lisally
Review
4 Stars
Don't Ever Look Back: A Mystery - Daniel  Friedman

Daniel Friedman has certainly created a memorable protagonist in Baruch “Buck” Schatz, who believably comes off as an 88-year old curmudgeon. A retired Memphis detective, Buck is a bit of anti-hero with questionable morals, most certainly shaped by his experiences as a WWII vet, as well as on the police force. Following a gunshot injury, Buck has now been forced into assisted living, where pressing concerns include annoying neighbors and physical therapy. His usual routine is interrupted when Elijah, a thief and foe from Buck’s past, shows up asking for help.

 

The novel alternates between Buck’s present in 2009 and 1965, when he was one of the few Jewish detectives on the Memphis police force. In this time period, racial tension is naturally involved here in the case, and the story is as much about Buck’s struggles with moral issues as it is about Elijah’s seemingly “unsolved” bank heist. Don’t Ever Look Back is an enjoyable crime novel that is in turns both funny and poignant.

 

A review copy was provided through the goodreads.com first reads program.

Review
3.5 Stars
Red Rising - Pierce Brown

Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste of society and fated to spend his life underground. Darrow believes his work will help make Mars habitable for future generations and higher colors; however, eh soon learns that his entire life has been a lie. Mars is not only terraformed, it is a lush world of sprawling cities ruled over by the elite Golds. Angered by the lies and injustice, Darrow agrees to help the rebel Sons of Ares by infiltrating the society of the Golds.

 

Red Rising does lose some points for originality; many elements are instantly reminiscent of other popular stories. There’s a definite Hunger Games vibe in that the poor laborers are oppressed by the rich elites. The institute is a battleground where teenagers are made to battle each other. People are born into defined castes created through breeding and genetic engineering, a la Brave New World. There’s even a system of school houses with a sorting ceremony, although unlike Harry Potter, this sorting is thoroughly unpleasant.

 

It’s to author Pierce Brown’s credit that the story is able to be much more than just “Hungry Potter.” The world of Red Rising is very well developed and uses the genre tropes on very creative ways. Nothing is black and white here, and the revenge element definitely keeps the story interesting.

 

Things pick up considerably once Darrow leaves the underground mining colony, and the reader is given a glimpse of Darrow’s futuristic world. Red Rising is a really good read, even if it isn’t the most unique story out there, and the ending certainly left me wanting more.

Review
3 Stars
A Feast for Crows
A Feast for Crows - George R.R. Martin

It’s easy to see why A Feast for Crows is a bit polarizing; it was published five years after A Storm of Swords, and is not nearly as long as the prior volume. This is actually half of one book, the other half being A Dance with Dragons, split for convenience. The story is split primarily by location, with a heavy focus on events with Cersei and Jaime in King’s Landing. As a result, many main characters, including Tyrion and Daenerys, don’t make an appearance here. As a result the story feels somewhat incomplete and rather anticlimactic, with a lot of setup for future volumes.

Cersei becomes a major POV character, with a large chunk following her attempts to rule as regent in the aftermath of Swords. While Cersei is not really a sympathetic character, it is fascinating to see her motivations, insecurities, and descent into paranoia. We also see Jaime moving away from her, as he becomes a comparatively more noble character.

There are a bunch of new characters introduced to the already expansive cast. There are three new Greyjoy POV characters caught in the dispute over succession in the Iron Islands; Theon’s sister Asha, and their uncles Aeron and Victarion. The region of Dorne is seen for the first time, along with a plot to crown Princess Myrcella.

Arya, Sansa, and Brienne continue their storylines here, with Arya in Braavos, Sansa with Littlefinger in the Eyrie, and Brienne seeking to find both and fulfill her oath. Sam Tarly gets a new story thread, as he is set from the Wall by Jon Snow (in a brief appearance) to study in Oldtown.

This is still a solid read, and as well written as first three. The problem is that it feels like half a book, mostly set up rather than pure story. The geographic split may be partly to blame, and it may have been better to include all the major characters. The combined volume with A Dance with Dragons, may be a more accurate assessment as a volume of the overall story.

Review
4 Stars
Perfect Ruin
Perfect Ruin - Lauren DeStefano

Morgan Stockhour lives on Internment, a mysterious floating city with no connection to the world below. Ever since her older brother was injured approaching the edge, Morgan has tried not to think about what lies beyond the train tracks circling the city. However, when a girl from Morgan’s class is found murdered and left on the tracks, Morgan finds herself questioning the very nature of Internment itself.

This was a surprisingly unique read despite the current abundance of YA dystopian lit. At first the world of internment seems to only have a few generic elements, such as controlled birth and arranged marriage, but the society becomes more horrifying as more and more rules are revealed. It’s also nice that the nature of the this floating city is the true central mystery of the novel. Internment itself is actually well developed; any knowledge of the world is only limited because Morgan’s knowledge of the world is limited.

The dystopian “betrothals” also eliminate any of the annoying love triangles that are pervasive in YA. Morgan and her betrothed, Basil, seem pretty committed to each other and actually show that they care for each other.

Perfect Ruin doesn’t avoid all YA tropes, including the fact that it is only book one in a series. The story ends on a massive cliffhanger, but the central premise more than enough to want to know more.

A review copy was provided through the goodreads.com first reads program.

Review
5 Stars
S.
S. - Doug Dorst, J.J. Abrams

This is probably the most unique reading experience I’ve had in a long time. Rather than a traditional novel, S. is presented as an old copy of the fictional book “Ship of Theseus” by “VM Straka” from 1949. The book has a period appropriate cover design, and is faux-aged to look like an old library book, complete with old stamps, yellowed pages, and even fake stains. The margins of the book are filled with the “handwritten” notes of two previous readers, Jen and Eric; the ink colors change with time, and there are even smudges and cross-outs. Tucked into the pages are various documents including photocopies, photos, letters, postcards, and (my personal favorite) an actual napkin with a “hand-drawn” map. The attention to detail is absolutely amazing, and the story is pretty good too.

“Ship of Theseus” itself is the meandering, surreal story of a man, “S”, who find himself washed up in an unnamed city with no memory or knowledge of his identity. He is soon shanghaied aboard a creepy ship with no apparent captain and a strange crew whose members have sewn their mouths shut. When S. tries to escape the ship, he is then caught up in a struggle against the corrupt Vevoda, a business magnate with an unstoppable weapon of mass destruction.

The margin notes tell the story of two readers trying to unravel the mystery surrounding the reclusive author VM Straka, and his apparent involvement in major historical events. Jen, a college senior, finds the copy of “Ship of Theseus” left behind in the college library by Eric, a disgraced graduate student. Seeking an escape from her impending graduation and recent breakup, Jen begins delving into the Straka mystery, corresponding with Eric in the margins of the book. As the two uncover more information about the mysterious Straka, they find themselves possibly drawn into a conflict decades and maybe even centuries old.

Jen and Eric’s story jumps around a bit, as the notes are not always in chronological order. Some details and events are also only alluded to, leaving the reader to fill in some of the gaps. There are, however, additional codes in the book to solve, and in-universe websites, so the story doesn’t necessarily end with what’s in the book.

The reading order is completely open, but I found it easiest to start by reading through “Ship of Theseus” on its own, then going back and reading the margin notes. The ink colors denote different time periods; Jen’s notes start out in blue ink, with Eric’s responses in black. The second set are in orange and green, the third in purple and red, and the most recent all in black. It’s probably best to read all the earlier, blue and black notes first, then going back and approaching each set in turn. The inserts are mentioned in text by Jen and Eric at their appropriate points in the story; it helped me to make a list of the insert locations beforehand, so I could easily find the appropriate document.

S. is just a lot of fun, and is a must read for anyone who likes unique, experimental reads.

Review
4 Stars
The Year of Shadows
The Year of Shadows - Claire Legrand

 

Olivia Stellatella’s life seems to be falling apart. Her mother left home, and her father, the Maestro, pays more attention to his struggling orchestra than to Olivia. In order to keep the orchestra afloat financially, the Maestro sells their house, forcing Olivia, her father, and grandmother to move into the back rooms of the decaying concert hall. However, Olivia and her family are not the only occupants; there are are four ghosts haunting the hall, and they need Olivia’s help.

This is a nice, bittersweet novel about dealing with loss, moving on, and learning to open up again. Olivia is an excellently drawn character, and comes off as a real 12 year old. It’s easy to sympathize with her situation and her actions come off as very understandable, if petulant at times. The side characters are well developed as well, including Olivia’s classmate Henry and the four main ghost characters. Igor, Olivia’s cat, is also really memorable, with Olivia imagining his perfectly cat-like dialogue.

Olivia and Henry are tasked with helping the four ghosts who haunt the concert hall move on, by helping each find his or her “anchor” to the living world. This is partly accomplished by “sharing” with each ghost, a neat concept in which the ghost relives the relevant memory. There’s one weird sharing that takes Olivia and Henry to a war-torn future, as apparently ghosts don’t experience time linearly. The implications of this are never fully addressed, instead serving to help Olivia move on with her own life.

This is a good middle-grade novel, and more sweet than creepy. The ending is suitably uncertain, but the story is ultimately about Olivia, and what’s important is that she’s once again whole.

A review copy was provided through the goodreads.com first reads program.
Review
4 Stars
A Storm of Swords
A Storm of Swords - George R.R. Martin

This is the longest volume of A Song of Ice and Fire so far, at almost 300 pages longer than A Clash of Kings, and there are naturally a lot of significant plot points here. Most notably, there are multiple deaths of some very major characters, although the shock value has diminished given the internet reaction to the depiction in the HBO series. Once again, the houses of Westeros as largely concerned with the war of succession and their own petty squabbles to deal with the supernatural threat beyond the wall. A large contingent of wildlings seeks to take the Wall in the north and pass through, fleeing the mysterious Others.

Two characters are given perspective chapters here, Sam Tarly of the Night’s Watch and Jaime Lannister. Jaime’s chapters provide great character development for him, and he actually comes off as somewhat sympathetic despite some of his horrible deeds. The other major characters continue where they left off at the end of Clash, the biggest new storyline being Daenerys’s journey to Slaver’s Bay in Essos.

A Storm of Swords is largely more of the same; if you enjoyed the first two this is a must read. I found it a stronger installment than the last volume, with lots of twists and good plot advancement. It’s best not to expect anything good to come here; it may not be a happy story, but A Song of Ice and Fire is certainly an entertaining, if disturbing, one.

Source: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/811067586?book_show_action=false
Review
3 Stars
Pretty Girl-13 - Liz Coley
Pretty Girl-13 follows Angie Chapman, a 13 year old girl who disappears from a Girl Scout camping trip, only to turn up at home three years later with no recollection of any events since leaving her tent. It is soon revealed that Angie has developed dissociative identity disorder (DID), to deal with the rather horrific events of her ordeal. Angie’s ordeal, revealed by her “alters,” is pretty horrific, involving not only kidnapping but imprisonment, torture, and rape.

Although the nature of DID is still rather uncertain, the way it’s handled here does seem fairly plausible, for the most part. At first it seems unbelievable that Angie would experience a split immediately upon her kidnapping, there is fortunately a plausible explanation in Angie’s past. That particular twist works well in the story, but other plot points just don’t seem very realistic.

While Angie’s therapy, although fictional, seems fairly possible, it seems strange that any psychologist would rely so heavily on hypnotherapy given its unreliable nature. The final major twist also seems like it shouldn’t have gone unnoticed.

Angie is revealed to have been impregnated by her captor, and gave birth to a baby boy. Her son was then give up for adoption by her abductor, and is then adopted by her neighbors. It seems a bit of a stretch that Angie would bear no physical evidence of having given birth, and that it would go unnoticed in an examination. Also, the odds of her child being adopted by the neighboring couple is highly unlikely.

A review copy was provided through the goodreads.com first reads program.
Review
4 Stars
A Trick of the Light - Louise Penny
Clara Morrow has finally realized her dream, landing a solo art show at the famed Musee d’Art Contemporain in Montreal. However, Clara’s moment of triumph is soon superseded by tragedy with the discovery of a murdered woman in Clara’s garden. The victim, Lillian Dyson, was once Clara’s best friend, but had become a jealous enemy later in life. Chief Inspector Gamache of the Surete du Quebec, visiting the small town of Three Pines for the celebration, must now focus on finding a killer.

Not much to say about this one, other than it’s another great entry in the series. A Trick of the Light is a more intimate story than Bury Your Dead, focusing once again on events in the very murder-prone Three Pines. Both Gamache and Inspector Beauvoir are still coping with events from the previous novel, so this is probably not the best starting point for new readers. Penny’s novels can stand alone, but there are ongoing plot threads that make the series best read in order. While it was hard to top Bury Your Dead, Gamache always makes for a fantastic mystery read.
Review
3 Stars
Wolfhound Century - Peter Higgins
In the wake of terrorist bombings in the capital city of Mirgorod, Inspector Vissarion Lom is sent from his small-city post to investigate. In Mirgorod, Lom finds his investigation leading to a conspiracy that may include his own bosses in the upper echelon of the secret police. However, Lom is soon caught up in an even greater mystery, one that surrounds the mysterious stone “angels” that fell out of the sky, one of which may be alive.

Wolfhound Century has great world building and a really refreshing setting; Lom’s home country is obviously Soviet-Russian inspired, yet clearly set in a fantasy world distinct from our own. There’s lots of good stuff here, and the main mystery goes beyond political machinations to possibly the nature of this world itself. The main plot ties together with the stone angels, whose very bodies have been exploited for their strange properties, and a mysterious object that may contain an alternate universe.

The biggest problem with the novel is that the whole thing feels like just the set up for a larger story, with very little actually resolved at the end. It’s clear who the enemies are and what the characters need to accomplish, but little progress is actually made toward their goals. However, it’s because the world and its mysterious are so intriguing that the lack of ending feels like such a letdown. A definite sequel is planned for next spring, and hopefully it provides the closure to make this story truly worth reading.

A review copy was provided through the Librarything Early Reviewers program.
Review
4 Stars
A Game of Thrones  - George R.R. Martin
A Game of Thrones is basically review-proof; the series already has a large fanbase that continues to grow due to the HBO series. This is a more “realistic” fantasy, set in a world not unlike medieval Europe; magical creatures are largely considered myths or extinct. With the more grounded world-building also comes the more unpleasant aspects of the society; there are depictions of brutal battles, torture, executions, incest, and rape.

The story follows the Stark family, feudal lords of the northernmost part of the realm. Patriarch Eddard Stark is tapped by the current king to serve as the “hand,” in essence taking care of the day to day aspects of governing the realm. While at court, Eddard soon discovers a conspiracy that may have been orchestrated by the power-hungry Lannister family. Meanwhile, Daenerys, the last princess of the recently deposed Targaryen dynasty, finds herself in an arranged marriage overseas to a powerful nomadic leader as her brother schemes to take back the throne for himself.

In many ways this a subversion of most fantasy stories; a heroic major character fails in his task partly due to his or her own trusting nature. A young girl’s dreams of being a princess are shattered by a harsh reality where she is faced instead with a cruel, brutal prince. The story ends with multiple factions preparing for war amongst themselves, unaware of a possibly worse supernatural threat.

Although the story may seem bleak at times, there’s a lot of intriguing stuff that make me want to keep reading. A massive wall of ice exists to keep unknown threats out of the realm, which includes a supernatural force of animated corpses. There are some pretty memorable characters, such as snarky dwarf (a human, not the fairy0tale kind) Tyrion, and Eddard’s rebellious daughter, Arya. Martin’s world-building is also top-notch, and definitely succeeds at creating a believable universe for these characters. I will definitely be reading the next book.
Review
4 Stars
MaddAddam - Margaret Atwood
The final book in the “MaddAddam” trilogy merges Oryx and Crake with the Year of the Flood in both style and storyline. Here Toby, Amanda, and Ren have joined a colony of the surviving God’s Gardeners, bringing with them an unconscious Jimmy and his Craker followers. The present sections largely follow the point of view of Toby, who must now take up Jimmy’s position as official storyteller and preacher to the Crakers.

The sermons and present day sections are interspersed with the story of Zeb, Toby’s lover and God’s Gardeners strongman. Zeb’s story connects nearly every plot thread and character, and explains the origin of God’s Gardeners, the plague “flood”, and even how the group knew to prepare for this coming catastrophe. There’s also a few new things added to Atwood’s world of unchecked corporations, including a bizarre church that tries to use Christianity to justify fossil fuel consumption.

This was definitely a satisfying conclusion, wrapping both books together and closing all loose ends of the story, although there’s definitely room for future installments. There’s also an amusing new character, a curious little Cracker boy named Blackbeard, who latches onto a somewhat exasperated Toby. Maddaddam is a good book and a better read than Year of the Flood, even strengthening the previous installment.

A review copy was provided by the publisher.
Review
4 Stars
A Red Herring Without Mustard - Alan Bradley
After accidentally setting a fortune teller’s tent on fire at the church carnival, Flavia de Luce offers her a place to stay on the vast estate of Buckshaw. The next day, Flavia finds the fortune teller attacked and nearly killed. Meanwhile, Flavia spots local ne’er do well Brookie Harewood sneaking around Buckshaw; the next day, Brookie is found hanging from a statue of Poseidon. Much to the consternation of the local police, Flavia is once again on the case!

This was another great installment in this fun mystery series, and is an improvement over the last book in the series, which got off to a much slower start. There’s a bunch of interesting plot threads here, including a strange religious sect, an old kidnapping, and an antiques forgery ring. Everything ties together neatly, although it does seem that Flavia stumbles upon the final answer rather accidentally.

Annoyingly, Random House has been inconsistent with the book design for this series, switching back to a printed case design from a dust jacket. The design seems to have settled though, and the spines do match at least.
Review
3 Stars
The Different Girl - Gordon Dahlquist
Veronika is one of four identical girls, living on an island for as long as she can remember. She, Caroline, Isobel, and Eleanor, seem to spend each day doing everything alike, set to learn about their surroundings by their caretakers Irene and Robbert. This unvarying daily routine changes when a strange girl, May, washes on shore and forces the girls into contact with the outside world.

The Different Girl is a very quick read at only about 230 pages. Told through Veronika’s voice, it becomes quickly apparent that the girls aren’t quite human, becoming more jarring as the story unfolds. While nothing is explicitly stated it’s still fairly easy to infer what’s going on in the story, and it’s enjoyable to try to work things out.

Unfortunately, this lack of outright information is also the book’s biggest weakness. The story is limited to Veronika’s perspective, and the reader never gets a clear picture of the world outside the small island. It’s a good little story, but it seems that there’s a lot more that can be told about this world. The Different Girl is certainly worth a look, but don’t go in expecting too many answers.

A review copy was provided through the goodreads.com first reads program.
Review
4 Stars
Among Others - Jo Walton
Along with her twin sister, Morwenna Phelps always sought escape from her mad mother both in science fiction novels, and among the fairies inhabiting the modern ruins of post-industrial Wales. After an incident that left Mori crippled and her twin dead, she flees to live with her estranged father. Now alone at boarding school, Mori finds both refuge and friendship through reading.

While there is magic in Among Others, the story is really about the magic of reading a good book. Anyone who has ever sought escapism from a library or bookstore can instantly identify with Morwenna. The fantasy portions take a back seat to Mori’s discovery of kindred spirits while coping with the loss of her sister.

What magic there is in the novel is explicitly less dramatic than that in any book, influencing events with no sure indication of its actual success. Mori’s fears becoming a witch like her mother, but it’s also possible the magic or fairies may not be real at all. Regardless, any avid reader can relate to how Morwenna finds herself through reading.
Review
3 Stars
Black Irish - Stephan Talty
A gruesome serial killer has arisen in South Buffalo, a working-class Irish-American neighborhood known as “The County” (the unofficial 27th part of Ireland.) Detective Absalom Kearney, recently returned to Buffalo to care for her father and make a fresh start, is assigned the case. Abbie must deal not only with the killer, but also with a community hostile to outsiders and harboring secrets that may in fact be personal.

This was a generally solid crime novel with a unique setting. Talty does a good job depicting the dreary, decaying city of Buffalo as well as the insular community of South Buffalo. The case is fairly intriguing as well, with the killer attacking a secret group involved with the IRA.

The story is a bit unbalanced, however, with a ton of twists and turns that occur near the very end of the novel. It probably would have been better if the author revealed some more details and clues along the way; as it is, the killer’s reveal is rushed and comes a bit out of nowhere. There are also a few bizarre scenes, including one where Abbie flips out with no prior indication; she threatens a former boyfriend at gunpoint and then immediately proceeds to have ridiculous sex with him. It’s also a bit strange that a cop would drive his or her own car everywhere, especially without any sort of siren.

Despite a few bizarre and implausible twists, Black Irish still has an interesting setting and story.

A review copy was provided through the Librarything Early Reviewers program.