Jay sets out to recover his dead father bones off the Pacific coast where he committed suicide. He dons his scuba gear alone and promptly runs into a massive problem - that of being swallowed by a sperm whale. With one hour of air and some knowledge of whale digestive systems he is in a bit of a pickle.
Natural horror as well as Jay's inward battle with his relationship with his father and the voice in his head. This is a sure bet for those of us who are fascinated with the deep and love adventure but don't really want to deal with giant creatures like whales, deep sea squid, dinosaurs and great white sharks. 4 stars
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Val is commandeered by her former casemates to attend a reunion of the kid's show they were on decades ago. As they travel to Bliss the town in the middle of nowhere that was the filming location memories and tensions begin to surface. Someone died while shooting the last episode and everything connected to it mysteriously disappeared without a trace. The cast members want answers and they need Val to get them. This is psychological horror with traumatized kids who seem to be still traumatized adults - Val most of all. Who or what was Mister Magic and what was the hold the show had on them all. I will be honest, I had a tough time trying to understand what was going on until I read the author's note which put some of the story in perspective. It is definitely a fever dream brought on by the author's childhood trauma. 3 stars
A boy on the cusp of puberty will always feel like a monster but when his grandfather comes to visit it is something more than hormones. The boy grows up happy to listen to his mom's stories of pirates, his quiet dad's talk of history and endless adventures on the beach with his best friend, his dog Teach. Suddenly a visit from his unusual and crusty grandfather has the family on edge and the boy feeling unsettled. As if overnight he craves salt water and has nightmares seeing his grandfather as a monster. His parent's relationship is faltering and his mom has turned a cold shoulder to him. Only Teach remains faithful but watchful. A slim novel that speaks to the horrors of change whether it is growing up or seeing our family in a different way or real monsters that lurk beneath the surface. For adults and young adults alike - anyone who appreciates a dark tale. 4 stars
Helene is running away from a bad marriage and making a career shift by hiding out in remote Alaska to escape her ex and find peace to write the novel she has been itching to write. She spots a crab boat captain at a local bar and has an overwhelming sense of deja vu and a spark. That spark is quickly doused as Sebastien makes it clear he wants nothing to do with her. Circumstances throw them together again and she is shocked to learn that she is the reincarnation of Juliet and Sebastien is the immortal Romeo cursed to keep finding her through time only to lose her again and again. Curses be damned when the spark turns to flame but will it last and can they get rid of Helene's baggage ? This romantic fantasy is just what you need for summer reading and the author's real life experience that set this novel into motion is truly inspiring. Love conquers all even curses. Fans of Pete Hamil's FOREVER and the original story will find much to love. 4 stars
Anna and her husband will do anything for a baby and are successful after grueling IVF treatments. An early tragedy sets them back but not for long and Anna is determined to do everything she can to insure a healthy baby. She is not prepared for the brutal attack on her body, strange cravings and hallucinations nor is she ready to deal with a stalker and her home broken into putting her mental health in question. This is a serious look at the very real side effects of pregnancy and the emotional trauma some go through of not having these issues taken seriously. At the same time it is also a roller coaster thriller that reads like Alice Hoffman ghostwriting ROSEMARY'S BABY.
Being a celebrity makes it hard knowing who to trust but it will be a group of unusual women who help Anna get what she desires most. Not for anyone expecting but clearly for readers of stories featuring fierce women and a bit of magic helping women like THE CHANGE by Kristen Miller and THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK. 3 1/2 stars The next installment of the very popular RED RISING series brings back all the familiar characters in yet another battle for supremacy in a galaxy far away. This clever fantasy series takes all the best of greek and roman legendary warfare and warriors puts them in a space environment and adds the elements of class struggle to the mix. In the end they may seem like gods but they are just humans trying to find a balance between uprisings and peace. Fans of Star Wars, Brandon Sanderson and the other titles in the series won't be disappointed. 3 1/2 stars An Asian inspired fantasy that is like Antony and Cleopatra if they were competing in gladiator games to the death. In a corrupt kingdom the wealthy and royal are sucking the life out of the people who live there. For some an annual game that promises a huge cash prize may be the only way to insure survival. Taking this gladiator game to the next level is the ability for most of the contestants to jump from one body to the next leaving them a way to hide and attack seemingly without warning. Two of the top contestants agree to work together each with their own reason to win the prize and each a fugitive from the crown. Calla's goal is to get rid of the king's oppressive rule which is Anton's goal as well but he needs the hefty prize money too. They agree to work together knowing that if their plan works they will still have to meet each other in a final battle to the death. It was so much easier before they began to care for each other. Fast paced with great world building and horrific battle scenes that will appeal to fans of Pierce Brown's RED RISING series. 4 stars
Camp Damascus has a 100% cure rate taking troubled gay kids and straightening them out bringing them back to the church and cult that runs the town. Best of all - the campers are left with no memory of the camp or the experience. Rose is a bible quoting young woman who loses it when her "friend" dies in an accident. She starts seeing demons, begins coughing up insects and having nightmares. As she begins to remember she is gay and the horrors of the camp she and two friends go there ready to slay demons, free the campers and deliver justice. Starts off rather slow and ends in a blaze of insects, retribution and demons. Reads like a young adult horror but written for the adult market. 3 1/2 stars Asuka is on a deep space mission, part of a crew comprised of women of child bearing age. When a spacewalk goes horribly wrong and deaths occur their first thought isn't that a shipmate sabotaged the ship but the signs point to that and Asuka is tasked with finding the culprit. The backstory is how the crew came together by competing in a cut throat international contest and how their tenuous relationships affect their current survival. Chapters jump between present day on the ship and the contest and training before. Alpha is the best A.I. since HAL in 2001 a Space Odyssey. Friendship, loyalty and family all play a role in this space thriller.
4 stars A reimagined Cinderella tale with the political intrigue and violence of GAME OF THRONES. Lady Aislinn is a revolutionary hiding behind the cover of the meek beautiful girl the prince fell in love with at the ball. She doesn't love him and he might not love her if it weren't for the illegal use of magic dust which she won't use anymore as soon as the marriage vows are spoken. Aislinn needs the marriage to get a foot in the door, a seat at the table and the ear of someone who can do something for her kingdom. Her plan might work except for the bandit that is now on the loose, the captive prince who gets under her skin and her conniving and controlling stepmother. This is no helpless Disney princess but a woman who is willing to put her life on the line at great risk instead of looking pretty and embroidering the day away. For fans of reworked fairy tales of Marrisa Meyer and Naomi Novak this one will have you singing "Bibbity, Bopitty, Boo". 4 stars |
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