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I bite at myself, tear my skin off, but I never quite die: Reviewing The Deep by Nick Cutter

Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well. I’m getting ready to wrap up some books so I can get to my summer reading. I’ve had good luck at some local second-hand bookstores. I’m sure you can all relate to lacking impulse control when it comes to books. At least, I hope it is not just a “me problem.” I think that is enough rambling for now. Let’s talk about The Deep.

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Disturbing Imagery, Animal Death and Mistreatment, Domestic Abuse, Child Abuse, Body Horror, Claustrophobia, Thalassaphobia

The apocalypse started quietly. People began forgetting small things, then big things, they simply forgot how to function. Scientists discovered a strange disease, dubbed the ‘Gets, was causing the slow demise of humankind. The only hope for a cure is a strange substance called “ambrosia” that can only be found eight miles below the Pacific Ocean. The underwater lab goes quiet after sending out a strange message meant for one man and one man only. Luke Nelson’s brother, Clayton, is one of the scientists tasked with unlocking the secrets of this mysterious substance. Desperate to find out what happened to his brother, Lucas ventures deep below and encounters a darkness that no human mind can fathom.

I have to give Nick Cutter kudos for writing one of the most uncomfortable horror novels I have read in a long time. The layers of different fears make for a rather suffocating and tense reading experience. There’s body horror, aquatic horror, cosmic horror, and psychological horror all rolled into one relentless book. I am not terribly squeamish but I regretted eating dinner before finishing this book. The last 20% of The Deep had me squirming at the exquisite detail that Cutter includes throughout the climax of this book. It was a tough read but in a good way. This book will be especially difficult to read if you have a soft spot for animals. I appreciated that Cutter took the time to explore the characters’ emotions and go out of the way to endear me as a reader to them, and not just create characters who are meant to die. My only gripe about this book is that there were some discussions about sex that I felt were entirely unnecessary. With all of that being said, The Deep is definitely a book for the horror aficionado.

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This world, my love, I give it all to you: Reviewing The God of Endings by Jacqueline Holland

Hi again everyone! I’m sure you all missed me after being away for one whole day. I’m not going to ramble too much because I got that all out of my system already. I’m just going to launch into the review. Let’s talk about The God of Endings.

Content Warning: Disturbing Imagery, Violence and Gore, Attempted Assault, Self-Harm, Child Death, Animal Death

Two hundred years ago, a girl named Anna fell ill when a plague swept through her small town. After her father and brother passed away, her eccentric grandfather took her under his care. Instead of nursing Anna back, though, he granted her the gift of immortality and bloodlust. After decades of struggling with her “condition,” Anna finally found a home for herself. She took the name Collette LaSange and established a fine arts school for young children. Everything was going fine until Collette met a talented young boy with a mother who seemed to be hiding something. Finding herself inexplicably drawn to this child, Collette finds herself struggling with an overwhelming lust for blood. Now, she must come to terms with the past or present lest she let it consume her whole.

As you all know, I am a sucker (pun intended) for a good vampire book. I rarely find a book that breaks away from the classic Gothic tropes that come with vampires. Jacqueline Holland’s novel is a standout in the genre. Her prose is poetic, vivid, poignant, and dark. Seeing the world through Anna/Collette’s eyes invites many existential questions about purpose and love. It is a bit of a slow burn, but that benefits the rich narrative and dark themes that Holland explores throughout the book. Unlike other vampire books, this one doesn’t dwell as much on the supernatural elements which is rather refreshing in this instance. It is just abstract enough to leave to your interpretation, while just solid enough to understand Holland’s purpose in her writing. Maybe I am just biased and/or projecting, but I saw elements of Frankenstein and Interview with the Vampire here and there. I don’t toss around the word “extraordinary” very often, but this instance felt appropriate. Needless to say, you should go read The God of Endings.

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The amount of pain we can endure is spectacular: Reviewing Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter

Hey everyone! I hope you are all doing well. Thank you so much for your likes for my last couple of posts. I love to see that you are all still enjoying my little hobby after all this time. It makes me happy. Don’t worry because I still have plenty of books to review. I’m also going to be starting a couple of series in the near future, so I’m looking forward to seeing if I like any of those. I have plenty of standalone books if that is something you are interested in. With that being said, let’s talk about Ripe.

Content Warning: Substance Abuse, Sexual Content, Disturbing Imagery, Self-harm, Abortion, Emotional Abuse

After spending years at a prominent tech company in San Francisco, Cassie has had enough. She is exhausted, lonely, and frightened but does her best to mask her feelings. Cassie’s life takes a turn when she suspects she might be pregnant. On top of that, her boss asks her to take part in a sketchy plan to take down a rival company. With the pressure growing, Cassie must make a choice that will change her life forever.

I haven’t read any “messy girl literature” in a while and Ripe sits comfortably in that category. I do not label something as “messy girl literature” dismissively. Ripe uses a combination of magical realism and eloquent prose to highlight Cassie’s struggles that most peope relate to. Sarah Rose Etter tackles heavy topics like the endless and torturous cycle of capitalism, depression, emotional abuse from a parent, and substance abuse with brutal honesty and sympathy. The novel was just ambiguous enough and just specific enough to keep me locked in. It is uncomfortable to read at times but those uncomfortable truths are worth confronting. If you want something provocative and harsh, then Ripe is exactly the book for you.

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I long for the day when I awake and live from dawn to sleep without one moment of fear: Reviewing The Fury of the Gods (Book 3 of the Bloodsworn Trilogy) by John Gwynne

Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well. Before you read this review, I highly recommend you check out my reviews for the first two books in this trilogy, The Shadow of the Gods and The Hunger of the Gods. I have a couple of other fantasy books on my TBR pile, so stick around for those. I want to thank you all for your continued support. Now, let’s talk about The Fury of the Gods.

Content Warning: Intense Violence and Gore, Intense Battle Scenes, Graphic Depictions of Injuries

The war between the gods has finally begun. Blood will be shed, and the world will change forever. The Bloodsworn, which includes Orka and Varg, must face off against a dragon. Elvar struggles with her newfound authority as she tries to unite her people and negotiate with the wolf god. Biorr and his warband head north, leaving a trail of blood in their wake. Gudvarr goes on a dangerous mission to gain the favor of Lil-Rifa, the dragon goddess. All of their paths will intertwine and lead to the bloodiest battle ever known to man and god.

Out of the entire trilogy, this book is the most fast-paced and action-packed. John Gwynne is great at writing battles, but there is a balance between the action and the resolution of the story. There were several times I exclaimed aloud in my bedroom because of the shocking things that happened in this book. I didn’t want to put this book down for the last third of it. Not a single character was safe at a certain point, and it stressed me out, so I took points from this book because it made me upset at one point but added points for the satisfying resolutions. This book also reminded me of a video game with all of the action scenes and the way the dialogue was written. I also mean that as a compliment. Overall, The Bloodsworn Trilogy was such a fun and action-packed series with plenty of great fantasy elements and cool mythology references. I cannot recommend this trilogy enough to all of you. Go start reading it if you haven’t yet.

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No one, it seemed, was too small to turn the tide: Reviewing The Bone Shard Daughter (Book 1 of the Drowning Empire Trilogy)

Hi everyone! I am back sooner than I thought and have yet another fantasy book review for you all. I am on a bit of a fantasy kick right now so expect more fantasy novels sooner than later. Before I begin this review, I just want to say thank you all for your continued support. I genuinely appreciate you taking time out of your day to read my reviews. Now, with that out of the way, let’s talk about The Bone Shard Daughter.

Content Warning: Violence, Gore, Disturbing Imagery

For decades, the Emperor has ruled with an iron fist over the Phoenix Empire. He mastered bone shard magic and used that to create constructs, animalistic beings who exercise power and terrorize the people. Lin, the Emperor’s daughter, is determined to uncover her father’s secrets and dismantle his reign. She does so by learning to master bone shard magic. To destroy her father, Lin will come face to face with a secret that will change her life forever. But it is the price she must pay to prove her worth.

I was initially on the fence about whether or not I liked this novel. The world-building is interesting and I liked how unique the magic system was. Though I only mention one character in my plot summary, there are two other characters who we follow throughout the book. It wasn’t until the last 100 or so pages that I was sold on this book. I was rather impressed with the plot twists and love when a fantasy novel builds up to a war. Because of that, I am going to recommend this book and I will definitely make it a point to read the rest of the series.

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Our belief is often the strongest when it should be the weakest. That is the nature of hope: Reviewing The Final Empire (Book 1 of the Mistborn Saga) by Brandon Sanderson

Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well and staying warm. I have indeed started another Brandon Sanderson series. I am hooked, for better or for worse. If you are interested in my other reviews, you can check out my reviews of the Stormlight Archives. I am working through Wind and Truth so sit tight for that one. I already have lots of thought and haven’t made that much progress. Anyway, let’s talk about Mistborn in the meantime.

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Discussions and Depictions of Sexual Assault

The world has been covered in ash and mist since the Lord Ruler took over. Under his rule, the nobility take what they want and leave the poor dead in their wake. There is, however, still hope. A charismatic and mysterious man named Kelsier has a plan to bring down the Lord Ruler once and for all. To do that, he must recruit an unusual team of talented people. From this group emerges an unlikely hero: an amateur thief named Vin. Under Kelsier’s guidance, Vin learns to embrace her powers. With everything at stake, Kelsier and his team must return hope to the world and start an uprising the likes of which have never seen before.

I almost gave this book five stars but took off points because it made me sad. I am so genuinely fascinated by how complex and wonderful Sanderson’s various worlds are. One thing Sanderson is great at is handling an ensemble of characters and not wasting anyone’s potential. I am truly obsessed with how this book comes out swinging with plenty of action, magic, romance, and tragedy all packed into 534 pages. I bought the second book before I even finished the first book. If that isn’t a testament to Brandon Sanderson’s writing then I don’t know what is. Drop what you’re doing. Pick up a Sanderson book, any Sanderson book. Trust me on this.

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Who said true love is a myth?: Reviewing Psyche and Eros by Luna McNamara

Hey everyone! I hope you are all doing well. I love feeling motivated to read again. Thank you all for continuing to support my blog and reading all of my posts. I can’t tell you all how grateful I am for your continued support. I just felt like being sappy there for a moment. Now, without further ado, let’s talk about Psyche and Eros.

Content Warning: Some violence, Some strong language

Psyche, the princess of Mycenae and granddaughter of the legendary Perseus, was given a prophecy at birth. The Oracle told her that she would become a legendary hero by conquering a monster that even the gods feared. She spent her childhood training to fulfill her destiny. Tales of her beauty and skill reached the goddess of love, Aphrodite, who grew jealous of the princess. She decided to send her adopted son, Eros, to place a curse upon the young woman. Eros, though, accidentally cursed himself and fell hopelessly in love with Psyche. Psyche and Eros must fight against the odds to be together as fate threatens to tear them apart once and for all.

Luna McNamara offers a fun take on a classic myth. I loved the individual perspectives of Psyche and Eros as characters. McNamara makes the world of the book feel immersive with many careful details that flesh out all of the characters. My favorite aspect of this book, though, was the romance. At my heart, I am a romantic and this satisfied my need for a heart-warming love story that wasn’t too cheesy or unrealistic. It was overall a sweet and fun read with plenty of adventure. I am going to give this a solid recommendation.

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We accomplish great things by reaching toward who we could become: Reviewing Rhythm of War (Book 4 of the Stormlight Archives) by Brandon Sanderson

Hey everyone! I hope you are all doing well and staying warm during this winter snap. I don’t want to ramble on for too long because I am so excited to talk about this book. Go ahead and check out my review for the first three books in this series. I also started Sanderson’s Mistborn trilogy so I will be reviewing that soon. I just love fantasy books. With that being said, let’s talk about Rhythm of War.

Content Warning: Intense Battle Sequences, Discussions and Depictions of Depression, Character Death

The war of gods has started. Secrets will come to light and lives will be changed forever. Shallan Davar decides that she must finally face her past, but discovers a much more difficult task at hand. Kaladin Stormblessed struggles with the darkness in his mind as it eats away from him. Venli must decide where her loyalties lie. Navani Kholin finds herself on the brink of a discovery that could change the world forever, for gods and man alike. No one is ready for what the future holds.

Every single book in this series has been an absolute delight. I don’t like to be hyperbolic in my reviews so when I say something is wonderful, I say it with my whole chest. What I really appreciated about this particular entry in this series is its depiction of struggles with mental illness and feeling as though you are unworthy. It was as honest as it was heartfelt. I love how Sanderson allows the characters to be relatable, regardless of their powers. It makes the story feel more grounded. It is also a testament to Sanderson’s incredible attention to detail. I was genuinely touched at certain points in the book. On the flip side, the battle scenes were incredible and I am so excited to read the next book. Please read this series. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

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We look toward the unknown future…: Reviewing Star Wars: Lost Stars by Claudia Gray

Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well. It has been a bit since I reviewed a Star Wars book. This also isn’t the first Star Wars book I have reviewed by Claudia Gray. If you want, you can check out my review of Master and Apprentice. It is time once again to go to a galaxy far, far away and talk about Lost Stars.

Content Warning: Intense Battle Scenes, Some Violence, Some Descriptions of Injuries, Mild Sexual Content

It has been eight years since the Old Republic fell and the Galactic Empire rules in its place. Very few leaders are willing to speak against the tyrannical rule of Palpatine, and those who do pay the price. On a small planet, childhood friends Thane Kyrell and Ciena Ree dream of serving as pilots for the Imperial Army. Together, they train to reach their dreams. As time passes, they find themselves going down different paths. Thane sees the cruelty of the Empire and wants to fight back. Ciena is determined to hold the oaths that she swore to protect her fellow Imperial officers. With war on the horizon, Ciena and Thane must decide where their loyalties lie.

For Star Wars fans out there, this book is set during the events of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. If you’re interested in that, then stick around for the rest of this review. I was not expecting to like this book as much as I did, but I found Claudia Gray’s original characters to be compelling and I liked the perspective of this book. If I were to describe this book, it would be Romeo and Juliet but with cool space battles. I really wasn’t expecting to like a Star Wars book centered mostly on a romance but I was proven wrong. Even though the events of the book play out as they do in the movie, I was still on edge because I had no idea if any of these characters were going to live or not. Claudia Gray does an excellent job writing the intense space battle scenes, which were honestly one of the highlights of this book. Overall, this is definitely another win for Star Wars books so go ahead and check it out.

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The storm may bend your back, but only you can straighten it again: Reviewing Ithaca (Book 1 of The Songs of Penelope) by Claire North

Hey everyone! I hope you are all doing well. I have been itching to get back into mythology-related books, specifically Greek mythology. In case you didn’t know, The Odyssey is one of my favorite classics, so I am always excited to get into different retellings and interpretations. Needless to say, this particular book was at the top of my list to read. Without furhter ado, let’s talk about Ithaca.

Content Warning: Strong Language, Violence, Discussions and Depictions of Sexual Assault

In two years, Odysseus will be freed from imprisonment on Calypso’s island. Until then, Penelope must remain strong as the multitudes of suitors destroy her home. Her son, Telemachus, is growing resentful of his mother’s willingness to tolerate these men ruining his father’s home and turns to an unlikely ally for help. While Penelope is dealing with the suitors, she receives word that her cousin Clytemnestra has killed her husband and seeks refuge in Ithaca. With few options left, Penelope takes drastic actions to delay the suitors and figure out what to do with her murderous cousin, even if that comes at a cost.

Claire North’s reimagining of Penelope’s struggles is unique and compelling in its relentless, yet poetic prose. The best aspect of this novel is its narrator, which is Hera, the queen of the gods. I loved her as a narrator and getting her perspective on everything. Her voice linked the mythological side of the story and the person-centered side of the story. I loved the brutal honesty that Claire North delivers through Hera as a narrator. There is a certain grittiness and realism to this story that makes the reader uncomfortable, because it can’t be denied this feels so realistic in its own way. The tension throughout the book is palpable, with plenty at stake. Overall, I loved this interpretation of Penelope’s story and I will definitely be reading the rest of this trilogy.

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