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It is a terrible and unholy thing to behold: Reviewing Eynhallow by Tim McGregor

Hey everyone! I’m back again! I hope you didn’t miss me too much in between reviews. This book was short so I figured that this would tie everyone over until I post one of my longer reviews. I started my first Brandon Sanderson book so that is going to take me a bit to get through. I used to love really long books but my attention span has shifted over the years. I have been wanting to get back into books that are 500 or more pages. That doesn’t mean I’m going to stop reading novellas. Now, let’s talk about this novella, Eynhallow.

Content Warning: Domestic Abuse, Traumatic Childbirth, Death due to Traumatic Childbirth, Murder, Cannibalism, Some Sexual Content, Harsh Language

Agnes Tulloch lives a sad existence on the tiny island of Eynhallow. Her husband is a terrible man and she is struggling to raise her four young children. The quiet island is thrown into chaos when a wealthy stranger arrives on the island. His motives for arriving are unknown, which worries the islanders. Agnes is hired by the stranger to clean his cottage and bring him dinner. Despite her reservations, Agnes finds herself drawn to the enigmatic, amateur scientist named Victor Frankenstein. Where Frankenstein goes, death follows and Agnes is caught in the middle.

I have probably said this before but I’ll say it again: I am a huge fan of Frankenstein. It was a major part of my Master’s studies and I have re-read it several times. It goes without saying, then, that I was immediately drawn to this novella. I absolutely loved Tim McGregor’s take on Mary Shelley’s classic gothic horror. McGregor captures the unsettling yet compelling atmosphere that Shelley had so well crafted. I particularly liked Agnes’ perspective in this book as it shows just how terrifying and fascinating both Frankenstein and his creature were. I could do a whole five-page analysis on this book, honestly. It was also a truly tragic tale that I couldn’t look away from. You see the characters’ tragic fates from a mile away but you can’t look away and I thought that was a testament to McGregor’s understanding of Frankenstein. I desperately need other people to read this book. It is good on its own but you’ll appreciate it more if you are familiar with Frankenstein. Go read it immediately. You won’t regret it.

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Judgement can only focus on actions: Reviewing Star Wars: Chaos Rising (Book 1 of the Ascendancy Trilogy) by Timothy Zahn

Hi everyone! I’m back already! I almost put out two reviews yesterday but decided to pace myself. I’m also back into my obsession with Star Wars books, particularly ones about Thrawn. Feel free to check out all of my other reviews of the other Star Wars books. If you are interested in the Timothy Zahn books, I have read the Thrawn trilogy and the Heir to the Empire trilogy. This series is set before the Thrown trilogy, in case you wanted to read them in a specific order. Now, let’s embark into Chaos Rising together.

Content Warning: Intense Battle Scenes, Some Violence

In the Unknown Regions of the galaxy lives the Ascendancy, home of the proud Chiss people who are governed by the Nine Ruling Families. The peace of the Ascendancy is threatened when a bold, unknown enemy attacks the Chiss capital. With little to no option, the Ascendancy dispatches a young, renegade military officer named Thrawn to hunt down this new threat. Thrawn’s methods are unusual and dangerous, but he is effective and brilliant. With the help of Admiral Ar’alani and the Expansionary Fleet, Thrawn’s investigation leads him into a stretch of space that the Chiss refer to as Chaos. Within the Chaos, Thrawn discovers a threat to the Ascendancy that is only just beginning.

Timothy Zahn continues to impress me with how he builds upon his lore, creating a these fully fleshed-out characters and expanding upon the Star Wars universe. I enjoyed seeing how these different cultures operate and the tangled web of politics and war. Thrawn continues to be a favorite of mine because he is such a fascinating character who, while genius, is still imperfect and is constantly learning. The other Chiss characters are interesting in their own ways and serve as good foils or support to Thrawn. I like seeing pre-Empire Thrawn and it is interesting to see his path unfold. With that being said, this is another must read for Star Wars fans and I will be staring book two immediately.

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All things end, all things change, all things begin again: Reviewing Sunbringer (Book 2 of the Fallen Gods series) by Hannah Kaner

Hey everyone! I hope you are all doing well. Quite a few of the books I am reading right now are on the longer side so don’t be surprised if there are some longer gaps between reviews. I am also making an effort to re-read some of my favorites. Before I review this book, make sure to check out my review for the first book in the series, Godkiller. This is going to be a trilogy, which I am very excited for. (I love a good fantasy trilogy). Now, let’s talk about Sunbringer.

Content Warning: Violence, Gore, Intense Battle Scenes, Harsh Language

The gods have returned to Middren and have declared war. The Godkiller Kissen is presumed dead after sacrificing herself to defeat the fire god Hseth. Gods, though, are not so easily killed and Hseth has returned with a vengeance. Inara and her god of white lies Skedi have set out to discover the true nature of the gods and uncover secrets along the way. Elogast, former knight of King Arren, has made it his mission to defeat his former friend and king. The king is on a mission to kill every god and become the only god in Middren. War is on the horizon and everyone, both god and man, must fight for their lives.

Sunbringer is the perfect sequel in this series. I can’t say it is better than the first book but, in my opinion, they are on the same level as far quality and entertainment. This book moved much quicker and had more battle sequences, that I personally enjoyed quite a bit. I also love how Hannah Kaner has made her story so inclusive through the world building in this series. Even though this is a rather large world, Kaner’s narrative is focused on how the characters develop throughout the events of the book. Every character is so carefully created to feel dynamic, even if they show up briefly. This book also does get intense towards the end and the action sequences are so much fun to read. The Fallen Gods series is definitely worth checking out and I will be waiting impatiently for the third book in this trilogy.

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She has all the confidence a deadly thing should: Reviewing Mary: An Awakening of Terror by Nat Cassidy

Hello everyone! I’m back much sooner than I thought I would be. I try to pace myself when I read, but I get excited and speed through books. That means more content for you all, though! This book has also been on my TBR for a long time, so I’m happy to have finally gotten around to it. I’m going to go on for too much longer. Let’s talk about Mary: An Awakening of Terror.

Content Warning: Violence, Gore, Disturbing Imagery, Child Death, Animal Death, Discussions and Depictions of Misogyny, Discussions and Depictions of Ageism, Sexual Assault

Mary has been feeling miserable lately. She’s starting to go through menopause, she’s lost her job, and she is incredibly lonely. That isn’t the only thing wrong with her, though. Every time Mary looks in a mirror, she sees the ghosts of dead women looking back at her and hears voices telling her to do awful things. An opportunity for a new chance at life arises when her estranged aunt calls, asking for her to be a caretaker. Mary packs up her little collection of porcelain figures and heads to her hometown. Everything gets worse. Soon, Mary is plagued by nightmares and begins auto-writing the same bizarre phrases that echo those of an infamous serial killer who died in her hometown. When a spate of murders happens soon after she arrives, Mary must find out how she is tied to these deaths and uncover some deadly, long-buried secrets.

Mary: An Awakening of Terror is a rare combination of insightful commentary and a full-blown splatterpunk gore fest. (If you are sensitive to gore, this is not the book for you.) This book ticks off so many horror sub-genres that it almost feels like it completely shifts from slasher horror to cult horror to existential horror. I appreciated the messages revolving around self-worth and self-doubt (even if it is in a warped and twisted way). It is a fast-paced read with plenty of gruesome action. What I appreciated the most about this novel was how the protagonist was a middle-aged woman just trying to cope with a part of life that most people don’t really address or think about. Women, in particular, have a particularly tricky relationship with aging and I liked how Nat Cassidy (who is a man) approached the particular topic without making any assumptions or playing into any stereotypes. Mary: An Awakening of Terror is unlike any horror novel I have read and I definitely recommend that you experience this one for yourself.

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To tend and to mend: Reviewing A Power Unbound (Book 3 of The Last Binding Trilogy) by Freya Marske

Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well. I’m back sooner than expected. Before you read this review, check out my reviews for the first two books A Marvelous Light and A Restless Truth. I don’t know about the rest of you but I love completing a series. It’s always satisfying, regardless of whether the ending was good. Now, I won’t ramble on too much. Let’s talk about A Power Unbound.

Content Warning: Explicit Sexual Content, Harsh Language, Violence

Jack Hawthorn, Lord Alston and Earl of Cheetham Hall, went out of his way to avoid any unnecessary chaos. He just wanted some peace after losing his twin sister, losing his magic, and fighting in a war. He finds himself right back into the world of magic when he learns of a ritual threatening every British magician. Now, Jack lives with a ragtag group of disgraced upper-class magicians. The really wild card of their group, though, is the charming, albeit non-magical, journalist Alan Rossi. The two immediately butt heads over their class differences. They must, however, put their differences aside to save the future of magic in Britain as they know it.

A Power Unbound neatly wraps up Freya Marske’s enchanting trilogy. I could tell that Marske put a lot of thought and consideration into creating this world, which was fun to see through to the end. The romance between Jack and Alan was particularly intriguing as it was definitely an “enemies to lovers” with just a little bit of roleplaying. Aside from the spicy parts of this book, I liked how this was an ensemble cast featuring characters from the previous books. I would rather an author develop existing rather than create brand-new characters. The entire trilogy was super fun to read. If you want a series with plenty of action and romance, The Last Binding trilogy is absolutely the series for you.

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I’m willing to march into hell if I’m following you: Reviewing Out by Natsuo Kirino, Translated by Stephen Snyder

Hi everyone! I’m back and I hope you are all doing well. Summer is just around the corner and I have plenty of books to review for you all. I will be branching out from some of my usual genres, so I look forward to that. Before I begin this review, I just want to say thank you all for your continual support for this blog. I see a lot of you who stay up to date with my reviews and I am so grateful that you take the time out of your day to read my posts. It means the world to me. Now, without further ado, let’s talk about Out by Natsuo Kirino.

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Harsh Language, Discussions and Depictions of Misogyny, Gambling, Disturbing Imagery, Murder

At a local boxed lunch factory, a group of women form a bond as they struggle to make ends meet. One of the women, Yayoi, has a break and kills her abusive husband. Desperate for help, she calls her co-workers to help her dispose of the body. Masako steps forward to orchestrate the disposal of the body and ensure that her friends are not caught. The women all learn that the murder was only the tip of the iceberg and are caught in a tangled web of violence and crime. Their secret is far from safe. It is only a matter of time before they get caught.

Out is a fascinating and unputdownable crime thriller that offers fascinating insight into the lives of women who have reached their breaking point. The first thing I love about this novel is how realistic the characters are. They weren’t necessarily likable or even good but it was easy to sympathize with the main group of women. I liked the way that this book shifted perspectives seamlessly. I will note that this book does touch on disturbing subject matter in a rather in-depth way. At certain points, you get perspectives from the male characters and those gave me the chills because of how disturbing and hateful they were. It did highlight Kirino’s commentary on the depths of misogyny and how driven by hatred people (particularly men) can be when it comes to women. The best part of this book was the commentary that Kirino blends into this intense crime thriller. The only downside of this book is that is does drag just a bit at times but when it’s intense, it’s very intense. Out should absolutely be the next crime thriller you add to your TBR pile this summer.

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The only real escape from hell is to conquer it: Reviewing The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins

Hey everyone! I hope you are all doing well. I also hope you all have been reading lots of good books lately. I have wanted to read this particular book for a while now. I plan on reading some popular authors I have never read before so that will be fun. You may be asking, at this point, if I do anything other than read? I do sleep. (I’m joking……but not really lol). Anyways, it’s finally time to talk about The Library at Mount Char.

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Harsh Language, Self-harm, Animal Death, Child Abuse, Sexual Assault, Substance Abuse, Disturbing Imagery

Carolyn’s life is certainly unusual. Living in an infinite Library of infinite knowledge and being raised by a man who calls himself God can be considered unusual by most. On the other hand, Steve is a reformed criminal trying his best to practice Buddhism. One day, Carolyn finds Steve and promises him exactly $327,000 in exchange for using his skills as a former burglar. Steve takes the deal and soon finds himself lost in a world of impossibilities. A war is on the horizon and a battle wages over who controls the Library. Whoever controls the Library, controls the universe itself.

This was such a fun, surreal book with plenty of disturbing and fascinating imagery. I couldn’t help but compare this a bit to Neil Gaiman’s body of work, as Scott Hawkins utilizes the bizarre and the macabre to create his novel. I also liked the truly creative elements of world-building throughout this novel. It wasn’t just weird for the sake of weird, though, as everything came together in such interesting twists. I realize that I am being vague in this review because I don’t want to give away too much. The Library at Mount Char is definitely worth experiencing for yourself and is the perfect book to add to your summer reading list.