Tag Archives: tor books

QUICKIE REVIEW: “Thornhedge” by T. Kingfisher

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I have a lot of mixed thoughts about T. Kingfisher’s “Thornhedge.” On the one hand, there are a lot of super interesting ideas at play here. The whole thing is very “Maleficent” meets Neil Gaiman’s “Snow, Glass, Apples.” And that’s a very cool direction to take a “Sleeping Beauty” retelling. But on the other hand, I’m not entirely sure all of the novella’s elements fully come together as a satisfying whole. It’s a sweet, horrific, enticing read that’s as slow-paced and occasionally frustrating as it is thrilling. A fairy tale in the truest sense of the word, but also a story with a lot of missed opportunities.

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REVIEW: “Under the Whispering Door” by TJ Klune

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What happens after you die? Is there a Heaven? A Hell? A whole lot of nothing? It’s a question that we’ve been asking ourselves for as long as we’ve known what death was. And in TJ Klune’s Under the Whispering Door, Reapers and Ferrymen usher the recently deceased from the world of the living to whatever form their afterlife takes. For most, this transition happens without a problem. But for some, like Wallace Price, it’s quite a difficult affair. Under the Whispering Door is a gorgeously written, expertly plotted, and deeply emotional read. Perfectly balancing humor, melancholy, and deep sadness, Under the Whispering Door dives deep into what it means to be a good person. It’s a thrilling fantasy, a sweet romance, and an emotional exploration of grief. All in all, it’s a must-read.

NOTE: I received a review copy of Under the Whispering Door from Macmillan/Tor and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

When a reaper comes to collect Wallace from his own funeral, Wallace begins to suspect he might be dead. And when Hugo, the owner of a peculiar tea shop, promises to help him cross over, Wallace decides he’s definitely dead. But even in death he’s not ready to abandon the life he barely lived, so when Wallace is given one week to cross over, he sets about living a lifetime in seven days.

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REVIEW: “The Library of the Dead” by T.L. Huchu

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There’s a pretty common problem that many first books in a series suffer from. And that’s an overall lack of focus. Often, the first books of a series try to be too many things all at once. They introduce a host of characters. They spend a lot of time expanding the series’ universe, sowing the seeds for future books. And they try to tell their own self-contained, satisfying narratives. Some books get the balancing act between all of these perfectly right. Others don’t. The Library of the Dead falls into the latter camp, suffering from a pretty chronic case of first-book-in-a-series syndrome. It’s not a bad book by any stretch of the imagination. It just tries to be too many different things at once and comes off as unfocused instead of compelling. All of the elements are there, but the plot, itself, feels a bit like an afterthought. (3.5 out of 5 wands.)

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Tor Books. All thoughts are my own. This review will be as spoiler free as possible, though may contain very light spoilers.

The Library of the Dead
By T.L. Huchu
Ropa dropped out of school to become a ghostalker. Now she speaks to Edinburgh’s dead, carrying messages to the living. A girl’s gotta earn a living, and it seems harmless enough. Until, that is, the dead whisper that someone’s bewitching children–leaving them husks, empty of joy and life. It’s on Ropa’s patch, so she feels honor-bound to investigate. But what she learns will change her world.

She’ll dice with death (not part of her life plan…), discovering an occult library and a taste for hidden magic. She’ll also experience dark times. For Edinburgh hides a wealth of secrets, and Ropa’s gonna hunt them all down. 

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REVIEW: “To Sleep in a Sea of Stars” by Christopher Paolini

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I never read The Inheritance Cycle as a kid. I tried reading Eragon a few times and I made it partway through the film, but it was never something I could get into. I’m very picky about what kinds of fantasy books I like – the higher the fantasy and the more complex the world, the less likely I am to like it. Which is exactly what happened with Christopher Paolini’s beloved books. It was a classic case of it’s me not them. In that context, I was unsure what to expect when approaching To Sleep in a Sea of Stars, Paolini’s first book for adults, and his first foray into science fiction. While I love a lot of sci-fi, would I like this? Would this novel connect with me in the way I wanted his others to? In short: yes. To Sleep in a Sea of Stars is a masterclass in genre storytelling. Intricately plotted, stuffed with multidimensional and endearing characters, and filled with enough action to make Hollywood jealous, it is a thrill from start to finish. (4.5 out of 5 wands.)

(NOTE: I won an advance copy of this book from BookishFirst. All reactions are my own. Additionally, there may be mild spoilers.)

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini
During a routine survey mission on an uncolonized planet, Kira finds an alien relic. At first she’s delighted, but elation turns to terror when the ancient dust around her begins to move.

As war erupts among the stars, Kira is launched into a galaxy-spanning odyssey of discovery and transformation. First contact isn’t at all what she imagined, and events push her to the very limits of what it means to be human.

While Kira faces her own horrors, Earth and its colonies stand upon the brink of annihilation. Now, Kira might be humanity’s greatest and final hope . . .

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