Shattered Midnight (The Mirror #2), By Dhonielle Clayton ~ 5.0 Stars

Tags

1920s, Historical Fantasy, LGBTQ, New Orleans, Racism, Romance, Segregation, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: October 5th, 2021

304 Pages

Synopsis: The Mirror: Shattered Midnight is the second novel in the innovative four-book fairy-tale series written by Julie C. Dao, Dhonielle Clayton, J.C. Cervantes, and L. L. McKinney, following one family over several generations, and the curse that plagues it.

Zora Broussard has arrived in New Orleans with not much more than a bag of clothes, a beautiful voice, and a pair of enchanted red shoes. Running from a tragic accident caused by her magic, Zora wants nothing more than to blend in, as well as to avoid her overbearing aunt and mean-spirited cousins. Music becomes Zora’s only means of escape, yet she wonders if she should give it all up to remove the powers that make her a target, especially as a Black woman in the South.

But when Zora gets the chance to perform in a prominent jazz club, she meets a sweet white pianist named Phillip with magic of his own, including a strange mirror that foretells their future together. Falling into a forbidden love, Zora and Phillip must keep their relationship a secret. And soon the two discover the complicated connection between their respective families, a connection that could lead to catastrophe for them both. In the era of segregation and speakeasies, Zora must change her destiny and fight for the one she loves . . . or risk losing everything. (Goodreads)

I loved the first book in The Mirror series: Broken Wish, by Julie C. Dao, so much that I have to admit I was a little nervous that Shattered Midnight wouldn’t be able to match it even though I’ve enjoyed Dhonielle Clayton’s previous books. After racing through this in under three hours I’m thrilled to say that my fears were entirely unfounded.

Here’s a quick recap: The Mirror series is to be compromised of four books by some of today’s most popular YA authors that follow a multigenerational family who possess a magical heirloom, but are also dogged by a devastating curse. Broken Wish beautifully kicked things off in 1865 Hanau, Germany. Shattered Midnight skips to 1928 New Orleans and while the previous tale was more fairytale in nature, this is more of a historical fantasy with a slight nod to Cinderella, and a dash of Romeo and Juliet.

I found everything in this book perfectly crafted, from the sultry setting of New Orleans in the Jazz Age, with its colorful speakeasies and darker side of racism, segregation, and mob-run bootlegging operations, to how magic has continued to be passed down through Zora’s family. And the characters are so well developed I half expected them to pop out from my tablet fully formed. I absolutely adored Zora and felt her pain and confusion over the power of her magic. Likewise, her feelings of fear and resentment regarding the racism that was such a prevalent part of society. Phillip is a wonderful partner for her in both music and romance and I found myself hoping against hope that their relationship would somehow defy expectations and prevail. The entire story is filled with suspense not only regarding the curse, but also the ever present danger looming over Zora and Phillip should their romance be discovered. When the ending came, well, let me just say that unsurprisingly it’s not your typical happy ending, but it does leave you with hope.

The Mirror series is shaping up to be one of my favorites in my many, many years of reading YA fiction. Shattered Midnight is a picture perfect example of exquisite storytelling that I guarantee will pull you in and not let go until you’ve reached the very end. Even if you don’t usually read YA, I HIGHLY recommend these books if you love fairytales and fantasy with exciting storylines and characters who tug at your heartstrings. The next book, Fractured Path, by J.C. Cervantes, is to be set in 1965 San Francisco. Unfortunately it’s not coming out until July 2022. It’s going to be extremely difficult to wait that long!

AGT ~ Pasha and Aliona

Tags

AGT, Pasha and Aliona

As many of you know I’m a big fan of America’s Got Talent. One of the things I love about the show is that as much as I love watching talented singers catch their big break, there are so many other wonderful acts that compete on this show. Last night there was a rather unique and memorable audition, and, well, I’ll let you be the judge!

Whimsical Wednesday

Tags

Animated Shorts, ”Clocky”, CGMeetup, ESMA, Whimsical Wednesday

 

Lyrical Lines ~ National Lollipop Day Edition

Tags

”Lollipop”, Chordettes, Lyrical Lines, National Lollipop Day

The Death of Jane Lawrence, By Caitlin Starling ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Alternate Worlds, Gothic Horror, Historical Fantasy, Metaphysics, Romance

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: October 19th, 2021

368 Pages

From the Bram Stoker-nominated author of The Luminous Dead comes a gothic fantasy horror–The Death of Jane Lawrence.

“Intense and amazing! It’s like Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell meets Mexican Gothic meets Crimson Peak.” —BookRiot

Practical, unassuming Jane Shoringfield has done the calculations, and decided that the most secure path forward is this: a husband, in a marriage of convenience, who will allow her to remain independent and occupied with meaningful work. Her first choice, the dashing but reclusive doctor Augustine Lawrence, agrees to her proposal with only one condition: that she must never visit Lindridge Hall, his crumbling family manor outside of town.

Yet on their wedding night, an accident strands her at his door in a pitch-black rainstorm, and she finds him changed. Gone is the bold, courageous surgeon, and in his place is a terrified, paranoid man—one who cannot tell reality from nightmare, and fears Jane is an apparition, come to haunt him. By morning, Augustine is himself again, but Jane knows something is deeply wrong at Lindridge Hall, and with the man she has so hastily bound her safety to.

Set in a dark-mirror version of post-war England, Caitlin Starling crafts a new kind of gothic horror from the bones of the beloved canon. This Crimson Peak-inspired story assembles, then upends, every expectation set in place by Shirley Jackson and Rebecca, and will leave readers shaken, desperate to begin again as soon as they are finished. (Goodreads)

I started The Death of Jane Lawrence Saturday morning, finished it about 10:30 Sunday night, and then lay in bed for the next two hours unable to sleep because I couldn’t stop thinking about this insane book!

I’m going to be honest and say this isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea. Jane is brilliant, but a bit of a cold fish and it takes a few chapters to connect with her. I did wind up really liking her though and was thoroughly invested in what she was experiencing before long. Except for a couple of emotional breakdowns (and honestly, who could blame her?) she uses logic and deductive reasoning to great effect. Although I had my doubts about Augustine, I wound up loving him as well and emphasized with his tortured past. I wanted more than anything for them to get their happy ending. 

While the plot itself vaguely reminds me of a mashup up of Rebecca, Crimson Peak, and Mark Z. Danielewski’s House of Leaves, this is truly something unique. It’s combination of gothic horror, historical fantasy, and metaphysics set in an alternate world that closely resembles Victorian England. There are some grotesquely gory scenes in regards to surgeries and magical side effects that made me a little squeamish, so I can definitely see certain readers being bothered. The reason why I’m not giving it a full 5 stars is because while the majority of the book was fast paced, the final third slowed down considerably. Whereas part of the book’s strength until then was the detailed prose, near the end it got repetitive and too drawn out leaving me impatient. However, there’s a spectacular twist which brings things to a perfect finish in my opinion.

Despite my issues with the concluding chapters, The Death of Jane Lawrence is a memorable read that is bound to haunt your thoughts long after you’ve put it down. Almost from the beginning, the story and its characters kept me consistently off balance, and I never knew what to expect. I love authors who aren’t afraid to take chances with their creations, and Caitlin Starling definitely fits into this category.

 

The Witch Haven, By Sasha Peyton Smith ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Attempted Sexual Assault, Diversity, Historical Fantasy, LGBTQ, Mystery, New York City, Romance, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: August 31st, 2021

448 Pages

The Last Magician meets The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy in this thrilling and atmospheric historical fantasy following a young woman who discovers she has magical powers and is thrust into a battle between witches and wizards.

In 1911 New York City, seventeen-year-old Frances Hallowell spends her days as a seamstress, mourning the mysterious death of her brother months prior. Everything changes when she’s attacked and a man ends up dead at her feet—her scissors in his neck, and she can’t explain how they got there.

Before she can be condemned as a murderess, two cape-wearing nurses arrive to inform her she is deathly ill and ordered to report to Haxahaven Sanitarium. But Frances finds Haxahaven isn’t a sanitarium at all: it’s a school for witches. Within Haxahaven’s glittering walls, Frances finds the sisterhood she craves, but the headmistress warns Frances that magic is dangerous. Frances has no interest in the small, safe magic of her school, and is instead enchanted by Finn, a boy with magic himself who appears in her dreams and tells her he can teach her all she’s been craving to learn, lessons that may bring her closer to discovering what truly happened to her brother.

Frances’s newfound power attracts the attention of the leader of an ancient order who yearns for magical control of Manhattan. And who will stop at nothing to have Frances by his side. Frances must ultimately choose what matters more, justice for her murdered brother and her growing feelings for Finn, or the safety of her city and fellow witches. What price would she pay for power, and what if the truth is more terrible than she ever imagined? (Goodreads)

The Witch Haven is the first book in a planned duology, and what a grand debut it is. If you’re thinking this is another tale relying on the same old ubiquitous magical boarding school trope, let me disabuse you that notion quickly. While Haxahaven is a school of sorts for female and non-binary witches of all ages, including adults, it’s less about teaching girls and women to embrace their power, and more about hiding and controlling it to fit in with the misogynistic New York of 1911. 

Frances is a headstrong seventeen-year-old who suddenly comes into her power when the owner of the shop she works in attempts to sexually assault her. After killing him by accident she thinks she’s landed in a sanctuary when she’s brought to Haxahaven, but while she and her new friends and classmates are being bored to their wits ends with lessons teaching them how to use magic for ordinary household chores, the school and its headmistress are hiding dark and dangerous secrets. In addition, Frances is desperate to discover who murdered her brother William and why, and although she’s a highly intelligent young woman, her emotions tend to get the better of her and she makes some rather foolish decisions that not only put her life in danger, but others as well. Despite this, I wound up liking and connecting with her, even when a few of her actions had me groaning. The other integral characters are interesting and each have unique qualities which add to the story. I especially liked Lena, who as a Native American child was forcibly separated from her family and put in a government-run school. Her plight is timely in light of the recent news stories regarding boarding schools for indigenous children in Canada, which has caused the U.S. to again re-examine its own shameful past. There is a love triangle but if you’re like me and can’t stand this particular plot device, rest assured that there’s not a lot of time spent on it.

The setting is very atmospheric and 1911 New York City is vividly brought to life in all its dark grittiness through Smith’s detailing of the rampant misogyny, abhorrent child labor, sweatshops and suffragette movement. Even the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire is brought up. 

There are several twists, and while I correctly guessed a couple, the answer to the central mystery: who killed William and what was their motive, eluded me until shortly before the reveal. The ending is quite shocking and sets the stage perfectly for the next book.

The Witch Haven truly is a fascinating read, and if you choose to try it I believe you’ll find it a challenge to put down once you’ve begun reading. If you enjoy historical fantasies with flawed yet strong female characters, and like authors such as Libba Bray, I enthusiastically encourage you to pick this up.

Happy National Ice Cream Day!

Tags

Humorous Memes, National Ice Cream Day 2021

Sunday Smiles ~ Bernie’s Mittens Star Trek Edition

Tags

Bernie’s Mittens, Star Trek, Sunday Smiles

Literary Lines

Tags

“Anne’s House of Dreams”, L.M. Montgomery, Literary Lines, Summer

All in all it was a never to be forgotten summer—one of those summers which come seldom into any life, but leave a rich heritage of beautiful memories in their going—one of those summers, which in a fortunate combination of delightful weather, delightful friends and delightful doing come as near to perfection as anything can come in this world.

~ L. M. Montgomery, Anne’s House of Dreams ~

Survive the Night, By Riley Sager ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

1990s, Adult Fiction, Classic Cinema, Mental Health, Mystery, Thrillers, Trauma

Release Date: Available Now

336 Pages

Synopsis: It’s November 1991. George H. W. Bush is in the White House, Nirvana’s in the tape deck, and movie-obsessed college student Charlie Jordan is in a car with a man who might be a serial killer.

Josh Baxter, the man behind the wheel, is a virtual stranger to Charlie. They met at the campus ride board, each looking to share the long drive home to Ohio. Both have good reasons for wanting to get away. For Charlie, it’s guilt and grief over the murder of her best friend, who became the third victim of the man known as the Campus Killer. For Josh, it’s to help care for his sick father. Or so he says. Like the Hitchcock heroine she’s named after, Charlie has her doubts. There’s something suspicious about Josh, from the holes in his story about his father to how he doesn’t seem to want Charlie to see inside the car’s trunk. As they travel an empty highway in the dead of night, an increasingly worried Charlie begins to think she’s sharing a car with the Campus Killer. Is Josh truly dangerous? Or is Charlie’s suspicion merely a figment of her movie-fueled imagination?

What follows is a game of cat-and-mouse played out on night-shrouded roads and in neon-lit parking lots, during an age when the only call for help can be made on a pay phone and in a place where there’s nowhere to run. In order to win, Charlie must do one thing–survive the night. (Goodreads)

Before I begin my review I thought I’d share my quest in attempting to obtain an eARC of Survive the Night. I requested it on NetGalley and as I had been approved for two Riley Sager’s previous books : Final Girls (2017) and Home Before Dark (2020), I figured for sure I’d be approved. Well that little bubble of arrogance was burst when I was turned down not only on NetGalley but also Edelweiss. Disappointed, yet still determined, I emailed the publisher explaining that I was turned down but that I was a huge fan of the author. I even provided links to my reviews of not only Mr. Sager’s books but other ones from Dutton Books that I had been approved for and reviewed. Much to my dismay I was politely told that they’d keep me in mind. And you know what happened? Crickets. Over the last several months I tried reaching out a couple of more times, but fearing that they might think me a stalker and take out a restraining order against me, I finally gave up. Then I began to sulk and thought to myself that if Dutton Books no longer thought I was good enough to read and review their books, fine, I wouldn’t! I know. This wasn’t my finest moment. Well, I’ve made it past my rebellious sulk, splurged and bought a copy, and I’m glad I did because I gobbled up Survive the Night in one sitting.

I have to be honest and say I had a problem with Charlie in the beginning. I mean, who gets into a car with a stranger shortly after their best friend falls victim to a serial killer who’s been stalking the campus and still hasn’t been caught? And this isn’t the only questionable decision she makes through the next six hours. However, the more I found out about Charlie’s background the more I was able to give her a little leeway. Charlie is obviously an unreliable character, but I wound up finding her surprisingly likable and sympathetic even though I wanted to take her by the shoulders a few times and shake her. Unsurprisingly, given this is Riley Sager, there is more than one twist. A couple I saw coming, but one, concerning Josh, I did not. For all that a good portion of the story takes place in a car, the pace is surprisingly fast and I found it impossible to put down. The ending left me a little torn as I’m not thrilled with who Charlie winds up with, but it’s imaginative and unique which is another aspect that Sager is known for.

Overall, Survive the Night is another winner that will standout in this year’s crowded field of new thrillers, thanks to its engaging protagonist, nostalgic setting of the 90s and creative inclusion of classic cinema. Riley Sager is someone who’s not afraid to take chances with his stories and characters, which is why he’s become one of my favorite authors in the mystery/thriller/horror genres in such a few short years. As most of you know I try to avoid spoilers of any kind in my reviews, and with this I’ve taken particular pains not to because I think it’s a story that’s even more enjoyable if you go in blind. Whether you’re already a fan of Sager, or if you’re new to his writing, but you’re looking for an unputdownable read, you’re going to want to snap this up from your favorite book retailer or local library!