Darcia Helle's Blog, page 2

Complex, Intense, Profound Story — WE SPREAD by Iain Reid

The author of the “evocative, spine-tingling, and razor-sharp” (Bustle) I’m Thinking of Ending Things that inspired the Netflix original movie and the “short, shocking” (The Guardian) Foe returns with a new work of suspense following an elderly woman trapped in a mysterious facility.

Penny, an artist, has lived in the same apartment for decades, surrounded by the artifacts and keepsakes of her long life. She is resigned to the mundane rituals of old age, until things start to slip. Before her longtime partner passed away years earlier, provisions were made for a room in a unique long-term care residence, where Penny finds herself after one too many “incidents.”

Initially, surrounded by peers, conversing, eating, sleeping, looking out at the beautiful woods that surround the house, all is well. She even begins to paint again. But as the days start to blur together, Penny—with a growing sense of unrest and distrust—starts to lose her grip on the passage of time and on her place in the world. Is she succumbing to the subtly destructive effects of aging or is she an unknowing participant in something more unsettling?

At once compassionate and uncanny, told in spare, hypnotic prose, Iain Reid’s “exquisite novel of psychological suspense” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) explores questions of conformity, art, productivity, relationships, and what, ultimately, it means to grow old.

Released: September 2022

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My Thoughts

Iaian Reid isn’t old! That astounds me because We Spread is one of the most profoundly insightful books I’ve ever read about the nature of aging. But the author is only in his early 40s. So how is this possible?

Clearly he’s some sort of mutant. On to the book.

I loved it. Everything about it. All of it. Every single word.

I listened to this on audio, and the narrator embodied the character of Penny as if they were one and the same. She embraced the whole vibe so well that I felt like I was in the story with her.

So what’s the story about? Aging. Loneliness. Anxiety. Fear. The loss of independence.

And much more. The depth, complexity, and intensity of this story blew me away.

The ending is ambiguous, open to interpretation. And I hate that—except here I loved it. This might be the only instance where ambiguity totally worked for me. In fact, I felt it was the exact right way for this story to end. I didn’t want the neat bow, because nothing about this story is straight forward. We’re left to contemplate the totality of what we read, which I’ll be doing for a long time to come.

*Huge thank you to Simon and Schuster for the free download!*

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Gritty Noir Crime Fiction — EVERYBODY KNOWS by Jordan Harper

Welcome to Mae Pruett’s Los Angeles, where “Nobody talks. But everybody whispers.” As a “black-bag” publicist tasked not with letting the good news out but keeping the bad news in, Mae works for one of LA’s most powerful and sought-after crisis PR firms, at the center of a sprawling web of lawyers, PR flaks, and private security firms she calls “The Beast.” They protect the rich and powerful and depraved by any means necessary. 
 
After her boss is gunned down in front of the Beverly Hills Hotel in a random attack, Mae takes it upon herself to investigate and runs headfirst into The Beast’s lawless machinations and the twisted systems it exists to perpetuate. It takes her on a roving neon joyride through a Los Angeles full of influencers pumped full of pills and fillers; sprawling mansions footsteps away from sprawling homeless encampments; crooked cops and mysterious wrecking crews in the middle of the night.
 
Edgar Award-winner Jordan Harper’s EVERYBODY KNOWS is addicting and alarming, a “juggernaut of a novel” and “an absolute tour de force.” It is what the crime novel can achieve in the modern age: portray the human lives at the center of vast American landscapes, and make us thrill at their attempts to face impossible odds.

Release Date: January 10, 2023

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My Thoughts

Everybody Knows is dark, gritty noir crime fiction with a strong sense of realism.

Content is bleak, with the kind of morally gray characters expected of this genre.

The writing is heavily atmospheric, planting us in L.A. and letting us feel what it’s like to walk between the two worlds of the wealthy and the desolate.

Pacing is quick.

My one complaint: We have two narrators, Mae and Chris, and while I loved the way they alternated in bringing us the story, I felt their styles lacked distinction. Their clipped language and overall vibe were so much alike that they often felt interchangeable to me.

Despite that, I remained hooked as the story progressed. This is a complex plot that ramps up in danger and action, and should keep you on edge until the very end.

*Thanks to Mulholland Books for the ARC!*

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Supernatural Historical Fiction — THE WITCH OF TIN MOUNTAIN by Paulette Kennedy

In Depression-era Arkansas, something wicked has come to a haunted mountain town in a novel of uncanny suspense by the author of Parting the Veil.

Blood and power bind three generations of women in the Ozark Mountains. So does an evil that’s followed them across the decades.

1931. Gracelynn Doherty lives peacefully on Tin Mountain, helping her adoptive granny work her cures. Despite whispers that the women are witches, the superstitious locals still seek them out, whether to remedy arthritis or a broken heart. But when evangelist Josiah Bellflower comes to town promising miracle healing, full bellies, and prosperity, his revivals soon hold Tin Mountain in thrall—and Granny in abject fear.

Granny recognizes Josiah. Fifty years ago, in a dark and desperate moment, she made a terrible promise. Now Josiah, an enemy, has returned to collect his due.

As Granny sickens and the drought-ridden countryside falls under a curse, Gracelynn must choose: flee Tin Mountain and the only family she knows, or confront the vengeful preacher whose unholy mission is to destroy her.

Release Date: February 1, 2023

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My Thoughts

I wish I could fall in line with everyone who loved this book, but it didn’t work for me.

The story is told in dual timelines, 1931 and 1881, which we consistently bounce between throughout the book. One is written in third person past, the other in first person present. Despite that distinction, I struggled to keep them separate. The characters and language were too similar, and each timeline had a lot of characters, all with tangled relationships. We also stretched back to 1831 on occasion, just to make sure we were paying attention.

To further complicate things, the author threw every current hot topic into the plot. We have multiple gay relationships in both timelines, racism, misogyny, sexual assault, religious conflict, and on it goes. Much of this didn’t flow well, and the sheer volume took away from the meaning of any one particular issue.

I didn’t get a good sense of atmosphere. Aside from this being a small community in the deep south, I couldn’t picture anything.

This book was marketed as gothic fiction, but to me it was straight up supernatural historical fiction. I didn’t get that cloying, suffocating feel of gothic fiction, nor did the atmosphere come alive, which is a hallmark of gothic fiction. 

I do think there’s a strong story hiding within all the clutter, but I would have much preferred a stripped down, more focused version.

*This was one of my January Amazon First Reads picks.*

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Implausible Chaos — FINLAY DONOVAN KNOCKS ‘EM DEAD by Elle Cosimano

Finlay Donovan is—once again—struggling to finish her next novel and keep her head above water as a single mother of two. On the bright side, she has her live-in nanny and confidant Vero to rely on, and the only dead body she’s dealt with lately is that of her daughter’s pet goldfish.

On the not-so-bright side, someone out there wants her ex-husband, Steven, out of the picture. Permanently. Whatever else Steven may be, he’s a good father, but saving him will send her down a rabbit hole of hit-women disguised as soccer moms, and a little bit more involvement with the Russian mob than she’d like.

Meanwhile, Vero’s keeping secrets, and Detective Nick Anthony seems determined to get back into her life. He may be a hot cop, but Finlay’s first priority is preventing her family from sleeping with the fishes… and if that means bending a few laws then so be it.

With her next book’s deadline looming and an ex-husband to keep alive, Finlay is quickly coming to the end of her rope. She can only hope there isn’t a noose at the end of it…

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My Thoughts

I wish I could tell you I loved this book. I so wanted to. But…

The plot went totally off the rails. The tangled mess felt implausible and convoluted. I needed a spreadsheet to keep up with all the chaotic happenings. 

Finlay’s and Vero’s behavior simply made no sense. I tried to roll with it. Really, I did. But the humor of the first book was absent here, and all we were left with was Finlay’s and Vero’s preposterous antics.

I don’t think this book would work as a stand-alone. Much of the plotline from book one is carried over here. You need to read the first book in order to have any clue what’s going on.

And finally, once again we were given a needless epilogue with a major cliffhanger. The only reason the epilogue exists at all is for that cliffhanger, which is the plot for book three. I’m absolutely not a fan of this tactic.

On the bright side, the audio narration is excellent.

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Historical Fiction Review — THE WAYS WE HIDE by Kristina McMorris

From the New York Times bestselling author of Sold on a Monday—over a million copies sold—comes a sweeping World War II tale of an illusionist whose recruitment by British intelligence sets her on a perilous, heartrending path.

As a little girl raised amid the hardships of Michigan’s Copper Country, Fenna Vos learned to focus on her own survival. That ability sustains her even now as the Second World War rages in faraway countries. Though she performs onstage as the assistant to an unruly escape artist, behind the curtain she’s the mastermind of their act. Ultimately, controlling her surroundings and eluding traps of every kind helps her keep a lingering trauma at bay.

Yet for all her planning, Fenna doesn’t foresee being called upon by British military intelligence. Tasked with designing escape aids to thwart the Germans, MI9 seeks those with specialized skills for a war nearing its breaking point. Fenna reluctantly joins the unconventional team as an inventor. But when a test of her loyalty draws her deep into the fray, she discovers no mission is more treacherous than escaping one’s past. 

Inspired by stunning true accounts, The Ways We Hide is a gripping story of love and loss, the wars we fight—on the battlefields and within ourselves—and the courage found in unexpected places.

Published: September 2022

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My Thoughts

I loved the coming of age part of this story. We meet Fenna as a child, learn about her growing interest in magic, and watch as a relationship blossoms. WWII is building in the background, and Fenna’s community suffers considerably, but this is all handled beautifully. I felt connected to Fenna as she grew from child to young adult.

Then we move on to adult Fenna. The war is now full blown, and Fenna is called upon to use her specific skills to help her country. This part just didn’t work as well for me. Pacing felt sluggish, and I lost the connection I’d felt to Fenna.

I would have preferred this one as a simple coming of age story. As a whole, though, it felt needlessly complex and meandered too much for my taste.

Admittedly, I’ve become burned out on WWII fiction. The writing is evocative, and the story has some powerful, emotional moments. If you enjoy historical fiction centered around WWII, definitely give this one a try.

*Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for the free copy.*

The post Historical Fiction Review — THE WAYS WE HIDE by Kristina McMorris appeared first on Quiet Fury Books.

Early Review — CROOKED: The Roaring ’20s Tale of a Corrupt Attorney General, a Crusading Senator, and the Birth of the American Political Scandal by Nathan Masters

The riveting, forgotten narrative of the most corrupt attorney general in American history and the maverick senator who stopped at nothing to take him down

Many tales from the Jazz Age reek of crime and corruption. But perhaps the era’s greatest political fiasco—one that resulted in a nationwide scandal, a public reckoning at the Department of Justice, the rise of J. Edgar Hoover, and an Oscar-winning film—has long been lost to the annals of history. In Crooked, Nathan Masters restores this story of murderers, con artists, secret lovers, spies, bootleggers, and corrupt politicians to its full, page-turning glory.

Newly elected to the Senate on a promise to root out corruption, Burton “Boxcar Burt” Wheeler sets his sights on ousting Attorney General Harry Daugherty, puppet-master behind President Harding’s unlikely rise to power. Daugherty is famous for doing whatever it takes to keep his boss in power, and his cozy relations with bootleggers and other scofflaws have long spawned rumors of impropriety. But when his constant companion and trusted fixer, Jess Smith, is found dead of a gunshot wound in the apartment the two men share, Daugherty is suddenly thrust into the spotlight, exposing the rot consuming the Harding administration to a shocked public.

Determined to uncover the truth in the ensuing investigation, Wheeler takes the prosecutorial reins and subpoenas a rogue’s gallery of witnesses—convicted felons, shady detectives, disgraced officials—to expose the attorney general’s treachery and solve the riddle of Jess Smith’s suspicious death. With the muckraking senator hot on his trail, Daugherty turns to his greatest weapon, the nascent Federal Bureau of Investigation, whose eager second-in-command, J. Edgar Hoover, sees opportunity amidst the chaos.

Packed with political intrigue, salacious scandal, and no shortage of lessons for our modern era of political discord, Nathan Masters’ thrilling historical narrative shows how this intricate web of inconceivable crookedness set the stage for the next century of American political scandals.

Release Date: March 21, 2023

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My Thoughts

Crooked politicians and a major political scandal—imagine that! These events happened a hundred years ago, and it seems we (society) haven’t learned a thing.

I love being immersed in the 1920s, and I enjoy history and true crime, so I expected to love this book. I did like it—some parts more than others—but it didn’t capture me the way I expected.

The research is well presented. All the little pieces fit together for us to see the big picture.

The writing provides an easy-to-read narrative, though I felt it lacked the spark needed to breathe life into these people from the past.

I was disappointed in the lack of atmosphere. We could have been discussing events from any point in history. Aside from a few references to Prohibition, I didn’t feel a strong connection to the Roaring Twenties. I would’ve loved more immersion in the happenings of society at the time.

Still, this is an interesting case that shows the extreme reach of government corruption.

*Thanks to Hachette Books for the ARC.*

The post Early Review — CROOKED: The Roaring ’20s Tale of a Corrupt Attorney General, a Crusading Senator, and the Birth of the American Political Scandal by Nathan Masters appeared first on Quiet Fury Books.

Review — THE BREAK by Katie Sise

Can she trust the people she loves? Can she trust herself? A new mother is pushed to the edge in a provocative thriller by the Amazon Charts bestselling author of Open House.

After the traumatic birth of her daughter at a New York City hospital, Rowan O’Sullivan returns home to her apartment with her perfect newborn, Lila. At her side are her husband, Gabe, and June, a part-time babysitter hired to help Rowan in any way she can.

But in this time of joy, Rowan can’t shake the feeling that something isn’t right. She feels dread. She’s breaking.

Rowan’s growing instability leads her to accuse June of unspeakable things. And when June disappears just days later, Rowan becomes a suspect. The neighbors heard the screaming. But only Rowan knows what really happened. If her mind can be trusted. Since Lila’s birth, her memory has been both unreliable and frightening.

To uncover what happened to June and protect her new baby, Rowan must try to untangle the deep recesses of her mind and face the dark things she’s so desperate to keep buried. When she does, no one is prepared for where the truth leads.

Published: November 2022

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My Thoughts

Domestic suspense and I don’t seem to get along well.

First, let’s be clear. Once again, this is a book marketed as a thriller that is absolutely not one. It’s a dark domestic drama with an undercurrent of suspense. Pacing is slow. Action is minimal. So, not a thriller.

I couldn’t connect with most of the characters, who veered heavily into the unlikable and untrustworthy zones.

The plot splintered in many directions, often for minor points that were never resolved or were simply unnecessary to the story. A lot of aspects didn’t make sense, but I can’t list which ones because referencing them would be spoilers.

The final quarter of the book is where everything happens. And I mean everything. We meandered through the first three-quarters, then raced to the finish line.

Clearly, the story didn’t work for me. But once again, I’m in the minority, so please ignore me and read this one if it intrigues you.

I alternated between reading and listening to this one. The audio narration is well done.

The post Review — THE BREAK by Katie Sise appeared first on Quiet Fury Books.

Review — A MYSTERY OF MYSTERIES: The Death and Life of Edgar Allan Poe by Mark Dawidziak

A Mystery of Mysteries is a brilliant biography of Edgar Allan Poe that examines the renowned author’s life through the prism of his mysterious death and its many possible causes.

It is a moment shrouded in horror and mystery. Edgar Allan Poe died on October 7, 1849, at just forty, in a painful, utterly bizarre manner that would not have been out of place in one of his own tales of terror. What was the cause of his untimely death, and what happened to him during the three missing days before he was found, delirious and “in great distress” on the streets of Baltimore, wearing ill-fitting clothes that were not his own?

Mystery and horror. Poe, who remains one of the most iconic of American writers, died under haunting circumstances that reflect the two literary genres he took to new heights. Over the years, there has been a staggering amount of speculation about the cause of death, from rabies and syphilis to suicide, alcoholism, and even murder. But many of these theories are formed on the basis of the caricature we have come to associate with Poe: the gloomy-eyed grandfather of Goth, hunched over a writing desk with a raven perched on one shoulder, drunkenly scribbling his chilling masterpieces. By debunking the myths of how he lived, we come closer to understanding the real Poe—and uncovering the truth behind his mysterious death, as a new theory emerges that could prove the cause of Poe’s death was haunting him all his life.

In a compelling dual-timeline narrative alternating between Poe’s increasingly desperate last months and his brief but impactful life, Mark Dawidziak sheds new light on the enigmatic master of macabre.

Release Date: February 14, 2023

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My Thoughts

The mystique surrounding Edgar Allan Poe, the man and the myth, fascinates me.

A Mystery of Mysteries swipes away the mythos and speculation to paint an image of who Poe truly was. At the heart of this story is an attempt to unravel the circumstances of Poe’s death and the three missing days before he was found, incoherent and dying of an unknown cause.

The information is interesting, and I learned a lot. But the way content is formatted made this a jumbled, disconnected read that wasn’t nearly as enjoyable as it could have been.

Chapters alternate between the forty years of Poe’s life and the short period before his death. This would have been fine, since the author wanted particular focus on those final days. But the chapters of his life were all out of order, as if spans of time were decided upon and written, then shuffled and presented in random order. Consequently, the information was so disjointed that it was nearly impossible to keep the timeline straight in my head.

I can’t think of any logical reason for this kind of disordered timeline in a biography. It just didn’t work for me at all. If you want to read this book, my suggestion is to check each chapter’s heading for the time period, number them in their natural order, then read the book that way.

*I received an eARC from St. Martin’s Press, via NetGalley.*

The post Review — A MYSTERY OF MYSTERIES: The Death and Life of Edgar Allan Poe by Mark Dawidziak appeared first on Quiet Fury Books.

Recommended Epic Fantasy — SON OF THE POISON ROSE: A Kagen the Damned Novel by Jonathan Maberry

Son of the Poison Rose marks the second installment of New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Maberry’s epic, swashbuckling Kagen the Damned series.

The Silver Empire is in ruins. War is in the wind. Kagen and his allies are on the run from the Witch-king. Wild magic is running rampant everywhere. Spies and secret cabals plot from the shadows of golden thrones.

Kagen Vale is the most wanted man in the world, with a death sentence on his head and a reward for him—dead or alive—that would tempt a saint.

The Witch-king has new allies who bring a terrible weapon—a cursed disease that drives people into a murderous rage. If the disease is allowed to spread, the whole of the West will tear itself apart.

In order to build an army of resistance fighters and unearth magical weapons of his own, Kagen and his friends have to survive attacks and storms at sea, brave the haunted wastelands of the snowy north, fight their way across the deadly Cathedral Mountains, and rediscover a lost city filled with cannibal warriors, old ghosts, and monsters from other worlds. Along with his reckless adventurer brothers, Kagen races against time to save more than the old empire… if he fails the world will be drenched in a tsunami of bloodshed and horror.

Son of the Poison Rose weaves politics and espionage, sorcery and swordplay, treachery and heroism as the damned outcast Kagen fights against the forces of ultimate darkness.

Releases: January 10, 2023

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My Thoughts

Son of the Poison Rose is an epic historical fantasy, and the second in the Kagen the Damned Series, which I highly recommend you read in order.

We have a lot of characters sprawling across multiple lands, each with unique histories and magic and all sorts of dangerous (mis)adventure. This is the kind of book that risks losing me within the vast scope and splintering plot.

But that never happened. And not once did I get the urge to skim. I didn’t want to skip even a word.

The depth and complexities of the characters make them feel walk-off-the-page real.

The plot is intricate without being convoluted or overly complicated.

The twist was a literal jaw-dropping moment for me. 

This series is described as “The Witcher meets Game of Thrones,” which is a perfect summation. Yet the story and characters also manage to be fully unique and original.

Son of the Poison Rose releases January 10. Thanks to St. Martin’s Griffin for the eARC! But please don’t tell me I have to wait an entire year for book 3!

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Audiobook Review — A FAMILIAR STRANGER by A.R. Torre

Such a quiet and ordinary wife and mother. Who will even notice what she’s done?

Lillian Smith leads an unexceptional life, writing obituaries and killing time with her inattentive husband and disconnected son. Then she meets David, a handsome stranger, in a coffee shop. Lured into an affair, she invents a new persona, one without strings, deadlines, or brooding husbands.

Lillian has never felt so reckless, unpredictable, or wanted. But as her affair with David intensifies, she withdraws from everything that’s real, even her closest friend. When evidence of her life as a secret lover finds its way onto her son’s social media, she risks ruining much more than her marriage or reputation.

As lies beget lies, Lillian’s two worlds spiral dangerously out of control. And betrayals run deeper than she imagines. Because Lillian isn’t the only one leading a double life.

Published: September 2022

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My Thoughts

Umm… No.

First, be aware that the synopsis gives away something that doesn’t happen until more than halfway through the book. So maybe don’t read the synopsis, or wait to read the book until after you’ve forgotten it.

In the beginning, vague foreshadowing hinted at vast possibilities. But it went on too long, with not much of anything actually happening. Then the story splintered into multiple subplots, with none of them ever fully explored.

All the characters are unlikable and untrustworthy. They’re just annoying, and I thought they all deserved the mess they were in.

The twists made me roll my eyes.

We’re left with loose ends.

On the bright side, the narrators are quite good, so I made it to the end.

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