We aim to please here at Lit Carnivale. You have the option to read the reviews below or scroll down to watch the review video. In March 2020, Toi read 1 nonfiction book, 1 graphic novel, 1 picture book, 1 steampunk anthology, 1 book with a black main character, and 1 mystery. Check it out.
Black Gun, Silver Star: The Life and Legend of Frontier Marshal Bass Reeves
Rating 4.0
This is a good book with lots of historical information, but it’s also hard to read. When I say it’s hard to read, it’s not because the words are too big or flowery; it’s because there are a lot of parts that drag and drift away from the life of Bass Reeves. I think if I were a historian or a true history-buff, the drags and drifts would not have bothered me. It would have all just been gravy. Everything in the book is very informative, but since I wanted to learn specifically about the life of Bass Reeves and not the ways of the “old west”, some of this book lost me.
In terms of collected facts about Bass Reeves, I feel confident that this book has you covered. I did learn a lot about him and, therefore, am overall satisfied with this read. Still, I do wish the book had a better format. It wasn’t exactly written chronologically or compartmentalized by major moments in his life, so following along was some times confusing. It seemed to skip around, as though the author was so excited about the material that he wanted to tell everything all at once without finding a better way to present it. But don’t get me wrong, this is coming from someone who doesn’t read a lot of nonfiction on a regular basis. I don’t think the author’s presentation was bad, it just didn’t do much to keep my interest beyond the fact that I was determined to learn about Reeves.
Overall, the work is impressive. It is clear, even with some of the tangents the author takes, how much time and effort went into the research for this book. I am grateful to this author for providing such a great resource to those who want to know more about Reeves and the time in which he lived.
Highly recommended to enthusiasts of American History, frontier history, African American History, and tales of real-life true heroes.
Rating 5.0
This book was way better than I expected, but mainly because I didn’t know what to expect and was reading outside of my comfort zone.
So, I guess this can be considered a romantic-suspense thriller… Assuming I’m writing that correctly. I’ve read other romantic suspense, but outside of a specific series from an author I adore, I haven’t indulged much in the genre. I guess there’s a part of me that has trouble reconciling the romance with the thriller aspect. In any case, I’m glad I read, or at least listened, to this book.
There were few characters in the story that really pulled me in but I absolutely adored the heroine. This is one of those stories where I’m always afraid I’ll figure it out too soon and be disappointed, but that was not the case here. The initial set up of the main lead character was easy to write off, which made trying to piece the great mystery together more intriguing. Sorry if that sounds odd but I’m trying not to give away spoilers. Anyway, there were a few things I figured out before they were revealed but overall this author really got me. There was even one character I expected to be around at the end who was pleasantly not. It’s probably not a good thing to be glad when a character doesn’t make it to the end, especially when they are technically not a bad guy (but also not really a good guy either).
Back to the heroine for a bit. I love the fact that she has asthma and is still depicted as a strong character, not just a strong woman. She is tough and smart, using her mind and her body to fight back at every chance she can, but still remains feminine and human. Sadly, many strong female characters have to adopt masculine traits to stand out (much is the way of the world), but our heroine is a woman literally running out of breath and fighting to the very last second. Kudos to the author. I may try to pick up another book from this author.
Again, I seem to be rambling. So here are my final thoughts. The narrator did wonderful voice work bringing all the characters to life. All the unlikable characters came off perfectly awful and the likable ones were like music to my ears. The author’s use of language really helped to define each of these characters’ complexities. Most of them are not what they seem on the surface. The ending was very satisfying.
Highly recommended to fans of this author, the genre, and a great intense short read.
Cogs, Crowns, and Carriages: A Steampunk Anthology
Rating 4.0
A companion series to Gears, Ghouls, and Gauges, this was an entertaining read. Oddly, this collection didn’t catch my fancy the way the first one did but I did enjoy every story I read. I do feel that many of the stories in this collection had a sadder tone than the first, but it was a good sadness… if that makes any sense.
I can totally seem myself rereading this collection when I need a steampunk fix.
Disclaimer: I received a digital ARC with no expectation to review.
Highly recommended to fans of steampunk and anthologies.
Wires and Nerve, Volume 2: Gone Rogue
Rating 5.0
As with the first of this series, I wish I could give it a 4.5, but since I can’t- a 5.0 it is.
I smacked myself in the head when I realized the fairytale connection to Iko’s character, after reading the first installment in this series, because I should have realized it much sooner. So here I am stating the obvious- this really is a great take on the Pinocchio story. Even if Iko isn’t a real girl, she’s real to all her friends and strives to be more human every day. (She’s the Data of YA for any Trekkies out there.)
I had an entire essay, much like my review of the first book, planned for this book, but decided to keep this one short and simple.
I adore where Meyers has taken the Lunar Chronicles and am so happy to be able to see more of Iko’s adventures. This installment was very satisfying. If it ends here I’ll be happy, but I will never turn down more if the author wants to dish it out.
Highly recommended whether you’re a comic book fan or not.
Actual rating of 4.5.
This is a cute story about love in many forms. It shows a kind of maternal love and friendship. The illustrations are so cute, with subdued backgrounds that let the main characters, a girl and her duck, shine.
The only reason I didn’t give his book a 5 is the confusing depiction of the girl. At some points, she appears younger and at other times she almost seems like an adult. Plus, there are no other characters present to compare her too. It made me drift away from the cuteness of the story a bit to contemplate, is this child all alone (where are her parents) raising a duck or is she a youthful adult? Still, I don’t expect this to be an issue for younger readers.
Recommended.
The Lawyer’s Luck (Home to Milford College #.5)
Actual rating of 4.5.
I was nervous the moment I read page one of this book. Slavery is a topic I have to be in a certain mindset and mood to read about. I don’t shy away from it, but I am cautious about it. I had all sorts of terrifying notions running through my mind when the main character went in search of his horse. Without giving any spoilers away, my mind was much darker than this author’s intent.
Still, this author didn’t diminish the harsh reality of slavery later on in this short story. I did find it refreshing that the overall tone of the story was practical, yet spiritual. A belief in a higher being was there from beginning to end, even when slave characters contemplated a god that would allow slavery to exist. But to be clear, this is a short story and many themes introduced in this book are not fully covered and I don’t think they are meant to be. This is just a prequel. It’s a great move on the author’s part to pull in readers.
This story itself could almost be humorous if it weren’t for the slavery. The way our two main characters meet is ideal for the love story that follows. I am definitely interested in reading more about these characters.
This was an overall light read, even with the tough subject matter. It’s a love story and a reflection of American History that needs to be remembered so it will never be repeated. Plus, it’s really uplifting.
Highly recommended.
So, did you read any good books in March? What did you think of the ones I read? Check out some other cool videos I recently post over at The ToiBox of Words. Until next time, I hope you love books as much as #carnieluvsboox.
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