KILLING RACHEL – Anne Cassidy

Posted by Daniel on July 5, 2018
Posted in: MYSTERY, YA. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

I have often enjoyed YA novels but it’s only been in the last couple of years that I’ve come to enjoy mysteries so this is possibly one of the first books I’ve read that is a cross between the two.  It also happens to be one of the oldest books in my Advance Reading Copy queue.  And now I wish it had stayed in the queue.

First, this is apparently a second book in a series – though I’m not convinced that it matters.  The problems with the book aren’t about character back story or our not understanding a character motivation because it might have been set up in a previous book.  No, the problem is probably more to do with lack of motivation.

Rose’s parents went missing a few years ago.  Rose is convinced they are dead, but her brother Joshua thinks there’s a conspiracy afoot that has them in hiding. Rose and Joshua get different stories from others and the case of their disappearance appears to be coming to a close.

This is the story that is carried over from the first book (or so I gather).

Here, Rose is getting calls and texts from an old friend, Rachel, asking for Rose’s help. But Rose and Rachel had a falling out and Rose is not particularly keen on helping.  In fact….

Rachel has been found dead, drowned in a lake near her school. It’s ruled a suicide but Rose doesn’t believe that to be true.  She takes it upon herself to investigate.

This book was DULL.  For a mystery, with two running plots, this was excruciatingly slow. And part of what makes this slow is that the characters aren’t very interesting.  The most interesting character in the book is the missing parents.

There is no ‘chemistry’ between any of the characters and you really just don’t care about anyone and you could almost understand Rachel’s death as a suicide in this very dull world.

Looking for a good book? Me, too, because this wasn’t it.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

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Killing Rachel

author: Anne Cassidy

series: The Murder Notebooks #2

publisher: Walker Childrens

ISBN: 0802734162

hardcover, 352 pages

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AMONG THE FALLEN – N. S. Dolkart

Posted by Daniel on July 3, 2018
Posted in: SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , . Leave a comment

In N.S. Dolkart’s previous book – his publishing debut – I was taken by surprise and completely hooked into his story-telling and world-building.  This time I wasn’t taken by surprise.

A band of wanderers who were thrown together as they fled their homeland and thrust into a quest that seemed unattainable have returned in Dolkart’s Among the Fallen. Now this group has largely gone their own ways, but because we were brought into this world with this band of misfits, we continue to fallow their stories, even though they’ve gone their separate ways.

In some ways, this separation doesn’t work quite as well for me. It was their differences, working together, that I really enjoyed the first time around.  Still, the characters are strong and unique and this world that Dolkart has created remains fascinating.

While I enjoyed the character of Bandu in the earlier volume, I thought that her character here had not grown as much as the others had – or perhaps she had gone in the wrong direction this time around (wrong, at least, to keeping me interested in her – perhaps not ‘wrong’ in the character’s arc).

What Dolkart has done exceptionally well is create an epic fantasy where the characters themselves are the primary focus and their journey is secondary. We don’t usually see these epic adventure stories this way – usually there is a goal in mind that is of most importance and then the characters who go after that goal are of second importance. It is because we care about and are following these well-drawn characters, that they can split up as they do in this book, and we are still interested in their journeys – both their individual journeys and their group effort. Still, individually they are a bit less interesting than they are as a group and I look forward to the next book in the series and I hope they are able to work together despite their differences.

N.S. Dolkart is a writer to keep an eye on.  This series is proving to be quite remarkable in a genre filled with epic adventure-type stories.  Let’s hope he can keep it up.

Looking for a good book?  Among the Fallen by N. S. Dolkart continues the strong character building, world-building, and story-telling that was begun in Silent Hall.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

* * * * * *

Among the Fallen

author: N. S. Dolkart

series: The Godserfs #2

publisher: Angry Robot

ISBN: 0857665707

paperback, 474 pages

HORROR LIBRARY, VOLUME 6 – Eric J. Guignard, ed.

Posted by Daniel on July 2, 2018
Posted in: Dark Fantasy/Horror, SHORT FICTION. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

I had enjoyed the “Best of” volume of Horror Library some time back, so when I saw that there was another volume out, I was eager to get in to it.  There is, of course, a difference between a standard volume and a ‘best of’ collection, but given the high caliber of the writing in the ‘best of’ collection I still expected to find some gems here.  And there are … just not as many as I had hoped for.

“Casualty of Peace” by David Tallerman was one of the standouts in this volume. The story revolves around a small town during war time where the women gather to draw straws and the one who draws the shortest straw has her soldier return home.  The writing is poetic and beautiful and the story is absolutely haunting.  I need to find more by David Tallerman.

“The Starry Crown” by Mark E. Fitch was another top-notch work which held its own as it followed Tallerman’s story. This story comes from the deep south, full of racism and the roots of slavery.

I really enjoyed Edward M. Erdelac’s “Hear the Eagle Scream” – I rank it right up there with Tallerman’s story for one of the true standouts.  Perhaps it’s because it also has a poetic voice to the writing.  I felt right at home in the old west here and so I was caught up in the story.  I also couldn’t see where this was going and so was hooked to keep on reading.

That’s three stories that I exceptionally enjoyed from the collection.  One more, JG Faherty’s “The H Train,” was a good little story that disappointed at the end.  It’s also hard to read a horror story set on a train to hell and not think of Robert Bloch’s classic “That Hell-Bound Train”.

On the other end of the spectrum, the worst, for me, was Vitor Abdala’s “Instant Messaging” which really had nothing going for it.  A series of instant message texts between a girl and a ghost.  And…?  This gets attention from the start because of the format (instant message layout), but it doesn’t go anywhere.

The bulk of this collection then, was tremendously average.  Nothing seemed particularly horrific or had exceptional writing to keep me interested. My advice would be to wait for the next “Best of” anthology.

Looking for a good book? Horror Library, Volume 6 is, as the title describes, a collection of horror stories but not even a handful rise above the average-ness of the collection.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

* * * * * *

Horror Library, Volume 6

editor: Eric J. Guignard

publisher: Cutting Block Books

ISBN: 0996115986

paperback, 352 pages

THE SPACE BETWEEN THE STARS – Anne Corlett

Posted by Daniel on June 29, 2018
Posted in: SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , . Leave a comment

What would a YA book look like if instead of being written for angst-ridden teen girls it was targeted for adults who wish they were angst-ridden teen girls?  It would look a lot like The Space Between the Stars by Anne Corlett.

Jamie Allenby wants some alone time and to achieve this end, she leaves the over-crowded Earth and takes a job on a far-away planet in one of the most remote areas she can find.  But then a virus plaque hits Earth wiping out most of the population and suddenly Jamie comes realize just how alone she actually is as she tries and tries to make contact with any other human beings. Finally she receives a strange message.  It’s distorted, but she realizes that it means someone is still alive on Earth and reaching out.

Conveniently, a ship is passing through and picks up Jamie and she and this motley assortment of what’s left of humanity work their way back to Earth and they discuss and plan for their work to renew life on Earth, but they don’t all agree on how best to move forward – some cling to old ways even though there’s nothing left to cling to.  Others want to reach out in new ways, but all can’t quite grasp what that might be and they can’t agree on the different possibilities.  Jamie struggles to comprehend the massive elimination of humanity.

This book is full of pathos, angst, and reflection – three traits common in certain popular styles of YA fiction but not really quite so enjoyable here.  Did I mention there’s a lot of ‘reflection’ here? The entire novel seems to have no focus other than to reflect on “what if you wanted to be alone and actually got what you were wishing for?”

A book that is going to be about reflecting on loss needs to have something to keep the reader interested, which boils down to a strong character.  But Jamie tends to wallow in self-pity even though she puts herself into whatever situation she finds herself in and then complains about how terrible everything is.  We probably all know people like that and probably don’t enjoy being around those people, and typically we don’t like reading about them very much either.

Looking for a good book? The Space Between the Stars by Anne Corlett is a slow-moving story about one woman coming to comprehend the end of all humanity and is probably only for readers who enjoy reading about others who have problems worse than their own.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

* * * * * *

The Space Between the Stars

author: Anne Corlett

publisher: Macmillan

ISBN: 1509833528

hardcover, 512 pages

BUNYAN’S GUIDE TO THE GREAT AMERICAN WILDLIFE – Quentin Canterel

Posted by Daniel on June 28, 2018
Posted in: OTHER, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , . Leave a comment

Oh, dear.

I was only a few pages into this when the style seemed familiar and I looked back to see that I had previously reviewed the author’s book, The Jolly Coroner.  That had been a crazy book with a strange but enticing story and wrapped up in an unusual form.  Bunyan’s Guide to the Great American Wildlife promised more of the same and was evident right off the bat. But ultimately it failed to get past the unusual format to deliver the story.

I’ve been trying to figure out how best to sum up the story, and I think I have to go to Goodreads and share the description from there:

What happens when the Manhattan zoo empties its cages?

John, part radicalised anarchist, part ticking time bomb, is haunted by a particular story, that of Willow, a 9-year old mute who flees to New York after her brutal rape. The only way his girlfriend, Felicity, can stop the clock counting down is by disentangling the riddle of their pasts, before their entwined futures are blown to pieces.

Quentin Canterel’s second novel presents a collage of voices, dead and alive, in a unique and unnerving novel that experiments with form, structure and language.

Had I read the description first I’m pretty sure I’d never have requested the book.  Any book that mentions in the description that it “experiments with form, structure and language” is not likely something that will appeal to me (though I always hope I’m wrong on that).

I think that there is a story here but you have to work really hard to pull that story out from behind the form and structure and language to realize it, and I’m not really convinced it’s worth it. I don’t mind the work if there’s a pay-off, but the pay-off here is too obscured.

This is just a technical thing and only a small part of my low rating, but the use of a variety of font styles to indicate different people writing hindered the process.  Some handwriting-looking fonts were too small and I had to supersize the type to be able to read it, and then go back to return the font to my preferred ‘normal’ size for other parts of the book, and all of the handwriting-looking fonts were difficult to read which simply aggravated an already tough read.

I don’t usually read other reviews until after I’ve written mine, but since I was quoting from the Goodreads description and noticed that there were only seven other reviews as I write this, I gave them a quick glance and I’m amused that one of the people who rated this book well (4 stars) stars the review with “From what I can make of it…”.

Experiments are fine, but this experiment failed.

Looking for a good book? Bunyan’s Guide to the Great American Wildlife by Quentin Canterel keeps the reader away from the story with the style of presentation.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

* * * * * *

Bunyan’s Guide to the Great American Wildlife

author: Quentin Canterel

publisher: Acorn Independent Press

ISBN: 1911079476

paperback, 262 pages

CITIZEN’S CREEK – Lalita Tademy

Posted by Daniel on June 26, 2018
Posted in: HISTORICAL FICTION, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , . Leave a comment

“Cow Tom” was born into slavery in the U.S. South in 1810 but he was sold as a child to a Creek Indian chief. Because of his innate ability to pick up on languages he grows to become a valued translator for his chief as different Indian tribes, white settlers, and black men spread west into Creek territory.  Because of his translating ability, he is hired by the U.S. military. Such work would earn him some money but more importantly … his freedom. Cow Tom’s grand-daughter, Rose, carries on his legacy as she rises to a position of leadership and continues to face hostility toward the Indians and the Blacks.

This is a fascinating time in American history and I enjoy reading fiction (and non-fiction) about this time.  This perspective of a black (African-American today) man and woman is certainly under-represented. Author Lalita Tademy seems to have captured what life was very possibly like for a man such as Cow Tom or a woman like Rose.

The character of Cow Tom was interesting to me and I was most caught up with what he was doing when he went to Washington to lobby for his (and other Indians’) promised pay – this was one of the few times he was out of his element and actually challenged and this is when we get to see what sort of man he is.

Rose and her challenges didn’t interest me so much.  It would be hard to have her equal the sort of life and work that Cow Tom has shown, so I don’t really know why we even bother.

There was much to like here, but too often I felt that the narrative was a bit choppy.  Tademy seems to hit all the big moments that challenged Cow Tom, but she doesn’t quite tie them together smoothly.

This is the sort of book in which, while I’m glad to have read it, I wouldn’t be quick to recommend it.

Looking for a good book? Citizens Creek by Lalita Tademy is interesting historical fiction, but not an engaging read.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

* * * * * *

Citizens Creek

author: Lalita Tademy

publisher: Aria Books

ISBN: 1476753032

hardcover, 420 pages

LOST BOY – Christina Henry

Posted by Daniel on June 25, 2018
Posted in: Dark Fantasy/Horror, SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized, YA. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Wow.  Christina Henry sure can write! This is only the second book of Henry’s that I’ve read, but both have made a real impression on me.

Lost Boy is “The True Story of Captain Hook” so it’s not really much of a surprise who the narrator of the story is, but Henry weaves a magical tale here, re-imaging the Peter Pan mythos and in the tradition of great rivalries, Peter Pan and Captain Hook begin as the best of friends.  It is Peter, in Henry’s telling, who has a darker side and creates Hook, or rather turns his first ‘lost boy’ (the first boy Peter brings to the island) into a man who hates everything that Peter stands for.

Jamie, who will become Hook, is Peter’s ‘Number One’ – the boy who trains the new boys, who makes sure that everyone is fed and well prepared for whatever mischief Peter wishes to get into.  He was also the first boy who Peter ever brought to the island, and while other boys have died, fighting the pirates or by other means on the island, Jamie has always remained safe, tough, and first for Peter.

Through a series of events, carefully brought before the reader, Jamie begins to lose his affection for Peter. He begins to realize that Peter has no concept of right and wrong or life and death. If a boy dies fighting the pirates, then Peter will just go to ‘the other place’ and bring back another down-trodden boy to fill the gap. But Jamie realizes that Peter has made a mistake when he brings back the very young Charlie.  Unlike the other boys Peter’s found, Charlie has a mother who is likely missing him and searching for him. When Peter wants to simply discard Charlie, Jamie takes him under his wing and will even challenge Peter in order to protect the young boy.

There is SO MUCH going on in this book – subtleties that might be missed by some readers – and connections to the J. M Barrie story/play that make this feel just so right.

It is definitely a dark book, with boys dying with some alarming frequency, and we see Peter here as a bit of a monster.  And yet, when Henry writes it, we see just how correct she is.  How looking at Peter Pan from just a slightly different vantage point, sheds new light on the story.

And Christina Henry can really turn a phrase! There’s a touch of romance here – entirely in line with what a young lad of twelve or thirteen or fourteen might feel, but spoken by that lad as an adult.  When I came across this phrase: “I knew then that when I stopped loving Peter my heart looked for other things, and Sal was filling up all the space that Peter used to take there.” I said aloud, “That’s beautiful!”

This was one of those unique books that on the one hand I don’t want to end because I’m so in love with the language and the story-telling and the characters, but on the other hand, it’s dark and uncomfortable and I want it to end because it’s making me slightly uncomfortable

This is just powerful storytelling and I recommend it highly.

Looking for a good book? Lost Boy by Christina Henry is a beautiful, dark story of Peter Pan and the creation of Captain Hook.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

* * * * * *

Lost Boy: The True Story of Captain Hook

author: Christina Henry

publisher: Berkley Books

ISBN: 0399584021

paperback, 292 pages