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.