Happy Pub Day to these authors!
Finally Seen by Kelly Yang
Immortality: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz
Delicious Monsters by Liselle Sambury
Nightbirds by Kate J. Armstrong
What books are you most excited for this week?
Happy Pub Day – February 28
Month: February 2023
Review: The Sanatorium (Detective Elin Warner #1)
Title: The Sanatorium (Detective Elin Warner #1)
Author: Sarah Pearse
Genre: Thriller, Contemporary
Publisher: Viking
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: February 2, 2021
Rating: ★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
You won’t want to leave…until you can’t.
Half hidden by forest and overshadowed by threatening peaks, Le Sommet has always been a sinister place. Long plagued by troubling rumors, the former abandoned sanatorium has since been renovated into a five-star minimalist hotel.
An imposing, isolated getaway spot high up in the Swiss Alps is the last place Elin Warner wants to be. But Elin’s taken time off from her job as a detective, so when her estranged brother, Isaac, and his fiancée, Laure, invite her to celebrate their engagement at the hotel, Elin really has no reason not to accept.
Arriving in the midst of a threatening storm, Elin immediately feels on edge–there’s something about the hotel that makes her nervous. And when they wake the following morning to discover Laure is missing, Elin must trust her instincts if they hope to find her. With the storm closing off all access to the hotel, the longer Laure stays missing, the more the remaining guests start to panic.
Elin is under pressure to find Laure, but no one has realized yet that another woman has gone missing. And she’s the only one who could have warned them just how much danger they are all in…
Review:
Le Sommat is a former TB Sanatorium that has been turned into a resort in the Swiss Alps. Elin Warner is an English detective who is on leave from her job. She goes to Le Sommat with her boyfriend Will for her estranged brother’s engagement party. There is a huge storm as soon as they arrive, with the threat of an avalanche. The morning after Elin gets to the resort, her brother’s fiancé, Laure, goes missing. While Elin is investigating Laure’s disappearance, another woman turns up dead. The pressure is on for Elin to solve these mysteries while the storm brews outside.
This was a fast paced thriller. There were a bunch of different mysteries that had to come together with the same solution. The different threads didn’t seem to be connected, so I was really curious to see how the story ended. My only critique is that I don’t think the reader could figure out the ending because there is some crucial information that isn’t provided until the end.
The Sanatorium is a great thriller!
Thank you Viking for providing a digital copy of this book.
What to read next:
The Retreat by Sarah Pearse
Other books in the series:
- The Retreat
Have you read The Sanatorium? What did you think of it?
Review: The Last Tale of the Flower Bride
Title: The Last Tale of the Flower Bride
Author: Roshani Chokshi
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: HarperCollins Canada
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: February 14, 2023
Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
A sumptuous, gothic-infused story about a marriage that is unraveled by dark secrets, a friendship cursed to end in tragedy, and the danger of believing in fairy tales—the breathtaking adult debut from New York Times bestselling author Roshani Chokshi.
Once upon a time, a man who believed in fairy tales married a beautiful, mysterious woman named Indigo Maxwell-Casteñada. He was a scholar of myths. She was heiress to a fortune. They exchanged gifts and stories and believed they would live happily ever after—and in exchange for her love, Indigo extracted a promise: that her bridegroom would never pry into her past.
But when Indigo learns that her estranged aunt is dying and the couple is forced to return to her childhood home, the House of Dreams, the bridegroom will soon find himself unable to resist. For within the crumbling manor’s extravagant rooms and musty halls, there lurks the shadow of another girl: Azure, Indigo’s dearest childhood friend who suddenly disappeared. As the house slowly reveals his wife’s secrets, the bridegroom will be forced to choose between reality and fantasy, even if doing so threatens to destroy their marriage . . . or their lives.
Combining the lush, haunting atmosphere of Mexican Gothic with the dreamy enchantment of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is a spellbinding and darkly romantic page-turner about love and lies, secrets and betrayal, and the stories we tell ourselves to survive.
Review:
A man who was a scholar of myths and fairy tales married a mysterious and beautiful woman named Indigo Maxwell-Casteñada. Indigo is a wealthy heiress, and she made her bridegroom promise that he would never ask questions about her past. When Indigo finds out that her aunt is dying, they return to her childhood home, the House of Dreams. The bridegroom finds traces of Indigo’s friend, Azure, in the house. Azure disappeared suddenly when the girls grew up. As they spend more time in the house, Indigo’s husband discovers more hints about Azure’s life. He wants to figure out where she went, even if it means breaking the promise he made to Indigo.
This was an evocative, dark, modern fairy tale. The House of Dreams was a character in itself, revealing things about the past to certain people. The story was quite mysterious, with hints being revealed slowly. Once I got into the story, it was hard to put down. I predicted the final twist about halfway through the story, but I was glad that it happened because it made sense for the story.
The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is a dark and beautiful story.
Thank you HarperCollins Canada for providing a digital copy of this book.
What to read next:
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
Have you read The Last Tale of the Flower Bride? What did you think of it?
Happy Pub Day – February 14
Happy Pub Day to these authors!
The Canadian Guide to Creative Writing and Publishing by Patricia Westerhof
VenCo by Cherie Dimaline
The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi
What books are you most excited for this week?
Review: Fable (Fable #1)
Title: Fable (Fable #1)
Author: Adrienne Young
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Source: Purchased
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: February 1, 2020
Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
For seventeen-year-old Fable, the daughter of the most powerful trader in the Narrows, the sea is the only home she has ever known. It’s been four years since the night she watched her mother drown during an unforgiving storm. The next day her father abandoned her on a legendary island filled with thieves and little food. To survive she must keep to herself, learn to trust no one, and rely on the unique skills her mother taught her. The only thing that keeps her going is the goal of getting off the island, finding her father, and demanding her rightful place beside him and his crew. To do so Fable enlists the help of a young trader named West to get her off the island and across the Narrows to her father.
But her father’s rivalries and the dangers of his trading enterprise have only multiplied since she last saw him, and Fable soon finds that West isn’t who he seems. Together, they will have to survive more than the treacherous storms that haunt the Narrows if they’re going to stay alive.
Welcome to a world made dangerous by the sea and by those who wish to profit from it. Where a young girl must find her place and her family while trying to survive in a world built for men. Fable takes you on a spectacular journey filled with romance, intrigue, and adventure.
Review:
Four years ago, Fable was abandoned by her powerful trader father after her mother drowned in a storm. Now, Fable is seventeen-years-old, and is fighting for her life every day by collecting gems from the ocean to trade. Her goal is to return to her father and take a place on one of his ships. Fable is finally able to pay her way out of town on a ship, the Marigold, with a trader named West. However, West isn’t who he seems. Fable has to work with the crew to stay alive in a dangerous life on the sea.
I wanted to read this series because of the beautiful book covers. The story was so great too! I don’t usually like tales about ships, but this one was fast paced and kept me reading. There was a lot of social politics involved, as well as dramatic twists at the end. I’m so excited to read the rest of the series.
Fable is a great start to a young adult series!
What to read next:
Namesake (Fable #2) by Adrienne Young
Other books in the series:
- Saint (Fable #0.5)
- Fable (Fable #1)
- Namesake (Fable #2)
- The Last Legacy (Fable #3)
Have you read Fable? What did you think of it?
Review: Stone Blind
Title: Stone Blind
Author: Natalie Haynes
Genre: Historical Fiction, Mythology
Publisher: HarperCollins Canada
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: February 7, 2023
Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
A fresh take on the story of Medusa, the original monstered woman.
They will fear you and flee you and call you a monster.
The only mortal in a family of gods, Medusa is the youngest of the Gorgon sisters. Unlike her siblings, Medusa grows older, experiences change, feels weakness. Her mortal lifespan gives her an urgency that her family will never know.
When the sea god Poseidon assaults Medusa in Athene’s temple, the goddess is enraged. Furious by the violation of her sacred space, Athene takes revenge–on the young woman. Punished for Poseidon’s actions, Medusa is forever transformed. Writhing snakes replace her hair and her gaze will turn any living creature to stone. Cursed with the power to destroy all she loves with one look, Medusa condemns herself to a life of solitude.
Until Perseus embarks upon a fateful quest to fetch the head of a Gorgon…
In Stone Blind, classicist and comedian Natalie Haynes turns our understanding of this legendary myth on its head, bringing empathy and nuance to one of the earliest stories in which a woman–injured by a powerful man–is blamed, punished, and monstered for the assault. Delving into the origins of this mythic tale, Haynes revitalizes and reconstructs Medusa’s story with her passion and fierce wit, offering a timely retelling of this classic myth that speaks to us today.
Review:
Medusa was the youngest Gorgon sister, and the only mortal one. After Poseidon attacks her in Athene’s temple, Athene takes revenge on Medusa by turning Medusa’s hair into snakes and making her gaze turn anyone who she looks at into stone. Meanwhile, Perseus is the son of Zeus and a mortal woman. When a king threatens to steal Perseus’s mother and marry her, Perseus is given a quest to save his mother by bringing the king the head of a Gorgon. Perseus goes blindly on the quest to get the head of Medusa, the only mortal Gorgon.
Medusa was always portrayed as a villain and monster in Greek mythology. However, this story shows how she was a victim of the Gods. She was attacked by Poseidon, then punished by Athene, who later helped Perseus behead her. Everything that happened to Medusa was done to her, making her a victim, not a monster.
Though this book tells a tragic story, there was also a lot of humor. The humor was often in the banter between the Gods, which usually contradicted each other or made them look silly and petty. This story was focused on the women’s stories. Each chapter was from the perspective of one of the female characters. This was refreshing because history is often through a male lens.
Stone Blind is a fantastic, entertaining story.
Thank you HarperCollins Canada for sending me a copy of this book.
What to read next:
Pandora’s Jar by Natalie Haynes
Have you read Stone Blind? What did you think of it?
Review: Virtually Me
Title: Virtually Me
Author: Chad Morris, Shelly Brown
Genre: Middle Grade, Contemporary
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: February 7, 2023
Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
A mysterious package.
A new school.
A chance to be someone new.
A new virtual reality school where students get a fresh start.
The pandemic was rough on everyone, especially since school went from being a fun place where you could hang out with your friends to a bunch of heads in small rectangles all trying to talk at once. For Bradley, Edelle, Hunter, Jasper, and Keiko, that’s about to change.
A mysterious box arrives at each of their houses, and they’re invited to attend a virtual school. More than just being online, they’ll be able to create an avatar of themselves and interact with their friends and other classmates in real time using VR headsets.
For each of them, that presents an opportunity to become someone they’re not, or someone they haven’t been. For Bradley, it’s a chance to come out of a self-imposed shell. Edelle hopes everyone will see her for who she really is, not just for how she looks. Hunter is looking forward to pretending he’s still the person he was last year. Jasper wants to get over past assumptions. And for Keiko, it’ll allow her to disappear into the crowd.
For all of them, it’s a chance to see just how much they’ve assumed about each other in the past and maybe an opportunity to become friends.
Review:
The pandemic changed school, going from in person to online. At the start of the school year, some kids have decided to attend a virtual reality school. They are sent a headset and accessories to attend the school from their homes. Each student can create an avatar and name to represent themselves in the game. It can be created from real photos or made up. Bradley, Edelle, and Hunter all came from the same school to attend this virtual reality school, but they don’t realize they know each other. Bradley and Edelle both have fresh starts, using avatars that don’t look like their real selves. Meanwhile, Hunter has changed in real life, but he’s masquerading as the same person in the VR school. Though they each have a different reason for attending a virtual school, they each have to deal with different problems in this new environment.
This is a great story about contemporary issues. The pandemic changed the way school is taught, and I think the effects of that will be felt for many years to come. There have also been new opportunities for learning such as a virtual option. This story took it a step further by having students act like they were at a real school with a virtual reality set rather than sitting in front of a screen all day.
Bradley, Edelle, and Hunter each had different reasons for attending a virtual school. Bradley was uncomfortable with the way he looked and wanted to get away from the bullies from school. He gave himself a completely different look and persona with his avatar at the new school. Edelle got in trouble for bullying a girl at school, and her mom wanted her to learn to be less superficial. She gave her avatar a plainer look that didn’t have the beautifully styled appearance that she liked to have in real life. Hunter decided to attend virtual school because he had developed alopecia and he was uncomfortable with the way he looked. He made his avatar look like he did the year before at school. It was interesting to see how a new appearance at school made the kids behave differently. However, they still had to deal with the same school problems like bullying and peer pressure.
Virtually Me is a great new middle grade story!
Thank you Shadow Mountain for sending me a copy of this book.
What to read next:
Mustaches for Maddie by Chad Morris, Shelly Brown
Have you read Virtually Me? What did you think of it?
Happy Pub Day – February 7
Happy Pub Day to these authors!
Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes
Virtually Me by Chad Morris and Shelly Brown
The Severed Thread by Leslie Vedder
Stardust in Their Veins by Laura Sebastian
Thank you HarperCollins Canada, Shadow Mountain, and Penguin Teen Canada for providing copies of these books.
What books are you most excited for this week?
Review: Castles in Their Bones (Castles in Their Bones #1)
Title: Castles in Their Bones (Castles in Their Bones #1)
Author: Laura Sebastian
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: February 1, 2022
Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
A spellbinding story of three princesses and the destiny they were born for: seduction, conquest, and the crown. Immerse yourself in the first book in a new fantasy trilogy from the author of the New York Times bestselling Ash Princess series.
Empress Margaraux has had plans for her daughters since the day they were born. Princesses Sophronia, Daphne, and Beatriz will be queens. And now, age sixteen, they each must leave their homeland and marry their princes.
Beautiful, smart, and demure, the triplets appear to be the perfect brides—because Margaraux knows there is one common truth: everyone underestimates a girl. Which is a grave mistake. Sophronia, Daphne, and Beatriz are no innocents. They have been trained since birth in the arts of deception, seduction, and violence with a singular goal—to bring down monarchies— and their marriages are merely the first stage of their mother’s grand vision: to one day reign over the entire continent of Vesteria.
The princesses have spent their lives preparing, and now they are ready, each with her own secret skill, and each with a single wish, pulled from the stars. Only, the stars have their own plans—and their mother hasn’t told them all of hers.
Life abroad is a test. Will their loyalties stay true? Or will they learn that they can’t trust anyone—not even each other?
Review:
Since Empress Margaraux gave birth to triplets, she planned to marry them off to princes in three different countries so that she could reign over them all. When they turn sixteen, Princesses Sophronia, Daphne, and Beatriz are each sent to a different country to get married, with the promise that they will be reunited at home a year later. They have been trained to take down the monarchies using seduction, deception, and perhaps some magic. However, their mother did not tell them all of her plans. The three girls have to navigate around new countries and monarchies while dodging the tests that are put in their way.
I knew I would love this story because I loved Laura Sebastian’s Ash Princess trilogy. This one lived up to my expectations. The settings were descriptive and distinct. The three sisters were sent to different countries, and they each had to deal with a completely different situation with their new husband and politics at the palaces. There were loads of twists that I didn’t expect. The ending was shocking and I found it hard to believe that one thing really happened. I’m so glad I will get to read the next one soon, as it comes out next week!
Castles in Their Bones was a thrilling start to a fantasy series!
Thank you Penguin Teen Canada for providing a digital copy of this book.
What to read next:
Stardust in Their Veins by Laura Sebastian
Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake
Other books in the series:
- Starlight in Their Veins (Castles in Their Bones #2)
Have you read Castles in Their Bones? What did you think of it?
Review: The School of Mirrors
Title: The School of Mirrors
Author: Eva Stachniak
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Penguin Random House Canada
Source: Publisher, Tandem Collective Global
Format: Paperback
Release Date: February 22, 2022
Rating: ★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
A scintillating, gorgeously written historical novel about a mother and a daughter in eighteenth-century France, beginning with decadence and palace intrigue at Versailles and ending in an explosive new era of revolution.
During the reign of Louis XV, impoverished but lovely teenage girls from all over France are sent to a discreet villa in the town of Versailles. Overseen by the King’s favorite mistress, Madame de Pompadour, they will be trained as potential courtesans for the King. When the time is right, each girl is smuggled into the palace of Versailles, with its legendary Hall of Mirrors. There they meet a mysterious but splendidly dressed man who they’re told is merely a Polish count, a cousin of the Queen. Living an indulgent life of silk gowns, delicious meals, and soft beds, the students at this “school of mirrors” rarely ask questions, and when Louis tires of them, they are married off to minor aristocrats or allowed to retire to one of the more luxurious nunneries.
Beautiful and canny Veronique arrives at the school of mirrors and quickly becomes a favorite of the King. But when she discovers her lover’s true identity, she is whisked away, sent to give birth to a daughter in secret, and then to marry a wealthy Breton merchant. There is no return to the School of Mirrors.
This is also the story of the King’s daughter by Veronique—Marie-Louise. Well-provided for in a comfortable home, Marie-Louise has never known her mother, let alone her father. Capable and intelligent, she discovers a passion for healing and science, and becomes an accredited midwife, one of the few reputable careers for women like her. But eventually Veronique comes back into her daughter’s life, bringing with her the secret of Marie-Louise’s birth. But the new King—Louis XVI—is teetering on his throne and it’s a volatile time in France…and those with royal relatives must mind their step very carefully.
Review:
King Louis XV of France has teenage girls from all over the country come and live at a nearby villa. His mistress Madam de Pompadour oversees the training of these girls as courtesans for the King, though they are told they will be visiting with a Polish Count. Thirteen-year-old Véronique is one of these girls whose mother sends her away because she can’t afford to keep her. Véronique becomes a favourite girl of the King, but when she becomes pregnant, she’s whisked away to give birth in secret and then she must marry a merchant that has been chosen for her. Véronique’s daughter Marie-Louise has to grow up without her parents. She isn’t treated well by her guardians, until she is sent to be trained by a midwife in Paris. The woman who teaches her treats Marie-Louise like her niece, and gives her a good life. However, when Marie-Louise finds a piece in the puzzle to her parentage, she tries to find the secret of her birth.
This was quite a difficult book to read. There were some terrible things that happened to women and girls in the book, many of which were because of the time period but some still happen today. One thing that was interesting was the medical side of this story. Medicine has come a long way since the eighteenth century, but there was a female labour machine that mimicked the way a woman would give birth to teach midwives. This was an interesting piece of history that I didn’t know existed before reading this book.
The School of Mirrors is a tough read but it’s a touching story.
Thank you Penguin Random House Canada and Tandem Collective Global for providing a copy of this book.
Content warnings: child abuse, child death, mother death, childbirth complications, nonconsensual sexual encounters
What to read next:
The Last Grand Duchess by Bryn Turnbull
Have you read The School of Mirrors? What did you think of it?
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