Review: What Big Teeth

By Rose Szabo

Available now from Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Review copy

A boy runs through the forest, pursued by monsters. He has no chance of escaping; they're toying with him, having fun. I know how fun it is because the narrator is telling me so. In fact, she thinks he looks rather delicious. So begins What Big Teeth. It's an electric, perverse opening, and the book struggles to regain that feel.

After that fateful night, Eleanor Zarrin was sent away from her wild family. Years later she returns from boarding school, fleeing the consequences of an incident with a schoolmate. She returns home a total stick in the mud. She's forgotten her family in those years away and struggles to handle their monstrous nature. She wants them to be polite and mannered and fit in, like she spent so long doing.

For quite a while, What Big Teeth builds mystery after mystery. There are the mysterious incidents that drove Eleanor away from her family and then back. There are questions about Eleanor's nature, who she truly is inside. There's her grandmother's mysterious accountant, who all the Zarrin's are mysteriously in love with (including Eleanor's father, cousin, sister, and self). So much is kept mysterious for so long that I'd find myself startled by facts, like Eleanor's sister Lucy being about five years older than her. 

What Big Teeth is not short on atmosphere. Rose Szabo has a way with creepy imagery and haunting emotions. But this is Szabo's debut novel, and it very much feels like it. The ending of the novel is filled with several chunks of exposition, some of which Eleanor could have figured out much earlier to get the plot moving a little more quickly. When characters are horribly maimed I had little reaction, because outside of Eleanor and Arthur the characters are extremely flat. This is the kind of debut novel that makes me want to read what the author writes next, even if I don't want to read this book again.

What Big Teeth is a defiantly strange novel. It is often deliberately off-putting, which is what makes it appealing to weirdos like me. I'd recommend it to fans of Hannah Moskowitz. A faster pace and more characters to be invested in would have served the story well, but Szabo has shown a strong sense of style.

Review: The Bitterwine Oath

By Hannah West
Available now from Holiday House
Review copy

I haven't been keeping up with new YA releases the way I used to just a few years ago, but I've paid attention to know that witches are one of the current hot trends. The Bitterwine Oath slots right in, as the story of a young woman in her last summer before college who learns that she has magic and falls in love.

I read the entirety of The Bitterwine Oath on a lazy Sunday morning, a milieu that suited it well. Natalie Colter lives in San Solano, Texas, the home to a century-old massacre and a copycat massacre enacted fifty years after the first. It being the second fifty-year anniversary, everyone in town is on edge that it might happen again. Nat has even more scrutiny to worry about than most, since one of her ancestors was the leader of the group that caused the original massacre. Of course, she's also worried about the return of Levi Langford, who kissed her and then left for college.

I loved the atmosphere of The Bitterwine Oath. It captures small-town Texas well. I could tell that author Hannah West lives in Texas by the way the characters spoke, and I appreciated that she didn't go overboard with the folksiness. I also liked how West portrayed the way the local church is woven through almost everything happens in the town, and that the witches balance their beliefs around their powers with their Christian beliefs. It felt realistic - aside from magic being real.

As is tradition in these stories, Nat is kept ignorant of her power until it is almost too late, and she is actually the most powerful witch of all. (At least, among those still alive.) But she was kept ignorant for a reason, one that makes her mistrust the other witches and try to seek out her own path. Of course, the clock is ticking, and twelve men's lives hang in the balance. Nat has to decide whether to bow to tradition or strike out.

There's nothing too unpredictable or unfamiliar in The Bitterwine Oath. I was entertained that the male love interest was the one always getting himself in danger when he tried to charge in to find answers. Still, I found it fun. I liked the setting, and I thought Nat and Levi were sweet together. I'm sure fans of witchy YA urban fantasy will enjoy The Bitterwine Oath.

Review: The Cemetary Boys

By Z Brewer

Available now from HarperTeen

Review copy

I was a fan of Z Brewer's Vladimir Tod novels, so I eagerly picked up their first standalone novel. Then I let it sit around for ages. The copy compares it to Hitchcock and Hinton, but the movie it brings to my mind is The Wicker Man. (And now Midsommar, though the book predates that movie by some years.) Protagonist Stephen might have seen some horror movies, but there were some obvious gaps in his fandom that might have helped him.

Stephen is a city boy who has been forced to move to the small town his father grew up in - specifically, the home of his horrible grandmother. His mother had to be institutionalized, and with the bills piling up, his father couldn't afford to keep their house. Stephen hates his grandmother, the boring town of Spencer, and his father for getting them into this situation.

I felt so old reading The Cemetery Boys. All I had was sympathy for Stephen's father, who managed to get out of the regressive town he grew up in only to get forced back, all while trying to do the best by both his wife and child. What a horrible fate. Thus, I did appreciate that part of Stephen's journey is learning to appreciate his father.

The bulk of The Cemetery Boys focuses on Stephen's relationship with Devon and his twin sister Cara, who Stephen crushes on hard. To no one's surprise, the twins are bad news and keep getting Stephen deeper into trouble.

There aren't too many surprises in The Cemetery Boys, but there is a nice sense of place and a truly sad conclusion. It's a decent read for young horror fans.

Review: Labyrinth Lost

Brooklyn Brujas, Book 1
By Zoraida Córdova
Available now from Sourcebooks Fire
Review copy

Zoraida Córdova's The Vicious Deep trilogy is my favorite thing to come from the mermaid mini-trend in YA. I knew I wanted to read her next YA urban fantasy novel, so I was sold on LABYRINTH LOST even before I saw the gorgeous cover.

LABYRINTH LOST did lose me a little at the beginning. Alex is a bruja with great potential, about to step into her full power at her Deathday celebration. But she doesn't want the power, because she believes her power drove her father away. (I found it obvious that this wasn't the full truth, but it is understandable that Alex can't see past the trauma of childhood abandonment.) When she meets a mysterious hot boy named Nova who promises he can help her get rid of her powers, she instantly believes him. No one but Alex is surprised when the spell he gives her goes horribly awry.

Once Alex, Nova, and her non-magical best friend Rishi travel to the liminal Los Lagos to rescue Alex's family, I was fully onboard. I loved the quest through a magical, dangerous land filled with strange people who could be enemies or allies and had their own motivations and stories. But the journey to that point was a slog, with Alex making one obvious bad decision after another.

I'm pretty sure when I reread LABYRINTH LOST I'll skip over most of the beginning. Because the rest of the novel, honestly, was exactly what I wanted. I'd even idly thought, "Wouldn't it be nice if X happened?" and the book delivered. LABYRINTH LOST even recovers from the lame, cliche bad boy setup and develops a believable romance with sparkling chemistry.

I also found the world Córdova creates fascinating. Her brujas are of her own creation, and they stand out from the usual crowd since she syncretizes various Latin American myths and folklore. Fans of Daniel José Older's SHADOWSHAPER and Bone Street Rumba novels will find much to love. 

The beginning had me worried, but I was write to trust that Córdova would deliver a book that I found enthralling. I am eagerly awaiting the second Brooklyn Brujas novel.

Review: The Hidden Oracle

Book one of The Trials of Apollo
By Rick Riordan
Available now from Disney Hyperion
Review copy

Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson novels are great examples of children's books that can be fun for all ages. They're action packed and extra fun for anyone who enjoys spotting classical allusions. I feel like he's been growing as an author through each series, developing more complex plots and keeping his prose accessible but interesting. He's also made an impressive effort to diversify his books. For example, his Apollo is as casually bisexual as the god was in myth.

Apollo has been cast out of Olympus and into a mortal body by his father, Zeus. He must find a demigod to serve until he earns forgiveness. He ends up with Meg, a young homeless girl who is surprisingly capable. While THE HIDDEN ORACLE is best read by those familiar with previous books by Riordan, it is the start of a new series and puts the new characters front and center. Percy shows up a few times and Nico is present at Camp Half-Blood, but neither are that involved in the plot. There's also a stark contrast between Apollo and previous narrators, which gives THE HIDDEN ORACLE its own distinct feel.

I found Apollo's terrifically self-absorbed narration hilarious. Apollo is all about Apollo, and desperately trying to act as if getting knocked down a peg hasn't thrown him for a loop. And his centuries of experience aren't as helpful as they could be since he only has a mortal brain to rely on now (and let's face it, hasn't practiced thinking clearly and quickly in awhile). I found his character development a bit quick, but it is necessary to Apollo being useful. (And as much as he improves in THE HIDDEN ORACLE, he's got a long way to go.)

Meg is not just a sidekick. She's scrappy and clever, two things that are sure to appeal to many readers. And despite the fun, breezy tone of the novel, she's dealing with a rough past. I wasn't surprised by the reveal of her home life with her stepfather, but I'm sure it might be the first time some younger readers discover a story about how someone who seems to love you can hurt you. It's written with great empathy, and in a manner appropriate for the target audience.

This is one of those books where I finished and instantly looked up when the next book is coming out. Unfortunately, the answer is May. I'll have to wait until then to read THE DARK PROPHECY. I'll definitely be there to see what happens to Apollo, Meg, and a couple of surprise returning characters. This is an extremely promising start, and the Trials of Apollo could be the best part of the Percy Jackson universe yet.

Review: Day Zero

Companion book to the Arcana Chronicles
By Kresley Cole
Available now from Valkyrie Press
Review copy

The fourth Arcana Chronicles novel, ARCANA RISING, comes out later this month. In anticipation, Kresley Cole has released DAY ZERO. This companion novel contains profiles of each of the Arcana and Jack, including nicknames, powers, weapons, tableau, unique characteristics, and who they were before the flash. The Fool's file is heavily redacted and The Hanged Man's is completely blacked out since that character isn't known yet.

The meat of this companion book is the short stories that accompany the profile of each character who is still alive. Cole writes about what they were doing on Day Zero, when the Flash destroyed most of humanity. Evie's is the longest, which is a bit of a cheat since hers is the relevant passages from THE POISON PRINCESS (my review). Fans will be particularly interested in Aric and Jack's stories, and I did love that Jack's explains part of why he was such a jerk at first. Cole wisely begins and ends DAY ZERO with their sections.

However, they weren't the standouts for me. Many of the shorts involve romance, which isn't surprising since that is the genre where Cole got her start. (And is, of course, still active with her Immortals After Dark series.) Circe's is passionate and sad and makes me wish that her love story gets an eventual happy end (even though I know it won't happen). Sol's is likewise tragic. Calanthe's turns surprisingly sweet, and Selena's is full of deserved wrath. I thought Tess's was a strong end to the minor character stories, with a beautiful scene of parental love.

DAY ZERO contains spoilers for the three Arcana Chronicles already available, and is truly geared towards fans only. I don't think Cole is shortchanging them. Fans can happily pick up this companion book without feeling they're only getting information regurgitated from the novels. The stories do a wonderful job of bringing more personality to each of the Arcana, even the awful ones (Richter, ugh). It makes their inevitable deaths in the games more upsetting. She lets each of her antagonists be people who all have their own hope of being the hero.

Review: Jillian Cade: (Fake) Paranormal Investigator

Book one in a series
By Jen Klein
Available now from Soho Teen
Review copy

JILLIAN CADE: (FAKE) PARANORMAL INVESTIGATOR is Jen Klein's first YA novel, but she's already a seasoned writer due to her work with hit TV show Grey's Anatomy.  The eponymous Jillian Cade knows all about the paranormal due to her father.  She uses the information she's picked up from him (in addition to some common sense) to run Umbra Investigations.  After all, it isn't too hard to solve a haunting that isn't actually happening.  When a classmate hires Jillian to find a missing person, she realizes that she might be in over her head trying to solve a real case.  But her dad ditched her, so she has to make money somehow.

I took a long time to warm up to JILLIAN CADE.  I think I was expecting something kookier.  Instead, I got Jillian's reluctant attraction to Sky Ramsey, the mysterious new boy who knows too much about her.  (And who is totally off his rocker, since his explanation for the disappearance is that a succubus did it.)  The story did start to move once it pulled off one of my favorite tricks: it switched genres.

I feel like I'd like a sequel better, because the reveals really broadened the world of JILLIAN CADE.  This book took too long to build for me, and I just couldn't with Sky.  His whole stalker-act could've been written to be 90% less creepy, thus making the romance 90% more believable.  (As is, it mostly hinges on Sky being hot and Jillian feeling possessive of him.)

JILLIAN CADE: (FAKE) PARANORMAL INVESTIGATOR isn't a bad first novel, but I expect more from someone working on a show that knows how to bring the drama.

Review: The Casquette Girls

First book in a series
By Alys Arden
Available now from Skyscape (Amazon Publishing)
Review copy

THE CASQUETTE GIRLS, as I understand it, was originally self-published.  Alys Arden's success led to the book being picked up by Skyscape.  I never read it in that original form, but I can see why it was successful.

THE CASQUETTE is set in a New Orleans that has been ripped apart by a storm.  Katrina is never named, but it weighs heavy on the novel.  Adele Le Moyne was sent to live with her mother in France; however, her mother shipped her off to boarding school and rarely saw her.  Thus, Adele leapt at the chance to return to her father and her city. 

Arden's descriptions of New Orleans and the people that populate it are powerful.  It is a city full of memories that have been swept away and left to rot, and yet the traditions continue regardless.  Adele and her friends show up to work in a cafe every day, and eventually the kids go back to school.  Life starts picking up its expected pace.  Except for the crime wave.  There's a suspiciously high number of murders, and all of the victims have been drained of blood.

THE CASQUETTE GIRLS is darkly romantic, both due to love of a wild place and a romance with a boy who just might kill Adele.  There is the de rigueur love triangle, plus some bonus decoy love interests thrown in.  Nicco is a foreigner looking for his sister, and Isaac is a New Yorker come to give aid.  Both boys are full of secrets.  But Adele is starting to discover that the biggest secrets are those of her family's past, hidden in the objects she's inherited from her ancestor Adeline.  She could save her city, and all it requires is a ridiculous amount of translation.

I thought that THE CASQUETTE GIRLS went on for a touch too long and that the romantic resolution was rather abrupt.  It is still a thoroughly enjoyable popcorn read with a final line that will have you begging for the sequel.  (No really, when is it coming out?)  The book's greatest strength is its sense of community.  There's New Orleans itself, as I've already covered, but there's also the people Adele surrounds herself with and those that Adeline bonded with.  THE CASQUETTE GIRLS is a story of people coming together.  At the same time, it posits that trust can be dangerous.

THE CASQUETTE GIRLS is a great choice for readers who like witches, vampires, and folklore with more than a seed of the truth.  I hope that the sequel continues to build on the strengths Arden shows hear and that it is just as readable.

Review: Prairie Fire

Book two of the Story of Owen duology
By E.K. Johnston
Available now from
Review copy

PRAIRIE FIRE starts with Siobhan reintroducing herself and announcing the story she is telling, as is fitting for a Bard.  I love the world in these two books - dragon slayers, bards, and an alternate Canada where history went very differently because of dragons.  E.K. Johnston clearly thought out the world before she started writing, and she came up with the perfect character to present her words.  Siobhan is a musician and a storyteller, and both passions inform the rhythm.

The beginning of PRAIRIE FIRE also lets us know that something big is coming, and that Siobhan and Owen will face quite a dragon.  But before they get there, they have to go through a tedious assignment in Alberta.

The events of THE STORY OF OWEN made Siobhan, Owen, and his girlfriend and fellow dragonslayer Sadie suspected ecoterrorists.  They've managed to clear their names by sharing their story (in song) on YouTube, but there's been a cost.  Siobhan paid the highest.  Her hands are burned and still healing, leaving her to relearn how to play music and know some instruments she'll never be able to play again.  All three are entering the Oil Watch, not as promising recruits, but as potential rogues the government wants to foist into boring assignments so that everyone forgets they exist.

I thought PRAIRIE FIRE recapped the first novel rather smoothly.  You can dive straight into this book without reading the first and still understand the world and the characters quite well.  It also helps that it is set in new places, with many new faces, and that the new location has different dragons to fight.

It's hard to say what I liked best about this story.  The narration, as I already mentioned, is a major plus.  This book is told with style.  I love the intense friendship between Siobhan and Owen, and Siobhan's relationship with herself.  Losing full use of her hands forces her to reevaluate who she is and what she wants, and she doesn't flinch away from making those hard determinations.  She's also firm about not looking for a boyfriend, which is refreshing in a YA protagonist.  There's the inventiveness of the world, which ensures my full attention when Johnston already had it at "dragons and bards."

And oh, there's that ending.  PRAIRIE FIRE ripped out my heart and left it bleeding.  It hurts so much because I can't say that any other ending would be better.  This one is so fitting and perfect.  But I wasn't expecting it and it hit me like a fire-breathing dragon on a cold day.

PRAIRIE FIRE is often a fun book, and a funny one, but it's true power is that it made me think about things and feel deeply.  It's a moving story that belies the clip-art cover.

Review: Shattered Blue

First in the Light trilogy
By Lauren Bird Horowitz
Available now from Skyscape (Amazon Publishing)
Review copy

Noa's entire life has changed.  Her older sister died in an accident.  Her mom is depressed, and both of her parents are too worried to let her board at school so now she's commuting and further from her friends than ever.  Her escape is her poetry, which she's kept secret from everyone.

Then she meets the new boy at school, Callum.  He's strangely hot and cold.  Fans of urban fantasy YA will be totally shocked to learn that he's a supernatural creature who is dangerous to Noa.  Things seem to be going pretty well, however, until Callum's younger brother Judah shows up.  Judah has used a dangerous magic to come to the human world, one that will cost many lives.

In SHATTERED BLUE, Lauren Bird Horowitz sets up a good brother-bad brother dichotomy and hints from the very beginning that which is which might not be obvious.  By the end, I was convinced that both of them were bad.  In addition to Callum and Judah, Noa also has a best friend Miles who is obviously interested in her even though he's never made an effort to ask her out and just gets jealous when she dates someone else.  Three love interests and I wasn't invested in any of them.

SHATTERED BLUE does have its strengths.  Noa's family life is a true highlight.  Her little sister Sasha is a gem, and I liked the perceptive aunt who comes to help the family out while they're grieving.  I loved the way Noa's mom connected to her daughters and the painful way they found each other through the ghost of Isla.  Noa's dad was less of an entity in the story, but he had a few good moments.  It's rare to see a teen character with such a lived-in, present family and I thought it was an excellent part of the story.

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 I thought Horowitz also did a good job of creating a consistent mythology.  Her Fae don't appear to come from a particular tradition, but their powers were clearly defined.  There's also some complicated politics going on, and secrets on top of secrets.  I mostly thought the biggest reveal was well done, except for one completely stupid moment that let the air out of the entire climax.  It was a bum note that didn't really fit the characterization or anything other than providing a plot for the second book in the Light trilogy.

I thought SHATTERED BLUE had (multiple) underdeveloped romances and a few false notes here and there, but that it also had some elements that helped it stand out from the YA urban fantasy mold.  The beginning of SHATTERED BLUE reads almost like a contemporary, and that's telling, because that side of the story is where the book really shines.  I hope the supernatural side comes up to snuff in the next book.

Review and Giveaway: Stormbringer

Second book of the Wyrd
By Alis Franklin
Available now from Hydra (Penguin Random House)
Review copy
Read my review of Liesmith

STORMBRINGER, the sequel to LIESMITH, plays out the consequences of the major reveal.  I think that people who haven't read LIESMITH would be quite confused, but they're cheap books so there's no reason not to read it.

There is a shift in focus from LIESMITH.  The relationship between Sigmund and Lain takes a backseat, and they are in fact separated for most of STORMBRINGER.  Lain is imprisoned and forced on a quest for Mjölnir.  Sigmund is working to free him.  Meanwhile, Hel is fighting for better rights for the dead who didn't go to Valhalla.  It's a great plotline that combines the modern and mythological elements brilliantly as she and Sigmund's friends reframe the story and start to gain support.

The focus has also shifted from Miðgarðr to Asgard.  The first book took place mostly in our world, but STORMBRINGER takes place mostly in theirs.  This change in perspective worked well.  It helps explain more of how the world works and what's at stake.  It also helps show what Miðgarðr has to offer - namely the advancements humans have made since the Aesir paid any attention to them.  Women's rights drive the story in more ways that I expected when I picked STORMBRINGER up.

I think Alis Franklin showed good growth as a writer.  There are several different plot threads in STORMBRINGER, but they're resolved with less confusion than in LIESMITH.  I missed the central romance, but I think giving it a bit of a breather could be a good move in the long run.  I'm certainly enjoying the series enough to return for book three.

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Review: Hollywood Witch Hunter

By Valerie Tejeda
Available now from Bloomsbury Spark
Review copy

In Hollywood, witches have to kill to stay alive.  Hunters are born to hunt them and to protect those they prey on, even though the witches get the most power and youth from the worst people.  They still don't deserve to die.  Iris is the first girl to be born with the hunter gene, and she's been fighting to be part of the group instead of left in the kitchen (literally).

That premise is seriously retrograde, so I appreciated newly found hunter Arlo pointing out just how stupid it is.  Arlo always wanted to be a pop star, so being pressed into being a hunter hasn't made him too happy.  He's one of two love interests.  The other is Silos, an older man from Scotland who Iris dreams about before meeting.  I thought either of them were decent romantic options, but I'm so over triangles.

HOLLYWOOD WITCH HUNTER is full of great characters playing out cliches.  Iris is smart and believes her own observations over what others tell her about the world.  Her brother Knox is the kind of brother everybody wants.  Belinda, the head witch, has her own intriguing agenda going on.  But I could guess every twist and turn the story took, including the surprise ending leading into the next book in the series.

The other thing that bothered me about HOLLYWOOD WITCH HUNTER is the way that Iris starts to bond with some of the witches.  I am all for realizing that you've been indoctrinated your whole life and those people you've trained to hunt are actually people, but even as she got closer they were still killing people and Iris knew it.  Being fun to hang out with doesn't turn a murderer into a good person.

HOLLYWOOD WITCH HUNTER is Valerie Tejeda's first novel, so I hope she'll work out some of those kinks.  She's got characterization down, but she needs to find a plot of her own.  I did like that she made Iris half-Colombian, which figured into the plot.  People tend to assume that Iris is with the help, and being able to speak Spanish makes her a better investigator since she can talk to more people.

If you're interested, HOLLYWOOD WITCH HUNTER is on sale for the first week of its release for $2.99.

Review: Undertow

First in a series
By Michael Buckley
Available now from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt BFYR
Review copy

Michael Buckley, author of the popular middle-grade series NERDS and Sisters Grimm, makes the transition to YA with UNDERTOW.  The first in the series, it could be described as District 9 meets mermaids set in Coney Island.

The Alpha, a group of aquatic species resembling the legendary mermaids, selkies, nixies, and more, first appeared on the shore a few years ago.  They've lived in a shanty town on the beach, but now they're going to integrate more, including the prince and some others attending the local high school.  (There is a clear allegory of the Little Rock Nine and desegregation.)  Lyric Walker doesn't want them to integrate because it puts more attention on her high school, and possibly her.  She's half-Alpha; her mother was part of a first wave that spied on and lived with humans.  All but one of the other half-Alpha families have been disappeared by the government and the Walkers don't want to be next.

The complicated politics Buckley sets up in UNDERTOW are fantastic.  Different branches of the US government want different things.  The people of Coney Island want different things.  The Alpha want different things from each other too.  I also liked the development of the differences in Alpha culture.  They're more prone to fighting to prove their point, and not treating their wounds to prove their honor and toughness.  (It's all a little ridiculous, as Lyric points out.)  There are parallels to real-world racial politics, but I liked that Buckley doesn't hammer to hard at them or make them the focus of the book, since treating people who can grow swords out of their arms as dangerous is a good idea.  The focus is more on how people can react to differences, how some people reach out and others seek to divide.

No one will be surprised that Lyric and the prince, Fathom, fall in love.  I did like that Lyric wasn't divided between two boys.  However, UNDERTOW isn't love triangle free since the prince already has a fiancee.  I did like that Lyric doesn't forget her other concerns for love.  Keeping her parents and friends safe are always her top priority.  (I did rather dislike one plot point that felt designed for cheap tragedy, rather than proving that anyone could die.)

The ending to UNDERTOW felt rather abrupt, with lots of information coming at once followed by a big confrontation and a cliffhanger.  It's pretty par for the course for the opening of a YA trilogy, but I did expect more because Buckley did manage to skillfully work past many cliches.  I'm still looking forward to the next novel, especially since it looks like it will dive even deeper into the world of the Alpha.

Review: Bones and All

By Camille DeAngelis
Available March 10 from St. Martin's Press (Macmillan)
Review copy

This is not a just one chapter book; it is a one more chapter book.

I picked it up, meaning to read a couple of chapters before I went out since I was ready early enough that the stores weren't open yet.  And then I just kept reading, because I had been sucked into Maren's world.

Maren's world is just like ours - almost.  But it contains people like Maren in it who eat.  People who eat people, when the right situation presents itself.  Maren eats people who fall for her, who get just a bit too close.  It's why she's moved from place to place with her mother, leaving a wake of missing persons. Her mom, however, has had enough, and now sixteen-year-old Maren is on her own.  The only thing she can think of is to find her father.  Along the way she discovers that she is not the only one, but it's not entirely a relief.  Because many of them are a danger to her, and she to them.

BONES AND ALL is not quite magical realism, because Maren and the others question why they are the way they are and don't accept it as normal.  But it often has that feel, instead of outright fantasy.  The premise is outlandish, and Camille DeAngelis makes no attempts to explain it.  (Nor do I think she should.)  It isn't meant to be realistic though; it is strange and grotesque and downright fascinating, the way DeAngelis writes it.  This is a very sensual sort of horror, unbelievable yet visceral.  The litany of boys Maren has eaten is quite affecting.

What I particularly loved about BONES AND ALL is the way it immersed me in Maren's story, her journey to find a place for someone like her.  I felt for her as she feared what might happen to her if people found out.  I never stopped to think that she deserves to be incarcerated, that she knows what a danger she is to others and takes only the most flimsy of precautions.  (In true fictional monster fashion, she does tend to warn her victims that if they keep going she won't be able to stop.)  I don't mind at all that BONES AND ALL forced me to pay attention to the story and not get hung up on other ways it could have gone.

The ending of BONES AND ALL feels a touch unfinished, but I liked it.  I'm free to imagine what happens next, which is quite good, because it is the sort of story that invites the reader to ponder what it meant, how we're supposed to interpret the shocking things that happen.  (I'll ignore the author's note that says she's a vegan and it means we should think more about what we eat, because seriously?  Way to bring down my good book high.)  BONES AND ALL is a macabre and strangely beautiful read, one that I hope is found by the many readers out there who are inclined to that sort of thing.

Review: Deadeye

Book one of the Mutant Files
By William C. Dietz
Available now from Ace (Penguin Random House)
Review copy

I picked up this book because of the awesome cover and because Ace is one of those imprints that tends to put out my sort of books.  I loved the beginning, wherein Detective Bruce Conti begins his partnership with Cassandra Lee.  I liked that it was a reversal of the usual setup.  The guy is the younger, less experienced one trying to prove himself to the squad and she's the world-weary one who has seen too many partners come and go.

But I started to suspect that DEADEYE wasn't for me when Conti died in chapter two of stupidity.  That is, running out in front of nine armed men without a bulletproof vest for reasons that are never adequately explained.  Lee's narration later suggests that he loved her, which ... they knew each other for about a week, and he was attracted to her but they were still standoffish.  Of course, Lee's partner falls in love with her in about the same span of time, so it's that kind of book.

And it turned out the Lee that those first chapters sold me on was a mirage.  She's not a hyper-competent cop with an aim to put everyone else to shame.  Her competence comes and goes as the plot requires.  This includes getting into a lockable cage just because a nice man asks her to.  Her aim gets worse as the book goes on.  As for her detective skills, she starts to suspect that the high-profile girl whose bodyguards were paid off was kidnapped specifically and not just snatched randomly by human traffickers after she tracks the traffickers down and they've already passed her off to the buyer.  It's present like another obstacle in the plot instead of a flashing sign that all the detectives involved need to learn to stop and think before leaping in guns a-blazing.

But why is it called the Mutant Files, you might ask?  Because a virus spread through the human race, killing some and mutating others.  Now the norms and the mutants live separately, wearing face masks and other gear when they cross the border into the others' territory.  After all, the virus is still highly contagious.  Which is why Lee worries about eating too close to her partner but still has sex with him.  As if a virus with a variety of wildly different symptoms didn't strain my disbelief enough.

This book is a mess.  The main character is unbelievable, the world makes no sense, and the plot is basically an excuse for one shootout after another.  There's almost no weight to the climax because it's just one more gun battle of many.  It does have a woman as the lone-wolf detective with a guarded heart, which is about all it has going for it.

Review: Pacific Fire

Sequel to California Bones (my review)
By Greg van Eekhout
Available now from Tor (Macmillan)
Review copy

I've gotten used to series where one book leads directly into another.  PACIFIC FIRE starts ten years after CALIFORNIA BONES ends, which is a refreshing change of pace.  In fact, the entire book is a refreshing change of pace.

First, if you haven't read CALIFORNIA BONES, please do so.  It is a heist novel wrapped up in a well-developed urban fantasy world with a generous dollop of horror for flavor.  If you haven't read it, this review will be full of spoilers.

Daniel Blackland spent those ten years after the heist on the run with Sam, the Hierarch's golem.  Both are wanted because they'd be perfect ingredients in someone else's spell.  When Argent, an old frenemy comes with news that various factions in LA are banding together to build a dragon, Daniel knows he has to leave hiding to stop it.  The point of view switches between the three men, giving multiple perspectives on a dangerous mission gone wrong.

I love the world Greg van Eekhout is developing.  It's full of sinister and helpful characters, a lovely mix of the wonder of powerful magic and the horrible things that are done to make it stronger.  Despite the fact that most of Daniel and Sam's bonding happens off page, there's never a doubt about their father-son relationship.  It is a strong emotional anchor for the novel.  I liked that most of the characters from CALIFORNIA BONES who survived showed up again, although lamented that Cassandra gets the least to do.

This is a fast-paced novel that ends in a killer cliffhanger.  It is looser than CALIFORNIA BONES, since it doesn't have the heist structure.  But as crazy as things get, they never feel like they're out of van Eekhout's control.  I can't wait for the next book, because things are going to go down.  And based on the strength of PACIFIC FIRE and CALIFORNIA BONES, I trust van Eekhout to stick the landing.

Review: Tear You Apart

Companion novel to Kill Me Softly
By Sarah Cross
Available now from EgmontUSA
Review copy

EgmontUSA may be shutting down, but at least they're releasing their 2015 slate. The first one I just had to read is TEAR YOU APART, the companion to KILL ME SOFTLY.  The first book introduced Beau Rivage, the town where descendants of faerie-human unions are forced to live out curses, curses worse than living in Mississippi for the rest of your life.

One of the big differences between TEAR YOU APART and KILL ME SOFTLY is that Viv grew up in Beau Rivage.  She knows exactly what story she's living, and she fears it.  She is Snow White, which means the Huntsman Henley will either kill or save her.  If he saves her, her stepmother Regina will keep trying.  Once Viv loved both Regina and Henley.  But when Regina betrayed her true colors and Henley was cursed, Viv decided she couldn't trust anyone.  She can't keep herself from Henley, but she can't bring herself to trust him again either.

TEAR YOU APART weaves together "Snow White," "The Twelve Dancing Princesses," and "Rumpelstiltskin" in a darkly romantic tale.  Viv can be an utter spoiled brat, but getting out of her comfort zone and talking to people really forces her to take measure of her life.  And even when she's in spoiled brat mode, I admire her dedication to her own survival.  I liked the romance between her and Henley, but liked that she takes a chance when her prince Jasper shows up.  Even more, I like that she grows into being her own rescuer (as much as she can).

TEAR YOU APART will satisfy fans of fairytales who aren't afraid of some rather large liberties and some of the darker endings remaining in place.  Fans of KILL ME SOFTLY will enjoy that the cast of that novel makes cameo appearances.  Also nice: a reoccurring character is confirmed as a lesbian and there is a princess and princess couple that no one remarks upon.  Little details like that help the updated fairytale concept really work.

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In other news, today is Multicultural Children's Book Day.  The sponsors are holding a virtual book drive to support First Book.

Review: Martyr

Book one of The Hunted
By A.R. Kahler
Available now from Spencer Hill Press
Review copy

I've heard good things about A.R. Kahler's Immortal Circus series.  (After all, what isn't to like about books set in circuses where strange things happen?)  But I have so much to read that it's hard to go back and catch up on a series.  So when I saw that he had a new book out in a different series, I decided to give it a try.

MARTYR is set in a post-apocalyptic war.  Some people have magic powers granted through the use of spheres.  Some of these people worship a dark goddess and managed to unleash a plague of various types of zombies on humanity.  Tenn is a Hunter, one of the people with magic left to fight the monsters.  The Hunters aren't widely liked, since they're viewed as somewhat responsible.  (And, oh yes, it's the magic people who can turn into monsters or create more.)

Still, Tenn and the other Hunters do their best.  But when Tenn's magic acts up on a routine patrol, he finds himself being pursued by Tomás, an incubus, and other members of the Kin (that is, the people who unleashed the monsters).  Between the pursuit and his suddenly out of control powers, Tenn is in way over his head.  The only people he has to rely on are his boyfriend and the twins (two other Hunters), but they might not be powerful enough to survive Tenn's new enemies.

I found MARTYR very thrilling.  It's a chase story, which keeps up the momentum.  I thought that Tenn's emotional state was well conveyed.  He's in a time of turmoil and grief, and his powers force him to dwell on his most unpleasant memories.  I did find the worldbuilding a bit confusing at times, since it was very similar to our world except for the spheres.  Where the spheres always a thing?  When were they discovered?  What is going on outside of the US?  How far do the monsters spread?

MARTYR is a fun dark YA story, with potential to become something better as the sequels deepen the world.  I liked the main characters quite a bit, so I'm eager to see their future adventures.  There's also plenty of answers to be found about why Tenn is so important.

Review: Chaos

Book three of the Guards of the Shadowlands trilogy
By Sarah Fine
Available now from
Review copy
Read more at my Sarah Fine tag

I really enjoyed FRACTURED and SANCTUM, the first two books in the Guards of the Shadowlands trilogy.  I picked up CHAOS eagerly, wanting to know how the Mazikin would be defeated forever and Malachai and Lela would find a way to be together again.  (Plus, there was that whole cliffhanger ending to SANCTUM.)  CHAOS satisfied those questions, although it took a bit longer to do so than I would've liked.

The main problem with CHAOS is that the meat of the plot ends about halfway through the book, and multiple twists are required to sustain the rest.  Plus, as wonderful as Malachai and Lela are, I got tired of them sacrificing themselves to save each other.  At some point heroic death comes cheap.  By the third time, it's definitely cheap.

I absolutely love the series as a whole.  Sarah Fine is a great writer, and the Guards of the Shadowland series is filled with both dynamic action and convincing romance.  There's also an exploration of different kinds of love; mother-daughter relationships are particularly important in CHAOS.  The afterworld Fine invented is clever, compelling, and unlike most anything else I've read.

In fact, I think I'm only complaining about CHAOS because the first two books in this series were so strong.  It had a tough act to follow.  I think it would've made it with one or two less extraneous subplots.  At the same time, it's much better than many books I've read lately.

If you're looking for a series with a fierce and determined Latin-American heroine, a romance that spans life and death (several times), a desperate fight against body snatchers, and battles against impossible odds, give Guards of the Shadowlands a try.  It's terrific fun.

Review: Liesmith

First book of the Wyrd
By Alis Franklin
Available now from Hydra (Penguin Random House)
Review copy

I was first drawn to LIESMITH by the cover.  You don't see many black guys on the cover of urban fantasy novels.  Then there was the blurb, which promised Norse mythology meets IT.  That made me think of the SpellCrash series by Kelly McCullough, which I love.

Alis Franklin's debut novel is about Sigmund Sussman, a low-level IT nerd who just humiliated himself by not recognizing his boss when he meets Lain Laufeyjarson, the new guy in the department.  The two hit it off, leading Sigmund to question himself - and Lain's attraction to him.  But soon he has even more to question than his new relationship, because strange things are happening.  Strange, dangerous things.

I enjoyed Franklin's writing style quite a bit, although I expect it might not be for everyone.  It can tend a bit toward the labyrinthine, like the plot.  There are lots of characters trying to pull of long-term master plans, which means their is a bit of a pileup of complicated events at the end.  At the same time, I appreciate that ambition and that Franklin managed to pull off a few brilliant twists grounded in mythology.

Obviously, no one even slightly familiar with Norse mythology (and who isn't, in the age of Marvel?) will fail to ascertain Lain's real identity even before it is revealed to the reader.  (Thankfully, not too long.  Both Lain and Sigmund narrate.)  But it might be more complicated than it first seems.  I also liked that the cast wasn't entirely male.  Sigmund's two best friends are both women, and both play an active role in the climax.

There are lots of rough edges to LIESMITH.  The romance is a touch cliche and sometimes it is hard to follow what is happening.  But LIESMITH shows a lot of promise.  It's sweet, but tough, much like many of its characters.  I look forward to the next book of the Wyrd.