Book Review: Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

 

From the publisher:

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Daughter of Doctor Moreau and Mexican Gothic comes a fabulous meld of Mexican horror movies and Nazi occultism: a dark thriller about the curse that haunts a legendary lost film—and awakens one woman’s hidden powers.

Montserrat has always been overlooked. She’s a talented sound editor, but she’s left out of the boys’ club running the film industry in ’90s Mexico City. And she’s all but invisible to her best friend, Tristán, a charming if faded soap opera star, though she’s been in love with him since childhood.

Then Tristán discovers his new neighbor is the cult horror director Abel Urueta, and the legendary auteur claims he can change their lives—even if his tale of a Nazi occultist imbuing magic into highly volatile silver nitrate stock sounds like sheer fantasy. The magic film was never finished, which is why, Urueta swears, his career vanished overnight. He is cursed.

Now the director wants Montserrat and Tristán to help him shoot the missing scene and lift the curse . . . but Montserrat soon notices a dark presence following her, and Tristán begins seeing the ghost of his ex-girlfriend.

As they work together to unravel the mystery of the film and the obscure occultist who once roamed their city, Montserrat and Tristán may find that sorcerers and magic are not only the stuff of movies.

Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia was released July 18th, 2023 from Del Rey Books.

My thoughts: 

I gave this book 5/5 stars. It's well-written. The two main characters are likeable. And the pace is decent. It's slow in the beginning as you get to know the characters and their place in the world. Then things speed up once they meet the famous horror director Abel Urueta.

Montserrat was my favorite character. Her relationship with Tristán is interesting and has lasted a long time - since they were children. She is a strong character who has often protected Tristán over the years. I didn't like him as much because he gets a liittle whiny at times, but still overall felt he was a likeable character. Both Montserrat and Tristán show growth over the course of the book. 

I enjoyed the horror elements. I thought it was an interesting idea that whether or not a scene had been completed on silver nitrate film could affect curses and ghosts. 

Overall, it's definitely worth a read. If you like your horror with a little history and based in the occult, then this would be a good book for you.

Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia was released July 18th, 2023 by Ballantine.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my opinion.

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #475: Grave Expectations by Alice Bell

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with Can't Wait Wednesday hosted over at Wishful Endings.

From the publisher:

A fast-paced and hilarious debut crime novel, in which a burnt-out Millennial medium must utilize her ability to see ghosts and team-up with a band of oddball investigators to figure out which member(s) of a posh English family are guilty of murder.

Almost-authentic medium Claire and her best friend, Sophie, agree to take on a seemingly simple job at a crumbling old manor in the English countryside: performing a seance for the family matriarch's 80th birthday. The pair have been friends since before Sophie went missing when they were seventeen. Everyone else is convinced Sophie simply ran away, but Claire knows the truth. Claire knows Sophie was murdered because Sophie has been haunting her ever since.

Despite this traumatic past, Claire and Sophie are still unprepared for what they encounter when they arrive at the manor: a ghost, tragic and unrecognizable, and clearly the spirit of someone killed in a rage at the previous year's party. Given her obsession with crime shows—not to mention Sophie's ability to walk through walls—Claire decides they're the best people to solve the case. And with the help of the only obviously not-guilty members of their host family—sexy ex-policeman Sebastian and far-too-cool non-binary teen Alex—they launch an investigation into which of last year's guests never escaped the manor's grounds.

What follows is somewhat irregular detective work involving stealing a priest's cassock, getting too drunk to remember to question your suspect, and of course, Chekhov's sparkly purple dildo. As Claire desperately tries to keep a lid on the shameful secret that would definitely alienate her new friends, the gang must race against their own incompetence to find the murderer before the murderer finds them.

Grave Expectations by Alice Bell is expected out September 5th, 2023 from Vintage Books.

Why am I waiting on this book? I like that it's supposed to be a funny book as well as a mystery. A burnt out Millenial with a ghostly side kick sounds like an interesting investigative duo. At least she doesn't have to go it alone. And the idea that they have to "race against their own incompetence" to solve the mystery foreshadows humorous happenings.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Book Review: Ravensong by TJ Klune

 

From the publisher:

The beloved fantasy romance sensation by New York Times bestselling author TJ Klune, about love, loyalty, betrayal, and joy. The Bennett family has a secret: They're not just a family, they're a pack. Ravensong is Gordo Livingstone's story.

Gordo Livingstone never forgot the lessons carved into his skin. Hardened by the betrayal of a pack who left him behind, he sought solace in the garage in his tiny mountain town, vowing never again to involve himself in the affairs of wolves. It should have been enough. And it was, until the wolves came back, and with them, Mark Bennett. In the end, they faced the beast together as a pack… and won.

Now, a year later, Gordo has found himself once again the witch of the Bennett pack. Green Creek has settled after the death of Richard Collins, and Gordo constantly struggles to ignore Mark and the song that howls between them. But time is running out. Something is coming. And this time, it’s crawling from within. Some bonds, no matter how strong, were made to be broken.

The Green Creek Series is for adult readers.
Now available from Tor Books.

My thoughts: 

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. It's a good followup to the first book in the series, Wolfsong. As the synopsis states, this is Gordo Livingstone's story. Some of it is his view of some of the events from Wolfsong. Most of it is about what happened after Wolfsong. 

I liked getting to know Gordo and seeing things from his point of view. He is a magic user rather than a werewolf. And he is a tether - he helps hold the wolves together so they don't lose themselves to the wolf within. I liked that Gordo grows and changes as the book goes on.

Green Creek is described again though maybe not as thoroughly as in the first book. Most of the action takes place in and around Green creek. The world building extends to the werewolves and how magic works in their world. There is a lot more about the Omega wolves in this book too. 

The book was slow to take off. It repeated some of the events from the first book, but from Gordo's point of view. Things picked up when new events began to happen. 

I still had the same nitpicky little things that bothered me about this book that bothered me about Wolfsong. So much happens to these characters, I guess I had too much empathy for them at some point and found it hard to read and a little depressing. Once again I almost DNF'd the book, but I stuck with it and was glad I did so in the end. Also the sex scene was a little too graphic for me. I am more of a fade to black kind of reader. I can understand why the author chose to include the scene, it just wasn't for me.

Overall, Ravensong is worth a read, especially if you've read Wolfsong and wondered what happened next. If you enjoy werewolf stories with some romance, then this might be a good book for you.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This didn't affect my opinion.

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #474: Starter Villain by John Scalzi

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with Can't Wait Wednesday hosted over at Wishful Endings.

From the publisher: Inheriting your uncle's supervillain business is more complicated than you might think. Particularly when you discover who's running the place.

Charlie's life is going nowhere fast. A divorced substitute teacher living with his cat in a house his siblings want to sell, all he wants is to open a pub downtown, if only the bank will approve his loan.

Then his long-lost uncle Jake dies and leaves his supervillain business (complete with island volcano lair) to Charlie.

But becoming a supervillain isn't all giant laser death rays and lava pits. Jake had enemies, and now they're coming after Charlie. His uncle might have been a stand-up, old-fashioned kind of villain, but these are the real thing: rich, soulless predators backed by multinational corporations and venture capital.

It's up to Charlie to win the war his uncle started against a league of supervillains. But with unionized dolphins, hyper-intelligent talking spy cats, and a terrifying henchperson at his side, going bad is starting to look pretty good.

In a dog-eat-dog world...be a cat.

Starter Villain by John Scalzi is expected out September 19th, 2023 from Tor Books.

Why am I waiting on this book? I really like the premise. I've worked as a substitute teacher. I wonder what he will do with his inheritance. It sounds like it has the potential for humorous parts as well as adventure. And it's not a long wait until this one comes out.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Book Review: Wolfsong by TJ Klune

 

From the publisher: 

The Bennett family has a secret:
They're not just a family, they're a pack.
Wolfsong is Ox Matheson's story.

Oxnard Matheson was twelve when his father taught him a lesson: Ox wasn’t worth anything and people would never understand him. Then his father left.

Ox was sixteen when the energetic Bennett family moved in next door, harboring a secret that would change him forever. The Bennetts are shapeshifters. They can transform into wolves at will. Drawn to their magic, loyalty, and enduring friendships, Ox feels a gulf between this extraordinary new world and the quiet life he’s known, but he finds an ally in Joe, the youngest Bennett boy.

Ox was twenty-three when murder came to town and tore a hole in his heart. Violence flared, tragedy split the pack, and Joe left town, leaving Ox behind. Three years later, the boy is back. Except now he’s a man – charming, handsome, but haunted – and Ox can no longer ignore the song that howls between them.

The beloved fantasy romance sensation by New York Times bestselling author TJ Klune, about love, loyalty, betrayal, and family.

The Green Creek Series is for adult readers.

Now available from Tor Books.

My thoughts:

I gave this book 4 stars. I enjoyed reading about Ox and the Bennett pack. 

It's not a stretch at all to say Ox was my favorite character. I loved his quiet strength and the fact that he is smarter than many people assume he is.I did enjoy other characters as well, but none as much as Ox. As things turn out, he is an exceptional man. I enjoyed watching him grow and change throughout the book.

The world building was well done. Green Creek becomes a hometown not just a place for action to occur. Also the author did a good job at hinting and showng that there is something special about the area.

I found the four classes of werewolf interesting. There are of course Alphas and Betas and pack members. It's the fourth class of the Omegas - the ones lost to their wolves- that is different. They've lost control of themselves and seek out powerful wolves in an attempt to join their packs and heal. But it doesn't seem like there is any coming back from becoming an Omega.

I had two little nitpicking things that bothered me. One was that a lot happened to the Bennett pack and Ox. Sometimes I found this stressful to read and a little depressing. At those points I found it hard to go on and almost DNF'd the book. The second was that when the sex scene occurs it is rather graphic and I am more of a fade to black kind of person. I get why the author went with it the way he did, but it just wasn't for me.

Overall, it is a good book. It's worth a read. I would suggest this book to adult readers who enjoy werewolf stories with a sort of complicated romance.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not influence my opinion of the book.

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #473: The Eight Reindeer of the Apocalypse by Tom Holt

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with Can't Wait Wednesday hosted over at Wishful Endings.

From the publisher:

Tom Holt’s brilliantly funny new novel set in the world of The Portable Door (now a delightful movie starring Patrick Gibson, Sophie Wilde, and Christoph Waltz).

The team of commercial sorcerers at Dawson, Ahriman & Dawson can help with any metaphysical engineering project, large or small (though by definition they all tend to be pretty large).
 
They can also create massive great puddles of chaos that might one day swallow up the entire universe.
 
Take, for example, the decision to recruit a certain bearded fellow whose previous work experience mainly involves reindeer and jingle bells. It might have seemed like a good idea at the time, but is he really the best person to save the world from Tiamat the Destroyer, who has literally gone ballistic? 

Why am I waiting on this book? I love a good humorous book. This sounds like it could be one. It reminds me a little of something Christopher Moore might have written. I haven't read anything else by Tom Holt yet, nor have I seen The Portable Door. He is definitely on my TBR list though.

The Eight Reindeer of the Apocalypse by Tom Holt is expected out October 10, 2023 from Orbit Books.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #472: A Stroke of the Pen by Terry Prachett

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with Can't Wait Wednesday hosted over at Wishful Endings.

From the publisher:

A delightfully funny, fantastically inventive collection of twenty newly unearthed short stories by Sir Terry Pratchett, the award-winning and bestselling author and creator of the phenomenally successful Discworld fantasy series. This special trove—featuring charming woodcut illustrations—is a must-have for Pratchett fans of all ages and includes a foreword by Neil Gaiman.

These rediscovered tales were written by Terry Pratchett under a pseudonym for a British newspaper during the 1970s and 1980s. The stories have never been attributed to him until now, and might never have been found—were it not for the efforts of a few dedicated fans. 

As Neil Gaiman writes in his introduction, “through all of these stories we watch Terry Pratchett becoming Terry Pratchett.” Though none of the short works are set in the Discworld, all are infused with Pratchett's trademark wit, satirical wisdom, and brilliant imagination, hinting at the magical universe he would go on to create.

Meet Og the inventor, the first caveman to cultivate fire, as he discovers the highs and lows of progress; haunt the Ministry of Nuisances with the defiant evicted ghosts of Pilgarlic Towers; visit Blackbury, a small market town with weird weather and an otherworldly visitor; and embark on a dangerous quest through time and space with hero Kron, which begins in the ancient city of Morpork . . .

Irresistibly entertaining, A Stroke of the Pen is an essential collection from the late, great Sir Terry Pratchett, a “master storyteller” (A. S. Byatt) who “defies categorization” (The Times); a writer whose “novels have always been among the most serious of comedies, the most relevant and real of fantasies” (Independent UK).

A Stroke of the Pen by Terry Pratchett is expected out October 10th, 2023 from Doubleday.

Why am I waiting on this book? I love Terry Pratchett. He is a fantastic writer - imaginative and talented at expressing himself.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #471: Uncanny Vows by Laura Anne Gilman

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with Can't Wait Wednesday hosted over at Wishful Endings.

From the publisher: 

Following the events of the high-stakes and propulsive Uncanny Times, Rosemary and Aaron Harker, along with their supernatural hound Botherton, have been given a new assignment to investigate…but the Harkers believe it’s a set-up, and there’s something far more ancient and deadly instead.

Rosemary and Aaron Harker have been effectively, unofficially sidelined. There is no way to be certain, but they suspect their superiors know that their report on Brunson was less than complete, that they omitted certain truths. Are they being punished or tested? Neither Aaron nor Rosemary know for certain. It may be simply that they are being given a breather or that no significant hunts have been called in their region. But neither of them believes that.

So, when they are sent to a town just outside of Boston with orders to investigate suspicious activity carefully, the Harkers suspect that it is a test. Particularly since the hunt involves a member of the benefactors, wealthy individuals who donate money to the Huntsmen in exchange for certain special privileges and protections.

If they screw this up…at best, they’ll be out of favor, reduced to a life of minor hunts and “clean up” for other Huntsmen. At worst, they will be removed from the ranks, their stipend gone—and Botheration, their Hound, taken from them.

They can’t afford to screw this up.

But what seems like a simple enough hunt—find the uncanny that attacked a man in his office and sent him into a sleep-like state—soon becomes far more complicated as more seemingly unrelated attacks occur. The Harkers must race to find what is shadowing them, before the uncanny strikes again, and sleep turns into murder—and the Huntsmen decide that they have been compromised beyond repair.

But their quarry may not be the only uncanny in town. Botheration and Aaron both sense something else, something shadowing them. Something old, dangerous…and fey.

Uncanny Vows by Laura Anne Gilman is expected out November 28th, 2023 from Gallery/Saga Press.

Why am I waiting on this book? I have not read the first book yet, but it is on my tbr list. This one almost sounds like you could read it as a standalone. You might miss some things carried over from the first book in the Huntsmen series though. I love the name of their hound, Botheration. And I like the notion of them investigating uncanny things. 

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Happy Book Birthday to Ravensong by TJ Klune

 

From the publisher:

The beloved fantasy romance sensation by New York Times bestselling author TJ Klune, about love, loyalty, betrayal, and joy. The Bennett family has a secret: They're not just a family, they're a pack. Ravensong is Gordo Livingstone's story.

Gordo Livingstone never forgot the lessons carved into his skin. Hardened by the betrayal of a pack who left him behind, he sought solace in the garage in his tiny mountain town, vowing never again to involve himself in the affairs of wolves. It should have been enough. And it was, until the wolves came back, and with them, Mark Bennett. In the end, they faced the beast together as a pack… and won.

Now, a year later, Gordo has found himself once again the witch of the Bennett pack. Green Creek has settled after the death of Richard Collins, and Gordo constantly struggles to ignore Mark and the song that howls between them. But time is running out. Something is coming. And this time, it’s crawling from within. Some bonds, no matter how strong, were made to be broken.

The Green Creek Series is for adult readers.
Now available from Tor Books.