Monsters in the Mist by Juliana Brandt

Title: Monsters in the Mist

Series: n/a
Author: Juliana Brandt
Source/Format: Netgalley; eARC
More Details: Middle Grade; Fantasy; Horror
Publisher/Publication Date: Sourcebooks Young Readers; May 3, 2022 

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

When Glennon McCue moves into a lighthouse on a mysterious island, he must figure out why those who visit are never heard from again…before he and his family fall victim to the island’s curse. 

After Glennon McCue’s father takes an overseas position, Glennon finds himself relocated from Minneapolis to his uncle’s lighthouse on Isle Philippeaux, smack dab in the middle of Lake Superior. Surrounded by nothing but black, ominous waters, there are many stories about the island, but the worst one is that sailors wash ashore…and are never heard from again. Just before his family is supposed to move home, a storm rocks the isle and a ship crashes outside the lighthouse. The survivors seem off, especially one sailor who acts more like a monster than a person. Suddenly, Glennon finds himself in the middle of a real-life scary story, and unless he can figure out the mystery of the island…he and his family will be lost forever, too.

Monsters in the Mist is probably one of the best middle grade horror books I’ve read this year. It wasn’t only thrills and chills, but it struck a balance between telling a spooky story and a poignant one; where the monsters weren’t only the mystery of what resided in the mist, but could be found in the memory of and about the living as well.

Monsters in the Mist unfolds in the perspective of Glennon. I sympathized with him and understood and appreciated the way the author portrayed how he dealt with the stress of the scarier points of his situation. It was to the point where his doubt in himself made him question what he saw. The story deals with heavy topics, and much of it illustrated the way that grief and fear affect people differently. You don’t need to look any further than Glennon, his sister Leeunah (Lee), and his mother to see what I mean.

The setting didn’t make it any easier for the characters, as Isle Philippeaux didn’t give up its secrets easily. It was a mysterious place with an eerie atmosphere that only intensified as the story headed for its conclusion. I was especially interested in the way lighthouses were used in the story (as indicative by the book’s cover), and it ended up being one of my favorite aspects.

These things were accompanied by some frightening and dangerous instances. And it forced the characters to literally acknowledge all that had happened to them—as well as the predicament they unwittingly found themselves in—before they could move forward.

Monsters in the Mist had a message: feeling somewhat topical in a story that was otherwise a haunting read. All in all, it was great.

About the author....

Juliana Brandt is an author and kindergarten teacher with a passion for storytelling that guides her in both of her jobs. She lives in her childhood home of Minnesota, and her writing is heavily influenced by travels around the country and decade living in the South. When not working, she is usually exploring the great outdoors. Her novels, THE WOLF OF CAPE FEN, and A WILDER MAGIC were both published by SourcebooksKids. Up next is MONSTERS IN THE MIST which will publish in May, 2022. Her writing is represented by Natalie Lakosil of Irene Goodman Literary Agency.

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Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Sourcebooks Young Readers) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you! 

Shadow Grave by Marina Cohen

Title: Shadow Grave
Series: n/a
Author: Marina Cohen
Source/Format: NetGalley; eARC
More Details: Middle-Grade; Horror
Publisher/Publication Date: Roaring Book Press; May 3, 2022

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

This town has a secret it might just kill to keep…

12-year-old Arlo is afraid of the creepy zombie show all his friends watch, of fire, of his own shadow—but most of all he’s afraid of losing his mother to the disease that nearly claimed her life the previous year. While on a Thanksgiving road trip with his mother and sister, Lola, their car hits a strange beast and they become stranded in an old logging town with something unnatural living in its surrounding woods—a dark secret the townsfolk will kill to keep.

Marina Cohen is one of those authors that have books I’ve been meaning to try. A while ago, I had the opportunity to read her latest release, Shadow Grave. I had no expectations going in, other than what was laid out in the synopsis. 

I liked this story. From the start, it seemed like it would be a very spooky read, and I have to admit that it kind of was. There was something going on, and there were moments of tension. Plus, the setting was isolated, which created a sense of being trapped. It certainly had a sense of eeriness and mystery, which was something that the main character, Arlo picked up on. But there was directness to the narrative that limited some of the intensity that could have been there. That being said, when Shadow Grave hit its stride, the story sped toward the conclusion (and stuck the landing) with plenty of twists and turns. Ultimately, it had a strong dark fairy tale kind of vibe to it.

Shadow Grave also proved to be largely about its characters. That was a good thing, as it’s one of the areas where the story excelled. The topics could be heavy—absent parent, illness, accidents, etc.—but I ultimately liked the way Cohen approached them from the viewpoint Arlo. His character was largely shaped by everything he’d experienced prior to the start of the story. There was also his mother’s soothing reassurances, and the broken promises made by…well, someone else (If you want to know, you’ll have to read the story). These things formed the way he tried to handle the situation, while looking out for himself, his mother, and his little sister, Lola.

Overall, Shadow Grave was great. There were a number of good things about the story that I think a lot of readers would enjoy.

About the author....

Marina Cohen is the author of several horror and fantasy books for children and young teens. Her novels GHOST RIDE, THE INN BETWEEN, THE DOLL'S EYE, and A BOX OF BONES have been nominated for various awards in Canada and the United States including, The Sunburst Award, The Ontario Library Association's Red Maple and Silver Birch Awards, The Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award, The Rocky Mountain Book Award, The Manitoba Young Reacher's Choice Award, and The Pacific Northwest Library Association Children's Choice Award. THE INN BETWEEN and A BOX OF BONES are also Junior Library Guild selections. Marina loves old castles, hot cocoa, mysterious doors of all shapes and sizes, gingerbread and all things dark and creepy. She spends far too much time asking herself "What if?"

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Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Roaring Book Press) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you! 

A Thousand Steps Into Night by Traci Chee

Title: A Thousand Steps Into Night

Series: n/a
Author: Traci Chee
Source/Format: NetGalley (Publisher); eARC
More Details: Fantasy; Young Adult
Publisher/Publication Date: Clarion Books; March 1, 2022

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

In the realm of Awara, where gods, monsters, and humans exist side by side, Miuko is an ordinary girl resigned to a safe, if uneventful, existence as an innkeeper’s daughter. But when Miuko is cursed and begins to transform into a demon with a deadly touch, she embarks on a quest to reverse the curse and return to her normal life. Aided by a thieving magpie spirit and continuously thwarted by a demon prince, Miuko must outfox tricksters, escape demon hunters, and negotiate with feral gods if she wants to make it home again. But with her transformation comes power and freedom she never even dreamed of, and she’ll have to decide if saving her soul is worth trying to cram herself back into an ordinary life that no longer fits her… and perhaps never did.

It’s been a while since I last read anything by Traci Chee, but I was eager to check out her latest young adult novel: A Thousand Steps Into Night. Books that deal with curses are sometimes my favorite thing. There are many ways to interpret what constitutes as a curse. In one of Traci Chee’s newsletters, she talked about some of the work that went into A Thousand Steps Into Night, and I was interested in seeing how that would come in to play.

As a standalone, I liked this story. There were a lot of strong aspects about it including the endearing characters—Miuko as well as some surprising allies—to the world building and the major turning points that culminated in an excellent and satisfying conclusion.

The opening chapters got the ball rolling at a fast pace, but it was an effective opener for a story that barely had time to slow down and breath. There was a lot of ground to cover though, and so traveling made up a good chunk of the story. However, those bits were good, as it showed the setting through Miuko’s eyes as she experienced it. At times, the outward factors seemed to work against the characters, and there was literally danger around every corner from the ordinary and the supernatural. There were a few comical moments, but the tension (from the race against time and the ensuing chase) was the defining tone of A Thousand Steps Into Night.

So the characters: I liked them. The secondary cast, as well as the villain, were detailed and complex. The villain in particular had a clear motive, and his actions were a foil to Miuko’s ultimate quest.

All the hallmarks of a coming of age tale were present with Miuko (the sole POV) having to figure out who she wanted to be after being cursed. Awara was a society that was restrictive to women, and that was one of the big themes of the story. Add in a curse, and you’re pretty much everything they don’t want. So with her banishment from the only places and family she’s ever known, she was left in a difficult situation. Her endurance was admirable, but I also liked when she finally got some support and built those friendships she’d craved for. In the end, I appreciated Miuko’s characterization, and her story was so satisfying to watch playout.

A Thousand Steps Into Night was an interesting and enjoyable read.

About the author....

Traci Chee is a New York Times best-selling author and National Book Award Finalist. An all-around word geek, she loves book arts and art books, poetry and paper crafts, though she also dabbles at bonsai gardening, egg painting, and hosting potluck game nights for family and friends. She studied literature and creative writing at UC Santa Cruz and earned a master of arts degree from San Francisco State University. Traci grew up in a small town with more cows than people, and now feels most at home in the mountains, scaling switchbacks and happening upon hidden highland lakes. She lives in California with her fast-fast dog.

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Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Clarion Books) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you! 

All the Horses of Iceland by Sarah Tolmie

Title: All the Horses of Iceland

Series: n/a
Author: Sarah Tolmie
Source/Format: Netgalley; eARC
More Details: Historical-Fiction; Fantasy
Publisher/Publication Date: TorDotcom; March 1, 2022

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

A hypnotic historical fantasy with gorgeous and unusual literary prose, from the captivating author of The Fourth Island.

Everyone knows of the horses of Iceland, wild, and small, and free, but few have heard their story. Sarah Tolmie’s All the Horses of Iceland weaves their mystical origin into a saga for the modern age. Filled with the magic and darkened whispers of a people on the cusp of major cultural change, All the Horses of Iceland tells the tale of a Norse trader, his travels through Central Asia, and the ghostly magic that followed him home to the land of fire, stone, and ice. His search for riches will take him from Helmgard, through Khazaria, to the steppes of Mongolia, where he will barter for horses and return with much, much more.

All the Horses of Iceland is a delve into the secret, imagined history of Iceland's unusual horses, brought to life by an expert storyteller.

One of my most anticipated books of 2022 was All the Horses of Iceland by Sarah Tolmie. When I first heard about it last year, I was instantly intrigued by it.

The narrative style of All the Horses of Iceland reminded me of a nonfiction book I read earlier this year called Daughters of Chivalry by Kelcey Wilson-Lee. That book followed the lives of Edward I’s five daughters. In this book, there was a clear narrator, and it was basically written as an autobiography of a fictional historical figure. The story followed a man during his travels and chronicled the people he met, the places he went, the magic he encountered, and ultimately the horses that would give context to the title of the story.

I’m not very familiar with the sources Tolmie used for some aspects of the story. So, I found the author’s note in the back helpful for clarifying a few details I was unsure about after I finished reading.

All that to say:  All the Horses of Iceland was a slow and contemplative story, but I enjoyed reading it.

 

About the author....

Sarah Tolmie is the author of the 120-sonnet sequence Trio, published by McGill-Queen’s University Press (release date 1 April 2015) and the chapbook Sonnet in a Blue Dress and Other Poems (Baseline Press, 2014). She has also published a novel, The Stone Boatmen, and a short fiction collection, NoFood, with Aqueduct Press (both 2014). She is a medievalist trained at the University of Toronto and Cambridge and is an Associate Professor of English at the University of Waterloo.

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Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (TorDotCom) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you! 

ARC Review: The Appeal by Janice Hallett

Title: The Appeal
Series: n/a
Author: Janice Hallett
Source/Format: NetGalley; eARC
More Details: Mystery; Thriller
Publisher/Publication Date: Atria Books; January 25, 2022

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

This murder mystery follows a community rallying around a sick child—but when escalating lies lead to a dead body, everyone is a suspect.

The Fairway Players, a local theatre group, is in the midst of rehearsals for an Arthur Miller play, when tragedy strikes the family of director Martin Haywood and his wife Helen, the play’s star. Their young granddaughter has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, and with an experimental treatment costing a tremendous sum, their fellow castmates rally to raise the money to give her a chance at survival. But not everybody is convinced of the experimental treatment’s efficacy—nor of the good intentions of those involved. New actress Sam, a former NGO worker, raises doubts. But are her suspicions justified? Or does she have a history with the doctor involved? As tension grows within the community, things come to a shocking head the night of the dress rehearsal. The next day, a dead body is found, and soon, an arrest is made. In the run-up to the trial, two young lawyers sift through the material—emails, messages, letters—with a growing suspicion that a killer may still be on the loose.

A wholly modern take on the epistolary novel, The Appeal is a debut perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Lucy Foley.

When I got approved for The Appeal by Janice Hallett, I’ll admit, I could barely contain my excitement. With its epistolary form, it’s one of my most anticipated mystery/thriller releases of 2022. The Appeal was a page turner, and I enjoyed so much about this story. It had a cast of thoroughly unlikable characters, but it was the kind of story that made me want to read till the end. The driving force behind it, for me, was to see who did what, who knew, and when they knew it. The reveal was a big one. And Hallett excelled at laying down the clues, telling us who the players were, and how it all happened.

The Appeal tells the story of a mystery centered on a sick child and a family’s desperate race against time to fundraise enough to obtain an unapproved treatment that could help her condition. It’s centered on a local theater group called The Fairway Players and the people most closely associated with their latest production. The further I got in the story, the more it was apparent that there was something darker lurking under what first appeared to be a warm, welcoming, and sunshiny community. It was beyond just cattiness and friendly competition between friends, family, and new acquaintances. The theater group was built around one family, the Haywoods, and their cliquish social circle. It was cut-throat, and you were either in or out. It was to the point where fundraising for a good cause seemed to become a competition between who could be the most supportive for the Haywoods as well as getting the best number of donations for the appeal.

Since it’s told in the form of letters, newspaper clippings, emails, and text messages among others, it reads like a case study because it technically is. It’s pretty clear that the above mentioned things were assembled prior to the start, and I actually like the occasional story that gets told in this manner. I did get more of a mystery than the high tension of a thriller—due to the messages offering a limited view of the characters—but the story was interesting. My favorite bits were in the later half where there was more of Olufemi Hassan and Charlotte Holroyd’s comments regarding the case.

All that to say, The Appeal was an excellent mystery.

   

About the author....

A former magazine editor and award-winning journalist, Janice has written speeches and articles for, among others, the Cabinet Office, Home Office and Department for International Development. In screenwriting, Janice's first feature film RETREAT was released by Sony Pictures (co-written and directed by Carl Tibbetts) which starred Cillian Murphy, Thandie Newton and Jamie Bell. Janice’s stage plays have been performed at Theatre503, The White Bear, Hen & Chickens and TheatreN16. She was also one of six female playwrights selected by All The Rage Theatre for its Seize The Stage festival at Rich Mix. Her play NETHERBARD has twice been performed by Budding Rose Productions. Janice has had television scripts in development with Slim Film & TV and with Retort (part of FreemantleMedia). Her sitcom TWO LADIES was performed at the Museum of Comedy in June 2019. Janice was selected for the Triforce Creative Network year-long mentoring scheme and featured on the BBC New Talent Hotlist. She won Best New Screenplay in the 2014 British Independent Film Festival.
​
Janice's debut novel, THE APPEAL, published by Viper (Serpent's Tail) in January 2021.

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Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Atria Books) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you!

ARC Review: Daughter of the Moon Goddes by Sue Lynn Tan

Title: Daughter of the Moon Goddess

Series: The Celestial Kingdom Duology #1
Author: Sue Lynn Tan
Source/Format: NetGalley; eARC
More Details: Fantasy
Publisher/Publication Date: Harper Voyager January 11, 2022

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

A captivating debut fantasy inspired by the legend of Chang'e, the Chinese moon goddess, in which a young woman’s quest to free her mother pits her against the most powerful immortal in the realm.

Growing up on the moon, Xingyin is accustomed to solitude, unaware that she is being hidden from the feared Celestial Emperor who exiled her mother for stealing his elixir of immortality. But when Xingyin’s magic flares and her existence is discovered, she is forced to flee her home, leaving her mother behind. Alone, powerless, and afraid, she makes her way to the Celestial Kingdom, a land of wonder and secrets. Disguising her identity, she seizes an opportunity to learn alongside the emperor's son, mastering archery and magic, even as passion flames between her and the prince. To save her mother, Xingyin embarks on a perilous quest, confronting legendary creatures and vicious enemies across the earth and skies. But when treachery looms and forbidden magic threatens the kingdom, she must challenge the ruthless Celestial Emperor for her dream—striking a dangerous bargain in which she is torn between losing all she loves or plunging the realm into chaos.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess begins an enchanting, romantic duology which weaves ancient Chinese mythology into a sweeping adventure of immortals and magic—where love vies with honor, dreams are fraught with betrayal, and hope emerges triumphant.

From the second I heard about Daughter of the Moon Goddess, I knew it was going to be a book I was definitely going to read. I’m not overly familiar with the legend of Chang’e, but I do love stories that take myths/folklore/history and retell or give an alternative look at them in interesting ways.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess was as excellent a story as I thought it would be. There was a lot going on in this book: romance, action, and a desperate and also deeply personal quest. It was hopeful but also bittersweet at times with secrets and betrayal seemingly hidden everywhere. And what a marvelous story it was!

Xingyin is the daughter of the Moon Goddess. She was sheltered from the world beyond the moon, and that wasn’t without good reason either. With the way the story was told, as the reader, I was dropped into the world alongside the character as she embarked on her journey. There was no easy way for her, and the task ahead of her seemed almost impossible to accomplish under the circumstances. I admired Xingyin’s determination and her compassion—which were often tested—as she navigated a world filled with incredibly powerful immortals and the dangerous conflicts that arose between them.

The characters, by and large, were one of my favorite aspects about the story. I enjoyed reading about the hard-won bonds that Xingyin forged with the secondary characters, which heightened the impact—the gravity—of certain scenes. Tan did not hold back with the emotional punches, and I couldn’t help but hope everything would work out for my favorite characters. I was very invested in the story, and I couldn’t get to the end fast enough.

The setting was also really good. The places were detailed: plenty of intricate and vivid descriptions of food, dress, and history.

 
I had so much fun reading Daughter of the Moon Goddess. It’s the first of a duology, so I’m looking forward to the sequel.

About the author....

Sue Lynn Tan writes fantasy inspired by the myths and legends she fell in love with as a child. Born in Malaysia, she studied in London and France, before settling in Hong Kong with her family. Her love for stories began with a gift from her father, her first compilation of fairytales from around the world. After devouring every fable she could find in the library, she discovered fantasy books – spending much of her childhood lost in magical worlds. When not writing or reading, she enjoys exploring the hills and reservoirs of Hong Kong, the temples, beaches and narrow winding streets here. Her debut, Daughter of the Moon Goddess, will be published by Harper Voyager in early 2022, with a sequel to come. It is an enchanting fantasy of love and family, immortals and magic – inspired by the beloved Chinese legend of Chang’e flying to the moon upon taking the elixir of immortality.

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Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Harper Voyager) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you! 

ARC Review: Crimes and Covers by Amanda Flower

Title: Crimes and Covers
Series: A Magical Bookshop Mystery #5
Author: Amanda Flower
Source/Format: NetGalley; eARC
More Details: Cozy Mystery 
Publisher/Publication Date: Crooked Lane Books; January 11, 2022

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

Christmas is coming to the Western New York village of Cascade Springs, and so is the long-awaited wedding of Charming Books proprietor Violet Waverly and police chief David Rainwater. Grandma Daisy and Violet's best friend, Sadie, go all out to make the nuptials the event of the season--whether Violet likes it or not. But the reception becomes memorable for all the wrong reasons when a woman's dead body floats by on the frigid Niagara River. Violet is shocked to recognize the deceased as a mysterious woman who visited Charming Books two days before the wedding, toting a rare first edition of Henry David Thoreau's Walden. Well aware that a mint condition copy could be worth more than $14,000, Violet told the woman she would have to have the book appraised before she could consider buying it. Most displeased, the woman tucked the precious tome under her arm and stormed out of the shop. Now she's dead, and an enigmatic message scrawled in pen upon her palm reads, "They stole my book." It's a confounding case, indeed. But fortunately, Violet can draw on the resources of her bookshop's magical consciousness, which communicates clues to Violet via quotes from Walden. With Emerson the tuxedo cat and Faulkner the crow at her side, Violet sets out to recover the priceless book by solving a murder most transcendental.

From the handful of cozy mysteries I’ve read this year, usually the story gives our intrepid sleuths some time to breath before—or at least during—their big wedding day. Not so in the case of Crimes and Covers by Amanda Flower. Amidst the wedding joy, an incident that first appeared to be an accident unfolded into a perplexing mystery concerning a signed first edition of Walden by Henry Thoreau.

There was a lot I liked about the story. The sleuthing aspects were good, considering how unusual the case initially appeared to be. I really didn’t know for a while, since the clues supported each scenario. Was it an accident? Or was it something more nefarious? With a book that was worth as much as the copy of Walden was, the list of possibilities was long.

Cascade Springs was yet another small town with a close-knit community. Since the story was set around Christmas, the setting was wintery, though I wouldn’t call this a holiday book. The holiday season was just in the background for much of the story. The focus remained on the mystery and books.

The characters were pretty good here too. I liked Violet’s determination to figure out what happened, as well as her sense of duty toward Charming Books and its tree. The shop was part of her family’s history, and with their care, the place developed an “essence.” I adored the magical aspects of the story, since it deviated a little from what I’ve come across before—with the bookstore being magical rather than Violet. Plus, there was a cat with a habit of escaping the store and a crow that liked to make literary quotes. I have to say that I enjoyed their antics, for the sometimes comedic moments that came from of it.

All-in-all, Crimes and Covers was a great story.

 

About the author....

Amanda Flower, a USA Today bestselling and Agatha Award-winning mystery author, started her writing career in elementary school when she read a story she wrote to her sixth grade class and had the class in stitches with her description of being stuck on the top of a Ferris wheel. She knew at that moment she’d found her calling of making people laugh with her words. In addition to being an author, Amanda is librarian in Northeast Ohio.

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Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Crooked Lane Books) via NetGalley for this review, thank you!

ARC Review: A Swift and Savage Tide by Chloe Neill

Title: A Swift and Savage Tide
Series: Captain Kit Brightling #2
Author: Chloe Neill
Source/Format: NetGalley; eARC
More Details: Fantasy
Publisher/Publication Date: Berkley; November 30, 2021

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

Chloe Neill's bold, seafaring heroine Captain Kit Brightling sets sail for high seas and high sorcery in this swashbuckling fantasy series.

Captain Kit Brightling is Aligned to the magic of the sea, which makes her an invaluable asset to the Saxon Isles and its monarch, Queen Charlotte. The Isles and its allies will need every advantage they can get: Gerard Rousseau, the former Gallic emperor and scourge of the Continent, has escaped his island prison to renew his quest for control of the Continent. Gerard has no qualms about using dangerous magic to support his ambitions, so Kit and the crew of her ship, the Diana, are the natural choice to find him—and help stop him. Sparks fly when Kit's path unexpectedly crosses with that of the dashing and handsome Rian Grant, Viscount Queenscliffe, who's working undercover on the Continent in his own efforts to stop Gerard. But he's not the only person Kit is surprised to see. An old enemy has arisen, and the power he'll wield on Gerard's behalf is beautiful and terrible. Sparks will fly and sails will flutter as Kit and crew are cast onto the seas of adventure to fight for queen and country.

It’s been just over a year since The Bright and Breaking Sea was released, and since then I have been eagerly awaiting the sequel. That book could be best described as having tottered on the brink of something. All the clues were there. Whereas its sequel, A Swift and Savage Tide, was an excellent story that saw the continuation (and result) of those very same clues and outstanding mysteries introduced in the first book. It was more than fitting as a sequel for a series that began with a lot of promise.

It was great to dive back into the world with Kit, her crew, and Grant. One of the main reasons for that was the dynamics between the characters being as great as it was. And I particularly enjoyed the way Neill chose to advance those relationships. Kit and her crew were tightknit, which was a highlight of the story. They were skilled at what they did, and their strong suits ultimately aided them in the difficult circumstances that surrounded the Diana’s latest missions.

And while the story had its fun and lighthearted moments, those were few. A Swift and Savage Tide had a serious tone to it, as the echoes of a greater conflict finally reached a boiling point where there was no way back. It was a fight on the land and the sea, between skill and magic. The stakes were sky high, and it made for an incredibly thrilling story.

The ending did pay off—and it was satisfying in some ways—but there was open-endedness to it. Everything was very-VERY far from over. There are so many possibilities that could be in store, and I will be over here waiting for the next book to (hopefully) be announced sometime soon.

 

About the author.....

Chloe Neill is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Captain Kit Brightling, Heirs of Chicagoland, Chicagoland Vampires, Devil’s Isle, and Dark Elite novels. She was born and raised in the South, but now makes her home in the Midwest, where she lives with her gamer husband and their bosses/dogs, Baxter and Scout. Chloe is a voracious reader and obsessive Maker of Things; the crafting rotation currently involves baking and quilting. She believes she is exceedingly witty; her husband has been known to disagree.

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Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Berkley) via Netgalley for this review, thank you!

ARC Review: Claret and Present Danger by Sarah Fox

Title: Claret and Present Danger
Series: Literary Pub Mystery #4
Author: Sarag Fox
Source/Format: NetGalley; eARC
More Details: Cozy Mystery
Publisher/Publication Date: Kensignton; November 30, 2021 

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

When a Renaissance Faire visits the small town of Shady Creek, Vermont, amateur sleuth and proprietor of bookish theme pub The Inkwell, Sadie Coleman, finds deadly happenings stick around like red wine stains on white tunics in the fourth Literary Pub Mystery by USA Today bestselling author Sarah Fox.

The Trueheart Renaissance Faire and Circus has rolled into town, attracting locals who can’t wait to spend a few summer days lost in a whimsical world of all-knowing fortune tellers and daring acrobats. Well-read pub owner Sadie Coleman is swept up in the magic herself when she serves drinks to the faire’s resident wizard, the shamelessly brazen illusionist Ozzie Stone, and scores two tickets to his opening performance. Sadie has no complaints about indulging in a free show with her new beau, craft brewery owner Grayson Blake. But while Ozzie is an instant crowd pleaser, the real surprise comes when he collapses in the middle of his set. It’s not part of the act—Ozzie is dead, seemingly poisoned by someone who wasn’t clowning around about writing the roguish showman’s final chapter. The terrifying situation intensifies when the police eye one of Sadie’s employees, last seen caught in a suspicious fist fight at the fairground. With so much at stake, Sadie must strain through a suspect list longer than her cocktail menu to find the real knave of a killer. But when another performer is murdered, it becomes clear that bringing the mixed-up murderer to justice will be about as dangerous as walking the high wire after happy hour…

I’ve seen the Literary Pub Mystery books around and was excited to read Claret and Present Danger, the fourth installment in the series. I was drawn in by the summary and intrigued by the renaissance faire and circus that was going to be at the center of the latest mystery in Shady Creek, Vermont.

Overall, I liked the story. The issues I had with it were few and mainly personal, otherwise it was a good book. Some of my favorite aspects turned out to be the faire—with the characters in costume and reciting lines. It provided a handful of moments of much needed fun (no matter how temporary) in a story that was otherwise pretty somber in content.

I also liked the characters and some of the other key locations in the story, such as the literary themed pub the main character, Sadie Coleman, owned and operated in the small scenic town. I really liked the pub’s aesthetic, and I got all the little literary references sprinkled throughout the menu. Speaking of Sadie Coleman, I liked her well enough. She was loyal and willing to help out an employee of her pub when he landed in hot water, and I liked the way her relationship with her boyfriend gradually developed. I also liked the secondary cast as well, and their presence helped drive home that the immediate community Sadie lived in was pretty close-knit.

As for the mystery, it was fine. Ozzie Stone seemed to be good at his job as well as being generally liked, but there were a lot of secrets to uncover. His were only the beginning of the tangled web that would ultimately be brought to light in Claret and Present Danger.

About the author....

Sarah Fox, writer of cozy mysteries, was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, where she developed a love for mysteries at a young age. When not writing novels or working as a legal writer she is often reading her way through a stack of books or spending time outdoors with her English Springer Spaniel. Sarah is the author of the Literary Pub Mysteries, the Pancake House Mysteries, and the Music Lover's Mysteries.

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Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Kensington) via NetGalley for this review, thank you!

ARC Review: Hollywood Heroine by Sarah Kuhn

Title: Hollywood Heroine 
Series: Heroine Complex #5
Author: Sarah Kuhn
Source/Format: NetGalley; eARC
More Details: Fantasy; Urban Fantasy
Publisher/Publication Date: DAW; October 26, 2021

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

The fifth book in the smart, snarky, and action-packed Heroine series continues the adventures of Asian-American superheroines Evie Tanaka, Aveda Jupiter, and Bea Tanaka in a demon-infested San Francisco.

Over the years, the adventures of superheroines Aveda Jupiter and Evie Tanaka have become the stuff of legend--and now they'll be immortalized in their very own TV show! The pair head to LA for filming, but Aveda struggles to get truly excited. Instead, she's preoccupied wondering about the fate of the world and her role in it. You know, the usual. Now that Otherworld activity has been detected outside the Bay Area, Aveda can't help but wonder if the demon threat will ever be eradicated. When the drama on set takes a turn for the supernatural, Evie and Aveda must balance their celebrity commitments with donning their superhero capes again to investigate. And when the evil they battle reveals a larger, more nefarious plot, it's time for the indomitable Aveda Jupiter to rise to the occasion and become the leader she was meant to be on a more global scale--and hopefully keep some semblance of a personal life while doing so.

Note: there are potential spoilers for the first four books. You have been warned…

I’m always excited to see that there’s a new release for the Heroine Complex series, because I’m always up for another adventure with Evie, Aveda, and the others. I had very high hopes for this one. The thing with long-running series is they can get even better and better, or they could do the opposite. And I have to say that Hollywood Heroine was another great installment in the series.

This book again took the cast out of San Francisco, and this time, they landed in L.A. for the filming of a show that was purportedly based on their superhero exploits. What followed was a fast paced adventure as Evie and Aveda tried to figure out if their suspicions were because of the change of pace or if they had any supernatural meaning. The conflict with the demons remains an ever evolving situation, especially since their appearances have begun to spread outside of San Francisco. It’s still one of my favorite takes on superpowers.

Besides the fantastical elements, this story was very much about the identity of the two main leads. It’s been one of the reoccurring themes of the series since the beginning, but I feel like Kuhn really decided to home-in on it and do a deeper dive into Aveda’s time when she was just beginning to build her reputation. It was a part of the story that Evie wasn’t there for, and I really appreciated a resolution on that end, particularly between Aveda and Mercedes. The cast was just as lovable as always though, and, despite this being the fifth book, there was still room for growth and change amongst the dynamics of the team.

The mix of personal conflicts and the ensuing problem also at the heart of the mystery surrounding the events of Hollywood Heroine, made for a fun and action-packed adventure. All that to say: it really was great to have another story from Aveda’s point of view.

 

About the author...

Sarah Kuhn is the author of Heroine Complex—the first in a series starring Asian American superheroines—for DAW Books. She also wrote The Ruby Equation for the comics anthology Fresh Romance and the romantic comedy novella One Con Glory, which earned praise from io9 and USA Today and is in development as a feature film. Her articles and essays on such topics as geek girl culture, comic book continuity, and Sailor Moon cosplay have appeared in Uncanny Magazine, Apex Magazine, AngryAsianMan.com, IGN.com, Back Stage, The Hollywood Reporter, StarTrek.com, Creative Screenwriting, and the Hugo-nominated anthology Chicks Dig Comics. In 2011, she was selected as a finalist for the CAPE (Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment) New Writers Award.

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Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (DAW) via NetGalley for this review, thank you!