Review: A River Called Time

A River Called Time by Courttia Newland
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Thank you to Library Journal for the ARC and the opportunity to review this title.

Set in a dystopian London parallel, A River Called Time uncovers the truth about the Ark, a structure built to provide a haven for the aristocracy but is revealed to be so much more disturbing. Markriss Denny has worked hard to win a spot inside the Ark. His enthusiasm wanes immediately when his assigned job revolves around political uprising and government deception. Markriss’ only path ahead is to embrace a newly discovered secret; the ability to leave his body and experience parallel universes beyond physical limitations.

Newland’s premise and his alternative world where Africa was not part of European colonization are both intriguing, however the plot is slow going and never quite reaches the potential teased from the beginning. Newland’s writing is stylish but tends to be overly descriptive, making the explanation of Markriss’ travels to parallel universes confusing and hard to follow. Markriss is a difficult protagonist to connect with, only adding to the disjointed feel of the book. Clearly a missed opportunity on the author’s part. Library collections should pass on this one.


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The Wife Upstairs

Thanks to Library Journal for the ARC and the opportunity to review this title!

https://www.libraryjournal.com/?revie...

*Starred Review* In children’s author Hawkins’s first adult novel, Jane is a wanderer. Newly arrived in Birmingham, AL, she walks dogs for the rich and sometimes famous residents of Thornfield Estates. Jane both envies and despises the women she works for. To them, she is invisible. Luckily for Jane, that means they won’t notice her habit of pocketing their jewelry or bother to wonder if Jane is her real name. When Jane meets Eddie, she sees the opportunity of a lifetime. Handsome, rich, and widowed, Eddie Rochester is Jane’s ticket into a normal life. However, the further Jane molds herself to fit into Eddie’s world of wealth and glamour, the more she is tormented by the memory of Bea Rochester. As Jane digs further, the circumstances of Bea’s death start to slowly morph into a complete picture, but not before Jane gets caught in the middle of a battle already raging.

VERDICT With an even darker twist, this novel delivers a one-of-a-kind take on a well-known gothic tale. In addition to the suspenseful story line, the distorted love triangle and the impassivity of the Thornfield residents will have readers feeling simultaneously discombobulated and fulfilled. Recommended for all library mystery collections.

 

The Woman Outside My Door by Rachel Ryan

Release Date: January 5, 2021

Thank you to Booklist for the ARC and the opportunity to review this title

https://www.booklistonline.com/The-Woman-outside-My-Door/pid=9741521

Georgina tells herself that the fact that her seven-year-old son, Cody, has an imaginary friend is no big deal. Having just lost his grandmother, Georgina’s mother, it’s understandable that he would search for comfort in different ways. It’s only when Cody’s imaginary friend, New Granny, starts leaving signs behind—candy wrappers, mysterious phone calls—does Georgina suspect that there could be something more sinister going on. Trying desperately to convince her husband, Georgina searches for tangible proof beyond her maternal instinct. What if New Granny isn’t imaginary at all? Or worse, what if Georgina is losing her mind (she has had mental problems before)? Heralded by Georgina’s delve into Cody’s imaginary world, first-time-author Ryan draws the reader into not only Georgina’s terrifying journey to save her son, but also her marriage and her sanity. Georgina is a fierce, loyal narrator, and the reader won’t be able to resist rooting for her success. Seasoned mystery lovers will recognize similarities to B. A. Paris’ The Breakdown (2017), Mary Kubica’s The Other Mrs. (2020), and A. J. Finn’s The Woman in the Window (2018). 

Overdrawn

 

Overdrawn by N.J. Crosskey

Starred Review: Library Journal

https://www.libraryjournal.com/?reviewDetail=overdrawn

Enduring his wife’s daily struggle with dementia, Henry Morris treasures her moments of clarity more than anything. In a dsytopian society where growing old is no longer cherished but considered irresponsible, and euthanasia of the elderly is prevalent, Henry continuously battles with the financial pressures of his wife’s illness. Kaitlyn Thomas refuses to believe her brother, Jack, won’t wake from his coma, but the bills are piling up and her fear of being alone is all-consuming. When Henry and Kaitlyn meet over a cup of coffee, their lives become intertwined in a way neither of them thought possible. They bring contrasting narratives but are still equally relatable. Their heartwarming relationship will draw in readers.

VERDICT Crosskey (Poster Boy) delivers a compelling look into an ageist culture motivated by concern for environmental sustainability but completely devoid of the true meaning of life. Yet despite the nefarious state of this postapocalyptic world, Crosskey proves that out of the darkest circumstances, kindness and selflessness can still reign. A must for all sf/dystopian fiction collections.

Reviewed by Carmen Clark, Elkhart P.L., IN , Oct 02, 2020

Review: The Fabergé Secret

The Fabergé Secret by Charles Belfoure
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Thank you to Booklist for the ARC and the opportunity to review this title!

January 1, 15 issue:
Despite being friends with Czar Nicholas II, the emperor of Russia, Prince Dimitri Markhov finds his life in the Imperial Court monotonous and his marriage to the vindictive Princess Lara less than satisfying, compelling him to take solace in his love of architecture. When he meets Katya Golitsyn, a passionate Jewish doctor, the affair that blooms between them opens Dimitri's eyes to the heinous violence perpetrated on the Jewish people by the czar's regime. Once seen, it cannot be unseen, and Dmitri is forced to choose between his dearest friend and the lives of millions of innocent people. Belfoure's dialogue sometimes reads like fictional name dropping, which jars the flow of the story, but the novel offers a unique take on the historically popular Romanov family. The discussion of Russian architecture, the music of Tchaikovsky, and the famous imperial Faberge eggs combine to create a striking picture of Russian arts and culture in the early 1900s, nicely balanced against the disturbing plight of Russian Jews. Readers who enjoy Martha Hall Kelly and J'nell Ciesielski will want to give this one a try.

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Review: Death in the Great Dismal

Death in the Great Dismal by Eleanor Kuhns
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Thank you to Booklist for the ARC and the opportunity to review this title!

January 1, 15 issue:
William and Lydia Reese are asked to accompany a friend on a rescue mission into the pro-slavery state of Virginia. Upon arrival in the Great Dismal Swamp, one of the residents is murdered, and William is tasked with finding who committed the heinous act. Then a second body is found. Tensions are high, and trust is running low. Kuhns' ninth entry in the Will Rees series provides a fictional account of a little-known, real-life event from the early 1800s. At the time, The Great Dismal Swamp was a haven for runaway slaves, the dense and tangled landscape offering a protective area. Kuhns' vivid portrayal of the community that developed inside the swamp captures a group of naturally cunning and vigilant people who provided a family for one another when most had none. The mystery itself is drawn out and a bit dry, but the story shines for its historical backbone and atmospheric details. Those factors make it perfect for readers of Margaret Lawrence's Hannah Trevor novels and Eliot Pattison's Bone Rattler series.

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Review: Bloodline

Bloodline by Jess Lourey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Thank you to Booklist for the advanced reader's copy!

Joan Harken loves her job as a journalist in Minneapolis but when she’s mugged just outside her apartment, she immediately agrees to move. Her fiancé, Deck, wants to raise their unborn child in his hometown of Lilydale. After spending most of her childhood on the road, a town with the slogan “Come Home Forever” sounds like perfection. It doesn’t take long, however, for Lilydale’s charm to wear off. The intrusive kindness of her neighbors, the strange hold of the town’s social club on the citizens, and the unsolved murder of a little boy put Joan in a heightened state of anxiety. When a person claiming to be the missing boy arrives in town, the chain of events that follow turn Joan’s new small town life completely upside down.

Loury’s Bloodline emanates a menacing sense of place and a continuous skin-crawling tension. Readers will recognize a similarity to Joan’s battle with her own sanity in B.A. Paris’ The Breakdown and Mary Kubica’s The Other Mrs. This heart pounding psychological thriller will excite all mystery lovers.

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Review: Smoke

Smoke by Joe Ide
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Thank you Library Journal for the advanced reader's copy.

The fifth installment of Joe Ide’s IQ series opens onto Isaiah Quintabe, the genius “IQ” detective as he flees his home in East Long Beach, California. Suffering from the effects of his dangerous job, Isaiah decides to leave everything behind hoping to escape his PTSD and the price on his head. Trouble finds him anyway in the forms of Ava and Billy, both attempting to solve the murder of Ava’s twin, Hannah. Ava is convinced the infamous AMSAK is her sister’s killer but it’ll take a brain like Isaiah’s to put the pieces together. Juanell Dodson, “the hustler’s hustler” and Isaiah’s best friend, has been given an ultimatum--go straight and get a job or lose his family. After a painful make-over, Dodson joins the team of an advertising firm and discovers he’s not as out of place as expected.

Smoke brings a flood of additional characters, including a former stripper fighting for custody of her son, a struggling artist finally seen for her talent, and two brothers who bring destruction wherever they go. Readers will need to pay careful attention to keep all of Ide’s players straight but the gritty action and sardonic humor will be sure to grab all IQ fans. Libraries with the previous four installments will want this one.

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Review: The Nightworkers

The Nightworkers by Brian Selfon
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Thanks to Library Journal for the advanced reader's copy!

Shecky Keenan’s world is imploding. His bank accounts are closing rapidly, his house is being watched by a mysterious man, and his newest runner, Emil Scott is missing, along with the bag of dirty money he was carrying. Shecky’s family laundering business includes his nephew Henry, who’s physically intimidating stature hides an artistic heart and his niece, Kerasha, a girl with sticky fingers and a devastating past. Family means everything to Shecky but he soon learns even family can keep dark secrets from each other, as Emil’s disappearance starts them down a path filled with unexpected turns and betrayal.

Selfon’s experience as an investigative analyst for the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office brings a realistic element to this debut novel, weaving truth and fantasy seamlessly together to create an exciting look into the city’s seedy, treacherous back alley world of drugs, money laundering and murder. The shifting perspectives, from Shecky’s heartbreaking reminisces to Kerasha’s painful memories of her mother and her therapy sessions, provide emotional depth but can leave the reader a bit disoriented. Fans of gritty, dark, dysfunctional mysteries will appreciate this one.


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Review: A Place Called Zamora

A Place Called Zamora by L.B. Gschwandtner
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Thanks to Library Journal for the advanced reader's copy!

Far away in the distance, there is a glimmer; a place called Zamora. Its possible existence brings hope to Niko and El, two young people living in a brutal and corrupt dystopian city. Premier Villinkash, the dictator who brought about The Collapse, and The Cleanse that removed everyone’s memory of life before, has instituted a mandatory and barbarous competition forcing the city’s young men to race to the death on motorcycles. Only one is allowed to survive. When Niko wins the race, he shuns a life of entitlement and wealth and chooses El as his prize. Enraged by his act of defiance, Premier Villinkash becomes unhinged and declares Niko and El traitors. A long awaited rebellion rises throughout the city, while Niko and El run for their lives, on a search for a safe haven on the horizon.

Gschwandtner’s novel has an intriguing premise that shows signs of inspiration from Suzanne Collins’ “The Hunger Games” and Veronica Roth’s “Divergent” series. The story as a whole is chaotic and disjointed, often moving from past to present events without any break in the text. Libraries with well circulating science fiction/fantasy collections may want this one; otherwise, pass.


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A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor

My first starred review for Library Journal!

https://www.libraryjournal.com/?reviewDetail=a-beautifully-foolish-endeavor
This sequel to An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, the first book in Green’s “Carls” series, continues the story of 23-year-old April May and one of the Carls, a statue from outer space who hovers in major cities around the world, causing mixed feelings of wonder and dread among Earth’s billions of residents. After the shockingly public death of April May and Carl’s sudden disappearance, the world is more confused than ever. The event ultimately brings friends Andy, Miranda, and Maya back together, with Andy willingly absorbing April May’s fame, using it to make personal appearances and join a secret online society, and Miranda, feeling lonely and displaced, taking on a covert scientific assignment. Maya, meanwhile, flounders without purpose until she discovers an anomaly too mysterious to be ignored. What happens next to the group is more powerful than anyone could imagine.
VERDICT Throughout this adventurous, witty, and compelling novel, Green delivers sharp social commentary on the power of social media and both the benefits and horrendous consequences that follow when we give too much of ourselves to technology. An essential choice for all sf collections.

Reviewed by Carmen Clark, Elkhart P.L., IN , Jun 12, 2020

Review: Fire in the Blood

Fire in the Blood by Perry O'Brien
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Library Journal for the advanced reader's copy! You can find my review on their website as well.

Coop, a soldier serving in Afghanistan, learns his wife, Kay has died in a hit-and-run accident. He is granted leave and flies to New York to attend to her affairs but finds the reception from Kay’s family cold and distant. A mysterious visitor at the funeral leads him to suspect that Kay’s death was not accidental. Utilizing his military training and instincts, Coop chooses to abandon his return to Afghanistan and instead embarks on his own mission to uncover the truth. As he moves deeper into the unknown aspects of Kay’s life, Coop is haunted by memories from his military service, and the final days with Kay before deployment. Facing numerous obstacles along the way, including a drug gang and an unreliable detective, Coop must unravel truth from lie and grasp the redemption he’s been seeking all along.

In addition to his background as a soldier in Afghanistan, O’Brien’s ability to express the human experience of inner turmoil and atonement, revenge and justice, displays his powerful and engaging talent as a writer. Fans of Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch series will appreciate Coop’s brusque, principled personality.


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Red Noise LJ Review



Check out my newest review on Library Journal!

https://www.libraryjournal.com/?reviewDetail=red-noise&fbclid=IwAR3n2H0HMuQwYA9pKEErXouuNPr5rg8sfRvc5RllkHmaJVwUm_GNjlEFg4I

Seeking only the perpetual solitude of her ship and work, the Miner docks at Station 35, hoping to sell her asteroid ore and get out. When the price for her cargo is anything but fair, the Miner explores further into the confines of the station, and what she discovers forces her into the throws of an interminable and dangerous battle between rival gangs and corrupt law enforcement. When the bitter campaign between an unstable mob boss and his treacherous former second in command starts threatening the life of her only friend on the station, the Miner realizes she has a critical decision to make: leave and save herself, or use her skills with a blade to end the deadly brawl once and for all. The story that unfolds contains plenty of twists and gruesome action. The Miner’s sense of vindication and her capriciousness make her an unreliable, albeit interesting protagonist; however, the lack of further character development and depth causes the plot to remain stagnant.

VERDICT Libraries with well circulating sf collections may want this one; otherwise, pass.