Mur Lafferty's Ghost Train to New Orleans
The second book in Lafferty's Shambling Guides series (after The Shambling Guide to New York City) is a pretty fun followup (though I do wish the editor/proofreader would allow contractions and cut down on exclamation points a little bit. Some of the dialogue feels unnatural. And I DEFINITELY wish Lafferty hadn't chosen to have the spirit of New Orleans and its denizens talk in dialect). I do really like the world-building here--Zoe's talents are explored in greater detail, and there are some great new characters (particularly a Norse healing goddess and a 1940s-era ghost). There's kind of a lot going on, plot-wise--mysterious dudes on trains, ghosts, murderous coworkers, half-zombie boyfriends, demon dogs, golems, genocide, etc--but it all comes together in the end. These books have a great sense of humor and a ton of geek references, which obviously makes everything better, too. B/B+.
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A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book is available now.
Monday, March 10, 2014
Friday, March 07, 2014
2014 book 55
Helen Oyeyemi's Boy, Snow, Bird
I really liked Oyeyemi's first novel, but haven't really loved her other books (her recent Mr Fox got a ton of acclaim, but I just couldn't get into it). This one, however, totally worked for me. It's vaguely a reworking of the Snow White story--but don't think it's the usual fantasy book, because Oyeyemi doesn't work that way. Instead, it starts with teenager Boy Novak, who runs away from her abusive father in the 1950s and ends up in small-town Massachusetts, where she meets a man named Arturo--and his daughter Snow. Just when you think it's going to go one way, it turns into a really interesting meditation on race relations--and family life--in America. I hesitate to call this "accessible," because Oyeyemi's work is always slightly off the beaten path, but it's certainly the work of hers I find the most /readable/. Very engaging. A-/B+.
I really liked Oyeyemi's first novel, but haven't really loved her other books (her recent Mr Fox got a ton of acclaim, but I just couldn't get into it). This one, however, totally worked for me. It's vaguely a reworking of the Snow White story--but don't think it's the usual fantasy book, because Oyeyemi doesn't work that way. Instead, it starts with teenager Boy Novak, who runs away from her abusive father in the 1950s and ends up in small-town Massachusetts, where she meets a man named Arturo--and his daughter Snow. Just when you think it's going to go one way, it turns into a really interesting meditation on race relations--and family life--in America. I hesitate to call this "accessible," because Oyeyemi's work is always slightly off the beaten path, but it's certainly the work of hers I find the most /readable/. Very engaging. A-/B+.
Thursday, March 06, 2014
2014 book 54
Marie Brennan's A Tropic of Serpents
Boy, all the series books I've been eagerly awaiting have been mildly disappointing this week, including this one. The second in Brennan's Memoirs of Lady Trent (after A Natural History of Dragons) is kind of on the boring side, and also is kind of racist. I don't think that BRENNAN is racist, at least not on purpose, but her overly complicated and confusing world-building presents a historically-accurate racism--except that it's a made-up world! But, I mean, they're CLEARLY in Africa--UGH, this world-building where everything is just like our world but with made-up names and religion and dragons really is annoying this time around. Brennen spends way too much time explaining various cultures--which, actually, fits with the conceit of this novel, but isn't really engaging. (For the record, I do like the narrative voice, I just wish it was talking about something else.) The illustrations don't really help with my accusations of racism, either. Anyway, plot: the main character from the last one travels to Africa with two other people and she eventually sees some dragons and then quickly averts a war. That is honestly all that happens. I like the whole "killing dragons is bad" philosophy, but wow, this was underwhelming after the last one. I want to see more dealing with society stuff, or if not that, more dealing with actual dragons! I mean, get one as a pet or something, at least. B/B-.
Boy, all the series books I've been eagerly awaiting have been mildly disappointing this week, including this one. The second in Brennan's Memoirs of Lady Trent (after A Natural History of Dragons) is kind of on the boring side, and also is kind of racist. I don't think that BRENNAN is racist, at least not on purpose, but her overly complicated and confusing world-building presents a historically-accurate racism--except that it's a made-up world! But, I mean, they're CLEARLY in Africa--UGH, this world-building where everything is just like our world but with made-up names and religion and dragons really is annoying this time around. Brennen spends way too much time explaining various cultures--which, actually, fits with the conceit of this novel, but isn't really engaging. (For the record, I do like the narrative voice, I just wish it was talking about something else.) The illustrations don't really help with my accusations of racism, either. Anyway, plot: the main character from the last one travels to Africa with two other people and she eventually sees some dragons and then quickly averts a war. That is honestly all that happens. I like the whole "killing dragons is bad" philosophy, but wow, this was underwhelming after the last one. I want to see more dealing with society stuff, or if not that, more dealing with actual dragons! I mean, get one as a pet or something, at least. B/B-.
Wednesday, March 05, 2014
2014 book 53
C.S.Harris' Why Kings Confess
I was soooo excited for the new Sebastian St Cyr mystery--and, I mean, it was fine. It was just one of those stories where the mystery-solver just goes around talking to the same people over and over until someone finally confesses--not super compelling. I still love all the characters here (HERO!! So pregnant and still getting the crucial information!) and it is kind of interesting to have Marie-Therese (daughter of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette) as a character, with the rumors that her brother may have been spirited away from the French Revolution as a key plot point. It's just a little all over the place. B/B+.
I was soooo excited for the new Sebastian St Cyr mystery--and, I mean, it was fine. It was just one of those stories where the mystery-solver just goes around talking to the same people over and over until someone finally confesses--not super compelling. I still love all the characters here (HERO!! So pregnant and still getting the crucial information!) and it is kind of interesting to have Marie-Therese (daughter of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette) as a character, with the rumors that her brother may have been spirited away from the French Revolution as a key plot point. It's just a little all over the place. B/B+.
Tuesday, March 04, 2014
2014 book 52
Seanan McGuire's Half-Off Ragnarok
The third book in McGuire's Incryptids series--about a family who protects mythological creatures from people, and vice versa--changes things up a little by focusing on a new character--Verity's brother Alex. I've been hoping McGuire would expand the world to include more of the family, so appreciated knowing more about Alex and their grandparents, but this one wasn't as strong for me. The main plot--something is petrifying people and Alex has to figure out what it is--was kind of weak, and it was pretty easy to figure out who the bad guy was. I did like the new characters in this one, particularly Charmi (a snake-girl) and Dee (a gorgon), but was not really feeling Alex's girlfriend and their relationship. I mean, this was entertaining, just not as awesome as I'd hoped it would be. B/B+.
The third book in McGuire's Incryptids series--about a family who protects mythological creatures from people, and vice versa--changes things up a little by focusing on a new character--Verity's brother Alex. I've been hoping McGuire would expand the world to include more of the family, so appreciated knowing more about Alex and their grandparents, but this one wasn't as strong for me. The main plot--something is petrifying people and Alex has to figure out what it is--was kind of weak, and it was pretty easy to figure out who the bad guy was. I did like the new characters in this one, particularly Charmi (a snake-girl) and Dee (a gorgon), but was not really feeling Alex's girlfriend and their relationship. I mean, this was entertaining, just not as awesome as I'd hoped it would be. B/B+.
Sunday, March 02, 2014
2014 book 51
Ellen Feldman's The Unwitting
The protagonist of this book is a journalist who receives a call about her husband on the day of JFK's assassination--and then the book flashes back to their courtship in the late 40s and their years of writing and activism in the 50s. The foreshadowing is a bit heavy-handed, and the big reveal won't resonate as much with readers in this day and age (or at least, it didn't with me), but the story and the protagonist's struggles are still really compelling. The late introduction of a secret journal is also a bit much, but works well with the way Feldman wraps the story up. Generally a satisfying and interesting read, and an engaging look at a period that isn't often covered in novels. B+.
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A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be released on May 6th.
The protagonist of this book is a journalist who receives a call about her husband on the day of JFK's assassination--and then the book flashes back to their courtship in the late 40s and their years of writing and activism in the 50s. The foreshadowing is a bit heavy-handed, and the big reveal won't resonate as much with readers in this day and age (or at least, it didn't with me), but the story and the protagonist's struggles are still really compelling. The late introduction of a secret journal is also a bit much, but works well with the way Feldman wraps the story up. Generally a satisfying and interesting read, and an engaging look at a period that isn't often covered in novels. B+.
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A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be released on May 6th.
Thursday, February 27, 2014
2014 book 50
Marcus Sedgwick's Midwinterblood
I had never even heard of this book when it won the Printz award last month--though I would vociferously argue that it's not YA at all, or at least very far from the usual YA mold (maybe things are just different in New Zealand?). It involves an island with a mysterious flower that may or may not make people immortal, and features seven sections, starting in the semi-near future and going back in time, that more or less tell a complete story. One that involves magic, vampires, painters, archaeologists, and maybe reincarnation. It's pretty weird, but pretty good? Yeah, weird but good. A-/B+.
I had never even heard of this book when it won the Printz award last month--though I would vociferously argue that it's not YA at all, or at least very far from the usual YA mold (maybe things are just different in New Zealand?). It involves an island with a mysterious flower that may or may not make people immortal, and features seven sections, starting in the semi-near future and going back in time, that more or less tell a complete story. One that involves magic, vampires, painters, archaeologists, and maybe reincarnation. It's pretty weird, but pretty good? Yeah, weird but good. A-/B+.
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
2014 book 49
Frances Brody's A Medal for Murder
The second in Brody's Kate Shackleton series finds Kate being hired to find a pawnshop robber--only then she gets caught up in the case of a missing girl--and then a murder! I had a few complaints about this--like the last one, the flashbacks give away too much information to the reader, the romance angle is pretty underbaked, Kate's apparent moral ambiguity is kind of problematic, and so on. Still, it's an entertaining read, even if I did guess the killer early on. The very end is weird, but I liked the rest of it well enough. B.
The second in Brody's Kate Shackleton series finds Kate being hired to find a pawnshop robber--only then she gets caught up in the case of a missing girl--and then a murder! I had a few complaints about this--like the last one, the flashbacks give away too much information to the reader, the romance angle is pretty underbaked, Kate's apparent moral ambiguity is kind of problematic, and so on. Still, it's an entertaining read, even if I did guess the killer early on. The very end is weird, but I liked the rest of it well enough. B.
Monday, February 24, 2014
2014 book 48
Cinda Williams Chima's The Crimson Crown
This is a strong finale to the Seven Realms series--lots of action, romance, magic, and a few surprises. I don't have much to say about it, except that I basically read it in one sitting. A good read with excellent pacing and interesting characters, for sure. I do wish some of them had been more fleshed out (the villains, especially), but the primary characters are strong. A-/B+.
This is a strong finale to the Seven Realms series--lots of action, romance, magic, and a few surprises. I don't have much to say about it, except that I basically read it in one sitting. A good read with excellent pacing and interesting characters, for sure. I do wish some of them had been more fleshed out (the villains, especially), but the primary characters are strong. A-/B+.
2014 book 47
Cinda Williams Chima's The Gray Wolf Throne
The third book in Chima's Seven Realms series has a lot going on--(some) secrets are revealed, people are torn about love, war may or may not be coming, thrones are claimed, people are killed, etc. It's all pretty solid and I have no major complaints. I do admit to wishing things would come to a head already, but hey, there's only one volume left! B+.
The third book in Chima's Seven Realms series has a lot going on--(some) secrets are revealed, people are torn about love, war may or may not be coming, thrones are claimed, people are killed, etc. It's all pretty solid and I have no major complaints. I do admit to wishing things would come to a head already, but hey, there's only one volume left! B+.
Saturday, February 22, 2014
2014 book 46
Cinda Williams Chima's The Exiled Queen
The second book in the Seven Realms series starts off a bit slow--at the end of the first one (spoilers!), a whole bunch of the characters are headed to joint magic-warrior school, which I was super excited about! But the first, like, third of this book deal with the arduous journey to get there--and man, am I sick of reading about arduous journeys to get places in fantasy books. Can't someone in a fantasy world invent a magic airplane or car or something? Teleportation? ANYTHING but long journeys on horseback filled with treacherous kidnappings that quickly get resolved. Sigh. Things do pick up once everyone is in school--and running into friends, enemies, and love interests. The main guy character is kind of dumb and slow to pick up on a dangerous plot point, but the princess is pretty interesting (despite being kidnapped like three times). She's kind of dumb too, though. I guess there wouldn't be as much of a plot if they weren't so stupid and making dumb mistakes? Surely there is a way to tell an interesting story about a prudent character, especially when there's so many villains to encounter at local taverns! I mean, don't get me wrong, I liked this and will read the next one. My complaints are not necessarily about this book in particular, but about YA fantasy in general. B+.
The second book in the Seven Realms series starts off a bit slow--at the end of the first one (spoilers!), a whole bunch of the characters are headed to joint magic-warrior school, which I was super excited about! But the first, like, third of this book deal with the arduous journey to get there--and man, am I sick of reading about arduous journeys to get places in fantasy books. Can't someone in a fantasy world invent a magic airplane or car or something? Teleportation? ANYTHING but long journeys on horseback filled with treacherous kidnappings that quickly get resolved. Sigh. Things do pick up once everyone is in school--and running into friends, enemies, and love interests. The main guy character is kind of dumb and slow to pick up on a dangerous plot point, but the princess is pretty interesting (despite being kidnapped like three times). She's kind of dumb too, though. I guess there wouldn't be as much of a plot if they weren't so stupid and making dumb mistakes? Surely there is a way to tell an interesting story about a prudent character, especially when there's so many villains to encounter at local taverns! I mean, don't get me wrong, I liked this and will read the next one. My complaints are not necessarily about this book in particular, but about YA fantasy in general. B+.
Friday, February 21, 2014
2014 book 45
Cinda Williams Chima's The Demon King
Yay, it's another epic fantasy YA series that I hadn't discovered! This one has two main characters--Han, formerly the leader of a street gang but now trying to go straight, though there's clearly more to him than meets the eye, and Raisa, the usual princess chafing against her princessy role (while the character is a familiar archetype, Chima does breathe a lot of life into Raisa). There's also a whole lot with politics, nefarious wizards, various friends and love interests, etc, and some solid world-building. It's a strong start to a series, and a few moments were almost TOO intense to get through. It ends at an interesting place, too. Looking forward to see where it goes from there. A-/B+.
Yay, it's another epic fantasy YA series that I hadn't discovered! This one has two main characters--Han, formerly the leader of a street gang but now trying to go straight, though there's clearly more to him than meets the eye, and Raisa, the usual princess chafing against her princessy role (while the character is a familiar archetype, Chima does breathe a lot of life into Raisa). There's also a whole lot with politics, nefarious wizards, various friends and love interests, etc, and some solid world-building. It's a strong start to a series, and a few moments were almost TOO intense to get through. It ends at an interesting place, too. Looking forward to see where it goes from there. A-/B+.
Thursday, February 20, 2014
2014 book 44
Kasie West's Split Second
The sequel (and conclusion) to Pivot Point is perfectly adequate--since Addie isn't playing out scenarios here, West breaks things up by having the POV alternate between Addie and her best friend Laila. This does a pretty good job of keeping tension/momentum going, though I admit I got a little confused whenever the POV changed in the middle of one of their conversations (chapter breaks make it clear, it was just a bit disconcerting for some reason). Anyway, talking about the plot would spoil the first one, so I'll jsut say that the romances here are fine--I didn't hate them, rare for a YA book!--and the action is also . . . fine. Weirdly, things are kind of more important/bigger than in the first one, but for some reason things felt a lot less intense. Still an enjoyable read, and a perfectly good followup to the first one. B/B+.
The sequel (and conclusion) to Pivot Point is perfectly adequate--since Addie isn't playing out scenarios here, West breaks things up by having the POV alternate between Addie and her best friend Laila. This does a pretty good job of keeping tension/momentum going, though I admit I got a little confused whenever the POV changed in the middle of one of their conversations (chapter breaks make it clear, it was just a bit disconcerting for some reason). Anyway, talking about the plot would spoil the first one, so I'll jsut say that the romances here are fine--I didn't hate them, rare for a YA book!--and the action is also . . . fine. Weirdly, things are kind of more important/bigger than in the first one, but for some reason things felt a lot less intense. Still an enjoyable read, and a perfectly good followup to the first one. B/B+.
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
2014 book 43
J. Kathleen Cheney's The Golden City
So this is kind of a historical-fantasy-mystery mashup, and I LOVE IT. Cheney's worldbuilding--Portugal in 1705, but with magic and magical creatures--is really, really engaging. Our protagonist is a siren, living in the city as a young lady's companion and spying for her people, when she and her lady are attacked and she is soon investigating some pretty messed-up murders. Meanwhile, a local half-selkie gentleman is consulting with the police on the same set of murders, so it's inevitable that their paths will collide. And Cheney totally had me rooting for them to JUST MAKE OUT ALREADY, GOD. Adorable ol' sea-people. I liked this a lot, and can't wait for the sequel (out in July!). A/A-.
So this is kind of a historical-fantasy-mystery mashup, and I LOVE IT. Cheney's worldbuilding--Portugal in 1705, but with magic and magical creatures--is really, really engaging. Our protagonist is a siren, living in the city as a young lady's companion and spying for her people, when she and her lady are attacked and she is soon investigating some pretty messed-up murders. Meanwhile, a local half-selkie gentleman is consulting with the police on the same set of murders, so it's inevitable that their paths will collide. And Cheney totally had me rooting for them to JUST MAKE OUT ALREADY, GOD. Adorable ol' sea-people. I liked this a lot, and can't wait for the sequel (out in July!). A/A-.
2014 book 42
Frances Brody's Dying in the Wool
This is the first in the Kate Shackleton mystery series, yet another involving an intrepid lady detective in the post-WWI years. In this one, Kate is asked by an old VAD (lady army volunteer division) friend to track down her father, who's been missing for several years. On the whole, this was engaging enough--I liked the stuff about Kate being haunted by her own husband, missing in the war--though I thought it was weakened by various other POVs from suspects, all taking place when the guy went missing. It just reveals a little too much to the reader and I thought it was unnecessary, especially since things play out in a way that the information is revealed anyway. And the ending is very improbably action-packed. Kate is an interesting character, though, and I liked the way things concluded. I'd probably read another in this series. B.
This is the first in the Kate Shackleton mystery series, yet another involving an intrepid lady detective in the post-WWI years. In this one, Kate is asked by an old VAD (lady army volunteer division) friend to track down her father, who's been missing for several years. On the whole, this was engaging enough--I liked the stuff about Kate being haunted by her own husband, missing in the war--though I thought it was weakened by various other POVs from suspects, all taking place when the guy went missing. It just reveals a little too much to the reader and I thought it was unnecessary, especially since things play out in a way that the information is revealed anyway. And the ending is very improbably action-packed. Kate is an interesting character, though, and I liked the way things concluded. I'd probably read another in this series. B.
Sunday, February 16, 2014
2014 book 41
Julia Dahl's Invisible City
This was a really, really solid debut from a crime reporter--maybe because it's about a freelance reporter. :) Dahl definitely nails the details of the newspaper life. Anyway, our protagonist is 23-year-old Rebekah, who's investigating the murder of a Hasidic woman from the tight-knit community in Borough Park--the very community where the mother who abandoned her was born and raised. Dahl is a little bit over-explainy about the Hasidic lifestyle to someone who's familiar with it, but I imagine that's necessary for the readers who aren't. I really liked the tensions she raises of the technically-Jewish but clueless Rebekah examining/dealing with Hasidic Jews and thought that was very well-done too. And all that aside, the mystery is well crafted, the story moves quickly, and there are a lot of interesting things going on in general. It looks like Dahl is working on a sequel, and it's one I'll definitely be reading. A-.
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A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be released in May.
This was a really, really solid debut from a crime reporter--maybe because it's about a freelance reporter. :) Dahl definitely nails the details of the newspaper life. Anyway, our protagonist is 23-year-old Rebekah, who's investigating the murder of a Hasidic woman from the tight-knit community in Borough Park--the very community where the mother who abandoned her was born and raised. Dahl is a little bit over-explainy about the Hasidic lifestyle to someone who's familiar with it, but I imagine that's necessary for the readers who aren't. I really liked the tensions she raises of the technically-Jewish but clueless Rebekah examining/dealing with Hasidic Jews and thought that was very well-done too. And all that aside, the mystery is well crafted, the story moves quickly, and there are a lot of interesting things going on in general. It looks like Dahl is working on a sequel, and it's one I'll definitely be reading. A-.
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A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be released in May.
Saturday, February 15, 2014
2014 book 40
Seth Fishman's The Well's End
This book starts off really strong, with a girl based on Baby Jessica (you know, the little girl that got stuck in that well) now a teenager at an elite boarding school. "Great," I thought to myself, "Another cool contemporary YA book about the perils of fame. I dig this subgenre!" (Clearly, I had not remembered the book's description.) Anyway, then suddenly the school alarms sound and they are under quarantine! There is a disease that causes rapid aging and death! Baby Mia's dad tells her to come find him at his mysterious office where he does mysterious things!
OK, now I need to take a paragraph for a digression of sorts. Sometimes I think that YA authors feel like they HAVE to include a romance for their book to be successful, even if the story doesn't really warrant one. I have to think that's the case here, because I have never read a less organic romance plotline in my life. Like, the girl meets the new boy at school, a day later they're on the run with some other teens, but keep like pausing in their escape to make out. Like, mid-run. Now, maybe I have just taken against this character because his name is Brayden, but he has no personality and no character traits other than "interested in main girl character" and "very willing to hit dudes with baseball bats." I mean, at one point he's like "Do. You. Trust. Me?" which is a direct quote that indicates the level of discourse between these two (not that they even once have a regular conversation throughout the whole book) (both of which also illustrate the level of the writing).
The backstory, when it is revealed, is actually pretty interesting. And the very end is intriguing. But everything else about this did not really work for me. C.
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A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be available on February 25th.
This book starts off really strong, with a girl based on Baby Jessica (you know, the little girl that got stuck in that well) now a teenager at an elite boarding school. "Great," I thought to myself, "Another cool contemporary YA book about the perils of fame. I dig this subgenre!" (Clearly, I had not remembered the book's description.) Anyway, then suddenly the school alarms sound and they are under quarantine! There is a disease that causes rapid aging and death! Baby Mia's dad tells her to come find him at his mysterious office where he does mysterious things!
OK, now I need to take a paragraph for a digression of sorts. Sometimes I think that YA authors feel like they HAVE to include a romance for their book to be successful, even if the story doesn't really warrant one. I have to think that's the case here, because I have never read a less organic romance plotline in my life. Like, the girl meets the new boy at school, a day later they're on the run with some other teens, but keep like pausing in their escape to make out. Like, mid-run. Now, maybe I have just taken against this character because his name is Brayden, but he has no personality and no character traits other than "interested in main girl character" and "very willing to hit dudes with baseball bats." I mean, at one point he's like "Do. You. Trust. Me?" which is a direct quote that indicates the level of discourse between these two (not that they even once have a regular conversation throughout the whole book) (both of which also illustrate the level of the writing).
The backstory, when it is revealed, is actually pretty interesting. And the very end is intriguing. But everything else about this did not really work for me. C.
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A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be available on February 25th.
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