Review: The Vipers by Katy Hays
10 March 2025
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Review, Book Reviews, Books, fiction, Katy Hays, Mystery, The Vipers
My Five Word TL:DR Review: Yes, She DId It Again
I very much enjoyed The Cloisters by Katy Hays and so when I was offered a review copy of The Vipers I was only to happy to snatch a copy with indecent haste. And, I’m glad I did because once again Hays has created a family drama/murder mystery packed with atmosphere, a delicious setting and a bunch of characters behaving badly.
The premise of The Vipers (known as Saltwater in the US) is a mystery surrounding the Lingate family. The Lingates are rich, and I do mean filthy rich, but even this much money can’t wash off some of the gossip that follows them. Thirty years ago, Sarah Lingate (wife to Richard, one of the two Lingate brothers) died mysteriously on the Island of Capri. Witnesses say she was seen arguing with her husband that evening and her body was later discovered in the waters surrounding the Island but the Lingates are found innocent of any crime and they return to the Island every year just to show the naysayers that they have nothing to hide. As the book begins they once again return to Capri but this year a surprise is awaiting their arrival, something that is about to shake them up and set in motion a series of drastic events.
What I really liked about this.
Well, firstly, the writing. I think I mentioned that the writing in The Cloisters was beautiful and a delight to read and The Vipers is no different. The island is described to perfection, you can feel the sun sparkling off the sea, smell the figs and simply goggle at the decadent lifestyles on display. At first, I found myself meandering a little, I don’t think I was really sure where everything was going but, as soon as I got a grip on the narrator’s and the jumps back and forth I became really absorbed and pretty soon I was flipping around like a fish out of water jumping to all sorts of ridiculous conclusions as the author cast threw out her red herrings. This is one of those stories that when you eventually come to the final twist not only have you not seen it coming but it’s an absolute cracker. Well, to be fair, more than one surprise actually. I confess that I’m a bit useless at sleuthing and reading so others might have more luck at second guessing some of the outcomes but I never try too hard to figure things out because I enjoy the suspense.
Let’s discuss characters. The Lingates are, as you might imagine with a family with so much wealth, very insular, even more so since the death of Sarah and the ensuing gossip. Sarah and her husband had one child, a daughter called Helen who was only three at the time but is now in her thirties and is one of the narrators. The family itself – the brothers Richard (married to Sarah before her accident) and Marcus and his wife Naomi. There is also Helen and her companion Freddy and the hired assistant. Now the thing is, none of these characters are particularly nice people. Although, to be fair I felt for Helen and I did become attached to her as the story progresses. Basically, Helen is trapped. She is literally kept like a prisoner, a very well kept prisoner, but nonetheless she has no freedom and a gilded cage is still a cage.
The thing about all the characters is that they’re all keeping secrets. Some of this becomes obvious as you read along what with the changes in narrative voice and the jumps back in time – but even as you begin to realise that not everything is rosy in the Lingate abode it’s still difficult to pin down what’s really going on and I advise you to really pay attention to everything because looking back I could see that the author was throwing out a little trail of breadcrumbs.
The setting is, with only a few exceptions, Capri. What a glittering place for this story to take place. It really was the perfect setting and felt so natural for this particular family.
Anyway, to cut to the chase, apart from a slightly slow start, once I was pulled into the Lingate family dynamics and the whole ‘did he or didn’t he’ dilema, not to mention a whole new murder mystery – well, I was totally compelled and found myself reading the whole book in two days. I loved the twists, I didn’t second guess everything although I do congratulate myself on one aspect of the mystery – even though it turned out slightly different to that which I’d imagined. I can’t wait to see what this author comes up with next.
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 sparkly stars
Review: Clockwork Boys (Clocktaur War No.1) by T Kingfisher
6 March 2025
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Review, Book Reviews, Books, Clockwork Boys, Fantasy, reading, Review, T Kingfisher
My FIve Word TL:DR Review:The RIght Book/Right Time
I was really happy to pick up Clockwork Boys, I’m really enjoying Kingfisher’s books, she has such a lovely style and she writes such great characters. There’s always a bit of humour injected and more often than not a low stake style romance in the offing that never threatens to become all encompassing.
The story gets off to a quick start. We meet Slate as she peruses the inmates of a jail looking for a likely character to join an impossible mission. Slate has a mission, to travel across hostile land and infiltrate the neighbouring city that her country is currently at war with – and in dire need of help. The enemy have a robotic sort of army and Slate and her companions need to cross the country, secretly enter Anuket City, and find out the secrets of the Clockwork Boys.
This is quite a short story but there’s no shortage of action or likable characters.
Slate, and two of her companions, are criminals. Should they succeed on their mission pardons will be forthcoming and to keep them in line and prevent any wild ideas about absconding they’re tattooed with a magical image – a tattoo that will literally attack them should they veer from the mission.
So, Slate is a forger. Brenner is an assassin and Calliban (the newest recruit) is a disgraced paladin who seems to harbour a dead demon. To complicate matters further Slate and Brenner previously shared an intimate relationship which has now ended although Brenner still hopes for things to be rekindled. Calliban also fairly quickly forms an attraction to the prickly leader of the group and this adds an extra layer in the form of Brenner and Calliban constantly having a go at each other. The three are joined by a scholar with some very sheltered opinions when it comes to female leadership. Anyway, off they set, they have little hope and Slate is definitely harboring some sort of secret that will come to light in book 2.
What I really liked about this. The writing is lovely, which wasn’t a surprise given the author. The characters are actually really good fun. Kingfisher is adept at inserting humour into salty situations and I just love that about her work.
The characters are really put through the mill with all sorts of weird encounters – not least of which being attacked by vegetables, kidnapped by scary ‘deer’ beasts and traversing an unusual landscape that can change on a whim.
I would mention that this book is not a standalone and indeed finishes at what I would say is probably the halfway point. I didn’t find this a problem although I have a deep hankering for the next book already.
I had a very good time with this, it’s entertaining, the characters are easy to get along with, there’s enough adventure to make the pages practically turn themselves and, put bluntly, I had a lot of fun.
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
Review: Once Was Willem by MR Carey
3 March 2025
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Reviews, book-blog, Horror, MR Carey, Once Was Willem, reading, Review
My Five Word TL:DR Review: Slow Start but Patience Rewarded
Once Was Willem was, for me, a book that took a little time to get it’s feet under the table, but once it did so it kept me utterly hooked. Such a strange yet enjoyable mediaeval fantasy horror with a truly unique voice. A sort of Frankenstein-Magnificent Seven smash up if you will.
I suppose what you need to know first of all is this is Once Was Willem’s story, which shouldn’t really be a surprise given the title. Once Was Willem is a revenant, brought back to life at the request of his parents by an unscrupulous and conniving wizard. We take a little while to get to this particular aspect of the story but once we meet Cain Caradoc – the evil wizard himself – the narrative really takes off.
OWW is of course reviled by his parents. They hadn’t really given much thought to the fact that they were bringing back to life a body that had been in the ground for almost a year, they didn’t understand that he would no longer be the Willem that they knew and loved, and if Caradoc was aware of the terrible implications, which he was, he certainly wasn’t inclined to share these thoughts but was more interested in his tithe – a sliver of Willem’s soul to feed his thirst for immortality. Willem is chased from the village by your typical angry mob bearing pitchforks and begins to find a new family living remotely in the mountains, a strange cast of characters that I loved. He begins to forget Willem although he at times hankers after his village and friends and family.
I won’t give too much away, this is your basic story of good vs evil but with some very unlikely characters picking up the slack on behalf of the poor downtrodden peasants. It’s very much a story of accepting people and literally not judging them based on appearance alone.
What I really enjoyed about this.
Set some time between the 11th and 12th century Willem tells his tale with an archaic voice that I really enjoyed and is seriously easy to get used to. This isn’t one of those stories that modernises everything including the language or prettifies the people and the landscape. Times were hard. People were oftentimes even harder. Thieves and outlaws live in the forests – temporarily at least! Life was cheap back then. And evil wizards need souls for their dastardly tinkering. So, yes, I enjoyed very much the way Willem tells his story. It’s with a straightforwardness that helps to make some of the slightly more horrible aspects readable. Lets just say I don’t think I’d like to get on the wrong side of an author who can come up with such a despicable way to create a suit or armour – or indeed a puppet without strings. Cringes.
As I said, the start meandered a little and at one point I was curious about where this was going but I’m so glad I continued, my current reading mood is very temperamental so I almost thought of putting this aside – but Carey is an author that I really like and I was so curious to see what was going to happen.
I loved the Magnificent Seven vibe. A group of misfits, coming together to help the underdog – and, essentially, save the world I suppose, because once an evil wizard has access to great power – well, they’re not known for their overwhelming sense of ‘great responsibility’.
I’m being a bit cautious with this review because I don’t want to give away too much so I’ll conclude by saying if you fancy a read that somehow manages to contain magic, folklore, Christian mythology and creative horror whilst bringing together the most unexpected found family ever – then this is the one for you. Dive in and enjoy.
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
Review: Wooing the Witch Queen (Queens of Villainy No.1) by Stephanie Burgis
20 February 2025
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Reviews, Books, Fantasy, Queens of Villainy #1, reading, Review, Stephanie Burgis, Wooing the Witch Queen
My Five Word TL:DR Review: Cosy Romantasy with Villainous Queens
What more could you possibly ask for?
I confess that cosy fantasy is a real hit for me at the moment and picking up a book by Burgis is the equivalent of a cup of tea and a big hug, her books are like snuggly comfort blankets and her writing goes from strength to strength. I had a deliciously good time with Wooing the Witch Queen.
So, this book has a dollop of romance but it’s not so gloopy that it takes over the plot. There’s an interesting world, some nasty characters trying to take over, politics, endearing critters and a lovely supporting cast. Are you not intrigued?
Saskia is the infamous titular Witch Queen. Called a monster by the uncle she finally managed to get rid of, and generally reviled beyond her own realm, she is a powerful sorceress and has cast a protective spell over the land to protect her people from being overthrown by the (evil) Archduke of Estarion. Meanwhile, she’s been on the search for a dark wizard to organise her chaotic library so when a young man appears at the castle, quite naturally, Saskia and her staff jump to the conclusion he’s here for the coveted role. Little do they know that the actual Archduke (who is little more than a figurehead who is being used and abused) has made good his escape and has turned up at her castle seeking sanctuary. Of course, he’s only too happy to have this little misunderstanding play out and takes to his new duties with gusto.
What I loved about this.
I really enjoyed the writing, it’s outrageously easy to sink into and who wouldn’t be won over by that? The characters are flawed but likable. The world has been well thought out but the details are not overbearing. We learn of the histories of both our central characters through gentle reflection rather than overbearing info dumps. The atmosphere is wonderfully cosy and being primarily set in a castle there’s a mediaeval feel that is softened considerably by the fact that most of the scenes take part in the library. I love a good library setting. Oh, and crows. And trolls, and underground tunnels.
Saskia is a great character. She is fiercely protective of those she loves and works hard to keep her lands safe. At the same time the role of Queen sits uneasily on her shoulders. She doesn’t want to schmoose and has no interest in politics and putting on a face. She’s happier in her laboratory working on concoctions – or spending time in her library, particularly since she employed a rather easy on the eye librarian. Fabian, the new librarian (aka Archduke Felix Augustus) is keeping lots of secrets, not least of which is his attraction to Saskia. Of course, if she discovers that he is really her arch enemy (even though he isn’t) he will be in grave danger – and yet he wants to come clean. He’s a gentle nerd – and who doesn’t love a gentle nerd?
Without doubt, Burgis has created two other equally fascinating characters here in the form of Saskia’s allies. Two other queens, Lorelei and Ailana, (the three have formed an alliance and are known as the Queens of Villainy – a title they are happy to nurture as it bestows upon them a rather fearsome reputation). I loved these two – their roles here are kept to a minimum as we focus mainly on Saskia/Felix but I believe that the next two books will focus on each of them in turn – which I’m really happy about.
Overall, if you’re enjoying your cosy romantasy at the moment then you should definitely pick this up. There’s a slow build romance, tension, magic, politics, trolls, fae and a library. Go, treat yourself.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the author, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 4.5 of 5 stars
Review: Grave Empire (The Great Silence #1) by Richard Swan
4 February 2025
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Reviews, Books, Fantasy, Grave Empire, Review, Richard swan, The Great Silence #1
My Five Word TL:DR Review: I Loved This So Much
I loved this book. Richard Swan is quickly turning into a favourite author. Grave Empire is perfection to read. It’s not particularly a short story at around 530 pages but it doesn’t feel long. There’s no excess here. Literally, never a dull moment. The world building is excellent, the world is truly satisfying. There are three different POVs and they’re all good and can hold their own. I don’t know what else I can say – read it.
So, what else wowed me about Grave Empire.
Firstly, the writing. I love the way Swan writes. It just works for me, I should think it would work for everyone to be perfectly honest. He is eloquent. I love reading his books and he manages to create such an atmosphere. It goes from all manner of intrigue to actually quite terrifying, screams in the night, eyes that watch from the thick of the woods – it’s scary stuff (although I’m clearly a bit of a wuss). I will mention that this is dark and doesn’t hold back the punches. But, neither is it gratuitous. This is a world at war (seemingly on all fronts). An empire on the verge of collapse and so there is plenty of action.
The world building is phenomenal. This is a fascinating, if scary, place. The Sovan empire has outlawed the use of magic – but that’s not to say that magic isn’t practiced in secret. Religion and politics all feed into the story and the characters we follow enable us to travel far and wide encountering the most wonderful aspects imaginable. There are wolfmen, mermen – cat people. It’s crazy, exciting and frightening.
The story is told from three povs and they’re all absolutely compelling. We follow Renata who is an ambassador (or deputy?) to the Stygion Mermen. This is a strange role – most Sovans don’t even believe in the existence of mermen and so Renata and her colleague have to put up with ridicule quite regularly. At least until a couple of monks come to visit the Empire with news of a prophecy that foretells the end of the world as they know it and sparks a mission. I loved Renata, she’s such a real character and has a great support network surrounding her. This particular storyline is absolutely fascinating and the encounters with the mer folk were excellent. I can’t get enough of this strange world. Then we have Peter – I confess this is my favourite storyline (although it’s very close run thing to be honest). Lt Peter has been posted to the end of the world (or so it seems). Fort Ingomar. This is a creepy place. The soldiers can barely sleep at night for the strange and piercing screams that surround the fort. People go out foraging and die in quite brutal ways. Peter quite regularly writes correspondence to his father where we become familiar with his fears and doubts, he fears he’s made a terrible mistake and desperately wishes he could return home but the thought of the shame this would inflict on the family keeps him in place. I was genuinely scared for Peter. This aspect of the story definitely veers into horror and makes for compelling reading. There is a third viewpoint which is also dark and gruesome. I don’t want to elaborate too much on this aspect but leave it for readers to discover for themselves.
I could write so much more. The storyline is great, it feels like serious fantasy, there are questions and there are answers and the ending leaves us realising just how much more is yet to come. I can’t wait for the second but I’m going to end this review here before I turn into a gushing maniac. I cannot fault this book. I loved it.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 5 of 5 glowing stars
Books and travelling with Lynn 