My Languishing TBR: Z #AtoZChallenge2023 #Books #BookReviews

Z is for ZZZ

I’m doing folklore and book review posts to reach and please a larger audience. Previous years have shown select interest in both and to minimise blogging throughout the year, I’m focusing my efforts on April.

Focusing on an A to Z of my TBR (to be read) list, each letter will have books starting with that letter on my list, a book I’ve read and reviewed (with the review!) and one of my books matching the letter with a link about more info about the book (I’ve published some new books, so take a look).

I chose the books this year quite randomly from my Goodreads Want to Read page. Some are quite creatively added to letters.

I know there were suggestions in last year’s Reflection post that I skip my TBR and just get on with the review, but I like knowing what I have left to read for each letter (and how far I’ve come with all the reading challenges I’ve done) so things are staying the same. Scroll down to the reviews if you’re not interested in what my TBR still contains. FYI, you might encounter issues with commenting if you don’t tick all the boxes marked as mandatory (especially the privacy one).

Let the fun begin!

If you’d rather check out my folklore post for today, go here.

My TBR

About the Books I’ve Read

So I had something else lined up for today (see awesome series above), but I haven’t even finished book one, so I decided to rather share my DNF books for this challenge: the books I originally had lined up for certain letters that didn’t pan out.

About the Book

Daughter of Isis by Kelsey Ketch

“Her mouth parted slightly, waiting for Seth to breathe life into her own body, just like in the story. She wanted him to awaken her senses.”

Their worlds collide in California’s high desert.

The last thing Natara “Natti” Stone wants to do is to start anew at Setemple High School. She wished she had never left London. Yet the brutal murder of her maternal grandmother has made her life very complicated. The only clue related to her murder is an ancient, encrypted necklace Natti discovered after her grandmother’s death. And if trying to adjust to American life is not enough, Natti is being stalked by a mysterious, charming high school senior, Seth O’Keefe, who is annoyingly persistent in his attempts at seduction.

Seth O’Keefe is secretly a member of the Sons of Set, an order that worships the Egyptian god of chaos. Seth’s blessing from Set, his “charm,” never failed, except with one person: Natti Stone. Her ability to elude him infatuates and infuriates him, and he becomes obsessed with the chase. But the closer he gets to her, the more his emotions take a dangerous turn, and he risks breaking one of the most valued covenants of his order. The punishment for which is a fate worse than death.

The adventure this unlikely couple becomes engulfed in could cost them their lives and their souls.

*Note: Content for Upper YA*

Check it out on Goodreads

My Review

Egyptian mythology, secret societies, murder – and high school drama. What’s not to love?

Not for those on the younger end of the YA readership as this book deals with barely consensual sex (charming someone with magic to have sex with you or others is as good as using a date-rape drug), human sacrifice, a cult of idiot men worshipping Set and revelling in stealing, lying, cheating and raping – all while believing they’re in the right. Did I mention the Sons of Set believe in enslaving, selling and raping women to be a good thing? Yeah, not for sensitive readers.

Great villain redemption arc for Seth, though. For most of the book you want to hit him in the face with a mace – the medieval kind. But he grows and changes, becoming a good guy (so to speak).

Natara is okay. She’s your average Chosen One (without any knowledge thereof) who is new in a small town and attracts the interest of all the cool kids and the villains (with a twist on the how’s and why’s). The best thing about her is her cat. And perhaps her knowledge of who is lying and who isn’t.

It ends quite graphically and on a cliffhanger.

The murder mystery remains a mystery (probably what kept me reading to the end) and why they moved specifically to a place so like Egypt even though her father detests anything Egyptian is never answered.

Some typos, but not enough to be a big bother – except when the cat “whales” instead of “wails” which in the context of magic made me expect something oceany to happen in the desert. LOL.

A fast-paced plot that kept me hooked – and reading past bedtime – until the end.

Trigger warnings: rape, barely consensual sex, drug abuse, kidnapping, enslavement, murder, torture, mind control.

About the Book

Son of Set by Kelsey Ketch

“. . . the Sons would never just let him go—alive.”

Seth O’Keefe has broken the laws of his god. He never thought he would sacrifice his own future to protect a Daughter of Isis. But when the Sons of Set discovered Natti is the Secret Keeper, he had no choice. Now, Seth and Natti are on the run from his father, who wants nothing more than to see Seth dead. With no allies, Seth turns to the Daughters of Isis for help, hoping they would protect Natti. But when they meet the Daughters, he discovers a secret that puts both their lives in more danger. Low on options, Seth sees only one possibility for survival. He must help Natti solve an ancient puzzle and find the secret name of Ra.

Natara “Natti” Stone is having a hard time swallowing the truth. She can’t believe what she has learned in the past twenty-four hours: Seth is a Son of Set blessed with charm; she is a Daughter of Isis blessed with a sliver of Ma ‘at; the locket her grandmother gave her holds an ancient Egyptian secret linking to Osiris and Isis. That along with being tortured and brutalized by the Sons of Set, she can hardly hold herself together. Thank God for Seth’s touch! That warm, tingling sensation that drowns it all out. Yet her heart struggles to stay focused. She must quickly embrace her destiny before the secret name of Ra falls into the wrong hands.

*Note: Content for Upper YA*

Check it out on Goodreads

My Review

As much as I enjoy dark fantasy, secret societies and Egyptian mythology, this book isn’t for me. Especially when Sean (the super bad guy) somehow evokes lust (and more) over a distance in Natti, leaving her scared and violated. So no.

DNF 9 %

DNF series

About the Book

Kingdom of Embers by Tricia Copeland

Her pale skin and weird diet make her a target at school. If only they knew the truth about her feeding habits…

Seventeen-year-old Alena Scott is tired of pretending to be something she’s not. As an outlawed vampire-witch hybrid, she’s forced to abide by the oppressive secrecy imposed by her Vampire Chancellor mother. But she’ll have to ignore the rules when she comes face-to-face with a handsome, full-grown version of her childhood imaginary friend.

Shocked that he recognizes her as his own pretend play pal, the two embark on a quest to solve the mystery of their fantasized companionship. And as they unravel their entwined destinies, Alena realizes she holds the key to a curse which could free them all—or condemn witchkind to eternal suffering.

Can Alena and her impossibly familiar partner reverse an ancient spell before they’re sent to a mortal grave?

Kingdom of Embers is the first book in the enthralling Kingdom Journals YA urban fantasy series. If you like intriguing characters, shadowy magic, and a fresh twist on modern vampire storylines, then you’ll love Tricia Copeland’s heart-stopping tale.

Buy Kingdom of Embers to embrace a prophetic fate today!

Check it out on Goodreads.

My Review

It began well enough: high school drama, murder, witches, and vampires. But then saying that Eve lay with the serpent in the Garden of Eden… Grr. You can do what you want with folklore, but leave living religions alone – even if you don’t believe.

DNF

DNF series

About the Book

A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan

You, dear reader, continue at your own risk. It is not for the faint of heart—no more so than the study of dragons itself. But such study offers rewards beyond compare: to stand in a dragon’s presence, even for the briefest of moments—even at the risk of one’s life—is a delight that, once experienced, can never be forgotten. . . .

All the world, from Scirland to the farthest reaches of Eriga, know Isabella, Lady Trent, to be the world’s preeminent dragon naturalist. She is the remarkable woman who brought the study of dragons out of the misty shadows of myth and misunderstanding into the clear light of modern science. But before she became the illustrious figure we know today, there was a bookish young woman whose passion for learning, natural history, and, yes, dragons defied the stifling conventions of her day.

Here at last, in her own words, is the true story of a pioneering spirit who risked her reputation, her prospects, and her fragile flesh and bone to satisfy her scientific curiosity; of how she sought true love and happiness despite her lamentable eccentricities; and of her thrilling expedition to the perilous mountains of Vystrana, where she made the first of many historic discoveries that would change the world forever.

Check it out on Goodreads.

My Review

Usually, I like memoirs. But the tone of this fictional one is quite tedious – even with the excitement of dragons. I tried to get used to the style, but when a dog, horse, and dragon were slaughtered in quick succession, I knew this is not the book for me. In fiction, as long as the animals are okay, I’m fine with the violence done to people.

DNF 9%

DNF series

About the Book

The Overstory by Richard Powers

The Overstory is a sweeping, impassioned work of activism and resistance that is also a stunning evocation of – and paean to – the natural world. From the roots to the crown and back to the seeds, Richard Powers’s twelfth novel unfolds in concentric rings of interlocking fables that range from antebellum New York to the late twentieth-century Timber Wars of the Pacific Northwest and beyond. There is a world alongside ours—vast, slow, interconnected, resourceful, magnificently inventive, and almost invisible to us. This is the story of a handful of people who learn how to see that world and who are drawn up into its unfolding catastrophe.

Check it out on Goodreads.

My Review

I love trees. But what the blurb promised (and I imagined) is not how the book turned out… I’m off to spend some time outside instead.

DNF 1%

About the Book

The River Witch by Helena Rookwood

The Kingdom of Faerie has been sleeping for centuries, through the ages of iron and metal and glass. But now technology has failed, the digital world is over and, finally, something has disturbed the fae from slumber…

Or should I say someone?

Tabitha didn’t mean to start it all. She didn’t know what it was that she interrupted when she stumbled across the ritual in the woods. But that night everyone felt something shift, when she unleashed a force so powerful that it echoed across worlds…

Now the little folk have begun wreaking havoc, something old and terrible has woken up in the river, and a mysterious thief has come looking for Tabitha.

Forced to leave her village in search of the fabled Iron City, home to the only humans who still have any memory of the fae, Tabitha’s only guide to this strange new world is A Compendium of Faerie, a book of fairytales left to her by her mother.

Will a simple book of stories be enough to defend Tabitha against this new world of magic?

The River Witch is the first in a new fairytale-inspired fantasy series set in post-technology Britain.

Check it out on Goodreads.

My Review

I liked the prequel and looked forward to reading this. But ten chapters in, it feels like nothing has really happened. Almost like with the Lord of the Rings with the slow pace of examining the landscape… What happened in ten chapters, at a proper pace, could have happened in two. So much inner reflection, anger, silly choices – and scenes from others’ POV – just doesn’t pull me in or keeps me interested.

I like the premise, but not the execution.

DNF 42%

DNF series

About the Book

The Howling Hag Mystery by Nicki Thornton

Raven Charming knows the rules of using magic in the real world. So she is horrified to uncover the worst kind of trickery in her village. Luckily, help is at hand – a sharp-talking black cat called Nightshade with a talent for solving magical mysteries…

Check it out on Goodreads.

My Review

When the most interesting character is a cat, you know there’s something missing in the main character.

The dialogue is clunky with loads of info dumps – that shouldn’t even be happening according to the rules the witches have of keeping everything secret.

What the new boy in town knows about witches is mostly from Roald Dahl’s book “The Witches”.

But what irked me was Raven’s mother saying the new boy was spraying her with water when she rode her bike past his house because he likes her/wants to be friends. Honestly, telling little girls that boys bullying them is a show of affection is complete BS and harmful: how many women in abusive adult relationships don’t continue to believe that lie?

Too many issues for me to continue this book.

DNF 23%

About the Book

Don’t Forget to Breathe by Cathrina Constantine

Leocadia arrives home from school to find her mom’s body. Unaware that the killer still lingers, she rushes to her mother’s side, only to be grabbed from behind. And everything fades to black.

Leo has been battling personal demons after a year of retrograde amnesia. She’s been having vivid dreams of that day. And her dreams are getting worse—she’s starting to remember. Two more bodies are discovered and they are oddly linked to her mom’s unsolved homicide.

Leo befriends her new neighbor. He’s eager to visit Star Hallow’s notorious haunted mansion. It’s located on a deserted cul-de-sac where she once lived and where her mom was murdered. But it’s the Lucien Estate, the mansion next door to her old home, where they happen upon misty ghosts, ghosts that just might help to unravel the homicides.

Will Leo’s memories send her reeling into a relapse, or will she be able to overcome her demons to find her mother’s killer – only to become the next victim?

Check it out on Goodreads.

My Review

I like the cover. I find the blurb intriguing. But Henry the creep groping her and then gaslighting her – and then she says he’s a nice guy…? Urgh. Nope, not for me.

DNF 7%

About the Book

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

Under the streets of London there’s a world most people could never even dream of. A city of monsters and saints, murderers and angels, knights in armour and pale girls in black velvet.

“Neverwhere” is the London of the people who have fallen between the cracks.

Strange destinies lie in wait in London below – a world that seems eerily familiar. But a world that is utterly bizarre, peopled by unearthly characters such as the Angel called Islington, the girl named Door, and the Earl who holds Court on a tube train.

Now a single act of kindness has catapulted young businessman Richard Mayhew out of his safe and predictable life – and into the realms of “Neverwhere.” Richard is about to find out more than he ever wanted to know about this other London. Which is a pity. Because Richard just wants to go home…

Check it out on Goodreads.

My Review

Too many POVs in a short amount of time. And nothing to keep me hooked.

DNF 4%

About the Book

The Sin Eater’s Daughter by Melinda Salisbury

Sixteen-year-old Twylla lives in the castle. But although she’s engaged to the prince, no one speaks to her. No one even looks at her. Because Twylla isn’t a member of the court. She’s the executioner. As the goddess-embodied, Twylla kills with a single touch. So each week, she’s taken to the prison and forced to lay her hands on those accused of treason. No one will ever love her. Who could care for a girl with murder in her veins? Even the prince, whose royal blood supposedly makes him immune to her touch, avoids her.

But then a new guard arrives, a boy whose playful smile belies his deadly swordsmanship. And unlike the others, he’s able to look past Twylla’s executioner robes and see the girl, not the goddess. Yet a treasonous romance is the least of Twylla’s problems. The queen has a plan to destroy her enemies-a plan that requires an unthinkable sacrifice. Will Twylla do what it takes to protect her kingdom? Or will she abandon her duty in favor of a doomed love?

Check it out on Goodreads.

My Review

An interesting premise. The story flowed well-enough until about midway where it stagnated before having staccato action until the end.

Loads of twists and turns with enough mystery to keep one reading.

I liked the use of the Pied Piper as the backstory for another kingdom.

The characters, except for the queen, don’t really stand for anything and allow life to happen to them. Without the queen, there’d be no story.

I didn’t like the spelling of Leif as Lief – it means love in my mother tongue, so it tripped me up, especially as the first spelling is the one I’m used to.

The plot – murder, betrothals, espionage, betrayal – is good enough to keep one reading.

About the Book

The Sleeping Prince by Melinda Salisbury

Return to the darkly beautiful world of The Sin Eater’s Daughter with a sequel that will leave you awed, terrified . . . and desperate for more.

Ever since her brother Lief disappeared, Errin’s life has gone from bad to worse. Not only must she care for her sick mother, she has to scrape together rent money by selling illegal herbal cures. But none of that compares to the threat of the vengeful Sleeping Prince whom the Queen just awoke from his enchanted sleep.

When her village is evacuated as part of the war against the Sleeping Prince, Errin is left desperate and homeless. The only person she can turn to is the mysterious Silas, a young man who buys deadly poisons from Errin, but won’t reveal why he needs them. Silas promises to help her, but when he vanishes, Errin must journey across a kingdom on the brink of war to seek another way to save her mother and herself. But what she finds shatters everything she believed about her world, and with the Sleeping Prince drawing nearer, Errin must make a heartbreaking choice that could affect the whole kingdom.

Check it out on Goodreads.

My Review

It has all this staccato action with no relief. It starts with a character that one has no idea who it is supposed to be until it is revealed a couple of pages in – as I hadn’t reread the blurb before reading, this was irritating.

But I wanted to know more about the Sleeping Prince…

What bothered me most about this book is the author’s obvious lack of knowledge where it comes to horses. “…I see how messily she drinks.” Horses don’t drink water the way dogs do: they basically sip it up much like one would through a straw – no matter how thirsty they are. Also, they need more than an apple and a sip of water from her water skein over the course of two days of hard riding: horses are constantly grazing when they don’t take their short naps that pass for sleep. So there’s no way a horse could carry this girl at a trot for an entire day with only drinking once and never resting or eating. And then she ties the horse up for the night with the tack still on – with no chance to rest, drink water or graze. I tried to read past this, but her only true concern is herself – not the welfare of the animal she uses like a machine.

I liked the apothecary and alchemy aspects of the book, I liked the fairy tale elements, but this book goes from one major disaster/event in Errin’s life to the next. And I’m not even sure I like the book and we’re past the midpoint, so no.

DNF 59%

DNF series

About the Book

The Warrior’s Path by Catherine M Wilson

When she was a child, the author of When Women Were Warriors happily identified with all the male heroes she read about in stories that began, “Once upon a time, a young man went out to seek his fortune.” But she would have been delighted to discover even one story like that with a female protagonist. Since she never did find the story she was looking for all those years ago, she decided to write it.

In Book I of the trilogy, Tamras arrives in Merin’s house to begin her apprenticeship as a warrior, but her small stature causes many, including Tamras herself, to doubt that she will ever become a competent swordswoman. To make matters worse, the Lady Merin assigns her the position of companion, little more than a personal servant, to a woman who came to Merin’s house, seemingly out of nowhere, the previous winter, and this stranger wants nothing to do with Tamras.

Check it out on Goodreads.

My Review

This series came highly recommended, but the story was told instead of drawing me in and showing me the emotions of the characters – with loads of info dumping. And some minor grammar issues (mainly the comma not being with “too” where it should) bothered me. The covers of this series aren’t what one expects from either epic fantasy or historical novels. There were also formatting issues with this Smashwords edition with everything running together instead of being laid out in chapters. And let’s not get into the blurb…

Not for me.

DNF 3 %.

DNF series

About the Book

Ashlords by Scott Reintgen

Red Rising meets The Scorpio Races in this epic fantasy following three phoenix horse riders–skilled at alchemy–who must compete at The Races–the modern spectacle that has replaced warfare within their empire.

Every year since the Ashlords were gifted phoenix horses by their gods, they’ve raced them. First into battle, then on great hunts, and finally for the pure sport of seeing who rode the fastest. Centuries of blood and fire carved their competition into a more modern spectacle: The Races.

Over the course of a multi-day event, elite riders from clashing cultures vie to be crowned champion. But the modern version of the sport requires more than good riding. Competitors must be skilled at creating and controlling phoenix horses made of ash and alchemy, which are summoned back to life each sunrise with uniquely crafted powers to cover impossible distances and challenges before bursting into flames at sunset. But good alchemy only matters if a rider knows how to defend their phoenix horse at night. Murder is outlawed, but breaking bones and poisoning ashes? That’s all legal and encouraged.

In this year’s Races, eleven riders will compete, but three of them have more to lose than the rest–a champion’s daughter, a scholarship entrant, and a revolutionary’s son. Who will attain their own dream of glory? Or will they all flame out in defeat?

Check it out on Goodreads.

My Review

The first chapter with the phoenix horse is awesome. Chapter two with the rebels was meh. And the tone and choice of POV in chapter three was downright confusing and repels me as a reader. Not interested in being confused.

DNF 9%

DNF series

About the Book

Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding

Meet Bridget Jones —a 30-something Singleton who is certain she would have all the answers if she could:
a. lose 7 pounds
b. stop smoking
c. develop Inner Poise

“129 lbs. (how is it possible to put on 4 pounds in the middle of the night? Could flesh have somehow solidified becoming denser and heavier? Repulsive, horrifying notion), alcohol units 4 (excellent), cigarettes 21 (poor but will give up totally tomorrow), number of correct lottery numbers 2 (better, but nevertheless useless)…”

“Bridget Jones’ Diary” is the devastatingly self-aware, laugh-out-loud daily chronicle of Bridget’s permanent, doomed quest for self-improvement — a year in which she resolves to: reduce the circumference of each thigh by 1.5 inches, visit the gym three times a week not just to buy a sandwich, form a functional relationship with a responsible adult – and learn to program the VCR.

Over the course of the year, Bridget loses a total of 72 pounds but gains a total of 74. She remains, however, optimistic. Through it all, Bridget will have you helpless with laughter, and — like millions of readers the world round — you’ll find yourself shouting, “Bridget Jones is me!”

Check it out on Goodreads.

My Review

I enjoyed the films Bridget Jones’s Diary and Bridge Jones: The Edge of Reason (probably because of Colin Firth and Hugh Grant). And thought I’d enjoy the books, too. Alas, the obsession with food and a boyfriend, tone, and obnoxious people had me lose interest before bonding with the character.

DNF 6%

DNF series

About the Book

The Wood Queen by Karen Mahoney

Donna Underwood is in deep trouble.An ancient alchemical order is holding her accountable for destroying the last precious drops of the elixar of life. Never mind the fact that Donna was acting to free her friend, Navin, from the dangerous clutches of the Wood Queen at the time. But what the alchemists have in store is nothing compared to the wrath of the fey. The Wood Queen has been tricked and Donna must pay. Get ready for all hell – quite literally – to break loose…

Check it out on Goodreads.

My Review

The first book in the series didn’t exactly impress me, but I’d read it to the end as it had a couple of good things going for it. But this one feels like a lot of exposition with a dose of self-pity.

DNF 4%

DNF series

About the Book

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Every year, the Scorpio Races are run on the beaches of Skarmouth. Every year, the sea washes blood from the sand. To race the savage water horses can mean death, but the danger is irresistible.

When Puck enters the races to save her family, she is drawn to the mysterious Sean, the only person on the island capable of taming the beasts.

Even if they stay together, can they stay alive?

A breathtaking ride that will make your heart race.

Check it out on Goodreads.

My Review

There’s no explanation as to why anyone would want to take part in the Scorpio Races. Just death and glory.

The waterhorses were awesome.

The whole Mutt and Sean thing was tedious.

Gabe needs to be shaken.

Puck and Dove were cute.

The writing is engaging and one does want to know about the races and how they came to be.

And though I have no issue with the gruesome start of the novel, having a dog torn apart triggered me. (I would have been fine with the bowler hat guy being torn to pieces by the waterhorse.)

So it’s a DNF for me at 18%.

DNF

About the Book

One for All by Lillie Lainoff

An OwnVoices, gender-bent retelling of The Three Musketeers, in which a girl with a chronic illness trains as a Musketeer and uncovers secrets, sisterhood, and self-love.

Tania de Batz is most herself with a sword in her hand. Everyone in town thinks her near-constant dizziness makes her weak, nothing but “a sick girl”; even her mother is desperate to marry her off for security. But Tania wants to be strong, independent, a fencer like her father—a former Musketeer and her greatest champion.

Then Papa is brutally, mysteriously murdered. His dying wish? For Tania to attend finishing school. But L’Académie des Mariées, Tania realizes, is no finishing school. It’s a secret training ground for a new kind of Musketeer: women who are socialites on the surface, but strap daggers under their skirts, seduce men into giving up dangerous secrets, and protect France from downfall. And they don’t shy away from a swordfight.

With her newfound sisters at her side, Tania feels for the first time like she has a purpose, like she belongs. But then she meets Étienne, her first target in uncovering a potential assassination plot. He’s kind, charming, and breathlessly attractive—and he might have information about what really happened to her father. Torn between duty and dizzying emotion, Tania will have to lean on her friends, listen to her own body, and decide where her loyalties lie…or risk losing everything she’s ever wanted.

This debut novel is a fierce, whirlwind adventure about the depth of found family, the strength that goes beyond the body, and the determination it takes to fight for what you love.

Check it out on Goodreads.

My Review

I wanted to like this book. I mean, I’ve loved so many variations of the Musketeers that I was ready to love this story, too.

But she says she hates her father’s horse. Just because. I took a deep breath, decided not to DNF on that basis alone, and read on.

But the book is riddled with words that don’t belong – meaning that they don’t mean what the author thinks they do (e.g. used “attested” instead of “protested”). Every time a word is used where it shouldn’t be, changing the meaning and thus contradicting other actions of a character, it pulls me from the story and makes it less enjoyable to read. Then there’s the overuse of a thesaurus: I have a big vocabulary, but some words were so unfamiliar to me to the extent that I couldn’t infer their meaning from the surrounding text. It’s hard enough to keep up with all the French sprinkled throughout.

The fencing scenes were good – which kept me reading despite the above issues. And the chronic illness the MC deals with that is still misdiagnosed today is a good touch.

But this far into the book and I don’t like any of the characters or care what they’re up to – and I’m mostly irritated because of the language – means I should stop.

Her hating a horse, though, should have made me stop reading hours ago…

DNF 33%

My Book

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