Review: Children of Memory

Children of Memory by Adrian Tchaikovsky
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have absolutely no idea where to start withy this review. I am just so blown away by this book, and all the directions it took me in, leaving me emotionally raw by the end of it.

To read this book, you really need to have read Children of Time and Children of Ruin, or most of this really will make little sense. And if you have not read them, then why not? They are two of the greatest sci-fi books I have read, and this one just tops the bill in my - humble - estimation.

The characters you meet in this book have a true way of pulling at you from the word go, once you learn what has happened in the years since the last book. But what happens on this new planet, with the addition of the Corvids (who I personally loved!) I don't want to say anymore as I don't want to give any spoilers, but it is a like an emotionally game of bumper cars except my car has no battery and I am getting bumped from every side.

A must read in the series, and now I seriously have no idea where the direction the next book will go, but woh boy, am I looking forward to it.

View all my reviews

 

Children of Ruin

(Children of Time #2)
by Adrian Tchaikovsky

** spoiler alert ** 

I didn't think anything could beat Children of Time, but alas, it seems that I was wrong. Though really, the biggest question I have is how much research does this man do? Because not only did I learn a lot about Octopi, but also now have a even better respect for them than I did before, and that is before they became the new focus of this series.

The amount of detail that goes into his world building, the way you start to love the characters you know are technically dead before the main story starts, but knowing this and seeing them suffer is still heart breaking.

The way the species all end up trying to communicate is genius (like the whole series so far really) and is certainly inventive.

A top notch sci-fi masterpiece!

The Wood Bee Queen

The Wood Bee Queen

by Edward Cox

Being this was from one of my favourite Authors, I expected much. 

But I was wrong. 

Edward Cox surpassed much and went onto deliver something that seems to have surpassed his previous works. The stories (primary) setting is both unique and yet twists some myths on their heads in the most delightful way. The heroes are delightfully flawed as all good heroes should be at the start of any tale. Plus one of our heroes is a Librarian, and who doesn't love a Librarian?

And the villains, well, who doesn't like a good villain?

The story is not the type to ease you in slowly, but more grabs you by the face, and kicks you up the backside all the way through. It was totally delightful!

5 Stars!

The Haunting of Las Lágrimas

 

The Haunting of Las Lágrimas

by W.M. Cleese

This book was simply amazing to read, and actually left me feeling unnerved by certain things that I read.  So let me start by saying if you like a good - nay great - slow burn ghost story, this you have to buy this book.

It is set in the pre-WW1 era of South America, where a young privileged english woman is taking work as a gardener.  She accepts a job on a remote estate in the middle of the Pampas, and that is where things start to go wrong.

The authors descriptions and story telling left me creeped out on more than one occasion, to the point where I begged my hubby "not to go into the woods" when he went camping the weekend I finished it.  His choice to not go into certain details of one of the attacks means that he will always have my respect, and I am sure you will understand when you read it for yourselves.

I can not beg you enough to go and buy this book.  The author is a lovely man, he is a great story teller, and if this book doesn't give you chills, then you are made from sterner stuff than I.

5 Stars!

The Girls Who Disappeared

The Girls Who Disappeared

by Claire Douglas

Do you like a mystery thriller that you want to try and unravel before the character? If so, this is one for you.

I loved the way this book was laid out, told from the perspective of the journalist, who is a sensible clever woman with a troubled love life.  The other is told third person from the one remaining girl from twenty years ago who is struggling with the cards life has dealt her.  And then there are the scenes set in Thailand.  All are perfectly written, descriptive without being flowery, and smooth enough to read at your favourite pace.

The story was great, I loved the twists and turns that came along the way, making you suspect pretty much everyone except the journalist.  The conclusion was more than satisfying, and the only thing i disliked about it was that it had ended and I had no more pages to read.

5 Stars!

Gothic

Gothic

by Philip Fracassi

Wow.  Just wow.  

I am not sure I like starting a review like this, but I can not think of a word that better expresses how much I enjoyed this book.

It did take me a couple of chapters to get into the writers writing style, but that is on me (and not him) but once I had, I found I could hardly put the book down.  His use of prose in amping up the atmosphere was amazing, it oozed a "creep" factor that was palpable as I read what was happening.

The glimpse back in time was perfect, good detailing and filled in the gaps to the artifacts history that we had before then.

But the direction the story eventually takes you is one I don't think anyone could guess.  Well, I sure as hell did not anyway.  Loved the ending, it was so different to have a book end like that, it was like a refreshing surprise.

You like horror?  Then this is a must for your bedside table, especially to read in the dead of the night.

5 Stars!

Waking The Witch

Waking the Witch

by Rachel Burge

When I started this book I thought it was going to be another over powered teen with a terrible life who comes along and saves the day and wins the boy.  But while it did go along this way to a certain degree, there is much more to the story than this.

The background that has its roots in the arthurian lore is good, like really good.  Some neat little twists to the basics, which fits the story in a perfect way.  The "bad" guys are not bad at all, but quite creepy with what happens to them.

A nice little read, something easy and not heavy, and perfect to relax and sit back with.

5 Stars!

Mothered

 

Mothered

by Zoje Stage

Now, this is a book that plays on your deepest fears: the world as it is (or was a year ago.)

I think anyone who obeyed the rules of lockdown due to the pandemic will feel the claustrophobia that this book brings about, not to mention playing on your anxieties that most people have suffered with.  Add into that the fear that most adults have about living with their "parent(s)" again and you have the perfect recipe for disaster.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, to the pint where I could not put it down and finished it in a day.  While it may not be gory enough for some horror fans, I think the brilliant writing and subtle play on our emotions from the pandemic (and continuing pandemic) are enough to thrill almost everyone.

5 Stars!

The Last Saxon King

The Last Saxon King

A Jump in Time Novel

by Andrew Varga

While I may not have picked this book up off the shelf, I am glad to have given it a go and read it.

Firstly, the amount of research the author had done was immediately obvious, I know a fair bit about the period and was impressed with the authors knowledge.  It is a good way to teach you about the that period in history in a fun way.  The characters were good, a bit of a usual trope, but fun along the way.

The story had some nice twists along the way, definitely a book I would recommend for a fun easy read.

5 Stars!

Monsters Born and Made

Monsters Born and Made

by Tanvi Berwah

 Oh, I do like a newly made world, with a well made and thought out history.  It does make such a difference to a book, and this author done it in spades.

The creatures are well thought out and described, and to be honest, creeped me the f out.  The characters are interesting, and not always what you expect them to be.  And while you do have the obvious feeling of a romance trope going on, you find that you dont mind it so much.

A new series (I hope) as I look forward to the second book.

5 Stars!

The Nightmare Man

The Nightmare Man

by J. H. Markert

 Oh my goodness, this book was great! If you like a twisty turny horror, then this book could well be for you.

The writing was smooth, clever enough to keep you hooked, but not the type of author who likes to over use big and overly clever words.  The chapters are written from different points of view, and it does come across that way, in the way you can forget the same person is writing them.  The story was good, you did not know which way things were going to go, and who was going to be affected by what.

If you want to read a good horror book, then pick this up. I dont think you will be disappointed.

5 Stars!

A Man In Winter

 

A Man in Winter

by Katie Marie

While this was not my normal style of book, I am glad that I picked it up to read.  The authors writing style is smooth and almost relaxing at times, with no use of unnecessarily long and complicated words, and no flowery descriptions of everything.  And while you may not think it to be a conventional horror, there is something quite horrific for the main character who is sliding into his dementia, and is not sure what is real and what is not.

What I liked most was how I felt at the end of the book, left unsure of the actions of the main character, and not sure what was real and what was not.  A clever piece of storytelling on a subject that should scare us all.

5 Stars!

Stealing Infinity

Stealing Infinity

by Alyson Noël

I'm really not one for the "chosen girl who whines all the time but it's amazing even if she can't see it" trope but the overall premise of this book intrigued me.

As a fan of history, tarot, and knowing some about numerology, this did grab my interest pretty quickly. It's easy to look passed the chosen girl thing, as the rest of the story and characters pull you in. There were some characters I wish I could have learned more about, but then that's what the squeal is for, I hope.

 5 Stars!

Ordinary Monsters

Ordinary Monsters

by J. M. Miro

 This was a great preview, and seriously I can not wait to read the rest. Just the preview elicited a range of emotions in me, from horror to shock, to compassion and back to anger. If reading only this small amount did that, I hate to think what a mess I'll be in once I read the rest!

5 Stars!

The Reluctant Vampire Queen

The Reluctant Vampire Queen

by Jo Simmons

 If you want a bit of fluff reading, that isn't too serious but also pulls you in by the neck and pinches the jugular, then this is a book for you.

While I didn't always like the main character, you can't fault her reasoning, after all we have all been 16 once. I enjoyed the Vamp lore, and the general use of British humour, but then I'm British.

A fun read.

4 Stars!

The Stone Of Destiny

 

The Stone of Destiny

by Andrew Neil MacLeod

Okay, so my bad, I hadn't read the first novel. But it did not take away from the enjoyment I got out of this book whatsoever.

It's written in a way that you quickly get to know all you need to about the two characters and the world that they were living in. It was a fun, twisted and creepy little romp through myth, legend and strange little places that existed between.

A fun book, no mistake, though I'm now off to read the first!

5 Stars!

Crew of Exiles

 

Crew of Exiles

by Neal Holtschulte

Who doesn't like a good book full of exiles and rejects?  Exactly.  The writing is smooth and while full of lots of techno-babble, it still makes an easy and fun packed read.  Each chapter is written in the perspective of a different character, and each does indeed have their own voice.  You may not like some of them throughout the book, but that's fine, as you don't need to to empathise with them on their individual journeys.

A fun little read, with more than a few feels kicked in there.

5 Stars!