ARC Review | Through Gates of Garnet and Gold

3.5

We’re back on the roller coaster with this series. I thought I was going to be done after the last book, but I gave it another chance as this one was about Nancy, whose story I enjoyed in Every Heart a Doorway.

Previously, Nancy had returned to the Halls of the Dead, where people become living statues, posing for hours upon hours, not moving, barely breathing, basically being as close to a statue without actually being made of marble. When something starts killing the statues, Nancy returns to Eleanor’s home to recruit help. She is joined by familiar faces Kade and Sumi, and new character Talia. Together they return to the Halls to find out who or what is behind the murders and stop them for good.

I like Nancy, though being a statue sounds absolutely torturous. I’ve also enjoyed both Kade and Sumi, so having them back really helped the story. Talia isn’t given too much space to shine, which is okay since it isn’t really her story. She’s there to help complete a task and not much else. Since she never knew Nancy before, there isn’t any familiarity between them, like there is with her and Kade and Sumi. And while Talia is essential to the final conflict, she’s a lot more forgettable than the rest. However, my guess is we’ll be getting a book about her soon now that she’s been introduced.

I wasn’t really sure how to feel about the discovery of who the murderer is. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, but unless there is going to be some major conflict or showdown with them eventually, I really like for it to be dropped. Not that there hasn’t been conflict and showdowns before, but it feels like it should be leading to something bigger. So if it isn’t, I’d rather it be stopped now rather than dragging it on forever. I also wasn’t a fan of the Lord of the Dead. When questioned about why he hadn’t done anything to help the statues, he states that he is the Lord of the world and has other matters to attend to. So helping people not get murdered isn’t important to you? If you’re a Lord over something, you generally have constituents, and should take care of them. He also states that Nancy was a perfect statue before, but since returning the first time, had been willful and obstinate, adjusting herself before the bell granted permission, and wondering if she was rebelling and needed banishing. When rebuked by the Lady, who states the statues did not have rules against love and questioning things, he states that Nancy is only a statue. I really wish he’d been eaten like the other statues, as he clearly had no care for them.

I think most followers of the series will enjoy this, as Nancy seems to be a favorite among readers. We’ll see what the next book offers.

Late ARC Review | Daughters of Bronze

4 stars

First things first: whoever voiced Cassandra in the audiobook version has the whiniest, most irritating voice. There wasn’t a single sentence where she didn’t sound like she was going to burst into tears or throw herself off a bridge. I had to switch to the actual book for her sections because I couldn’t stand listening to her.

When I received this, I didn’t know it was actually the second book in a duology. I wasn’t completely lost as I’ve read The Iliad and other books involving Troy, but there were a few things I didn’t quite grasp. As soon as I can get a copy, I plan on reading the first book to fill in the few holes.

This was a well-done take on the Trojan war, focusing on the women involved and how they see and deal with everything going on. Each has their own voice and deals with the war in different ways. We get to see their struggles, understand the choices they make, and how they all come together to try and save the city, each other, and Andromache’s son. There is a lot of heart break, but there is also a lot of hope. If you know the story of Troy, then you’ll know how this turns out. However, there is so much more to it. You get to see just beyond the end of the war and the fate of many of the characters. I’m not sure I have a single favorite of the characters, though if I had to pick it would probably be Andromache. She is the wife of Hector and future queen of Troy, but there is so much more to her than that. She is a warrior in her own right, a fierce leader, and a mother. She has to make some truly gut wrenching choices, in order to try and save everything she holds dear. Each woman has their own story and choices and heartbreak, but I do believe Andromache steals the show.

This is perfect for anyone who enjoys books about Troy or Greek history/mythology in general.

ARC Review | Messenger of Olympus: The River of Truth

4 stars

This was a super cute and accessible way for children to be introduced to Greek mythology. The original story is definitely not child appropriate, but the author wrote the story to be easily understood by children while also staying true to the original. I really enjoyed the artwork throughout the book as well. It helps so readers can visualize the story better and is very nicely done. There is a moral to the story that you’ll notice while reading, which is a bit heavy handed for myself but I think will be perfect for young children. I would say this is best for children under 10, and it does appear as if there will be more books to this series, which would be great to continue getting kids involved and interested in mythology.

ARC Review | Gemini: Stepping Stone to the Moon – The Untold Story

4.5

An excellent look at the Gemini missions, the middle child of the space program. There have been plenty of books about the Apollo and Mercury missions, but Gemini gets relegated mostly to footnotes and quick info before moving on to other things.

Gemini was the bridge between Mercury and Apollo. It involved spacecraft that was twice the size of those used during Mercury, included two astronauts instead of one, and had many different tasks to accomplish to prove that the US was ready to land people on the moon. These included things like spacewalks, docking and undocking, and longer duration missions lasting up to 2 weeks. Besides the many triumphs, there were a lot of close calls and near disasters which could have ended the entire program. The program didn’t end though – it accomplished all the tasks set before it and proved that man could be sent to the moon. Without Gemini, Apollo wouldn’t have been possible.

While the Gemini spacecraft were double the size of Mercury, they were by no means roomy or comfortable. I had the chance to sit in a replica of one at OMSI, a science museum in Portland. I sat in one seat, and my friend sat in the other. We are both pretty small (5′ 2″ and 5′ 5″), and it still had a cramped feeling. I can’t imagine being stuck in one for 3 days, let alone 2 weeks.

My only real issue with this was the author’s repetitive writing style. When listing out things, he constantly repeats the same beginning word over and over. I don’t remember this from his previous books, but it does get a little old after a while. Besides that small annoyance, the book is well-written, with lots of research covering not only the whole span of Gemini, but also info on the formation of NASA, the Soviet Union’s accomplishments, and the Mercury and Apollo programs. A must for anyone who loves space and the space race.

Late ARC Review | Hotel Lux

4 stars

I had never heard of the Hotel Lux before. While not luxurious, it was an important building in the early 20th century, serving as a housing community in Moscow for many people from around the world, all interested in the same thing: Communism. The story mainly follows May O’Callaghan, sisters Rose and Nellie Cohen, and Emmy Leonhard, though it does talk about many others that each of the women interacted with. They each hail from difference places, but their belief in Communism brings them all to Moscow at different points in their lives to do different things for the cause. The book moves through each of the women’s lives, focusing mostly on the 1920’s when they all lived there, but moving on when each left and took a different path. We can see the effects the war and other events had on each of them, as they all ended up with vastly different lives after their time in the Lux.

The author definitely did his due diligence in bringing this all to life. In between the tales he tells, he speaks of the research he had to do to uncover the truth and events that transpired. There was much flying around the world – to Russia to search archives and visit places where events took place, Ireland to track down family and neighbors who knew May, and a several years long search that eventually led to Galicia to meet the grandson of Emmy Leonhard. Throughout his searching, he discovers much more than he expected, as many letters and documents were kept stored away by the family members All these items and discussions with people who knew and interacted with each of the women help to paint a vivid picture of their lives.

The story can get a bit dry at times with all the info dumping, but it is still a very interesting look at an important time in history.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

ARC Review | Death at the Door

3 stars

Decent, but nothing to write home about. The idea of a human and a ghost solving murders together is a good one, but the characters themselves make it a struggle at times to enjoy, along with the repetitive writing.

Ruby – the human, or breather as humans are also called – is back and involved in another murder mystery. Cordelia, her ghost roommate and partner in crime solving, is there to help her figure it out. The main problem is they’re both quite incapable at times of doing even the easiest of things. Ruby is young, naive, and doesn’t seem to understand how the world works at times. She struggles with not making herself look crazy to those around her, as she is constantly caught talking to Cordelia, which makes it look like she’s talking to herself. She also struggles with keeping the fact that Cordelia is still around to herself, as she says things she shouldn’t know and keeps thinking it should be fine to tell people she speaks to a ghost. Cordelia struggles with remembering the fact that she is a ghost and constantly gets too close to electronics and fries them. You’d think that after a couple of times of this happening she’d remember not to, but no. This is a running theme throughout the book. The author also repeats other info over and over, like the fact that Cordelia can’t get too close to electronics without frying them (even though she still does), that her and other ghosts call humans “breathers”, that the TrendCelerate office is soundproofed from other offices but not on the inside, etc. People don’t need to be told these things constantly. It starts taking away from the story when we’re told the same info again and again.

The mystery isn’t bad, but I found myself frustrated at times with how it was going. Ruby had no problem breaking and entering into someone’s house, nearly starting it on fire (thanks to Cordelia and the aforementioned electronics), and then leaving. Cordelia likes to insert herself into every situation and do things to try and stop things she doesn’t like, which just puts more suspicion on Ruby. Their friendship isn’t bad, but man they do some dumb things. Once a single clue is dropped towards the end, the mystery basically solves itself, which is a bit of a letdown.

This series isn’t terrible – I can see why some people find them cute and entertaining, but they don’t quite do it for me. However, I think with some more editing and a few fixes they could be quite good.

ARC Review | We Met Like This

3.5 stars

Boy I was not expecting that first chapter. When I started reading, I had totally forgotten this was Kasie West’s first foray into adult romance, and she lets you know that immediately as the first chapter is spicy. Besides being an adult romance, this is a pretty typical Kasie West book. Not that that’s a bad thing, but you can definitely tell it was written by her. Swap the adults for teenagers and change a few settings and you’ve got a regular West YA romance.

Margot is obsessed with having a “meet-cute.” She wants her first time meeting her future love to be perfect and a story she can tell everyone. What she gets is Oliver. They have a typical first date in a restaurant after matching on a dating app and quickly move to some hot car action. After things don’t go as planned, they don’t meet up again, but they do continue to match on apps over several years. They’ll occasionally send messages and chat, but it’s 3 years later before they match again and decide to meet up due to other circumstances.

I liked Margot and Oliver. Margot has gotten herself into a less than ideal situation with her job and boss and is trying to find a way out. Oliver is way more into Margot than she thinks but keeps it at bay as he doesn’t think she feels the same. There’s plenty of miscommunication, especially towards the end which involves Margot’s sister, Audrey, who is an influenza – sorry, “influencer.” I wasn’t a fan of Audrey at all. She’s an influencer who has to have everything perfect for the cameras at all times as she parades her family around. While she thinks she’s helpful, she treats Margot pretty badly and thinks everyone is jealous of her perfect life. Gag. Unfortunately our society is pervaded by these people, most of which we’d be better off not having.

Besides having the misfortune of reading about Audrey, there were few other side characters. Mainly Rob, Margot’s slimy boss, and Sloane, Margot’s best friend. The story does feel like one that fits the times though, even if it feels like Margot’s success at being a literary agent went a little fast. Overall it was good, and will appeal to anyone who likes West’s books.

ARC Review | Life, and Death, and Giants

4.5

I don’t think I’ve ever read a book featuring the Amish. It was a big change from what I normally read, but it was a change I liked. I’ve been to several Amish communities throughout the US, and have always enjoyed it. But reading about them brought a new perspective. I know this was really supposed to be a story about Gabriel, a literal giant among men, but he almost took a backseat for me.

The story follows Gabriel, a child born to an Amish mother, who ends up being larger than life – literally. You never read about his life from his perspective; instead, it’s from the people around him – his grandmother, the local vet who delivered him, a bartender. Each offers a different view of the life he lives, of his accomplishments and failures, and everything in between. Honestly, Gabriel’s story was sort of run of the mill for me. Besides his incredible size, it’s really another story made to tug at the heartstrings that’s been written a hundred times. What made this so good was everyone else. They had a lot more depth and characterization, and it was so much easier to connect with them. I really enjoyed Hannah’s parts; she’s the grandmother of Gabriel, a woman who has been through much turmoil and sorrow and struggles with the confines of her own Amish life and wanting to be a part of Gabriel’s “English” life, as it’s called. Between her and the vet Thomas, they really brought the story to life.

The writing is quite excellent, with great descriptions of the Amish and their lives vs. those of the English. Anyone who enjoys a character driven story which tackles a lot of heavy subjects will enjoy this.

Late ARC Review | The Sunflower House

4 stars

Every time I think I’ve heard or read everything about the war, something comes along and proves me wrong. I hadn’t heard of the lebensborn homes and what they entailed until I read this. I do want to say that I have read a few other reviews stating that it’s not historically accurate, but I think readers of historical fiction tend to understand that authors do take some creative license when it comes to these stories, and we do have some responsibility in reading nonfiction books about these things to understand the true nature of what occurred.

As far as the story itself goes, I enjoyed it. There is a lot of potentially triggering content, but I think that’s to be expected with war stories. Allina, after experiencing a raid and major loss, ends up at Hochland Home, one of the many homes that are part of the lebensborn program. There, she witnesses the full extent of the program and everything that goes on. The purpose of the program is for women of good Aryan blood to give birth to perfect Aryan children in order to advance the race. These children are then adopted out to Nazi families for the privilege of raising the next generation, though some children don’t end up being adopted, Instead, they are deemed imperfect and troubled, and end up in the care of Heinrich Himmler for nefarious purposes. Allina, along with her ally Karl, devise a plan to try and save these children, along with others. There is a lot of suspense and tragedy mixed in with romance and hope. It was a really good read, especially for a debut, and gave me a new facet of the war to learn about.

ARC Review | Chasing Evil

4 stars

This was quite an interesting and different true crime read. While I’ve read other books dealing with true crime and investigations, this is the first one where a psychic was involved and an active part of helping to solve crimes. This may throw a few people off, but I enjoyed how different it was.

The book involves retired FBI agent Robert Hilland and psychic John Edward as Hilland tries to solve a myriad of crimes and slowly becomes involved with Edward. Hilland first hears Edward on a radio show and instantly dismisses him as a kook and con artist. After a few more times of hearing him, he decides to set up a meeting, more to prove how wrong he is and how he tries to swindle people with his so called gift. Instead, Hilland is shocked by the meeting with all the information Edward gives him and how much he knows that he shouldn’t. This begins their unlikely friendship, with Hilland relying on Edward more and more to help him solve crimes, including some cold cases where everyone else had given up. It’s interesting to read how Hilland goes from thinking Edward is a con man to trusting him completely. He still has his doubts at times and questions the info he’s given, but we see time and again how the info is correct and helps Hilland solve his cases. We do also see the frustration as he learns that he can’t always be given straight answers and needs to go through the things he does in order to grow as a person. There is also some more emotional chapters, as he describes how he was in New York on 9/11 and spent time trying to search for people, along with being deployed to Afghanistan for 4 months and spending time in other countries in order to help solve crimes there. He has some close calls and harrowing experiences, which he talks about in great detail.

I think the thing that will throw people off the most is the psychic element. Plenty of people still believe it is all a hoax and may not give the book a chance because of it. But even if you remove all the psychic elements, the book is still plenty good and enjoyable by anyone who likes true crime.