diversity | “The Immortalists” by Chloe Benjamin

Author: Chloe Benjamin
Title: The Immortalists
Series: –
Genre: Contemporary, Fiction
Pages: 346
Rate: 3/5 | Goodreads

I picked this book up for diversity due to Gold family being Jewish. In my surroundings, and the books I tend to read, religion either goes unnoticed, doesn’t exist, or is the same old one (or the branch of it). But there was more than just that, lucky for me.

About: A rumor of a mysterious psychic woman who tells very accurate fortunes reaches the four Gold children. They cannot resist the human temptation to just get to know things. Will I be happy? When will I die?

Years pass, and each one of them carries inside their date of death. Some shared it, others preferred it to remain a secret. But each one lived dreading, hoping. Hoping that the day will come, and that it will pass.

Mine: So, as I said, this book is more diverse than I expected. Other than a lot of different characters surrounding the main four, one of the main four was a gay guy. In the times when AIDS was called “the gay cancer“, due to mostly affecting the homosexuals, and no one really knowing neither what it was, how it was spread, or any means to prevent it. The main characters in general were pretty interesting, each one very unique, with fairly strong personalities. But that’s all you get. They’re strong in their convictions, still doesn’t mean they won’t do as their told, even if it goes against them. There’s jobs, there’s family statuses, there’s doing what you have to do. While waiting for the date of death to come, with hopes it’ll pass you by even just one day. In the meantime, with all the unnecessary details flooding us, I sat there wishing to know more of the true magic that apparently exists here, or have time to react to such great things as an adult child finding their parent. But you can’t, because there’s no room, and no time, and seams are covered with just useless observations of too tight t-shirts, juicers, photographs.

I wish these were four separate books of four siblings growing up knowing when they’ll die. But instead we have too short stories in too long of a book. I can only give it a 3 out of 5, for while it was good, it wasn’t there yet.

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horror | “The Carrow Haunt” by Darcy Coates

Author: Darcy Coates
Title: The Carrow Haunt
Series: –
Genre: Horror Literature, Paranormal
Pages: 370
Rate: 3/5 | Goodreads

I feel like there’ll be many of these random horror books in my search for the good ones. I want to read more of King, of course, but I don’t want to be reading him back-to-back, so here goes. This one wasn’t really good, sadly. Not my cup of tea.

About: Carrow Haunt House stood ominous, open to tourists in search for spirits, ghosts, thrills, and terror. Many have been slain here by one of the previous owners, and due to ritualistic nature of their deaths – the dead don’t seem to be able to move on. Remy leads tourist groups in and out, shepherding, warning, telling stories. And no one ever fails to feel, see, or hear something. All went well, and she was happy with her job. Until she took one she shouldn’t have. One of the men from the group offered a week long stay at the Carrow Haunt, with seances, mediums, experts. But soon after settling in they all realized they’re in mortal danger…

Mine: It took forever for anyone to start questioning motifs behind this offer. And yet no time has been wasted in assuming it might be real blood and flesh killers at work, someone physical hidden in the house, even if evidence showed contrary. The most scary part about the book was the detailed descriptions of the horrors there, corpses, specters, ghosts. But that’s the thing, I don’t like it when I know what’s chasing everyone. It felt too much like “Heart-Shaped Box” by Joe Hill, and I’m of poor opinion on that one too. But keep that in mind if you liked it.

I don’t know, I just didn’t like it. Not my thing, not scary enough, with this strange feeling that author forgot she was writing a mystery, and thus had to introduce new “evidence” that would somewhat deny what we read before. It felt jumbled. 3 out of 5 from me.

sci-fi | “Wayward Saint” by J.S. Morin

Author: J.S. Morin
Title: Wayward Saint
Series: Black Ocean: Mercy for Hire 1
Genre: Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Pages: 175
Rate: 3/5 | Goodreads

So you know how I like to pick up random books, right? And you know how they turn out to be real good often too, yes? Well, this is not it. A science fiction book with a dash of fantasy in it, and a story much too common and familiar.

About: Esper is a very bad bounty hunter. After a very traumatic childhood, she went ahead to a monastery or something, and learned herself some magic. Doing so she decided she wants to help people. And is doing exactly that, even while not being a good bounty hunter.

Her current task is a teenager whom both her parents seek separately. Esper is hired by the mother, seemingly a far better choice, for her father is a known vicious gangster. But the kid doesn’t want to be caught and taken back. She keeps escaping, choosing life in boxes, dark alleys, over, what, a loving mother? Story becomes ever clearer as Esper is doing her best to catch up with the girl. Neither of the parents is a saint, and it’s all a question of who is the lesser evil here.

Mine: Plastic surgery is beyond norm here. Mothers are all vicious and jealous of their daughters, doing their best to be more sexy than them. Sex is a great driving force, whether women want it or not. And lucky for me, there was no sex in this book, for I’m not sure I’d like it in such a concept. Characters were sadly pretty darn dull, lacking personality, and following a trope pattern. Possibly not an intended one, but hey, still a present one. The story didn’t redeem anything either, as is common with poorly written characters. But the silver lining remains in general concept of the book. I do believe author has plenty of potential, and it’s only a matter of time, and possibly a better editor, until we get a very fine cup of tea in a book form.

Speaking of which, this was not my cup of tea. I can only give a 3 out of 5, yet will add, that the story was short and light, and reads about the same way as a sci-fi cartoon would, with no overbearing information, common in sci-fi books.

“An Easy Death” by Charlaine Harris | Gunnie Rose 1

Author: Charlaine Harris
Title: An Easy Death
Series: Gunnie Rose 1
Genre: Western, Urban Fantasy
Pages: 336
Rate: 3/5 | Goodreads

I like the easy Charlaine Harris books. They’re simple, but by no means too simple, so it’s always interesting to read. I thought a little on it, and picked up her latest work of Gunnie Rose. Sadly, it was not my cup of tea, even as much as I like alternative history pieces.

About: Lizbeth Rose is a gunnie. Means she’s real good at shooting, and can be hired according to this skill. Due to this profession being real dangerous, what with bandits, wild animals, and other things lurking outside the settlements (and sometimes inside of them too), gunnies don’t tend to live long, and so, for a goodbye wish each other an Easy Death. Yet easy death was not what most of her crew got, all slaughtered. Being the only survivor, Liz picks up her guns and sets off to finish her mission, as any good gunnie would do. Better than mourning or going to find herself a new crew to work with anyway.

Yet due to her fine reputation she didn’t need to look for a job. The job found her in a shape of two Russian wizards. They’re on a mission to find blood descendants of no other than Grigori Rasputin in hopes it’d help save Tsar. And while they can cause enough trouble and death on their own, a gunnie would do good to travel more low-key. Soon they learn the dangers are far greater than anyone anticipated. They learned to trust only each other, and even then doubt, watch for signs. Too often familiar faces were worn by unfamiliar evil. For by far not all love Tsar.

Mine: It was an interesting alternative reality piece. I’m not sure about the exact time, even though I could’ve probably had a better understanding of time if only I paid more attention to the cars mentioned. But if wizards don’t live longer than regular people, then the setting should be somewhat after Rasputin has died. Speaking of wizards, that was the best part of the book. It reminded me a little of Dragon Age magic: circle of magi, a sort of college for mages; they get separated from parents for their own good and safety; tattoos for representing and enhancing powers; people seem wary of them, hateful even, even if they are the most dangerous things walking. But the story itself was lacking. Just as any right western movie, while packed in action, with story inching towards the goal in a steady pace, it was very limited to a camera angle.

I’m not yet sure if I’ll read the next books in the series. We’ll see, right now I have no wish, but I do change my mind time and again. This one gets 3 out of 5 from me.

Wolfsong by TJ Klune | Green Creek 1

Author: T.J. Klune
Title: Wolfsong
Series: Green Creek 1
Genre: LGBT, Paranormal
Pages: 400
Rate: 3/5 | Goodreads

I’ve wanted something new, fresh, and preferably with werewolves in it. My search brought me to “Wolfsong” by T.J. Klune, and… It felt like reading mediocre Teen Wolf fan-fic, if I’m honest. Not a bad book per say, but not my cup of tea for sure.

About: Joe Benet was kidnapped and tortured as a child by one of the most infamous, notorious werewolves known, who wished for the Benet Family Alpha power. Upon his return to the family, Joe was so broken he was mute, and even as time went by in the safety of his home – he just couldn’t speak. Up until that faithful day when he met a boy on the road, Ox. He gave Ox his Wolf, his Heart, and ever since – wouldn’t shut up about him. Thus, at least in the Green Creek, in the territory of the Benet Family, everyone knew Ox will be a great part of the werewolf world, even as a human. But darkness was never truly beaten, and it seems it decided to return and see what more can be broken in attempt to take the Alpha Power from the Benet family. A human, a human whom the young heir seems to love so very much, seems a very appropriate target…

Mine: You know that moment in Twilight where Edward leaves Bella, and we get to see her spend seasons in her room, not going anywhere, not doing anything? Well, when Joe left to hunt down the evil werewolf, Ox was left to wait. And wait he did. The plot became so narrow it felt claustrophobic. No matter what was happening, we got to watch it from the Benet family territory, the Benet house, Ox’s head, via prism of “why you left, why aren’t you in touch with me?“, and all that. That, and the fact that lore really felt a lot like Teen Wolf if not the same, are the biggest damn flaws in the book. But if you like romance like the one in Twilight, and if you did enjoy Teen Wolf, I am sure you will love this book too, for otherwise it was pretty good. Mind you, graphic sex, so even if I compare it with Teen Wolf, this is not for the Young people.

The book really had its moments, but you really have to work through a lot of muddy waters to get to them. So I can’t give it more than 3 out of 5 here.

White Trash Zombie Apocalypse by Diana Rowland | White Trash Zombie 3

Author: Diana Rowland
Title: White Trash Zombie Apocalypse
Series: White Trash Zombie 3
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Zombies
Pages: 320
Rate: 3/5 | Goodreads

I have a bad feeling that I gotten myself into another chore of “let’s just get through this” book series. Third book in Diana Rowland‘s series White Trash Zombie, the “White Trash Zombie Apocalypse” is below mediocre.

About: There’s a zombie movie getting filmed in Angel’s neighborhood, and she joked a time or two with those aware of her condition, that it’d be fun to see if she could mix in among the fake ones after a couple days of starving. But someone beat her to it, and it wasn’t even funny! You see, the project Zoldier (like Soldier but Zombie) is still on, someone still experiments with the undead, with zombies. One of them lost his mind during a performance, and jumped to find himself a new one. Like Angel didn’t have enough on her plate, what with the flooding that threatens to destroy her home where she lives with her father, and the arguments she has with her boyfriend, and her ever re-appearing baby-zombie, the man she turned into one. Not to mention the creepy lady who keeps snapping pictures of her for some reason.

Mine: There’s so many moments of “who are you working for?!” that even Batman would be proud (points if you know what I’m referring to). Everyone’s a double agent too, it only seems they work for who they seem to be working for, what. I still think that Zoldiers was a dumb idea to start with, even if they, say, had basis to think there’s means to make fake brains, and keep off hunger, you still have soldiers who need buckets of food just to do the standard soldier stuff. I mean, there’s a great reason we have pig farms, not zebra, for instance. The parasite that makes zombie a zombie doesn’t give a damn about your goals, it just cares to keep you fixed and steady. The best part of the book was flooding. And that should tell you everything.

Angel really is the only thing that keeps me going with these series. I cannot give this book more than 3 out of 5 right now.

Davidson King “Snow Falling” | Haven Hart Universe 1

Author: Davidson King
Title: Snow Falling
Series: Haven Hart Universe 1
Genre: Romance; LGBT+
Pages: 166p
Rate: 3/5 | Goodreads

I really did know that crime books don’t work as romance books. One genre will almost always mess up the other one. So either romance part will be lame, or gangsters will be ridiculous. But here I am, not listening to my own advice, just because I saw a pretty cover, and got promised some mob bosses. As you may guess, “Snow Falling” by Davidson King wasn’t a good book for me.

About: When Julian’s mother died, his father, an officer, has drowned himself in a bottle. He got indebted to the mob, and has fallen as a human being. Thus, once mob knocked on his door, offering an exchange of debts for his talented son, he didn’t blink an eye before handing his child over. On that day Julian as has died. Due to his pale complexion, the criminals claimed he blended in with the snow. That’s what he continues to call himself today, relatively free, on the street: Snow. But that relative freedom didn’t stop him from interfering with Russian Mafia’s Father’s son. The scum was trying to kidnap a luxuriously dressed child, alone on the street, for some reason. Snow interfered, offering an exchange of his own. But if he thought his problems had a limit then, he was very wrong. The kid he saved, a boy too scared to even tell Snow his name, turned out to be a nephew of a far bigger and badder boss.

Mine: All the action in the book revolves around people kidnapping from crime families. You kidnap from us, we kidnap from you, and repeat. Gangsters here are like vampires in Chicagoland Vampires: food obsessed humans who happen to kill other humans sometimes, and some even lose sleep over it. All the side characters were road-signs: they were there to say the right thing on the right time, so the hero could continue saying something clever, high and mighty, and look even more epic, morally superior to others. The story was pretty damn weak too. Between the kidnapping Snow would dance to Lady Gaga songs, preparing for a Drag Show in talent show, with the Boss’s nephew, and get real shy whenever someone walked in on him dancing in such a mighty private place as a the main house kitchen where everyone comes for food.

Alright, so I didn’t like it, and it’s my own fault for taking it before I knew more of what this book will be. The best I can give it is 3 out of 5, for I definitely read worse, and this, at least, was a solid book with no holes in the slim plot.

Chloe Neill “Wild Things” | Chicagoland Vampires 9

Author: Chloe Neill
Title: Wild Things
Series: Chicagoland Vampires 9
Genre: Paranormal, Vampires
Pages: 350
Rate: 3/5 | Goodreads

I forgot how weak the bad guy plot line always is in Chicagoland Vampires books. But we’re almost done, bear with me! Wild things is 9th book out of, yes, you guessed it, 13!

About: Things made of magic are attacking groups and gatherings of supernaturals. Things that don’t exist. People disappear right after those attacks with no traces, no bodies, no witnesses. And while this happened during shifter gathering, in the house of one prominent pack master, who accepted to shelter Sullivan until his case with GP is solved, Merit has no choice but to try and solve this.  Otherwise, vampires and witches will be the first suspects in line.

Mine: “Oh, but the bad guy who is now dead had a daughter no one knew about” is a nasty little trope that I really don’t like. Almost as much as I don’t like the magical impossible birth tropes. Or supernaturals becoming humans trope. Sullivan was my happy place here, his drive for political power reminded me of mr Northman from Sookie’s books. As for the story itself, it was mediocre. Readable, but meh.

These are good for a quick and very light read, and while not good, still better than a lot of other vampire series I’ve read in the past. I can only give it a 3 out of 5 again.

Joseph Fink “Welcome to Night Veil”

Author: Joseph Fink
Title: Welcome to Night Veil
Series: Welcome to Night Veil 1
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy
Pages: 401
Rate: 3/5 | Goodreads

I knew about this phenomena of a podcast, but I am not into podcasts, so I never listened. Instead, I figured, I’ll read a book. Yes. I jumped the damn wagon with “Welcome to Night Veil“, and I think it was a mistake. It’s not my cup of tea. Listening to the podcast a little would’ve most likely told me that. And those who enjoyed the said podcast probably enjoyed the book too…

About: Town of Night Veil is where all the odd, magical, cursed, and weird things are. Time works strange there. And so do memories. But people are strange too, so I guess it really works. One of those people is a boy named Josh. he can be anything. And he goes missing after a few failed attempts to question his mother of who his father was. It’s a hard task to find a boy who can be whatever he wants to be. But, luckily, his mother has a lead, and a strong feeling about it: there’s a strange man in a tan jacket that keeps appearing in Night Veil. He gives people a slip of paper that says “King City”, and goes missing. People tend to forget all about him, but the paper stays, and you can’t get rid of it. This King City is her biggest clue, and she’d like to start her investigation there, right after she’ll brave the most dangerous place in Night Veil: The Library, full of deadly Librarians. For no map in Night Veil show any road that leads to King City…

Mine: King meets Gaiman. This is not my cup of tea in the worst way. There’s really lots and lots of interesting things in this book, and the characters are very well built. And there were some really brilliant thoughts expressed and put to words that I loved. But it kept driving me mad. I hate that kind of story telling, where it takes very long for the narrator to tell you why this is as it is, and thus there is no need to explain, because hey, it is as it is, always have been.

It’s mostly a good book, it just wasn’t for me. The fantasy was very Gaiman + King, with nothing explained, but lots of words are strung together explaining that “it just is”. 3 out of 5 from me. I should’ve really tried the podcast first, and seen my way from there… But I don’t regret reading it!

Chloe Neill “Biting Bad” | Chicagoland Vampires 8

Title: Biting Bad
Author: Chloe Neill
Series: Chicagoland Vampires 8
Genre: Vampires, Paranormal
Pages: 350p
Rate: 3/5 | Goodreads

Are you at all surprised that I am back on vampires? I’m pretty sure this could be called binging. As always, easy to read and preferably with vampires is what I wanted. Even if I keep dreading the ever ominous miracle baby prophecy.

About: Anti-vampire riots, attacks on houses and individuals. They don’t gain much traction, but cause a lot of damage. Thus making it all seem mighty suspicious of riots being merely a cover up for something else, something more sinister. And Merit feels like she found a lead once vampires starving to death start popping up. They’re vampires alright, but… Somehow humanized. Out there someone is experimenting on vampires, trying to reverse the process of turning. And if seems a little horrible, well, not to those who dream of sunshine and children, so there’s no shortage of volunteers who do their best to cover up who is doing this.

Mine: Riots and their incentive, as often with main plot of action that serves no real purpose than give a boost and cover up for a detective plotline – had no substance in them. It felt like a red balloon with too little air – ya, you might try to give me an idea of Pennywise being around, but seeing that sorry floppy thing is not getting the effect through. On top of it, Merit’s sudden obsession with having a baby is icky. I don’t like children, I can’t help it. And if Sullivan turns human, I quit these books.

It was a meh. Not a good book, but hey, not a bad one either. I knew what I was getting into, and I know I read more of convenience than of actual love for the story. Also, I have learned that I am very capable of ignoring all romance. This is a romance book, and other than who is banging who in the main character shelf – I couldn’t tell you who is in love with who. You know what’s helping though? Their food obsession. 3 out of 5 this time.