Music Monday (133): Halsey, Aloe Blacc, Lone

 

   Rules:

• Music Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Lauren Stoolfire at Always Me that asks you to share one or two songs that you've recently enjoyed. For the rules, visit the page HERE 

Breana: This week, I'm listening to Halsey's new song, I'm Not Mad. This is one of my favorite tracks by this artist to date. It's on my playlist, and I have it on repeat. 

Adri: Lately, I've been listening to Lone's newer releases. I think I've said it before, but I'm saying it again: I have yet to be disappointed by Lone's music. Anyway, my pick is Boketto.

Andrea: Hi all! I hope everyone is doing well while listening to great music. This week, I've been listening to My Way and I Do by Aloe Blacc. Both songs are from his new album, All Love Everything. Have an amazing week!

What are you listening to this week?

ARC Review: Mary: The Adventures of Mary Shelley's Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Granddaughter by Brea Grant, Illustrated by Yishan Li

Title: Mary: The Adventures of Mary Shelley's Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Granddaughter
Series: n/a
Author: Brea Grant
Illustrator: Yishan Li
Source/Format: Netgalley; eARC
More Details: Fantasy; Graphic Novel
Publisher/Publication Date: Six Foot Press; October 6, 2020

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

Angsty teenager Mary Shelley is not interested in carrying on her family’s celebrated legacy of being a great writer, but she soon discovers that she has the not-so-celebrated (and super-secret) Shelley power to heal monsters, just like her famous ancestor, and those monsters are not going to let her ignore her true calling anytime soon.
The Shelley family history is filled with great writers: the original Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein, the acclaimed mystery writer Tawny Shelley, cookbook maven Phyllis Shelley…the list goes on and on. But this Mary Shelley, named after her great-great-great-great-great grandmother, doesn’t want anything to do with that legacy. Then a strangely pale (and really cute) boy named Adam shows up and asks her to heal a wound he got under mysterious circumstances, and Mary learns something new about her family: the first Mary Shelley had the power to heal monsters, and Mary has it, too. Now the monsters won’t stop showing up, Mary can’t get her mother Tawny to leave her alone about writing something (anything!), she can’t tell her best friend Rhonda any of this, and all Mary wants is to pass biology.

The name Mary Shelley is a recognizable one. I haven’t read Frankenstein yet, but I have seen some of the many iteration’s of the titular character in other media. So I was drawn to this graphic novel, which imagines what the descendants of Shelley would be like with a notably paranormal edge. Mary was a fun read. There was a lot I liked about the story, and overall it was good.

I liked the art style. The characters had a very unique look to them, and the setting was done quite beautifully. Though if you have read a lot of young adult novels, especially on the paranormal side, you will recognize a lot of the tropes used here. They were used effectively, and the end result was an enjoyable story perfect for October.

One of the highlights was the character, Mary, who didn’t seem to quite fit in with the rest of her family—who were all writers, whether it be for cookbooks, memoirs, or fiction. In many ways, her issues of feeling pressured by her family to follow in their footsteps—and feeling unsure of what she really wanted to do—felt very real. I can also say the same about the rest of her family. They meant well, but they could come across as overbearing. Still I liked how those themes—namely family and coming-of-age—were handled. I do have to note that Mary’s powers were extremely easy for her to master. There didn’t seem to be much effort at all, just some hesitation on her part.

That being said, I really enjoyed Mary. If there’s ever a sequel for it, I will likely read it.

About the author...

Brea Grant is a filmmaker/writer best known for co-writing/directing the apocalyptic feature, Best Friends Forever, and acting on shows like Heroes and Dexter and features like Halloween II and Dead Night. She has co-written two comic series: We Will Bury You, a 1920s zombie series, and The Suicide Girls, based on the popular website. She also wrote a short story for the collection Zombies vs Robots: This Means War! She wrote and created the series, The Real Housewives of Horror for Nerdist and most recently wrote and directed an episode of the Netflix show, EastSiders. As if she’s not busy enough, she also co-hosts a weekly podcast called Reading Glasses on the Maximum Fun network. You can currently see her award-winning short Feminist Campfire Stories on Funny or Die and her acting work on the series The Arrangement. She wrote and will star in a feminist slasher called Lucky later this year. In her spare time, she enjoys reading science fiction and watching too much TV while pretending like it's research.

About the illustrator...

Yishan Li is a professional UK/Chinese manga artist currently living in Shanghai. Yishan has worked with publishers such as Top Cow, DC, Darkhorse, Random house, Titan comics, Delcourt, and Dargaud. Her recent works include: HELLBOY AND THE B.P.R.D.: 1956 (Dark Horse); Paradox Girl ( Top cow/ Image); Buffy the High school years graphic novel (3 books, published by Dark Horse), Sugar ( Top Cow/ Image), Lady Di and Me (Glenat France) and Blue Beetle (DC Comics).

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

Quarterly Recap: July-September

It’s hard to believe it’s already October, but it’s already time for the next quarterly recap. Today, I’m going to go over the reviews and other posts that have appeared on the blog between July and September.

July Reviews

• Deal With the Devil by Kit Rocha
• Axiom's End by Lindsay Ellis
• Haunted Heroine by Sarah Kuhn

August Reviews

• Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
• The Hidden Life of Ice by Marco Tedesco
• Midnight at the Barclay Hotel by Fleur Bradly

September Reviews

• Silver In the Wood by Emily Tesh
• Fangs by Sarah Anderson
• Unbirthday by Liz Braswell
• Floriography by Jessica Roux 
• The Case Study of Vanitas Volume 4 by Jun Mochizuki

Other July Posts

• I Listened to Ungodly Hour by Chloe X Halle
• Favorite Recipe: Refried Beans
• Quarterly Recap: April-June
• Short Stories I Read in June

Other August Posts

• Acrylics
• Short Stories I Read In July
• Upcoming Music I'm Waiting For

Other September Posts

• I Listened to Jaguar by Victoria Monet
• I Listened to Cape God by Allie X and Where Does the Devil Hide by Zella Day
• Short Stories I read in August

2020 has been an unpredictable year, so I’m not making any concrete plans. I’m going to skip right to some of the posts that will appear on the blog this month. Starting on October tenth, I’m going to share some Halloween themed art from my sketchbook. I read the fifth volume of The Case Study of Vanitas in September, so there will be a review for that. I’m also reviewing The Sisters of Straygarden Place and The Eternal City later in this month. I also read an ARC of Tales From the Hinterland, and I really enjoyed it. The review for it will be posted closer to the release date, which isn’t until next year. However, if you enjoyed The Hazel Wood duology, then I recommend Tales From the Hinterland.   

Short Stories I Read in August...

Today is the 29th of September, so it’s time to talk about the short stories, podcast episodes, and other miscellaneous posts I read or listened to in August.

Last Orders In The Green Lane by Stephen O’Donnell (Strange Horizons; Issue: 6, July 2020)

The first short story I tackled in August was Last Orders In The Green Lane. From the first line to the last, I was drawn into the story. It was short and straight to the point. I would say that it was a little melancholic, with a note of reminiscing and hopeful determination at some points. It was a little like starting a story in the middle of the climatic point of the plot. It was the calm before the storm, the preparation before the battle, and that’s where it ended. Still, I liked this one.

The Ruby Of The Summer King by Mari Ness (Uncanny Magazine; Issue Thirty-Five, July/August 2020)

The second short story I read was The Ruby of the Summer King. I loved this story. It reminded me of a lot of the fairy/fey lore heavy books I’ve read in the past, particularly Holly Black’s work. Though it was never explicitly stated that the characters were any kind of fey, the tone and elements in the story had a strong resemblance to it. Mari Ness’s writing was absolutely lovely, and I enjoyed how the story used the seasons and months as characters in their own right. I also enjoyed how the themes as well as a love story—that was unfortunately doomed—was explored.

The Inaccessibility of Heaven by Aliette de Bodard (Uncanny Magazine; Issue Thirty-Five, July/August)

You can’t go wrong with an Aliette de Bodard story, and The Inaccessibility of Heaven was fantastic. It was a hardboiled detective noir story, set in a world with witches and fallen angels. It reminded me of The House of Shattered Wings, which is still one of my favorite stories by this author. Bodard’s take on fallen angels has always been one of my favorites, so I enjoyed finding many similarities to that series in this story. The Inaccessibility of Heaven was full of surprising twists, and it was made even better by the complicated relationships and history between the characters. The “Fallen” were quite complex as characters, and there was a question of holding one’s self accountable for past actions (it was a theme that came up throughout in much of the story). It was, however, kind of dark, but with the type of story it was—murder mystery—that’s to be expected. So if you’ve enjoyed any of Aliette de Bodard’s work in the past, then this is a story that should be on your radar.

From Around The Web…

• Read an Excerpt From Wayward Witch, Conclusion to the Brooklyn Brujas Trilogy (Zorida Cordova; Tor.com, August 10, 2020)
• Shinning Bright: Cosmology and History in Star Daughter by Shveta Thakrar (Gabriella Tutino; Tor.com, August 17, 2020)
• The Wild Magic of Emily Tesh’s Drowned Country (Alex Brown; Tor.com, August 18, 2020)
• Sleeps With Monsters: Into the Woods With Emily Tesh and Carrie Vaughn (Liz Bourke; Tor.com, August 25, 2020)

Music Monday (132): Tove Lo, Charlie Puth

   Rules:

• Music Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Lauren Stoolfire at Always Me that asks you to share one or two songs that you've recently enjoyed. For the rules, visit the page HERE 

Breana: Tove Lo released a new song last week called, Don't Say Goodbye, with ALOK & Ilkay Sencan. It's one of my favorite songs featuring Tove Lo.

Andrea: This week, I'm listening to music by Charlie Puth. I hope everyone has a great week!

What are you listening to this week?

I Listened to Cape God by Allie X and Where Does The Devil Hide by Zella Day

Cape God (Released on February 21, 2020)… 

It might have taken me a while, but I finally got around to listening to Allie X’s Cape God. I’m so glad I did. Cape God was tonally darker with a brooding sound to it, rather than the high-energy tone of the pop and synth sounds that defined Super Sunset. That wasn’t a bad thing of course, and some of those same influences could also be found on Cape God too. I have to admit: Cape God was great album. I liked Allie X’s vocal delivery on all of the tracks, and there were also some cool visualizers to accompany the songs. Some of the standout tracks included Devil I Know, Madame X, Sarah Come Home, Life of the Party and Susie Save Your Love featuring Mitski. Those songs in particular were incredibly memorable for me, and I see myself returning to this album again, just to give the lyrics a closer examination. If you’ve listened to music by Allie X before, then you’ll likely enjoy Cape God.

Where Does The Devil Hide (Released on August 28, 2020) … 

Where Does The Devil Hide has finally been released, and most of the songs from it are pretty recognizable (most of them were singles). In particular, People Are Strangers, which I’ve mentioned on a Music Monday post a few weeks back. Still generally speaking, this EP—with just five tracks to its name—had a good selection of songs. Where Does The Devil Hide had a distinctly pop sound with a singer-songwriter and indie edge (along the same vein as St. Vincent). It was sometimes nostalgic in its sound for eighties/seventies disco (funk) tracks—think Earth, Wind, and Fire, with a bit of Rayven Lenae’s Crush EP—it had Zella Day’s unique vocals, and the visuals for the music videos captured the overall feel of the music. Overall, this was a good EP. Some of the standouts were People are Strangers, Purple Haze, and My Game. But really, I liked all the songs relatively equally. So Where Does The Devil Hide will likely end up on one of my playlists.

Have you listened to music by Allie X or Zella Day? If so, are you planning to listen to Where Does The Devil Hide or Cape God?

Review: The Case Study of Vanitas volume 4 by Jun Mochizuki

Title: The Case Study of Vanitas
Series: The Case Study of Vanitas volume #4
Author: Jun Mochizuki
Source/Format: Gift; Paperback
More Details: Fantasy; Alternative History; Manga
Publisher/Publication Date: Yen Press; November 22, 2017

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

Deep within the bowels of Paris, Noé and Vanitas race through the catacombs with an elite team of chasseurs, the Church's anti-vampire unit, in hot pursuit. Their search for the missing vampires takes the pair down a path all too familiar to Vanitas, bringing them face-to-face with not only an overwhelming curse-bearer, but also with Vanitas's past. Confronted by the horrific menace, what will Noé and Vanitas fight for, and whom will they save...?

I had some arcs to get through last month, so I didn’t have as much time to read anything else. It wasn’t until recently that I finally got around to reading volume 4 of The Case Study of Vanitas. This series is so good so far.

I’m enjoying the story, as well as the way Mochizuki created this alternative version of Paris. The illustration of the setting is just perfection, and the way the various locations are used to set the tone of a scene creates a very atmospheric reading experience. I liked all the real-world details and history incorporated into the story. It seamlessly fit with the fantastical elements—like vampires and Astermite (a type of stone that also went through rewriting during the “Babel incident”)—and there are layers of complexity to the series, which is only just beginning to be explored in-depth.

This volume was action-packed and further expanded the world with the continued conflict between the protagonists and the church’s anti-vampire Chasseurs. I have to admit that I like the Chasseurs. They’re a tough group, and I liked the way they were portrayed. Roland, in particular, was an entertaining character. He provided a few comical moments, which broke up the tension a little. This volume also explored more of Vanitas’s past, and it was as forlorn as I thought it would be. It only raised more questions about his connection to the Vampire of the Blue Moon as well as how he ended up with The Book. The witty banter between Vanitas and Noé is one my favorite parts of the dialogue. As I’ve mentioned before, their personalities are polar opposites, and that means that they often clash. However some of the best moments were when Noé and Vanitas got along enough to work together, and their dynamic during combat was one of my favorite aspects about volume 4.

A few familiar faces also appeared in volume 4 too. The chapters with Jeanne were kind of cute, before they got serious. Generally speaking, I hope there’ll be more about her character sometime soon.

Volume 4 was fantastic, and I’m looking forward to where the story goes next.

Music Monday (131): Dua Lipa, Oceans of Slumber, Mary J. Blige

   Rules:

• Music Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Lauren Stoolfire at Always Me that asks you to share one or two songs that you've recently enjoyed. For the rules, visit the page HERE 

Breana: I'm currently listening to Future Nostalgia by Dua Lipa. I'm really enjoying this album. One of my favorite songs from it is Love Again.

Adri: I recently ordered Oceans of Slumber's self-titled album. I haven't received it yet, but I've been listening to it on stream and am not disappointed. My first pick is The Colors of Grace.

My second pick is not on the album, but I still love it. It's called Strange Fruit, and this version is very haunting. The flashing lights add to the ambiance (by the way, warning for flashing lights). 

Andrea: This week, I'm listening to Everything by Mary J. Blige.

What are you listening to this week?

The Friday 56 (186) & Book Beginnings: The Case Study of Vanitas volume 4 by Jun Mochizuki

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading.

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Deep within the bowels of Paris, Noé and Vanitas race through the catacombs with an elite team of chasseurs, the Church's anti-vampire unit, in hot pursuit. Their search for the missing vampires takes the pair down a path all too familiar to Vanitas, bringing them face-to-face with not only an overwhelming curse-bearer, but also with Vanitas's past. Confronted by the horrific menace, what will Noé and Vanitas fight for, and whom will they save...?

Beginning: ""Well? What do you want to do? Will you...come with me too?""

56: ""Do you really understand,  Noé?""

Comments: I finally got around to reading the fourth volume of The Case Study of Vanitas. I really enjoyed the direction the story went in, and I'm looking forward to the next volume. What are you reading this week?

Review: Silver In The Wood by Emily Tesh

Title: Silver In The Wood
Series: The Greenhollow Duology #1
Author: Emily Tesh
Source/Format: Tor E-book club; eBook
More Details: Fantasy; Novella
Publisher/Publication Date: Tor.com; June 18, 2019

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

There is a Wild Man who lives in the deep quiet of Greenhollow, and he listens to the wood. Tobias, tethered to the forest, does not dwell on his past life, but he lives a perfectly unremarkable existence with his cottage, his cat, and his dryads. When Greenhollow Hall acquires a handsome, intensely curious new owner in Henry Silver, everything changes. Old secrets better left buried are dug up, and Tobias is forced to reckon with his troubled past—both the green magic of the woods, and the dark things that rest in its heart.

Recently, I’ve been reading a few articles about Emily Tesh’s writing, and they renewed my interest enough for Silver In The Wood that I finally gave it a read. I liked this story a lot. It had the kind of fairy-tale atmosphere and deftly spun folklore that I’ve enjoyed in the past—in books like Spinning Silver and The Bear and the Nightingale. Tobias Finch’s story was well-done, and I was quickly engrossed in the mysterious nature of his prolonged stay in the woods around Greenhollow Hall. His care for the wood spoke volumes about his character, despite his sometimes gruff demeanor. I also liked Henry Silver, for the nature of his characteristics—sometimes inquisitive, charming, and determined—and his time with Tobias. Separately, they were great characters, but their interactions were some of the best parts of Silver In The Wood. What I also liked was how the past clashed with the present, and the themes of age and reconstruction, the cycle of a forest—and the play on the story of the Green Man. As such, the magical elements of the story had a very lush and earthy feel to them—as did the writing, which I consider to be atmospheric—and all around it was pretty great.

I could keep going, but I don’t want to spoil this story for anyone who hasn’t read it. What I will say—and leave off at—is that there was much that I enjoyed about Silver in the Wood. I know there is a sequel for it, and it’s on my TBR list.