I’ve been reading Dan Rix’s books for years, and ‘The Vanishing Girl‘ is authored by his wife Laura Thalassa… I love me some science fiction, and this looks interesting. Fingers crossed!
#bookporn #coverlove
Book Review – ‘Alive’ (#1 The Generations Trilogy) by Scott Sigler
The terror of waking up in a coffin with no memory – what would you do?
Genre: YA, Science Fiction, Mystery
No. of pages: 345
I open my eyes to darkness. Total darkness. I hear my own breathing, but nothing else. I lift my head…it thumps against something solid and unmoving. There is a board right in front of my face. No, not a board…a lid.
A teenage girl awakens to find herself trapped in a coffin. She has no idea who she is, where she is, or how she got there. Fighting her way free brings little relief—she discovers only a room lined with caskets and a handful of equally mystified survivors. Beyond their room lies a corridor filled with bones and dust, but no people…and no answers.
She knows only one thing about herself—her name, M. Savage, which was engraved on the foot of her coffin—yet she finds herself in charge. She is not the biggest among them, or the boldest, but for some reason the others trust her. Now, if they’re to have any chance, she must get them to trust one another.
Whatever the truth is, she is determined to find it and confront it. If she has to lead, she will make sure they survive. Maybe there’s a way out, a rational explanation, and a fighting chance against the dangers to come. Or maybe a reality they cannot comprehend lies just beyond the next turn.
‘Alive’ is a tale about a group of teens awakening in coffin-like containers with no memory to an empty place of strange corridors and rooms. There is evidence there was once a battle here. Now they must try and figure out who they are, where they are, and what to do next…
I enjoyed the concept and mythology of ‘Alive,’ There are references to the Aztecs very early on, and this gaggle of literal ‘born yesterday’s’ struggle to make sense of everything. Admittedly, it does feel a bit tropey. The whole amnesia thing has been done to death. But I was gripped by their story of uncovering clues and piecing their existence together. It’s a journey of not only discovering who you are, but your purpose. Feeling out your core values.
I did have a little bit of frustration, because the plot unfolds so slowly. I get it though, the group has to be cautious, the place is unfamiliar and quite possibly dangerous. So the pacing is appropriate – I am just applying my own knowledge and logic to the situation, whereas the cast do not have my resources. They are literally making it up as they go.
There is some great diversity in character, not only in nationality, but in personality. We see different cast members clash and challenge each other, and others form strong friendships. ‘Alive’ is told in first person perspective from ‘Em’ (M. Savage) who has become the default leader of the group, not only because she is one of the first to wake, but also because she does not shy away from making decisions and bearing the responsibility.
There is a clear caste system left over from the people or beings that put the children in the coffins, as signalled by the symbols on all the kids’ foreheads, but they choose to disregard and form their own identities and alliances.
I think the pacing felt a little bit slow for me because we get a lot of detail – there is plenty of world-building going on here. It’s not necessarily info-dumping, but discovery through the experiences of the children. So this does not necessarily move the plot forward, but grow and expand the world, filling in small clues as we go. Scott Sigler’s writing style enhances this by allowing the characters to sit in their surroundings and think. It’s not flowery prose, just matter-of-fact and very easy to read. I think the target demographic will love this trilogy.
As this is the first of a trilogy the ending leaves a lot of plot points up in the air, but you do get a satisfactory feel at the conclusion of the novel. It makes you want to jump into the sequel ‘Alight’ right away. We get a few delicious plot twists (a few I saw coming, others I did not) and it has me really excited to see where this series is going.
All-in-all a slow-burn adventure with a few over-used tropes, but fun reading and something I would happily recommend (to a YA market.) I’m enjoying Sigler’s writing and definitely going to check out other titles from his catalogue after I complete The Generations Trilogy.
Overall feeling: Interesting but a bit slow
© Casey Carlisle 2024. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Casey Carlisle with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Most Anticipated New Book Releases October 2024
Not a lot of titles that piqued my interest for October – probably for the best considering the previous two months had large offerings. Now I might be able to catch up in the lull:
Don’t Let the Forest In – C. G. Drews (YA, Horror, Fantasy, LGBT+)
Once upon a time, Andrew had cut out his heart and given it to this boy, and he was very sure Thomas had no idea that Andrew would do anything for him.
Protect him. Lie for him. Kill for him.
High school senior Andrew Perrault finds refuge in the twisted fairytales that he writes for the only person who can ground him to reality—Thomas Rye, the boy with perpetually ink-stained hands and hair like autumn leaves. And with his twin sister, Dove, inexplicably keeping him at a cold distance upon their return to Wickwood Academy, Andrew finds himself leaning on his friend even more.
But something strange is going on with Thomas. His abusive parents have mysteriously vanished, and he arrives at school with blood on his sleeve. Thomas won’t say a word about it, and shuts down whenever Andrew tries to ask him questions. Stranger still, Thomas is haunted by something, and he seems to have lost interest in his artwork—whimsically macabre sketches of the monsters from Andrew’s wicked stories.
Desperate to figure out what’s wrong with his friend, Andrew follows Thomas into the off-limits forest one night and catches him fighting a nightmarish monster—Thomas’s drawings have come to life and are killing anyone close to him. To make sure no one else dies, the boys battle the monsters every night. But as their obsession with each other grows stronger, so do the monsters, and Andrew begins to fear that the only way to stop the creatures might be to destroy their creator.
Absolution (#4 Southern Reach) – Jeff VanderMeer (Science Fiction, Horror)
Ten years after the publication of Annihilation, the surprise fourth volume in Jeff VanderMeer’s blockbuster Southern Reach Trilogy.
When the Southern Reach Trilogy was first published a decade ago, it was an instant sensation, celebrated in a front-page New York Times story before publication, hailed by Stephen King and many others. Each volume climbed the bestsellers list; awards were won; the books made the rare transition from paperback original to hardcover; the movie adaptation became a cult classic. All told, the trilogy has sold more than a million copies and has secured its place in the pantheon of twenty-first-century literature.
And yet for all this, for Jeff VanderMeer there was never full closure to the story of Area X. There were a few mysteries that had gone unsolved, some key points of view never aired. There were stories left to tell. There remained questions about who had been complicit in creating the conditions for Area X to take hold; the story of the first mission into the Forgotten Coast—before Area X was called Area X—had never been fully told; and what if someone had foreseen the world after Acceptance? How crazy would they seem?
Structured in three parts, each recounting a new expedition, there are some long-awaited answers here, to be sure, but also more questions, and profound new surprises. Absolution is a brilliant, beautiful, and ever-terrifying plunge into unique and fertile literary territory. It is the final word on one of the most provocative and popular speculative fiction series of our time.
Killer House Party – Ly Anderson (YA, Horror, Thriller)
From Printz Honor winning author Lily Anderson comes a young adult horror that follows Arden and her three best friends as their graduation party at an abandoned mansion turns into a bloody fight for survival.
Red Solo cups? Check. Snacks? Check. Abandoned mansion full of countless horrors that won’t let you leave? Check. The Deinhart Manor has been a looming shadow over town for as long as anyone can remember, and it’s been abandoned for even longer. When the final Deinhart descendent passes, the huge gothic manor is up for sale for the first time ever. Which means Arden can steal the keys from her mom’s real estate office…It’s time for a graduation party that no one will ever forget. Arden and her best friends Maddy, Remi, and Shane, each have different reasons for wanting to throw the party to end all parties. But when the manor doors bar everyone inside and the walls begin to bleed, all anyone wants to do is make it out alive.
Some Like It Cold – Elle McNicholl (Contemporary, Romance)
A big-hearted small-town romance from bestselling, award-winning author Elle McNicoll, Some Like it Cold is perfect for fans of Alice Oseman, Talia Hibbert and Gilmore Girls.
Jasper Montgomery is heading home for the holidays and keeping secrets. Determined to return to her small town home one last time before leaving for good, Jasper doesn’t bank on accidentally ruining her sister’s engagement – or bumping into her teen adversary, budding filmmaker Arthur Lancaster.
Jasper came back to Lake Pristine for one to say goodbye. But during the holidays, old relationships come to light, small-town tensions rise, and a certain brooding film buff starts to look like a very big reason to stay. Can Jasper decide what she wants from Arthur, and from Lake Pristine, before she leaves them both forever?
A New Lease on Death (#1 Supernatural Mysteries – Olivia Blacke (Paranormal, Mystery)
In this darkly funny supernatural mystery about an unlikely crime-solving duo that launches a commercial, unique, and genre-blending series, death is only the beginning.
Ruby Young’s new Boston apartment comes with all the usual perks. Windows facing the brick wall of the next-door building. Heat that barely works. A malfunctioning buzzer. Noisy neighbors. A dead body on the sidewalk outside. And of course, a ghost.
Since Cordelia Graves died in her apartment a few months ago, she’s kept up her residency, despite being bored out of her (non-tangible) skull and frustrated by her new roommate. When her across-the-hall neighbor, Jake Macintyre, is shot and killed in an apparent mugging gone wrong outside their building, Cordelia is convinced there’s more to it and is determined to bring his killer to justice.
Unfortunately, Cordelia, being dead herself, can’t solve the mystery alone. She has to enlist the help of the obnoxiously perky, living tenant of her apartment. Ruby is twenty, annoying, and has never met a houseplant she couldn’t kill. But she also can do everything Cordelia can’t, from interviewing suspects to researching Jake on the library computers that go up in a puff of smoke if Cordelia gets too close. The roommates form an unlikely friendship as they get closer to the truth about Jake’s death…and maybe other dangerous secrets as well.
Even though the list is small, it is varied in genre. I was hoping to add an Australian author in the mix and add another Non-fiction title… but that’s the way the cookie crumbles.
Any books on this list catch your fancy? Have you heard of any October releases that I should add to my list? Let me know in the comments…
© Casey Carlisle 2024. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Casey Carlisle with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Book Review – ‘Kiss & Tell’ by Adib Khorram
A brutal look at being queer in a boy band…
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, LGBT+
No. of pages: 384
Hunter never expected to be a boy band star, but, well, here he is. He and his band Kiss & Tell are on their first major tour of North America, playing arenas all over the United States and Canada (and getting covered by the gossipy press all over North America as well). Hunter is the only gay member of the band, and he just had a very painful breakup with his first boyfriend–leaked sexts, public heartbreak, and all–and now everyone expects him to play the perfect queer role model for teens.
But Hunter isn’t really sure what being the perfect queer kid even means. Does it mean dressing up in whatever The Label tells him to wear for photo shoots and pretending never to have sex? (Unfortunately, yes.) Does it mean finding community among the queer kids at the meet-and-greets after K&T’s shows? (Fortunately, yes.) Does it include a new relationship with Kaivan, the drummer for the band opening for K&T on tour? (He hopes so.) But when The Label finds out about Hunter and Kaivan, it spells trouble–for their relationship, for the perfect gay boy Hunter plays for the cameras, and, most importantly, for Hunter himself.
Such a cute cover in pinks and blues, giving k-pop vibes for a YA, I was expecting a cute rom-com with a queer lead.
‘Kiss & Tell’ was not that. I quickly discovered from the tone of the writing in the first chapter that it captures much more adult topics and themes. Immediately were drawn into mentions of masturbation and sex. Once I got over the initial shock and realised this was not the book the cover gives you the impression of, I discovered this is a more realistic portrayal of queer characters in the public eye. There’s scandal and the media running with their own narrative at every turn as the characters in this book try to control their own lives in front of everyone, while also discovering who they are, rebelling, and building relationships with each other.
Told in a first person narrative from our protagonist, Hunter Drake, a singer and musician in a boy band who has a jealous ex that releases spicy texts to the media in a drunken fit to try and hurt Hunter. The rest of the novel deals with those repercussions as the band partake in a concert tour and are writing their next album. It’s messy drama, and though I’m not really into that a lot, ‘Kiss & Tell’ was an engaging read that I completed in one sitting.
We also touch on a lot of social politics in the novel: racism, gossip and the media, and an almost fetishism of culture and gay culture. It gets a little preachy at some points, but not without justification. It really demonstrates the tendency to ‘white-wash’ in pop culture. I think today we’re moving away from that (slowly) but ‘Kiss & Tell’ hammers home WHY we need to.
This is definitely a book for the upper end of the YA demographic, and even into New Adult. The protagonists are effectively functioning adults despite being 17 years old. This isn’t some fantasy situation where the boys are left to their own devices. We see definite parental involvement, and great presence of management and minders/security. The record label management however is a different story – you definitely see how they view the band as a commodity and not the teens that they are. But it’s all business and all the parties understand that.
Really enjoyed ‘Kiss & Tell,’ it was able to transport me to the world of a famous touring band and there’s a real sense of support and ‘found family’ with the band members. I will say that the plot felt a little simple. I think I was wanting more to transpire in the novel. Plus the story is so focused on Hunter that we never really get to know much about his bandmates… and considering they are his life and family, it left me with some disappointment.
Adib Khorram has a frank and honest writing style that punches straight to the emotional core of things without fluff and angst. I do get a sense of some anger hidden behind the tone of the writing, a sense of outrage. Maybe it’s from the authors own experiences, maybe it’s expertly woven into the fabric of the novel to illustrate the injustices queer and POC people face on a daily basis, maybe both. In that respect, I felt I wanted some warmth and light to balance it out, though this was lovely, when finishing the book I felt kind of angry and ready for battle. I didn’t get that lovely warm flush from a quaint love story.
I liked the fact that ‘Kiss & Tell’ isn’t easily predictable. You don’t quite know the full story, or in which direction Hunter is going to go until he decides himself in the closing chapters. I like being kept in suspense and surprised. The novel sets a moderate pace and keeps it going right to the end: there’s always a challenge or drama to overcome in each chapter (even if the content was a little more adult than I was expecting. But that was down to the type of cover art.) I definitely recommend this novel, though with some content warnings.
Overall feeling: Engaging and topical
© Casey Carlisle 2024. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Casey Carlisle with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
#bookquotes
I’m on the fence about redemption arcs for love interests who are complete douchenozzles… sometimes they turn out to be great people, but then I wonder why would you want to be close to someone who treated you like crap. The red flags would be flapping in my face and I’d run in the other direction. But it does make for fun reading at times.
Book Review – ‘Mickey7’ (#1 Mickey7) by Edward Ashton
A man becomes a disposable worker to colonise a distant alien world and escape debt…
Genre: Science Fiction
No. of pages: 296
Dying isn’t any fun…but at least it’s a living.
Mickey7 is an Expendable: a disposable employee on a human expedition sent to colonize the ice world Niflheim. Whenever there’s a mission that’s too dangerous—even suicidal—the crew turns to Mickey. After one iteration dies, a new body is regenerated with most of his memories intact. After six deaths, Mickey7 understands the terms of his deal…and why it was the only colonial position unfilled when he took it.
On a fairly routine scouting mission, Mickey7 goes missing and is presumed dead. By the time he returns to the colony base, surprisingly helped back by native life, Mickey7’s fate has been sealed. There’s a new clone, Mickey8, reporting for Expendable duties. The idea of duplicate Expendables is universally loathed, and if caught, they will likely be thrown into the recycler for protein.
Mickey7 must keep his double a secret from the rest of the colony. Meanwhile, life on Niflheim is getting worse. The atmosphere is unsuitable for humans, food is in short supply, and terraforming is going poorly. The native species are growing curious about their new neighbors, and that curiosity has Commander Marshall very afraid. Ultimately, the survival of both lifeforms will come down to Mickey7.
That is, if he can just keep from dying for good.
‘Mickey7’ is a great space adventure! Escaping debt and flying off into the stars to settle a distant planet, Mickey signs up to be an ‘Expendable’ – basically a job that puts him in danger all the time. But no worries if he kicks the bucket, they’ve backed up his mind and can download it into a new printed body identical to his original. It’s a great premise as Mickey undertakes his assigned tasks, explores a new environment, and navigates prejudices against his chosen profession… because some think he’s now soulless.
I loved the character relationships, the discussions and pondering on the philosophies about basically printing a copy of a human being and its wider implications, space travel, and the challenges the crew face in trying to set up a colony on an alien planet. ‘Mickey7’ reads more like a character study however, as he comes to term with his identity – which is literally right in his face, when through a snafu, there is another version of him. Something that is taboo and that they must keep a secret.
The narration is told in first person from Mickey’s point of view, but jumps around the timeline through flashbacks, reading reports and books, and conversations. This way the world building feels organic as we avoid that big info-dump that can happen in sci-fi.
The pacing is pretty solid throughout and I only put the book down in the middle section, where it lagged in a few chapters. I think I felt like the story is unfinished, like this is not an encapsulated story, but an episode in a larger tale. Thank goodness there’s a sequel ‘Antimatter Blues’ because I was going to chuck a hissy fit. I had so many questions at the end of ‘Mickey7’ and wanted to get resolution to many plot points left hanging. This debut has set things up for an interesting sequel.
I’m also excited for the film adaptation ‘Mickey 17’ starring Robert Pattinson due for release sometime next year (2025.)
Edward Ashton’s writing style is a little dry. It has a strong masculine presence and we also get a dash of satire and wit. It reminds me a lot of Andy Weir, author of ‘The Martian.’ It was such an easy and intriguing read, and given science fiction is my Achilles heel, Ashton could quite easily become an auto buy author for me if ‘Antimatter Blues’ lives up to my expectations…. no pressure Edward.
We get some great tension between characters, interesting aliens and desolate circumstances for our protagonist to overcome and navigate, so ‘Mickey 7’ kept me glued to the page right to the very end. A novel I’m happy to recommend. It poses some interesting questions about humanity, identity, colonisation, and attitudes about corporate identity.
Overall feeling: Not a carbon-copy sci-fi thriller!
© Casey Carlisle 2024. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Casey Carlisle with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
#bookporn #coverlove
I have been slacking on getting into this series. No more! It’s tile to jump into all the witchy sci-fi action. I have the first three titles of The Locked Tomb series ready to go, with ‘Alecto the Ninth‘ (book 4) due out in January 2025!
The cover art for these books has me hooked!
Book Review – ‘Stay With Me’ (#3 Wait For You) by Jennifer L. Armentrout (Writing as J. Lynn)
Girls flees from nasty gang and dark past straight into the arms of an Alpha douche…
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
No. of pages: 448
At 21, Calla hasn’t done a lot of things. She’s never been kissed, never seen the ocean, never gone to an amusement park. But growing up, she witnessed some things no child ever should. She still carries the physical and emotional scars of living with a strung-out mother, Mona—secrets she keeps from everyone, including her close circle of college friends.
But the safe cocoon Calla has carefully built is shattered when she discovers her mom has stolen her college money and run up a huge credit card debt in her name. Now, Calla has to go back to the small town she thought she’d left behind and clean up her mom’s mess again. Of course, when she arrives at her mother’s bar, Mona is nowhere to be found. Instead, six feet of hotness named Jackson James is pouring drinks and keeping the place humming.
Sexy and intense, Jax is in Calla’s business from the moment they meet, giving her a job and helping her search for Mona. And the way he looks at her makes it clear he wants to get horizontal . . . and maybe something more. Before Calla can let him get close, though, she’s got to deal with the pain of the past—and some very bad guys out to mess her up if she doesn’t give them her mom.
‘Stay With Me’ is a new adult contemporary romance with some spice following Calla as she is running from a dangerous past and meeting a determined young man determined to make her his.
Trigger warnings: abuse, alcoholism, drug use, violence, extortion, kidnapping, murder, gun violence, assault, intimidation, and basic douchery.
The characters and premise of ‘Stay With Me’ are only a step above the previous three books in this franchise, but only just. It’s still mostly trauma-porn.
Like in the prequels, we get dominant guys not listening to the protagonist, and in any other situation their behaviour would be classed as douchey, stalking, and sexual assault. Jennifer L. Armentrout has this thing for passive girls and pushy, sexually aggressive guys. Um… Jennifer L. Armentrout, are you okay?
I love how love interest Jax is suddenly responsible when Calla is blind drunk – yet he is the reason she is drunk in the first place… Like he dared her to, encouraged her to drink. Bit of an oxymoron if you ask me. A guy with double standards and behaviour – is he bipolar? What a catch! At least he has thick eyelashes and abs! (I apologise for the sarcasm.)
“Babe,” “honey,” “baby girl…” all these pet names – it all gave me the ick. Calla has a name, why don’t you use it? These kind of pet names make me feel like Jax is infantilizing Calla, it doesn’t come across as loving or doting, just a bit creepy. I know this may not me an issue for many readers, it’s my own personal ick. If my partner ever called me one of these pet names, they’d get clipped around the ears.
I know this is meant to be a romanticised story, a bit of titillation, but I’d rather respectful intelligent men whom you can verbally spar with, has a spirit of adventure, and loves a laugh. All this smouldering and pawing at you is not sexy. It screams ‘desperate’ and ‘sex pest.’ Some of the intimate scenes were a little gratuitous and while some serviced the plot, I didn’t need to know the amount of detail Jennifer L. Armentrout goes into. And the language used shifted the tone of these encounters to something lurid rather than romantic.
I’m glad Jennifer L. Armentrout reminded me that this couple are 21 and 25 because they are acting like 17 year olds. Even Calla’s inner monologue is waaay younger than she’s supposed to be. Maybe she needs to hire a new developmental editor to pick things like this up? This book gives me shades of that creepy uncle at Christmas time that always says things as an innuendo. Cringe.
With all that criticism, ‘Stay With Me’ has some great moments of comedy. The plot for this novel was a step up from the previous books in the series, mixed up in a drug ring and murder added some tension, interest, and danger to what would have been a pretty nondescript story.
After the half-way point I started to like ‘Stay With Me’ a lot better. We got more plot, more fun characters that weren’t douche-hats. There is a bit of female comradery, Jax becomes a little sweeter, though at times still possessive; but he was actually starting to feel like a normal person. Calla stopped her whining and started to embrace her agency and body a lot more – the repetition of shutting everything down was becoming boring. I kinda wanted her to either stick to her guns and remove herself from the situation, (which I can respect and would have been a uniquely interesting choice,) or drop the act and work through her past trauma.
The tone of ‘Stay With Me’ is messy: on one hand it feels immature and YA with the humour and attitudes some of the characters have, and then on the other we are dealing with some heavy topics and sexual encounters that are definitely adult, and the tone of the narrative would swing between the two like ‘Stay With Me’ didn’t know what it wanted to be – a YA romance or an adult contemporary.
I think if the characters were a little more grown up (with the narrative, not in years) and the writing style consistent throughout, I would have really loved ‘Stay With Me.’ Because on the whole, the plot of this novel is great. Maybe a bit less on the trauma. I feel like every character Jennifer L. Armentrout writes has some dark past and is currently walking around with PTSD or some other mental illness. Not to mention the way she writes love interests: can we ditch the possessive, borderline abusive blokes and the passive female protagonists… it’s icky.
‘Stay With Me’ is predictable, but I found joy in the drug ring threat part of the story. It was chaotic and delivered some great plot twists. If I’m being honest, I could do without the romance altogether.
I’m hoping we stay on this trajectory, it seems the series is getting microscopically better with each instalment. I may have a great read by the end of the franchise. Curse my OCD for not letting me give up on this series! I’ve already bought all the books because in the past Jennifer L. Armentrout was an auto-but author, and now my lame ass has to read everything I had the fancy to purchase. Even though I’m not particularly enjoying this series so far, I’m getting a sense of accomplishment, and using the novels to read critically to help improve my own writing. So it’s not all bad.
Overall feeling: yeesh…
© Casey Carlisle 2024. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Casey Carlisle with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Is building a home library contra to being environmentally conscious?
DISCUSSION POST: Should we be moving to e-libraries to save the planet, or are there ways to keep our books made of recyclable material and environmental impact down?
I always make a concerted effort in my life to re-use, recycle, and re-purpose to minimise my footprint on our environment. Even in product choice to limit the amount of forever chemicals that enter the household. But then I turn to my bookshelves and wonder am I a part of the problem? I mean, I reduce paper waste where I can, but then collect books to fill my bookshelves. Are publishers using recycled paper stock? Are the inks they use environmentally friendly? What will happen to my books when I pass away? When I edit my collection I try to find good homes for the novels I no longer wish to own and hopefully reduce landfill, but these questions are in the back of my head so I wanted to do some further investigation.
I also thought about an e-library – is that a legitimate alternative? But then I fell down the rabbit hole of how most devices are made of plastics and other harmful materials, that lithium mining and the growing detritus of devices cited to being even more damaging to our ecosystem than paper. Plus the energy consumption to keep our devices charged… It’s not a win/lose scenario, but what will impact our planet less. Or maybe just don’t read?
The research shows that a physical library impacts the environment less than a virtual one in the long run, (if not reliant on deforestations) now that we are using more recyclables in the production of new books. That statement blows my mind.
If you want a little more insight into the particulars, here are two articles I found pertinent to the discussion:
Sarah Strong with the Grattan Street Press has done some of her own research: the comparison of resources and impact from the occasional reader to the avid reader… there does not seem to be an easy solution. You can read her article ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IN PUBLISHING: THE EBOOK VS. PRINT DEBATE >here<
We can see some hard statistics in this article >here< written by Dean Talbot which not only discusses the amount of forestation used to manufacture books, but the carbon emissions too (and compares it to e-readers.) We also get some solid goals of named publishing houses determined to meet benchmarks to reduce their impact on the environment.
For me, while a virtual library sounds ideal, e-book files can get corrupted overtime, they are reliant on a strong internet connection, and do you store the books on your device, computer, an external drive, the cloud, or with a subscription service? And you have to keep recharging your device to access the book over time. Each one has its pros and cons, and none 100% reliable. I live in a remote area, and have little access to a library or bookstores. They are about an hours drive away. So If I do decide to visit a brick and mortar store, it’s usually an event. Something I mark the whole day off for. Or I can shop online. The good thing about a hard copy book – I don’t have to recharge it, I can reference and flick through it at any time, I don’ have to scroll thorough a list to find what I’m looking for, it’s right there on a shelf. I don’t even want to go into the psychology of memory retention and learning: how reading a book compared to reading an e-book measures up. Our brains are wired more for multiple sensory stimulation, and a solid book achieves that better than an e-book. I own both physical books and e-readers, and I have to agree with the studies, I can recall more clearly physical books I’ve read in comparison to e-books. Plus not all of the reading material I like is available in e-book formats. Especially textbooks, manuals, journals, periodicals.
A lot of the discussions seem to be focused around novels alone, and forget about other types of publishing. And they don’t discuss the options available to consumers – financial accessibility, access to the internet or mobile network, language barriers, abled-bodiedness, etc… I’ve had some reads online via a laptop which were fantastic because they were interactive, with media clips, sounds, and links to support the core text. You don’t get that with a book.
With all the different modes or reading and learning, and the psychology of memory and retention, along with taking into consideration the environmental impact of the various methods in which we collect and store this information, I think we are going to have some sort of environmental toll no matter what we chose, but limiting that toll is the important thing. And it is reliant of different factors depending on where you live, technology, and resources.
It simply comes down to being a bit more mindful (why do I want to say demure) when purchasing a book – in whatever mode it is delivered in.
What do you think? Are e-readers the wave of the future and going to replace physical books and help save the planet, or is there still a way to go with the technology before we come up with a viable solution? What do you prefer? Do you consider your impact from reading and collecting books?
© Casey Carlisle 2024. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Casey Carlisle with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Book Review – ‘My Contrary Mary’ (#1 Mary) by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows
Political intrigue of the royal court… with a heavy dose of magic and hilarity.
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Historical, LGBT
No. of pages: 512
Welcome to Renaissance France, a place of poison and plots, of beauties and beasts, of mice and . . . queens?⠀
Mary is the queen of Scotland and the jewel of the French court. Except when she’s a mouse. Yes, reader, Mary is an Eðian (shapeshifter) in a kingdom where Verities rule. It’s a secret that could cost her a head—or a tail.⠀
Luckily, Mary has a confidant in her betrothed, Francis. But after the king meets a suspicious end, things at the gilded court take a treacherous turn. Thrust onto the throne, Mary and Francis are forced to navigate a viper’s nest of conspiracies, traps, and treason. And if Mary’s secret is revealed, heads are bound to roll.
I love the writing and the imaginary world these three authors bring to the table. ‘My Contrary Mary’ was a fun romp through an alternate history with shape shifters and occasionally breaking the fourth wall. It is silly, adorable, at times hilarious, but has a good and innocent heart that I simply adored.
We follow a number of protagonists: Mary (our Queen of Scots), Francis (the King) and Ari (a terrible fortune teller but good at potions) as they navigate all the treachery and back-stabbing of power-hungry members of the royal court with their wits, besties, and a little bit of magic.
All of our protagonist are fairly naïve, but soon start to learn who to trust, and learn to trust themselves and use their intelligence, and intuition, to navigate their way in the world. I did find Ari too eager to please people and easily swayed, but her character develops nicely over the course of the book to redeem herself in my eyes. Mary always came from a place of strength – as she had her Mary’s with her, and she grew into a formidable ruler. Francis was nice, but a bit entitled and soon discovered the true motivations of those placed close to him, and he grew from many hard lessons.
I thought all the antagonists, too, to be complex and realistic, and I relished the tension they brought to the story. ‘My Contrary Mary’ really is a page turner and the pace is steady throughout. The only minor down side to the book is I felt the middle was touch too long – maybe a bit of overwriting there – but because the writing style and characters are so charming it didn’t impact my reading experience too much. I’m just being nit-picky.
You can predict the ending fairly easily – this style of book and writing will always end in a happy ever after, but I certainly could not have predicted the details… and they were deliciously dramatic and silly all at the same time. I had a lot of fun reading ‘My Contrary Mary.’
You also get a small history lesson and fun asides from the narrators that add something extra to the tale. The ridiculousness of it all keeps you glued to the page, and the characters are a joy to follow.
Another strong recommendation from me. I loved the Janies trilogy and the Marys are an auto-buy for me, I know they will be an engaging read. Light, humorous, and full of outlandish twists on history.
The next is this series is ‘My Imaginary Mary’ which looks to be just as wonderful.
Overall feeling: Ridonkulously brilliant!
© Casey Carlisle 2024. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Casey Carlisle with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Casey Carlisle 