E.S. Barrison's Blog, page 5

The Chrono Unit- Book Review

Book Rating: ★★★✰✰  (3 / 5 stars)

The Chrono Unit exists to keep time travelers in check. Yet, one of their star officers, Monday Moody, is a traveler herself. While keeping her abilities a secret, Monday plans to climb the corporate ladder and make changes…or so she hopes. With a homicidal traveller, Blayze Caden, on the loose, she is roped into a team to hunt him down. Yet this mission might be harder than she imagined, and it may in fact risk her life.

The idea of time travelers, a government organization, and a determined young woman really did appeal to me. I love a good sci-fi adventure, and that’s exactly what this book provided: a fun, entertaining adventure with time travelling, vampires, and more! Morgan W. Silver has created a world that has something for everyone in it, and in this fast-paced afternoon read, you’ll have a fun time!

Yet, despite how much fun I had reading this book, I had a few personal hang ups with it. The most prominent one, and the reason why I ultimately rated this book 3 instead of 3.5 or 4 stars, was how the book seemed to fit the “Smurfette” trope. The Smurfette Trope is basically when there is one female character who all the male characters are infatuated with. In Monday’s team, while searching for Blayze, it felt like every man had either 1) dated Monday or 2) wanted Monday. While this trope might not bother everyone, it is one of my least favorite tropes, and often causes me to knock a story down by half a star.

The story itself is quite fast paced, as I mentioned above. While a lot of people will like that, I wish I got a chance to learn a bit more about the world and the Chrono Unit, before diving into the chaotic life of Monday Moody. This is a personal choice though. Other people might like to jump head first into this action.

While this story didn’t check off all the boxes for me, it is still a fun sci-fi adventure with a range of characters, an entertaining protagonist, and a bit of mystery. If you enjoy fast-paced, action packed stories…then this might just be for you!

What’s it about?

Working for the Chrono Unit isn’t all bad. Despite the terrible coffee, the possibility of death, or the boring paperwork, there is the satisfaction of knowing that dangerous time travellers are kept in check. Except that CU officer Monday Moody is secretly a Traveller herself. In a world where time travel is either forbidden or exploited, Monday has plans to climb the corporate ladder and make changes. That is, if she lives long enough to reach those goals.

When the homicidal Traveller Blayze Caden, who also happens to be her childhood friend, is after her life, she forms an unlikely team to hunt him down. She also has to juggle the fact that a deaf girl, who is also a Traveller, shows up on her doorstep for help. Monday now has two secrets to keep. Hiding the truth gets harder as she’s getting close to the mayor of Sheffield, an influential vampire who has ties to the UA and is at war with rebel Travellers, as well as when Blayze decides to try and out her in between murder attempts. Not only does she have to decide which secrets are worth fighting for, but also whose side she is on. 

The Chrono Unit on Goodreads

How We Met With Our Ghosts- Book Review

Book Rating: ★★★★✰  (4 / 5 stars)

A wonderful collection of dark poetry, we delve in Jennifer Hudgen’s mind and soul. There is a sort of narrative going on throughout the entire collections: about an individual struggling to find purpose in life, family, school, etc. In such a collection, you search for these similarities, and whether the author is intentional or not, you put them together into a sort of story.

Of all the poems, the one that stuck the most with me is the second one in the collection, Holes. There was something picturesque but dark about this poem, while also being creepy. It transplants you in the arms of a killer, digging a hole…reflecting on life. While it’s dark and macabre, it also a moment of understanding.

Ultimately, How We Met with Our Ghosts is a dark but beautiful collection of poems. Definitely worth reading, whether it’s just one poem or many.

What’s it about?

“In this collection, Jennifer Hudgens dares to haunt the ghost back, and does so with measured calm and electric narrative. Longing manifests into a tangible and languid thing inside these poems – and everything is alive in the haunting: the slow stretch of bruised childhood, the complicated relationship with grief and the ones left behind in its shadow, a few unlucky highway deer, the Oklahoma ground in summer – all ghosts Hudgens introduces to us with flowing imagery and more than a little bite. These are the kinds of poems that make a nest of you, a delicate and mutable possession. You won’t regret inviting her inside.” – Melissa May-Dunn 

How we met with our ghosts on Goodreads

Widow’s Lace- Book Review

Book Rating: ★★★★★  (4.75 / 5 stars)

Edward Barrington disappeared without a trace in 1888. With him, he left a labyrinth of mysteries: what happened to him? Why did he leave behind his wife? And how did his disappearance impact his poetry? These questions continue to haunt a select few over the course of a century, including Archie Hargraves…as well as Ellie Cannon, 130 years later. With no evidence as to what happened to Edward Barrington, Ellie dives into the mystery. Can she finally solve the mystery of Barrington’s disappearance? Or will she end up just as lost as his body?

I’ll be honest, reading this book…I thought it was going to be a 4 star book. It was good, well written, with embedded mystery. Some parts were slow, or I would put the book down and not pick it up again for a few days (at no one’s fault but my own). But then I reached that ending…wow! I did not expect that in the slightest.

Widow’s Lace is a literary portrait of how one event can link multiple people together, similar to a spider web…or lace. The loss the characters suffered, followed by the connections they have over more than a century, shows the true impact that one moment can have. Grief can transcend decades, and not only does this story uncover the mystery behind Edward Barrington’s body, but takes time to understand the grief of the widow as well. All of these together create a well rounded story that transports the reader into each time period. Not every author is successful in investigating this, so this in itself is phenomenal.

Personally, I’m taking off 0.25 stars more so because of how long it took me to read, and because I feel like there was just a tiny bit missing at the end. Perhaps a longer internal reflection? Or something else? I’m not entirely sure. I was so enamored by the ending (which I won’t give away here), that I couldn’t pinpoint it. I just knew it was missing something.

Nevertheless, Widow’s Lace is a hidden gem that historical fiction, and perhaps even mystery, lovers will adore. If you want to read a story with a shocking twist at the end, I encourage you to check it out. I’ll definitely be checking out more of Lelita Baldock’s work soon!

What’s it about?

A hundred year old mystery, the widow left behind, a fallen soldier, an unnamed body and a young student determined to find the truth.

In 1886 famous English poet Edward Barrington moves from Derbyshire, England to a farm on the Finniss River, in South Australia. Two years later he disappears.

25 years later Archie Hargraves abandons his fiancée Clara and travels from England to meet with Edward’s widow, Rosalind. He plans to write a biography and make a name for himself, independent from his wealthy father. Returning to England in 1914 he abandons his work to join the war in Europe. His journal of notes from Australia is never released.

Ellie Cannon, a young PhD candidate at Sydney University, is writing a thesis on one of Barrington’s last known poems, The Fall. It’s not going well. Struggling with her relationship with her mother and loss of her father, Ellie is on the brink of failure.

Then a body is found by the Finniss River, 130 years after Edward’s disappearance. Could it be the famous poet?

The discovery draws Ellie into the worlds of Edward, Archie and Clara, taking her across Australia and England in her search for the truth.

Covering life in remote South Australia, the social pressures of 1900s Britain and the historical role of women, Widow’s Lace is an historical fiction, mystery cross-over dealing with themes of obsession, fear, love, inner-secrets and regret. But also the hope that can come from despair. 

Widow’s Lace on Goodreads

In Cold Blood- Book Review

Book Rating: ★★★★✰  (4 / 5 stars)
Audio Book Performance: ★★★★✰  (4 / 5 stars)

In 1959, the Clutter family was murdered. No motive. No witnesses. The town of Holcomb was left with their jaws hanging open. In the famous novel, In Cold Blood, Truman Capote reconstructs both the murder and the investigation, as well as the trials and implications that followed. What led to the murder of the Clutters? And could the killers really be human at all?

Being a lover of true crime novels and psychological thrillers, I knew one day I had to pick up In Cold Blood. Already, I was aware of some of the controversy around whether or not Capote made up details, so I went in with that knowledge. After all, so many true crime novels leave aspects to the imagination.

I think one of the most frightening thing with In Cold Blood is how you almost (with an emphasis on almost) sympathize with the killers. Capote paints Perry and Dick as human – and that’s terrifying. You come to understand why they committed the crime, and in some aspects feel sorry for them. That alone is a question of the human condition as a whole, isn’t it? We are drawn to the darkness.

But, when you take a moment to step back, you remember that Perry and Dick aren’t the villains in some fantasy. These were real men, who committed horrible actions, with little remorse. The fact that Capote can paint them so elegantly is frightening…because how many people have we trusted or liked, then realized were terrible? It’s a frightening aspect of reality.

Part of this is based on the narrative. While the fourth of the book, we meet the Clutter family, and later on we meet the investigators, the true story we follow are that of Perry Smith and Dick Hickcock. A part of the human condition is trying to understand these individuals, but in the process we might just scare ourselves.

I’ll admit, there were some parts that moved slowly (and it might also have been because of the audiobook narrator). It took me a bit to get into the book. The beginning, going through the Clutter’s lives, wasn’t particularly interesting. Although, that might have been the point. There was nothing scandalous about the Clutters. They just fell victim to a merciless crime.

Overall, I think if you enjoy true crime, then it’s pertinent to read In Cold Blood. This was basically one of the first well known true crime novels. It shaped much of what we read today. Did Capote lie or stretch the truth? Absolutely. Did his narratives negatively impact the families? Possibly. But that is the fallout of these sort of stories.

Overall, really, it was some stellar reporting.

What’s it about?

On November 15, 1959, in the small town of Holcomb, Kansas, four members of the Clutter family were savagely murdered by blasts from a shotgun held a few inches from their faces. There was no apparent motive for the crime, and there were almost no clues.

As Truman Capote reconstructs the murder and the investigation that led to the capture, trial, and execution of the killers, he generates both mesmerizing suspense and astonishing empathy. At the center of his study are the amoral young killers Perry Smith and Dick Hickcock, who, vividly drawn by Capote, are shown to be reprehensible yet entirely and frighteningly human. In Cold Blood is a seminal work of modern prose, a remarkable synthesis of journalistic skill and powerfully evocative narrative. 

In Cold Blood on Goodreads

Drag Queen of Scots- Book Review

Book Rating: ★★★★✰  (4.5 / 5 stars)
Audio Book Performance: ★★★★★  (5 / 5 stars)

First, a winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK…now…an author! Lawrence Chaney has arrived with a bunch of tips, tricks, and jokes about becoming a Drag Race champion yourself. Filled with her quick wit humor and personal struggles, Lawrence’s story is inspiring…and should ignite the supermodel inside all of us.

I’ve read a handful of books by RPDR girls, such as Bianca Del Rio and Trixie & Katya, and quite frankly, Lawrence’s book has been my favorite so far. While the former books played entirely on humor, Lawrence’s book also serves as a memoir where we see his struggles, as well as how he has grown as a performer. It gives an insight into his time on Drag Race (and whether or not you thought they should have won is an entirely differently issue), and the self sabotage he faced along the way. No matter who you are, I think these are lessons that everyone can carry.

Of course, some elements of this book weren’t directed towards me, a cis woman. Some of Lawrence’s advice and stories really are for the aspiring LGBTQ+ Drag Artist. Still, it was fascinating to hear his thoughts and advice, since it gives a different perspective than the Lawrence we saw on television.

I keep say “hear” and “heard” in this review. I think it is important to note that I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Lawrence Chaney himself. I think having him narrate this book really helps bring it to life. I’m not sure if I would have enjoyed it as much if I read it on my kindle or as a physical book.

That being said, I really did enjoy this book. I think it was a sincere insight into the life of a Scottish Drag Queen (who also won RPDR), and I can’t wait to see what Lawrence does next!

What’s it about?

Lawrence Chaney has wowed audiences across the globe as the winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. From the tiny town of Helensburgh, near Glasgow, Lawrence has exploded on to the world stage, charming us with their charisma, humour and damn good looks. But as with any success story, it wasn’t all plain sailing.

In Lawrence (Drag) Queen of Scots, the loch ness legend themself takes us through the struggles faced to get to where they are now. From a little boy feeling self-conscious and turning to humour to avoid being bullied, to finding drag as a vehicle towards confidence and self-love. With their top tips on everything from padding and make-up to building your own drag community, you’ll have all you need to strut your way to the top, too.

You’ve seen the looks, the laughs, and my goodness you’ve seen a lot of tears, but now it’s time to grab a bottle of Irn-Bru and dive heard first into the purple haze that is the world of

Drag Queen of Scots on Goodreads

Pains and Penalties – Book Review

Book Rating: ★★★✰✰  (3.5 / 5 stars)

Kalina Greystone expects life to be quiet when she returns to Ellesworth. But when her great-aunt collapses at the Solstice Fair, she takes it up as her personal mission to find out who is responsible. While trying to dodge the annoyance of her former high school sweetheart, Detective Christian Harper, Kalina searches for the answers before the mysterious murder…determined to stop it before the culprit takes their next victim.

Honestly, going into a cozy mystery, I expected a fast paced and cute story…and that’s exactly what I got! While there was nothing unique about the murder, and the answers came quickly, I got a sense for Kalina’s personality as well as her connection to others in town.

The author has also addressed some of the pitfalls in the story in her acknowledgments, that being the overly simplistic nature of the crime. But, to an extent, that is what you expect. I do think if she added a bit more to the story, then the mystery would have seemed more…well…mysterious, as well as the characters more developed.

Overall, while Pains & Penalties isn’t a unique book, it was certainly entertaining and fun. That’s all I can really ask for in a cozy mystery, isn’t it?

What’s it about?

A new amateur sleuth is on the case in the first book of the Geeks and Things Cozy Mystery novella series.

Small-town life brings big-city problems when Kalina Greystone returns home to Ellesworth, MA to take over the family’s comic book shop. A murder in plain sight at the annual Solstice Fair pushes Kalina to snoop where she doesn’t belong, much to the chagrin of former high school sweetheart, Detective Christian Harper.

As Kalina digs into the victim’s past she uncovers a dark truth that the victim and her closest friends were hoping to take the grave. A truth the killer wants revealed.

Will Kalina and Chris catch the killer before the killer’s thirst for vengeance is sated?

Pains and Penalities on Goodreads

Trial by Obsidian – Book Review

Book Rating: ★★★★✰  (3.75 / 5 stars)

Juniper has a mission: collect obsidian and return to her brother. But when the Chambers ambush her, she is held captive with a death threat over her head. In a world where her magic has been outlawed and her people are in hiding, can she trust the Beta, Reuben to help her? Will she be able to fight? Or will she be sent to the gallows to hang?

Truthfully, I enjoyed this story more than Kelly’s more popular novel, Meraki. While Meraki has better writing (and editing…more on that later), I felt like Trial by Obsidian was a stronger story. While the plot was fast paced (which made me want more), I knew enough about this world by the end of the story to appreciate everything. The magic system was unique, focusing on different elements…a trope with magic that I adore. It had enough limitations though where no one person was overpowered, in turn creating tension throughout the climax of the story.

As I read the story, I kept going back to Meraki. Why did I enjoy this story more? It came down to a single trope: Enemies-to-Lovers. While Trial by Obsidian does have a slight enemies-to-lovers plot, it really isn’t enemies-to-lovers. I would have classified Reuben as a perceived enemy, but once the narrative progresses, we see he never was an enemy at all. I know I’m in the minority here, but I’m really not a fan of enemies-to-lovers. Personally, I feel that few are written where I feel like the romance is authentic. Most of the time it feels forced or unhealthy, and I don’t enjoy that sort of relationship when reading. This of course is not a judgement on anyone who enjoys this trope…it’s just a personal taste of mine.

I have two reasons why I can’t rate this story higher though: 1) the pacing and 2) the editing. Let’s talk about the pacing first. While the speed isn’t terrible, and I really did enjoy the story overall, I felt like this story could easily have been longer or a duology. There is so much in this world to explore, as well as character relationships, that I think the author could have really expanded more upon this. This is a product of me being greedy too: I always want more! The second issue though is more fundamentally a problem: the story desperately needs editing. While mistakes are expected in any publication, there was nearly a spelling, wording, or grammatical mistake on every page. Also one little thing that drove me crazy, as I read this on my kindle, was the lack of table of contents. While this was overall an annoyance that didn’t pull me from the story, it was something I notice. This could all easily be corrected with a second edition.

Overall though, Trial by Obsidian is a fun, fast paced story that will enthuse any lover of elemental magic. If you want a fast paced read, I encourage you to pick it up! I think you’ll enjoy it!

What’s it about?

The poverty-stricken southern lands of Deshure have kept Juniper Obsidian hidden all her life. Her concealed identity kept her safe. Until now. The northern lands of Sinlara are home to the Chambers. Here rules are enforced and wars are waged, but since the end of the War fifteen years ago things have been quiet. That is until they get their hands on Juniper.

When an enemy who has an uncertain a past as she does a future offers her help, Juniper must question what really makes us who we are? Can she trust the man before her?

Is there more to loyalty than a boarder? More to family than a blood-line?
The time has come where she must learn to stand and fight.

Hiding is no longer an option.

Trial by Obsidian on Goodreads

Ghostsitter – Book Review

Book Rating: ★★★✰✰  (3 / 5 stars)
Audio Book Performance: ★★★★✰  (4 / 5 stars)

When Tom’s great-uncle passes away, he is offered an inherited he’s never imagined: a ghost train! At first it sounds like a simple carnival-type attraction…but it turns out to be so much more: now he is in charge of an attraction led by a ghost, a zombie, a vampire, a mummy, and a werewolf! But, there are people out there trying to take control of this ghost train. Can Tom prove that he is the rightful heir of this train? Or will it be too much for him to handle?

A fun listen with a talented cast, Ghostsitter is a quick audiobook that the whole family will enjoy. Reminiscent of classic children’s cartoons, each “episode” will paint a picture of adventure, fun, and amusement. I could honestly see this as a cartoon on Nickelodeon or Cartoon Network!

But, due to the episodic nature of each chapter, there is no real conclusion to the story. To me it is clear that this is leading into more stories and adventures for Tom and his gang…and I am sure children of all ages will be ready to pick it up! While I’m not sure if I’ll pick up the next one (if there is one), I can certainly appreciate the story behind it.

I think the problem for me is how little actually happens in this audiobook. Tom inherited the Ghost Train and meets the group…but we don’t actually see him running the Ghost Train or uncovering any secrets. He just fends off the “caped-creep” (and I apologize for forgetting his name) and organizes the train.

But, overall, I think kids will love this story and definitely want more! In the end, it’s their opinion that matters. So if you want a story that’s fun for the whole family, definitely check out Ghost Sitter!

What’s it about?

When Tom is invited to the reading of a will of a great-uncle he’s never heard of, there’s no way to know what to expect. But on the long list of possible things to inherit, a travelling carnival ghost train is the very last on the list.

To get his full $10 million inheritance, all Tom has to do is run the antique ride until his 18th birthday. Easy. Except for a strange caped-creep he’s never met, who’s trying to con him out of the money…and the actual ghosts and ghouls who call the ride home.

Over the decades, vampire Vlarad, zombie Wombie, Hop-Tep the mummy, werewolf Welf, and ghost girl Mimi have created their own unique family, and they welcome Tom into their circle as a first-time “ghostsitter”.

Keeping the spirits secret from the outside world is not easy, but with wit and ingenuity, Tom proves, time and again, that he is exactly the right person for the job.

GhostSitter on Goodreads

Short – Book Review

Book Rating: ★★★☆☆  (3.5 / 5 stars)

Julia has always been short. She has always blended in, unnoticed in her family and friends. But, with her friends gone for the summer, and the weight of her recently departed dog in her heart, her mother encourages her to try out for the local Wizard of Oz production. At first she is reluctant to participate, but soon she uncovers the magic behind show business – and her own talent – with the help of Olive and Mrs. Chang. Could this summer be the year she finally grows?

I’ll be honest, I picked up this book at a thrift store a few months ago for two reasons: 1) I love the Wizard of Oz and 2) I’m short as well. A warmhearted middle grade novel, it carries a very important message: no matter your size, you can do great things. The author does a fantastic job capturing the essence of a child. I could hear a little girl talking about these events, fixating on specific details, and riding emotions of confidence and fear.

Yet, while the story has a fantastic voice, Julia’s voice is also it’s downfall. Because she doesn’t see everything, we only get partial understanding of what is happening…which makes sense, as this is a middle grade novel. Yet, this also left room for holes in the story. The biggest one for me was right at the end, and I reread the last few pages a couple times to make sure I didn’t miss anything…but why didn’t Julia ever say goodbye to Olive? Why does she spend those last pages only talking about the director and Mrs. Chang when Oliver is her mentor? Did I miss something? It’s possible.

Overall though, Short is a heartwarming story about growing up, finding yourself, and reaching outside your comfort zone. This is the sort of story I needed when I was eleven or twelve, struggling with my own height and confidence. Ultimately, I think a lot of children will benefit from it as long as they remember…it’s inside that counts!

What’s it about?

Julia is very short for her age, but by the end of the summer run of The Wizard of Oz, she’ll realize how big she is inside, where it counts. She hasn’t ever thought of herself as a performer, but when the wonderful director of Oz casts her as a Munchkin, she begins to see herself in a new way. As Julia becomes friendly with the poised and wise Olive–one of the adults with dwarfism who’ve joined the production’s motley crew of Munchkins–and with her deeply artistic neighbor, Mrs. Chang, Julia’s own sense of self as an artist grows. Soon, she doesn’t want to fade into the background–and it’s a good thing, because her director has more big plans for Julia!

Bubbling over with humor and tenderness, this is an irresistible story of self-discovery and of the role models who forever change us

Lanterns in the sky on Goodreads

Crime Scenes, Cats and Killer Heels – Book Review

Book Rating: ★★★★✰  (4.5 / 5 stars)

Alice Harris works a morbid job: she cleans up crime scenes! It doesn’t sound fun…but someone has to do it! But one day, upon arriving a crime scene, a cat begins to speak with her. What? Crazy, right? But this cat might just be a key to the murders occurring around town…and Alice might finally be the one to save the day.

I picked up this short story while on the incumbent bike the other. Already, I’m familiar with Violet Schofield’s writing, so I knew it would be a light hearted slice-of-life type adventure that would make me smile. Schofield has a way of putting the reader into the shoes of the characters. Even in this short book, we are drawn immediately into the character’s personalities; from the cat’s snark to Alice’s determination. This characterization is what makes Schofield’s writing shine, and not every author can connect with their readers in such few pages.

I think my only hang up is with the pacing, hence why I rated the book 4.5/5 stars. Personally, I think if the story was just a tad bit longer, it might have really helped paint a picture of the stakes regarding the High Heel Killer. But then again, I’m a selfish reader…and I always want just a tiny bit more to hit that sweet spot when reading a story.

Overall, I can’t recommend Schofield’s writing enough. Between this short story and The Chronicles of Polaris, I think I can say I’ll be a long term reader for sure!

What’s it about?

A short story about a socially awkward crime scene cleaner who can talk to cats.

***

People die every day in every way imaginable.

Sometimes it’s an accident. Sometimes it’s on purpose. Sometimes it’s just the course of nature.

People die all over the place. On the road. In hospitals. At home.

Sometimes when people die, they leave a mess.

That’s where I come in. Alice Harris. Crime scene cleaner. I’m the one who scrubs the blood splatter off the wall. I get rid of the couch that’s beyond rescuing due to the bodily fluids that have seeped inside. I clean up the skid mark (to put it nicely) from the carpet that someone left when they were scared to death.

Morbid? I know! It’s a morbid job, but someone’s got to do it.

Crime Scenes, Cats and Killer Heels on Goodreads