ARC Review | The Language of the Birds

3 stars

This was quite an interesting book. It’s basically a cross between National Treasure and the Robert Langdon series by Dan Brown, but for teenagers. I do have to admit that Dan Brown books are my guilty pleasure. They’re interesting and easy to read, but still keep your attention throughout the book and make you ask questions. I also like the puzzles Dan Brown uses in his books. They can be fun to try and solve and the story doesn’t generally get too overwhelming with them. This wasn’t quite on that level; while it did have an interesting storyline, it couldn’t quite stand up to what it gets compared to.

I wasn’t sure if I was going to like Arizona, but she grew on me. A teen on the spectrum, she loves puzzles and cyphers. It was hard to believe at times some of the things she does; it felt way out of the depth of most teenagers. While she isn’t supposed to be your “typical” teenager, it still feels too much at times. And while puzzles and cyphers don’t usually bother me, here they were more of a struggle to get to. Part of the problem is that half of them were missing – the text would skip right over where they should be and continue on. I know this is an advanced copy, but it really took me out of the story as I wanted to actually see and read the puzzles. The other part is they get over-explained and then solved way too fast. There isn’t much anticipation and mystery. I did learn some new things though, such as what the language of the birds is and the difference between NAD 27 and NAD 83. I liked Lily as well. She’s really the only other character the reader spends much time with. Arizona’s mom and the villains aren’t fleshed out and don’t have a lot of page time, so it’s harder to connect with them.

The ending was a little too neat for me as well. So a random character we’re introduced to briefly in the middle of the book shows up again at the end to help Arizona after her crazy story and asks no questions? Then just disappears again? And Sam Yeats and her part seemed out of place. I just can’t see things going the way they did.

I do think it was interesting though, and the author obviously spend a lot of time crafting the puzzles. With just a bit of polishing this could work quite well. I do think it will appeal more to its intended audience in its current form. It just didn’t quite live up to my expectations.

ARC Review | Oracle of Helinthia

3 stars

This seemed to move a lot slower than Epic of Helinthia. While there was a lot of important stuff happening, I found myself skimming some parts as there was simply too much information that didn’t matter. It did also take me a bit to get back into the story and remember who was who.

The characterization is done very well, and it feels like you’re in Ancient Greece. I really like Gadnor and seeing him come into himself. He’s got a lot riding on him, and he’s slowly learning what it takes to be a leader. Gonivein almost seems to be suffering from some sort of Stockholm Syndrome when it comes to Kelric. It’s understandable, but can be frustrating at times. Kelric is a dick. It feels like we’re supposed to have some sympathy for him cause life is so rough cause his mom died, but there’s no sympathy here.

The ending did set up the next novel quite well, and will leave you wanting to know what’s gonna happen next. Just be prepared to trudge through lots of descriptions of food, places, and inner monologue.

ARC Review | Uplifted

4.5 stars

Even though I’m a rock climber myself, I can’t imagine doing the climbs that Sonnie, Alex Honnold, and many others do (I’m a solid 5.10 climber right now). It always amazes me reading about the climbs and how incredibly talented these guys are. I actually had the chance to meet Sonnie just last week, but only found out last minute and wasn’t able to make it. I so would have loved to discuss his book and the climbs in it.

I enjoyed reading about Sonnie’s climbs, not only because he’s talented and has climbed some amazing routes, but also because he is quite humble and doesn’t really brag about his accomplishments, even though he very well could. He talks about his start in climbing, in a little gym in Canada, working his way through the ratings and getting outdoors to keep pushing himself. Some of the routes he’s done I’ve never heard of, so I would stop and check them out online to get a better idea and help visualize (Cobra Crack is insane, and definitely one I will pass on). And while I may never get to the level that he’s at, or even close to it, reading about it gives me more motivation and excitement. I look forward to working on my skills and continuing to read about the climbs that Sonnie and many others do. Climb on.

Late ARC Review | A Drop of Corruption

4 stars

This was a solid sequel to The Tainted Cup. It featured a good Holmes and Watson style case with plenty of mystery and intrigue. There were a lot of new characters to go along with Ana and Din, and a new setting. But while it was solid, there were still a few things it lacked.

Ana is the equivalent of Holmes – a brilliant mind and lots of eccentricities to go with it. The problem is, there is way too much telling and not enough showing when it comes to her. I get that she claims it’s too hard for her to go out and interact most of the time, but every time she had a conversation with Din and Malo, she snapped at them. Literally. It says it on damn near every page of the book. It made it less enjoyable to read her parts, as she was so irritable throughout the book. She did have some good banter with Din, but not nearly enough to cancel out the rest of their interactions. I love Sherlock Holmes in his many iterations, but I really struggles with Ana this go around.

There was a section a little over halfway through where this book really dragged as well. There’s just so much going on but the pacing doesn’t match – it can be really slow at times, and then blazes others. A more even pacing would have helped. I wish we could have spent a little more time at the Shroud learning about the Leviathans. There’s still so much that isn’t explained. And while I know it really isn’t the same at all, every time they mention the Leviathans, I think of Attack on Titan. An odd connection, but it’s there.

I am still looking forward to the next book. This is a unique fantasy world with mystery weaved in. While there were struggles with this book, it was still overall quite good and sets the next one up well.

Late ARC Review | The Rival

3 stars

I didn’t enjoy this nearly as much as Emma Lord’s last book, The Getaway List. There just seemed to be so many things that were off and made the story less enjoyable.

This is supposed to be an enemies to lovers type story, but the main characters aren’t really enemies, they’re rivals, which didn’t have the same feel to it as if they’d been actual enemies. And once you find out why they’re rivals, it nearly ruins the story. There is absolutely no reason that their rivalry should have lasted this long, because if they were as good of friends as they claimed, the whole situation would have been cleared up pretty quickly. It’s so silly and way more juvenile than it needs to be.

I liked Seb, but I couldn’t really click Sadie. She’s the peacekeeper of her family, which I totally understand, but at the same time she doesn’t really talk to her sisters and she’s embarrassed by everyone. Like I get that your family can be loud and obnoxious; whose can’t? But to be constantly embarrassed by them is so odd. Also, Seb’s family spends every Sunday with hers and has for years and they never cleared up what made them rivals in the first place? I just don’t buy it.

Most of the side characters are pretty forgettable. The author spent so much time trying to make them ~quirky~ and ~unique~ that it really fell flat. The only one I can even really remember is Betty. And while I enjoyed her characters, she even got to be too much. Christina, supposedly Sadie’s best friend, is shoved to the side and forgotten for a good chunk of the book. Sadie doesn’t understand her point of view, which seems to happen a lot. The Newsbag people were the most forgettable to me. I guess the author felt that since they all wanted to be writers that they had to be as unique and different as possible? The author tried way too hard which ended up having the opposite effect of what I feel she was going for.

This isn’t terrible; there are some good parts with some character growth. I think this might have worked better though as a dual POV so we could get the other side of the story.

ARC Review | The Paris Express

3 stars

While the premise and story sounded interesting, the execution wasn’t the best. The story had a very slow pace and too many characters, which made it hard to keep track of them all. But it was interesting enough to keep reading.

The book is about a real train derailment in Paris in 1895. It begins when the train leaves its first stop at Granville, and ends with the derailment in Paris. There are a few interesting storylines, such as Mado’s and the train workers, but others are almost completely forgettable. One chapter could focus on several different storylines, as each chapter starts with either an arrival or departure. This can get a little frustrating as it jumps from person to person so much, and then drags through the storylines. I did enjoy some of them though, which was enough to keep me going.

I must admit, I was hoping for a bigger derailment. This book focuses on one than really wasn’t all that impressive, which makes me wonder why the author decided to write about this particular one.

Good for people who enjoy historical fiction based on real events that don’t mind multiple storylines and a slow pace.

Late ARC Review | A New Lease on Death

3 stars

This was a rather interesting take on a mystery. It’s not quite a cozy mystery; it takes place in Boston instead of a small town and has its share of violence and drinking and such, which isn’t very typical of a cozy. But all the rest of the makings of a cozy are there, so it can still be called one. What makes it not a typical mystery is the fact that the main character, Ruby, lives in a haunted apartment. Her ghostly roommate, Cordelia, was the previous occupant who died before the novel begins. She is able to manipulate the physical world in small ways, and thus helps Ruby navigate life and murders.

The novel is told by both Ruby and Cordelia. I much prefer Cordelia’s parts; she’s in her 40’s, calmer, and with a better head on her shoulders. Ruby can be spastic and clueless at times, and she is quite young and immature, which definitely shows. The mystery is pretty straightforward – a neighbor of Ruby and Cordelia’s is murdered, and they team up in their own unique way to try and solve it. There are plenty of other characters, though none of them really stand out. You have the typical nosy neighbor, the distraught girlfriend (or girlfriends, in this case), family members looking for heirlooms. I’m honestly not sure that I could even name any of the other characters, though it’s only been a few days since I finished the book. They’re just that forgettable. It wasn’t quite as humorous as the blurb made it sound either. I wasn’t expecting laugh out loud, but there were very few moments I actually found funny at all. I was more exasperated over Ruby and the things she’d do and say. However, I was surprised at the outcome of the murder, which was a pleasant surprise.

I think this series has potential – it can be unique enough to stand on its own, it just needs a few things smoothed out.

ARC Review | When the Moon Hits Your Eye

4 stars

This book is about as ridiculous as it sounds. The moon mysteriously turns to cheese, and the world starts descending into chaos. There are some laugh out loud funny parts, but there are also some very serious parts with a surprising amount of depth, which you wouldn’t expect at the beginning.

The book follows a whole host of characters throughout the cheese moon debacle, with each chapter being a different day and a different set of characters. Some of those characters do show up again in later chapters, so we get to see their reactions as the situation about the moon changes. Some of the chapters are very light, with minor discussions about what is happening. Some of them are cute, with fate meetings involving cheese. Some are rather exasperating, involving a very Elon Musk-ish character deciding he is the most important person on the planet and he can do whatever he wants because he has the money too. And some are rather moving, with characters actually thinking about what is going to happen to them and the Earth. There are also plenty of cheese puns, and everything is delivered in Scalzi’s typical wit and humor. Any fan of Scalzi will enjoy this, along with anyone who enjoys a rather ridiculous sci-fi story.

Please Scalzi, never change.

ARC Review | Sucker Punch

DNF at 57%

I feel like I was missing something while reading this book, or that I was reading a completely different book than everyone else. Many other reviewers wrote that this was hilarious, touching, and relatable. I found it none of those things. I’ve been through my share of terrible events, as we all have, and I’ve found the humor in them as a way to cope and work through it. There was nothing humorous about how she wrote about her situations. I’m not sure how talking about her abusive marriage (in which she was very much a part of the problem) and being friends with her assaulter in a scathing, depressing way was supposed to be funny? She constantly talks about fighting, about how her parents fight with each other, how she fights with her parents, how she wants to fight with her ex but he doesn’t, how she wants to fight with everyone. This came off more as a very serious issue that she won’t deal with at all. In fact, that’s how pretty much everything came off as. She has many serious issues that she won’t actually deal with, except for trying to fight everyone and be as horrible and hateful as possible. Not for me.

Late ARC Review | Booked For Murder

2.5

This wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t all that great either. I think I expected a little more Southern atmosphere and a better execution on the plot. While the makings are there for a good book, it failed to hold up to that.

I struggled a lot with the main character, Madeline. She makes a lot of really bad choices and her personality made her hard to like. She puts herself in danger a lot as she believes the police are incapable at their jobs. I really should just say Billy, as he’s basically the only police officer we’re introduced to. She also takes issue with the fire department, and therefore feels as if she’s the only one who can do anything. Where all this animosity comes from doesn’t make a lot of sense, as it basically boils down to, “I knew Billy as a kid even though I forgot about him so therefore he can’t do his job as a cop.” Right. Though I couldn’t understand why there seemed to be so little involvement with the murder in the first place. There’s no coroner that shows up or detective to ask questions. The body is just removed at some point and everyone carries on. Madeline is never asked any questions about what happened that night and then wakes up the next day to carry on with her life. Very odd indeed.

The plot isn’t terrible, but it seemed like the author decided to throw in extra side plots to try and add to the story, when they really detracted from it. I grew frustrated at times at all these goings-on, as I wanted the story to get back to the real mystery. But the problem is when it got back to the real mystery, it involved Madeline doing some other stupid things to try and solve the murder. She rushes into things and puts herself in danger without really investigating anything. Instead of really trying to solve the mystery, it’s more like just throwing things around and seeing what sticks. There’s lots of accusations with no actual evidence, and then when the police ask for evidence, Madeline and her cohorts act like they’ve been accused of the murder themselves. Like I get that they live in small town, but this stuff really wouldn’t fly in real life.

I was pretty ready for the book to be over by the time the murder was solved. I was sick of Madeline and how she treated people and how things just didn’t feel like reading life. This might appeal to those who really enjoy cozy mysteries, but it wasn’t really for me.