Book Review: The Midnight Library

Book 41 of 2021

The Midnight Library written by Matt Haig.

OMG. This book was AMAZING. Like legit so amazing. I have had people be recommending it to me for a few months and finally got around to reading it.

I loved this book from the first couple of pages. Although those first pages were dealing with the very darkest of issues I thought that the book was written and it pulled you as the reader in because of this.

I love the premise of this book – I felt that the idea of all those infinite lives based on your decisions was really appealing. The Nora Seed sitting in the library and exploring all those has beens was fantastic.

I love the philosophical ideas behind this – one in particular that sort of stood out for me is that ultimately we make our own happiness in the events that our life has, it is not something that just happens. I felt you sort of saw this because everylife had something that was not quite right.

I thought that the explorations of the various lives were fantastic, as were some of the revelations through other characters. However I would have liked more about why that final life didn’t ‘take’ and I would have also liked more about the ending. I liked the philosophy behind the ending – the idea that we have the power at anytime to make our life what we want it.

I think the idea behind this book is so powerful and something we need to talk about more in society – there is no time limit on life – you can fall in love at 60 or start a new career at 45 there are no limits – yet we seem to sort of expect people to put it all together by the time they are 20 or 25!

This book is a definite must read as far as I am concerned! I thought it linked well too with the book Moonshadow – and the discussion about walking up to the edge of that life and seeing it there but then not having it!

Mrs K

Genre/tags: fiction, fantasy, Matt Haig, The Midnight Library, time travel, speculative fiction, mental health, suicide, contemporary, adult fiction, science fiction, magic realism, slice of life,

Book Review: Moonshadow

Book 40 of 2021

Moonshadow. Written by Emma Eaglen.

To be honest, I have been putting off writing this review. Not because I consider Emma one of my very good friends, but because this book touched me on a level books rarely touch me.

It probably helped for me that I imagined Emma sitting or standing in front of me telling me her stories herself, but this book is not just about Emma’s stories it is also about the very nature of story telling in itself.

I know Emma. And I knew Andrew. Theirs was a love that does not exist everyday. It was one that no matter how good my relationship was – I wanted what they had. The partnership, the love, the affection, sometimes – the pure adoration. Don’t get me wrong I know that no relationship is only ever what is portrayed to others, and I sure know Andrew did a lot that pissed Emma off but their relationship was still one that made you jealous.

As such it did not make me at all surprised that I cried for the hour and a half that it took me to read the book. I cried because the stories are sad. The story is sad. But I also cried because the strength to write about that in a book and let others read it is quite something else. I can almost hear her say “bullshit” but it’s still what I think.

The book is not in any chronological order (or not to an outsider – I am sure it had some order to Emma) But she understands good storytelling. The stories shift from sad to happy and beyond.

As a fellow English teacher – the frequent references to other literature and to stories in general warmed my heart. It is so good to know that other people do that! But it was also incredibly powerful to use literature to help frame a situation or event.

Emma’s story is by no means over – and I would love to see a sequel to this story as she continues to heal and live.

The overwhelming things that have stood with me this week since I read the book are the nature of conversation. I have deliberately involved many of my friends, and my husband in mundane conversation and revelled in it. I understand this is a feeling that will probably go away but for now I shall treasure each of these.

The second thing is that concept of walking up to one life and seeing it, but then having it slip away. While nothing like Emma – I thought this was a very relatable concept, and ties in well with another book I have just finished – The midnight Library. All those potential lives we could have lived – with just one decision differently.

Finally – it made me think about how we talk and treat people who are going through grief, for the way that we can make it about ourselves, and unfortunately the way that life continues at a breakneck pace.

Emma as bullshit as you might think it is – I am so proud of you always – for the strength you show daily – to sharing your thoughts with the world.

Mrs K

Genre/tags: Emma Eaglen, Autobiography, Moonshadow, Cancer, death, grief, love, family, contemporary,

Book Review: Last Guard

Book 39 of 2021

Last Guard. Psy-Changeling Trinity series #5. Written by Nalini Singh.

I remember when I started these books and I fell in love with Sascha Duncan and her panther. Then in the next couple of books I did got anything of Sascha and I felt really disjointed. However then overtime it was ok because I fell in love with the other characters anyway. That is kind of how I feel every time I pick up a new book in this series. Everytime I feel very apprehensive about these new characters and if I will like them. It is interesting – because this is written in the same way as the Guild Hunter series, but I do not feel like this about that series – there I am excited to get the next story. I think it is because in the Psy Changeling series we don’t get the same sense of community adn then get someone elses story – we get a whole new story that then somehow fits into the existing world.

Anyway. As suggested above although I was excited for this and bought it on release day I was also a little hesitant. Not surprisingly though eventually I was in love. I really like Canto, and while I am not sure that I liked Payal I liked the way that she was written and the way that she gradually broke down walls.

I will say that of all the changeling packs so far the bears may be my favourite. I also liked the continuation of development of Krychecks character. Long term I am interested to see what happens to the psynet and also am interested in the strengthening of the Mercant family. This book in particular, I loved the grandmother so much – the ruthless, tough, silent grandmother who actually loves and protects so fiercely.

As always with this type of book it makes me wish that I could teleport – or speak telekinitically to someone! But alas I am just human! If you have not read this series – I definitely would not start here – although I do think that these later books are more complex and perhaps even better written. But I think you really need to start at book one in order to take the full journey through the world!

Mrs K

Genre/Tags: Last Guard, Psy-Changeling Trinity, Nalini Singh, Romance, fantasy, paranormal, urban fantasy, shapeshifters, speculative fiction, science fiction, disability, futuristic, adult, LGBT,

Book Review: A touch of Malice

Book 38 of 2021

A Touch of Malice. (Hades & Persephone #3). Written by Scarlett St. Clair.

So this is rougly the third book in this series. I say roughly – because there is also the 1.5 book – which is the same story but written from the perspective of the opposite character.

I both liked this book more, and also struggled with it more. However in saying that – one thing that is quite exciting – is that I know Scarlett St Clair has just signed with a publisher, which is cool for her books coming forward, as I believe (could be wrong) but up to now she was self published.

This book was frustrating to me – because of the characters – or rather more specifically – their lack of development. It felt like they had come quite far in the first and second books in terms of trust etc, but then that this was all lost in this book. While I can accept that the primary books are persephones point of view and the ‘.5s’ are Hades point of view, he seemed to turn up mostly for the smut scenes!

I still liked this book. There were lots of things to like – such as the fact that we got more about the other gods and Olympus in this book. I also continued to like the fact that Persephone was refreshingly honest and upfront to the gods – although I wonder if that also applied to her own friends – or if she was just like that with gods. It felt like in this book she lost a little of her self and her independence. However I did feel she sort of redeemed that in the very end.

This book left us on a cliffhanger – so you can bet I will be there for the next one. I am also interested in St Clair’s new book/series which is due out next year.

Edit: I feel like I was really harsh – but I loved this series and book despite all my critical points, Hades and Persephone feel like a warm blanket and easily pull you into their world.

Mrs K

Genre/Tags: Fantasy, Speculative fiction, Olympus, mythology, greek mythology, Hades, Persephone, retellings, romance, fantasy romance, smut, urban fantasy, adult, kindle unlimited, fiction, A Touch of Malice, Scarlett St Clair, war, revenge,

Book Review: The Empress of Salt & Fortune

Book 37 of 2021

The Empress of Salt and Fortune. (The Singing Hills Cycle #1) Written by Nghi Vo

This Novella was one that I saw one of my fave authors Nalini Singh had read – so I grabbed it figuring if she was reading it then it had to be good!

The blurb from Goodreads explains the novella like this:

A young royal from the far north is sent south for a political marriage in an empire reminiscent of imperial China. Her brothers are dead, her armies and their war mammoths long defeated and caged behind their borders. Alone and sometimes reviled, she must choose her allies carefully.

Rabbit, a handmaiden, sold by her parents to the palace for the lack of five baskets of dye, befriends the emperor’s lonely new wife and gets more than she bargained for.

A young royal from the far north is sent south for a political marriage in an empire reminiscent of imperial China. Her brothers are dead, her armies and their war mammoths long defeated and caged behind their borders. Alone and sometimes reviled, she must choose her allies carefully.

Rabbit, a handmaiden, sold by her parents to the palace for the lack of five baskets of dye, befriends the emperor’s lonely new wife and gets more than she bargained for.

At once feminist high fantasy and an indictment of monarchy, this evocative debut follows the rise of the empress In-yo, who has few resources and fewer friends. She’s a northern daughter in a mage-made summer exile, but she will bend history to her will and bring down her enemies, piece by piece.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51190882-the-empress-of-salt-and-fortune?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=UnR9NePwUc&rank=1

I include the blurb because I just don’t think that I could do describing what this book was about justice. I really loved the story telling nature of this book. I want to be really careful about not giving too much away – but I loved the fact that this book was a discussion between two people, and was often framed around the objects that were found as they cleaned up the house

I love the idea of those that are witness to power and the influence that they had. More than anything in this story too I loved what it said about not being undermined, or being written off as not problematic!

Some of me wonders if I need to read it again – just to fully appreciate the book. But I also desperately want to read the second in the series, which seems to follow the young cleric as she goes about the business of recording history.

This is really short – so make it a must read!

Mrs K

Genre/Tags: Fantasy, Novella, Fiction, LGBT, Adult, Queer, Lesbian, Short Stories, Feminism, Storytelling, recording history, cleric, emporer, empress, The Empress of Salt and Fortune, Singing Hills Cycle, Nghi Vo, Slice of life,

Book Review: Rivers of London

Book 36 of 2021

Rivers of London. (Book #1) Written by Ben Aaronovitch

I was recommended this book with the suggestion that it was a very Terry Pratchet type book. Terry Pratchet certainly holds a special place in my heart! Although sometimes I wonder if it is because of his books, or if it is because I ‘read’ all of his books by my husband (initially boyfriend/fiance) reading them to me in the evenings. It was a very special part of our relationship, one that kind of got eaten up by exhaustion once we had a kid and our jobs got bigger. However regardless of the reason – Terry Pratchet as a GOAT.

Rivers of London really did have that kind of feel to it. The world creation was fantastic, especially with the discovery of the supernatural amongst the real world. I loved how the two coexissted side by side. I also really liked that they were just kind of a part of things.

The main character reminded me a little bit of Carrot. He was gorgeously naiive yet also had a kind of skeptical and street wise approach which served him well. I liked the genuine references to his background, and I really enjoyed seeing the various relationships that he had around him develop.

Although my understanding of London is a little vague – having only visted once, I liked that this was placed within my world, and a world that I knew. However the personification of the rivers was awesome.

The book felt slow – expecially the first half, however I suspect that is because when you are setting up a world as complex as this one that is necessary – especially with the setting up of a series.

However, I loved that there was a detailed knowledge of London, the little alleyways, and side streets, I loved that I have not read anything else like this – and it did not quite go the way I expected. Finally I loved that the author obviously is a bit of a fantasy nerd himself and was able to reference other texts in the book.

Also – having grown up with british grandparents – the british dry humour is legit the best!

I will certainly be reading the rest of the series, although amongst other things that I am reading.

Mrs K

Genre/Tags: Urban Fantasy, Rivers of London, Ben Aaronvitch, crime, mystery, detechtive, supernatural, fiction, paranormal, Fantasy, Speculative fiction, series, magic, police,

Book Review: Grace and Glory

Book 35 of 2021

Grace and Glory. The Harbringer Book three. Jennifer L. Armentrout.

So this was one of my hotly anticipated releases of the year. Sadly I feel it did not live up to the hype. There was some confusion initially about the release date. Like I had it written in every single diary/planner that I had and was so excited. Then on release day it said it was not available in NZ on kindle for another month. This was a massive let down. In the end it came out on the 7th, but took me much longer to start.

There was lots to like about this sequel, however there were two big things that I had issues with. The first was teh pacing. The start of the book was unbelievably slow. The second part of the book, all the action felt like it happened in like one page! (Exageration I know!) The second thing I really didn’t like was teh education about the degenerative eye condition. I know that this is a deliberate choice on behalf of JLA as she was diagnosed with something herself. However as a reader if felt both inconsistent, and also thrown in your face every second! It felt like there were very few sentences without some mention of the eyesight.

I really don’t want to give anything away, and as such intend to keep this as a spoiler free review, however despite the pacing issues, this book pretty much gave me everything I wanted from this series. I was a little disappointed lately with A crown of Gilded Bones. However this one, in contrast really went into as much detail about all sorts of aspects that were amazing. Lucifer was brought topside, which was fabulous (and clearly will give us a spinoff series later on?) I loved the references to pop culture as we know it, Tiger King, Supernatural, Highlander etc. These were well done, and so awesome to really help place these events in the world outside our window.

The characters were amazing, and the relationships all strengthened and grew in a way that you would expect. I also liked that characters really stopped seeing the world in black and white and instead were very much able to live within the shades of grey.

Overall – this was a fantastic ending to the series – and if you have enjoyed the earlier books I highly recommend that you follow up!

Mrs K

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Speculative Fiction, Angels, paranormal gargoyles, urban fantasy, demons, romance, teenage fiction, Harbringer, Harbringer series, JLA, contemporary fiction, Lucifer, Grace and Glory,