thriller | Ad Librum Aeternam

I was at Harper Presents: 2022 Fall Fiction Preview when I spotted this jaw-dropping bloody cover, so reminiscent of Carrie by Stephen King (Come on, Prom night! THAT night!) Not only was it extremely to my tastes (myeah, sorry, I have weird blood and ominous tastes in horror…), it was inspired by Carrie, and it’s by Tiffany D. Jackson no less! Obviously, I requested it at the first opportunity. Miracle! I got it! I was beyond excited to delve deeper into Springville's Maddy mystery… until I came face to face with the fact of how too close to the original (see inspiration here) it is.

*Thank you kindly to Harper Collins Canada and Katherine Tegen Books for granting me a digital ARC of The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson. I offer this review willingly without any compensation.*

The Positive Sides

While her writing has always been gripping and raw, it definitely improved in The Weight of Blood. It is scarier, the tension is paced in a better way as well as heightened. Honestly, her writing skills rock! And I'm a tad bit jealous… Just a tad. #ThisIsALie #IAmExtraJealous

Also, Miss Jackson (*cue Panic! at the Disco's song!*) interspersed names of known literature and movie serial killers and slashers, such as Coach Bates (yep, Motel Bates, THAT guy…), Miss Kruger (ahum! sweet dreams!), and many more. I believe (and I'm 99% sure I'm right!) the author is playing an inside-joke game with her fans on "how many slasher references she can sprinkle in until the fans notice it". And trust me, this was very entertaining and had me laughing a few times.

Lastly, her creepy but spot-on take on racism, what with wishing away something they are for something they are not, concealing their true selves, bullying, and a cringe creepiness with the closet and all those posters of "perfect, submissive white women"… I nearly screamed with rage. I remember reading about said posters and I just stood there, frozen, blinked and put down the book like "no…. no, so sordid. Disgusting. Who could do that to someone?! AND THAT MEANING! OMG!" I sighed and growled, then picked it back up and resumed my reading, fuming within for what POCs have had to endure (and sadly, a lot still do…) But it hit me like a slap in the face but it was right. I had all the feels.

Representation Matters Hair Love GIF - Representation Matters Hair Love Best Animated Short Film - Discover & Share GIFs

The Negative Sides

I don't really wanna say it but… the book? I mean, the book itself? It's way too close to plagiarism. I get it, the author loves Carrie deeply (I do too), but this reads like a fanfiction with a lot of OCs (original characters). The story, its events and situations, the characters’ relationships, and even the structure. Even the closet!!! Instead of mad mother, it's mad dad!

I just… No.

In other words:

N.B.: If you want to pay for a fanfiction, which is at its core free, go ahead and purchase "The Weight of Blood". That's all I'll say.

(Please note I LOOOOOVE fanfiction and I even write it myself, but such a "fanfiction" as a paid product? That's not fair.)

No Just No GIFs | Tenor

In Conclusion

Overall, the writing is excellent–the author clearly improved on her suspense and horror skills– and her take on racism is witty, insightful and creepy (like it should be because… wait for it… IT IS!); however, the story and its events and situations are just way too similar to Carrie's book (even if you can visualize what I'm saying with only the movies…) by Stephen King, and trust me, I read it more than once… So, I give this book a rating of 2 out of 5 stars for its unfairness to other fanfiction writers and Stephen King's already published work. Unfortunately, the author just lost a fan, but her writing skills are excellent though. I wish her the best, nonetheless.

If you want to learn more about Tiffany D. Jackson and her books, please visit her author website, her Goodreads author page, her Twitter and her Instagram. You can also add The Weight of Blood to your bookshelves on Goodreads, LibraryThing, and StoryGraph.

Girl in Ice : A Book Review

Book Reviews May 16, 2022 Leave a comment

By Erica Ferencik

Scout Press Books

Simon & Schuster Canada

Goodreads (Add it to your TBR!)

LibraryThing

StoryGraph

Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller

Number of pages: 320

ASIN: 9781982143039

Format: paperback, hardover, ebook (Kindle, Kobo, Nook), audiobook

Publication date: March 1st, 2022

Publisher: Scout Press Books

Type: Book, Novel, Standalone

Warnings: violence, suicide, addictions, murder

*I received a physical ARC in exchange for an honest review. No compensation has been given and I write this book review willingly. A big thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada and Scout Press Books!*

Introduction

I’ll be honest, when came the time to choose for physical galleys with Simon & Schuster Canada, I picked Girl in Ice by Erica Ferencik thanks to its intriguing but striking cover and the blurb which mentioned two things I love (the Arctic and languages). But did I truly believe I would like it, even more love it? No.

What a mistake!

Thankfully, it proved me wrong. I still feel shame about this doubt, but damn, it’s one of the best suspense/mystery books I ever read, if not my favorite.

I guess you could say me and the book had a bad start, but fell in love hard?

Best Yep GIFs | Gfycat

Wish to go explore the reasons Girl in Ice is so surprising and unique?

I bet you do!

Come on, grab my hand, and let’s thaw the coldness of doubts and warm it into love!

Blurb

Valerie “Val” Chesterfield is a linguist trained in the most esoteric of disciplines: dead Nordic languages. Despite her successful career, she leads a sheltered life and languishes in the shadow of her twin brother Andy, an accomplished climate scientist stationed on a remote island off Greenland’s barren coast. But Andy is gone: a victim of suicide, having willfully ventured unprotected into 50 degree below zero weather. Val is inconsolable—and disbelieving. She suspects foul play.

When Wyatt, Andy’s fellow researcher in the Arctic, discovers a scientific impossibility—a young girl frozen in the ice who thaws out alive, speaking a language no one understands—Val is his first call. Will she travel to the frozen North and meet this girl, try to comprehend what she is so passionately trying to communicate? Under the auspices of helping Wyatt interpret the girl’s speech, Val musters every ounce of her courage and journeys to the Artic to solve the mystery of her brother’s death.

The moment she steps off the plane, her fear threatens to overwhelm her. The landscape is fierce, and Wyatt, brilliant but difficult, is an enigma. But the girl is special, and Val’s connection with her is profound. Only something is terribly wrong; the child is sick, maybe dying, and the key to saving her lies in discovering the truth about Wyatt’s research. Can his data be trusted? And does it have anything to do with how and why Val’s brother died? With time running out, Val embarks on an incredible frozen odyssey—led by the unlikeliest of guides—to rescue the new family she has found in the most unexpected of places.

The Positive Sides

Honestly, I’m sorry but I didn’t expect to love this book as much as I did. So that’s a victory for it, the author, and even me who discovered such a great read!

It is so, so rare and unique for the setting to be in the Arctic, and the main character to be a linguist! And to BOTH be in the same story and so intricately intertwined. LOVE IT! As a polyglot, translator, and language teacher, I relate so much to her, I connect deeply with her thoughts and views of language and culture, and it warms my heart to see us being portrayed this faithfully (and for once!) in an amazing story. The linguist, Valerie, is a hero, too! As the author and her character Val demonstrate it cleverly in Girl in Ice :).

Furthermore, the writing and descriptions of Inuktitut words and meanings as well as their culture and perspectives are like poetry to my soul! This books is also a lot about climate change from the ice, glaciers, freezing winds, and science. A great environmental read for sure! But its strongest tie is love, truth, and language.

I love how the surroundings of the characters, their settings, aren’t static. Animals and nature are constantly in movement, the characters actually exist IN a place, not just in a spot with the environment fading in and out for the plot. It’s fun and involving.

As for the characters, Val is lovely, crippled with anxiety (believably too!), low self-esteem, the death of her brother…, yet she is brillant, stronger than she knows, kinder too, and much more compassionate than she deems herself to be. To me, she’s a heroine! A true one. I also love how she isn’t good around children, but ends up risking everything left in her life to save a little girl she came to love. 🙂 Amazing.

The villains are… irky. And I say this with much reverence and admiration. They are dangerous, changeable, both with motives that run deeper than they let on, they keep us shifting from foot to foot, wondering… and they irked me. I love it when it happens. Most “villains” in contemporary stories are… two-dimensional, if not only one-dimensional; but these are much life-like. Scarily so, too. I love to hate them, and despise when I can relate to them here and there. Wonderful job!

In terms of intrigues, the mysteries are so well-woven you catch glimpses of the answers, but never the whole image of the puzzle. And it is so rewarding at the end to see the full image solved. A real thrill to unfurl all of this alongside Val.

Lastly, the ending is beautiful, hopeful in its own way, poignant, raw; not cold at all! But quite warm, indeed. The very last sentence is so true to a linguist. Charming and evocative.

I kept reading through the climax and ending even though I had work to do. I just HAD TO KNOW how it ended. How all those mysteries, rendered believable in this intricate tale, unfolded and resolved. So, yeah, I guess that’s quite a proof it’s a book worth reading, don’t you think? It’s just that unique and great!

The Negative Sides

Sometimes the pace seems frozen (ha!), but this is more of a statement that it will happen than a real negative side. Why? Well, when this happens, the mysteries thicken subtly and the characters and their relationships unfurl even more. In the end, these slow passages are essential to this story. So, just keep wading through it like you would through snow, and you’ll soon find yourself enjoying the wild ride again.

In Conclusion

* stands up and applauds *

Such a unique, bold, and touching story! Finally, a story set in Arctic with language at its core for the plot. A lovable main character, a perfect representation of a linguist (which puts us in a hero’s shoes!!!), an amusing cast of characters, and real suspense. A thrill! Thus, I give Girl in Ice by Erica Ferencik a rating of 5 out of 5.

Verohnsaht! Joy!

If you want to learn more about the author, you can visit her Web site, you can also follow her on Facebook author page, her Twitter account, her Instagram, and Goodreads. You can also add Girl in Ice to your bookshelves on Goodreads and LibraryThing.

Extreme: A Book Review

Book Reviews October 18, 2020 Leave a comment

53483098

Extreme the Book Web Site

Amazon.ca

Amazon.com

Goodreads

By Joan Gelfand

Genre: Fiction, Contemporary, Thriller, Romance

Pages: 282

ISBN: 9781421836515

ASIN: B08BX7RJQL

Format: Paperback, eBook (Kindle)

Publication date: 2020

Publisher: Blue Light Press

Type: Book, Novel

*I received a free paperback copy in exchange for an honest review. No compensation has been given and I write this book review willingly. A big thanks to Joan Gelfand and Blue Light Press!*

Introduction

When I was offered to review Extreme by Joan Gelfand (a paperback copy no less!), I couldn’t say no. I was intrigued about the techy and Silicon Valley aspects of this story right from the start. A startup? Seen from a woman’s perspective?

I had to read it.

If this sounds interesting to you as well, then let’s explore the story’s strengths and flaws together, shall we?

Blurb

Hope Ellson is from the wrong side of the tracks, but her genius transcends class. When Hope joins FearToShred, a Silicon Valley extreme gaming startup, Hope's mission is to groom the scrappy company for prime time. Enter Doug Wiser, her very married ex. While the two work in tandem, nefarious forces are at work behind the scenes. Adding to the excitement of this thriller are the stars and heroes of surfing and skateboarding. With a keen eye on women in tech, business ethics and dangerous stunts, "Extreme" will leave you breathless.

The Positive Sides

I’ll start with the ending because it struck me as a great way to write this book’s dénouement. Not only was the phrasing gold (you have to read it for yourself, it’s clever!), but there are still surprises to be discovered! Hope makes an important announcement to Doug, which has been hinted at throughout the book but comes off as a surprise in the end, really. I’m not used to seeing such big announcements at the end, they usually come about 3/4 of a novel or so.

But what about the characters? Well, I thought they were all an interesting bunch of -sometimes- conflicting points of views and motives. As for Hope herself, she underwent great character development. In my opinion, it was impressively well done. I thought she was very flawed from the get-go, which is rare in fiction for characters tend to be flawed but not enough, but I felt I walked beside her on her personal and professional quest. I had a blast learning about her world, her opinions and desires, and get an inside view at Silicon Valley! So many thrilling events took place in the story, and twists and turns and problems kept occurring—this made me very happy as it kept the reading experience fresh. It was one bad thing over the other, and kept me guessing about what would happen next.

As for the writing, I found I really enjoyed it. It is funny, sincere, true to real life (with exemples such as “matinees” at the cinema and the famous “WTF”). The author doesn’t back down from technological terminology and real life expressions and realities, which makes the story feel more grounded, more tangible, closer to us readers. Her vocabulary is both rich and familiar, which makes for an intriguing and odd combination. But it’s pleasant to read.

The Negative Sides

Well, this might come as a surprise, but the vocabulary itself made it both hard and pleasant to read. Let me explain: I said above that the vocabulary is rich and familiar at the same time, but that’s exactly what clashes in my mind as I read. I’m expecting familiar but I get rich vocabulary… Then, if I expect rich, I get familiar. It’s as though the combination of those two is odd and takes a while to become easy to read. It was still interesting and pleasant, but harder to read.

Lastly, what really bugged me was the adulterous relationship with Doug… this definitely didn’t please me. I despise those from being a child from a family broken by an adulterous relationship. I always try to avoid such reads because, I guess, it’s a trigger for me, or just something I really can’t stand either way (it’s not in my values). It wasn’t badly written, mind you, it’s just it’s not my cup of tea. However, I liked how it ended. It was responsible and mature both from Hope and Doug.

In Conclusion

Overall, this story is surprising, immersive, and friendly (I mean, I felt like I was Hope’s friend, going on her personal and professional development withher). Despite the vocabulary that makes it not confusing but harder to read, I enjoyed this inside look at a startup in Silicon Valley a great deal! I didn’t want to close the book and I found myself wondering about the characters and their situations even when I wasn’t reading. I call that a win! So, for all these reasons, I give Extreme by Joan Gelfand a rating of 4.5 stars out of 5. I recommend this book to fans of contemporary fiction and those interested in everything technology. Also, as an upside, I’m not one for contemporary reads, but this one stood out. Another win!

If you want to learn more about the author, you can visit her Web site, you can also follow her on Twitter and Goodreads. You can also add Extreme to your bookshelves on Goodreads and visit the Extreme the book Web site.

Twisted Reunion: A Book Review

Book Reviews March 6, 2020 Leave a comment

Genre: Horror, Dark Fiction, Thriller

Pages: 280

ASIN: B016PVWZBY

ISBN: 9781938475177)

Format: eBook (Kindle), Hardcover, Audiobook

Publication date: December 22nd, 2015

Publisher: Vincere Press

Type: Short story collection

*I received a free eCopy in exchange for an honest review. No compensation has been given and I write this book review willingly. A big thanks to dear Mark Tullius and BookTasters!*

Introduction:

Last year, I started reading horror. It's a new literary genre for me, although I watch a lot of horror movies. But to this day, I yet hadn't reviewed a book in this genre. So when I saw Twisted Reunion, which offers 28 dark and creepy short stories, I figured it would be the best entrypoint into reviewing horror. Short stories read well and fast, and to be honest, the descriptions of a few of his stories really drew me in. His characters seemed all so different, raw, and his stories indeed twisted and intriguing. I am so glad I received a free eCopy of Twisted Reunion!

The Blurb:

Plunge deep into disturbing darkness with these 28 short stories. Explore heartache, fleeting happiness, and horror in this fascinating collection.

Experience chills as you read these creepy stories and more:

• A pornographer's horrific early morning ritual

• A beautiful baby boy who knows what he wants

• An engineer sees life on the other side of the tracks

• A drug run goes awry

• A family's unique Christmas tradition

• An artist whose paintings become reality

• A man who longs to rid himself of an annoying companion

• A child terrified by things that slither and ooze in the night

• Come join a soldier on the run in the jungle

• An old man's quest for the perfect photo

• A woman who sniffs out killers

• A life coach whose own brand of “therapy” goes way beyond cruel and unusual

• A young man who can't let go of the past

(Seriously, this blurb is everything. These are just a few of his weird, unique ideas which make up his fantastic short story collection.)

The Positive Sides:

First of all, his ideas are really original and creepy and well-advertised as twisted. Each of them either gave me goosebumps or made me feel a weight in my stomach. I love them! Plus, all the situations and characters are so varied! I will definitely read more by this author. Speaking of characters, most of the main characters are likeable and relatable in some way. But gosh, do I freaking hate his villains and antagonists! They are despicable, believable, true to their awful character, and so well done. I also noticed and loved the diversity present in this book! There are people of colours and LGBTQs, among others. It's a really nice touch for minorities to be in stories, and it stays true to us (at least I can say so from the LGBTQ's POV). His characters are of all ages too, which makes the reading even more interesting with a lot of flavour. (It reminds me of BBQ, flavour… Hmmm, BBQ.)

As for the writing itself, I have high praise for him. All of his short stories are expertly structured with the clues cleverly disseminated throughout. They were a pleasure to read, the rhythm was great as well. I loved it! Plus, his dialogues feel natural. They're a lot of fun to read and flow smoothly, back and forth between the characters with ease. It's as though we're eavesdropping. But don't tell them, shhhhh!

Finally, there are a lot of surprises sprinkled in the stories! I had such a blast reading this book. Mostly, when I finished a story, I kept reading another and another and another… just because I wondered "What would he pull out next?!" That's how great this collection is.

The Negative Sides:

Despite all these great points, I've noticed two things that bother me. The first is how in the story "Out There", the name Mike keeps changing to Matt then back to Mike. It's rather annoying and confusing. Also, while his stories are twisted and creepy, they're not scary per se (except for the second one in the collection, this one gave me the creeps, haha!). I think it should be marketed as twisted and dark only, with a dose of horror without it being classified as horror, maybe? But don't get me wrong: they're EXCELLENT! I've enjoyed Tullius's stories a lot, I just think the book isn't labeled correctly. Or maybe it takes a lot to scare me. I'm not sure about which one is the right way to go. Either way, I'm not taking any stars away for this, I just figured it was worth mentioning, that's all.

In Conclusion:

With all these positive sides, such as the originality and creepiness of the stories, as well as the diversity of the characters and the sheer FUN I had reading his book, I give Twisted Reunion by Mark Tullius a rating of 5 out of 5. You can't go wrong with this book, I assure you. It was better than I expected and I was expecting a fun time already. I was surprised, enthralled, shocked, amused, creeped out, and so many other glorious emotions. If you love anything dark, twisted, horror… Give this collection a try, really. Like I said earlier in the review, I will definitely read more by this author, and I think you'd do yourself a favour by doing the same.

If you want to learn more about the author, you can visit his Web site, you can also follow him on Instagram (mark_tullius), Twitter, Amazon author page, Facebook, and Goodreads. Love podcasts? Listen to his. You can also add Twisted Reunion to your bookshelves on Goodreads.

**Please note that there are affiliate links in this post. This means that I make a percentage off your purchase, but it doesn't cost you anything more than the price you pay for your purchase. Thank you very much! 🙂

One More Step (Flash Fiction)

Short Stories January 30, 2016 Comments: 7

One more step…

Dalia bit her lower lip in an attempt to stop it from quivering too much. Tears were rolling down her face as she stared into the vast emptiness before her. Locks of her brown hair were gently brushing her face. The teenager gulped and passed her tongue over her teeth, her mind reeling with all the countless possibilities and consequences of her act. Would she do it? Could she, really? She couldn’t see anything apart the big black void and, somehow, it seemed to try and attract her into its very center.

‘’I can’t!’’ she screamed.

Dalia turned round, her hands covering her face as she cried. She could hear the sound of metal screeching and it terrified her. This emptiness… Was she that desperate? Then, she heard the voice of the only person there with her.

‘’Go on. Jump!’’

She wished he hadn’t talked. Oh, why did people feel the need to talk in such dire moments?

‘’But I’m scared!’’

‘’Everyone is scared at this point,’’ he said, his tone of voice more serious.

Dalia clenched her fists and turned round again, only to face the darkness. Her breathing was shallow and quick and her eyes just wouldn’t leave the void. Where had it gone wrong?

‘’Go on!’’

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She had to regain her composure before the final act. As calmly as she could, Dalia looked up and jumped at the right time.

‘’Gotcha!’’

Dalia beamed up as her hands firmly caught his. Her body was swinging rapidly above the net as her best friend was keeping his legs tightly wrapped around the trapeze. She had made it!

‘’I told you I would catch you,’’ Antoine said. ‘’I’ll always catch you.’’