If you've been wanting the Riyria Chronicles in hardcover, now is your chance to get them!
Here the link to the kickstarter.
A place for my thoughts on books
If you've been wanting the Riyria Chronicles in hardcover, now is your chance to get them!
Here the link to the kickstarter.
Reading for NetGalley-
There's nothing easier to dismiss than a conspiracy theory―until it turns out to be true When Theodosia Benton abandons her career path as an attorney and shows up on her brother's doorstep with two suitcases and an unfinished novel, she expects to face a few challenges. Will her brother support her ambition or send her back to finish her degree? What will her parents say when they learn of her decision? Does she even have what it takes to be a successful writer? What Theo never expects is to be drawn into a hidden literary world in which identity is something that can be lost and remade for the sake of an audience. When her mentor, a highly successful author, is brutally murdered, Theo wants the killer to be found and justice to be served. Then the police begin looking at her brother, Gus, as their prime suspect, and Theo does the unthinkable in order to protect him. But the writer has left a trail, a thread out of the labyrinth in the form of a story. Gus finds that thread and follows it, and in his attempt to save his sister he inadvertently threatens the foundations of the labyrinth itself. To protect the carefully constructed narrative, Theo Benton, and everyone looking for her, will have to die.
Gemma Parks is known throughout high society as
G. M. Parker, a columnist renowned for her commentary on the cream of
society. Behind the scenes, she uses her talent to aid the Imposters in
their investigations by gathering intel at events and providing alibis
for the elite firm's members through her columns. Yet her clandestine
work would be more exhilarating if it weren't for the constant presence
of the gentleman who broke her heart.
Graham Wharton has never
had eyes for anyone but Gemma, and she left his soul in tatters when she
walked away from him. When the Imposters take on a new job to recover a
kidnapped boy mistaken for his aristocratic cousin, Graham is
determined to use the time with Gemma not only to restore the missing
boy, but also to win back the only woman he's ever loved. As they trace
the clues laid out before them, Graham must devise a noble scheme to
save the boy's life and heal their hearts.
Book Club Read-
Picture a wizard. Go ahead, close your eyes.
There he is, see? Skinny old guy with a long straggly beard. No doubt
he's wearing iridescent silk robes that couldn't protect his frail body
from a light breeze. The hat's a must, too, right? Big, floppy thing,
covered in esoteric symbols that would instantly show every other mage
where this one gets his magic? Wouldn't want a simple steel helmet or
something that might, you know, protect the part of him most needed for
conjuring magical forces from being bashed in with a mace (or pretty
much any household object).
Now open your eyes and let me show you what a real war
mage looks like . . . but be warned: you're probably not going to like
it, because we're violent, angry, dangerously broken people who sell our
skills to the highest bidder and be damned to any moral or ethical
considerations.
At least, until such irritating concepts as friendship and the end of the world get in the way.
My
name is Cade Ombra, and though I currently make my living as a
mercenary wonderist, I used to have a far more noble-sounding job title -
until I discovered the people I worked for weren't quite as noble as
I'd believed. Now I'm on the run and my only friend, a homicidal thunder
mage, has invited me to join him on a suicide mission against the seven
deadliest mages on the continent.
Time to recruit some very bad people to help us on this job . . .
Reading at Fantasy Buddy Reads-
Bonds of Chaos is the final installment of the Threadlight trilogy, which begins with the multi-award-winning Voice of War.
TO BREAK THE BONDS, THERE WILL BE SACRIFICES
When
all was lost, the Heralds returned, and the world embraced them as gods
and saviors. But there are some who know the truth: the Heralds are not
what they seem.
Now, in a desperate attempt to stop them, Chrys
and the others travel to Cynosure with hopes of enlisting the only Amber
threadweaver with the power to help.
Chrys, Laurel, Alverax, and those they love.
Together, they will stop the gods...or they will die trying.
Whilst organizing a mock murder hunt for the village fete hosted by Sir George and Lady Stubbs, a feeling of dread settles on the famous crime novelist Adriane Oliver. Call it instinct, but it's a feeling she just can't explain...or get away from.
In desperation she summons her old friend, Hercule Poirot -- and her instincts are soon proved correct when the 'pretend' murder victim is discovered playing the scene for real, a rope wrapped tightly around her neck.
But it's the great detective who first discovers that in murder hunts, whether mock or real, everyone is playing a part.
Other books I would like to read-
A headstrong princess finds herself entangled
in intrigue, politics, magic, and love in this coming-of-age novel set
in the world of the House Witch series.
It’s been twenty
years since Finlay Ashowan, the fabled house witch of Daxaria, first
cooked up supernatural hijinks in the castle at Austice. Since then,
much has changed; the royal family now resides elsewhere, a tentative
peace has been established with Troivack, and the crown princess, Alina,
is ready to pick the perfect nobleman to be her husband.
But
Alina’s quest for her ideal consort is proving rather difficult. For
one, between her father’s nerves and her own health issues, relations
within the family are tense at best. For another, Fin and his wife,
Annika, have returned to the castle to celebrate Alina’s momentous
choice, bringing with them their fiery daughter, Katarina; mysterious
son, Tamlin; and mischievous familiar, Kraken—all of whom have a
penchant for finding trouble that somehow surpasses that of the house
witch himself. And finally, the most politically promising suitor, the
king of Troivack, is nothing less than completely intolerable.
Now,
Alina must manage filial expectations, flirtatious miscues, magical
misadventures, and dangerous plots, all as she struggles to find her own
place within her kingdom—and understand the blossoming desires of her
own heart . . .
Featuring a new generation of delightful
characters as well as the trademark charm, humor, and fantasy that made
readers fall in love with the House Witch series, The Princess of Potential is a captivating tale of courtly intrigue, slow-burn romance, and mystical adventure that’s perfect for teens and adults alike.
The Jewels of Halstead Manor (Ladies of Devon #1) by Kasey Stockton
4 of 5 stars. Review to come. This was the Pick it for me book for February and I liked it so much I read the next 3 books in the series. Only one left to go and I'll have completed the whole series.
Great North Road by Peter F. Hamilton
2 of 5 stars. This ended up being a DNF for me. Unfortunately it felt too long and I didn't care for any of the characters.
Thicker Than Water (DCI Logan #2) by J.D. Kirk
4 of 5 stars. This was a good second book in the series. I'm liking the characters enough to continue on.
The Lady of Larkspur Vale (Ladies of Devon #2) by Kasey Stockton
4 of 5 stars. Review to come.
A Deadly Education (Scholomance #1) by Naomi Novik
4 of 5 stars. Review to come.
Mysteries of Thorn Manor (Sorcery of Thorns 1.5) by Margaret Rogerson
3 of 5 stars. It was fun to revisit Thorn manor and these characters.
Yule Be Sorry (Beaufort Scales #2) by Kim M. Watt
3 of 5 stars. This was another enjoyable book in this series. As I said before though, I usually enjoy these cozy mysteries more as a one and done thing and get bored with series of this genre. This one was really cute and if you like this sort of thing then I definitely recommend it, but I think two books are enough for me. Time to move on.
The Widow of Falbrooke Court (Ladies of Devon #3) by Kasey Stockton
4 of 5 stars. Review to come.
Everwild (Skinjacker #2) by Neal Shusterman
4 of 5 stars. This was an enjoyable reread. I had forgotten some of the details. I initially gave this 5 stars but this time around I'm dropping my rating to 4.
Stones of Light (Threadlight #2) by Zack Argyle
3.5 stars. Review to come.
The Recluse of Wolfeton House (Ladies of Devon) by Kasey Stockton
4 of 5 stars. Review to come.
The Snowman (Harry Hole #7) by Jo Nesbo
1 of 5 stars. Review to come.
Hickory Dickory Dock (Hercule Poirot #34) by Agatha Christie
4 of 5 stars
3.5 of 5 stars. This novella was predictable, but I still enjoyed getting the different perspectives of each neighbor.
The Red House by George Agnew Chamberlain
3.5 of 5 stars. Review to come.
The Cabin on Souder Hill by Lonnie Busch
2 of 5 stars. Review to come.
The Tainted Cup (Shadow of the Leviathan #1) by Robert Jackson Bennett
No rating yet, I'm still reading it. Review to come.
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Category: Adult, Christian Fiction
Genre: Romance, Clean Romance, Historical Romance
Content: Clean
Finding himself the man of the family, London
dancing master Alec Valcourt moves his mother and sister to remote
Devonshire, hoping to start over. But he is stunned to learn the village
matriarch has prohibited all dancing, for reasons buried deep in her
past.
Alec finds an unlikely ally in the matriarch's daughter.
Though he's initially wary of Julia Midwinter's reckless flirtation, he
comes to realize her bold exterior disguises a vulnerable soul--and
hidden sorrows of her own.
Julia is quickly attracted to the
handsome dancing master--a man her mother would never approve of--but
she cannot imagine why Mr. Valcourt would leave London, or why he evades
questions about his past. With Alec's help, can Julia uncover old
secrets and restore life to her somber village. . .and to her mother's
tattered heart?
Filled with mystery and romance, The Dancing Master
brings to life the intriguing profession of those who taught essential
social graces for ladies and gentlemen hoping to make a "good match" in
Regency England.
This has got to be the most disappointing book I've ever read by Julie Klassen. Needless to say, this has now taken the place of The Apothecary's Daughter as my least favorite book by this author.
The biggest problem I had with this was that I didn't connect with the characters. While Alec was a nice person, I didn't find him all that attractive as a leading man because he was somewhat of a dandy and that didn't come across very masculine to me. I'm also used to reading about leading men who can stand up to bullies and Alec gets bullied in this book more than once by the town bullies. I did like the clever way he stood up to them eventually, but I just wanted to read about a character who could have done that from the beginning. He wasn't a child, he was a grown man and I wanted to read about a capable one. There were also the times when he didn't want to get dirty or do any sort of hard labor that were also turn-offs for me.
Then there was the leading lady, Julia. I didn't like Julia at all throughout most of the book. She was so immature. It took way too long for her to grow up and realize how stupid her selfish, vain, and reckless behavior was. Not that I didn't understand why she had issues, but I didn't enjoy reading this book with her as a main character. There were supporting characters that I would much rather have been reading about than the main characters in this book.
The plot of this book was sort of like Footloose in the regency era. It didn't work for me. The reason why dancing was banned in the town was based on one selfish woman's secrets. I'm calling her selfish, because this woman had something happen to her and then she decided that no one else could enjoy dancing because of it. Overall, this is just a really flimsy plot that was easy to puzzle out. There were no real surprises here, just annoying characters.
I think if this had been any other author I would have overlooked some of the annoyances, but Julie Klassen has written so much better than this. This was the last of her published novels that I hadn't yet read, and even though this one was a disappointment, I will of course keep reading her other books as she publishes them.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Category: Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Content: Mild language
A hero to some. A villain to many. The truth forever buried.
The
man who became known as Esrahaddon is reported to have destroyed the
world’s greatest empire—but there are those who believe he saved it. Few
individuals are as divisive, but all agree on three facts: He was
exiled to the wilderness, hunted by a goblin priestess, and sentenced to
death by a god—all before the age of eight. How he managed to survive
and why people continued to fear his name a thousand years later has
always been a mystery...until now.
From the three-time New York Times best-selling author Michael J. Sullivan, Esrahaddon is the final novel in the Rise and Fall trilogy. This latest set of stories sits snugly between the Legends of the First Empire series and the Riyria books (Revelations and Chronicles). With this tale, Michael continues his tradition of unlikely heroes who must rise to the call when history knocks, demanding to be let in. This is the 19th full-length novel in a body of work that started in 2008 and spans four series.
This is the third and final book in the Rise and the Fall Trilogy. The trilogy that bridges together The Legends of the First Empire and The Riyria Revelations and Chronicles, and it's the one I've been waiting so long to read! Since I finished The Riyria Revelations series, I've wanted to read more about Esrahaddon. He was such an interesting character, and this book did not disappoint me. I loved everything about this book. I did think it started out a little slow, but when it got going it really grabbed me, and once I got to the last quarter of the book, it was impossible to put down.
As usual with a Michael J. Sullivan book, the characters were all great. I loved the goblins. I truly came to love Hekkebah, Niblick, and Mashie. They were such a pleasant surprise. I also enjoyed reading more about the gods, Uberlin, Trilos, and Muriel and some of the revelations about them, particularly Muriel.
There was so much unexpected humor in this book. I found myself giggling quite often as I read. Not only that, but it had me feeling all the emotions. The end left me wanting more, even though I had the full story. I had to go back and reread Esrahaddon's parts in The Riyria Revelations after I finished this.
“I’m not a philosopher, but I know that worth isn’t found in a sword or the skill to wield it. Worthiness comes from the heart, from courage in the face of adversity, from fighting a battle you know you can’t win with dignity.”
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Category: Adult
Genre: Sci-fi, Space Opera
Content: Strong language
Rule number 27: Don’t trust the weird Sisters.
Or maybe it’s don’t steal from gangsters. Either way...words to live by.
The
Lyra is safe. And so is Alek Wa’s secret. His mission is over, and he
can leave the ship. But he’s not sure he wants to. And when the Sisters
of Elazir drop them into the Green Zone, Alek’s stomach sinks. The last
time he was here, he fled with his life and barely got away.
Rebeka
Mino isn’t happy to be in the Green Zone, ruled by gangsters and
reprobates. She can survive it though — she’s been there before. But
then things go from bad to worse: her ex shows up with a treasure map to
a fabled ship.
With the Lyra back in working order, Tink has no
desire to chase after mythical treasure ships. She wants life to get
back to normal: odd jobs, the occasional salvage and tinkering in her
engine room. But with her secret exposed and unwelcome guests, she
doubts if things can ever go back to normal...and Alek Wa is still
onboard.
When the gangsters start shooting, their only escape
might be to find a lost ship in a dark grave. Can Alek outrun his past?
Can Rebeka’s ex survive their reunion? Can they uncover the mystery ship
and its treasure? Most importantly, can they get out with their lives?
I really enjoyed the first book in this series and was looking forward to continuing with this book, but I have to say that this one was not as compelling to me. The story is hampered by too many of the same types of events repeating over and over. In the first book the Lyra is constantly tracked by another ship and they end up showing up everywhere. That continued in this book to the point that it got very old. Then, of course they decide to take on illegal cargo and they end up hiding it, just like the last book. I also wasn't crazy about the plot with the space archeologists and the hidden relics. It just felt very done before. So now I'm on the fence about whether I want to read book three. I'll think about it for a while before I decide.
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Category: Adult
Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller
Content: Strong language, Kidnapping, Psychological torture
What if the chance of a perfect life… put your daughter in grave danger?
Being
a single mother is tough, but I’d do anything for my little girl
Scarlet. I’d given up on my career as a voice actor when the call came,
but suddenly I was the new narrator for a secret book from bestselling
author Philippa Roberts, who has been missing for eight months. It was a
lifeline for me and my daughter.
I hated that it meant leaving
Scarlet with my ex in his perfect new home with his perfect new
girlfriend. But I knew it was the right thing to do.
But as I
start reading Philippa’s new novel, I start to wonder if it’s no
coincidence that I’ve been chosen to narrate it. There’s something
hidden in the pages of this book, I’m sure of it. Some clue to
Philippa’s disappearance. And I don’t feel safe. I think I’m being
watched. My room has been searched.
And then my ex’s girlfriend
calls in tears and everything starts to click together. If I don’t find
answers fast, I’ll lose more than my second chance. I’ll lose my
daughter.
First off, I want to point out that the book description is very misleading. There are multiple things in the description that didn't happen in the book, or at least not the way they are described. I've never felt so lied to by a book description.
As for the book itself, it was suspenseful, but highly improbable. In the beginning I felt like I was reading something very dark. I was worried about what was going to happen to this lady that was kidnapped. I was picturing all sorts of terrible things. Then it took a different turn, one that was kind of absurd.
As far as the characters went, I mostly liked the main character, but I didn't care for any of the others. The main character's ex-husband was so despicable, I was grinding my teeth at one point, and her mother wasn't much better. I couldn't believe they were being such pushovers to this guy. Then there's the kidnap victim. She, at one point did something so dumb during this ordeal, that I found it unbelievable.
And that brings us to the whole kidnapping in general. WHY? I was very surprised at the twist in this book, and that's probably because there weren't enough clues given in the book to point me in that direction. I mainly don't understand why this person did all this. WHY? It didn't really make much sense. The motivation was flimsy for the ends this person went to.
Initially, I was going to give this 3 stars, but as I've thought about it more and more I've decided on 2.