Survivor Song, by Paul Tremblay ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Horror, Massachusetts, Suspense

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: July 7th, 2020

320 Pages

Synopsis: In a matter of weeks, Massachusetts has been overrun by an insidious rabies-like virus that is spread by saliva. But unlike rabies, the disease has a terrifyingly short incubation period of an hour or less. Those infected quickly lose their minds and are driven to bite and infect as many others as they can before they inevitably succumb. Hospitals are inundated with the sick and dying, and hysteria has taken hold. To try to limit its spread, the commonwealth is under quarantine and curfew. But society is breaking down and the government’s emergency protocols are faltering.

Dr. Ramola “Rams” Sherman, a soft-spoken pediatrician in her mid-thirties, receives a frantic phone call from Natalie, a friend who is eight months pregnant. Natalie’s husband has been killed—viciously attacked by an infected neighbor—and in a failed attempt to save him, Natalie too, was bitten. Natalie’s only chance for survival is to get to a hospital as quickly as possible to get a rabies vaccine. The clock is ticking for her and her unborn child.

Natalie’s fight for life becomes a desperate odyssey as she and Rams make their way through a hostile landscape filled with dangers beyond their worst nightmares—terrifying, strange and sometimes deadly challenges that push them to the brink.

Paul Tremblay once again demonstrates his mastery in this chilling and all-too-plausible novel that will leave readers raving through the pages…and shake them to their core.

I sometimes wonder about this enormous masochistic streak I have and if I need professional help. I mean why else would I request a book about a pandemic in the middle of a pandemic? But in my defense, I love Paul Tremblay, so how could I resist. One reason why I think Tremblay is a great horror writer is because usually you’re left thinking at the end of one of his novels: “Damn! That could really happen!” His upcoming novel, Survivor Song is one of those.

This is not your typical zombie apocalypse novel, as the virus here is similar to rabies, except instead of weeks for someone who’s been bitten to start exhibiting symptoms, it can take under an hour. There’s actually this running riff throughout the story that has multiple characters explaining that victims are not zombies. Tremblay is also not known for happily-ever-afters, but that didn’t stop me from hoping for some sort of miracle for Natalie. I loved both her and Ramola and the close friendship they shared. Except for two teenage boys that provide a bit of comic relief as well as proving themselves quite helpful to Natalie and Ramola, there aren’t any other characters that really standout. But that’s okay because it’s the two women who the reader connects with as they share their inner most thoughts through their nightmarish road trip. I thought the ending was a smidge chaotic, but overall Survivor Song is sure to be another hit for Paul Tremblay. If you love strong, character-driven horror, I guarantee you’ll love this. It will immediately pull you in and not let go until you’ve reached the very last page.

Crimson Shore (Pendergast #15) ~ by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child – 4.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Historical Romance, Maritime History, Massachusetts, Murder Mystery, Salem Witchcraft Trials, Supernatural

 I received this e-Arc from NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: November 10th, 2015

Synopsis: A secret chamber. A mysterious shipwreck. A murder in the desolate salt marshes. A seemingly straightforward private case turns out to be much more complicated-and-sinister-than Special Agent A.X.L. Pendergast ever could have anticipated.

Pendergast, together with his ward Constance Greene, travels to the quaint seaside village of Exmouth, Massachusetts, to investigate the theft of a priceless wine collection. But inside the wine cellar, they find something considerably more disturbing: a bricked-up niche that once held a crumbling skeleton.

Pendergast and Constance soon learn that Exmouth is a town with a very dark and troubled history, and this skeleton may be only the first hint of an ancient transgression, kept secret all these years. But they will discover that the sins of the past are still very much alive.

I’ve been fascinated with Aloysius X. L. Pendergast since he first appeared as a secondary character in Relic (1995). Fifteen books later, his story still has the power to mesmerize me. Except for a rather strange segue into the supernatural near the end of the book, Crimson Shore is an enjoyable mystery which kept me reading well into the night.

Having fully recovered from the events in Blue Labyrinth, Pendergast’s Holmesian talents of deduction are on full display here, as are his eccentricities. While there aren’t any new revelations as have been in previous books, his relationship with his ward Constance, does move forward, albeit awkwardly at times. Theirs is a curious dance which manages to be both sad and amusing. These are two people whose I.Q.s are off the charts, yet when it comes to relationships they’re incredibly naive. 

Constance continues to grow in this story and it’s becoming evident that she will ultimately become a worthy partner for Pendergast both in their investigative endeavors as well as their personal lives. I do wish she was a little more empathetic towards other people as this would provide some balance towards Pendergast’s aloofness, but given her background and the traumas she’s suffered it’s understandable why her personality mirrors that of her mentor’s. 

While supernatural themes have appeared more than once in this series, this time it seemed to be tacked on near the end of the book, almost as an afterthought. Even worse, it actually could have worked if Preston and Child had integrated it more fully with the rest of the story. Instead it’s tacked on near the end and frankly left me wondering why. 

The book ends with an explosive cliffhanger which has left me frustrated as it will most likely be another year before the next book comes out. Personally, I’m not a fan of endings like these, as they tend to make me feel as though I’m being manipulated. 

Despite it’s flaws, Crimson Shore is still an intriguing mystery which combines many elements including: Massachusett’ s maritime history, the Salem Witchcraft Trials, and even a nod to Poe. While it’s not my favorite Pendergast novel, it’s still has left me anxiously awaiting the next installment.

Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, Book 1: The Sword of Summer ~ Rick Riordan – 4.0 Stars

Tags

Adventure, Boston, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Humor, Massachusetts, Norse Mythology, Vikings, YA Fiction

 Synopsis: Magnus Chase has always been a troubled kid. Since his mother’s mysterious death, he’s lived alone on the streets of Boston, surviving by his wits, keeping one step ahead of the police and the truant officers.

One day, he’s tracked down by an uncle he barely knows–a man his mother claimed was dangerous. Uncle Randolph tells him an impossible secret: Magnus is the son of a Norse God. 

The Viking myths are true. The gods of Asgard are preparing for war. Trolls, giants, and worse monsters are stirring for doomsday. To prevent Ragnarok, Magnus must search the Nine Worlds for a weapon that has been lost for thousands of years.

When an attack by fire giants forces him to choose between his own safety and the lives of hundreds of innocents, Magnus makes a fatal decision.

Sometimes, the only way to start a new life is to die…

First, I’m going to get the few negatives out of the way. For those of you who have read Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson books and his Kane Chronicles, you’ll find many of the same elements.

1. Underdog hero with a snarky sense of humor, sent on a death-defying quest.

2. Said hero is accompanied by a motley crew of misfits.

3. Working against them are an assortment of villains as well as figures who should be on their side but wind up working against them for a variety of reasons including jealousy and distrust.

4. The plot is made up of a series of small adventures which lead up to an epic battle. 

So, admittedly there’s a lot here that’s highly derivative of Riordan’s previous work as well as other YA fantasy books. However, in this story he’s created new twists for not only his characters, but the plot as well, so I found I actually didn’t mind the similarities that much.

Magnus is a sixteen-year-old who has been on the run since his mother was killed by two wolves with glowing eyes. Magnus has two uncles, but he’s wary of going to them for help since his mother’s last words were to warn him not to trust them. He’s a smart kid who despite his mother’s tragic death and his less than ideal living arrangements retains his sense of humor and has some witty and spot-on observations of the world around him. One of the things I love about Rick Riordan is his ability to perfectly capture how teenagers talk and act. This uncanny ability is once again on full display in this story. It serves to make Magnus a sympathetic and relatable character who you root for as he embarks upon his hero’s journey.

Riordan is also known for bringing diversity through his characters into his books, and this has never been so prevalent as in this book. There’s Hearthstone, a deaf elf who communicates through sign language and is one of the only practitioners of rune magic. Blitzen, a dwarf, (or dark elf) who aspires to be a fashion designer. And best of all, a kick-ass teenage Valkyrie named Samirah all-Abbas, who is Muslim and has a magical hijab. These three open the door to discuss racial prejudices and disabilities both in real life as well as in the magical realm. While all the characters need some more development, The Sword of Summer has set a pretty solid foundation for some interesting and complex characters. 

The plot itself is exciting and has all of Riordan’s trademark humor. Whether it’s Magnus’s one-liners and quips, or the amusing depictions of some of the mythological figures, or even the chapter titles themselves (Chapter 1. Good Morning! You’re Going to Die), I found myself laughing out loud on several occasions. I don’t believe I’ll ever think of Thor and his hammer in quite the same way again! What I truly love about Riordan’s writing though is the way he consistently makes me want to learn more about his subject matter. With this new series he’s focusing on Norse mythology, which I don’t know as much about as I do the Greek myths behind his Percy Jackson series. Making things even more fascinating is the way he ties these myths and Viking history into Boston’s. For example, despite living just twenty minutes away, I had no idea that there are many scholars who believe that the Vikings made it as far north as Boston. I didn’t even know there’s a statue of Leif Erikson on Commonwealth Ave. to commemorate the finding in 1880 of the remainder of what many believe to be Norse settlements in Massachusetts. I’m a little embarrassed over this.  

The book is almost overflowing with new characters and background, yet the story never becomes bogged down with too many details. There’s no romance, although you do start to wonder what Magnus’s and Sam’s relationship will develop into since she’s expected to marry a distant cousin as part of an arranged marriage orchestrated by her grandparents. There are also some ties to the world of Percy Jackson since Annabeth Chase is Magnus’s cousin and appears a couple of times in this book. I’m quite interested in seeing what her role will be in future books, and if it leads to other characters from the Percy universe appearing.

To sum things up I believe The Sword of Summer has much to offer to a wide audience. For tweens and teens, it’s an entertaining, yet also invaluable learning tool which can be used to spark interest in not only Norse mythology, but also the history of the Vikings and their impact in North America. For adults who love mythology in it’s many forms, this is an interesting and imaginative addition with tongue-in-cheek humor. I’m looking foward to where “Uncle Rick”  takes his readers next on this promising new journey.

Playing With Fire ~ by Tess Gerritsen – 4.5 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Italy, Massachusetts, Musicians, Mystery, The Holocaust

 I received this e-Arc from NetGalley and Ballantine Books in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: October 27th, 2015

Synopsis: The first time Julia Ansdell picks up “The Incendio Waltz”, she knows it’s a strikingly unusual composition. But while playing the piece, Julia blacks out and awakens to find her young daughter implicated in acts of surprising violence. And when she travels to Venice to find the previous owner of the music, she uncovers a dark secret that involves dangerously powerful people–a family who would stop at nothing to keep Julia from bringing the truth to light.

Tess Gerritsen is well known for her contemporary mystery series, Rizzoli and Isles, but Playing With Fire bears absolutely no resemblance to that, although there is a mystery involved. Instead, she’s interwoven the discovery of a mysterious piece of music in the present, with the nightmarish events in World War II Italy. The result is a haunting tale of two people separated by decades, connected only by their love of music.

The chapters alternate between Julia, who is a professional violinist in the present day, with Lorenzo Todesco, a young Jewish musician trying to survive in Mussolini’s Italy. Julia is happily married and is the mother of an adorable three-year-old daughter. While in Rome she stumbles across a piece of music which mysteriously calls out to her. Arriving back home with it she plays it and her daughter immediately starts committing horrific acts of violence. Is there some sort of connection or is Julia losing her mind like her mother? Julia is a such a sympathetic character. Content with her life, she grows increasingly confused and worried as everything she knows starts to unravel. Convinced that events are not in her mind, she’s determined to discover the history behind The Incendio and save her daughter. 

In 1938 Venice Lorenzo, who is also a violinist, comes from a well respected family of musicians. He’s an earnest young man who is devoted to his music, and is also experiencing falling in love for the very first time. His whole life is ahead of him, but he’s Jewish, in fascist Italy, and what ultimately happens to him and his family is heartbreaking. 

Both the present day mystery involving Julia, and the historical chapters following Lorenzo are wonderfully written, but it was Lorenzo’s story which ultimately captured my attention. I knew that Jews in Italy were rounded up during this time as part of Mussolini’s partnership with Hitler, but I had no idea the extent of the atrocities. I wound up reading these thought-provoking passages with my kleenex box next to me. The present day mystery is intriguing, and the outcome took me completely by surprise. My only problem was I felt the ending was a little rushed. Up until the last couple of chapters, the mystery of Incendio and how it connects two people separated by decades was compelling and mesmerizing, but then near the end everything is wrapped up so suddenly it was rather jarring.

Overall, The Incendio Waltz is a hauntingly beautiful tale which will resonate with you long after you’ve finished. Tess Gerritsen has proven she is a master storyteller who can successfully move beyond her usual police procedurals. Despite it only being 288 pages long, this is not a light read. It’s both powerful and painful and will leave you unsettled. However, I think it’s a story that you’ll be glad you read. 

Harrison Squared ~ by Daryl Gregory – 5.0 Stars

Tags

Horror, HP Lovecraft, Humor, Massachusetts, YA Fiction

 I received this e-Arc from NetGalley and Tor Books in exchange for an honest review. Release date: 3/24/2015

Sixteen year old Harrison Harrison, or as he’s affectionately called by his marine biologist mother, H2, is moving to the Massachusetts town of Dunnsmouth so she can carry out her latest research involving creatures of the deep. It’s not long before things take a very strange turn. The kids at school all share a similar look and are oddly silent, and his mother disappears in a boating accident two days after they arrive. Harrison already lost his father when he was a toddler during the same boating incident which claimed one of his legs. He’s not about to give up on his mother and determinedly sets out to investigate the accident. Aided only by a few of his classmates and a mysterious stranger, Harrison will have to face off against not only town officials, but also otherworldly foes if he’s to rescue his mother and save the world before it’s too late.

Harrison Squared is the prequel to Daryl Gregory’s 2014 novella We Are All Completely Fine, which I really need to read now. This is definitely an homage to Lovecraft and if you’re a fan you should consider adding this to your collection. While it has all the elements of Lovecraftian horror, it also possesses a sly sense of humor which had me laughing several times while reading. For example, one of the in-jokes are the names Harrison and his mom have given to their research buoys. They’re named after masters of horror: King, Straub, Poe, and of course Lovecraft. And then there’s the parody of high school with it’s mausoleum-like atmosphere, nautical themed classes, and students that are strangely well behaved. The humor never gets in the way of the story though. Harrison is an intriguing character who is wonderfully written. Having memories of a tentacled sea monster not only killing his father, but severing his leg, he hasn’t let this define him. He has an engaging personality with a refreshing sense of humor, and shares a touchingly close relationship with his mom, Rosa. He’s also loyal and stubbornly will not give up on the people he cares about. His allies which include a classmate named Lydia, and the aforementioned mysterious stranger further add to a richly told tale. It’s often difficult to maintain a balance between humor and horror, but Daryl Gregory pulls it off brilliantly. I think any horror aficionado will love this book.