Search Image - Review

Title:  Search Image

Author: Julie E. Czerneda

Series:  Web Shifter’s Library

Synopsis:     “Esen’s back!  And the dear little blob is in trouble, again.

     “Things began so well.  She and her Human friend Paul Ragem are ready to celebrate the first anniversary of their greatest accomplishment, the All Species’ Library of Linguistics and Culture, by welcoming his family back – at least, he hopes so.  Having mourned his supposed death years ago, understandably, his family’s feelings are mixed.

     “Instead, they’ve unexpected guests, starting with an old acquaintance who brings unwelcome news.  Paul’s father has gone missing under dire circumstances.

     “Before Paul can convince Esen to help him search, a friend shows up to use the Library.  A crisis on Dokeci Na is about to explode into violence.  To stop it, Evan Gooseberry needs answers.  Unfortunately, the artifact he brought in trade holds its own distracting secret.  A touch of very familiar blue.  Web-flesh.

     “The race is on.  Paul, to find his father.  Esen, to search for a mysterious legacy while helping Evan avert an extinction.  What none of them realize is the price of success will be the most terrible choice of all.”

Review:  It’s been 15 years since the last Esen novel.  I’ve missed her so much!  I had no idea that Search Image was coming out until late August.  At first I just noticed it was a new novel by Julie E. Czerneda, which makes it a must read.  But then I noticed the words Web Shifter on the cover and I freaked out.  I jumped up and down and there were wordless noises coming out of my mouth.  Excited, does not do how I felt right then justice.  Ecstatic might be closer, but still falls short of fully describing the joy I felt in my soul at the realization that there was going to be a new Esen story in my life. 

***WARNING, Past this point there are minor spoilers.  No major plot spoilers though***

    

     Now that I have read it, my joy is still bubbling out of me uncontrollably.  I have told all of the readers in my life that they MUST read this book.  I love the realization of the Library and what it means to Es (I can call her Es because I think we would be friends), and what it means to Paul.  I could have read an entire novel this same length just about them running the library and attempting to reunite Paul with his family.  But there’s more!  We meet some new characters.  Evan (we actually met him in The Only Thing To Fear) is wonderful.  I really like him.  He’s afraid of everything.  Spiders, snakes, fruitcake (let’s be honest, isn’t everyone a little afraid of fruitcake?) but he pushes through those fears and is the bravest character in the whole novel.  I also really like Lambo, which I’m picturing looking vaguely crablike.  Some of our old favorite characters are back.  I love the relationship between Es and Paul, we should all be so lucky to have a friendship like that! 

     Once I started reading Search Image I could not put it down.  I laughed, I cried; I’ll be honest, I hugged and smelled it quite a few times.  I couldn’t help myself.  I was so happy to have it in my hands.  No offense to any other authors, but this was the best book I have read so far this year.  It was amazing, and I cannot wait for the next one.  But the ending!  Oh my! I won’t nag repeatedly, I promise.  But, when can we expect another novel about our favorite blue blob Julie? 

Publisher: DAW

If you like this book you may want to read:

Species Imperative Series by Julie E. Czerneda

The Silver Ships (Silver Ships #1) by S. H. Jucha; read BookGirlR’s review here

Seveneves by Neal Stephenson; read BookGirlR’s review here

The Chrysalis - Review

Title:  The Chrysalis

Author:  Brendan Deneen

Synopsis:   “Welcome to the dark side of suburbia.

     “Barely employed millennials Tom and Jenny Decker have to grow up fast when they lose their cheap Manhattan apartment.  Leaving “the city” is hard, but the blow is softened when they stumble upon a surprisingly affordable house in the suburbs.

     “For Tom, the bills, the mortgage, and Jenny’s unexpected pregnancy add up to terror.  He’s not ready for this kind of responsibility.

     “Then he finds the thing in the basement.  It makes him feel like a winner even as it scrambles his senses.  A new job soon has him raking in the big bucks – enough that Jenny can start making her entrepreneurial dreams come true.  

     “The Deckers’ dream home conceals more than one deadly secret.  As Tom’s obsession with the basement grows, Jenny realizes that to save her family, she must expose everything.  Before it destroys them all.

     “No one ever really wants to grow up… but sometimes behaving like an adult is the only way to survive.”

Review:  The story starts out with a brutal murder, and then cuts to a stereotypical millennial couple moving to the suburb.  The Chrysalis is engaging enough that I found myself thinking about it when I was doing other things.  While reading the first half of the novel I didn’t have a problem putting it down when my reading time was over and I had to do other things, like make dinner or go to work.  The second half of the novel I could not put down.  I read it in one go, at bedtime, and then couldn’t sleep because I was afraid that I was going to have nightmares. 

     

     ***It’s a new release, so I won’t post any major spoilers.  But there are a few minor ones below.***

     At first I felt bad for the characters, especially Tom.  He gives up a lot to provide for his little family and it had to be hard.  In his mind he is basically selling out by taking the sales job that allows him to be a provider.  And Jenny, getting fired from her job just when she finds out that she is pregnant, is dealt what had to be a devastating blow emotionally.  Things go from bad to worse when Tom discovers the chrysalis in the basement.  I’m going to admit that it took me a long time to realize that the chrysalis in the basement symbolizes addiction, and that the whole novel is about how addiction can ruin your life. 

     The Chrysalis is scary enough that it kept me awake at night, and it made me feel kind of queasy.  Which, for a horror novel, means that it did its job.  If you aren’t jumping at shadows and uncomfortable after reading a horror novel, did you really read a horror novel?

***I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

Publisher:  Tor

If you like this book you may want to read:

The Hunger by Alma Katsu

Hex by Thomas Olde Heuvelt

Beholder's Eye - Review

Title:  Beholder’s Eye

Author:  Julie E. Czerneda

Series:  Web Shifters #1

Synopsis:  “Esen is the baby of the family.  Only 500 years old, she’s impulsive and inexperienced, but determined to prove herself.  And her first assignment, to study the Human inhabitants of Kraos without being detected, seems so easy it’s almost insulting.

     “Esen herself isn’t Human – she’s a shapechanger, whose species has more in common with an exceptionally large amoeba than with anything we’d think of as sapient.  And of course she mucks the job up royally, going from observer to passionate defender of an endangered offworld Human who suddenly, without her quite realizing how, becomes her colleague.

     “Her family is furious, and their ruling Elder decides it’s time for Esen to grow up – to learn just why the family keeps itself hidden.  For the galaxy is a far more dangerous place than she’s ever imagined – and the danger is about to find them.”

Review:  Beholder’s Eye is the first book in one of my favorite series from one of my favorite authors.  I always tell readers, especially readers that don’t care for science fiction, that this is not a science fiction story.  Sure, there are science fiction elements.  It takes place in space, on spaceships, and on different planets.  There are spaceships, space stations, humans, and aliens.  The author has put a lot of effort into world building, character building and developing different cultures.  But at its heart, Beholder’s Eye is a story about people and family.

*****CAUTION: SPOILERS AHEAD*****

     

     Beholder’s Eye speaks to me about family, both birth/blood relatives and the family we choose.  Esen’s “birth” family is Ersh, Ansky, Mixs,Skalet and Lesy.  Even before she loses them all we see that while their relationships with each other are important, most of them have chosen to surround themselves with other families.  Mixs spends most of her time on the Panacian Hiveworld; Lesy with her artist’s colony; Ansky with the Articans; and Skalet with the Kraal.  Ersh, by the very nature of being oldest, has lived a very long time.  We don’t know a whole lot about her life before she gave birth to the other members of her web.  However none of them have become so attached to their chosen web that they revealed themselves to them.  That is something which is for blood relations only.  Until Esen.  Throughout the story we see Esen starting to build her own web.  She becomes quickly attached to Ragem and even reveals herself to save his life, something which none of her siblings would have ever done.  By the end of the book her family is gone and all that is left is Esen and Ragem, and the start of her new web. 

      Even though Esen and her family are not human, this speaks to me of human nature.  Most of us have a family; even if it’s not blood.  They are the people who raised us.  The people who taught us the embarrassing things like how to use a fork, how to use a toilet, and how to behave in social situations.  When we are older the relationships with those people are still important, but they begin to change.  We begin to surround ourselves with people we choose as our family.  As we become adults we create our own web of spouses, offspring and friends.  I call mine my tribe.  My tribe consists of my husband, my cats and our friends. 

     At the very end of Beholder’s Eye we discover that in human years Esen is not even ten years old.  She has just started creating her own web and we look forward to joining her in future installments in this series.

*****Join us Tuesday September 11^th at 8pm EST on BookGirl’s BookNook Facebook Page for a Live discussion of Beholder’s Eye*****

Publisher:   DAW Books

If you like this book you may want to read:

Changing Vision (Web Shifters #2) by Julie E. Czerneda

All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries #1) by Martha Wells

Powers That Be (Petaybee #1) by Anne McCaffrey & Elizabeth Ann Scarborough

Stardoc (Stardoc #1) by S. L. Viehl

Web Shifter Countdown & Readalong

 

      I found out a few weeks ago that Julie E. Czerneda has a new book coming out.  This new book, called Search Image, is part of new series set in the same world as her Web Shifters series and features the same main characters.  The Web Shifters series was one of my first forays into science fiction, and has been one of my favorites since I picked up a copy of Beholder's Eye in 1999.  I was scrolling through NetGalley looking for books to request for review (even though I'm so far behind that it's going to take years to catch up) when I saw it.  What it was didn't register at first.  I thought the cover looked interesting.  Then I noticed it was by Julie E Czerneda and anything by her is an automatic read for me.  So I requested it, and continued on.  I still didn't really realize that this new book required a jumping up and down level of excitement.  It wasn't until I was approved for the e-arc and was adding it to my blog planner that I realized it was a new Web Shifters novel.  My heart started to race.  I squealed loudly.  I jumped up and down. Now that I think about it, I really should bake some cookies for my downstairs neighbor.



     I was home alone, so I immediately texted SuperSteve and told him my exciting news.  He was happy for me; but, having not read the books, he doesn't really understand.  I decided that I wanted to do something to help build up the anticipation for other readers. So I've decided to do a quick readalong of the Web Shifters series leading up to the release of Search Image on October 2nd.  Thankfully they are fairly quick reads, so I think that those of us who read a lot can make this work.  So, whether you have read the Web Shifters series before or not, please join me each Tuesday on BookGirl's BookNook Facebook Page for a discussion of the Web Shifters series including the novella The Only Thing to Fear which was released September 4th (we will discuss the new novel Search Image on Saturday October 6th to allow everyone a chance to at least buy and start reading it), schedule posted below.  I haven't decided what format the discussion will take, but am leaning toward a combination of LIVE videos and a discussion post.  Let me know if you have other ideas for the best way to have a book discussion on the internet.  The timing of the discussions are to be determined as they will have to be based on my work schedule.  The schedule of the discussions is posted below and I will update the times as I get my schedule for each week, I will also post a review of each book on the Tuesday it is to be discussed and that post will also let you know what time we will be having the discussion.  I hope to see many of you there!

Tuesday September 11, 2018: Beholder's Eye, Web Shifters #1; discussion at 8pm EST



Tuesday September 18, 2018: Changing Vision, Web Shifters #2; discussion at 8pm EST



Tuesday September 25, 2018: Hidden in Sight, Web Shifters #3; discussion at 8pm EST



Tuesday October 2, 2018: The Only Thing to Fear, Web Shifter Novella; discussion at 8pm EST



Saturday October 6, 2018: Search Image, Web Shifter's Library #1; discussion at 2pm EST 

All discussions will be on BookGirl's BookNook Facebook page.

Looking Forward - September 2018

     Harvest is my favorite season.  That's what SuperSteve and I call Autumn.  I want pumpkin spice and chai flavored everything, and I'm looking forward to wearing sweaters and leggings.  I love the cooler weather (I very much dislike sweat and being hot).  Soon we will be admiring the changing colors of the foliage, and it will be getting dark earlier.  I'll be snuggled under a blanket, with a cat in my lap while reading.  I've been looking forward to this since the middle of June.  Also, usually the harvest season means more time for me to read. 
   
     Speaking of reading, here are the books I'm looking forward to in September.  You may want to get your pumpkin spice latte before reading this.  There are a lot.  Let me know if you're going to be reading any of these, or if I missed any you're looking forward to, in the comments.



September 4, 2018:

The Seclusion by Jacqui Castle:  This is a dystopian novel with, I'm hoping, a strong female protagonist.  Find it on Goodreads, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble
***I was provided a free copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

Plague Land: Reborn by Alex Scarrow:  This is the sequel to last year's Plague Land.  You all know how much I love a good apocalypse.  Find it on Goodreads, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble
***I was provided a free copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***




















A Deadly Brew by Lynn Cahoon: This a novella.  It's a cozy mystery, it's Halloween themed, and just look at that awesome cover!  Find it on Goodreads, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble
***I was provided a free copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

Night and Silence by Seanan McGuire: This is #12 in the October Daye series.  If you haven't gotten into this series yet do yourself a favor and go read the first one (Rosemary and Rue) now!  Find this latest installment on Goodreads, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble
***I was provided a free copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

The Chrysalis by Brendan Deeen: This novel looks delightfully scary.  I'm hoping it will keep me up at night.  Find it on Goodreads, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble
***I was provided a free copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***




September 11, 2018:





















The Lantern's Ember by Colleen Houck:  I'll admit that I selected this one because of the cover.  It has a lot of not so great reviews on Goodreads, but I'm hoping to enjoy it anyway.  I mean, just look at that cover!  Find it on Goodreads, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble
***I was provided a free copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

Born Scared by Kevin Brooks: This is a book about fear.  I thought that with my anxiety issues it might be an interesting read.  Find it on Goodreads, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble
***I was provided a free copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

The Late Great Wizard by Sara Hanover:  This is the first book in a new urban fantasy series.  A debut author, and a gorgeous cover; how could I say no?  Find it on Goodreads, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble
***I was provided a free copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***




September 18, 2018:

The Night Crossing by Robert Masello: The description of this novel starts with: "Bram Stoker kept secret a tale even more terrifying than Dracula."  Need I say more?  Find it on Goodreads, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble
*** I was provided a free copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

Worldshaper by Edward Willett:  This is the first book in a new urban fantasy series with a labyrinth.  Yes, you see why I picked this one now.  The book description promises a labyrinth.  Find it on Goodreads, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble
***I was provided a free copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

























SINdrome by J. T. Nicholas: I didn't realize this is the third book in the series.  I haven't read the rest so probably won't get to this installment in the series for a couple more months.  But it's about the synth uprising, woohoo!  Find it on Goodreads, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble
***I was provided a free copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

The Real Witches of New England by Ellen Evert Hopman: I'm trying to read more nonfiction.  I'm doing that by choosing topics that I'm really interested in.  Find it on Goodreads, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble
***I was provided a free copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***


September 25, 2018:

The Ghost and the Bogus Bestseller by Cleo Coyle: This is book #6 in the Haunted Bookshop Mystery Series.  I love cozy mysteries about books and shop owners, so I love this series.  If you like mysteries and haven't discovered this series yet go read the first one, The Ghost and Mrs. McClure.  Find this latest installment in the series on Goodreads, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble
***I was provided a free copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

Bells, Spells and Murders by Carol J. Perry: This is book #7 in the Witch City Mystery Series.  This series is currently my favorite cozy mystery series.  It has a supernatural cat, and paranormal twists galore.  If you haven't read any of this series yet give it a try, the first one in the series is Caught Dead Handed and you can read my review here.  Find the latest installment in this series on Goodreads, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble
***I was provided a free copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

Looking Forward - July 2018

     Here are the New Releases for July 2018 that I'm excited about.  Let me know if you are planning to read any of these, or if I missed any that you are looking forward to reading!


July 3, 2018:

 


Buddha Bowls By Kelli Foster:  When I first saw this book I wasn't really sure what a Buddha Bowl was.  But the idea of having an easy, healthy meal all in one bowl sounded great!  I've already bookmarked several recipes to try.  Find it on Goodreads, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble
**I was provided a free copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**



Unicorn Your Life: Wondrous Ways to Make Everything More Magical by Mary Flannery with Illustrations by Bree Wagner: Ummm, why would you not want to Unicorn Your Life?  Find it on Goodreads, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble.


July 8, 2018:

Pagewalker by H. Duke: This is the first book in a new series called The Library Gate Series. It's about a librarian who guards a portal into the world of books.  I like to read books about people who love books.  It's short, Goodreads says it's approximately 45,000 words long.  Find it on Goodreads or Amazon. 


July 12, 2018:

Magical Mystery Paws by Mandy Morton: This is part of a series.  It's hard to find much information online about the series, but I think I was able to gather that this is the fifth book in the series that is called The No. 2 Feline Detective Agency, but it might also be called the Hettie Bagshot Mystery Series.  Regardless, there are cats and the books are told from the POV of the cats.  Find it on Goodreads or Amazon.
**I was provided a free copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**


July 17, 2018:

Maze Master by Kathleen O'Neal Gear: This is an apocalyptic thriller in which the end of the world is happening via a plague.  I love a good apocalypse.  Find it on Goodreads, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble.
**I was provided a free copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

Kill the Farm Boy by Delilah S. Dawson and Kevin Hearne: A comedy fantasy from two of my favorite authors and the first in the new series The Tales of Pell.  I think this is going to be a really fun book to read.  Find it on Goodreads, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble.


July 24, 2018: 

Contagion by Erin Bowman:  First the cover caught my attention so I went to look it up.  This novel sounds amazing.  Amazon says: "Perfect for fans of Madeleine Roux, Jonathan Maberry, and horror films like 28 Days Later and Resident Evil, this pulse-pounding, hair-raising, utterly terrifying novel is the first in a duology" and I cannot wait to read it.  I want it now!  Find it on Goodreads, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble.


July 26, 2018:

Barnanbas Tew and The Case of the Missing Scarab by Columbkill Noonan:  This is the first Barnabas Tew Mystery featuring a supernatural detective in Victorian England.  I'm hoping that this will be a fun, entertaining read.  The book was previously released in physical book form.  This release is of the ebook version.  Find it on Goodreads or Amazon.
**I was provided a free copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**


July 31, 2018:

Death Over Easy by Maddie Day:  This is the fifth book in the Country Store Mystery Series.  It's a cozy mystery and there's a cat on the cover.  Need I say more?  I have not ready any other books in this series, but I've purchased and started the first already.  Find it on Goodreads, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble.  
**I was provided a free copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

I Don’t Always Feel Like Cooking

I’m a good cook, and I enjoy cooking. But I don’t always feel like cooking. We try not to buy takeaway more than once per week, so that means I have to come up with something for dinner even when I don’t feel like it. Every week when I grocery shop I grab something easy with this in mind. Usually it’s marinated chicken breasts from Wegmans, and premade mashed potatoes. I bake the chicken breasts in the oven about 25 minutes and the potatoes cook in the microwave for about 6 minutes. Then I add in a tossed salad or a vegetable like broccoli or carrots that I can toss with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and roast in the oven at the same time as the chicken. It’s easy. It’s ready in less than 30 minutes. And I still made dinner.   I feel better after eating it than I would if we ordered takeaway, and I have the emotional satisfaction of knowing that I cooked dinner. 

What do you do for an easy dinner when you don’t feel like cooking but don’t want to order takeaway?