The Power - Book Review

The Power
by Naomi Alderman

What is it about:
In The Power the world is a recognisable place: there's a rich Nigerian kid who larks around the family pool; a foster girl whose religious parents hide their true nature; a local American politician; a tough London girl from a tricky family. But something vital has changed, causing their lives to converge with devastating effect. Teenage girls now have immense physical power - they can cause agonising pain and even death. And, with this small twist of nature, the world changes utterly.

This extraordinary novel by Naomi Alderman, a Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year and Granta Best of British writer, is not only a gripping story of how the world would change if power was in the hands of women but also exposes, with breath-taking daring, our contemporary world.

What did I think of it:
What can I say...

This is a compelling read, but I had some issues it as well.

So teenage girls start developing a supernatural power and soon women start to rise in power and men have to fear for their safety...

Either Alderman doesn't remember how it was to be among other teenage girls, or she was lucky. What I missed in this story and what seemed like a more believable outcome was teenage girls going ballistic and hurting and killing each other over boys and/or clothes or something before anyone even could think of harnessing their power to change society. There was some mention of girls bullying the girls who didn't develop any powers, but nearly not as much as would happen in a situation like this. Either that or teenagers in the Netherlands are apparently a lot more vicious than those in the UK.

That aside this is an interesting read. It's told from several different viewpoints and as always some are more intriguing than others. I didn't much care for the religious parts of the story, I will confess.

Overall it was cool enough that I kept reading even though I had my doubts about how things progressed. Alderman does know how to keep readers engaged.

Why should you read it:
It's a well written Paranormal read.


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Nine of Stars - Early Book Review

Nine of Stars (Wildlands #1 / Dark Alchemy #3)
by Laura Bickle

What is it about:
Winter is the most deadly season in Temperance. And it’s not just because of the fierce cold. Evil is stalking the backcountry of Yellowstone, killing wolves and leaving only their skins behind.

As the snow deepens, Geologist Petra Dee is staring her own death in the face, while former Hanged Man Gabriel struggles with his abrupt transition back to mortality. The ravens and the rest of the Hanged Men are gone, and there are no magical solutions to Petra’s illness or Gabriel’s longing for what he’s lost…and what he stands to lose now.

Meanwhile, there’s a new sheriff in town. Sheriff Owen Rutherford has inherited the Rutherford ranch and the remnants of the Alchemical Tree of Life. He’s also a dangerously haunted man, and his investigation of Sal’s death is leading him right to Gabriel.

It’s up to Petra, her coyote sidekick Sig, and Gabriel to get ahead of both Owen and the unnatural being stalking them all – before the trail turns deathly cold.

What did I think of it:
I pre-ordered this pearl as soon as it was available on bookdepository so I would get my trotters on it as soon as it released. Then the awesome Laura Bickle provided me with an Advance Reader Copy so I could even read it sooner!

And this is such a great read.

This book continues the story lines from the Dark Alchemy books, but is set up in a way that it would work as a first book in a new series for new readers as well. But let me tell you: You want to read all the books in this setting. They're awesome!

I love Petra, Gabe and Sig. They're a good team. Lots of nastiness is coming their way, both supernatural and mundane, but they are doing their best to overcome their problems and to stay alive.

The story switches between Petra and Gabe, and Owen. Usually when a story switches to a character who opposes my favorite characters I don't much like reading from their point of view, but Bickle managed to get me invested and to even root just a little bit for Owen at times.

The ending of this book is quite the cliffhanger, and you bet I'll be getting my greedy trotters on the next book.

All in all an awesome read that I can recommend to anyone who's looking for a cool UF read set outside of the city.


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Teasing on a Thursday - Nine of Stars

She wanted to tell Mike, to warn him there was something weird out there. But there was no way she could go down that rabbit hole of crazy with him and make him believe, not without jeopardizing Gabe and his secrets. Not yet, anyway.

(page 68, Nine of Stars (Uncorrected Proof) by Laura Bickle)


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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

The Sidekick - Guest Post by Laura Bickle + giveaway

A big warm welcome today for one of my favorite authors: Laura Bickle


The Sidekick: Not Always What He Seems
By Laura Bickle

When I was writing NINE OF STARS, I wanted my protagonist to have an animal sidekick. Petra Dee is the daughter of an alchemist, but she’s a geologist who doesn’t practice any magic. She finds herself drawn to an old Gold Rush-era town that was founded by an alchemist a hundred and fifty years ago. Some of that alchemist’s failed experiments still wander the countryside: undead cowboys, basilisks, restless ghosts. Given the magnitude of these threats, I needed to give her a stalwart companion to fight the monsters.

Sig showed up at Petra’s doorstep in search of lunch meat, and Petra has adopted him. He behaves pretty much as an ex-feral dog might: he’s shy around strangers, possessive around food, and loves his blanket. He’s very attached to Petra, and really doesn’t give other people the time of day (unless there’s a food bribe involved). He’s a good source of unconditional love, and he manages to anchor Petra in the daily bits of life.

But the more I wrote about Sig, the more I realized that there was more to him than I originally intended. He has a nose for trouble, and he seems to be able to track magical creatures with uncanny precision. In the prequel book, DARK ALCHEMY, he dug up a magical compass for Petra. He’s able to make friends with wolves, and not immediately become dinner.

When I was looking at Sig through the eyes of wolves, I realized that he might be more. He might be THE Coyote with a capital “C,” come down to earth in a fur-suit for his own purposes.

In that case, he has his own agenda beyond lunch meat and fuzzy blankets. What does he want? How involved is he in the magical mysteries of Temperance, Wyoming? Whose side is he on, other than his own? He certainly knows more than he’s telling.

And it made me realize: Sig is probably not Petra’s sidekick. Petra is Sig’s sidekick. To what end, I’m not entirely sure. But I can’t wait to find out!

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Nine of Stars

From critically acclaimed author Laura Bickle (Dark Alchemy) comes the first novel in the Wildlands series, NINE OF STARS. Longmire meets Patricia Brigg’s Mercy Thompson in this exciting new series that shows how weird and wonderful the West can truly be.

Winter has always been a deadly season in Temperance, but this time, there’s more to fear than just the cold…

As the daughter of an alchemist, Petra Dee has faced all manner of occult horrors – especially since her arrival in the small town of Temperance, Wyoming. But she can’t explain the creature now stalking the backcountry of Yellowstone, butchering wolves and leaving only their skins behind in the snow. Rumors surface of the return of Skinflint Jack, a nineteenth-century wraith that kills in fulfillment of an ancient bargain.

The new sheriff in town, Owen Rutherford, isn’t helping matters. He’s a dangerously haunted man on the trail of both an unsolved case and a fresh kill – a bizarre murder leading him right to Petra’s partner Gabriel. And while Gabe once had little to fear from the mortal world, he’s all too human now. This time, when violence hits close to home, there are no magical solutions.

It’s up to Petra and her coyote sidekick Sig to get ahead of both Owen and the unnatural being hunting them all – before the trail turns deathly cold.

“Bickle is well on her way to establishing her work as a cornerstone of her genre.” – Publishers Weekly Starred Review

“Following the prequels Dark Alchemy and Mercury Retrograde, Bickle’s series launch mixes alchemy, folklore, and Native American traditions with a wintry Western landscape that will intrigue fans of the Weird West subgenre.” – Library Journal

“Full marks to Bickle for being unafraid to shake things up on this still relatively new, but consistently engaging series.” – RT Book Reviews (4 Stars)

Available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and HarperCollins.


Laura Bickle grew up in rural Ohio, reading entirely too many comic books out loud to her favorite Wonder Woman doll. After graduating with an MA in Sociology – Criminology from Ohio State University and an MLIS in Library Science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, she patrolled the stacks at the public library and worked with data systems in criminal justice. She now dreams up stories about the monsters under the stairs, also writing contemporary fantasy novels under the name Alayna Williams. The latest updates on her work can be found at www.laurabickle.com.

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Giveaway:

I'm giving a print copy of either Dark Alchemy, or Mercury Retrograde to one reader of my blog.
(see my two previous posts for info on the books)

Rules:
- Leave a comment on this post
- Leave a way for me to contact you
- You have until December 26, 2016 to comment, a winner will be randomly selected soon after.

Open to anyone who lives somewhere bookdepository ships to and is legally allowed to enter this giveaway


Pearl Cast Before A McPig is not responsible for books that get lost in the mail.

Mercury Retrograde - Book Review (repost)

Today a repost of my review of Mercury Retrograde.

Stay tuned for a guest post with giveaway tomorrow.


Mercury Retrograde (Dark Alchemy #2)
by Laura Bickle

What is it about:
Something venomous has come to Temperance...

It's been two months since Petra Dee and her coyote sidekick Sig faced off against Temperance's resident alchemist, but things are far from quiet. When an Internet video of a massive snake in the backcountry of Yellowstone goes viral, a chase for the mythical basilisk is on. Monster hunters swarm into the area, and never one to pass up the promise of discovery, Petra joins in the search.

Among the newcomers is a snake cult on wheels―the biker gang Sisters of Serpens. Unlike some, the Sisters don't want to kill the basilisk―they want to worship it. But things get complicated when the basilisk develops a taste for human flesh that rivals the Sisters' own murderous skills.

Meanwhile, the alchemical tree of life is dying, and the undead Hanged Men of Temperance who depend on it know the basilisk may be their last chance for survival.

With time running out for everyone around her, Petra will be forced to decide who survives and who she must leave behind.

What did I think of it:
I'm a total fanpiggy when it comes to Laura Bickle, so it might not surprise you I got my trotters on this book as soon as I could. I even debated if I should get the ebook, so I could read it sooner, but I wanted the print version to hug and pet.

And this book was worth the extra wait.

I love Petra and Sig, they're an awesome team. Petra has had enough happening to her she's sensible and smart. She doesn't just run into things blind. That doesn't mean she's not caught by surprise at times.

There's lots going on: a big nasty basilisk, the tree of life is dying, Gabe not recognizing Petra, and lots more. I was hooked from the start. Will Petra be able to defend herself when she encounters the basilisk? Will Gabe recover his memories? Can they help each other stay alive? And what's going on with Cal?

This book is action-packed and at times grim. I feared for the life of some of my favorite characters. There are wins and losses along the way, and the ending gives hope and closure on some things, but also gives a glimpse of more nastiness coming Petra's way.

You can bet I'll be getting my trotters on the next book!

Why should you read it:
It's an awesome Dark Fantasy read.

Dark Alchemy - Book Review (repost)

Next week Nine of Stars by Laura Bickle releases. It's first in a new series, but there's a prequel series to it that is awesome as well.

This week I'll be reposting my reviews of the prequel books, there will be a guest post by Laura Bickle with a giveaway, I will post a teaser of Nine of Stars, and I'll post a review of the book as well.

So stay tuned!


Dark Alchemy (Dark Alchemy #1)
by Laura Bickle

What is it about:
Geologist Petra Dee arrives in Wyoming looking for clues to her father's disappearance years before. What she finds instead is Temperance, a dying Western town with a gold rush past and a meth-infested present. But under the town's dust and quiet, an old power is shifting.

When bodies start turning up - desiccated and twisted skeletons that Petra can't scientifically explain - her investigations land her in the middle of a covert war between the town's most powerful interests. Petra's father wasn't the only one searching for the alchemical secrets of Temperance, and those still looking are now ready to kill.

Armed with nothing but shaky alliances, a pair of antique guns, and a relic she doesn't understand, the only thing Petra knows for sure is that she and her coyote sidekick are going to have to move fast, or die next.

What did I think of it:
I'm a big fan of Laura Bickle, so I was very excited when I got the opportunity to read an ARC of Dark Alchemy.

And this book is so good!

Petra is someone who's had some hard blows dealt to her by life, and hopes to find some peace in Temperance. Looking for her father is part of trying to get her life back under control.

Instead of finding peace she's thrown into chaos though.

I loved Petra. She's a survivor. She also is someone who cares about others more than herself, and that makes her a bit rash at times. Throwing herself in danger to help others. She even befriends a coyote, who soon becomes her sidekick, helping her in ways that go beyond the loyalty of an ordinary pet.

And then there's Gabe.

Gabe is one of those people who Petra tries to help, but he's not as human as Petra thinks he is. He is mysterious, a bit creepy, and more than intriguing. Some parts of this story are told through his eyes, making you understand a little of what he is and what he feels. I absolutely loved Gabe from the start.

I loved the mood of this book. It's dark and intense, as is the story. I was totally engrossed in it and had a hard time putting it down. I wanted to keep reading and find out if Petra would conquer the ghost of her past, and would uncover the secrets of Temperance.

This book made me fear for the lives of my favorite characters, it gave me chills, and it made me cry. It's a very intense and beautiful read.

I'm eagerly awaiting the next book in this series, because I want more.

Why should you read it:
It's a beautifully dark read.


Find buy links here

Graceling - Book Review (repost)

Graceling (Graceling Realm #1)
by Kristin Cashore

What is it about:
Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight - she's a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king's thug.

When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change.

She never expects to become Po's friend.

She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace - or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away...

What did I think of it:
This is a really cool read.

I wasn't so sure about Katsa at first, she seemed to act a bit too much as a victim when I thought that wasn't necessary. But it turned out that her behavior and the role she lets herself be put into were big parts of the story, which is as much about the mystery Katsa and Po try to solve, as it is about Katsa's transformation.

And Katsa's transformation is a really beautiful story to read. I liked how Cashore doesn't shy away from touchy subjects like premarital sex, and a woman's place in a medieval/fantasy marriage without it taking away from the flow of the story. She doesn't treat her YA readers as if they're too fragile to handle these issues.

The mystery Katsa and Po have to solve, and the journey they take is also very intriguing. I liked how they became friends along the way and how they interacted. There was heartache, cool action, intrigue and more. Everything I could wish for in a good Fantasy adventure. There were some things you could see coming from miles and miles away, but that didn't spoil my enjoyment.

The world building fell a bit short at times. There's all these people with graces, skills that are so advanced and better than in normal people, but I felt that they weren't explained enough. How common or uncommon are they exactly? Are some graces more common than others? I think they were supposed to be very uncommon, but Katsa keeps running into graced people once she leaves the castle she grew up in. I wanted to know more than was told.

But that one grumbling aside I really liked this book, and I will most certainly read the other books in this series as well.

Why should you read it:
It's a very enjoyable YA Fantasy read.