Hey, everyone! Welcome to the first post for the Gen Con Book Club, a somewhat regular series where we talk about what books the people of Gen Con are enjoying in their free time. No need for a long intro, lets jump right in and see what stories we’ve enjoyed.
The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward, Read by Dani
“This is the story of a serial killer, a stolen child, revenge, death, and an ordinary house at the end of an ordinary street. I found this book on Kindle Unlimited and saw that Stephen King had reviewed it (I’m a sucker for Stephen King), so I immediately downloaded it. I read this book in just a few days! Catriona Ward introduces these characters in such a fantastic way. Multiple times throughout this book my jaw hit the floor, and just when I thought that I had figured out the book, it surprised me.
“Everyone on Needless Street knows about the boarded-up house at the end. Ted might not like a lot of things, but he loves his birds, his cat Olivia, and his daughter. Olivia is a well to do cat who does her best to figure out why God put her in Ted’s life. Eleven years ago, Ted’s house was searched because of a young girl going missing at the lake down the street. Ted is cleared as a suspect, but Dee, the older sister of the missing girl, doesn’t believe it. This story is told from their three perspectives. We learn about Ted’s upbringing and how he tends to lose chunks of time, and about how hard it is for him to control his daughter. We learn about what went down at the lake eleven years ago. This book is a story of hope and survival with a horror twist.
“I loved this book so much, and highly recommend it for everyone who loves thrillers or horror books! Plus, it’s available on Kindle Unlimited!
“Please check all trigger warnings, but a few of the big ones are: people and animal abuse, suffocation, claustrophobia, kidnapping, blood”
The Hotel Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand, Read by Megan
“I enjoyed this book as it was lighthearted and easy to read while at the same time offered an intensity that kept you wanting more. I like Elin’s books as she does a great job of character development and drawing you in to each of their stories.”
Jade City by Fonda Lee, Read by me
The book I chose for this post is the first of a trilogy I finished very recently. Jade City, book one of Fonda Lee’s Green Bone Saga is a fantasy and martial arts epic set in the fictional city of Janloon. It focuses on the warring factions of this modern day, Asia inspired city, particularly the Kaul family, as well as the mystical mineral Jade, which is the source of the superhuman power the warriors of Janloon possess.
One of my favorite things about this story is that it takes my favorite genre, fantasy, and then utilizes in ways that are not typical to the genre. It is set in a modern day, Asia-inspired city and country instead of medieval Europe-inspired backdrop. The scheming, the politics, and the clashing of the noble houses is more Godfather and less Song of Ice and Fire. And the combat is straight out of Hong Kong cinema with a bit of mystical energies and superhuman feats dropped in to give it that fantastical feel.
Jade City is action-packed, thrilling, tragic, violent, and fantastical in ways not often seen in this genre. If you love fantasy, martial arts, mafia stories, or stories about family struggles, then you should give this book a try.
That’s it for now. But what about you? What have you been reading lately? Any recommendations? Let us know on Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #GenConBook.