Within These Wicked Walls

 Tell me a story... about a cursed man

Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood

Publication date: October 19, 2021

Date read: October 29, 2021

Andromeda has trained her whole life to be a debtera - an exorcist hired to cleanse homes of the Evil Eye and its manifestations. Unlicensed, she is desperate for a patron to hire her and give her legitimate status, so she takes on the one job that no one wants, and that ten previous debtera have quit - Thorne Manor. There she meets Magnus Rochester, a young man who inherited the curse of the Evil Eye when his father died, and now lives in a home where the manifestations are so intense that no one is allowed out of their rooms after 10pm. While Andromeda attempts to break the curse, she also begins to fall for her employer. But she may be in over her head…

This is an Ethiopian-inspired fantasy retelling of Jane Eyre.

This book was wonderful. It was sweet, it was scary, and it had great world-building. The story is set more or less in the real world, but with in a real world where greed and jealousy will leave you cursed by the Evil Eye. I thought that the descriptions of the curse and the work of the debtera were really well done and fascinating to read - I found myself drawn into their world easily. 

I also loved the Jane Eyre connections. Aside from the obvious name similarities, certain scenes were recreated in a really fun way. (My favorite was the way this book retold the scene in Jane Eyre when Jane rescues Rochester from the fire in his bedroom. Both an excellent homage and also pretty creepy in this case.)

I thought that the characters were very well-written. Andromeda was a really fun character to follow - very serious and stoic, but she felt like she could have been a real person. All of her actions felt motivated by real emotions. I also really liked reading about her complicated relationship with her mentor, Jember. 

The horror in this book isn’t over the top or too gory, but it definitely packs an unsettling punch. From bleeding walls to violent spirits, there’s an ever-present creepy vibe to the story that was really enjoyable. If horror isn’t your thing, I don’t feel that this book would be too much, though. 

Recommended for anyone who likes a creepy ghost story (even though these aren’t really ghosts, it’s still the same vibe). It’s young adult, but really only because of the age of the protagonist is 19 - I’d still highly recommend this to adult readers. One of the most enjoyable books I’ve read this year. 

Note: I listened to the audiobook, which was wonderfully performed. Highly recommended. 

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the audiobook. 

Trigger warning: mentions of murder and attempted rape, physical abuse, blood, descriptions of drowning, violent death, trafficking, abandonment 

Bookish and the Beast

Tell me a story... of a tale as old as time

 Bookish and the Beast (Once Upon a Con #3) by Ashley Poston

Publication date: August 4, 2020

Date read: October 18, 2021

Rosie Thorne feels stuck in her small town and just wants to get to college, where she hopefully won't only be known as "the girl whose mother died". Vance Reigns, on the other hand, is Hollywood royalty who can't keep himself out of the tabloids. When his parents send him off to the middle of nowhere to hide, he can't imagine anything worse. After Rosie accidentally stumbles across Vance's temporary home, destroying a very expensive rare book in the process, she is hired by Vance's caregiver to organize the home's extensive library in order to pay off the debt. Rosie loves being around the books, but is less than enthused to be around Vance, who is just as much of a jerk as he seems in the tabloids. Or is he?

This is the third book in the "Once Upon a Con" series, after Geekerella and The Princess and the Fangirl. Continuing the theme, Vance Reigns is the co-star of Darien Freeman and Jessica Stone in the Starfield movie sequel. (Think Star Trek, if it was cancelled after only a few seasons).

I was wary going into this one. I loved Geekerella, really liked the sequel, but when I found out that Vance Reigns was going to be the lead character in this one, I was hesitant. We only had a few moments with him in The Princess and the Fangirl, but he was a complete dick in that book. Did I really want to read a whole book about him, and a love story at that? But I trusted the author (and the word of my friend who recommended the series to me in the first place), and I'm very glad that I did.

I'll be honest, part of my love for this book does stem from it being a retelling of "Beauty and the Beast", which is also a favorite of mine. And, as the author herself admits in the notes, she embraced all of her favorite romance tropes in this one - there's even a scene that takes place in the rain. This book is not full of hidden deeper meaning. It's a cute romance based on a fairy tale and set in the world of science fiction movies and conventions. And sometimes that's enough. 

This was probably my favorite of the three, although I did love Geekerella. Vance was a very complicated character, but still felt honest and real and not too much like a bad boy romance trope. And I really liked Rosie. She was strong and self-sufficient, but also a great friend and had a great relationship with her father. Both of them were compelling, and I never found myself wishing that I could hurry through one chapter in order to get back to the other POV. 

It's not necessary to have read the first two books in order to get the story, but you'll definitely be missing a lot of side details if you start here. It's enough of a stand alone that you can get by, though, if you have to. I also almost skipped the Starfield novel chapter at the end of the book, but don't! It's worth a read. 

In the end, if you're not a science fiction fan, this probably isn't really what you're looking for, but the "Beauty and the Beast"-inspired romance will probably still make it appeal to a wide audience. I think this one is actually the book of the three that least relies on Starfield, since it's more about the books than the movie, but there are still a lot of sci-fi in jokes and references that are fun for fans. But if this sounds at all appealing, pick up Geekerella and work your way to this one. They're quick, fun, cute romance reads, and just the light-hearted adorableness that I needed. 

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Trigger warning: death of a parent (mentioned)

Iron Widow

 Tell me a story... about a woman’s fight for power

Iron Widow (Iron Widow #1) by Xiran Jay Zhao

Publication date: September 21, 2021

Date read: October 10, 2021

For over two centuries, Huaxia has been fighting a war with a mecha alien race called the Hundun just outside the Great Wall. Using the husks of the defeated Hundun, the humans have created Crysalises - giant mechanical suits that respond to yen users qi, and require both a male and female pilot to operate. The only problem is that males naturally have much higher qi than females, so the female “concubines” are usually inadvertently killed by the male pilots in battle. When 18-year-old Wu Zetian enlists as a concubine to one of the most well-loved pilots in Huaxia, she hopes to get her revenge for the death of her older sister. But when she kills him through the battle link, becoming an Iron Widow, she gets a taste for power that she never expected. And no matter how the establishment tries to tear her down, she has a new determination: not just to survive, but to change things for all the women of Huaxia. 

This novel is inspired by the story of Empress Wu - the only female emperor in Chinese history. 

First, the things I loved about this book. 

I love that it feels like a mix of both historical fiction and post-apocalyptic science fiction. A misogynistic Chinese setting where foot binding and daughters being sold as concubines to help buy a wife for the sons is the world these characters live in. But there are also aliens and giant mecha-robots (think Pacific Rim) powered by psychic links and hovercrafts and drones. It’s such a fun mix that always felt like it kept the book slightly off-balance and ungrounded (but in a good way). 

I loved the feminist agenda to this book. But wait, hear me out. Yes, it’s insanely obvious - it’s the whole point of this story. Women are powerful and men will only survive if they acknowledge the power of the women in their lives. But somehow this book manages to make the feminist agenda be both obvious and not heavy-handed. Might there be some hesitance from male readers? Maybe. But I thought the message was handled very well. 

Second, the thing I didn’t like about the book:

The love triangle. I feel like all YA books these days need to include a love triangle. Now, I like that this author went a different way with the love triangle than most, but it still felt forced to me. I don’t want to bash the inclusion of bisexual characters and a polyamorous relationship, because obviously there is nothing wrong with either. And I liked that the author had her main character state her approval of bisexual relationships. But the statements and relationships somehow seemed forced here, like a side note to the story. I’m not sure what would have been a better resolution, other than making Yizhi a non-romantic best friend, but the whole plot line just seemed a little off to me. 

The undecided:

Our main character: Wu Zetian. I actually liked her a lot. She’s strong and she knows what she wants. And when she realizes that she’s misjudged someone, she admits her mistakes. But this book falls very much into the grey zone. There is no “this character is bad and does bad things, but this character is good and does good things.” Zetian is our protagonist, but she does some highly questionable, if not outright bad, things in the name of vengeance or the greater good. She actually reminded me a lot of Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones. If you’ve never watched Game of Thrones, Daenerys is also someone who believes very strongly that she is doing the right thing, and doesn’t really care who she hurts along the way. This makes Zetian - and this whole story, really, very hard to pin down. This is going to be a series (or at least a duology), and I’m still not sure how I feel about Zetian at the end of this book, let along going forward into the next book. The one thing I do know is that I will definitely read more to find out. 

Overall, I feel like this is going to be a hard book to market, but it’s one that I really enjoyed. I think males will like the mecha battles, but will the feminist agenda be a turn off? I don’t know. I hope not. Because it’s a really good story (and I love that it was inspired by a real person - if obviously in a very loose way). If you love science fiction and robot battles and like strong female characters, this is a definite must-read. If any of those appeal to you, even if all three don’t, I still recommend checking it out. It’s fun to read a fresh take on the science fiction genre and I hope this book finds its audience. 

Rating: 4/5 stars

Trigger warning: sexism, murder, violence against women, torture (including water boarding), foot binding, alcohol addiction, mentions/threats of rape

Food: A Love Story

Tell me a story... that will make me laugh

 Food: A Love Story by Jim Gaffigan

Publication date: October 21, 2014

Date read: October 5, 2021

Comedian Jim Gaffigan riffs on his favorite (and least favorite) foods across the U.S. Some material is duplicated from his stand-up specials, and some is new material. 

Note: as with most books by comedians, I recommend the audiobook when it’s read by the author. It’s basically makes it just a long stand-up special.

I love Jim Gaffigan. He’s one of my favorite comedians. So I might not be the most objective reviewer, but really, why are you picking this up if you don’t like Gaffigan’s stand up? But if you’re wondering “Hey, I enjoy his stand-up routines. Will I like his book?” the answer is - mostly - yes. The only downside for a fan of the comedian is that not all of the material in this book is new. It’s all his, but some of it has been covered in his stand-up as well as in this book. So you might have already heard some of the jokes. 

This is Gaffigan’s second book, after Dad is Fat, which I did enjoy a little more than this one, but I genuinely enjoyed them both. His first book was just based on his children and family life and, as a parent of small children, I found his stories more relatable to me. Also, the stories in Dad is Fat were more, well, stories. Food: A Love Story is more comments on various types of food. Both funny, but in a different style. They’re both worth reading, but which one you like better is probably going to be based on where you are in life rather than one book being objectively better than the other. 

In the end, this was a book that had me laughing along, even when I disagreed with his opinions. I did listen to the audiobook, which I highly recommend for both of his books, as it helps hearing the jokes from his voice. I can’t honestly say if the book would have been as enjoyable if I read it. 

Recommended if you like Gaffigan’s stand-up. If you don’t, or if you’ve never heard him, check it out if you like reading opinion pieces about food by normal, non-pretentious people and want a good laugh. 

Rating: 4/5 stars 

Notes From the Burning Age

 Tell me a story... about repeating mankind’s past mistakes

Notes from the Burning Age by Claire North

Publishing date: July 20, 2021

Date read: October 6, 2021

Set sometime after the present day, humans have done so much damage to the Earth that kakuy (basically powerful nature spirits) have sent fires to destroy everything. Those who are left after the Burning rebuild the world using what technology remains, although anything destructive or war-related is deemed heretical and hidden away by the Temple. Eventually, a group called The Brotherhood becomes determined to bring that technology back, by any means necessary. But there are spies on both sides; some trying to leak the technology to The Brotherhood, and others trying to prevent war and destruction at all costs. Because just because the kakuy have been silent, doesn’t mean they won’t step in again. 

This is one of the hardest books to classify that I have ever read. It’s set in a post-apocalyptic time period, but not really science fiction. There are vengeful nature gods, but it’s not a fantasy either. The best classification I can give it is spy novel, in the vein of John le Carre. Slow-paced, with a lot of secrets and wondering who can be trusted. Perfectly enjoyable if that’s what you’re looking for. (Based on the NetGalley description, I was expecting something a little more sci-fi, so was thrown off a bit.)

The main characters in this book are very well done. I liked Ven (our protagonist) and Georg (the leader of The Brotherhood) quite a lot, and found their scenes together memorable. A lot of the other characters, though, especially the government figures, I had a really hard time keeping track of and falling apart. But Ven, who we spend the most time with, I found to be an enjoyable character. 

My biggest complaint is just about pacing. The writing is beautiful - North really has a way with words that is evocative without being pretentious. But the pacing was just much to slow for my tastes. The book seemed very long and drawn out; a slow burn to a big climactic event would happen and I’d look down and notice that I was only 35% of the way into the book. I don’t even know that the book was too long - it’s only a little over 400 pages - but the pacing made it feel longer, at least to me. Note: I actually switched to the audiobook at about the 60% mark, and found that a better format for keeping my interest.

Overall, this book was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I think the author really has a way with words, and found the book beautifully written. I just had a hard time with the pacing and keeping the minor characters straight in my head. If you’re big into spy novels, I think this one might be for you. Otherwise, probably give it a pass. Or try it on audiobook. 

Rating: 2.5/5 stars 

Trigger warning: murder, torture (mostly off page)

Brain on Fire

 Tell me a story... about one woman’s rebellious brain

Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan

Publication date: November 13, 2012

Date read: October 2, 2021

Twenty-four-year-old Susannah Cahalan has a good job as a reporter at the New York Post, a steady boyfriend, and a pretty satisfying life. Out of the blue, she begins to notice things being a little off - a numbness in her arm, lights looking too bright, trouble concentrating, anger issues. When her boyfriend suspects her of having absence seizures, she goes to the doctor, eventually getting admitted to the Epilepsy ward at the hospital. What follows is Susannah’s account - with the help of her friends and family often having to remember for her - of her illness and the doctors attempts to identify the cause before it’s too late. 

As someone who enjoys a good medical mystery, I found this book very well done. It must have been especially hard for Cahallan to tell this story, both because she didn’t remember a lot of it and was relying on hospital video surveillance and the memories of her family and caregivers, but also because what she does remember does not always paint her in a positive light. It was obviously not her fault when she acted out, but I can’t imagine that it was a pleasant topic for her to revisit. 

There is a fair amount of medical talk in this book, but I didn’t think that it got too difficult to follow. Having some background in medicine helped, especially for the most complicated topics such as the discussions about genes and receptors, but I don’t believe it would be too difficult to follow for the non-medically trained. And even if a few paragraphs of medical talk go a little over the readers head, it won’t take away from the story, so don’t let it scare you. 

One thing I couldn’t help but coming back to while reading was how fortunate Susannah was that - if she HAD to get this condition - that she got it when she did. She was living in New York City, giving her access to some of the best doctors in the world, at a time when at least one doctor in the US had some knowledge about these kinds of diseases. Even 5 years earlier and this would have gone undiagnosed, and in almost any smaller city in the world it probably would have as well. I can’t imagine the number of people who may have had this in the past and been diagnosed with schizophrenia or severe autism instead. 

Overall I thought that this was a very interesting book. It’s personal without being sappy and it deals with a medical topic without being dry. I’m glad she was able to tell her story and that hopefully it brought a little more attention to these types of disorders. Recommended if you enjoy memoirs or medical mysteries. 

Rating: 4/5 stars

Trigger warning: mental illness, forced institutionalization, detailed descriptions of medical procedures, including brain surgery