Category: Fiction Page 148 of 346

Pub Day Repost: Ink & Sigil by Kevin Hearne: This Atypical UF is full of Action and Laughs (and Deadly Raisins)

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On August 25, 2020

In Kevin Hearne, Urban Fantasy

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.* Thre’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

Dark Jenny (Audiobook) by Alex Bledsoe, Stefan Rudnicki: Eddie LaCrosse Meets a Legend

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On August 25, 2020

In Alex Bledsoe, Audiobook, Eddie LaCrosse, Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Reread Project

Dark Jenny

Dark Jenny

by Alex Bledsoe, Stefan Rudnicki (Narrator)
Series: Eddie LaCrosse, #3

Unabridged Audiobook, 8 hrs., 45 min.
Blackstone Audio, 2012

Read: July 24-28, 2020
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

What did I say about Dark Jenny the first time I read it?

I have only the vaguest of memory of what actually happened in the first Eddie LaCrosse novel (The Sword-Edged Blonde), and only somewhat better recall about the second (Burn Me Deadly). That’s a reflection on the amount of stuff I’ve read in that time, and is in no way a reflection on Bledsoe. I do have a very clear recollection about what both books told me about Alex Bledsoe’s talent and that I enjoyed them a lot. I’m equally certain that Dark Jenny won’t suffer from that same fading from memory/excuse to reread them. This one is gonna stay with me for a while.

Essentially, this book is a variation of an Arthurian story—ideal king, queen rumored to be less than ideal, noble knight corps with a few rotten apples thrown in, a wizard figure, wicked half-sister, and a whole lotta intrigue—with a few unique twists of Bledsoe’s own thrown in for good measure. Not a sour note to be found here—some notes that were hard to listen to, sure, but…okay, there’s a metaphor that went awry. I was trying to say that yes, there were things that were less pleasant than others—this book goes to some dark, nasty places–but it all worked well.

We get this Arthurian tale via an extended flashback—in the middle of a nasty winter storm, with nothing else to occupy the attention of his neighbors, Eddie receives an interesting package. One so interesting, there has to be a great tale that goes along with it—which he ends up telling to the crowd at his favorite tavern (with only the tiniest of breaks to remind us that this is all in Eddie’s past). By making this all an extended flashback, Bledsoe is able to give us a slightly different version of Eddie—one on the way to being the guy we’ve seen in the last two books. It also gives him the excuse to have a great femme fatale to grab Eddie’s attention without having to write around his lovely lady.

A great, riveting fantasy noir. Can’t wait for the next one already. A decent jumping on point for those new to the series, and a great third installment for those who’ve been around for awhile.

Thoughts this time through

In the nine years or so since I read Dark Jenny I held on to a vague recollection of the plot, I remembered it was a clever twist on an Authurian Legend, and that it knocked me for a loop. But that’s really all I remembered.

So when I started it on my Eddie LaCrosse re-listen, I was excited. And spent a lot of time pretty disappointed. I couldn’t see why it knocked me for a loop.

It was a very clever way to tell an Authurian story while critiquing the Authorian stories. Bledsoe got the best of both worlds there, he got the utopia, the glory, the all the trappings. And he got to show the inherent problems with them, how short lived the utopia was (and if that’s the case, just how “eu” was the topia?)

And it was a fun story about a younger Eddie LaCrosse, sword jockey at large. I wasn’t blown away, but I was having a good time.

And then I got to the part that I must’ve been thinking about when I wrote my original post about it years ago. It’s not long after we learn why the book is called Dark Jenny, if you’re curious. And then I remembered exactly what I felt in 2011 and why the impression lingered even if the details had faded.

What about Dark Jenny as an audiobook?

Once again, Stefan Rudnicki, isn’t who I’d have guessed was a good fit for LaCrosse. But I’d have been wrong, he’s a great voice for this series and I can’t imagine anyone else doing it now. I can’t put my finger on why, but I think this novel works better in print than in audio (which is not a reflection on Rudnicki, it’s something about the story)—but I have no complaints about this as an audiobook.

So, what did I think about Dark Jenny?

I guess I kind of gave it away earlier. At this point in the series, Bledsoe has locked it in. He knows who Eddie is and how to tell his stories. There’s the right mix of fantasy elements (including the Arthurian material) and hard-boiled PI elements; humor and grit; violence and sympathy.

I don’t know if this is that much better than it’s predecessors—but it is somewhat, at least. And it resonates on an emotional level for me far more than they did. I’m completely sold on it.

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, opinions are my own.

Pub Day Post: As the Stars Fall by Steve N. Lee: A Girl and Her Dog. A Dog and His Girl.

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On August 25, 2020

In Dogs, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature

As the Stars Fall

As the Stars Fall

by Steve N. Lee

Kindle Edition, 300 pg.
Blue Zoo, 2020

Read: August 19-20, 2020

What’s As The Stars Fall About?

This is told from the perspective of a young homeless dog, struggling to survive on the streets of some town. He scavanges to get by and has learned that dogs who aren’t his mother and siblings and people aren’t to be trusted. He can’t find his pack and isn’t doing a great job of feeding himself when he’s found by a young girl who convinces her Daddy to bring him home.

Slowly, he learns to trust Mia and her Daddy. Soon, Mia is everything to her dog, Kai, who learns that if he just waits long enough (and it’s hard to do), she’ll come home from school.

We spend a few quick years with the two, watching Mia grow up and some other things happen. But no matter what happens, Kai waits.

What Can You Safely Say About the Ending?

This is a classic “Dog Book,” in the vein of Old Yeller, Where the Red Fern Grows, Marley and Me, and so on. Which should tell you everything you need to know about what the ending of the book involves, so you go in fully warned.

That said, this is a different kind of read than those and will approach it in a different way.

What’s the intended audience?

I’m guessing this is aimed at kids—old enough to handle hard things (both those that happen to people and dogs), but it can be enjoyed by teens and adults, too (as long as they can handle the opening chapters coming from the point of view of a very juvenile narrator).

But all the promotional materials invoke A Dog’s Purpose, The Art of Racing in the Rain, Marley and Me, and One Good Dog, none of which are fitting for a kid. So I don’t know what to make of that. I guess I’d call this an All-Ages book (with the provisos I listed above).

So, what did I think about As The Stars Fall?

It was a sweet little story about the love of a dog for his girl, and a girl for her dog. Yes, it gets hard to read because this sweet little story involves some loss, too. But that only makes the high points better.

Actually, I should add that the story about the love of a father and daughter for each other was just as sweet and just as heart-wrenching.

I chuckled frequently—not just at Kai’s antics, but at the way he thinks about his people. I “awwwwed” more than once at Mia’s treatment of her pup.

This is a very nice book (I’m wanting to overuse the word sweet and am having a hard time coming up with an adequate replacement) that I enjoyed, heartily recommend, and can see myself re-reading regularly.

Disclaimer: I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion and this post. I thank him for it.

3.5 Stars

The Rome of Fall by Chad Alan Gibbs: 90s Rock and High School Football Combine for a Shakespearean Tale

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On August 24, 2020

In Fiction, General Fiction/Literature

The Rome of Fall

The Rome of Fall

by Chad Alan Gibbs

Paperback, 260 pg.
Borne Back Books, 2020

Read: August 15-17, 2020
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

During the tenth month of the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-four, as foretold in the book of Garth, the gods unleashed a plague upon Rome. Not a plague of frogs, or lice, or locusts—those would have been fine. The Coosa River did not run red with blood—that would have been okay, too. No, the gods were not messing around that October, and they blighted our fair town with a pestilence of heel, toe, do-se-dos that seemingly afflicted everyone in school but Jackson and me. Like a zit, Dixie Dancehall & Taxidermy materialized overnight, filling the void of Main Street cruising with, perhaps, the worse recreational activity in the history of human recreation: Country. Line. Dancing.

What’s The Rome of Fall About?

If you’ve ever asked yourself what would a Julius Caesar fanfic told through the prism of High School Football and 90s Rock look like, have I got a book for you…

Marcus Brinks spent the first semester of his senior year as a new student in Rome, Alabama before moving back to Texas with his father. To say that that semester was radically life-changing is to misunderstand both terms. Twenty-three years later, he returns to Rome to care for his dying mother, and to teach English at his old High School. In the intervening years, Brinks had fronted a very successful 90s indie band (for one album and an aborted tour, anyway), graduated from Harvard, and then spent sixteen years living on a beach in Jamaica, coasting on the fading fumes of his fame.

In 1994, Brinks had been befriended by Jackson and Silas. Jackson was a third-string QB with delusions of grandeur and a gift of gab (and brag, come to think of it). Silas was a white kid obsessed with gangsta rap who dreamed of coaching football—he couldn’t play, as he was on crutches due to Muscular Dystrophy—but he understood the game better than Jackson (or many others) ever could and with a passion that surpassed theirs, too. All of them were the victim of bullying by Deacon, the first string QB, who was as arrogant as only starting football stars can be. Jackson and Silas had a plan to bring Deacon down and disgrace him, but Brinks didn’t want to go along with it—until Deacon beats him up for the crime of being friends with Deacon’s girlfriend, Becca.

* And, we might as well be honest, Brinks wants to be a lot more than friends with her.

In 2017, Becca teaches at the middle school, Jackson’s the High School Football coach, and is pretty much the town’s biggest celebrity. Silas is now wheelchair-bound, and is his offensive coordinator. Something happened between Jackson and Brinks and they haven’t spoken in decades, and Brinks has no intention of breaking that streak. Deacon is a pretty successful local businessman, jealous of Jackson’s status, and is determined to bring him down (and wants Brinks to help). Oh, and adult Brinks can’t help himself and is determined to be a lot more than friends with Becca this time.

We bounce back and forth between the timelines, seeing both how Jackson, Silas, and Brinks plot against Deacon—and what drove them all to it. While eventually, we figure out what drove the rift between Jackson and Brinks, why Deacon and Brinks almost get along, and why they (and others) are plotting against Jackson. Mix in some high school fun, some good times with friends, a budding and rocky romance (in both timelines), some good 90s music nostalgia, a little teaching humor, and a whole lot of heart—and this becomes a novel that’s almost impossible to put down and that’ll hit you on several emotional levels at once.

All the characters are familiar at once, yet feel like Gibbs was one of the first to write about High School sports and those who aren’t part of the Team. Their adult versions all feel like genuine extensions and evolutions from who they were in High School. I’d have enjoyed hanging out with everyone but Deacon in High School and in 2017, I think I could’ve had fun with Brinks, Silas, and Becca. And at times the book almost makes you feel like that’s what you were doing. The relationship between Brinks and his mother was one of the best parts of this book, providing mirth and pathos. I’d likely recommend the book based only on the strength of it—and really, it’s not that important to the book overall.

Talking about the Julius Caesar of it All

On the one hand, Gibbs isn’t even a little bit subtle about the novel being a cover* of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, occasionally, maybe even going over the top with it. That said, there were a couple of references that I didn’t pick up on right away, and then felt really dense a few pages/chapters later when I stopped myself to flip back and re-read a little bit.

* Given the general rock music vibe that permeates this novel, I figure I should stick with music terminology whenever I can.

I grant you, it’s been decades since I last read the play (I think it’s one of the two Shakespeare plays I’ve read recreationally and for school), but I think Gibbs nailed it. He got all the major and many of the minor details right while keeping the whole thing feeling fresh and new. Frequently I thought the way he worked things in was pretty clever and unexpected.

What if you’ve never read/watched the play, will you be lost? Nope. It won’t matter at all to you. But if you have, you’ll appreciate the whole thing on another level.

The Little Things…

As with so many areas of life, it’s the little things that move a book from good to memorably entertaining. Yes, there are a lot of funny scenes, moments, and characters in The Rome of Fall, but Gibbs nails the little things in the narration. Things that don’t move the plot forward, or even really reveal much about Brinks or anyone else—but they add just the right bit of flavor to the book.

A non-exhaustive list of examples includes the aforementioned Line Dancing (it gets better from there) scenes, a nice bit about an overcooked steak, Brinks’s theories about things invented by bored teens in Rome, a line about armed teachers, and almost every conversation between Brinks and his mother that doesn’t advance the plot.

So, what did I think about The Rome of Fall?

“Okay, maybe I wasted some of my life, but people do still talk about our band. If we’d followed up with a bunch of shitty albums, no one would care anymore. But we didn’t, and they do. Not doing anything for the last twenty years wasn’t the worst career move.”

If Dear Brutus had been a real thing, I’d have left college before their album was released, and I might not have paid attention to them. But I’m close enough to the right age to remember the feel of that era of music and what those bands—especially of the indie/college rock variety—meant to their fans (yeah, it’s similar today, but with Spotify/Youtube, etc., it’s a little easier to connect with a band/their music than it was in the days of CDs and cassettes). A week or so before I read this book, a one-and-done band from about the same time that I loved launched a Kickstarter for a live album (recorded in the 90s). You wouldn’t believe how fast I contributed—me, and enough people to fully fund within a day—because of what emotions and memories that tapped into.

The Rome of Fall anchors itself in that feeling and then capitalizes on that to tell its stories. Really, the novel has nothing to do with the music of Dear Brutus. At the same time, it’s all about it. It’s about the ideas, the emotions—and the girl—that prompted Brinks to go all-in with his music, it’s about what the band’s dissolution did to him, and then what might lead to more of that music. I can’t say enough about that aspect of the novel.

Beyond that? Strip away the Shakespeare and music, and you have a charming and earnest story about High School and the way it shapes our lives, loves, friendships, and attitudes for the rest of our lives—and just what it takes to (maybe) shake them off. Failing that, how adults can channel the lingering effects of High School into both positive and destructive changes to their lives. It’s a strong novel that’s just a whole lot of fun (that sneakily works in some deeper material). Highly recommended.

N.B.: I won a copy of this book from the author in a giveaway on Witty and Sarcastic Bookclub and just wanted to take the opportunity to say thanks to both! You should probably also check out the post about the book on the site, it’s a good one.

4 Stars

20 Books of Summer

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, opinions are my own.

The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling by Henry Fielding: BOOK XI., ix.-BOOK XII., ii.

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On August 21, 2020

In Fiction, Fridays with The Foundling, General Fiction/Literature

Fridays with the Foundling
Tom Jones Original Cover

Those Members of Society who are born to furnish the Blessings of Life now began to light their Candles, in order to pursue their daily Labours for the Use of those who are born to enjoy these Blessings. The sturdy Hind now attends the Levee of his Fellow Labourer the Ox; the cunning Artificer, the diligent Mechanic, spring from their hard Mattress; and now the bonny House-Maid begins to repair the disordered Drum-Room, while the riotous Authors of that Disorder, in broken interrupted Slumbers, tumble and toss, as if the Hardness of Down disquieted their Repose.

Fielding calls this chapter, “The Morning introduced in some pretty Writing. A Stage Coach. The Civility of Chambermaids. The heroic Temper of Sophia. Her Generosity. The Return to it. The Departure of the Company, and their Arrival at London; with some Remarks for the Use of Travellers.” The utter lack of humility aside, he’s not usually given to such, shall we say, thorough, chapter titles but that does a good job of summarizing things. Sophia and her cousin take off for London after giving the Landlord a gift (Fielding leave it up to our imagination), but fails to give one to his wife (she discovers that she lost a hundred pounds somewhere). They arrive in London, and Sophia makes a hasty (but polite) departure from her cousin to head off to the house she hoped to stay in.

Sophia’s not so sure that Mrs. Fitzgerald is really as virtuous as she claims and even doubts some of the story we got in the last few chapters. Fielding gives a little morality lesson to go with this about suspicion. It’s an odd little digression at this point in the narrative, but setting aside the awkwardness, it was a nice little bit of writing.

That’s the end of Book XI, so XII starts off with the typical Chapter 1 discourse. This time, it’s an apology for his use of classical quotations, allusions, and references, and how often he doesn’t attribute them well. It’s not my favorite Chapter 1, but I appreciated his defense, ancient authors are fair game, but he wouldn’t do that to a contemporary and rob them of their due.*

* Okay, it sounds dumb when I summarize it. But Fielding pulls it off with aplomb and style.

We get back to the story, and see what Squire Western’s up to on his pursuit of Sophia. The Squire is all out of sorts, bemoaning his state, and carrying on (as he’s pretty want to do). Parson Supple’s traveling with him, and tries to console him about missing his daughter. Western clarifies things for him, he’s lamenting missing hunting season. They come across a hunting party and ends up spending the day and dining with a fellow squire. He has such a good time that he totally abandons the chase for his daughter and goes home.

Such a devoted father…really, he’s an example to us all.

Back to Tom next week, so we can see how he does on his journey (probably not as well as Sophia, but better than her father, is my guess).

Pub Day Repost: Going Back by Neil Lancaster: Improvise, Adapt, Overcome. Just another day for Novak.

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On August 21, 2020

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Going Back

Going Back

by Neil Lancaster
Series: Tom Novak Thriller, #3

eARC, 506 pg.
Burning Chair Publishing, 2020

Read: August 11, 2020

What’s Going Back About?

Over the last couple of books, Tom Novak has received some pretty significant favors from Mike Brogan, his old friend who does some sort of work for American Intelligence (I like how vague his actual role is kept). And now he’s collecting.

There’s an ex-Serbian Special Operations officer who was freed from a prison van by a paramilitary force using some sort of device that seems like a portable EMP. Which is something that everyone (including governments around the world) wants, but no one’s been able to create. There’s a two-fold interest in this—1. can that portable device actually do what they think? and 2. There seems to be something major underway from this officer, probably using the EMP-like device. Which is not good for anyone.

Brogan’s team is pretty sure they know who’s bringing the tech-savvy to the team. Stefan Cerović left the country about the same time as Novak—but he ended up in the States. He was recently fired from a prominent tech company for failing a drug test and resurfaced in Belgrade. Cerović appeared to be relying on one particular black-market arms dealer, who’d recently been arrested. The job is for Novak to present himself as a new supplier as a way in. His ability with the language and similar background to Cerović is seen as a way for him to connect.

Mike will be around as backup, and of course, Pet will be around, too, doing all the typical technical wizardry.* Pet’s one of those characters that changes every scene she’s in—and makes Novak a more likable character when she’s around. I forget how much I like her until she shows up.

* Minor spoiler: Pet makes a costly mistake. I was so happy to see this. So often tech wizards like her are depicted as nigh infallible. But she makes a bad judgment call and she and Tom pay for it, keeping her human—a fantastically talented human, sure—but human.

As things are wont to do, after some initial success (Cerović’s a lot more interested in drugs than initially thought, which opens up so many doors for Novak), Brogan’s nifty plan goes off the rails—but not in a way you’d expect. Novak and Pet have to rely on Novak’s Marine slogan, and improvise and adapt so they have a shot at overcoming their opponents.

Serbia, huh?

I keep wondering how much mileage Lancaster’s going to be able to get out of Novak’s heritage and assume at some point we’re going to get a novel where it’s not so central. But until then, I’ll continue to be interested in seeing how Lancaster can adapt it.

This time out, putting him in his old homeland allows (forces?) him to confront and better understand his history (both recent and decades-old). Lancaster is able to get a two-for-the-price-of-one return here, not only is it the perfect setting for this kind of story, but we get a little character development.

One Gripe…

No self-respecting Texan is going to describe himself as from the “Deep South.” Sorry. Yes, it’s a minor issue, but it took me out of the moment. And for a book/series that reeks of authenticity, it’s a conspicuous blunder.

I did read an eARC which I know are still subject to change. Hopefully, that’s one of those edits that’s addressed before publication date.

So, what did I think about Going Back?

The first two books in this series had a pretty clear line of demarcation between the “undercover police officer” part and the “action hero” part of the book, and it worked pretty well. In Going Back, however, Novak slides back and forth between the two pretty easily (although the there is a clear shift in emphasis). I liked that a whole lot and hope Lancaster can do more of that in the future.

Throughout the whole book it felt to me like Lancaster had taken everything that worked best in Going Dark and Going Rogue, combining them while leaving off everything that didn’t work as well. Giving us the best in the series, a confident and well-paced thrill ride that will please fans and probably pick up a few for the series. You don’t have to have read the previous three to enjoy this one, the backstory isn’t that important to it. This is a fun way to spend a couple of hours and I recommend it to you.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from the author in exchange for this post and my honest opinion—thanks for this.

4 Stars

The Library Murders by M.R. Mackenzie: An Unlikely Duo on the Hunt for a Killer @LifeBookish

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On August 20, 2020

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

The Library Murders

The Library Murders

by M.R. Mackenzie

Kindle Edition, 335 pg.
Mad House, 220

Read: August 18-19, 2020

What’s The Library Murders About?

The book opens with a pleasant first chapter, almost enough to make you forget something horrible is promised by the title. I stress the almost because it reminds you something’s coming. You could easily take that first chapter and put it into a General Fiction/Women’s Commercial Fiction kind of thing.

And then the title happens. As murders go, they’re pretty shocking, particularly when you put they happen in a small library.

Alyssa, fifteen minutes into her first shift when they occur, is one of two survivors. And while she survived, she definitely didn’t come through unscathed. Neither did Davy, the outgoing man who had been trying to make her feel comfortable on her first day. While their recovery is never the focus of the the novel, it’s present throughout, and I think the impact of their trauma is depicted realistically and sensitively.

Davy, from Day 1, thinks that the police aren’t looking in the right direction for the culprit. Alyssa has no such concern—honestly, she does all she can to not think about, or care about, the investigation, or its result. But after some goading from Davy, she agrees to help him a little while he looks into things.

It’s not long before she begins to share his doubts, and soon she’s pursuing things on her own. There are plenty of twists and turns along the way, and the dangerous situation they survived is just the beginning.

I was surprised at how little time we ended up spending with the detectives on the case, because early on it seems like they were going to be a real focus for the narrative. They do get some good moments, but they are mostly off-screen. On the one hand, the book didn’t need them—it was compelling enough as is. But after the introduction we’re given to them, I’d have welcomed a little more time with them throughout, getting their perspective on the investigation.

Poor Canada?

(that works best if you sing it to the opening of the Canadian Anthem)

Poor Alyssa…time after time after time she’s called an American. She’s from a small town in Saskatchewan—and many of the people who make references to her being from the States are aware of that. But that doesn’t stop them—and it, understandably, starts to get to her. It’s a great running gag with a good pay off in a book that needs the occasional light touch to relieve the tension.

What One Thing was the Biggest Surprise of the Novel?

Don’t worry, I’m not going to give any plot spoilers. Give me a little credit. But the thing that came absolutely out of nowhere—and from a completely unexpected source—was a lengthy tribute to Library workers and the value of their service. It was unexpected, sincere, and heartfelt. I can just imagine if I worked in a library and came across this passage that I’d have an extra spring in my step the next time that I went to work.

So, what did I think about The Library Murders?

I was riveted. I found myself invested almost from page one into what happened to Alyssa, Davy and the lead detective—not just as it regards the Library Murders, but beyond that.

Mackenzie keeps things well-paced and times the reveals along the way deftly.

I was thoroughly satisfied with this and definitely recommend The Library Murders as a compelling way to spend a few hours.

3 Stars

My thanks to Overview Media for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials (including a copy of the novel) they provided.

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: The Library Murders by M.R. Mackenzie

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On August 20, 2020

In Book Tour, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Today I’m pleased to welcome the Book Tour for the riveting The Library Murders by MR. Mackenzie. Following this spotlight post, I’ll be giving my take on the novel here in a bit. But let’s start by learning a little about this here book, okay?


Book Details:

Book Title: The Library Murders by M.R. Mackenzie
Release date: August 14, 2020
Format: Ebook/Paperback
Publisher: Mad House
Length: 335 Pages

Book Blurb:

Alyssa Clark is about to find out that reading really can be murder.

She thought her new job in Thornhill Library would be safe and uneventful. Boring, even. But on her first day at work, a masked gunman storms into the building and blows away every member of staff on duty. Alyssa barely escapes with her life.

The police are satisfied they’ve got their man, but Davy, Alyssa’s colleague and the only other survivor of the massacre, is convinced the real killer is still at large. Alyssa – trying to move on with her life while dealing with traumatic flashbacks and the unwanted advances of an obsessive ex – is skeptical. However, when she stumbles across damning evidence of a cover-up, she agrees to join forces with Davy to help track down the real culprit.

But in her pursuit of the truth, will she find the closure she desperately craves… or provoke the wrath of a killer with unfinished business on his mind?

If you like twists, turns and compelling, conflicted characters, you’ll love this gripping new mystery from the McIlvanney Prize-nominated author of In the Silence.

 

Praise for M.R. Mackenzie:

‘Writes with precision and passion’ – Caro Ramsay

‘Brings a fresh new voice to the field of Tartan Noir’ – James Oswald

‘Up there with the best contemporary authors working today’ – David B. Lyons

‘Splendidly written stuff’ – Crime Time

My thanks to Overview Media for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials (including a copy of the novel) they provided.

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

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On August 19, 2020

In Kevin Hearne, Urban Fantasy

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

PUB DAY REPOST: Betty by Tiffany McDaniel: A Beautiful Novel about a Tragic Childhood

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On August 18, 2020

In Fiction, General Fiction/Literature

Betty

Betty

by Tiffany McDaniel

eARC, 480 pg.
Knopf, 2020

Read: July 25-28, 2020
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!


I’ve struggled with this one for days now and was tempted to say something like, “It’s a Tiffany McDaniel book. This means the writing is gorgeous, the subject will provoke you, you will be moved. And did I mention it’s wonderfully written?” But I knew I couldn’t post that…it doesn’t actually tell you anything about this book (“Tiffany McDaniel” and “gorgeous writing” is essentially a tautology) and since when do I express myself in twenty-seven words?

Who’s Betty About?

Yeah, I normally ask what a book is about, but the what is so unimportant in this book a reader could be excused for not remembering. You won’t forget the who anytime soon. The who is what matters.

It’s about a young, poor family’s struggles between 1939 and 1973—with a focus on 1961-73 (when Betty was 7-19) when the family settles in Appalachian Ohio (and largely stays there). The father is of Cherokee descent (Tsa-la-gi. A-vn-da-di-s-di), the mother is white—and you can imagine how easy life was for them and their children in that time (harder for Betty who takes more after her Cherokee lineage, while her siblings favor their mother). While none of the children has an easy life, there’s a greater degree of difficulty of Betty.

I could spend a good deal of time talking about various family members, but I’m going to focus on two of them.

Landon Carpenter (a.k.a. “Dad”)

When Landon Carpenter met Alka Lark, he was working as a gravedigger, he later worked at a clothespin factory—and then several other jobs, including a stint in a coal mine (which left him with a permanent limp due to a beating given by racists), while the family moved from state to state. When they settled in Breathed, Ohio*, he became known for selling moonshine, herbal remedies (based on “Cherokee wisdom” that was essentially what he happened to make up on the spot), and hand-crafting furniture.

* A fictional city that also served as the setting for The Summer that Melted Everything—one of several nods to that work included here.

But really, what he does with his time is father his children and try to take care of his wife. They don’t all appreciate it, or understand what he’s doing, but they’re (largely) devoted anyway. He will be frequently found passing on a bit of received knowledge through myths or parable form. He wasn’t ready to be a father when he became one and two decades later, he still wasn’t entirely ready when Betty arrived (or her younger siblings, either), but he rises to the occasion as best as he can. I don’t get the picture that he’s the easiest guy to get to know or get along with for prolonged periods. But for those who do get to know him, he’s clearly a loyal and supportive friend.

Betty (a.k.a. “Little Indian”)

Either as a quirk of personality or because she’s physically closer to her Cherokee heritage (likely a combination), Betty embraces the cultural lessons her father passes down more readily than her siblings do—and always wants more. She’s naive, inquisitive, and somehow despite everything she witnesses innocent and optimistic (not precisely, but that’s the best word I can come up with). Life hands her horrible experience after horrible experience, and while momentarily cowed, she comes back, wiser, but still innocent. Toward the end of the book, she has a couple of experiences (one thing she’s told about, one thing she witnesses) that drive her to the breaking point—but even then she holds on for a little longer.

She’s our Point of View character and doesn’t understand everything that’s going on around her for most of the book—things really kick off when she’s seven, after all. So we see a lot of the book through unreliable eyes, but very reliable emotions and reactions. From the latter, we can get a good understanding of what’s going on, better than she can.

The Magic (for lack of a better word)

In McDaniel’s The Summer that Melted Everything, many things happen that may be supernatural or magical in origin, there’s a semi-magical realism feel to it. That’s not the case here. Nor is the source of the “magic” in this novel one mysterious stranger.

The power that keeps Dad and Betty—and the rest of the family—going comes from story. Dad’s constantly telling stories to his children, Betty in particular—and, we learn, he even tells stories to his friends (I don’t think Landon’s wife has much patience for many such stories, as much as she needs them). Betty typically doesn’t tell her stories to anyone, but she writes them down, filling notebooks with them. Some she keeps, some she buries (to preserve or to hid), some she gives away. By their use of story—sometimes use of words—Dad and betty keep themselves, and those around them, going. They inspire, encourage, and teach with them.

A story that Betty’s mother tells her is arguably the most powerful story in the novel—and it explains more of the novel than anything else. Her story, is wholly true, and wholly heartbreaking, but even that comes down to the power of storytelling.

Drawbacks to the book

I don’t really want to label these as problems with the book, but there are a few things that keep me from being as enthusiastic about Betty as I was for The Summer that Melted Everything (which I am enthusiastic about to this day). I basically proselytized readers over that book, I won’t go that overboard for this.

The first is that it took me far longer than it should have to get what McDaniel was trying to accomplish, I kept waiting for a plot to emerge, and there’s never much of one by design. Instead, as I indicated above, this is about the characters. Growing, developing, faltering, stumbling, and retreating. It’s about how they react to the events (or non-events) in their lives that matters, now the events themselves. It’s entirely possible that this is all me and not the text. But I don’t think that’s the case (or I wouldn’t have gone on about it).

Secondly, the non-Carpenter characters. With two notable exceptions (the town Doctor who comes running when they call; and a friend of Landon’s who rents them the house they settle in. But the rest of the people (almost without exception), are simply horrible. Some of the Carpenters are okay, and most of them demonstrate growth (at least). But everyone else is horrible, blatantly so…so many people in authority of varying degrees are just horrible, spiteful, evil people. And it’s just hard to read that. I firmly believe in man’s inhumanity to man, but it’s usually tempered, at least on the surface/occasionally, with something positive. We aren’t given anything to look to and say, “Hey, there’s someone decent”, or “There’s someone doing something decent. Spiteful, racist, ignorant, misogynous, capricious, and evil. Those are the words that come to mind as I think about the non-Carpenter characters, and it’s just hard to read them.

So, what did I think about Betty?

I started off liking it, and that feeling slowly grew. There weren’t many moments that wow’ed me, but there were a handful that broke my heart. I sincerely want another 50 pages of the Dad’s odd little myths (some of which, I’m pretty sure contradict themselves, which Betty sees and rolls with). I wanted to help Betty through her challenges, to at least shoulder some of her burden with her.

And did I mention the prose is fantastic?

That said, I don’t think I connected with the characters (particularly those who aren’t Dad or Betty) the way McDaniel wanted me to. I don’t think there’s enough going on to urge people to read this, but I will recommend it strongly. That said, I think I will be in the minority with this book and most readers won’t understand my hesitation to rave over this. I do recommend this book, I do plan on re-reading it in a year or two, and I will be first in line for McDaniel’s next book.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this. I also want to thank McDaniel for approaching me to let me know it was available for request. None of the above kept me from giving my honest opinion.

4 Stars
20 Books of Summer

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, opinions are my own.

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