In the Stacks

Full review at SFF Book Review.So this is what everybody is going on about. My first Brandon Sanderson, chosen because it's a nice and short novella, gave me a glimpse of this writer's talent. After reading this, I can't wait to read his longer novels and series. What an intriguing magic system. What a fantastic little story.If you're like me and you don't dare start with Sanderson's huge, chunky series, I highly recommend this. You can read it in one sitting - in fact, you'll have to, it's impossible to put down - and it shows just how much talent this author has.

Full review at SFF Book ReviewI liked Flora Segunda but I loved Flora's Dare.Our heroine has grown a full year and with her, so it seems, have her problems. Flora still wants to become a ranger but she’s dealing with more urgent issues. The city of Califa is in danger of being turned into a heap of rubble, Udo is going bat-shit crazy, Flora’s sister Idden got herself into a great deal of trouble, and Flora’s now sober dad makes life in general a living hell. What is one girl supposed to do? Well, Flora follows Nini Mo’s advice and somehow makes it through.If you liked the first Flora adventure, you will love this one. Everything that wasn’t quite perfect about Flora Segunda has become a lot better in Flora’s Dare. And I have very high hopes for the third part, Flora’s Fury.

My full review can be read at SFF Book Review.This was a re-read for me so I knew what to expect. But the audio version brought new life to this tale and I can't believe I never heard an unabridged, full cast version of a book before. It is so wonderful to have a distinct voice for every character and yet miss nothing of the narration. Highly recommended.

My full review can be found at SFF Book ReviewThis book started out very interesting. The setting and style took me in immediately and the protagonist's strange gift - she can hear and fell the "souls" of inanimate objects - was intriguing enough to keep me going for a while. Additionally, Jane's best friend, Nathan Ashe, has disappeared, so she and her other friend Maddy set out to investigate and bring Nathan back... if he's still alive, that is.What sounds intriguing turned into one of the most tedious novels I've read lately. The intricate prose kept me going long after I was already annoyed with the plot. The heroine constantly loses herself in memories instead of acting. We are fed the tiniest bits of (mostly useless) information but the plot simply doesn't move forward. I read more than half of this novel and when, by then, there still was only one clue as to what Jane's gift is, I gave up.I read the last few pages to find out the secret - and it left me incredibly underwhelmed. I was too lazy to look for what happened to Nathan and (I think this speaks for itself) I really didn't care. The author certainly knows how to write beautifully and some characters have potential. The tension between Jane and Maddy was quite interesting but taking all things into consideration, none of these positive points are enough to make a good book.

Read my full review at SFF Book ReviewWhat an adorable book. I have Ellen Kushner to thank for putting it on my radar in the SF Squeecast - Flora Segunda did not disappoint. This is a fun adventure story of a girl who yearns to be a ranger - a sort of magical spy - but her family insists she join the military. While Flora still debates how to tell her mother that she doesn't want to become a soldier, she stumbles into a huge adventure and drags her best friend Udo, the little red dog Flynnie, and even the horse Bonzo into it.A highly recommended YA novel featuring the coolest house since Hogwarts.

Full review at SFF Book ReviewI really enjoyed this book despite a number of concerns. It is mostly generic epic fantasy, set in a medieval world called Alera where people bond with the furies - elementals - and an impending war threatens their peace. Cursor Amara and farmboy Tavi set out on an adventure to prevent the worst.It is mostly due to Jim Butcher's great writing that I didn't get bored with this. I rooted for the characters and was fascinated by the people of the Marat and their customs - if I had had a say in it, the entire book would have been about them. But the magic system was also up my alley and made me want to learn more about furycrafting.Some of the characters and subplots were unnecessary, in my opinion, or unnecessarily drawn out. And some of the action scenes felt like they were just there to keep the readers from getting bored. Thrilling as they were to read, I like books where every scene serves a purpose and I can feel all the little puzzle pieces fall together at the end. This was not one of those books.This is a farmboy rises to save his kingdom book. Nonetheless, it is worth the read and it definitely gave me a hunger for more adventures in Alera.

Full review can be found at the SFF Book ReviewDr. John Watson has just returned from his work as a war surgeon in Afghanistan and is looking for somebody to share a flat with him. He is introduced to Sherlock Holmes, the only existing consulting detective in the world – and his theory of deduction. Soon Watson learns that it is more than a theroy as he watches Holmes figure out the details of a murder case. A dead man is found on the floor of an empty apartment, the only (to us ordinary people) clue is the German word RACHE written on the wall in blood.I was surprised at how readable this book was. Maybe I underestimate my own ability to read English but then I did read my first Sherlock Holmes when I was about 19 years old. Either way, the language has a nice flow to it and I finished this small adventure in about two hours. The unravelling of the case was done quickly, even for Holmes’ standards, but the second half of the book shows us the murderer’s backstory. We turn from dialogue-heavy banter between Holmes and the police force to a tale that makes us look at the murderer in a different way and shows us his true motive.Sir Arthur Conan Doyle managed to pack a fair bit of criticism into his detective story and that also took me by surprise. I will definitely read all the other Sherlock Holmes stories (even though I’m worried I might deduct the outcome from my having seen the TV show) and I’ll probably reread The Hound of Baskervilles as well. Holmes is a likable, if very cocky, hero (don’t tell him I called him that) and while his knowledge in certain fields is almost unbelievable, I will gladly suspend my desbelief for the sake of a good story.I recommend these books for anyone who – like me, a number of years ago – is daunted by the idea of “reading the classics”. This quick read doesn’t only show the beginnings of Holmes and Watson’s beautiful friendship but it offers a fun detective story and a surprisingly intriguing background to our murderer.THE GOOD: Easy to read, great characters, a lot of depth that I was surprised to find on so few pages.THE BAD: The actual detecting could have lasted longer for my taste. I can’t get enough of Sherlock’s wise-cracking.THE VERDICT: Recommended, but maybe a longer Sherlock tale would be a better starter-drug.RATING: 6,5/10

This review can also be found at SFF Book ReviewBeing my first Ishiguro novel, I knew nothing going into this. People had warned me of its slow pace, its quite prose, but I honestly didn’t expect a book barely 300 pages thick to take me this long to read. Still, I can’t say I didn’t enjoy it. I might even be tempted to pick up other books by this author.In 1956, Stevens, a long-serving butler at Darlington Hall, decides to take a motoring trip through the West Country. The six-day excursion becomes a journey into the past of Stevens and England, a past that takes in fascism, two world wars and an unrealised love between the butler and his housekeeper. Ishiguro’s dazzling novel is a sad and humorous love story, a meditation on the condition of modern man, and an elegy for England at a time of acute change.Fans of a good period drama will surely love this. If you’re at all interested in the downstairs part of Downton Abbey, this is a book that, in exquisite prose, gives you an insight into a servant’s life that you simply can’t get from TV. This is a very slow-paced, quite book, that comes alive not through action or even “things happening” but has a flow to it that I find hard to describe. I had a hard time getting into the story at first but once I relaxed into the style, it was a revel from then onwards.Stevens is a fascinating protagonist. Every aspect of his private life is secondary to his being a great butler. His own family, the chance for love, his health, and his opinions – nothing matters if they obstruct, in any way, his master’s comfort. He goes into some detail describing what makes a butler great and it is in his memories and musings that we see not only how deep his devotion is but we find out why he chose to live a life of truly passionate service. Stevens believes that, in being a great butler and providing an important gentlemen with as many comforts as he can, he helps a little bit in shaping the course of the world. Realising how small the part he plays is only makes him prouder to be part of it at all.There are a few side characters here, and they all feel very fleshed-out and real. But the focus lies clearly on Stevens – and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. While reading, my inner psychoanalyst was rejoicing at such an interesting subject. Reading about and understanding Stevens’ subtlety was a pleasure that I didn’t expect. His peculiar relationship with the housekeeper, Miss Kenton, is described in even quieter tones but gives more room for thought. "Perhaps it is indeed time I begin to look at this whole matter of bantering more enthusiastically. After all, when one thinks about it, it is not such a fooish thing to indulge in – particularly if it is the case that in bantering lies the key to human warmth."In short, this is the story of a man who has devoted his life to his vocation and, looking back at it, ponders about the remains of the day – and whether it was all worth it.THE GOOD: Beautiful language, an insight into an old school butler’s life, and one of the most intriguing protagonists I’ve ever read about.THE BAD: Takes a long time to get going and stays very subdued. Nothing for impatient readers or fans of lots of action.THE VERDICT: A touching and magnificently written work of literature that will stay with me for quite some time.RATING: 8,5/10 Quite excellent

The full review can be found over at the SFF Book Review.A fresh writing style, some cool ideas, and a fire-spider called Smudge. These were the things I loved about the books. I hated the romantic interest, Lena. You can tell the author was trying hard to create a "strong, female character" but she ended up as a flat creature who is only there to give the protagonist a boner and save his ass occasionally. I still don't understand why there had to be romance at all - and the way that "romance" ends was just so wanna-be special. It made me groan.That said, there are great things about this novel. It is a quick read, even though there are some pacing problems in the middle, and some side characters are deliciously likable. Smudge is my favorite but I also like Ponce de Leon's mysterious nature and some of the vampires. The idea of taking objects out of books via magic is intriguing and I hope the author will explore it more in the next book. Because even though we get a lot of libriomancer-talks-to-dryad info-dump, the world building is not that great. Or at least, we don't get to see much of it.In conclusion, this could have been a much better book. But it made me want to check out some of the author's other works. After all, he did make me laugh!

Full review over at the SFF Book ReviewIn one line?An intriguing story about responsibility and what makes us human, interspliced with too much landscape description - still a wholeheartedly recommended gothic horror title!

Full review, as always, over at the SFF Book Review.I wish I could say something more positive, but other than creating likeable characters and making them have an average Tolkien-esque adventure, there isn't much to redeem this book. If you can't get enough of the Lord of the Rings and would like to read a cat-version of a generic fantasy adventure, this is for you.Tad Williams is a good writer but in this debut novel of his, he clearly hadn't found his own style yet. This is not a bad book at all, it's just not enough for somebody who reads mostly fantasy and can thusly predict the outcome of the plot by chapter 3. Personally, the ending was a bit too much deus ex machina. And then we were still not finished. I like the style and I cared about Fritti Tailchaser, that orange cat with the star-shaped white spot on his forehead, but I would have preferred more character-development and more interactions with the great side characters, instead of following a generic plot.6/10 points

Full review over at the SFF Book ReviewSeptember is back. And with her, we brave another journey to a very different Fairyland. As we go to the gloomy darkness of Fairyland-Below, we get to enjoy Cat Valente's full packages of beautiful, complex prose, wondrous ideas and whimsy, and beloved characters that I didn't know how much I had missed.Recommended to anyone who has ever wanted to visit Fairyland, or find out about the mathematics of quests. If you liked the first book, you'll love this one. And if you haven't read any Catherynne M. Valente, do it now.

Full review over at the SFF Book ReviewWhat an adventure. I have stayed away from this book for many years, because its subject matter - a boy in a lifeboat with a tiger, thinking about religion - really put me off. I'm glad I'm so susceptible to visual media, because the trailer for the upcoming movie made me want to read the book anyways. And I am so glad I did.That whole faith-level put aside, this is a beautiful story with a strong protagonist and so many moments that made me "feel all the things" as John Green fans will call it. I still don't believe in god, but I do believe in the power of storytelling and of the written word.This is a story about the amazing capacity of humans to survive the worst possible trauma and struggles. And to turn it into a beautiful tale.Recommended without reservations to anyone. I can't wait for the movie.

As posted on SFF Book ReviewsI devoured the first Flavia de Luce mystery while on holiday. I thought it would be perfect for a lazy afternoon at the beach and some light reading. While it wasn’t a perfect book, I found myself missing that charming young protagonist with a passion for poisons and a knack for mystery-solving. It is not so much the plot of these stories as the voice in which it is told that captivated me and that I can’t seem to get enough of.When a traveling puppet show sets up on the village green in Bishop’s Lacey, death stalks the little stage. Flavia goes behind the scenes to learn the craft (so to speak) in order to catch an ingenious killer. Flavia thinks that her days of crime-solving in the bucolic English hamlet of Bishop’s Lacy are over—and then Rupert Porson has an unfortunate rendezvous with electricity. The beloved puppeteer has had his own strings sizzled, but who’d do such a thing and why? For Flavia, the questions are intriguing enough to make her put aside her chemistry experiments and schemes of vengeance against her insufferable big sisters. Astride Gladys, her trusty bicycle, Flavia sets out from the de Luces’ crumbling family mansion in search of Bishop’s Lacey’s deadliest secrets.Our clever little sleuth of a heroine is back. And it doesn’t take too long for somebody else to drop dead in her surroundings. There is puppetry, there are murdered children, there are (of course) poisons, and yes, the titular weed is the one you’re thinking of. While I enjoyed the theme of this volume more than the first novel, it is not the plot that drew me in – and I suspect, this will continue as the series goes on. Flavia is solving the case of a puppeteer dropping dead during a show with a whole range of suspects, not a lot of motive, and the past catching up with the present…Alan Bradley has given Flavia de Luce the most charming voice I could imagine. Much like the Alexia Tarabotti novels, this series lives from its wit and its remarkably clever heroine as much as from what is simply good writing. Flavia, as much as I liked her already, has grown ever so much more dear to me. Who wouldn’t want to be friends (or a mother to) that kind of eleven-year-old? Her passion for chemistry is still as powerful, even though it isn’t vital to the plot. It does give her personality more depth though and teaches me quite a few little tidbits about the subject. Hurrah for educating your readers, Mr Bradley!As Flavia leads us past that fateful puppet show, meets new characters and shows us more of Bishop’s Lacey, we both read an entirely new and separate story – good for standalone-lovers – but we also get a glimpse of novelty. Flavia’s home life, her family and the nearby village all grow a little in depth. Which is exactly what I was hoping for, as we didn’t see a whole lot of it in the first book. If the series continues in the same vein, with standalone crime stories and an overarching continuation of Flavia’s life in general, I will go so far as to call myself a fan.My suspicions as to who the murderer(s) was showed once more that I’m not well-read when it comes to the crime genre. Who is really pulling the strings in this game of memory and secrets came as a surprise to me, even though I had all the necessary clues. More experienced readers of the genre may not be fooled as easily but personally, I enjoyed this little adventure very, very much.THE GOOD: A charming heroine with a quick mind and great storytelling abilities.THE BAD: There is still room for improvement. I would like (even) more family life, more de Luce craziness and more quaint villagers.THE VERDICT: Another light and fun mystery story with an endearing leading lady and a clever murderer.RATING: 7/10 Very good.

Full review at SFF Book ReviewWho would have thought this book would break my heart?Not expecting very much, mostly looking forward to the illustrations, I started reading what seemed to be a predictable tale of a young boy and his cancer-stricken mother. Who gets visits by a monster. While this is how it starts out, the story grew - and on very few pages - to something much bigger and more touching. I found myself caring about Conor and wanting his mother to get better.I found I liked the monster and Conor's no-longer-friend Lily. I even managed to care about the grandmother and the absentee father. A book, small as it may be, peopled with so many great characters already is an easy win for me.But there is also a story to be discovered. I will keep this rather vague because discovering the truth - and throwing away all your wrong guesses in between - is a large part of the fun of this book. If you can call it fun. I read this calmly for the most part, only to become fully and shockingly emotional towards the end. I am a book cryer but usually I see these moments coming. Not here. I didn't know I was suddenly going to care so much. And while I predicted part of the ending, it was the details that made it perfect. Highly recommended. All young adult books should be written this well and have a message this hopeful.

Full review over at SFF Book ReviewAfter falling in Love with The Broken Kingdoms and N. K. Jemisin's writing style, I was disappointed in this book. Sure, she writes as beautifully as ever and the theological system she has set up in the city of Gujaareh was nothing short of brilliant. I would have liked to see more of it, though. And I would have loved to have deeper characters. The only one I could in any way get close to was Nijiri. Ehiru and especially Sunandi felt very bland to me. If I don't like the characters, a book has already lost. I will read the second part, mostly because I hope to get everything out of it that was missing here. More detail about everyday life with this Hananjan faith, more character depth and development, more emotion.