Have scythe, will travel

 

The Keeper of Night by Kylie Lee Baker

Genres: YA and fantasy

Ren Scarborough is a young adult soul collector in London. She is half Reaper and half Shinigami, 

the Japanese version of soul collectors. The only person that truly accepts her is her brother Neven 

who happens to be a full Reaper. A situation Ren accidentally causes forces both her and her brother 

to leave London and head to Japan. Ren hopes to be accepted by the Japanese Goddess of Death 

only to discover her expectations of Japan weren’t accurate. Ren then sets out on a dangerous 

mission with her brother and new friend Hiro to try and claim her place in the world. 

 

There is a lot about The Keeper of Night that I like. First, I love the world Baker created. 

Learning about the folklore and myths of Japan, and a little of Britain, was super interesting. 

I adore the character of Neven, Ren’s extremely caring brother. This is a character type I usually

 find myself eye rolling over, but not this time. I even found the mysteriously helpful stranger Hiro

 interesting. Ren was a little more problematic for me. 

 

Ren is the underdog who can’t seem to find her place in the world. She’s got super cool powers 

but no one seems to care because all the characters have super cool powers. I like that she is 

unapologetically ambitious. She doesn’t shy away from the fact that she wants power and respect.

 Unfortunately, Ren spends way too much of the book in her head berating herself and going over 

and over about how worthless she is. I get that she is supposed to have issues from where and how 

she grew up, I’m fine with that, it just got a bit tiresome reading the same thing over and over. 

I found it especially annoying when she would have these thoughts and then immediately the tides 

would turn in her favor. Again, I don’t have anything against the ideas. My problem lies with the execution. 

This leads into my biggest problem with the book and the reason I didn’t rate it higher. I found 

Baker’s writing to be a bit inconsistent. Some parts were really well written and clever. Then, there 

were other times that I had to reread something because I felt like it was an exact copy paste from 

the previous page. I also feel like there wasn’t enough information given about the two societies we 

get to see. The Reaper society hates Ren from the get go. Everyone hates her except for her brother,

 who is a failure at being a Reaper because he is too empathetic. Her father seems to be more 

apathetic to her than anything else which, for me, was very problematic. He is supposed to be a 

British Reaper that had some illicit affair with a Japanese Shinigami. I have a lot of questions for this

 man and all I really get is one line about how Ren asked him stuff and he never answered. 

 

Ren and Neven travel from England to Japan by boat yet we barely get to see any of the journey. 

I would have loved to read a bit about the death societies in other countries, even if it was just a 

chapter for each one. How would Ren and Neven fit in in those places? Is the French death society 

more or less empathetic than the British? When they get to Japan most of the people there don’t seem 

to care about them. Here and there we are reminded that Ren doesn’t belong but outside of some 

people calling her a foreigner or looking at her strangely nothing else happens. Ren and Neven walk 

right into the Yomi, the Japanese city of death, and Ren immediately gets to talk to the Goddess of 

Death. Ren gets sassed a little from her but then gets handed a mission and told to be on her way. I 

feel like I am being told Ren is hated because of her parentage but I don’t get the motivation for the 

hate. Or the motivation for the ambivalence in Japan. Maybe it gets cleared up in the sequel. 

 

A quick glance at Baker’s Goodreads page reveals she doesn’t have many books under her belt  so

 I am hoping her writing will improve with time. I genuinely do like this book. I think her ideas are 

interesting, her characters were engaging, and her pacing is spot on, at least for me. I’ll keep my

 eye on her future works. 

My Rating: 3.5/5

I purchased this book as one of my Book of the Month club picks.

I do not plan on adding it to my permanent collection. 

Reckless Girls

 Title: Reckless Girls

Author: Rachel Hawkins

What’s it about?

Lux, a twenty-something that recently lost her mother to cancer, wants to travel the world with her boyfriend Nico. The problem is they can’t start until Nico gets enough money to repair their boat. Enter Amma and Brittany, two other twenty-somethings that hire Lux and Nico to take them to the mysterious Meroe Island. Meroe Island is said to be the final resting place of shipwrecked sailors from years ago. It might be haunted, maybe just cursed. Amma and Brittany think visiting there will be a great way to wrap up their globe-hopping trip. The girls pay in advance so the boat can get fixed up and pretty soon the four sail away from Hawaii and to Meroe Island. 

On arrival, they find another couple already there. It’s okay though because the two groups quickly become friends and they all decide to have fun. A little partying, a little adventuring, lots of sun and swimming, sounds like the perfect vacation. Unfortunately, things don’t stay all fun and games, instead, they start becoming deadly. Lux will need to navigate the dangers of the island and the people she shares it with if she wants to make it out alive.

What do I think?

There is a lot I enjoyed about this book. It is winter and cold where I live so I was happy to snuggle up in a warm blanket and read about a tropical island adventure. One thing that needs to be said upfront, minor spoilers, all of the girls have lost someone in their lives. Their losses are talked about and so is their grief, so if that is something you aren’t able to handle I’d stay away. I think it is pretty obvious that the book is going to have death in it, but I want to warn anyone thinking of reading it that there is more than just the usual characters getting killed. 

Lux, the main character, lost her mother to cancer. Her parents divorced when she was young and her father remarried and started a new family without Lux being a part of it. Before the start of the book, Lux doesn’t have any real friends outside of her boyfriend, Nico. She’s a young lonely lost girl and, for me at least, that explains most of her actions in the book. 

Hawkins wrote Nico to be a likable guy. Over the course of the story that facade slips but I never find myself hating him. Unfortunately, I also never found myself invested in Lux’s relationship with him. It’s okay though because the book really isn’t about Lux and Nico. In my opinion, it’s actually about Lux’s relationship with Amma, Brittany, and Eliza, the three other central female characters in the story. As the book goes on we learn more about each of their lives and how they ended up on Meroe Island. 

Reckless Girls is more than a fluff thriller novel. Hawkins offers the reader an opportunity to ponder many ideas about the social differences between men and women, sisterhood, grief, and loss. I didn’t expect all of that when I started reading and was pleasantly surprised. The story is split between first-person chapters with Lux and third-person chapters with the rest of the girls. I think Reckless Girls manages a nice balance between thoughtful and fluff and could be a book club read or a beach read.

Rating: 4 /5 

Did I buy it? This was my Book of the Month pick for January 2022. I will not be keeping it in my permanent collection. 

2021 Year End

Goodbye 2021, hello 2022 

2021, I wish I could say that I will miss you but the best I can do is say you were better than the previous year. According to Goodreads, I read 8,679 pages in 2021. My book goal was 30 books. 

My favorite read is the wonderful "The Lathe of Heaven" by Ursula K. Le Guin. A Le Guin book taking the number one spot for me should be no surprise, she was an amazing author that has left behind a treasure trove of works. My least favorite read is "The Maidens" by Alex Michaelides. I'm still mad about this book. The biggest surprise read is "Survive The Night" by Riley Sager. I had little to no expectations going into it. I read the blurb that BotM had on their website, thought it sounded interesting and gave it a go. I'm so happy I did. Is it perfect? No, but it was so enjoyable to read. 

I set my reading goal this year for 50 books. That will be almost one a week giving me a little leeway in case something comes up. I had been planning on writing a review for every book I read last year, which obviously didn't happen, so I'm going to try again this year. I'm going to also work on making my reviews better. How? Hopefully, through practice. 

Another goal I have is to, finally, make a dent in my tbr list. My bookshelves groan under the weight of all the books Tetrised into them. I'm just a sucker for buying books. Anyway, here is wishing everyone a good 2022. 

Razorblade Tears

 Title: Razorblade Tears

Author: S.A. Cosby

What’s it about?

When a beloved young couple gets brutally murdered their fathers decide to take matters into their own hands and hunt down the people responsible for the murder of their sons. 

Did I like it?

I enjoyed Razorblade Tears. I figured out the “mystery” pretty early on but there was enough to the story to still enjoy the characters figuring it out. The revenge plot is second to the character growth the two fathers go through, in my opinion. Ike and Buddy Lee are two ex-cons that struggle to deal with the fact that their sons were gay. Ike and Buddy Lee aren’t just rough around the edges, both men did some pretty nasty things. The one thing that saves the dads, for me, is that I could see they did love their sons and they realized how they acted towards them was terrible. Cosby didn’t shy away from the fact that Ike and Buddy Lee were wrong in how they treated their sons. Instead, Cosby embraces it and forces his characters to see their actions and realize how much they must have hurt their sons. 

Who would I recommend it to?

I think this book would be an excellent choice for a book group. However, there are a few things a reader should know before picking this up. There is lots of violence and strong language. If this were a movie it would sit solidly in the R rating. It deals with LGBTQ issues and racism and doesn’t shy away from how nasty people can get. 

Did I purchase it?

I purchased this through Book of the Month

Rating

4/5

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

 Title: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid

What’s it about?

A low-level writer gets told by her boss her next assignment is to do an interview with Hollywood icon Evelyn Hugo. Confused as to why her, but excited because she sees this as her big chance Monique heads off to Evelyn’s Manhattan apartment. Once there Evelyn surprises Monique by telling her she doesn’t want to do the interview for the magazine, instead, she wants Monique to write her life story. Seeing this as the opportunity of a lifetime Monique accepts the offer. Over the course of the book Evelyn, someone that prized her privacy, tells Monique everything. 

Did I like it?

This is the second book from Reid, the first being Malibu Rising. While Malibu Rising was a fun story that I enjoyed, I loved this book. Evelyn’s life made for an interesting tale but what took this book from enjoyed to loved was the characters. I loved the characters, even the people that were terrible and there was no short supply of those. Evelyn is a character who would do whatever it took to get what she wanted. Was she selfish? Yes, unquestionably, but it was presented in such a human way that I found myself cheering her on. I wanted Evelyn to come out on top and win. The character of Harry nearly stole the show for me. If Reid ever decides to write a book about Harry’s life I would be there at midnight to pick it up. 

All that said, there were a few things I didn’t enjoy. Monique herself was fine and I liked seeing the growth she made over the course of the story, but every time there was a part in her perspective I found myself rushing through it to get back to Evelyn. She wasn’t a bad character but she couldn’t hold a candle to the larger-than-life Evelyn. 

While I thought the capital M mystery surrounding why Monique was picked had a good resolution I found the execution to be somewhat clunky. It seemed like Monique’s parts were just to remind the reader there was more to the story than just hearing about Evelyn’s fantastical life. There was a mystery too. I would have rather Monique and her boss wonder why she was picked but then once Monique got to Evelyn’s place that was dropped until the reveal. It took me out of the story every time I was reminded that there was more to the story of Evelyn Hugo than what she was telling Monique. 

Honestly, this is the very thing that holds this book back from being a 5-star for me. Keeping the entire thing in either Monique’s POV or third person would have made the story flow smoother, in my opinion. I think this would have also justified having Monique’s POV in the first place. As it is, while I do like the character of Monique, I feel like she didn’t get the story she deserved. Maybe Reid will go back to that character in a future book, but I doubt it. 

Who would I recommend it to?

I would recommend this book in a heartbeat. I think a person that enjoys old-school Hollywood would have a great time reading this. There is also a wonderfully heartbreaking LGBT+ love story. There is plenty for a book group to discuss as well. 

Did I purchase it?

Yes, this was an add-on with my Book of the Month subscription.

Rating 4/5

Survive the Night

 Title: Survive The Night

Author: Riley Sager

What’s it about?

All Charlie wanted to do was get away from the nightmare her college life became. Her roommate and best friend was murdered, most likely by a serial killer named the Campus Killer. Cheesy name? Yes, but that’s beside the point. Charlie hasn’t driven since her parents were killed in a car accident so she needs someone to drive her home. In this case, home is where her grandmother lives which is a few states away. Enter Josh. He is heading home to take care of his father that recently had a stroke. He wants someone to share the cost of gas with and have some company for the long ride. At least, that is what he initially told Charlie. Over the course of the drive, things start getting a bit wild with Charlie unable to tell what is real and what isn’t. See, Charlie has a condition where she can’t handle the stress of reality so her mind conjures up delusions to escape into. Set in a time period where everyone doesn’t have a cell phone in their pocket Charlie begins a confusing and dangerous game with her life as the stakes.

Did I like it?

I enjoyed reading this book. In fact, I ended up reading it in one day because I found it so enjoyable. Do I think it is fine literature? Absolutely not. Do I think it was a bit of fun escapism? Absolutely yes. From different reviews I’ve seen I get the impression people either liked the book or didn’t. I can understand why for the most part. Without getting into spoiler territory it’s hard to address specific complaints so I’ll just say some of the main complaints just didn’t bother me. One complaint I will address is people thinking it was dumb Charlie didn’t wait the extra few days so her boyfriend could drive her. I’d like to point out, minor spoilers I guess, that the reason she decided she couldn’t wait was that she was breaking up with him. I can’t blame her for not wanting to get in a car with him for many hours and then dump him when they got there. It would be kind of a jerk move on her part as well. 

Who would I recommend it to?

I’d recommend this book to a variety of different people. The subject matter places it solidly in adult fiction but I think people that normally stick with YA fiction could find it enjoyable. Depending on the teen I could see them enjoying it as well. I’ve heard people say this book is a thriller which I guess is true. I’d go more with psychological thriller if I had to keep it in that category but I think it’s more a mystery with psychological elements. 

Charlie is a movie buff so the book is filled with movie talk and references. I didn’t find it annoying but I could see that being a turn-off for some people. 

I’m not sure it would be a good fit for a book club. I don’t think the plot is strong enough to support an in-depth analysis. Maybe if it is a movie-themed group? There are a lot of references. 

Did I purchase it?

I got this book through the Book of the Month club as an add-on. I do not plan on making it a permanent part of my collection.

Rating 4/5

A Bag Of Marbles

 Title: A Bag Of Marbles

Author: Joseph Joffo, Edward Gauvin, Kris, Vincent Bailly

What’s it about?

This graphic novel serves as a memoir of Joseph Joffo’s journey to live somewhere safe from Nazi control. The story follows Joseph and Maurice as they move farther and farther away from their home in Paris. Their parents and two older brothers are in the memoir as well, but the story belongs to the two youngest. Gauvin’s illustrations beautifully capture the world the Joffo’s had to survive in. 

Did I like it?

I enjoyed this graphic novel. Memoirs from this time period are always difficult for me to get through due to the subject matter, but I found myself able to actually enjoy the story and not just for educational purposes. Since this is a translation I am not sure if the credit goes to the original author or the translator but whichever one it is they are a heck of a storyteller. I feel like it is the work of Joseph Joffo since there is a scene in the beginning that talks about his father being a storyteller. Either way, it was an enjoyable read which surprised me. 

Who would I recommend it to?

I would recommend this book to everyone. Seriously, I think everyone should read it. It is less than 200 pages and coupled with the illustrations makes the tale extremely accessible. I also 

feel that it would be appropriate for children, depending on the child of course. 

Did I purchase it?

No, I borrowed this from my library but I do intend on picking it up if I see it in my local bookstore.

Rating 4.5/5