Review – All the Murmuring Bones by A.G. Slatter

All the Murmuring Bones
By: A.G. Slatter
Release Date: April 8, 2021
Publisher: Titan Books
Received From: Publisher
(All reviews are our own, honest opinions.)
Rating:


The newest novel by A.G. Slatter, All the Murmuring Bones, is a tale that spans a wide gamut of genres and themes neatly packed into a pretty, blue cover whose curling motif hints at the churning ocean waves that permeate the tale. Slatter is no stranger to fiction, with several other books already under her belt, such as Vigil and Corpselight, as well as compilations of her short fiction. She is also quite the decorated author, with a World Fantasy Award, a British Fantasy Award, a Ditmar, six Aurealis Awards, and an Australian Shadows Award.

Review – In the House in the Dark of the Woods by Laird Hunt

In the House in the Dark of the Woods by Laird Hunt In the House in the Dark of the Woods
By: Laird Hunt
Illustrator: Corinne Reid (Cover Art); Julianna Lee (Cover Design)
Release Date: October 16, 2018
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
Rating:


Laird Hunt’s In the House in the Dark of the Woods combines horror, historical fiction, and the fantastical into one slim novel. The author is no stranger to fiction; he has several other novels of varying themes and exploring various historical settings.

Review – The Way Back

The Way Back
By: Gavriel Savit
Website: https://www.gavrielsavit.com/
Release Date: November 17th, 2020
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Received From: NetGalley
(All reviews are our own, honest opinions.)
Rating:


As I’m sure most of us can agree, as a reader we love any and all stories. For me my first love was classic fairy tales and folklore so when I saw The Way Back on NetGalley advertised as a historical fantasy brushing the realms of folklore I had to beg for the copy. I was thrilled to receive it and enjoyed every single page.

The Way Back follows a boy named Yehuda Leib and a girl named Bluma as they both chase after the Angel of Death for their own reasons. For Eastern European Jews there is the belief that demons have a land of their own: a Far Country peopled with the souls of the transient dead, governed by demonic dukes, barons, and earls. 

In their adventures we see Yehuda and Bluma struggle towards their goals and face the realities of the realm they find themselves in. I loved the fantastical elements of the story and loved the rich descriptions and interwoven details throughout the book.

Review- The Angel of the Crows

The Angel of the Crows
By: Katherine Addison
Website: https://www.fantasticfiction.com/a/katherine-addison/
Release Date: June 23rd, 2020
Publisher: Tor Books
Rating:


If you are a fan of historical fiction and alternative history writing this story is definitely for you. Also, if you are a fan of Sherlock Holmes then this story is 100% even more for you.

Now, before moving into the story itself there are a few things I wanted to clear up as I found them out for myself as I finished this novel. First, the author Katherine Addison is the same person as the author Sarah Monette. It appears that for different genres and topics Monette has applied her pen name Addison, so keep that fun fact for yourself if you want to read more of her writing. Second, and this is direct from the author herself in the Author’s Note – The Angel of the Crows began as a Sherlock wingfic fanfiction.

Now, to talk about this wonderful book itself. I am, admittedly, a fan of all things Sherlock Holmes so to see a reimagining of the story with different characters (Crow being Sherlock and Doyle being Watson) was fun for me. The explanation for why the characters are the way they are fits so well that I found myself smiling wide. Crow, being an angel whose domain is all of London, thus explaining his heightened senses and sometimes odd behavior as Sherlock, is wonderful in his odd ways. Doyle, much like Watson, is suffering from a leg injury and from having been in the war however his injury is of a spectral nature as he was attacked by what is known as a Fallen angel i.e. one that is now filled with dark, nefarious energy and power.

Throughout this book we cover the well-known Sherlock Holmes stories of “A Study in Scarlet,” “The Sign of the Four,” and “The Hound of the Baskervilles,” but Addison didn’t stop there and also had our heroes join the hunt for Jack the Ripper.

Honestly while I wish some lesser-known Sherlock tales had been picked or that things had been reworked a bit more to make them feel new or extremely different I did enjoy the way that Addison connected the dots between these classic stories and our newly reimagined characters.

If you’re a fan of Sherlock Holmes, alternative history or the idea of these characters being redone in a way that breathes new life back into these classics I would definitely suggest you pick up this book. While it wasn’t life altering it was a quite enjoyable read and I was impressed with Addison’s style. I may be picking up her other works soon.

#BlogTour – The Golden Key by Marian Womack

The Golden Key
By: Marian Womack
Release Date: February 18, 2020
Publisher: Titan Books
Received From: Publisher
(All reviews are our own, honest opinions.)
Rating:


Traditional Victorian gothic is mixed with elements of mystery and fantasy in The Golden Key by Marian Womack. In this, as of yet, standalone novel, the supernatural clash against psychology and detective work. Underneath that lies something more than the Victorian indulgence for séances and tarot readings. There’s something uncanny happening, something that can’t be explained by normal measures but can be felt and seen nonetheless.

Review – For He Can Creep by Siobhan Carroll

For He Can Creep by Siobhan Carroll For He Can Creep
By: Siobhan Carroll
Release Date: July 10, 2019
Publisher: Tor.com
Rating:


Recently released on Tor.com is a short story worth being shouted about from the rooftops. For He Can Creep by Siobhan Carroll, who’s other short fiction can be found in many anthologies, can be read in its entirety for free on Tor.com. The tale is a short story set in an asylum in the 1700s told from the point of view of Jeoffry, the cat of a poet who was committed to the asylum some time before.

Review – The Magpie Lord by K. J. Charles

The Magpie Lord
By: K.J. Charles
Release Date: September 3, 2013
Publisher: Samhain
Series: A Charm of Magpies #1
Rating:


The Magpie Lord by K.J. Charles is the first book in the A Charm of Magpie series. This is a Victorian Gothic Horror novel filled with magic, mystery, and love. Lucien Vaudrey returns from his exile in China to his family estates in England as the new Lord after the deaths of his father and brother. Along with the title and land, Lucien gains the enemies of his father and brother. Someone is trying to kill him, and Stephen Day, local magician, is called in for assistance. Stephen soon finds himself falling for the fascinating earl, but there’s no time for that. Not with a foreboding sense of evil in the old mansion, a ghost, and unknown enemies trying to kill them – both of them.

Review – A Case of Possession by K. J. Charles

A Case of Possession
By: K. J. Charles
Release Date: January 6, 2014
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Series: A Charm of Magpies #2
Rating:


The second book in the A Charm of Magpies series, A Case of Possession by K. J. Charles continues the story of Lucien Vaundrey, the veritable Lord Crane, and his lover, the magician Stephen Day. Things have grown more complicated for the pair. Someone is trying to blackmail Lucien about his relationship with Stephen, knowing the information could ruin both men. At the same time, Stephen is under investigation for his sudden increase in power, the other justicars worrying that one of their own is using dark, forbidden magic. All the while, there is a strange new problem plaguing London. Giant, terrifying rats have been spotted, and people are starting to turn up dead.

Review – The Haunting of Tram Car 015 by P. Djeli Clark

The Haunting of Tram Car 015
By: P. Djeli Clark
Release Date: February 19, 2019
Publisher: Tor.com
Rating:


The Haunting of Tram Car 015 by P. Djeli Clark is a fantasy novella set in a 1912 Cairo that is ripe with magic, djinn, and a haunted tram car. Set in the same universe as Clark’s short story A Dead Djinn in Cairo, it is a real treat that you don’t want to miss. I haven’t had so much fun reading a book since Catherynne Valente’s Space Opera.

Review – The Arrival of Missives by Aliya Whiteley

The Arrival of Missives
By: Aliya Whiteley
Release Date: November 6, 2018
Publisher: Titan Books
Award: John W. Campbell Memorial Award Nominee for Best Science Fiction Novel (2017), James Tiptree Jr. Award Nominee for Longlist (2016), Saboteur Award Nominee for Best Novella (2017)
Received From: Publisher
(All reviews are our own, honest opinions.)
Rating:


Aliya Whiteley’s The Arrival of Missives is a historical fantasy novella that is absolutely not to be missed. The prose has lyrical beauty that sweeps the reader along and weaves a truly unforgettable story.