Monica Enderle PierceBesprekingen

a bit of classic fantasy. Still lacked...something?

It's a shame I read this sequel first instead of the full-fledged series because of both being spoiled a few tidbits here and there, along with the realization it's a series with good worldbuilding.

Being a novella side-story, you will obviously end up with only mere nibbles, and the plot of Princess Arevik and her enslaved bodyguard Mahod offers expected tension from their forbidden love. I liked the overall concept of the story where Arevik has to choose between being betrothed with two noblemen from different nations, both options she finds to be disagreeable.

She's young and naïve, he's too obvious that he loves her but knows full-hand that he could never have her. Sometimes I found the book overused description to describe mundane village market scenes, but I mostly liked the prose of the story.

I think that if anything, the book would have been a lot better if the final 20% had been through a few more rounds of polished editing to make the scenes clearer to understand and the great revelation of Mahod's past a great climax instead of clunky and somewhat anticlimatic.

Still, it was a fun story, and I'll probably read the full series sometime.

More than a month's worth of reading on various levels.

The World Below Book One by Vivienne Lee Fraser is a family-friendly quest that starts off in London and travels to Cornwall to rescue the parents of 18-year-old Priscilla Crown and Snake Fieth from the World Below that takes a day to read. 4 1/2*

Fire Soldier by J.A. Culican: Allow a day for this PG15 example of what can happen when domestic squabbles get WAY out of hand. 5*

WHICH WAY THE CAST JUMPS by Ava Silvers: Allow a full day for this NC17 paranormal involving grief, both fresh and old. 4*

Emissary by A.L. Morrow: Allow a day for this steamy MM celestial romance which travels all over the place. 4 1/2*

FIGHT FOR DARKNESS by Susan Stradiotto and Sophia-Rose Johnson: Allow two days for this mature adult cage-fighting paranormal supernatural fantasy phasing between Wickney, Wisconsin, and Penumbra. Trigger warnings for graphic violence and sexual abuse of a minor. 4*

Inheritance by Skye Callahan: Allow a long afternoon for this PG15 supernatural rescue romance involving experimentation on a child. 5*

Shadow and Soul by A. R. Colbert: Allow an afternoon for this PG13 paranormal romance quest for the missing ingredient. 5*

BENEATH THE WAVES OF NEVERSEA by K.A. Last: Allow a day for this strange fantasy adventure when Wendeline, Jonathan, and Michael follow Peter Pan to Neverland. Ronan Hatter is sent there by his mother, the Queen of Hearts, and this is what happens. 5*

Inferno Games by Elise Knight: Allow a solid two days (or three) for this adult paranormal supernatural visit to Hell where Quinn Amelia Valentine, 28, is seeking her kid sister Jenny Alicia Valentine. 4 1/2*.

DNF! Read 100 pages, but couldn't get into the story. Just not my kind of book I guess...

DNF! Read 100 pages, but couldn't get into the story. Just not my kind of book I guess...

It is … some time in the future and the Earth has been taken over (I guess) by these humanoid alien people. Rachel Pryne lives with her daughter Pearl, castoffs from the small community, Suffer. In pretty typical dystopian fashion, the community is under the charge of “Elders”, one in particular Cyrus who just … ugh.

Anyway, one night one of the Ohnenrai shows up at her door injured, and Rachel decides to nurse him back to health. She slowly falls for him while continuing to be treated like dirt by most of the community in which she serves as a healer. There’s a big to-do about the Elders taking her daughter away from her, and Rachel and Pearl run away with Ehtishem, the Ohnenrai soldier, and that’s where the story kind of lost me.

I feel like this book really lost its way about a third of the way through. While still at home in Suffer, Rachel seemed strong but beaten down, but once she ends up separated from her daughter she seems to lose her fire. I realize even the strongest people can only take so much, but she almost immediately seems a different person. Back and forth with her emotions. Does she love Ehtishem, hate him, or even trust him? It’s like running in circles trying to keep up with. And Ehtishem, ugh. While on Earth he’s got the strong, silent type going on, but once back on the Ohnenrai ship and taking his rightful place as leader (or second or third in command, I dunno, it got kind of complicated) the strong, silent thing goes by way of irritating.

That said, sci-fi isn’t my usual cup of tea, but the concept grabbed my attention, as did the story itself when I first started reading. I just really felt like the second half of the book did not seem to flow as well as the first half. This is listed as book one in a series, and should the series continue I would be interested in reading more.

*A free copy was provided by Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

I havered over this book on Netgalley, and finally decided to be optimistic and request it. I really ought to have learned by now to go with my gut. This isn't a bad book, though it has problems; it's just not for me.

Hopefully, the errors that kept nudging me out of the story were fixed before publication, but I have no real way to check. There was a bit of tooth theme with some; in the middle of what was supposed to be a pretty intense scene, I was sitting there wondering what exactly "dental molding" was. I looked it up: it's "DENTIL". What a difference a vowel makes. Then a little while later the butler is polishing his boss's beige toothpicks, and again I sat there going "Wha-?" The ensuing paragraph indicates that these are shoes, which makes more sense than, you know, actual toothpicks, but I wandered around the internet for a good bit of time without finding any style of shoes that has ever been called "toothpicks". I don't know. Anybody?

The problem that made me put the thing aside for a while, if not forever, is comma abuse. It was starting to make me alternately whimper and grumble every time it showed up, which was just about every other page. In common English usage there are places a comma is not used, such as in places where two adjectives are used to describe something. The author constantly uses two adjectives to describe people, places, and things, and in about ninety percent of these instances a comma is improperly used. "White, linen"; "shiny, black"; "droopy, old wives" (!); "massive, framed"; "palm-sized, tin". And on, and on, and on. It drove me crazy. And it's not consistent – now and then it's done correctly ("black leather case").

I have to say exposition is done pretty well; the background for the story is provided well enough to keep me afloat in what's going on while maintaining mystery and tension, and I daresay holding back a few surprises.

I'm not sure I can give that much credit for characterization. The jury is still out on whether I like Bartholomew enough to spend the rest of the book at his side. There's a whiff of iZombie about him – he consumes souls, or parts of souls, or something like that, and takes on some of the character of the person off whom he's fed. And since he chooses blackguards to drain, he becomes a bit blackguardly. The servants felt a bit stereotypical, though the governess was beginning to take on some personality when I gave up. The villain, Famine, was … just another fairly standard all-powerful blood-sucking (is there a name for it? Homnivorous? Hey, that is a word) monster; there were the standard incredibly nasty hard-to-kill henchmen.

And then there was the little girl. Matilde is a child from the slums of New York's Five Points who is destined to be … important, endangered by Bartholomew's attention but then saved by her and adopted by her. She gave me pause. There were times when her dialogue came off as a young girl raised in the slums ... and there were times when her dialogue came off as a middle-aged upper class matron. Sometimes in the same paragraph. And was "Matilde" a plausible name for a child from that neighborhood, with parents who did not seem to be French immigrants? As far as I could tell it wasn't even "Mathilda" given a French accent by Bartholomew.

I just have too many books in my to-be-read pile to keep on fighting. It wasn't the worst thing in the world, but … no, thanks.

The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review.

From the Edwardian era setting to the antihero Bartholomew's decision not to condemn a child, I was reeled in quickly with this novel. I found the style in which the author wrote to be fluid and almost soothing to read. Descriptions were rich and decadent.

While I do enjoy a good fantasy story line, my favorite aspect to this novel was the character development/relationship building between Bartholomew and Matilde. The novel was spread out over Matilde's eighth year to her sixteenth, and I feel the author did a remarkable job growing Matilde's and Bartholomew's relationship until there was eventually mutual trust between the two. It was years of two steps forward, one step back, and I could sympathize for each character's struggle in finding their place within the relationship.

I'm looking forward to the next installment in The Apocalyptics series. I'm curious to see Matilde's blossom into adulthood and how the dynamic between her and Bartholomew progresses. And, of course, I'm looking forward to how they next thwart Famine's master plan for world destruction. 4.5 stars!!

I devoured (sorry, couldn't resist the pun) this book in one sitting. Cadavers are creepy, Famine is a nasty piece of work. Young Matilde growing up just to find out why she is to fight the evils they represent, and the curious Bartholomew leading the way made for an interesting dynamic. Mr Vernon and Mrs Henderson trying to maintain the households and lives of them all made for an interesting family. Fighting not only Famine's evil, but also racism, misogyny, and men who are just plain mean, this was a fast and incredibly fun read for me. Finding big hearts and kindness in a world of evils, battles both big and small, and I enjoyed every bit of it. Truly looking forward to more of the story!

You should definitely read this book!

Why do I say that you ask? First, I have to say when I saw Famine show up on my Kindle...I did a dance. A happy dance. I have no shame. I've been excited to read this book for a while now. I've read Ms. Pierce's other book "Girl Under Glass" and it's companion short story "A Sad Jar of Atoms" (which are both equally fantastic btw and definite reads) so I couldn't wait to see what she came up with next.

Famine (which is nothing like "Girl Under Glass") captured me from the very first chapter. Bartholomew was well written and completely and utterly fascinating…even though he’s a bit scary at times his need to protect Matilde and his love for the people he cares about, brings such a richness to the story. Matilde is what a great heroin should be. She’s not whiny, angsty or annoying, which seems to have become an unfortunate theme with young girls and women in books these days. Instead, she’s intelligent, stubborn, strong, vulnerable, witty and coquettish – without being over the top. And Mr. Vernon and Mrs. Henderson…what can I say? They are both such strong supporting characters and add such fun and depth to the story. Every detail is thought out and written beautifully. The detail Ms. Pierce put’s into her writing is fantastic. From the descriptions of the landscape to the clothing and architecture, it’s like being literally sucked into the book. Yes, it is actually that good.

Even though the book is not a comedy, there are little delightful bits of humor sprinkled all throughout the story, which helps add balance to the rather dark plot line. I was so sucked into the story that when I read the last line I kept scrolling hoping there was more hidden somewhere else. Alas, there was not, but regardless, I can NOT wait for the next three books.

Bottom line…should you read this book? Definitely and by any means necessary. :)

Rachel is a healer in the small and religious enclave of Suffer (which is a town that really lives up to its name)- however her world is rocked upside down when an injured alien asks for help. Because of her vows, she ignores her mistrust and doubt over his real intentions on why he is visiting a human settlement, especially when his people has helped to cause so much destruction on earth.

This was a very interesting little gem of a book, with the premise of an alien race invading Earth and causing world wide mayhem and destruction. The themes and ideas were thought-provoking and I loved the heroine's determination in protecting her daughter from the clutches of her rapist father and in a society where religion has become misogynistic and hateful. It had a similar vibe to The Handmaid's Tale, although the latter half of the book delves deeper into the motives and the political struggles of the alien hierarchies which Rachel is an important figure for one faction. She becomes very important to the survival of her people as well as the aliens, and I loved the twist at the end which hints of a greater threat for all parties.

Nonetheless, I wasn't too sure about a world that destroyed itself due to religious terrorism and I wished there was more time spent on explaining the fall of civilisation because it didn't feel realistic. And I am in two minds about the religious overtones of the book. I also did find the second half of the book lost some steam and it got a bit convoluted, and I also found myself getting frustrated with Rachel's reactions towards the twists and the events which didn't ring true for me because she acted out like an annoying teen instead of her stoic and calm self that she presented in the first half. And I was not a fan of Cyrus, who morphed from this cold and sociapathic preacher to this cardboard cut-out villain in the end.

But Girl Under Glass had a great tense build-up which was tense and chilling and despite the issues I had with the second half, the world-building was strong and well thought out with a great eye to detail. I will definitely pick up the sequel!

I won a copy of Girl Under Glass in a book group drawing on Goodreads.
I was drawn in immediately & kept interested through out the entire book. Sci Fi, post-apocalyptic dystopian and romance, all in one story. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
Rachel, a healer & her daughter Pearl live in Suffer, a religious colony on Earth. Pearl is weeks away from her 8th birthday where she will be removed from Rachel to prepare for marriage & breeding. This is not the life Rachel wants for her daughter and when an injured stranger shows up at her home-she makes a choice to trust Ehtishem, an alien humanoid soldier and escape from 'Suffer'.

3.5 stars

Full review to come!