Associate Professor Akira Takatsuki's Conjecture Vol. 3 by Mikage Sawamura: review

5/5 stars on Goodreads

Associate Professor Akira Takatsuki's Conjecture by Mikage Sawamura

Volume 3 of Associate Professor Akira Takatsuki's Conjecture is called A Tale of Curses and Blessings. This light novel series of paranormal cozy mysteries is set in contemporary Japan. It follows Naoya Fukamachi, a first-year student at Seiwa University in Tokyo, and an associate professor of folklore, Akira Takatsuki, who specialises in urban legends and ghost stories. Naoya helps the professor to explore all sorts of paranormal incidents, all of which have had very mundane explanations so far, much to the excitable professor’s disappointment.

As the title tells, the third volume is about curses. Naoya’s classmate believes he’s been cursed because he didn’t forward a chain letter, so Naoya brings him to the professor who solves it in a very Takatsuki manner. Then the pair investigates a ghost story at a nearby library. The ghost leaves ciphers in books and whoever finds them is cursed if they fail to solve them. That turned out to have a lovely and sad explanation.

Third mystery takes Naoya, Takatsuki and his detective friend Kenji ‘KenKen’ Sasakura out of Tokyo to a remote mountain village. They’re supposed to be on a winter break, but Takatsuki has heard of a cave with a demon buried in it and wants to see it for himself. When they find bones that belong to a human, they suddenly have a mystery to solve. That too, turned out to be very sad.

The volume ends with a lovely bonus story from KenKen’s point of view, where he remembers how he and Akira first met when they were six and formed a friendship that’s lasted thirty years. It has a spooky ghost story too, that might shed light to why Akira is special—if only KenKen would reveal it to him.

In addition to mysteries, we learn more about Takatsuki. He hides a personal tragedy behind constant smiles and taking delight in all the small things, like hot chocolate with marshmallows. But the glimpses behind the scenes make the reader want to give him a tight hug and never let go. There is something dark in him too, which Naoya discovers to his horror, though it’s unclear yet if Takatsuki himself knows about it. Since Naoya and KenKen are determined to protect him at all costs, mostly from himself, neither of them will likely tell him.

Naoya, the point of view character, is more involved this time round instead of a mere observer that remains a bit distant. He realises that his time at the university has changed him, and that he might have made friends even. He’s not willing to admit it though, as all friends he makes usually leave him when they learn that he can hear their lies. He tells a few fibs himself, much to his distress. But best of all, he realises he’s become friends with Takatsuki beyond a mere student-professor relationship. Those looking for a romance will be disappointed though—unless the last line in KenKen’s story hints at that.

As always, I read this too fast and now have to wait for the next volume. Luckily there are several volumes to be translated still. I’m looking forward to reading them all.

p.s. If you’re buying this series on Amazon, there’s a glitch which directs to the manga of the series when purchasing the ebook. The volume number is the same, but contents obviously aren’t. Paperback links direct to the correct book. Other retailers don’t have the same problem, so maybe favour them. The problem isn’t unique to this series on Amazon; many light novels with manga adaptations have the glitch.

Poison River by Josh Reynolds: review

4/5 stars on Goodreads

Poison River by Josh Reynolds

Poison River, the first Daidoji Shin Mystery, is set in the Legend of Five Rings RPG world. It’s a mixture of Asian cultures, mostly Japanese Samurai culture, set in some imaginary historical period. In the game, there are dragons, and kaijus that threaten the society, but that wasn’t even mentioned here and there was only a hint of fantasy. I wasn’t familiar with the game world before reading, but it didn’t matter. The world was suitably Asian to feel different and western enough to be understandable.

The main character, Daidoji Shin, is an unrepentant wastrel of an important Crane clan sent to the City of the Rich Frog as a penance. He’s supposed to watch over the clan’s interests in a place where they don’t really have any clout so he can’t muck things up too badly. He’s happy to spend his time in various entertainments, much to the annoyance of his bodyguard Kasami.

Then the governor gives Shin a job. He’s to find out who poisoned a shipment of rice and prevent a war between clans if at all possible. He sets eagerly out to work and finds himself enjoying solving the mystery. It isn’t a complicated one, and the reader knows from the start who the players are, as they are given their own point of view chapters. Only the mastermind is kept hidden, and even that it isn’t all that great a mystery. The solution, when Shin reaches it, isn’t so much about justice as it is about keeping peace.

This is the kind of mystery I currently enjoy, set in a strange culture that makes both the crime and solving it feel fresh and unique. The story took a roundabout way to get to the truth, and it was slow at times, but it kept my interest from start to finish.

The worldbuilding was rich, with interesting details that felt authentic even if they weren’t. Writing was good and nothing gave to understand this was merely gameworld merchandise. Shin was a great character, seemingly lazy but with sharp mind, who was happy to gather useful people—and a theatre troupe. I’d be happy to read more about Shin and his mysteries.

A Hard Day for a Hangover by Darynda Jones: review

5/5 stars on Goodreads

A Hard Day for a Hangover by Darynda Jones

A Hard Day for a Hangover ends the great Sunshine Vicram trilogy—and all too soon. The mystery series of a small-town serif and her family, friends, and ever-growing staff of uniquely talented deputies has just found its legs and should really continue.

The last book picks up a couple of days after the previous ended, with the characters still recovering from the injuries they’d sustained. A lot is going on from the start, but the main story revolves around a young woman who’s found badly injured, which leads to the trace of similar cases.

It’s a dual point of view investigation, as Sunshine’s daughter Auri adds her skills and enthusiasm in the game. The two POVs were better balanced than in the previous book, with neither dominating, and the mother-daughter duo worked well together.

The ongoing issue with Levi and his uncle was concluded, though rather easily, considering it’s been the main issue throughout the trilogy. The storyline likely fell victim of the abrupt ending of the series and had to be given any kind of closure.

The when-will-they romance between Sun and Levi progressed in lightspeed too. Not that the readers haven’t waited for it, but with a couple of more books, it could’ve progressed more naturally. Also, Auri wasn’t given much time to digest the news of who her father really is. In the end, there wasn’t enough room for romance. Levi remained a distant character, more talked about by Sun than seen. He would’ve needed his own point of view chapters to really make his story work.

There were many great storylines left hanging too, like Quincy’s romance and the Dangerous Daughters, both of which were just getting started. The series still has a lot going for it and I hope the author will continue it after all. As things stand, I enjoyed the book greatly. It was fun and the mystery was intriguing. And in the end, it gave me the satisfying and emotional closure that I needed.

 

The Thief of Blackfriars Lane by Michelle Griep: review

3/5 stars on Goodreads

The Thief of Blackfriars Lane by Michelle Griep

The Thief of Blackfriars Lane by Michelle Griep is a mystery set in Victorian London. Jackson Forge is a brand new constable who needs to prove himself by finding a missing cab driver. Problem is, he’s new to London and doesn’t know his way around the seedier parts of town, so he enlists a thief he’s (almost) captured to help him. Kit Turner is a foundling turned the leader of thieves who insist she’s not a criminal and who helps the poor in her spare time. Together they stumble on a larger mystery of missing men.

This is a book that should work, but quite doesn’t. The writing is good, the mystery is interesting if convoluted, and the characters of Jackson and Kit are likeable. But it’s as if it takes place in a vacuum. It’s supposed to be a historical novel, but it’s tasteless, soundless and odourless, and for the most part, sightless too. There are barely any descriptions of anything—places, interiors, clothing, people or food—and what is described is so random and vague it could be anywhere, anytime—or plain incorrect (the hansom cabs in use in London, for example). At no point did I get the feeling I was in Victorian London. And nothing ruins a historical novel faster than incorrect use of money. There are several sites where one can check not only how much a coin is worth in current times, but more importantly, how much were people paid at any given time and what they could buy with it. A constable giving a sovereign to a poor person, when neither of them would see such a coin in their lives, let alone could use it where they live, is only one such example.

The events were set in the special place within London, the City, which is a self-governing entity separate from the rest of London with its own leadership, taxation—and police. But at no point in the book were things like jurisdiction or rivalry between the City police and the Scotland Yard brought up. The investigation took Jackson and Kit to the docks well outside the City, for example, and they were given orders by the Home Office. The City would be such an interesting place with its medieval streets and rookeries that it is a pity it wasn’t utilised better here.

This is also marketed as Christian fiction. God was mentioned several times and Kit especially tended to question God for allowing people to suffer. However, in historical fiction this kind of thinking is sort of default and one of the few things that made it feel historically accurate. The characters weren’t especially religious and there was no greater power in play anywhere in the book or affecting the plot. So if you’re looking for a book with particular devotion and a plot where God’s grace plays a special role, this isn’t it.

All in all, this was a bit of a miss for me. The ending was sort of satisfying, though I wasn’t happy with who turned out to be Kit’s father, and it lays the setting for a series. But I don’t think I’ll be following Jackson and Kit further than this.

I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

 

Summer reading roundup

I took a few weeks off from this blog for a summer vacation and so haven’t updated anything since June. I didn’t stop reading though. On the contrary. Here’s a quick recap.

False Security by Lindsay Buroker

False Security by Lindsay Buroker continues her exciting UF series Death Before Dragons. In this fifth book, vampires are going missing, including Val’s vampire friend; Val accepts a job as a bodyguard to a tech billionaire, Zav takes her to the realm of elves to see her father, and Val ends up with roommates—and a new house too. For a woman who’s kept people at arm’s length, she’s building a nice new family for herself. Zav talks a lot about vigorous mating, now that he’s officially claimed her, but nothing really happens. There’s a lot of action, like always, and the final battle has bears and naked vampires in it. You don’t want to miss it. (4/5 stars on Goodreads)

Twisted Twenty-six by Janet Evanovich

Twisted Twenty-six is the latest in Janet Evanovich’s long-running Stephanie Plum mystery series. The series has felt tired for quite long now, but here it returns to its old form—to an extent. The stakes are genuinely high, violence has consequences, and humorous incidents don’t dominate everything else. Stephanie takes stock of her life, giving an impression of continuity between the books, which is usually lacking. Lesser side characters, Connie and Stephanie’s parents included, have actual roles. And the ending hints at the same story continuing in the next book. I’m really looking forward to it. (4/5 stars on Goodreads)

False Value by Ben Aaronovitch

False Value is the eight book in Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch, and it doesn’t let down. I had a brief scare at the beginning that Peter wouldn’t be his usual copper self, but luckily that didn’t turn out to be the case, as he’s undercover. The first part of the book was slightly different than usually, as it was told in alternating chapters in the present and the past to set up the reason for Peter’s latest assignment. Once that was over, the story advanced in the usual meandering manner where the reader isn’t entirely sure what’s going on until it’s all over. There was a bit more Beverly in this book than before—she is pregnant after all—and she is becoming a real person, but the other side characters remain a bit two dimensional. This includes the staples like Nightingale and Sergeant Guleed. There was some mayhem at the end, but Peter managed not to destroy half of London this time round. I’m not sure if I’m disappointed or not about that. (4/5 stars on Goodreads)

Engagement and Espionage by Penny Reid

Engagement and Espionage is a spinoff of Winston Brothers series by Penny Reid and starts a new Solving for Pie series. It features Cletus, the devious mastermind in hillbilly’s body, and his betrothed Jennifer the pie queen, and it’s a mystery, not romance—most of the time. The mystery of strangled chickens wasn’t terribly difficult to solve, but Jenn’s strained relationship with her parents took some work. And the two of them just couldn’t catch a break, mostly because Cletus couldn’t see past his romantic machinations. It was fun and emotional, like Ms Reid’s books usually are. I’ll definitely read the next book. (4/5 stars on Goodreads)

Queen’s Gambit by Karen Chance

Queen’s Gambit continues Karen Chance’s Dorina Basarab UF series. It’s the fifth book, but as the series is parallel with Chance’s other, longer series, it feels like Dory’s been around forever. The book has a promising start: a sneak attack separates Dory and Dorina, giving the latter a body of her own. From there, we follow two separate adventures, as they both try to figure out what has happened, why and by whom, and how to get back together again.

Unfortunately, instead of a proper plot, we have endless battles in both storylines, some of which don’t really have anything to do with the actual aim of the book. And then the book ends without any conclusion to either story. Dory ends up where she began, practically none the wiser, and Dorina’s story ends with a kind of a cliff-hanger.

Of the two stories, I liked Dorina’s better, as she has for the first time a chance to reflect her weird existence within Dory. Dory’s storyline evolved into endless discussion about her marriage with Louis-Césare, which got old after a while. The only good thing I can say about it is that they managed to talk things through and reach some sort of understanding.

This was not my favourite in the series by any means. But these books have had greatly uneven quality before, so I’m not giving up yet. And the way Dorina’s story ended, it gives me hope that the two series will connect properly for the first time in the next book. We’ll see. (3/5 stars on Goodreads)

The Enforcer Enigma by G. L. Carriger

The Enforcer Enigma is the third book in San Andreas Shifters M/M paranormal romance series by Gail Carriger, writing as G.L. Carriger. It’s been a while since I read the previous book, but it felt like coming home, warm and cosy. The characters and the entire pack are coming together nicely and they’re not constantly on defensive anymore, which changes the dynamic of the story.

Perhaps that’s why it felt like the love story of Colin and Judd took a backseat to the main plot. It was a nice mystery plot that was solved really fast, but I really would’ve liked to read more of the lovely pair. That said, the two stories went hand in hand, there were really good moments between the pair and it felt believable all the way. Colin opened up nicely and Judd finally found his home in Colin. On top of that, Trick was a great new addition to the group and I’ll definitely read how it’ll turn out with his bear in the next book. (4/5 stars on Goodreads)

On top of these books, I read a few I’d received free from NetGalley. I’ll write separate reviews of those later.

A Bad Day for Sunshine by Darynda Jones: review

5/5 stars on Goodreads

A Bad Day for Sunshine by Darynda Jones

It’s always a source of unease when a favourite author starts a new series. Darynda Jones is the author of the great and brilliantly funny Charley Davidson urban fantasy series of a grim reaper turned private investigator. It ended last year, and now Jones has returned with Sunshine Vicram, a series that has no fantasy elements, but has mystery and comedy aplenty.

A Bad Day for Sunshine is different enough from Charley Davidson books to feel fresh and similar enough to feel like coming home. Biggest change on the outset is the use of third person narrative, with alternating points of view between Sunshine and her teenage daughter Aurora. It worked fairly well, but at times it was impossible to tell who the ‘she’ referred to was. There were also a few annoying dream sequences that started in the middle of ‘normal’ scenes, only to pull the rug under the reader later on.

The book follows Sunshine Vicaram, the new serif of a small town in New Mexico. It's her home town, but she’s been away for years and has only been tricked to returning by her parents who somehow managed to get her elected as the new serif. While she knows the people and places, she needs to reacquaint herself with everything. Her first day at work starts with a bang, or a crash, and goes downhill from there when a young girl goes missing. It brings back memories of her own abduction when she was seventeen, the reason she has left the town in the first place.

The other story-line follows Auri at school. She has her own troubles in the form of bullies and a new crush, and she is eager to help her mother to find the missing girl, which puts her in peril. Sun is a good cop and a quirky mom, Auri is a brilliant but troubled daughter. Together they are a great team and I loved them both.

The main case of the missing girl seems odd on the surface, but turns out to be straightforward enough that I guessed the bad guy surprisingly early on. But that’s not all the book is about. There are all sorts of shenanigans going on around Sun, with weird and quirky characters brightening the day, and amazingly sexy men pouring in from every direction. And none of them is as sexy as Sun’s biggest crush since she was a girl, Levi, who may be the hero or the baddie of Sun’s life. With clues from Sun’s past surfacing towards the end and the mystery of how she was elected a serif when she didn't run still unsolved, the following books should prove to be as interesting as the first.