Review: Be the Serpent

Be the Serpent by Seanan McGuire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Berkeley gave me an advanced copy through Netgalley. I really appreciate it! I've decided to review the book, and this is my honest opinion.

Phew, this one was a long time coming, and it has completely shaken up the world of October Daye. Big reveals, big twists, big losses, big changes, and what appears to be a cliffhanger that will kill me slowly over the next year waiting for the following book.

I really can't say much about the book, because pretty much anything will give away spoilers. Let's just say that this one has some devastating consequences for both Toby, her family, and Faerie in general. Like big massive serious consequences. I'm totally here for it... but I'm also saddened by the hits Toby has taken.

Following the novel, there is a brief novella staring the Luidaeg, long before we know her, with some big things happening to her as well.

Five+ stars, but highly recommended to read the rest of the series first.

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Review: Suburban Hell

Suburban Hell by Maureen Kilmer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC. This review is my honest opinion.

This was an absolutely fantastic horror debut. I really love horror that juxtaposes the horrors of everyday life with even more sinister things. For example, Buffy the Vampire Slayer did a really good job at showing that vampires weren't the only monsters - high school could also be hell, parents could die, relationships were hard. Suburban Hell showed that being an adult is difficult, but even more so that being a mother in today's world is challenging. Women still face societal expectations of filling the subservient role of childrearing and housekeeping, and men seem to find excuses to not carry their share of the burden.

But alongside this, we also see a group of friends face off against a possession... and that entity wants them DESTROYED.

Absolutely loved this book. Highly recommended for horror fans.

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Review: Soul Taken

Soul Taken by Patricia Briggs
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for gifting me an advanced copy. Below I provide my honest review.

Seriously, everyone... this one is GOOD. It has some major implications for the series and some huge stakes. If I had to sum up this book's theme in one word, it would be Connections. Mercy learns so much more about the pack bonds, about vampire bonds, about fae bonds. Relationships are revealed and created and strengthened. Events are shown to be related to each other. Connections all around.

This one has some horror elements, which I loved. If you're not a fan of horror, that's okay, but this one is still along the lines of the rest of the series.

I need the next one now!!! Next year we get another Mercy book, and I am foaming at the mouth in anticipation! (I'm also super excited about the Alpha and Omega book in 2024... but I also still want that hinted at Tom and Moira book! Maybe that will be a story in the upcoming 2023 Instincts anthology? Fingers crossed!)

Highly recommended for fans of Urban Fantasy... but please please please read the rest of the series first!

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Review: Ruby Fever

Ruby Fever by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for gifting me an advanced copy of this book. I was so excited to get my hands on it! Below is my honest review.

Anything Ilona Andrews writes is gold, pure gold. Hidden Legacy is no exception. I know they had a lot of struggle on getting this one to where they wanted it to be, but it turned out to be top notch and the perfect conclusion to Catalina's time as the main character.

Ruby Fever brings the Arkan story to an explosive ending, and is chock full of action. Twists and turns abound! Catalina has really grown into her role, and having to step up and do this job without Linus really pushes her limits. Thankfully, she has Alessandro and an amazing family/framily to support her.

I absolutely loved this trilogy and adore this world, and really hope that the tidbit at the end was a hint of more to come.

Highly recommended - with the caveat that this is the third Catalina book, which followed a Nevada trilogy, and threads of all of those previous books are found in this one.

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Review: Stay Awake

Stay Awake by Megan Goldin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's for providing me with this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was un-put-down-able! This is my third Megan Goldin - since her release of the Escape Room a few years ago, I've read all her new releases. I just discovered in preparation for this review, that she has one more book - her debut - that I haven't read yet. I'll be remedying that this year, and in the future, all of her books will be on my radar.

I absolutely loved this one. The premise is pretty awesome, and while I did figure out the mystery (I read a lot of mystery and sometimes it just jumps out to me), I loved the ride. I was so sucked in that I couldn't stop reading it. I needed to know what happened, both in the present and in Liv's past.

This was an intensely-paced and fantastically plotted, with reveals showing up at just the right speed.

My only gripe was that the main character was supposed to be an American, and it's set in New York City, but some of the language used is clearly outside US vernacular. Example: whereas in the US, we'd say "his phone was busy" or "she got a busy signal when she called him," this novel uses "his phone was engaged."

All in all, a very minor gripe, but did pull me out of the story a little bit.

If you're a fan of fast pace, danger at every turn, and never knowing who to trust kinda thrillers, this novel is for you! Highly recommended.

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Review: Upgrade

Upgrade by Blake Crouch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Ballantine for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I love Blake Crouch. His Wayward Pines trilogy was a massive yes for me, and I really enjoyed both Excursion and Dark Matter. Unfortunately, this one fell a little flat for me.

I really enjoyed the concept and most of the execution, but I think what really pulled me out of the story was the constant reminder that Logan had been upgraded. I understand that's the point, but after a while, knowing what his heart rate was and how it had changed from the prior paragraph got to be distracting for me.

His moral of the story was on point though - we as humans fail epically at empathy for humankind as a whole, and we're driving ourselves to the point of extinction and refusing to sacrifice for change.

I liked this one, but didn't love it, so I gave it 3.5 stars. I rounded up to 4.

Would I recommend it? Yes, it's still a fantastic story... just go in knowing there's some info-dumping that might pull you out of the tale for a bit.

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