A Master of Djinn (Fatma el-Sha’arawi #1), By P. Djèlí Clark ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Historical Fantasy, LGBTQ Relationships, Mystery, Romance, Steampunk, Suspense

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

Release Date: May 11th, 2021

400 Pages

Synopsis: Nebula, Locus and Alex Award-winner P. Djèlí returns to his popular alternate Cairo for his fantasy novel debut A Master of Djinn.

Cairo 1912: Though Fatma el-Sha’arawi, is the youngest woman working for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities, she’s certainly not a rookie, especially after preventing the destruction of the universe last summer.

So when someone murders a secret brotherhood dedicated to one of the most famous men in history, al-Jahiz, Agent Fatma is called onto the case. Al-Jahiz transformed the world 50 years ago when he opened up the veil between the magical and mundane realms, before vanishing into the unknown. This murderer claims to be al-Jahiz, returned to condemn the modern age for its social oppressions. His dangerous magical abilities instigate unrest in the streets of Cairo that threaten to spill over onto the global stage.

Alongside her Ministry colleagues and her clever girlfriend, Siti, Agent Fatma must unravel the mystery behind this imposter to restore peace to the city—or face the possibility he could be exactly who he seems… (Goodreads)

Although P. Djèlí Clark’s first full length novel is a little slow to get started, as a first time reader of his fiction, I’m hooked! First and foremost is the storyline itself, which is a spellbinding mashup of steampunk, historical fantasy, and suspenseful mystery. I fell completely in love with the alternative 1912 version of Cairo, and thanks to all the exquisite details that were included, I easily imagined myself there. The mystery itself was interesting and kept me guessing through a good portion of the book. The characters are diverse and colorful, particularly Fatma, Siti, and Hadia, all strong and independent women, yet still having to struggle for society’s acceptance. Overall, A Master of Djinn is a thoroughly entertaining and creative tale. While it’s not strictly necessary to have read the two previous short stories in this series: A Dead Djinn in Cairo and The Haunting of Tram Car 015, I recommend you do so instead of being like me and having to go back. I suspect as quickly as I became immersed in this magical world, that probably would have happened even sooner if I was already familiar with the setting and characters.

Angel of the Crows, by Katherine Addison ~ 3.5 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, Mystery, Steampunk, Supernatural

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Books for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: June 23rd, 2020

432 Pages

Synopsis: Katherine Addison, author of The Goblin Emperor, returns with The Angel of the Crows, a fantasy novel of alternate 1880s London, where killers stalk the night and the ultimate power is naming.

This is not the story you think it is. These are not the characters you think they are. This is not the book you are expecting.

In an alternate 1880s London, angels inhabit every public building, and vampires and werewolves walk the streets with human beings in a well-regulated truce. A fantastic utopia, except for a few things: Angels can Fall and that Fall is like a nuclear bomb in both the physical and metaphysical world. And human beings remain human with all their kindness and greed and passions and murderous intent.

Jack the Ripper stalks the streets of this London too. But this London has an Angel. The Angel of the Crows.

Being a Sherlock Holmes fan, I was immediately intrigued by Angel of the Crows which began as fanfic. It’s not bad, but it could have used some more originality.

For the most part, what Katherine Addison has done, is taken some of Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories (A Study in Scarlet, The Adventure of the Copper Beeches, The Hound of the Baskervilles, and The Speckled Band), thrown in the Whitechapel murders by Jack the Ripper in the background, and added fantasy, dystopian, and steampunk elements. The problem is, despite these different themes the characters and stories don’t really divert much from the original source material. Some of the dialogue is even remarkably similar to BBCs Sherlock Holmes series.

For the first half of the book I was also a bit confused much of the time in regards to this alternate London. It took me a while to understand the difference between angels and their roles. I felt as though I had just been dropped and left to make my own way through this murky world.

Despite these issues, I did find much to enjoy in this rather curious tale. I did like Crow (Sherlock), and Doyle (Watson), and as much as I love ACD’s original stories, it must be admitted that some had racist and sexist connotations. Addison deftly removed these without taking anything away from the story. I also liked the addition of Dr. Doyle’s secrets that he’s hiding. They’re creatively done yet perfectly fit in with his personality. The story is also quite fast-paced and I never found myself bored.

Overall, while not perfect, Angel of the Crows is an entertaining journey back to Victorian London with English literature’s most endearing odd couple. I can easily see this being turned into a tv series like Showtime’s Penny Dreadful. For fans of the original Sherlock series, think of this as a nice reread with some interesting fantastical additions. If you’re not familiar with the four stories I mentioned, you may actually enjoy this even more.

 

Brightstorm (Sky-Ship Adventure #1), by Vashti Hardy – 5.0 Stars

Tags

Adventure, Death of a parent, Fantasy, Juvenile Fiction, Mystery, Science Fiction, Steampunk

Thanks to NetGalley and Norton Young Readers for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: March 17th, 2020

336 Pages

Synopsis: Arthur and Maudie Brightstorm receive devastating news: their famous explorer father has died in a failed attempt to reach South Polaris. To make matters worse, the Lontown Geographical Society finds Ernest Brightstorm guilty of sabotaging the expedition of his competitor, Eudora Vane. But a mysterious clue leads the twins to question the story they’ve been told—and to uncover the truth, they must undertake the journey of a lifetime.

Joining the ragtag crew of a homemade sky-ship captained by the intrepid Harriet Culpepper, Arthur and Maudie race to South Polaris to salvage their family’s reputation and find out what really happened on their father’s doomed expedition.

Brightstorm is a propulsive and compelling fantasy adventure set among the vibrant landscapes and dynamic characters of Vashti Hardy’s vividly imagined world.

First, how gorgeous is that cover? Doesn’t it immediately make you want to go grab a copy? Well, I’m happy to say that the story lives up to that wonderful cover. Brightstorm is one of the best middle grade reads I’ve had the pleasure of reading in quite a while, and I’m thrilled to feature it as my first review of 2020!

This story is not only a fascinating fusion of fantasy, science fiction, steampunk and historical fiction, it also draws inspiration from the real life story of the Scott Expedition to the South Pole. It’s a thrilling adventure which captivated me from the very first page and had me racing to the finish in just a little over three hours. The characters, from Maudie and Arthur, Captain Harriet Culpepper, and ship’s cook and comic relief, Felicity Wiggety, to the villainous, pink-loving, Eudora Vane, are brilliantly written. Maudie with her scientific genius is a wonderful female role model for STEM, and Captain Culpepper is as well. Arthur, who was born without one of his arms, has never let that stop him from accomplishing what he wants, although his impulsiveness can get himself and his loved ones into trouble. The satient animals like the Brightstorm’s faithful winged companion, Parthena, and the thought wolves are wonderful creations and add even more to an already exciting tale. The ending perfectly sets things up for the next book, Darkwhispers, and that brings me to my good news/bad news. The good news is that the sequel is coming out in February. The bad news is that if you want a print copy it looks like it’s initially going to be released in the UK, but not the US. Thank goodness for Book Depository which offers free shipping worldwide! If you have a Kindle though it’s already available for preorder on Amazon.

So, just to be clear, I haven’t had this high level of excitement after reading a children’s book since I first read Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, by Rowling, and Northern Lights, by Philip Pullman. If I wasn’t retired I’d be ordering multiple copies for my library in order to push them into the hands of my young patrons, and organizing book discussion groups! Brightstorm has been receiving accolades in the UK since it was released in 2018, and in my opinion they’re entirely well-deserved. This is a book that will win both juvenile and adult fans. Vashti Hardy is a storyteller extraordinaire who weaves magic with her words and illustrations. If you enjoy authors like Rowling, Pullman, and Lemony Snicket, you need to read this. And if you’re not familiar with these authors but you like the sound of a fantastic rollicking adventure featuring intrepid orphans and plenty of villainy afoot, I urge you to try this!

 

 

The Lost Property Office (Section 13 #1) ~ By James R. Hannibal – 4.0 Stars

Tags

Adventure, England, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Juvenile Fiction, Mystery, Steampunk

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

Release Date: November 8th, 2016

400 Pages

Synopsis: Thirteen-year-old Jack Buckles is great at finding things. Not just a missing glove or the other sock, but things normal people have long since given up ever seeing again. If only he could find his father, who has disappeared in London without a trace. 

But Jack’s father was not who he claimed to be. It turns out that he was a member of a secret society of detectives that has served the Crown for centuries–and membership into the Lost Property Office is Jack’s inheritance. 

Now the only way Jack will ever see his father again is if he finds what the nefarious Clockmaker is after: the Ember, which holds a secret that has been kept since the Great Fire of London. Will Jack be able to find the Ember and save his father, or will his talent for finding things fall short?

The Lost Property Office is an intriguing mash-up of fantasy, steampunk, and history with even a little Sherlock and Watson thrown in, and for the most part it’s a winning formula. 13- year-old Jack is an ordinary teen thrust into extraordinary circumstances. He’s a reluctant hero who is dragged into this quest by the overly enthusiastic Gwen and the villainous Clockmaker. All Jack really wants is his dad back. Instead he finds himself over his head with family secrets, a mysterious society of detectives and a gift that he neither understands nor wants. But following in the footsteps of other reluctant heroes, Jack rises to the occasion with help from the persistent Gwen. They’re such an appealing team and the dialogue between is clever and humorous. I wish some of the secondary characters had been developed a bit more, in particular Jack’s younger sister, Sally, who seems to have a mysterious gift of her own. I have a feeling though she’ll be playing a larger part in subsequent books. There’s a lot of history mixed in here about the Great Fire of London which I found fascinating, but I think it might slow the pace down a little for younger readers. The world-building though is wonderfully written especially in regards to the Buckle family’s history with the Lost Property Office. Overall, this is a solid middle-grade adventure that I think will appeal to a wide audience. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing the author takes this series next.

 

 

Dr. DOA (Secret Histories #10) ~ By Simon Green – 4.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Adventure, Family Relationships, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Science Fiction, Steampunk, Thrillers, Urban Fantasy

Thank you NetGalley and Roc for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: The name is Drood, Eddie Drood, also known as Shaman Bond. My family has been safeguarding humanity for generations, facing the hidden horrors of the world so you can sleep at night and remain oblivious to the existence of the monstrous nightmares that walk and stalk among us.

Speaking of predatory night terrors, there is a man who gets away with murder. A man who specializes in removing the problems from other people’s lives, by killing the people who cause those problems. He operates from the darkest shadows of the hidden world, coming and going unseen. No-one knows who he is, just his nomme du muerte. Dr. DOA.

Somehow, this demented doc poisoned me. I don’t know how he did it, when or where, but whatever is coursing through my veins seems to be immune to magic cures and treatments. But that’s not going to stop me from finding him and whoever hired him and give them both a taste of their own medicine…

First let me say that this series absolutely has to be read in order. There’s just too much that happens in each book for you to jump in midway. There are also links to Green’s other popular Nightside series, but you needn’t have read any of those books in order to enjoy these. So, if you have surmised that The Secret Histories is a tongue-in-cheek play on the James Bond series by Ian Fleming than you would be correct. The titles are all nods to the originals, and they even have characters based on “Q” and “M”. Except for those similarities though, the books are completely different. They’re an eclectic mix of urban fantasy, fantasy, steampunk, horror and science fiction. Eddie himself is nothing like Bond. He’s definitely not a flirt, holds onto a lot of guilt, and in the last few books has been completely devoted to Molly Metcalf, a powerful witch and former arch-nemesis. In this book they continue to play off each other really well, and their bantering provides for some of the most enjoyable parts of the story. There’s also much more in the way of emotional development with Eddie facing the prospect of his own mortality and Molly’s determination to save him. I find it amazing that even after ten books, Simon Green continues to pack in plenty of new revelations and surprises particularly about the mafia-like Drood Family. His world-building is so well written that you can’t help but feel as though you’re right there with the characters whether they’re in London or some bizarre alternate universe. There’s a few problems with Dr. DOA though that keep it from being a perfect read. First of all, there’s a couple of unnecessary subplots that detract from, rather than add to the main plot. While there’s plenty of action to keep the pace moving quickly, I felt these slowed the narrative down a bit. There’s also a fair amount of repetition particularly in regards to the admittedly awesome Drood armor. After ten books now I don’t think readers need to be reminded in every fight scene that basically nothing can get through this stuff. And finally, after nine previous books where Green always wrapped up each story while at the same time making it clear that there would be a next, now, NOW he decides to end on a cliffhanger? Argh! Since the eleventh book won’t be out until next year, this has left me considerably cranky. Overall though, I did really enjoy Dr. DOA. If you’ve read the previous books in the series, you don’t want to miss this. And if you haven’t read The Secret Histories I highly recommend them, especially if you’re a fan of urban fantasy and authors like Jim Butcher.

Alistair Grim’s Odd Aquaticum (Odditorium #2) ~ Gregory Funaro – 5.0 Stars

Tags

Adventure, Fantasy, Juvenile Fiction, Steampunk

 I received this e-Arc from the author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: January 5th, 2016

Synopsis: When Grubb, an orphan and runaway chimney sweep, entered the wondrous world of the Odditorium, his life changed forever. Apprenticed to the mechanical marvel’s strange proprietor, Alistair Grim, Grubb unfortunately must settle into his new position on the Lam, as the whole of London is convinced that Alistair Grim is a villain bent on mass destruction. Grim however, has come up with a plan to expose the real villain: Prince Nightshade, a wicked necromancer who wants the Odditorium’s power source for himself.

With the evil prince hot on their trail, Grim, Grubb and the rest of the Odditorium’s crew embark on a perilous adventure to find the legendary sword Excalibur: the only weapon capable of penetrating Nightshade’s magical suit of armor. As expected, their quest turns out to be anything but ordinary. Not only can the Odditorium fly, but it can also swim! And so the crew battens down the hatches and sets off on an underwater voyage to the underworldly realm of Avalon, home to Excalibur. Along the way, they must battle a banshee assassin, sea monsters, and a witch who seeks revenge on Alistair Grim for stealing her magical objects.

But that’s not all. Unbeknownst to Grubb and the others, their fate has been written in an ancient Avalonian prophecy–a prophecy that holds the key to a destiny not even Alistair Grim could have possibly imagined.

“It’s the magic in his books what keeps the library warm.”

~ Grubb, “Alistair Grim’s Odd Aquaticum”

While this quote doesn’t appear until near the end of this book, it’s a perfect example of why you should read it!  Alistair Grim’s Odditorium first introduced the young orphan Grubb (“like the worm, with one b”) and his adventures on board the incredible Odditorium with the enigmatic inventor Mr. Alistair Grim. This second book picks up approximately a month later, and is even more magical than the first!

The heart of these books continues to be young Grubb who is approximately twelve-years-old. He is an enchanting character whose continually optimistic outlook on life is amazing, given his Dickensian background. He faces every danger he’s exposed to with an almost cheerful acceptance and never backs down from a challenge. The story is told from Grubb’s point-of-view, and his charming cockney narrative makes the reader care even more about him and his companions.

Grubb’s relationship with Alistair Grim is further developed and there are some truly touching moments between them. The author answers a few more questions regarding the intriguing inventor while posing new ones which will hopefully be answered in the next book. 

The way in which Gregory Funaro writes his secondary characters makes them just as much fun as the main ones. Tragic Nigel, Mrs. Pinch (a witch who makes delicious purple stew), McClintock the watch, Lord Dreary, Gwendolyn the fairy, Cleona the banshee–they all return for this exciting adventure. They’re joined by new friends and foes including Lorchlan Dalach, a banshee with ties to Cleona. 

As the synopsis states, this latest attempt to put an end to Prince Nightshade’s villainy involves finding Avalon and Excalibur. As soon as I read this I became even more excited because I’ve always been fascinated with Arthurian mythology. Much to my delight, the author puts an imaginative and unique spin on the mythology which kept me absolutely captivated. While on their quest our intrepid heroes come across more prophecies which foreshadow possible events in subsequent books. 

With this second book in the Odditorium series, Gregory Funaro has crafted a magical adventure which successfully blends fantasy and steampunk into a perfect mix. It’s a world filled with such incredible detail that you’ll have a difficult time pulling yourself away. Because of this being an ARC, not all the illustrations were provided, but the ones that were added to the charm of the story. While this is written for upper elementary and middle school students, it will also enchant adult readers who haven’t let go of their inner child. 

Soulbound ~ By Kristen Callihan – 5.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Alternate History, Paranormal Romance, Steampunk

. This ebook was provided to me by NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Adam, King of the GIM (Ghosts In the Machine) has been searching for his soul mate for 700 years. She is the only one who can lift the curse placed on him and his “children”. Eliza May is the one he’s been waiting for, but unfortunately their first meeting is literally over her dead body. Using his powers, Adam is able to bring her back, but then he panics and keeps her chained to him for the next several months. Having escaped, an extremely angry Eliza now lives with her grandmother Mab and the rest of the Fae, but she is quickly growing disenchanted with their selfishness and cruelty. While in Mab’s house, she discovers a chained and tortured Adam in the basement. Now the balance of power has shifted and Eliza finds herself in the position of having to rescue Adam and to lift the curse that has been placed on him and his GIM. First she’ll have to let go of her anger and learn to trust him which given their complicated relationship is no easy matter.

Soulbound is the 6th book in the Darkest London series and is my favorite so far which is really saying something given how much I enjoyed the previous books. Because of the way he first treats Eliza, I didn’t expect to like Adam as much as I did. He actually turns out to be a surprisingly sympathetic character. While there is no excuse for his behavior toward  Eliza when he first discovers her, there is a reason, and he spends the rest of the book making amends. He has that whole tormented yet ultimately chivalrous hero vibe going for him. Eliza is, well, perfect. Despite her suffering at the hands of others, she’s smart and strong and becomes an equal and worthy partner for Adam. There’s also the mystery of what sort of supernatural being she is, and when it’s revealed, it’s done brilliantly! Speaking of revelations there are plenty. Not just regarding Adam and Eliza, but also secondary characters, some which have headlined previous books, and others who will hopefully star in future ones. I really cannot recommend this series enough! If you want to try it though, you should definitely read them in order. This is a London populated by GIM, Werewolves, Demons, Fae, and with this book, at least one Angel. The worldbuilding is complicated so it’ll make more sense that way.

The Kingdom Lights ~ by Steven VS – 3.5 Stars

Tags

Fantasy, Juvenile Fiction, Science Fiction, Steampunk

  I received this e-book from the author and NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Celes Vale has lived an ordinary life with his close knit family in working class Midgardian. That is, until his twelfth birthday. On that day his magic is awakened and shortly thereafter he is sent to a magical school in the floating city of Gardarel where he will be trained as an Invoker. It’s soon apparent though that there is a nefarious plot underway. One that could destroy Gardarel itself. Can Celes and his friends stop the villains before it’s too late?

I’m going to get the negatives out of the way. Yes, there are parts of The Kingdom Lights that are similar to Harry Potter. One of the opening scenes took me right back to when Dumbledore dropped Harry off at the Dursleys. And yes there are extreme similarities in regard to the characters. In addition to Celes, Zephyr, and Imogene being somewhat like Harry, Ron, and Hermione, there’s a Draco clone with two henchmen that are a little too close to Crabbe and Goyle. I also felt there wasn’t quite enough world building. For instance, I would have liked to have known more about the origins of the prejudice towards the Wisps. Finally, there was some repetetive phrasing that got on my nerves. Too many instances of “the young Vale” for example. Despite this, I actually wound up liking the book. Steven VS has created a lovely children’s book that is a combination of Steampunk, Fantasy, and a little Science Fiction. Indeed, with his gorgeous descriptions of Gardarel and all it’s wonders, it brought to mind The Cloud City in The Empire Strikes Back. For all the similarities in the characters to those in Harry Potter, there was also a uniqueness to them. I genuinely grew to care about Celes and I loved the difficult relationship between him and his cousin Sam. I also loved the character of Zephyr, Celes’ best friend who as a Wisp is not afforded the same rights as everyone else. Imogene was also an interesting character, although I’d love to see her fleshed out more. When the true villain of the story finally revealed themselves, I was actually surprised. It truly was one of those “the person you least expect” moments. The Kingdom Lights can be a standalone novel, but the ending also leaves room for another story. I rather hope the author continues with this. I’d like to find out more about this magical world. 

*UPDATE* I just received an email from Steven who is indeed writing a series. Phew! And in his words, he “Has a plan”!

Evernight ~ Kristen Callihan 4.0 Stars

Tags

Paranormal Romance, Steampunk, Victorian Historical Fiction

This review is for an ARC ebook provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Will Thorne is a Sanguine demon (vampire who can also turn himself into a lethal shadow), whose sole purpose is to kill Holly Evernight. It was she who put a clockwork heart in him which has the agonizing side effect of slowly turning his mind and body into platinum. He’s also been left without most of his memories. When his assassination attempt fails, he is surprised by not only Holly’s healing touch, but also that she’s not the cold unfeeling monster he thought. Can these two lost souls forgive each other and find who is really trying to kill Holly? I wasn’t sure if I would like this 5th book in the Darkest London series. Holly came across as being kind of cold and unfeeling in the previous book Shadowdance, and Will despite his physical and mental anguish isn’t the most sympathetic character in the world. I was surprised as the story unfolded at how much I wound up liking them. Holly’s perceived coldness is a shield that she uses to hide the trauma of her past. While Will can be a bit obnoxious he winds up being so protective of Holly my heart wound up melting. What’s great about this series is that each book can be read as a stand-alone. I’ve liked reading them in order though because in each book the characters which will star in the next book are introduced. This is an entertaining book and series for readers who like Paranormal Romance, Victorian Fiction, and Steampunk.

Books in the Darkest London Series:

 

                                                           TBR Feb. 24th, 2015

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alistair Grim’s Odditorium, by Gregory Funaro – 4.5 Stars

Tags

Adventure, Children's Books, Fantasy, Steampunk

This is for an ARC ebook provided to me by NetGalley & Disney-Hyperion in exchange for an honest review.

If Gregory Funaro was given a set of instructions on how to write the perfect children’s book, he couldn’t have done any better. Poor Grubb. Age “twelve or thereabouts”, and an orphan, he’s known nothing but hardship and cruelty during his childhood. Found by the kindly Mrs. Smears who unfortunately dies early on in the book, he is forced by Mr. Smears to become a chimney sweep and is beaten daily and starved so he can fit into the narrow chimneys. But after a hilarious altercation with an innkeeper’s spoiled son, and hiding in the back of a mysterous guest’s carriage, this plucky hero soon finds himself on the adventure of his life, and discovers there is far more to the world than he ever imagined. This book swept me right back to my childhood. If I could compare it to other books I’d choose Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The Phantom Tollbooth. But it really is completely unique on it’s own. Set in Victorian England it’s a mix of fantasy, adventure, and steampunk. Grubb is a loveable hero who with the other characters from the Odditorium will instantly captivate you. Illustrated with exquisite drawings and for ages 8 – 12, it’s not only a great book for reluctant readers, but it will appeal to those who don’t usually read books in this genre. I would even recommend it to adults who would like to re-awaken their inner child. It won’t be released until early January , but I’d add this to your list of future books that must be read.