Sky Without Stars

Today's post is on Sky Without Stars by Jessica Brody and Joanne Rendell. It is 579 pages long and is published by Simon Pulse. The cover is a world with different French landmarks on it. The intended reader is someone who likes young adult novels, romance, and reimagines of stories. There is some mild foul language, no sex, and some violence in this novel. The story is told from three different perspectives of the main characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- A thief. An officer. A guardian.
Three strangers. One shared destiny . . .
When the Last Days came, the planet of Laterre promised hope. But five hundred years later, it’s now a place where an extravagant elite class reigns supreme; where the clouds hide the stars and the poor starve in the streets; where a rebel group, long thought dead, is resurfacing.
Whispers of revolution have begun—a revolution that hinges on three unlikely heroes…
Chatine is a street-savvy thief who will do anything to escape the brutal Regime, including spying on Marcellus, the grandson of the most powerful man on the planet.
Marcellus is an officer—and the son of a traitor. Groomed to command by his legendary grandfather, Marcellus begins to doubt the government he’s vowed to serve when he discovers a cryptic message that only one person, a girl named Alouette, can read.
Alouette is living in an underground refuge, where she guards and protects the last surviving library on the planet. But a shocking murder will bring Alouette to the surface for the first time in twelve years…and plunge Laterre into chaos.
All three have roles to play in a dangerous game of revolution—and together they will shape the future of a planet.
Power, romance, and destiny collide in this sweeping reimagining of Victor Hugo’s masterpiece Les Misérables.

Review- A epic beginning to a trilogy that takes Les Misérables not only into space but into places never explored before. The story follows three very different characters with very different perceptions of life and their futures. Chatine only wants to get away from Laterre, Marcellus wants to be who his grandfather expects him to be, and Alouette wants to protect the hidden past without knowing her own. The three are on a collision course with planned revolution, old secrets, and murder. This was a good read with lots of world building, characters development, and fast pacing. The reader gets a handle on the world of Laterre and the people who live and die there. With the chapter heading telling the reader who perspective they are in, the reader sees Laterre from very different places and that adds so much to the world. I look forward to reading the next volume. 

I give this novel a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this novel from my local library.

Deer Creek Drive: A Reckoning of Memory and Murder in the Mississippi Delta

Today's nonfiction post is on Deer Creek Drive: A Reckoning of Memory and Murder in the Mississippi Delta by Beverly Lowry. It is 354 pages long and is published by Alfred A. Knopf. The is a street with a map of Mississippi and garden shears. The intended reader is someone who is interested in historical murders and southern history. There is some foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- The stunning true story of a murder that rocked the Mississippi Delta and forever shaped one author's life and perception of home.
In 1948, in the most stubbornly Dixiefied corner of the Jim Crow south, society matron Idella Thompson was viciously murdered in her own home: stabbed at least 150 times and left facedown in one of the bathrooms. Her daughter, Ruth Dickins, was the only other person in the house. She told authorities a Black man she didn't recognize had fled the scene, but no evidence of the man's presence was uncovered. When Dickins herself was convicted and sentenced to life in prison, the community exploded. Petitions pleading for her release were drafted, signed, and circulated, and after only six years, the governor of Mississippi granted Ruth Dickins an indefinite suspension of her sentence and she was set free.
In Deer Creek Drive, Beverly Lowry--who was ten at the time of the murder and lived mere miles from the Thompsons' home--tells a story of white privilege that still has ramifications today, and reflects on the brutal crime, its aftermath, and the ways it clarified her own upbringing in Mississippi.

Review- This is an interesting historical true crime and memoir of the author. She lived in the area when the murder happened and she remembers reading about it as a young teenager. The book starts after the murder then backs up to give content. The content is not just about the murder, the victim, or her family, but about the world of Delta Mississippi and how it worked. Lowry follows the case from beginning to end and adds in what was going on in her world as the same time. She discusses how being a white woman affected the case, from how long it took for her to be arrested, and how she was treated after. The writing was good, the research was good, and the examination of the southern Delta Mississippi at that particular time was very fascinating. 

I give this book a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

The Dragon Knight's Beloved, vol 1

Today's post is on The Dragon Knight's Beloved, vol 1 by Asagi Orikawa. It is 195 pages long and is published by Seven Seas. The cover has the two main characters, Melissa and Hubert, with his white dragon behind them. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this manga. The intended reader is someone who likes high fantasy and shojo manga. The story is told from third person close of Melissa. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- A Girl Beloved by Dragons

Melissa is a maid-in-training at the royal castle, where her greatest joy is caring for the majestic steeds of the Dragon Knights. Her coming-of-age ceremony is fast approaching, and with it comes the need to decide what path her future will take. Melissa shares a special bond of friendship with Commander Hubert, the handsome knight who rides the mightiest of dragons, but their relationship is about to get complicated. Newly returned from a dangerous mission, Hubert makes a shocking request: Would Melissa pretend to be his lover, and move to his country estate, where wild dragons roam?

Review- A good start to a new series. Melissa is one of the few people that can be around dragon safely, they seem to like her., including the queen of dragon. So when her friend Hubert needs someone to pretend to be his lover, she is best choice. Of course, he has feelings for her and she doesn't know that, add in his older brother's fiancée, who is more than a little suspicious and that is the plot set up. The art is just amazing with so much detail and expression from all the character, including the dragons. The story is just getting started but there is more than just a love story going on. There is some political stuff happening in the back ground and neither of the main characters know about it. I like all the characters, the setting, and the plot so far, so I am interested in seeing where this goes. 

I give this manga a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

Vampire Hunter D Volume 6: Pilgrimage of the Sacred and the Profane

Today's fiction post is on Vampire Hunter D Volume 6: Pilgrimage of the Sacred and the Profane by Hideyuki Kikuchi , and Yoshitaka Amano  (Illustrator). It is 178 pages long and is published by Dark Horse. The cover has D and his horse in the moonlight on it. The intended reader is someone who likes dark adventure stories with stoic characters and strange monsters. There is mild foul language, mild sexuality, and violence in this novel. The story is told from third person god narration. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- The Cruel Desert between the Inner and Outer Frontiers has a mind, and heart, of its own.
Granny Viper is a "people finder," a searcher for lost souls along the roads of the forbidding wasteland of 12,090 A.D. Her latest mission: the safe return to her family of an "abductee," a young woman named Tae, kidnapped eight years ago by vampire Nobility and held in Castle Gradinia on the far border of the Frontiers. Rescuing Tae was only half the battle- Viper knows she can't make the rest of the journey with the across the formidable expanse to the town of Barnabas alone. But the wizened crone makes a fatal mistake in hiring the mercenary Bullow Brothers to help her, and when she turns to the legendary Vampire Hunter D for salvation the two women and D finds themselves in a race for their lives across the blinding desert sands.

Review- Another interesting adventure for D and the world that he lives in. In this novel he meets another dhampir and they have some very interesting interactions. The action is mostly about the characters just trying to survive the desert, which has a will and plans for all of them. The most interesting part of this novel is interactions between D and the other dhampir. They a lot in common and that makes their conversations very important and add depth to the world and world building. The art in this novel really add to the story and we get a good look at D's face in this volume. All in all this volume was a great read and added so much to the world building and to D's overall character. 

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this novel with my own money.

Banned Books: The World's Most Controversial Books, Past and Present

Today's nonfiction post is on Banned Books: The World's Most Controversial Books, Past and Present. It is 192 pages long and is published by DK Publishing. The cover is blue with a pile of books chained up in the center. The intended reader is someone who likes history and literature. There is some foul language, discussion of sex and sexuality, and discussion of violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead. 

From the back of the book- Which novel is claimed to have inspired an assassination? Why were Grimm's Fairy Tales once banned in German schools? Which book  about censorship has routinely fallen afoul of the censors? Banned Books brings together some of the world's most controversial written works, from Gustave Flaubert's Madame Bovary to J>D> Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye. Shocking, scandalous, offensive, and often surprising, these books offer a fascinating insight into censorship, culture, society, and politics. 

Review- An interesting look into banned books from around the world and why the books were banned. Each book is given at least a page to cover the basic plot and the controversy around it. The writing in this book takes a back sit to the books covered themselves. The point of this book is to educate the curious about the banned books and to encourage the reader to try one of the banned books for themselves and to make up their own minds. There is art accompanying the short essays and it adds a very nice touch to the book. I do recommend this book for everyone who wants to know what's the big deal?

I give this book a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library. 

Canon, vol 4

 

Today's post is on Canon, vol 4 by Chika Shiomi. It is 194 pages long and was published by CMX Comics. As it is the fourth in the series, you need to have read the first three volumes to understand the story. The cover has Canon and Sakaki on it. The intended reader is someone who likes shojo manga and vampire love stories. The story is told from third person close of Canon. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Allegiances shift and the battle lines are drawn as Canon faces her true enemy. She's made a vow that she won't let one more person die... unless she takes the fall herself. The powerful Glenn is prepared to take her on, but Rod forbids him to kill her., leading to a fateful rift between the vampire allies. And is it possible that Canon still has a chance to regain her humanity?

Review- A interesting conclusion to a short series. Canon regains control of herself with help from her bird friend and she is sick of all the death around her. So she wants to save everyone is willing die trying. The story ends happily with Canon and Sakaki going to try and just be in love with no revenge or death handing around them. The last half of this volume is about Sakaki and his past from when his parents died to him being saved by another half-vampire. It added some good depth to his character and motives. The romance in very light in this series, so if you are looking for an intense love story then you will be disappointed with this series. But if like me, you are looking for a strong heroine, who grows and changes over the course of the story and influences those around her, then you should enjoy Canon. 

I give this volume a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

Slayers: The Ghost of Sairaag Hajime Kanzaka (Writer) , Rui Araizumi (Illustrator)

Today's fiction post is on Slayers: The Ghosts of Sairaag by Hajime Kanzaka, and Rui Araizumi  (Illustrator). It is 226 pages long and is published by J-Novel Club. As it is the third novel in the Slayers series, you need to have the first two novels to understand the story. The cover has Lina on it looking pleased with herself. There is very mild foul language, no sex, and action violence in this novel. The story is told from first person perspective of Lina. There Be Spoiler Ahead.

From the back of the book- All me and Gourry wanted was a peaceful little road trip, but we can’t take one step without wannabe heroes showing up to “vanquish” us! You’d think there was a bounty on our heads or— Wait, there IS?! Ah, crap. Better head to Sairaag to get this whole mess sorted out! Sure hope it’s just a big misunderstanding and not some complex plot by an old enemy to lure us into a— Wait, WHO issued the bounty? Oh, boy...

Review- This is novel is very good, it is back to Lina and Gourry on the run from bad guys and trying to figure out what is really going on. They run into my favorite character again, Zelgadis, and he is a good addition to this novel. He is a very unique perspective and he is good with magic so Lina has someone to talk about magic with. The action is very fast in this novel, with every scene adding more to the plot and expanding the world for the readers. The villain is very good in this novel, nice and evil and very powerful, so our heroes have to think outside of Dragon Slave to stop him. Kanzaka is really warming up to his world and the characters in it. I am looking forward to the next novel and seeing what is going to happen next. 

I give this novel a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this novel with my own money. 

How the Irish Became White

 

Today's nonfiction post is on How the Irish Became White by Noel Ignatiev. It is 233 pages long and is published by Routledge. The cover is a painting by William Sidney Mount "Dance of the Haymakers". The intended reader is someone who is interested in Irish, American, and African American history. There is some foul language, no sex, and discussion of violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Ignatiev traces the tattered history of Irish and African-American relations, revealing how the Irish used labor unions, the Catholic Church and the Democratic party to help gain and secure their newly found place in the White Republic. He uncovers the roots of conflict between Irish-Americans & African-Americans & draws a powerful connection between the embracing of white supremacy & Irish "success" in 19th century American society.

Review- This is a very scholarly book about the Irish in America during the 19th century. The way that the Irish emigrants were viewed, the Catholic prejudice in America and racial fears towards both the Irish and African slaves. But this book is not written for the average reader, as it is written in a professional, scholarly way. So some of the language can be very obscure. But if you are truly interested in the history that this book is about, you will find a very interesting resource. Ignatiev gives a very nuanced view of the world that the Irish were coming from and what they were arriving into in America. He does not hide from the racial prejudice towards both African slaves and Irish emigrants. Ignatiev does his research, his notes are excellent, and you can find all his resources if you want to read more about this subject. For the more scholarly, history minded readers, this is a good read. But if you are looking for some more generally approachable, then this book is not for you. 

I give this book a Three out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library. 

Knight of the Ice, vol 5

 

Today's post is on Knight of the Ice, vol 5 by Yayoi Ogawa. It is 176 pages long and is published by Kodansha Comics. The cover has Kokoro on it dressed as Don Juan. As it is the fifth volume in the series, you need to have read the first four volumes to understand the story. The intended reader is someone who likes josei and sports manga. There is mild foul language, no sex, and no violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the main character, Chitose. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- A Change of Heart
Between busy work schedules an the need to hide their relationship from the public, Chitose begins to wonder if she can even call Kokoro her boyfriend. After all, how can you be in a relationship when you can't even spend time with the you're dating? With the rumors about Kokoro and Liza Shibata continuing to spread- plus another about Kokoro having a fiancée- the stress of it all becomes too much for Chitose. But when Chitose tells Kokoro she wants to break up, how will he take the bad news?

Review- Mild drama in this volume with Chitose and Kokoro still having to work out how to communicate as a couple. So instead of having a hard discussion about what is going with them both they just sort of drift. They do break up but not really. I could see where some readers would be frustrated with this slower plot but I think that for these characters, it is realistic. Kokoro knows that he wants and needs Chitose but she is on the fence about that. Kokoro needs to be up front with her about his feelings and what he wants for the future. I see maybe the beginning of a love triangle but maybe not as the other guy has a great deal of sense. The staking is fun with lots of neat art and discussion about figure staking. But I think that some major plots things are going to be happening in the next volume, so I am looking forward to it. 

I give this volume a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

Lute

Today's post is on Lute by Jennifer Marie Thorne. It is 274 pages long and is published by TOR Nightfire. The cover is deep purple with seven figure in white with garlands around their necks. The intended reader is someone who likes traditional, folk horror. There is some mild foul language, some sexuality, and violence in this novel. The story is told from first person perspective of the main character, Nina. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- On the idyllic island of Lute, every seventh summer, seven people die. No more, no less.
Lute and its inhabitants are blessed, year after year, with good weather, good health, and good fortune. They live a happy, superior life, untouched by the war that rages all around them. So it’s only fair that every seven years, on the day of the tithe, the island’s gift is honored.
Nina Treadway is new to The Day. A Florida girl by birth, she became a Lady through her marriage to Lord Treadway, whose family has long protected the island. Nina’s heard about The Day, of course. Heard about the horrific tragedies, the lives lost, but she doesn’t believe in it. It's all superstitious nonsense. Stories told to keep newcomers at bay and youngsters in line.
Then The Day begins. And it's a day of nightmares, of grief, of reckoning. But it is also a day of community. Of survival and strength. Of love, at its most pure and untamed. When The Day ends, Nina―and Lute―will never be the same.

Review- This is a very engaging folk horror novel in the tradition of The Wicker Man. Nina came to the island of Lute seven years ago when she married the new lord of the island. Everyone on the island has told that until she experiences The Day, she isn't a real Luter. Told over the course of two days, this novel is an intense, atmospheric experience in classic style horror. The writing is tight and claustrophobic, focused tightly on Nina and her interactions with the other characters and The Day. The island of Lute itself is a character, it is, of course, the setting but it is also a character that interacts with Nina and some of the other characters. That magnifies the setting and it's place in the narrative. Thorne does a wonderful job with this novel and I highly recommend this novel for classic horror lovers. 

I give this novel a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this novel from my local library.

The Good Assassin: How a Mossad Agent and a Band of Survivors Hunted Down the Butcher of Latvia

Today's nonfiction post is on The Good Assassin: How a Mossad Agent and a Band of Survivors Hunted Down the Butcher of Latvia by Stephan Talty. It is 304 pages long and is published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. The cover is red on top with the title and on the bottom half a ripped photo of Herbert Cukurs. There is foul language, sex, rape, and violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- The untold story of an Israeli spy’s epic journey to bring the notorious Butcher of Latvia to justice—a case that altered the fates of all ex-Nazis.
Before World War II, Herbert Cukurs was a famous figure in his small Latvian city, the “Charles Lindbergh of his country.” But by 1945, he was the Butcher of Latvia, a man who murdered some thirty thousand Latvian Jews. Somehow, he dodged the Nuremberg trials, fleeing to South America after war’s end.
By 1965, as a statute of limitations on all Nazi war crimes threatened to expire, Germany sought to welcome previous concentration camp commanders, pogrom leaders, and executioners, as citizens. The global pursuit of Nazi criminals escalated to beat the looming deadline, and Mossad, the Israeli national intelligence agency, joined the cause. Yaakov Meidad, the brilliant Mossad agent who had kidnapped Adolf Eichmann three years earlier, led the mission to assassinate Cukurs in a desperate bid to block the amnesty. In a thrilling undercover operation unrivaled by even the most ambitious spy novels, Meidad traveled to Brazil in an elaborate disguise, befriended Cukurs and earned his trust, while negotiations over the Nazi pardon neared a boiling point.
The Good Assassin uncovers this little-known chapter of Holocaust history and the pulse-pounding undercover operation that brought Cukurs to justice.

Review- This is a very interesting book about a small part of the greater story of World War II. This book is divided in two parts; the first part is during the war and what happened in Latvia, and the second part is about finding Cukurs and assassinating him. Both parts are interesting and both are necessary to understand the drives of the men involved with Mossad. The story is very intense with the hunt for Cukurs, the spy craft, and the fight to the death. There is also politics in the background that made this mission all the more important for the families of the Jews that Cukurs murdered. Talty handles this story with care and respect but he spares no details, so if you are more sensitive to war crimes, then have caution with this book. 

I give this book a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library. 

The Water Dragon's Bride, vol 11

 

Today's post is on The Water Dragon's Bride, vol 11 by Rei Toma. It is 200 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has the three main characters on it, Asahi, Subaru, and the Water Dragon God. As it is the eleventh in the series, you need to have read the first ten volumes to understand the story. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this volume. The intended reader is someone who likes time travel stories and star-crossed lovers. The story is told from third person close of Asahi and the Water Dragon. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Facing the gravity of his impending demise, the water dragon vows that he will send Asahi back to her world before all power disappears. As Asahi struggles to find a way to stay with him, she can't dent that the day when they must past is coming. Is it truly the end for these two star-crossed lovers?

Review- A solid ending to a good series. The Water Dragon is dying, which for a being like him means going back to the element he was born from, so he is becoming water. He wants to send Asahi back to her home and she wants to die with him. Very dramatic stuff but she goes back and the Water Dragon fades. But with the help of the other gods he is send forward in time to try and find Asahi and we see exactly what happened when she was first taken. He was reaching for her without understanding what he was doing. But it ends happily with Asahi and the Water Dragon reunited and they will find a way to live together. I enjoyed this series, it was interesting, had good fantasy elements, and the art was excellent. I would recommend this series. 

I give this final volume a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

Echo

Today's post is on Echo by Thomas Olde Heuvelt. It is 401 pages long and is published by Nightfire. The cover is green with a man off center and he has birds coming from his face. The intended reader is someone who likes horror stories. There is sex and sexuality, foul language, and mild violence in this novel. The story is told from first person perspective of the main characters, Sam and Nick. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- NATURE IS CALLING—but they shouldn't have answered.
Travel journalist and mountaineer Nick Grevers awakes from a coma to find that his climbing buddy, Augustin, is missing and presumed dead. Nick’s own injuries are as extensive as they are horrifying. His face wrapped in bandages and unable to speak, Nick claims amnesia—but he remembers everything.
He remembers how he and Augustin were mysteriously drawn to the Maudit, a remote and scarcely documented peak in the Swiss Alps.
He remembers how the slopes of Maudit were eerily quiet, and how, when they entered its valley, they got the ominous sense that they were not alone.
He remembers: something was waiting for them...
But it isn’t just the memory of the accident that haunts Nick. Something has awakened inside of him, something that endangers the lives of everyone around him…
It’s one thing to lose your life. It’s another to lose your soul.

Review- An intense and riveting horror novel about realizing your place on the earth. The story starts towards the end of the novel with Sam's sister Julia and something from the mountain that has come for her. The opening sets the tone for the novel and it is very intense. Then the story jumps back to Sam learning that Nick had been an accident up on the mountain named Maudit. But Nick shouldn't have been near the Maudit and what happened to his climbing partner? This horror novel is very unique, from the plot to the pacing, I enjoyed it very much. The mystery of what happened up on the mountain and what the mountain itself it was very interesting and I was pulled through this novel very quickly. If you are looking for nature horror, then you need to read this novel. 

I give this novel a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

The Vanished Collection Pauline Baer de Perignon

Today's nonfiction post is on The Vanished Collection by Pauline Baer de Perignon and Natasha Lehrer  (Translator). The audiobook is 5 hours and 41 minutes long and it is published by Dreamscape Media. The cover is an illustration of a Paris apartment with an empty picture frame. The intended reader is someone who is interested in looted art, World War 2 history, and family memoirs.  There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back- It all started with a list of paintings. There, scribbled by a cousin she hadn't seen for years, were the names of the masters whose works once belonged to her great-grandfather, Jules Strauss: Renoir, Monet, Degas, Tiepolo and more. Pauline Baer de Perignon knew little to nothing about Strauss, or about his vanished, precious art collection. But the list drove her on a frenzied trail of research in the archives of the Louvre and the Dresden museums, through Gestapo records, and to consult with Nobel laureate Patrick Modiano. What happened in 1942? And what became of the collection after Nazis seized her great-grandparents’ elegant Parisian apartment? The quest takes Pauline Baer de Perignon from the Occupation of France to the present day as she breaks the silence around the wrenching experiences her family never fully transmitted, and asks what art itself is capable of conveying over time.

Review- An interesting memoir about family and discovering history. De Perignon learned that before the second world war, her family owned some very precious art and after the war, everything was gone. Then she starts to research what her family had owed and where it could have gone. This became more than just an interest in family history but a search for justice. De Perignon takes the reader from the beginning of her search all the way to a happy ending but this story is more than just about stolen art. It is about De Perignon learning about her family and herself. She had never thought about many things around her family or herself, like did she identify as Jewish or not. The translation is good, the narrator is good, and this is a very nice book to listen to. I would recommend this book both in audiobook and print version. 

I give this book a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this audiobook from my local library.