Tetiana, a young activist I met in Lviv last December, works part-time as a tattooist. People often ask for tattoos of the Ukrainian flag or the country’s trident symbol, she told me, but one of the most popular since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine a year ago is the word volya, which means both “will,” […]

Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2023/02/23/ukraine-in-our-future-timothy-garton-ash/

I am continuing my readings of Simone St. James backlist and I’m quite enjoying these historical ghost stories. In Silence for the Dead, it’s 1919, and Kitty Weeks has falsified her papers to get a remote nursing job at Portis House. The tale that unfolds is atmospheric and suspenseful, with a side of romance and plenty of supernatural elements.

Silence For the Dead
by Simone St. James
Genres: Historical Fiction, Paranormal
Source: Purchase
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate

Rating:

In 1919, Kitty Weekes, pretty, resourceful, and on the run, falsifies her background to obtain a nursing position at Portis House, a remote hospital for soldiers left shell-shocked by the horrors of the Great War. Hiding the shame of their mental instability in what was once a magnificent private estate, the patients suffer from nervous attacks and tormenting dreams. But something more is going on at Portis House—its plaster is crumbling, its plumbing makes eerie noises, and strange breaths of cold waft through the empty rooms. It’s known that the former occupants left abruptly, but where did they go? And why do the patients all seem to share the same nightmare, one so horrific that they dare not speak of it?

Kitty finds a dangerous ally in Jack Yates, an inmate who may be a war hero, a madman… or maybe both. But even as Kitty and Jack create a secret, intimate alliance to uncover the truth, disturbing revelations suggest the presence of powerful spectral forces. And when a medical catastrophe leaves them even more isolated, they must battle the menace on their own, caught in the heart of a mystery that could destroy them both.

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From the fog to the closed off water-damaged sections of the home and its remote location, the Portis House is the perfect setting for this tale. Kitty is running from something, something we learn about as the story unfolds.

Portis House is a gloomy place with cold drafts, odd smells, plumbing issues and strange noises. The veterans of the Great War are here for treatment from shell shock, but something or perhaps someone is giving them nightmares and aggravating their fragile states.

Kitty is found out almost immediately by the head nurse, but times are hard and she needs an able body. Since she didn’t hire Kitty and the doctor did, she’ll use her. The nurses sleep in the former nursery and work round the clock. They rotate the night shift. Kitty is curious about the previous owners and the things she sees and hears. What happened to them? Why is this beautiful estate crumbling?

Simone writes delightfully ominous ghost stories and Silence For the Dead delivers. The suspense builds as Kitty befriends the nurses, patients and the mysterious patient in room 13. The characters are fleshed out, and unique. Each offered something to enhance the tale from their backstories to their nightmares. We get a little a romance which felt genuine and also learn of Kitty’s past, and the house’s history.

Portis House’s history and the current situation will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end as the excitement and danger build. The tale is well researched and felt historically accurate for the period. The treatment of the men and the shame that came from were heartbreaking. It was well told and enhanced the story.

From supernatural elements to the atmospheric setting, you’ll want to turn on a light and curl up with Silene for the Dead with a nice hot toddy.

Amazon | Audible

Source

Original source: https://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/2023/01/silence-for-the-dead-by-simone-st-james.html

Eat, Eat, Eat! Cheese, Cheese, Cheese! is the cautionary tale of three hungry mice in search of the big payoff of cheese. These three are named Footloose, Fancy, and Free, and they plan to indulge in some gourmet cheese at the cheese emporium. After sneaking into the cheese store, they enjoy a night of stuffing themselves full of wonderful cheese. However, when it is time to head out, they discover they are overstuffed and can no longer get out of the store. The resident cat, Gourmet, discovers their plight, and she is all set to dine on fat mice for dinner. After a series of events that leave the mice and cat in quite a state, a valuable lesson is learned by all.

T.C. Bartlett has written and illustrated a humorous children’s book that even adults will find entertaining. From the original and funny names of the mice and cat to the amusing situations the three mice get caught up in, each page gives readers something new to laugh about. This amusing story does end with a cautionary note reminiscent of a fable. It is perfect for opening up discussions with children about the moderation of snacks and the importance of taking care of their eyesight. I can see this story being used for a lot of creative lessons in kindergarten or preschool classes, like building a mouse trap and mapping out an escape route.

Eat, Eat, Eat! Cheese, Cheese, Cheese! is an adventure tale of three mice and their daring escape after a night indulging in cheese. Teachers and families will love reading this extraordinary picture book to children and sharing the exceptional artwork created by T.C. Bartlett.

Pages: 48 | ISBN : 173390865X

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/01/31/eat-eat-eat-cheese-cheese-cheese/

Fast-paced events, swift yet meandering dialogue, and hilarious wit combine with a convoluted yet wonderfully wacky plot in Simon Carr’s Khaos Has Come. The next book in the Apocalypse Blockers series, this science-fiction book can be read independently without feeling too lost—the nature of the plot and the dialogue ensures that.

The entertaining book is reminiscent of Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and Terry Pratchett’s universe-building. Rick Toenail, leader of a small group of people known as the Apocalypse Blockers, and his team are desperate to stop Khaos from taking over Earth in all its versions and simulations. To do this, they must stop Khaos from crossing over from the realm of information into the material realm. The team comprises various characters (two priests, a Goth girl, a vampire, a blob, and a seventeenth-century English scientist, to name a few). It picks up several others along the way, not restricted to humans (Evil Mouse, the kangaroo being one such). The directness of the writing, along with the sometimes deliberate repetitions and humorous stating-of-the-obvious, certainly puts the reader in mind of Adams’ writing, and the side-splitting laughter on account of the Pratchett-esque wit of subtlety and ribaldry makes this book utterly gripping.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Khaos Has Come. The characters were well-drawn, the dialogue was rambling and delightful, and it juxtaposed nicely with the fast-moving plot. I also especially liked how the author breaks the fourth wall and makes known his feigned exasperation with readers who pick up the nineteenth book in a series and expect to understand all references. I’d most definitely go back to read the previous nineteen books!

Khaos Has Come is a rousing dark humor science fiction novel that will have readers laughing and also asking, “what just happened here” as the characters take them on a journey they will not forget. This addition to the Apocalypse Blocker series is sure to keep readers of the series coming back for more.

Pages: 403 | ASIN : B0BJC6H589

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/01/31/khaos-has-come/

Kate Sablowsky just moved to Iowa with her famous news anchor mom, Maria Silver. Following the move, Kate starts the seventh grade at Ravendale middle school, where she discovers more than just a cast of kooky teachers. She quickly finds out that she has a gift passed down that allows her to see and speak with the dead. With this skill, she meets Jane, a shy girl who loves chemistry but who died a tragic death in school over 20 years ago. Jane is not fully sure of why and how she died; is there possibly a killer on the loose? You can find out in the first installment of the Kate Sablowsky Paranormal Investigator Series, She’s Still Here by Caitlin Alexander!

This exciting book is a much-welcomed refresh to the middle-grade detective/horror genre. It has all of the simple but entertaining qualities of a classic Nancy Drew mixed with the spookiness of John Bellairs’ works.

Alexander’s writing is simplistic in language but has enough complexities in the plot to make the book appropriate for the targeted audience. As an adult reading this, I was still thoroughly entertained and engaged. Throughout the book, Alexander hints that the killer may still walk amongst the school halls, but all is not what it seems, and I appreciated that final twist to make the book less predictable.

Seeing as She’s Still Here is the first book in a series, I am hoping to see Kate’s character grow and evolve. I feel that Kate comes off as a bit shallow and unwilling to embrace small-town life at the start. The characters encounter typical teenage social situations and struggle to adjust and fit in with peers. Middle-grade readers will be able to relate and sympathize with the characters’ feelings as they navigate middle school. These themes are mixed into the storyline seamlessly next to the paranormal mystery and adventure components.

She’s Still Here by Caitlin Alexander is a gripping paranormal mystery and adventure novel for middle-grade readers that a wide age group can enjoy. I look forward to reading more books in this series.

Pages: 184 | ASIN : B0BHFDRYVW

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/01/31/shes-still-here/

Rilloön: Dark Passage by Justin Grimmett is a seafaring sci-fi epic that is sure to leave readers on the edge of their seats. The story follows Rilloön, a young echniodyne living on the island of Chloelle on a diamond-shaped planet called Karoquil. The echniodyne are a scaly humanoid race living under the despotic rule of the cruel lect’veneel after being abandoned by their gods eons ago. After a vision calls into question everything the echniodyne know, Rilloön must make a dangerous journey into forbidden waters in hopes of finding a better life for her people. Along the way, she’ll face up against the deadly leviathans that inhabit her world’s oceans and the secrets and history that have been hidden from the echniodyne for generations.

Though science fiction on its surface, the worldbuilding appears to draw heavily from the fantasy and dystopian genres as well, coming together to form a setting with a little bit of something for everyone. Whether you want a tale of rediscovered lost technology or an action-packed adventure on the high seas, this book will not disappoint. It also features a strong female protagonist, something that can be a bit of a rarity in the genre. The author does a good job of avoiding some of the more negative tropes associated with female characters- while Rilloön is unquestionably competent and fierce, she’s also allowed to be vulnerable and, for lack of a better term, human, in a way that many a “strong female character” is sadly lacking.

While the worldbuilding is incredibly in-depth, I found some of the word choices odd. For example, as it takes place on an alien planet completely disconnected from our own, slang terms like “heebie-jeebies” felt a bit out of place. Other than that, the writing is incredible and readers are able to immerse themselves fully into the world created by Grimmett.

Rilloön: Dark Passage is a gripping sea story adventure novel that science fiction and fantasy novel readers will be able to enjoy as elements from both are present. The unique world the author has created is truly fascinating, and I look forward to spending more time there in future installments.

Pages: 460 | ASIN : B096ZK86JX

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/01/31/rilloon/

Little Toy Car by Gabe Oliver is a heartfelt story based on the life of Gene, from an innocent child to a young adult. Growing up in a house filled with charity donations that were always not quite perfect, with a mother with scrambled self-confidence and an abusive alcoholic stepfather, Gene’s idea of love cannot help but be severely warped. For readers who enjoy exploring the growth of characters as they experience the torment of painful relationships and conflict into mature and beautifully deep personalities – Gene will steal your hearts from under you.

The use of symbolism in this novel is outstanding. The stolen toy car, the bible verses, the guitar, the frying pan, and the car crash; are articulated in such a way that you could feel the rollercoaster of Gene’s life from a fragile child who saw no hope in the world and love only in the form of violence, to a reflective, considerate adult. It contains heavy themes, including religious coercion, physical and sexual violence, child abuse, and other criminal activity, that would be better understood and appreciated by readers who can decipher the teachings contained in Oliver’s work.

From its opening pages, Oliver’s writing style draws you into the plot – immediately greeted by the story behind the novel’s title and the purest insight into our main character, who is seemingly always a not-quite-right in his fit in the world. Parts of Gene’s childhood were weaved into the plotline perfectly to convey a certain message. There is a certain element of a psychological lesson to be learned about how children perceive interactions – especially where there is a lack of positive parenting or familial relationships – and how this manifests continuously in the form of life decisions and behavioral patterns.

Little Toy Car by Gabe Oliver is a gripping book that I would highly recommend to mature audiences. Readers will enjoy this coming-of-age story as they follow Gene as he navigates a challenging childhood to the heartwarming ending of this novel.

Pages: 379 | ASIN : B0BG3FKQC4

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/01/31/little-toy-car/