding of this book. The Black God’s Drums is set in a post-confederate New Orleans in which the South achieved their goal of armistice. While many cities rebelled, they succeeded in keeping most territories, using slave labor and keeping them confined via a type of poison gas called drapeto. The aesthetic used is perfect, keeping you very firmly within the alt-history lowkey-sci-fi vibe but also not feeling overdone."
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Merged review:
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
I absolutely loved this novella. It follows the orphan, Creeper, who inadvertently hears a plot she is not supposed to know about and then gets drawn into the struggle to stop it. This is set in an alternate 1884 New Orleans, has airships, shows an America where slavery in the South is not illegal, and also has Gods alive and well and getting involved in human affairs. And me description does not really begin to do it justice. The world-building is exquisite, the characters are quirky and wonderful, and the writing captivated me. Though short, it packed an emotional punch. I want many more stories set in this fantastic diverse world. 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!
Melanie @ meltotheany's review - "I loved this book and P. Djèlí Clark is now forever on my auto-buy list. And in this ownvoices novella, the entire cast is black. And the characters in this book are a tier above most, and you can’t help but fall in love with them in only 100 pages! Creeper, Madame Diouf, Anna-Marie (the bi or pan airship captain of my heart, also physical disability rep because she’s missing a leg), Feral, Eunice and Agnes, I loved them all. And I want nothing more than more books from this world."
Elise @ thebookishactress' review - "I absolutely love the worldbuilding of this book. The Black God’s Drums is set in a post-confederate New Orleans in which the South achieved their goal of armistice. While many cities rebelled, they succeeded in keeping most territories, using slave labor and keeping them confined via a type of poison gas called drapeto. The aesthetic used is perfect, keeping you very firmly within the alt-history lowkey-sci-fi vibe but also not feeling overdone."
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
I absolutely loved this novella. It follows the orphan, Creeper, who inadvertently hears a plot she is not supposed to know about and then gets drawn into the struggle to stop it. This is set in an alternate 1884 New Orleans, has airships, shows an America where slavery in the South is not illegal, and also has Gods alive and well and getting involved in human affairs. And me description does not really begin to do it justice. The world-building is exquisite, the characters are quirky and wonderful, and the writing captivated me. Though short, it packed an emotional punch. I want many more stories set in this fantastic diverse world. 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!
Melanie @ meltotheany's review - "I loved this book and P. Djèlí Clark is now forever on my auto-buy list. And in this ownvoices novella, the entire cast is black. And the characters in this book are a tier above most, and you can’t help but fall in love with them in only 100 pages! Creeper, Madame Diouf, Anna-Marie (the bi or pan airship captain of my heart, also physical disability rep because she’s missing a leg), Feral, Eunice and Agnes, I loved them all. And I want nothing more than more books from this world."
Elise @ thebookishactress' review - "I absolutely love the worldbuilding of this book. The Black God’s Drums is set in a post-confederate New Orleans in which the South achieved their goal of armistice. While many cities rebelled, they succeeded in keeping most territories, using slave labor and keeping them confined via a type of poison gas called drapeto. The aesthetic used is perfect, keeping you very firmly within the alt-history lowkey-sci-fi vibe but also not feeling overdone."
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Merged review:
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
I absolutely loved this novella. It follows the orphan, Creeper, who inadvertently hears a plot she is not supposed to know about and then gets drawn into the struggle to stop it. This is set in an alternate 1884 New Orleans, has airships, shows an America where slavery in the South is not illegal, and also has Gods alive and well and getting involved in human affairs. And me description does not really begin to do it justice. The world-building is exquisite, the characters are quirky and wonderful, and the writing captivated me. Though short, it packed an emotional punch. I want many more stories set in this fantastic diverse world. 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!
Melanie @ meltotheany's review - "I loved this book and P. Djèlí Clark is now forever on my auto-buy list. And in this ownvoices novella, the entire cast is black. And the characters in this book are a tier above most, and you can’t help but fall in love with them in only 100 pages! Creeper, Madame Diouf, Anna-Marie (the bi or pan airship captain of my heart, also physical disability rep because she’s missing a leg), Feral, Eunice and Agnes, I loved them all. And I want nothing more than more books from this world."
Elise @ thebookishactress' review - "I absolutely love the worldbuilding of this book. The Black God’s Drums is set in a post-confederate New Orleans in which the South achieved their goal of armistice. While many cities rebelled, they succeeded in keeping most territories, using slave labor and keeping them confined via a type of poison gas called drapeto. The aesthetic used is perfect, keeping you very firmly within the alt-history lowkey-sci-fi vibe but also not feeling overdone."
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Ahoy there me mateys! The story follows Avery, who is returning to her hometown during summer break to see her best friends. She can't wait to return to the old haunts and try to forget the move ever happened. Unfortunately, the school year apart seems to have changed things. Avery is confused and overwhelmed. To try and break the tension, Avery suggests a séance at the local abandoned theater. Secretly she hopes they will say no. But, the others agree and the quartet enters the theater only to find an actual ghost! They are trapped by the spirit. How will they survive and escape?
Wendy Parris' theatre background shows in this fun middle grade spooky story. Having been in the biz, I was delighted to see how the author used other areas besides the stage itself in the action. It shows younger readers the dressing rooms, ticket offices, catwalks, and other places rarely seen by the audience. How the ghost light worked for the plot is also fantastic and clever. I won't reveal it here.
I would have loved this as a child for the spooky feel and setting. I also would have loved the four friends trying to figure out how to escape the scary ghost. The characters are wonderful and easy to root for. As an adult, I love the lessons suggested throughout the novel. There are discussions of evolving friendships, gender differences, irrational fears, honesty, and untended consequences. I also enjoyed the parents' roles and how sibling relationships were portrayed. Avery was fantastic and used deductive reasoning against the ghost.
The ending in particular was perfect. The parents are grateful their kids are okay but still there are repercussions for breaking rules. How the children resolve their changing friendships, outlook for the future, and their feelings about the ghost are also realistic and lovely. Recommended for spooky story and theatre lovers alike. Arrrr!
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
Wendy Parris' theatre background shows in this fun middle grade spooky story. Having been in the biz, I was delighted to see how the author used other areas besides the stage itself in the action. It shows younger readers the dressing rooms, ticket offices, catwalks, and other places rarely seen by the audience. How the ghost light worked for the plot is also fantastic and clever. I won't reveal it here.
I would have loved this as a child for the spooky feel and setting. I also would have loved the four friends trying to figure out how to escape the scary ghost. The characters are wonderful and easy to root for. As an adult, I love the lessons suggested throughout the novel. There are discussions of evolving friendships, gender differences, irrational fears, honesty, and untended consequences. I also enjoyed the parents' roles and how sibling relationships were portrayed. Avery was fantastic and used deductive reasoning against the ghost.
The ending in particular was perfect. The parents are grateful their kids are okay but still there are repercussions for breaking rules. How the children resolve their changing friendships, outlook for the future, and their feelings about the ghost are also realistic and lovely. Recommended for spooky story and theatre lovers alike. Arrrr!
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
Ahoy there me mateys! First of all let me start with saying that this book is not the place to start the series. It has spoilers for the other four books. When I read the other books, I wanted to know more about the translators. Now that I have answers, I am not sure I like them. This may be me and not the book judging by the number of five star ratings.
Basically this book has three POVs that come together. Enae is a middle age human whose not-so-nice grandmother died. She is sent off-world on a task to be out of the way. No one expects her to be part of an inadvertent political disaster. Qven is a Presger Translator in training. I did love how the training works. It is super weird and fun. Reet is an adopted refugee that just wants a sense of his unknown ancestors and where he came from. I loved the set-up for this book but once the narratives combine was where I had problems.
The major problem I had with the book is where Reet and Qven's stories converge and how they resolve. It was too filled with angst. I didn't like the backstory or mystery of Reet at all. I didn't want relationship drama. I wanted more of Enae and more of inter-galactic politics. The (limited) politics, relationships, and mystery elements all seemed resolved too quickly and easily. I enjoyed the legal questions of the novel but it branches off in the last part of the book into an exploration of Presger abilities that I didn't really care for. The ending in particular was unsatisfying.
Given how fully I love the other four books of the series, this novel did not live up to them. The elements that I do love are there but overall this one did not come together for me. That said, I would read more set in this world. Arrrr!
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for a review.
Basically this book has three POVs that come together. Enae is a middle age human whose not-so-nice grandmother died. She is sent off-world on a task to be out of the way. No one expects her to be part of an inadvertent political disaster. Qven is a Presger Translator in training. I did love how the training works. It is super weird and fun. Reet is an adopted refugee that just wants a sense of his unknown ancestors and where he came from. I loved the set-up for this book but once the narratives combine was where I had problems.
The major problem I had with the book is where Reet and Qven's stories converge and how they resolve. It was too filled with angst. I didn't like the backstory or mystery of Reet at all. I didn't want relationship drama. I wanted more of Enae and more of inter-galactic politics. The (limited) politics, relationships, and mystery elements all seemed resolved too quickly and easily. I enjoyed the legal questions of the novel but it branches off in the last part of the book into an exploration of Presger abilities that I didn't really care for. The ending in particular was unsatisfying.
Given how fully I love the other four books of the series, this novel did not live up to them. The elements that I do love are there but overall this one did not come together for me. That said, I would read more set in this world. Arrrr!
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for a review.
Ahoy there mateys! "Can’t Wait Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. Each Wednesday ye get to highlight a book that ye be really looking forward to. I don't normally do memes here on me log, but I received this young adult fantasy eARC excerpt from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I loved it and am now looking forward to readin' the full version when it be published. The stats:
Title: winterkeep
Author: Kristin Cashore
Publisher: Dial Books
Publication Date: January 19, 2021 (hardback/ebook)
ISBN: 978-0803741508
Source: NetGalley
Well mateys. I loved the Graceling realm when I was younger. I reread those books over and over again. Me reread as an adult was surprisingly not as good but I can't help but be fascinated by the world. I was intrigued when I saw this new offering. I wasn't sure at first if I would read it but was too curious and so got the excerpt to see what was happening. I basically forgot it was an excerpt, got to the end, and was sad I didn't have more.
These books are said to be set up to be companion books that can be read in any order. I disagree. They build on each other. A lot of what I read in book four would make a person lost if they didn't know what came before. I did wish that this new book involved new characters but instead it deals with Bitterblue again. However, I quickly wanted to know more about the new lands and people and plots brewing. I will certainly be I certainly do want to know what happens next. Arrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Dial Books!
Title: winterkeep
Author: Kristin Cashore
Publisher: Dial Books
Publication Date: January 19, 2021 (hardback/ebook)
ISBN: 978-0803741508
Source: NetGalley
Well mateys. I loved the Graceling realm when I was younger. I reread those books over and over again. Me reread as an adult was surprisingly not as good but I can't help but be fascinated by the world. I was intrigued when I saw this new offering. I wasn't sure at first if I would read it but was too curious and so got the excerpt to see what was happening. I basically forgot it was an excerpt, got to the end, and was sad I didn't have more.
These books are said to be set up to be companion books that can be read in any order. I disagree. They build on each other. A lot of what I read in book four would make a person lost if they didn't know what came before. I did wish that this new book involved new characters but instead it deals with Bitterblue again. However, I quickly wanted to know more about the new lands and people and plots brewing. I will certainly be I certainly do want to know what happens next. Arrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Dial Books!
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 novella answers the question about what would happen if a wormhole opened up in Ikea, I mean, LitenVärld (copyright issues!). In this short but fun #ownvoices story, a grandmother wanders through the portal to another universe and gets lost. Two employees have been tasked to find her . . . only they just broke up a week ago and are barely speaking.
The premise is awesome but I wasn't sure at first if I was going like this one. The humor style took some getting used to and had quite a few pop culture references at the start. Some of it entertained me like how each LitenVärld furniture room set-up had a nickname like "Nihilist Bachelor Room." Other parts could be sarcastic but kinda felt painful and mean-spirited. It was an odd juxtaposition but I got the hang of it. Having worked in retail (ugh!) I could relate to commentary of working for a soulless corporation with arbitrary rules and conformity issues.
The heart of the story lies with the two main characters, Ava and Jules, and how they are coping with the end of their romantic relationship. It really does capture the feel of knowing that a partnership has to end but still struggling with conflicting emotions about the transition. It doesn't help when ye be working at a job ye hate and seemingly have nowhere to go. It was interesting to read about a very unhealthy relationship between two otherwise nice people.
The major complaint I have about this one is that it was actually too short. The relationship between Jules and Ava was excellent and obviously the main point of the story but I would have liked more world building. I loved why the wormholes appeared and how the corporation dealt with them. The commentary about diversity and relationships was excellent but I couldn't help but want more details about the strange lands. The handful of other worlds felt lightly sketched in.
No regrets here at all though. I will certainly be looking for Cirpri's next work.
So lastly . . .
Thank ye Tor.com!
Merged review:
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 novella answers the question about what would happen if a wormhole opened up in Ikea, I mean, LitenVärld (copyright issues!). In this short but fun #ownvoices story, a grandmother wanders through the portal to another universe and gets lost. Two employees have been tasked to find her . . . only they just broke up a week ago and are barely speaking.
The premise is awesome but I wasn't sure at first if I was going like this one. The humor style took some getting used to and had quite a few pop culture references at the start. Some of it entertained me like how each LitenVärld furniture room set-up had a nickname like "Nihilist Bachelor Room." Other parts could be sarcastic but kinda felt painful and mean-spirited. It was an odd juxtaposition but I got the hang of it. Having worked in retail (ugh!) I could relate to commentary of working for a soulless corporation with arbitrary rules and conformity issues.
The heart of the story lies with the two main characters, Ava and Jules, and how they are coping with the end of their romantic relationship. It really does capture the feel of knowing that a partnership has to end but still struggling with conflicting emotions about the transition. It doesn't help when ye be working at a job ye hate and seemingly have nowhere to go. It was interesting to read about a very unhealthy relationship between two otherwise nice people.
The major complaint I have about this one is that it was actually too short. The relationship between Jules and Ava was excellent and obviously the main point of the story but I would have liked more world building. I loved why the wormholes appeared and how the corporation dealt with them. The commentary about diversity and relationships was excellent but I couldn't help but want more details about the strange lands. The handful of other worlds felt lightly sketched in.
No regrets here at all though. I will certainly be looking for Cirpri's next work.
So lastly . . .
Thank ye Tor.com!
This novella answers the question about what would happen if a wormhole opened up in Ikea, I mean, LitenVärld (copyright issues!). In this short but fun #ownvoices story, a grandmother wanders through the portal to another universe and gets lost. Two employees have been tasked to find her . . . only they just broke up a week ago and are barely speaking.
The premise is awesome but I wasn't sure at first if I was going like this one. The humor style took some getting used to and had quite a few pop culture references at the start. Some of it entertained me like how each LitenVärld furniture room set-up had a nickname like "Nihilist Bachelor Room." Other parts could be sarcastic but kinda felt painful and mean-spirited. It was an odd juxtaposition but I got the hang of it. Having worked in retail (ugh!) I could relate to commentary of working for a soulless corporation with arbitrary rules and conformity issues.
The heart of the story lies with the two main characters, Ava and Jules, and how they are coping with the end of their romantic relationship. It really does capture the feel of knowing that a partnership has to end but still struggling with conflicting emotions about the transition. It doesn't help when ye be working at a job ye hate and seemingly have nowhere to go. It was interesting to read about a very unhealthy relationship between two otherwise nice people.
The major complaint I have about this one is that it was actually too short. The relationship between Jules and Ava was excellent and obviously the main point of the story but I would have liked more world building. I loved why the wormholes appeared and how the corporation dealt with them. The commentary about diversity and relationships was excellent but I couldn't help but want more details about the strange lands. The handful of other worlds felt lightly sketched in.
No regrets here at all though. I will certainly be looking for Cirpri's next work.
So lastly . . .
Thank ye Tor.com!
Merged review:
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 novella answers the question about what would happen if a wormhole opened up in Ikea, I mean, LitenVärld (copyright issues!). In this short but fun #ownvoices story, a grandmother wanders through the portal to another universe and gets lost. Two employees have been tasked to find her . . . only they just broke up a week ago and are barely speaking.
The premise is awesome but I wasn't sure at first if I was going like this one. The humor style took some getting used to and had quite a few pop culture references at the start. Some of it entertained me like how each LitenVärld furniture room set-up had a nickname like "Nihilist Bachelor Room." Other parts could be sarcastic but kinda felt painful and mean-spirited. It was an odd juxtaposition but I got the hang of it. Having worked in retail (ugh!) I could relate to commentary of working for a soulless corporation with arbitrary rules and conformity issues.
The heart of the story lies with the two main characters, Ava and Jules, and how they are coping with the end of their romantic relationship. It really does capture the feel of knowing that a partnership has to end but still struggling with conflicting emotions about the transition. It doesn't help when ye be working at a job ye hate and seemingly have nowhere to go. It was interesting to read about a very unhealthy relationship between two otherwise nice people.
The major complaint I have about this one is that it was actually too short. The relationship between Jules and Ava was excellent and obviously the main point of the story but I would have liked more world building. I loved why the wormholes appeared and how the corporation dealt with them. The commentary about diversity and relationships was excellent but I couldn't help but want more details about the strange lands. The handful of other worlds felt lightly sketched in.
No regrets here at all though. I will certainly be looking for Cirpri's next work.
So lastly . . .
Thank ye Tor.com!
Ahoy there me 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. I received this literary eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
This novel caught me eye because of the title. It is not in me usual genres but me ship holds three feline cohorts for luck and love. All of me friends and family are dog people. I get called the cat lady . . . well crazy cat lady ALL THE TIME. I am given cat socks and sent photos of cats. I figured this book would be a purrrrfect fit! I picked it up expecting a silly, light read. I didn't get a light read but what I got instead was ultimately interesting and fulfilling.
The story follows a woman named Nancy. She is soft-spoken, private, and independent. Though everyone in town knows who Nancy is, nobody really knows much about her. Other than she has cats. So she is known as the cat lady and watches other folks' cats when folks are out-of-town. Everyone likes Nancy but seem to want to delve into her past which she has no interest sharing. Until one day her past comes to her in the form of a photograph. Finding that photo unleashes an unexpected series of events. Nancy has to choose how to face both her past and her future.
This tale was wonderful. It is about grief, hope, friendship, kindness, closure, isolation, life, healing, and lack of judgment. I thought Nancy was extremely relatable and lovely. I also enjoyed the cast of characters that help bring down Nancy's walls of sorrow. I particularly loved George and Alfie. I loved how we got to see how people deal with negative events in different ways. I loved how it shows ye can't know what goes on behind other people's facades unless ye let them into yers. I loved the connections. I thought the ending was absolutely touching and I may have shed a salty tear or two. Seriously I wouldn't mind having a Nancy in me life.
So if ye want a lovely story that warmed up even this grizzled sailor's old bilge-pump I call me heart, check this yarn out. Arrrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Bookouture!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Merged review:
Ahoy there me 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. I received this literary eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
This novel caught me eye because of the title. It is not in me usual genres but me ship holds three feline cohorts for luck and love. All of me friends and family are dog people. I get called the cat lady . . . well crazy cat lady ALL THE TIME. I am given cat socks and sent photos of cats. I figured this book would be a purrrrfect fit! I picked it up expecting a silly, light read. I didn't get a light read but what I got instead was ultimately interesting and fulfilling.
The story follows a woman named Nancy. She is soft-spoken, private, and independent. Though everyone in town knows who Nancy is, nobody really knows much about her. Other than she has cats. So she is known as the cat lady and watches other folks' cats when folks are out-of-town. Everyone likes Nancy but seem to want to delve into her past which she has no interest sharing. Until one day her past comes to her in the form of a photograph. Finding that photo unleashes an unexpected series of events. Nancy has to choose how to face both her past and her future.
This tale was wonderful. It is about grief, hope, friendship, kindness, closure, isolation, life, healing, and lack of judgment. I thought Nancy was extremely relatable and lovely. I also enjoyed the cast of characters that help bring down Nancy's walls of sorrow. I particularly loved George and Alfie. I loved how we got to see how people deal with negative events in different ways. I loved how it shows ye can't know what goes on behind other people's facades unless ye let them into yers. I loved the connections. I thought the ending was absolutely touching and I may have shed a salty tear or two. Seriously I wouldn't mind having a Nancy in me life.
So if ye want a lovely story that warmed up even this grizzled sailor's old bilge-pump I call me heart, check this yarn out. Arrrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Bookouture!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
This novel caught me eye because of the title. It is not in me usual genres but me ship holds three feline cohorts for luck and love. All of me friends and family are dog people. I get called the cat lady . . . well crazy cat lady ALL THE TIME. I am given cat socks and sent photos of cats. I figured this book would be a purrrrfect fit! I picked it up expecting a silly, light read. I didn't get a light read but what I got instead was ultimately interesting and fulfilling.
The story follows a woman named Nancy. She is soft-spoken, private, and independent. Though everyone in town knows who Nancy is, nobody really knows much about her. Other than she has cats. So she is known as the cat lady and watches other folks' cats when folks are out-of-town. Everyone likes Nancy but seem to want to delve into her past which she has no interest sharing. Until one day her past comes to her in the form of a photograph. Finding that photo unleashes an unexpected series of events. Nancy has to choose how to face both her past and her future.
This tale was wonderful. It is about grief, hope, friendship, kindness, closure, isolation, life, healing, and lack of judgment. I thought Nancy was extremely relatable and lovely. I also enjoyed the cast of characters that help bring down Nancy's walls of sorrow. I particularly loved George and Alfie. I loved how we got to see how people deal with negative events in different ways. I loved how it shows ye can't know what goes on behind other people's facades unless ye let them into yers. I loved the connections. I thought the ending was absolutely touching and I may have shed a salty tear or two. Seriously I wouldn't mind having a Nancy in me life.
So if ye want a lovely story that warmed up even this grizzled sailor's old bilge-pump I call me heart, check this yarn out. Arrrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Bookouture!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Merged review:
Ahoy there me 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. I received this literary eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
This novel caught me eye because of the title. It is not in me usual genres but me ship holds three feline cohorts for luck and love. All of me friends and family are dog people. I get called the cat lady . . . well crazy cat lady ALL THE TIME. I am given cat socks and sent photos of cats. I figured this book would be a purrrrfect fit! I picked it up expecting a silly, light read. I didn't get a light read but what I got instead was ultimately interesting and fulfilling.
The story follows a woman named Nancy. She is soft-spoken, private, and independent. Though everyone in town knows who Nancy is, nobody really knows much about her. Other than she has cats. So she is known as the cat lady and watches other folks' cats when folks are out-of-town. Everyone likes Nancy but seem to want to delve into her past which she has no interest sharing. Until one day her past comes to her in the form of a photograph. Finding that photo unleashes an unexpected series of events. Nancy has to choose how to face both her past and her future.
This tale was wonderful. It is about grief, hope, friendship, kindness, closure, isolation, life, healing, and lack of judgment. I thought Nancy was extremely relatable and lovely. I also enjoyed the cast of characters that help bring down Nancy's walls of sorrow. I particularly loved George and Alfie. I loved how we got to see how people deal with negative events in different ways. I loved how it shows ye can't know what goes on behind other people's facades unless ye let them into yers. I loved the connections. I thought the ending was absolutely touching and I may have shed a salty tear or two. Seriously I wouldn't mind having a Nancy in me life.
So if ye want a lovely story that warmed up even this grizzled sailor's old bilge-pump I call me heart, check this yarn out. Arrrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Bookouture!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/