Review: What the River Knows by Isabel Ibanez

What the River Knows (Secrets of the Nile, Book #1)

by Isabel Ibanez

Release Date: October 31, 2023

2023 Wednesday Books

Softcover ARC; 404 Pages

ISBN: 978-1250803375

ASIN: B0BQGCPHB5

Audiobook: B0C4C63K8F

Genre: Fiction / Historical / YA / Fantasy

Source: Review copy from publisher

3 / 5 Stars

Summary

Bolivian-Argentinian Inez Olivera belongs to the glittering upper society of nineteenth century Buenos Aires; she has everything a girl might want, except for the one thing she yearns the most: her globetrotting parents—who frequently leave her behind.

When she receives word of their tragic deaths, Inez inherits their massive fortune and a mysterious guardian, an archeologist in partnership with his Egyptian brother-in-law. Yearning for answers, Inez sails to Cairo, bringing her sketch pads and an ancient golden ring her father sent to her for safekeeping before he died. But upon her arrival, the old world magic tethered to the ring pulls her down a path where she soon discovers there’s more to her parent’s disappearance than what her guardian led her to believe.

My Thoughts

What the River Knows has its intriguing moments, and I definitely loved how this book was set in Egypt. And I didn't mind Inez even though I could shake her at times. I always tried to keep in mind her sheltered upbringing and how little she knew of the world despite her reading a gazillion books and dreaming of traveling the world.  But this book did require a bit of suspension of belief and while I did enjoy the overall story, it was a bit predictable. Plus, I wasn't a fan of the love interest and I personally think it would have been stronger without it.

Inez was a bit of a contradictory character; in some moments she was pretty strong and acted logically and with great strength of character, and then in other moments, she behaved so unpredictably that I actually winced. A lot of the contradictory behaviour had to do with her mother and what she discovered about her. Her actions just didn't make sense in this instance and I couldn't help rolling my eyes. And honestly, if it was just to add action and suspense to the story, it didn't work for me, not like this. I also didn't feel any connection between her and Whit, another contradictory character. He was set up to be this mysterious figure, and while I like mysteries, I just felt like the way it was set up in the story didn't work as I didn't feel the connection between them. As with both of these situations, I didn't feel any empathy for what happened and their story line seemed stilted at best. Inez's cousin however, was a completely different matter.  I think part of the problem is that I didn't really connect to what Inez was really feeling as her feelings seemed so superficial, even when she discovered awful things about people. There was no real depth to what was happening, almost as if it was happening to someone else.

I actually enjoyed the overall story, but there were holes in it a mile wide. I liked Inez's perseverance in trying to stay with the group in Egypt as everyone was trying to send her home, but I grew really irritated with the dialogue as it seemed to be a repetition of them telling her they can't tell her anything and trying very hard to send her home.  In reality, there wasn't too much of Inez actually solving the mystery of her parents' death, but more of the author guiding the reader along into what happened and this is not the type of story-telling I like. The pacing could be quite slow at times due to this repetition, and some things weren't developed or expanded on leaving the reader questioning what was happening or even why they were there.

Verdict

What the River Knows had an interesting premise and there was a lot of promise in this book. Unfortunately, the pacing was off and the story seemed to go off on tangents as if the author wasn't quite sure in which direction the story should head. I also thought the characters needed more development as I couldn't really empathize with most of them.  There was enough in this book however, that I will take a look at the second book to see what happens. I also enjoyed the narrator and thought she did a great job. I think if I had read this book, I may have not finished it, but the narrator kept me engaged enough to push through. If you like things set in Egypt, then you might want to take a look.

 

Review: Curse of the Orkney Sea by Joy Jarrett

 

Curse of the Orkney Sea

by Joy Jarrett

Release Date: October 1st, 2023

2023 Literary Wanderlust

Ebook Edition; 316 Pages

ISBN: 978-1956615265

ASIN: B0C6P595GF

Genre: Fiction / YA / Fantasy

Source: Review copy from author

 

4 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Morag’s summer trip with her family and friends to a castle in Orkney, Scotland could fix all her problems. There's no way her parents will keep fighting once they're back in the place they honeymooned. Her best friend's hot brother will have to notice her when they spend months together. That AP art class she has to retake? She'll pass it this time, now that she's thought of the best theme for her Orkney mythology.

Only it doesn't take Morag much time on the island to suspect Orkney mythology might be less myth and more fact. Strange lights in the water, odd footprints in the castle, and shadowy figures are only the beginning. It's obvious the islanders are frightened of something in the sea, and that Morag’s family are unwelcome.

 

My Thoughts

Curse of the Orkney Sea was a pleasant surprise. I was looking for something a little lighter, but still fantasy-related and this one checked off all the boxes I needed at the time.  Creepy castles are my thing so I loved the atmosphere in this book and thought the story line was fun and entertaining. While I am not one for teenage angst, it didn't really detract from the story at all, and the characters were quite interesting. 

 

Morag is the main character in this story and the story is told from her POV. Right from the moment she steps off the boat she is afflicted with a condition that prevents her from doing a lot of activities and can be quite serious, a condition I had only heard about in passing so I found it quite interesting. While her parents seemed to get carried away, as a parent I totally understand wanting to protect your child, especially in a setting such as the one in which they are in, so I actually empathized quite a bit with the  mom. Each character had their own unique voice and I enjoyed their development; there is always one know-it-all in a group and this one had it as well, but when things started falling apart, I did think it would have been interesting to know what he was thinking.  Sometimes the most annoying characters have the most interesting stories to tell. 

 

The plot itself moved along rather quickly and I really enjoyed the mythological tales and others folklore that Morag learned along the way, but then I like that kind of stuff and could read about it forever. I especially like it when it is woven into a story such as this so I was fascinated.  The author was able to describe the Orkney islands so vividly, it almost felt like I was there. Underneath the fantasy elements, there were quite a few themes running through this book however, from friendship, loyalty, infidelity, trust, betrayal, family, and self-confidence. I also loved one of the major underlying themes, that nothing is at it seems, and this theme ran through everything from the mythological conflicts to family conflicts where there was a lot of conflict brewing beneath the surface.  Although most of these themes were touched on lightly, giving the book a more MG book feeling, they were there. This is something I would have like to have seen further development in a YA book.

 

Verdict

Curse of the Orkney Sea was a fun, light-hearted fantasy novel that I enjoyed tremendously. It was action-packed, full of fun surprises, and had some themes that would have been worth developing a bit more. I recommend this to anyone looking for a quick, fun read.

Review: Ritual of Fire by D.V. Bishop

Ritual of Fire (Cesare Aldo, Book #3)

by D.V. Bishop

Release Date: May 14, 2024 (Hardcover released August 15, 2023)

2024 Pan

Paperback ARC; 432 Pages

ISBN: 978-1529096502

ASIN: B0BD4XRQDW

Audiobook: B0BPD89TNP

Genre: Fiction / Historical / Mystery

Source: Review copy from publisher

4 / 5 Stars

Summary

A night patrol finds a rich merchant hanged and set ablaze in the city’s main piazza. More than mere murder, this killing is intended to put the fear of God into Florence. Forty years earlier on this date, puritanical monk Girolamo Savonarola was executed the same way in the same place. Does this new killing mean Savonarola’s vengeful spirit has risen again?

Or are his fanatical disciples plotting to revive the monk’s regime of holy terror? Cesare Aldo has his suspicions but is hunting thieves and fugitives in the Tuscan countryside, leaving Constable Carlo Strocchi to investigate the ritual killing. When another important merchant is slain even more publicly than the first, those rich enough to escape the summer heat are fleeing to their country estates. But the Tuscan hills can also be dangerous places.

 

My Thoughts

Ritual of Fire is the third book in the Cesare Aldo series, and I thought the author continued to do an excellent job describing the difficulties of the time period.  Because I love historical fiction and also mysteries, it is always great when I find a series that combines the two and does it really well. Very atmospheric, with great character development, the descriptions were definitely the highlight, and while I enjoyed the mystery, I did find this one a bit more predictable than the previous installments, if still highly enjoyable.

 

Cesare Aldo and Carlo Strocchi are the two main characters at the heart of this series. In this book, theie relationship is at the breaking point (for reasons I won't disclose here), but it has caused a huge rift in their friendship and I also feel it has caused Strocchi some pain as he is now realizing there is more to the people he loves than he at first perceives. Unable to cope with his discoveries, he decides to ignore his friendship, but what he knows could be very dangerous for Aldo. Because of this, Aldo works the Tuscan countryside instead of Florence, something I thought was very well done as the mystery in this book takes place in both the countryside as well as Florence.  I really enjoyed the characters, their day-to-day struggles during the early reign of Duke Cosimo, and how they dealt with the ups and downs of living during this time period. Each character had its own unique voice and it was easy to get into their heads and feel empathy for what they were going through. 

 

The author does a great job demonstrating the political situation of the time period, including the turmoil and tension that existed when these murders started happening. I could feel the madness of the crowds, the injustice of the earlier burnings rearing their heads, and the edge of something horrible happening throughout the story. There was so much political corruption during this time period, and I thought the author did a lot of research to show the difficulties of detective work during this period as well as the way they needed to work around Duke Cosimo's faction.  Because Strocchi and Aldo were in two separate areas, the story was told in multiple POV, but this didn't detract from the story line and I waited with anticipation wondering how the dual story lines would eventually connect.  While I did find this one a bit more predictable and easier to figure out, the descriptions were so well done that it didn't matter and I pretty much read it in one sitting.

 

Verdict

Ritual of Fire is another great historical murder mystery that blends political intrigue, murder, mayhen, religious fervour, and historical figures and facts into one excellent plot.  With rich details and excellent character development, I highly recommend this series to anyone who loves historical fiction with an interesting mystery.  I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series, A Divine Fury.

 

Review: Honey by Isabel Banta

Honey

by Isabel Banta

Release Date: June 4, 2024

2024 Celadon Books

Softcover ARC; 336 Pages

ISBN: 978-1250333469

ASIN: B0CFJTQVFL

Audiobook: B0CKM1XSYB

Genre: Fiction / YA / Contemporary

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

2 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

It is 1997, and Amber Young has received a life-changing call. It is a chance thousands of girls would die for: the opportunity to join girl group Cloud9 in Los Angeles and escape her small town. She quickly finds herself in the orbits of fellow rising stars Gwen Morris, a driven singer-dancer, and Wes Kingston, a member of the biggest boy band in the world, ETA.

As Amber embarks on her solo career and her fame intensifies, her rich interior life is frequently reduced. Surrounded by people who claim to love her but only wish to exploit her, and driven by a desire for recognition and success, for love and sex, for agency and connection, Amber comes of age at a time when the kaleidoscope of public opinion can distort everything and one mistake can shatter a career.

 

My Thoughts

Honey is one of those books that had many elements that I enjoy, but the execution was very much lacking for me.  The premise sounded really good; I mean, who doesn't love a book about 90s pop music and all the hype that went along with that? And while the writing wasn't terrible, and there were moments that were quite interesting, overall, both the story line and the characters lacked development and I had to push myself to finish this book. 

 

Amber is the main character of the story, and while I enjoyed following her process of becoming a pop star, I didn't really connect with her as a character. Part of the reason for this is the author's writing style as it felt like Amber was constantly on the outside of the scenes in which she participated. If this doesn't make sense, I don't know how else to explain it other than she wasn't controlling her own narrative, but seemed to be following everyone else's story. All the people in her relationships seemed to be doing it bigger and better than she was, and she was just there for whatever reason. I would have liked to have seen more character development rather than this rag doll who doesn't really do anything. And the other characters are portrayed the same way, flat and one-dimensional which makes it really difficult to connect to them on an emotional level.  It got to the point where I didn't care what happened to them, or I was hoping for some major drama just for a change in someone's personality.  Basically, none of these people seemed relatable/real, Amber being the worst of them all. She constantly talks about how she wants control of her writing, her career, her life, but doesn't do anything about it. I also think the author may have wasted an opportunity here to show how little control these singers had over their lives, if that was the message being portrayed, something that could have sent a powerful message throughout the book.

While the author definitely has talent, this book tended to lean too much on the telling rather than showing the reader what is happening. I wanted to feel Amber's emotions when she sang on stage during her concerts, how people reacted to her. I wanted to know what happened at her press conferences. I wanted to know what it was like for her when she met her fans. There was little of this and this would definitely have helped us understand Amber's life as she grew more famous.  I really had no idea how the fans were reacting to her music and to her, nor did we get a glimpse of that from the other singers. Why not? We hear she's a good singer from those around her, but what do the fans think? Again, the author doesn't sink us into that part of her world, focusing more on her sexual escapades and how she doesn't believe she needs to hide her sexuality from the world rather than on her music.  I didn't mind that aspect of the story, but like everything in this book, written and explored at a superficial level. So much focus on her body and how it was developed. WE GET IT!! She was developed. Now move on. 

Verdict

Honey had a lot of promise, but didn't capitalize on the themes in this book to showcase the control music empires had over their singers, how they pit their singers against each other, and the rather strict expectations they had. I found the relationships to be somewhat shallow and was even disappointed in how Amber's relationship with her mother was portrayed, as yet again, instead of showing how it impacted her life, it was relegated to the background as unimportant.  Overall, I didn't feel like I learned very much about Amber as there was little character development, something that left me detached from the book and the story. I don't regret reading it, and I will probably try another book by this author as there is a lot of potential here, but this one was a miss for me.

 

 

Review: The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst

The Spellshop

by Sarah Beth Durst

Release Date: July 9, 2024

2024 Tor

Ebook ARC; 384 Pages

ISBN: 978-1035042326

ASIN: B0CK72J9SS

Audiobook: B0CL1DF783

Genre: Fiction / Cozy Fantasy

Source: Review copy from publisher

4 / 5 Stars 

Summary

Kiela and her assistant, Caz, a sentient spider plant, have spent most of the last eleven years sequestered among the empire’s precious spellbooks, protecting the magic for the city’s elite. But a revolution is brewing and when the library goes up in flames, she and Caz steal whatever books they can and flee to the faraway island where she grew up.

The empire with its magic spellbooks has slowly been draining power from the island, something that Kiela is indirectly responsible for, and now she’s determined to find a way to make things right. Opening up a spell shop comes with its own risks—the consequence of sharing magic with commoners is death. And as Kiela comes to make a place for herself among the quirky townspeople, she realizes that in order to make a life for herself, she must break down the walls she has kept so high.

 

My Thoughts

The Spellshop is one of those books I needed at this time; it was light, had very low drama, focused on friendships and self-discovery, and interesting magic. After having read some grimdark fantasy, I needed something light, fantastical, fun, and this one ticked off all the boxes.  I personally thought this one did what cozy fantasy was intended to do, create a fun, magical world that explored the development of the main character without really focusing too much on political issues or on the romance. 

 

Kiela is the main character of the story and at first, she is quite withdrawn having spent the past decade of her life in the great library protecting books and doing what she was told by the powers that be. Keeping to yourself and not creating trouble was the way to stay alive, but this also made her unaware of what was happening around her, and she became very isolated as a result. Upon escaping, realizing she needed others in order to keep herself alive, Kiela had to come out of her shell and go into the village and try to come up with ways to feed herself and stay alive. And this is where I really thought her character started to develop and became much more interesting. At first, she was sort of annoying, thinking she could stay hidden for the rest of her life just to protect her books, but realizing she couldn't do it on her own, making friends and responding to others in the village was the highlight of this book. I loved the secondary characters as they were so unique and interesting. And Caz, my favourite character in this book. How do you not love a talking spider plant who is afraid of water?   

The overall story is based on the found-family trope and I thought it was well done.  The book is somewhat slow at times, but I didn't mind at all as the world-building and the characters were very well developed. The story is brimming with all kinds of magic, everything from sentient plants to flying cats to mer-horses. While it could be a bit repetitive, this didn't bother me in the slightest; I adored the magical creatures that abounded in this book and found the way Kiela made a life for herself to be quite interesting. To be honest, I would like to purchase a place on this island and live there.  Personally, I am glad the main conflict didn't last long as it would have taken that cozy feel away from the story; I thought the author did the right thing with that story line. This is a book meant to be on the lighter side, without all the political stuff and fighting.

Verdict

The Spellshop was a lot of fun to read and a perfect break from those grimdark books I had been reading. It was light, fantastical, with a host of magical creatures, and even a light romance.  And while the story may have felt somewhat repetitive at times, it was whimsical enough to not bother me in the slightest. If you are looking for something sweet and wholesome, with found family tropes, then this book is definitely for you.

 

Review: Herrick's End by T.M. Blanchet

Herrick's End (The Neath Trilogy, Book 1)

by T.M. Blanchet

Release Date: May 10, 2022

2022 Tiny Fox Press LLC

Ebook Edition; 312 Pages

ISBN: 978-1946501417

ASIN: B09D8N276Q

Genre: Fiction / YA / Fantasy

Source: Review copy from author

3.5 / 5 Stars

Summary

Ollie's only friend disappeared a few days ago, and now, he's frantic to find her. But he doesn't have much to go on until a mysterious note arrives which reads:
"Still looking for your friend? I know where she is." Unfortunately for Ollie, the trail leads to the last place he'd ever expect.
Worse still, it soon becomes clear that someone--or something--was expecting him.

Now, time is running out. If Ollie has any hope of ever seeing home again, he's going to have to summon every last scrap of courage, smarts, and tenacity he can find. And none of it will matter if he can't get some help. Fast.

My Thoughts

Herrick's End had a really interesting premise, and I really loved the secret, dark underworld in which Ollie found himself, a world that exists under our own modern world, with secret entrances spread throughout the world. As a kid, I've always been fascinated by this idea ever since reading The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, so I am always drawn to these types of books as I have always wanted to just open a secret compartment and enter a fantasy world.  However, the world in this book is no Narnia, one that is dangerous for Ollie, one that holds a lot of secrets for him.  The story was pretty fast-paced, the world-building was great, and I loved the story of the witches and how the world was formed. My biggest issue was Ollie himself.

Ollie is the main character or the book and I really, really wanted to love him.  He is supposed to come across the pages as this big, loveable guy who has confidence issues because he is overweight. Ok, that is fine. But when you blame everything that happens to him on this fact it becomes annoying and tedious after a while.  Personally, I loved the weight-issue thing, that he wasn't this hero who looked like a god, who had faults as that is a breath of fresh air in YA books.  I just felt his self-confidence issues and his phobia issues weren't addressed as well as they could have been in this book, but relied more on being a handicap for why he doesn't act in certain scenarios or why he got himself into certain situations. Not really convincing.  But you will never convince me that he's a great guy when he doesn't necessarily help others in need and allows things to happen to him, and when bad things happen to other people, he only acts when it becomes harmful to him.  When he was called out for it in one part of the book, I think you were supposed to feel sympathy for Ollie, but I actually thought the woman was right. He did grow and develop throughout the book, but blaming his weight didn't stop. Enough already. And not a fan of the hero complex thing either. 

The other characters in this book were great however, and I enjoyed them quite a bit, to the point where I want their stories, the reasons for why they are in this world, especially Tera and Leonard.  

The highlight for me was the world-building. I really loved this underground world and what it represented, and the twists and turns actually caught me by surprise. I thought they were great fun, and I enjoyed the fast-paced action of the story. Because this is the first book of a trilogy, I was not expecting the whole world to be developed, and I am definitely looking forward to what other surprises the author has in store for us.  Beware however, what I thought was going to be a lighter book actually turned quite dark, with themes of domestic abuse being quite prevalent throughout the story as well as consequences for other types of abuse. I am also expecting these themes to be explored more thoroughly in the next two books.  While I appreciate the theme running through the book, I am still unsure what the actual message is in this book as I don't feel it is clear. 

Verdict

Herrick's End was definitely not what I thought it was going to be, going from a fairly light read to one with very serious dark undertones, but I really enjoyed the world-building and except for Ollie, thought  the characters were intriguing. I did think some of the themes and messages needed to be developed a bit more, and I wasn't a fan of the main character because he just doesn't listen to others, basing his actions off his own insecurities rather than for altruistic reasons.  I did find the story interesting enough that I will be finishing the trilogy as I am curious as to certain elements and threads that have been started in this book.  And while the book has some sort of conclusion, it does leave certain plot threads loose that will hopefully be continued in the next book.   

Review: The Silverblood Promise by James Logan

The Silverblood Promise (The Last Legacy, Book #1)

by James Logan

Release Date: May 7, 2024

2024 Tor

Ebook ARC: 528 Pages

ISBN: 978-1250345806

ASIN: B0CGRWG4J1

Audiobook: B0CKM37DBK

Genre: Fiction / Fantasy

Source: Review copy from publisher

4 / 5 Stars

Summary

Lukan Gardova is a cardsharp, academy dropout, and―thanks to a duel that ended badly―the disgraced heir to an ancient noble house. His days consist of cheap wine, rigged card games, and wondering how he might win back the life he threw away.

When Lukan discovers that his estranged father has been murdered in strange circumstances, he finds fresh purpose. Deprived of his chance to make amends for his mistakes, he vows to unravel the mystery behind his father's death.

His search for answers leads him to Saphrona, fabled city of merchant princes, where anything can be bought if one has the coin. Lukan only seeks the truth, but instead he finds danger and secrets in every shadow. For in Saphrona, everything has a price―and the price of truth is the deadliest of all.

 

My Thoughts

The Silverblood Promise was exactly what I needed at the moment, something light, fun, with the promise of deadly politics and lots of adventure.  To be honest, I was looking for something along more traditional lines, including the tropes, and this delivered. It was entertaining and although Lukan annoyed me at times as he could be somewhat immature, there was enough adventure, murder, secrecy, political intrigue, and mysteries to keep me interested and intrigued. 

Lukan Gardova is the main character and he could be a bit annoying a times, but in a good way. Having got himself into a spot of trouble, he had been on the run for several years until he discovered his father had been murdered. Angry because he was estranged from his father and had not been able to mend his relationship, he took it upon himself to discover why an academic would be the target of murderers. Lukan was a fun character to follow, but he was immature, given to drink whenever things got tough, and that happened a lot in this book.  I believe the author's intention is to make you feel frustrated with Lukan as he is a bit spoiled despite his adventures, and needs to learn to listen and shut his mouth when necessary. And while he does show a lot of character development, there is still a lot of room to grow in the next book, something that I really liked as he didn't suddenly become this superhero. In fact, an eleven-year-old had to rescue him, twice, from certain death because he was foolish. Despite all of this, his heart is in the right place and his intentions are good even if he blunders and makes loads of mistakes.  I thoroughly enjoyed the humour and sarcasm throughout though, as it lessened the tension of what is essentially a darker novel as its roots.

The plot actually moved rather quickly from one scene to another with a few twists and turns.  While it has a more traditional feeling, something I loved, it was also unique and fun, focusing more on the mystery of Lukan father's death, but subtly weaving in the political intrigue that I love.  The city of Saphrona where most of the action takes place is a gritty city at its root, with the wealthy trying to consolidate their power and their wealth leaving the poor to struggle, creating a clear division of power. And the city is known for worshiping money and status. As Lukan searches for his father's murderers, he finds himself caught in a deadly web of intrigue in this city that will have major consequences for him and for the citizens. I loved how the author subtly wove all of this together, and how easily it was for Lukan to get caught up in all the intrigue.  Throughout all this grimness though, the author managed to really balance moments of relief with the darker moments, something I really appreciated. Don't get me wrong, I really love grimdark fantasy, but I wanted something that wasn't quite so dark and dreary and this fit the bill perfectly.

Verdict

The Silverblood Promise was a fun, solid fantasy that I just devoured. The investigation was engaging, the dialogue was entertaining, the character development was solid, and the story line, while it will continue inthe second book, had a satisfying conclusion. While there were some parts that were a bit predictable, I didn't actually mind because the story was so likable and engaging, and the author's ability to draw you into the story with his writing skill was well done. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy, and I can't wait until book two is released next year.