"River of Teeth (River of Teeth #1)" by Sarah Gailey

This is a hippo western. If you don't like the idea of semi-tame hippos let loose in the U.S. as an alternative to the traditional cattle farming in an alt-history West, you probably would be better off finding another book. Of course, there are some likable characters and the plot is decent, but mainly- hippos. You must love them.

About those hippos- the idea for this book came from actual history- here's a Wired article about it. Prior to this book's forward, I'd never heard of such a thing, but as always, I am game to read about books with unusual animals in them. Hippos in real life are one of the most dangerous animals in the world, but in this book, the "hoppers" are somehow able to be tamed. Now that I've fed you sufficient info (that will hopefully prevent you from becoming a hippo farmer), let's get to the meat of the story.

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'In the early 20th Century, the United States government concocted a plan to import hippopotamuses into the marshlands of Louisiana to be bred and slaughtered as an alternative meat source. This is true.
'Other true things about hippos: they are savage, they are fast, and their jaws can snap a man in two.
'This was a terrible plan.
'Contained within this volume is an 1890s America that might have been: a bayou overrun by feral hippos and mercenary hippo wranglers from around the globe. It is the story of Winslow Houndstooth and his crew. It is the story of their fortunes. It is the story of his revenge.'

The most interesting part of this story (other than the hippos) is the characters. That isn't a bad thing, and works for me in most books, but with this book I felt it wasn't quite enough. The plot was interesting enough, but I felt since this is a hippo western, there was a lack of depth to the world. What are the consequences (beyond stray feral hippos) of hippo farming in the U.S.? I get that this is a revenge centered tale, but I wanted more worldbuilding than was on offer. True, maybe the implications will expand with the next book, but I felt the campy Western bits would've been better served in a more nuanced world with a bit more than a spit polish to the plot.

These characters I mentioned- my favorite (by leaps and bounds) was Hero, a black non-binary person who uses the pronoun they. Hero had enough attitude and it wasn't as over-the-top as some of the other characters, one of whom drove me nuts (Archie). Though this book starts with Winslow's perspective, I was glad it switched around because I found him a tad bland. Adelia was the runner up in terms of my admiration- I always admire authors who include pregnant ladies in their adventure novels.

River of Teeth is a novel buoyed by the strength of the subject and characters. If not for the hippos, I can't say I'd have picked this up to begin with as I'm not a fan of Westerns. Though hippos and characters may seem strange strengths to recommend a book on, this one is on the shorter side and doesn't take much time at all to read. If you are intrigued by the concept of a hippo Western, you may want to check out this book.

Rating: 3 of 5 Stars for a good hippo-populated adventure.

Age Advisory: Ages 18+ for cutthroat violence, murder, and cut scene sex.

Page Count: 192 pages

Twofer Review: "Legion" and "Skin Deep" by Brandon Sanderson (the Benevolent)

Legion and its sequel, Skin Deep are novellas written by Brandon Sanderson. Being that they're short-ish, I thought it a better idea to combine their reviews (even though they differ in rating) and not include anything spoilery so you can get a feel of what I thought of the series itself.

Stephen is a man with many hallucinations that are people (to him, at least) he refers to as 'aspects'. Aspects have names, families, skill sets, and identities beyond what Stephen feels he could dream up, but he nonetheless consults with them on multiple projects and/or cases he picks up as a kind of/sort of private investigator. He also has a mansion to keep his aspects happy in, a butler/driver, and a seemingly open schedule. Is there anything Stephen doesn't have?

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'Stephen Leeds, AKA 'Legion,' is a man whose unique mental condition allows him to generate a multitude of personae: hallucinatory entities with a wide variety of personal characteristics and a vast array of highly specialized skills. As the story begins, Leeds and his 'aspects' are drawn into the search for the missing Balubal Razon, inventor of a camera whose astonishing properties could alter our understanding of human history and change the very structure of society.'

In response to my very own rhetorical question, I have to say there is something that did bother me about dear Stephen. His aspects have almost off-the-wall sorts of personalities, while his own seems nonexistent. Sure, he's polite and snarky on occasion (in the first book, at least), but he seems there almost as a peacekeeper for his aspects. It's very hard for him to do anything without his aspects' inputs. He's the sort of mediocre/shadowy male lead I expect more from Neil Gaiman, to be quite honest.

Initially, it was hard for me to identify what was wrong about Legion to me. It was charming enough, creative enough, and mysterious enough to keep me engaged and reading, but somehow didn't measure up to enough in my book. Once I finished Legion's sequel, Skin Deep, I realized the problem- this is Diet Sanderson. I'm used to full fat, full sugar Fantasy Sanderson, and this being Urban Fantasy, well... it measures out to less in my estimation. I came to love urban fantasy later in my reading career, and though I do have favorite books in that genre, when I read something by Mr. Sanderson I want the works. Being that this is set in the "real world" and one of the key ingredients of the Sanderson works in my opinion is his worldbuilding, well- that's the problem, along with my high expectations of anything Mr. Sanderson writes.

Legion is a good, short urban fantasy novella that may have been better received by me if it had been penned by any other author. Skin Deep, meanwhile, felt like just a longer version of Legion, without as much of the aspects/characters that I loved in it. Both had good storylines, but I don't feel any sense of urgency in wanting another book in this series, despite Stephen's aspects charming me. If you like Gaiman-esque leads and find yourself craving urban fantasy, these novellas might suit you.

Legion Rating: 3 of 5 Stars for a light urban fantasy that held my attention.

Skin Deep Rating: 2 of 5 Stars for a sequel that lacked the primary novella's zing.

Age Advisory (for Legion and Skin Deep): Ages 16+ for violence, racism, and the occasional stereotype.

Page Count: Legion is 88 pages, Skin Deep is 208 pages

"The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" by Robert Louis Stevenson

I wasn't sure I was going to finish this one after reading the first ten percent, but something about the book kept drawing me further into it- despite the fact that I know the basic plot. The title of the book has become a sort of catch phrase for multiple personalities, sudden personality changes, and inevitable mood swings. In a way, it's unfair that this classic has been absorbed into modern lingo, instead of being read like a book (as it should be). It's impossible to say what my impression of this book would've been if I'd been uninformed about the plot, but I think I would've enjoyed it more.

This book follows Mr. Utterson on his quest to inform Dr. Jekyll, an upstanding pillar of the community, that the man who benefits from his goodwill, Mr. Hyde, is a no-good scoundrel. It never seems to occur to Mr. Utterson that it is absolutely no business of his what happens to Dr. Jekyll's estate, but I think we've all seen the tabloid melodrama that occurs every time a celebrity passes on. It's curious to ponder why we care about such things- and it likely has something to do with greed and envy. Still, Mr. Utterson AKA busybody of the year must go about his busy-ness, otherwise, the plot of this book would go nowhere fast.

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'In this harrowing tale of good and evil, the mild-mannered Dr. Jekyll develops a potion that unleashes his secret, inner persona—the loathsome, twisted Mr. Hyde.'

I don't think I've read any of Robert Louis Stevenson's writing before, and I was impressed with the turns of phrase he crafted throughout this novel. Sometimes good writing can draw you deeper into a book, and I think that was the case with The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde for me- I knew the plot, but somehow I still remained interested. It's worth noting that I skimmed some passages due to an abundance of over-emotional, drawn-out plot combustion (AKA, the plot was coming to fruition, and there were several, "but wait, there's more"-type paragraphs). True, other Gothic novels I've loved have done the same thing, but this one didn't get off scot free for it.

My favorite section of conversation, Mr. Enfield telling Mr. Utterson to watch himself:

"You start a question, and it's like starting a stone. You sit quietly on the top of a hill; and away the stone goes, starting others; and presently some bland old bird (the last you would have thought of) is knocked on the head in his own back garden and the family have to change their name. No sir, I make it a rule of mine: the more it looks like Queer Street, the less I ask."

      ~The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, 8% Kindle edition

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde had some great moments, but in the end it felt like an overlong short story. True, I may feel that way due to knowing the plot beforehand, but a book blogger must always give an honest impression, and mine is this- this is a good book, but I won't mourn long if I forget everything about it a few months from now (unless, of course, it comes up as a question on Jeopardy!- then I'll be sad). If you want a quick, classic horror book to read prior to this year's Halloween festivities, this one might fit the bill- just don't anticipate Mr. Hyde to reach out and scare you overmuch.

Rating: 3 of 5 Stars for a enticingly written horror classic.

Age Advisory: Ages 14+ for violence, dark themes, and sudden personality changes.

Page Count: 144 pages

"The End of the World Running Club" by Adrian J. Walker

A Sci-Fi Summer Reading Challenge Pick

I bought this book in 2014 prior to it being picked up by a traditional publisher- I'm not sure that much has changed about it, but keep in mind that my edition may differ from the one that's being sold currently.

This one had me at its title- I liked the idea of a slightly irreverent take on the post apocalyptic genre, so I picked it up. Despite it having a different cover now, I really like the old one (as pictured to the left)- it tells more about the book than you'd think, and it's eye-catching.

Although this book is on the longer side, it didn't take very long to read due to great pacing on the author's part. It was difficult to put down because I kept wondering about what might happen next to the main character, Edgar, and his family members and friends. In a way this becomes semi military dystopian after the first quarter of the book, but then it bounces back to grim moments of seeing the end of the world, offset by dark humor.

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'Edgar Hill is 35 and caught in his own headlock. Overweight slob, under-performing husband and reluctant father – for Ed, the world may as well have already ended.
'So when it does end in a catastrophic asteroid strike and Edgar and his family find refuge in an Edinburgh army barracks, it comes as something of a relief. His world becomes simpler, life becomes easier, things might just be looking up.
'But nothing's ever that simple. Returning from a salvage run in the city, Edgar finds his family gone, taken to the south coast for evacuation by an international task force.  Suddenly he finds himself facing a gruelling journey on foot across a devastated United Kingdom. Accompanied by a group of misfits that include a large, hairy tattoo artist and an old man who claims to have run around Australia, Edgar must race against time and overcome his own short-comings, not to mention 100 mile canyons and a very strange council estate, to find the people he loves before he loses them forever.
'A vivid, gripping story of hope, long-distance running and how we break the limits of our own endurance.'

Despite not being very keen on Edgar at first, he grew on me- he's so human at times that it hurts. His wife and children aren't given as deep of characterization, but the friends he meets along the way are. Another reader mentioned being upset with a certain twist of fate for one of my favorite characters in this book, but I let it slide given that strange things do sometimes happen to those who should be better prepared. I was more impressed with some of the side characters than I was with Edgar at points, but their stories aren't fully realized in this tale. I was slightly disappointed by that.

I can see that this book might appeal more to those who are runners than your average human being, but the character of Edgar might also grate on runner's nerves (as he did on mine). At the start of the book, he whines, and by the end (not a spoiler) he learns to whine slightly less. His whining does provide some entertainment value to this book, but at the same time, when he goes from super whiner to less of a super whiner who suddenly has these philosophical insights that you know are beyond him in the course of the book, I found myself with the abrupt urge to whine about it.

The End of the World Running Club is a fun post-apocalyptic romp that tries a bit too hard to convince you it's serious (and/or higher brow literary fiction) by the end. This change in tone gave me a bit of a headache because while I do think funny books can delve deep, I didn't find much of anything enlightening about Ed's journey... but keep in mind at the moment I'm having difficulty just walking, so I may consider my own problems a lot bigger than his. If you like books that can be funny and grim in the same moment, but may come with the detriment of a whiny character, you might want to try this for your next read.

Rating: 3 of 5 Stars for a good post apocalyptic journey that went a bit too far.

Age Advisory: Ages 16+ for violence, gore, and swearing. Warning- may cause whining.

Page Count: 422 pages

"A Fall of Moondust" by Arthur C. Clarke

A Sci-Fi Summer Reading Challenge Pick

This book pre-dates Apollo 11, but it speculates as to what problems humans might encounter if we colonized the moon and made it into a semi-attractive tourist destination (imagine that). I think the most interesting aspects of the book are the hypotheses as to what the surface of the moon would be like. In this book's case, Mr. Clarke makes the surface covered with moondust, a mercury like substance that causes many, many issues for the people on board the tourist cruiser Selene.

The basic plot is that this tourist cruiser encounters an issue while touring a scenic area, resulting in them being buried in moondust. Because the cruiser can't communicate (it's covered in dust), and there is no way to exit the cruiser without the bus being flooded with moondust, the people inside are pretty helpless. Their only chance at survival is finding a way to communicate with the outside world, or have someone stumble upon them (which is fairly hard to imagine, given the moondust leveled out above them). Their captain conspires to keep everyone calm by spewing niceties like, "Help is on the way," (not a direct quote, but the general sentiment) when he really would rather have a mental breakdown without everyone else freaking out as well.

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'Time is running out for the passengers and crew of the tourist cruiser Selene, incarcerated in a sea of choking lunar dust. On the surface, her rescuers find their resources stretched to the limit by the mercilessly unpredictable conditions of a totally alien environment.'

If I cared much for the characters, this book might've been a more interesting read for me. As it is, though I read this book fairly recently, I can't recall any of the character's names. I was upset at some of the portrayals of characters (like a troublesome unwed spinster, and a doctor who was basically the token person of color for the book), because they were fairly flat and hadn't aged well. I think Mr. Clarke meant well by adding an Aboriginal Australian doctor and going off on a tangent midway through the book about how poorly they had been treated by the white settlers, but honestly, it felt forced, not like it was meant to be part of the book.

Lastly, I have something good to report- the author's writing is beautiful. There were many times I was tempted to highlight an entire page of my Kindle (3+ paragraphs) because Mr. Clarke simply has a gift with words, and his musings about space and life in general just jump out of the page, and fit in well with the book.

            My favorite quote:

Ever and again one seemed to glimpse strange shapes moving at the edge of vision, beyond the narrow range of the lights. It was pure imagination, of course; nothing moved in all this land except the shadows of the sun and earth. There could be no ghosts upon a world that had never known life.

           ~A Fall of Moondust by Arthur C. Clarke, somewhere in Chapter 3 Kindle edition.

A Fall of Moondust is a space disaster fiction that reminds you of the plight of the Titanic, but on a smaller scale. The writing was eloquent, but in contrast, the characters failed to rise to the occasion. If I had cared a mite about what happened to the characters, this book would've been absolutely gripping, but I ended up reading this more as a puzzle-solving venture, as I was uninterested in the plight of the characters. I recommend A Fall of Moondust to those who love technical elements of sci-fi, even if the characters don't necessarily interest them.

Rating: 3 of 5 Stars for a solid vintage sci-fi with characters that simply were.

Age Advisory: Ages 14+ for mild swearing and horror-esque themes, in addition to out of date stereotypes (there were robo-secretaries that were always female, among other eyeroll worthy moments).

Page Count: 224 pages

"Restoree" by Anne McCaffrey

A Sci-Fi Summer Reading Challenge Pick

If you're a McCaffrey lover like me, you'll probably be expecting a book that, despite its cover, will wow you with a strong heroine, a strange planet, and a variety of alien species. It won't feed into any of the old book stereotypes (i.e. sexism, racism, etc.) because McCaffrey was very ahead of her time, right?

If the above is the case with you, this is not the book you're looking for. This is one of McCaffrey's early works (1967) that shows some of the promise she would eventually live up to, but also includes some things that made me squirm while reading it. There are other books I'd recommend before this one if you're new to McCaffrey, mainly The Rowan, which continues to be my favorite.

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'Sara had been torn from Earth by a nameless black force and taken to Lothar where she was forced to care for a strange man, who she discovered was the Regent. She escaped in panic, and become a fugitive in a world of multiple evils....'

The above synopsis is misleading, but the gist of the story is Sara gets snatched from Earth by aliens, ends up in a mental recovery center caring for someone who she notices isn't quite as mentally handicapped as his keepers portray him to be. Eventually she finds out that Harlan, the man she's caring for, is one of the men in charge of the planet she's now on. Another thing- her appearance has changed quite drastically.

Sara's appearance changing is one of my main nitpicks with this book. Before with her "awkward" appearance, it was clear no man would ever love her. Because love is always based on appearance. Luckily, the aliens warped her into looking alien (golden skin, but overall human appearance), correcting her nose and "awkward self" so she looked just shy of inhumanly beautiful. It's like an Ugly Duckling story.

To quote the cover, this is what the book is about:

In another body on another world, Sara risked her life for a man of power and for an alien dream!

Really, what it should have said is, "Stay away Litha, stay away- you'll never like this one as much as you have Anne McCaffrey's other books," because that is the case. What I thought would be a fun read ended up being a bit of a disappointment- not because I didn't enjoy some parts, but because I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as her other works.

Restoree just didn't meet my expectations. For a sci-fi romance, it's still a good read, but I had a different idea of what it should be about (more sci-fi action, less romantic). However, if you happen to like heroines who go through Ugly Duckling transformations to meet the man of their dreams on an alien planet, I suppose this one might be for you.

Rating: 3 of 5 Stars for a good sci-fi romance that I don't really recommend.

Content: Ages 16+ for cut-away sex scenes, violence, and shallow mindedness, at points.

Page Count: 256 pages

Early Critique: "Spells of Blood and Kin" by Claire Humphrey

Disclaimer: I was given a free advance ecopy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My opinion remains as forthright as ever.

Expected Publication: June 14th

What this book suffers the most from is comparison. Unfortunately, someone decided to name drop some of my favorite authors in the blurb on NetGalley (Alice Hoffman and Anne Bishop, among others), which led to high expectations on my part. At this point, I'm unsure if my expectations were so high I didn't enjoy it as much as I suspected I would, but at the same time, something about this book didn't quite satiate my requirements for urban fantasy, magical realism, or dark fantasy (as it's labeled).

This book doesn't suffer from any pacing issues, which is a recommendation in itself. I often struggle to get into books, even those I truly enjoy, due to poor pacing and unnecessary blocks of description and worldbuilding. All of the text that was in this book seemed to be relevant to it, which makes it a quicker read. However, I didn't have any sections of text I highlighted to return to because (for one reason or another) they stuck out to me as indicative of the author's writing style.

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'In her extraordinary debut, Spells of Blood and Kin, Claire Humphrey deftly weaves her paranormal world with vivid emotional depth and gritty violence. Bringing together themes of death, addiction, and grief, Claire takes readers on a human journey that goes beyond fantasy.
'When her beloved grandmother dies suddenly, 22-year-old Lissa Nevsky is left with no choice but to take over her grandmother's magical position in their small folk community. That includes honoring a debt owed to the dangerous stranger who appears at Lissa's door.
'Maksim Volkov needs magic to keep his brutal nature leashed, but he's already lost control once: his blood-borne lust for violence infects Nick Kaisaris, a charming slacker out celebrating the end of finals. Now Nick is somewhere else in Toronto, going slowly mad, and Maksim must find him before he hurts more people.
'Lissa must uncover forbidden secrets and mend family rifts in order to prevent Maksim from hurting more people, including himself. If she fails, Maksim will have no choice but to destroy both himself and Nick.'

You'd think being the heroine-lover that I am, the female characters in this book would be some of my favored ones. Instead, Maksim was really the only character of true interest to me in this book. All the other characters seemed almost unfinished or unrelatable, while Maksim stood out as different. Despite the potential for a large amount of action in this book, not much of it happened- a lot of it was centered in Maksim's past. Claire, who I thought I'd relate to as a fellow live-in granddaughter, seemed so static it was almost painful- though her stepsister tried to break her out of her shell, she changed only minutely through the course of the book. Though Claire's attitude and actions may have something to do with her grandmother's death, there was nothing interesting I found about her, other than the fact that she could do magic.

The magic in this book seemed more realistic than most of the magic you'd see elsewhere- in other words, don't expect lightning to shoot out of Claire's eyes. Her magic is performed with eggs during certain phases of the moon. I was deeply unsatisfied with some of the worldbuilding in this book- although it reeks of magical realism, usually in magical realism there's a more dynamic plot with regards to characters' relationships. I was left a lot miffed that there wasn't more to Spells of Blood and Kin, because it had pacing worthy of a more interesting book.

Spells of Blood and Kin is an excellently paced novel with a lukewarm plot. I'm not sure how the author did it, but I was hooked from the beginning to the end, regardless of my feelings toward the characters and world they inhabited. Although I was left disappointed there wasn't more to it, this is still a solidly good book that held my interest while I read it- I just doubt I'll recall much about it in a year.

Rating: 3 of 5 Stars for a good horror-tinged fantasy that didn't quite meet my expectations.

Content: Ages 18+ for adultish themes including gore, violence, swearing, and sexual mentions.

Page Count: 320 pages

"Peasant Tales of Russia" by V.I. Nemirovitch-Dantchenko

Since this is a collection of short stories, I'll review each of these and then summarize my experience of the collection. I found this ebook on Amazon and picked it up (despite its poor rating) because the book I had been reading for #TTWIB May Russian book read wasn't grabbing my attention. Since I gathered this would be a shorter read with folk tales (something I generally enjoy), it didn't take much thought to switch what I was reading.

"The Deserted Mine"
The plot of this one is simple- miners are trapped with no apparent escape in a deep shaft that is filling with water. They look to a somewhat senile-seeming old man (who they all know has worked the tunnels for the longest) for a way out.

This story almost seems like a Russian addition to the Bible, for spoilery reasons that I cannot disclose. That said, religious imagery of the Christian variety is front and center for this story, and it kind of spoiled the end of it for me (and I'm a Christian, darn it!). There is a fine line between inspirational and oh my word- look, it's an INSPIRATIONAL story. Subtlety is not one of the virtues of this short tale, but I did enjoy the first part of it more than the other stories in this collection.

"Mahmoud's Family"
I'm not too up on my history, so all I can say of the plot for this one is it's set during a war between the Russians and the Ottomans (or so I'm led to believe). Russian soldiers find an escaped prisoner of war (Mahmoud), who they plan on taking back to the main encampment for safekeeping, though he begs them not to. The soldiers are forced between a choice of duty and common decency, which proves to be a difficult decision.

This story has the flavor of a fable about it- leaning less towards religion-y lesson and more towards morality tale. I think other than The Luck of Ivan the Forgetful, it's my favorite of the bunch because of its concise storyline. Although there was still plenty of description, this story was a lot faster paced than the others.

"A Misunderstanding"
The plot of this story isn't apparent until the end- Helene became a nun for what seemed like an altruistic reason, but something went terribly awry.

My main complaint with this story is that there's really not much buildup to the end- most of the story is just fluff about Helene's martyrdom and humility. The thing is, becoming a nun isn't something one should take lightly, as she seemed to. She resigned herself to it without a really good reason, though it's unclear what the timeframe was for her decision (I'm thinking it's set in the 1800s). Regardless, it was a choice that didn't make sense, but I'm sure it could've happened back in those days.

"The Luck of Ivan The Forgetful"
My favorite of the book, this story reads the most like a fairytale. Ivan the Forgetful escapes jail to stumble upon an orphaned girl in the forest. He tries his best to teach her right from wrong despite his seeming unsuitedness to parenthood. But will his luck run out?

There's lots of imagery and some minor anomalies in this story (I think it may be missing a page or a paragraph) but it captured my attention regardless. I think there's something more human about this story than the others, which may be why I like it so much. Ivan isn't a paragon, which many of the previous main characters appear to be. He's somewhat relatable, though the author tries to make him seem horrible by injecting out-of-character speech and deeds to impugn him. I guess in my eyes, the author didn't succeed in that.

I wish I could give Peasant Tales of Russia a higher rating, but there too are many issues that stick out for me to raise it. It may be an issue of translation or of time, but some of these tales which may have once been regarded as timeless seem to have lost some luster over the years. Nonetheless, I recommend it for those interested in Russian folk tales, as it is available in multiple formats online for free.

Rating: 3 of 5 Stars for a good collection of folk tales that could use some edits.

Content: Ages 14+ for violence and death.

Page Count: 112 pages in my Kindle edition

"Moon Called (Mercy Thompson #1)" by Patricia Briggs

I loved the start of this book, but once I read past that- there were problems. Problems, which, may be in part due to strong personal preferences on my part- I'm horribly biased against certain male characters who rub me the wrong way. If the book is set in a patriarchal society and I begin to have flashbacks, it instantly nullifies any enjoyment I gathered from the book.

So how did this book overcome my strong dislike, despite this bias of mine? I liked the worldbuilding, the action, and pretty much everything but the male characters. Male characters were most of the cast, by the way- Mercy is one of very few women in this book. I also enjoyed that the characters were of diverse backgrounds, and that Mercy was a mechanic. However, the tug-of-war over liking/disliking this book meant it was somewhat of a chore for me to read.

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'Mercedes "Mercy" Thompson is a talented Volkswagen mechanic living in the Tri-Cities area of Washington. She also happens to be a walker, a magical being with the power to shift into a coyote at will. Mercy's next-door neighbor is a werewolf. Her former boss is a gremlin. And she's fixing a bus for a vampire. This is the world of Mercy Thompson, one that looks a lot like ours but is populated by those things that go bump in the night. And Mercy's connection to those things is about to get her into some serious hot water...'

As much as I liked Mercy, there were issues with my like of her too. It seemed every female she met who was around her age (not younger than her) ended up on her list of personae non gratae. I get it- you hang with the boys, so girls don't like you- except I don't. I think anyone should be able to have male and female friends, regardless of gender. Crazy, right? I understand that that might not come to fruition in the first book, but it really bothered me.

Onto the male characters. Although the author does sufficiently describe them so you get their individuality, I could not remember their names. The main issue was that their names were generic... and also, as much as they rubbed me the wrong way, they didn't strike me as being very different personality-wise from one another. The two male characters I was kinda-sorta okay with were Stefan (because he's a vamp) and Adam (he has his okay moments).

After reading the book, I was very curious as to where the author grew up- as it turns out, she was born in Butte, Montana. My problems with all those male characters likely stem from that- my "father" was from that area as well. I do have relatives I like there, but I'm still very, very uncomfortable around men from there.

Moon Called was a book I likely had too high of expectations for- and my biases kept me from liking it as much as I could have. However, I still bought another of the author's books (because: sale) and don't plan on avoiding her books until it becomes clear whether it's the writing or the books themselves I don't enjoy. If you've read my quandaries and still think this book would suit you, I wouldn't rain on your bookish parade. This book simply spawned too much hubbub with my personal opinions.

Rating: 3 of 5 Stars for a good start to a series I have very mixed feelings about.

Content: Ages 16+ for violence and sexual misconduct.

Page Count: 288 pages

O.o.O.C.: "Astrid & Veronika" by Linda Olsson

Out of Orbit Critiques are the reviews on books that stray outside my usual genres. Astrid & Veronika is a work of contemporary fiction.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked this up, other than a book about female friendship set in Sweden. As I prefer books with lots of female characters, I looked forward to one about an unconventional friendship between two women of somewhat similar experiences with an age gap between them. Astrid has lived in the small Swedish village all her life, rarely venturing outside it, while Veronika was a world traveller, even as a young woman.

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'With extraordinary emotional power, Linda Olsson's stunningly well-crafted debut novel recounts the unusual and unexpected friendship that develops between two women. Veronika, a young writer from New Zealand, rents a house in a small Swedish village as she tries to come to terms with a recent tragedy while also finishing a novel. Her arrival is silently observed by Astrid, an older, reclusive neighbor who slowly becomes a presence in Veronika's life, offering comfort in the form of companionship and lovingly prepared home-cooked meals. Set against a haunting Swedish landscape, Astrid & Veronika is a lyrical and meditative novel of love and loss, and a story that will remain with readers long after the characters' secrets are revealed.'

My only other Swedish read prior to this one having been The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, I also had no idea what to expect on that front. Unfortunately with this read, the focus is less on the setting than on the friendship, so I didn't feel I got to experience anything distinctly 'Swedish' in culture, although the descriptions of the surrounding wilderness were lovely. Since this was set in a small village, I had wanted to see more of the village lifestyle, but since Astrid and Veronika were so honed in on each other from the very start, I suppose that would be a slightly unrealistic expectation.

As much as I did empathize with the characters, there was something rather contrived about them. Astrid was more my speed than Veronika, and yet she still irked me in that she was rather static. Veronika was less dysfunctional, but I really didn't understand her motives throughout the book. Why a small village in Sweden? Sure, Sweden is her native country, but of all the places in the world? As a world traveller, I would suspect her of wanting a change of pace to write her novel in, not something so familiar. I found a few of Astrid's scenes problematic as well, but she still felt more realistic to me than Veronika.

Astrid & Veronika is more unfocused than I would like, but an interesting book about two women's life stories. Although I found the main plot dealing with Astrid and Veronika's friendship to be lacking, their flashbacks kept me engaged, helping me finish this before the Travel the World in Books readathon ended. If you enjoy contemporary fiction about friendships, you may find this book of more interest than I did, since I'm more interested in historical narratives.

Rating: 3 of 5 Stars for a good, if a little too meandering, read.

Content: Ages 18+ for violence and abuse.

Page Count: 247 pages in my paperback edition

Early Critique: "The Sleeping King" by Cindy Dees & Bill Flippin

Disclaimer: I was given a free advance e-copy of this book from Tor Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My opinion remains as forthright as ever.

Expected Release Date: September 8th

When I began reading this, I was completely smitten with it. The elements I love were in alignment: shady politics, immortal tyrant, young people stumbling upon their magical abilities, and an almost limitless variety of different races of humanoids. The worldbuilding was in The Sleeping King's favor as well- lots of factions, trades, and mythical creatures to be found. I love those all those fantastic elements! Even the pacing was spot on.

The characters, while fairly mainstream in fantasy, still had me concerned when they ran into trouble. My favorite character by far arrived about halfway through, a lizardman girl named Sha'Li, who spiced up the group of characters considerably. Still, compared with the impressive worldbuilding, I was a bit put out that the characters weren't so dynamic.

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'For almost twenty years she's been involved with Dragon Crest, one of the original live action role-playing games. She's the story content creator on the game, and wanted to do an epic fantasy based on it, with the blessing and input of Dragon Crest founder Bill Flippin.
'The Sleeping King is the first in an epic fantasy series, featuring the best of the genre: near immortal imperial overlords, a prophecy of a sleeping elven king who's said to be the savior of the races . . . and two young people who are set on a path to save the day.'

The problems arose as I neared the end. The storyline, which had originally been extremely multi-faceted, devolved to follow only the main quest: to find the Sleeping King. Sure, there were complications with the main quest, and other forces became apparent as the book drew on. But by then, the surprise factor had worn off, and what I originally had assumed would become a new favorite epic fantasy of mine, became a book I would like to own a physical copy of, but with no dire need of it. Since the book is based on a live action RPG, it makes much more sense that everything else would be so fully fleshed, leaving much of the plot to follow a more linear direction.

If you've ever played the Elder Scrolls, you may find many of the humanoid beings familiar. Although I would've preferred beings I've never ever seen before in fantasy, at some point it's hard to be 'new' without inspiring memories of that book, that movie, or that video game. Still, I prefer fantasy books like The Sleeping King with lots of different races to fantasy books with just plain old humans with a pocket full of magic.

I also had issues with some of the later antagonists, the Boki. When we get to see them up close and personal, none of them really have a distinct personality. Yes, they are supposed to be highly skilled warriors, and therefore maybe have no room for personality, but I was disappointed nonetheless. I'm beginning to feel terribly for orc-like people, as they are always cast as the villains.

The Sleeping King had a beginning that swept me off my feet... but an ending that didn't quite match my expectations. Regardless of that, it has a lot of magic left for those of us who love to see amazing worldbuilding and distinctive races. If you're okay with books that lack in the character and plot department, but deliver the complete package with a fully fleshed fantasy world, I'd recommend this book. Otherwise, you could probably skip it.

Rating: 3 of 5 Stars for a good start to a series that I expected a bit more from.

Content: Ages 16+ for bloodshed/violence/gore, and a strange lion that changes into a horse... or maybe that was accidental?

Page Count: 496 pages

"Worth: Lord of Reckoning (Lonely Lords #11)" by Grace Burrowes

I did a mini review of this a while back on NQAC, but since my reading has run a-dry of late, I believe I can expand my thoughts on this book for a full one.

This is a rather fun historical romance, which I love, but it also has serious aspects, like the inclusion of familial strife. As I am not a stranger to such situations, I liked the way it was handled: perhaps a little lightly, but it's unusual to see such delicate additions to a historical romance plot. Usually if there is family strife, one side is clearly bad as bad gets, while the heroine/hero side is the 'good' family. I liked that none of the characters were perfect human beings (like those exist), as I do see that irksome feature a lot in romance.

The Plot: (As Seen on Goodreads)
'Consummate man of business and rake at large, Worth Kettering, repairs to his country estate to sort out his familial situation, trusting the ever efficient (though as yet unmet) housekeeper, Jacaranda Wyeth, will provide his family a pleasant summer retreat. To his surprise, his household is manage by a quick-witted, violet-eyed beauty who’s his match in many regards.
'As Jacaranda and Worth become enamored, the family she’s kept hidden from him, the financial clients Worth feels singularly protective of, and the ragged state of affairs between Worth and his estranged older brother Hessian all conspire to keep Worth and Jacaranda apart. Worth must choose between love and profit, and Jacaranda must decide between loyalty to her family, and the love of a man who values her above all others.'

The plot isn't highly original, but it keeps you reading. I enjoyed the fact that the author didn't go over the top like most historical romances are wont to do: the plot was believable, which makes it more enjoyable for the realist in me. I also liked that the pacing of the hero/heroine relationship was much slower than your average historical romance- most of the time, I can predict where the plot will change. At 30%ish on my Kindle, there'll be a first kiss, then a hop in bed at 60%. If you like the generic pacing of historicals, this might not be your book.

The best aspect of the book is the familial relationships between the characters, and the characters themselves. As a stubborn individual, I appreciate strong-willed characters, but Jacaranda was probably a touch too bull-headed in her ideas of what she should do. Neither her or Worth's family's are out of the picture in this book, but hers remain a mystery for much of it. In the end, all is resolved, but it takes a little longer than most books.

Worth: Lord of Reckoning is a historical romance that has a lot going for it. Most of the time, you'll find me gagging at romance protagonists, but Worth and Jacaranda were well matched and in a positive relationship, even though she was extremely stubborn and reluctant, at times for little reason. I recommend Worth: Lord of Reckoning to those historical romance addicts who don't mind pumping the breaks on the fast-paced relationships of most Regency novels.

Rating: 3 of 5 Stars for a solid historical romance that doesn't follow the usual map of events.

Content: Ages 18+ for a sex scene, sensitive topics (suicide), and a charmingly persistent rake.

Page Count: 364 pages 

"Neverwhere" by Neil Gaiman

Torrie is not keen on being the Neverwhere cover model.

Sometimes I feel like I'm reading the same novel of Mr. Gaiman's over and over again. To date, I've read three of his books, including this one, American Gods, and Stardust, and increasingly I'm finding the same characters... only all the books I just mentioned aren't supposed to crossover. Sure, there's a couple characters that are different (and even diverse, which is great), but... I have yet to be convinced I'm reading something new, something I've been looking for in a Gaiman novel, some kind of connection with the characters, something to make me feel sad that the novel has ended, and there isn't a second volume for me to pick up.

This book I was excited about because I like the idea of portals to other realms, and this book's covers suggest the plot would center around that idea. In fact, I was so excited to read this book (and convinced it would be my favorite Gaiman yet) that I bought a mass market paperback copy to read in addition to my digital edition.

The Plot:
Richard Mayhew stops to assist a damsel in distress, only to be erased from his own world and dumped in a world he never knew existed before. The damsel, Door, is being hunted by mercenaries, but will she be able to find who's behind the deaths of her family members before she herself is found?

Richard Mayhew may not be a lookalike of Shadow (American Gods) and Tristran (Stardust), but I can't help but feeling they all have the same soul. I admit disliking characters who don't know what exactly they're after, but usually I find something about them endearing, and in Richard's case, it was his love of troll dolls. Beyond that, I was a bit bored with him because of his soul/personality similarities to Tristran and Shadow, and Mr. Gaiman's consistent use of making them into heroes via the story of the book. I'm a bit over the everyman-becomes-"the-man" plotline: I saw it coming here, but hoped I was mistaken that the author would roll it out again. Not a spoiler, but he did.

While I did like the world it was set in, and some of the side characters (Hunter was particularly exceptional), I was hoping for a little more surprise in the ending. With Stardust, even when I'd seen the movie (and thus the basic plot), Mr. Gaiman surprised me with a different ending than I'd anticipated. With Neverwhere, you pretty much know how it will end, and so when it ends, you kind of wonder why you bought that mass market paperback, even though it was less than a quarter the cost of a good potting soil.

Neverwhere was underwhelming for me. Although I love quests, sometimes I'd like more than a few twists tossed in for good measure, in addition to main characters who are more interesting than the side ones, and probably some villains who don't remind one of Charlie Chaplin and Ozzie Osbourne's love children (who went on a few too many bad trips, became assassins, and somehow became the best at torture and general mayhem). If you love Mr. Gaiman, Neverwhere will probably only add to your love of Mr. Gaiman, but if you're lukewarm about some of his main characters, like me, you might find Richard Mayhew a little too familiar.

Rating: 3 of 5 Stars for a good story that I was hoping would be different.

Content: Ages 16+ for graphic violence and occasional swearing.

Page Count: 370 pages in my mass market paperback edition

O.o.O.C.: "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #1)" by Alexander McCall Smith

I received this book unexpectedly when my mother brought home That '80s Motorhome. I had heard of this book, but had assumed since it was a 'mystery' it would probably be set in the US or UK, as most mysteries seem to be placed in either region. To my surprise, I found it was set in Botswana, which was mostly why I read it almost immediately after I received it- my Travel the World in Books Challenge needed a boost.

Despite most assumptions, this book's main genre doesn't seem to be 'mystery'. In fact, it's more contemporary fiction than mystery because it really doesn't keep you guessing. The mysteries (there are multiple) make the book feel almost like you're reading a collection of short stories instead of a complete book- although they are based on one woman P.I.'s adventures, they aren't exactly riveting. Instead, you are taken on the ups and downs of a woman's first foray into small business, with a little (job-related) stalking on the side.

The Plot: (As Seen on Goodreads)
'Precious Ramotswe in Botswana sits in the shade and ponders the wisdom of her cattle farmer father, observes her neighbors, and cares for employers and subjects with humor. A clinic doctor has two different personalities depending on the day of the week. A Christian sect member vanishes. A witch doctor may have the bones of a kidnapped boy in his magic kit.'

To give you fair warning, Precious's life story is also part of this book. Her life isn't all that rosey, as she deals with difficult issues like domestic abuse and finding out what you really want out of life. But, during the course of her story, you grow to admire and respect her character, even if she isn't your favorite character ever penned by the end of the story.

Beyond her character, a lot of the story is character-driven by a series of Precious's clients. You get to see some of Botswana circa 1990s, but it really didn't take me there as much as I expected it to. One of the stories involves Precious driving over a snake in the road, which most people from my grandparents' old stomping grounds would know/deal with in Montana, so I was a little disappointed. The most interesting case is summarized in the synopsis- it deals with witchcraft, but still... I guess I wanted details of more African wildlife, like I watch on PBS. (I'm a bit of a nature addict). Botswana didn't come alive in this book for me, unfortunately.

By now, you should know that The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency wasn't my favorite book ever. That's okay, because if every book (even those not in my genres) were my favorite, I'd be a little worried about how objective I can be while still being a book blogger. However, if you like contemporary fiction with a little mystery set in an exotic locale, it wouldn't hurt to try this book, as long as you aren't looking for anything to make you fall head-over-heels in love with a new genre.

Rating: 3 of 5 Stars for a good read with an interesting setting.

Content: Ages 16+ for mild sexual references, violence, and witchcraft.

Page Count: 235 pages in my secondhand paperback edition

Early Critique: "Dreams of Shreds and Tatters" by Amanda Downum

Disclaimer: I was given a free advanced e-copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My opinion remains as forthright as ever.

To Be Published: May 12th

This is a genuinely dark urban fantasy that flirts with horror at points. It reminded me of several books I've read before: Tithe by Holly Black, which is a YA favorite of mine, and American Gods by Neil Gaiman, which held greater similarity due to the inclusion of mythology. Although I was led to believe I may have accidentally stumbled onto a YA book by requesting this, it turns out all the characters are mid-twenties and the other content suggests this would be more suitable for adults.

It isn't often you have books including artists as their main cast of characters, but when you do, you can expect some tropes. That would be true of the characters in this book- drug-addicted artists who don't realize what they're getting into until their charismatic fearless leader drops the net on them. Although they aren't all how you'd expect them to be, I never really felt I knew most of them by the time the book was over.

The Plot: (As Seen on Goodreads)
'When Liz Drake's best friend vanishes, nothing can stop her nightmares. Driven by the certainty he needs her help, she crosses a continent to search for him.
'She finds Blake comatose in a Vancouver hospital, victim of a mysterious accident that claimed his lover's life--in her dreams he drowns. Blake's new circle of artists and mystics draws her in, but all of them are lying or keeping dangerous secrets. Soon nightmare creatures stalk the waking city, and Liz can't fight a dream from the daylight world: to rescue Blake she must brave the darkest depths of the dreamlands. Even the attempt could kill her, or leave her mind trapped or broken.
'And if she succeeds, she must face the monstrous Yellow King, whose slave Blake is on the verge of becoming forever.'

The plot, although not entirely enthralling, held my attention throughout the book. Some of the same themes from Tithe popped up in this book: a girl out to save her male friend (who happens to be gay) from whatever sinister force holds him. But other than that, there weren't a lot of plot similarities to other books- just a lot of strange mythological references that made you feel like you were caught in a nightmare.

One dazzling thing this book has to offer is excellent phraseology- the author clearly has a way with words. I hate it when I read a book that feels like its written exactly the same as a previous one I've read before, so the original wordsmithery was a major plus. I usually loathe excess description, but during the few times the author lapsed into it, I was impressed rather than distressed by it.

Dreams of Shreds and Tatters is a beautifully penned, mythology-riddled urban fairy tale. The main weaknesses I felt the story had were in character portrayals- most of the characters remained strangers to me throughout the entire book. Nonetheless, this book will appeal to anyone who likes eerie tales of modern life that spawn portals to other realms. I recommend this to those who love authors who use their words artistically, and don't mind darker urban fantasy.

Rating: 3 of 5 Stars for an artistically influenced story of twisted love.

Content: Ages 18+ for sexual references, drugs, and rock 'n' roll art world horror (violence and gore).

Page Count: 256 pages

"The School for Good and Evil (The School for Good and Evil #1)" by Soman Chainani

I received this lovely paperback from a giveaway at My Addiction: Books' blogiversary (thanks Cari and Haley!). I'd heard a lot about this book on the blogosphere previously and was also intrigued by that beautiful cover. I knew when I was done reading it, my mom's class of middle schoolers would love having a chance at winning this book before they're out of school, so I would be able to giveaway-it-forward.

Most middle grade books like this one tend to focus on schools in an effort to make schools more exciting to the kids who have to attend them (ah, those days...). But for me, a free adult, no longer jailed by a teacher, these books often either A) bore me or B) remind me greatly of Harry Potter. In the case of this book, it reminds me greatly of Harry Potter, which isn't really the fault of the book- anything with a school, magic, and with a fast-paced storyline does.

The Plot:
Sophie dreams of becoming a fairytale princess at the School for Good, while her best friend Agatha doesn't believe in such nonsense... until the night they're both snatched from their town to be students there. But instead of Agatha going to the School for Evil, like her witchy appearance would suggest, she's sent to the School for Good, while princess-like Sophie gets stuck with the School for Evil. Will they ever be able to fit in in a school in which they clearly don't belong? Or will the Schoolmaster have other plans for them?

I developed an instantaneous hatred for one of the main characters, Sophie, after reading just a few pages. As far as I can tell, the author did this purposefully, but maybe other people actually liked her prissy ways and constant health-food-referencing, beauty-routinizing, and other frivolous habits. She's more likeable as the book continues, but be forewarned you may find yourself grinding your teeth and reaching for sugary-things to endure the first few chapters of her personality.

The problems I ran into with this book were mostly personality-based. I was always a tomboy as a kid, and you couldn't sell me on boys that put worms in my hair being remotely attractive. Dresses, pink, and anything prissy were on my loathe list during the age Sophie and Agatha were in this book, and you cannot convince me all the girls would wear dresses ALL the time as students of the Schools do. Sure, they go to a private academy- I went to one too, but we had the option of pants, and 90% of the time, every single girl in our private school was wearing itchy polos and khakis to avoid having to wear an irksome jumper with Peter-Pan-collared shirt. Sophie changes up the clothes in this book, but still... pants. Girls wear pants, even when you want them to wear feminine fripperies. This book also needs a better tomboy-elect than Agatha.

The School for Good and Evil is something I would've probably liked better in my school years, but it was nonetheless an entertaining read. It's easily devourable, taking me only a few days to read it, even while enduring my first reading slump of the year. The only areas I didn't approve of consisted of some of my nitpicks, and I have a feeling most people wouldn't even notice the parts of the story that drove my rating down. If you love a good fairy tale, and ever wonder at how they might be made, The School for Good and Evil may be the book for you.

Rating: 3 of 5 Stars for a solid middle grade fairy tale re-imagining!

Content: Fairytale violence and darkness (and one mild swear word). The back cover recommends this for Ages 8-12, but I say 8+.

Page Count: 488 pages in the paperback edition.

"Casino Royale (James Bond #1)" by Ian Fleming

I feel slimy after reading this book. I didn't expect to ever feel slimy from reading a book, but I do. I would consider this a cross between reading A Game of Thrones, where Dany is subjected to some pretty unethical treatment, and reading a book I deem a bad romance, where the hero is clearly an abusive troll and the heroine follows his every command.

The only way I was able to read this was by the boon of reinvention: I made James and Vesper swap roles, so Vesper could tell James to get back in the kitchen with his "pots and pans". I also reglazed my eyes while James told Vesper how gambling works, researched an obscure ancestor of mine known as "Black Jack" who ran a casino in Las Vegas, then skimmed through large chunks of book I didn't give a ha'penny about.

So yes, the first half of this book is completely snore-worthy. The action you'd think would be instantaneous in a Bond novel doesn't kick in 'til later.

The Plot:
James is set to break Le Chiffre's bank (via gambling) so he can't be an evil mastermind and support the Communist cause. With a little help from his friends Mathis, Vesper, and Felix Leiter (a Texan who clearly is the prime example of why U.S. is in debt right now), will Bond be able to pull it off?

Hmm... you want me to say something nice about this book, like why I gave it three stars? Fine. It's like this: once it picks up, it's everything you'd expect from having watched Bond movies. Torture, death threats, car chases, oh my! I stand by the fact that reimagining this book makes it more bearable, but it's still weird reading it when you happen to be female. I imagine it's much like the discomfort of men reading Fifty Shades of Grey: "Is this what women think of men? Good God- I don't think I can go on, but it's strangely compelling."

By far the strangest part of this book was the ending. Of course, I can't discuss at length why the ending was so strange, but it seemed like the characters were very 'out of character'. There is an odd sense of instalove, which makes one wonder if men like this in their thriller romances, as opposed to what I thought was the 'popular' opinion: instalove = very bad.

*Random Musings*:

My favorite part of the book was seeing Le Chiffre get his moment in the spotlight.

I'm beginning to think James Bond's mother was Dolores Umbridge, because how else could he have turned out so subpar?

I've read Bibles less patriarchal than this book...

*End Random Musings*

Casino Royale isn't what you expect it would be, if you loved the Bond movies (like I still do). Thankfully, even if you hate the main character in books, there is always the villain to cheer for. That is the case with this book- it is so gauchely sexist at times that I found myself gnashing my teeth while waiting for the villain to have his moments. And he did. And it was well worth wading through Bond's morass of idiotic misogyny just to embrace my darker side.

I recommend this book only to those willing to put up with its outdated ideals and strange chemistry- if you're not a fan of Bond movies, it probably isn't worth your time.

Rating: 3 of 5 Stars for a good plot with a villain to cheer for!

Content: Ages 18+ for torture scenes, misogyny (including, but not limited to name calling), and weird, borderline creepy instalove.

Page Count: 189 pages in the Kindle edition.