Book Review: The Imposter King by Eli Hinze

    I snagged a copy of this novel (audiobook!)  on Net-Galley!  I was not entirely sure about it, but I think I can recommend it for certain readers! 

 In short, this is a fantasy set in Mesopotamia. Our protagonist Ahsan starts of at death's door- where he hovers through most of the novel. He's snatched from the proverbial gallows to serve as an imposter king during a most inauspicious time. He's given an imposter wife, and between the two of them, they work to thwart the possible plot against the actual king. I'd tell you more, but of course reading the novel would be better!

   As a person with only a mild interest in this time period, I really cannot comment on the accuracy of the historic elements of the novel. I did enjoy the descriptions of the accoutrements of life in that time period, the markets, and the relationships. Nothing felt off or inaccurate, but I'm no expert and possibly a true expert would likely find lots to quibble with here. Luckily, I'm no expert!

  The plot unfolded well, with a solid conclusion and a nice twist there at the end. The romance that occurred was super closed door and in a way this was a total relief from pages of descriptions of eggplants and the like. Kudos! 

  My two issues were with some of the language used by the characters- it was very modern seeming and felt like it was out of place, like the characters themselves were used to living in the 20th century but were now cos-playing in Mesopotamia. For the most part, I was able to put that dislike aside and enjoy the story.  I did feel like the story could be told in multiple time settings just by interchanging the details. (Imposter kind in medieval times?  sure, Imposter Mafia king- also ok, Imposter emperor, yes...Imposter Head of a Dude Ranch also ok).  The details were there, but somehow they did not entirely meld into the novel making it impossible to imagine any other setting/premise. 

That said - this was easy to read, I finished it in record time. Hinze is an Indie author, and I don't read a lot of indies.  This is a very easy read, the plot is understandable, and progresses in a natural way. Although this is book one in a series, the conclusion is a gentle cliff hanger with the major plot points of book one resolved, with a new issue pointing the reader to book two- which I do want to enjoy!  Definitely recommend for readers who want to enjoy a good story in a unique setting.  

First Published : 05/2022

Pages: 322

Available as an Audio Book :YES

Trigger Warnings: medical situations, poverty, bullying, drugs/alcohol, violence, death, monsters, animal hunting, blood. Regicide. 

                                        Not a full TW list, please read responsibly.   

     

Book Review: Salt The Water by Candace Iloh

 I listened to this YA novel - a Printz honoree novel while driving around town. It obviously fit into my water theme, or so I thought. In reality, there was very little water in this novel. Despite the cover that really seems to promise quite a lot of water. 

     In short this is a coming of age novel with a bit of a twist. It's strongest point is that the author really really relays what it's like to be a kid, especially one who's grown up in relative safety. Cerulean - our protagonist- is impulsive, with a narrow focus and hasn't been outside of their neighborhood and family much. Living in NYC they know that bad things happen, but they've been brought up in a very stable family. Cerulean is rebellious, and feels all the feelings, and is especially unhappy that their younger sibling gets to attend a special black focused school while they are stuck in the local public school. Cerulean is ready to move to California with friends after graduation, but a conflict with a teacher leads Cerulean to leave school- unnoticed by their parents due to family events that take the focus off the children.  Is Cerulean ready to live off the grid, like they dream of?  You'll want to read to find out. 

Overall, I enjoyed this novel. It is very well written and engaging. The ending to me was a bit open ended and kind of... not want I'd hoped for exactly but, I can see how it would appeal to the young adult readers it's intended for! I can see this being a valuable novel for young adults, and a valuable one for adults who've forgotten what it's like to be a teen in a strange and changing world! 

  First Published : 09/2024

Pages: 288

Available as an Audio Book :YES

Trigger Warnings: medical situations, poverty, bullying, drugs/alcohol, 

Not a full TW list, please read responsibly. 

August Reading Wrap up 2025

  Whew.  August has been kind of miserable for me. 

 I read 16 books.  Most of them on audio or in print with audio assistance. I feel like I had a pretty nice balance between what I'd call "serious reading" and fluff.   The fluff in the end was the most enjoyable as I am currently trying to just escape reality! I did also make a bit more of an effort to find those diverse books again, so hopefully this looks better than June and July! 

This is missing Sargassa, as I surprised myself by finishing it at the gym today! 

Books in Translation:  2/16  or about 12%.   I started a few more and really really - found I had chosen wrongly, and sent those back to the library as DNF.  I learned a lot from both novels (The Empusium, and Celestial Bodies)  but I'm not sure either was a top top read of the month. 

Books by Diverse Authors: 6/16  or about 38%.  This is about the same as June and July. I generally start off a month picking multiple diverse authors and then, somehow devolve into reading certain fluffy romances.  This past month, however, two of the fluffy romances were written by authors of a diverse background. In addition, a few authors don't have any sort of indication on websites about their background, so a few of these could be falling into the diverse category. 

Favorite of the Month? 

it has to be Old School Indian by Aaron John Curtis.

This one was so oddly relatable, and eye-opening at the same time. I loved everything about it.  Just amazing. 

This was followed in a very close second by Tim Chawaga's Salvagia. 

 
I fell in love with this one for the Florida theme, the "third way" alluded to throughout the book, the diving, and the general concept. I LOVED this.  

 I'll be diplomatic and not name my least favorite, because I did really loathe that one.  

I've been requesting less ARC's lately, so we shall see how September goes! 

What was your favorite read for August? 

Book Review: Sargassa by Sophie Burnham

   I'm starting this post off with a huge thank you to DAW books  for sending me a copy of Sargassa in it's new cover!  This is an exclusive edition which will go with the second book- Bloodtide- which is due out in October 2025. 

I was OVER THE MOON  when this arrived.  

The old cover was fine:

But I have to admit the new cover has a finesse and luxe appearance that the first one is missing.  

 That said, I really had not picked up this novel before.  The Roman Empire- is not my Roman Empire- if you will!  but of course, I pulled out the trusty audiobook,  and started on an immersive reading journey. 

This book grew and grew on me.  Initially, I was overwhelmed by the moving time line, and multiple multiple characters.  I admit, I also started reading at a time which for me, personally- has been pretty bleak, which made it a bit hard to concentrate. That said,  I was able to stay on track with the audiobook- which would be fantastic as a multi-cast production! All of a sudden, I was immersed in a society that grew up as the Roman Empire never fell- adventure, high- and low- society, action, complicated messy relationships that we all love, powerful semi-magical kind of weapons and more. This is an adventure to savor. My absolute favorite character is Theo Nix.  The ending is a gentle cliff- hanger with a promise of more to come, without the dreaded jolt that many cliff hangers give. 

The only thing missing - and I can't believe I'm writing this- is a map.  I desperately need a map for this one. 

I will be picking up the next book Blood Tide as soon as it's out!  I'm excited to see what happens to all the characters, but especially Theo Nix! 

 

First Published : 10/2024 

Pages: 416

Available as an Audio Book :YES

Trigger Warnings: death, parent death, drug use, blood, medical situations, violence, murder, mental health situations. 

Not a full TW list, please read responsibly. 

Book Review: The Empusium - A health resort horror story by Olga Tokarczuk

 Wow!  this is a What did I just read? Book for me! 

 I have been wanting to delve a bit more into horror and specifically folk horror.  With August being women in translation month, I thought why not try this one out. It was my first novel by Tokarczuk, and I'm still on the fence about how I feel about it. 

I LOVED the creepy cover. 

Credit to Lauren Peters-Collaer as the designer.  This cover embodies the novel so so well. 

Trying not to give any spoilers-  This is a story set in 1913, in the Silesian mountains in Europe. A young man is sent to rest and recoup from tuberculosis. He's staying in a Guesthouse for Men, and each evening the residents gather after a meal to drink and opine on various topics, religion, the government, women, and more. Everyone takes these conversations very seriously, but yet of course, they are nothing in the sense of the world. I was struck by the yearning of men to be important, or viewed as important Our main character is an observer and finds that many odd things are afoot in the town, and in the surrounding mountains. As he observes, he comes closer and closer to the truth of how things are and will be for this town, and could be- for himself.   At the conclusion, our main character is entirely transformed.

This is billed as a recap of The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann, but more feminist. which is possible, but there's a different feel to the novel. The entire novel itself feels like a slow burning fire, with a bit of mystery, gothic/folk horror and a side of "slice of life" moments.  

I will say I personally found the slow build up to the "night of terror" to be a bit long and possibly tedious, but each phrase was carefully crafted towards that main event, and I could feel it moving forward, I just wanted, apparently to go forward with a bit more haste.  Overall, recommend,  beautiful writing in translation. Extremely thought provoking, and with a lot of points to ponder on. 

First Published : 09/24/24 (US) 

Pages: 320

Available as an Audio Book :YES

Trigger Warnings: death, drug use, blood, medical situations, violence, murder,mental health situations. 

Not a full TW list, please read responsibly. 

Book Review: A Pack for Winter by Eilana Lee

 Sometimes,  a reader needs a bit of a cozy read.  Life has been really tough for me in the past 2 months, and when I saw this adorable cover peeking out among all the thrillers and tell-alls on Net Galley, I decided to request it! I just could not with another piece of yearning speculative fiction. 

It may be the ridiculous piece of enjoyment that got me through that last two weeks. 

This cover is adorable. I couldn't ferret out who exactly designed it, so I hope there is an actual designer behind it. 

    This is classic Omegaverse.  If you aren't sure what that is, the linked post on reddit explains it well.  I personally, can only really tolerate so much omegaverse at a time.  It's an interesting concept and the fact that is started as fanfic, and evolved is super interesting to me. 

   Our story is one of Ivy, a dedicated teacher and omega finding her pack.  One day she's lugging a fish tank around for her students, and then next she's basically being courted by 2 alphas and a very special beta male. So special, she names her beta fish after her beta male.  (ok folks, that may be considered a spoiler, my huge apologies) 

 There is nothing entirely stressful in this novel. Ivy and her pack go through some adjustment issues, and issues with her Ex. and some jealous co-workers, but overall... it is a delightful progression of a relationship pack.   I admit I was hoping for more Christmas, but this book isn't really a Christmas novel even though Christmas happens in the novel. 

   I especially loved that many of the characters were from different backgrounds- this enriched the story without being the main focus. 

So, if you are looking for something that is VERY spicy (4+ chili peppers!) and very low stress, this is a read you'll want to pick up.  Recommended with a cup of hot cocoa, and a cozy warm blanket!

Many Thanks to NetGalley, Eliana Lee, and Putnam for the advanced copy. 

First Published : 12/17/2024

Pages: 336

Available as an Audio Book :YES

Trigger Warnings: mental health, jealousy, sexual content, emotional manipulation, bullying.

Not a full TW list, please read responsibly. 

Book Review: Your Knife, My Heart By K.M. Moronova

 Ok, so, there's no water theme here. 

I do like to dabble into the dark romance genre from time to time. 

I love the overblown intensity of emotion, the impossible situations, the deus ex machinas employed to "fix" things when everything goes so horribly wrong. 

So, enter an ARC copy of  Your Knife, My Heart. 

It is true that a very deluxe edition comes out in November, (perfect for gifting your romance loving reader)  but my copy came across as an ebook file on my reader. SO no super cool stabby sprayed edges, decorated case, or end papers. 

  I have a theory that often books that aren't the best get the sprayed edge treatment to boost sales.

  I was delighted that this one did not disappoint from the story standpoint!!!! 

  So, lets do a quick review with no spoilers, because as you know, I abhor a spoiler. 

This is the story of how Cameron and Emery come together in brutal circumstances. He's a lethal asset in an underground military group- but he's got a teensy problem- his partners keep ending up dead. Emery was shaped into a deadly assassin and when she's caught, she's given a "second chance" in the military group. Did she request this? Oh no... but she's a fighter and she's going to grab any chance for survival 

   Emery is predictably both frail appearing and extremely tough. Cameron's terrifying, but with a load of trauma, that possibly... just possibly Emery can be "the one" to heal.  Despite the predictable nature of the plot line, I can say I had a great time with this novel. Lots of morally gray to black characters, action, and some mild insanity interspersed with RoMAnCE. (sort of.) When I pick up a dark romance, I take a lot of pleasure in wondering how the plot line will be executed (no pun intended here.) I'm not looking for a novel that will permanently alter my world perspective, I'm just looking for a good time.  Moronova delivers that time in spades, and then leaves us breathless with a cliffhanger! 

So this is NOT a book club read, unless your club is dedicated to the Dark Romance genre ( my book club ladies would go for Ali Hazelwood  but not for this!) It's definitely one to enjoy with a decadent chocolate snack and a warm cozy set up. 

Giving this one 3 chili peppers out of 5.  Definitely a spicy book with lots of heart and passion. 

Many thanks to Net Galley and Bloom Books for sending this eARC my way. It was the perfect read in between some heavier non-fiction reads! STATS

First Published : 11/11/25

Pages: 304

Available as an Audio Book :YES

Trigger Warnings: death, drug use, blood, medical situations, violence, murder, Sex, Military type situations, mental health situations. 

Not a full TW list, please read responsibly.