Thursday, November 10, 2022

Mini-Review: White Horse by Erika T. Wurth

   

White Horse by Erika T. Wurth
Flatiron
Publication Date: November 1st, 2022
Hardcover. 320 pages.

About White Horse:

"Some people are haunted in more ways than one. 

Heavy metal, ripped jeans, Stephen King novels, and the occasional beer at the White Horse have defined urban Indian Kari James’s life so far. But when her cousin Debby finds an old family bracelet that once belonged to Kari’s mother, it inadvertently calls up both her mother’s ghost and a monstrous entity, and her willful ignorance about her past is no longer sustainable… 

Haunted by visions of her mother and hunted by this mysterious creature, Kari must search for what happened to her mother all those years ago. Her father, permanently disabled from a car crash, can’t help her. Her Auntie Squeaker seems to know something but isn’t eager to give it all up at once. Debby’s anxious to help, but her controlling husband keeps getting in the way. Kari’s journey toward a truth long denied by both her family and law enforcement forces her to confront her dysfunctional relationships, thoughts about a friend she lost in childhood, and her desire for the one thing she’s always wanted but could never have."

White Horse is a delightfully spooky and riveting tale of 35 year old Kari James as she learns of the existence of a bracelet that was her mother's... and that appears to be haunted by her mother as well. 

What I liked: I was fully immersed in this book from page one due to the strong combination of compelling plot, great writing, and well-developed characters. Kari spends her time keeping her life on track and caring for her disabled father, and I appreciated how true to herself she was throughout the entire book. Kari really seems to know who she is and what she wants–and doesn't want–and isn't afraid to stay true to that and tell others how she feels–in a good way. It was fascinating to see her delve into discovering more about this haunted bracelet and more of the history and focus on Indigenous legend and issues. I think the author did a fantastic job crafting this story and making it both entertaining and a highly valuable read.  There were also plenty of very spooky and haunting elements that makes this a perfect fall read. It also handles some fairly heavy topics related to missing Indigenous peoples, trauma, and more. 

What I didn't like: I didn't have too many overt issues with this story, though it didn't necessarily stand out as a favorite for me, either. Although I liked Kari, I didn't care as much for many of the secondary characters and felt as though Debbie and her husband were particularly difficult to become invested in. I also would say that describing this as straight 'horror' is slightly misleading, and if you're going into it with the hopes of reading a strong horror novel, you might be disappointed, That being said, it's still dark and haunting and will deliver on many of those elements. 

Overall, I've given White Horse four stars! 


*I received a copy of White Horse courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

Wednesday, November 9, 2022

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Empire of Ice and Stone by Buddy Levy & The Light Pirate

 

 Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! This meme is based off of Jill @ Breaking the Spine's Waiting on Wednesday meme.

This week's upcoming book spotlights are: 


Empire of Ice and Stone: The Disastrous and Heroic Voyage of the Karluk by Buddy Levy
Publication: December 6th, 2022
St. Martin's Press
Hardcover. 432 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"The true, harrowing story of the ill-fated 1913 Canadian Arctic Expedition and the two men who came to define it. 

In the summer of 1913, the wooden-hulled brigantine Karluk departed Canada for the Arctic Ocean. At the helm was Captain Bob Bartlett, considered the world’s greatest living ice navigator. The expedition’s visionary leader was a flamboyant impresario named Vilhjalmur Stefansson hungry for fame. 

Just six weeks after the Karluk departed, giant ice floes closed in around her. As the ship became icebound, Stefansson disembarked with five companions and struck out on what he claimed was a 10-day caribou hunting trip. Most on board would never see him again. 

Twenty-two men and an Inuit woman with two small daughters now stood on a mile-square ice floe, their ship and their original leader gone. Under Bartlett’s leadership they built make-shift shelters, surviving the freezing darkness of Polar night. Captain Bartlett now made a difficult and courageous decision. He would take one of the young Inuit hunters and attempt a 1000-mile journey to save the shipwrecked survivors. It was their only hope. 

Set against the backdrop of the Titanic disaster and World War I, filled with heroism, tragedy, and scientific discovery, Buddy Levy's Empire of Ice and Stone tells the story of two men and two distinctively different brands of leadership: one selfless, one self-serving, and how they would forever be bound by one of the most audacious and disastrous expeditions in polar history, considered the last great voyage of The Heroic Age of Discovery."
I'm actually reading this right now and am loving it! It's so nice to be reading about another polar expedition, it almost feels like home, haha. 

and...

The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton
Publication: November 29th, 2022
Tordotcom
Paperback. 176 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"Florida is slipping away. As devastating weather patterns and rising sea levels gradually wreak havoc on the state’s infrastructure, a powerful hurricane approaches a small town on the southeastern coast. Kirby Lowe, an electrical line worker; his pregnant wife, Frida; and their two sons, Flip and Lucas, prepare for the worst. When the boys go missing just before the hurricane hits, Kirby heads out into the high winds to search for them. Left alone, Frida goes into premature labor and gives birth to an unusual child, Wanda, whom she names after the catastrophic storm that ushers her into a society closer to collapse than ever before. 

As Florida continues to unravel, Wanda grows. Moving from childhood to adulthood, adapting not only to the changing landscape, but also to the people who stayed behind in a place abandoned by civilization, Wanda loses family, gains community, and ultimately, seeks adventure, love, and purpose in a place remade by nature. 

Told in four parts—power, water, light, and time—The Light Pirate mirrors the rhythms of the elements and the sometimes quick, sometimes slow dissolution of the world as we know it. It is a meditation on the changes we would rather not see, the future we would rather not greet, and a call back to the beauty and violence of an untamable wilderness."
 I have an ARC of this I've been meaning to read for a while now and I hope to get to it soon. I'm always intrigued by these near-future novels and curious to see how they execute different ideas. 

What do you think about these upcoming releases? What are your anticipated upcoming releases?

Tuesday, November 8, 2022

Top Ten Tuesday: Series I Need to Catch Up On

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly book blog meme now hosted by Jana over at The Artsy Reader Girl!

This week's topic is: Series To Catch Up On
I've made these posts before, but as the years go on I keep reading (and not finishing) plenty of series, so here is a very incomplete list of series I'd like to catch up on! It was actually hard to pick only ten because I tend to start series a lot and move around without much thought (I feel like this is a mood reader thing), and I like knowing that I always series waiting for me finish them, haha. Anyway, let's check out some series I need to finish. 

A Memory Called Empire (Texicalaan #1)A Desolation Called Peace (Teixcalaan, #2)
1. Texicalaan by Arkady Martine
A Memory Called Empire was a really interesting space opera that left me really curious about the sequel, so hopefully I can get around to that sometime. I'm actually thinking of trying the audiobook for the sequel this time, but we'll see 
What I've Read: A Memory Called Empire (#1)
What I need to read: A Desolation Called Peace (#2)

The Hand of the Sun King (Pact and Pattern, #1)The Garden of Empire (Pact and Pattern, #2)
2. Pact and Pattern by J.T. Greathouse
The sequel came out this summer and I have a copy in my hands as well, but I have yet to actually read it. I'm not sure if there are going to be more books or not in this series, but either way I guess I need to catch up. 
What I've Read: The Hand of the Sun King (#1)
What I need to read: The Garden of Empire  (#2)

The Darkness That Comes Before (The Prince of Nothing, #1)The Warrior Prophet (The Prince of Nothing, #2)The Thousandfold Thought (The Prince of Nothing, #3)
3. The Prince of Nothing by R. Scott Bakker
This series is very slow-paced and rather dense as well, so each book takes me some time to really focus on and make sure I'm getting what I'm supposed to be out of it. I've enjoyed the first two books overall and just need to wrap up this trilogy. Hopefully end of this year or beginning of next?
What I've Read: The Darkness That Comes Before (#1), The Warrior Prophet  (#2)
What I need to read:  The Thousandfold Thought (#3)

The Thousand Deaths of Ardor Benn (Kingdom of Grit, #1)The Shattered Realm of Ardor Benn (Kingdom of Grit, #2)The Last Lies of Ardor Benn (Kingdom of Grit, #3)
4. Kingdom of Grit by Tyler Whitesides
I finally got around to this book this year (after starting it and not finishing it a couple years back) and I really enjoyed it! Now I just need to finish it up. These books are quite hefty so it always feels like a big commitment, haha. 
What I've Read: The Thousand Deaths of Ardor Benn (#1)
What I need to read: The Shattered Realm of Ardor Benn  (#2),  The Last Lies of Ardor Benn (#3)

Archimancy (Shadow School, #1)Dehaunting (Shadow School, #2)Phantoms (Shadow School, #3)
5. Shadow School by J.A. White
I really liked this new(er) MG series from my favorite spooky MG author, and it was as great as I'd hoped. Now to finish the series!
What I've Read: Archimancy (#1)
What I need to read: Dehaunting  (#2), Phantoms  (#3)

Contagion (Contagion, #1)Immunity (Contagion, #2)
6. Contagion by Erin Bowman
I actually just (finally) got around to reading it and had so much fun with it! I am really hoping to read the sequel soon. Big shout out to Greg from Greg's Book Haven for always making it sound so interesting and convincing me to read it!
What I've Read: Contagion (#1)
What I need to read: Immunity  (#2)

The Eye of the World (The Wheel of Time, #1)The Great Hunt (The Wheel of Time, #2)The Dragon Reborn (The Wheel of Time, #3)The Shadow Rising (The Wheel of Time, #4)
7. Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan
Honestly, I don't even know if I want to finish this serious if we're being honest, haha, but I'm  far enough in that I feel like I should... but I also have been hating the characters lately and feel like the plot is a bit stagnant. We'll see how I feel in the future, but for now this series is on hiatus. 
What I've Read: The Eye of the World (#1), The Great Hunt  (#2), The Dragon Reborn  (#3), The Shadow Rising  (#4), The Fires of Heaven  (#5)
What I need to read: Lord of Chaos  (#6), A Crown of Swords  (#7), The Path of Daggers  (#8), Winter's Heart  (#9), Crossroads of Twilight  (#10), Knife of Dreams  (#11), The Gathering Storm  (#12), Towers of Midnight (#13), A Memory of Light  (14)

The Tiger’s Daughter (Ascendant, #1)The Phoenix Empress (Ascendant, #2)The Warrior Moon (Ascendant, #3)
8. Ascendant by K. Arsenault Rivera
I loved the The Tiger's Daughter and have no idea why I haven't continued the series. 
What I've Read: The Tiger's Daughter (#1)
What I need to read: The Phoenix Empress  (#2), The Warrior Moon  (#3)

The Last Watch (The Divide, #1)The Exiled Fleet (The Divide, #2)
9. The Divide by J.S. Dewes
Same story as Ascendant–absolutely loved The Last Watch, no idea why I haven't read The Exiled Fleet yet.
What I've Read: The Last Watch (#1)
What I need to read: The Exiled Fleet  (#2)

The Book of Koli (Rampart Trilogy, #1)The Trials of Koli (Rampart Trilogy, #2)The Fall of Koli (Rampart Trilogy, #3)
10. Rampart Trilogy by M.R. Carey
I read the first two books and then apparently decided to procrastinate on the third. I still haven't read it and I have absolutely no idea why. But I'd like to!
What I've Read: The Book of Koli (#1), The Trials of Koli  (#2)
What I need to read: The Fall of Koli (#3)

Have you read any of these series? What series do you need to catch up on?

Monday, November 7, 2022

Review: The Hollow Kind by Andy Davidson

   

The Hollow Kind by Andy Davidson
MCD
Publication Date: October 25th, 2022
Hardcover. 448 pages.

About The Hollow Kind:

"Andy Davidson's epic horror novel about the spectacular decline of the Redfern family, haunted by an ancient evil. 

Nellie Gardner is looking for a way out of an abusive marriage when she learns that her long-lost grandfather, August Redfern, has willed her his turpentine estate. She throws everything she can think of in a bag and flees to Georgia with her eleven-year-old son, Max, in tow. 

It turns out that the estate is a decrepit farmhouse on a thousand acres of old pine forest, but Nellie is thrilled about the chance for a fresh start for her and Max, and a chance for the happy home she never had. So it takes her a while to notice the strange scratching in the walls, the faint whispering at night, how the forest is eerily quiet. But Max sees what his mother can't: They're no safer here than they had been in South Carolina. In fact, things might even be worse. There's something wrong with Redfern Hill. Something lurks beneath the soil, ancient and hungry, with the power to corrupt hearts and destroy souls. It is the true legacy of Redfern Hill: a kingdom of grief and death, to which Nellie's own blood has granted her the key."

The Hollow Kind is a dense, complex epic horror story that covers two different timelines and an intense family saga. This is the first book I've read by Andy Davidson and I was immediately drawn in by his writing and ability to create an atmosphere that was absolutely dripping with a sense of darkness and unease. 

The Hollow Kind follows generations of the Redfern family as they find themselves haunted by an otherworldly evil. The story is split into two timelines: one timeline follows August Redfern, grandfather to Nellie, starting in 1917 and spanning several decades; and the second timeline takes place in 1989 and follows Nellie and her son Max as they move into their inherited family estate. 

In 1989, Nellie has recently discovered that she was left as sole heir to the family turpentine estate and sees this as her opportunity to take her son Max and leave her husband/Max's father and start life anew somewhere else. Upon arriving at the estate, however, Nellie and Max both slowly begin to realize that something at the house holds a dark and discontent feeling that threatens their attempts at a new beginning. The earlier timeline follows August Redfern's life on the turpentine estate and the many perilous ups and downs that occurred during his lifetime. I found it really interesting and helpful to get this insight in August's life, including meeting his wife, children, and the other important people in his life. There is an ever-present eeriness in both timelines, but the earlier timeline definitely shows more origins of that and feels somewhat more mysterious and terrifying in its own right. 

I found myself much more engaged in the 1989 storyline because Max and Nellie were personally more compelling and I liked seeing what was going on with the house at this later time. I also really liked seeing Nellie and Max as a team trying to get by. Nellie is a tough character who comes across as someone who doesn't like to show a lot of her feelings to just anyone, but rather works hard to appear strong and prepared, especially in front of her son. This doesn't make her closed off to him, however, and in fact I really liked seeing the moments when Nellie was very straightforward with Max and didn't shy away from realities just because he was a kid, all without burdening him too much with things because he is, of course, still a kid. Max is very perceptive and immediately sense that something about the house is not right, but seeing his mom's hope for this new place causes him to give it a chance. 

There are so many creeping elements that make this book such a strong horror pick, including an mystifying woods and an otherworldly sense of something wrong. In addition to this type of horror, however, are plenty of characters in this book who have done terrible things and are capable of doing terrible things. It's these characters that really help build an overall sense of unease and terror throughout the story. 

Although this story is meant to be unfolded at a slower pace that worked really well and excelled in developing a gradual unveiling, I did think that there were some parts that dragged on just a little too much. I found this occurred more often in the older timelines than the 1989 one–which is possibly why I was more drawn to the 1989 timeline–and these are the times when I found my attention waining ever so slightly. This happened the most right around the halfway points and a little after; I found the beginning and ending of The Hollow Kind to be very strong. 

Overall, I've given The Hollow Kind four stars! I really liked this atmospheric epic horror that covered multiple generations of a family story and will be checking out more of Andy Davidson's work. 

*I received a copy of The Hollow Kind courtesy of MCD in exchange for an honest review.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

Friday, November 4, 2022

Month in Review: October 2022



I can't believe October is already over! I'm always sad when the spookiest month of the year has passed by, but I'll survive. We had a lot of adorable trick or treaters again this year, I always love seeing the kids dressed up. They are so creative! (Or their parents are, haha.) Two things that have stayed consistent about Halloween in this neighborhood the past two years we've lived here are: 1) we have to buy a lot of candy because we live near an elementary school so there are a lot of kids; and 2) no one likes Snickers! I kid you not, we had a bowl of ten mini Snickers bars left over (we had a mixture of Snickers, Twix, M&Ms, Sour Patch, Swedish Fish, for reference. Nothing too amazing.). We actually had kids come by and be genuinely bummed when they saw only Snickers left and then leave with nothing because they don't like Snickers. Am I just old and kids don't like Snickers anymore?? I thought people loved Snickers? They're not my favorite, but I like them well enough. It's perplexing to me and I'm not sure what I'm missing unless everyone has peanut allergies in this neighborhood, haha. Has anyone else noticed this trend? Is it a new LA thing? 

Not much personal news to share this month. Lots of the same old things going on, although we've been making great progress with leash walking with our dog which feels amazing and he is sloooowly getting better at not freaking out every time he sees a dog, so hooray! 

In reading news, I read some great books in October! I honestly didn't get to quite as many horror books as I had planned because I had an intense anxiety flare-up mid-month and I needed things that were less, well, dread-inducing. I think I'll mix some more horror in for November and December because I think this entire season is great for these reads, and I got so many from my library that I still want to read, haha. I finally read Richard Matheson's Hell House, which felt like the perfect Halloween read, although definitely has some very dated elements about it. I also found Thornhill to be the perfect scary story that you could probably read in one sitting, and Empire of Exiles is an awesome new fantasy that you really need to check out. Overall, a pretty good reading month! A little up and down at times, but I'm happy with the results and look forward to November.


# books read: 14
   
Empire of Exiles (Books of the Usurper, #1)Bad CreeThornhillMoon of the Crusted Snow
Empire of Exiles (Books of the Usurper #1) by Erin M. Evans ★.5
Source: Publisher | Format: Physical ARC
Thoughts: I really loved this new fantasy and can't wait for the sequel! The world-building and magic were so interesting, and I loved the Archives.

Bad Cree by Jessica Johns 
Source: NetGalley | Format: eARC
Thoughts: This isn't out until January, but I couldn't wait to read it. I loved this author's exploration of using dreams and sharing Cree culture.

Thornhill by Pam Smy 
Source: Owned | Format: Hardcover
Thoughts: This wasn't at all what I expected, but it was perfect! This feels like a story you'd tell at a sleepover or a campfire or something. It was perfect for Halloween!

Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice 
Source: Owned | Format: Paperback
Thoughts: This was a very slow-paced horror novel that I found myself liking a lot. Definitely makes me want to check out more of Rice's work. 

We Can Never Leave This PlaceHell HouseWe Are All Completely FineJackal
We Can Never Leave This Place by Eric LaRocca 
Source: Owned | Format: Paperback
Thoughts: So far, LaRocca has not disappointed with his weird horror. This was definitely not quite like anything I'd read before, and that's a good thing in my book. 

Hell House by Richard Matheson 
Source: Owned | Format: Paperback
Thoughts: This was really great as a classic older school haunted house story! It definitely has some issues from a more modern perspective, but it does what it's meant to perfectly, and it told quite an interesting tale.

We Are All Completely Fine by Daryl Gregory 
Source: Library | Format: Hardcover
Thoughts: I loved the premise for this one and thought Gregory did it so well. I need to read more from him!

Jackal by Erin E. Adams 
Source: NetGalley | Format: eARC
Thoughts: I have a review up for this already and overall I liked it! I had a few issues with it, but I enjoyed the overall story.

The Girl Next DoorWinterset HollowWell of Witches (The Thickety, #3)A ​Court of Silver Flames (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #4)
The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum 
Source: Library | Format: Paperback
Thoughts: I chose not to review The Girl Next Door because it honestly ended up being much more of a difficult read than I expected. I'd heard a lot about this book over the years from people hyping it up, so I figured I'd check it out. I didn't realize it was based on a true story until I was about halfway through, and at that point I found it so hard to read about how this poor girl was tortured knowing it was based on reality. The author's afterword explains a lot about why he chose to write it and how he hopes to honor her, which helped me a bit, but overall I'm not sure I would really recommend this one unless you're in a headspace to handle it and have the stomach to read it.

Winterset Hollow by Edward Jonathan Durham 
Source: Library | Format: Audiobook
Thoughts: This was another interesting little horror novel and I liked the idea of toying with a childhood favorite and making things take a darker turn. 

Well of Witches (The Thickety #3) by J.A. White 
Source: Owned | Format: Paperback
Thoughts: Every October, I re-read one book in the Thickety series and this year I'm on #3! This was as great as I remember, and I'm always surprised at how much I've forgotten. 

A Court of Silver Flames (ACOTAR #4) by Sarah J. Maas 
Source: Library | Format: Audiobook
Thoughts: I finally caved and decided to try this one out. I am one of those that was not a fan of Nesta, but this book has grudgingly made me come to terms with her. I think it's important to note that this book, to me, is firmly fantasy romance with an interesting fantasy plot on the side. I loved the non-romance plot points, but this book is really about the characters and the romance, and that's okay! Just important to note, since I didn't personally see that as much with the previous works as much. 

Such a Pretty GirlA Worthy Opponent (Wicked Villains, #3)

Such a Pretty Girl by T. Greenwood 
Source: Publisher | Format: Physical ARC
Thoughts: This was a really great story of a young girl thrust into acting/modeling by her mother when it was never really her choice. I'd recommend it!

A Worthy Opponent  by Katee Robert 
Source: Library | Format: Audiobook
Thoughts: This one was fun! Probably one of the better ones in the series. This has been a really fun escape to listen to while painting or relaxing. 



DNF/To-Be-Finished:
None (?) I might have DNF'd something, but I honestly don't remember!



(other than reviews)


Can't-Wait Wednesday: