We Lie With Death (The Reborn Empire #2) by Devin Madson
4 March 2021
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Devin Madson, The Reborn Empire #2, We Lie With Death
My Five Word TL:DR Review : Even Better Than the First
Seriously, I had a really good time reading this one, it’s the sort of book that makes me feel happy to be reading fantasy and I am just overawed at the way the author has brought this story on. Compared to We Ride the Storm, We Lie With Death is much more character focused. That’s not to say that this is the calm after the Storm but where book 1 was all about the brewing storm and the eventual clashing of swords this is more the contemplation of the aftermath,where swords may not be clashing on the battlefield but the blades are still out and it’s absolutely fascinating to watch these characters as they try to come to terms with the fallout and what it all really means.
I’m not going to discuss the plot here because I think that would take us down the road of spoilers. Instead this will be a recap of a few of the characters and their struggles as the story progresses.
Cassandra, Dishiva, Rah, Miko. We follow four characters in We Lie with Death which is surely enough for everyone to find a favourite. I can say with absolute certainty that I enjoyed all of them – I’m not saying they were equals so much as making the point that there was no sigh of disappointment when I left a favourite pov to read on from another less liked one. If I was forced to choose between them I would probably choose Rah because I love his story arc here but then if you asked me tomorrow I might say Cassandra and then again a different answer the following day.
So, Rah. Levanti warrior. Keen to protect the traditions of his people. Refuses to bend the knee to the knew Emperor Gideon and is forced into exile. What we learn as we follow in his footsteps is that Rah is a little lost. Does he return home? A home that was already starting to change? Or does he adapt. His own storyline takes a most interesting turn that eventually leads him to reconsider things. He discovers the importance of languages and communication and this leads him to some reevaluation.
Cassandra is also on a journey of self discovery with some startling revelations. This is a character where the reader gets two for one, Cassandra usually has another soul on board and her storyline is always entertaining, darkly funny and takes us in the strangest direction. Seriously, this pov is fascinating, entertaining and pretty much jaw dropping.
Dishiva is a new pov, she appeared in the first book but this time around she has her own chapters. She protects Gideon and is fiercely loyal. The edition of this storyline is clearly a means of keeping tabs on what’s taking place in Gideon’s new empire but it is nonetheless a really great addition. Dishiva’s main dilemma really boils down to protecting Gideon from himself.
Finally Miko, she feels a little more vulnerable in this book but still remains a strong character. I was pleasantly surprised at the turn her story takes and I’m very keen to see how this storyline plays out but I can’t really say too much about it without letting the cat out of the bag (for the avoidance of doubt no cats were put into bags during the writing of this review).
I’m going to keep this review fairly short and sweet. For me, this book surpassed the first. It’s clever, nuanced, well written, it has great pace and I never had a dull moment. There are some moments of dark humour that offset the grim reality of events and we also get to travel around this fascinating world that Madson has created. Without doubt though, the characters steal the show here. It’s not just that their storylines are full of intrigue and revelations – it’s more the way they’re changing and growing themselves. There’s a lot of subtle realisations taking place. Sometimes change is necessary to move forward and meeting in the middle, learning about each other’s differences and adapting is the first step to discovering new possibilities.
I loved it
Finally, I bought the audio copy for this one so that I could part read/part listen and wow – the audio is brilliant. I highly recommend it and I feel like I’m going to have to await the audio version so that I can read in a similar style for book 3.
Also – I cannot resist – check out these three covers. They are simply amazing
My rating 5*
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
Can’t Wait Wednesday : Mastermind: The Rising Tide by Sam Lloyd
3 March 2021
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Can't wait Wednesday, Sam Lloyd, The Rising Tide, Wishful Endings
“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme that was originally created by Breaking the Spine. Unfortunately Breaking the Spine are no longer hosting so I’m now linking my posts up to Wishful Endings Can’t Wait Wednesday. Don’t forget to stop over, link up and check out what books everyone else is waiting for. If you want to take part, basically, every Wednesday, we highlight a book that we’re really looking forward to. This week my book is : The Rising Tide by Sam Lloyd. I loved The Memory Wood and can’t recommend it enough so I was absolutely the most excited person ever when I saw this one:
The new pulse-pounding thriller from the bestselling author of THE MEMORY WOOD: beautifully written, evocative and dramatic, you will read it with your heart in your mouth.
******
HOW DID IT COME TO THIS?
The news doesn’t strike cleanly, like a guillotine’s blade. Nothing so merciful. This news is a slovenly traveller, dragging its feet, gradually revealing its horrors. And it announces itself first with violence – the urgent hammering of fists on the front door.
Life can change in a heartbeat.
Lucy has everything she could wish for: a beautiful home high on the clifftops above the Devon coast, a devoted husband and two beloved children.
Then one morning, time stops. Their family yacht is recovered, abandoned far out at sea. Lucy’s husband is nowhere to be found and as the seconds tick by, she begins to wonder – what if he was the one who took the boat? And if so, where is he now?
As a once-in-a-generation storm frustrates the rescue operation, Lucy pieces together what happened onboard. And then she makes a fresh discovery. One that plunges her into a nightmare more shocking than any she could ever have imagined . . .
Expected Publication August 2021
No Wondrous Reads ‘word’ this week – mainly because I forgot to highlight any words this week. Doh.
Witherward (Witherward #1) by Hannah Matthewson
My Five Word TL:DR Review – I thoroughly enjoyed this one
The thing is, I’m quite a lot less inclined to pick up YA these days. In fairness I’m not the target audience and more often than not I find myself coming away from them with more questions than answers. Witherward was such a lovely surprise, the world building was impressive, the plot kept me hooked and I enjoyed the characters. On top of which there is a very low key romance that is simmering away. Yeah, I had a good time with this one.
Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t necessarily say that there’s anything groundbreaking here and it has something of a ‘chosen one’ trope but there are some lovely refreshing elements, good writing,strong foundations and a number of twists.
This is a world with two Londons. One quite hidden and accessed via portals, known as Witherward, where all sorts of magic and supernatural elements exist. The other London – the one we, the readers, are familiar with – is known as Otherworld Witherward has a number of different factions. On the face of it they exist amicably, well, mostly. Changelings are exactly what they sound like- they can shift into virtually any animal, bird or even a different person providing their magic is strong enough and they can hold the image in their mind. The other factions are Wraiths, Whisperers, Oracles, Sorcerers, and Psi – each with their own particular strengths. There is an accord between the factions to keep them in line, they each inhabit particular areas but the Changelings are relatively new and at this point, not entirely accepted. So, for the purposes of this story we follow the Changelings as they withstand various conspiracies.
Ilsa is a Changer who has lived in the Otherworld for as long as she can remember. Initially at an orphanage until the cruel treatment she received eventually forced her to run away and carve out a life on the streets. As the story begins Ilsa is taken, ripped from everything she has ever known and taken to Witherward. From there, everything she has ever known is turned upside down, Amongst strangers she discovers a whole new world full of possibilities that she never imagined, although this is of course tinged with constant threats to life and limb.
What did I enjoy about this? Such a lot. The world building is really well done. Admittedly, there is a lot to take on board initially but it’s all really well grounded with history and emotions that run deep. I liked the characters. Ilsa is easy to like. She’s not perfect by a long stretch of the imagination but she is resourceful and independent. I also liked a number of the other characters and it felt very easy to get on board with them. I enjoyed the way that we discover things along with Ilsa. It felt natural and unforced. I liked the dialogue that came across easy to read and natural. The plot was intriguing and there were a number of twists.
Overall this makes a great start to series. We have something of an enemies to love interest ‘thing’ going on which is enticing and well paced and actually was quite unique in the direction it eventually takes and is a definite draw in terms of book 2 (which I’m really looking forward to given how this one ends).
In terms of criticisms. I don’t really have anything. This was a really enjoyable read for me that quite outdid itself in terms of my expectations for YA. I feel like I’m perhaps not giving this as glowing a review as I would like – so, for the avoidance of doubt, this was great.
I received a copy through Netgalley courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 4 of 5 stars
Here’s Looking at You : March
Each month I’m going to make a quick post highlighting what I’m expecting to read and any forthcoming news about events and the like.
This month I have some really great books to look forward to (I can’t deny that I’m super excited). I’m starting another buddy read with Mayri at the Bookforager and I also have a forthcoming endeavour that I’ll be posting about shortly. I will also shortly be posting my review for my most recent SPFBO read and highlighting my next book.
In terms of books here’s what I’m hoping to read. Probably a bit ambitious although I did read 10 books in February so … never say never.
All the Murmuring Bones by AG Slater
Long ago Miren O’Malley’s family prospered due to a deal struck with the mer: safety for their ships in return for a child of each generation. But for many years the family have been unable to keep their side of the bargain and have fallen into decline. Miren’s grandmother is determined to restore their glory, even at the price of Miren’s freedom.
A spellbinding tale of dark family secrets, magic and witches, and creatures of myth and the sea; of strong women and the men who seek to control them.
The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward
This is the story of a serial killer. A stolen child. Revenge. Death. And an ordinary house at the end of an ordinary street.
All these things are true. And yet they are all lies…
You think you know what’s inside the last house on Needless Street. You think you’ve read this story before. That’s where you’re wrong.
In the dark forest at the end of Needless Street, lies something buried. But it’s not what you think…
The Unbroken by CL Clark
Touraine is a soldier. Stolen as a child and raised to kill and die for the empire, her only loyalty is to her fellow conscripts. But now, her company has been sent back to her homeland to stop a rebellion, and the ties of blood may be stronger than she thought.
Luca needs a turncoat. Someone desperate enough to tiptoe the bayonet’s edge between treason and orders. Someone who can sway the rebels toward peace, while Luca focuses on what really matters: getting her uncle off her throne.
Through assassinations and massacres, in bedrooms and war rooms, Touraine and Luca will haggle over the price of a nation. But some things aren’t for sale.
The Ladies of the Secret Circus by Constance Sayers
Paris, 1925: To enter the Secret Circus is to enter a world of wonder-a world where women tame magnificent beasts, carousels take you back in time, and trapeze artists float across the sky. But each daring feat has a cost. Bound to her family’s strange and magical circus, it’s the only world Cecile Cabot knows-until she meets a charismatic young painter and embarks on a passionate love affair that could cost her everything.
Virginia, 2005: Lara Barnes is on top of the world-until her fiancé disappears on their wedding day. Desperate, her search for answers unexpectedly leads to her great-grandmother’s journals and sweeps her into the story of a dark circus and a generational curse that has been claiming payment from the women in her family for generations.
The Fall of Koli by MR Carey
The world that is lost will come back to haunt us . . .
Koli has come a long way since being exiled from his small village of Mythen Rood. In his search for the fabled tech of the old times, he knew he’d be battling strange, terrible beasts and trees that move as fast as whips. But he has already encountered so much more than he bargained for.
Now that Koli and his companions have found the source of the signal they’ve been following – the mysterious “Sword of Albion” – there is hope that their perilous journey will finally be worth something.
Until they unearth terrifying truths about an ancient war . . . and realise that it may have never ended.
Hyde by Craig Russell
Edward Hyde has a strange gift-or a curse-he keeps secret from all but his physician. He experiences two realities, one real, the other a dreamworld state brought on by a neurological condition.
When murders in Victorian Edinburgh echo the ancient Celtic threefold death ritual, Captain Edward Hyde hunts for those responsible. In the process he becomes entangled in a web of Celticist occultism and dark scheming by powerful figures. The answers are there to be found, not just in the real world but in the sinister symbolism of Edward Hyde’s otherworld.
He must find the killer, or lose his mind.
A dark tale. One that inspires Hyde’s friend . . . Robert Louis Stevenson.
The Two Faced Queen by Nick Martell
The Hollows is gripped in unrest and on the brink of civil war as an insurgency of anarchists rise, and brother and sister vie for the throne in the second novel in the critically hailed Legacy of the Mercenary King series which Brandon Sanderson called “excellent.”
Michael Kingman thought he was going to die by the executioner’s axe, forever labeled as a traitor. Still alive, and under the protection of the Orbis Mercenary company, Michael and his family and friends are deeply involved in the seemingly rival conspiracies that are tearing The Hollows apart. With the death of the King, both the Corrupt Prince and his sister Serena are vying for the throne, while the Rebel Emperor is spreading lies amongst the people, and all of them want Michael dead. This is a story of betrayal, murder, and rebellion, and in this direct sequel to the debut novel The Kingdom of Liars, also some hope for justice.
Unsettled Ground by Claire Fuller
What if the life you have always known is taken from you in an instant? What would you do to get it back?
Twins Jeanie and Julius have always been different from other people. At 51 years old, they still live with their mother, Dot, in rural isolation and poverty. Their rented cottage is simultaneously their armour against the world and their sanctuary. Inside its walls they make music, in its garden they grow (and sometimes kill) everything they need for sustenance.
But when Dot dies suddenly, threats to their livelihood start raining down. At risk of losing everything, Jeanie and her brother must fight to survive in an increasingly dangerous world as their mother’s secrets unfold, putting everything they thought they knew about their lives at stake.
Booking Ahead/Weekly Wrap Up
28 February 2021
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Booking Ahead, Sunday Post, Weekly wrap up
I’m trying to get back into the habit of doing a round-up of the week just completed and also take a look at my plans for the forthcoming week. I rather got out of the habit of doing this last year but I would like to reinstate this type of post as I feel it keeps me on track. So, I’m linking up to The Sunday Post over at Kimberly’s Caffeinated Reviewer. Without further ado:
Last week
So this week we decided to do some decorating – which is always a lot nicer in my head when I think about doing these things than the actual reality turns out to be. My dog, Dude, was not so good this week. I don’t know whether he’s found something nasty in the garden (something that he probably buried himself and left for ages before returning to) but I quite literally thought he was on his last legs! Then just as suddenly he was as right as rain and looking at me with that judgemental expression as though it was all my doing. I was very relieved, he’s an old chap now – 16 in June so he needs to stop his shenanigans. In bookish news. I’ve completed two books this week. I read and enjoyed Witherward by Hannah Matthewson. This is a YA book and I admit that I don’t pick a lot of YA books up these days as I sometimes find them a struggle. I’m happy to say that I didn’t have any problems with this one, the world building is really good with two versions of Victorian London, one of them filled with magic, shapeshifters and other fantasy elements. I also completed Devin Madson’s We Lie With Death, which was also really good, in fact imo even better than book 1.
Next Week
This week I’m continuing with The Black Song which I didn’t have a chance to pick up last week. I’ll also be continuing with my SPFBO book, A Wind From the Wilderness by Suzannah Rowntree, I’m about 40% into this one It isn’t a quick read so far but the writing is lovely and the world building very strong, it has something of a historical feel atm with only light fantasy elements and I’m very interested to see how it develops.
Reviews Posted since last Sunday:
- The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse
- Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier
Forthcoming Reviews:
- Children by Bjorn Larssen
- We Lie with Death by Devin Madson
- Witherward by Hannah Matthewson
What’ve you been up to the past week?
Books and travelling with Lynn 