Illusionarium by Heather Dixon

From Goodreads:
What if the world holds more dangers—and more wonders—than we have ever known? And what if there is more than one world? From Heather Dixon, author of the acclaimed Entwined, comes a brilliantly conceived adventure that sweeps us from the inner workings of our souls to the far reaches of our imaginations.

Jonathan is perfectly ordinary. But then—as every good adventure begins—the king swoops into port, and Jonathan and his father are enlisted to find the cure to a deadly plague. Jonathan discovers that he's a prodigy at working with a new chemical called fantillium, which creates shared hallucinations—or illusions. And just like that, Jonathan is knocked off his path.

I read Heather Dixon's debut novel Entwined years ago when it was released, and really enjoyed it. Imagine my delight when I discovered that she published a second novel. 

Like Entwined, this book is very imaginative and well laid-out. The world-building is very well-done. I could totally imagine the setting that Dixon was portraying. I like the steampunk as a subgenre, so I was glad that that was an integral part of the world that this book is in. It's aerial and light, almost taking on an ethereal vibe in parts. I loved how there were many explorations of space-time and physics. I'm really horrible with physics, so I was glad that it was simplified here (mostly - there were a few formulas here and there that threw me off my course).

Once the story got started, it was very enjoyable and interesting. I did predict some of the plot twists, but I found that that did not detract from my enjoyment of it. I found that it took some time before the plot got really going. It didn't falter, it just took its time, but I was not one hundred percent engaged until about halfway through. The fantastical elements and the complete imagination that went into Heather Dixon's writing cannot go without saying, which helped me stick around for some of the slower parts. 

The characters were interestng for the most part. I found Jonathan to be a bit pompous in parts, but I feel like that was a) intentional and b) a reflection of a stereotypical 19th century gentleman. I found his footnotes to be very amusing. The character I ended up loving the most was Lockwood, who, at first, I thought was going to be a minor side character, but then ended up stealing the show. You go, Lockwood! I enjoyed the character(s) of Hannah/Anna, who was the catalyst for the main plot, as well as the villain, although I did sometimes find the villain to be a bit mustache-twirling and hammy at parts, but again, I think that was intentional to poke fun at stereotypes. 

All in all, while there were a few halts along the way, I did really enjoy this book. I found the world-building to be creative and imaginative. Illusionarium takes a subgenre and makes it its own. With interesting characters, and an enjoyable plot, there were a few times where the plot stalled or the charaters were not completely fleshed out, but that didn't detract too much from my enjoyment. Overall, I had a good time. I did enjoy Heather Dixon's first novel slightly more, but on the whole, this one was pretty good too. I'm going to give Illusionarium a 3.5/5 - while there were a few iffy moments, it was made up for by a detailed world with witty imagination.

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black (Rant)

From Goodreads:
Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.
As Jude becomes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her own capacity for trickery and bloodshed. But as betrayal threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

Sigh. 

All-aboard the unpopular opinion train!

I love fae stories. I love the idea of the Faerie Otherworld. I took a year-long English course on Monsters and Faeries in Middle English literature that was amazing. I don't know what I was expecting with this book, but it wasn't what I ended up with. I got this book to read in the car on my way home from a weekend trip to Ottawa over the May long-weekend. The premise, combined with the high star rating on Goodreads and all the hype surrounding it, intrigued me, and I was hopeful for a great, groundbreaking read about a human raised in a Fae environment. 

I point you back to my Sigh. 

It could be that I read so many five-star reviews before picking this book up. I was cautiously optimistic going in. On the bright side, the writing style made it for an easy read. But everything else was ... lacking

The main characters are insufferable. We never get any logical development for them, or explanation for their motivations, specifically with the main character/narrator Jude. Her actions (as well as the Faerie world she now lives in) were thrown at you with no explanation or reasoning. I did, however, really like the characterization of the stepmother, Oriana. I found she had the most compelling storyline, and wish she got more focus than she did. I hated the interactions between Jude and Cardan. The reasoning for his treatment of her was cliche and problematic. I won't get into semantics, but I'm really over the "guy doesn't know how to address his feelings for a woman so he's mean and bullying to her" trope in YA literature. It sends the wrong message and it's insulting as all hell. 

Natasha is also unimpressed with this trope and would like for it to stop

I felt like the pacing was uneven. Although it was written in such a way that it was easy to get through, the pacing sucked. Entire chapters would go by where nothing of consequence would happen, and then the last quarter was non-stop action and it made me even more frustrated. While it did set up for a sequel that's coming in 2019, it's not one that I'm going to read.

Guys, I tried. I really did. I really wanted to enjoy this book. But nothing happened. There was very little character development or world-building. While Holly Black has a good writing style, the pacing sucked and there was minimal explanation for character motivations. Most egregious, however, would have to be the reason for Cardan's poor treatment of Jude. I'm all for enemies to lovers in a way that is logical and doesn't involve one-sided bullying or bantering. This was not the case. I was cautiously optimistic due to the rave reviews, but I couldn't do it. I'm giving The Cruel Prince a 1.5/5 solely for the ease of reading this book and the development of Oriana, the stepmother. 

The Space Between the Stars by Anne Corlett

From Goodreads:
All Jamie Allenby ever wanted was space. Even though she wasn’t forced to emigrate from Earth, she willingly left the overpopulated, claustrophobic planet. And when a long relationship devolved into silence and suffocating sadness, she found work on a frontier world on the edges of civilization. Then the virus hit...

Now Jamie finds herself dreadfully alone, with all that’s left of the dead. Until a garbled message from Earth gives her hope that someone from her past might still be alive.

Soon Jamie finds other survivors, and their ragtag group will travel through the vast reaches of space, drawn to the promise of a new beginning on Earth. But their dream will pit them against those desperately clinging to the old ways. And Jamie’s own journey home will help her close the distance between who she has become and who she is meant to be... 

I was not expecting to love this book as much as I did. Like other reviewers that I have come across, I thought this would focus more on the virus and the decimation of the human population. Space sickness is cool to read about. But I was pleasantly surprised when it ended up being about survival in more than just one way and found myself enjoying it more than I probably would have if it had focused more on the virus. 

This is Anne Corlett's first novel, and it reads as if she has multiple novels under her belt. Everything was so carefully plotted out and the characters were so human it ached. To say it was well-written would be saying that the Titanic was a minor boating accident. While the summary hinted that there would be a lot of isolation in the literal sense, this was not the case, however, it was the case in a metaphorical one. Although she soon finds herself in the midst of a motley crew of people, they all have demons and flaws. Each of the characters is so realistically developed and layered. While there were a few moments where specific characters felt more like caricatures, this book is more so about human nature/interactions and coming together after a tragedy or disaster and learning to live after it. In this way The Space Between the Stars reminded me of Station Eleven, another book that I love with a similar setup. 

As I already mentioned, the characters are so flawed and layered. While this would have been overbearing in other novels, it is important and necessary here in order to establish connections and rivalries. If the characters were cheerful and happy all the time, it would have been a farce. I love how I don't always like certain characters' actions because it makes them more human and realistic. I enjoyed the dynamics between all of the characters, and it made for a compelling read. If they had been perfect people or less flawed, it woudn't have been quite so engaging, especially since it is an examination of humanity and human nature.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Had it not been for a family gathering, I would have read this book in one fell swoop, but I did manage to finish it in one day (well, technically I finished it following midnight, but semantics). While I had a few quibbles, they were minor, and did not detract so much that I had to deduct from my star rating. This is an incredible novel about loneliness and isolation and coming together as well as an examination of human nature and what humanity would do in the face of unmitigated disaster. The characters were carefully developed and realistically portrayed. With rich, beautiful, and aching writing and an incredible examination of what it means to be human, this book is a stunner, and I'm going to give it 5/5 - I highly recommend it. 

A God in the Shed by J-F Dubeau

From Goodreads:
The village of Saint-Ferdinand has all the trappings of a quiet life: farmhouses stretching from one main street, a small police precinct, a few diners and cafes, and a grocery store. Though if an out-of-towner stopped in, they would notice one unusual thing--a cemetery far too large and much too full for such a small town, lined with the victims of the Saint-Ferdinand Killer, who has eluded police for nearly two decades. It's not until after Inspector Stephen Crowley finally catches the killer that the town discovers even darker forces are at play. 

When a dark spirit reveals itself to Venus McKenzie, one of Saint-Ferdinand's teenage residents, she learns that this creature's power has a long history with her town--and that the serial murders merely scratch the surface of a past burdened by evil secrets.

This book was perfect for a long car ride on a rainy day with Fleetwood Mac playing on my phone.

This is the first book of Canadian author J-F Dubeau that I have read. The cover intrigued me and the summary was right up my alley. An eldritch being? Old cults? An interweaving mystery needing to be solved? More than meets the eye? Sign me up.

This book starts off holding no punches back. Almost instantly, the tension and horrror is at play, and the opening prologue is only a taste of what is to come. I'm glad that J-F Dubeau wrote it in the way that he did - with multiple POVs - as it made the chills and thrills all the more real. It flowed well and the tension was able to build up in a literary puzzle, pieces being added from each perspective. 

The atmosphere was perfect for this book. Right away, you can tell that Saint-Ferdinand, Quebec has more than meets the eye. If you were travelling through it, you would think nothing of it. But this is not the case at all, and I love how Dubeau pulls back the layers one by one, and once certain things are uncovered, the picture becomes clearer and bigger. J-F Dubeau is a master storyteller, perfectly setting up the right tone, tension, and atmosphere. He makes sure that the reader knows what is at stake, while also continuing to shroud certain things in mystery until the climax. If I had to compare this to another piece of media, it would be a cop show with an overarching plot combined with Stranger Things. 

How's the monster? Lovecraftian as all hell. The highlight of reading this was seeing such a creepy, uncanny being that is old and eldritch and downright unnerving. It was a well-developed being, and I kept thinking about it after I finished reading the book. It was a part of why I picked A God in the Shed up, and I was glad that Dubeau spent so much time setting it up and developing it to be as creepy and as Lovecraftian as it was.

At first I was a bit apprehensive about each chapter being told by a different character, but it worked really well. I found every character to be layered and flawed, which is necessary for a book like this, in which there are many secrets and problems going on within the community. The characters for the most part were well-portrayed and carefully developed. I did find that certain character plots were left unresolved, but I feel like this will be rectified if there is a sequel. 

Speaking of which, the one complaint I have - and this is not really a complaint in a bad way - is that I need more. I have heard that there is going to be a sequel, which I hope is true, because I need more. The climax was great and tense and I NEED MORE. It kind of ends with certain plot and character threads unresolved, so here's hoping that J-F Dubeau is writing a sequel to this book.

A God in the Shed was exactly what I was looking for. It was uncanny, had an unnerving and atmospheric tone to it, and had greatly developed and flawed characters. J-F Dubeau did not pull his punches in regards to the creepiness factors, and took his time in revealing everything and showing what really was at play. It gave off a very Lovecraftian vibe to it which I appreciated. However, there were a few character and plot threads that were left unresolved, so here's hoping for a sequel. I'm going to give A God in the Shed a 4/5 - it was very hard to put down, and was very tense the entire time.

Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier

From Goodreads:
The keep at Sevenwaters is a strange, remote place, guarded by silent men who slip through the woodlands clothed in grey, and keep their weapons sharp. Invaders roam outside: raiders from across the sea bent on destruction. But now there is also an invader inside the keep: the Lady Oonagh, a sorceress as fair as day, with a heart as black as night.

Oonagh captivates Lord Colum and his six sons, but she cannot enchant his daughter, Sorcha. Frustrated in her attempts to destroy the family, Oonagh binds the brothers with a spell only Sorcha can lift. If she fails, they will die.

When the raiders break through, Sorcha is taken captive. Soon she will find herself torn between her duty to break the curse and a growing, forbidden love for her captor.

I seem to have a thing for old Ireland stories at the moment (it could be that I'm Irish on my Dad's side). 

This story is a combination of enthralling, enchanting, gruelling, mystical, heartbreaking, and uplifting. Juliet Marillier is a master storyteller in this retelling of the Six Swans fairytale, with fantasy and faerie Otherworld magic thrown in there as well. She takes her time setting up the stakes and ensures that connections are made. This is a very long book, but it's absolutely necessary to be almost 700 pages, but it is never a chore to read this book. On the contrary, although the chapters are very long, it was impossible to put this book down.

All of the characters are well-developed, layered, and excellently realized. My heart broke for Sorcha over and over in reading this book as she had to endure taxing trial after trial in order to save her brothers from the curse. Her story is one of struggle and hardship, without a clear-cut solution for her problem, which makes Sorcha all the more sympathetic and easier to relate to; had Marillier given her an easy way out, I don't think Sorcha would have been as compelling and likeable, because this girl never ever gives up regardless of how difficult things get for her, and things get pretty damn bleak for her at several parts of the story, especially when Richard shows up. I instantly loved her bond with Red and thought that they made for an interesting and enjoyable pairing. I won't get too much into detail, but I loved how Marillier set up their relationship and showed that there is more than one way for there to be tension between love interests. 

The world-building is flawlessly done. In an odd way, it felt like I was at home while reading this. Daughter of the Forest has a unique atmosphere, which is heartbreaking, chilling, and mysterious, almost giving it a liminal feeling. It must be the faerie Otherworld parts of it. The world of Daughter of the Forest blends history with fairy tale and Celtic mythology, making for an interesting world of Ireland of the distant past. While Marillier takes her time in setting up the meat of the story, it is done in such a way that it doesn't feel slow. I loved how she took the time to set up family bonds with Sorcha and her family. 

Daughter of the Forest is quite unlike anything else I've read before. It's equally bleak and uplifting. Juliet Marillier is an excellent storyteller. While there are moments of sadness and horror, there are moments of love and joy as well. The characters are rich and developed and layered. While the real plot of the story takes a bit to kick in, it never feels dry or too dragged out. I'm giving Daughter of the Forest 5/5 - it's a great story with a blend of history, fairytale, and Celtic mythology wrapped up perfectly with excellent writing. 

Hunted by Meagan Spooner

From Goodreads:
Beauty knows the Beast’s forest in her bones—and in her blood. Though she grew up with the city’s highest aristocrats, far from her father’s old lodge, she knows that the forest holds secrets and that her father is the only hunter who’s ever come close to discovering them. 

So when her father loses his fortune and moves Yeva and her sisters back to the outskirts of town, Yeva is secretly relieved. Out in the wilderness, there’s no pressure to make idle chatter with vapid baronessas…or to submit to marrying a wealthy gentleman. But Yeva’s father’s misfortune may have cost him his mind, and when he goes missing in the woods, Yeva sets her sights on one prey: the creature he’d been obsessively tracking just before his disappearance. 

Deaf to her sisters’ protests, Yeva hunts this strange Beast back into his own territory—a cursed valley, a ruined castle, and a world of creatures that Yeva’s only heard about in fairy tales. A world that can bring her ruin or salvation. Who will survive: the Beauty, or the Beast?

Beauty and the Beast is one of my favourite stories, so I was excited to pick this one up. 

This book was recommended to me a number of times when I mentioned that I was looking for a fairy-tale retelling. I enjoyed how Meagan Spooner weaved Russian folklore and history together with the original fairy tale. I thought it was a well-done overlaying of source materials. That being said, very little remains from the Disney movie(s). There are no talking teacups or musical numbers. Instead, Spooner switches out the fun and whimsy of Disney's versions for gritty realism. 

I enjoyed how Hunted is a darker, more grim version of the story we all know and love. However, it does take longer for the bond for our Beauty and Beast to begin in truth, which, while more realistic, was a bit of a drawback for me as certain moments did not feel one hundred percent earned. I did enjoy alternative interpretations of certain characters (i.e. the "Gaston" character wasn't a selfish jerk in this story, and you feel sympathy for him and understand where he is coming from). I loved how supportive the sisters were of each other, and thought the characters of Yeva's two sisters was a great addition as it adds more to the stakes and gives Yeva something to look back on while she is with the Beast. 

The writing style was very simple and easy to follow, making for a quick, easy read. I think that Meagan Spooner has a great writing voice, and I liked how she switched perspectives for each chapter, with Yeva's point of view for one chapter and Beast's point of view the next chapter. On the other hand, however, some things were drawn out too much in certain spots: it took too long to set up the actual meat of the story, which pulled me out of the narrative in parts. In certain moments near the end of the book, it felt like there was still more to be uncovered and not everything was on the table yet. In certain parts, the writing was spot on, beautiful and haunting, but in other parts it took way too long to get anywhere.

All in all, I liked Hunted just fine. I think it is a unique version of Beauty and the Beast with sometimes messy pacing issues. While I did love the alternative character interpretations of all the lead characters, and the addition of two family characters to add to the stakes, I found that there were some character moments that were unearned. On the whole, though, Meagan Spooner has an incredible writing voice. It just takes a while for the plot to get going sometimes. This version is gritty and it is more grounded than one of the Disney films. It didn't take too long for me to read, and I did enjoy how it all played out. I'm going to give Hunted a 3.5/5 - it's a good retelling of a classic fairy tale, but there were some moments that didn't quite fit or took to long to get to.

Beyond a Darkened Shore by Jessica Leake

From Goodreads:
The ancient land of Éirinn is mired in war. Ciara, Princess of Mide, has never known a time when Éirinn’s kingdoms were not battling for power, or Northmen were not plundering their shores. 

The people of Mide have thankfully always been safe because of Ciara’s unearthly ability to control her enemies’ minds and actions. But lately, a mysterious crow has been appearing to Ciara, whispering warnings of an even darker threat. Although her clansmen dismiss her visions as pagan nonsense, Ciara fears this coming evil will destroy not just Éirinn, but the entire world. 

Then the crow leads Ciara to Leif, a young Northman leader. Leif should be Ciara’s enemy, but when Ciara discovers that he, too, shares her prophetic visions, she knows he’s something more. Leif is mounting an impressive army, and with Ciara’s strength in battle the two might have a chance to save their world. 

With evil rising around them, they’ll do what it takes to defend the land they love…even if it means making the greatest sacrifice of all.

Early medieval Ireland, Vikings, and Irish folklore? Sign me up!!! 

I bought this book on a whim at Chapters and loved everything about it from the cover to the summary and I had to have it. And was I glad to read it. I wrote a massive essay about Vikings (more specifically Viking ships) this past school year; I've always had an interest in Vikings and their culture. Additionally, I love everything to do with the early medieval era, Ireland, and Irish folklore, so this book was like the ultimate combination of all those things. 

This book was so well-written. The plot was engaging. It wasn't too plot or character-heavy, each relying on the other to move themselves forward. Jessica Leake has created a wonderful, richly detailed world here. I truly felt as though I was in early medieval Ireland. She was able to create such an atmospheric backdrop for her story that it was as if I were transferred to that place in time while I was reading. It was well-researched and her research shows, making for an even more enjoyable read.

The characters were well-developed and layered. Not one main character felt out of place or one-dimensional. While a few of their decisions or events that they were involved in were a tad predictable, I found it didn't detract from the story or from the character development in any way, and only added to the overall story. 

The story is always moving, and it's never dull. There are many moments of brutality that are interwoven with moments of beauty and chilling surroundings. This book is a perfect combination of Irish mythology, pagan mythology, Vikings, and many other elements already mentioned to make it an incredible finished product.

I absolutely loved this book. I ate it up entirely and it was wonderful. This is Jessica Leake's first novel, and she works with her material perfectly. It was a perfect weaving of everything on the table. Beyond a Darkened Shore took me by storm and I loved it immensely. I'm giving this book 5/5; I can't wait to see what Jessica Leake has up her sleeve next. 

The Cottingley Secret by Hazel Gaynor

From Goodreads:
1917… It was inexplicable, impossible, but it had to be true—didn’t it? When two young cousins, Frances Griffiths and Elsie Wright from Cottingley, England, claim to have photographed fairies at the bottom of the garden, their parents are astonished. But when one of the great novelists of the time, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, becomes convinced of the photographs’ authenticity, the girls become a national sensation, their discovery offering hope to those longing for something to believe in amid a world ravaged by war. Frances and Elsie will hide their secret for many decades. But Frances longs for the truth to be told.

One hundred years later… When Olivia Kavanagh finds an old manuscript in her late grandfather’s bookshop she becomes fascinated by the story it tells of two young girls who mystified the world. But it is the discovery of an old photograph that leads her to realize how the fairy girls’ lives intertwine with hers, connecting past to present, and blurring her understanding of what is real and what is imagined. As she begins to understand why a nation once believed in fairies, can Olivia find a way to believe in herself? 

This story was exactly what I needed following a lot of dreary, thrilling, or less-than-satisfactory books. The cover and summary of The Cottingley Secret grabbed my attention, the prose, story, and characters kept it. This is my first Hazel Gaynor novel, but it certainly will not be my last, as I enjoyed every page of this charming, delightful novel. 

Hazel Gaynor has a talent with words. She is a master wordsmith, with lyrical prose that is magical and charming. In The Cottingley Secret, she takes a narrative device as old as time (dual narratives) and makes it refreshing and engaging on both sides. Very few novels that engage with dual narratives are able to hold my attention with both narratives. I enjoyed both the 1917 narrative and the 2017 narrative equally. Hazel Gaynor's writing style is light and charming, which works well for this novel. She is able to pull you in with her writing and stylistic choices, and keep you with her well-developed, overlapping characters. 

Both narratives feature great characters who are well developed and relatable. While I did relate a bit more with the characters from the 2017 sections, both narratives featured organic characters with well-defined motives, good development, and had a lot of depth. The characters were clear-cut and layered. It's great that both narratives' characters were so well-defined, as the cousins actually existed! The 1917 narrative is based on actual events that happened. Olivia on the other hand, so far as I know, is fictional. I love how Gaynor was able to weave a story together around a historical event with such ease and seamlessness. It is a testament to her writing and to the character development. 

I really truly enjoyed this novel. It didn't take very long to read, maybe an afternoon or so. The prose was lyrical and flowed naturally. The dual timelines felt organic, and there was no other way to tell a story quite like this. The writing, historical accuracy and the character development were all layered and well-defined. The Cottingley Secret is a magical novel filled with charm. I'm going to give it a 5/5 - it is a unique and charming story. 

Books of Pellinor Prequel: The Bone Queen (Cadvan's Story) by Alison Croggon

From Goodreads:
Seduced into sorcery by an agent of the Dark, the promising Bard Cadvan of Lirigon recklessly unleashed the terrible Bone Queen, bringing destruction down upon Annar. Cadvan, cast out of the Schools of Barding for his crime, now lives in exile, burdened by memories of his dealings with the Dark. At Cadvan’s former home, his mentor, Nelac, and his rival, Dernhil, begin to suspect that the Bone Queen may yet lurk in Annar, and a young Bard, Selmana, is plagued by an ominous presence and an unsettling new ability to step between worlds. With darkness gathering and Bards giving in to fear and paranoia, a guilt-ridden Cadvan must earn back the Bards’ trust and Selmana must gain control of her newfound powers to bring peace to the living and the dead.

Prequels are never easy. Even (especially?) when they are prequels to beloved series. As far as movies go, Star Wars and The Hobbit are the two that stand out for me. No matter how much effort and love and care goes into them, I still suffer prequel-itis. No matter how much I want to enjoy prequels, there is just something inherent that prevents me from liking and enjoying them. I tried with Star Wars (well, I tried with III). I tried with The Hobbit (more I and II than with III). And I tried with The Books of Pellinor Quartet. Oh, man did I really and truly try to get into this. 

The writing is great. Alison Croggon  has one of the best narrative voices going in high fantasy today. Her writing skills have remained excellent from the main four Books of Pellinor. But you could have the best writing style, the best world-building, the best narrative flow, and I would probably still suffer a prequel. No matter how hard Croggon tried, I couldn't get into this story. I love Cadvan so much, he probably carried much of the story, but I couldn't get into the story. I didn't really need to know what happened before he met Maerad. Mainly because I already knew what happened when he discussed it with her. While it was nice to see some of his origins, and see old characters, there was little else that connected this story to the rest of the Pellinor story, except, perhaps, the origins of the Darkness returning to Annar. But again, I didn't need to know that. I didn't want to know that. 

I enjoyed the characters in this book. It was great to see Cadvan again, as well as some other characters, but as much as I enjoyed the new characters introduced in this book, I couldn't connect to them on the same way that I was able to connect with Maerad because they disappear after this outing and are never mentioned in the main quartet. As much as I wanted to enjoy Selmana, and I did enjoy her, much was detracted knowing that she isn't in the other books.

I really and truly tried to love this book and get invested in it. But it took me almost two weeks to finish this book, whereas the other four took me a total of a week to finish. Croggon's writing style, world-building, and character development continue to be nothing short of incredible. Cadvan remains an incredibly developed character, but we don't really learn anything that new or exciting. It might be the fact that I suffer prequels regardless of their quality and whether or not I want to like them. I'm giving The Bone Queen a 3/5. I really wanted to like this one. I thought this would be the prequel that would end my suffering of prequels. It didn't add anything that I didn't already know. 

Books of Pellinor IV: The Singing by Alison Croggon

From Goodreads:
In an increasingly battle-ravaged land, Maerad, Cadvan, and Hem desperately search for one another as they make their separate journeys. The Black Army is advancing north, and even as Maerad faces a mighty confrontation with the Landrost to save Innail, all of the Seven Kingdoms are threatened with bitter and devastating defeat. Yet in Maerad and Hem lives the secret to the mysterious Singing, and legend holds that if they release the music of Elidhu together, they have the power to defeat the Nameless One. Can brother and sister find each other in time to fight this all-powerful enemy, and are they strong enough even reunited to defeat him before all is lost?

Here, at the end of all things. (Wrong series, I know, but it still applies to this series)

The Singing is the final book in the Pellinor Quartet. This one picks up shortly after both The Riddle and The Crow (as they were taking place simultaneously) left off. What is different about The Singing compared to the previous three novels is that it switches perspectives between Maerad and Hem, which is a very clever thing to do. I enjoyed how everything came together in The Singing that had been building since The Naming. 

These characters are endearing and wonderfully thought out, and in this novel, they fully embrace their layers and their flaws instead of running from them. There are many heart-rending moments with all of the characters, which makes for a satisfying pay-off to the set-ups that have been laid in place since the beginning. The thing that Croggon does is make sure that, even though this is the end, it does not mean that anyone is safe, something she has done from the beginning of the quartet. I enjoyed how she continued to have her characters grow and develop even though this is the last book. 

Croggon continues to have her world be consistent and unique. It's a sign of good writing skills when you are sad that a series is coming to its conclusion, realizing that this is the last time we'll see these characters and this world (not counting the prequel, which isn't the same). I loved how this book ended. I can't think of a better ending for this series. While there are certain things that are left unresolved, I'm fine with not knowing how everything ends or is resolved. 

These books have been an absolute delight to read. They are easy to get into. Rich character development and world building. Tangible conflict. Realism in the characters. An old-yet-new world. Croggon has done her job well in spades and it's great to see how her set-up in the previous three novels is paid off here. I can easily say that the Pellinor books are one of my favourite series. Croggon made an excellent world, with a layered, diverse cast of characters. Each of the books brought something new to the table, with The Singing being no exception. I had such difficulty putting them down when I had to do something else. 

Alison Croggon has created something so unique and wonderful. It's a rich, well-developed world that fits in well with the likes of Middle-Earth and other high fantasy settings. The characters are well-spun and are multi-dimensional from the beginning to the very end, continuing to be developed even in the conclusion. The Singing is a great conclusion to a stellar quartet, and I am so grateful to have read them. They were an absolute joy to read. I am giving The Singing a 5/5. This is a great series and I highly recommend it.  

Books of Pellinor III: The Crow by Alison Croggon

From Goodreads:
Hem is a weary orphan whose struggle for survival ends when he is reunited with his lost sister, Maerad. But Maerad has a destiny to fulfill, and Hem is sent to the golden city of Turbansk, where he learns the ways of the Bards and befriends a mysterious white crow. When the forces of the Dark threaten, Hem flees with his protector, Saliman, and an orphan girl named Zelika to join the Light's resistance forces. It is there that Hem has a vision and learns that he, too, has a part to play in Maerad's quest to solve the Riddle of the Treesong

I was slightly hesitant going into this book as it was taking the focus off of Maerad and Cadvan for the entirety of the novel. I thought it would be the "Lost Sister" of the quartet. I was completely wrong to have those doubts about this book.

The Crow takes place at the same time as The Riddle but told from the perspective of Maerad's younger brother Hem, who also portrays Bardic skills. This book shows that Hem is just as important as Maerad in the prophecy about destroying both the Darkness and the Nameless One, which we get to see in full in both this book, and the next one. 

I was not overly fond of Hem in the first two books. I enjoyed him just fine, but he was never the character that I thought much about, being overshadowed by Maerad and Cadvan. The Crow allows him to come into his own and become an interesting, layered, and compelling character of his own caliber. What Croggon does well in this book is flesh out the characters who were minor in Maerad's part of the story, to make them prominent figures in Hem's part, making for a more well-rounded cast of characters for the quartet as a whole. I enjoyed learning more about who Saliman was, and finding new, interesting characters that add to Hem's part in the whole story.

This book is the most war-like in the series. Each of the books deals with war in one way or another, but The Crow shows in detail how devastating war is, especially for children, and we get to see the horrors and tragedies of war. In this way, I can see some of the comparisons to Tolkien ringing true, as he also wrote about the mindlessness and monstrosities of war. I am glad that Croggon decided to go in this route for The Crow as it makes what is at stake more tangible and easier to understand rather than if she had just mentioned it and not shown it. 

Once again, we are treated to Croggon's endlessly creative world with new places and cultures. It made for an interesting contrast between Hem and Maerad experiencing new places for the first time. I also enjoyed how these new places helped with Hem's growth and development as a character. The world-building in The Crow continues to add to the mythos of the Pellinor quartet. 

I went into The Crow not really knowing what to expect since it was Hem's part of the story. By the end of it, I was glad that Hem got an entire book to himself, as it explains just how important he is to the story and to the war against the Darkness. His part is equally as important as Maerad's and this book highlights it. Once again, Alison Croggon created an interesting world which builds from the previous two entries. I did not expect to enjoy The Crow as much as I did which is a testament to Croggon's excellent writing skills and character building. This outing is as good as the others, and I can't give it anything less than 5/5. 

Books of Pellinor II: The Riddle by Alison Croggon

From Goodreads:
Maerad is a girl with a tragic and bitter past, but her powers grow stronger by the day. Now she and her mentor, Cadvan, hunted by both the Light and the Dark, must unravel the Riddle of the Treesong before their fractured kingdom erupts in chaos. The quest leads Maerad over terrifying seas and vast stretches of glacial wilderness, ever closer to the seductive Winterking ally of her most powerful enemy, the Nameless One. Trapped in the Winterking's icy realm, Maerad must confront what she has suspected all along: that she is the greatest riddle of all.

The second book in this quartet picks up exactly where The Naming left off, and once again Alison Croggon continues to create a fantasy world that is both familiar and new at the same time. 

The Riddle takes the characters and the world that we have come to know in The Naming and tests them. In The Riddle we find out what Maerad is capable of, what Cadvan is capable of. While The Naming was an outward-looking novel about uncovering the terrors of war and what is going on within this world to cause strife, this book is more introspective as both the characters and the readers find out what they are capable of and who they see themselves as. There is a lot more strife between characters in this book, as this is the "testing" novel of the quartet above any of the other books in this series. One could argue that the entire series is about various strifes, but The Riddle puts it at the forefront. 

Once again, we see, with greater detail, just how layered and flawed our heroes are, which is a testament to Croggon's writing skills. It adds so much depth to the conflict. If the characters were one-dimensional and bland, you would not care about the conflict that is happening both between characters and within the world they live in. These characters are well-designed, well-realized, and have outdone themselves compared to their previous outing. Croggon takes the foundations that she laid in The Naming and builds upon them, continuing to create an old-yet-new tale with consistency and growth. 

The nice thing about subsequent books in a series is how world-building is not as necessary. This being the second book of four, Croggon has already developed her world in The Riddle, but, much like her character arcs, she continues to have them grow and build off the foundational level as well. We see new lands, new areas, uncharted territories in this book, which adds to the mythos of the world that she has built. The plot flows well, and it was, once again, nearly impossible to put down. 

The Riddle is once again an amazing story that is split between being plot driven and character driven in a happy medium. The characters grow and become more layered, while still remaining realistic and flawed. There is a lot of much-needed strife in this particular outing so as to realize what is truly at stake. In this introspective novel, Alison Croggon builds upon the foundation she set in place in The Naming, and does so with poise and skill. The Riddle, like The Naming, gets a 5/5. 

Books of Pellinor I: The Naming by Alison Croggon

From Goodreads:
Maerad is a slave in a desperate and unforgiving settlement, taken there as a child when her family is destroyed in war. She doesn't yet know she has inherited a powerful gift, one that marks her as a member of the noble School of Pellinor and enables her to see the world as no other can. It is only when she is discovered by Cadvan, one of the great Bards of Lirigon, that her true identity and extraordinary destiny unfold. Now, she and her mysterious teacher must embark on a treacherous, uncertain journey through a time and place where the forces of darkness wield an otherworldly terror. 

I love me some old-school epic fantasy.

This book had everything going for it: great world-building, excellent characters, compelling plot, amazing writing style. It was a joy to read this book and read the beginning of Maerad's story. While there were some cliches that are common to fantasy, Croggon works with them well, integrating them into the story and setting up the sequels.

This book has been compared to J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. I can kind of see the comparison in that they both have unique settings and some similarities in conventions within their respective worlds. They also both have appendices which add to the worlds of each respective story. But for me, that is where the comparison ends. While I adore Lord of the Rings, Croggon takes the typical "chosen one" fantasy trope and runs with it, creating in her wake a compelling and unique world that is realistic and easy to imagine, with characters that are so layered and flawed that it is its own creature entirely.

The plot moves quickly at first to get the action and main story into motion, but it is not always so quick in its pacing, which is a good thing for a novel of this nature. Croggon still has three more books worth of story to tell, so everything must be set up well for a satisfying payoff, and must create a world and cast of characters that does not feel worn out after the first entry. Croggon does this all wonderfully with well-realized and realistic protagonists Maerad and Cadvan. Their relationship and friendship feels earned and not at all forced. 

The action is thrilling and tense. It's wonderful to read and I found myself not wanting to put it down so I could study for my finals even though I really should have (spoiler: I didn't put the book down, I kept reading and still did well on my exams). While the premise is not so different from other fantasy books, Croggon executes hers with so much uniqueness and a great understanding of her characters, that it feels fresh and new, while also making you feel like you're at home. I love how the characters are written like people. They are flawed. They make mistakes. They have layers. This is due in part to Croggon's writing style, which is lush and beautiful, making the narrative feel like an old story that flows seamlessly.

While the premise is nothing new, what Croggon does in the first Book of Pellinor is endlessly unique and wonderful. With rich writing and world-building, and well-thought out, layered characters, The Naming is an excellent start to an outstanding quartet. I fully enjoyed this book and I'm giving it a 5/5. 

A Pleasure and a Calling by Phil Hogan

From Goodreads:
You won't remember Mr. Heming. He was the estate agent who showed you around your comfortable home, suggested a financial package, negotiated a price with the owner, and called you with the good news. The less good news is that, all these years later, he still has the key. That's absurd, you laugh. Of all the many hundreds of houses he has sold, why would he still have the key to mine? The answer is; he has the keys to them all. 

William Heming's most at home in a stranger's private things. He makes it his business to know all their secrets, and how they arrange their lives. His every pleasure is in his leafy community. He loves and knows every inch of it, feels nurtured by it, and would defend it - perhaps not with his life but if it came to it, with yours. Things begin to change when Mr. Hemings' obsession shifts from many people to one, and then a dead body winds up in someone's garden. For a man who is used to going unremarked, Mr. Heming's finds his natural routine becomes uncomfortably interrupted.

The best way I can describe A Pleasure and a Calling is unsettling. Phil Hogan does a good job at not only creating a ... what can only be described as voyeuristic main character in Mr. Heming, but also giving reasons and backstory for why he is the way that he is and how he came to be a real estate agent. It's such a clever idea to make him be a real estate agent. Who else besides you and a select number of people such as family and friends would at one point have access to your home? A real estate agent. From the beginning, the story and character of Mr. Heming is unhinged, but it only increases as the plot weaves on and we both a) find out more about his backstory, and b) find out what he is truly capable of doing. 

While there are a few boring moments in the narrative, Phil Hogan does an excellent job at making this a creepy and unnerving story that demands your full and uninterrupted attention until the very end. The narration style is so slick and so smooth. It almost sounds as if he's speaking to a trusted confidante or giving a confessional interview. I could believe either scenario. This man is a high-functioning sociopath who is good at what he's doing, so it makes sense that his narration style would be in this way. It's supposed to be skewed in his favour and completely narcissistic as it is. Hogan does a very good job at creating this sociopathic character that you can't help but feel sympathy for in a few scenes. 

A sign that Phil Hogan has done his job right is that you feel uncomfortable reading about Mr. Heming's escapades, but you also feel uncomfortable with yourself for feeling something for him in certain scenes. There is a great amount of sarcastic and self-referential humour in here that fits the narrative well and makes Heming slightly less aloof than he is when he is being serious. It adds an extra dimension to the novel as a whole. It also taps into his ever-growing descent into complete madness and chaos. 

This book reminds you why you should change your locks upon buying and moving into a new home. A Pleasure and a Calling is creepy, unhinged, and surprisingly insightful. It's funny and has a great main character and narrator in Heming, who demands that the reader pay attention to the story from beginning to end. While it was mostly an enjoyable, atmospheric, and unsettling read, there were a few parts that were dull and dragged the tension down slightly. Besides that, I enjoyed this book immensely and am going to give it a 4/5. 

Black Mad Wheel by Josh Malerman

From Goodreads:
The Danes—the band known as the “Darlings of Detroit”—are washed up and desperate for inspiration, eager to once again have a number one hit. That is, until an agent from the US Army approaches them. Will they travel to an African desert and track down the source of a mysterious and malevolent sound? Under the guidance of their front man, Philip Tonka, the Danes embark on a harrowing journey through the scorching desert—a trip that takes Tonka into the heart of an ominous and twisted conspiracy.

Meanwhile, in a nondescript Midwestern hospital, a nurse named Ellen tends to a patient recovering from a near-fatal accident. The circumstances that led to his injuries are mysterious—and his body heals at a remarkable rate. Ellen will do the impossible for this enigmatic patient, who reveals more about his accident with each passing day.

As you know, I loved Josh Malerman's debut novel Bird Box, so when I saw that he had published another book, I knew I had to read it. And when I saw this one be compared to Lost, one of my all-time favourite TV shows? DOUBLE excited. When I read this in the car on the way to Easter dinner I could not put it down. I was so engaged in what was going on. 

Josh Malerman once again shows his writing chops in Black Mad Wheel. If I didn't know that this was his sophomore novel, I would say he's a seasoned author with many publications to his name. His writing style is so unique and engaging, never once letting up the suspense and tension, deftly weaving back and forth between the two intertwining narratives of the desert and the hospital. He has this way of writing tension that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up and makes you think twice about things. He's excellent at creating tension, setting, tone, and atmosphere that pays off well in the conclusion of the novel. 

The characters in Black Mad Wheel are well-realized and -defined. You know what makes each of these characters tick. They all have ideals and morals and each have their own reasons for doing this mission. Main characters Philip and Ellen  work so well and you can tell that they each have something haunting them. Additionally, all the characters play off of each other so well. Malerman really knows what makes his characters tick. Nothing ever feels forced with these characters, they are believable and relatable, and work really well for this story.

Once again the psychological horror showcased in this book, like his previous novel, builds gradually until it reaches a climax that is so meticulously planned out. Each of the two narratives has a psychological horror that again is intertwined. You can tell that Malerman put a lot of time and effort into intertwining these two horrors that ultimately end up feeding off each other in their own way, and it really paid off. 

Guys, this is another home run for Josh Malerman. He has proven himself once again as being an adept writer, creating an atmospheric and tense novel from start to finish. While I enjoyed Bird Box just a tiny bit more, this is still a stunning novel, not one I'll soon forget. It's well-written, has great characters and character development, and isn't cliche in the slightest in the execution of the twists. I have to give Black Mad Wheel a 5/5. It was such an intense ride that didn't let up for a second. All around a terrific novel. 

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

From Goodreads:
Remember, it’s only a game…

Scarlett Dragna has never left the tiny island where she and her sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval—the faraway, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show—are over.

But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. Nevertheless she becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic. And whether Caraval is real or not, Scarlett must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over or a dangerous domino effect of consequences will be set off, and her beloved sister will disappear forever.

The first book I read following my self-imposed book exile (I was simply too busy to read during the mania of essays and assigned readings. Fourth year is like a void), I've heard mixed things about Caraval, but mostly good things, but also some negative things (most memorably a gripe from Samantha/Thoughts on Tomes). Bearing all this in mind, I went in with an open mind and got a mixed bag, with some great things, and some not so great things. 

Caraval is excellent at setting up the world. I loved reading about the various parts of the performances and various things that happen in this world. I think it's a very unique world and it has a lot of potential to be this dark, two-faced performance, where you don't know if the people there can be trusted or not. The world-building for this book was on point and it was perhaps the best part about Caraval for me. I think the plot was set up very well and there were many unique concepts and good attempts at world-building as well, but it was bogged down by other factors of the novel.

The writing style is kind of all over the place. It's attempting to be very metaphorical and personification-al, but is presented as being purple prose, with MANY nonsensical, forced metaphors. Without giving anything away, Scarlett uses colour a lot to describe feelings and emotions, but it doesn't go anywhere. How cool would it be if she were magic and being able to see emotion as colour was her own unique skill? Sam at Thoughts on Tomes describes it in her own gripe video for this book but it's something that I noticed as well. I understand what is being attempted here, it's trying to be lyrical, but it comes off 99% of the time as being purple prose.

The characters frustrated me as well. The characters and the readers are told time and again that all the events are a game and nothing is to be trusted ... yet most everything is taken at face value and is taken to be gospel truth. The characters are one-dimensional and contrived, very undefined and generic. Scarlett and Tella are supposed to have this strong sisterly bond ... where was it? The villain was mostly forgettable, again with no defining character traits. There was so much naivety and lack of critical thinking from the main characters, which was disappointing. There was very little substance in favour of an overabundance of tropes and cliches for all of the characters.

Caraval was kind of a mess in my opinion. While it had some redeeming factors in the plot and the world-building, it was bogged down by the writing style and purple prose which did not add an iota of relevance to the story. Additionally, the characters were super-frustrating as well, which detracted from the great plot and world building. I so desperately wanted to and tried to enjoy this book, but it just didn't do it for me. The good thing about Caraval is that while it is frustrating, it is a quick read. I think it only took me a day or so to finish it. I'm going to give Caraval 2/5 - the plot setup and worldbuilding were good, but nothing else quite worked for me.

Invictus by Ryan Graudin

From Goodreads:
Time flies when you're plundering history.

Farway Gaius McCarthy was born outside of time. The son of a time-traveling Recorder from 2354 AD and a gladiator living in Rome in 95 AD, Far's birth defies the laws of nature. Exploring history himself is all he's ever wanted, and after failing his final time-traveling exam, Far takes a position commanding a ship with a crew of his friends as part of a black market operation to steal valuables from the past. 

But during a heist on the sinking Titanic, Far meets a mysterious girl who always seems to be one step ahead of him. Armed with knowledge that will bring Far's very existence into question, she will lead Far and his team on a race through time to discover a frightening truth: History is not as steady as it seems.

Guess who's back, back again. 

I'm officially done my undergrad degree, and in the interim between the end of exams and now, I've read a plethora of books, all of which need reviewing. Following The Uninvited by Cat Winters, which I read in January, this was the first book I read, once all my final papers and assignments had calmed the eff down for a minute before my exams started. I got this book for Christmas because I love time travel stories and this is most definitely a time-travel novel. 

The plot grabbed my attention almost instantly, with Graudin creating an interesting world and compelling characters. It's a fast-paced novel, that is propelled more by plot than character, which is not uncommon for time-travel stories. The historical parts were very interesting to see as well, which helped propel the plot forward. The world-building, additionally, was very well done and I got through this book quickly because it was paced well and I continued to want to know what was coming next.

However ...

While the world-building, plot setup, and settings were all very well-done, I felt as though the characters were not very well-developed or thought out. There is a relationship in this novel, but there is never any set-up or any scenes that truly portray why they are an item. In not having relatable characters, Invictus did not have stakes that were high enough for me to really care about what happened. While the world-building and setting pulled me in, the lack of character development and lack of any tangible stakes or consequences of their actions (in a believable way) dragged me out of the story Graudin is telling in this book. 

Because of the lack of character development and significance of their actions and decisions (some of which are really dumb and unrealistic) the book gets slowed down in parts that are supposed to be significant and meaningful, which was a detractor and, as such, I had to take away from my rating. 

In conclusion, Invictus had a mostly good plot that was accompanied by good pacing and a unique setting created by Ryan Graudin. That being said, however, this book does not have any real moments of significance due to a lack of character development and unrealistic portrayals in certain scenes, which slows down the book. For these reasons, it was difficult to give a rating for this book, but have decided to give it a 3/5 - the plot and world-building is well-done, and it boasts an incredible writing style, but it's dragged down by underdeveloped and unrealistic characters that fall flat. If you are into novels driven by plot over character with science fiction, you will enjoy this book.