January Mini-Reviews

First off, I live in Florida, so my January looked nothing like this snowscape. Here's to catching up the blog after months of neglect.

Edith Holler (Edward Carey)

What a weird, compelling book! Edith is trapped by forces societal and (mostly) familial in the theatre where she has grown up. Her attempt to write a play about the founding of her town brings about a reckoning. Gothic, tragic, and hilarious: for me, the tone recalled the film, Cold Comfort Farm, and the Gormenghast series (the 2000 PBS/BBC series hooked me).

Fire Rush (Jacqueline Crooks)

In late 70's London, Yamaye escapes her depressed dad and depressing factory job by following a dub/reggae producer into what she hopes will be a life of music. Her dream turns into a nightmare of control and abuse but ultimately leads her to Jamaica in pursuit of her mother who disappeared years ago and into her own power and passion. The narrative voice includes Jamaican patois and lyrics written by Yamaye as she discovers herself.

The Hollow Kind (Andy Davidson)

In this haunted house (and haunted land) novel, young Max and his mother escape domestic abuse in an inherited estate brimming with family secrets and generational disputes. The second timeline follows Max's great-grandfather's failed attempt to break free of the blood bonds and feuds.

The Last Beekeeper (Julie Carrick Dalton)

Sasha grew up with bees, but now they're all gone from the world, and her father is infamous for sabotaging a project to save them. We follow Sasha both as a child and as a young adult hiding her identity while squatting with other young wanderers in her family home. Sasha searches for her father's missing research, the truth about half-remembered events from her childhood, and the bees themselves.

A Darker Shade of Magic (V.E. Schwab, note: website currently under construction)

I pulled Fragile Threads of Power from the library new books shelf in November, so I had to catch up with the three originals, starting with this one. Kell is an adopted prince with advanced magic capacities that allow him to travel between the four Londons. He's also begun stealing things here and there to bring home to his Red London. Delilah is an actual thief and scrappy street fighter in Grey London (ours, approximately). Together they accidentally unleash an evil trapped in an artifact and have to clean up their mess across the worlds.

Fall of Ruin and Wrath (Jennifer Armentrout)

I was seeing this author recommended on Instagram and thought I'd see what all this spicy romantasy buzz was all about. Well . . . it's spicy! Calista has the Sight and uses her powers to assist the Baron, a hard-partying but reasonably decent aristo for whom she serves as courtesan (one of many). When the Baron is asked to host a prince who happens to be one of the fae-like lordlings/godlings who can destroy entire towns during a temper tantrum, you just know he and Calista is going to hate/love/hate/love/smut/smut/smut.

The Madwomen of Paris (Jennifer Cody Epstein)

In late 19th century Paris, Josephine and Laure are residents of the asylum famous for the study of hypnosis and hysteria. While Josephine becomes a featured patient for Dr. Charcot's public lectures, Laure toils as a ward attendant, sane but indigent. Unraveling Josephine's history and finding a way out of the madhouse becomes Laure's mission once she falls for Josephine. Although the story is as grim as the historical facts attest, it's well-researched and with a main character to root for.

On to February!