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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.

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Everyone deserves somewhere where they can be reminded of their potential: Reviewing A Restless Truth (Book 2 of The Last Binding Trilogy) by Freya Marske

Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well. Before you read this review, feel free to check out my review of the first book in this series A Marvelous Light. It has been a while since I read that one but I enjoyed it greatly. I’m trying to keep on top of the series I read because I like to see a book series all through. If I decide to stop a series, it is normally deliberate. I also don’t want to read any series over five books. That is simply my preference. I just so happen to have the third book in this series because I accidentally bought it before buying the second book. (Slightly off-topic: I hate when book series don’t have the numbers anywhere on the book.) Now, let’s talk about A Restless Truth.

Content Warning: Violence, Harsh Language, Explicit Sexual Content

Maud Blyth is a quiet girl who has always wanted to go on a grand adventure. The opportunity arises when she becomes a travel companion to an older woman on an ocean liner. While on the ship, though, Maud is actually working to unravel a magical conspiracy that was discovered by her brother Robin. Maud’s plans are brought to a halt when her elderly employer is found dead on the first day of the cruise. Now, she must solve a murder with the help of the bold actress and fellow magician Violent Debenham. With everyone on the ship a suspect, Maud and Violet must solve the murder before the ship docks, or else they soon may end up dead in the water.

A Restless Truth was an enjoyable mystery with a quirky cast of characters and plenty of intrigue. While this is a bit slower-paced, I find myself wanting to see how the relationships were going to be built between the characters. I did enjoy the romance between Maud and Violet. There was plenty of spice and romance between the two. I also thought they made a good duo and that helped drive the story forward. While it has been a while since I read A Marvelous Light, I liked how this novel tied into its predecessor. Freya Marske has created an interesting magic system that I want to know more about, especially in the third book. In conclusion, A Restless Truth was a fun mystery that has a wonderful romance at its heart.

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I begged to no one, let me scream: Reviewing Angels Before Man by Rafael Nicolas

Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well! I’m posting this review a little bit late right now. I always try to post as soon as I finish the book so it is fresh in my mind. Regardless of when you see this, I am grateful that it grabbed your attention. Maybe you even decided to give this book a chance. I don’t want to ramble any longer. Let’s talk about Angels Before Man.

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Sexual Content, Scenes of Sexual Assault, Self-harm, Death of Animals, Implied Incest, Religious Trauma

Before Lucifer fell, he was an angel. He wasn’t just any angel; he was the angel of beauty. He lived in Eternal Paradise. His only purpose in life was to praise God and love others. One day, he crossed paths with the Archangel Michael. Soon, their friendship turned into something that had never been seen before in Heaven. Lucifer soon begins to ask questions. First, they begin out innocently but Lucifer quickly discovers that Paradise is not what it seems and God may not be as merciful as he once was.

Angels Before Man was such a profound and shocking take on the Biblical story of the fall of Lucifer. The writing is a fantastic mixture of prose and poetry. I was hooked all the way through and hated having to put this down. The book is specifically marketed as a “Queer Retelling of the Fall of Satan” and I absolutely loved the way Nicolas incorporates those themes, turning the tale into an allegory for religious trauma and sexual self-discovery. As beautiful as the novel is, it is also raw and visceral. My jaw dropped more than once. I don’t want to give away much more as I really want you to experience this novel for yourself. I implore you to read Angels Before Man as soon as you can.

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Did you truly see our gods die?: Reviewing Temple of No God (Sequel to Hall of Smoke) by H.M. Long

Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well! I’m reading some longer books now so bear with me in between reviews. If you want to see what I am reading or my progress, feel free to follow me on StoryGraph (n0vel_ideas). I’m actually enjoying that app and I normally don’t care for many reading/reviewing apps. Before you read this review, check out my review for Hall of Smoke. Without further ado, let’s talk about Temple of No God.

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Harsh Language, Death of a Child, Battle Scenes

Eighteen years ago, Hessa – High Priestess of the Eangen – defeated her own god. Now, she is maintaining a fragile peace between rival tribes through marriage to her second husband. Unrest is on the horizon, though, as multiple people are vying for the throne of the Arpa Empire. Whoever wins the throne will have access to raw, untamed magical power that could wipe out Hessa’s people. Along with that, a new cult has arisen and its members can drain life from anything they touch. With the fate of the world in her hands, Hessa must be prepared to make any sacrifice necessary to restore balance and restore peace no matter the cost.

Like its predecessor, Hall of Smoke is an action-packed adventure with plenty of interesting magic and mythology. I like how H.M. Long’s writing is the right balance of straightforward and poetic. Hessa is a great example of a dynamic female lead you continue to root for. While this isn’t a true romance, I did like the relationship between her and her new husband. It didn’t overshadow the rest of the story, though, as there were plenty of great battle scenes and interesting politics. Even though there is a gap in time between this book and the previous one, they did tie together just enough while still standing on their own. Temple of No God is a strong sequel with plenty of its own merits. You should, however, definitely read Hall of Smoke first.

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Death is just another door: Reviewing Rouge by Mona Awad

Hi everyone! If you are reading this today, then happy Eclipse day! I got very lucky and was in the path of totality. It was a genuinely awesome experience. I hope that maybe some of you got to experience it or will experience it in the near future. Back on the topic of books, though, this is my third Mona Awad book. If you want, you can check out my reviews for her other books, Bunny and All’s Well. I think it’s safe to say I am a bit of a fan now. Let’s talk about her most recent novel, Rouge.

Content Warning: Discussions and Depictions of Grief, Some Depictions of Self – Harm, Some Harsh Language

From a young age, Belle had been obsessed with beauty and has spent her adult life maintaining a regimented skincare routine to preserve her skin. Her obsession began with her mother, who was always the most glamorous person to ever live in Belle’s eyes. One day, Belle receives a call that her mother has died in a strange accident. Now, she is stuck dealing with her mother’s California apartment and her many debts. At a memorial service, Belle meets a strange woman in a red dress who claims she can tell her how her mother died. This woman leads her to a strange, cult-like spa that promises to make Belle her “most magnificent self.” The more time Belle spends in the spa, the more she begins to lose herself. In order to regain her sense of self, Belle must face secrets that she has buried for far too long.

In my previous reviews for Mona Awad’s books, it used words like “dream like” and “surreal.” Rouge, however, is easily the most dream-like and surreal. The narrative feels as though you are moving through those dream-like movements where you are doing something due to whatever strange logic you experience in your dream. (I hope that makes sense.) Underneath all of the strangeness of the novel is narrative about grief, beauty standards, and mother/daughter relationships. All of this is tied together with some interesting fairy tale motifs that I thought helped add to the strangeness that Mona Awad is so good at crafting in these novels. This is probably my favorite of the three novels by Mona Awad that I read and I am going to give you my recommendation for Rouge.

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The Season will always return: Reviewing The Obelisk Gate (Book 2 of the Broken Earth Trilogy) by N.K. Jemisin

Hi everyone! I’m back (again) because I like to read fast. Before you check out this review, check out my review for the first book in this trilogy, The Fifth Season. If I get invested in a series, I try to read them as close together as I can because I want to remember everything that happened in the previous books. I will definitely get to the third book sooner than later. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, though. It’s time to review The Obelisk Gate.

Content Warning: Violence and Abuse, Graphic Descriptions of Injuries, Harsh Language

Essun’s search for her daughter continues as the world around her dies quicker with each passing day. Instead, she is reunited with her old mentor who gives her a request that could change the fate of the world. Meanwhile, Nassun, Essun’s daughter, begins training with other orogenes. As her powers grow stronger everyday, Nassun makes a decision that could break the world that her mother is trying to save.

Overall, I absolutely love the unique tone and intricate world building that carries over from The Fifth Season to this sequel. I wouldn’t say that this sequel is stronger than the prior book, though. It was missing some of the initial intrigue that the first book had. I did enjoy, however, seeing the magic system be fleshed out more as that is the best part of this series. I was a little iffy about the additional POV chapters we do get in this book of Nassun. Her chapters did end up being more enjoyable than I had thought and pushed the plot in a direction that I was not expecting. The book does drag a tiny bit towards the middle but really picks up towards the end. I am absolutely going to pick up the third book because I cannot stand to be left on a cliffhanger. I am still absolutely loving The Broken Earth trilogy and cannot keep recommending it to all of you out there.

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Magic never dies. It merely fades away: Reviewing The Color of Magic (Book 1 of the Discworld Series) by Terry Pratchett

Hey all! I’m back sooner than I anticipated. For better or worse, I am a fast reader so I have yet another review for you. I did try to read this book years ago but didn’t retain may details at the time. I do enjoy Terry Pratchett. He is the co-author of one of my all-time favorite books, Good Omens. The Discworld series is a pretty long one so I endeavor to read a couple of books in the future. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, though, and start from the beginning with The Color of Magic.

Rincewind may be the worst wizard to ever exist. After getting expelled from the Unseen University, he’s been aimless. That is until he becomes a tour guide for a strange little man named Twoflower and Twoflower’s sentient Luggage. Unfortunately, Twoflower is naive and Rincewind is inept. The odd pair soon find themselves among thieves, barbarians, dragon riders, and other unsavory characters. Despite their best attempts to avoid danger, Fate has other plans for the two.

The Color of Magic was a fun, fast-paced, and quirky fantasy that is just the tip of the strange world created by Terry Pratchett. I absolutely love Pratchett’s sense of humor. I found myself re-reading lines because I missed the joke the first time around. His is a really unique take on the fantasy adventure genre. Beneath all of the humor and strange characters, the novel does present poignant little thoughts regarding fate and death. This is easily one of the most imaginative fantasy novels I have read in a bit. There wasn’t anything terribly inappropriate in this book (some of the characters are depicted as nude but there are no graphic details) so I can see this being a good introductory fantasy novel. The Color of Magic was such a fun time. I can’t guarantee I will read the entire Discworld series but I will try to read some more.

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When stories don’t make sense, they scare us: Reviewing The Boatman’s Daughter by Andy Davidson

Hi everyone! I hope you are doing well. I’ve been re-reading some of my previous favorite books lately so my unread TBR might go untouched for just a bit. I have some books on my TBR, though, that are mixed media and I am so excited for those. Mixed media books are an underused genre, in my opinion, so I want to read more of them. I hope I am giving you all a pretty good range of books regarding genre, author, length, etc. I truly hope I have introduced you to some new favorite books through these reviews. Now, let’s talk about The Boatman’s Daughter.

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Harsh Language, Substance Use, Abuse Towards Children, Disturbing Imagery, Discussions and Depictions of Sexual Abuse

Miranda Crabtree witnessed her father’s death when she was a child. On that same night, she saved the life of a strange child by taking him to an old witch to hide him away. Since then, Miranda has spent her running drugs for a zealous preacher and his small group of followers. Her semblance of safety, though, is in jeopardy when the preacher asks her to do something unthinkable. Now, with supernatural and human forces working against her, Miranda must take drastic measures to save her life and the lives of those she loves.

I was initially drawn to The Boatman’s Daughter because it is a Southern Gothic novel with supernatural elements. I’ve mentioned before that I love the Southern Gothic genre and want to read more. I’ll start with the positives I found in this book. The prose was strong with plenty of rich descriptions. Some of the supernatural elements were compelling and I like how the author used elements of Russian folklore alongside folklore of the American South. I also enjoyed the “found family” element that lies at the heart of this novel. I have a hard time, though, saying I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a bit rambling at times. Some of the violence felt so unnecessary. I understood the point of it but the human violence felt kind of gratuitous compared to the supernatural threat in this book. This book felt like it was right on the tipping point of being too “edgy.” It also had the tone of feeling more like it wanted to be a screenplay as opposed to being a novel. In conclusion, I am going to say that The Boatman’s Daughter is not going to be for everyone so this is my tentative recommendation to you all.

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Why must you keep sending me innocent monsters?: Reviewing What Feasts at Night (The Sequel to What Moves the Dead) by T. Kingfisher

Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well. Spring is finally around the corner and I am very excited for any new opportunities that await. Before you check out this review, I would recommend you check out my review of this novella’s predecessor, What Moves the Dead. You can also check out my other views of T. Kingfisher’s books: Nettle and Bone, A House with Good Bones, and The Hollow Places. (Needless to say, I have a new favorite author.) Now, let’s talk about the latest novella, What Feasts at Night.

Content Warning: Disturbing Imagery, Violence Related to War, Death of an Animal

After escaping from the horrors of the Usher house, Alex Easton is finally ready to be done fighting for their life. Alex wants nothing more but to go back to Paris but, instead, they find themself returning to their home country of Gallacia. They decide to make the best of the situation by sprucing up their family hunting lodge but find that the caretaker is dead and the lodge is in disrepair. At first, Alex assumes the caretaker died of old age but rumors begin to swirl around the village of a monster who steals people’s breath in their sleep. At first, Alex ignores these old superstitions but soon they begin having strange dreams that quickly turn into something far more deadly.

What Feasts at Night is an atmospheric, folk horror-inspired novella that delivers plenty of chills and thrills. While it is not a direct follow-up to What Moves the Dead, it does make some direct references and continues on the tradition of “eco-centric horror” (as I like to call it). I love how Kingfisher incorporates nature and folklore into this particular novella. It didn’t get really creepy until the end but I enjoyed the build-up before that. What Feasts at Night is yet another great read by T. Kingfisher. I have been really enjoying all of her books and will definitely continue to read the rest of her novels.