Winter Tide

Today’s post is on Winter Tide by Ruthanna Emrys. It is 362 pages long  and is published by Tor. It is the first in her The Innsmouth Legacy. The cover is brown with a woman just off center facing the ocean with her back to the reader. There is mild foul language, implied sex and sexuality, and mild violence in this novel. The story is told from first person close of Aphra. There Be Spoilers Ahead. 

From the dust jacket- After attacking Devil’s Reef in 1928, the U.S. government rounded up the people of Innsmouth and took them to the desert, far from their ocean, their Deep One ancestors, and their sleeping god Cthulhu. Only Aphra and Caleb Marsh survived the camps, and they emerged without a past or a future.

The government that stole Aphra's life now needs her help. FBI agent Ron Spector believes that Communist spies have stolen dangerous magical secrets from Miskatonic University, secrets that could turn the Cold War hot in an instant, and hasten the end of the human race.

Aphra must return to the ruins of her home, gather scraps of her stolen history, and assemble a new family to face the darkness of human nature.

Review- An excellent addition to the Cthulhu mythos. This story follows the people who are from Innsmouth, from Lovecraft’s story Shadow over Innsmouth, which is one of my favorites by him. In the current time of the book it is 1949 and Aphra has never gone back home but when an FBI agent she knows asks her for help, back to Innsmouth she goes. Emrys explores the world of the water people, old gods, and the Yith. There is a plot to use magic and ancient knowledge to do bad things but the real reason for the story is Aphra and her journey home. She has to make some very big decisions about her people and her future. Emrys does a wonderful job working with the lore of Innsmouth and creating new lore for her world and characters. I am curious about the second volume and where the story is going from here. 

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

Traveling Black: A Story of Race and Resistance

Today’s nonfiction post is on Traveling Black: A Story of Race and Resistance by Mia Bay. It is 391 pages long and is published by Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. The cover is an illustration of different ways of travel from cars to buses. The intended reader is someone who is interested in African American history. There is foul language, no sex, and discussion of violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- A riveting, character-rich account of racial segregation in America that reveals just how central travel restrictions were to the creation of Jim Crow laws--and why "traveling Black" has been at the heart of the quest for racial justice ever since.

Why have white supremacists and Black activists been so focused on Black mobility? From Plessy v. Ferguson to #DrivingWhileBlack, African Americans have fought for over a century to move freely around the United States. Curious as to why so many cases contesting the doctrine of "separate but equal" involved trains and buses, Mia Bay went back to the sources with some basic questions: How did travel segregation begin? Why were so many of those who challenged it in court women? How did it move from one form of transport to another, and what was it like to be caught up in this web of contradictory rules?

From stagecoaches and trains to buses, cars, and planes, Traveling Black explores when, how, and why racial restrictions took shape and brilliantly portrays what it was like to live with them. "There is not in the world a more disgraceful denial of human brotherhood than the 'Jim Crow' car of the southern United States," W. E. B. Du Bois famously declared. Bay unearths troves of supporting evidence, rescuing forgotten stories of undaunted passengers who made it back home despite being insulted, stranded, re-routed, or ignored.

Black travelers never stopped challenging these humiliations and insisting on justice in the courts. Traveling Black upends our understanding of Black resistance, documenting a sustained fight that falls outside the traditional boundaries of the civil rights movement. A masterpiece of scholarly and human insight, this book helps explain why the long, unfinished journey to racial equality so often takes place on the road.

Review- A very interesting and engaging read about travel discrimination that African Americans have dealt with and continue to do so. Bay has done extensive research into her topic and it shows in this book. We start at the end of the Civil War when the newly freed slaves started moving around in society without a white person or permission from anyone. Over the course of the book, we travel with very famous people to more normal citizens who are all dealing with extreme unfairness and prejudice. Bay covers the topics with respect but she does not soften the harsh truths of traveling black. I would recommend 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. 

Kiss Him, Not Me!, Vol. 3

Today’s post is on Kiss Him, Not Me!, Vol. 3 by Junko. It is 160 pages long and is published by Kodansha Comics. The cover has all the main characters on it. As it is the third in the series you need to have read the first two 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 humorous stories that play with tropes from otome games and shojo manga/anime. The story is told from third person close of mostly Kae. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Hi! it's Kae here! Recently, I made a new friend. Her name is Shima and she's the most handsome girl I've ever met in my life!

…And guess what else? She also happens to be one of my favorite doujin authors ever! I mean, how much cooler can you get?!

But it doesn't stop there—she invited me over to her house and the most unbelievable thing happened!!

It looks like the boys have some tough competition. Let’s see if they can keep up…

Review- In this volume we get some great character growth from some of the boys with Kae regaining her weight and the boys having to think about what about Kae they were attracted to in the beginning. I do wish that Kae’s weight issues were treated more seriously but this is a comedy manga and having the characters think about what they are attracted to someone is a big deal, so I’m willing to let it go. Kae doesn’t get much character development in this volume but it is more about the boys than Kae. Still an enjoyable volume and I am looking forward to the next volume. 

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.

Mr. Malcolm’s List

Today’s post is on Mr. Malcolm’s List by Suzanne Allain. It is 244 pages long and is published by Jove. The cover has silhouettes of the main characters. The intended reader is someone who likes historical romance, humorous stories, and happy endings. There is very mild foul language, no sex, and no violence in this novel. The story is told from third person close of the two main characters. There Be Spoiler Ahead.

From the back of the book-The Honorable Jeremy Malcolm is searching for a wife, but not just any wife. He's determined to elude the fortune hunters and find a near-perfect woman, one who will meet the qualifications on his well-crafted list. But after years of searching, he's beginning to despair of finding this paragon. And then Selina Dalton arrives in town…

Selina, a vicar's daughter of limited means and a stranger to high society, is thrilled when her friend Julia invites her to London.  Until she learns it's part of a plot to exact revenge on Mr. Malcolm. Selina is reluctant to participate in Julia's scheme, especially after meeting the irresistible Mr. Malcolm, who seems very different from the arrogant scoundrel of Julia's description.

But when Mr. Malcolm begins judging Selina against his unattainable standards, Selina decides that she has qualifications of her own. And if he is to meet them he must reveal the real man behind...Mr. Malcolm's List. 

Review- A very fun historical romance. Selina gets pulled into getting revenge for a old classmate/friend when Mr. Malcolm refuses to court the friend. Jeremy has a very silly list that he uses to measure all women and when the women fail, and they all do, then he has a reason to stop seeing them. That is never really explained to me, why does he have the list in the first place. It is hinted that his brother’s wife is not the best choice but that is the only thing that could have driven him to make the list. Of course our heroine fulfills the list but the revenge sub-plot gets in the way. It was a fun romance. I would read another book by the author.

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.

Kenka Bancho Otome: Love's Battle Royale, Vol. 2

Today’s post is on Kenka Bancho Otome: Love's Battle Royale, Vol. 2 by Chie Shimada. It is 200 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has three of the main characters on it. As it is the second volume in the duology you need to have read the first volume to understand some of the finer points of the story. There is no foul language, no sex, and comic violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the main character Hinako. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Hinako takes her twin brother Hikaru’s place at Shishiku Academy for boys. Fights break out every day, but there are also lots of heart-palpitating events with the boys that she never expected! And as the battle to be the boss of the school rages on, will Hikaru make it to the top?

Review- A very unsatisfying ending to a mediocre duology. Hinako is still just doing what her brother wants to her without any consideration for Hinako and what she wants for her life. None of the other boys learn that she is a girl so more comedic gay panic but I was very underwhelmed with this series. I wanted Hinako to challenge her brother, to make her life and her choices without being bullied, like she has been for her whole life. We never learn why she was abandoned by her family and we have no idea what will happen to her in the future. Very disappointed in this manga series, which is too bad because I love Otome games. 

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

Curse of Honor: A Legend of the Five Rings Novel

Today’s post is on Curse of Honor: A Legend of the Five Rings Novel by David Annandale. It is 331 pages long and is published by Aconyte Books. The cover has a silhouette of a samurai with a tower in the center and small figures at the base. There is mild foul language, no sex, and some violence. Even though this novel is set in the Legend of Five Rings world, you do not need to have played any of the games to enjoy this novel. The story is told from third person of the main characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Striking Dawn Castle defends the mountains between the Rokugan empire and the demon-haunted Shadowlands. When a mythical city is discovered in the forbidding peaks, Hida Haru, heir and sore disappointment to his family, seizes the opportunity to prove himself. His rash expedition ends in disaster – just one samurai returns alive, and Haru is lost. Before a power struggle can break out, Striking Dawn’s battle-hardened commander, Ochiba, is dispatched to rescue Haru. She succeeds against supernatural horrors, but Haru is… changed. Now, mysterious deaths and ill fortune plague his family. Something evil is loose and must be stopped, at any cost.

Review- This is a great horror-fantasy novel in a setting that I really enjoy. My only complaint is with the blurb on the back. It makes you think that Ocihiba is the main character, she is not. But that is the blurb, not the novel’s fault. The real main character is Barako and she is a good main character. She is interesting, she adapts as the story goes on, and she is resolute to the end. I did figure out who the oni was early on but that is more to do with my experience as a reader than any fault on the writer or plot weakness. I hope that Annandale writes more in this setting. I really enjoyed this novel and I want to read more from him.

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. 

Last Call: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York

Today’s is on Last Call: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York by Elon Green. It is 256 pages long and is published by Celadon Books. The cover is a picture of New York from above. The intended reader is someone who is interested in true crime and LGBT+ history. There is some foul language, discussion of sex and sexuality, and descriptions of violence. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- The gripping true story, told here for the first time, of the Last Call Killer and the gay community of New York City that he preyed upon.

The Townhouse Bar, midtown, July 1992: The piano player seems to know every song ever written, the crowd belts out the lyrics to their favorites, and a man standing nearby is drinking a Scotch and water. The man strikes the piano player as forgettable.

He looks bland and inconspicuous. Not at all what you think a serial killer looks like. But that’s what he is, and tonight, he has his sights set on a gray haired man. He will not be his first victim.

Nor will he be his last.

The Last Call Killer preyed upon gay men in New York in the ‘80s and ‘90s and had all the hallmarks of the most notorious serial killers. Yet because of the sexuality of his victims, the skyhigh murder rates, and the AIDS epidemic, his murders have been almost entirely forgotten.

This gripping true-crime narrative tells the story of the Last Call Killer and the decades-long chase to find him. And at the same time, it paints a portrait of his victims and a vibrant community navigating threat and resilience.

Review- At the height of the AIDS epidemic someone was hunting and killing gay men in New York and it was being ignored by the police. This book is about more than just about true crime but about gay life in the New York at the time, homophobia, and how AIDS changed the way gay subculture worked. Green interviews the police, the men who went to the piano bars where the killer hunted and he tries to interview the man convicted of the murders. There are good notes in the back, if you want to learn more about a particular subject within the book. If you are looking for a pure true crime book then this is not the book for you but if you are looking for more of a study about a time and the murders that almost went unsolved the you should give this book a try. 

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.