Review: Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
Flatiron Books

Publication Date: October 8th, 2019

Hardcover. 458 pages

About Ninth House:

"Galaxy “Alex” Stern is the most unlikely member of Yale’s freshman class. Raised in the Los Angeles hinterlands by a hippie mom, Alex dropped out of school early and into a world of shady drug dealer boyfriends, dead-end jobs, and much, much worse. By age twenty, in fact, she is the sole survivor of a horrific, unsolved multiple homicide. Some might say she’s thrown her life away. But at her hospital bed, Alex is offered a second chance: to attend one of the world’s most elite universities on a full ride. What’s the catch, and why her? 

Still searching for answers to this herself, Alex arrives in New Haven tasked by her mysterious benefactors with monitoring the activities of Yale’s secret societies. These eight windowless “tombs” are well-known to be haunts of the future rich and powerful, from high-ranking politicos to Wall Street and Hollywood’s biggest players. But their occult activities are revealed to be more sinister and more extraordinary than any paranoid imagination might conceive."

Ninth House is shaping up to be a difficult book to review because it's a rather complex and hard to describe book in itself. My very first reaction upon diving into this book was how different it was from what I expected it to be. I tend to prefer going into books without having too much prior knowledge so that I can experience everything firsthand, but I did still have some expectations of what this book might be like and what it actually was and the reality was simply not what I expected.

This fits the general mold of 'dark academia' in a lot of ways: college campus setting, secret societies, a mix of dark and twisty characters, some hints at magic and other crafty ideas. What keeps it from being a true 'dark academia' book in my opinion, however, is that there is very little in the way of 'academic' at all. The learning and education portion of this book in the regard of Alex studying at Yale was minimal and hardly even part of the main plot points; however, her education in learning about the various secret societies that do exist at Yale was full force throughout the book, so it all really depends on what sort of 'academics/learning' you want from a dark academia book.

Ninth House, for me, absolutely has a slow start. It took me quite a while to fully get into the story and there were a few times when I wondered if I would ever actually get into it and want to keep reading. Fortunately, there were enough hints and foreshadowing that kept me wanting to know what was going to happen and wanting to explore more about these characters and the general setting and plot, so I kept reading and I'm really glad I did. There's a lot of info-dumping, but if you can make it through that then there's a lot more to explore as well.

Alex Stern is a particularly compelling character who seemed to always be full of surprises. I liked how Bardugo managed to develop her in such a layered and multi-dimensional manner--she has a past full of bad experiences that have shaped who she is today, and although those experiences do sometimes control her present and future actions, she does seem to develop throughout the course of the book and learn how to use her past in ways that can benefit her and improve who she is as a person. I didn't personally like or connect with Alex as much as I'd hoped, but she's still definitely a character I can root for and enjoy reading about.

Another prominent character we meet is Darlington, whom I absolutely loved. I wish he had more page time in this book, but unfortunately we really only get to spend a few chapters here and there with him via flashbacks. He's one of those scholarly and somewhat gentlemanly characters that has a rather sophisticated manner of dressing and utterly charming personality despite the fact that he's not always necessarily overly friendly. There's also Dawes, another member of their society that I found really interesting. She's quiet and seems to prefer to work on her studies alone without human interaction (which I wholeheartedly relate to), but she also seems charmingly loyal and manages to always be around when needed. There also Detective Turner who I ended up really liking! He's a huge pain in the ass at times, but he also really does seem to be a 'good guy' and I liked exploring his roe and relationship with Alex throughout the book.

There is also a rather unique magic system--or rather, systems? This is a book that works with magic that is dark and weird and wildly varied while also being incredibly intriguing. I wish so badly that we had been able to explore more than just a few main secret societies and their magic rather than focusing on a select few. I understand that the book couldn't be made unnecessarily long just for that, but I just wish there was a bit more in that regard to explore.

As Bardugo has repeatedly warned, this is indeed a decidedly dark story with plenty of disturbing and violent things occurring within it. I'm not sure why there had to be so much drama and controversy before this book came out with people getting upset about some of its content when there was explicit warnings about said darkness, but alas, it happened anyway. I personally loved that Bardugo took this book into such dark places while also doing so with a clear intent and relevant purpose within the story--it's not dark for the sake being dark, but rather has an important message of some sort behind it that translates well into the plot of the story and motivations and actions of characters involved. She handles all of the topics with maturity and a deft hand.

In all, I really enjoyed this book and almost everything about it, but I did struggle a bit with the basic plot. I honestly wasn't overly interested in the 'murder mystery' sort of setup and I wish that there had been something slightly different at play. This is also partly because I had some reservations about the ending where things I wanted/expected didn't quite add up to what happened, so it's one that I'm still considering and trying to figure out how I really feel about it.

Overall, I've given Ninth House four stars!

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Impossible Causes by Julie Mayhew & Pursuit of William Abbey by Claire North

Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! This meme is based off of Jill @ Breaking the Spine's Waiting on Wednesday meme.

This week's upcoming book spotlights are: 

Impossible Causes by Julie Mayhew
Publication: November 12th, 2019

Orbit

Paperback. 480 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"For six months every year, Lark Island is fogged in, its occupants cut off completely from the mainland. The community is small, tight-knit, and deeply religious. Lark seems like a good place for 16-year-old Viola Kendrick and her mother to be alone as they mourn Viola’s father and brother, both killed in a tragic accident. 

But the islanders are hiding dark secrets. As the winter fog sets in, Viola gets to know the Eldest Girls—the only three teenagers on Lark—and begins to learn about the island’s twisted history, including an old story of a young girl, whose death the islanders insist was accidental. When a man’s body is found at the end of Viola’s first winter on Lark, Viola finds herself at the center of a murder mystery: one that asks whether the man’s death was a righteous act of revenge, or a cold-blooded killing. 

Eerie and menacing, timely and moving, Impossible Causes is an unputdownable thriller that examines the consequences of secrets kept at young women’s expense."

I love nothing more than a dark secluded atmosphere like this one, so I'm really looking forward to this one! I'm not usually huge on murder mystery-based plots, but I don't mind at all when it's placed within a setting and plot like this.

and...

The Pursuit of William Abbey by Claire North

Publication: November 12th, 2019

Liveright

Hardcover. 368 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"A hauntingly powerful novel about how the choices we make can stay with us forever, by the award-winning author of The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August and 84K. 

South Africa in the 1880s. A young and naive English doctor by the name of William Abbey witnesses the lynching of a local boy by the white colonists. As the child dies, his mother curses William. 

William begins to understand what the curse means when the shadow of the dead boy starts following him across the world. It never stops, never rests. It can cross oceans and mountains. And if it catches him, the person he loves most in the world will die."

Claire North's books always have the most interesting premises and The Pursuit of William Abbey is not different. I really have no idea what to expect from this book and that's part of what intrigues me the most!

What do you think about these upcoming releases? What are your anticipated upcoming releases?

Top Ten Tuesday: Toil and Trouble--Books Featuring Witches!

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly book blog meme now hosted by Jana over at The Artsy Reader Girl!

This week's topic is: Halloween Freebie--Witches!

This week's Top Ten Tuesday is a Halloween freebie, so I decided to compile a list filled with books of witches! Some of these books feature witches that are more on the witch-adjacent side since they probably wouldn't be considered straight up witches, but they're close enough and therefore fit this list. Who doesn't love some great witches and what better time to read about them than on Halloween? Let me know what some of your favorite books with witches are!

The Witch's Kind by Louisa Morgan

"From the author of A Secret History of Witches comes an absorbing tale of love, sacrifice, family ties, and magic, set in the Pacific Northwest in the aftermath of World War II. 

Barrie Anne Blythe and her aunt Charlotte have always known that the other residents of their small coastal community find them peculiar -- two women living alone on the outskirts of town. It is the price of concealing their strange and dangerous family secret. 

But two events threaten to upend their lives forever. The first is the arrival of a mysterious abandoned baby with a hint of power like their own. The second is the sudden reappearance of Barrie Anne's long-lost husband -- who is not quite the man she thought she married. 

Together, Barrie Anne and Charlotte must decide how far they are willing to go to protect themselves -- and the child they think of as their own -- from suspicious neighbors, the government, and even their own family..." Goodreads

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

"At the edge of the Russian wilderness, winter lasts most of the year and the snowdrifts grow taller than houses. But Vasilisa doesn't mind—she spends the winter nights huddled around the embers of a fire with her beloved siblings, listening to her nurse's fairy tales. Above all, she loves the chilling story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon, who appears in the frigid night to claim unwary souls. Wise Russians fear him, her nurse says, and honor the spirits of house and yard and forest that protect their homes from evil. 

After Vasilisa's mother dies, her father goes to Moscow and brings home a new wife. Fiercely devout, city-bred, Vasilisa's new stepmother forbids her family from honoring the household spirits. The family acquiesces, but Vasilisa is frightened, sensing that more hinges upon their rituals than anyone knows." Goodreads 

The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

"No one speaks of the grace year. It’s forbidden. 

In Garner County, girls are told they have the power to lure grown men from their beds, to drive women mad with jealousy. They believe their very skin emits a powerful aphrodisiac, the potent essence of youth, of a girl on the edge of womanhood. That’s why they’re banished for their sixteenth year, to release their magic into the wild so they can return purified and ready for marriage. But not all of them will make it home alive. 

Sixteen-year-old Tierney James dreams of a better life—a society that doesn’t pit friend against friend or woman against woman, but as her own grace year draws near, she quickly realizes that it’s not just the brutal elements they must fear. It’s not even the poachers in the woods, men who are waiting for a chance to grab one of the girls in order to make a fortune on the black market. Their greatest threat may very well be each other." Goodreads

A Secret History of Witches by Louisa Morgan

"An ancient and dangerous power is being handed down from mother to daughter through some of the most consequential historic events of the last two centuries. 

After Grandmére Ursule gives her life to save her tribe, her magic seems to die with her. Even so, her family keeps the Old Faith, practicing the spells and rites that have been handed from mother to daughter for generations. Until one day, Ursule’s young granddaughter steps into the circle, and magic flows anew. 

From early 19th century Brittany to London during the Second World War, five generations of witches fight the battles of their time, deciding how far they are willing to go to protect their family, their heritage, and ultimately, all of our futures." Goodreads

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

"Miryem is the daughter and granddaughter of moneylenders... but her father isn't a very good one. Free to lend and reluctant to collect, he has loaned out most of his wife's dowry and left the family on the edge of poverty--until Miryem steps in. Hardening her heart against her fellow villagers' pleas, she sets out to collect what is owed--and finds herself more than up to the task. When her grandfather loans her a pouch of silver pennies, she brings it back full of gold. 

But having the reputation of being able to change silver to gold can be more trouble than it's worth--especially when her fate becomes tangled with the cold creatures that haunt the wood, and whose king has learned of her reputation and wants to exploit it for reasons Miryem cannot understand." Goodreads

The Apprentice Witch by James Nicol

"Arianwyn has flunked her witch's assessment: She's doomed. Declared an apprentice and sent to the town of Lull in disgrace, she may never become a real witch—much to the glee of her archrival, Gimma. But Lull is not what it seems. Strange things are sighted in the woods, a dangerous infestation of hex creeps throughout the town, and a mysterious magical visitor arrives with his eye on her. 

With every spirit banished, creature helped, and spell cast, Arianwyn starts to get the hang of being a witch—even if she's only an apprentice. But the worst still lies ahead. For a sinister darkness has begun to haunt her spells, and there may be much more at stake than just her pride…for Arianwyn and the entire land." Goodreads

The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic by Leigh Bardugo

"Travel to a world of dark bargains struck by moonlight, of haunted towns and hungry woods, of talking beasts and gingerbread golems, where a young mermaid's voice can summon deadly storms and where a river might do a lovestruck boy's bidding but only for a terrible price. 

Inspired by myth, fairy tale, and folklore, #1 New York Times–bestselling author Leigh Bardugo has crafted a deliciously atmospheric collection of short stories filled with betrayals, revenge, sacrifice, and love. " Goodreads

The Witches of New York by Ami McKay

"Respectable Lady Seeks Dependable Shop Girl. Those averse to magic need not apply. 

New York in the spring of 1880 is a place alive with wonder and curiosity. Determined to learn the truth about the world, its residents enthusiastically engage in both scientific experimentation and spiritualist pursuits. Séances are the entertainment of choice in exclusive social circles, and many enterprising women—some possessed of true intuitive powers, and some gifted with the art of performance—find work as mediums. 

Enter Adelaide Thom and Eleanor St. Clair. At their humble teashop, Tea and Sympathy, they provide a place for whispered confessions, secret cures, and spiritual assignations for a select society of ladies, who speak the right words and ask the right questions. But the profile of Tea and Sympathy is about to change with the fortuitous arrival of Beatrice Dunn. 

When seventeen-year-old Beatrice leaves the safety of her village to answer an ad that reads "Respectable Lady Seeks Dependable Shop Girl. Those averse to magic need not apply," she has little inclination of what the job will demand of her. Beatrice doesn't know it yet, but she is no ordinary small-town girl; she has great spiritual gifts—ones that will serve as her greatest asset and also place her in grave danger. Under the tutelage of Adelaide and Eleanor, Beatrice comes to harness many of her powers, but not even they can prepare her for the evils lurking in the darkest corners of the city or the courage it will take to face them." Goodreads

Circe by Madeline Miller

"In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child—not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power—the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves. 

Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology, including the Minotaur, Daedalus and his doomed son Icarus, the murderous Medea, and, of course, wily Odysseus. 

But there is danger, too, for a woman who stands alone, and Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians. To protect what she loves most, Circe must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love." Goodreads

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe

"A spellbinding, beautifully written novel that moves between contemporary times and one of the most fascinating and disturbing periods in American history--the Salem witch trials. 

Harvard graduate student Connie Goodwin needs to spend her summer doing research for her doctoral dissertation. But when her mother asks her to handle the sale of Connie's grandmother's abandoned home near Salem, she can't refuse. As she is drawn deeper into the mysteries of the family house, Connie discovers an ancient key within a seventeenth-century Bible. The key contains a yellowing fragment of parchment with a name written upon it: Deliverance Dane. This discovery launches Connie on a quest--to find out who this woman was and to unearth a rare artifact of singular power: a physick book, its pages a secret repository for lost knowledge." Goodreads

Have you read any of these books? What are some of your favorite witch-related books?

Review: Guild of Tokens by Jon Auerbach

Guild of Tokens by Jon Auerbach
ARC Worlds Publishing

Publication Date: June 25th, 2019

Paperback. 420 pages

About Guild of Tokens:

"All Jen Jacobs has achieved in life is loneliness. So when she stumbles across a real-life game of epic quests on the streets of New York, she jumps at the chance for some excitement and gold tokens. Little does she know that the items she strives to collect hold a darker purpose… 

After a particularly harrowing quest pairs her up with Beatrice Taylor, a no-nonsense and ambitious mentor, Jen hopes she’s on the path to becoming a big-time player. But as she dives deeper into the game’s hidden agenda, she realizes Beatrice has her sights set on the Guild, the centuries-old organization that runs the Questing game. And the quests Jen loves are about to put both of them in grave danger. 

Will Jen survive the game before powerful forces cut her real life short?"

Guild of Tokens is an inventive, adventurous, and highly compelling urban fantasy with a dash of litRPG elements and an exciting plot. Urban fantasy is still one of those subgenres that I haven't read extensively in, so I was excited to check out this book and explore some more urban fantasy, and I'm happy to say that I had a blast with this one.

In Guild of Tokens, we follow Jen, a woman who is looking for something more in her life. It's not that her life is bad, but it's also not exactly exciting or particularly happy and she's looking for something a bit more in the way of adventure, which is pretty much exactly what she gets once she joins a real-life questing game. I love this premise and was constantly looking forward to see the quests Jen would have to have take on, as well as how as how she would be able to take on all of them.

In addition to Jen are a variety of other characters that we run across with her while embarking on the various quests, all of which I found to be executed particularly well. Auerbach definitely knows how to create interesting, developed characters with real flaws and personalities that make them seem like real people I might run across in New York. There are also a lot of important topics handled in really smooth, almost quiet ways that stand out to me as effortless and talented writing.

The setting of this book is in New York and although I've only ever visited it once, it seems obvious that Auerbach has captured the essence of the city where the majority of the events take place. It felt authentic and fresh, the real and normal mixing easily with the more fantastic elements at play. This really seemed like it could be real and actually happen at any time in the real New York of our world, which added to my enjoyment immensely.

The only areas I tended to have issues with were in regards to the pacing. I believe that this book was once released in three parts as three separate novellas, and I find that slightly apparent in relation to how the narrative flowed throughout the book. There were a few moments that felt slightly repetitive or just had awkward pacing jumps that stood out to me and I'm not sure if the previous novella format is the problem or if the pacing itself had some minor issues. Regardless of the cause, it's something that stood out to me enough that I wanted to mention it, but it didn't take away from the excitement of the plot itself.

Overall, I've given Guild of Tokens four stars! This was an extremely entertaining urban fantasy with litRPG elements that I would easily recommend to any fantasy fan.

*I received a copy of Guild of Tokens courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating or enjoyment of the novel.*

Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Anticipated Releases: November 2019

November is shaping up to be just like every other month this year with about a million incredible new releases coming out. I no longer lie to myself about being able to keep up with all of them, but I'm still chugging along and doing my best to read as many as I can! There are so many awesome books coming out next month and I have to say I'm most excited for Realm of Ash, Queen of the Conquered, and The Starless Sea! I've already read Unnatural Magic and I have an ARC of Fate of the Fallen that I still need to read, but I have to say that the former was so much fun and I highly recommend it. What books are you most looking forward to releasing next month!?

Realm of Ash by Tasha Suri || November 12th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern || November 5th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Unnatural Magic by C.M. Waggoner || November 5th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Knight of the Silver Circle by Duncan M. Hamilton || November 19th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

The Deep by Rivers Solomon, Daveed Diggs, William Hutson, Jonathan Snipes || November 5th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

The Pursuit of William Abbey by Claire North || November 12th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Fate of the Fallen by Kel Kade || November 5th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Legacy of Ash by Matthew Ward || November 5th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

The Toll by Neal Shusterman || November 5th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White || November 5th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Sisters of Shadow and Light by Sara B. Larson || November 5th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Queen of the Conquered by Kacen Callender || November 12th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Wake, Siren: Ovid Resung by Nina MacLaughlin || November 19th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Novice Dragoneer by E.E. Knight || November 5th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

The Golden Thread by Kassia St. Clair || November 12th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Impossible Causes by Julie Mayhew || November 19th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black || November 19th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

The Great Pretender: The Undercover Mission that Changed Our Understanding of Madness by Susannah Cahalan || November 5th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Song of the Crimson Flower by Julie C. Dao || November 5th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Songs from the Deep by Kelly Powell || November 5th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Mud and Stars: Travels in Russia with Pushkin, Tolstoy, and Other Geniuses of the Golden Age by || November 5th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Blood Heir by Ameli Wen Zhao || November 19th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

The Other Windsor Girl: A Novel of Princess Margaret, Royal Rebel by || November 5th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

The Cartiers: The Untold Story of the Family Behind the Jewelry Empire by Francesca Cartier Brickell || November 26th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

A Thousand Fires by Shannon Price || November 5th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

What are your anticipated November releases?

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Legacy of Ash by Matthew Ward & A Thousand Fires by Shannon Price

Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! This meme is based off of Jill @ Breaking the Spine's Waiting on Wednesday meme.

This week's upcoming book spotlights are: 

Legacy of Ash by Matthew Ward
Publication: November 7th, 2019

Orbit

Hardcover. 784 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

**Please note that the above are affiliate links!

From Goodreads:

"A shadow has fallen over the Tressian Republic.

While the armies of the Hadari Empire invade the borderlands, the Republic’s noble families plot against each other, divided by personal ambition. 

But as Tressia falls, heroes rise.

Viktor Akadra is the Republic’s champion and conqueror of the rebellious south. A warrior without equal, he also hides a secret that would see him burned as a heretic. 

Josiri Trelan would gladly see Viktor condemned to the flames – vengeance for a rebellion crushed and a mother slain. And while Josiri plots fresh insurrection, his sister, Calenne, is determined to escape their tarnished legacy and break the shackles of the past. 

As dark days beckon, these three must overcome their differences to save the Republic. Yet decades of bad blood are not easily set aside. Victory – if it comes at all – will command a higher price than they could have imagined."

As usual, I am always up for checking out some big new epic fantasy and Legacy of Ash sounds like that's exactly what it is!

and...

A Thousand Fires by Shannon Price

Publication: November 5th, 2019

Tor

Hardcover. 304 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

**Please note that the above are affiliate links!

From Goodreads:

"10 Years. 3 Gangs. 1 Girl’s Epic Quest… 

An extraordinary debut set in San Francisco and inspired by The Iliad… 

Valerie Simons knows the city's gang wars are dangerous—her own brother was killed by the Boars two years ago. But nothing will sway her from joining the elite and beautiful Herons to avenge his death—a death she feels responsible for. 

But when Valerie is recruited by the mysterious Stags, their charismatic and volatile leader Jax promises to help her get revenge. Torn between old love and new loyalty, Valerie fights to stay alive as she races across the streets of San Francisco to finish the mission that got her into the gangs."

I'm typically not drawn to fantasy set in our modern world, but there's something about this premise that just really intrigues me.

What do you think about these upcoming releases? What are your anticipated upcoming releases?

First Chapter Tuesday: The Terror, Confessions, and Girls with Sharp Sticks!

First Chapter Tuesday is hosted every Tuesday by Vicki @ I'd Rather Be at the Beach. This is meme in which bloggers share the first chapter of a book that they are currently reading or thinking about reading soon. Join the fun by making your own post and linking up over at Vicki's blog, or simply check it out to find more new books to read!

I'm planning to read a lot of awesome books over the next few weeks (fingers crossed I actually do!), so I thought I'd share those this week instead of the Top Ten/Five Tuesday posts. As always, I tend to share the first two-three chapters instead because I feel like it helps to give just a bit more to entice the reader.

The Terror by Dan Simmons
 

Excerpt:

CHAPTER 1

Heaven Awaiting

"CROZIER 
Lat. 70°-05′ N., Long. 98°-23′ W. 
October, 1847 

Captain Crozier comes up on deck to find his ship under attack by celestial ghosts. Above him—above Terror—shimmering folds of light lunge but then quickly withdraw like the colourful arms of aggressive but ultimately uncertain spectres. Ectoplasmic skeletal fingers extend toward the ship, open, prepare to grasp, and pull back. 

The temperature is–50 degrees Fahrenheit and dropping fast. Because of the fog that came through earlier, during the single hour of weak twilight now passing for their day, the foreshortened masts—the three topmasts, topgallants, upper rigging, and highest spars have been removed and stored to cut down on the danger of falling ice and to reduce the chances of the ship capsizing because of the weight of ice on them—stand now like rudely pruned and topless trees reflecting the aurora that dances from one dimly seen horizon to the other. As Crozier watches, the jagged ice fields around the ship turn blue, then bleed violet, then glow as green as the hills of his childhood in northern Ireland. Almost a mile off the starboard bow, the gigantic floating ice mountain that hides Terror's sister ship, Erebus, from view seems for a brief, false moment to radiate colour from within, glowing from its own cold, internal fires."

Goodreads

I've been want to read this one for so long that sometimes I forget I haven't already read it! This checks off all of my boxes of favorites, from the arctic setting to the haunting and more. Can't wait to (hopefully) get through this tome!

Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Confessions by Kanae Minato

 

Excerpt:

Chapter One
The Saint

"Once you finish your milk, please put the carton back in the box. Make sure you return it to the space with your number on it and then get back to your desk. It looks like everyone is just about done. Since today is the last day of the school year, we will also be marking the end of “Milk Time.” Thanks to all of you for participating. I also heard some of you wondering whether the program would be continuing next year, but I can tell you now that it won’t. This year, we were designated as a model middle school for the Health Ministry’s campaign to promote dairy products. We were asked to have each of you drink a carton of milk every day, and now we’re looking forward to the annual school physicals in April to see whether your height and bone mass come in above the national averages. 

Yes, I suppose you could say that we’ve been using you as guinea pigs, and I’m sure this year wasn’t very pleasant for those of you who are lactose intolerant or who simply don’t like milk. But the school was randomly selected for the program, and each classroom was supplied with the daily milk cartons and the box to hold them, with cubbyholes for your carton to identify each of you by seat number; and it’s true that we’ve kept track of who drank the milk and who didn’t. But why should you be making faces now when you were drinking the milk happily enough a few minutes ago? What’s wrong with being asked to drink a little milk every day? You’re about to enter puberty. Your bodies will be growing and changing, and you know drinking milk helps build strong bones. But how many of you actually drink it at home? And the calcium is good for more than just your bones; you need it for the proper development of your nervous system. Low levels of calcium can make you nervous and jumpy."

Goodreads

I read Minato's Penance a couple years back and wasn't necessarily in love with it, but I knew I wanted to check out some of her books one day as well--and that day has finally come! This is a fairly odd introduction, but it definitely grips me and the synopsis of the book absolutely intrigues me, so I'm looking forward to starting this book. 

Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Girls with Sharp Sticks by Suzanne Young

 

Excerpt:

Part 1
But the little girls adapted.

"It’s been raining for the past three months. Or maybe it’s only been three days. Time is hard to measure here — every day so much like the one before, they all start to blend together. 

Rain taps on my school-provided slicker, the inside of the clear plastic material growing foggy in the humid air, and I look around the Federal Flower Garden. Precipitation has soaked the soil, causing it to run onto the pathways as the rose petals sag with moisture. 

The other girls are gathered around Professor Penchant, listening attentively as he points out the varied plant species, ­explaining which ones we’ll be growing back at the school this semester in our gardening class. We grow all manner of things at the ­Innovations Academy. 

A thought suddenly occurs to me, and I take a few steps into the garden, my black shoes sinking into the soil. There are red roses as far as I can see, beautiful and lonely. Lonely because it’s only them — all together, but apart from the other flowers. ­Isolated."

Goodreads

This is another one that I've been dying to check out! This introduction definitely has me curious about a lot of different things already--especially with wanting to learn more about the Innovations Academy.

Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

What do you think? Would you keep reading these books? (And feel free to join in and make your own post!) 

*Excerpts are taken from the novel itself; I do not claim to own any part of the excerpt.