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Another pretty solid batch of May books here!

Freeset by Sarina Dahlan
Lost Ark Dreaming by Suyi Davies Okungbowa
The Dangerous Ones by Lauren Blackwood
The House That Horror Built by Christina Henry
Escape Velocity by Victor Manibo
The Only Light Left Burning by Erik J. Brown

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Clik here to view. Reviews in a Minute: May-be You Should Read These! Freeset by Sarina Dahlan
Series: The Four Cities #2
Published by Blackstone Publishing on May 21, 2024
Pages: 350
Format:eARC
Source:Copy provided by publisher for review, via Netgalley
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Sequel to the #1 bestseller Reset, Freeset is an intricate sci-fi story about found family, building hope, and learning to trust your inner voice.

Can true love break you free?

When calamity destroyed most of humanity, the Four Cities survived by carefully predicting and meticulously controlling everything in the survivors' lives--even love. As part of this new normal, every four years the citizens face down Tabula Rasa, a process that wipes away their memories of each other.

But nothing can be controlled completely, and love will always strive to be free.

A brave handful of Dreamers, aided by Eleanor the Crone, have repeatedly managed to find each other again after Tabula Rasa, proving that the desire to connect is eternal. Scientist Aris and musician Metis, star-crossed lovers, have found each other again ... along with a clue to a hidden library that could contain the memories erased by Tabula Rasa.

At long last, there is a chance for a brave, free, new world--if they can escape before the next reset.

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It is so bittersweet when a great series ends in a phenomenal way: you’re sad that it is over, but also really happy that it was satisfying. That is where I am now, with Freeset. The ending was kind of perfect, and I am so eager to recommend this series to everyone! But I will miss it- the world was just so creative and well thought out, I enjoyed the characters, and the story immensely.

This series is thought provoking, twisty, exciting, and really provides some great commentary on what makes us human. The world building is great (we get so many answers to questions), and the characters are well developed. Even new characters that we meet for the first time in this installment feel very fleshed out. I want to tell you so many more things about this one, but because it is a series, I shan’t. I shall, however, insist you grab the first book and dive in!

Bottom Line: This entire series is absolutely ::chef’s kiss::. Cannot wait to see what Sarina Dahlan does next!

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Clik here to view. Reviews in a Minute: May-be You Should Read These! Lost Ark Dreaming by Suyi Davies Okungbowa
Published by Tordotcom on May 21, 2024
Pages: 192
Format:eARC
Source:Copy provided by publisher for review, via Netgalley
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The brutally engineered class divisions of Snowpiercer meets Rivers Solomon’s The Deep in this high-octane post-climate disaster novella written by Nommo Award-winning author Suyi Davies Okungbowa

Off the coast of West Africa, decades after the dangerous rise of the Atlantic Ocean, the region’s survivors live inside five partially submerged, kilometers-high towers originally created as a playground for the wealthy. Now the towers’ most affluent rule from their lofty perch at the top while the rest are crammed into the dark, fetid floors below sea level.

There are also those who were left for dead in the Atlantic, only to be reawakened by an ancient power, and who seek vengeance on those who offered them up to the waves.

Three lives within the towers are pulled to the fore of this Yekini, an earnest, mid-level rookie analyst; Tuoyo, an undersea mechanic mourning a tremendous loss; and Ngozi, an egotistical bureaucrat from the highest levels of governance. They will need to work together if there is to be any hope of a future that is worth living―for everyone.

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Wow did this little story pack a punch! I could not put it down, and frankly, I could use all the stories set in this world with these characters. Basically, the situation is this: climate change has wreaked havoc, and now almost all of humanity has to live in unconventional places. For instance, this giant tower that we see on the cover of the book. There is no leaving; anyone going outside would be swept away. Two of our main characters are currently in “middle” levels- not the lower, least fortunate levels, but not in the upper echelon of the elite, either. Another is from the lower levels and has the most knowledgeable about what is happening. And fun fact, it’s nothing good!

Basically (and this is the part that did confuse me a bit) there are some undersea entities that I guess maybe evolved from humans, but regardless, they’re not exactly coming into the tower for a dinner date. This is a huge danger to the entirety of the tower, but those at the top don’t actually care- and they certainly don’t care about the lives of the individuals who live there, nor the three workers sent to handle the problem. The commentary was incredible, especially given the very entertaining nature of the story. It’s full of excitement, but still manages character development in a very minimal number of pages. And like I said, I didn’t fully understand the mythical creature part, but it wasn’t a big issue at the end of the day. Even if I couldn’t quite wrap my head around the concept, I still understood the general idea, and certainly what the author was trying to say through the mythological parts.

Bottom Line: So much awesome in so few pages! Cannot wait to read more from this author (and I would absolutely take a follow up to this world, please and thank you)!

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Clik here to view. Reviews in a Minute: May-be You Should Read These! The Dangerous Ones by Lauren Blackwood
Published by Wednesday Books on May 14, 2024
Pages: 368
Format:eARC
Source:Copy provided by publisher for review, via Netgalley
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A romantic historical fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blackwood, set in the American Civil War with vampires and people with demigod-like abilities.

1863, Pennsylvania
War doesn’t scare Jerusalem—she’s a Saint. Thanks to powerful demigod-style reflexes, endurance, and strength, she’s fearless. And ever since the Confederates declared civil war, partnering with the vampires who benefitted off slavery, she and her battalion of Saints are essential to the Union army.

Jerusalem herself had been enslaved by a vampire, escaping North only after her family was murdered. She knows the enemy better, hates the enemy more than anyone in her battalion, and has been using it to her advantage since she joined the war a year ago. More than anything she wants revenge, but if she can help Black people gain freedom and equality without having to steal it for themselves like she had to, then all the better.

But she never expects to have to team up with a vampire to do it. Alexei is one of those handsome, arrogant Ancient Vampires. But he’s on the Union’s side, and in the year they've known each other, has never done anything but prove he’s on hers.

Together, they set out to change the course of the war and take down the vampire who destroyed everyone Jerusalem loved. But for her, it’s about more than justice.

It's about killing a god.

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“Some of the thematic material in The Dangerous Ones contains depictions war and slavery, blood and gore, murder, death, physical abuse, hate crimes, racial discrimination, gun violence, and references to sexual abuse. For more information, please visit the author’s website.”

The Dangerous Ones has such a cool premise: take the upheaval of the Civil War, but add vampires! Here for it, of course. Jerusalem is a young woman who escapes slavery, though sadly the rest of her family does not. She finds herself fleeing from her captors, and ends up meeting a group who is fighting on the side of the Union- but not specifically as Union soldiers, I guess? Honestly, I wish their role in the war had been a bit more fleshed out, because I was kind of confused to how it fit into the war. Anyway, Jerusalem is a Saint, which means that she has some supernatural powers that can kill enslavers and vampires alike? Again, this part was not fleshed out enough, and I would have liked a bit more backstory on what these “saints” were, how they came to be, etc. Regardless, I did like that Jerusalem and her new friends were teaming up to rid the world of enslavers, always on board for that!

One of the folks she finds herself fighting with was Alexi, an old Russian vampire and therefore not Jerusalem’s favorite person. But he is actively fighting for the Union, Jerusalem’s friends trust him, and he has saved her life multiple times. Still, she claims to hate him. He, on the other hand, is quite enamored with her (though this is far more telling than showing, he tells us often). That is obviously a pretty big plot point, as is the new found family Jerusalem makes with an older Black woman named Odessa who becomes both a mentor and big sister to her (I hesitate to say “mother”, though she does have a nurturing role), and her trusted second Gael. I really liked these characters, and I actually wish they’d been featured a bit more. There is also some other paranormal stuff that happens later in the book that I don’t want to spoil, but seemed a little out of left field too. I think this is where more world building and background may have come in handy- I imagine we’re just supposed to be accepting of the world “as is”, which is okay, just a little tough for me personally.

Pretty much every review I have read for this one has the same basic complaint: it does not sound, in any way, that the characters are from the 1800s. And that is really a fair gripe, they definitely don’t. But it seemed like a deliberate choice the author made, and I just kind of went with it and tried (and mostly succeeded) to just ignore it. I did like the premise a lot, and I liked a lot of the messages, and of course seeing Jerusalem and the others fighting against the very evil enemy.

I did have a bit of an issue going from past to present without any real “notice”- we’d just be in a character’s memory, but without warning. Maybe this is somehow fixed in the finished copy, but it did throw me more than once. I did, however, like that we got glimpses into the characters’ pasts, so that was good.

Bottom Line: Incredible premise and themes, and though I might have wanted a bit more from the execution, it was still a worthwhile read!

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Clik here to view. Reviews in a Minute: May-be You Should Read These! The House That Horror Built by Christina Henry
Published by Berkley on May 14, 2024
Pages: 336
Format:eARC
Source:Copy provided by publisher for review, via Netgalley
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A single mother working in the gothic mansion of a reclusive horror director stumbles upon terrifying secrets.

Harry Adams loves horror movies, so it’s no coincidence that she accepted a job cleaning house for horror-movie director Javier Castillo. His forbidding gray-stone Chicago mansion, Bright Horses, is filled from top to bottom with terrifying props and costumes as well as glittering awards from his career making movies that thrilled audiences—until family tragedy and scandal forced him to vanish from the industry.

Javier values discretion, and Harry always tries to keep the house immaculate, her head down, and her job safe. Then she hears noises from behind a locked door, noises that sound remarkably like a human voice calling for help. Harry knows not asking questions is a vital part of keeping her job, but she soon discovers that the house may be home to secrets she can’t ignore.

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Here’s the thing: this worked for me in a “single mom struggling to raise son; boss is kind of weird” way. It worked less for me as “scary horror novel”, but that wasn’t like, a terrible thing? Just… maybe lower expectations if you’re hoping for pee-your-pants creepy? I definitely felt for main character Harry- she’s in a dead end job, trying to make ends meet for her and her teenage son. She takes a cleaning job with a famous horror film producer since she loves horror films, but also she’s scrambling for work in a quasi-post-COVID world.

I really enjoyed the dynamic between Harry and Gabe. And I also liked the way Harry was trying to come to terms with Gabe getting older and becoming more independent. As a mom, that scares the bejeezus out of me, too, so I felt that. Add to it that Javier is a little…extra. Harry doesn’t feel super comfy being friendly with Javier, since he is her employer, but she acquiesces- and then immediately regrets her life choices as she and Gabe become closer to Javier (and Javier’s history).

I enjoyed the mystery aspect, for it seemed to me more mysterious than thrilling, but I suppose that is just semantics. I enjoyed Harry as a character, and all the hard choices she has to make. I won’t say this is my favorite novel of Henry‘s, but neither did I dislike it.

Bottom Line: A good mystery and character story, a bit light on the horror.

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Clik here to view. Reviews in a Minute: May-be You Should Read These! Escape Velocity by Victor Manibo
Published by Erewhon on May 21, 2024
Pages: 368
Format:eARC
Source:Copy provided by publisher for review, via Netgalley
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Space Habitat Altaire is the premier luxury resort in low Earth orbit, playground of the privileged and the perfect location to host reunions for the Rochford Institute. Rochford boasts only the best: the wealthiest, most promising students with the most impressive pedigrees. Complete with space walks, these lavish reunions are a prime opportunity for alumni to jockey for power with old friends and rivals—and crucially, to advance their applications to live in an exclusive Mars settlement. Earth is dying, and only the best deserve to save themselves.

Aboard the Altaire for a 25th reunion, finance magnate Ava pursues the truth about her brother’s murder during their senior year. Laz, ambassador and political scion, hopes to finally win Ava’s heart. Sloane, collecting secrets to conceal his family’s decline, angles for a key client. And Henry, heir to a healthcare empire, creates an unorthodox opportunity to get to Mars in a last-ditch effort to outrun a childhood secret.

While these erstwhile friends settle scores and rack up points, they fail to notice the other agendas developing at the Space Habitat Altaire. Their own futures aren’t the only ones at stake—“the best” will soon regret underestimating those they would leave behind on Earth.

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“Content notice: Escape Velocity contains depictions of/allusions to: ableism, alcohol use, classism, death, drug use, eugenics, genetic discrimination, gun use, murder, physical violence, queerphobia, racism, sexism, transmisogyny.”

I am not one to use comps when talking about a book, but this one was just so… comparable? It’s Floating Hotel meets The Girls Are All So Nice Here meets Dark AcademiaImage may be NSFW.
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The premise was very entertaining- lots of secrets and mysteries, both past and present. There were quite a few characters, but it wasn’t all that hard to keep track of them, as they had well developed backstories and such. Anyway, they’re all well-to-do fancy boarding school alums, here on this space cruise to have a reunion. They’ve various levels of privilege among them, but it’s clear that everyone has an agenda. For some, it is about revisiting the past. For others, it is about securing themselves a spot on a permanent off-Earth site, as Earth is failing. For some, it’s simply about debauchery and living the high life for a bit. Whatever the motivations, you’ll see many sides of these characters. So too will you see a bit of the folks who are not thrilled to be catering to their every whim. If I have one big-ish qualm with this book, it’s that I think it would have worked better, especially the second half, had the rebellion worker been given a larger role throughout. It would have made everything connect much better, and I think would have made the ending feel a little more palatable. (No, I am not going to tell you about the ending- some people seem to love it, some seem to hate it, I personally didn’t wholly mind it, though it didn’t feel as satisfying as it could have, if all parties had been better explored. There, that is all you’re getting, you absolute spoiler barbarians.)

Anyway. I enjoyed it, for the most part. It was exciting and full of action and secrets and all kinds of chaos, which I am here for. I also enjoyed the commentary and the diversity, and the whole messiness of even later stage capitalism. It was exciting and I loved trying to figure out all the secrets, so it was definitely another win for me from Manibo!

Bottom Line: Ambitious, but mostly does what it sets out to do, in a really packed and entertaining novel.

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Clik here to view. Reviews in a Minute: May-be You Should Read These! The Only Light Left Burning by Erik J. Brown
Series: All That's Left in the World #2
Published by Balzer + Bray on May 28, 2024
Pages: 400
Format:eARC
Source:Copy provided by publisher for review, via Netgalley
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What If It's Us meets They Both Die at the End in this sequel to the beloved postapocalyptic queer YA adventure romance All That's Left in the World by USA Today bestselling author Erik J. Brown.

Perfect for fans of Adam Silvera, Alex London, and Heartstopper by Alice Oseman.

After a long and treacherous journey south, Andrew and Jamie have finally found safety in the Florida Keys. But they soon learn that safety doesn't always mean happily ever after.

Settling into life in the Islamorada colony with other survivors of the bug, Andrew believes they've finally found themselves a home, even a family. But anxious Jamie is less comfortable in their new community and is eager to return north to keep the promise they made to their friend Henri—to bring her to the colony and reunite her with her daughter. Besides, would it really be so bad to find someplace just for the two of them?

When a hurricane and a shocking betrayal force them to leave the colony in search of new shelter, it brings their tensions to a head—and puts them in the path of some old enemies. Andrew and Jamie must set aside their differences to survive once more and find a new home. But what if "home" means different things to each of them?

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Ah, another sequel that I daresay outshines its predecessor! We love to see it! I was giddy excited when I heard there was a follow up on the way to 2022’s All That’s Left In the World, and wow did it deliver. By now, you all know that apocalypse novels are kind of my “thing”, so makes sense that I was a fan.

This book was so full of heart, much like its predecessor. I found the stakes even higher in this one, probably because we know how messy the world is. I felt like I had a lot more in common with Andrew, and as such I related to him and his chapters more, because he made choices that I’d have probably made. Even so, I enjoyed reading Jamie’s point of view as well. The differences between the two characters make them work well together, both in a relationship and just as a team. I equally loved the side characters, and how much our guys grew to consider them family. I think that has to be the key to surviving in a TEOTWAWKI situation- if there are no people to live for, what have you got? I will say, there were a few times where Andrew and Jamie’s voices felt a little too similar, even though they are very well developed- so much that I had to look back a couple times to see whose chapter I was on. Minor gripe, in the grand scheme of things though!

The same bad guys from the first book are still a threat this time around. If there’s one thing I can say about surviving the end of the world, the crappiest people seem to make it- probably because they’ll do the most awful stuff to survive. That is no exception here, as our characters have to face a lot of brutal people, and also a brutal changing world in which things that seemed benign no longer are. Makes for such a thought provoking and realistic reading experience, frankly. Everything about this story, from start to finish, has been full of heart, and I have to say that is my favorite part about it- the idea of finding light in the darkest of times.

Bottom Line: Such a great sequel/ending, exciting and satisfying and all the good stuff.

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Have you read any of these books? Plan to? Let us chat about them!

The post Reviews in a Minute: May-be You Should Read These! appeared first on It Starts at Midnight.

Reviews in a Minute: May-be You Should Read These!

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Another pretty solid batch of May books here!

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Another pretty solid batch of May books here!

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