Mini Reviews: The Uninvited by Cat Winters and Ungodly by Kendare Blake

From Goodreads: Twenty-five year old Ivy Rowan rises from her bed after being struck by the flu, only to discover the world has been torn apart in just a few short days. But Ivy’s life-long gift - or curse - remains. For she sees the uninvited ones - ghosts of loved ones who appear to her, unasked, unwelcomed, for they always herald impending death. On that October evening in 1918 she sees the spirit of her grandmother, rocking in her mother’s chair. An hour later, she learns her younger brother and father have killed a young German out of retaliation for the death of Ivy’s older brother Billy in the Great War. Horrified, she leaves home, to discover the flu has caused utter panic and the rules governing society have broken down. Ivy is drawn into this new world of jazz, passion, and freedom, where people live for the day, because they could be stricken by nightfall. But as her ‘uninvited guests’ begin to appear to her more often, she knows her life will be torn apart once more, but Ivy has no inkling of the other-worldly revelations about to unfold. 

My Rating: 3.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Having loved Cat Winters’ YA books, I was curious to see what her adult novel, The Uninvited, would be like. Since I didn’t bother reading the synopsis before beginning The Uninvited, I was surprised to find out that it was set in 1918 America, a time period Winters had already explored in her debut novel In the Shadow of Blackbirds. Like with In the Shadow of Blackbirds, ghosts and the Spanish influenza play a role in The Uninvited; but The Uninvited’s focus is more on how World War I affected everyday Americans – particularly those of German background – living in America at the time. Personally, I liked In the Shadow of Blackbirds better; but The Uninvited is still worth a read, especially if you enjoy the combination of historical and paranormal elements. 

The Uninvited was released in August 2015 by William Morrow.
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From Goodreads: For the Goddess of Wisdom, what Athena didn’t know could fill a book. That’s what Ares said. So she was wrong about some things. So the assault on Olympus left them beaten and scattered and possibly dead. So they have to fight the Fates themselves, who, it turns out, are the source of the gods’ illness. And sure, Athena is stuck in the underworld, holding the body of the only hero she has ever loved. But Hermes is still topside, trying to power up Andie and Henry before he runs out of time and dies, or the Fates arrive to eat their faces. And Cassandra is up there somewhere too. On a quest for death. With the god of death. Just because things haven’t gone exactly according to plan, it doesn't mean they’ve lost. They’ve only mostly lost. And there’s a big difference. 

My Rating: 3 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Ungodly, the final book in the Goddess War series by Kendare Blake, was a book I was looking forward to reading because I wanted to see if my favourite goddess from Greek mythology (Athena) would emerge victorious. With the way things ended in Mortal Gods, Ungodly starts at three separate points – in the Underworld with Athena and Odysseus, in Kincade with Hermes, Andie and Henry, and in California with Cassandra and Calypso. I wasn’t too keen about having to read about Cassandra without the others because she was my least favourite character in the previous books. Also, I felt that Ungodly was rushed in terms of how things were wrapped up, and wasn’t completely satisfied with the explanation given for why the gods were dying. 

Ungodly was released by Tor Teen in September 2015.  

Review: The Cure for Dreaming by Cat Winters

From Goodreads: Olivia Mead is a headstrong, independent girl - a suffragist - in an age that prefers its girls to be docile. It’s 1900 in Oregon, and Olivia’s father, concerned that she’s headed for trouble, convinces a stage mesmerist to try to hypnotize the rebellion out of her. But the hypnotist, an intriguing young man named Henri Reverie, gives her a terrible gift instead: she’s able to see people’s true natures, manifesting as visions of darkness and goodness, while also unable to speak her true thoughts out loud. These supernatural challenges only make Olivia more determined to speak her mind, and so she’s drawn into a dangerous relationship with the hypnotist and his mysterious motives, all while secretly fighting for the rights of women. Winters breathes new life into history once again with an atmospheric, vividly real story, including archival photos and art from the period throughout.

My Rating: 4 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Much like her debut, In the Shadow of Blackbirds, Cat Winters’ sophomore novel, The Cure for Dreaming, is a great blend of paranormal and historical fiction that’s written in such a way that you’re transported to the time period of its setting.

The year is 1900 and change is in the air in Portland, Oregon as women fight for their right to vote alongside men. One of these suffragists is our narrator, Olivia, whose father is very much against the idea of women entering the domain of politics. As a result, he hires a hypnotist to cure Olivia of her dreams of becoming an equal to a man in any way. Thankfully, Henri Reverie, does not share the same opinions as Mr. Mead, and rather than letting Olivia see the world the way it should be, he lets her see it the way it is. Although I’m sceptical about hypnotism, I did find the public and private sessions of hypnotism fascinating, and would have like more factual information about it at the end of The Cure for Dreaming.

I also liked Winters’ ability to make me care for or hate her characters. For example, I loathed Olivia’s father for his extremely controlling nature, and am very grateful that dentistry is no longer the way it used to be because having Mr. Mead as your dentist … *shudders*. On the other hand, I fully supported the romance between Henri and Olivia because Olivia finds a true partner in Henri.  

A book that reminds you not to take your rights for granted, The Cure for Dreaming was released in October 2014 by Amulet Books.  

Comments About the Cover: It’s intriguing because of how the girl is positioned. I’d definitely want to learn more about the book if I saw this cover in a bookstore. 

In exchange for an honest review, this book was received from the publisher (ABRAMS) for free via Netgalley. 

Review: In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters

From Goodreads: In 1918, the world seems on the verge of apocalypse. Americans roam the streets in gauze masks to ward off the deadly Spanish influenza, and the government ships young men to the front lines of a brutal war, creating an atmosphere of fear and confusion. Sixteen-year-old Mary Shelley Black watches as desperate mourners flock to séances and spirit photographers for comfort, but she herself has never believed in ghosts. During her bleakest moment, however, she’s forced to rethink her entire way of looking at life and death, for her first love - a boy who died in battle - returns in spirit form. But what does he want from her? 

My Rating: 4 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: If you’re looking for a historical fiction novel that gives you an accurate feeling of the time period that it takes place in, In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters would be one such book.

Set during the month of October 1918 when Americans were experiencing both WWI and the Spanish influenza epidemic, there was a palpable sense of fear and desperation throughout the book. With so many young people dying in such a short span of time, the grief-stricken living sought to contact their beloved through spiritualism, which Winters uses to her advantage by seamlessly incorporating the presence of a ghost into the story.

Throw in a likeable protagonist such as Mary Shelley with her no-nonsense approach and love of science, secondary characters like anxious Aunt Eva with her folk remedies, a sweet romance that isn’t the focal point of the plot, a mysterious death, and the inclusion of black and white photographs that enrich the overall atmosphere of the story, and it’s not surprising that I enjoyed In the Shadow of Blackbirds.

In the Shadow of Blackbirds was released by Amulet Books in April 2013. 

Comments About the Cover: The cover suits the novel perfectly! The model is even wearing Mary Shelley’s aviatrix goggles!