A Very Scalzi Christmas | John Scalzi

*Image and book provided via NetGalley for an honest review.

Summary:

 A collection of holiday themed stories, some new, some old, written by John Scalzi.

Review:

This book is a collection of Scalzi's writing. They have several formats including interviews, prayer, Top Ten lists and script notes. Each chapter is delightfully different from the others. All of the chapters show off Scalzi's talent. 

I'm always drawn to Scalzi's books because of his strong sense of humor, but I get invested in them because of his ability with the full range of emotions. This book is no exception. The cover, the title, they book evoke humorous responses. But the stories in here are not limited to laughs. There are still plenty of laughs, good laughs, that I really needed. But there are also some really, really good tears.

I also appreciate Scalzi's preface where he talks about how important Christmas is to him. I can empathize, and not just because it reminds me of the ending monologue in "Scrooged". Christmas has traditions that get us to think about others. Yeah, things suck, but Christmas is when we take the time to be more generous, more caring, and can make things better for someone else. Scalzi covers a lot of attitudes towards holidays in these chapters, but I love that the predominant emotion is hope.

This book made me laugh until I cried and it also just made me cry. I cannot recommend it enough (though if you do look for it, search via ebook. The print is $40, ebook is $6). I've already per-ordered the book and am looking to forward to sharing the joy of A Very Scalzi Christmas with loved ones. 5 hoots!

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Girls and Ghosts | Anne Michaud

*Image and book provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Summary:

 

 Five stories of five very different girls and their very different experiences with very different ghosts. Michaud takes the reader on a journey with each story.

Review:

 

Holy Wah!!! I am not exaggerating when I say that all five stories in this book were a delight to read. Each story was its own world with depth and well thought-out characters. 

 

I sometimes have problems with collections of themed short stories because some of them end up being similar and with the same author for all of them, you'd think this would happen. Nope! Each story felt incredibly different. Each main character is their own person. Each story treats ghosts differently. Each story's world is very different. This collection was amazingly different from one story to the next. What you learned about ghosts in one story, wouldn't help you in the others.

Each story was a journey. The first story showed the interpretation of ghost sightings as mental illness. The second focused on generational ghost fighting to keep family safe. The third story (holy wah, I'd love an entire series based on this) was about the lengths people go to for the souls of their loved ones. The fourth was about how family isn't based on blood. The fifth story, that one was just, amazing and had me in tears (in a good way). And, at the core of each of these stories, you had strength, empathy and love. It was an amazing journey.

This was an amazing journey and I absolutely recommend picking up a copy. I'm going to be looking into more of Michaud's books because she is a very talented author. The ebook is only about $4 (price listed in £) and is very well worth the cost. I absolutely loved this book and cannot recommend it enough. I happily give 5 hoots!

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Science of the Magical | Matt Kaplan

Summary:

Matt Kaplan explores the science behind many mythological magics of our ancient history. From reading the livers of animals to the chemicals in love potions, even the physiology of sword swallowing. Kaplan covers a wide range of topics and the science that explains them.

Review: 

I absolutely loved Kaplan's book "The Science of Monsters" and had been eagerly looking for a copy of this book as well. I am happy to report, I was not disappointed! My feelings towards both of these books are actually summarized by Teller (of Penn & Teller) in the introduction:

"To any enlightened dweller of our century, knowing increases wonder. I don't just think this, I know it. If you believe, you oversimplify in the way a child might initially believe there is no complex evolution of life. That simplification in no way increases your sense of wonder. If, however, you know how life came to be on our planet, the wonder is immense!"

And that is the attitude that permeates all of these chapters in "Science of the Magical". Finding the truth behind the mysticism, knowing how the trick is done, just makes all of it so much more intriguing and amazing! Sometimes it's just coming to grips with how much our ancient ancestors actually knew, even if they didn't fully understand.

Kaplan does a wonderful job of making all of this science very accessible to readers of any background and interest. He also does a very good job of citing his sources. Because of this, I've increased my TBR list substantially, but Kaplan writes these things in such a way that I want to know more! I need to know more!

This book is such a treasure and would be enjoyable to pretty much anyone with any interest in the science behind all things mystical. Instead of "killing the joke" by over-explaining it, it's like the cool science experiment that changes your world view. This book was a great read, I couldn't put it down! 5 hoots!

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Differently Morphous | Yahtzee Crowshaw | Audiobook

Summary:

Alison has just had her heart broken. She's been told she doesn't have a magical ability and was admitted to the magic school by mistake. The reason for the mistake is that she has an eidetic memory and her perfect standardized test scores indicated a magical ability. Instead of sending her home she's brought in to work for the Ministry of Magic, specifically as an assistant the...unique character of Diablerie. Soon after she joins, a magical serial killer is on the loose and she must discover, is Diablerie the villain or just a madman?

Review:

I read the ebook version of this before I bought the audiobook. Since then, I've listened to the audiobook the full way through at least twice. That's how hilarious and well written the book is. I also love Croshaw's narration and his ability for voices is amazing. I'm very glad to have listened to the audio because otherwise I never would've known how to pronounce a lot of the character names.

This is a very well written story with interesting characters. Each person has their own take on the "political correctness storm" that comes in when the Fluidics enter our dimension seeking asylum. From the "social justice warriors" to the "Shoggoths are dangerous" the entire spectrum is well represented. And as much flack as Dr. Pavani gets for thinking that people possessed by the Ancients should be referred to as "Dual Consciousness" I give her full credit for putting her all into what she does. She never backs down and even confronts a lot of fears that those around her do not. At the same time, I love the character of Mike Badger, a former freelance bounty hunter for the Ministry who regularly killed Fluidics. He honestly goes with the flow pretty well and, when he learns that Shoggoths are sentient and protected creatures, he finds other things to do to earn money. You get quite a range here and I love how these characters play off of each other. A lot of them are, essentially, good people who just want to do their best. Some just play better by the rules while others break/create the rules.

The Fluidics/Shoggoths are absolutely adorable. Croshaw plays the reaction to them just right. Because they are so utterly inhuman and talk with a cute lisp ("We would wike to wequest asywum") humanity utterly adores them and goes out of their way to chastise any who would endanger them. Meanwhile, the possessed humans get a lot less sympathy because they are so very human in appearance. The "YouTube video comments" sections of the book are so spot on. From the public feeling that Dual-Consciousness are spoiled kids to people who "identify as Fluidic-kin". You get a lot of almost too real reactions.

The murder mystery itself is a delight! It's another case of Croshaw leaving all the clues there for you to see but you (or at least I) don't notice them or put them together quite right until the reveal. There were no gaps or leaps in the conclusion. There were no "what did I miss?" moments. It's all right there but Croshaw's story is so engaging, you don't notice the little things so easily. So when the killer is revealed, you are surprised in a good way and never feel cheated.

I absolutely loved this book. I've read/listened to it many times now and it still makes me laugh. Some of the humor is a bit dry, but holy wah, the story and characters are so engaging. I'm really hoping Croshaw writes a sequel to this one, he left more than enough to go on. I happily give 5 hoots and encourage you to pick up a copy.

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The Imaginary Corpse | Tyler Hayes

*Image and book provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Summary:

 

Detective Tippy is a Friend in the StillReal. That means he's an Idea, created by a real Person, that was loved enough to become Real himself, but then was rejected by his Person. Every Friend and Idea in the StillReal has their own reasons for being there. Some were TV show ideas that never got green-lighted. Some were forcibly rejected by their Person because they became connected with bad memories. It happens. But there's one Friend the citizens of the StillReal can turn to when they need help and that's the triceratops detective himself, Detective Tippy. What started as a simple case of a lost nightmare Friend needing a home becomes the most dangerous, taxing, world-breaking case of Tippy's career and could mean the end of the StillReal.

Review:

 

This book ran me through the full gamut of emotions. For a while I thought it might be like "Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends" but for adults. Nope. Don't get me wrong, it's not for kids, but it's also not NSFW levels of "for adults". Hayes does an incredible job of blending all the different levels of depth that go into the Ideas and making it possible for the reader to seamlessly go from Playtime Land to Big Business without any real disorientation. Probably because Tippy, the narrator, is so used to this stuff by now and does a wonderful job of describing the process.

 

You still get a lot of stuff that's just flat out adorable. Tippy's drink of choice is root beer because his Person, who watched all the detective shows as a kid, thought that's what beer was. And Tippy's favorite way to relax? Going for a spin in the dryer! And the Friends that were created by kids have a lot of kid-like qualities. Even a nightmare like Spindleman talks like a little kid and it's freaking cute as heck! But it's also that reasoning and mentality that can really pull at your heartstrings. And Hayes does not hold back. 

 

There were times when I was in tears because, yes, this isn't a book for kids. The primary villain of the story is so monstrous and able to break so many rules of the StillReal, (and I gotta be careful here because I don't want to give any spoilers) because he is based on a real world monster. He's faster, stronger and more dangerous than any Friend has ever thought possible. He's genuinely very, very scary! Especially when you get glimpses into what he is in the real world. It's heartbreaking. 

 

I felt everything a book could ever put me through. Fear, laughter, horror, intrigue, anxiety, relief, and then-some. This book was such a full experience.  I've been out of blogging for a couple of months now because I just couldn't really bring myself to write more. Then I read this book and I HAVE to share it with the world. I HAVE to spread the word about this book. The world, the characters, the emotions, the storytelling, it's all so engaging and amazing. This book is worth 5 hoots and all the love. I'm looking forward to more from Hayes.

 

 

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Ash Kickers | Sean Grigsby

*Image and book provided via NetGalley for an honest review.

Summary:
In this sequel to Smoke Eaters, Tamerica Williams is bored with how things have changed. Instead of slaying dragons, the Smoke Eaters are just capturing them so their blood can be used as medicine. Unfortunately, her wish for "action" gets granted and she learns to be careful what you wish for. Now Tamerica has to deal with a never-before-seen phoenix that burns hotter than any dragon. Not to mention the legal trouble and civil unrest that she now has to incorporate into her daily WTF List.

Review:

I was a beta reader for this book so I was very curious to see what changes, if any had been made. I can't tell you what changed from that read to this one, but I can say, both readings put me through the emotional wringer, and I mean that in the best possible way. I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed this book, especially after the second reading.

Though this is a sequel, I don't think you have to have read the first one to understand what's going on. It would certainly help, but this book almost feels like a world of its own. Almost all of the main characters we meet are ones from the last book so it would explain some of the relationships and stories.

My favorite part about this book is that we get to see so many new types of dragons and hear about so many more. Grigsby gets really creative with his dragons and their abilities. They range in size from a few feet to two-stories tall and everything in between. They range in their elements as well. We get to see an ice, water, fire, acid, flammable oil and more. Each one presents their own challenges and I loved finding out there's so many types!

Grigsby also does a nice job of incorporating contemporary concerns into this book set in the future. Since the dragonblood curate, Pantheon City's been getting an influx of people hoping for access to it for themselves and their families. Rather than embrace these fellow Americans, fellow humans, the PC First people decide to call them "rats" and demand they be removed from the city. They are very easy to hate and Grigsby does a wonderful job of making sure they are unsympathetic in every way and that every character we like knows that PC First are Nazi wannabes.

Then there's Tamerica (T), herself. She is an amazing character who goes through so much in such a short amount of time. She not only goes through the sudden responsibility of managing her own team, but she also has to take care of parents. On top of that, she endures the emotional pain of Survivor's Guilt while also enduring repeated physical pains of literally being burned by the hottest fire she's ever experienced. I was actually grateful when we got to see her break down once in a while because it really helped to empathize with her. She is human, an incredibly strong human, and Grigsby writes her as such.

This book was an incredible read into an ever expanding world. This series has been a wonderful adventure full of endearing characters that you want to see win the day. I happily give 5 hoots and encourage you to pick up a copy!

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Mensch Marks | Joshua Hammerman

*Image and book provided via NetGalley for an honest review.

Summary:

A collection of essays reprinted and updated where needed about Rabbi Hammerman's career and life trying to be a mensch, a good person. These essays are also his attempt to bring mensch into the common vernacular, much like chutzpah and schmuck. These essays cover a range of topics from personal failing and forgiveness to interfaith support to importance of just being human in today's seemingly inhuman world.

Review:

I'm buying this book. I'm not Jewish, I don't go to any church, but I am buying this book. It's a great help for anyone who just wants to try to do some good in the world but doesn't know where to begin. This book really helped me out when I was going through a really tough time. I'm buying this book.

It doesn't take much to be a good person and this book takes you through several steps towards becoming a real mensch. Hammerman repeatedly discusses why such things are needed in today's world. Yes, it can be difficult but it can also be very rewarding. Hammerman doesn't just discuss the times he succeeded. He owns up to his failures but, most importantly, he discusses the lessons learned from these failures.

Hammerman also delves into his past throughout the book. The essays don't follow a particular timeline, opting for a thematic organization. We see how Hammerman has dealt with the consequences of being the son of clergy to trying to help his own children keep from living the "life in a fishbowl" he had to. We see his own physical, spiritual and mental struggles from the beginning and middle of his career as a Rabbi. Most importantly, we see how human he is and how being human is important to our everyday lives.

I was very happy to read this book. I look forward to its release when I can purchase it. You don't even have to be spiritual to enjoy this book. Yes, there are a lot of Biblical and Talmudic references, but Hammerman's book is about how you can be both human and a mensch at the same time. I highly recommend this book for those who are tired of all the hate but don't know where to begin on changing that hate. 5 hoots!

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Only Dead on the Inside | James Breakwell

Summary:

A collection of survival tips as well as do's and don'ts for being a parent in the zombie apocalypse. 

Review:

I laughed so friggin' hard at this book I'm sure I got looks while I was reading it on the bus. But I didn't notice because I was laughing too hard. I've already bought a copy of this for my Mom! Yes, some of the jokes rely on sitcom family stereotypes (the "inept dad" stereotype being the predominant one). And yes, I don't have any kids myself. However, the humor of there is so much humor based in truth. Anyone who's spent any time with any kids knows the truth of the dangers of a temper tantrum!

My favorite part about this book is how it covers so many things that other zombie lore glosses over. The idea that disposable diapers will be a new form of currency rings very true. Plus, how many other zombie stories talk about how children are just inherently good at finding dangerous things? "It takes skill to make an inert wooden crib spontaneously burst into flames, but if anyone can do it, it's a six-month-old." That's why there are so many warning labels on toys. That's why being a parent in the zombie apocalypse is so dangerous for all parties!

But the book doesn't spend the whole time complaining. There's actually some good advice in here. Like how most guidebooks would tell you to remove a staircase and use a retractable ladder to keep the second floor zombie free. Breakwell reminds you that carrying a baby, plus loot, means you're not climbing up that ladder. He also talks about how escaping from zombies, with your family intact, is more about situational awareness than actual speed. Then there's the chapter on punishments where he talks about punishment only being effective if the kid understands why they're in trouble.

Some of the best parts of this book are about using your children to your advantage. Using their natural talent to create messes to make your house an obstacle course for zombie or looter. Using their smaller size to help you loot more places (not to mention their enthusiasm at getting to take home whatever they want). They also come with some very useful accessories, like strollers and toys that can be used as weapons. Like a mini-van that can still play DVDs even after the house has lost power. 

I absolutely loved this book. I shared some lines with my Mom and she wanted a copy. There are cartoons, charts and other visuals and the book is short so it's easy to stay engaged the entire time. I happily give 5 hoots!

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Fool if You Think It's Over | Jo Thomas

Summary:

Elkie seems to have everything she's been wanting. She got Ben out of the Institute and Dave locked in. She got the girls to a safe place with their father. She's even been getting along better with her mother. Unfortunately, other people's plans for her keep getting in the way. Roar, the head of the Valemon company, believes her to be sent from Odin to answer his prayers. Ben and the Greywolves believe her to be an obstacle to their happiness. David believes her to be a traitor to her species and their friendship. Yeah, she's gonna have a rough time.

Review:

I'm not gonna lie, this book gave me a serious emotional hangover. I couldn't pick up another book for a long time because of how this one ended. And I mean that in a good way.

When we got introduced to Roar and his beliefs about the magic provided by faith in the old Norse gods, I was worried that this world was going to go over the top with the fantastical elements. Fortunately, this does not happen. Yes, we get a lot more magic, but it is world developing instead of world changing, if that makes sense. Because we only get Elkie's perspective, and she is more of a skeptic, we get a more controlled inclusion of these elements.

What surprised me was Elkie's strong return to violence. Yes, self-defense was the primary reason, but with the new elements of the world it ended up taking a bit more of a sinister turn. Fortunately Elkie is still the kind of person who doesn't forget she is human and she is affected by this as much as I was, if not more. She's not a mindless killing machine. She's a human who's reaching her breaking point. It ended up making me feel even more sorry for her.

While this wasn't as humorous as the previous books, I still found it to be a fitting end to the trilogy. The kind of ending that makes you realize just how much you enjoyed having a character in your life and how much you wanted to keep reading about them. This trilogy as a whole was a wonderful adventure and a testament to one's ability to find contentment with their lot and the strength to keep moving. I am so glad to have read this trilogy and this book helped me realize that even more. 5 hoots.

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Atomic Aardvark | Ryan Guy | Mini-Review

Review:

Sometimes you want a book that will take you through the full gamut of emotions. Other times you want a story about animals given hyper intelligence and abilities from the residue of a chemical company, the strike of a meteor and a flash of lightning, under the light of a full moon. Holy wah does this book deliver on that! I had so much fun reading this book that I was on the edge of my seat in the last few chapters and I am really hoping for a sequel someday. Aardy the Aardvark and Surly Skunk getting their understanding of humans from such different angles was delightful. The fact that Surly adopted his understanding of language from the classics made him all the more fun to read, and he truly made for a wonderful "villain". Marissa and Conley were actually pretty enjoyable to read despite being humans. They actually did a really good job of keeping the story going and glued together. If you're in the market for a relatively quick and definitely silly yet interesting read, I highly recommend Atomic Aardvark. I really hope we get a sequel! 5 hoots!

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Dragon Road | Joseph Brassey

*Image and book provided via NetGalley for an honest review.

Summary:

In this sequel to Skyfarer, we continue following the story of  Aimee de Laurent and Elias (formerly Azrael). Harkon, Aimee's teacher, is asked to help the proceedings for a new captain of Iseult where competition is almost literally cutthroat and no one candidate has enough support. They end up being embroiled in a conflict between an ancient, necromanctic evil working its way through the ship and trying to destroy everything. 

Review:

This was such a fun ride! I have never before read a book that made me wish my commute was longer so I'd have more time to read. This was such a wonderful follow up to Skyfarer. We get to find out so much more about the mechanics of the world and how the engines and crystals work. And we get introduced to so many more aspects of the world and it almost completely takes place on one ship! Admittedly the Iseult sounds comparable to the size of a huge city. If this one ship is any indication of the rest of the world, we've learned a lot about it.

For a book that takes place in space, it really is more fantasy than science fiction. The entire book I kept thinking about how cool this would be as an anime. Seriously! The entire Iseult, the magic, the mechanics of this world, they'd be perfect for an anime series. Not to mention the squittens! Oh my gosh, the squittens! A combination of cat and squid, these creatures almost made me belly laugh while I was reading on the bus! 

The character interaction was, to me, spot on. Elias has a complete history of darkness and death so I was very happy to see realistic reactions from the crew when he's accepted on board. He isn't immediately ingratiated, it's something that has to be earned. Meanwhile we get to learn a lot more about the rest of the crew as well. Poor Vlana getting vertigo whenever she's on world. Clutch's promiscuity. Seeing how much of a mechanical genius Vant truly is. This crew is amazing and the more I learn about them, the more I want to read.

This is a wonderful sequel, though I don't think you will have to have read the first to enjoy it. It's a fun, action-packed, fast-paced adventure where even the bureaucracy is interesting! 5 hoots!

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An Ill-Fated Sky | Darrell Drake

*Image and book provided by the author for an honest review.

Summary:

In this sequel to A Star-Reckoner's Lot, we follow the story of Tirdad, picking up almost exactly where the first book left off. Tirdad becomes possessed by Ashtadukht's memories and he begins a quest to discover the conspiracy started against her that turned her into the monster she became. Along the way, he develops a deep relationship with the half-div Shkarag, formerly Waray. Along the way, Tirdad must fight his own ever present depression and regret, coupled with his cousin's memories of her depression and pain.

Review:

There's a lot of reasons I'm giving this book a 5 out of 5. The characters were wonderful to read about. The dialogue had an enjoyable blend of exposition, character development and humor. The world was even more intriguing as I got to learn more about it. 

It feels like there were a lot of improvements between this book and the one before it. In the previous book, the time skips would throw me off for several pages. In this book, everything flows. There was one point where Tirdad was re-living one of Ashtadukht's memories that threw me off for a bit, but to be fair, it threw him off as well. Also, the use of memories as an exposition tool really seemed to fit and, aside from that one moment, was executed really well. 

What was also very endearing for me was the fact that both main characters were dealing with some pretty severe depression and in their own ways. Shkarag's philactory kept putting her back together, so suicide, self-harm and other reckless behaviors were her ways. Tirdad tries to hold onto the concept of honor to justify his actions, but ends up resorting to a lot of the same reckless behaviors as Shkarag. Then there's Ashtadukht's memories of depression that show that she resorted to lashing out at others, especially when she had no one supporting her.

The fight scenes were amazingly written and I could practically see the "dance" Tirdad and Shkarag did, working together to defeat bandits and armies. We get to see all of the Eshm sisters, each "worth 30 men", fighting alongside each other to powerful effect. And that final battle! I was fully entranced. Fair warning to anyone who is squeamish, there is a fair amount of blood and bloodlust in this book. It's not gratuitous gore, but if you're sensitive to it, it might not be your thing.

Overall, I'm very happy to read this book. This is a wonderful sequel that I actually don't think you need to have read the first one for. It might help with a few gaps, but I really feel this is a standalone sequel. 5 hoots!

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Where the Stars Rise | Edited by Lucas K. Law and Derwin Mak

*Image and book provided via NetGalley for an honest review.

Summary:

An anthology of sci-fi and fantasy stories written about, to borrow from the publisher's description, identity, belonging and choice.

Review:

If you've followed my blog for a while, you've heard me say that there's always one story in every anthology that I didn't like or I liked every story, but only because I skimmed through the ones I didn't like as much. This book a very rare anthology where I genuinely enjoyed every story and every story kept my full attention. I'm not gonna say I it was a completely fun ride because there were several stories that felt like a gut-punch of emotion. But such was the diverse array of story styles, settings and themes that these emotional stories were well balanced with the lighter-hearted ones. 

At no point did I want to put this book down. I actually finished the book and thought "I wish I had been able to read this in one go." It is such an amazing collection that it has introduced me to so many things I didn't know I didn't know, you know? I now need to look up books about King Sejong. I need to find recipes for idlis and onigiri. I need to know more about spider-jinn. Spider-jinn! I wanted to learn Chinese because, as beautiful as "Back to Myan" was in English, how much more beautiful is it in its original language?

This book was such a welcome change of pace and scenery for me. The authors are so very creative and engaging. Though my copy of this book was free, I will be purchasing it [Update: I have bought an E-book copy]. Where the Stars Rise has raise the bar for all future anthologies that I read. And has also greatly expanded my "Want to Read" list on Goodreads. I happily give 5 hoots and encourage you to pick up a copy!

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*Note: A portion of the book's revenue will go to support Kids Help Phone which is a Canadian counseling service for kids and teens in need. This fact does not affect my review.

Nanoshock | K. C. Alexander

*Image and book provided via NetGalley for an honest review.

Summary:

Riko's cred is still draining. She's losing more allies than she even knew she'd had. She's gaining more enemies than she thought possible. With the price on her head going up, she's having trouble focusing on her mission of getting proof that MetaCorp set her up and is trying to weaponize Necros. 

Review:

I have been waiting for this sequel for a while. I never forgot my joy at reading the first book. When I saw this one available on NetGalley, I jumped on it. I was not disappointed! Riko is back, doing and saying things that would make a sailor blush and living up to the title "Splatter Specialist" the whole way. And I loved every minute of it.

This isn't a book for everyone. It is incredibly NSFW and has a lot of fight scenes that made me cringe. That said, if you're okay with some gruesomeness and a lot of foul language, you'll probably appreciate the humor that permeates throughout the book. You will probably want to read the first one before you read this. There's a lot of important backstory there.

I'll admit, there were a few times when Riko's attitude and act-first-think-later personality began to get annoying, but the author wonderfully seems to know when this is happening and has another character call her out on it. This really helps with balancing Riko's obtuse nature keeping the reader from burnout. There were times it was difficult to figure out what was going on, then again, since we're reading from Riko's perspective, and she's not the brains of any operation, it kinda makes sense. 

Then, there was the ending. I'm going to avoid spoilers by not telling you a thing about the last chapter. All I will say, when I finished this book, I had a big smile on my face that only got bigger as I thought more and more about how well the ending fit. This book was an exceptional follow up to the first one and I couldn't be more pleased with it.

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Under the Pendulum Sun | Jeannette Ng

*Image and book provided via NetGalley for an honest review.

Summary:

Catherine Helstone has gone to Arcadia, land of the Fae, in search for her brother Laon, a missionary who has failed to follow up with her or his church in some time. Considering the mysterious death of the previous missionary to the Fae Lands, she is anxious to find him. Unfortunately, her long stay in Arcadia is riddled with riddles of a dangerous variety. She must find a way to navigate them while holding onto her own soul. 

Review:

Let me start out by saying: Holy wah. Holy wah! Holy WAH! This book was an amazing read! I can't remember the last time I was tempted to take a day off work just to finish a book! There were so many things to think about and work through! I generally highlight parts of a book that make me think, or to look up later, or that might be clues for the overall story. Usually I highlight just a few things overall. I swear I highlighted almost half the book just because there was so much that struck me! 

You can tell Jeannette Ng has done the research on this. Not just because she has her Master's in Medieval and Renaissance studies (by the way this book takes place in 1800's) but also because of her mastery of the language. She uses the terminology these characters would have used in their time, in their place. My favorite part was that the Fae tell how long it takes to get somewhere, not with time or distance, but stories. For example, the Pale Queen commented to the Salamander that it had been too long since they'd last seen each other.

The Salamander bowed deep, her wet-seeming scales glistening. "It has been as long as it takes to tell a tale, neither long nor short."

And this really gives you an insight into the Fae mindset. If one doesn't measure time by seconds and minutes or distance in feet or meters, it really affects your interpretation of the world around you.

The best part, for me, is that everything ended up making perfect sense. When I got to the end of the book and saw the full scope of this story my jaw dropped in awe. I don't want to give any spoilers, but I will say that the Mastermind of it all has much more power, influence and insight than I had EVER thought to give them credit for! I was floored by how little I had comprehended! Don't get me wrong, the story's only told from Catherine's perspective, but still! I ended up falling into the same thought trap that she did and I almost never do that! I was so caught up in this story that I was unable to predict, unable to see, except as hindsight. IT WAS AWESOME!

I'll admit, the dark, gothic fantasy genre isn't for everyone. If you are interested in true fairy tales, like the original dark Brother's Grimm stuff, you'll probably like this. There's a lot of theology mixed with mythology that does such a wonderful job of tickling one's curiosity.

I am so in love with this book that I'm pre-ordering it (click the picture above to go to the book's page). I happily give this book 5 hoots and look forward to more books from Jeannette Ng!

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The Deaths of Tao | Wesley Chu

Summary:

In the second book of the Lives of Tao series, Roen has been following Tao's instructions, getting essential information on Genjix projects. Unfortunately, these missions are completely off the books and he is seen as a deserter and conspiracy nut by the Prophus. Worst of all, his constant being away has caused his wife, Jill, to kick him out of the house and he is unable to spend time with his son, Cam. Meanwhile, Jill is working in Washington DC to push the Prophus agenda despite the overwhelming Genjix influence. Naturally, where Tao is involved, things turn violent and desperate.

Review:

Because I started reading this series with Rise of Io, the 4th or 5th book, I already kinda knew who was going to live and who was going to die. That being said, HOLY WAH! I still ended up completely emotionally engaged with this book to the point where I was upset with where it ended. You can't help but get sucked into the lives of these characters. Except, maybe, the bad guys. Every time the narrative switched to Enzo's perspective it just made me dislike him even more.

Chu has a wonderful ability to blend action and suspense with humor and sweetness. From Enzo's perspective, we read about the painful deaths of Prophus agents and Quasings at his hands. Meanwhile, from Jill's perspective we read about how all of Roen's passwords and codes are based on his relationship with her. Then, from Roen's perspective, we get to hear his and Tao's witticisms. Seriously, how can you not smile at some of their dialogue?

"There has to be something else we can save on other than transportation."

"Taco Wednesdays at the office were already cut."

"I miss tacos."

I enjoyed this book so much that I've already made significant progress in the next book of the series, just a day after finishing this one. Tao's world is full of interesting characters. Even those whose perspective we don't get to hear from are interesting to see in action. Stephen and his Quasling Camr had me almost crying. Master Lin had me laughing my butt off. Jacob scared me on a few occasions. Every character contributes something. Every character is engaging. 

This is, hands down, a great book to read. I highly recommend you read the first book, The Lives of Tao, first.This whole series has proven to be highly entertaining of 5 hoots!

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The Little Red Fish | James Moffitt & Bizhan Khodabandeh

*Book provided by NetGalley for an honest review.

Summary:

This series is an allegory for the Iranian Revolution for adults and an adventure story for kids. The books tell the story of the fish who are under the harsh rule of the egrets. Their only hope is the eagle who is the only one able to take down an egret, but will he be able to do all of it himself?

Review:

Every part of this mini-series was a treasure to read. It was such an enriching experience and gave me some much needed perspective on Iran. The use of an allegory is a smart move to help those of us separated from the events learn about it. This is the kind of series that can kick off an interest into the history of Iran. It also serves as a frightening reminder of the costs and effects of power. This is not a happy story. This is not a heartwarming story. This is a warning from history. And I have cherished every section.

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Mogworld | Yahtzee Croshaw

Summary:

The first time Jim died, he was a magic student at a low quality school that got invaded by the barbarian school next door. He went to a place where he felt happy and content. Then he and a horde of others get brought back to life as zombies by a Lord Dreadgrave who employs them to protect his tower from adventurers. While Jim finds the work easy enough, he still keeps attempting to find ways to die again, even converting to almost every religion he can find out about and then killing himself. This routine gets thrown out, however, when Deleters come in and completely delete Dreadgrave, his tower, and all but three zombies from his horde. Jim, Meryl and the priest zombie must now figure out why the world is so messed up: Adventurers are getting hit with the Syndrome, normal people are unable to die, and Barry is following the word of Si-Mon and destroying everything.


Review:

I picked this book up because I enjoy Yahtzee's YouTube channel with my husband. I will say that it was very easy to read the entire book in Yahtzee's voice and greatly added to my enjoyment. I'm sorely tempted to buy the audio book, especially after hearing the sample, and I don't like audio books! It also really helped me to prepare for Yathzee's sense of humor. There were so many things in this book that made laugh. I've highlighted more passages from this book than any other in the past year.

"This was the second time I'd been asked to justify being afraid of gnolls, and I still couldn't fathom why. It was like being asked to explain why old people should wear clothing."

This book is high fantasy. You've got sorcerers, undead, clerics, adventurers, etc. At the same time, it's as much about high fantasy adventure as Sean of the Dead is about zombie movies. It's a delightful combination of strong story and satire. As much as this book made me laugh, it was the characters and the story that kept me from putting the book down. Each of the main protagonists is endearing in their own way. Though I will admit I may have liked Slippery John more if he didn't keep referring to himself in the third person. That got very annoying very quickly, but it was quite consistent with the character.

At the same time, I appreciated Yahtzee's less obvious jokes. At one point a character gets called out on saying the word "little" a lot: "Did you know you use the world 'little' an awful lot?" Then he proceeds to use words like "small", "tiny", "diminuitive", "miscroscopic" etc. When I picked up on what was going on, I laughed even harder! And there are so many jokes like this, ones where you really need to pay attention. They payoff is totally worth the focus required.

Yes, some of the big reveals were kinda predictable, but the story and the characters are so worth reading. And the ending was so satisfying! It wasn't the ending I thought I wanted until I read it. I happily give 5 hoots and have already added more of Yahtzee's books to my TBR!

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