Book Review White King By Juan Gomez-Jurado 5/5 Stars

   What a WILD RIDE!  I have just finished  White King  by Juan Gomez Jurado.  This is the conclusion in a trio of thriller/police procedurals that I found to be...really just perfection.  My only regret if you will is that at the end of White King, there's no commentary assuring readers that our dynamic duo John and Antonia will be coming back. Thank you to macmillan and NetGalley  for the opportunity to listen and review in advance. I LOVED this book! 

  It's probably best to talk about the last book , while mentioning the first two as they are indeed, a series and while they could be read along, I feel they are best devoured all at once in a row. 

   The audio books are all narrated by the very talented Scott Brick, and he has done such a good job- he doesn't go in for fancy accents, or high pitched voices to bring the story to life, instead, he manages the spaces between words to create suspense, intrigue and humor at all the right places.  I highly recommend the audio if you are inclined to listen to audio books. 

Antonia and John, two somewhat ill fitting puzzle pieces of people come together at the start of the series  

to form a somewhat unlikely, but also somewhat predictable partnership.  She's socially repellent, but brilliant - so useful
to a secret project. He's socially cued in and affable enough to put up with and protect Antonia. Both find each other infuriating, but neither has a lot of other options. Both highly relatable, and yet, not so relatable that the reader feels they could actually "be" the characters. 

What makes these books just a cut above all the other thrillers and police novels is the way the author interjects with spot on observations about human nature, how language shapes our understanding of our world, and human interactions, the price we pay for them and what we gain.  Add in these small leitmotifs that make a reader feel like they are in on a secret joke, and this entire series is a winner, 

White King is a fantastic addition. Gomez-Jurado takes us - without delay- but with lots of suspense and anxiety- to a satisfying and surprisingly gentle conclusion that left me on the edge of my seat until about the last 4 minutes. I actually was found standing in the kitchen with a fresh cup of coffee shouting out NOOOOOOOOO.   I never do this. I'm not prone to too much excitement within the pages of a book (and I'm completely lying here of course)  but let me just say the ending was unexpected, perfect and far kinder than I had hoped for. 

 While there is a series on Prime  which I intend to watch, I think it likely misses some of the inner monologues of the book, some of the small details that draw a reader into a fast paced adventure. So I'd recommend reading the full series even if you've "seen the show" 

 This book will appeal to readers who loved The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,  as well as those who enjoy a twisted mystery to unravel.

   I, for one, can't wait to see what's next for Juan Gomez-Jurado.  

STATS

First Published 2020 (Spanish) 

Scheduled for English release March 2025

Pages: 352

Available as an Audio Book : YES

Trigger Warnings:  death, violence, cursing, suicide, police action, homophobia,

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)

Book Review: Bat Eater and other names for Cora Zeng, By Kylie Lee Baker 5/5 stars

    So many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins publishers for an advance reader copy of Bat Eater and other names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker !

  I have been slow to review because I had a lot of thoughts, and also- let's all face it, I was... a bit overwhelmed after the holidays, and current affairs.  But this book is really - I think- going to be something special. 

  One reason I really wanted to read this was that it came recommended by two champions of horror, Paul Tremblay and Grady Hendrix.   It was advertised as horror and I think it lives up to that, but also has a big chunk of social commentary and for some readers, this may still not be the time for "Pandemic literature"  which, make no mistake, this definitely is. 

    We meet our main character, Cora, as she is losing her sister, Delilah in NYC. Adrift, Cora becomes a crime scene cleaner where she's exposed to all sorts of things, while she deals with the grief and loss of Delilah.  Soon enough, her life becomes haunted by hungry ghosts, they most assuredly aren't in her mind only because what would cause a huge bit our of her coffee table?  What will she do? Should she take the advice of her Aunt or push all of that away.  one thing is for certain, it's near impossible to ignore a hungry ghost. 

This book will find fans in readers who have likes Paul Tremblay, CJ Leede, and Steven Graham Jones.  This is also an excellent book for readers looking to reflect on the height of the Covid 19 pandemic and it's widespread effects.  It will be a fantastic choice for book clubs as there are SO MANY opportunities for discussion within.  It's well written, and  I found it both engaging and easy to read It is due to come out in April of 2025  and with that wild cover, this is one you might want to pre-order this gem! 

 STATS

First Published APRIL 2025  Coming SOON! 

Pages: 304

Available as an Audio Book : YES (I see the audio in NetGalley) 

Trigger Warnings:  death of sibling, racism, , Animal harm, family turmoil , illness, gore, blood, mental illness, hate crimes, alcohol, fire, death of parent, body horror. 

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)

Book Review: Bonesmith by Nicki Pau Preto 5/5 stars!

 With the amount of books I've read  about "bones" this year  maybe my water theme was an error... perhaps it will reveal itself to be skeletons all along.  Alas, I chose water. But of course, I'm still going to mood read my way through 2025!

and Bonesmith was something I NEEDED.  

And you may be in need of someone who does the right thing also....

  Although this is a YA  novel, the themes and story can be appreciated by a wide audience. 

  Wren is a Bonesmith, a warrior of sorts against the undead and the reader meets her just as she is about to undergo the trials to determine her placement.  Always a risk taker, she can't resist a dare which sets her on a path of adventure, magic, political intrigue and a (very very small) smidge of romance. 

   I was unsure if this would be a book for me, but within about 35 pages, I was hooked. I could not put this book down, I had to know asap  the fate of Wren, her found family/friends and honestly which plot was a web of lies and which was truth. I don't want to give anything away, so I'm keeping this short?

Who should read this book?

   Those in need of a Hero(ine). Especially if you might be one in need of a flawed hero(ine) who may not always make all the right moves.

Lovers of Fantasy- this book is full of lore, magic and details that dance across the page building the world of the Smiths (Bone, Gold, Iron, Ghost, Silver...) There are some daring sword adventures, as well as some scenes with a sort of grappling hook device and terrifying ghosts to battle, as well as terrifying authority figures. 

Persons who enjoy coming of age tales, as the growth and development that Wren displays is enjoyable to observe as the book unfolds.  

persons who should avoid this book - those hoping for detailed on page romance.  This is just not the book for that. 

This book is a perfect one for a film adaption, and I found myself really hoping for that as the storytelling just lends itself to cinematics. 

Some have criticized that they could "guess the plot twist" but it is YA  intended for 14 and up- and to be fully transparent , I could generally tell a plot twist was coming, but not always what would be the twist. And honestly, a lot of readers do really enjoy sayin "I knew it! I knew it!"  so this was not an issue for me.  

Have you picked up the Bonesmith? Don't wait too long! 

STATS

First Published 2023

Pages: 464

Available as an Audio Book : YES

Trigger Warnings:  death, mild violence, war, lies, political conflict, family turmoil  

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)

January Reading Wrap Up!

 Reading Friends. We made it through January!  What was your favorite read this month? 

  I finished 28 books in January. 

This seems kind of extreme.  But some were shorter reads, and many - were books that require less concentration to enjoy. 

   As the Book Tok crowd would say - "Lets get into it!"

Firstly - Statistics! 

Books in translation:  3/28 A fairly low number, but it's definitely more than many people read in a year. 

Books by Diverse authors: I have a goal to really increase my diverse author reading. Last year about 27% of my reads were  by diverse authors, so lets see how I did for the Month of January?

46%  of my reading was a book with an identified "Diverse author" I did have to actively search out Alexandria House, a Black romance writer- her books are as engaging as any other romance on the market, but they aren't something I came across naturally. Many people think of diverse authors as people who write on only the struggles of various marginalized people, but of course, diverse authors write in all genres, one just has to look a bit further to find them. I love being able to recommend these books to readers when they say "I'm looking for..."  We'll see how my percentage goes through the year.  

Coming in at my TOP PICK: 

RED QUEEN  By Juan Gomez-Jurado

Translated by Nick Caistor.

English Audio Book Narrator Scott Brick. 

While browsing at the library,  I impulsively checked out  Black Wolf  by the same author - only to realize Black wolf is book 2 in this series, so I started with Red Queen.  A psychological thriller/police procedural  set in Spain. Antonia  is a genius who is also specifically trained to mentally sift through debris and solve difficult, high profile crimes.  John is a disgraced cop who's coerced into being her shield,  which he initially feels is babysitting duty,  which - Antonia definitely  needs. 

I was wholly engrossed  by Red queen (and also Black Wolf  which I also finished this month.)  Both Antonia and John are relatable characters who I came to feel quite attached to.  The author uses a few leitmotif's through the book which give the reader this delightful feeling that they, along with the author and other readers, are in on a bit of a secret.  I am  not often a fan of male authors having a female main character- but in this case, Gomez-Jurado does it well, mostly because Antonia is not only  "not like other girls" she's also- not really like other humans in general. As we read we also discover that Antonia is indeed very much like other girls/humans but that she is not always treated that way. 

Scott Brick  has an audiobook legacy of over 800 books narrated.  He wasn't known to me, but his theatre training shows, as he was able to inject suspense, humor and anticipation as he read this, as well as Black Wolf in a way that added to the book, rather than made a listener cringe. 

I loved both books, and the narration so much that I requested White King - which comes out in March 2025 via net Galley and I'm currently about 65% finished with that. More to come, I do not think readers will be disappointed!  

Highly recommend - and clearly- others enjoyed this one as it's been made into a series on Prime as well. 

Out of all the books I read this month, this one, along with Black Wolf had the combination I look for: compelling story, broad appeal, well executed with... (yes I'm a bit shallow) a great cover.  I recommend this to anyone who enjoys this genre. 

  Ok onward! 

I read one Non-fiction book in January: I Contain Multitudes by Ed. Yong. 

 

I did fully enjoy this book, and recommend it as easy to read, and understand science.

Mr. Yong is an incredible science communicator.  This book was published in 2016 and some of the latter chapters seem now a bit dated, but for the most part, it's still an excellent read. 

BOOKS I READ FOR MY WATER THEME 2025:

 Surprisingly, these were all, without exception, well written, interesting, thought provoking books that addressed the human experience in one way or another. I am sure at some point, I am going to choose some less good ones... as one always does.  

If I had to pick one that might be my favorite I think I'd pick All the Rivers by Dorit Rabinyan. I felt this book gave me a better understanding of the conflict in Gaza - which has been in the forefront of news cycles in the past year.  The author put such a human face on the suffering even though the story itself was not about the conflict exactly, --I feel that more people should go take a look at this one.  

What else did I read? 

In the genre of Science Fiction, I had a hodge podge of what I consider real Science Fiction,  and that of romance set in space.  The two are wildly different.

In the actual Science Fiction category we have:

Heavenly Tyrant  by Xiran Jay Zhao

And  Death of the Author  by Nnedi Okorafor

And: Intrastellar MegaChef by Lavanya Lakshminarayan

All excellent reads.  Okorafor is by far the more polished writer, but Zhao brings it with heart stopping battle scenes and Lakshminarayan  brings popular culture to social commentary in a fairly easy to read format. 

In romance set in space, I outdid myself: 

I enjoyed all of these, though I will say Surrender to the Cyborgs probably hits the bottom of the list.  It was... OK. 

Ruby Dixon is the queen of Space Based romances, and she continued to deliver with When she Dances. Space for Love champions a plus sized heroine that was easy to love, for readers and her love interest as well!  Dianne Duvall's Aldebarian Alliance does a fairly good job at building a world but again the main story is an action/adventure romance. 

 I do love a good romance in a space setting. 

I  Buddy read 2 books.  And honestly Buddy reading was the way to go for both, unlikely I would have finished either one without my trusted Buddy reading  friend. 

Emily Rath has written better things, and Rebecca Yarros.... well. I read them, I enjoyed both of these books as "ok" but mostly really enjoyed reading them with friends. Yarros is a problematic author in many many ways (I dislike how her main character Violet is supposed to have a debilitating condition, but she's been able to somehow always, steadfastly be the heroine- involving many fantastic physical feats, and mental task that require a great deal of concentration, all while being worshipped by a demon man who has entirely bombastic language that if used in real like might cause a girl to just ask "what?"  This isn't how debilitating conditions work, Also noted that the writing and such in a lot of this new book made it seem like, almost a different writer, which made me wonder so so much about this whole situation.  The publisher is making bank though. 

Book club Books!

The Stabby and Smoochy Bookclub on Fable read quite a bit in January. We like our heroines stabby and smoochy and there are no shortage of such books.  We loves the Broken Bonds series and that will continue to feature until we finish it in February, so come join up if you also want a stabby/smoochy heroine. 

 My more staid Library  book club read this piece of historical fiction: 

Which was interesting and educational, and got I think, a solid 3 stars from the group. 
 

Books that found their way into my finished shelf that didn't really relate to any other books:

Her Body and Other parties  by Carmen Maria Machado  is a collection of well written short stories that could provoke a lot of discussion. For the most part- I don't like short stories, and par for the course, I didn't love these. To me there was a bit of the MFA voice (if I recognized it with my paltry reading skills, you know it was heavy in there)  and I did not enjoy that. Many many other people have enjoyed these so don't let an avid reader of Space Alien romances stop you from picking it up! 

And then She Fell  by Alicia Elliott 

I felt like this was a really excellent read for me.  I maybe could have popped it into the Sci-Fi realm but it doesn't seem to be shelved by many as Sci-Fi. I feel that it helped me to see myself especially through another's eyes and expanded my own horizons. Recommend. 

And then.... there are the audio books that were available at the library that I picked up to... read in the background. I enjoyed every single one of these not great literature type books and recommend them. 

Did you make it to the end? Whew! Let me know if you've read any of these and your thoughts!!! 

What was your favorite read of January?

Book Review: All The Rivers By Dorit Rabinyan 5/5 Stars

Choosing water as a theme for 2025  has REALLY  had me choosing some books I might not have read before. All the Rivers by Dorit Rabinyan probably would not have been on my list, but it SHOULD have been.  It should have been on my list in 2014 and it probably should be on your list also. Let me tell you all my reasons why! 

This novel ripped me apart emotionally and really opened up my thoughts.

All the Rivers is a bit like an onion there are so many layers. This book, written by an Israeli woman, has been banned in Israel for young persons as inappropriate content.  (for my US readers, that may sound a little bit familiar).

   The premise of the novel is a love story of Liat (an Israeli) and Helmi (an Arab)  who meet unexpectedly in NYC  and have a deep and passionate love affair. (the book itself, in case anyone is concerned- does not contain on page love scenes or anything of that sort). 

   The writing is really high quality, this is an infinitely readable novel, and although it doesn't have a plot of a typical romance (couple meets, falls in love, faces some challenges, reaffirms love with a Happy Ever after ending) , it draws the reader in to the story.   Having survived the brutal winter that I believe the author is referring to, I could deeply relate as she described the mountains of snow and ice and unending gray skies, as she and Helmi navigate a relationship that is overshadowed by the Middle Eastern Situation.  I felt drawn in and could relate to the life she and Helmi build for themselves. The fact that the writing was still excellent after translation speaks to the skill of Rabinyan and the translator Jessica Cohen. 

   While we explore Liat and Helmi's growing relationship- and the challenges it brings-  the reader is given space to think about and explore concepts of love, cultural identity, prejudice, family, sacrifice and more.  This isn't a true "Love conquers all" story, which makes it all the more attractive.  Liat struggles to not view Helmi as as "enemy", Helmi struggles with Liat's very strongly held beliefs, and neither is able to exactly put these parts of their identity aside in favor of their relationship.  It is indeed a wild dance where they are both it seems about to lose their balance and fall wildly into an ocean of chaos. In fact, I could barely put the book down because I had to know how it would end. 

I will tell you the ending shocked and surprised me and figuratively tore my heart right out of my chest. And after finishing, reading that it was based on a "true story"  I felt so much more sorrow.  But of course, I'm not going to tell anyone how this love affair plays out. 

This is an excellent read for persons interested in the current conflict in the Middle East, 

Folks wanting to read/support banned books, and those who are  interested in reading something that's well written, which will settle into your brain like a thick heavy snow. 

Let me know if you've read this book and what your thoughts were, or if you're going to be requesting it from the library! If you like this post, please share it, as it helps books - even books published some time ago- get discovered and rediscovered. 

STATS

First Published 2014

Pages: 288

Available as an Audio Book : YES

Trigger Warnings:  death, war, inter-racial relationships, political conflict, family turmoil  

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)

How Many is TOO many?

    Reading friends - how many books do you usually have "going"  at one time?  Do you have a limit? 

How much can we reasonably process from our outrageously enormous To-Be-Read piles? Do you have a strategy, or just wing it? 

Thank you to Tim's public domain pictures for this gem. 

  I used to be a one book at a time person, and was pretty happy if I finished 12 -15 books a year.  I was also - at that time focusing on a certain type of reading material. Books that made me think, made me take action, or otherwise somehow make a change in life, gain a new perspective, or learn something. Not Self-Help,  but more along the lines of Isabel Wilkerson, or Min Jin Lee.  Then I discovered  books that are on the frivolous side like Ruby Dixon's Ice Planet Barbarians,  Viano Oniomoh  and Marilyn Barr  and I added those into the mix.  These books also make me think and see things from a different perspective, but they require a bit less mental energy from me. 

So... there is a lot of space between Spooning my Chuchunya (5 stars in that genre)  and   say, James Baldwin's  The Fire Next time (Also 5 stars)   and - YES - pretty much the only thing those two books have in common is that they are books.  But, I believe all reading is valid,  one just gets something different from every reading escapade. And YES if you're only going to read one book, I'd go with James Baldwin every time.   

But as I was reading around, I realized that I really did want to be reading more than one book at a time because there are ALOT of books to be read out there and there is only so much time.  I wanted reading experiences that made me think, expanded my horizons, but also ones that I could giggle with my friends about over brunch, and those that we could just loathe together. 

  And then!  Friends.....  I DISCOVERED AUDIO BOOKS! 

This opened a whole new avenue of reading to me, and I was suddenly able to read audio in the car, at the gym, you name it. It became my preferred way to read most material, and due to Libby and Cloud Library, I am constantly supplied with books of all sorts and genres. 

So currently, I have one book on my Kindle for my "Stabby and Smoochy"  bookclub at Fable .  One physical book I'm making my way through (The Demolished Man)  and about 4 different audiobooks going.

Is it too many?  Not really.  I don't know why but I rarely get confused, as long as I get a bit read each day, I can recall the plot lines.  I try to make sure they are all different genres-  but I do wonder if I'm just gorging too much.  I see some popular Influencers making jokes about how they forgot everything they read, and I find I don't generally have that problem. 

How many are you reading?  What's your strategy for getting through the massive TBR? Do you switch up the genres? Do you listen to audio at 2/25x? read a chapter of each book daily? Do you dedicate yourself to one book at time and just zip through each one and on to the next? Feel free to share this post around, and  Let me know your strategy in the comments! 

Book Review: Skull Water By Heinz Insu Fenkl 3.25/5 Stars

Skull Water by Heinz Insu Fenkl was a book my local library had, and, being a spooky kind of person, I was entranced by the cover, and the title.  I may have gotten more than expected!

Firstly, as I perused several other reviews by people more literary than me, I started to see the words that are frequently brought out when a novel defies conventional norms "Sweeping" "ambitious"  "courageous" So, to be honest,  I did not find this to be exactly "Sweeping" Nor did it seem "ambitious" or full of courage.  It really seemed as if Fenkl had a story within him that needed to be told, and thus, he was getting it out there. 

  In short, Fenkl takes us between two timelines that are interconnected, Big Uncles timeline during the Korean Civil War, and Insu's timeline in 1970's Korea. 

Insu has lived in many countries as he is the son of an Serviceman in the American Army, but his mother is Korean, so he is adept at straddling both worlds.  He visits his Big Uncle, who has a gangrenous foot, and learns that "Skull Water" could be a cure for is ailment.

(Now, I've searched the interwebs and I can't find out too much about this Korean Myth, so I'm not sure if it is one that's super widespread.  But I suppose, it's also one that people might not be wanting to talk about as it involves somehow aging a newly dead body and then drinking what's in the skull? YIKES!) DO NOT DO THIS - it seems fraught with infectious problems, plus there is no proof it works. 

Insu decides, with his friends that they will be getting some skull water.  We follow him as he travels about the black market in Sinchon, camps out in forbidden areas and experiences a terrifying ancestral ghost while he is also preparing to go back to the US so his father, who is ill can receive medical treatment.  Insu  knows without a doubt that his father is dying, but he never really confronts that fact full on.  It's more of a shadow over everything.   Will he obtain this Skull Water? Will Big Uncle be cured? What will become of his friends? If you read, you'll find out all of this, and more. 

Overall, this is a coming of age story for both Insu our main character, but possibly also in part for South Korea. Both Insu and S. Korea were experiencing this blending and clashing  of American and Korean culture in the 1970's. (Did this really Happen?  YES, yes it did,  the war was "over"  but the American influence was not, click link for videos and discussion).  I don't think I realized how many troops were still in S. Korea in the 1970's   and remain there today as this area is hard to demilitarize.  Not my specialty. 

  I felt like this book really hits home in the way it describes how  war really just upended societies, and forever changes the dynamics of life. As I read about Insu making deals with government cheese and medical supplies, all while absorbing legends and folk beliefs and making sure to use auspicious numbers, I was struck at how delicate this coming together could really be, and how unique it is- outside of this reality, it would be hard to explain to anyone, while we all have similar emotions, we don't all have similar experiences.  

Towards the end of the novel, Insu visits with a monk and this is probably the best part of the book where he and the monk discuss karma, and outcomes. It doesn't really quite fit with the rest of the book, but I feel like that may also be part of what's being conveyed  Lots of things didn't exactly FIT as an ordered society, but they all had a place in that point in time.  One thing I did not like, and this is just me, is that while the author kind of ties up the ends of Insu's pals lives, his is left fairly open ended, leaving me to just want to KNOW... What happened after Insu went to California? Did he ever go? 

So... for me this was worth the read, I hesitate to recommend it to just anyone, due to some graphic animal abuse discussion/description.   But for readers interested in Korea, coming of age, and Military child experiences, this might be one for you!

STATS

First Published 2023

Pages: 384

Available as an Audio Book : YES

Trigger Warnings:  sexism, war, animal abuse, child SA, SA, drug use, alcohol, death  

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)