Category: Fiction Page 11 of 317

Cover Reveal: A Dress to Kill For by Tessa Hastjarjanto

I’m very pleased today to welcome the Cover Reveal for Tessa Hastjarjanto’s short story A Dress to Kill For to this patch o’ cyberspace this morning! Before the main event, let’s learn a little bit about the story and author, shall we? It’ll just take a moment, and then we can all take a peak at the cover.

Book Details:

Book Title: A Dress to Kill For by Tessa Hastjarjanto
Genre: Horror, historical
Length: 4k words, (21+/- pages)
Release Date: September 30, 2024
Content warnings: Occultism/demons, murder, physical violence (stabbing), ableism, physical permanent injury, chronic pain

About the Story:

How much are you willing to sacrifice to gain everything you ever wanted?

Lady Claire Rosewood lives on the fringes of society, pitied by the people she used to call her friends, and her husband is no longer the suave businessman he once was. Frustrated with both her status and her marriage, she longs for more.

When an opportunity presents itself that allows her not only to be part of higher society, but to mingle with the elite, she needs to make a choice. Every rise to the top comes at a cost, but is she ready to pay with blood?

A Dress to Kill For is a horror short story, perfect for those who love The Picture of Dorian Gray and Crimson Peak.

Links:

Universal Book Link ~ Goodreads
Newsletter subscribers receive their free copy on September 28th. Signup is on her author site www.tessahastjarjanto.com

About the Author:

Tessa Hastjarjanto is a Dutch/Indonesian writer from the Netherlands. She writes speculative fiction, and blogs at narratess.com about books, fountain pens, and writing.

From a young age, she imitated popular stories and games in creating her own worlds. This love eventually led to a master’s degree in media and game studies at the University of Utrecht. However a mundane desk job was enough to inspire her to follow her creative passion. The first fanfics were written in lunch breaks and soon original fiction followed.

With the support of her husband, she now focuses on her writing career while battling chronic pain. Swiss white shepherd, Shiro, acts as a therapy dog to keep her healthy and reduce stress through extensive cuddle sessions.

Author Links:

Website ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Book Bub ~ Amazon ~ Goodreads>

and now…

The Cover

If you’re in the mood for this dramatic reveal in a video, click here (I can’t get it to display here for some reason). Otherwise, scroll down a little further…

cover for A Dress to Kill for by Tessa Hastjarjanto Woman with dark red hair wears a Victorian evening gown made form black satin. The bottom of the skirt is blood red, forming a gradient towards the black. She stands with her back towards the camera and holds open the red velvet curtains, walking through them. Shadows surround the whole image. There's red text at the top, Tessa Hastjarjanto (author), and next to the woman, on the shadowed curtain, A Dress to Kill For.

That’s a good level of creepy for this time of year and this type of story, right? Cover designer: Tessa Hastjarjanto; Cover art: Feastock/Depositphoto
Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Saint the Terrifying by Joshua Mohr and Release Day for “Size Queens” by Slummy

I’m very pleased today to share this spotlight for Joshua Mohr’s upcoming release, Saint the Terrifying, and also, it’s the release day of the single “Size Queens” by Slummy. Why, you ask, do I mention both of these? Great question. The materials I received put it this way:

Author Joshua Mohr spent his formative years in the East Bay punk scene playing in various bands. Now with eight books under his belt, Mohr was offered a combined book and record deal through Los Angeles presses Unnamed Press and Rare Bird. The book is the first in a trilogy, entitled Saint the Terrifying (Unnamed Press, 2024), and is based on a character named Saint, an East Bay punk musician with Viking roots. Saint’s band is called Slummy, so that is the name that Mohr recorded under for the EP entitled The Wrong Side (Rare Bird, 2024), which will be pressed to vinyl and out on the same release day as the book, October 22nd, 2024. Mohr recorded at Grandma’s Warehouse in LA with local band Movie Club backing him up for the songs he wrote as his own fictional character.

So let’s talk about them both.

Book Details:

Title: Saint the Terrifying
Genre: General Fiction
Format: e-Book/Paperback
Length: 290 pages
Publisher: Unnamed Press
Publication Date: October 22, 2024
Cover to Saint the Terrifying by Joshua Mohr

About the Book:

In the first installment of Joshua Mohr’s Viking Punk saga, a West Oakland musician acquires a new name and new calling. Chasing down a gang of thieves, Saint the Terrifying turns a gritty urban detective story into the stuff of legend.

Saint’s an ex-con still coming to terms with his origin story.

Raised in the wilds of Norway by an artisan father famed for his glass-blown birds, Saint trained daily in ancient Norse martial arts with a bear as his sparring partner. One day, his father makes a critical mistake, forcing Saint to leave his home forever, and move to San Francisco.

Years later and fresh out of prison, Saint finds himself immersed in the Oakland punk music scene. On stage, he’s struggling to find his identity as a guitar player in a mediocre band. Off stage, his uniquely Norse skillset suddenly turns Saint into a one-eyed punk gumshoe after sinister thieves start targeting local bands’ gear. But it is only when Saint meets Trick Wilma, the powerhouse lead singer of another (better) band, that he begins to see the glimmer of salvation in her eyes.

Propelled by a broken Baroque of punk language, Saint the Terrifying examines tensions between community and individual identity, social activism and vigilantism, while taking the reader on a roller coaster ride of hard-boiled twists and hardcore music. Saint is the badass protagonist that answers the question: What if Johnny Rotten had a baby with The Rock?

Book Links:

Unnamed Press ~ Bookshop.org ~Author’s Website

Music Details:

Album: The Wrong Side
Single: Size Queens
Publication Date: October 22, 2024
Cover for The Wrong Side by Slummy

About the Music:

“I didn’t really write these songs,” says Mohr. “The main character in my book did. I captured his sound, his riffs, and his lyrics to really feel the demented whimsy in his soul. So did the book lead me to his music, or was it the music that allowed me to write his trilogy of novels? That’s the magic of Saint. He’s a galaxy.”

“Size Queens” is out Sept. 13th and will be the only single off The Wrong Side. The music video is a mini action short film starring a punk squatter couple who are being stalked by an insane clown cop. The video is directed by writer/musician Jessamyn Violet and features an all-musician cast including Eva Gardner of P!NK and Mars Volta, and Fox Deluxx of local LA punk band Pez Heads.

Links:

Promo the EP ~ Signed First Edition Book + Limited Edition Blue Vinyl

“Size Queens” Video

About the Author:

Joshua MohrJoshua Mohr is the author of several books, including Damascus, which The New York Times called “Beat-poet cool.” He’s also written Some Things that Meant the World to Me, one of O Magazine’s 10 Terrific reads of 2009, and he’s won the Northern California Book Award twice. Termite Parade was an editors’ choice on the New York Times Best Seller List. His latest project is a trilogy of novels all to be published in one calendar year, starting with SAINT THE TERRIFYING in fall ‘24. In his Hollywood life, he’s sold projects to AMC, ITV, and Amblin Entertainment.

Author Links:

Website ~ Instagram


My thanks to Katz Domino of Junkfood Media for the invitation to post this and for the materials they provided.
Junkfood Media logo

REPOSTING JUST CUZ: Ink & Sigil by Kevin Hearne: This Atypical UF is full of Action and Laughs (and Deadly Raisins)

Ink & Sigil

Ink & Sigil

by Kevin Hearne
Series: Ink & Sigil, #1

eARC, 336 pg.
Del Rey, 2020

Read: August 12-14, 2020
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!


The biggest challenge to writing about this book is choosing what not to talk about, I really feel like I could go on and on and on about it. Then the pendulum swings to the point I don’t say much at all…

What’s Ink & Sigil About?

Aloysius MacBharrais is a Sigil Agent—one of five on the Earth. They’re tasked with preserving the various treaties that supernatural creatures had set up throughout the world to keep the peace and govern the activities of the various pantheons on the mortal plane. They’ve been equipped with the barest magical tools necessary to get the job done—largely by Brighid of the Tuatha Dé Dannan to make up for the work that her Druid wasn’t doing when he was hiding for centuries on end.* There’s more to it, but that’ll work for starters.

* See everything that Atticus O’Sullivan was doing before the first of the Iron Druid Chronicles.

Al has horrible luck when it comes to apprentices, they keep falling prey to accidental death. The most recent is Gordie, who died after choking on a raisin scone. Before I get into things, can I say how wonderful it is to have a magic-user—even an apprentice—die by such mundane means (and you have never, I mean ever, come across this many jokes about raisins or scones in your life)? As Al goes to Gordie’s house to clean up all traces of his magic tools, he discovers that Gordie’s been up to some pretty dark and criminal stuff right under his nose.

This book takes Al and his associates around Scotland and even to the U.S. finding out just what Gordie was into and trying to set it right.

A New Kind of UF

There are outliers, but largely, Urban Fantasy series deal in variations on a theme—I’m not complaining, I’m into most of them. But basically, you’ve got a wizard (or something like that), a vampire, and/or a werewolf doing a P.I./Private Security/Hunter thing. There are different kinds of magic users, or vampire types, or were-species, but really, that’s about it. Lately, some variations have come from using different kinds of protagonists, like whatever Nell Ingram is or…(I had another example when I started this paragraph), but you get the point.

Here our variation comes in the type of mage—he uses sigils, particular designs in particular (and strange) inks which give a temporary effect to the bearer or beholder. Also, Al’s an elderly Scot who wears a derby and has an immaculately-styled mustache. He’s about as far from the grizzled hero in a leather jacket/trenchcoat as you can get. Outside of supporting characters or Marley Jacobs from A Key, an Egg, an Unfortunate Remark, you don’t see that (outside of characters who are supernaturally old, but appear young) .

Al’s associates aren’t standard either, but I’m going to resist using 3-4 paragraphs talking about them. I’m just going to say I enjoyed them all and can’t wait to spend more time with them.

Iron Druid Tie-in

As indicated above, this takes place in the same universe as The Iron Druid Chronicles, sometime after Scourged and contains references to some of the series’ events and characters. Al himself shows up in a short story in Besieged as a minor character.

There’s a brief appearance by Atticus and Oberon, and a longer one with Brighid. Both were a lot of fun, and the Atticus one was pretty sweet. I enjoyed seeing Brighid from someone else’s point of view. The door is open for more IDC characters to show up, but it’s not necessary, which I appreciate.

You do not have to have read the IDC to get into this, and not catching all the allusions/references/cross-overs will not diminish anything for you. It’s a spin-off, but isn’t dependent on the original.

Did Hearne Regret this Choice?

Al’s a Glaswegian and most of the book takes place in and around Glasgow. Hearne made the choice to write all the dialogue (and even Al’s first-person narration) in the dialect. Most authors wouldn’t have gone this far, and I have to wonder how often Hearne questioned this choice as he wrote—talk about making things hard on yourself. I enjoyed it—and it really helped me “hear” Al and everyone.

So, what did I think about Ink & Sigil?

While the IDC contained more than it’s share of laughs (and even The Seven Kennings had amusing moments), this seemed like a better merging of jokes and story. It feels like a natural outgrowth of The Tales of Pell (but not as humor-focused as those). For sheer enjoyment value, this was fantastic.

The story was pretty strong, too. But a lot of space was devoted to introducing us to this particular corner of the world and the cast of characters. I’d like to see what Hearne does with a novel where he doesn’t have to do that.

The world is familiar, yet Hearne’s doing something new in it. The characters are just not what you’re used to seeing in the genre. The plot was great—and speaks clearly to our current situation. And I laughed a lot. There’s little to complain about here and a lot to commend. I had a blast and I think most readers will, too. I can’t wait for the sequel.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this.


4 1/2 Stars

20 Books of Summer

Big Trouble in Little Italy by Nicole Sharp: Filled with Great Food, a Lot of Laughs, and Love

Cover of Big Trouble in Little Italy by Nicole SharpBig Trouble in Little Italy

by Nicole Sharp

DETAILS:
Series: Simply Trouble Series, #1
Publisher: Writing Moose
Publication Date: October 3, 2023
Format: Paperback
Length: 343 pg.
Read Date: August 27-28, 2024
Buy from Bookshop.org Support Indie Bookstores

The Back of the Book

There’s no way I could put all this as concisely as (I’m guessing) Sharp did for the back of the book. Also, I think I’d trip over myself not saying some of this, but I clearly think some things are more spoiler-ish than others do. So I’m just going to steal this:

Life is looking pretty good for thirty-two-year-old Jessica Dodd. She just bought her wedding dress and closed on a house with her trial lawyer fiancé, Thomas. But first, she needs to take care of one tiny issue: her husband – a youthful indiscretion from a drunken weekend in Vegas years ago. She never saw the guy again, so it didn’t really count. Still, she needs to get divorced.

CIA agent Parker Salvatore has thought of his “Vegas wife” over the years, though it was never time to start dating her. However, when he returns from a two-year assignment to find that she is literally in bed with the enemy, he realizes it’s time to make his move. First, he needs to catch the bad guy, then he can woo the girl.

Things begin to unravel when Jessica finds out Thomas has been lying to her. Determined to confront him she follows him to Italy. Fueled by a surplus of caffeine and a colossal lack of sleep her plan becomes a hell of a lot more complicated when she walks straight into the middle of the CIA’s criminal investigation of her fiancé.

Set against the backdrop of the Tuscan countryside, Parker and Jessica find themselves treading the perilous waters of infiltrating a well-known crime family, filing for divorce and attempting to keep their rekindled attraction at bay.

Slightly Ajar Door Romance

I’m not an expert on this kind of thing, but I can read definitions online, so I feel safe saying that this isn’t a closed-door romance. But it’s really not that far off–I’ve read books (Romance and otherwise) that put more on the page. Sharp does fade to black pretty quickly, thankfully*, but she could fade a bit quicker–and take a little more time before fading back into light.

* That’s a reflection of my prudish-inclinations.

I just figure that I should mention it since I’ve talked about things like this in the past–and I know some of my readers care. Basically, I’ve learned from the Sunshine Vicram books–these are not ones I will give my mother. Although I have to say, I kind of think I’d be more comfortable knowing that my mother read this over Sunshine (and much more comfortable with my mother knowing I read these, too). That might be a silly basis for rating, but that’s where I am.

So, what did I think about Big Trouble in Little Italy?

I only took one note while reading this book–after the first chapter, I wrote simply “Zany.” And I really never came up with anything to say beyond that. There is a lot more to the book than that–but that word is pretty much always applicable.

Sharp’s voice is infectious–I thoroughly enjoyed the writing here, more than the rest of it (which is saying something). The characters lept off the page and right into your heart (except for the small handful you just wanted to spit out as quickly as possible, and then spit on). There’s an Italian agent working with Parker who is one of those characters that comes close to stealing the show–I’d love to read more about him. That’s true for most of the more significant supporting characters, too. Yes, the focus of the book is (rightly) on Jessica, Parker, and Thomas–but Sharp has this book bursting with characters you want more of.

This is very much a Romance novel–yes, a Romantic Comedy, yes, a Romantic Comedy with a Thriller flavor. But the key word there is Romance/Romantic. As such, I’m not really the intended audience for this, but after talking with Sharp at an event this Spring, I really wanted to read something she wrote–and thankfully, the Comedy and Thriller parts of the book were strong enough that I could handle the Romance.

I’m not sure what people who read more Romance fiction than I do would think of this. I think die-hard Thriller readers would think it stretches things a bit (but not as much as a couple of Lee Child books have, for just one example). The Comedy never misses, though. Not once.

I can see myself coming back for more in this series, actually. I can also see me dropping it pretty quickly if the laughs die down. I say that without rancor–but because I recognize that I’m just dabbling in this world.

I’d definitely like to hear what people better versed in Romantic fiction have to say about Sharp’s work. But for my money, this is worth your time and money. The plot zips along well, the CIA-Crime story zigs and zags the way it should, and the comedy is pretty consistently goofy and yet heartfelt–actually, all of it is heartfelt. Zany and Heartfelt. A heckuva combination.

Oh, be sure to have your local Italian restaurant’s online delivery menu pulled up, you’re going to want to use it. Or have it, and your payment methods, locked away if you don’t need to treat yourself in that way.


4 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.

20 Books of Summer

Buddy the Knight and The Queen of Sorrow by Peter David: A Tale of Friendship, Devotion, Bravery and Heart

Cover of Buddy the Knight and The Queen of Sorrow by Peter DavidBuddy the Knight and The Queen of Sorrow

by Peter David

DETAILS:
Publication Date: August 22, 2024
Format: eARC
Length: 168 pg.
Read Date: September 2, 2024
Buy from Bookshop.org Support Indie Bookstores

What’s Buddy the Knight and The Queen of Sorrow About?

Buddy the Knight is a teddy bear. A valiant teddy bear, devoted to protecting his Person from the monsters from The Realm-Under-The-Bed. He’s a knight and has spent years defending a little girl named Mieya from these fearsome foes. He’s frequently assisted by his companion, a stuffed tamarin—a mandolin-playing bard. Esteban not only fights at Buddy’s side, but his songs frequently tell the tales of Buddy’s victories.

One night before Buddy can dispatch it, a monster inscribes a rune over Mieya—one that will bring her certain doom unless Buddy can defeat the monster’s master—the Queen of Sorrows. Buddy is given an enchanted googly eye to guide him and Esteban as they journey to the heart of The Realm-Under-The-Bed to find this Queen. There are countless enemies and obstacles along the way, but they have until dawn breaks to complete their quest, so they will have to be quick as well as brave.

The Cover

I don’t do this enough, but I need to call out the cover here. Candice Broersma knocked it out of the park with this one. I just love this cover. It’s one that you want to have on your shelf/eReader.

Also, I’d buy a print if Broersma/David were to make them available.

A Little Treat

There’s a reference at one point to a series of books that Mieya read. I hope, hope, hope that kids who read this have their curiousity piqued and go ask someone (like a librarian or bookseller) what it might be a reference to and then read those books. They’ll be in for (another) treat if they do.

Just seeing the reference was enough for me.

There are other nods to fiction and movies, too—cleverly hidden throughout, and just enough to make the grown-ups reading this smile (the Captain Shakespeare/Captain Johannas Alberic nod was particularly well done). None of them made me quite as happy as the series of books she read, but that’s me. You (if you’re above the age of 15), will likely have other favorites—but you’ll enjoy all that you catch.

So, what did I think about Buddy the Knight and The Queen of Sorrow?

I know that many people think that Paladins are boring characters. I’m not one of them—just think of Sturm Brightblade, Superman, Michael Carpenter, or Paksenarrion and tell me they aren’t great to read (okay, some people have made Supes a little boring—but not all of them). Buddy the Knight is yet another entry in the Great Paladin Characters list I should get around to compiling sometime.

Esteban is one of the better comic relief sidekicks with a lot of heart, too. As funny and heartfelt as Shrek‘s Donkey with the devotion of Samwise Gamgee. The other allies and people—including the sentient magic sword—who help Buddy out are really well done, too.

The monsters, other antagonists, and (of course) the Queen of Sorrows are equally well depicted—but unlike the above, you really don’t want to spend time with them. They’re all drawn from types we’ve all seen before, but given a twist to make them feel new—and the reason we’ve all seen them before anyway is that they’re just about always compelling, and with David’s twist? They’re just what this book needed.

Throughout the book—either in flashbacks that Buddy has to his maker’s lessons or in the things the characters say to motivate each other or themselves—the reader is going to get a lot of slogans, life lessons, or morals thrown at them. I appreciated reading them—and I expect that readers 40 years (plus or minus a couple) younger than me will, too. Coming from stuffed animals probably makes them more palatable and somehow less corny than they’d be coming from an authority figure (in fiction or real life). It’s likely that some of these will get lodged in the back of a young reader’s mind and will prove beneficial later in life.

The story itself is a pretty straightforward Fantasy tale—the hero and his allies (some picked up along the way) are on a journey with a deadline to fight a powerful in order to rescue someone. As always, it too, is effective.

There’s a lightness to the prose, but it’s not a comedy—it comes across as whimsical and fantastical. It will charm you as it draws you in. We don’t really see Mieya in action and don’t get to know her, but we want her safe, we worry for her, because Buddy, Esteban, and the others are so devoted to her. We care about her because we care about the bear and the tamarin, and anything they think is important we think is important.

This is the kind of book that 10 year-old me would’ve curled up with and read and re-read. It’s also the kind of thing that my kids would’ve loved—and I’d have had a blast reading to them. And 51 year-old me was just about as captivated with it as my younger self would’ve been. I strongly recommend this to those young at heart and those young readers you happen to buy books for.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this eARC from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.


4 1/2 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Nocturne with Gaslamps by Matthew Francis

I’m very pleased today to welcome The Write Reads Blog Tour for Matthew Francis’ Nocturne with Gaslamps! This is Day 2 of the tour, so be sure to take a look at the feed for https://twitter.com/WriteReadsTours over the next few days and you’ll see a lot of bloggers who did find the time to read it have some interesting things about it.
Nocturne with Gaslamps Tour Banner

Book Details:

Title: Nocturne with Gaslamps by Matthew Francis
Genre: Mystery; Historical Fiction,
Format: Paperback/Ebook
Length: 224 pages
Publication Date: September 4, 2024 (UK); April 1, 2025 (US)
Nocturne with GaslampsCover

About the Book:

A historical crime fiction novel set in Victorian London’s gaslit theatre scene, where ghosts lurk in the shadows and murder takes centre stage.

Gaslight. Ghosts. Murder.

Hastings Wimbury has always dreamt of playing Hamlet, but for now he works as a theatre gas-boy. Here, he tends to a gas chandelier so powerful it creates its own weather, and limelight machines that can throw a shadow onto a wall ten miles away.

When Hastings suddenly disappears, his fiancée Flora sets out to find him with the help of Cassie, her rival in love who is more preoccupied with the ghosts terrorising the streets of London. Soon total darkness is imposed upon the city, and they realise that something far more sinister is at hand…

Ladies aren’t supposed to solve mysteries, but this is a matter of life and death.

Book Links:

Amazon UK ~ Amazon US ~ Goodreads

About the Author:

Matthew FrancisMatthew Francis is Professor Emeritus in Creative Writing at Aberystwyth University. He read English at Magdalene College, Cambridge University. He writes novels, short stories, and poetry collections. He has won the TLS / Blackwell’s Prize for Poetry and the Southern Arts Literature Prize, and been shortlisted twice for the Forward Prize, twice for the Welsh Book of the Year Award and once for the Ted Hughes Award. In 2004, he was chosen as one of the Next Generation Poets. He is a Fellow of the Welsh Academy. Matthew lives with this wife in Aberystwyth, Wales where he enjoys playing chess, cooking and playing the ukulele.

Author Links:

Twitter/X


My thanks to The Write Reads for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials they provided.

Bizarre Frontier Omnibus #1 by Brock Poulsen: Death Doesn’t Stop this Marshall

Cover of Bizarre Frontier Omnibus #1 by Brock PoulsenBizarre Frontier Omnibus #1

by Brock Poulsen

DETAILS:
Series: Bizarre Frontier, Omnibus #1
Publication Date: October 20, 2021
Format: Paperback
Length: 349 pg.
Read Date: August 5-6, 2024

I hate dying. It usually hurts something awful and ruins my whole day. I avoid it whenever possible.

What’s Bizarre Frontier About?

This is a collection of the first three novellas in Poulsen’s Bizarre Frontier series. This series focuses on the adventures of the former Deputy Marshall, Willard Beckett. He didn’t always wear a “white hat,” back in his black hat days, he was cursed by a dying Romani woman. He can’t stay dead. He can die, he can go through all the pain and suffering before death—but he shakes it off after a little while.

As curses go, it’s not the worst, actually.

On Moths

In the first novella, we meet Beckett and learn about his, um, condition.

As any “retired” protagonist in a Western starts, Beckett is living alone, away from everyone else, self-medicating and merely existing. His wife divorced him, he lost the taste for the work (or so I assume, I don’t remember it being spelled out), and really doesn’t have much purpose in life. Until, of course, his old boss comes for help. It seems some brothers that he ran with are causing problems in a local mining town and they can’t be stopped.

The funny thing about that situation, those brothers were killed by the aforementioned Romani woman.

Hanged Man’s Boots

After finding out how those brothers got in the position where they could terrorize the town, Beckett and his ex-wife, Sue, learn that the man behind it all is cutting a swath of destruction behind him as he tries to escape justice. Can the pair stop him?

Husk

The big hook to this one comes from Willard not doing something I’d assumed he took care of in between novellas. And the fact that he didn’t made me roll my eyes pretty hard. Yes, he justified his lack of action to someone later in the novella—and it’s plausible, but I still don’t buy it. Still, without his being careless, we wouldn’t have gotten this story.

It begins with Willard going off to take care of the repercussions of his carelessness and Sue having to go rescue some of her sister’s sheep following a storm and her brother-in-law coming into close contact with a monster (or so he claims and not enough people believe).

Craziness and action ensue. And while the last novella brought the pair into contact with evil made stronger by the supernatural, this one brings them into some supernatural mayhem. It’s hard to argue which is worse

The Strangest Bit

For me, the thing that was stranger than Willard’s curse—or anything else he ran into—was the way he (and everyone else) called the woman who cursed him (and her family) Romani instead of that term that I grew up hearing. I’m not complaining about it—if I’m buying a Deputy Marshall who can’t stay dead for long, I can buy a degree of cultural sensitivity that is just as out of place.

It just took me a second to accept it. But honestly, I like the fact Poulsen made that choice, he didn’t need to.

So, what did I think about Bizarre Frontier?

These stories are light on the Western and heavier on the Urban Fantasy—which is fine with me, if you forgive the anachronistic nature of that. They’re Western enough to qualify, but by a hair—they remind me of the Bodacious Creed Zombie-Steampunk-Westerns in this way. (and actually fans of one of these series, should check the other out)

I wouldn’t mind a little more depth to each of these, but I don’t think they need much more. They work really well for what they are—quick, episodic, adventures with just enough of a tie between them to keep readers coming back (if you get them individually) or to carry you through the omnibus (if you go that way).

There’s a lightness to the prose that keeps it engaging and fun even in the midst of monsters, death, and mayhem. The action is smooth, the recurring characters are fun and I can see hanging out with Willard and Sue for quite a while to come. I’d like to see them deal with something that has no contact with anything they’ve encoutered yet—but if Poulsen keeps going down this path, I’m not going to complain.

I will be back for more as soon as I get a chance. It’d be nice if there was a second omnibus (I mention in case Poulsen reads this), but it looks like I’ll be picking up the novellas at my earliest convenience. I’d recommend you trying these yourself.


3 Stars

20 Books of SummerLiterary Locals logo

20 Books of Summer 2024: Wrap Up and Other Summer Reading

20 Books of Summer
It’s time to wrap up this challenge run by Cathy at 746 Books.

Last week, I honestly thought I’d be posting “well, I got 18.5 out of 20 this year.” Maybe a full 19. I guess I wasn’t too optimistic in July, either. But as of yesterday, I finished all 20 of this year’s selections. That’s the earliest I’ve completed this challenge in the four years I’ve done it.

Most of these were as good, if not better, I expected. A couple were just good enough, but I’m still glad that I read them. There was one that I DNF’d, and I do regret that–thankfully, I had a blast with the substitute. I only read 6 of my Top Ten Tuesday: Books on My Summer 2024 to-Read List (That Aren’t on My 20 Books Challenge), although, to be fair–one of them only came out Tuesday, so I haven’t had much of a chance to get it. Sure, 5 of those 6 were for a tour or an ARC that I wanted to post about by publication. The four that have no deadline attached will hopefully be tackled next month. Hopefully.

Speaking of writing about…I’ve only written about 7 of these (3 posts should’ve been posted this week, but I couldn’t quite finish them before sleep overtook me). That’s my other September goal.

Anyway, it’s done, I had fun–I read things I’ve been meaning to get to for months (if not years). Color me satisfied.

✔ 1. This is Who We Are Now by James Bailey
✔ 2. Blood Reunion by JCM Berne
✔ 3. Ways And Truths And Lives by Matt Edwards
✔ 4. The Running Grave by Robert Galbraith
✔ 5. Grammar Sex and Other Stuff: A Collection of (mostly humorous) Essays by Robert Germaux (my post about it)
✔ 6. The Camelot Shadow by Sean Gibson
✔ 7. Last King of California by Jordan Harper
✔ 8. Steam Opera by James T. Lambert (my post about it)
✔ 9. The Glass Frog by J. Brandon Lowry (my post about it)
✔ 10. The Legendary Mo Seto by A. Y. Chan (substitution) (my post about it)
✔ 11. Curse of the Fallen by H.C. Newell
✔ 12. Heart of Fire by Raina Nightengale
✔ 13. Detours and Do-overs by Wesley Parker (my post about it)
✔ 14. Bizarre Frontier Omnibus #1 by Brock Poulson
✔ 15. Howl by e rathke (my post about it)
✔ 16. Bard Tidings by Paul J. Regnier
✔ 17. Panacea by Alex Robins
✔ 18. Cursed Cocktails by S.L. Rowland (my post about it)
✔ 19. Big Trouble in Little Italy by Nicole Sharp
✔ 20. The Nameless Restaurant by Tao Wong (my post about it)

20 Books of Summer '24 August Check In Chart

REPOST: Time-Marked Warlock by Shami Stovall: A Mulligan-Equipped PI

I thought I’d been watching for it, but the publication of this book slipped by my notice last week, so I wanted to get this up now. It’s my favorite new-to-me Urban Fantasy of the year, and I’m eager to dip into the second in the series soon.

(and, well, I decided that falling asleep during the first episode of Batman: Caped Crusader was a better idea than actually writing something last night. That’s not a reflection on the quality of the show, just how tired I turned out to be)


Cover of Time-Marked Warlock by Shami StovallTime-Marked Warlock

by Shami Stovall

DETAILS:
Series: Adair Finch, #1
Publication Date: June 2024 (or August, depending who you ask)
Format: e-ARC
Length: 402 pg.
Read Date: April 15-16, 2024
Buy from Bookshop.org Support Indie Bookstores

What’s Time-Marked Warlock About?

Until a few years ago, the names of warlocks Adair and Carter Finch were famous among the magic community. Private eyes who helped law enforcement as well as private clients dealing with cases large and small—they were pretty close to superheroes. Then they took that one job that put them against an opponent they weren’t ready for, things went wrong, and Carter died.

Adair’s magic couldn’t help. He couldn’t even track down everyone who was responsible, so he couldn’t get revenge. So…he went home and retreated from life. He became an asocial hermit, doing little more than existing.

Then one pre-dawn morning, a twelve-year-old girl pounds on his apartment door. Her mother always told her that if she was in real trouble to track down Adair or Carter Finch. They weren’t close friends by any means, but they did know each other—enough so that her name makes Finch pay attention. Bree’s mother was a witch and her father is a warlock, but not in the same league as Finch. Bree tells Finch that her mother has been murdered and her father kidnapped—and she needs his help to rescue her father and get justice for her mother.

Finch is not inclined to do anything but close the door on her face and get back to not interacting with anyone. But he can’t turn down her appeal—so he agrees to go to the crime scene (if only so he can determine that she misunderstood what she saw, and that her father actually was the murderer).

The scene isn’t what he expected—Bree might have been right. Also, the police detective on the scene knew Finch before he “retired” and neither really appreciated the other. Det. Jenner really rubs Finch the wrong way on the scene.

Between their less-than-pleasant interaction, Bree pulling on his heartstrings just right, and what Finch noticed at the scene of the crime, Finch decides to take the case, wrap it up quickly, and get back to wasting away as soon as he can.

Finch

Let’s get this out of the way real quick: Frequently reminded me of (James J.) Butcher’s Huntsman, Leslie Mayflower (and several other retired/depressed heroes, but Mayflower is most recent in my mind, so he gets name-dropped). Is he the Huntsman? No—he’s far less inclined to leave a trail of bodies in his wake.* for one thing. But he gives a similar vibe.

* We can argue some other time about how inclined Mayflower really is. Roll with it for now.

He’s clearly angry at himself. He’s reticent to put himself out there emotionally (or any other way). He’s not ready to let anyone else down again (assuming he really did). But something about Bree creates a crack in his defensive shell, and it’s great to see purpose emerge from where he’d trapped it down. He’s a different guy by the end of the book (probably like what he was years ago)—he’s not totally where he should be, but he’s on the road to recovery. As the series continues, i look forward to seeing how he grows/recovers.

Bree Blackstone

I don’t know how any UF reader is supposed to read her full name and not think of Harry Dresden. Maybe we’re supposed to—surely we are right?

Anyway…if Bree doesn’t melt your heart right off. If you’re not rooting for her to get the answers she seeks and maybe a touch of the retribution she longs for—and to save her dad…there’s something wrong with you—go listen to some Whos down in Whoville sing some Christmas songs until your heart is the right size.

She is so frightened by everything—there’s a real parallel to Finch there. But she’s determined to get the help she needs to save her dad and get the bad guy who killed her mom. And if Finch is the way to get both of those, she’ll get him to help her.

Naturally, along the way she picks up a pretty hefty case of hero-worship. Finch doesn’t see it for what it is right off—but he eventually does, and knows he’s not worthy. Watching him balance helping her, fending off (or trying to) her fangirling over him, and teaching her what she needs to know to be safe in the magic world is a great balancing act.

Bree is really well-conceived and executed by Stovall, and will become one of your favorite characters of the year.

Kullthantarrick the Sneak

Kull is a trickster spirit that Finch calls up to help with a little something along the way—she’s largely around for comic relief—but she also helps Bree to learn some things about the nature of magic, spirits, and the like that she hasn’t learned from her parents yet. Yes, her role is to help make worldbuilding infodumps entertaining. She’s well-used that way.

Any spirit of mischief—from Mercy Thompson’s Coyote to the Wizard in Rhyme’s Max to Al MacBharrais’s Buck, or…okay, I’m drawing a blank here—can be a lot of fun. You just set them loose to create havoc and sit back and watch. And Kull is great at that.

But that’s not all she is—she wants to be a human, she’s seen and done enough as a spirit, and she wants the human experience now. That adds a little depth to her—there’s also an affection that develops between her and Bree that adds even more shades of depth to what could’ve been a disposable character that ends up being so much more.

Really well done there.

The Magic System(s)

I don’t know how much to say here. This world has a handful of magic systems at play—there’s one for witches—like Bree’s mother and (presumably) her. There’s another one for warlocks—it’s similar and not necessarily mutually exclusive to the witch system. And there are some others, too.

One way that Finch uses his abilities (that other warlocks like Bree’s father can’t) is that he has some ability with time. It’s in the title, I feel I can give a vague description here. He’s constantly noting the time whenever anything happens. If he “marks” the time, within any 24-hour period he can return to the marked time—retaining the memories and knowledge gained, but getting to start over. Bree compares it to a save point in a video game.

This is brilliant—and so good to see in action. There’s part of me that wondered if it’d feel like a cheat—killing tension and so on. Or if it’d just be some Groundhog Day-riff good for comedy and that’s it. If you’ve ever played—or watched someone play—an intense video game with a save point, you know that’s not enough to keep someone from getting stressed out about almost dying/dying within the game. Sure they can take another try (or several), but the tension is still there. It works that way for this book (especially if it looks like Finch might not reset in time). And yes, there’s some weatherman Phil-esque humor, but not as much as other authors might have indulged in.

All in all, Stovall nailed this part of Urban Fantasy.

So, what did I think about Time-Marked Warlock?

Three great characters (not even counting the antagonists), an even better magic system, and a decent plot with a satisfying central villain. I don’t know what else to ask for in a UF novel.

The pacing was on-target—even when revisiting the same day or events over and over, Stovall was able to keep it fresh. She also knew when to say “they did X again” and when to show it. The action scenes worked well. The villain(s) were believable, had compelling motivations, and were enough of a threat to all involved to keep the reader’s interest.

There were supporting characters—including villain(s) that ended up not being as terrible as you might initially think—that were just as fully drawn, and you could generate a little sympathy for some of the people associated with the murder once you realized how they were being used, too.

There’s a good setup for further books in the series, too.

I really can’t think of much that Stovall could’ve done better—this scratched my UF itch, and I bet it’ll do the same for you, too. Keep your eyes peeled for the release and get your hands on this when you can.


4 Stars

My thanks to The Write Reads for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials—including the ARC—they provided.

These Dog Days Aren’t Over

(Updated and Revised 8/26/24)

It’s National Dog Day, the annual celebration of “all dogs, mixed breed and pure. Our mission is to help galvanize the public to recognize the number of dogs that need to be rescued each year and acknowledges family dogs and dogs that work selflessly each day to save lives, keep us safe and bring comfort.” So it seemed like a good day to post another version of this. I haven’t added much to this since last year’s editions, which worries me a little bit. What have I been wasting time reading?

These Dog Days Aren't OverThis was a hard post to come up with a name for‡, essentially this post came from a comment not too long ago about being hesitant to read books about animals if the reader doesn’t know if they survive the book. I get that, I absolutely do. I still bear the scars of Where the Red Fern Grows and Marley and Me (sure, that wasn’t that long ago, but the wound still stings). So, for readers like my correspondent, here are some perfectly safe books prominently featuring dogs!

I plan on updating this regularly, so by all means, chime in with comments about Dogs I’ve forgotten about/haven’t encountered yet!

Non-Fiction

bullet The Particulars of Peter by Kelly Conaboy—this is a collection of humorous essays giving Conaboy the opportunity to rave about her dog, Peter. In her eyes, Peter is a perfect dog, and as you read this, you’ll be tempted to agree. (my post about it)
bullet Olive, Mabel & Me by Andrew Cotter—Cotter’s charming book describes his life with the two dogs that rocketed to international stardom (and brought him along). (my post about it)
bullet My Life as a Dog by L. A. Davenport—Davenport’s short little book about the relationship between the author and his dog, Kevin, a black and tan, pure-bred dachshund. It focuses on what the two of them did over two days and then a weekend selected from the years they spent together. (my post about it)
bullet Dogtology: Live. Bark. Believe. by Jeff Lazarus—Humans are so obsessed with their dogs, we’ve devoted so much time, energy, and work into them that it’s become a religion, with humans essentially worshipping their pets. This book is a look at that devotion and the rituals and beliefs that accompany it. It’s technically humor, but a lot of it seems pretty on-target. (my post about it)
bullet What the Dog Knows: The Science and Wonder of Working Dogs by Cat Warren—Warren basically covers three topics: there’s the science and history of using working dogs (of all sorts of breeds, not to mention pigs(!), birds, and even cats) to find cadavers, drugs, bombs, etc.; there’s the memoir of her involvement with cadaver dogs via her German Shepherd, Solo; and anecdotes of other cadaver dogs and trainers that she’s encountered/learned from/watched in action. (my post about it)
bullet What the Dog Knows Young Readers Edition by Cat Warren, Patricia J. Wynne—The above book adjusted for younger readers, with some great illustrations. It’s not dumbed-down, just adjusted. (my post about it)

Fiction

bullet Mace Reid K-9 Mystery series by Jeffrey B. Burton—A Dog Trainer/Cadaver Dog Handler and his dogs get involved in serial killer cases. Warning: Like many heroes in action novels, most of Mace’s dogs get beat up/injured. Some pretty badly. (my posts about it)
bullet Suspect by Robert Crais—One of my all-favorite books, a cop with PTSD gets assigned to the K-9 Unit and works with a dog fresh from Afghanistan combat. (my post about it) The pair also plays a major role in The Promise.
bullet Sharp Investigations by E.N. Crane—A series of comic investigations about an Ex-MP and her K-9 partner in Ohio. Both are pretty skilled and are walking disasters at the same time. (my posts about them)
bullet Pug Actually by Matt Dunn—Doug, a loyal pug, plays cupid for his owner. This is a cute rom-com with a charming canine narrator. (my post about it)
bullet Stepdog by Nicole Galland—A love story where the major impediment to happily ever after is her dog (a gift from her ex). (my post about it)
bullet Noodle Conquers Comfy Mountain by Jonathan Graziano, Dan Tavis (Illustrator)—This picture book is about Noodle’s search for a place to spend the day where he can have all his needs met: to be able to smell nice smells, see his Jonathan, watch for a snacking opportunity (or several), and—most importantly—feel comfy. Impossible to not like. (my post about it)
bullet Noodle and the No Bones Day by Jonathan Graziano, Dan Tavis (Illustrator)—This picture book relates the origin of the Internet Craze and the wonderful, photogenic pug behind it. (my post about it)
bullet Kay-9: The Robot Dog by J.M. Gulmire—maybe doesn’t belong on this list (see: “Robot”), but it’s too cute to leave off on a technicality. What’s an inventive boy to do when his very supportive mother won’t let him get a dog because she’s horribly allergic? Why, build one with an incredibly lifelike AI. Obviously. (my posts about it)
bullet Oberon’s Meaty Mysteries by Kevin Hearne (Audiobooks narrated by Luke Daniels)—Oberon, the scene-stealing Irish Wolfhound from The Iron Druid Chronicles narrates this series of novellas (my posts about it)
bullet Neah Bay series by Owen Laukkanen—Lucy is a dog who is trained by prisoner Mason Burke, who has to track her down when he gets out. She’s a service dog for Marine Vet Jess Winslow. Lucy connects the two humans in her life and helps to keep them safe when a corrupt deputy comes after Jess. (my post about it)
bullet I Thought You Were Dead by Pete Nelson—I’m not sure how to sum this one up in a sentence. It’s a pretty typical novel about a troubled writer with a romantic life and family in shambles. But his dog is the thing that makes all the difference. (my post about it)
bullet Chet and Bernie books by Spencer Quinn—Bernie Little is a PI in Phoenix. Chet’s his four-legged partner and the series narrator. It’s too much fun to miss. (my posts about it)
bullet The Right Side by Spencer Quinn—”a deeply damaged female soldier home from the war in Afghanistan becomes obsessed with finding a missing girl, gains an unlikely ally in a stray dog, and encounters new perils beyond the combat zone.” (my post about it)
bullet Woof by Spencer Quinn—The beginning of an MG series about a with a penchant for trouble and her dog. (my post about it)
bullet Andy Carpenter books by David Rosenfelt—Andy Carpenter is New Jersey’s best defense lawyer and a devoted dog owner. He helps run a rescue shelter, too—and almost every client he takes as some sort of connection with a dog. These books aren’t dog-centric like the others on this list, but they’re dog-heavy. (my posts about it)
bullet The K-Team books by David Rosenfelt—a spin-off from the Andy Carpenter series. This features a PI team made up of Andy’s wife/investigator, Laurie; the near super-heroic Marcus; and Corey Douglas, a freshly-retired K-9 officer. His canine partner, Simon Garfunkel, comes along, too. Simon Garfunkel doesn’t play a giant role in the books, but he gets at least one good action scene per book. (my posts about it)
bullet Voyage of the Dogs by Greg van Eekhout—SF for all ages about a team of dogs on a long-distance space flight. (my post about it)

Supportive Roles

These dogs aren’t as significant a presence in their books as the prior group, but they’re important enough to mention.
bullet Mouse from The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. (my posts about it)
bullet The Midnight Plan of the Repo Man by W. Bruce Cameron and the sequel Repo Madness by W. Bruce Cameron(my posts about it)
bullet Edgar from the Washington Poe books by M. W. Craven. (my posts about it)
bullet Rutherford from The TV Detective series by Simon Hall (my posts about it)
bullet Oberon from the Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne. (my post about it)
bullet Ruffin from the I. Q. series by Joe Ide. (my posts about it)
bullet Dog from the Walt Longmire books by Craig Johnson (my posts about it)
bullet Purvis (and Beau) from The Good Kill by John McMahon (my post about it)
bullet Trogdor from The Golden Arrow Mysteries by Meghan Scott Molin (my post about it)
bullet Mingus from The Drifter by Nicholas Petrie (my post about it)
bullet Herbert and Daisy from Adult Assembly Required by Abbi Waxman (my post about it)

Books with paws on both sides of the line

Some books that belong on this list, but might be a bit too close to not fitting on it for some readers
bullet Lessons From Lucy by Dave Barry—there’s a strong “my beloved dog is old and will die soon-vibe throughout this (it’s the whole point), so some may want to avoid it. But the focus is on what Barry is learning from his aging but still full-of-life dog. (my post about it)
bullet Dead is … series by Jo Perry—the canine protagonist in these mystery novels is a ghost, so there’s a dog death involved. But we meet her as a ghost, so she won’t die (again) in the series. (my posts about it)
bullet Dogtripping: 25 Rescues, 11 Volunteers, and 3 RVs on Our Canine Cross-Country Adventure by David Rosenfelt—For various and sundry reasons, the Rosenfelts decide to move their home and dog shelter from California to Maine. As anyone who’s had to get a dog (or a toddler) into their vehicle for a drive across town can imagine—getting 25 dogs moved across the country is a logistical nightmare. In Rosenfelt’s capable hands, if “tragedy plus time equals comedy,” “nightmarish logistics plus time” does, too. The shelter specializes in senior dogs, so not every dog mentioned or featured lives, but that’s not the focus of the book. (my post about it)
bullet E. B. White on Dogs—if this isn’t every short piece or letter White wrote mentioning dogs, it’s so close as not to matter. Some are witty, some are touching, some are somewhere in between. There are even a few written from the point of view of his dog! Sadly, this does include a eulogy for one dog, a few other mentions of canine mortality, so it can’t make the main list. (my post about it)
bullet Lessons from Tara by David Rosenfelt—a sort-of-sequel to the above. Inspired by the death of their dog, Tara, the Rosenfelts now operate a no-kill shelter for senior dogs. This is the story about the origins and day-to-day of that life. There’s discussion of Tara’s death, and he has to cover the end of days for dogs, but it’s not the focus of the book. It’s one some will want to avoid, but you probably shouldn’t. (my post about it)
bullet Max Boucher Mysteries by Troy Lambert—Max used to be with the Seattle Police, but became a P.I. after the deaths of his wife and daughter. Because of the events of the first novel, Max gains a reputation as an animal detective. Particularly specializing in missing/kidnapped dogs. Most of the dogs in the series get out okay, but some are injured or worse. (my posts about it)
bullet Stray Ally by Troy Lambert—this is an action novel featuring heroics from several dogs working alongside a special ops soldier to try to stop a white supremacist group from launching a terrorist action. Some dogs are hurt, and a few die along the way. (my post about it)


‡ I brainstormed this a bit with my family, and wanted to share some of those titles that didn’t make the cut, just because I enjoyed their creativity:
bullet These Dogs Didn’t Go To Heaven/Not All Dogs Go to Heaven implies these dogs aren’t wonderful creatures, and that’s a solid loser
bullet No Kleenex Required too vague, and not necessarily true, they’re just not required because of a death
bullet The Best Bois
bullet Books Where the Author isn’t A Heartless Bastard (Looking at You, Marley and Me) too long, and boy howdy, does it seem my son has bigger issues with the book than I did
bullet Books that Even PETA Would Be Okay With
bullet Books for the Vegan in You suggests the dog books I don’t mention are in favor of eating them…
bullet Paw Patrol I’m almost confident my daughter’s boyfriend suggested as a joke, for his sake, I’m assuming it was
bullet Pawfect Dog Stories I refuse to resort to that kind of joke

(Images by S K from Pixabay and josmo from Pixabay)

Page 11 of 317

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén