Review: Our Share of Night

Our Share of Night by Mariana Enríquez
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Bizarre. Brutal. Brilliant.

Loved it from start to finish.

Honestly, I was so captivated by the strangeness of this novel. We're greeted with an ailing man, Juan, and his young son, Gaspar, and escorted into The Order - a macabre sect that worships 'the Darkness'- an entity for which Juan is a medium. That's the very, VERY short version.

I loved the story here, and was entranced watching it unfold. It spans many decades, so we hear from a variety of characters who all tell the story their own way. It rounds out our experience of events and allows us to connect with each of these characters - no matter how minor some parts may be. Plus it's all set to a backdrop of turmoil - Argentina was just not a fun place to be in the late 70s/early 80s.

The writing is exquisite - this is what I'd consider award-worthy fiction. The way the story is crafted is sheer brilliance. The elegance of how it all comes together; how chapters begin, progress, and end; how important ideas are woven in seamlessly; how seemingly insignificant details still stick enough that they're easily remembered later. It was a truly pleasurable reading experience.

In terms of the 'horror', this was less atmospheric and more about the notion of worshipping this dark god, and how that manifests in its disciples. Things alluded to yet not written, with enough gory details that we're still satisfied and properly offended. I enjoyed it all immensely.

Thinking on it, this probably tops the list for me this year. I can't think of a single thing I didn't enjoy about it - even the size of it didn't bother me because it went down so easily.

A twisted tale, a dark delight. Highly recommend.

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Review: The Other Side of Night

The Other Side of Night by Adam Hamdy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What the heck did you do to me, Adam Handy?

This story popped up outta nowhere and just attached itself to me then took a chunk out.

I may never be okay again.

I can't go too further into the plot than the blurb does - essentially, this is about three people and how their lives connect. Harri is the beat down cop looking to prove herself, Elliot is the orphan, and Ben is his carer and Harri's 'one that got away'. But there's the murder of Elliot's parents to solve, and someone is keeping too many secrets.

This is an absorbing novel that travels the full spectrum of human emotion. Ben is a questionable character and it's so hard to even guess at his motives. I felt a range of emotions reading about his actions because you really do question what his goal is. Harri rubbed me the wrong way to begin with but she grew on me and I really enjoyed the way she interacted with Elliot. All the characters were brilliantly written.

This is a story-within-a-story, and at times that aspect didn't really work for me. The reasoning for the 'author' having so much detail was a little weak to me and it tarnished the overall feel a little. Towards the end the logic made a little more sense, but I'm still not sure that story-within-a-story was the right way to tell this one. Still, the writing is quite concise and put together well, making this an easy read.

The way everything tied together at the end really threw me, and made this a standout novel in my eyes. I wasn't expecting it, and I loved how beautiful it became with its dedication to expressing love in all its forms.

A memorable novel that I'll likely be thinking about for a while. It may take a little patience to begin with but the payoff is worth it and those looking for something out of the ordinary will do well to pick this one up.

With thanks to Macmillan for a copy

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Review: Shelter

Shelter by Harlan Coben
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another highly addictive read from Harlan Coben!

I enjoyed how this series jumped on from the end of the last one. Mickey is a fun kid and I like the more teenage side of things. The school drama from the perspective of a kid who doesn't take crap. FINALLY.

More than anything, I really enjoyed the fight talk. Clearly the author knows his stuff here, and I can clearly see these fights playing out. There's logic to go with the action, and Mickey is a good fighter but he's still not pulling any godly stunts. I appreciate that.

The mystery was quite fascinating and took me in a surprising direction. I loved how diverse the case was - it drew in so many random elements.

The characters are a lot of fun, too - a motley crew of outcasts, all solving crime under the shadow of Mickey's badass uncle.

An addictive read for sure, and one that held my interest through every page. Highly recommend for crime fans.

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Review: The Beginning of the End

The Beginning of the End by Adam J Scholte
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What a non-stop ride this was!

I had the absolute pleasure of receiving a copy of this book directly from the author. He popped into my workplace (we sell sci-fi and fantasy novels, among other things) to drop a copy off and we ended up talking quite enthusiastically together about it. It was pure joy to hear how much passion he spoke with, and it got me very excited to read it!

The story follows Ramulas, a humble farmer just trying to take care of his family. Only his shrouded past comes back to cause some trouble when a mysterious woman asks for his help. Suddenly he's thrust into danger and our adventure begins in earnest.

I really enjoyed the pace here. This is an adventure story that races along, the action never stopping. It was easy to get caught up in and I quickly found myself in the world within these pages.

The writing I feel is perfect for a middle-grade age group; it tells the story quite simply with no embellishment and doesn't go to any great depths for character building, focused instead on telling a fantastic story. That's not to say these aren't complex characters - they are. We're just often told about them and their personalities, rather than shown. For example, the relationship between Ramulas and Pip becomes something akin to a father/daughter relationship, however we don't really see how this builds, making it harder to fully appreciate the symbolism. Yet the relationship is still one we're invested in. There are also some things that seem drilled in unnecessarily, such as moments of foreshadowing, which may irritate older readers yet is perfect for reminding younger ones.

I was promised a rollercoaster of emotions and this book certainly delivered! There is joy, pain, anger, sadness, compassion, hope ... you will find yourself truly invested in what these characters experience.

Minor typo on page 311 (neither should be nether) but aside from that, the writing sucked me in. Some of the sections were a bit short, and jumping between characters with unrelated stories was a bit jarring to experience within the chapter. But the shorter sections made it easier to keep reading so again, perfect for younger ones (or people who are distracted easily, like me) whose attention span may not be quite as long. To jump from paragraph to paragraph helped add to the breakneck pace of the book, so overall I think it worked. Maybe just needed a smoother transition in some places.

Some of the characters are rather familiar and the logic of the story is questionable in places, but while these things normally bother me I just accepted it so easily in this story. I think there was enough of the story that was unique that I really wasn't too concerned about logic. I think if you can read without judging you really are rewarded with a rich, colourful tale.

This really was a fun read that I devoured easily. It may not be for those looking for epic world building, but if you're keen for a fun, fast fantasy that you don't have to take too seriously then look no further. The characters are a delight to get to know, and I'm keen to learn more about them in book 2!

With many thanks to Adam Scholte for a copy

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Review: Leviathan Wakes

Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hooked me with the prologue and kept me hanging on the entire time. What a ride.

This is an epic sci-fi that is character driven, and I honestly enjoyed every moment. The story splits between the views of Holden and Miller - Holden, who leads the crew that investigates a distress call from an abandoned ship; Miller, the weary detective tasked with locating a missing heiress; in a world that is on the brink of war. Things are going to get very messy.

So many moments of this story took me by surprise. I was not expecting so many twists! The writing was strong and there was an excellent mix of science, character development, and story. It was one of those books I could just lose myself in and forget I was reading. Lots of fun.

The story is rather epic, and the politics of it was spelled out for me when I needed it, which was much appreciated. I never felt like I was in over my head, even when the technology was being described in detail. Just excellent writing, to be honest.

I needed this book more than I realised - it was fun, addictive, wild, and sucked me in from the first few pages. Definitely keen to see where this series goes!

Highly recommend for those interested in sci-fi, and this is even a decent one to start with if you're new to the genre. There's not too much to overwhelm, and there are fantastic characters to cling to as you go along. A great read all round.

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Review: Eden

Eden by Tim Lebbon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Took half a book for this one to get going, but once it did it didn't stop!

The story revolves around a 'Virgin Zone' known as Eden. Eden is one of several zones around the world released back to nature in a future where humans feel the need to atone for the mess they've made of the planet. No one is allowed in these zones, but there are adventure racers that take crossing these zones as a challenge. Jenn and her dad, Dylan, are part of such a team and Eden is their next challenge. But no one has ever made it out of Eden alive ...

I love the setup of this, and the notion of this completely wild, abandoned area of death. Things were always going to go awry for the team, but the 'nature fights back' aspect is one I was really looking forward to.

The first half of the book is more of an adventure story - it's about the team entering the zone, the gear they take, the whole notion of the zones and adventure racing, and the looming fact that Jenn's mother, Kat, was last heard from via a text saying she was taking on Eden. There's almost a repetitive focus on Kat, and the relationship between her and Dylan. It was a little tedious for me, and I was really anxious to get to the action instead of dealing with all the personal drama.

That halfway mark, though, sees things take a turn for the worst and suddenly the team are really fighting to survive.

The ecological horror was real and fresh, and I loved the way plants became truly terrifying to me. I was honestly afraid for this team from the time of that first confrontation through to the end because it seemed like literally everything around them was trying to kill them.

There is a lot of talk of relationships and personal connections, where I kind of just wanted more carnage. This is a balanced sort of novel, and there's a logic to it that almost makes it too real. I was expecting a little more horror and fast energy, but this novel takes time to talk about how these people feel as they're dealing with all these horrors.

I also found it a little hard to picture at times, but that's possibly on me and my wonky imagination. This is a wild race across wild, abandoned terrain, and it was hard for me to grasp just how extreme the nature-takeover was.

At the end of the day, though, it was a fast, unique horror featuring a homicidal mother nature figure that kept me thoroughly entertained.

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Review: Bullet Train

Bullet Train by Kōtarō Isaka
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Holy damn this was so much fun! Highly addictive!

The story sees five assassins on a train, each for their own reasons. Inevitably, they become entangled and chaos ensues.

I enjoyed this so thoroughly from start to finish. The characters are all so unique and interesting, and a few in particular just made things a lot of fun.

They're assassins, right, but there's a lot of light comedy happening to these brutal people. Things continuously go awry - especially for Nanao, the self-proclaimed 'unluckiest assassin in the world' - and it leads to some seriously entertaining consequences.

The action takes place almost entirely on the train, with the characters constantly moving back and forth between cars and seats, accidentally or intentionally mingling with one another. Some of these meetings are tense and loaded, others are light and humouous - and some are both.

Wildly unpredictable, the action is non-stop and takes us through the story at an addictive pace. I just wanted to keep reading to see what happened to this bunch of misfits.

Such an entertaining read and probably a stand out for me this year. I enjoyed it immensely, and highly recommend, particularly to those who enjoy black comedy.

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Review: Dragon Ball, Vol. 1: The Monkey King

Dragon Ball, Vol. 1: The Monkey King by Akira Toriyama
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Okay, how come no one told me this series was so hilarious?

Like, even the pervy stuff is just funny rather than kinky. They really don't make manga like this any more!

I love how quickly everything came together, and how easily everyone was introduced. Battles don't last a billion pages, the action is easy to follow, and Goku's innocence just makes everything so much funnier.

Honestly loved this. I get the hype.

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Review: Mythago Wood

Mythago Wood by Robert Holdstock
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A wonderfully unique fantasy novel that probes the boundaries of the imagination.

The mythological aspect of this story hooked me completely, and yet the majority of these myths were so foreign, or spun in such a unique way, that I could never predict what was coming.

The story sees Steven returning to his family estate, where his brother has taken over the work of their father in exploring the mysterious wood that lies on their doorstep. Strange people and creatures have been sighted, and the wood seems to have a life - or several of them - of its own.

I really enjoyed how darkly whimsical this was. There's a unique blend of psychology and mythology that brings this story to life, and it's all set in the creepiest wood I've ever read about. The atmosphere of this novel is heavy with malice, and I enjoyed how there was danger lurking even when Steven was 'safe' at home.

The creatures that live in these pages are magnificent - inspired by myths, but mutated into something threatening and grotesque. There are also what I believe to be novel myths - otherwise myths I've certainly never heard of. I enjoyed reading about these old legends that were completely new to me, and seeing how they transformed into something tangible within the wood.

The obsession with Guin was a bit disappointing (why is it always men obsessing over a woman?) but I guess there had to be a driving motivation somewhere and what motivates more than love? But it still bothered me that, if you strip away all the fantastic, novel ideas of this story, it ends up just being the same old story of a man driven to do extreme things all in the name of love.

Still, there was plenty of other bits and pieces to keep me entertained, and there's enough of a grim vibe that it almost feels necessary to read on.

The dark fantasy of this really won me over, and this fantastical wood where all manner of creatures and myths lurk was such a character itself. I loved journeying through it with these characters and witnessing the various transformations.

An exceptional fantasy story with an element of horror that will stay with you for the duration. A fantastic read and one I highly recommend.

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Review: Wisdom of the Shamans: What the Ancient Masters Can Teach Us about Love and Life

Wisdom of the Shamans: What the Ancient Masters Can Teach Us about Love and Life by Jose Ruiz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was such an unexpectedly cathartic read!

I listened to it at work whilst doing odd jobs and I just became so absorbed - to the point that I've started listening again because there is just so much wisdom that I want to absorb.

There are shamanic legends within the pages that help to express the pillars of shamanic teaching, and I loved that aspect. I love myths and legends so this was such a great way for me to start thinking about these lessons. The narrator as well does an excellent job of remaining quite neutral in his tone so you can fully absorb what is being said.

Honestly, I bought this one on a whim and it gave me so much more than I was expecting. I'm actually really keen for the second listen because there's just so much content I want to properly consider.

There are activities, too, so that if you're keen to put things into practice you know where to start.

Fantastic read and highly recommend!

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Review: My Girlfriend is a T-Rex, Vol. 1

My Girlfriend is a T-Rex, Vol. 1 by Sanzo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is superb and amazing and you will have a tough time convincing me otherwise.

Also, is it weird that I relate to a T-Rex girlfriend?

It was a bit hard to get used to the smaller chunks of story as opposed to one continuous story - the subheadings really threw me off and it took me a bit to figure out they were still mostly continuing a story.

The illustrations can be confusing at times but honestly, I didn't care too much about that. I was really just keen to see this t-rex girl try and fit into human society and she does it so hilariously badly. I like her a lot.

The dude (honestly, I don't even remember any names, I read it too fast) seems like he's got a dark past that will come further to light, so that makes me curious. But honestly, I don't really care. I'm really just keen for dino-antics.

Dinosaurs are the best, aren't they? :D

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Review: Nimona

Nimona by N.D. Stevenson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Yes, okay. I thought I wasn't going to like this but it's actually pretty frickin epic.

The art style didn't draw me in at all but a sassy shape-shifter working as an evil sidekick seemed like my kinda thing so I gave it a go and it really did suck me in!

Nimona has such a wicked attitude and I loved her entire being. On the surface the whole story seems quite childish to begin with, but as the story progresses the characters depths are revealed and we get to see a lot of heart. Nimona is easily the star, but Blackheart does have his own merits.

It was so refreshingly different and I liked that it was very basic and almost nonsensical in plot. It borders on the absurd, so you have to just take everything as it is without really overthinking it. If you want deep world-building, you'll be sadly disappointed.

If, however, you're looking for a girl who frequently rampages as various animals, you should be as delighted with it as I was.

There are actually some surprisingly deep themes here, so it's not childish by any means, but it's equally the kind of story that readers of all ages should enjoy.

I was quite surprised at how easy it was to read, and how fast I breezed through it.

Highly recommend!

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Review: The Women Could Fly

The Women Could Fly by Megan Giddings
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ah, my friends! This book is so good for the soul!

Such a moving, thought-provoking novel that drew me into a unique, fascinating world.

The story introduces us to 28-year-old Jo, whose mother disappeared fourteen years ago. Unfortunately, this combined with her black skin makes her a prime suspect for being a witch, leading to discrimination and the constant hounding from her father to ensure she's married (and therefore under the careful watch of a man) before she turns 30 (it's a long story).

That's a very brief, unworthy description and there is a lot more to unpack that drags you deep into this world of injustice. Yet it's never too much; the words are eloquent and precise so there's nothing superfluous - every sentence has meaning.

I really loved how much this got me thinking without trying too hard. The story presents the themes and deals with them realistically, and we're left to make our own assumptions and feel our own feelings. GOD I FELT FEELINGS.

There is a large focus on witchcraft, obviously, but the main focus is freedom. I loved how this novel delved into the meaning of freedom, and explored the limitations of freedom that comes with conditions.

I honestly don't know how to properly convey the affect this story had on me. It was whimsical and fun, sad, honest, diverse, thought-provoking, and uplifting.

This is a witchy tale of feminism and freedom and easily one of the most moving novels I've read this year. Highly recommend.

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Review: Lethal Protector

Lethal Protector by David Michelinie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Slowed down a bit with this one but only because I got distracted by other comics.

I actually really like how this collection shows Venom's transition from one of Spidey's most formidable enemies to a semi-partner. First, they're teaming up to take down psychopath Carnage, but then we get to see Venom calling more shots and doing his own thing.

The old school artwork is losing a bit of novelty for me, but I do really love the way the symbiotes were illustrated. I think part of the reason I love Venom is because of how he's drawn! Plus he's adaptable and constantly wanting to eat people so that's a unique sort of charm to me.

The stories contained are again well chosen, and the Lethal Protector collection at the end really highlights Venom coming into his own. Plus, the team up with Ghost Rider at the start was ridiculous fun.

I'd love to get into all the newer Venom stuff coming out but I feel like I still have so much catching up to do! So it'll probably be the next Epic collection from here for me.

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Review: House of M

House of M by Brian Michael Bendis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I mean ...

It's a very thrilling story. It brings together some of the greatest heroes (seriously, Wolverine is in fkn everything these days, I swear) and brings with it great moral debates and epic action sequences. It's pretty decent.

I have to admit, though - it was really hard for me to make sense of it at times.

There are some really beautiful double page spreads, but unless you smoosh the comic flat it's hard to make out the artwork in its full glory, and it means there is inconsistency to the way the pages are read, which gets more confusing as the story progresses. Do I read across the whole page or one page at a time? Sequentially, it was a bit of a mess.

That said, I did really enjoy the vibrancy of the artwork, even if I had almost no idea what was going on in the action sequences.

I think Wandavision is a big factor as to why this comic is so hot right now, but it didn't quite live up to the hype for me. The story is there and I'll likely continue because I'm really enjoying the twists, but didn't quite suck me in like I wanted it to.

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Review: The Glamourist

The Glamourist by Luanne G. Smith
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This series is just a really fun, easy listen.

I mean, I do speed it up to 1.5/2 because of how many pauses the narrator takes, and how long she takes to say things, but I still really like the character she puts into the performance. I'm just an impatient person.

This is book 2 in the Vine Witch series, and switches the focus to Yvette - the murderess who helped out Elena in the previous book. Now she's running around the city trying to discover her own witchy power, whilst also running from the law.

I really like Yvette. She's a bit of a spitfire and she's fiercely independent so she doesn't really take crap from anyone. Yet she's still humble enough to ask for help every now and then, and more so when the helper is a cat. That's right, folks - the star of this book is actually a cat. An exaggeration, perhaps, but this fun feline will have you feeling warm and fuzzy in no time, and have you rooting more for Yvette simply because he is.

The story has some pretty common tropes, but I still really loved the magic of it all. This one definitely dials up the magic, compared to the first book, and I really enjoyed getting into that. It did flick into a realm I didn't expect, but I still thoroughly enjoyed going there.

The narrator does an excellent job of conveying the different characters without putting on too ridiculous a voice. It makes it very easy to listen to and if you're the kind of person to immerse yourself in the audio (as opposed to me, who is always trying to multi task when I listen) you should find this to be a thoroughly enjoyable romp through a magical story.

Actually pretty keen to round it out with the third book!

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Review: Dark Visions

Dark Visions by Douglas E. Winter
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

By Stephen King:

The Reploids - ⭐⭐
The down side to short stories is they often make their mark with a shock ending with no explanations.

This is the story of mistaken identity, but it's clear from the start something is hinky. I found the 'shock reveal' ending was just what I'd assumed reading the whole thing, so it was rather disappointing. The story was too short to really pack a punch, and while the idea it presented was interesting, there just wasn't enough detail on it to give it any real emotional response. A disappointing beginning.

Sneakers - ⭐⭐⭐
This one was better and drew me in more, but it was another ending that fell flat for me. The mystery of the sneakers drew me in for sure and kept me hooked, but ultimately I got less than I expected from the reveal. I was also quite confused about Tell's role towards the end. So getting better, but still a bit underwhelming for King's work.

Dedication - ⭐⭐⭐
Ah. There's that classic King sexual weirdness.

A little black magic happening here, but aside from being disturbingly gross, there wasn't anything too horrific here. Just confusing again in what the point was. I get it - hoodoo magic - but ... why? I think sometimes the bizarreness is just not enough to outweigh the question of why we care. Again, the twist ending just didn't really mean a lot to me. An interesting, curious read, but ultimately disappointing.

By Dan Simmons:

Metastasis - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Oooh now this is some creepy horror!

I honestly had no idea what was going on with this story but the descriptions are horrifying. These are some freaky creatures taking centre stage here and I loathed them.

I don't know that I've actually read anything by Dan Simmons before but I like! His words are crafted quite well and this was a brilliantly unique horror story that I felt fit well enough in with reality that it added that extra creep factor.

Again, the ending was a little confusing, but I had an easier time with it than the previous King stories.

Vanni Fucci is Alive and Well and Living in Hell - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

YES! This is the standout so far.

I love the way this story built; you could really sense the momentum building, and feel the atmosphere of the story getting thicker.

I loved the Dante references here and I particularly love how much this story created from it. This story features rich religious jerks getting some karma so I was all in for that.

Loved the descriptions, the set up, the build, and the grand finale. Just a great story all round.

Iverson's Pits - ⭐⭐⭐

Writing, yes; story, no.

This is the story of a boy who accompanies a war veteran to the scene of a horror from his past. It's long and a tedious trek until you get to the point, which when it finally came was a good hit but just a little too late for me.

The writing, on the other hand, was fantastic. Proper creepy stuff going on, with descriptive passages that soak you in the miasma of this story's horror scenes. I really enjoyed that aspect.

So while the story didn't quite grab me and was a little too long, there was a reward in the language used to tell it.

By George R. R. Martin:

The Skin Trade - ⭐⭐⭐

This was more like a novella, so the length frustrated me a bit, but once I sunk into it it was a pretty decent story.

This is a fun werewolf story with murder, carnage, and all kinds of messiness. Which is kind of my happy place when it comes to horror.

However, it does often bother me how much some male authors focus on sex and make their characters naked for no discernable reason, and Martin is one of the worst for this. It tends to draw me out of the story because the lack of logic gets in my head.

Aside from that nitpick and the length of this one, it was actually a pretty decent story. It had some classic werewolf tropes but it also went into some unexpected territory that I really enjoyed. The writing is mostly crass but Martin deals in blunt force shock more than finesse, so the horror comes from the level of gruesome more than any kind of building tension or anticipation.

A memorable story for sure.

Overall thoughts:

I mostly enjoyed this collection, as it was quite an addictive read. Short stories are always easy to get through, but I think that notion is also why I get a bit frustrated with the longer ones.

Dan Simmons was the standout for me here: King's stories felt like they were scraps that he'd thrown to this book so it could have his name as a selling point, and Martin's single story seemed like it would have been better off on its own. But this is my first time reading Simmons and his writing really drew me in. I'll be looking for more of his work in the future.

A bit of a hodgepodge collection but fun and addictive all the same.

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Review: Notorious Sorcerer

Notorious Sorcerer by Davinia Evans
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wow. I loved this!

The story follows Siyon, a bit of a street urchin with a curiosity for alchemy. Bezim is a city that practices this art that involves connection to the three other planes of existence: Aethyr, Empyre and Abyss. No magic here, kids, just pure unexplainable science. Siyon delves to procure ingredients for the other alchemists in the city, but he longs to learn more.

From the very beginning, I was hooked. I mostly had no clue what was happening with all the 'alchemy' but I was content to just ride along with Siyon as he did his thing. It was such a fascinating, unique concept to me and I loved his quest for more.

The characters were a lot of fun - Zagiri, the girl resisting her heritage and taking part in street brawls and alchemical rituals instead of wearing dresses and going to tea; Izmirlian, the cocky rich kid using his influence because he has a thirst for discovery and a heart bigger than expected; feisty Anahid who is starting to push the boundaries of propriety to discover who she really wants to be ... and of course Siyon, who is not the typical street rat who likes to complain about rich people. I mean, he does complain of course, but he still gets things done and he's not one to judge the rich people until he's actually met them. So that was kind of refreshing. Siyon knows what he wants and goes after it, but he still cares a great deal for the people around him.

The city of Bezim was a lot of fun, and the down side to getting an ARC is that I wanted the map. I had a glance at a final copy and I think I could get lost tracing the paths of the characters through this city. It really has its own personality, and I could very much feel the atmosphere of it.

My only real complaint is the world-building - I feel like this story barely scraped the surface, and I wanted more. I wanted history, and descriptions, and just a better understanding of alchemy and its purpose. But I am patient enough to wait for the sequel to flesh things out a little more.

I never got bored reading this and it took so many twists and shared so many little adventures that I never quite knew what would come next. I enjoyed the growing relationship between Siyon and Izmilrlian, and felt it was the perfect balance of softness and honesty. They worked incredibly well together.

I wasn't quite expecting this to impress me as much as it did, but I'll be recommending it to all fantasy lovers looking for something unique. It was a really fun read that kept me hooked the entire time.

With thanks to the publisher for an ARC

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Comic Life

 Earlier this year, I began working at a comic book store.

If you're a subscriber, you may have noticed my reviews this year have included both manga and comic trade paperbacks. A story in any form is still a story, and being surrounded by these mediums on a daily basis has seen me include them quite regularly into my reading habits.

It does mean my reading of novels has dropped a little, but comics have also helped me out of what was becoming a slump - I'm back to reading regularly, where before I was opting more for TV, movies or video games ( hello to my new Minecraft habit, but that's another story).

One thing that's been interesting with this new comic-loving lifestyle is the jumping on point.

I've found it quite interesting how some comics are easily digestible for the uninitiated, whereas others are almost impossible to enjoy when you're not up to date with the characters, events, and storylines that have come before.

For example, I saw advertised the forthcoming title, Artemis: Wanted from DC, which sounded fantastic. However, I learned it was a spin-off that followed Trial of the Amazons - a six-part series that ran across Wonder Woman, Wonder Girl, and its own, two-issue, Trial of the Amazons. I went back and read issues 3-6 of this series so I had a better idea of what was going on, but it's a lot of work for someone looking for a good title to start with. (As it turned out, only one single issue of Artemis came out, which was incredibly disappointing. Read my Goodreads review for the single issue HERE)

My first foray into the collected editions went much better. I chose to start with a character that fascinated me: Venom. He's only relatively new to the spotlight, so fortunately there aren't too many options to cloud the judgement. I wanted to start at the very beginning, so I chose Volume One of the Venom Epic Collection - Symbiosis.

Marvel's Epic Collections are now my go-to recommendation for people looking for a starting point for comics. They collect a whole lot of various issues into one cohesive story, so even later volumes stand on their own perfectly well. In Symbiosis, I was able to read about the very beginnings of Venom (as a suit of Spider-Man) and his development from a villain of the web slinger to a hero in his own right. (You can find my Goodreads review for this volume HERE)

Since then, I've read widely across all publishers, though I do tend to favour Marvel. Titles I've enjoyed include Saga, The Boys, DCeased, Batman: The Long Halloween, Savage Avengers and House of M. I'm addicted, now, so I'm constantly digging into the worlds and trying to discover the best collections to read. Next up, I'm looking at the very popular Batman story, Hush.

I've also been reading a bit more manga in an effort to learn the most popular stories, but I've found myself more attracted to the stories that were around a decade or so ago, when I first discovered manga/anime. That's why you'll see reviews for titles like Inuyasha and Dragon Ball, as well as a lot of first volumes of the newer titles.

It can get quite overwhelming at times - there are so many stories I want to experience, while I've also got a stack of novels sitting around begging to be read. But I really do feel blessed to be a reader, and to have so much available to me.

You won't find any of my reviews for the single issues on this blog - they tend to be quite short, and there are a lot of them - but you can follow me on Goodreads if you want all of my reading updates and reviews.

If you're a comic/manga reader, I'm interested in hearing your thoughts on these things, too!

Review: The Easy Life in Kamusari

The Easy Life in Kamusari by Shion Miura
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I really loved the narrator of the audio, and I liked the idea of the story, but ultimately I was kinda bored by it.

It's set in the tiny village of Kamusari, where Yuki is sent to work for a year after finishing school. His parents hope it will help him find his way a little, learn discipline etc. Naturally he's very resistant at first but soon finds himself settling into the more relaxed lifestyle of the village.

The majority of the book details forestry work, and the rest is spent on festivals (SO. MANY. FESTIVALS.) and Yuki's lil crush on Nao, all of which excited very little interest in me I'm afraid. So content-wise, not really a lot to interest me.

What I did love, however, was the characters. There were so many vibrant personalities and I think the narrator did an excellent job of portraying each with their individual quirks without going out of his way to do ridiculous voices. It ended up being a lot of fun to lose myself in the discussions and arguments between the characters and imagine them all with their unique camaraderie.

I also did really love the idea of this quiet way of life, and that 'getting back to nature' vibe but I felt like this story didn't quite deliver on it. Yuki was too distracted by Nao and I felt that when he took the time to appreciate nature it really just went on for too long.

So:
-great idea
-average execution
-fantastic characters
-doing mundane things
-teenage drama
-excellent audio presentation

Loved the authenticity in the narration - some of those Japanese words looked very challenging so it was nice to hear them pronounced flawlessly out loud!

Those with a better attention span than I may get more details out of this story and so appreciate it more, but for me it was just okay, and mostly saved by the audio.

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Review: Cobalt Blue

Cobalt Blue by Matthew Reilly
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Holy crap that was EPIC.

GIVE ME MORE (please).

This ridiculously fun novella was all kinds of crazy.

It's The Boys meets Captain America with no punches pulled - the action is hectic and non-stop, and the good guys just cannot catch a break. It's a steady rise of stakes that will have you on the edge of your seat wondering how this could possibly end well.

I'm a massive fan of Matthew Reilly's work because, even though it's often predictable, it delivers action I can really see in my mind. I think sometimes the predictability element helps in sucking me in - even if I think I know what's going to happen, it's still a lot of fun to watch it play out.

Reilly has made no secret of his film-making aspirations (and indeed produced his first, Interceptor, which was released earlier this year) and I believe it's that love of film that helps bring his stories to life. This book was a superhero movie I was able to watch quite vividly in my head. There's no time wasted on insignificant details, but there's somehow still enough description that we can easily find ourselves within the pages of the story.

I blitzed through this book and I'm definitely keen to read more from this world of megalomaniac supes. It was dark, brutal and fast, and left me craving more.

Don't go into this looking for anything too genius, but if you're keen for a damn good time that keeps you hooked, this ought to be a fun few hours.

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Review: The Freedom of Birds

The Freedom of Birds by Stephanie Parkyn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

An entertaining, well-written story, though a little too aimless for my tastes.

I love the writing, and felt the same towards the author's previous novel, Josephine's Garden. The language is beautiful and invokes real feeling, drawing you into the story. It's easy to fall into the setting and see the world of this story come alive in the mind's eye.

The story, however, was a little too bland for my tastes. I enjoyed the wanderings but ultimately they felt a bit pointless, with no real goal for these characters. I was entertained enough reading about their travels, but wasn't ever sure what I was hanging onto them for.

The characters themselves were unique, and I particularly enjoyed following Saskia. She was a character I really felt for, and empathised with. Remi was too obnoxious for me to feel anything but frustration towards him, and Pascal was so easily manipulated that rather than feeling sorry for him or admiring his loyalty I was quite disappointed in him. I wish I'd seen more growth from these two, but they seemed the same deluded two at the end of the tale.

The war talk did lose me a little, but the characters did see me through to the end. So while I wasn't too sold on the slow, meandering story I did enjoy the writing very much and ended up quite attached to Saskia.

An entertaining enough read that lovers of historical fiction should enjoy; a little slow for my tastes but beautifully written in such a way that the setting really comes alive.

With thanks to A&U for an ARC

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Review: Storm Front

Storm Front by Jim Butcher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I put this off for ages because my copy is a battered second-hand that looks like crap and so I underestimated it, and WOW, what a funny coincidence because the same could be said for our hero who seems to look like crap 99% of the time but turned out to be kind of a badass.

So in summary: this book was fkn GREAT!

So much fun! Gahhhh I forgot how much I enjoyed urban fantasy with mystery! Dresden is a great hero in that he gets his ass kicked constantly but he's a low-key super-wizard with crazy power and an attitude that sees him determined to only use his power for good.

He has the weird connections that make the story interesting, and some equally interesting opponents. There is the typical abundance of beautiful women that all want to flirt with our hopeless, washed up hero, but I found they weren't so overdone that I was bothered by it. I actually really liked Murphy, and the way their relationship was written, and the other girls had enough individual personality that I didn't mind them so much.

I loved the way magic was used but not taken for granted, nor ridiculously powerful. Dresden is such a gritty character that half the time you forget he can actually do magic. It makes for quite a riveting story, because can never predict what he'll do.

Added to the fantastic characters and magic system is the brilliance of the mystery - not too gory, but disturbing enough to leave a mark and make you want to solve the crime as badly as our hero.

I was absolutely hooked from the start and loved it all the way through. A highly addictive read and one that has me keen to carry on with this series.

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Review: Twenty-Six Letters

Twenty-Six Letters by Charlotte Nash
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A delightful, feel-good read that kept me invested the entire time.

The plot sees aimless Wil searching for more info about the past of her deceased mother, after belatedly receiving a stack of letters written before she passed.

Wil's a bit of an unintentional train wreck - she doesn't quite know what she wants from life, and her choices always seem to end badly for her, no matter how innocent her intentions. I loved that she wasn't intentionally a black sheep - things just kind of ended up like that for her.

The mystery of her mother's words takes her to an English village which I really loved. It was such a cosy setting, and the writing really drew me there. I loved how fanciful her mother seemed - despite the fact that we only hear from her through letters, she holds a strong presence in this book - and how that is echoed in Wil without her really noticing it.

The characters drew me in easily, and I love how naturally the relationships developed. I could so easily picture these characters, and I felt everything they did. It was easy to sympathise and yet really understand all the layers to each character. Even Wil's father, Cameron, had a good side, despite very much seeming a 'bad guy' to begin with. I really appreciated that these characters weren't just 2D cliches; there was a depth to each that showed multiple facets of their personality.

The mystery of the letters is fun, and we get enough of them to keep us hooked. You can tell the story Wil's mother is telling has quite a lot of twists and turns, and it makes you eager to see where it's all heading. At the same time, we get satisfaction from Wil's investigations - the tidbits she gets from locals, and the info she digs up herself. There's plenty here to keep us entertained for the entire duration of the novel.

A little predictable, but most books are for me these days! There's not a lot I read now that hasn't been done before, so for me it's more about the delivery of the twists than the actual twists themselves. I loved how this whole story unravelled, so there was no loss for me in guessing at what would happen.

This book kept me entertained the entire time, and had me really immersing myself in Wil's emotions. I became quite invested in her story, and I generally enjoyed how this story warmed my heart.

A wonderful, light read with a mystery to keep you hanging for more. Highly recommend.

With thanks to A&U for an ARC

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Review: InuYasha, Vol. 4: Lost and Alone

InuYasha, Vol. 4: Lost and Alone by Rumiko Takahashi
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I really liked the ghost story. The manten henten benten whatever saga was YAWN but the ghost story totally redeemed it. It was a lot of fun and had a lot of heart.

I've been reading this series so slowly but I'm still keen to continue because I know better characters are in the near future! Keen!

Please consider this the best review I can give at this time. Reviewing manga and comics is exhausting, yo.

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Review: Small Habits for a Big Life

Small Habits for a Big Life by Rebecca Ray
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An excellent, simple guide to making lasting changes.

This is the kind of book I'll keep close and refer back to often. It's full of wisdom, motivation and practical ideas.

Some self-help books can come off preachy but this is absolutely not the case here. The author backs every statement with evidence and provides case studies, including some of her own experiences. This includes some of the negative habits we all experience, and it helps us to connect to the author and really value the lessons she's giving here.

The book is set out in a manner that makes it easy to read, and there's plenty of space to use it as a workbook. If you're serious about changing your habits, I recommend keeping pen and paper handy. I stopped a few times when the book requested something be pondered, and it was quite fascinating just to see real examples from my own life. I enjoyed setting some SMART goals based on my own values, and exploring who I'd consider to be my 'accountability person' and my 'encouragement person'. Some parts I wasn't quite ready to think on, so I'll go back to those later. This is absolutely the kind of book you can work through at your own pace - pick up sporadically, read through first and then go back and do the work, read certain parts when you're ready to face certain tasks, etc.

This is an encouraging book that I'd highly recommend to anyone looking to make lasting changes towards a more fulfilling life. It details the hurdles and how to overcome them, and provides evidence of these things in action. It gives you permission to do things at your own pace, and it allows for the simple fact that we are all human, and imperfect.

Loved it.

With thanks to Macmillan for a copy

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Review: Missing

Missing by Tom Patterson
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This wasn't what I expected at all, so it was pretty disappointing.

What I expected, based on the blurb: Dude decides he's done with the trappings of society so escapes into the bush to live off the land and so learn to appreciate the simplicities of life.

What I got: After years of being a screw-up, drug-addled criminal retreats into woods to grow (and sell?!) weed with less chance of being caught.

The fact that this covered more of Mark's life of drugs than his time in the bush was already a massive drawback, but then to discover that there was no redemption arc, no new outlook on life, no rediscovery of the true joys of life ... it was just so disappointing.

Honestly, there's just not enough to this story to make it a worthy book.

The writing is a giveaway of that, because it is choppy, short sentences that skips over details. Titled paragraphs rather than chapters, and an unclear timeline that jumps all over the place and confuses chronology. The book is separated into different parts which are each labelled with a year, but then that part seems to cover multiple years; Mark goes off into the woods to live off the grid, but then he's showing up at his brother's place so regularly they have to tell him off for it. Then he has a job, and then he's back living off the land? There's just not enough words to tie all these things together neatly with any kind of logic. To be perfectly candid, the writing is terrible. Plenty of descriptions of the bush, though.

There are so many siblings that the lack of description and logical order means they all kind of blend together, meaning I didn't care about who was who. All I got was that Mark was the loser of the family. That sure didn't make me sympathetic to his plight, especially when he didn't seem to grow as a person at all.

This is a true story, and I really expected to be inspired by this person who decided that, instead of being beat down by life, they would retreat into simplicity and learn to appreciate life through nature. Instead, I just found myself feeling sad that this man who was so willing to go to extremes did it all in the name of drugs.

I am sure there are some who will enjoy Mark's story - perhaps even sympathise - but it just doesn't strike me as being note-worthy. There are so many others more worthy of having their story shared.

With thanks to A&U for an uncorrected ARC

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Review: The Boys, Volume 1: The Name of the Game

The Boys, Volume 1: The Name of the Game by Garth Ennis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

GODDAMN this is DARK.

I fkn LOVED IT.

The art is detailed and dark and pulls no punches. It's graphic and 100% Not Safe For Work.

(Seriously, if your boss walks past when the nasty is going down, you're gonna get a serious talking-to.)

The story itself takes the superhero trope and flips it on its head - these mofos have been doing whatever they like in the name of 'saving the world' but now it's time for Butcher to put together a squad that can keep these a-holes accountable.

There is sex, murder, violence, drugs and all manner of filth imaginable and it is detailed in colour so you can really sink into the sordid story. But the grittiness is what lends it sympathy - as depraved as these characters may be, there is heart in Wee Hughie's innocence and the fragility of those caught up in the lewd lives of the Supes. This is not a story that is filthy just for filth's sake.

Don't get me wrong, though. It's definitely 1000% filthy.

So obviously this is some gloriously f**ked up SH*T that has me eager to see what the rest of the series has in store.

Have fun, kids!

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Review: Weaponized

Weaponized by Neal Asher
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

What the frickin heck is this stinking pile of science?!

AWFUL. IT IS GOD AWFUL.

I will try and make this a coherent review but please prepare yourselves now for some ranting.

PROS
- Fascinating creatures
- Intriguing episodes
- Nursum and The Fig

CONS
- Timeline jumps
- Overcomplicated language
- Overcomplicated science
- Long, tedious descriptions of basically everything
- Very little characterisation to cling to
- Obvious 'twist' from the beginning
- Way too longwinded
- JUST LET IT GO, DUDE

Basically, this is an interesting idea COMPLETELY BURIED in tedium and confusion.

The timeline is divided between Present, Near Past and Past, and there is zero continuity when these portions jump around. For example, you might read a Past chapter that seems to be set like 10 years ago, but then the next Past chapter is set more like 50 years previous. It is EXCRUIATINGLY MADDENING to jump around like this, and it makes it nigh impossible to understand what's actually happening. This was hands down my biggest issue with this book.

Added to that, sometimes things that are occurring in the Past and the Near Past are actually very similar. Characters, locations and events all kind of blur together in a frustrating mess. There were some really interesting moments - such as the episodes relating to Nursum and the Fig - but they lost any real context because you halfway through the episode before realising something interesting was actually happening.

There's also a lot of speculation about adaptation to the point that it just becomes ridiculously repetitive. Ursula and her colonists are 'adapting', but she's determined to remain human. There are some interesting considerations on the definition of humanity, but they get lost in the monotony of repetition - we can get the point quite easily without the author hammering it in like this. This is what I'm referring to with my con of 'LET IT GO', because the same point is just overworked to the point that it's hard to care after a while.

I also want to talk about the complete disconnect between the blurb and the actual story I read. Half the stuff in the blurb doesn't actually happen til the end of the book, and it seems to promote a story much more exciting than what I read. I also need to say this very important gripe: (view spoiler)[THE TITLE IS A FRIGGIN SPOILER. As soon as Ursula starts questioning the upgrades and Oren having 'secrets', it was obvious to me that they were somehow being 'adapted' into weapons. DON'T PUT THE TWIST IN THE TITLE FFS. (hide spoiler)] Ursula is supposed to be super intelligent, yet she can't see what is obvious to the reader almost immediately. It's beyond ridiculous.

There are ideas and creations here that could easily have made for a brilliant story, but it was padded out with an excessive word count, and the intentional lack of continuity was overwhelmingly more confusing than clever. I came pretty close to throwing it on the DNF shelf, and the only reason I didn't is because the publisher sent me a copy and I felt obliged to review it in its entirety, since it had some redeeming moments. Alas, those moments only bump it up a single star.

Perhaps hardcore science nuts will appreciate this one more than me, but it was far too frustrating a read for me.

With thanks to Macmillan for a copy

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Review: InuYasha, Vol 3: Good Intentions

InuYasha, Vol 3: Good Intentions by Rumiko Takahashi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Okay I admit I got bored halfway through reading this and switched to comics, but it's actually not bad.

I like that we're starting to see some new characters coming through - it's one of my fave things about this series. There are so many wonderful and weird characters that really shine through, and it was great fun being reintroduced to Shippo at the end of this volume since I forgot about him haha. He's so great!

Anyhoo, the main story is okay but the real fun happens towards the end there so it really does make you keen for the next one. I do love that the action doesn't get lost in the illustrations - it's always easy to follow which helps you stay in the story.

Will eventually continue but I think that's it for me for now. I need a time out from manga I think!

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Review: Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action

Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book is highly repetitive and yet so inspiring I kind of want to go start a company.

The premise: if you want to be a successful leader, you must filter everything you do through your Why - the reason you do what you do.

I love it. That idea of inspiration coming from your very soul and filtering all your choices through that purpose - it makes sense. If you focus too much on What you do instead of Why you do it, you lose sight and those who turn to you for inspiration will become disenfranchised. If you don't have people who believe in your ideas, you're not much of a leader.

The problem is, this book of sound reasoning and solid example spends most of the book simply repeating the same idea. I think Simon Sinek is one of the most inspirational people to listen to, and yet this book of his creation left me disappointingly underwhelmed.

The idea is solid, but it's also simple. The same examples are used over and over again, and it doesn't seem fresh, it just seems repetitive. There were also a lot of typos that really lowered the professionalism of the book. Once you've read about his Golden Circle, and grasped the concept, there's really not much more to it.

I was still really inspired reading it, and it really did make me want to start my own company haha. It does get you thinking about your own Why and purpose and what it is that motivates. I think the thought processes that this book inspires are the real gem you take away. It gets you thinking about your own methods and reasons and if it helps you change perspectives and start feeling more purpose in what you do, then that's kind of the point.

The purpose of this book is to inspire, which it unquestioningly does. If you're a business person looking for a fresh take, this is a great place to start. However, the examples are repetitive and the same concepts explained repeatedly so it's not a completely satisfying read.

As a book, not the best, but as a stepping stone to big thoughts and new business strategies, it's pretty brilliant.

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Review: Batman: The Long Halloween

Batman: The Long Halloween by Jeph Loeb
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

If you're going into Batman relatively blind, this is a pretty good place to start.

If you've seen Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy, many elements of this story will be familiar - in particular, the origins of Two Face.

This story sees our caped crusader team up with detective Jim Gordon and district attorney Harvey Dent to catch a killer that's been dubbed Holiday, on account of his habit of killing on specific holidays.

The story works in many familiar Batman villains as well as mobsters Falcone and Maroni, so there's plenty here for even the most ignorant of Batman's followers. I really enjoyed how none were really involved too heavily, meaning this story serves as something of an introduction to the villains for the uninitiated.

There's also the nice juicy story of trying to work out who the killer is, and this would have been painful to read as single issues as there's a persistent need to put the clues together and figure it out for yourself.

I must say, as much as the artwork suits this gritty story, it really didn't work for me. It's all darkness and shadows, with the use of colour intentional and symbolic only. Some of the panels were so abstract I struggled to work them out, and I found it awkward to follow at times. I see the why, it just didn't appeal to me.

All in all, this was a fun story to read and a great starting place for entering the chaotic world of Batman comics. Artwork wasn't for me but will likely appeal to those more appreciative of stylistic tricks.

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Review: Stillness is the Key: An Ancient Strategy for Modern Life

Stillness is the Key: An Ancient Strategy for Modern Life by Ryan Holiday
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was exactly what I needed, when I needed it.

I really love Ryan Holiday's work. He uses examples to support all of his suggestions, and he's very honest about everything. Very down to earth, for someone explaining such zen concepts. He's not a wise Buddhist monk - he's just an ordinary dude who has been taught these things, practiced them, and then compiled historic evidence that supports such practices. His work is just easy to relate to.

This book, then, encourages us to find stillness. He makes the very valid point that, if any of us were told to sit for any length of time with no activity - no phone or tv or music to distract us, to just simply sit and be with our thoughts - many of us would find it incredibly uncomfortable. The notion of not doing something when we could be seems wild. Yet this stillness is where successful people go to work sh*t out. (I'm paraphrasing, of course.)

I really love that concept. I take public transport to work and if I ever forget my earphones I feel incredibly naked. You can bet I'll bury myself in a book or my phone to distract myself from the mundane act of being transported from one location to another. And reading this book was like being exposed - I actually love finding stillness when I actively choose to, yet how many opportunities to do so am I depriving myself of?

Anyhoo, the point is to review the book, not my life, so here's a pro: this book will make you review your life a little.

It doesn't criticise at all, which I find really important in self-help books. It just gently points out all the things we are ALL guilty of, and suggests alternatives that may help us lead more fulfilling lives.

It takes a very realistic approach, too: there is no suggestion of meditating for hours at a time, or locking yourself in isolation. There are some very practical tips on how you can simply insert a little more stillness into your life, and learn to appreciate the sensation of exploring your own mind.

As mentioned, this book found its way into my hands at a time when I desperately needed it. It forced me to see how much attention and energy I was giving to things that didn't matter, and how much peace I was depriving myself of. For that alone I'm grateful to have read this book.

If you are someone who often finds yourself stressed, overworked, overstimulated, or even just feeling far busier than you'd like to, this is a brilliant book for you. If you're keen to learn how to wean yourself off technology a little, this will provide some helpful ideas to support you.

Even if you are just someone looking for a way to improve your life in the simplest of ways, this book is for you.

I believe everyone needs to nurture a little more stillness in their lives, and so I highly recommend this book to all.

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Review: Will

Will by Will Smith
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed reading this but I don't think I like Will Smith at all now XD

You can definitely feel which parts were Mark Manson, because Will comes across as so arrogant and blind to the world. His materialism was so obvious throughout this book, and I really admire his honesty but there wasn't enough humility to soften it. For example, he straight up confesses that he put himself before his family and his kids, and while it made a twisted kind of sense there still never seemed to be much growth that followed, and any notion of his seeing why that might be a messed up way of thinking.

I mean, this book is essentially about his achievements. There are some interesting insights into why he might have behaved a certain way (and this is where Manson's contribution is quite evident) but there's no change in behaviour until the very last few chapters. I'll say it again:there is no humility. He notes when his behaviour was inappropriate but explains it away rather than offering any notion of regret. This memoir is completely unapologetic.

As a self-help book, it's not great. Will Smith got where he was by working hard and valuing success above everything else in his life, including loved ones. He destroyed countless relationships with his selfishness, and ultimately he got famous by working hard in the right place at the right time. You can't deny he worked hard, but you also can't deny that he got pretty damn lucky.

Will Smith is a brilliant entertainer - there's no denying that. This book details that journey, and it was quite fun to read. I particularly enjoyed reading about his early days as a rapper, as we tend to forget that was his stepping stone into acting. The story of his life, here on the page, is told quite well, with all the highlights, and he has had some incredible experiences so the story is not a dull one by any stretch.

The honesty is apparent, to such a point you almost wish he'd left some stuff out. The way he lives his life is almost the complete opposite of how I live mine, so it was quite painful to read at times, but it was a fascinating character study.

As I said, I don't think I would like to meet him in person after reading this (which I'm sure wouldn't bother him in the slightest), but I really admire how honest a tale this is. The highlights of his career are all covered, so fans should be satisfied, and Mark Manson's contributions adds some much needed psychology to the story. I wanted to read more about Will's growth that came so late in the story, but otherwise it was a fun, insightful read.

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Review: Temptress of the Flame

Temptress of the Flame by Wade Kakoschke
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Not too bad!

The story was a little weak in places but overall it was a fun story that kept me interested.

The plot sees Plainsward Halius finding himself entangled in the quest of Firemage Zebala after leaving his village to find a cure for the mysterious illness ravaging his people. Meanwhile, his brother Valus finds himself imprisoned by the tyrant Fire Lord, Gyanos.

Firstly, I found the initial union of Halius and Zebala to be a bit grating. The logic of the two joining forces seemed a little too weak to me, since noble Halius was originally on the quest to save his people. After he joined Zeb, it was like he kind of forgot that everyone back home was dying. So I wasn't real sold on it, but I did like Zeb's immediate feistiness.

The relationship between the two never really did a lot for me, which was a shame because I really felt that would have made for so much more impact from later events. I think there just wasn't a lot of character growth, and there wasn't enough demonstration of the characters' traits. For example, Halius is supposed to be this hero of his people - he's the friendly giant who is huge and tough but goes out of his way to help others. There were a few moments where he did demonstrate this need to protect others, but they were so often tied to idiocy that Halius to me just ended up being a dim-witted oaf of a character. Therefore, he seemed more like the idiot muscle sidekick stereotype to me than the hero he was supposed to be.

Zebala, to her credit, basically stayed vicious and mean and definitely ridiculously powerful but just not interested in helping anyone but herself. I think we were supposed to witness this side of her softening, but I just never felt that. I suspect that this story just had too much telling and not enough feeling. Like, I could read about her doing something really impressively powerful, and how it made people around her react, but I never emotionally connected to it myself. I think maybe the context wasn't fleshed out enough - the stakes weren't clear enough to get me invested.

I suppose my biggest criticism is just that the story seemed to flow too conveniently. There were still unpredictable moments and surprises for me, but ultimately I knew that if they talked about how much they definitely didn't want to go to a certain place, they'd inevitably end up there almost immediately. I think this also contributed to me feeling emotionally detached from the story - it's like I could see the author moving the pieces, rather than falling into the story and being amongst these characters.

Even with all that, though, I really enjoyed the journey of this story. At first I thought it might seem a little slow and pointlessly long, but I did really end up enjoying all the twists and turns and wonderful creatures that appeared along the way, even if it was hard to picture some of them.

There are some fantastic battle scenes, but there's also some vividly brutal violence that seemed a bit overdone to me. The 'healing' aspect seemed a convenient trick to allow for the most gruesome forms of torture the author could invent, and I think it all just went a bit too far for me. Especially when these characters lived to see another day. I don't think it needed to be quite this savage for us to feel the impact it had on the characters involved, and in my case it actually had the opposite effect - it was so absurdly gory that I just couldn't comprehend the character as real and actually experiencing that. Particularly since there was evidently no lasting trauma.

I really loved Elath, and enjoyed how the relationship between he and Valus developed. I think Elath had the best character development of the entire story, and he was easily the one I appreciated the most. He was a character I was able to connect to, understand, and feel for. So the dungeon scenes were easily some of my favourites.

Meanwhile, whatever the fk that was with Siara was just a complete mess.

I did enjoy having the two separate story lines, and particularly enjoyed their inevitable collision. It was nice to have a break from each story line now and again.

Overall, I enjoyed the journey but it did ultimately seem a little weak in its point. But there are some fantastic creatures and Elath in particular is an endearing character that you can really root for, so it was still a fun read for me.

I do feel that others less critical of fantasy will enjoy this more than I, as there is plenty to keep you reading on. It's not a perfect work of art, but it is an enjoyable romp in a fantasy world that will still throw some surprises at you.

With thanks to the author for a copy to read and review

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Review: Ariadne

Ariadne by Jennifer Saint
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a wonderful re-telling and has claimed all the love I expected to have for Circe.

Most people know the story of Theseus and the Minotaur, but few will remember Ariadne and what became of her. (I certainly intend to get lost down the Google hole of this particular lady after writing this review.) This wonderful novel explores the lady's decision to betray her family and the consequences of her actions. I thought it would focus mostly on those known events, yet this story sprawls across years (and myths) and tells a wonderfully rich tale of love, life and sacrifice.

I loved how this was written, and the honesty of Ariadne's character. She struck me as quite real, and I easily came to know her. I enjoyed her character development, though it did seem to drift a little towards the end.

The characters are rich and detailed and so easy to picture. Particularly as a woman seeing through Ariadne's eyes, I found the heroes of the story quite detestable and understood her feelings towards them, and theirs towards others. Phaedra was also a fierce character that blazed on the page. It honestly was a pleasure getting to know these two fierce females.

The story was longer and more sprawling than I anticipated, but I found myself easily won over by the references to other myths. There is plenty here for the lovers of Greek mythology and, as I said, I fully intend to give myself over to Google for a while to explore these stories further.

This was a well crafted novel with some great themes, well explored through the eyes of one of mythology's many underrated females. I enjoyed it a lot, and definitely recommend to lovers of retold myths.

Also ... it's like, 100% better than Circe.

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Review: Sea of Tranquility

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is an Inception level conundrum!

-Emily St John Mandel writes a novel about a pandemic
-Writes new novel about a Ponzi scheme
-Pandemic hits
-Pandemic novel returns to popularity
-ESJM writes new novel about:
● Pandemics
● Characters from Ponzi scheme book
● An author who wrote a novel about a pandemic
● Which becomes more popular as a pandemic hits
● Time travel

And of course it's brilliant.

Honestly, the AUDACITY.

This is my third read from this author and I am in awe of the way she captivates me so completely. The stories never even feel that big or complicated but there is a beauty in the way they are woven and I always find myself mulling over things a lot more than usual.

Obviously, a lot of this hits home quite hard, because everyone in the world now understands what it's like to live during a pandemic. So there's a lot here that allows for reflection and some interesting diverting pathways from the basic chaos of it. I really enjoyed the way it was written - it doesn't overwhelm too much, doesn't dwell on the hardships, and provides the interesting time travel angle to distract.

Characters from other stories once again appear here, and it's a clever way to have you reading her other novels. I loved revisiting people I already knew, and it makes me want to go back and re-read those other novels in case I missed anything!

The concept of the story is really clever and the language is beautiful as always. If you've been impressed by her previous work, this one shouldn't treat you any differently.

Highly recommend.

With thanks to Macmillan for a copy

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