Reviews and Comments

Det. Maritza Smith needs to solve the mystery inside Rose House, but the only way she can get in is if Dr. Selene Gisil allows it.

While I very much enjoyed Martine’s Teixcalaan Series, and I found the idea behind Rose/House extremely appealing, I didn’t care for this at all. I found the characters bland, the prose slippery and overly descriptive, and the denouement ultimately unsatisfying. I’d much rather read another Teixcalaan novel.

Fern the rattkin is dissatisfied, and uproots her life, heading off to Thune to set up shop next to a certain coffee shop.

Absolutely adorable. A lovely, cosy read following Fern, who is possibly even more foul-mouthed in middle age. Delightful characters show up, some new and some old, and the story itself is very sweet, albeit rather more adventures than previous instalments in the series. I find Fern extremely charming, and I really hope she will return as a main character in future novels. Where is the Legends & Latte TTRPG? At least give us a lore book! Take my money!

After Kit’s mother dies, her need for connection leads her to make friends with Bella, a young newcomer in town.

The writing is excellent, and Kit is written with great tenderness. She feels like a real little girl in a real world. As her story meanders back and forth, the blanks get filled in, and the reader gets sucker punched more than once. I’ll be reading more Verble.

What bits of the human body are replaceable, and why is it so difficult?

I’ve read most of the popular science books Roach has written, and enjoyed them all. “Replaceable You” is no different, it’s an easy read about an interesting topic, and I learnt a lot. However, I didn’t find Roach’s writing as charming as before, and suspect it’s me rather than any fault of hers. I’d just like a lot more facts, and a bit less breezy chattiness.

One night, Tova helps Marcellus, unaware of the ensuing ripple effects.

Though very predictable, this interwoven tale of a group of 70-something women, a shop keep with a crush, an orphan of sorts, and a Giant Pacific Octopus is quite sweet. I liked the characters and enjoyed reading about fundamentally kind people who care about each other. Not Great Literature, but soothing. TL:DR Needs more Marcellus.

Alex Easton, a sworn soldier, hurries to visit kan dying friend Madeline.

I usually love Kingfisher books, but I was quite indifferent to this one. A retelling of “The Fall of the House of Usher”, by Edgar Allan Poe, but Kingfisher gives various characters more depth.

I tend to avoid horror, as I’m either too terrified, or completely unmoved by the various ghastly happenings. “What Moves the Dead” falls into the latter category. I didn’t find it creepy at all, and there was no mystery to solve. However, I did enjoy the Gothic Horror aesthetic, and found the idea of Gallacian having seven sets of personal pronouns interesting, particularly the inclusion of a solider-specific one.

I’ll probably read the sequels eventually, but I’m not rushing off to do so. All in all, it was fine.

A father-daughter duo of “food detectives” sleuth their way to recreating beloved lost meals.

Felt more like tableaus flowing into one another than a novel. Nagare, is almost Holmesian in his ability to infer what clients desire from the interviews conducted by Koishi. Relentlessly cosy, but readers have zero chance at solving any of the “mysteries”. I found it unsatisfying as it’s short on detecting, focusing more on patrons’ often bittersweet stories. Not the book I thought I was getting, and I prefer something with more “meat” on its bones.

In a dystopic, corporate-run world, a trans girl is raised up by the CEO for a single purpose, only to find she is being replaced.

I really enjoyed this and was a bit miffed when it ended, because only then did I realise it was a short story. Great one, though. Excellent world-building and a compelling read. Will be reading more Cameron Reed as soon as possible.

In honour of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes to compete in the fiftieth annual Hunger Games.

While I quite enjoyed the Hunger Games trilogy back in 2012, “Sunrise on the Reaping” feels like a somewhat unnecessary addition. I found the romance annoying, the arena a dreary slog to get through, and the ending dismal but not enjoyably so. Also, too much song lyrics and poetry for my tastes. Not for me. However, all that is a “me problem”, and Hunger Games fans should thoroughly enjoy this latest entry in the series.