A. E. Lister creates a western in a universe not often mined, the Canadian frontier. The Yukon Territory, in 1906, is a sparsely settled land with settlements days apart. The weather is much harsher than the American West. It is a huge canvas to work with. Jimmy and Oscar are a couple who were made for each other. Each coming from bad situations, they form a partnership with a finite end. As they travel from Dawson City to White Horse, Jimmy's violent past comes to call. All the action happens against the huge canvas I mentioned earlier. This would be a fantastic visual film if made. I enjoyed the growth of the relationship between Jimmy and Oscar. I also enjoyed the descriptions of the landscape and the towns. I am not familiar with Canadian history or geography except in the most basic way. It is apparent that AE Lister researched her topic well. If you enjoy the western genre, take a trip to the Canadian frontier. #AELister #760Miles
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I requested A Quick & Easy Guide to Asexuality from Netgalley because I was curious. Asexuality has come up in the books or social media I have read but have not understood what it means. I found the book answered my questions. The few remaining were answered by using the resources listed at the end of the book. The author and illustrators both identify as asexual. It was nice to have the contents explained by people who live it. I liked how the illustrations helped me to understand the text better. I hope others who are curious or searching find this book useful. I did. The book covers: * What is Asexuality * The Spectrum of Asexuality * Asexuality and Aromanticism * Dating While Asexual * Growing Up Ace * Ace Stereotypes * The "A" is LGBTQIA+ * Resources - including books on asexuality, websites, resources, and forums #AQuickEasyGuidetoAsexuality #NetGalley Under the Whispering Door is outrageously good. It is excellent and rich and wonderful. In a year that seems to be headed down the drain, TJ Klune's book is a much needed dose of love. Holy crap this book is good.
Wallace is a bastard. He is a lawyer who only sees the bottom line of his partnership and not the people around him. He is divorced because he chose to work over his wife. He blames others for any mistakes because it cannot possibly be his fault. And then Wallace is dead. Death is not quite what Wallace thought it would be. Honestly he probably never thought about it. He finds himself in the care of Mei, a Reaper. She takes him to meet Hugo, the ferryman who lives under the whispering door. So begins a journey that explores grief, life, and why we live. I cannot do this book justice because I do not possess the vocabulary necessary. All the characters in this book are well written. I have added it to my best books of 2021 list. I received this title from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Writing this review was very difficult. NoX is an amazing book and my review will not do it justice. That being said, NoX was a great read and a wonderful audiobook. While the book was available through Kindle Unlimited, I did purchase it after my first read-through. Then I bought the Audible. I have relistened to it several times and each time picked up something I had missed. Wilder has created a book that has elements of horror, suspense, thriller, romance, fantasy, and science fiction.
“It resembled a wolf, only it was twice as big as a man, and the paws were more like fingers. Black fur covered its body, the color so flawless it became devoid of light. High shoulders and a lower rear allowed it to spread its stance. And the very space around it held weight.” The main characters are NoX and Luca are excellent. Luca is a young man who has never lived because he has been dying since he was eight years old. NoX burst into his life and everything changes. NoX is the most original character I have ever encountered. The side characters are written very well (looking at you Vic). The story was original. The epilogue caught me before I had solved anything. The author mentions wanting to write more in this universe. Please and thank you. But even if NoX is a standalone forever, it is complete in itself and well worth the time. Kirk Graves does a wonderful job of narrating. His distinct voices for NoX, Luca, Dr. Reese Dante, Colonel Harrington, and Mrs. Laura Phillips. He makes the story very easy to follow. The moods of the characters are reflected in how Graves brings them to life. Dante’s voice varies between soul-crushing exhaustion and profound sadness. It really is a masterful narration. I chose NoX as the best book and the best audiobook of 2020. In a year where I read or listened to 511 books in total, NoX easily outshone the others. Married to the Mobster (Morelli Family, #1)
Leighton Greene Oh my gosh! I love this book. I picked up Married to the Monster through Kindle Unlimited. I was looking for an entertaining read. It was that and more. The book kept me turning pages. It made me care about the characters and kept the mystery under wraps until the end. I finished it and preordered the next one even though it is on Kindle Unlimited. This series is now an automatic order for me. Finch and Luca are two of the best characters I have read. The book was a mafia story with suspense and mystery. It was also a romance with men from different worlds who were more alike than even they knew. The second book and the just release novella also have the same high quality of storytelling. I am hoping this series moves to audio soon. Beowulf: A New Translation Maria Dahvana Headley Can I just say how much I enjoyed Maria Dahvana Headley's Beowulf: A New Translation? If I was teaching Beowulf to my kids now, I would use both this book (including the introduction) and a classic translation like Tolkien or Seamus Heaney. Approximately one thousand years after it’s creation, Headley makes Beowulf accessible. Beowulf was meant to be heard, as it was by it’s original audience. Do yourself a favor and get the audiobook of this fantastic translation. Imagine a smoky bar and the older man at the end as he begins to tell this story of magic and bravery. Shelter Mountain (Virgin River, #2) Robyn Carr Shelter Mountain is my favorite book in the Virgin River series. The main character, Preacher, is the shy, quiet, giant of a man we met in Virgin River. He is loyal, well respected in the community, and lonely. Paige, pregnant and taking her four year old son, is running from her ex-husband whose next beating will undoubtedly kill her. Bad weather and poor navigation bring her to Jack’s Bar with no one there but Preacher. That night begins the journey Preacher and Paige’s journey with no happy ending guaranteed. Preacher’s evolution from the beginning of the book till the end is wonderful. More importantly it is believable. I have read the first twenty books in the series but Shelter Mountain is the only one I have returned to again. Tallowwood (Tallowwood, #1) N. R. Walker Tallowwood was a great audiobook and I delayed finishing the last several chapters. The solution to the mystery, the suspense that had built to nail-biting levels, and my fears for my favorite characters caused me to hold off listening to the end. Tallowwood has it all. The mystery, which kept me guessing until almost the end, the suspense was intense, and the romance was well done. I enjoyed the growth of August Shaw's character. Antony Ferguson's narration was well done. Against the Grain (Auckland Med #4) Jay Hogan Jay Hogan is a New Zealand author that I have enjoyed reading. Auckland Medical is a series about the men who work at the medical center. Each book has focused on a different couple. In Against the Grain, Miller is an avid wheelchair rugby player. The wheelchair version of rugby seems much more physical and dangerous they the regular kind. He is a new hire at the medical center as Clinical Governance Coordinator. He loves his job and has had very few negative reactions to his disability. He is gay but only out to his family. After a rugby accident, he runs into Sandy Williams in Emergency Room. It is not a meet-cute. It is literally running into each other. Sandy is the RN who works as the Pathology Assistant. He came out as a teen. He is very strong in his identity and does not let others bully him. The relationship between Miller and Sandy is written so well. Starting with antagonism, the pair moves slowly and cautiously to friends. As they move into more than friends, there are issues that both men must deal with, issues that can make or break them. I really enjoy how Jay Hogan's characters are not cookie cutter. No matter how far from cisgender a character is, Jay never treats them as less than. I suggest reading the entire series because every book is strong and well written. I won a free copy in a Facebook contest. Writing a review was not required to win. Books and audiobooks were so much better than anything else in 2020. Honestly, the year sucked. Reading and/or listening help me cope with anxiety and depression. Thankfully 2020 provided me a wealth of choices. I have chosen my "BEST" of the year based on when I read them, not when they were published.
I will begin posting the titles that made my Best of 2020 list. There are ten titles. Each title's qualification was based on: * Rating after my first read or listen * If rating changed after a second time * If the title stayed with me in the days after completing Reading/listening a title for a second or third time is an indication that I truly enjoyed it. I will continue to post my selections here as well as Goodreads. BEST SHORT STORY There is only one short story on my list. Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience by Rebecca Roanhorse (https://apex-magazine.com/welcome-to-your-authentic-indian-experience/) rated five out of 5 stars each time I listened to it. Nothing I can say will do justice to Rebecca Roanhorse’s short story masterpiece. You must read it for yourself or find LeVar Burton reading it on YouTube. Review of Brass Carriages and Glass Hearts (Steampunk Proper Romance #4)by Nancy Campbell Allen2/19/2020 Brass Carriages and Glass Hearts is book 4 in the Steampunk Proper Romance series. It is just as enjoyable as the first three books in the series. Books 2 through 4 involve characters who made appearances in the first book. Emmeline O’Shea and Oliver Reed are adversaries. The PSRC (Predatory Shifter Regulations Committee) is the purpose of Emmeline O'Shea's life. The PSRC reminds me of the British suffrage movement. Oliver Reed is a detective who is often sent to deal with the mobs at PSRC events. As threats against Emmeline grow more violent, Oliver is assigned to protect her. As with the other stories in the series, the characters are interesting and grow during the plot. The side characters are interesting enough to get their own book. I am looking forward to the next entry in the series. I won a Kindle copy of A Boy and His dog at the End of the World through a Goodreads contest. I enjoyed reading it. It will be published in late April. The book takes place after an event has overtaken the earth. It is called The Gelding. It is exactly what it sounds like, a plague of sterility. No one knows how it started. It affects animals besides man. Griz is a young man who lives with his parents, a brother, a sister, and his two dogs on a small island off the west coast of Scotland. Since the book isn't published yet and I do not want to inadvertently share any spoilers, let me say if you like post-apocalyptic stories, you will enjoy this one. Anyone who enjoys a good story will enjoy A Boy and His Dog at the end of the World. I haven't added any new content since April of this year. I have not given up on the blog or on adding new content. It just is not possible at this time. I have spend weeks deciding how to write this post, this difficult post.
Sometime late last year when my depression began a downward spiral, I began to notice that my writing process was not as smooth as before. More often I found myself stalling for long periods. By February of this year, it has screeched to a halt. Writing at this point is similar to trying to write in a language I do not speak. Every word searched for like using an English to whatever language dictionary. I do not know when my writing will return to normal. My physician has two theories. Hopefully in the near future an answer will be found. If I owe you a review (and I owe 4 audio and 6 e book reviews), I apologize. In most cases, I have completed reading or listening to your item. I just cannot write the review. I will continue trying until they are all complete. Thank you for your patience and understanding. I loved The Queen of Ieflaria. I devoured it, staying awake way past midnight to finish reading it. This book has so many wonderful things: strong female protagonist, dragons, a unicorn, battles, palace intrigue, and a romance between the two main characters who are pansexual. Princess Esofi of Rhodia has been betrothed to the heir of Ieflaria since she was three years old. Her education has been focused on being the best queen possible to what will be her new homeland. Over the years she has gotten to know her future husband, Crown Prince Albion, through letters. After she begins the months long journey to her new home and marriage, she receives the news that the Crown Prince has died in an accident. Esofi arrives in Ieflaria and is faced with a choice: marry the new heir, marry another in the line of succession or go back home. Esofi chooses to marry the new heir, Crown Princess Adale. Adale never expected to rule. She has not been educated to rule but she does know how to drink, hunt and start a really good bar fight. Yet she is such a wonderful match for Esofi. From the first introduction to Adale, I fell hard for her. I wanted her to marry Esofi and not let one of her cousins take her place. Adale was strong, vulnerable, prickly and caring. She is such a wonderful character. Esofi carries a touch of superiority because of her education. She needs to learn about her new home from the bottom up. Meanwhile others at court plot to remove Adale from the crown and marry Esofi to someone else. This world that Effie Calvin created is so unique. Gender is not a barrier to anything, whether it be a crown or a marriage. Under the right conditions and with a little magic help, individuals can transform to the opposite sex long enough to insure a child is conceived. This world also has dragons. Big, fire breathing dragons who do more than just eat sheep. The descriptions of everything from the architecture to the clothing is amazing. The reader learns so much about the world by the author's wonderful flowing descriptions. I absolutely loved The Queen of Ieflaria and am eagerly looking forward to the next book in the series. This book does have a logical ending so readers are not left hanging but instead are left wanting more. ARC courtesy Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Scott Kelly describes life on the International Space Station with total clarity. Not having been there myself, Kelly's descriptions made it easy to understand what he was talking about. It is not just the science Kelly discusses but the humanities, such as the smell of flowers, the sound of rain. The windows on the station do not open and it has been continually occupied for decades. Weather is a big discussion among the crew since they are not getting to experience any type of weather. The US and Russian sides of the station are operated much differently. Kelly provides examples of this. For anyone who loves space and is looking forward to man going back beyond our own Earth orbit, this book is a must.
Widow's Point is a wonderful haunted house story but with a twist. The haunted house is a lighthouse. So as is the case with most lighthouses, it is isolated and at the edge of a cliff at the mercy of the sea. The atmosphere is the book was just incredible. As a reader, I could hear every creak, see the shifting of the shadows and know without a doubt I would never, ever visit it.
Why Thomas Livingstone decided it would be a good idea to be locked in the lighthouse for an entire weekend is simple; discovery. As the author of several books on haunted locations. Livingstone was attracted to Widow's Point as Queen of Haunted locations. No ghost hunters have been able to figure out what or who is behind the mysterious occurrences, including several gruesome deaths. As expected by any readers of horror, Livingstone's camera stops working as soon as he is locked in the lighthouse. The story is told through the audio recordings he made as well as historical documents. The book is beautifully illustrated. The illustrations help set off the atmosphere the authors created with their words. Although I finished the book several days ago, it is still with me. I feel compelled to read it again. Maybe once the sun is up. Thank you to the authors for the advance review copy in exchange for an honest review. Plague Land by Alex Scarrow SOURCEBOOKS Fire Sci Fi & Fantasy , Teens & YA Pub Date 01 Dec 2017 Courtesy Netgalley Plague Land is being released on December 1st. If you have a horror fan on your holiday list, I suggest you consider giving them Alex Scarrow’s unique version of the plague. It is unbelievably hard to write this review without spoilers but I will give it the old Navy try as my dad used to say. Scarrow’s book takes place in modern times in our current global world. The book begins with a teen named Leon, his younger sister Grace and his mother. They recently moved from the United States to England. After divorcing Leon’s father, his mother decided to move them closer to her parents in England. Alex, with his Yank accent, does not fit in and has not made any new friends to replace the ones he was forced to leave behind. Grace, not yet a teen, is having an easier time fitting in. Their mom is totally consumed by working to support them and is missing all the angst in Alex’s life. When news begins to emerge from Africa about a new contagious disease, Alex is worried. His mother isn’t. After all, they are in England, with its modern medicine and security. As we know now, the price of a global world, is global disease. Nothing is truly quarantined because by the time it is decided to isolate it, it has already spread. What is spreading from Africa, to literally the ends of the Earth, is not the Black Plague, not Ebola, not any previously seen disease. This one kills because this one thinks. Note: While the book is listed as for age fourteen and up, I would approach that age with care. The book has some graphic descriptions of the plague activity that may unsettle a less mature readers. Creatures of Will and Temper
by Molly Tanzer Houghton Mifflin Harcourt John Joseph Adams/Mariner Books Pub Date 14 Nov 2017 Courtesy netgalley Molly Tanzer’s book, Creatures of Will and Temper, is described as “A Victorian urban fantasy featuring duelists, demons, and the dark arts, inspired by The Picture of Dorian Gray.” It is all that and more. I picked it up because of the nod to Oscar Wilde’s classic. I read Wilde’s book in college, more than thirty-five years ago, and remember the broad strokes of the story but not the fine details. Tanzer’s story uses that basic level familiarity and builds a new story with great characters. The main characters are sisters, Evadne and Dorina Gray. They are eighteen and seventeen years old respectively. They live in the country and are upper class. Evadne is dutiful, conservative and the bane of her younger sister. Dorina is a risk taker, rule breaker and fed up with her sister tattling to her parents. Dorina is a lesbian and enjoys a series of girlfriends, all under the radar because of the societal rules at the time. Dorina is planning on spending time with her Uncle Basil in London, a renowned painter. Dorina is thinking of being an art critic so spending time with her uncle should be educational. After Evadne tattles on Dorina’s latest relationship, she finds herself being sent to London as her sister’s keeper. Neither sister is happy with the situation or each other. Once they arrive in London, the story really takes off. Their uncle is mourning his friend and lover, Oliver. Oliver’s sister takes Dorina to see the museums of London and meet the people who appreciate the art Dorina will one day be writing about. Evadne finds herself becoming more confident when she finds a fencing master and pursues her passion for fencing. There are demons in London. They are not the horns and pitchfork variety. Like London itself, these demons are complex and all with their own agendas. Evadne and Dorina encounter the demons in very different ways with very different reactions to them. There are several facets of this book I really enjoyed. One was the fencing. For over ten years, I was a fencing parent. The sections of the book detailing the salle, the weapons, the tactics, the smelly fencing whites after an afternoon of bouting, were a joy to read. The other facet I enjoyed was the relationship between Evadne and Dorina. It is a very realistic depiction of sisters close in age but far apart in temperament. Their relationship evolves over the course of the book. Like the two characters evolution, it is not straightforward or smooth. It has fits and starts as in real life. I recommend Creatures of Will and Temper. It kept me engaged. Gave me characters I cared about. Alternated action sequences with character exploration. Molly Tanzer has created a fantastic book with strong female protagonists. The Girl in the Tower A Novel by Katherine Arden Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Del Rey Sci Fi & Fantasy Pub Date 05 Dec 2017 Courtesy Netgalley I was fortunate to review Katherine Arden’s The Bear and the Nightingale. I really enjoyed it. Arden created characters whose voices were so clear that I could keep them straight regardless of the Russian naming conventions attached to them. That book look place in the mid 14th century, before it is truly Russian. If you have not read The Bear and the Nightingale, please do not read any further. The tension between the old beliefs and the new religion were central to The Bear and the Nightingale. It was a book about a country, a people and a family in the process of change. The Girl in the Tower picks up shortly after the end of The Bear and the Nightingale. Vasilisa (Vasya) is still the central character. Vasya chooses to flee her family home after the death of her father and stepmother. Both deaths are blamed on her. Vasya flees to the only ally she has, Morozko, who is more dangerous than her enemies. Vasya chooses to take any limited assistance and sets out to see what is beyond the forest of northern Russia. Morozko has an agenda in helping Vasya. All that Vasya learned as a child about the old ways can help her survive anything except the monsters that are men. Characters from the first book, like Sasha and Konstantin, return and new characters are introduced. The story is just as intriguing as the first book. Arden continues her description, rich prose in this book.The language of the book is gorgeous. It flowed very easily. I did purchase the audiobook of The Bear and the Nightingale and preordered the audiobook of The Girl in the Tower. Reading Arden’s prose is enjoyable but hearing it read with correct pronunciations is a feast for your ears.. I would recommend The Girl in the Tower as soon as you finish The Bear and the Nightingale for a captivating journey to a lost world of magic. It really is an enchanted series. Elizabeth Bear creates a complex world in The Stone in the Skull. There are different civilizations, different gods, different magics, different forms of life and different skies, all on the same planet. The story is good. It draws you in and slowly reveals secrets in a way that keeps you turning pages.
The book opens in Steles of the Sky with a brass man, The Gage, hauling pulling a ship over a mountain pass as it ported between rivers. The Gage is not really a man, anymore, and is so much more than a man in strength and intelligence. I liked him immediately. There was something about him, a sense of honesty and/or decency, that came through early in the book and never left. Traveling with The Gage is the Dead Man. He is not really dead. The name is a job title that related to his former profession. The Dead Man and The Gage have worked together for years and have a fondness for each other. This unique friendship formed, in my opinion, the spine of the story. Everything was some how related to the two friends. The other main characters in the book live in the Lotus Kingdoms on the other side of the mountains that The Gage and the Dead Man were crossing. Several kingdoms, all related by blood and formerly one kingdom, jostle for power. The gods are different in the southern and the customs are different. Mrithuri, 24 years old and unmarried, rules one of the kingdoms. Her cousin and uncles circle her waiting for the first sign of weakness to steal her kingdom for themselves. Mrithuri, the Dead Man and The Gage are bound together, although they do not know each other, by the secret entrusted to the two friends to be delivered to Mrithuri’s kingdom. The universe The Stone in the Skull takes place in is complex. I read the ARC in an ebook format. I think it would have been helpful to have access to basic maps, a glossary and maybe a cast of characters listing. Other readers may not have the same issue I did. I plan on rereading the book in a few months and I am sure it will flow better for me then. The Stone in the Skull is the first in a planned trilogy. It does end with a cliffhanger. This is the second book by Elizabeth Bear I have read, the first being the fantastic Karen Memory. I recommend The Stone in the Skull for all fans of fantasy. Strange Practice
by Vivian Shaw Orbit Books Sci Fi & Fantasy Pub Date 25 Jul 2017 Courtesy Netgalley I enjoyed Strange Practice immensely. I hope it is the beginning of a series. Greta Helsing (the family dropped the Van between the World Wars) is a physician, just like her late father. Just like her father and grandfather, Greta is the rare doctor in modern London who makes house calls in addition to running a clinic on Harley Street, the address synonymous for the best in health care in London. Greta’s practice treats the most underserved and needy of all London inhabitants, the unalive. In Greta’s clinic she deals with Mummies who have chronic pain from bone deterioration, ghouls with depression, and anything else that finds it’s way to her. She is trusted and well liked by all the supernaturals. She is also overworked and clinging to her budget by her fingernails. But like her father and grandfather, this is the life she feels she is called to. She likes and respects her patients. When Greta gets a call in the middle of the night to go to Lord Ruthven’s house. Greta has known Ruthven all her life and has known he is a vampire. When she arrives she find Varney, who is a vampyre, wounded by a poison weapon. She is fascinated as she has never had the opportunity to observe this cousin species of the more common vampire. Greta and Ruthven discover that Varney has been hit with a very strange metal stake, poisoned specifically to kill the unalive. The story quickly takes off from there involving demons, ghouls, and humans. Ms. Shaw created a tantalizing world that I would love to see explored more. All the different varieties of unalive were fascinating. Werewolves were mentioned but not featured in this book. The writing was excellent, wonderful descriptions of the locations, monsters and humans. The story was great. It kept me turning pages long after I should have gone to sleep. Treat yourself to vampires grocery shopping and making lattes and a woman doctor who heals as well as kicks ass to protect her patients. I picked up A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess after seeing it recommended by several YA authors on Twitter. I went to Goodreads and Amazon, checked out the synopsis and the reviews. It was on sale so I took a chance and picked it up. I am really glad I did.
Nettie is a young woman who teaches at the all girl's school, Brimthorn, where she was raised. Remember the school that Jane Eyre attended? Brimthorn is just as grim plus a serial sexual predator as a headmaster. Nettie's best friend is Rook, an orphan who works as a servant at the school. Rook is "unclean" because he has scars from surviving a brush with one of the Seven Ancients. The Ancients are monsters, really proper devour whole cities monsters, that came through a rip in the fabric of reality. They are only in England. They arrived when a magician and a witch were playing with forces they did not understand. The witch burned. The magician disappeared. Magicians and witches are now outlawed and put to death. Only sorcerers are allowed. They are, surprise of surprises, males only. There is a prophecy that a female sorcerer will appear and help defeat the Seven Ancients. Nettie may be the prophesied one. Rook may have a part to play in Nettie's success or failure. The Seven Ancients may be unbeatable. Four hundred pages later, I was invested in Nettie. I wanted her to succeed. I wanted her to bring down the patriarchy that followed a woman queen, Victoria, but discounted every other woman in the country. This book is the first of a two book series. The book does end with unanswered questions but some are answered. All in all, this is one book that I did not mind being continued because I do want to continue to get to know Hettie, Rook and those marvelous Seven Ancient Ones. Artemis A Novel by Andy Weir Crown Publishing Pub Date 14 Nov 2017 Courtesy Netgalley Mark Watney became one of the best protagonist in publishing when The Martian by Andy Weir came out. He was smart, funny, persevering and adaptable. Those qualities allowed him to survive being stranded on Mars. His story was so engrossing the book hit the bestseller list followed by a blockbuster movie. Wow. How does an author top that? Andy Weir does it quite nicely in his upcoming book Artemis. Jazz Bashara is similar to Mark Watney in several ways. She is smart, funny, adapts to what life throws at her and preservers in her dream to be independently wealthy. While Mark Watney had several degrees to hi name, using his very well educated background to solve problems, Jazz is entirely self taught. She does things her way, whether it is acceptable to the authorities and her father or not. I love Jazz. She is a smart, strong young woman, born in Saudi Arabia but calling the moon home since she was six years old. Jazz lives on the moon. Andy Weir takes us to a future where there is a community living on the moon. Weir does a fantastic job of explaining how the moon colony came into being and how it is owned by a consortium from Kenya. It is believable and it seems like the technology he uses is available now or just over our technical horizon. The story revolves around Jazz’s quest to move from the poverty level to a more financially stable group. While Artemis is on the moon, it does have several earth issues to deal with. There are economic classes. There is smuggling due to the high cost of shipping anything to the moon. It has crime. It also has a level of constant danger that those on earth have no concept of. Imagine if there is an explosion that takes out one of the main walls in a dome. On earth if a wall if blown out, people can be hurt or die if they are in the area. On the moon, everyone in that dome will die as the air is instantly removed. Jazz is navigating all of these issues and for the most part doing it very well for a twenty-something with only a high school education. The secret weapon in Jazz’s plan is herself. She is confident in her ability to do whatever task she takes on to further her dream. When she takes on a huge job that could give make her dream real in one day, she knows it will be risky and possibly dangerous. Even on the moon, what is planned is often not what happens. Jazz is now fighting not only for her life but for the life of Artemis and all the people who call it home. I loved Artemis. I have already pre-ordered the audiobook. I am not a well educated person (a 35 year old associate in liberal arts degree) and I do not speak science fluently. Andy Weir makes the science understandable even to someone like me. I was born during the Apollo era and have an incredible love for space exploration. I hope Mr. Weir continues to entertain and educate me about the possibilities of space exploration that my generation may yet see. Artemis is five stars, five bright, blazing stars. Beloved Poison is the first book in the Jem Flockhart series. As with the second book, Dark Asylum, the setting is Victorian London with its tenements full of poverty, crime and disease and a society that punishes those afflicted with a case of being from the lower classes of society. This first book takes place in a hospital where Jem is an apothecary. The hospital cares for the lower classes, no nobility or wealthy patients are found here. The poor people have little hope of surviving their illnesses or injuries and less hope once most of the doctors get their hands on them. If they do not survive, their bodies are whisked away for the medical students to dissect. Jem is the rare person at the hospital who practices cleanliness and seems to honestly care about the patient’s welfare.
As with Dark Asylum, Beloved Poison got some many things right. * The setting was written very well. All the smells of Victorian London. The darkness, the smog, the tenements. It really created a believable atmosphere. * The hospital was horrifying. I think I would have rather died at home than subject myself to what passed for medical treatment. * The characters were fantastic. I really did not have a good line on who was evil until the very end of the book. * Jem was wonderful. I loved what I learned about the character in the second book. Now here in the first book I have, for lack of a better phrase, Jem’s origin story. It reinformed to me why Jem is one of the most likeable, relatable and well written characters I have encounter. * Again another great mystery that kept me guessing until the very end. A logical solution also, not a deus ex machina ending. I was very surprised to find that there are not audio versions of of either of the Jem Flockhart books. The publisher is missing a huge market by not releasing the books on audio also. Both Beloved Poison and Dark Asylum were a joy to read. I am looking forward to reading more from E. S. Thomson and hopefully seeing her titles as audiobooks. Dark Asylum A Novel by E. S. Thomson Pegasus Books Pub Date 07 Nov 2017 Courtesy Netgalley Dark Asylum is the second book in a series featuring Jem Flockhart and Will Quartermain. Jem is an apothecary. Will is an architect. The setting is Victorian London with its tenements full of poverty, crime and disease and a society that punishes those afflicted with a case of being from the lower classes of society. Although I had not read the first book in the series yet (Beloved Poison), I had no problems following the story and the characters. I had read about three chapters before I contacted my library and requested Beloved Poison. Any other books in the series will be requested as soon as they are available. There were so many things I liked about Dark Asylum. The easiest way to communicate it is probably by bullet points: * The setting was written very well. All the smells of Victorian London. The darkness, the smog, the tenements. It really created a believable atmosphere. * The mental health aspect was very well researched. The way people have treated the mentally ill throughout history is diverse. Some cultures treated mentally ill people as though they had been touched by the divine. Then you have the Victorians. The belief that the mental illness was caused by a weakness or failing on the individual’s part and needed to be punished is just cruel. The book does a very good job of showing that mind set while also showing the few who began to realize that possibly humane treatment would do more good than strait jackets and locked cells. * The characters were fantastic. Characters like Susan Chance did not reveal themselves to the reader all at once. What was revealed was a well rounded and complex character. All the characters were like that. * Jem. Oh my goodness, Jem. Not having read the first book yet, I do not know Jem’s whole story. What I do know is that Jem is one of the most likeable, relatable and well written characters I have encounter. There is only so much I can say without spoilers. Read the book and you will see what I mean. * The plot at it’s heart is a mystery. What a fun mystery it was. At one point, I was sure it was this character. I chapter later I changed my mind. A chapter later back to the original one. At the end, I was totally wrong. It is wonderful to be surprised by the solution to a mystery when that solution makes sense. I was very surprised to find that there are not audio versions of Dark Asylum or the first book in the series. The publisher is missing a huge market by not releasing the books on audio also. Dark Asylum was a joy to read. It really was. I am looking forward to reading more from E. S. Thomson. The Radium Girls
The Dark Story of America's Shining Women by Kate Moore Courtesy of NetGalley I had the opportunity to read The Radium Girls by Kate Moore through NetGalley. It was a disturbing and fascinating book. Although the dangerous properties of radium were known to the Curies who discovered it, there was a general denial by the population of its dangers. The companies that used radium to paint watch dials to make them glow in the dark did not give any warnings to their employees. Women would routinely drip paint brushes with radium into their mouths before applying the paint to the dials. When the women were finally examined after years of exposure, radium had penetrated so deeply into their tissues they literally glowed in the dark. The author lays out a timeline of the commercial use of radium. She introduces the women who worked painting the dails. She details their health and lives before starting to work at the plant. Ms. Moore also explains the process in which different workers in different positions were exposed. As the workers begin to show signs of various illness, they sought help from a medical field that did not understand radiation poisoning. Many girls were unable to work anymore due to illness. The statute of limitations for work related illnesses was only five months. By the point the women began to realize their illness was work related, more than five months had passed since they were employed. The book is fascinating in the wonderful way Ms. Moore makes the women truly present. The reader begins to care about the women because of the wonderful way Ms. Moore tells their story. You feel their frustration with not being able to find answers as they are suffering greatly. You admire their persistence in pursuing a legal case to stop the company’s negligence. The book is disturbing in the level of the cover up by the company. The smear campaign included telling the public that the real cause of the illnesses was syphilis. They painted the women as suffering from a venereal disease and ruined their reputations. The legal system was a Goliath that they sick women needed to defeat. I recommend reading The Radium Girls. Like HIdden Figures, it is a book that tells a story that we need to know. We need to hear about these women who had the presence of mind to document their stories and make sure their stories were shared from generation to generation. Laws now in place to protect employees and give them access to information about dangerous conditions are because of the legal challenges of women. That is their legacy. The audio version is narrated by Angela Brazil. I obtained it through Hoopla Digital and my local library system. Ms. Brazil does a nice job. My first visit to Castle Rock was in The Dead Zone, published in 1979. It was one of those towns, like Jerusalem's Lot, that when I made my first trip to Maine in 2006, I made sure were not on the itinerary. Nothing against either town but seriously messed up stuff happened to people there. But Castle Rock has been fairly quiet for a few years. Thanks to Richard Chizmar, Stephen King has woken Castle Rock up. I was overjoyed when I first read the Mr. King was collaborating with Richard Chizmar from Cemetery Dance Publications to return to Castle Rock.The advance reviews of Gwendy's Button Box were excellent. I just had to patiently wait for my turn in the library queue. Today was the day. My husband walked in from work, and a side trip to the library, and handed me the book at 5:35pm. I drove right in. (Left overs are in the fridge.) Three hours later I had devoured the Button Box. I could not have put it down if I had wanted to and I very much did not want to. The box at the heart of this book contains chocolate (yea!), money (useful) and terrible powers. The owner of the box can invoke this powers at a cost to themselves. I cannot really say much more without giving away plot points. I will say had I been given the box I doubt I would have handled it as well as Gwendy. In true Stephen King style, the people are as horrifying as any monsters. There were so many things I liked about Gwendy's Button Box starting with Gwendy. She is a wonderful character. One who as a teen deals well with the issues of peer pressure and fitting in. She fought her own battles and did not need a male to save her or validate her decisions. I loved the box and I was also terrified of the box. My jury is still out on the giver of the box. I haven't decided if he has cloven hooves or is some type of emissary of the gods. This is not a totally coherent review because I am very much in the afterglow of a gorgeous sumptuous read. I will be reading Gwendy's Button Box again over the weekend before it goes back to the library. I am seriously considering getting the audiobook. It is a novella, 164 pages, and a quick read but an immensely satisfying one. In my experience a satisfying Stephen King read is one that pulls you, leaves you breathless, and invites to come back and see what you missed in your first intense read. I was first introduced to Ron (Veronica) and Chris (Christine) Wilson in March of 2015. Ron was a successful author and Chris, well Chris can see dead people. When Chris was asked to check out a house with a nasty reputation, Ron being the overprotective big sister went on her own to make sure it was safe. It wasn’t. Now Ron is one of the dead people Chris sees. Restless Spirits is the story of how Ron dies and how Chris saves her, even though she is dead. Excellent book as is Restless Spirits: Love Letter a novella that continues the story. Kindred Spirits picks up Ron and Chris’s story after they have settled into their lives as dead and not dead sisters. As with Restless Spirits, there is an excellent mystery at the heart of the book. This mystery takes the talents of both sisters to solve, plus help from new characters. The plot is great. Once I got a chance to really sit down and start reading it, I finished it in two days. Do a thing, pick up Kindred Spirits, put it down to go do a thing and then pick it up as soon as possible again. Part of what makes the book, and it’s prequels, so good are the characters of Ron and Chris. They are believable. Their conversations seem natural like I would have with my sisters, except not the dead part. They interact with their world, both living and dead, in a realistic manner. That believability is the core of why I love this series. I believe Chris can still see and hear Ron. I believe that they can still share that bond of sisterhood. Jean Marie Bauhaus has written great characters and fun mysteries. I give Kindred Spirits 5 of 5 stars. I also suggest you check out some of her other books. Dominion of the Damned is one of the most unusual vampire books. She is a very talented author across several genres. I received an advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review. White Fur
A Novel by Jardine Libaire Crown Publishing Courtesy Netgalley White Fur was offered to me by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. It is categorized as General Fiction (Adult) but it really is the story of a romance, the relationship between two people. Elise and Jamey meet in New Haven, CT where Jamey is a student at Yale and Elise is barely surviving. I am not sure I can give this book an adequate review, not because of the writing but because of me. It just really did not connect with me. I am not sure if it is the bleakness of Elise and Jamey’s life due to their struggles or that I have read very few romances I like. So I would suggest you try the book. It is not a bad book and not bad writing. It just did not draw me in. |
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