Ricky Pine's Blog, page 9

Review: The Third Wife of Faraday House

The Third Wife of Faraday House by B.R. Myers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The latest historical mystery from B.R. Myers goes into gothic realms on the shores of Nova Scotia, with a protagonist who winds up (unhappily, of course) stuck having to marry a wealthy captain with a grand old manse on the coast outside of Halifax. He's been a serial monogamist, and Emeline is to be the titular third wife...except the second wife hasn't quite shuffled off this mortal coil yet, and ...

Review: A Dreadful Splendor

A Dreadful Splendor by B.R. Myers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I knew of B.R. Myers more for her dark YA fantasy mysteries, especially her Night Shift trilogy which I devoured in my Wattpad days. Here, for her adult literary debut, it took me a couple of years to finally get around to reading it, but when I found it on the shelf at Vancouver Library (in Washington, with the title spelled in American), I found it well worth the wait. Though a bit later in history than the wo...

Review: Blood Over Bright Haven

Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I’m kind of in two minds about this book. It’s a dark academia fantasy, a standalone piece, and it gets a lot of R.F. Kuang comparisons because it’s dark academia from an Asian author with strong social justice themes.

Unlike Kuang’s Babel, however, it’s largely presented from the point of view of a white woman, and while it’s significant that she has to fight the patriarchy at every turn - Sciona is the city...

Review: Swim Home to the Vanished

Swim Home to the Vanished by Brendan Shay Basham
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Fort Vancouver Regional Library has always been very good at spotlighting unique books for Native American Heritage Month, which is how I found this book and its eye-catching cover art. I’ve never been all that partial to magical realism, but this book made the style work pretty well, all things considered. It’s not a feel good book, most definitely not, but it does a good job of blending surreal d...

Review: The Stone Witch of Florence

The Stone Witch of Florence by Anna Rasche
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Okay sure, I’m in a reading slump lately for a lot of reasons, but…seriously, how does one write a story set in medieval Florence with plagues and witchy wonders and still make it boring? How? Inquiring minds must know. Unfortunately, despite the prettiness of the packaging, it’s an official DNF from me on this one.

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Review: The Verifiers

The Verifiers by Jane Pek
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

They whom I replaced at my current job recommended me this book when they gave a brief visit and explained that they were going to be training as a paramedic. They had this book in hand and sayd they were reading it for a book club. Having read it, I have to say their book club has great taste. It’s an unconventional murder mystery where protagonist Claudia Lin is a sort of PI at a firm that specializes in solving myster...

Review: 888 Love and the Divine Burden of Numbers

888 Love and the Divine Burden of Numbers by Abraham Chang
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Okay I’ll be honest, that triple dose of Don Henley needle drops on the first official page set my expectations a little too high, but that’s even after seeing the low GR rating tempering them. I do love the film nerd and music nerd of it all, don’t get me wrong. Hell, the amusing dreams of conversations with big name directors from America and China alike, these scenes alone would be gr...

Review: Wrath of the Triple Goddess

Wrath of the Triple Goddess by Rick Riordan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Happy Halloween, or: It’s the Great Polecat, Percy Jackson! The new trilogy continues with Percy seeking his second godly letter of recommendation for New Rome University, with his latest task being to house sit for Hecate and her pets while she’s away. Easier said than done when there’s always the temptation to touch something you shouldn’t, and when it’s Grover who does just that, cue another madcap a...

Review: Dragonsteel Prime

Dragonsteel Prime by Brandon Sanderson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The origin of Sanderson’s brand, this book was a surprise to me, being featured with his Words of Radiance leatherbound Kickstarter - I was only expecting Secret Project #5! But here we get one of Brando Sando’s very first manuscripts, the one he wrote in college at BYU, fresh from the vault as a special treat. Looking at this book, it’s easy to see how it’s written by a much younger hand - especially with t...

Review: Castle of the Cursed

Castle of the Cursed by Romina Garber
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’m amazed this book doesn’t have a higher rating here on GR, because I have to say, it’s some of Romona Garber’s best work. Hella Spanish and hella Gothic, it’s the closest thing I’ve seen yet to a YA version of Crimson Peak, enough that I wouldn’t be surprised if Guillermo del Toro were to snap up the film rights and at least exec produce, if not direct, an adaptation. In which case it would also take some ...