Review: The Shadowglass by Rin Chupeco

The Shadowglass by Rin Chupeco
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

You know, I read this a while ago but realized I never posted my review.  It was all ready to go but was sitting in draft all this time. 

I listened to the audiobook for the 3rd and final installment of The Bone Witch series and it was very well done.  The first and second book were on the longer side, and these are slower paced fantasy books.  If you like faster paced fantasy books but this series still sounds interesting I say give the audio a try, it's worth it.

This was the perfect ending to the series. As we alternate between the perspectives of the Bard and Tea, the full story is finally revealed. This story has slowly been unfolding since The Bone Witch, but all of those unanswered questions and loose threads finally come together in this final installment and we finally come to find out why Tea was exiled and what her true purpose is.

This installment alternates again between the past and the present telling Tea's story. In the present it appears that she is still intent on revenge and destruction. In the past she is the obedient Asha who is trying to save those she cares about, fall in love, and save the world from unruly demons. Along her travels she uncovers some interesting information about the history of Asha and their magic that causes Tea to begin to question things. I don't want to spoil anything because you just have to read it to find out what happens. I also love the relationships that were developed in this. There are so many great friendships and relationships developed in this book.

This story is full of legends and magic and characters you can't help but love. I really loved how this all came together and I'm really satisfied with the ending. This was such a satisfying conclusion to such a wonderful series.

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Review: The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

The Grace Year by Kim Liggett
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an advanced copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  This book comes out September 17, 2019.

I really enjoyed this. I'm debating between 3 and 4 stars. I found the plot really intriguing and I had a hard time putting this down. Everyone is going to have a different reaction to this misogynistic society and the message this book delivers. There is quite a bit of violence in this book, yet the main character never gives in. There are quite a few parallels to real life in this book and it is quite disturbing.

This follows Tierney, a young girl about to leave her home for a year for her grace year. In her society, which is called the county in the book, as girls turn 16 they are sent away to an encampment in the woods to rid themselves of sin and magic. When they return, those selected to be wives of the eligible men prior to their departure are married and the rest are sent off to become laborers of some kind. Tierney is your typical "not like the others" girl. Her father has raised her unlike other girls in town to have some survival skills and thoughts of her own. Women in the county are basically property and basically just there for men's whims. They are supposed to be silent, pretty, have children, and if they stray from the acceptable norm they are punished. Punishments can be a whipping, banishment, or death. Their society is based on the Adam and Eve theory that because Eve sinned women are the root of all men's sin, and men couldn't possibly be responsible for their own actions.

When Tierney and her group get to the grace year camp, she tries to get the girls to build things that will help them survive. Most of the girls aren't interested. As their stay progresses the girls start acting funny which is easily explained by them all coming into their magic. Tierney isn't convinced and is quickly ousted from the main group. She is exiled from the camp and must figure out how to survive on her own. Outside of the camp, there are poachers just waiting for the girls to leave the safety of the gates. Not only does Tierney have to deal with potential violence from the girls at camp, but she has to evade being captured and killed by the poachers. During a particularly brutal attack Tierney finds and unlikely ally in one of the poachers. During her recovery she gets to know him and they uncover what is really going on with the girls at the camp. Determined to save as many girls as she can before they return home, Tierney becomes a bit of a rebel. She decides she will take whatever punishment awaits her when she returns home, but she is determined to change the future for future girls.

What is never really explained is why the women were ever sent on grace years to begin with. I would have liked a little origin other than because of Eve’s sin. Overall, I really enjoyed this gritty and gruesome tale.


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Review: The Chestnut Man by Søren Sveistrup

The Chestnut Man by Søren Sveistrup
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an advanced copy of this book via Edelweiss+ in exchange for an honest review.  This book was published on September 3, 2019.

This book is good, it has ample twists and turns. I honestly was surprised by the reveal. Sviestrup did an excellent job leading me down one path when something else entirely was happening. My real issue was the length and pace of the book. I prefer much faster paced thrillers, and this one is very slow to build. There was alot going on in this book and it took alot of characters to get us to the reveal. Unfortunately because there were so many different plotlines happening, it took far to long in my opinion to get back to the main plotline. I felt myself losing interest in what was happening because it took so long to get there. I find this happens alot when I read Nordic Noir. If you like slow building thrillers that are a bit on the violent and grisly side give this one a go.

As I mentioned there are quite a few different characters arcs that are followed throughout this book. The main perspectives are from Hess and Thulin the two detectives assigned to Copenhagen's "murder squad'. Neither of them are very happy about their lot in life, but they are assigned to a sadistic case where the killer leaves chestnut men as his calling card. Each time they think they have the case wrapped up, something points them in another direction. Meanwhile, Social Minister Rosa Hartung has just returned from a year long hiatus after the kidnapping and assumed murder of her teenage daughter. She and her family are still working through the grief and loss, but they are trying to get back to some sort of normalcy. Rosa is attacked with stalker type messages and threats as she retakes her political position. The plotlines of the murder investigations tie in with Rosa Hartung when her daughter's fingerprint is found on the chestnut men being found at the recent crime scenes. The police find that the simplest solution will explain the prints, while her parents find renewed hope that she may still be alive. Hess and Thulin are fueled to find the killer, and possibly find out what really happened to Kristine Hartung. As the story unfolds all of the seemingly unrelated plotlines start to merge together and you realize that they we all telling you bits and pieces of a much bigger story all along.

Overall, this was a good thriller. I find that I have an interesting relationship with Nordic Noir. I usually like the plot but think the pace is too slow. I think this was well written, just too slow paced for my tastes. I think this will make an awesome movie, and given the author's success with television I won't be surprised to see this on screen one day.

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September TBR

While I read a ton of stuff in August, I didn't read everything on my TBR so alot of these are repeats.  

I have a ton of ARCs to catch up on for September and October so that's what most of this list is going to be.  Some of these are pretty large books so we'll see if I can get through all of them on time.  I think this is a pretty ambitious TBR for the month and some prioritizing will have to happen.

Books/Ebooks/ARCs

• The Chestnut Man by Søren Sveistrup
• This comes out September 3rd.  It is a pretty large book and I haven't made a ton of progress.  Its good so far.  It is a Scandanavian thriller about a man who leaves little chestnut dolls at the scene of his crimes.  
• Beard with Me by Penny Reid
• This is one of  my most anticipated books of the year, this and the next one Beard Necessities.  This comes out September 16th and I can't wait to read it.  This is book 5.5 of the Winston Brothers series and it tells Claire aka Scarlet's story.  The next book Billy's story and I can't wait.  If you haven't read the series, they are some of my favorites and this couple has been waiting for their book for a very long time!
• The Grace Year by Kim Liggett 
• This is due out September 17th.  This is labeled as YA, dystopian, and sci-fi.  When girls turn 16, their Grace Year, they are banished to survive that year on their own.  Apparently they have some magical power for that year and the results can be horrifying.  It has gotten high praise and I'm looking forward to it.
• Saving Fable by Scott Reintgen 
•  This is due out September 17th.  This is a new middle grade fantasy series by Reintgen.  I loved his sci-fi trilogy Nyxia and this looks really fun.  This follows a fairy tale character who wants to become a hero and her journey to achieve hero status in the land of Fable.  
• A Hero Born by Jin Yong
• This book was published in 1957, but it is being being translated and published in the US on September 17 for the first time.  This is a Chinese fantasy, historical fiction novel about Genghis Khan.  It sounds really awesome.
• Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris 
• This due out October 3rd and is the follow up to The Tattooist of Auschwitz.  I recently finished that and I'm looking forward to reading Cilka's story as she was a major part of that story.
• The Furies by Katie Lowe due 
• This one comes out October 3rd and is a YA Thriller.  The cover reminds me of the movie The Craft.  The synopsis kind of gives me those vibes too.  I loved that movie, and this sounds really interesting, it promises occult, mentions witch trials, and has a dark tone.  Looks like a perfect read for fall.
• War of Hearts by S. Young
• I'm so excited for this one.  Samantha Young hasn't put out a Paranormal Fantasy in quite a while.  She's mainly stuck to contemporary romance for the last several years.  This is a standalone werewolf novel due out October 1st.  I'll probably read this before some of the other stuff on this list.
• The Burning Shadow by Jennifer L. Armentrout
• This is another of my most anticipated reads of the year.  I've had the arc forever but I kept pushing it off until closer to the release date.  Well October 8th is quickly approaching so it's time to read Luc and Evie's sequel.  I really love this spin-off to the Luxen series and I pretty much will read anything Jen writes.

Audiobooks

I'm focusing my audiobook attention on my reading challenge prompts.  If I get through these I have quite a few more on my wishlist to get through.  

• The Library Book by Susan Orlean
• Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
• Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton
• The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
• The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe
• The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen

Review: Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin

Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss+ in exchange for an honest review.  This book comes out tomorrow, September 3, 2019.

This started out a bit slow for me pacing wise, but the story was interesting so I stuck with it. I'm glad I did because it picks up at around the 40% mark and keeps going from there. I will say I did not appreciate the cliffhanger at the end, but I am very much looking forward to the next book!

This book has a bit of everything magic, witches, religious persecution, action, romance, drama, and friendship. I really enjoyed it and felt it was well crafted and entertaining. It follows Louise, a very rough thief happens to be a witch in hiding. Witches are hunted by the church and burned at the stake. The Archbishop leads the charge against witches and witchcraft claiming they are demons and must be rid from the world. His protege Captain Reid Diggory is very pious and successful Chasseur, aka witch hunter. Reid crosses patch with Lou several times before they find themselves married to save Reid and the church from an embarrassing situation. Lou must hide her true identity even closer because she will surely burn if they find out a witch is living in church.

As you can imaging Reid and Lou develop a hate to love relationship. While they are figuring out their situation, Lou is not only hiding her identity from her new husband she is also hiding from her mother. Her mother happens to be the head of the witch coven that is trying to take down the church and the royal family, but she needs Lou to do it. Lou has to decide if she can trust Reid with her secret in order to protect herself or if she can continue hiding under his nose and hope her mother doesn't find her.

In addition to her budding romance, Lou has a great best friend in Coco, another witch in hiding. She is a a blood witch while Lou sees patterns of magic and her magic requires some sort of sacrifice to keep the balance. Coco and Lou have a great friendship and I hope we get a bit more of Coco's backstory in the next book. Lou also develops an unlikely friend in Ansel, a Chasseur in training and her personal guard. In the end, Lou will need all of her allies and convince them that most witches are just regular people if she is going to survive her mother's plans and not find herself burning at the stake.

Overall, I really enjoyed this and I'm looking forward to the next book. This fantasy is heavier on the romance. I like the magic system and ended up really loving the characters.

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August Wrap up

I had a lot going on in August as far as reading.  I got about halfway through the month and felt really slumpy, but I had so many books to get through by the first week of September that I knew I had to push through.  I think the slump was partly due to the fact that I started out with a couple of books that I just didn't like.  They weren't terrible but they weren't things that really gripped me and I was just reading them for challenge prompts.  I also think I took on way too much by doing NEWTs and the Netgalley reviewathon.  While they were all books I wanted to read or intended to read anyway, it was just too much pressure.  I realized about halfway through the month, I had books to review in early September and need to switch gears.  I got a little overwhelmed and it is no one's fault but my own.  In the end I got everything read and reviewed, and the stuff on my TBR I didn't get to will get read in September.  No big deal.

Books/Ebooks/ARCs

• Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
• This was just OK for me, I feel it was definitely geared more towards the 9-12 boy demographic.  It has thievery, magic, action, and fart jokes.  I found myself laughing out loud quite a few times, the characters are quite hilarious.  I think my younger self would have really enjoyed this series.  This has been on my TBR for a while, but I won't be continuing on.  I was also using this as my book that was being turned into a movie in 2019, but I read that the  movie is being pushed to 2020 so this just counts for NEWTs.
• The Hanged Man and the Fortune Teller by Lucy Banks
• Review
• This is a paranormal historical fiction.  I really enjoy Bank's writing style.  This wasn't as humorous as her previous books, it was actually kind of sad and somber.  The historical fiction and time jumps were an interesting way to tell the story.  
• Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin
• Review
• This started out a bit slowly for me, but it picks up at about 40%.  It follows Lou, a thief and witch in hiding.  Witches are persecuted by the church and due to a case of very bad luck she finds herself  married to one of the church's most pious warriors.  As Lou and Reid figure out their very unconventional relationship, she finds herself actually coming to like her husband despite the fact that he'll burn her at the stake if he finds out her true identity.  I really enjoyed this one, but it ends with a cliffhanger.
• Extinction of All Children by L.J. Epps
• Review
• This is a dystopian story set in the year 2098.  It follows main character Emma who is the last child to turn 18, as she was also the last child allowed to be born in the impoverished Territory L.  This has Hunger Games vibes, but Emma is no Katniss Everdeen.  This is an OK start to the series, but it lacks character development and is fairly tropey and predictable.  I will continue on with the series, but I have other books that will likely take priority.
• The Whisper Man by Alex North
• Review
• This is one of my favorite thrillers of the year.  It follows a father and son as they are recovering from the loss of their wife/mother.  As they try to find a fresh start, a copycat murderer begins to plague the town they live in and the son appears to be his next target.  This was creepy without being too gory and I really enjoyed the twists and turns.  
• Crew Princess by Tijan
• Review
• This is the 2nd book in the Crew series, but it still follows Bren and her friends who are a gang that isn't a gang.  Their world is filled with violence and loyalty unlike anything else you've ever experienced.  They are pitted against two other crews as graduation approaches.  Not only does Bren have to face her future and deal with the emotions that brings but she also has to try not to break the rules of her probation and end up in jail.
• Kiss Me Not by Emma Hart
• Review
• This is a romantic comedy and it is hilarious.  It follows the local librarian and kissing booth champion as she deals with her crush and nemesis as her competition.  As you can imagine being forced to listen to him kiss other women gets on her nerves and forces her to face her feeling for him
• Star Mage Vol 2 by J.C De La Torre and Facundo Percio
• I read the first volume of this for the OWLs a few months back, this is volumes 1-6 so I picked up with volume 2 to fill a NEWTs prompt.  The art is really great, but the plot is kind of silly.  It isn't overly violent or gory and the dialogue is a bit juvenile but I think it is geared more toward the younger crowd.   This isn't bad, I do feel like my boys would really enjoy it.

Audiobooks

I got through quite a few audiobooks I've been meaning to get to this month.  Most of these were pretty good and almost all of them filled in some sort of challenge prompt.  I got through 10 audiobooks this month and I think that is a great success.

• Vengeful by V.E. Schwab
• This is the follow up to Vicious and follows Eli and Victor as well as some new characters with extraordinary abilities.  Each of the characters plays a very specific role, and none of them are good.  This is a great anti-hero story as none of the characters are particularly likeable, and they are all bad guys.  I really enjoy Schwab's writing and her ability to craft a story.  
• My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing
• Review
• This book was crazy.  It follows a seemingly normal couple with murderous tendencies.  As they carry out their psycho fantasy, they create a ruse to cover up their naughty deeds.  I wanted to love this, but I found this predictable and not very suspenseful.  While entertaining, I found most of their crazy behavior unrealisting and this just wasn't as gripping as I wanted it to be.
• The Radium Girls by Kate Moore
• I bought the ebook of this a while back when it was on sale around the holidays.  The ebook has pictures of the girls and some of the other key players in the story.  I really enjoyed the audiobook though as nonfiction can sometimes take me a long time to get through.  I so glad I finally got to this.  The story of the girls is a powerful one, it is devastating to hear how they were treated by the greedy executives.
• Bladerunner/Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick
• This was really weird.  That is pretty much all I have to say.  I was able to use this for a popsugar reading prompt and it has been on my TBR for a long time.  It is one of those books that makes you think way to hard.  This just isn't my preferred style of book.  I can see why people like it, it is just not for me.
• Welcome to Lagos by Chibundu Onuzo
• I won a copy of this audiobook ages ago from the publisher and have been meaning to get to it.  It is about a ragtag group of strangers who come together as a rebel Robin Hood like faction to save the education system of Nigeria.  It is really well written and narrated.  If you like realistic fiction I recommend it.
• The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
• I've been looking forward to this book for some time.  It however is not the best WWII historical fiction book I've ever read.  It is reads as though it were a movie and lacks the depth I expect from my books.  It isn't bad by any means it just felt like it was a bit fantastical given the serious nature of the subject matter.  
• Midnight Secrets by Rita Stradling
• The author was giving away audible credits for this so I grabbed one.  Who doesn't want a free audiobook!   This was a quick YA paranormal romance.  It has an unusual take on the vampire mythology as our main character is a vampire, but other than drinking blood she doesn't really adhere to any of the other vampire myths we are used to.  Parts of this are problematic, but overall I enjoyed it.
• The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory
• I picked this up when Penguin Random House had this free for their Volumes Book Club.  I'd heard good things and again who can pass up a free audiobook.  I really liked this until about halfway through.  The self-depreciation, self-doubt, and second guessing of the relationship from both characters who are successful, confident professionals got old and very repetitive.  This was a really cute story, but Alexa was this awesome badass character who got really annoying with her self confidence problems.  
• The Lost Man by Jane Harper
• I read this for the Read Harder challenge to read something about journalism or by a journalist.  Jane Harper was a journalist for many years in the UK before she became an author.  I had no idea what this book was about before I started it, but I was really pulled into the Australian outback and its harsh conditions in this family drama/psychological thriller.  This is very well written and I enjoyed it.
• His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik
• I actually just finished this today, but I listed to most of it in August so we are counting it.  This started out slow, but I'm glad I stuck it out.  This is awesome.  It is a bit historical fiction, a bit alternate history, and a bit fantasy.  The friendship between the main character Will Laurence and his dragon Temeraire is precious and I love them.  If you like dragons I highly recommend this.  Simon Vance narrates this and does an amazing job.  I can't stop listening and now want to binge the entire series.  This fill the prompt for Read Harder for an alternate history this is a reimagining of the Napoleonic War between France and England with dragons.

Newts wrap up

I wasn't sure I was going to finish all the prompts despite reading quite a lot in August.  I realized if rearranged a bit I could finish the prompts for Magizoologist.  I also just barely finished my last book before midnight local time, but I was able to squeeze it in.

I read my career books in order to get my NEWTs, but you can see the other books I read on my sheet to see the other prompts they fit in.  You can also check out my August Wrap-Up to see what I thought about the books I read.

Magical Creatures Prompts

• Book title that starts with  letter A
• Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
• This was fun but I didn't love it.  I think I would have really enjoyed it had I been about 25 years younger.
• Book under 300 pages
• The Hanged Man and the Fortune Teller by Lucy Banks
• I moved this to Charms
• The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
• This was good but not my favorite WWII historical fiction.  It read like a movie script, which is fitting given Morris is a screenwriter.
• Read a book with a bird on the cover
• Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin
• This starts out slow but is actually very good.  Its got witches, religious fanatics, and an unlikely romance.  I really like the magic system.  I finished this at 1130pm local time.  Nothing like squeaking it in before the end of the readathon.

Charms Prompts

• Read a book that you think has a gorgeous cover
• Verity by Colleen Hoover
• This one is just going to have to wait.  
• The Hanged Man and the Fortune Teller by Lucy Banks
• This is an interesting one.  I was expecting it to be funny, but it is actually very somber.  It is kind of a historical paranormal fiction.  
• Read a comic/graphic novel/manga (book under 150 pages)
• Star Mage Vol 2 by J.C De La Torre and Facundo Percio
• This is 152 pages but I read the first 27 during OWLS so there you have it.  I didn't love this one.  The art is fantastic but the plot is a bit juvenile.  I think younger readers would really like it.

Herbology Prompts

• Listen to an audiobook
• Vengeful by V.E. Schwab
• This was a decent sequel but I actually liked the first book more.  There are too many characters and plot arcs to keep track of in this one and I had a hard time keeping up.
• Read a book between 350-390 pages
• The Furies by Katie Lowe
• This comes out in October so I'll be reading it in September
• Welcome to Lagos by Chibundu Onuzo
• Goodreads says this has 368 pages, I listened to the audiobook.  This was really interesting.  It follows an unlikely group of people who kind of take on a Robin Hood like approach to helping the Nigerian school system.

UPDATE:  Book Roast posted her Wrap Up today and there are diplomas.  Here is mine for Magizoologist!  They look awesome!