CMBohn is back, and this time it's round 2!
This is a continuation of the topic CMBohn is back, and this time it's 2018.
Talk 2018 Category Challenge
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1cmbohn
Starting off with a new thread! Here's my categories for the year:
Cold cases - book that have been nn the shelf too long
First Timers - new authors
Repeat offenders - rereads
Serials - books in a series
Isolated occurrence - stand alone titles
Minor infractions - YA and kids books
Eyewitness accounts - nonfiction books
Advance warning - ARCs and for review
Most Wanted - best books of the year
Petty crime - loser books, DNF
Cold cases - book that have been nn the shelf too long
First Timers - new authors
Repeat offenders - rereads
Serials - books in a series
Isolated occurrence - stand alone titles
Minor infractions - YA and kids books
Eyewitness accounts - nonfiction books
Advance warning - ARCs and for review
Most Wanted - best books of the year
Petty crime - loser books, DNF
2cmbohn
COLD CASES - Books that have been on the shelf too long.
1. A Man of Means by PG Wodehouse*
2. The Raphael Affair by Iain Pears *
3. The Boy on the Bridge by M. R Carey *
4. Quiet Meg by Sherry Lynn Ferguson
5. The Body Politic by Catherine Aird*
3cmbohn
FIRST TIMERS - New authors
1. Sign Off by Patricia McLinn
2. The Lost Spy by Kate Moira Ryan
3. Murder on Black Swan Lane by Andrea Penrose
4. The Lost Heiress by Roseanna M. White *
5. All Systems Red by Martha Wells
6. Rebel Mechanics by Shanna Swendson
7. Girl Waits with Gun by Amy Stewart
8. Touch by Claire North
9. The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman
10. The Manual of Detection by Jedediah Berry
11. Death's Privilege by Darryl Donaghue
12. Among Others by Jo Walton
13. These Honored Dead by Jonathan F. Putnam
14. Murder at the House of Rooster Happiness by Dr. David Cassarett
15. Soulbound Return of the Elves #1 by Bethany Adams
16. Adrenaline by Jeff Abbott
4cmbohn
REPEAT OFFENDERS - rereads
1. Elantris by Brandon Sanderson, on audio *
2. The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson *
3. The Man Who Would Be King by Rudyard Kipling *
4. Solstice Day Gifts by Lindsay Buroker *
5. The Thief by Clive Cuddler and Justin Scott
6. I Am not a Serial Killer by Dan Wells, audio
7. The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson, audio
8. Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde *
9. Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde
10. Something Rotten by Jasper Fforde
11. Mrs. Jeffries Plays the Cook by Emily Brightwell
5cmbohn
SERIALS - books in a series
1. The Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson*
2. Forged in Blood I by Lindsay Buroker*
3. Forged in Blood II by Lindsay Buroker*
4. Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz
5. Star Nomad by Lindsay Buroker*
6. Honor's Flight by Lindsay Buroker*
7. The Case of the Broken Doll by Alison Golden
8. Starseers By Linday Buroker *
9. Major Lord David by Sherry Lynn Ferguson
10. The Case of the Missing Letter by Alison Golden
11. Merely a Mister by Sherry Lynn Ferguson
12. A Symphony of Echoes by Jodi Taylor
13. Fairy Tale - Swendson by Shanna Swendson
14. The Masked City by Genevieve Cogmon
15. A Trail Through Time by Jodi Taylor
16. Moss Forest Orchid by Shari L. Tapscott
17. Last Shot by Gregg Hurwitz
6cmbohn
ISOLATED OCCURRENCE - stand alone book titles
1. The Shape-Changer's Wife by Sharon Shinn *
2. Magpie Murders by Antony Horowitz
3. The Accident by Linwood Barclay
4. They're Watching by Greg Hurwitz
5. The Prince Buys a Manor by Elspeth Huxley
6. The Room by Jonas Karlsson
7. Astounding Antagonists by Rafael Chandler*
7cmbohn
MINOR INFRACTION - YA and Children's books
1. The Mysterious Edge of the Heroic World by EL Konigsburg *
2. Missing - Armstrong by Kelley Armstrong
3. Murder is Bad Manners by Robin Stevens
4. The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier
5. Calvin by Martine Leavitt
6. Shadowshaper by David Jose Older
7. Enna Burning by Shannon Hale
8. The Plastic Magician by Charlie M Holmberg *
9. The Wretched of Muirwood by Jeff Wheeler*
10. Geekerella by Ashley Poston
8cmbohn
EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS - non-fiction
1. Unfamiliar Fishes by Sarah Vowell - audio - Also counting for BingoDog
2. Deep Down Dark by Hector Tobar - audio
3. The Plantagenets Warrior Kings and Queens who Made England by Dan Jones *
4. The Templars: The Rise by Dan Jones*
9cmbohn
ADVANCE WARNING - ARCS or Early Review books
1. The Boy on the Bridge by M R Carey *
2. Chimera Catalyst by Susan Kuschinkas *
3. Ollie, Ollie, in come free by Anne Bernard Becker *
4. Madame Koska and the imperial brooch by Ilil Arbel *
5. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi*
6. Murder Among the Pines by John Lawrence Reynolds*
7. Son of a Gun by Lee Ness*
8. The Time Hunters by Carl Ashmore
11cmbohn
PETTY CRIME - Boring books and DNFs
1. What I Saw and How I lied by Judy Blundell
2. A Buried Tale by CJ Carmichael
3. Too Like the Lightning by Ada Palmer
4. The Spirit Lens by Carol Berg
5. The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene
6. H is for Hawk by Helen MacDonald
7. Astounding Antagonists by Rafael Chandler
8. An Unexpected Apprentice by Jodi Lynn Nye
9. Rebel Magisters by Shanna Swendson
10. The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
13cmbohn
And here's the new new kitty:
We named him Samwise, but we’re calling him Sam. He’s 5 years old and super mellow. As soon as we opened his crate he started rubbing up against everyone, wanting to be petted. He’s sleeping on my bed right now and he’s made friends with everyone – except Rosie! We’ll just take it slow and give them time to get used to each other. Anyway, I’m really happy with him. He’s just what we needed! That's the best picture of his pretty eyes, but he's already settled in enough to get another picture:
We named him Samwise, but we’re calling him Sam. He’s 5 years old and super mellow. As soon as we opened his crate he started rubbing up against everyone, wanting to be petted. He’s sleeping on my bed right now and he’s made friends with everyone – except Rosie! We’ll just take it slow and give them time to get used to each other. Anyway, I’m really happy with him. He’s just what we needed! That's the best picture of his pretty eyes, but he's already settled in enough to get another picture:
14LittleTaiko
Oh, I just want to cuddle with Sam - he's adorable. He reminds me of the cat, Tiger, we had when I was a kid.
16cmbohn
But it's not all cats around here! There's a lot of reading going on too. Here's some I recently finished.
All Systems Red by Martha Wells. I read about this one on LT and when I saw it at the library Friday I picked it up. Fast read, but so much packed in such a short book. About a an AI which calls itself Murderbot and its latest assignment. Really happy to find that this was the first in a series, because I loved Murderbot so much I really wanted to see what happens next!
Girl Waits with Gun by Amy Stewart. Recommended by a friend. In the early 20th century, three women living alone were assumed to need a male relative to take care of them. Constance Kopp is not having it. When a local mill owner starts harassing them, she gets to the bottom of it. Based on history, and also the first in a series. Much more fun than I expected.
Rebel Mechanics by Shanna Swendson. Initially I really liked it, but when I thought about it, it was kind of just a gushy YA love triangle set in alternate US with steamships and magic. So I don't know if I'll read more. I did like it, so I probably will.
The Elegant Universe: Superstrings by Brian Greene. Much easier to read and understand than you might expect, but that doesn't mean I think he's right. DNF
The Spirit Lens, Collegia Magica book 1 by Carol Berg. I got this because I wanted to try this author and I thought the description sounded like a grown up Harry Potter with more politics. So. Slow. So much talking about what they wanted to know and how they didn't know how to find it out and they didn't know what to do next. Made it to halfway but I just couldn't take any more! DNF
All Systems Red by Martha Wells. I read about this one on LT and when I saw it at the library Friday I picked it up. Fast read, but so much packed in such a short book. About a an AI which calls itself Murderbot and its latest assignment. Really happy to find that this was the first in a series, because I loved Murderbot so much I really wanted to see what happens next!
Girl Waits with Gun by Amy Stewart. Recommended by a friend. In the early 20th century, three women living alone were assumed to need a male relative to take care of them. Constance Kopp is not having it. When a local mill owner starts harassing them, she gets to the bottom of it. Based on history, and also the first in a series. Much more fun than I expected.
Rebel Mechanics by Shanna Swendson. Initially I really liked it, but when I thought about it, it was kind of just a gushy YA love triangle set in alternate US with steamships and magic. So I don't know if I'll read more. I did like it, so I probably will.
The Elegant Universe: Superstrings by Brian Greene. Much easier to read and understand than you might expect, but that doesn't mean I think he's right. DNF
The Spirit Lens, Collegia Magica book 1 by Carol Berg. I got this because I wanted to try this author and I thought the description sounded like a grown up Harry Potter with more politics. So. Slow. So much talking about what they wanted to know and how they didn't know how to find it out and they didn't know what to do next. Made it to halfway but I just couldn't take any more! DNF
17cmbohn
Currently reading:
Major Lord David by Sherry Lynn Ferguson. A light historical romance set in England during Napoleon's time. And to keep with the era:
Mirage: Napoleon's Scientists and the Unveiling of Egypt by Nina Burleigh. A little Eurocentric, but very interesting. Napoleon stinks, that's what I'm getting here.
Major Lord David by Sherry Lynn Ferguson. A light historical romance set in England during Napoleon's time. And to keep with the era:
Mirage: Napoleon's Scientists and the Unveiling of Egypt by Nina Burleigh. A little Eurocentric, but very interesting. Napoleon stinks, that's what I'm getting here.
19DeltaQueen50
Sam is a beautiful looking fellow! Girl Waits With Gun has been on my list for some time, I really need to get to it!
20cmbohn
Little Taiko - Sam likes to lean in when you're petting him. It's pretty sweet.
Helenliz - He really is a sweetheart!
VivienneR - Thanks! And it's been a good batch from the library.
Helenliz - He really is a sweetheart!
VivienneR - Thanks! And it's been a good batch from the library.
21rabbitprincess
Gorgeous kitty!
Also glad you liked Girl Waits with Gun :)
Also glad you liked Girl Waits with Gun :)
22MissWatson
Happy new thread. And such a beautiful cat!
24cmbohn
Touch by Claire North, First Offense
Kepler had never meant to die this way — viciously beaten to death by a stinking vagrant in a dark back alley. But when reaching out to the murderer for salvation in those last dying moments, a sudden switch takes place.
Now Kepler is looking out through the eyes of the killer himself, staring down at a broken and ruined body lying in the dirt of the alley.
Instead of dying, Kepler has gained the ability to roam from one body to another, to jump into another person’s skin and see through their eyes, live their life — be it for a few minutes, a few months or a lifetime.
Kepler means these host bodies no harm — and even comes to cherish them intimately like lovers. But when one host, Josephine Cebula, is brutally assassinated, Kepler embarks on a mission to seek the truth — and avenge Josephine’s death.
This book is a case of where the idea 💡 was better than the execution. First of all, if I hadn't read the synopsis, I might have enjoyed the slow reveal a little more. As it was, the description doesn't really match the spirit of the book, IMO.
As it was, I wish there had been more time in each "skin" before jumping into the plot. I liked the idea a lot, but the ending fell flat for me. I will admit that I found myself thinking about the book for a long time, wondering what I would have done differently.
Kepler had never meant to die this way — viciously beaten to death by a stinking vagrant in a dark back alley. But when reaching out to the murderer for salvation in those last dying moments, a sudden switch takes place.
Now Kepler is looking out through the eyes of the killer himself, staring down at a broken and ruined body lying in the dirt of the alley.
Instead of dying, Kepler has gained the ability to roam from one body to another, to jump into another person’s skin and see through their eyes, live their life — be it for a few minutes, a few months or a lifetime.
Kepler means these host bodies no harm — and even comes to cherish them intimately like lovers. But when one host, Josephine Cebula, is brutally assassinated, Kepler embarks on a mission to seek the truth — and avenge Josephine’s death.
This book is a case of where the idea 💡 was better than the execution. First of all, if I hadn't read the synopsis, I might have enjoyed the slow reveal a little more. As it was, the description doesn't really match the spirit of the book, IMO.
As it was, I wish there had been more time in each "skin" before jumping into the plot. I liked the idea a lot, but the ending fell flat for me. I will admit that I found myself thinking about the book for a long time, wondering what I would have done differently.
25cmbohn
Major Lord David by Sherry Lynn Ferguson, serials
Decades of war with France are over and Napoleon Bonaparte is safely confined on Elba. Yet Major Lord David Trent finds his homecoming far from peaceful. His father, the Duke of Braughton, is determined to see his son wed, and he has a very specific bride in mind: his neighbor's daughter. David cannot recall that the neighbor even has a daughter, much less one he might find appealing! And after years spent fighting on the Peninsula, he is in no mood to be ordered to court anyone.
Wilhelmina Caswell has always been in love with Lord David, as her family is well aware. Her preference, and the designs of both their fathers, would seem to make the match inevitable. But as the spring of 1815 advances along with an emboldened Bonaparte, a looming battle threatens thousands of lives and one growing love at Waterloo.
It's funny how sometimes when you're reading, all your books 📚 sort of align. I'm listening to a book about Napoleon in Egypt and then I started this one, which is about an English officer in the war against the French, and the in Touch there was a section about his life in Egypt.
This is a neat little historical romance between two lovers who grew up as neighbors and then fell in love. 💓 My problem though was that the conflict between the two was more annoying than believable. Billie was too afraid of her feelings or something to admit them. I got tired of that. It was really sudden on David's part, but too slow on hers.
Some reviews mentioned not liking the descriptions of war in a romance book. I didn't have any problem with that. The synopsis made it pretty clear that was was a major theme in the book. I've read other books set in the era that have similar passages, notably The Spanish Bride by Georgette Heyer. If you wanted pure romance, then this will probably not satisfy. I thought it was good enough that I want to read the next book in the series. All of these so far have been clean as far as sexual content, so if you like it steamy this book is not for you.
Decades of war with France are over and Napoleon Bonaparte is safely confined on Elba. Yet Major Lord David Trent finds his homecoming far from peaceful. His father, the Duke of Braughton, is determined to see his son wed, and he has a very specific bride in mind: his neighbor's daughter. David cannot recall that the neighbor even has a daughter, much less one he might find appealing! And after years spent fighting on the Peninsula, he is in no mood to be ordered to court anyone.
Wilhelmina Caswell has always been in love with Lord David, as her family is well aware. Her preference, and the designs of both their fathers, would seem to make the match inevitable. But as the spring of 1815 advances along with an emboldened Bonaparte, a looming battle threatens thousands of lives and one growing love at Waterloo.
It's funny how sometimes when you're reading, all your books 📚 sort of align. I'm listening to a book about Napoleon in Egypt and then I started this one, which is about an English officer in the war against the French, and the in Touch there was a section about his life in Egypt.
This is a neat little historical romance between two lovers who grew up as neighbors and then fell in love. 💓 My problem though was that the conflict between the two was more annoying than believable. Billie was too afraid of her feelings or something to admit them. I got tired of that. It was really sudden on David's part, but too slow on hers.
Some reviews mentioned not liking the descriptions of war in a romance book. I didn't have any problem with that. The synopsis made it pretty clear that was was a major theme in the book. I've read other books set in the era that have similar passages, notably The Spanish Bride by Georgette Heyer. If you wanted pure romance, then this will probably not satisfy. I thought it was good enough that I want to read the next book in the series. All of these so far have been clean as far as sexual content, so if you like it steamy this book is not for you.
26christina_reads
>13 cmbohn: What a handsome kitty!
>16 cmbohn: I LOLed at your review of Rebel Mechanics. You're 100% right, but also, I still really liked the book!
>16 cmbohn: I LOLed at your review of Rebel Mechanics. You're 100% right, but also, I still really liked the book!
28-Eva-
>13 cmbohn:
Aw, gorgeous new kitteh!
Aw, gorgeous new kitteh!
29cmbohn
Currently reading 📚
River Secrets by Shannon Hale
The Plastic Magician by Charlie M. Holmberg
The Pigeon Pie Mystery by Julia Stuart
River Secrets by Shannon Hale
The Plastic Magician by Charlie M. Holmberg
The Pigeon Pie Mystery by Julia Stuart
30whitewavedarling
Sam is absolutely adorable! I'm glad he found a great new home :)
31pamelad
>25 cmbohn: I read her Lord Sidley's Last Season, which was a cut above most of the others I read in my futile search for a replacement for Georgette Heyer.
33cmbohn
The Plastic Magician by Charlie M Holmberg
Alvie is a young German American woman who can't wait to learn magic. She's even chosen her field - The newly emerging study of plastics. She gets chosen for a very prestigious apprenticeship in England and sets off. Not a lot of plot going on here, but Alvie was so much fun as a character and the world was so engrossing that it didn't bother me that the villain was really obvious. I would recommend it to lovers of light fantasy.
Alvie is a young German American woman who can't wait to learn magic. She's even chosen her field - The newly emerging study of plastics. She gets chosen for a very prestigious apprenticeship in England and sets off. Not a lot of plot going on here, but Alvie was so much fun as a character and the world was so engrossing that it didn't bother me that the villain was really obvious. I would recommend it to lovers of light fantasy.
34cmbohn
Sam 😺 and I are getting to be better friends. It's been a week now and he's over the slight cold he had when he arrived. Rosie is still on her guard when she's upstairs but she's not hissing at him anymore. He seems to be very happy here.
35cmbohn
The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman
A fun romp that goes completely over the top. Vampires and airships and far and alternate worlds all combine in this crazy little book. I'm sure it's not for everyone, but I was in the mood for slightly goofy fun and this book was just what I needed. It's the first in a series, and I'm looking forward to reading the rest.
A fun romp that goes completely over the top. Vampires and airships and far and alternate worlds all combine in this crazy little book. I'm sure it's not for everyone, but I was in the mood for slightly goofy fun and this book was just what I needed. It's the first in a series, and I'm looking forward to reading the rest.
36virginiahomeschooler
>35 cmbohn: I think I'm going to look that one up. Sometimes I just want a fun and not too deep one.
37cmbohn
Yeah, I've been avoiding anything too deep lately. Life is all the struggle I need right now.
38cmbohn
Just finished a British police cozy called The Case of the Missing Letter by Alison Golden. A quick light story with a unique setting. I liked the previous story better, but this one was still good.
39casvelyn
>35 cmbohn: I read that one last year and loved it!
40cmbohn
I have more book reviews to add but I have a stomach bug and I don't feel like it. Just checking in for a little sympathy. 😷😟😥
42MissWatson
Get well soon!
43christina_reads
Ouch, stomach bugs are no fun. Hope you feel better soon!
44-Eva-
>40 cmbohn:
Not sure writing reviews would be on the top of my list either if I had a stomach bug. Hope it goes away soon!
Not sure writing reviews would be on the top of my list either if I had a stomach bug. Hope it goes away soon!
45rabbitprincess
Hope the stomach bug goes away soon! :(
46cmbohn
Thanks everyone! Still recovering, but much better than I was feeling. Being sick is no fun.
47cmbohn
The Manual of Detection by Jedediah Berry.
Found at the library
In this tightly plotted yet mind-expanding debut novel, an unlikely detective, armed only with an umbrella and a singular handbook, must untangle a string of crimes committed in and through people's dreams
I'm not really sure how to describe this one. It starts when lowly clerk Charles Unwin finds himself unexpectedly promoted to detective but given no cases. Instead he decides to solve a disappearance, but he has no clues.
On the one hand he just sort of bumbles through the investigation, but on the other events unravel in such unpredictable ways that I never knew where this story was going. I couldn't even figure out what it was about for a really long time. I am sure though that whatever it was I just read, it was truly original and I'm glad I read it.
You can find a better synopsis, but I would avoid them. If this description appeals, just give it 50 pages and then decide if you like it. I'll be interested to see what this author does next.
Found at the library
In this tightly plotted yet mind-expanding debut novel, an unlikely detective, armed only with an umbrella and a singular handbook, must untangle a string of crimes committed in and through people's dreams
I'm not really sure how to describe this one. It starts when lowly clerk Charles Unwin finds himself unexpectedly promoted to detective but given no cases. Instead he decides to solve a disappearance, but he has no clues.
On the one hand he just sort of bumbles through the investigation, but on the other events unravel in such unpredictable ways that I never knew where this story was going. I couldn't even figure out what it was about for a really long time. I am sure though that whatever it was I just read, it was truly original and I'm glad I read it.
You can find a better synopsis, but I would avoid them. If this description appeals, just give it 50 pages and then decide if you like it. I'll be interested to see what this author does next.
48cmbohn
Also finished a re-read of Jasper Fforde's 2nd Thursday Next book, Lost in a Good Book. This one puts Thursday against the Goliath Corporation when her new husband disappears. Love this series, but the next book, Well of Lost Plots is where things REALLY get weird.
49cmbohn
Also finished the second Chronicles of St. Mary's book yesterday, A Symphony of Echoes by Jodi Taylor. More dodos! Does ever time travel book involve dodos? I think it's a rule. Anyway, I like it so much that I went to the library and got book 3, along with another Jasper Fforde book and the next Invisible Library book. Looks like I started a bunch of series with it meaning to. Oh well.
50pammab
Samwise is gorgeous! He is so littttle. I love little cats. :)
I also heard a very positive review of All Systems Red on LT a few weeks ago, and then a few days ago at an author's speaking event, and now today on your thread -- that's a lot of support! It'll have to go up my list.
I read The Elegant Universe about 10 years back and it blew my mind, but it was also incredibly dense. I can't remember if I finished or not. It did make me want to go into physics....
Hope you feel back at full mast soon!
I also heard a very positive review of All Systems Red on LT a few weeks ago, and then a few days ago at an author's speaking event, and now today on your thread -- that's a lot of support! It'll have to go up my list.
I read The Elegant Universe about 10 years back and it blew my mind, but it was also incredibly dense. I can't remember if I finished or not. It did make me want to go into physics....
Hope you feel back at full mast soon!
51cmbohn
Thanks, pammab, I am feeling better. I had to laugh at your description of Sam! He is not little at all! Compared to our female cat, he's about twice as heavy. I think it's the camera angle.
52cmbohn
My current reads
What Kings Ate and Wizards Drank by Krista Bell
The Templars by Dan Jones, on audio
The Room by Jonas Karlsson
Not sure why the link doesn't work for the first one.
What Kings Ate and Wizards Drank by Krista Bell
The Templars by Dan Jones, on audio
The Room by Jonas Karlsson
Not sure why the link doesn't work for the first one.
53pammab
>51 cmbohn: Whoops! Your big boy cat then. ;)
I look forward to your review on the Templars. I imagine there is a sizeable amount of little-known history there -- sounds like an interesting topic.
I look forward to your review on the Templars. I imagine there is a sizeable amount of little-known history there -- sounds like an interesting topic.
54rabbitprincess
>52 cmbohn: Yay, The Templars! I love Dan Jones.
55cmbohn
The Wretched of Muirwood by Jeff Wheeler*
I have read Wheelers other series and enjoyed it, but I didn't know much about these. When I saw the set at the thrift store I decided to snag all three. Later I read the rather tepid reviews. Readers described them as a rather predictable story of a Pig-Girl who saved the Kingdom, but I was kind of in the mood for safe and predictable, so I have it a try.
Lia is a Wretched, which is sort of like a foundling, except it's an actual class in her world. One day a stranger arrives with an injured boy and asks her to hide him. She does. Turns out that he's a knight in training and the evil Sheriff of Nottingham or something is looking for him. Meanwhile, Lia can do magic and stuff so she goes on this quest with him and fulfills her destiny and all that.
It was pretty unexceptional, but okay enough. Now I have two more books that I suppose I'll read to see if it gets any better. We have yet to meet the Dude Who Wants to be King, but I guess he's cooler than the actual 👑, so maybe that will be fun. IDK. I'm hiding from some real life worries in these books and I'm not up to any Serious Topics right now.
Honestly, I wouldn't recommend them unless you were under 14. For everyone else, you've read this story before and seen it done better.
I have read Wheelers other series and enjoyed it, but I didn't know much about these. When I saw the set at the thrift store I decided to snag all three. Later I read the rather tepid reviews. Readers described them as a rather predictable story of a Pig-Girl who saved the Kingdom, but I was kind of in the mood for safe and predictable, so I have it a try.
Lia is a Wretched, which is sort of like a foundling, except it's an actual class in her world. One day a stranger arrives with an injured boy and asks her to hide him. She does. Turns out that he's a knight in training and the evil Sheriff of Nottingham or something is looking for him. Meanwhile, Lia can do magic and stuff so she goes on this quest with him and fulfills her destiny and all that.
It was pretty unexceptional, but okay enough. Now I have two more books that I suppose I'll read to see if it gets any better. We have yet to meet the Dude Who Wants to be King, but I guess he's cooler than the actual 👑, so maybe that will be fun. IDK. I'm hiding from some real life worries in these books and I'm not up to any Serious Topics right now.
Honestly, I wouldn't recommend them unless you were under 14. For everyone else, you've read this story before and seen it done better.
56cmbohn
The Masked City by Genevieve Cogmon
Invisible Library book 2
Library assistant Kai gets kidnapped in this one and taken to an alternate Venice ruled by the fae. Irene has to get him back before war breaks out. More noticeable plotholes than the first book, but more dragons, so it sort of events out. Irene is still awesome, but too impulsive. I liked the Train. If you're looking for a fun series that sort of bridges the YA/adult gap, this one would be a good place to start.
Invisible Library book 2
Library assistant Kai gets kidnapped in this one and taken to an alternate Venice ruled by the fae. Irene has to get him back before war breaks out. More noticeable plotholes than the first book, but more dragons, so it sort of events out. Irene is still awesome, but too impulsive. I liked the Train. If you're looking for a fun series that sort of bridges the YA/adult gap, this one would be a good place to start.
57cmbohn
A Fairy Tale by Shanna Swendson book 1
You might know this a author from her Rebel Mechanics or Enchanted, Inc series. This one was At the library so I thought I would give it a try. Emily gets kidnapped by the fae - there's a lot of that going around - and big sister Sophie wants to get her back. Lots of faery politics, some romantic tension, and a bulldog. Not a lot to this book, and Sophie really takes her time, but I liked the picture of the fae world and I liked Emily. Probably won't read more in this series.
You might know this a author from her Rebel Mechanics or Enchanted, Inc series. This one was At the library so I thought I would give it a try. Emily gets kidnapped by the fae - there's a lot of that going around - and big sister Sophie wants to get her back. Lots of faery politics, some romantic tension, and a bulldog. Not a lot to this book, and Sophie really takes her time, but I liked the picture of the fae world and I liked Emily. Probably won't read more in this series.
58cmbohn
Mary Russell's War by Laurie R King
Short stories
A disappointing collection. I did read the whole thing, but only a couple of the stories were worth the time, and I think I had read them before. One of them features a missing Sherlock Holmes who is apparently 135years old. WTH? King explains by saying that Holmes can never really die, but hey, when did he become a vampire? Don't spend money 💰 on this one, but if you want to get it from the library, that's up to you.
Short stories
A disappointing collection. I did read the whole thing, but only a couple of the stories were worth the time, and I think I had read them before. One of them features a missing Sherlock Holmes who is apparently 135years old. WTH? King explains by saying that Holmes can never really die, but hey, when did he become a vampire? Don't spend money 💰 on this one, but if you want to get it from the library, that's up to you.
59cmbohn
Having trouble keeping up. Happy Easter! We watched our LDS General Conference today and then had dinner with my sister and her son.
The kids decided that Sam needs some outdoor time. He didn't love it at first, but now he keeps wanting to go out and roll in the dirt! Cats are weird. He's so lazy in the house, but if he could go outside once a day and get some exercise, it would be good for him.
The kids decided that Sam needs some outdoor time. He didn't love it at first, but now he keeps wanting to go out and roll in the dirt! Cats are weird. He's so lazy in the house, but if he could go outside once a day and get some exercise, it would be good for him.
60cmbohn
The Room by Jonas Karlsson
An office worker deals with less intelligent coworkers by hiding in a room only he can see. This one was written by a stage actor and I think it would make a great play. It's quite odd, but it's also very short. Great ending.
An office worker deals with less intelligent coworkers by hiding in a room only he can see. This one was written by a stage actor and I think it would make a great play. It's quite odd, but it's also very short. Great ending.
61cmbohn
Murder Among the Pines by John Lawrence Reynolds*
I got this one from Early Reviewers for free in exchange for an honest but fair review. My opinion remains my own.
Police chief Max Benson is busy enough with the summer visitors to her sleepy Canadian town, but when her ex-husband becomes the chief suspect in a murder investigation, she might have to clear up her schedule. This was a very quick read. The ending was not really a surprise, but if you like mysteries, I think you'd like this. Perfect for beginning readers. It is the third in the series, but that didn't keep me from enjoying it.
I got this one from Early Reviewers for free in exchange for an honest but fair review. My opinion remains my own.
Police chief Max Benson is busy enough with the summer visitors to her sleepy Canadian town, but when her ex-husband becomes the chief suspect in a murder investigation, she might have to clear up her schedule. This was a very quick read. The ending was not really a surprise, but if you like mysteries, I think you'd like this. Perfect for beginning readers. It is the third in the series, but that didn't keep me from enjoying it.
62rabbitprincess
Happy Easter to you as well! I love that Sam is so happy rolling around in the dirt :)
63cmbohn
Soonish: Ten Emerging Technologies by Dr. Kelly Weinersmith
I really enjoyed this book. I am definitely a science nerd. I love stuff like this, about technology and how it might impact our lives in the future. I only got to read an excerpt from the book, but I really enjoyed what I read. The book starts out with the very big and goes to the very small. The first chapter starts with cheaper space travel - because why can't we go all Star Trek yet and what's it going to take? The authors break it down, with what space travel involves and why it is so expensive. I also love the style. The whole book is written for readers like me, who really dig science, but aren't experts at it. Then there are cartoons, because we get a little distracted too.
I would definitely recommend this one. I think it would also be a great gift for the science nerds you love, including your teenagers.
I really enjoyed this book. I am definitely a science nerd. I love stuff like this, about technology and how it might impact our lives in the future. I only got to read an excerpt from the book, but I really enjoyed what I read. The book starts out with the very big and goes to the very small. The first chapter starts with cheaper space travel - because why can't we go all Star Trek yet and what's it going to take? The authors break it down, with what space travel involves and why it is so expensive. I also love the style. The whole book is written for readers like me, who really dig science, but aren't experts at it. Then there are cartoons, because we get a little distracted too.
I would definitely recommend this one. I think it would also be a great gift for the science nerds you love, including your teenagers.
64cmbohn
The Unexpected Apprentice by Jodi Lynn Nye
Pretty much a gender swapped version of Lord of the Rings. We have a meek little female smallperson - hobbit, wizards, warriors, a dwarven trader, etc. Then there's a romantic subplot thrown in halfway through the book that doesn't belong at all. Not that good.
I got it because I've seen the author's name in anthologies and as a cowriter and I wanted to support an early female fantasy writer, but it was quite disappointing.
Pretty much a gender swapped version of Lord of the Rings. We have a meek little female smallperson - hobbit, wizards, warriors, a dwarven trader, etc. Then there's a romantic subplot thrown in halfway through the book that doesn't belong at all. Not that good.
I got it because I've seen the author's name in anthologies and as a cowriter and I wanted to support an early female fantasy writer, but it was quite disappointing.
65cmbohn
Fire Watch by Connie Willis
A collection of short stories, mostly science fiction. One of them, All My Darling Daughters, is very disturbing and hard to read, but I enjoyed the collection as a whole. Includes the novella Fire Watch about a time traveling historian who is sent back to London during the Blitz. Early works by Willis, but if you like her, you definitely want to read this one.
A collection of short stories, mostly science fiction. One of them, All My Darling Daughters, is very disturbing and hard to read, but I enjoyed the collection as a whole. Includes the novella Fire Watch about a time traveling historian who is sent back to London during the Blitz. Early works by Willis, but if you like her, you definitely want to read this one.
66cmbohn
My nephew is coming over this weekend, which is good since we don't get enough time with him. Also we got our tax refund so it's time to get poor Sam's teeth fixed. He's not going to enjoy that, but I'll be glad to have it done. Also trying to get my diet back under control but it's so hard to give up the sugar. Still, I feel much better when I lay off the sweets.
67lkernagh
>66 cmbohn: - Here is hoping you had a great weekend visit with your nephew!
68cmbohn
It was fun! That boy is growing so fast. It makes me wish my boy hadn't grown up so fast, but I'm sure he has his own opinion on that!
69cmbohn
Astounding Antagonists by Rafael Chandler.
Dr. Agon, a megalomaniacal inventor with an arsenal of lethal gadgets. Motley, a wisecracking jewel thief with nothing left to lose. Chillpill, a cryogenic drug lord who just wants a normal life. Baelphegor, a demonic psychopath with an ugly score to settle.
They're the most dangerous supervillains on Earth, and they're about to pull off the perfect crime. There's just one catch: if they succeed, they might accidentally save the world.
From the skyscrapers of Apex City to the gates of Hell itself, the Antagonists are pursued by violent superheroes and billionaire vigilantes. But as loyalties are tested and old hatreds are rekindled, the line between friend and foe begins to blur...
I really expected to enjoy this one, but it didn't work for me at all. There were a few characters I liked, but for the most part that were just really unpleasant. I hate books where I don't like the characters. Then the superheroes and the villains all sit around discussing politics. Really? Socialism vs. capitalism? That's your banter?
I think the author had some interesting questions in here, like what happens when the heroes get powerful that they can't be controlled, what would happen to an average dude who got super powers, but it was just so preachy. I was so disappointed.
Dr. Agon, a megalomaniacal inventor with an arsenal of lethal gadgets. Motley, a wisecracking jewel thief with nothing left to lose. Chillpill, a cryogenic drug lord who just wants a normal life. Baelphegor, a demonic psychopath with an ugly score to settle.
They're the most dangerous supervillains on Earth, and they're about to pull off the perfect crime. There's just one catch: if they succeed, they might accidentally save the world.
From the skyscrapers of Apex City to the gates of Hell itself, the Antagonists are pursued by violent superheroes and billionaire vigilantes. But as loyalties are tested and old hatreds are rekindled, the line between friend and foe begins to blur...
I really expected to enjoy this one, but it didn't work for me at all. There were a few characters I liked, but for the most part that were just really unpleasant. I hate books where I don't like the characters. Then the superheroes and the villains all sit around discussing politics. Really? Socialism vs. capitalism? That's your banter?
I think the author had some interesting questions in here, like what happens when the heroes get powerful that they can't be controlled, what would happen to an average dude who got super powers, but it was just so preachy. I was so disappointed.
70cmbohn
H is for Hawk by Helen McDonald
Obsession, madness, memory, myth, and history combine to achieve a distinctive blend of nature writing and memoir from an outstanding literary innovator.
When Helen Macdonald's father died suddenly on a London street, she was devastated. An experienced falconer—Helen had been captivated by hawks since childhood—she'd never before been tempted to train one of the most vicious predators, the goshawk. But in her grief, she saw that the goshawk's fierce and feral temperament mirrored her own. Resolving to purchase and raise the deadly creature as a means to cope with her loss, she adopted Mabel, and turned to the guidance of The Once and Future King author T.H. White's chronicle The
Goshawk to begin her challenging endeavor. Projecting herself "in the hawk's wild mind to tame her" tested the limits of Macdonald's and memoir from an outstanding literary innovator.
I saw this one LT and it sounded really interesting. I love good nature writing. I got the audio and I probably got halfway through before I decided I wasn't enjoying it enough to continue. It might not have helped that listening to her story of grief over her father's death was just making me miss my own father more. I may come back to it someday, but for now, it's a DNF.
Obsession, madness, memory, myth, and history combine to achieve a distinctive blend of nature writing and memoir from an outstanding literary innovator.
When Helen Macdonald's father died suddenly on a London street, she was devastated. An experienced falconer—Helen had been captivated by hawks since childhood—she'd never before been tempted to train one of the most vicious predators, the goshawk. But in her grief, she saw that the goshawk's fierce and feral temperament mirrored her own. Resolving to purchase and raise the deadly creature as a means to cope with her loss, she adopted Mabel, and turned to the guidance of The Once and Future King author T.H. White's chronicle The
Goshawk to begin her challenging endeavor. Projecting herself "in the hawk's wild mind to tame her" tested the limits of Macdonald's and memoir from an outstanding literary innovator.
I saw this one LT and it sounded really interesting. I love good nature writing. I got the audio and I probably got halfway through before I decided I wasn't enjoying it enough to continue. It might not have helped that listening to her story of grief over her father's death was just making me miss my own father more. I may come back to it someday, but for now, it's a DNF.
71cmbohn
Death's Privilege by Darryl Donoghue
Two suicides. One deadly connection.
New police procedural from former British Detective Darryl Donaghue.
Following disciplinary action, PC Sarah Gladstone, a happily married mother of two, is reluctantly enrolled onto Mavenwood's fast-track Detective training programme.
As she begins her investigative training, her tutor, DS Dales, a long-serving British detective with the emotional scars to prove it, warns her about the insidious nature of detective work. He’s concerned that Sarah's career will leave her as it’s left him—bitter and with a string of broken marriages.
When a woman is found dead in a luxurious hotel room, Sarah attends what at first appears to be a routine suicide. As the case turns into a murder investigation, she begins to uncover a disturbing pattern of sinister connections and unlikely suspects that leads her a little too close to home…
I got this one for free on Amazon, not realizing that it was the second in a series. Sometimes that doesn't matter, but this time it would have been better to read the other one first.
I thought the writing and the dialogue was really fresh, but the characters made some decisions that really didn't make sense to me. I don't know if I would give this author another chance or not.
Two suicides. One deadly connection.
New police procedural from former British Detective Darryl Donaghue.
Following disciplinary action, PC Sarah Gladstone, a happily married mother of two, is reluctantly enrolled onto Mavenwood's fast-track Detective training programme.
As she begins her investigative training, her tutor, DS Dales, a long-serving British detective with the emotional scars to prove it, warns her about the insidious nature of detective work. He’s concerned that Sarah's career will leave her as it’s left him—bitter and with a string of broken marriages.
When a woman is found dead in a luxurious hotel room, Sarah attends what at first appears to be a routine suicide. As the case turns into a murder investigation, she begins to uncover a disturbing pattern of sinister connections and unlikely suspects that leads her a little too close to home…
I got this one for free on Amazon, not realizing that it was the second in a series. Sometimes that doesn't matter, but this time it would have been better to read the other one first.
I thought the writing and the dialogue was really fresh, but the characters made some decisions that really didn't make sense to me. I don't know if I would give this author another chance or not.
72cmbohn
And in other news, I fell in the dark the other night and I think I broke my toe. Hubby has been feeling under the weather and no one has much time for my tale of woe. I think it's off for an X-Ray as it just keeps hurting.
73lkernagh
>72 cmbohn: - Oh no! Here is hoping it is just a bad sprain.
74cmbohn
Thanks, Lori! In fact, it did just turn out to be a sprain and I could have saved myself a trip to the doctor as it's feeling much better today. I'm still all bruised on my left leg, but I think I'm on the mend.
75VivienneR
Sorry to hear about your fall and glad nothing is broken - although that doesn't count for much when you are in pain! Take care of yourself!
76cmbohn
Thanks, Vivienne! I'm feeling much better. Ice and ibuprofen did the trick.
Took Sam in to the vet yesterday. He was much better. He's been scratching himself so much he wound up with an infected wound. Turns out he has allergies! Dr. gave him a couple of shots and he's doing much better already!
Took Sam in to the vet yesterday. He was much better. He's been scratching himself so much he wound up with an infected wound. Turns out he has allergies! Dr. gave him a couple of shots and he's doing much better already!
77cmbohn
Mrs. Jeffries Plays the Cook by Emily Brightwell
This was a re-read on audio. I'm not sure how much I like this series now. I liked it a lot when I first read it, but I don't enjoy cozies as much anymore. The whole premise,meddling servants who actually solve all the crimes while the clueless police detective never noticed a thing, is just more annoying than fun now.
OTOH, the reader got all the variety of English accents and the various voices just right. The part of the story I did kind of enjoy was them all trying to cook while Mrs. Goodge is out of town.
This was a re-read on audio. I'm not sure how much I like this series now. I liked it a lot when I first read it, but I don't enjoy cozies as much anymore. The whole premise,meddling servants who actually solve all the crimes while the clueless police detective never noticed a thing, is just more annoying than fun now.
OTOH, the reader got all the variety of English accents and the various voices just right. The part of the story I did kind of enjoy was them all trying to cook while Mrs. Goodge is out of town.
78cmbohn
The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
Interesting premise, girl ages out of foster care system and finds meaning in the Victorian language of flowers. But the actual MC was just too annoying for me to finish the book. Some people seemed to love this book, but it didn't work for me. DNF
Interesting premise, girl ages out of foster care system and finds meaning in the Victorian language of flowers. But the actual MC was just too annoying for me to finish the book. Some people seemed to love this book, but it didn't work for me. DNF
79cmbohn
Something Rotten by Jasper Fforde, Thursday Next series #4
So much fun! Where else would you find time travel, Wales, dodoes, Hamlet, and Battenburg cake?
Incidentally, I had to look up Battenburg cake because I had no idea what it was. It looks so pretty, but it also looks so tricky to make! I'm on my tablet and I can't figure out how to share an image, but here's a link to a recipe:
https://www.cakecentral.com/recipe/42543/battenberg-cake
So much fun! Where else would you find time travel, Wales, dodoes, Hamlet, and Battenburg cake?
Incidentally, I had to look up Battenburg cake because I had no idea what it was. It looks so pretty, but it also looks so tricky to make! I'm on my tablet and I can't figure out how to share an image, but here's a link to a recipe:
https://www.cakecentral.com/recipe/42543/battenberg-cake
80cmbohn
Among Others by Jo Walton
"Startling, unusual, and yet irresistably readable, Among Others is at once the compelling story of a young woman struggling to escape a troubled childhood, a brilliant diary of first encounters with the great novels of modern fantasy and SF, and a spellbinding tale of escape from ancient enchantment.
Raised by a half-mad mother who dabbled in magic, Morwenna Phelps found refuge in two worlds. As a child growing up in Wales, she and her twin sister played among the spirits who made their homes in industrial ruins. But her mind found freedom and promise in the science fiction novels that were her closest companions. When her mother tries to bend the spirits to dark ends with deadly results, Mori is sent away and must try to come to terms with what has happened without falling prey to the darkness. "
I'm a little conflicted about this one. I did like it. Lori was a great character, and I loved the way fairies and magic is woven into the story. The setting was well done. But I don't think it was quite as good as it's hyped up to be. It won the Hugo a few years ago, and got a lot of 5 stars. I just think it's the kind of book that certain people - writers librarians, Science Fiction fans - will absolutely love and the rest of us will just enjoy. Mori made some decisions that really didn't make sense and there were times I thought the author needed to explain things better or leave them out completely. But I gave it 3.75 stars.
"Startling, unusual, and yet irresistably readable, Among Others is at once the compelling story of a young woman struggling to escape a troubled childhood, a brilliant diary of first encounters with the great novels of modern fantasy and SF, and a spellbinding tale of escape from ancient enchantment.
Raised by a half-mad mother who dabbled in magic, Morwenna Phelps found refuge in two worlds. As a child growing up in Wales, she and her twin sister played among the spirits who made their homes in industrial ruins. But her mind found freedom and promise in the science fiction novels that were her closest companions. When her mother tries to bend the spirits to dark ends with deadly results, Mori is sent away and must try to come to terms with what has happened without falling prey to the darkness. "
I'm a little conflicted about this one. I did like it. Lori was a great character, and I loved the way fairies and magic is woven into the story. The setting was well done. But I don't think it was quite as good as it's hyped up to be. It won the Hugo a few years ago, and got a lot of 5 stars. I just think it's the kind of book that certain people - writers librarians, Science Fiction fans - will absolutely love and the rest of us will just enjoy. Mori made some decisions that really didn't make sense and there were times I thought the author needed to explain things better or leave them out completely. But I gave it 3.75 stars.
81-Eva-
Well, an almost-but-not broken toe and an infection-on-the-mend is good news! Hope the hubby is feeling better too soon, so he can commiserate! :)
82cmbohn
I finished two collections of short stories lately, Two Left Feet by PG Wodehouse and the other Beasts and Queens by Susannah Rowntree. Both were pretty good, but not great.
83cmbohn
These Honored Dead by Jonathan Putnam, book 1 in the Lincoln and Speed series
Set in Illinois during the time Lincoln worked as a private lawyer before his marriage.
Joshua Speed, the enterprising second son of a wealthy plantation owner, has struck off on his own. But before long, he makes a surprising and crucial new acquaintance--a freshly minted lawyer by the name of Abraham Lincoln.
When an orphaned girl from a neighboring town is found murdered and suspicion falls on her aunt, Speed makes it his mission to clear her good name. Of course, he'll need the legal expertise of his unusual new friend. Together, Lincoln and Speed fight to bring justice to their small town. But as more bodies are discovered and the investigation starts to come apart at the seams, there's one question on everyone's lips: does Lincoln have what it takes to crack his first murder case?
Inspired by actual events from the American frontier, Jonathan Putnam's thrilling debut These Honored Dead brings renewed verve and vigor to the historical mystery genre that readers haven't seen since Caleb Carr's The Alienist.
--------------
So much of this was freaking amazing. I have so much to say I don't really know where to start.
I guess I'll start with the audio. I listened to this one and I have to give the reader a solid 5 stars. There were so many different voices in this one. The freed Black man, the Kentucky gentleman, Abraham Lincoln with his well-known high pitched voice, the poor house keeper, the Illinois sheriff - such a range but all of them sounding distinct and authentic.
Several of the other reviewers complained that there was either not enough Lincoln or any at all, objecting to his presence in a historical fiction. I liked it. They should have read the book description.
For the rest, I really enjoyed this book. I thought the premise was great. The story itself was good. But it was the setting that made it exceptional. So many issues packed in here. I loved the accent for the Kentucky gentleman, that's just a very pleasing sound. But then I'd here what he was actually saying. He just couldn't understand what the problem was with The Peculiar Institution i.e. slavery. He was reluctant to use the real word and called his slave a Bondswoman. Just the way he spoke for her, treated her like - well, like property. That wasn't even the main subject of the book, but it still dominated things, what with the looming threat of the coming war.
I would recommend this one. I already added the second book to my TBR list.
Set in Illinois during the time Lincoln worked as a private lawyer before his marriage.
Joshua Speed, the enterprising second son of a wealthy plantation owner, has struck off on his own. But before long, he makes a surprising and crucial new acquaintance--a freshly minted lawyer by the name of Abraham Lincoln.
When an orphaned girl from a neighboring town is found murdered and suspicion falls on her aunt, Speed makes it his mission to clear her good name. Of course, he'll need the legal expertise of his unusual new friend. Together, Lincoln and Speed fight to bring justice to their small town. But as more bodies are discovered and the investigation starts to come apart at the seams, there's one question on everyone's lips: does Lincoln have what it takes to crack his first murder case?
Inspired by actual events from the American frontier, Jonathan Putnam's thrilling debut These Honored Dead brings renewed verve and vigor to the historical mystery genre that readers haven't seen since Caleb Carr's The Alienist.
--------------
So much of this was freaking amazing. I have so much to say I don't really know where to start.
I guess I'll start with the audio. I listened to this one and I have to give the reader a solid 5 stars. There were so many different voices in this one. The freed Black man, the Kentucky gentleman, Abraham Lincoln with his well-known high pitched voice, the poor house keeper, the Illinois sheriff - such a range but all of them sounding distinct and authentic.
Several of the other reviewers complained that there was either not enough Lincoln or any at all, objecting to his presence in a historical fiction. I liked it. They should have read the book description.
For the rest, I really enjoyed this book. I thought the premise was great. The story itself was good. But it was the setting that made it exceptional. So many issues packed in here. I loved the accent for the Kentucky gentleman, that's just a very pleasing sound. But then I'd here what he was actually saying. He just couldn't understand what the problem was with The Peculiar Institution i.e. slavery. He was reluctant to use the real word and called his slave a Bondswoman. Just the way he spoke for her, treated her like - well, like property. That wasn't even the main subject of the book, but it still dominated things, what with the looming threat of the coming war.
I would recommend this one. I already added the second book to my TBR list.
84LittleTaiko
>77 cmbohn: - I'm sort of like you in that I don't necessarily enjoy cozies as much as I used to, however I still adore this series and eagerly look forward to one or two new books each year. It's been fun to see the characters develop, including inspector. He's become a decent detective in his own right.
85thornton37814
>77 cmbohn: >84 LittleTaiko: I must chime in. I find myself enjoying the cozy genre less and less too. I think it is partially because I'm growing older but the cozy sleuths are talking like millennials, and I just don't relate. I'm enjoying the British police procedurals with inspectors more now. I still enjoy reading some of the older cozies.
86cmbohn
I like the police procedural much more too. I think I'm finding the cozies a little too safe and predictable. I do like getting to know the characters, but I feel like so many writers of cozies rely on a much of quirks to make up a character rather than a believable, well motivated personality.
87cmbohn
I'm getting a little overwhelmed trying to keep up my reviews and all the threads over here. I know I haven't been On LT regularly for a while, so I don't have as many friends here as I used to. Maybe that's why I don't get as many comments as a lot of the threads do.
But it's still mostly fun, so I'll keep trying!
But it's still mostly fun, so I'll keep trying!
88rabbitprincess
>87 cmbohn: The threads are such a good way to keep track of one's reading! I'll scroll back up my old threads and be like "oh YEAH, that's what I thought of that book!"
I agree with your comments on the cozy vs. police procedural. Many cozies these days seem to be built entirely as a punny-title conveyance. There's one author whose cozier books I'll read, but that's pretty much it.
I agree with your comments on the cozy vs. police procedural. Many cozies these days seem to be built entirely as a punny-title conveyance. There's one author whose cozier books I'll read, but that's pretty much it.
89cmbohn
I was at the used bookstore today and so many cozies with the puns! Also I didn't see a lot of new mysteries. I don't know if that's because they aren't publishing as many or because they sell them so fast or because they just happened to be out.
90pamelad
Have you tried Garry Disher's series of police procedures set on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula? (Only an hour's drive from here.) The series, Challis and Destry, starts with The Dragon Man.
I take it back. Just checked your library and you didn't like it!
Adding another suggestion. I really like 'had I but knowns' where idiotic young women trust the wrong person, go out into danger alone, and are saved by the hero who marries them. Authentic, fifties, nostalgia where you have to forget you ever heard of feminism. Mignon G. Eberhart wrote lots of them.
I take it back. Just checked your library and you didn't like it!
Adding another suggestion. I really like 'had I but knowns' where idiotic young women trust the wrong person, go out into danger alone, and are saved by the hero who marries them. Authentic, fifties, nostalgia where you have to forget you ever heard of feminism. Mignon G. Eberhart wrote lots of them.
91-Eva-
>87 cmbohn:
When I get behind on reviews, I tend to make them shorter, just to get myself back in the game again.
When I get behind on reviews, I tend to make them shorter, just to get myself back in the game again.
92christina_reads
>87 cmbohn: I know what you mean -- it can be tough to keep up with LT sometimes, especially when you already feel like you're "behind" on reading or reviewing! But I'm glad you are still finding it mostly fun, and I hope you will stick around!
93cmbohn
Thanks for all the kind words! I have some reviews to add later today. I've been bingeing on the Dresden Files this week, which has been fun.
94-Eva-
>93 cmbohn:
That's a great series to binge on as well!!
That's a great series to binge on as well!!
95AHS-Wolfy
>93 cmbohn: & ?94 The only problem with that series is that it needs a new book to arrive sometime soon.
96-Eva-
>95 AHS-Wolfy:
Very true.
Very true.
97cmbohn
Title: Murder at the House of Rooster Happiness 🐓
Author: David Casarett
Meet Ladarat Patalung – the first and only nurse detective in Thailand.
Two nights ago, a young woman brought her husband into the emergency room of the Sriphat Hospital in Thailand, where he passed away. A guard thinks she remembers her coming in before, but with a different husband – one who also died.
Ladarat Patalung, for one, would have been happier without a serial murderer-if there is one — loose in her hospital. Then again, she never expected to be a detective in the first place.
And now, Ladarat has no choice but to investigate…
The first novel in a captivating new series by David Casarett, M.D.
Ladarat at works at a large hospital in the tourist town of Chiang Mai, Thailand. She is a nurse ethicist, which means she helps with tough decisions that doctors and patients make every day. She enjoys her job, but when a friend who is a police officer asks for her help investigating a sudden death at the hospital.
A woman arrived at the emergency room with her dead husband and her marriage certificate, asking if she could get a death certificate. Very odd, she thinks. Even more mysterious when she discovers that the same woman had visited the hospital a few years earlier, with a different dead husband, one with the very same name. The police think it was murder, and that in fact, the woman might be a serial killer. Ladarat isn’t sure she’s cut out to be a detective, but surely finding a killer is an ethical thing to do? Meanwhile, she’s also helping the family of a dying tourist and preparing for a coming inspection by the health department.
I really enjoyed this book. The setting was so refreshing. I found myself drawn deeply into the world of the busy tourist destination. Then the hospital was a great place for the story too – so much human drama. The writer is always comparing the Thai and American culture.
My one concern – I would have enjoyed this book more of it were an Own Voices book. This was written by an American doctor, so it’s no wonder that he got the hospital part right. But I really wondered how accurate the whole Thai setting was. In the end though I liked it enough that I would probably read another book by the same author.
I listened to the audio on this and I just loved the narration. The reader did such a great job with the accents. However, the Kindle version is only 99 cents right now, so it's a great option.
Author: David Casarett
Meet Ladarat Patalung – the first and only nurse detective in Thailand.
Two nights ago, a young woman brought her husband into the emergency room of the Sriphat Hospital in Thailand, where he passed away. A guard thinks she remembers her coming in before, but with a different husband – one who also died.
Ladarat Patalung, for one, would have been happier without a serial murderer-if there is one — loose in her hospital. Then again, she never expected to be a detective in the first place.
And now, Ladarat has no choice but to investigate…
The first novel in a captivating new series by David Casarett, M.D.
Ladarat at works at a large hospital in the tourist town of Chiang Mai, Thailand. She is a nurse ethicist, which means she helps with tough decisions that doctors and patients make every day. She enjoys her job, but when a friend who is a police officer asks for her help investigating a sudden death at the hospital.
A woman arrived at the emergency room with her dead husband and her marriage certificate, asking if she could get a death certificate. Very odd, she thinks. Even more mysterious when she discovers that the same woman had visited the hospital a few years earlier, with a different dead husband, one with the very same name. The police think it was murder, and that in fact, the woman might be a serial killer. Ladarat isn’t sure she’s cut out to be a detective, but surely finding a killer is an ethical thing to do? Meanwhile, she’s also helping the family of a dying tourist and preparing for a coming inspection by the health department.
I really enjoyed this book. The setting was so refreshing. I found myself drawn deeply into the world of the busy tourist destination. Then the hospital was a great place for the story too – so much human drama. The writer is always comparing the Thai and American culture.
My one concern – I would have enjoyed this book more of it were an Own Voices book. This was written by an American doctor, so it’s no wonder that he got the hospital part right. But I really wondered how accurate the whole Thai setting was. In the end though I liked it enough that I would probably read another book by the same author.
I listened to the audio on this and I just loved the narration. The reader did such a great job with the accents. However, the Kindle version is only 99 cents right now, so it's a great option.
98cmbohn
Storm Front
Fool Moon
Grave Peril
Summer Knight
Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
I got this one from the library, a compilation of the first six books. I only got through the first four. I'd read the first three a few years ago and mostly enjoyed them, although I get a little tired of Harry. What's with this protecting women thing? It's irritating. And why doesn't he ever have any money? But they are still fun. I liked the werewolf book the best.
Fool Moon
Grave Peril
Summer Knight
Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
I got this one from the library, a compilation of the first six books. I only got through the first four. I'd read the first three a few years ago and mostly enjoyed them, although I get a little tired of Harry. What's with this protecting women thing? It's irritating. And why doesn't he ever have any money? But they are still fun. I liked the werewolf book the best.
99rabbitprincess
>98 cmbohn: Did you find that reading four of them in a row made you notice things you wouldn't necessarily have picked up on from reading them in individual books? I wonder sometimes if my spacing out books in a series (sometimes to the tune of one book a year) changes how I experience the series.
100cmbohn
Yeah, I really did. Like the way he and Murphy worked things out. And when his ex shows up on one of the books, I was able to remember who she was and why it mattered. I think though that I need a little break before I continue the series.
101cmbohn
Adrenaline by Jeff Abbott, Sam Capra book 1
Sam works for the CIA. His wife is expecting their first baby. She also works for the Company. One day Sam goes to work and receives a call to from her to come outside right this second. As soon as he does a bomb goes off in the building and she disappears.
Sam is now the only survivor and the chief suspect. He only wants to escape custody and find his wife and baby. To do that he has to make some new allies and go on the run.
I love a good thriller and this one sounded really exciting. It has a great premise, as who doesn't identify with wanting to find your family and keep them safe? The bad guys were pretty bad,the pace was goos. But the writing kept me from giving it more than 3.5 stars. Also I don't enjoy political thrillers as much, so it wasn't quite what I expected.
Sam works for the CIA. His wife is expecting their first baby. She also works for the Company. One day Sam goes to work and receives a call to from her to come outside right this second. As soon as he does a bomb goes off in the building and she disappears.
Sam is now the only survivor and the chief suspect. He only wants to escape custody and find his wife and baby. To do that he has to make some new allies and go on the run.
I love a good thriller and this one sounded really exciting. It has a great premise, as who doesn't identify with wanting to find your family and keep them safe? The bad guys were pretty bad,the pace was goos. But the writing kept me from giving it more than 3.5 stars. Also I don't enjoy political thrillers as much, so it wasn't quite what I expected.
102cmbohn
Goldmayne by Kate Stradling
Duncan escapes an abusive father to wind up servant to a witch. There he meets a talking 🐎 who helps him escape. They set off for a neighboring country and find work at the castle.
This was a fairy tale retelling of two French stories, Scurvyhead and Goldmayne. I was unfamiliar with either story, so I couldn't tell at first how it was going to end. It has a happy ending, of course, and the hero gets the girl. Fun stuff.
Duncan escapes an abusive father to wind up servant to a witch. There he meets a talking 🐎 who helps him escape. They set off for a neighboring country and find work at the castle.
This was a fairy tale retelling of two French stories, Scurvyhead and Goldmayne. I was unfamiliar with either story, so I couldn't tell at first how it was going to end. It has a happy ending, of course, and the hero gets the girl. Fun stuff.
103cmbohn
The Shadow Rises by KS Marsden
Witch hunters and witches and inherited powers. A little confused with poorly developed characters. DNF.
Witch hunters and witches and inherited powers. A little confused with poorly developed characters. DNF.
104cmbohn
Furies of Calderon by Jim Butcher
"Far from city politics in the Calderon Valley, the boy Tavi struggles with his lack of furycrafting. At fifteen, he has no wind fury to help him fly, no fire fury to light his lamps. Yet as the Alerans' most savage enemy - the Marat - return to the Valley, he will discover that his destiny is much greater than he could ever imagine." Caught in a storm of deadly wind furies, Tavi saves the life of a runaway slave named Amara. But she is actually a spy for Gaius Sextus, sent to the Valley to gather intelligence on traitors to the Crown, who may be in league with the barbaric Marat horde. And when the Valley erupts in chaos - when rebels war with loyalists and furies clash with furies - Amara will find Tavi's courage and resourcefulness to be a power greater than any fury - one that could turn the tides of war.
I actually liked this better than the Dresden Files. I liked Yavi and Amara better than I like Harry Dresden. It still has some problems, mainly a hyper sexualized female villain (her character does get explained though), but I thought it was a lot of fun. Looking forward to the next book.
"Far from city politics in the Calderon Valley, the boy Tavi struggles with his lack of furycrafting. At fifteen, he has no wind fury to help him fly, no fire fury to light his lamps. Yet as the Alerans' most savage enemy - the Marat - return to the Valley, he will discover that his destiny is much greater than he could ever imagine." Caught in a storm of deadly wind furies, Tavi saves the life of a runaway slave named Amara. But she is actually a spy for Gaius Sextus, sent to the Valley to gather intelligence on traitors to the Crown, who may be in league with the barbaric Marat horde. And when the Valley erupts in chaos - when rebels war with loyalists and furies clash with furies - Amara will find Tavi's courage and resourcefulness to be a power greater than any fury - one that could turn the tides of war.
I actually liked this better than the Dresden Files. I liked Yavi and Amara better than I like Harry Dresden. It still has some problems, mainly a hyper sexualized female villain (her character does get explained though), but I thought it was a lot of fun. Looking forward to the next book.
105VivienneR
>97 cmbohn: And another bullet hits the target! That one sounds like fun!
107lkernagh
>97 cmbohn: - Great review!
108cmbohn
Thanks! I need to add a few more, but I just wanted to add that I read Shaman's Crossing by Robin Gibb today and I loved it. Now all the reviews of the next book, Forest Mage, have me confused. No consensus about that one at all.
109pamelad
>108 cmbohn: You're a Bee Gees fan! I checked out the book, but it's Robin Hobb.
111cmbohn
I'm back! I should start a new thread, but I don't feel like it right now. I just wanted to post a few reviews before I leave for our family vacation at the end of this week. We're heading for a cabin in the mountains for a little relaxation. I'll post some pictures when I get back!
112cmbohn
Awaken Online: Retribution
Awaken Online: Evolution by Travis Bagwell
More of the LitRPG genre, which I really love. It's gaming and reading in one, what could be better? Retribution follows Riley as she teams up with some new players on her own adventure. It's great to see her as a leader and getting some respect on here. Evolution is back to the main storyline about Jason. It picks up after the major cliffhanger in the previous book. Jason's life is just getting more complicated all the time, both in the real world and in the game world. I love the balance of RL/VR, and I love that I'm still uncertain as to whether the AI is up to something sinister or not. However, it is getting increasingly dark in the game and I really wish it could go back to being more fun.
Awaken Online: Evolution by Travis Bagwell
More of the LitRPG genre, which I really love. It's gaming and reading in one, what could be better? Retribution follows Riley as she teams up with some new players on her own adventure. It's great to see her as a leader and getting some respect on here. Evolution is back to the main storyline about Jason. It picks up after the major cliffhanger in the previous book. Jason's life is just getting more complicated all the time, both in the real world and in the game world. I love the balance of RL/VR, and I love that I'm still uncertain as to whether the AI is up to something sinister or not. However, it is getting increasingly dark in the game and I really wish it could go back to being more fun.
113cmbohn
The Archimage's Fourth Daughter by Lyndon Hardy.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. My opinions remain my own.
Y'all. This book. I don't even know where to start.
Let me start with the good: The part I really liked was when Briana came through to the "new world," which was of course, modern Earth. Briana is has grown up in a medieval male-dominated style world, living a sheltered and privileged life due to her father's status. She has servants, she has magic, and she has money.
When she gets to Earth, she has none of that. Instead she winds up living on the streets and in shelters at first, because she doesn't understand how money works, she has no documents, and knows no one. She's befriended by a homeless man named Eddie who takes her under his wing and shows her how to survive. Before long, she's finds a place where she can wait tables and earn a little cash while she tries to figure out her next move. This was definitely the best part of the book. Not only was her struggle real, but it gave the author a way to discuss some modern day social issues, like the problem of homelessness, the divide between rich and poor, and problems with unjustified police engagement. I think this could have been taken even further, and really would have made a great book just by itself.
But it wasn't the main part of the book. We then get into these bad guys. Who are they? Why have they been on earth so long and what is their problem? I don't really know. They were just really unpleasant. I had a hard time seeing them as much of a threat. They never come above ground! How much damage can they do? And I'm not exactly sure what they looked like. The writer said they had tusks or something, they weren't human. I'm not sure Briana was either, but she passed as human. I didn't really get it. How had these dudes managed to survive for a hundred years, living underground with their weird wasp things?
Briana finally meets some humans who can help her with her quest, which I had almost forgotten by this point of the book, and that brings up the next set of problems I had with the book. Briana. I just didn't like the girl. When she was lost on a new planet, I felt sorry for her. I could only imagine how disorienting that must be. But for someone who's supposed to be smart, she sure took a long time figuring stuff out. She's so stuck in her old world way of thinking, that she can't tell when a man is hitting on her.
She chats up a guy because well, plot, and the next thing you know, she's invited herself to move in with him. He's kind of a creep, so he thinks, "Hey, hot girl I barely know, sure you can move it with me if you move into my bed." Like she's JUST introduced herself and he's already trying to get her clothes off. But honestly, what would most guys think? This strange girl wants to move in with you? Slow down!
So sure, he's a creep. But then she is all offended that he expects sex. She just wanted to move in with him and have him drive her places and buy her food. In return for what? Does she help with school work or house work? No. This other random dude who moves in too does that. She accuses him of using her, but he's just there to solve her problems.
I really lost interest in the second half of this book. The plot sort of limps along and the bad guys are bad and we get an epic battle at the end, but it wasn't worth it. I was really disappointed. This is book 4 in a series, but the series has been on hiatus for a long time, and I was assured I could jump in at this point, so I didn't read the previous book. It might have made a difference to me, but I just can't imagine that I'd want to go back and read them now. If you are into magic-based fantasy, I would say don't start with this one. Try his first book, Master of the Five Magics, which I guess is about Briana's father. But I'm moving on.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. My opinions remain my own.
Y'all. This book. I don't even know where to start.
Let me start with the good: The part I really liked was when Briana came through to the "new world," which was of course, modern Earth. Briana is has grown up in a medieval male-dominated style world, living a sheltered and privileged life due to her father's status. She has servants, she has magic, and she has money.
When she gets to Earth, she has none of that. Instead she winds up living on the streets and in shelters at first, because she doesn't understand how money works, she has no documents, and knows no one. She's befriended by a homeless man named Eddie who takes her under his wing and shows her how to survive. Before long, she's finds a place where she can wait tables and earn a little cash while she tries to figure out her next move. This was definitely the best part of the book. Not only was her struggle real, but it gave the author a way to discuss some modern day social issues, like the problem of homelessness, the divide between rich and poor, and problems with unjustified police engagement. I think this could have been taken even further, and really would have made a great book just by itself.
But it wasn't the main part of the book. We then get into these bad guys. Who are they? Why have they been on earth so long and what is their problem? I don't really know. They were just really unpleasant. I had a hard time seeing them as much of a threat. They never come above ground! How much damage can they do? And I'm not exactly sure what they looked like. The writer said they had tusks or something, they weren't human. I'm not sure Briana was either, but she passed as human. I didn't really get it. How had these dudes managed to survive for a hundred years, living underground with their weird wasp things?
Briana finally meets some humans who can help her with her quest, which I had almost forgotten by this point of the book, and that brings up the next set of problems I had with the book. Briana. I just didn't like the girl. When she was lost on a new planet, I felt sorry for her. I could only imagine how disorienting that must be. But for someone who's supposed to be smart, she sure took a long time figuring stuff out. She's so stuck in her old world way of thinking, that she can't tell when a man is hitting on her.
She chats up a guy because well, plot, and the next thing you know, she's invited herself to move in with him. He's kind of a creep, so he thinks, "Hey, hot girl I barely know, sure you can move it with me if you move into my bed." Like she's JUST introduced herself and he's already trying to get her clothes off. But honestly, what would most guys think? This strange girl wants to move in with you? Slow down!
So sure, he's a creep. But then she is all offended that he expects sex. She just wanted to move in with him and have him drive her places and buy her food. In return for what? Does she help with school work or house work? No. This other random dude who moves in too does that. She accuses him of using her, but he's just there to solve her problems.
I really lost interest in the second half of this book. The plot sort of limps along and the bad guys are bad and we get an epic battle at the end, but it wasn't worth it. I was really disappointed. This is book 4 in a series, but the series has been on hiatus for a long time, and I was assured I could jump in at this point, so I didn't read the previous book. It might have made a difference to me, but I just can't imagine that I'd want to go back and read them now. If you are into magic-based fantasy, I would say don't start with this one. Try his first book, Master of the Five Magics, which I guess is about Briana's father. But I'm moving on.
114cmbohn
The Autumn Fairy by Brittany Fichter - no touchstones for this one
First in a new series. This was not what I expected. I was thinking it would be a more traditional fairy tale, not something with "olcs". But I liked the characters, so I stuck with it. I'm glad I did. I really want to see what happens next. I love her traditional fairy tale series, so I will give this series time and see where it goes!
First in a new series. This was not what I expected. I was thinking it would be a more traditional fairy tale, not something with "olcs". But I liked the characters, so I stuck with it. I'm glad I did. I really want to see what happens next. I love her traditional fairy tale series, so I will give this series time and see where it goes!
115cmbohn
Origin by Diana Abu-Jaber
A very untraditional main character is trying to solve a series of crib deaths. Lena thinks it was murder, but her own messed up childhood makes it hard for her to relate to police coworkers on the case. Strange writing sometimes, but and it took me a while to get into this one, but once it got going I was riveted. Liked the Syracuse, New York setting.
A very untraditional main character is trying to solve a series of crib deaths. Lena thinks it was murder, but her own messed up childhood makes it hard for her to relate to police coworkers on the case. Strange writing sometimes, but and it took me a while to get into this one, but once it got going I was riveted. Liked the Syracuse, New York setting.
116cmbohn
The Wandering Land by Jamie Killen
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
I love a good, creepy story. My idea of great horror is something that takes the familiar and makes it slightly but definitely other, then taking the story and letting the otherness grow until the whole story is just horrifying. It doesn’t even have to have supernatural stuff in it – a creepy, suspenseful story is always immensely satisfying. One example would be We Have Always Lived in the Castle. I loved the book description on The Wandering Land, and I was really hoping the story was just as good.
I was right. Killen delivers a very satisfying story with a truly creepy payoff. The story starts with five different people who all discover a way into a hidden world. Each of the five is creative in a different way – an artist, a writer, a cartoonist, an editor, and a musician – and they discover that through their art they can create new and sometimes unsettling changes to this hidden world.
As they redesign the world, they are given tasks to complete, all at the direction of a hidden queen. The further they progress in their tasks, the more the world begins taking hold of their every day life as well. Soon it becomes almost impossible to separate the two. They have to dive deep to uncover the history of this wandering land if they are all going to be able to free themselves from its spell.
There was so much to enjoy about this book. First, I loved the concept of a hidden world that chooses its new residents. It’s set in Tuscon, and I think that’s a great place to imagine a portal to a hidden world. The desert is definitely a landscape where you feel like anything could happen.
But my favorite part of this book was the characters. While the story was great, well-imagined and original, the characters were the part that really made this story shine for me. I loved that the author was able to get such diverse group of characters without making it seem like she was just checking off boxes for the sake of diversity. Lovers Darcy and Wes work together on a comic, but they have to work hard to overcome the differences in their upbringing. Eli has a family to support but he can’t help feeling this connection to the wandering land that threatens to overshadow his responsibilities. Amal is a professor who has just moved in with her girlfriend. And Coyote has no family, only one friend, and lives only for her music. Each character has a compelling back story and a unique voice.
In short, I’m really glad I had a chance to read this one. I haven’t read any other books from this author, but I would definitely recommend this one.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
I love a good, creepy story. My idea of great horror is something that takes the familiar and makes it slightly but definitely other, then taking the story and letting the otherness grow until the whole story is just horrifying. It doesn’t even have to have supernatural stuff in it – a creepy, suspenseful story is always immensely satisfying. One example would be We Have Always Lived in the Castle. I loved the book description on The Wandering Land, and I was really hoping the story was just as good.
I was right. Killen delivers a very satisfying story with a truly creepy payoff. The story starts with five different people who all discover a way into a hidden world. Each of the five is creative in a different way – an artist, a writer, a cartoonist, an editor, and a musician – and they discover that through their art they can create new and sometimes unsettling changes to this hidden world.
As they redesign the world, they are given tasks to complete, all at the direction of a hidden queen. The further they progress in their tasks, the more the world begins taking hold of their every day life as well. Soon it becomes almost impossible to separate the two. They have to dive deep to uncover the history of this wandering land if they are all going to be able to free themselves from its spell.
There was so much to enjoy about this book. First, I loved the concept of a hidden world that chooses its new residents. It’s set in Tuscon, and I think that’s a great place to imagine a portal to a hidden world. The desert is definitely a landscape where you feel like anything could happen.
But my favorite part of this book was the characters. While the story was great, well-imagined and original, the characters were the part that really made this story shine for me. I loved that the author was able to get such diverse group of characters without making it seem like she was just checking off boxes for the sake of diversity. Lovers Darcy and Wes work together on a comic, but they have to work hard to overcome the differences in their upbringing. Eli has a family to support but he can’t help feeling this connection to the wandering land that threatens to overshadow his responsibilities. Amal is a professor who has just moved in with her girlfriend. And Coyote has no family, only one friend, and lives only for her music. Each character has a compelling back story and a unique voice.
In short, I’m really glad I had a chance to read this one. I haven’t read any other books from this author, but I would definitely recommend this one.
117cmbohn
Shaman's Crossing
Forest Mage
Renegade's Magic
by Robin Hobb
All center around soldier's son, Nevare Burrelle, and his life from young boy to adulthood. Very different from her Fitz and the Fool books, but equally hard on our MC. I won't detail the plot, but I will say that there were things I loved - the world building, the secondary characters - and some things I did not - his dad, for one. But some of my problems with the series are spoilery. Also the pacing was a little uneven, especially in the last book. I enjoyed them, but overall, I don't think I will reread these.
Forest Mage
Renegade's Magic
by Robin Hobb
All center around soldier's son, Nevare Burrelle, and his life from young boy to adulthood. Very different from her Fitz and the Fool books, but equally hard on our MC. I won't detail the plot, but I will say that there were things I loved - the world building, the secondary characters - and some things I did not - his dad, for one. But some of my problems with the series are spoilery. Also the pacing was a little uneven, especially in the last book. I enjoyed them, but overall, I don't think I will reread these.
118cmbohn
Whispers Underground by Ben Aaronovitch
Rivers of London series book 4
So much that I love about this series. The world building is really different. This is urban fantasy set in London, but what sets it apart is that our main character, although he is part of a supernatural crime section, remains very much a police man. He acts like a cop, he thinks like a cop. He just deals with weird stuff. I like that.
What I didn't like was amount of profanity. I know I'm really conservative about that, but it is a real annoyance for me. My library only has this book as digital audio books, so unless I want to buy them, this is the only way to consume them. Which is great for all the variety of accents in here, but not so great as hearing the profanity is worse for me than reading it. I don't like being sworn at repeatedly. Undecided if I want to continue this series.
Rivers of London series book 4
So much that I love about this series. The world building is really different. This is urban fantasy set in London, but what sets it apart is that our main character, although he is part of a supernatural crime section, remains very much a police man. He acts like a cop, he thinks like a cop. He just deals with weird stuff. I like that.
What I didn't like was amount of profanity. I know I'm really conservative about that, but it is a real annoyance for me. My library only has this book as digital audio books, so unless I want to buy them, this is the only way to consume them. Which is great for all the variety of accents in here, but not so great as hearing the profanity is worse for me than reading it. I don't like being sworn at repeatedly. Undecided if I want to continue this series.
119cmbohn
The Things We Learn When We're Dead by Charlie Laidlaw
I was asked to review a new book, The Things We Learn When We’re Dead by Charlie Laidlaw. This was a quick read that had me trying to puzzle together the events in our main character’s life to see what lead her to being in HVN. Lorna is a soon to be lawyer on the cusp of a solid career when she’s struck by a car. After that, things get, well, weird. Turn out, Lorna didn’t survive that collision and now she’s figuring out what the afterlife is all about. Turns out it’s NOTHING like she expected.
Lorna has a lot of time to remember the significant events in her life – vacations with her family, her first love, good times with her best friend Suze – but it’s the final week of her life that she can’t seem to work out. Which is too bad, because it looks like that’s the key to figuring out what she’s supposed to be doing next.
This was a slow, quirky book. I thought the characters were the best parts. Lorna isn’t very happy when she’s alive, but she did seem like a real, well drawn character. The employees at the Happy Mart – great name, BTW – all seemed real too. I felt like it took a little too long to get to the end, but I’m glad I had a chance to read it.
I was asked to review a new book, The Things We Learn When We’re Dead by Charlie Laidlaw. This was a quick read that had me trying to puzzle together the events in our main character’s life to see what lead her to being in HVN. Lorna is a soon to be lawyer on the cusp of a solid career when she’s struck by a car. After that, things get, well, weird. Turn out, Lorna didn’t survive that collision and now she’s figuring out what the afterlife is all about. Turns out it’s NOTHING like she expected.
Lorna has a lot of time to remember the significant events in her life – vacations with her family, her first love, good times with her best friend Suze – but it’s the final week of her life that she can’t seem to work out. Which is too bad, because it looks like that’s the key to figuring out what she’s supposed to be doing next.
This was a slow, quirky book. I thought the characters were the best parts. Lorna isn’t very happy when she’s alive, but she did seem like a real, well drawn character. The employees at the Happy Mart – great name, BTW – all seemed real too. I felt like it took a little too long to get to the end, but I’m glad I had a chance to read it.
120cmbohn
The Twelve Dancing Princesses by KM Shea
book 10 in her fairy tale series
I really liked this one. To my surprise, our MC was not one of the princesses or the guy who sets them all free. It's Quinn, a ranger who has noticed strange things in the forest after the elves disappeared. She agrees to help a guy in her squad figure things out. While she investigates, she meets an elf who needs her help too. I really liked this one. Quinn stands out to me in this series as a really refreshing MC.
book 10 in her fairy tale series
I really liked this one. To my surprise, our MC was not one of the princesses or the guy who sets them all free. It's Quinn, a ranger who has noticed strange things in the forest after the elves disappeared. She agrees to help a guy in her squad figure things out. While she investigates, she meets an elf who needs her help too. I really liked this one. Quinn stands out to me in this series as a really refreshing MC.
121cmbohn
The Princess Search by Melanie Cellier - touchstone not working
Seamstress Evie goes along with the royal family as their tailor and has adventures. Sorry, I'm running out of steam here. Let me say that I really liked it. It's part of her series, so don't start here.
Seamstress Evie goes along with the royal family as their tailor and has adventures. Sorry, I'm running out of steam here. Let me say that I really liked it. It's part of her series, so don't start here.
122mamzel
>112 cmbohn: I'm curious about the LitRPG genre. Would Ready Player One be considered since a lot of the story (but not all) takes place in a VR world? How about the Witcher series which began as novels but were turned into fantastic games?
123DeltaQueen50
Cindy, I am a fan of fairy tale retelling so I have taken note of both Brittany Fichter and KM Shea for future reference. Have a great vacation!
124rabbitprincess
Enjoy your vacation! Hope you get some reading time in as well :)
125cmbohn
Mamzel - Ready Player One is the most famous in this genre. Some others are User Unfriendly, NPCs, and my favorite of the bunch, Omnitopia. I don't think the Witches books would really fit the category. The stories themselves have to have that virtual world element.
127-Eva-
>98 cmbohn:
Yeah, I would space those out a bit... I adore them, but there are some "quirks" that can get a little "same-y."
>104 cmbohn:
I haven't checked out this series before, but I shall now. :)
>118 cmbohn:
I adore that series! I don't really have a problem with profanity in literature, though - to be honest, I hadn't even noticed. :)
Yeah, I would space those out a bit... I adore them, but there are some "quirks" that can get a little "same-y."
>104 cmbohn:
I haven't checked out this series before, but I shall now. :)
>118 cmbohn:
I adore that series! I don't really have a problem with profanity in literature, though - to be honest, I hadn't even noticed. :)
128cmbohn
Eva - I'm glad to find another fan of Aaronovitch. I don't know why this series isn't more popular!
129cmbohn
My trip was great! Of course, I was worn out when we got back, and I had a lot of catching up to do. I'm posting on my tablet so sorry can't add any pictures, but I will soon.
I didn’t get as much reading in this week, but I do have 2 books I DNFd.
The first was a debut mystery, Turnstone by Graham Hurley. Based on Portsmouth, England, the book description said it was about a missing man. But after reading to a while, there was no indication of that case and I had found five typos. Not interesting enough to continue.
Then I found Zero Limit, which sounded like a cross between Artemis and Armageddon. Unfortunately, I guessed the disaster and who would die first long before it happened. The idea sounded good, but the writing wasn’t up to it.
I got both of these from Kindle Unlimited, so maybe it’s just a case of you get what you pay for. Luckily, I had a fun Net Galley book up next. I’ll get to that review later.
I didn’t get as much reading in this week, but I do have 2 books I DNFd.
The first was a debut mystery, Turnstone by Graham Hurley. Based on Portsmouth, England, the book description said it was about a missing man. But after reading to a while, there was no indication of that case and I had found five typos. Not interesting enough to continue.
Then I found Zero Limit, which sounded like a cross between Artemis and Armageddon. Unfortunately, I guessed the disaster and who would die first long before it happened. The idea sounded good, but the writing wasn’t up to it.
I got both of these from Kindle Unlimited, so maybe it’s just a case of you get what you pay for. Luckily, I had a fun Net Galley book up next. I’ll get to that review later.
130rabbitprincess
>129 cmbohn: It's frustrating when the blurb tells you that the book is about a case that doesn't show up until much later in the book! That was like Death on the Riviera for me. It should have been called "Counterfeit Money on the Riviera" -- the death didn't happen until about 2/3 of the way through the book!
I read about halfway through a later installment in that Portsmouth series, One Under, and liked it pretty well. But I had about 10 other books on the go at the same time and that one ended up going back unfinished. But I liked the setting!
I read about halfway through a later installment in that Portsmouth series, One Under, and liked it pretty well. But I had about 10 other books on the go at the same time and that one ended up going back unfinished. But I liked the setting!
