|
This huge saga covers two thousand years from the ancient Mayan culture in 1012 to the far flung future in 3012. While the characters in each section are very different stories they are connected by common themes and a sacred cave in Belize. It is difficult to pinpoint this book into a genre but it covers issues such as sex, gender identity, humanity in crisis, war, religion and politics so well that we can follow along in each time period. In the end people tend to act in similar ways. From the incestuous twin king and queen to people trying to save the world from yet another devastating war the author pulls you into the story. 4 stars 
0 Comments
A stunning story of family, survival and of course, magic. The Montoya family story begins with Orquídea in Ecuador where she makes a deal with the devil to save herself and her hometown which will follow the family through several generations. We flip between chapters detailing Orquidea's early life and how she came to Four Rivers to stay until present day when she summons the family home to her death bed. Years pass until the curse must be broken or debts must be paid as the remaining members of her family come to realize. Vivid imagery makes this book a feast for the senses, full of Latin American myth and culture, a healthy dose of magic and powerful family ties. This will be a hit with readers of Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Isabel Allende and readers of Stephen King's THE OUTSIDER. 5 stars  How do you handle an astronaut that defies orders to evacuate the International Space Station and then holds it hostage until the ravaging of the Amazon forest by Brazil is stopped? Walli Beckwith was an exemplary astronaut until she decides to create an international incident to correct what she feels will be the Earth's demise by throwing a Hail Mary pass. The author is able to show how Walli is a scientist first but is also moved to action because a family member is caught in the middle. She sees the extent of the damage from space and knows she has one chance to stop it. The science is made simple enough to not go over too many heads but the drama and life aboard the space station is interesting enough to satisfy those readers craving a solid space thriller. 4 stars  The creepy plantation in her small North Carolina town is not where she thought her friend would get married and she certainly never wanted to set foot again on the Woodsman Plantation. She really would like to forget the last time she was there and how it broke apart her relationship with her other best friend Jesse. The plantation has been turned into something of a tourist attraction adding a fun look at plantation life which could not be further than the truth. Mira feels the evil almost from day one and when the bride goes missing she cannot ignore the whispers and strange things she is seeing. The time for fun is over and the ghosts have revenge on their mind making the children pay for the sins of the father. Laced with recollections of the horrors that the slaves faced at the hands of their white masters this is historical horror wrapped up in an atmospheric gothic story of ageless revenge. This will appeal more to lovers of dark ghost stories more so than stories of slavery but it does a good job of pointing out how we mask places of violence and abuse and call it a historical landmark. 4 stars  Zhu was once a worthless girl child whose father couldn't even sell her to feed himself and his son. When she is left an orphan she takes on the name and life of her brother whose destiny was for greatness. She lives at a monastery somehow hiding her female past and then begins to form her own destiny as a warrior monk who knows no fear and whose desire for power is only seconded by a desire for the beautiful Ma. This is CROUCHING TIGER meets MULAN and inspired by the founding Emperor of the Ming Dynasty. Power, determination and a belief in greatness no matter what sex you are born. Her beautifully choreographed writing style that is as graceful as watching a martial arts exercise. 4 stars  This is a classic horror tale of why you should never go home again. Nathan, his wife and their teenage son Oliver have just moved back to Nathan's childhood home after his abusive father dies. Something evil has happened around there and it begins to affect all of them. A serial killer who disappears into thin air, a haunted coal mine, a really creepy kid who befriends Oliver, a strange book that shares visions and ghosts galore. This scary tale is reminiscent of early Stephen King and the HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE. 4 stars  What happens when you end up as the final girl of the final girls? Lynnette doesn't want to find out but she is in a race to save the other women in her support group for girls that survived horrific events, serial killers and the worst boogymen you can think of. They are anxious, they are armed and they have been private until now but someone has discovered the group and is picking them off one by one. Lynette and the others are badass but are they tough enough to survive and catch the killer before the killer catches them? A lightning paced thriller tailor-made for all those slasher horror movie and book fiends. Even if you have to read it with the lights all on and through your fingers, it is worth it. 4 stars  This is a destruction story, a creation story and a story of the Earth not as we know it but transformed into something strange. The strong survive and the weak do not but in Matt Bell's strange new world - the strong are regurgitating flesh and DNA to spit out new models of human and animal. Volunteers (who are anything but) arrive out of the destruction to work the fields and fuel the loom. It is where a small army will stage a fight or die trying. The other story is of two brothers, mythical faun creatures in the forest planting apple groves retreating to human form when around others. They are the legend of Johnny Appleseed come to life. Matt Bell's writing gushes forth in a slurry of thoughts and feelings giving the reader a true sense of the confusion and despair that has taken control. Frightening, brutal and freakishly fascinating, this Frankenstein meets climate change is perfect for fans of WestWorld, THE NEW WILDERNESS and the strange stories of Jeff Vandermeer. 4 1/2 stars  New York City in the early 1900's is a melting pot of ethnic groups, religions and language. It is also a place of mystical beings like Chava a golem woman made of clay and Ahmad a jinni enslaved and driven by fire. The many people who come into contact with these two are changed forever and one of them, Sophia, travels to the Middle East in search of her jinni and a cure. Touched by the human world they find themselves a part of yet unable to truly ever be accepted in, Chava and Ahmad spend their time searching as do the other characters, for intimacy and a sense of belonging. The magic of the Middle East legends blend seamlessly with the old world reality of the tenements and hardships of the crowded streets of New York. Helen Wecker creates such a vivid portrait that you hear the call to worship, smell the challah baking and feel the heat from Ahmad's forge. While you can read this as a standalone you would be denying yourself the full sense of wonder of learning of the golem and the jinni's origin story. Readers who love a bit of history with their magic and fans of THE BEAR AND THE NIGHTINGALE or THE CITY OF BRASS will fall for this completely. 5 stars  A quiet but deadly fantasy about generations of gifted women who guard the dead and protect the living from the Furnace and its deadly call. Jean is raised mainly by her Nan because her mother is in her cups more often than not. Nan begins Jean's lessons as a young child limiting her training to creative King and a few trusted friends. With only a dead boy she reads to, a talking bird and adults to talk to Jean seeks warmth and friendship she doesn't find at home and this makes her vulnerable to a strange man that appears whom she calls - the graceful man. As the danger comes closer to the village and her family Jean will be called on to put herself in the fire. Beautifully written this has a fairy tale quality with elements of TALES OF THE HINDERLAND, THE STARLESS SEA and THE BEAR AND THE NIGHTINGALE. I have a feeling we will be seeing more of this world. 4 stars  |
I love to read good books and share the new books that are available and those that are coming soon
Adult Genres
General Fiction Historical Fiction Thriller / Mystery Fantasy / Sci-Fi Non-Fiction All Adult Genres Other Genres Young Adult Genre Kids Books Genre Follow Kim
Review Archives
September 2021
|
RSS Feed