Down in the Sea of Angels by Khan Wong - #bookreview

 

March 4, 2106 - Marshall Cove, San Francisco

A dozen drones buzzed right in my face when I got there. Beside the bonfire, a scruffy guy in coveralls fidgeted with a tablet, tongue stuck out of the corner of his mouth in concentration, presumably controlling these things...

***

The Blurb

In the year 2106, climate change has altered the world, transforming borders, cities, and socioeconomic structures. Additionally, a cosmic event known as the “Bloom” has awakened psionic abilities in a small percentage of the population. 

One such individual is Maida Sun, who possesses the ability to know the history of objects she touches. In the course of her new job with a cultural recovery project in San Francisco, she comes across an object that plunges her into the lives of Li Nuan, a sex-trafficked girl in a Chinatown brothel in 1906 longing for freedom, and Nathan, a tech-designer and hedonist in 2006 seeking greater purpose. 

When a chance encounter with a political leader’s watch reveals a plan to eliminate psions – people like her – Maida must find a way to stop his agenda before it gains traction. 

Flashes of the past and glimpses of the future provide Maida, Li Nuan and Nathan clues to help their own situations as they, each in their own way, confront exploitation and fight for liberation while living under the specter of environmental collapse. 

My Review

At the beginning of this year, I promised myself I would read some books which were outside my usual reading comfort zone. When I was offered the opportunity to read this one, it sounded like the ideal book to try out a little science fiction. 

This book is set during three time periods. We follow Li Nuan in 1906, Nathan in 2006 and Maida Sun in 2106. I reassured myself that with parts of the book set in the past and the present, then those would provide a gateway into the science fiction element for me. However, it was no time at all before I was absorbed by Maida's part in this story too. Isn't it wonderful to be pleasantly surprised by a reading experience?

I found all three of the characters completely believable. Li Nuan, who has been sex-trafficked, Nathan, who comes to realise that there must be more to life than his hedonism and job with a tech company, and Maida whose psionic abilities drive her towards an object that will link all three of them.

What I particularly enjoyed was Nathan's awakening to the fact that he was a contributor to the future environmental consequences that those in his period of time were causing. Fast forward to Maida's section of the book where those consequences have indeed occurred, and we observe a world in which those consequences have transpired due to the lifestyles of those who have come before her, known in the book as the Precursors. It serves as a warning to us all.

I enjoyed the journeys of all three of the main characters. They were engaging and each of their stories made for compelling reading. I particularly liked the way the author ultimately portrayed the connection between the three characters. He gathered all of the strands together to produce a satisfying ending to the book.

As a newbie to science fiction/fantasy this book has left me wanting more. Do you have any suggestions of what I should read next?

You can find out more about Khan's previous book, The Circus Infinite, here..

I will mention at this point that some of Li Nuan's story was difficult to read as she is a sex-trafficked minor and the sexual scenes are graphically portrayed. It is shocking to realise that not only did this happen during the time period but still happens today. That said, this is still an excellent book but if it is a trigger for you then you may want to give this one a miss.

Book Details

ISBN:  978 1915998361

Publisher:  Angry Robot

Formats:  e-book, audio and paperback

No. of Pages:  400 (paperback)

Purchase Links

Bookshop.org

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the Author

Khan Wong has published poetry, played cello in an earnest folk-rock duo, and been an internationally known hula hoop teacher and performer. He's toured with a circus and produced circus arts shows in San Francisco, where he also worked as a grantmaker with a public sector arts funding agency. His debut novel, The Circus Infinite, was a finalist for the Lambda LGBTQ+ Speculative Fiction Award 2023 and long-listed for the BSFA Best Novel Award. 

You can also find Khan at:

Author Website

Linked In

Instagram

Facebook

BlueSky

Why not check out some of the other fabulous bloggers on the tour?

(ARC and media courtesy of the publisher)

(all opinions are my own)

(Bookshop.org affiliated)

Don't Look Away by Rachel Abbott - #BookReview

 

Slowly, gently, he eases down the handle and slips silently through the door.

She's there, on the bed, covers thrown back. He stifles a gasp as his eyes travel the length of her body, from her long naked legs, exposed to the cool breeze drifting gently through the open window, to her chest, rising and falling with each soft breath. In the still of the hot night the only sound is the murmur of waves lapping the pebbled beach...

***

She never wanted to come back. Now she'll never leave.

Nancy Holland's sister disappeared on a holiday in Cornwall eleven years ago. She hasn't been seen since, and Nancy never returned. Until now.

Life has pulled her back to the seaside village and cottage where young Lola was last seen. Back then, Nancy couldn't see what was right in front of her eyes. Can she now finally uncover what happened to her sister?

***

This book is the third in the Stephanie King series and is publishing in the UK today. I have not read the previous two in the series, but this did not hinder my enjoyment of the book and it worked perfectly well as a standalone novel.

I enjoyed the book very much, and it was a real page turner. I was hooked from the very beginning and had time permitted I would have gobbled this up in one sitting.

The book is set in Cornwall, to where the main character, Nancy, has returned when she inherits a cottage from her great aunt. She has not visited the area since her younger sister, Lola, went missing eleven years previously. Nancy had no desire to return to the area as it holds such unhappy memories for her.

The detective, Stephanie King, is looking into the case and she is an equally well drawn character. The author has a good understanding of her characters and thus, they are extremely easy to engage with.

The plot kept me guessing until the very end and its conclusion was unexpected. The author is clearly a great storyteller and she kept me captivated throughout this dark and suspenseful novel. However, the darkness of the plot was accompanied by the beautiful descriptions of the environment and were a joy to read. I have been lucky enough to visit Cornwall and it is every bit as beautiful and dramatic as Ms. Abbott describes.

This is an excellent psychological thriller, and I highly recommend it.

ISBN: 978 1035403387

Publisher:  Wildfire

Formats:  e-book, audio and paperback

No. of Pages:   464 (paperback)

Purchase Link - Bookshop.org*

About the Author:

Rachel Abbott began her career as an independent author in 2011, with Only the Innocent, which became an instant No. 1 bestseller on Kindle, topping the chart for four weeks. Since then, she has published ten further psychological thrillers, plus a novella, and sold over 4 million copies in the English language. She is one of the top-selling authors of all time in the UK Kindle store, and her novels have been translated into 21 languages. 

Rachel splits her time between Alderney and the Le Marche region of Italy, where she is able to devote all her tine to writing fiction.

Purchase Link - Bookshop.org*

(ARC and all author info courtesy of the publicist)

(all opinions are my own)

*Disclosure: I only recommend books I would buy myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post contains an affiliate link from which I may earn a small commission.

House of Sticks by Marc Scott - #BookReview #Blogtour

 

Some say she was pushed, but most thought she had jumped. Whichever was the sad reality, the wiry-framed girl with the soft voice and the ever-teary eyes was gone. She was, in the words of Karen Walpole from B Wing, 'As dead as a doornail.' Only two people would ever know the truth behind her demise.

Just one cell door was unlocked, slightly ajar, that bright August morning. An enforced, but welcomed, lay-in for the rest of the inmates. Poppy peered through the small gap in the doorframe, across the landing to where her former cell mate had fallen without grace to her bleak fate the previous week.

***

They are united now, two sisters who were kept apart by the cruel twists in their lives. And, despite the fact these siblings grew up at the opposite end of the social ladder, they have discovered that they share an unbreakable bond. It is like a modern-day fairy tale coming to life.

However, the pathway to their shared happiness is littered with misgivings and depraved memories from which they can never escape. Brianna is still haunted by the tragic death of her twin brother while Poppy finds it hard to let go of the ghosts of her abusive childhood. 

It seems that the forces around them will never leave them alone. Neddy, a ruthless drug dealer is hell-bent on revenge. A worried mother who is desperate to unlock the darkest of secrets. A stranger with tattooed fingers who must face retribution for his evil sins. These women must be strong to survive.

But remember, not all girls are made of sugar and spice.

Be prepared! This is not a fairy tale...

***

In all honesty, it took me a little while to get into this book. Not because there is anything wrong with the book; it was more that it was not what I had expected. However, once I did, it made for compelling reading and I am so glad that I hung in there.

Poppy was an interesting character. She had experienced a traumatic childhood, and being an adult had brought extreme challenges too. Even though she addressed her problems through violence, she was likeable and the author did a great job of presenting her as a fully formed character. I could not help but feel empathetic towards her. I enjoyed observing the relationship between her and her very different half-sister, Bree, and it was the connection between the two that kept me really hooked.

I did not read the book's predecessor, House of Straw, but that did not impede my reading experience of this novel.

There were a good number of twists and turns that I had not anticipated which inevitably makes for exciting reading. It was fast paced and something significant occurs in every chapter.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. However, it is a dark story and there were points when I felt a little uncomfortable. It was rather violent at times and deals with the issue of child abuse, brutality and other adult themes. However, if you like your fiction to be fast and gritty then you will enjoy this novel.

ISBN:  978 1803131016

Publisher:  Matador

Formats:  e-book and paperback

No. of Pages:  384 (paperback)

Support Independent Bookshops - Buy from Bookshop.org *

About the Author:

Marc Scott was born and raised in the heart of the East End of London. He spent more than 25 years working in the video and film industry, including a 12-month spell on a project in Los Angeles. More recently he has been involved with assisting at the rehabilitation section of theUK court service, working predominantly with young offenders.  It was here where he met the people that would inspire him to write his first novel House of Straw.

He is unapologetic for the dark backdrop and raw brutality in his books. ‘You can’t sugar-coat some of these damaged individuals that live in a broken society and make excuses for them.’ he says. ‘Not everyone wants the chance to redeem themselves.’

His gritty writing style has earned him much praise from reviewers and bloggers. The second book in his trilogy, House of Sticks, will be available later this year. A story that Marc describes as, ‘An even darker and more twisted journey into the depths of depravity.’

Marc lives in Halstead in England. He has a son and two daughters, who, he says, have given him the proudest moments in his life. He lists his favourite author as Kazuo Ishiguro, and his favourite book as ‘Birdy’ by William Wharton. He sums up his reading choices with a method which he applies to his own works.  ‘When I read a book, I want to feel like a bystander, watching on, as an ‘extra’ as everything unfolds. If any of the characters in the book are bland and don’t affect you in some way, the author has wasted an opportunity.’

(book, author photo and bio provided courtesy of R & R Book Tours)

Support Independent Bookshops - Buy from Bookshop.org *

*Disclosure: I only recommend books I would buy myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post contains an affiliate link from which I may earn a small commission.