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Our remedies oft in ourselves do die: Reviewing All’s Well by Mona Awad

Hello everyone! I hope you are doing well! January feels like a weird time of year for me. It is nothing that I can’t deal with, and I deal with my problems by reading instead. This is now the second book I have read by Mona Awad. You can check out my review of her other book, Bunny. You all know at this point that I love “weird girl literature” so, of course, I had to check out this book. I am currently reading another book by Ottessa Mosfegh. That review will be out soon-ish. Now, however, it is time to talk about All’s Well.

Content Warning: Some harsh language, Some sexual content, Some depictions of substance abuse, Brief discussion of self-harm

Miranda Fitch’s life has fallen apart. Her once-promising career as a stage actress and her marriage ended when Miranda was in a car accident. Now, she is dealing with debilitating chronic pain. The only thing she has to look forward to is her production of Shakespeare’s All’s Well That Ends Well. Her cast of college students, however, band against her to perform Macbeth instead. Miranda feels her rock bottom sinking lower. That is, however, until she meets three mysterious benefactors who assure her that her show will go on and her pain will go away. Suddenly, everything begins to look up for Miranda but she begins to wonder if she will have to pay a price for her sudden success.

Mona Awad continues to deliver weird and layered narratives surrounding women’s issues in ways that I have never really seen before. As a fan of Shakespeare, I love Awad’s use of elements from Macbeth and All’s Well That Ends Well to enhance a story about a woman who just wants someone to believe in her. I particularly enjoy Awad’s ability to write strange, dream-like prose that you can still follow as you read it. Mona Awad’s writing is meant for speculation. It is interesting the way that the characters gaslight themselves and each other throughout the book. I found myself re-reading certain sections because of the way that the book makes you doubt yourself and that is truly a compliment. My only gripe with this book is that I wish we got to see more of the rehearsals because there was clearly a lot of weird stuff going on if you read between the lines. I kind of wish we could have seen that. Regardless, if you are looking for something on the surreal side with just a very slight touch of academia then I would certainly recommend All’s Well.

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Death behind and to either side. Only one choice is no choice at all: Reviewing The Hunger of the Gods (Book 2 of the Bloodsworn Trilogy) by John Gwynne

Hi everyone! I hope you are all still staying warm and cozy if it is snowing where you live. I’m gathering up a TBR list for 2024. I mostly read standalone books but I do love a good series every so often. Before I start my review of this book, go check out my review of the first book in the Bloodsworn trilogy, The Shadow of the Gods. The third book hasn’t been announced yet but I will be keeping an eye out. I can’t wait much longer. Let’s talk about The Hunger of the Gods, the second book in the Bloodsworn trilogy by John Gwynne.

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Some Sexual Content, Harsh Language, Graphic Descriptions of Injuries, Intense Battle Scenes

After centuries, the gods have awoken. Lik-Rifa, the dragon god, plans to destroy her fellow gods and any who oppose her reign. Orka, Elvar, and Varg continue on their paths where new dangers have emerged. The Battle Grim and Bloodsworn realize that they are no match for the might of the dragon god and her allies. The only hope lies in a book of magic with the power to resurrect Lik-Rifa’s greatest enemy, Ulfrir the wolf god. Forces beyond the comprehension of man will soon wage a war that no one will be able to escape from.

This sequel was incredible. I sang my praises for the first book and I am so happy I get to rave about its follow-up. The Hunger of the Gods is truly epic and so well-crafted. What I particularly enjoyed was John Gwynne’s riveting prose and how he uses that to build upon the elaborate world he established in the first book. I think the way he structured the book was smart too, as in the first book, he alternates between characters’ perspectives. The additional characters help to add more scope to this world. The characters themselves are so well fleshed out. I became almost embarrassingly invested in the story at points. I wanted to talk about this book so badly so for way too long. I am so glad to tell you all about this. In conclusion, go read this series immediately. You will be hooked from page one.

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It can be hard to know what’s a memory and what’s a ghost: Reviewing The Winter Soldier: Cold Front by Mackenzi Lee

Hello everyone! I hope you are all staying warm. It is absolutely freezing where I live and I hate the snow, truthfully. The book I am about to review, however, felt appropriate considering the weather. As a longtime Marvel fan, Bucky Barnes/the Winter Soldier is one of my favorite characters (in the comics and movies alike). I am making an exception as this is a young adult book. I couldn’t say no to one of my favorites. Let’s talk about The Winter Soldier: Cold Front.

Content Warning: Violence, Semi-Graphic Depictions of Injury, Medical Abuse, Discussions of Self-Harm

In 1941, sixteen-year-old James Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes is itching to enlist in the army but keeps getting stopped by a certain commander. One day, a mysterious man calling himself Mr. Yesterday approaches Bucky enrollment in a top secret training program with the British Special Operations Executive. Bucky takes the opportunity without a second thought, only to realize he is in way over his head as he faces down assassins, spies, and double agents. Decades later, Bucky Barnes is dead and the Winter Soldier has taken his place. When a mission in Soviet Russia reunites the Winter Soldier with someone from his past, he finds himself in a fight to complete Bucky’s mission and remember the person who he once was.

I did not expect this book to be nearly as gripping as it was but I was hooked. I loved how Mackenzi Lee based this novel off of the original comics, rather than the Marvel movies. Speaking of movies, this was a cinematic read and it played out in my head like a movie. Even though this book is for young adults, it doesn’t necessarily hide from the more disturbing aspects of the Winter Soldier comics. I felt that there was a good balance between the two storylines and they both ended up tying together in a satisfying way. If you are a Marvel fan then definitely check out The Winter Soldier: Cold Front. (Side note: I am fairly certain the Mackenzi Lee has two other Marvel books out there so I might give those a shot in the future.)

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So you (still) want to be a half-blood?: Reviewing Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Chalice of the Gods by Rick Riordan

Hello all! I’m back again sooner than expected with another review. I’ve mentioned a few times how I tend to avoid middle-grade and/or young adult books but I have a soft spot for the Percy Jackson series. I absolutely love the TV adaptation so far, so I started feeling nostalgic all over again. I don’t think anything is wrong with holding on to some childhood interests as an adult. Sometimes, it’s fun to look back at the things that inspired you in the first place. I also just love keeping up with Rick Riordan in general. Let’s talk about the latest entry in the Percy Jackson series, The Chalice of the Gods.

Percy Jackson, demigod extraordinaire, is about to face his greatest challenge: college. First things first, he needs three recommendation letters for New Rome University. These letters have to be from gods and, to earn these letters, Percy must complete quests. His first quest is to help Ganymede, Zeus’s cupbearer, who lost his magical chalice. With the help of his friends Grover and Annabeth, Percy must (for the millionth time) face down an array of creatures and gods who seem to have nothing better to do than to fight some (sort of) harmless demigods.

Despite the fact I know I am not the target audience for the Percy Jackson series, I can tell Rick Riordan is aware of how many of his readers are growing up and continuing to enjoy the world of Percy Jackson. I get a sense that he is aware that some of his readers are nostalgic adults. These books, though, can be for readers of all ages. I read so many heavy and dark books on my blog so it is nice to go back to some of the more light-hearted books I grew up with. (The Percy Jackson books can still be kind of dark. Don’t get it twisted.) I do love Riordan’s overall consistent quality with his books but you can still see where the world of the book has evolved to keep up with modern trends. This is certainly a book for all ages and I can see how reading this book would be a great family bonding experience, if you do have any little bookworms in your life looking for their next exciting literary adventure.

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To change any of this, we need to live: Reviewing The Bone Orchard by Sara A. Mueller

Hello everyone! Happy New Year! I am wishing you all the best for 2024. Thank you for continuing to support my blog. I hope your TBR lists are ready to go. I am excited to bring you my first review of 2024. I fully meant to review this book last year but hit a bit of a reading slump. This book has been on my TBR list for a while now so I have been looking forward to reviewing it. Let’s talk about Sara A. Mueller’s debut novel, The Bone Orchard.

Content Warning: Depictions of Violence and Abuse, Depictions of Prostitution, Discussions of Child Abuse, Harsh Language, Some Sexual Content, Discussions and Depictions of Misogyny

Lady Charm lives in the mysterious Orchard House, surrounded by a garden of bones and her beautiful boneghosts. All of the wealthy and powerful inhabitants of Borenguard go to Orchard House to indulge in their vices. Charm has the distinct advantage of belonging only to the Emperor. One day, Charm is summoned by the Emperor and finds out he is dying. His final request is that Charm find out which of the Emperor’s sons is behind their father’s death. With Borenguard thrown into chaos as the princes fight for the throne, Charm must find the Emperor’s killer before war breaks out in the kingdom.

I will not lie: this book was absolutely not what I thought it would be. Based on the plot synopsis of the book itself, I thought that this book was going to be more of a gothic fairy tale with a whodunnit element. Instead, this book is more of a dark steampunk fantasy with magic in parts. For the majority of this book, I was rather confused by the world-building, and differentiating the characters was a bit of a challenge at times. That isn’t to say that this book is badly written. Sara Mueller puts a lot of conviction and care into the narrative. I found plenty of redeeming qualities the further I got into the book but it took me longer than I would have liked to truly find the rhythm of this book. I was actually fully prepared to DNF this book at one point. I am glad I finished this but it might take another reading to fully understand this book. It certainly is unlike anything I have read in a while and, for that, I did appreciate Mueller’s unique novel. For this book, I am going to say to go ahead and give it a chance because there is certainly potential in this novel that I hope other people see.

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My Favorites of 2023

Hello everyone! I hope you all enjoyed your holidays this year and were able to take a nice break. I also hope you got some good books as gifts that you will read this upcoming year. My TBR list looks pretty good, and I will post a new review sooner than later. Now, it is time for my annual favorites list. I hope you all enjoy it! Thank you so much for continuing to support my blog! I’m wishing you all the best for 2024.

Books

  • Ariadne by Jennifer Saint
  • My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Odessa Moshfegh
  • Birds of Paradise by Oliver K. Langmede
  • A Marvelous Light by Freya Marske
  • Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix
  • Hall of Smoke by H.M. Long
  • The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher
  • Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki
  • The Hades Saga (Books 1 – 3) by Scarlett St. Clair
  • The Blood Gift Duology by N.E. Davenport
  • Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro
  • The House with the Golden Door by Elodie Harper
  • Bunny by Mona Awad
  • Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel
  • The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
  • The Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn
  • The Foxglove King by Hannah Whitten
  • The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne
  • The Sun and the Star by Rick Riordan and Mark Ohsiro
  • Pew by Catherine Lacey
  • Our Hideous Progeny by C.E. McGill
  • Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati
  • Tell Me I’m Worthless by Allison Rumfitt
  • Juniper and Thorn by Ava Reid
  • She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker – Chan
  • Earthlings by Sayaka Murata
  • Reluctant Immortals by Gwendolyn Kiste
  • Dead Astronauts by Jeff Vandermeer
  • A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland
  • The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
  • Jawbone by Monica Ojeda
  • Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
  • A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay
  • Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno – Garcia
  • Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield
  • Shadows of the Dark Realm by Tyler Edwards

Movies

  • John Wick: Chapter 4 (dir. Chad Stahelski)
  • Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (dir. John Francis Daley and Johnathan Goldstein)
  • Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (dir. James Gunn)
  • The Little Mermaid (2023) (dir. Rob Marshall)
  • Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (dir. Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson)
  • Barbie (dir. Greta Gerwig)
  • Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (dir. Sam Wrench)
  • Five Nights an Freddy’s (dir. Emma Tammi)
  • The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (dir. Francis Lawrence)

TV Shows

  • The Fall of the House of Usher (Netflix)
  • The Witcher: Season 3 (Netflix)
  • Castlevania: Nocturne: Season 1 (Netflix)
  • Good Omens: Season 2 (Prime Video)
  • Our Flag Means Death: Season 2 (Max)
  • Loki: Season 2 (Disney +)
  • Ahsoka: Season 1 (Disney +)
  • What We Do in the Shadows: Season 5 (Hulu)
  • The Last of Us: Season 1 (Max)
  • The Mandalorian: Season 3 (Disney +)

Music

  • This Is Why by Paramore (album)
  • labour by Paris Paloma (single)
  • Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Boulevard? by Lana Del Rey (album)
  • So Much (for) Stardust by Fall Out Boy (album)
  • Daylight by David Kushner (single)
  • – by Ed Sheeran (album)
  • Take Me Back to Eden by Sleep Token (album)
  • Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) by Taylor Swift (album)
  • Unreal Unearth by Cozier (album)
  • The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We by Mitski (album)
  • Autumn Variations by Ed Sheeran (album)
  • the rest by boy genius (album)
  • 1989 (Taylor’s Version) by Taylor Swift (album)
  • The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (Music Inspired By) by Various Artists (album)
  • the record by boygenius (album)
  • Dead Man by David Kushner (single)
  • GUTS by Olivia Rodrigo (album)
  • Barbie: The Album by Various Artists. (album)
  • Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever) by Noah Kahan (album)

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All we can do is make the best of the future: Reviewing One Desert Night by Ricky Hurlich

Hello everyone! I hope you are all enjoying the holidays. I promise I am still here. I am just slowing down a bit at the end of the year. My last post of the year will probably be my annual favorites list and then the new year will be a fresh start with plenty of books to read. This particular review, though, is very exciting because it is by another indie author. I want to give a huge shoutout to Ricky for reaching out to me and asking me to review his unpublished novella. I will list all of his socials at the end of this review so make sure to send him some love. Now, let’s talk about One Desert Night.

Content Warning: Semi-Graphic Depictions of a Car Accident, Some Discussion of Mental Health Issues and Self-Harm

Jack is on a journey. At the end of everything, in an impossible realm where time and space blur together, Jack is seeking answers to impossible questions. Along the way, he meets a stranger who serves as his guide through the universe. Despite the beauty of everything, there is also the one answer Jack never knew he wanted. Jack realizes, though, that he will have to face the truth and his impact on the lives of others.

One Desert Night was a wonderfully atmospheric story with plenty of introspection and philosophical musings. Ricky Hurlich has done an excellent job eloquently telling the story of one man’s journey to self-discovery. My personal favorite aspect of the story was how the different plot points with different characters became connected towards the end. I was guessing all the way to the end and wanted answers the entire time. It is easy to tell that a lot of care and love went into crafting the message of this story. I can’t wait to see more from Ricky in the future and hope that he’s able to share his work with all of you as he has done with me.

Instagram: RHurlich

Facebook: Ricky Hurlich

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The greatest glory that can ever be is to rise: Reviewing Shadows of the Dark Realm (ARC Review) by Tyler Edwards

Hello everyone! I hope you are all doing well. If you are an American viewer, I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving. I am so excited to share my first ARC review with you! This is so exciting! First of all, I want to give a huge shoutout to Tyler Edwards for reaching out to me. I will list all of his social media links at the end of this review. Go send him some love and support. I’m all for boosting indie authors so feel free to reach out to me if you want a bit of a boost. Now without further ado, let’s discuss Shadows of the Dark Realm.

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Graphic Death Scenes, Scenes of Major Bodily Injury, Some Disturbing Imagery

Long ago, the Dark Realm, Mortal Realm, and Spirit Realm were all connected. A fragile peace had been forged between them to respect the boundaries between the worlds. Praetor Rath, the Shadow King, broke that peace and invaded the Realms with his mighty army. The kings of Mortal Realm and Spirit Realm created the Dark Stone in order to seal away the Shadow Realm. Now, King Alistar of Parisia announces a quest to find the Dark Stone to protect his kingdom. A ragtag group of Seekers forms in order to find the magical artifact. Along the way, they realize that the danger is much greater than any of them could have anticipated. Secrets, betrayal, magic, and danger lurk around every corner as they journey to save the realms before dark powers threaten to destroy life as they know it.

As you all know, I am a huge fan of epic fantasy and Tyler Edwards certainly delivers a fantastic adventure. This was so action-packed and exciting. I truly had so much fun reading this book. I loved the world-building throughout the novel, in particular. It can be tricky to balance the two elements but it worked in this book. I also loved how unexpected the plot was as there were plenty of plot twists that made the book unputdownable. This book gave me major Dungeons and Dragons vibes with a nice hint of ’90s fantasy. Edwards does a great job taking traditional fantasy elements and making them unique to the world of his novel. Overall, I had such a fun time with this book and I am looking forward to you all being able to read it as well. Shadows of the Dark Realm comes out on 01/31/2024.

Thank you, Tyler!

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Let go of them in the water: Reviewing Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield

Hello everyone! I hope you are all relaxing before the barrage of holidays. As much as I do enjoy Thanksgiving and Christmas, I tend to pick up on other people’s stress around this time. That is why I read. I have some exciting reviews coming soon and can’t wait to share them with you. For the first time, I have had two (that’s right! Two!) people approach me with requests to review their books! You all will be getting those reviews soon. If you are interested in having me review your book, feel free to contact me. My email is available on my blog. Before I get too far ahead, let’s talk about Our Wives Under the Sea.

Content Warning: Claustrophobia, Some Harsh Language, Some Sexual Content, Some Disturbing Imagery

Something is wrong with Leah. Months ago, she left for an expedition for her marine biology research. Upon resurfacing and returning home, her wife Miri immediately knows something is different. Leah runs the bath at all hours, keeps her sound machine on constantly, and refuses to consume anything other than salt water. When Miri tries to reach out to the organization that sent Leah down there, she suddenly finds that it seemingly doesn’t exist anymore. With Leah’s condition getting worse by the day, Miri embarks on a desperate search for the truth behind what happened all of those miles below the surface of the sea.

It’s hard to classify exactly what genre this book is and that is why I enjoyed it in particular. If I had to exactly describe Our Wives Under the Sea, I would say it is a chilling, slow-burn thriller with an ever so slight sci-fi angle to it. Julia Armfield balances the strange mystery lurking below the depths with an intimate romance between two women who understand each other in such a beautiful way. Ultimately, the book is about asking what lengths someone will go to for someone that they love. Despite this book being about 200 pages, it feels a lot longer but in a good way. Armfield has great attention to detail that makes you as a reader feel really involved in this story. If you are looking for something a little strange, a little ambiguous, and a little emotional, then look not further than Our Wives Under the Sea.

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The greater the magic, the greater the price: Reviewing Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno – Garcia

Hello everyone! There is a chill in the air and Halloween is just around the corner as I post this. I’m not planning on doing anything crazy since it is on a Tuesday. I’m probably going to make some chili (the perfect fall food) and watch a horror movie. Our neighborhood doesn’t have a ton of trick-or-treaters. That doesn’t mean I don’t still revel in the overall atmosphere of Halloween. I have a few more horror novels that will roll over into November along with some other exciting reads coming up. Let me not chatter on and on. Let’s discuss the newest released from Silvia Moreno – Garcia: Silver Nitrate.

Content Warning: Disturbing Imagery, Graphic Bodily Injury, Harsh Language, Graphic Deaths

Montserrat has struggled with her career as a sound editor. Despite her talent, the movie industry is dominated by men who are quick to dismiss her in favor of her male co-workers. It’s the ’90s and the Mexican film industry is run by powerful men who want quantity over quality. The only person who recognizes her talent is her childhood best friend, Tristan who is trying to revive his acting career after facing several scandals. One day, Tristan meets Abel Urueta who is a legendary cult film director whose career mysteriously came to a halt. Abel tells Montserrat and Tristan about a dangerous Nazi cult leader who believed that the silver nitrate used in film reels was the ideal element to use in his attempts to become immortal. The film that Abel started making with this man was never finished and he is convinced that he has been cursed ever since. The director asks Montserrat and Tristan to help him finish the film in order to lift the curse. As they help him, the two begin to find themselves being visited by ghosts of the past. Montserrat and Tristan begin to dig deeper into the world of the occult and find themselves facing a greater danger than they could have ever imagined.

To preface: this is now the fifth book I have reviewed by Silvia Morena – Garcia so it is safe to say I’m a fan. I was immediately intrigued by this being a horror novel set in the ’90s. This novel was a little slow to start but once it got going, it was hard to put down. Silver Nitrate combines classic staples of occult horror with an interesting look at the dark side of the film industry. Even though this novel was mostly a thriller, it delivered on the horror elements with plenty of gruesome details and high stakes. I liked the relationship between Montserrat and Tristan as it helped make the story feel all the more personal. Silvia Moreno-Garcia does a great job balancing out the fantastical elements of her novels with the personal relationships at the heart of it all. Overall, this novel has only further solidified my status as a fan of Silvia Moreno – Garcia and I would recommend reading this or any of her other novels.