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Review of 'Mexican Gothic'
After receiving a frantic letter from her newly-wed cousin begging for someone to save her from a mysterious doom, Noemí Taboada heads to High Place, a distant house in the Mexican countryside. She's not sure what she will find--her cousin's husband, a handsome Englishman, is a stranger, and Noemí knows little about the region. Noemí is also an unlikely rescuer: She's a glamorous debutante, and her chic gowns and perfect red lipstick are more suited for cocktail parties than amateur sleuthing. But she's also tough and smart, with an indomitable will, and she is not afraid: Not of her cousin's new husband, who is both menacing and alluring; not of his father, the ancient patriarch who seems to be fascinated by Noemí; and not even of the house itself, which begins to invade Noemi's dreams with visions of blood and doom. Her only ally in this inhospitable abode is the family's youngest son. Shy and gentle, he seems to want to help Noemí, but might also be hiding dark knowledge of his family's past. For there are many secrets behind the walls of High Place. The family's once colossal wealth and faded mining empire kept them from prying eyes, but as Noemí digs deeper she unearths stories of violence and madness. And Noemí, mesmerized by the terrifying yet seductive world of High Place, may soon find it impossible to ever leave this enigmatic house behind.
By Cyn's Workshop5 years ago in Geeks
Review of 'The Lucky List'
The Lucky List is a powerful story of grief, love, and accepting oneself above all else. Amazing Depth One of the major themes that stood out about The Lucky List is how characters deal with grief. Emily’s mother died of cancer three years ago, and she is still reeling. Her mother wholeheartedly believed in good luck, and when she passed, for Emily, it felt like all the luck was gone in the world. She isolated herself from her friends, and her father must sell the house to pay off the medical bills. For Emily, her grief is stopping her from living, from moving on, from connecting to herself.
By Cyn's Workshop5 years ago in Geeks
Review of 'The Diabolic'
The Diabolic follows Nemesis as she takes Sidonia’s place in the treacherous galactic court. Interesting Setting The Diabolic was reminiscent of a space opera that worked. It takes place in the far-off future, after a deep expiration of space. Society is separated by those who live planetside called Excesses, and then the aristocrats who live in domes in space with artificial gravity and weather.
By Cyn's Workshop5 years ago in Geeks
Review of 'Flamefall'
Revolutionary flames ignite around Annie, Lee, and a brand new character in the follow-up to FIREBORNE. After fleeing the revolution and settling into the craggy cliffs of New Pythos, the dragonlords are eager to punish their usurpers and reclaim their city. Their first order of business was destroying the Callipolan food supply. Now they’re coming for the dragonriders. Annie is Callipolis’s new Firstrider, charged with leading the war against New Pythos. But with unrest at home, enforcing the government’s rationing program risks turning her into public enemy number one. Lee struggles to find his place after killing kin for a leader who betrayed him. He can support Annie and the other Guardians…or join the rebels who look to topple the new regime. Griff, a lowborn dragonrider who serves New Pythos, knows he has no future. And now that Julia Stormscourge is no longer there to protect him, he is called on to sacrifice everything for the lords that oppress his people—or to forge a new path with the Callipolan Firstrider seeking his help. With famine tearing Callipolis apart and the Pythians determined to take back what they lost, it will be up to Annie, Lee, and Griff to decide who—and what—to fight for.
By Cyn's Workshop5 years ago in Geeks
Review of 'The First Sister'
Combining the social commentary of The Handmaid's Tale with the white-knuckled thrills of Red Rising, this epic space opera follows a comfort woman as she claims her agency, a soldier questioning his allegiances, and a non-binary hero out to save the solar system. First Sister has no name and no voice. As a priestess of the Sisterhood, she travels the stars alongside the soldiers of Earth and Mars--the same ones who own the rights to her body and soul. When her former captain abandons her, First Sister's hopes for freedom are dashed when she is forced to stay on her ship with no friends, no power, and a new captain--Saito Ren--whom she knows nothing about. She is commanded to spy on Captain Ren by the Sisterhood, but soon discovers that working for the war effort is so much harder to do when you're falling in love. Lito val Lucius climbed his way out of the slums to become an elite soldier of Venus, but was defeated in combat by none other than Saito Ren, resulting in the disappearance of his partner, Hiro. When Lito learns that Hiro is both alive and a traitor to the cause, he now has a shot at redemption: track down and kill his former partner. But when he discovers recordings that Hiro secretly made, Lito's own allegiances are put to the test. Ultimately, he must decide between following orders and following his heart. A stunning and sweeping debut novel that explores the power of technology, colonization, race, and gender, The First Sister is perfect for fans of James S.A. Corey, Chuck Wendig, and Margaret Atwood.
By Cyn's Workshop5 years ago in Geeks
Review of 'The Bane Chronicles'
Fans of The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices can get to know warlock Magnus Bane like never before in this paperback collection of New York Times bestselling tales, each with comic-style art. This collection of eleven short stories illuminates the life of the enigmatic Magnus Bane, whose alluring personality, flamboyant style, and sharp wit populate the pages of the #1 New York Times bestselling series, The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices. Originally released one-by-one as e-only short stories by Cassandra Clare, Maureen Johnson, and Sarah Rees Brennan, this compilation presents all ten together in print and includes a special eleventh tale, as well as eleven comic illustrations. Stories Included: 1. What Really Happened in Peru 2. The Runaway Queen 3. Vampires, Scones, and Edmund Herondale 4. The Midnight Heir 5. The Rise of the Hotel Dumort 6. Saving Raphael Santiago 7. The Fall of the Hotel Dumort 8. What to Buy the Shadowhunter Who Has Everything 9. The Last Stand of the New York Institute 10. The Course of True Love [and First Dates] 11. The Voicemail of Magnus Bane
By Cyn's Workshop5 years ago in Geeks
Review of 'Lies Like Poison'
Riverdale meets Kara Thomas's The Cheerleaders in this electrifying, twisted thriller about estranged friends who reunite when someone commits the murder they'd planned--but didn't go through with--and leaves one of their own to take the fall. Poppy, Lily, and Belladonna would do anything to protect their best friend, Raven. So when they discovered he was suffering abuse at the hands of his stepmother, they came up with a lethal plan: petals of poppy, belladonna, and lily in her evening tea so she'd never be able to hurt Raven again. But someone got cold feet, the plot faded to a secret of the past, and the group fell apart. Three years later, on the eve of Raven's seventeenth birthday, his stepmother turns up dead. But it's only belladonna found in her tea, and it's only Belladonna who's carted off to jail. Desperate for help, Belle reaches out to her estranged friends to prove her innocence. They answer the call, but no one is prepared for what comes next. Now, everyone has something to lose and something equally dangerous to hide. And when the tangled web of secrets and betrayal is finally unwound, what lies at its heart will change the group forever.
By Cyn's Workshop5 years ago in Geeks
