liisp_cvr2cvr's reviews
986 reviews

Mordechai‘s A Crack in the World sequel The Reckoning is a trip back to the 90s and you’ll feel like you had never left Gino and Carter and the horrors of Meren-Ptah at all. And yet again, the story starts with an appropriately eerie event in 1941 thus setting the tone for the story to happen in 1996. 

After the events of A Crack in the World, the first book, Gino and Carter found themselves dealing with cases of rather mundane nature and Gino, particularly, was itching for something a bit more fitting to his particular skills. Something to tantalize him. And as the saying goes about being careful about one’s wishes, Gino gets what he asks for and more. 

Carter on the other hand is still trying to find his feet with everything that is supernatural, but due to his relationship and professional ties to Gino, is unable to turn his back to the RPI, the Royal Paranormal Institute. Not when Gino, and the world, still have need for his muscle. 

Whilst Carter provides the brawl, even at the cost of his personal life suffering, Gino has a different personal conundrum. He is getting old, and morbid, and he feels like he needs to pass down his wealth of knowledge to someone who can take on his mantle. Does he find an apprentice? And does preparing for the future mean that Gino will not survive past this book? I mean… *shrugs* Maybe, maybe not. The one thing we can always be certain of is that nothing ever goes to plan and when you think you know what to expect, you’ll be proven wrong. 

The Reckoning is engaging and upon first glance perhaps not scary in a way that a serial killer horror would make one feel in comparison, but The Reckoning creeps up on you. Sinister is not always loud and gory. Sometimes, the sinister comes quietly, quickly and messes with your head just enough to not really ever lose the sense of uncomfortable at something unseen and ancient. 

Mordechai‘s writing is one I would describe as descriptive to create just the right atmosphere and tension without being overbearing and becoming arduous. The Reckoning has a sense of confidence and a sure stride about it as it explores what it means to be a mere human in a world where greater evil can simply wipe you from existence. Our characters will be set against the fact of human fragility as well as limited mental and physical capabilities, and are made to wonder what comes next, after they themselves are gone? Makes you think that whatever great and cosmic forces humanity faces have always been there, waiting for their moment to awake or be awakened. And in that very sense, the horror in the book is presented with perfection. 

That said, The Reckoning doesn’t hold back from throwing our characters into danger and action, as we are dealing with a fast paced tale which weaves 2 connecting story-lines in the same fashion it did in the first book. There is an air of mystery about the story as Gino and Carter are set on a path to solve a huge problem through detective work, during which their own relationship dynamic is explored in a way that says they care about each other without actually saying it out and rather using the more basic emotions such as fear and anger. 

My most anticipated part about The Reckoning was a chance to dive into the past through Amiclare’s diary entries, and I was pleased to see the Intermezzos peppering the story, tying the events of 1941 to 1996. I find, the Intermezzos set the vibe, and further cement the occult knowledge and atmosphere of the book. They pad out the mysterious element of the arcane, of something that is as old as time, and make the unseen, cosmic horrors feel unbeatable, and the human life next to the paranormal seem tiny in comparison. And really, even though Amilcare is long dead, he feels like a true character that you look forward to reading about again. He’s interesting and he’s seen things and been to places in a time that the world was in turmoil. All of which is a testament to Mordechai‘s writing. It simply evokes such musings, and feelings of attachment to story and characters. 

Simply put, I love the occult vibe of the A Crack in the World books, I love the way Mordechai takes the reader to 90s and beyond, in this life and beyond. The emotional roller-coaster of our characters and the dangers they face on this plane and beyond… I love the paranormal, the scientific, the explainable and unexplainable. The way Mordechai doesn’t rush his stories, and how he doesn’t waste words. You pick up a Mordechai book and you’ll know who’s leading this dance. He sets the tone and cranks the dial to take you back in time magically, cosmically. The Reckoning is a capsule and you will be entrapped in it until it is done. 

 Look… Urban Fantasy is not something my hand necessarily reaches for, nor are stories that have fae in them, but luckily I am the type of reader that will give a go at anything for a chance that it all works out in my, the reader’s, best interests (meaning a good hell of a time had).

For me, By a Silver Thread had a difficult start. I just felt there was too much info-dumping happening and I wanted the story to reveal itself to me as opposed to reading more background info, or description, or read about the MCs love of noodles… I didn’t want any of that until I had at least an inkling of momentum. Luckily, once I hit around-about 30% mark, I was pretty much glued to the book. In fact, I recall being a bit pissed off for having to stop reading to go to work. Every reader knows that this is one of the best compliments a book can have.

Aaron has cleverly created this central issue for our main character where she has a sort of race against time on her hands. Such a simple concept but it immediately adds a level of urgency to the story. But Aaron doesn’t rest on laurels after adding this urgency-element, she actually adds a nice twisting path during the countdown that balances out waiting for the unsurprising culmination point. That is all to say that Aaron knows how to keep the reader entertained and the story rolling on nicely!

By a Silver Thread had some interesting concepts. For one, our main character is not human, but a changeling named Lola who is being controlled by a human “blood mage” named Victor Conrath. Victor is like a human version of the pact making devil. I liked how much the beliefs and the magic and magical beings were made to rely on human’s belief. Particularly, upon turning the concept on the head – you believe it, it exists. I liked all of the characters introduced in this story, good and not so good, because they were each, even if on page for a brief time, somehow larger than life. Also, the action scenes? Hello, action scenes… very creative and fun to follow!

I had a really good time with this book. The story is wholesome, the central concepts give space for reader to understand the importance of close, caring relationships and also the importance of small yet enjoyable moments, like eating your favorite food or the importance of breakfast, or a hug and a kind word. I absolutely plan to continue reading Lola’s story in the sequel and explore Aaron‘s other works.

Huh… and just like that, I am no longer quite so opposed to Urban Fantasy and faes. Thank you, Rachel Aaron!

PS! Whilst I was at first a bit surprised at the intimate scene that appeared as I had sort of hoped it wasn’t going to go down the usual route, I have to admit that after some consideration… I get it, Lola, I’d totally tap that, too! 

Väikese hilinemisega otsustasin #EestiRaamat500 tähestikumängu lugemise väljakutsest osa võtta. Käisin Lelle Raamatukogus ja tulin A tähe raamatuga koju... Selleks osutus "Linnade põletamine", autor Kai Aareleid. 
***
Täitsa lõpp. Sai teine ühe istumisega loetud... Kuidas raamat oli? See on väga lühidalt öeldes ühe pere lugu, mis saab alguse 40.aastatel ja tasapisi hargneb peretütre Tiina vaatenurgast avastuste, sirgumise ja asjaoludega leppimise saatel tänapäevani välja.  

Võib tunduda võimatuna, et saab ühe raamatu vältel nii mitu erinevat elu elatud ja nähtud, aga Aarelaid just seda on suutnud teha. Tiina elu, tema isa elu, tema ema elu ja natukene ka Vovat.
Aga läbiv teema siiski üksindus ja hingevalu ja igatsus. Kui Tiina vanemad püüdlesid millegi parema poole enda hinge jaoks, kumbki omas suunas justkui, siis Tiina püüdles hinges oma vanemate poole.
 
Kõik oli Tiinal justkui olemas, kuid samas ei olnud seda kõige tähtsamat. Selles suhtes keeruline lugemine, hingel oli kohe raske, aga samas läbinisti realistlik ja selline "Nojah, elu on selline."  Lõpuks võiks öelda, et just isa oli Tiina jaoks see keskpunkt, keda Tiina üritas kokku panna nagu puslet. 

Oeh. Igatahes, soovitan seda raamatut kindlasti, aga võtke taskurätikud ligi, hinge kriibib kohati sügavalt, et suure tõenäosusega kisub siiski mitmes kohas silma märjaks. 

"...uut elu ei ole olemas. On ainult see üks kõigi valikute ja eksitustega elu. Kõigi unistuste ja pettumustega, üks elu."

By Blood, By Salt is exactly the kind of book I love. Incredibly enjoyable and solid prose? Check. A rich plot with political and religious tones? Check. An incredible MC to root for? Check! A pace befitting the story? Check. 

It just never fails, with good books you know from the very start that you’re onto a winner. I LOVED how the intrigue was steadily rolling off the page from get-go. I loved how Odom‘s approach and writing supported the steady advancement of plot, intricately setting everything up for the next destination on this journey. It wasn’t rushed or too overly action-centred, but done with wit and cleverness. The maneuvering of higher orders, the ill-will of ambitious “articles”, the mystery of unknown… Man, I love me stories like this!

The military aspect was just strong enough to add nuance to the story without being over the top. The political, religious and cultural elements were delivered in perfect balance providing plenty of layers, making this story an absolute delight to devour. It is a brilliant, engaging story with incredible world-building and tons of emotional buy-in. Odom simply knows what she’s writing about and you can feel it off the page.

Azetla is the type of character that, as you get to know him, demands respect. Sure, Odom threw him into some very difficult to stomach situations, racially abusive moments, humiliating moments in which no man should ever be, but the consistency with which his Character (with capital C) was written, demonstrated a solid backbone. But, it’s not only the very respectable characteristic of remaining true to himself in difficult situations that makes Azetla an incredibly strong character, he’s also observant, intelligent and does not kick up an unnecessary fuss when he knows it wouldn’t do him any good. There was essentially not a bad decision made by him, he was clever and cunning and he did it without brawl. Makes you think there’s still more to learn about him, that the plot hasn’t yet really opened up in full… That there’s more to the story.

As someone who LOVES character-driven stories, this one gave me tons of rewards through Azetla. It didn’t hurt that all of the action was a darned good read, too. As the story drew to a conclusion, when I thought the good couldn’t get any better, Odom hinted at a bombshell – at least, I think that’s what it was – making me effectively yearn for the sequel. Luckily, not long to wait! A Haunt for Jackals is set to drop in a little over a month from now. Just… Perfect! 👌 

 An entertaining read that flows by fast. Depending how your own experience was during covid, you may like this book with a bit of a twist, or you may despise it. The author does not hold back on all sort of bodily fluids spewing and some folk are not too keen on that, so beware.
The MC is missing tons of common sense and "know how" for simple, elementary things everyone should know. Was she privileged? No. From the story we are given clear, straight indications that posh places were not something she would have frequented in her life and even though both of her parents were a loving pair of teachers, the softness of character did not seem to be something the MC herself took up on. She felt abrasive, towards others and herself, in a way that only the end of the world can round those edges and hit the factory reset button on someone. Anyway, my point is, if she wasn't a pampered posh Brit, then the complete absence of street-smart was a tad disappointing. Alas, this story was meant to be about someone, alone in the world, alive amongst everyone else dead, who just didn't have an effing clue, and that's fair enough. I will leave all the many tidbits that made me roll my eyes unmentioned.
The writing itself is no great work of art when it comes to prose. It's simple and it suits the story. The simple writing is what probably helped me in reading this book within a day, and this is not something I would necessarily score lower on. What I would score lower on is when the story structure patterns become visible, thus adding a sort of predictability. It was sort of like: I did this, I feel like so and this is my man. My man is like this, this is his past, this is how we live now. Next chapter: I did this, I am feeling like this and this is my best friend. My best friend is this, she does this and [enter another emotional observation]. It felt like each chapter with the introduction of a new plot device, a character (husband, mom-dad, Xavi, Ginny, place, etc.) followed the very same pattern. First intro! Then we have to have something that makes a connection to a person or a place, then we do a flashback, then we come back and conclude. That said... It seemed to work and sort of fit, because the MCs personal development was dependent on analyzing the past, revealing this information to the reader and making her own connections to seeing things differently and moving on to become a better, more aware person. 

I mean, this is just an entertaining book. Don't go into this looking for something entirely unique. Lord knows since Covid we have virus books pushing in from windows and doors. Maybe this one stands out for 2 reasons:
1. you keep expecting zombies. But there won't be any.
2. the MC is just a human and her behaviour to certain situations was actually quite natural. We think, in the same situation, we ourselves would do better, be better. But I doubt it, not en masse anyway. Most of us would be the exact kind of fumbling mess :)

*I read this book as part of an online book club. Normally, I would not have picked this up as it's not my kind of jam, but I have to give credit where it's due: it was entertaining and I couldn't look away.