tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67578598679113405442024-03-23T03:14:21.278-07:00Pages to ExploreMarie - Pages To Explorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02748295851467280622noreply@blogger.comBlogger1721125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757859867911340544.post-80515840013123309622024-03-16T22:39:00.000-07:002024-03-16T22:39:16.324-07:00Review: Cage of Dreams by Rebecca Schaeffer<div style="text-align: left;"><u><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/uprffqphwl5z1ldm4tfsl685omu1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/uprffqphwl5z1ldm4tfsl685omu1" width="212" /></a></div>Title:</u> Cage of Dreams<br /><u>Author:</u> Rebecca Schaeffer<br /><u>Series:</u> City of Nightmares #2<br /><u>Genre:</u> Horror/Paranormal/Dystopia<br /><u>Publisher:</u> Clarion Books<br /><u>Publication Date:</u> September 26, 2023<br /><u>Edition:</u> 352 pages, Kindle Edition<br /><u>Source:</u> Library<br /><u>Purchase:</u> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0358645549" target="_blank">Amazon US</a> | <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cage-of-dreams-rebecca-schaeffer/1142887702" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> | <a href="https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Cage-Dreams/Rebecca-Schaeffer/9780358645542?id=8387373880150" target="_blank">BAM</a> | <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/cage-of-dreams-rebecca-schaeffer/19634019?ean=9780358645542" target="_blank">Bookshop</a> | <a href="https://www.powells.com/book/city-of-nightmares-02-cage-of-dreams-9780358645542?partnerid=32322" target="_blank">Powell's</a> | <a href="https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/cage-of-dreams_rebecca-schaeffer/38827343" target="_blank">Thriftbooks</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #d5a6bd;">Synopsis:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #d5a6bd;"> Nineteen-year-old Ness used to have a vehement terror of Nightmares—people who’d been turned into their worst fears while they slept. Through two assassination attempts, an explosion, and a faustian bargain with a dream demon, she’s finally working through those fears.<br /> Unfortunately, Nightmares aren’t the only dangerous thing in Newham. Working at a speakeasy where gunfights are common and death is a regular occurrence, Ness is forced to reckon with all her other fears—including her fear of mortality. It’s easy to die in Newham, but it’s hard to live.<br /> So when the Nightmare Phantom—the monster that turns people into Nightmares—shows up, asking her another favor, she agrees, but only if he turns her into a Nightmare. One of her own choosing, something bullet proof and strong and able to live without fear.<br /> But when Ness’s attempt to fulfill the bargain goes wrong, things start to spiral out of control. Now, Ness is in the crosshairs of enemies old and new, and this time, she can’t run from her problems. If she wants to survive, she’s going to have to conquer the most difficult enemy of all: herself.<br /><b>In this thrilling sequel and conclusion to the City of Nightmares duology, Ness is forced to make a twisted deal with the Nightmare Phantom—only to find herself embroiled in the explosive fallout of the agreement when a botched assassination attempt unleashes chaos into the City of Newham. </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/34ecb1f9-4599-4eb8-a199-95acf7d2ca22" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="41" data-original-width="113" height="41" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW95Uu36ri8GSnDEsV-eyXj-SBtIKHNnjXGe4szoHGlHYl_n4MlEPUN_OMvDTBGqkqmjs_k28Im2TuhOWi8NaKEPJ9Mn3wkjxr_LO0VAwqwnS205Q0C73GqwPEt3q_EuSSxh1Bgzc_rYIf8wjFjW6eRqaG3HOUAXLWeIT6Jg0iU6_sVQMjQw4IsivrYBE/s1600/StoryGraphbutton.png" width="113" /></a></div></b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>**********</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span><a name='more'></a></span> </b><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikauKey_iyuMRC5T158RnfB-KjVhV8CD39B0LhdrdMveqhSbiWq__sQr6T3Yqpw1Z20rtVzkyeOyXfakDiJjXYa0VXxph3rIEeopWK2SdHC2wrxCL9ajCesowizv_6u5RHo9bGGLNVlCvGEnJ1TodWZJEg8PfhHBcicaNlF-uViowmUfovegi7OfyfuSo/s1705/text-review.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1705" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikauKey_iyuMRC5T158RnfB-KjVhV8CD39B0LhdrdMveqhSbiWq__sQr6T3Yqpw1Z20rtVzkyeOyXfakDiJjXYa0VXxph3rIEeopWK2SdHC2wrxCL9ajCesowizv_6u5RHo9bGGLNVlCvGEnJ1TodWZJEg8PfhHBcicaNlF-uViowmUfovegi7OfyfuSo/s320/text-review.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /></b>This is my new favorite Duology. The characters, the world, the concept. I love all of it. This book is silly, camp, and a lot of fun.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">I love Ness as a character. She is not brave, she is not very skilled. She knows she's not a good person. But that makes her character more realistic as a "hero". She is selfish, she only cares about two people, and her own person safety.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Ness is given a task with a tempting reward, but as she struggles to uphold her end of the deal she starts to unravel the origins of the Nightmare Phantom. While by the end of the book, there are still some questions left unanswered, the road getting there was a lot of fun, with a lot of dark humor.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">I honestly love the characters, some are full-on mustache-twirling evil. But I think that's the point. This book lays everything on really thick when it comes to character archetypes. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">The side characters are also fantastic. Cy and Ness are kind of adorable. He, even with the trauma and abuse he dealt with from his father still has some rose-tinted glasses when it comes to other people. He's still new to Newham (a bit like Gotham, but worse some how), the city where everybody is out for themselves. <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Priya, I love her. She's a badass, and is the complete opposite from Ness. She is brash and brave. She is willing to risk her life to help those close to her. Priya is like a sister to Ness even if she doesn't realize it. Priya is the first person Ness has risked her life for.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />The epilogue makes me wonder if there's going to be a spin-off or something, I hope so I don't want to leave these characters or this world yet. And I want to know how Cy and Ness do in the long run. He's still a Vampire, and while Ness got what she wanted from the Nightmare Phantom I don't know how that will effect her physically as far as aging goes. <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> <br /></div>Marie - Pages To Explorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02748295851467280622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757859867911340544.post-47918073164800376292024-03-03T12:06:00.000-08:002024-03-03T14:11:21.280-08:00Bulk Review: Manga<p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6NvB4fHbeLUC9zZTdMnS5IGb6JaE9LojnqIT1g3pmR4Bh7O8NRqxq7cNzca2_yzhyphenhyphenn6cRmyifafMBw3r-Bl5bZp-csZzXwo6Up4ncmzv1ZCT5BeqdcrunczFc6IGTj1sHuGcxICXDLjpfRmMOlVjDtVSjDbNgMKr6DJMJg28okPCmxGyfsDtbVlTcuDo/s1705/text-review.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1705" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6NvB4fHbeLUC9zZTdMnS5IGb6JaE9LojnqIT1g3pmR4Bh7O8NRqxq7cNzca2_yzhyphenhyphenn6cRmyifafMBw3r-Bl5bZp-csZzXwo6Up4ncmzv1ZCT5BeqdcrunczFc6IGTj1sHuGcxICXDLjpfRmMOlVjDtVSjDbNgMKr6DJMJg28okPCmxGyfsDtbVlTcuDo/s320/text-review.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I was wanting to wait to make this post, but I keep reading manga. It has a pretty fast turnover rate compared to novels at my library. There are other books I've been reading, I just keep forgetting to write reviews. I've also been working more on other writing this year than writing reviews. <br /></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"> <span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/bf7c1409-3583-4d88-939a-503c246bb099" target="_blank"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/bf7c1409-3583-4d88-939a-503c246bb099" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/tly76mxx86vhbty7dkevump2jz4h" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="267" height="200" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/tly76mxx86vhbty7dkevump2jz4h" width="134" /></a></div><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/bf7c1409-3583-4d88-939a-503c246bb099" target="_blank">Prince Freya by Keiko Ishihara Vol. 1 - 8</a></b><br />The story of a girl who grew up in the mountains with her mother, and her two best friends are orphaned brothers who she grew up with. <i>Shenanigans</i> occur that end with her taking the place of the recently murdered Prince who she is identical to. (I have some theories about why.)<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is one I kind of stumbled across in my search for a manga that was similar to <a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/series/32782" target="_blank">Something's Wrong with Us</a>. This was, along with a few others on this list, that claimed to be similar. It's not, but since I didn't have to wait between volumes I binge-read the volumes that my library had. I think this a relatively new series, only 8 of the 10 have been translated. The first couple volumes are pretty rushed. But according to the author's note at the and of the fourth volume she was only promised three volumes, so I can forgive the rushed plot at the start. This is a weird story, I'm not 100% sure where it's headed.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">**********************</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/590215a5-b3c4-4df4-b2fb-c1d9fcbd9a5b" target="_blank"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/590215a5-b3c4-4df4-b2fb-c1d9fcbd9a5b" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/9gjfjm2werbq4kfz8m32isffp79v" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="281" height="200" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/9gjfjm2werbq4kfz8m32isffp79v" width="141" /></a></div><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/590215a5-b3c4-4df4-b2fb-c1d9fcbd9a5b" target="_blank">The Ancient Magus' Bride by Kore Yamazaki Vol. 10 - 14</a></b><br /> Chise has decided to head to the Alchemy school. There she makes some new friends. As she makes new friends, she starts to realize how her reckless behavior effects others when one of her new friends starts being reckless herself. I love how much she's grown as a character.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Even Elias has grown and is starting to make friends. As he learns more about what it's like to be human he starts to be able to connect with others more. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This manga is honestly, pretty dark. There's a lot of whimsy, but it's heckin' dark most of the time. There is some minor body horror through the series. Lots of murder. This is a very compelling story. I plan on watching more of the Anime, but I am enjoying reading the manga a little bit more. For now, I'll just keep reading and then when I catch up with all the volumes that are out and translated I'll pick up the anime again.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">**********************</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/13e7a485-7f25-4c99-a419-506cd0d5b260" target="_blank"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/13e7a485-7f25-4c99-a419-506cd0d5b260" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/eu8yv3wgifp89ip8jcbof7w621sv" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/eu8yv3wgifp89ip8jcbof7w621sv" width="133" /></a></div><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/series/23371" target="_blank">The Demon Prince of Momochi House by Aya Shouoto Vol. 1 - 4 (DNF)</a></b><br />I picked this one up kind of randomly. I did DNF the series halfway through the fourth volume. I just got bored. The characters are kind of 'meh', they don't have interesting personalities. The plot is a little all over the place. There's a new threat introduced in each volume that is never fully resolved. So there's just a bunch of threats being compiled on each other. The house itself also doesn't make a lot of sense and I don't feel like the text does a good job explaining things. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you're more interested in vibes than plot, this might be a good one to read. <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">********************** <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/99e4yx3zh66d4kp7srl584r5v4gv" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/99e4yx3zh66d4kp7srl584r5v4gv" width="133" /></a></div><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/fe0de7fc-ed13-4863-ad54-4417e71bb966" target="_blank">An Incurable Case of Love by Makli Enjōji Vol. 1 - 3</a></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is the only one that is anywhere near the same genre (or age demographic <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josei_manga" target="_blank">Josei</a>) as Something's Wrong with Us. This is a much cuter plot. No murder mystery to solve or past trauma to overcome. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Nanase helps an elderly person when she has a chance encounter with a doctor, Kairi Tendo. Who she instantly becomes smitten with and it encourages her to go into the field of medicine to become a nurse so she can see him again. She is a bit silly at first, but she decides that the best way to remain close to him is to become a better nurse. <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I can only guess how old the Nanase is, based on her being a nurse and with the Tendo happened 5 years ago. He was a new Doctor at that time. So I assume he's 30, and she's in her early 20s. This is a silly but cute manga. It's also fairly short at 7 volumes. It did get a live-action adaptation. No idea where to watch that, but I'd love to give it a watch. <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">********************** </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/7a128afc-a9ac-457f-831c-d6e3899e95d0" target="_blank"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/7a128afc-a9ac-457f-831c-d6e3899e95d0" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/9ptb0ieays55484qukr6w8xw7rk8" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/9ptb0ieays55484qukr6w8xw7rk8" width="141" /></a></div><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/7a128afc-a9ac-457f-831c-d6e3899e95d0" target="_blank">Boss Bride Days, Volume 1 by Narumi Hasegaki</a></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This one is silly, but it's also a lot of fun. From the synopsis. Shut-in shy teen who spends more time playing Dating simulator games than even going to school, saves the life of a yakuza boss, and from there he decides that the one of this three grandson's who win her heart will be his successor. <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i> </i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I like the characters enough to keep reading, and this girl is causing so much mayhem already for the family and I've only read one volume. She's a silly girl, but she does also seem to have some spunk in her. I think this is one of those "Reverse Harem" stories. This manga is great for a silly good time.<br /></div></div>Marie - Pages To Explorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02748295851467280622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757859867911340544.post-29221628106888704982024-02-17T14:59:00.000-08:002024-02-17T14:59:52.431-08:00ARC Review: Fathomfolk by Eliza Chan<p style="text-align: justify;"><u></u></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u><a href="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/840sl9g3w4459wyl8zdeinc7n29q" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/840sl9g3w4459wyl8zdeinc7n29q" width="203" /></a></u></div><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><u>Title:</u> Fathomfolk<br /><u>Author:</u> Eliza Chan<br /><u>Series:</u> Drowned World #1<br /><u>Genre:</u> Adult Fantasy/Mythology<br /><u>Publisher:</u> Orbit<br /><u>Publication Date:</u> February 27, 2024<br /><u>Edition:</u> 439 pages, Kindle Edition<br /><u>Source:</u> NetGalley<br /><u>Pre-Order:</u> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fathomfolk-Drowned-World-Eliza-Chan/dp/0316564923" target="_blank">Amazon US</a> | <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fathomfolk-eliza-chan/1143598831?ean=9780316564922" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> | <a href="https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Fathomfolk/Eliza-Chan/9780316564922" target="_blank">BAM</a> | <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/fathomfolk-eliza-chan/20171087?ean=9780316564922" target="_blank">Bookshop</a> | <a href="https://www.powells.com/book/fathomfolk-9780316564922" target="_blank">Powell's</a> | <a href="https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/fathomfolk_eliza-chan/38891599" target="_blank">Thriftbooks</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">Synopsis:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"> Revolution is brewing in the semi-submerged city of Tiankawi, between humans and the fathomfolk who live in its waters. This gloriously imaginative debut fantasy, inspired by East Asian mythology and ocean folk tales, is a novel of magic, rebellion and change.<br /> Welcome to Tiankawi - shining pearl of human civilization and a safe haven for those fleeing civil unrest. Or at least, that's how it first appears. But in the semi-flooded city, humans are, quite literally, on top: peering down from shining towers and aerial walkways on the fathomfolk - sirens, seawitches, kelpies and kappas - who live in the polluted waters below.<br /> For half-siren Mira, promotion to captain of the border guard means an opportunity to help her downtrodden people. But if earning the trust and respect of her human colleagues wasn't hard enough, everything Mira has worked towards is put in jeopardy when Nami, a know-it-all water dragon and fathomfolk princess - is exiled to the city, under Mira’s watch. When extremists sabotage a city festival, violence erupts, as does the clampdown on fathomfolk rights. Both Nami and Mira must decide if the cost of change is worth paying, or if Tiankawi should be left to drown. </span> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/ed866850-d749-465f-b38b-9e5a100b63fe" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="41" data-original-width="113" height="41" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj38qRLeDAHdDQPeae4mUBt1vHmkxciot12zeSoKwuFY1TugdxOEXMOqOFTXeN1Q-vyzLgHurlBE7rLMkLqfvtD3VOpFw8xwuzxVB0Y_ok2baqltd6wmCKYk32LRkSA4F5O1_VtnxMkYX6x-OIOBcep-k46gV0xZ15Valz52brkUM8AUxNaSSNGwJTOVJs/s1600/StoryGraphbutton.png" width="113" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">********************</div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3QU_aze_h2CKQnWr8AmV8JIKnWpPQee51GzRmAf9i6gSkfdnCSPTZ8jbcUEmNnqgbuiHIP9izwdQzwGU3OErrWGEYLY8DrwlTk8zxQeC8v5vXVbkINeUX3GtHNhqixuvCEEloGZgLjrg7t59-RShXVY-wt2XxkUhDCRUusrgnusBBtiQyuCrJ5p05EI8/s1705/text-review.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1705" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3QU_aze_h2CKQnWr8AmV8JIKnWpPQee51GzRmAf9i6gSkfdnCSPTZ8jbcUEmNnqgbuiHIP9izwdQzwGU3OErrWGEYLY8DrwlTk8zxQeC8v5vXVbkINeUX3GtHNhqixuvCEEloGZgLjrg7t59-RShXVY-wt2XxkUhDCRUusrgnusBBtiQyuCrJ5p05EI8/s320/text-review.png" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The thing I loved the most about this book was the setting and the concept. Beyond that, I am left with mixed feelings.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">As
a lover of mythology, I felt that this book had too many "creatures"
from mythology. There's a lot of overlap when it comes to underwater
mythology that this felt over-saturated, and a little redundant at
times. Every culture that is/was seafaring, has "mermaids" but not every
culture calls them mermaids.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There are three
POVs, and I had a really hard time staying invested in the characters.
None of them were particularly likable. The dialogue also felt, for lack
of a better word, young. This book is marketed as Adult Fantasy, but it
felt like YA. It felt and read like it was targeted at 14-year-olds.
Not a bad thing on its own, but if a book is labeled as Adult, I want to
read like it's aimed at Adults. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I was,
unfortunately, pretty bored the whole time I was reading this. It felt
like a chore to read, and that makes me kind of sad because I mentioned,
I love mythology, and the premise is why I wanted to read this. But
with an underdeveloped world, and characters I couldn't stay invested
in, this book fell flat for me. This book has promise, and I think there
is a market for it. It just didn't work for me. <br /></div>Marie - Pages To Explorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02748295851467280622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757859867911340544.post-18851620885652131802024-01-18T12:19:00.000-08:002024-01-18T12:19:55.263-08:00Review: City of Nightmares by Rebecca Schaeffer<div style="text-align: justify;"><u><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/enkzp0lftl4lqee55u19vxv7ysjo" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/enkzp0lftl4lqee55u19vxv7ysjo" width="212" /></a></div>Title:</u> City of Nightmares<br /><u>Author:</u> Rebecca Schaeffer<br /><u>Series:</u> City of Nightmares #1<br /><u>Genre:</u> YA/Horror/Urban Fantasy<br /><u>Publisher:</u> Clarion Books<br /><u>Publication Date:</u> January 10, 2023<br /><u>Edition:</u> 352 pages, Kindle Edition<br /><u>Source:</u> Library<br /><u>Purchase:</u> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0358647304" target="_blank">Amazon US</a> | <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/city-of-nightmares-rebecca-schaeffer/1140825829?" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> | <a href="https://www.booksamillion.com/p/City-Nightmares/Rebecca-Schaeffer/9780358647300" target="_blank">BAM</a> | <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/city-of-nightmares-rebecca-schaeffer/17943716" target="_blank">Bookshop</a> | <a href="https://www.powells.com/book/city-of-nightmares-01-9780358647300" target="_blank">Powell's</a> | <a href="https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/city-of-nightmares_rebecca-schaeffer/34488438" target="_blank">Thriftbooks</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;">Synopsis:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"> Ever since her sister became a man-eating spider and slaughtered her way through town, nineteen-year-old Ness has been terrified—terrified of some other Nightmare murdering her, and terrified of ending up like her sister. Because in Newham, the city that never sleeps, dreaming means waking up as your worst fear.<br /> Whether that means becoming a Nightmare that’s monstrous only in appearance, to transforming into a twisted, unrecognizable creature that terrorizes the city, no one is safe. Ness will do anything to avoid becoming another victim, even if that means lying low among the Friends of the Restful Soul, a questionable organization that may or may not be a cult.<br /> But being a member of maybe-cult has a price. In order to prove herself, Ness cons her way into what’s supposed to be a simple job for the organization—only for it to blow up in her face. Literally. Tangled up in the aftermath of an explosive assassination, now Ness and the only other survivor—a Nightmare boy who Ness suspects is planning to eat her—must find their way back to Newham and uncover the sinister truth behind the attack, even as the horrors of her past loom ominously near.<br /><b><br />Gotham meets Strange the Dreamer in this thrilling young adult fantasy about a cowardly girl who finds herself at the center of a criminal syndicate conspiracy, in a city where crooked politicians and sinister cults reig</b></span><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><b>n and dreaming means waking up as your worst nightmare.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/e2f97ff2-3207-4c6c-a34f-ee3c2f43fd0a" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="41" data-original-width="113" height="41" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiIxn5OU_zVS4gn8EOLDqhLaJaEMkmpt2Yt-BRpvLA-hG0UYjDq-ckoWrnaqhWC886atnQgRyv7dLnwRmQouf7SaCM75xqEQObEVGoBX5zjmNI5_7uSVnUfZUUgF2ExctlzxxQX1ylkRKsA203iHrgiJa5az4pJHgonU_u0JPmV9gx6nJSS1Gnk9kYUAA/s1600/StoryGraphbutton.png" width="113" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">************************</div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi-8pRVPXs_cn1SngGI81xaCYKydDToSVrZsX96jlg_JtdQCjIB4zGV4ERou8CkcTigxqTFM4f6nMGHGI_S-yjafRUL381i-aqctfyQKg8CNKBvmzEQo3fTtjo7Rhi1GryWkxUfp7I-gwRgjFdDq1ANHC-7P863fXqiMm2wLmw59k5yBbxo48FlWCrhWo/s1705/text-review.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1705" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi-8pRVPXs_cn1SngGI81xaCYKydDToSVrZsX96jlg_JtdQCjIB4zGV4ERou8CkcTigxqTFM4f6nMGHGI_S-yjafRUL381i-aqctfyQKg8CNKBvmzEQo3fTtjo7Rhi1GryWkxUfp7I-gwRgjFdDq1ANHC-7P863fXqiMm2wLmw59k5yBbxo48FlWCrhWo/s320/text-review.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> I went into this book with little to low expectations. I've heard some whispers of this book, but nothing that really was glowing or highly critical. It is a little goofy at times, a bit like a B-horror movie, and other times when it's horrifying, but the horror doesn't stick around long. The tone wasn't consistent. But I had a fun time reading this.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> I honestly can't say what the MC, Ness, looks like, other than her having dark hair. I don't think her appearance was ever mentioned. She's shorter than her best friend, and not as physically strong, but beyond that, I have no idea what she looks like. This is a downside to first person, there is never an organic way for a character to remark on what they look like that isn't cliche. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">That aside, I did like her as an MC. She is somebody with severe anxiety, and it's understandable why. Her fear is rooted in something that affected her in a big way when she was very young. I also like that she knows that her fear is mostly unjustified, but she can't stop her reaction to things. I think people who've dealt with irrational fears could relate to that aspect of her character. There are other slightly annoying things about her character, but I had to remind myself that she's around 17 and still young. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I liked Cy as well. His personal struggle was something to empathize with. He was in a lot of this book, and a lot of subplots and character growth for Ness involved him, but I didn't feel like we really got to know him. Maybe there will more of him in book2. I like that while there seems to be a maybe romance blossoming, it is very slow-burn. I think the moments they had together, once Ness started to trust him, were cute.<br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div>In a world where joining a cult is the best way to maintain safety, and even that isn't a guarantee, knowing who to trust is hard. And as Ness tries to survive as a casualty of an assassination attempt that list gets shorter. Ness also learns something about the Nightmares that could save everybody, and the way the book ends leaves so much that can happen in the sequel. This is just a duology, and I have no idea how they'll wrap things up from here. But I look forward to finding out.</div>Marie - Pages To Explorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02748295851467280622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757859867911340544.post-11678152304938990452024-01-05T09:43:00.000-08:002024-01-06T08:17:32.509-08:00ARC Review: A Touch Wicked by Katrina Kendrick<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/fjrn4yvkhy4vuu0vh2qxbwsslho6" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="391" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/fjrn4yvkhy4vuu0vh2qxbwsslho6" width="209" /></a></div><u>Title:</u> A Touch Wicked<br /><u>Author:</u> Katrina Kendrick<br /><u>Series:</u> Private Arrangements #0.5<br /><u>Genre:</u> Historical Romance/Mystery<br /><u>Publisher:</u> Aria<br />Publication Date: June 1, 2023 (republish)<br /><u>Edition:</u> Kindle Edition<br /><u>Source:</u> NetGalley<br /><u>Purchase/Pre-Order:</u> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Touch-Wicked-Private-Arrangements/dp/1837930953" target="_blank">Amazon US</a> | <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-touch-wicked-katrina-kendrick/1142868097" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> | <a href="https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Touch-Wicked/Katrina-Kendrick/9781837930951" target="_blank">BAM</a> | <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/a-touch-wicked-katrina-kendrick/20342068" target="_blank">Bookshop</a> | <a href="https://www.powells.com/book/a-touch-wicked-9798212379274" target="_blank">Powell's</a> | <a href="https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/a-touch-wicked_katrina-kendrick/20871695" target="_blank">Thriftbooks<br /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #d9d2e9;">Synopsis:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><b>The Masquerade has only two rules: Depart by morning and never reveal your identity.</b><br /></span><span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><span> </span>HE IS LONDON’S MOST ELIGIBLE BACHELOR</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #d9d2e9;">James, the Earl of Kent, is at the top of every debutante’s list for marriage. He’s handsome, wealthy, and on the lookout for a bride. But when he meets a mysterious beauty at London’s most illicit club, fascination becomes intrigue—and she harbours deadly secrets.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #d9d2e9;"> </span><span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><span> </span>SHE IS A PENNILESS NOBODY</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #d9d2e9;">In a desperate bid to save her criminal sister, Emma Dumont infiltrates the earl’s household under false pretences. When a clue leads her to a scandalous masque, she finds herself in the arms of her handsome employer—and torn between duty and lethal attraction.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #d9d2e9;">As her sister's crimes threaten to expose Emma’s deception, she becomes entangled in a brutal conspiracy. And with the truth comes danger...</span><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8vt_6bRCXL6Ia8yb-y_PfiCprNrUOxqmWFu34LB-J2CrUOoNOAabjHDb4HwxO-5DCP8cphMOwwbDT6y7hY1u0Vl9vFrBKclFsoRzqOpy9WRbb-I2B8qo7_SB_OEFYnjBaEGDXB8bDHwuLufdq-xlx-QM7JEnsJbH8Z0aa4MWoVl8t2CdC20wqltmsJz4/s113/StoryGraphbutton.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="41" data-original-width="113" height="41" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8vt_6bRCXL6Ia8yb-y_PfiCprNrUOxqmWFu34LB-J2CrUOoNOAabjHDb4HwxO-5DCP8cphMOwwbDT6y7hY1u0Vl9vFrBKclFsoRzqOpy9WRbb-I2B8qo7_SB_OEFYnjBaEGDXB8bDHwuLufdq-xlx-QM7JEnsJbH8Z0aa4MWoVl8t2CdC20wqltmsJz4/s1600/StoryGraphbutton.png" width="113" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">*****************</div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOTPH7R_LbvzoQx7_I61FT0CndRY7R97zNhqV5R2QgFW-n7_gInaG95lly9IgDCX0xCw9oEwBLncS3s6sm4XNyTBDZtoN9wz_L4jN-P9EeajgxuRVjqPm2z6_h8FE3P49Qy0B4GVy1x1UqxabLXFPJEsCCB-ir9z14oPgCoasU7veBn187iIq2HudJN4s/s1705/text-review.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1705" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOTPH7R_LbvzoQx7_I61FT0CndRY7R97zNhqV5R2QgFW-n7_gInaG95lly9IgDCX0xCw9oEwBLncS3s6sm4XNyTBDZtoN9wz_L4jN-P9EeajgxuRVjqPm2z6_h8FE3P49Qy0B4GVy1x1UqxabLXFPJEsCCB-ir9z14oPgCoasU7veBn187iIq2HudJN4s/s320/text-review.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I enjoyed this book. Though I admit I was more invested in the mystery of Emma's sister than I was in the romance. Not that I didn't like the romance or root for them, because I did. I just wish the mystery had more of a role in things. Emma spent all that time going to the masquerade and learned nothing. I would've liked that she at least heard whispers about the last time she was that at least.<br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now, I know this is complaining that there was too much romance in the romance book, but that's not what I mean. I would've liked just a little more focus on her trying to find her sister. There were moments when it didn't seem as dire to her as the dialog implied it did. That aside, I did love the romance.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The banter.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The longing.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">And the spice didn't make me cringe or make me start reading it on a diagonal. Which is something that I do sometimes, usually when an author either gets too clinical or uses too many euphemisms. Which is not the case here. <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">My one complaint, is that when the plot line of Emma's missing sister came to a head, it all unfolded very quickly. It was just a handful of pages, then the book was over. I do wonder if any of this will come up in the rest of the series.</div>Marie - Pages To Explorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02748295851467280622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757859867911340544.post-29450749332917743032023-12-27T12:29:00.000-08:002023-12-27T12:29:08.421-08:00Bulk Review: Manga/Graphic Novles<p style="text-align: left;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinAWhZ1cuOtb6HXZaF29BXZVZ81Uhc90bWsPCMUKzdC6Fr4MxfCWX-BGgbnyZwHIrIfxaU2TEbxJrxHhUL6-iDdzy0bwPDI59DwtLX0aFn-gBqiASykf4kHflyGKM0GLLgH6BI3F23SjtggOkLEDZFkLOOt1x4bUSMOuW7a_PJRRThCEH-L3jPgQlJZQQ/s1705/text-review.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1705" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinAWhZ1cuOtb6HXZaF29BXZVZ81Uhc90bWsPCMUKzdC6Fr4MxfCWX-BGgbnyZwHIrIfxaU2TEbxJrxHhUL6-iDdzy0bwPDI59DwtLX0aFn-gBqiASykf4kHflyGKM0GLLgH6BI3F23SjtggOkLEDZFkLOOt1x4bUSMOuW7a_PJRRThCEH-L3jPgQlJZQQ/s320/text-review.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">This has been the "year of Manga/Graphic Novels" for me. About half the books I've read this year were in this format. I needed a more relaxed year, trying to force myself to read "regular" books was starting to feel like a chore. I did read a lot non-manga, I was just in my manga era I guess. I didn't write as many reviews on StoryGraph this time around for each volume I finished. It kind of slipped my mind with the ones I read closer to the end of the year. I also read them a little too-fast sometimes, as in I don't always read them with the mindset of reviewing them. I prefer to try and review "arcs" in manga over volumes. Which I don't always notice when it's my first time reading it. Anyway, I feel like I had a pretty great year of reading. <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><a name='more'></a></span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/01d485aa-96ac-484e-b407-91616f17bd1e" target="_blank"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/01d485aa-96ac-484e-b407-91616f17bd1e" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/7pgliag8gusinmqtq2ek00ntwokc" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/7pgliag8gusinmqtq2ek00ntwokc" width="141" /></a></div>Witch Hat Atelier, Volume 11 by Kamome Shirahama</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Luckily, I did write a review for this volume. I read this back in October (according to StoryGraph), so based on memories I don't remember exactly what happened. So I am going to link to my review from StoryGraph. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">***** <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/1dd9ead7-22f4-4515-a2cc-2c4e40360a1b" target="_blank"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/1dd9ead7-22f4-4515-a2cc-2c4e40360a1b" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/i659s5pnvcp3tl8kam9a60igrg4z" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/i659s5pnvcp3tl8kam9a60igrg4z" width="140" /></a></div>Garlic & the Witch (Garlic #2) by Bree Paulsen </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This graphic novel Duology is so freaking cute. I love the characters, I love the world. I just love it. If this is how their story ends, I will be happy, but I also never want to leave this world. This is the fantasy world I'd want to live in.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">*****</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/series/32782" target="_blank"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/series/32782" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/rtuar6oby9fc2cb3767ewkf2jezt" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/rtuar6oby9fc2cb3767ewkf2jezt" width="141" /></a></div>Something's Wrong With Us, Volume 15 & 16 by Natsumi Andō</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There's just something so addicting about this manga. Their romance started out messy, but the way they found their way back to each other through everything makes it so I can't help but root for them. Tubaki's mother, while she is a horrible person, when you find out more about what happened to her, I understand her motives (they're still bad motives), but I understand them. <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">******</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/5ed5217a-0208-437b-b25f-29a541982300" target="_blank"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/5ed5217a-0208-437b-b25f-29a541982300" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/0x4iso0wb7m627nbmcl0rzumxkpy" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/0x4iso0wb7m627nbmcl0rzumxkpy" width="132" /></a></div><br />Nimona by ND Stevenson</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I picked this one up on a whim. I had heard it was good, but not much about the plot. I liked this, it was cute but also a little tragic. It seems to be a standalone, but the ending is pretty open ended. This is another where getting more would be great even if it did end in a way that does have some closure. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">*****</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/294a4be3-0bf1-42da-b37a-fe8c1a05b3a5" target="_blank"><b></b></a><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/294a4be3-0bf1-42da-b37a-fe8c1a05b3a5" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/v0gen3k8ppyn2sd5p8hjqa22n4w3" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/v0gen3k8ppyn2sd5p8hjqa22n4w3" width="133" /></a></div>Yona of the Dawn, Vol. 40 by Mizuho Kusanagi </b><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This manga, is starting to feel like it's dragging. Which makes me really sad. I don't know what the story is supposed to be anymore, and it almost feels like it's the same for the author. I still want to read to the end. But I'm a bit at the point where I don't feel the need to read the next one as soon as it comes out. I'm okay with waiting until there's more volumes out so I can read them back to back the way I read the rest of the series before I caught up. I still love the characters, I just don't know what their motives are anymore.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">*****<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/series/3697" target="_blank"><b></b></a><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/series/3697" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/delf31oqscj11iu78psjim3j3hjs" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/delf31oqscj11iu78psjim3j3hjs" width="141" /></a></div>The Ancient Magus' Bride, Vol. 6 - 9 by Kore Yamazaki</b><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I see people express that the plot of this manga is "slow", and I somewhat disagree. This is just a story that doesn't rush through the plot to get to the next bit of action. It really hasn't been that long since Chise became Elias's apprentice, they are still getting to know each other, and she is still coming out of her shell. It doesn't help that I also started watching the anime shortly after starting the manga, it caused me to forget some of what exactly was happening. Either watch all the anime, and then read the manga, or the other way around. Don't do them at the same time if you have to wait for library holds for volumes. <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Marie - Pages To Explorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02748295851467280622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757859867911340544.post-37495695048526322172023-12-18T20:55:00.000-08:002023-12-18T20:55:14.039-08:00Review: The Hunting Moon by Susan Dennard<div style="text-align: justify;"><u><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/d8yukohjttxmrlc7gll65z5gykjr" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="456" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/d8yukohjttxmrlc7gll65z5gykjr" width="211" /></a></div>Title:</u> The Hunting Moon<br /><u>Author:</u> Susan Dennard<br /><u>Series:</u> The Luminaries #2<br /><u>Genre:</u> Urban Fantasy/YA<br /><u>Publisher:</u> Tor Teen<br /><u>Publication Date:</u> November 7, 2023<br />Edition: 272 pages, Kindle Edition<br />Source: Library<br />Purchase: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Hunting-Moon-Luminaries-2/dp/1250194148" target="_blank">Amazon US</a> | <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-hunting-moon-susan-dennard/1142923067" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> | <a href="https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Hunting-Moon/Susan-Dennard/9781250194145" target="_blank">BAM</a> | <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-hunting-moon-susan-dennard/19663945" target="_blank">Bookshop</a> | <a href="https://www.powells.com/book/the-hunting-moon-the-luminaries-2-9781250194145" target="_blank">Powell's</a> | <a href="https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-hunting-moon_susan-dennard/38128610" target="_blank">Thriftbooks</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #ffd966;">Synopsis:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"> Winnie Wednesday has gotten everything she thought she wanted. She passed the deadly hunter trials, her family has been welcomed back into the Luminaries, and overnight, she has become a local celebrity.<br />Unfortunately, it all feels wrong. For one, nobody will believe her about the new nightmare called the Whisperer that's killing hunters each night. Everyone blames the werewolf, even though Winnie is certain the wolf is innocent.<br /> On top of that, following her dad's convoluted clues about the Dianas, their magic, and what happened in Hemlock Falls four years ago is leaving her with more questions than answers.<br />Then to complicate it all, there is still only one person who can help her: Jay Friday, the boy with plenty of problems all his own.<br /> As bodies and secrets pile up around town, Winnie finds herself questioning what it means to be a true Wednesday and a true Luminary—and also where her fierce-hearted loyalties might ultimately have to lie.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3SWE0wNwGII-1hyphenhyphenMaLjnrI179saSB4ahZ_8Ca1TIPsz8NQAghlu-4d7jDWI7Y0d7qUK-BAbFEQI2yBNEHbRx0KUYjw0J_UjDjmWCX3_iatyGNyFVz0NffD53Hwp_Eij4kwhfeH9WagLTnt1UOIPJdmckKxe3QlgzYmJz80kgnPwFnvYUuMdZVJ9CgZ0w/s113/StoryGraphbutton.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="41" data-original-width="113" height="41" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3SWE0wNwGII-1hyphenhyphenMaLjnrI179saSB4ahZ_8Ca1TIPsz8NQAghlu-4d7jDWI7Y0d7qUK-BAbFEQI2yBNEHbRx0KUYjw0J_UjDjmWCX3_iatyGNyFVz0NffD53Hwp_Eij4kwhfeH9WagLTnt1UOIPJdmckKxe3QlgzYmJz80kgnPwFnvYUuMdZVJ9CgZ0w/s1600/StoryGraphbutton.png" width="113" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">*********************************</div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW0G7ryB7yySnGD-r8wKNffUSK1Yh0dyBRe6IwMIUgmb_xCAk8eQl7bEOBARdhzdnHN0cvSoMq3KJynwJ7N59at2bqMdAqzHccBce5SknmmFs0bg9QPTBJWxBSafhfVlUwcTRcW93tEWuGlTxRZhfAiGTM_-ufqApO9NfGZWNWRD5xRIsremSjWZmgA60/s1705/text-review.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1705" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW0G7ryB7yySnGD-r8wKNffUSK1Yh0dyBRe6IwMIUgmb_xCAk8eQl7bEOBARdhzdnHN0cvSoMq3KJynwJ7N59at2bqMdAqzHccBce5SknmmFs0bg9QPTBJWxBSafhfVlUwcTRcW93tEWuGlTxRZhfAiGTM_-ufqApO9NfGZWNWRD5xRIsremSjWZmgA60/s320/text-review.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I really liked this book. It's shorter than it feels. Meaning, that
while the book is short, that lower page count doesn't waste pages. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Winnie
gets what she's wanted for the past four years, she and her family are
back in the good graces of the other Luminaries. But it's not what she
expected it to be like. She has some doubts about whether it's what she
really wants. She has more questions than answers when it comes to the
mysterious riddle her father left her. And nobody believes her about the
Whisperer that attacks indiscriminately, but no one besides Winnie has
seen it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It's been nearly a full year since I
read the first book, and Dennard does a great job when it comes to
recapping what happened in the previous book without it feeling like
tedious exposition.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I re-read my review of the
first book before starting this one, to see if anything I assumed
matched up with what I think now based on some reveals. And while one
was answered, who the werewolf is, the other I can't remember who I
thought the Diana (witch) was in the first book, but I don't think it's
who I was suspecting.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There are a lot of
questions that need answering, and this is a trilogy, so that means the
third book when it comes out is going to be action-packed. <br /></div></div>Marie - Pages To Explorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02748295851467280622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757859867911340544.post-53581206492107347542023-12-16T17:29:00.000-08:002023-12-16T17:29:25.048-08:00Tag: Let it Snow ❄ BookTag<div style="text-align: justify;">It's been a while since I've done a tag, and I do enjoy doing these. I don't remember who created this one, or where I first saw it. I've saved a bunch of book-tags over the years and didn't always remember to save where I first saw it. Anyway, here's my winter-time tag, I forgot to do one around Halloween even though I meant to.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">We don't get a lot of snow in my neck of the woods of Oregon, and I'm actually pretty okay with that. Snow is a pain to deal with. But I do think it's pretty to look at.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF5b7YbASMB9TBKrwPKes5BkcoeDvUCuz0fn_GhaezIYTd03grhuCVj-huLUnKWqLTOsIzeZNjz2QR7Xdvsm-8RZ7L4TYodfyZ8nDHtLOEsK7wnUJpSN6B0qNz2kiPm3FNfLJOs-KSDQXD9deWBsKFn3grJjiv4I5Okad7IsSj0dyAJ0kaQFQwWbsjYb4/s2186/32bb23b29da1ef57cd92350cb11a65ce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1229" data-original-width="2186" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF5b7YbASMB9TBKrwPKes5BkcoeDvUCuz0fn_GhaezIYTd03grhuCVj-huLUnKWqLTOsIzeZNjz2QR7Xdvsm-8RZ7L4TYodfyZ8nDHtLOEsK7wnUJpSN6B0qNz2kiPm3FNfLJOs-KSDQXD9deWBsKFn3grJjiv4I5Okad7IsSj0dyAJ0kaQFQwWbsjYb4/w400-h225/32bb23b29da1ef57cd92350cb11a65ce.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>1. The Weather Outside is Frightful: Book with a Snowy Setting</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/jz8lu4qdukhdbb1flt8rtfo2p5dj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="297" height="320" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/jz8lu4qdukhdbb1flt8rtfo2p5dj" width="211" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/c3356df0-dbb7-4475-a54c-1e212d47c920" target="_blank">The Bear and the Nightingale</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Cheating, probably, but it's the only one I could think of. There are likely other books that have a winter/snowy setting. But this book really makes you feel like you are freezing along side everybody else.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><b>2. But the Fire is So Delightful: A Book that warmed your heart</b><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/vypn8xz6yjsatbi0idnkod9ney45" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/vypn8xz6yjsatbi0idnkod9ney45" width="225" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/dd63411f-bdde-4b3c-be6a-2af8a045fd47" target="_blank">Garlic & the Vampire</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">This book, and the sequel, are really cute and sweet. I love Garlic, she over comes so much to believe in herself. And the art is really cute.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>3. Since There’s No Place to Go: Place you wish you could visit (real or fictional!)</b><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/mr5sv8rrdovehljazxgfb144lgn0" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/mr5sv8rrdovehljazxgfb144lgn0" width="209" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/93a94814-0f82-4178-9c77-73a7bab3286a" target="_blank">Legends & Lattes </a><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Viv's cafe. I don't remember the name off the top of my head, but I would love to live in that town so I could go to that cafe every day.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>4. It Doesn’t Show Signs of Stopping: Series you’re still in the middle of</b><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/70ee8yjay33w1el6o1uosqmm3az0" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/70ee8yjay33w1el6o1uosqmm3az0" width="208" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/1027c7ed-02b1-408c-ae57-433e15d38f81" target="_blank">The Bitter Twins</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'm in the middle of a lot of Manga series' right now, but I didn't want to use of of those since most are still on-going. I've been "in the middle of" The Bitter Twins since last October. I hit a roadblock of sorts while reading it. There's a POV character who irritates the crap out of me and I loathe reading her chapters, she's obnoxiously naive and trusting of the invading force to the point where I want something bad to happen to her character so I no longer have to read about her. She's thousands of years old, how can she be that dumb?<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>5. Brought Some Corn for Popping: Book You Devoured</b><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/qya89t63itxyh587dk3x7mhs6kd2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/qya89t63itxyh587dk3x7mhs6kd2" width="213" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/1c6725be-5eae-4788-a5af-0c6cefc81e3b" target="_blank">Age of Death</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">I read this book in about a week. Sure there are other books I've read faster, but this one I didn't want to end so I kept stopping so I wouldn't read it so fast so reading it would last longer. This is my favorite in the series, it's so good. The back stories, learning the lore. So good.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>6. The Lights are Turned Down Low: Kept You Up All Night</b><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/budjmp9vj9patjs9ynp1q2a153ci" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="272" height="320" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/budjmp9vj9patjs9ynp1q2a153ci" width="218" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/b7bc1c71-a85a-4137-aaaf-6e93109b9732" target="_blank">Rise of Empire</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Yes, another book by MJ Sullivan. I read a lot of his books this year. And I have loved all of them. This one, I may have stayed up later than I should have reading it. But it was worth it.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>7. Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let it Snow: Winter Recommendation!</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/gb1t9yali8nfbw2thdqttnzhs4m3" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="267" height="320" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/gb1t9yali8nfbw2thdqttnzhs4m3" width="214" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/79eff593-846b-46fc-880c-f5d76cbf1233" target="_blank">A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> This book doesn't take place during the winter. But one of the side-characters <i>is</i> a Gingerbread cookie. So I think that bumps it up the list. I don't read "seasonal" books, so this is the best I've got.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div>Marie - Pages To Explorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02748295851467280622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757859867911340544.post-11426855458034927352023-12-10T18:38:00.000-08:002023-12-10T18:38:34.563-08:00ARC Review: Dungeons & Drama by Kristy Boyce<div style="text-align: justify;"><u><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1686319867i/160083511.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="467" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1686319867i/160083511.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>Title:</u> Dungeons & Drama<br /><u>Author:</u> Kristy Boyce<br /><u>Series:</u> Standalone<br /><u>Genre:</u> YA/Contemporary Romance<br /><u>Publisher:</u> Delacorte Press<br /><u>Publication Date:</u> January 9, 2024<br /><u>Edition:</u> Kindle Edition<br /><u>Source:</u> NetGalley<br /><u>Pre-Order:</u> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Drama-Kristy-Boyce/dp/0593647017" target="_blank">Amazon US</a> | <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dungeons-and-drama-kristy-boyce/1143543041" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> | <a href="https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Dungeons-Drama/Kristy-Boyce/9780593647011" target="_blank">BAM</a> | <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/dungeons-and-drama-kristy-boyce/20144154" target="_blank">Bookshop</a> | <a href="https://www.powells.com/book/dungeons-drama-9780593647011" target="_blank">Powell's</a> | <a href="https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/dungeons-and-drama_kristy-boyce/38822542" target="_blank">Thriftbooks</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #cfe2f3;">Synopsis:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #cfe2f3;"> Musical lover Riley has big aspirations to become a director on Broadway. Crucial to this plan is to bring back her high school’s spring musical, but when Riley takes her mom’s car without permission, she's grounded and stuck with the worst punishment: spending her after-school hours working at her dad’s game shop.<br /> Riley can't waste her time working when she has a musical to save, so she convinces Nathan—a nerdy teen employee—to cover her shifts and, in exchange, she’ll flirt with him to make his gamer-girl crush jealous.<br /> But Riley didn’t realize that meant joining Nathan's Dungeons & Dragons game…or that role playing would be so fun. Soon, Riley starts to think that flirting with Nathan doesn't require as much acting as she would've thought...<br /><br /><b> When it comes to romance, sometimes it doesn't hurt to play games. A fun YA romcom full of fake dating hi-jinks!</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/902a3ef1-3506-4519-af41-11a255395fa9" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="41" data-original-width="113" height="41" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMsQhvhKuKRu0j6pFCdo0dgeegUTolZk2yvnysacI_kJYGGx9seKvP99sOsRN3ZMUU6S6i2eaJsbNIx15gSHfLAFqkdUZRVV3kKJnKpF1MsN8uFSYaI38SYBgFktNrEmhtKu3WvsyNN820VODD5QdwteEqCh6oT7HWeFZzgRc9sYf_YBIu7xCpO__6gVc/s1600/StoryGraphbutton.png" width="113" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">**********************</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><a name='more'></a></span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMOZloyI9mLRTwiDmRsN2iGZk0HlgGKkQ219qJJZm6dJHoiNkmYpMz30Ik6VwQyn_zb81DADt5JvCi7nZ7C04cIRlWkEHOq4tYPfVBriYjx-iWXtdpu0C2n8jhbReh8B4Un_ITLm11p8cgcAbJmFsBP2pSFT3xOHOFRhbajQqbUbqxLlDkNe5J_sG73mc/s1705/text-review.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1705" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMOZloyI9mLRTwiDmRsN2iGZk0HlgGKkQ219qJJZm6dJHoiNkmYpMz30Ik6VwQyn_zb81DADt5JvCi7nZ7C04cIRlWkEHOq4tYPfVBriYjx-iWXtdpu0C2n8jhbReh8B4Un_ITLm11p8cgcAbJmFsBP2pSFT3xOHOFRhbajQqbUbqxLlDkNe5J_sG73mc/s320/text-review.png" width="320" /></a></div> This book was heckin' cute. I'm not a musical theater person. I enjoy some of it, but I'm far from being an enthusiast, and I've never played D&D. All that aside I still enjoyed this book. The characters behaved like teenagers, which was a nice change from how teenage characters in other YA contemporary romance books I've read in the past. Although, I don't know exactly how old they are supposed to be, 17 I think?<br /> <br /> I didn't really like Riley much for most of the book. She didn't have a lot of depth to her personality until she started getting more hobbies. I didn't do theater in school, but it's healthy to have more than one hobby. Even the theater kids at my school played sports or were in band or choir in the "off-season" of a school play. Some did all three. She also didn't seem to understand the weight of her actions that got her grounded. I know she's a teenager, but I also think she's old enough to know what the law is. <br /><br /> I liked Nathan as a character a little more than Riley, even if he was initially hung up on a girl who wasn't into him unless she could get something from him. I just found him to be slightly more mature than Riley in some aspects. I wish there had been POV chapters for him. I think it would have enhanced the story to see things from his perspective. I don't like just seeing one side of stories like this.<br /><br />They were cute together though, before they were both willing to admit how they felt, I thought they were cute. Great foils for each other. They balanced each other out. I am much older than the target demographic, but I think this book is good for anyone who likes light-hearted romance, and it's great for teens.</div>Marie - Pages To Explorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02748295851467280622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757859867911340544.post-15057870998147874352023-12-10T10:41:00.000-08:002023-12-10T13:31:36.462-08:00ARC Review: Lore of the Wilds by Analeigh Sbrana<div style="text-align: justify;"><u><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1694885691i/195853531.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="527" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1694885691i/195853531.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>Title:</u> Lore of the Wilds<br /><u>Author:</u> Analeigh Sbrana<br /><u>Series:</u> Lore of the Wilds #1<span> </span> <br /><u>Genre:</u> Fantasy Romance/Magic/New Adult<br /><u>Publisher:</u> Harper Voyager<br /><u>Publication Date:</u> February 27, 2024 <br /><u>Edition:</u> 286 pages, Kindle Edition<br /><u>Source:</u> NetGalley<br /><u>Pre-Order:</u> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lore-Wilds-Novel-Analeigh-Sbrana/dp/0063380595" target="_blank">Amazon US</a> | <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lore-of-the-wilds-analeigh-sbrana/1143578224?ean=9780063380592" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #ead1dc;">Synopsis:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #ead1dc;">A library with a deadly enchantment.<br />A Fae lord who wants in.<br />A human woman willing to risk it all for a taste of power.<br /> In a land ruled by ruthless Fae, twenty-one-year-old Lore Alemeyu’s village is trapped in a forested prison. Lore knows that any escape attempt is futile—her scars are a testament to her past failures. But when her village is threatened, Lore makes a desperate deal with a Fae lord. She will leave her home to catalog/organize an enchanted library that hasn’t been touched in a thousand years. No Fae may enter the library, but there is a chance a human might be able to breach the cursed doors.<br /> She convinces him that she will risk her life for wealth, but really she’s after the one thing the Fae covet above all: magic of her own.<br /> As Lore navigates the hostile world outside, she’s forced to rely on two Fae males to survive. Two very different, very dangerous, very attractive Fae males. When undeniable chemistry ignites, she’s not just in danger of losing her life, but her heart to the very creatures she can never trust.<br /><br /><b>A stunning Romantasy debut about an enchanted library, two handsome Fae, and one human who brings them all together.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/2e59d2b5-d583-438a-b6e8-0147ddf64630" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="41" data-original-width="113" height="41" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXdIEb4MSFQOEZ7GEGBJeYmMsBmTiVZTpgLSYrq2oDJ5mmnsar1JRk2U6aSVIW38LWbB9cOAbkIWMz0fm2_AxUv8U3AhbXh6VPQ8aLsje6i0smfOaj1F6SH-4Z8Hazl_XeAfWVl18gQ-cJIZqeGcMZVqxFVAU0o2FM8i43WlkU_-WqpWBgjC44z3FK3qQ/s1600/StoryGraphbutton.png" width="113" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"> *************************</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> <span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUOMdzUBol47_tKQFREGZnv7gHKDWdOhRw9DEoqnh_4Bdb5uTRDsaoA96eOqczWrNwBxITTEF1PnPTUZHDvmg4Hrp-StwZHQxKHEhic58BbO3YIDdtPo16MdvHn9-8SBhWM9QBrh4RVcDvgdV-t8EcX7f0xfycEE1jkCleI6_YjfaKdpopzp-VAnCKCxU/s1705/text-review.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1705" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUOMdzUBol47_tKQFREGZnv7gHKDWdOhRw9DEoqnh_4Bdb5uTRDsaoA96eOqczWrNwBxITTEF1PnPTUZHDvmg4Hrp-StwZHQxKHEhic58BbO3YIDdtPo16MdvHn9-8SBhWM9QBrh4RVcDvgdV-t8EcX7f0xfycEE1jkCleI6_YjfaKdpopzp-VAnCKCxU/s320/text-review.png" width="320" /></a></div> This book was so good. I had some pacing issues near the end of the book, but that aside I really enjoyed this book. It's in my top ten of the year for sure.<br /><br />Lore is a fantastic protagonist. She's smart, caring, and the kind of character that's easy to root for. She is a little naive at times, but she's also in a situation she'd never thought she'd be in, and doesn't know who to trust so she just ends up trusting the Fae she encounters who are kind. Something she didn't expect to see from the Fae. <br /><br />I liked Asher as a character. It's really hard to talk about this character without spoiling anything. I have a lot to say, but I can't say any of it. <br /><br />Finndryl. Oh, Finndryl. He became a favorite character. He started as the typical grumpy character. He stayed grumpy but started to have a charm to it. I hope he has a larger role in the next book. <br /><br />One thing that I wish is that the cursed/enchanted library was in more of the book. It was kind of forgotten at one point. I wanted to learn how and why it was cursed. Maybe that's for the next book? I hope to understand that aspect of it and to learn more about the world as a whole. I also hope to learn how the humans got to that world as well, and if there's some connection of some kind.<br /><br />I don't know how many books are going to be in this series, but I am excited to read them. <br /></div>Marie - Pages To Explorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02748295851467280622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757859867911340544.post-969763698685078502023-11-27T09:14:00.000-08:002023-11-27T09:14:41.525-08:00Review: Krampus,The Yule Lord by Brom <div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/mktodbo5w2yalnx78odidhz2s2mv" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/mktodbo5w2yalnx78odidhz2s2mv" width="242" /></a></div>Title: Krampus, The Yule Lord<br />Author: Brom<br />Series: Standalone<br />Genre: Horror/Mythology/Fantasy<br />Publisher: Harper Voyager<br />Publication Date: October 30, 2012<br />Edition: 373 pages, Kindle Edition<br />Source: Library<br />Purchase: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007JLK8TQ" target="_blank">Amazon US</a> | <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/krampus-gerald-brom/1110915172" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> | <a href="https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Krampus/Brom/9780062095664" target="_blank">BAM</a> | <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/krampus-the-yule-lord-brom/7229318" target="_blank">Bookshop</a> | <a href="https://www.powells.com/book/krampus-the-yule-lord-9780062095657X" target="_blank">Powell's</a> | <a href="https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/krampus---the-yule-lord_brom/394092" target="_blank">Thriftbooks</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">Synopsis:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"> <i>Santa Claus, my dear old friend, you are a thief, a traitor, a slanderer, a murderer, a liar, but worst of all you are a mockery of everything for which I stood. You have sung your last ho, ho, ho, for I am coming for your head. . . . I am coming to take back what is mine, to take back Yuletide . . .<br /><br />—from Krampus</i><br /> One Christmas Eve in a small hollow in Boone County, West Virginia, struggling songwriter Jesse Walker witnesses a strange spectacle: seven devilish figures chasing a man in a red suit toward a sleigh and eight reindeer. When the reindeer leap skyward, taking the sleigh, devil men, and Santa into the clouds, screams follow. Moments later, a large sack plummets back to earth, a magical sack that thrusts the down-on-his-luck singer into the clutches of the terrifying Yule Lord, Krampus. But the lines between good and evil become blurred as Jesse's new master reveals many dark secrets about the cherry-cheeked Santa Claus, including how half a millennium ago the jolly old saint imprisoned Krampus and usurped his magic.<br /> Now Santa's time is running short, for the Yule Lord is determined to have his retribution and reclaim Yuletide. If Jesse can survive this ancient feud, he might have the chance to redeem himself in his family's eyes, to save his own broken dreams, . . . and to help bring the magic of Yule to the impoverished folk of Boone County.<br /><b><br />The author and artist of The Child Thief returns with a modern fabulist tale of Krampus, the Lord of Yule and the dark enemy of Santa Claus.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdn2pEHOjhMc62HVPheVWchqKKgVOGjd-x_FOlH5ft1j8vLF2JtCLzii7jhZHtg6rKKfY6PLDXGa0ja468-AxRr4BkYfKa1p9ToQ4bkzf3nTJh1aR-hACC_ZZHF3o-64wgw-KmtUHcKQswG3ZCHgaYMbRb-kTBlYz9Fsjo24XM2F5v9scxamkSi-GfEPg/s113/StoryGraphbutton.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="41" data-original-width="113" height="41" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdn2pEHOjhMc62HVPheVWchqKKgVOGjd-x_FOlH5ft1j8vLF2JtCLzii7jhZHtg6rKKfY6PLDXGa0ja468-AxRr4BkYfKa1p9ToQ4bkzf3nTJh1aR-hACC_ZZHF3o-64wgw-KmtUHcKQswG3ZCHgaYMbRb-kTBlYz9Fsjo24XM2F5v9scxamkSi-GfEPg/s1600/StoryGraphbutton.png" width="113" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">**************</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><a name='more'></a></span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQA_WC7UiqbSrKcBeyRhF7L6sR_Aujr8vXPFL15i81I6Xs5TU2NMG75RPXPnglvTNX1i_6bC1G5fqsxtkPBmOXsGp2RV2pGRhIIvOzBIPbaOXhx7LoHFPQiPYdB_5h3Y7kT9cjUGpI4196itbiUyWpcdRNuOswM8gnVumjKDeTBCbsFmjj2giYROTNnHU/s1705/text-review.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1705" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQA_WC7UiqbSrKcBeyRhF7L6sR_Aujr8vXPFL15i81I6Xs5TU2NMG75RPXPnglvTNX1i_6bC1G5fqsxtkPBmOXsGp2RV2pGRhIIvOzBIPbaOXhx7LoHFPQiPYdB_5h3Y7kT9cjUGpI4196itbiUyWpcdRNuOswM8gnVumjKDeTBCbsFmjj2giYROTNnHU/s320/text-review.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"> This was hands down the strangest book I have ever read. I honestly can't say if I liked it. I didn't hate it. But it did feel like two separate stories that got mashed together. They didn't feel like they belonged in the same book. <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> There's a shift in the book, where I feel like the story should have followed Krampus and left some of the side plots behind for a while. I didn't care about Dillard felt like his parts, while eventually relevant, could have been shorter. That's theme for a lot of this book for me, it just followed the wrong characters for too long. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The book wraps up with a lot of things left unanswered or unfinished. It skips around a little too, which left me going back and re-reading parts to make sure I didn't miss anything. This book was felt too long at times, but it also felt too short with all the unanswered questions.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">One thing I really loved, was adding in Norse mythology. I love mythology, and bringing pieces of that into this book made the lore feel real and lived in. I will be reading more from this author, but if this is how all his books end, he may not be an author for me, maybe leaving things as a mystery in this book is part of the point. </div>Marie - Pages To Explorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02748295851467280622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757859867911340544.post-31611410279468494942023-11-02T20:43:00.001-07:002023-11-02T20:43:09.992-07:00Review: Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1490359247i/31698361.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="308" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1490359247i/31698361.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>Title: Kings of the Wyld<br /><u>Author:</u> Nicholas Eames<br /><u>Series:</u> The Band #1<br /><u>Genre:</u> Adult Fantasy/Adventure<br /><u>Publisher:</u> Orbit<br /><u>Publication Date:</u> February 21, 2017<br /><u>Edition:</u> 464 pages, Kindle Edition <br /><u>Source:</u> Purchased<br /><u>Purchase:</u> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Kings-Wyld-Band-Nicholas-Eames/dp/0316362476" target="_blank">Amazon US</a> | <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/kings-of-the-wyld-nicholas-eames/1124068319" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> | <a href="https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Kings-Wyld/Nicholas-Eames/9780316362474" target="_blank">BAM</a> | <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/kings-of-the-wyld-nicholas-eames/112270?ean=9780316362474" target="_blank">Bookshop</a> | <a href="https://www.powells.com/book/kings-of-the-wyld-9780316362474?partnerid=32322" target="_blank">Powell's</a> | <a href="https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/kings-of-the-wyld_nicholas-eames/13528901" target="_blank">Thriftbooks</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c;">Synopsis:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c;"> <b> A retired group of legendary mercenaries get the band back together for one last impossible mission.</b><br /> Clay Cooper and his band were once the best of the best, the most feared and renowned crew of mercenaries this side of the Heartwyld.<br /> Their glory days long past, the mercs have grown apart and grown old, fat, drunk, or a combination of the three. Then an ex-bandmate turns up at Clay's door with a plea for help -- the kind of mission that only the very brave or the very stupid would sign up for.<br /> It's time to get the band back together.</span><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/b245ebbe-071d-428a-895c-cdf044c9118c" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="41" data-original-width="113" height="41" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7fCQVQmHxUbK9aGfPWSWhj9VD1YT3Xac08i_0GdrHGplM_F_4C1xX9WwXZlMkrE8zkLDaidX4fsGkkqU8afNiDUmufR7hy4VDHKsx1ngfy_S9Q7rqi9t09Kuj-glwgpoUeho-8Q_Y0Fxd7RBMIxp-cgarcE7vlO5cxXtAtnBiWRzOU3s37b6kb5JrLv0/s1600/StoryGraphbutton.png" width="113" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">******************************</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK6GeBMFj9YuyzQ-P-wDkX1ATrIxb_MpI6fbCXfAxJ_KccwIpOGysXv1r61zXbwQpUbDGHpWST_d1QFci87n2QdET3Egc6Qk1rexh8jQRsI6qY7TWr96UMUMQV6V-40f_CSOOY1jX0fMIxwB_v3koEB4zacNbYPWdST4vu5gVSYlZiOeUrBGq6JtTVn_c/s1705/text-review.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1705" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK6GeBMFj9YuyzQ-P-wDkX1ATrIxb_MpI6fbCXfAxJ_KccwIpOGysXv1r61zXbwQpUbDGHpWST_d1QFci87n2QdET3Egc6Qk1rexh8jQRsI6qY7TWr96UMUMQV6V-40f_CSOOY1jX0fMIxwB_v3koEB4zacNbYPWdST4vu5gVSYlZiOeUrBGq6JtTVn_c/s320/text-review.png" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This book was a lot of fun. I went in expecting a D&D campaign, and that is exactly what I got. The humor didn't always land for me, but I wasn't bothered by it, there's a handful of dick jokes. The numerous jokes about Bards were pretty funny though.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I did like all the characters, Moog is probably my favorite character. But who doesn't love a slightly unhinged wizard? Clay was a very likeable character, I like seeing male characters who love their families. Mat, I didn't hate him, but I he might be my least favorite of the group. Ganelon, I wish he had more page time, or lines. He was the most intriguing since he was the one that we didn't get to know as well. Gabe was about on par with Clay. Gabriel is also someone who loves his family, almost to a fault. He gave them everything they asked for no matter the cost. And that ultimately backfired on him. <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The side-characters were also really great. I love Jain, I hope she shows up in Bloody Rose. Kit was also great, I also want to see him again. I would like to learn a little more about Larkspur as well.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I like the world-building, but parts of it felt a little underdeveloped. Mostly the stuff with the Druin. I hope to learn more about them in the sequel, Bloody Rose (which I plan on reading soonish). <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The quest to get where they were going was more interesting than the end battle. A lot of it just, happened. Then the book kind of just... ended. And we get a small time-jump to Clay returning home after getting a couple paragraphs for the rest of the team and where they went and what happened to them. I would've liked more of it to be wrapped up. A lot of the ending was glossed over, and that is what makes me want to read the sequel the most. I hope some of that will be cleared up.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div>Marie - Pages To Explorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02748295851467280622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757859867911340544.post-86148092403945061662023-10-21T18:03:00.005-07:002023-10-26T17:53:51.814-07:00Review: Iron Wolf by Siri Pettersen<div style="text-align: justify;"><u><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/nhtt0fyxn32dntvsp06akcd4nm8i" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="459" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/nhtt0fyxn32dntvsp06akcd4nm8i" width="209" /></a></div><br />Title:</u> Iron Wolf<br /><u>Author:</u> Siri Pettersen <span style="font-size: x-small;">(Translated by Tara Chace)</span><br /><u>Series:</u> Vardari #1</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><u>Genre:</u> Adult Fantasy<br /><u>Publisher:</u> Arctis US<br /><u>Publication Date:</u> February 21, 2023<br /><u>Edition:</u> 507 pages, Kindle Edition<br /><u>Source:</u> Library<br /><u>Purchase:</u> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Iron-Wolf-Vardari-Siri-Pettersen/dp/1646900154/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=" target="_blank">Amazon US</a> | <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/iron-wolf-siri-pettersen/1140975629?ean=9781646900152" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> | <a href="https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Iron-Wolf/Siri-Pettersen/9781646900152?id=8387373880150" target="_blank">BAM</a> | <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/iron-wolf-siri-pettersen/18246724?ean=9781646900152" target="_blank">Bookshop</a> | <a href="https://www.powells.com/book/vardari-01-iron-wolf-9781646900152" target="_blank">Powell's</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #ffe599;">Synopsis:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #ffe599;">Juva knows all about blood readers. Praised for their Sight, they are nothing but swindlers, preying on people’s fears for power and profit. Born by blood readers herself, she knows only too well, and she has vowed never to become one of them.<br /> But when her family is threatened by vardari, the eerie lasting ones, who never age, Juva is entangled in a desperate hunt for the blood readers’ legacy: a dark secret that once changed the world, and may do so again. In order to survive, she has to confront the terrifying childhood memory she fought to forget.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #ffe599;"><i><br />Iron Wolf is a new spellbinding fantasy mystery from Siri Pettersen, built on a Norse foundation, about blood, desire and addiction. It’s the first book in the trilogy VARDARI, an independent series set in the universe of the award-winning fantasy phenomenon THE RAVEN RINGS. </i></span><i> </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9WFIlhCxIFEuw_cFsfPVpSb_2q9cnigbQHywDnNy4wmuLM0DHeFA_CXqDJQ_vu6RM3jLJnj7QIA2wc3wz7cmwouzZnFkk_pez_2OjBanw4cVhsiZztC05YMoW68ZhqJpmHlg8XUHTwvY3luYAAVM1SaFJJ6g9GHVJiaDy2KOlS32XTkG0_TxLS6ZXqks/s113/StoryGraphbutton.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="41" data-original-width="113" height="41" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9WFIlhCxIFEuw_cFsfPVpSb_2q9cnigbQHywDnNy4wmuLM0DHeFA_CXqDJQ_vu6RM3jLJnj7QIA2wc3wz7cmwouzZnFkk_pez_2OjBanw4cVhsiZztC05YMoW68ZhqJpmHlg8XUHTwvY3luYAAVM1SaFJJ6g9GHVJiaDy2KOlS32XTkG0_TxLS6ZXqks/s1600/StoryGraphbutton.png" width="113" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">***********************</div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji_UhYa1fsMGdOBVGowAcBf3Zg4oser_v6d5b8wTq7tHKDrChczF5DBNJoJqD8t2iUSJg2VJI_Dga4mce7ym-_g21RRG8vqRe-9YVz7piyInsvHjf_9CPI5qDCzRc86iP3ooxikla6sLB_u73n64ylVnXqS8wA6tJdUQi3Vf_6V-eFFh5zHM5HolPtiwk/s1705/text-review.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1705" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji_UhYa1fsMGdOBVGowAcBf3Zg4oser_v6d5b8wTq7tHKDrChczF5DBNJoJqD8t2iUSJg2VJI_Dga4mce7ym-_g21RRG8vqRe-9YVz7piyInsvHjf_9CPI5qDCzRc86iP3ooxikla6sLB_u73n64ylVnXqS8wA6tJdUQi3Vf_6V-eFFh5zHM5HolPtiwk/s320/text-review.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">First of all, this book is weird. But it is so good. The world is vivid, but feels very alien at the same time. The magic in this world has this dark undertone to it that I don't see enough of in Fantasy. I think this book is loosely tied to her other series (The Raven Rings). It's been a while since I've read that series, and how I write reviews leaving out details to avoid spoilers doesn't help me when I go back to re-read reviews for stuff. <br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Juva is both likable and kind of unlikable. She is extremely stubborn, and she makes some really dumb decisions at times. Around the middle of the book she spent a lot of time waffling about how to handle something. While I get it to a degree, I feel like a lot of her problems could have been solved had she made a decision about some of it sooner. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Gríf, I struggled picturing what he looks like. And the fan art Pettersen has of him on her Instagram isn't what I thought he looked like. The fan art makes him look far too "human"... and he's not human. Maybe I missed a detail in his description, maybe something was lost in translation? The fan art is amazing, but I was picturing something else. <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">There are a lot of intertwined plot lines, a lot of backstabbing. And for a good while there I wasn't sure who I was supposed to root for. There are three POVs. I felt like one of them was slightly redundant with information we get from the characters. I also really hate that character in particular. What becomes of him is a little ambiguous, but I really hope karma catches up to him. <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">I have no idea where the story is headed from here, but I am excited to read it when it comes out. <br /></div>Marie - Pages To Explorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02748295851467280622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757859867911340544.post-24067505597096916122023-10-04T12:11:00.001-07:002023-11-28T08:47:07.400-08:00Bulk Review: Manga Reviews<div style="text-align: justify;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Ag2dNlTqQUpygtk9GCvkCJCGUh3i8-jiaXw_uiqcs5qFb5OHHD2K_tcFGqJcsVdj-ymO2q87k8J7VWORVwb8LX5sSZsPz4tPAPGAUs856v5MDwKOXohvM23wDDmrqbCtTIseazFNHzG__DnIAKJ7L4DmyMSoKuEui7xn_Zt3JeVPizkzWBfLPfPd2KU/s1705/text-review.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1705" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Ag2dNlTqQUpygtk9GCvkCJCGUh3i8-jiaXw_uiqcs5qFb5OHHD2K_tcFGqJcsVdj-ymO2q87k8J7VWORVwb8LX5sSZsPz4tPAPGAUs856v5MDwKOXohvM23wDDmrqbCtTIseazFNHzG__DnIAKJ7L4DmyMSoKuEui7xn_Zt3JeVPizkzWBfLPfPd2KU/s320/text-review.png" width="320" /></a></div>Another bulk review. I review these more in depth over on <a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/profile/marie_thereadingotter" target="_blank">StoryGraph</a>. Although reviewing manga/graphic novels is harder for me since I read them so fast I don't always have a lot to say per-volume since a story arc often takes place across multiple volumes so my thoughts on events need at least 3 volumes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/series/11184" target="_blank"><br /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/series/11184" target="_blank"><b>Witch Hat Atelier, Volumes 6 -10 by Kamome Shirahama </b></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/cha8b73t1gd70ogomqqkmuutjg8r" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/cha8b73t1gd70ogomqqkmuutjg8r" width="140" /></a></div>I don't fully remember where volume 5 left off, or really where volume 10 left off. My review for Vol. 10 on Storygraph isn't very detailed. I just know that a lot of stuff has happened in those volumes has made things feel very bleak. Some light moments, but a lot more dark moments. I hope some good starts to happen for these kids soon.<br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">-</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><b><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/series/32782" target="_blank">Something's Wrong with us, Volumes 6 - 14 by Natsumi Andō</a></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/1y973ne65rc2tv3ha2zrnv636prh" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/1y973ne65rc2tv3ha2zrnv636prh" width="141" /></a></div>So much has happened in these volumes. And once again, my reviews on StoryGraph are not helping me. Whenever part of the mystery is solved, even more questions come up. Who was really pulling the strings? Why was her mother framed? Why did she confess? <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And a personal question, why do I want Nao and Tsubaki to be together when I know it's a toxic relationship?<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Is there something wrong with <i>me</i>?<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> Side news, I did find out that a live action J-Drama adaptation was made from this manga... and I kinda want to watch it but I dont know where to find it.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> -</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><b><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/series/1294924">Yona of the Dawn, Volume 39 by Mizuho Kusanagi</a></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/bgimmmbwtmc0tcfl5gsb2iq3udu7" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/bgimmmbwtmc0tcfl5gsb2iq3udu7" width="133" /></a></div>Being caught up with this, is kind of the worst. Now I have to wait for the next volume, when I don't want to. I am so nervous for these characters and I just need to know who's going to make it. The waiting is painful. <br />I just need the Happy Hungry Bunch to stay happy.... and alive. <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> -</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><b><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/series/1214689" target="_blank">Lore Olympus: Volume One by Rachel Smythe </a></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/cwg0olcdzfbjwgb86dj2nuc9otrl" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="386" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/cwg0olcdzfbjwgb86dj2nuc9otrl" width="155" /></a></div>Bought this on a whim while at Target. I wish I had gotten all of them, but I wanted to try it out. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">I knew, vaguely, that it was re-tellings of Greek Mythology. And I am a sucker for re-tellings. I also love the vibrant colors used in the art. I know I can read the webtoon, but I just like this format better. <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">-</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><b><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/series/3697" target="_blank">The Ancient Magus' Bride, Volumes 1-5 by Kore Yamazaki</a></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/p5hiihmpgs3bc89f81e83hobhqvp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/p5hiihmpgs3bc89f81e83hobhqvp" width="141" /></a></div><br />This is an interesting one for me. While I am invested in the story and plot. I don't really feel any connection or investment in the characters. I might be dropping the manga, and just watch the anime. <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">-</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><b><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/4be7c55d-70c5-464d-9ae2-f044fbf2b1d1" target="_blank">Saga: Compendium One by Fiona Staples & Brian K. Vaughan</a></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/ut2h0v8ral1kt8wrtfafbt22jz4z" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="260" height="200" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/ut2h0v8ral1kt8wrtfafbt22jz4z" width="130" /></a></div>It took me a long time to read this. It was in part because I dropped it, and when I picked it up I saw the last page... and I wasn't ready for that. So I put it down for a while so I could get back in the mood to read it after seeing how this part of the story ends. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">I was also taking my time because I'm not going to continue until the next Compendium comes out. <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> But I love the art, I like the humor. And I am despite some of the sad and darker content, loving the story.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">-</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><b><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/series/826601" target="_blank">Snow White with the Red Hair, Volumes 24 & 25 by Sorata Akizuki</a></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/6vpz2tk45z0vl6263t8v2c1juui8" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/6vpz2tk45z0vl6263t8v2c1juui8" width="133" /></a></div>This series has me perplexed. I want to keep reading it, but it takes so stinking long for volumes to come out and for the plot to feel like it's actually progressing. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">I feel like Zen and Shirayuki don't spend enough time together for me to stay invested in their romance. I might feel differently if the wait between volumes wasn't so long.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">But will I read the next volume when it comes out, yes. <br /> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div></div>Marie - Pages To Explorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02748295851467280622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757859867911340544.post-69269073647953396942023-09-28T11:00:00.002-07:002023-09-28T11:00:36.569-07:00Tag: Finally Fall Booktag<div style="text-align: justify;"> The weather around here has finally started to feel like fall. A week ago, it was still in the low 80s, too hot for this time of year. Fall/Autumn is my favorite time of year. It's the time of year when it temperature is the most tolerable for me. I can't wait for the leaves to start falling. I last did this tag in <a href="https://pagestoexplore.blogspot.com/2019/10/book-tag-its-finally-fall.html" target="_blank">2019</a>. <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRF_MHFesOCW2U7SBcs_gQwgcTkl-Twq2IMDGFQ03LM8EEOgIoqw8WqErHGMixbo02hosQoO3v7zbWXcvx5PqNY6ZFPPi44jro6-ILxpjoernndArgqvjILie6D1j3xVhkr7A1LQapRTbAiijYjWt5OgbjZm05a9NrV8BWtknefqato4I9qw6Xpq5pips/s678/Untitled-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="678" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRF_MHFesOCW2U7SBcs_gQwgcTkl-Twq2IMDGFQ03LM8EEOgIoqw8WqErHGMixbo02hosQoO3v7zbWXcvx5PqNY6ZFPPi44jro6-ILxpjoernndArgqvjILie6D1j3xVhkr7A1LQapRTbAiijYjWt5OgbjZm05a9NrV8BWtknefqato4I9qw6Xpq5pips/s320/Untitled-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b>1. In fall, the air is crisp and clear: name a book with a vivid setting!</b></span><br /><span> I read this in August, and while I didn't <i>love</i> the latter half of the book </span><span>(things kind of took a turn that felt a little jarring)</span><span>, it still has one of the most vivid settings in a book I've read this year.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/d380bdb2-be1b-471a-ad27-2b4d66a4a4fb" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="455" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/ypd0ibfg31b4xtkrk7pn3f86w3pr" width="264" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #f6b26b;"><b>2. Nature is beautiful… but also dying: name a book that is beautifully written, but also deals with a heavy topic like loss or grief.</b></span><br /><span> There's a lot of other heavy topics in this book, along with grief.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/d87bc503-ab12-4460-99b5-a3bbe8896979" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/asknb61ocwmdyqn8ku0i2mauub9j" width="265" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #ea9999;"><b><br />3. Fall is back to school season: share a non-fiction book that taught you something new.</b></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span> </span>I don't read a lot of Non-fiction, but the one I read this year was very impactful.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/0a4700cf-1d25-4b55-af8d-8831b6e73bf6" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="400" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/swhfrx27ibzqitu2h9zreykpayw1" width="265" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #ffe599;">4. In order to keep warm, it’s good to spend some time with the people we love: name a fictional family/household/friend-group that you’d like to be a part of.</span></b><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span> </span>Royce and Hadrian seem like a great found family to be part of.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/e3e00047-aea2-4f3a-897c-455c722912ba" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="442" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/epga40gif2re8zq42cftnl19887e" width="271" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><b><span style="color: #f6b26b;">5. The colorful leaves are piling up on the ground: show us a pile of fall-colored spines!</span></b><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span> I don't have many (physical) books that are fall-colored. Or, what I'd call fall-colored.</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS9C22oN1SF2fmPBhJY0XPfXKhy_x0HytjqevsdNHuoi4PvGmVT4vLYgDQv4PyV42xeHdwnwOa5b-VKxHv7flzX4XuWJ0g1R_dxKZGVXyKtfq3zyIh3cPCB5jYJooNs3CknmHNZ7GGor5-4HE2NRrBkYlJKM763SWyyTFr-i6yX5r78vv_M-gOojglKPg/s1057/fall%20bookstack.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="797" data-original-width="1057" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS9C22oN1SF2fmPBhJY0XPfXKhy_x0HytjqevsdNHuoi4PvGmVT4vLYgDQv4PyV42xeHdwnwOa5b-VKxHv7flzX4XuWJ0g1R_dxKZGVXyKtfq3zyIh3cPCB5jYJooNs3CknmHNZ7GGor5-4HE2NRrBkYlJKM763SWyyTFr-i6yX5r78vv_M-gOojglKPg/w400-h301/fall%20bookstack.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #ea9999;"> </span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #ea9999;">6. Fall is the perfect time for some storytelling by the fireside: share a book wherein somebody is telling a story.</span></b><br /><span> I this is the only one I've read where it's not first-person but someone is telling the story.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span> That kind of book doesn't always appeal to me.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/4be7c55d-70c5-464d-9ae2-f044fbf2b1d1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="260" height="400" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/ut2h0v8ral1kt8wrtfafbt22jz4z" width="260" /></a></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #ffe599;">7. The nights are getting darker: share a dark, creepy read.</span></b><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span> </span>Hands down, one of the creepiest reads I've read.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/spadpfsk7ou1t00cggy71f0oycg7" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="247" height="400" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/spadpfsk7ou1t00cggy71f0oycg7" width="247" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><b><span style="color: #f6b26b;">8. The days are getting colder: name a short, heartwarming read that could warm up somebody’s cold and rainy day.</span></b><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span> This book is so freaking cute. I need to get the sequel.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/dd63411f-bdde-4b3c-be6a-2af8a045fd47" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="300" height="426" src="https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/vypn8xz6yjsatbi0idnkod9ney45" width="300" /></a></div></span><br /><b><span style="color: #ea9999;">9. Fall returns every year: name an old favorite that you’d like to return to soon.</span></b><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span> </span>I haven't been in the mood to re-read anything, but I'd like to get back to the World of Elan.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Riyria Revelations, and then The Rise and Fall series.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiAK-x6Xx_ZYPf2lXAwUsFivvT_lsHk-JH59Mq7D1lPn7Ws78A1UQfJ_LxCqVUk7FFOhs0ygcGUX5DkVq4_rQYCQVaJplz_Ni8pGV3mNUl2N_htv3rd67oLeukg8Jj4lVt2NUkcwQoUIAZ/s1600/Elan+Map+2017+%2528Printable%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1394" data-original-width="1600" height="349" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiAK-x6Xx_ZYPf2lXAwUsFivvT_lsHk-JH59Mq7D1lPn7Ws78A1UQfJ_LxCqVUk7FFOhs0ygcGUX5DkVq4_rQYCQVaJplz_Ni8pGV3mNUl2N_htv3rd67oLeukg8Jj4lVt2NUkcwQoUIAZ/w400-h349/Elan+Map+2017+%2528Printable%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #ffe599;"> </span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #ffe599;">10. Fall is the perfect time for cozy reading nights: share your favorite cozy reading “accessories”!</span></b><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span> </span>I have a number of wool socks that I have for when the weather starts to get cold. I also have one of those hoodie-blankets that I can tuck my whole body into to stay warm.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I also have a collection of Fall/Halloween themed novelty mugs. The one I am currently using is a gnome with a cauldron. (it was a little awkward holding it with my left hand so I could take a picture with the other)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSQI4-icvlRlw23nRQPtsLUqWhvwZ_4xQsCvexkeeLkV5mKbEhIg4obiNiqKF1u6Jnk_7a-zW5GCOx3DBGUG8tvIOxpAB2EOjojL6ouMTRGhchww9NoNim5uVqUhOhar4gNKYpGDNQ5qiG9PsS0UMD7FTZ_2n4_CDqhKYhoxBROb8WPkTC6bUAUj7HYtY/s801/Screenshot%202023-09-28%20105505.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="801" data-original-width="595" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSQI4-icvlRlw23nRQPtsLUqWhvwZ_4xQsCvexkeeLkV5mKbEhIg4obiNiqKF1u6Jnk_7a-zW5GCOx3DBGUG8tvIOxpAB2EOjojL6ouMTRGhchww9NoNim5uVqUhOhar4gNKYpGDNQ5qiG9PsS0UMD7FTZ_2n4_CDqhKYhoxBROb8WPkTC6bUAUj7HYtY/w298-h400/Screenshot%202023-09-28%20105505.png" width="298" /></a></div><br />Marie - Pages To Explorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02748295851467280622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757859867911340544.post-844458638418937082023-09-27T08:52:00.000-07:002023-09-27T08:52:12.961-07:00ARC Review: A Sweet Sting of Salt by Rose Sutherland <div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1689361073i/186872566.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="519" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1689361073i/186872566.jpg" width="208" /></a></div><br />Title: A Sweet Sting of Salt<br />Author: Rose Sutherland <br />Series: Standalone<br />Genre: Retelling/Folktale/Sapphic/Historical Fiction<br />Publisher: Random House Publishing Group - Dell <br />Publication Date: April 9, 2024<br />Edition: Ebook<br />Source: NetGalley<br /><u>Pre-Order:</u> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0593594592/ref=x_gr_w_bb_sin?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_bb_sin-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0593594592&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2" target="_blank">Amazon US</a> | <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-sweet-sting-of-salt-rose-sutherland/1143764204;jsessionid=B3A8F07AD54041D88C805BBAAFFB2DAB.prodny_store01-atgap16?ean=9780593594599" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> |</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;">Synopsis:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"> When a sharp cry wakes Jean in the middle of the night during a terrible tempest, she’s convinced it must have been a dream. But when the cry comes again, Jean ventures outside and is shocked by what she discovers—a young woman in labor, already drenched to the bone in the freezing cold and barely able to speak a word of English.<br /> Although Jean is the only midwife in the village and for miles around, she’s at a loss as to who this woman is or where she’s from; Jean can only assume she must be the new wife of the neighbor up the road, Tobias. And when Tobias does indeed arrive at her cabin in search of his wife, Muirin, Jean’s questions continue to grow. Why has he kept his wife’s pregnancy a secret? And why does Muirin’s open demeanor change completely the moment she’s in his presence?<br /> Though Jean learned long ago that she should stay out of other people’s business, her growing concern—and growing feelings—for Muirin mean she can’t simply set her worries aside. But when the answers she finds are more harrowing than she ever could have imagined, she fears she may have endangered herself, Muirin, and the baby. Will she be able to put things right and save the woman she loves before it’s too late, or will someone have to pay for Jean’s actions with their life?<br /><b><br />Once a young woman uncovers a dark secret about her neighbor and his mysterious new wife, she’ll have to fight to keep herself—and the woman she loves—safe in this stunning queer re-imagining of the classic folktale The Selkie Wife. </b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/9fff8166-8b4c-442a-a196-90db62d3c696" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="41" data-original-width="113" height="41" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4b-MeesbMtFa657uExTpCQnDpsz64XAhdXu-IFvwW6hyNZOrO2uCbF6pi5Kznq-LgDjcSoMUYLcK5G4HhYy30IOqSn38eL51cN9ShPgC-TuUY_Bghl-zc2-36rEthlFeABK1RTrMuQ-nuMdLCthqEpF3BYVJYb056FBCV9dy2dh2gJIl79wuMVBzVN8A/s1600/StoryGraphbutton.png" width="113" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">********************</div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHt1hv9GgxH6DMVPNcyfXXsHQGICpJFV-xzIcMKeYWOef8LWqYpP8NsyJLOSdBnSAUgNJNYrKRMe4a2xtR1OROl-DDX4JcS3jwBTi9O1ysEhZ44i3hzMTNLEkS9FMRrnjmt7SFkGg9jENrQ5X1VbFmRbiFKcV95pOOLuo-3UEYpm6rpTY1yAVw3OacMGo/s1705/text-review.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1705" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHt1hv9GgxH6DMVPNcyfXXsHQGICpJFV-xzIcMKeYWOef8LWqYpP8NsyJLOSdBnSAUgNJNYrKRMe4a2xtR1OROl-DDX4JcS3jwBTi9O1ysEhZ44i3hzMTNLEkS9FMRrnjmt7SFkGg9jENrQ5X1VbFmRbiFKcV95pOOLuo-3UEYpm6rpTY1yAVw3OacMGo/s320/text-review.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Going into this I didn't know the original folktale, but I sometimes
prefer that so I can have my own expectations. Unfortunately, I think
knowing the original story would've parts of this more enjoyable.<br /><br />While
I liked the characters, where they ended up, and how they got there.
The pacing kind of killed this book for me. It felt very slow going for
much of the book. Some of what was happening felt a little meandering
for me. <br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I did like Jean as a character. She was sure of herself when it came to her profession of being a Midwife. But when it comes to people in town she is very unsure of what they think of her because of something that happened when she was younger. She feared the rumor mill and kept to herself for safety. She is stubborn and I like that she wasn't entirely meek when it comes to others. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Muirin, her character took longer to get to know for several reasons. She didn't talk much for most of the book because of language barriers. The biggest issue for me with her character is I don't know how old she's supposed to be. She could be anywhere from 17 to 25, but I have no idea and I can't remember if it was ever addressed. But not knowing how old she is gives me a little bit of "the ick". Since she only speaks Scottish Gaelic, her husband treats her a little bit like a child. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Things do end kind of abruptly, but on a good note. I would've liked a little more closure with some things, but overall the ending was satisfying. Getting there felt like it took ages.</div></div>Marie - Pages To Explorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02748295851467280622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757859867911340544.post-79807490022082944952023-09-20T21:37:00.002-07:002023-09-28T11:33:24.346-07:00Review: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros <div style="text-align: justify;"><u><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1667572773i/63219094.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="533" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1667572773i/63219094.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />Title:</u> Fourth Wing<br /><u>Author:</u> Rebecca Yarros <br /><u>Series:</u> The Empyrean #1<br /><u>Genre:</u> New Adult/Fantasy Romance/Dragons<br /><u>Publisher:</u> <span tabindex="-1"><span class="Text Text__body3">Red Tower Books</span></span><br /><u>Publication Date:</u> May 2, 2023<br /><u>Edition:</u> 664 pages, Kindle Edition<br /><u>Source:</u> Library<br /><u>Purchase:</u> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fourth-Wing-Empyrean-Rebecca-Yarros/dp/1649374046" target="_blank">Amazon US</a> | <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fourth-wing-rebecca-yarros/1142297916" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> | <a href="https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Fourth-Wing/Rebecca-Yarros/9781649374042" target="_blank">BAM</a> | <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/fourth-wing-rebecca-yarros/18796163" target="_blank">Bookshop</a> | <a href="https://www.powells.com/book/fourth-wing-empyrean-book-1-9781649374042" target="_blank">Powell's</a> | <a href="https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/fourth-wing/37400784/all-editions/" target="_blank">Thriftbooks</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Synopsis:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"> Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.<br /> But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away... because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.<br /> With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.<br /> She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.<br />Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom's protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.<br /> Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/b26662ef-aa5b-4380-a2cf-d7a5eb3e51e3" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="41" data-original-width="113" height="41" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfPICMM5k4E1Mo2ZiNV6E8n3Y-p7b8hs44wrXwr4D7-gllILDmKEW7wtBep6FhuYx8LZJUQWWHLMMT4MEb0PtVeJMoqHoODonF1kXlcU02OndD1b0eDyoXJcutovFFC_rFM1IRNchJyikpPEIHktALOJGSepoKO51B92lkz13kw1xYE5cT-KQoGZRyFOc/s1600/StoryGraphbutton.png" width="113" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">****************</div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJpmJAINsgG90hdRkJXHUMPrDhT_NvkFxwssh0EOEBsYP-H2baH_BmZqflAKBkN6IYUIy8lVF2kRk3Wuy0g799Jcg0Mqe13NkcvZLoW0EQvrYG9D0_8HGdLt6OI9FuPfOLuI_TQwK5mDCupYPHlo4_bjAMZORlXl0YOZQg9WOT-ioUc99TZXA4lL9IdL4/s1705/text-review.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1705" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJpmJAINsgG90hdRkJXHUMPrDhT_NvkFxwssh0EOEBsYP-H2baH_BmZqflAKBkN6IYUIy8lVF2kRk3Wuy0g799Jcg0Mqe13NkcvZLoW0EQvrYG9D0_8HGdLt6OI9FuPfOLuI_TQwK5mDCupYPHlo4_bjAMZORlXl0YOZQg9WOT-ioUc99TZXA4lL9IdL4/s320/text-review.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">This book was so much fun.<br />The writing was pretty average, better than a lot of other Fantasy Romance in the same demographic (New Adult), but some things were just a little silly. The magic the bonding with a dragon gives doesn't always make sense. Unlocking doors, and refilling pens with ink is silly. <br /><br />I did really like the characters, even though they were cliches. Everything was a little "on the nose". But that didn't bother me. The twist at the end wasn't that big of a shock, but also the groundwork for that twist was set up, so it didn't bother me that I wasn't surprised. The only thing that was a bit of a shock was one character's death. I wasn't expecting it, and it did make me a little sad. I liked that character.<br /><br />The plot, outside of Violet trying not to die, took a bit to get it's legs. The romance was actually not rushed. They had a 'thing' for months before they dropped the L-word. Which is better than most Romance books I've read where it's a handful of weeks at best. This was a believable Hate-to-Love romance. The semi-love triangle also wasn't done poorly either. This is the other way I don't mind that trope. I like that Violet has a lot of agency, and stands up for herself, and others. Even though her kind heart nature kept almost getting people killed, including herself. The nickname Xaiden gives her, isn't as cringy as other nicknames in this genre. <br /><br />I think people's reasons for not liking this book are 1000% valid, but I also think that some of them went into this book expecting a different type of story. I love this kind of fantasy romance. Is it a little cheesy? Yes. But I love it regardless. I initially wasn't going to buy this book, but I might now. This might be a book I'd re-read. <br /><br />I would not recommend this book to people who prefer a book with a lot of political intrigue and an action-based plot. But if you're down for a good time this could be a book for you. This book is stupid, and I loved it.<br /></div></div>Marie - Pages To Explorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02748295851467280622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757859867911340544.post-85471093009413192662023-09-15T13:50:00.001-07:002023-09-15T13:50:39.766-07:00Review: Heir of Novron by Michael J. Sullivan<div style="text-align: justify;"><u><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1307960874i/11165783.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="469" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1307960874i/11165783.jpg" width="217" /></a></div>Title:</u> Heir of Novron<br /><u>Author:</u> Michael J. Sullivan<br /><u>Series:</u> The Riyria Revelations #05-06<br /><u>Genre:</u> High Fantasy/Adventure<br /><u>Publisher:</u> Orbit<br /><u>Publication Date:</u> January 31, 2012<br /><u>Edition:</u> 946 pages, Kindle Edition<br /><u>Source:</u> Library<br /><u>Purchase:</u> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Heir-Novron-Vol-Riyria-Revelations/dp/0316187712/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=" target="_blank">Amazon US</a> | <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/heir-of-novron-michael-j-sullivan/1101997693?ean=9780316187718" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> | <a href="https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Heir-Novron/Michael-J-Sullivan/9780316187718?id=8387373880150" target="_blank">BAM</a> | <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/heir-of-novron-michael-j-sullivan/110152?ean=9780316187718" target="_blank">Bookshop</a> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Synopsis:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">The New Empire intends to mark its victory over the Nationalists with a bloody celebration. On the high holiday of Wintertide, the Witch of Melengar will be burned and the Heir of Novron executed. On that same day the Empress faces a forced marriage, with a fatal accident soon follow. The New Empire is confident in the totality of its triumph but there's just one problem-Royce and Hadrian have finally found the true Heir of Novron---and they have their own holiday plans.<br /><b>Heir of Novron is the final volume of The Riyria Revelations and includes Wintertide and ---available for the first time--- the final volume, Percepliquis.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/d3a5629d-3b5d-483d-b924-242b88b65f3a" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="41" data-original-width="113" height="41" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8_iT3ZkjD5tfPHUbNd8aWiVk-BtFlioj0CCmxxkJdO6M5-YiIKoXevZU1COEl-mb96uDpjvmOuaef90qk16NbdAGq0f5-wQT2jNvBebE3QjcpeaJC0MOglJx2V9uRUAISdXkqn7wxsIPzISHIrevQCdwiaS3IZKKrnDhTxBzoIuuw7oEVpEFr0hA8Uk0/s1600/StoryGraphbutton.png" width="113" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">**************************</div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div style="text-align: center;"></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT71iT-4hz1CXmRMEtL_NNZUtv7L2DEOxFIBZml9TeHR01GfBVpNK6dxy345PpLYv_A-OePD-rBTdF6njn49HKxfJzL_AnCDcYXTH4gaml7SnojLyhKJXZrQvpf7AE2LBWx83vBi-EE9aZ8E2j1W2JEGgA2eCBbQOb1cls-CucDITV79mI0Zs1ymiMml4/s1705/text-review.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1705" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT71iT-4hz1CXmRMEtL_NNZUtv7L2DEOxFIBZml9TeHR01GfBVpNK6dxy345PpLYv_A-OePD-rBTdF6njn49HKxfJzL_AnCDcYXTH4gaml7SnojLyhKJXZrQvpf7AE2LBWx83vBi-EE9aZ8E2j1W2JEGgA2eCBbQOb1cls-CucDITV79mI0Zs1ymiMml4/s320/text-review.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />This series was such a delight to read. I need to buy it now so I can re-read it. I would like to r-read this book in particular because I got busy with other stuff while I was reading it and had to return it to the library and re-borrow it a bit later to finish it, so I read this in parts. Making some of the details a bit foggy.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Most
people talk about Royce and Hadrian, and while I do love them as
characters, I think the most notable character development comes from
Arista. She's such a fantastic character. In book one she was kind of
just there, but as the series went on her role grew. With out her
everything would've fallen apart.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Royce goes through something really tough in this book, and I felt for him. That was the biggest shock in this book, I wasn't sure how he was going to come back from it. Hadrian was there for him, but the one to really pull him out of his grieving wasn't expected. <br /></div> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">What happened to Miranda, was kind of glossed over, especially since I don't recall her being part of the book much before that, but I would have liked to what happened to her to be more clear. I even re-read the passage a few times and it still wasn't fully clear to me. And her brother, Degan, didn't seem to be concerned about where she was at all. But that part I suppose is less shocking since he is a self-centered character.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Knowing how things actually started and seeing how history got bastardized and altered to benefit a certain character was really interesting. History is always re-written by the victors, and after reading how things got rewritten since the ending of Legends I'm looking forward to reading The Rise and Fall series even more to find out how the empire fell. <br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">I am very excited to read the rest of the series' set in this world now. And I do wonder if there will be more books set in the future because there is still a small thing that hasn't yet been resolved that was revealed in Legends.<br /></div>Marie - Pages To Explorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02748295851467280622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757859867911340544.post-31904332127492439392023-09-11T07:53:00.002-07:002023-09-11T07:53:29.136-07:00Review: A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher <div style="text-align: justify;"><u><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1594185524i/54438721.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="533" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1594185524i/54438721.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>Title:</u> A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking<br /><u>Author:</u> T. Kingfisher <br /><u>Series:</u> Stand alone<br /><u>Genre:</u> MiddleGrade/Fantasy<br /><u>Publisher:</u> Red Wombat Studio<br /><u>Publication Date:</u> July 21, 2020<br /><u>Edition:</u> 320 pages, Kindle Edition<br /><u>Source:</u> Library<br /><u>Purchase:</u> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Wizards-Guide-Defensive-Baking/dp/1614505241/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=" target="_blank">Amazon US</a> | <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-wizards-guide-to-defensive-baking-t-kingfisher/1137294466;jsessionid=190C8190E30AF6D0A7577DEEEC76C31E.prodny_store02-atgap07?ean=9781614505242" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> | <a href="https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Wizards-Guide-Defensive-Baking/T-Kingfisher/9781614505242?id=8866736337482" target="_blank">BAM</a> | <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/a-wizard-s-guide-to-defensive-baking-t-kingfisher/14905443?ean=9781614505242" target="_blank">Bookshop</a> | <a href="https://www.powells.com/book/wizards-guide-to-defensive-baking-9781614505242?partnerid=32322" target="_blank">Powell's</a> | <a href="https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/a-wizards-guide-to-defensive-baking/26751737/item/#edition=40945522&idiq=52979168" target="_blank">Thriftbooks</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Synopsis:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"> Fourteen-year-old Mona isn't like the wizards charged with defending the city. She can't control lightning or speak to water. Her familiar is a sourdough starter and her magic only works on bread. She has a comfortable life in her aunt's bakery making gingerbread men dance.<br /> But Mona's life is turned upside down when she finds a dead body on the bakery floor. An assassin is stalking the streets of Mona's city, preying on magic folk, and it appears that Mona is his next target. And in an embattled city suddenly bereft of wizards, the assassin may be the least of Mona's worries...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/79eff593-846b-46fc-880c-f5d76cbf1233" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="41" data-original-width="113" height="41" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3QQvvZuDyec-nbjYDZAttAL7saZ5SW9KQIDvDMYIWX6tTIYfVU0_BLp9lQC0JHjrW3uqErpzMzDKWLlf2d0E5mXxNkt8rWrtyW8xxse-j0qTa9oQt1ciZQCnJv0CyOTs6YlthjGPnUvQhl5381U2OtKqh5pQ7GWPuAFbt3T_UKlc2_nRkmdo6DjGgOfs/s1600/StoryGraphbutton.png" width="113" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">*******************************</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB3pLFtDooT4rZYVNPj9ZgIy5kVygg0Njev1IZgZcXyDs_7RrnEIqJu99JPYfPyrA4k0iZLTqMV6gTSljU5gVzpqh3uyLBj2i_PA6SWwYn5Qtv1P4_1EJ6xy72J7-gfQ_bLrMPtcCgDCJUhH10uTvPxdLfCsmgNYXeBu0StfIzHb_859BKAtCy4alyTF8/s1705/text-review.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1705" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB3pLFtDooT4rZYVNPj9ZgIy5kVygg0Njev1IZgZcXyDs_7RrnEIqJu99JPYfPyrA4k0iZLTqMV6gTSljU5gVzpqh3uyLBj2i_PA6SWwYn5Qtv1P4_1EJ6xy72J7-gfQ_bLrMPtcCgDCJUhH10uTvPxdLfCsmgNYXeBu0StfIzHb_859BKAtCy4alyTF8/s320/text-review.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> When I first borrowed this book from the library I thought it was one of her Novella's. When I realized it wasn't I had to return it because I was already reading a few long books and didn't want to add another to that list, in part because I had more than one out from the library already.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> This was a really cute story. It's more Middle-grade than I thought it was going to be, even with some of the darker elements. Mona acted "younger" than I expected her to. But I think that's more a failing in other YA/Middle-grade books where the young MC acts a lot older than their age. But in this Mona behaved and reacted to things the way a 14 year old who had a relatively normal life should.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> The magic in this book was nicely woven in. I like her magic power, as somebody who enjoys baking I'd like to have that power. I also like that it's not explained why some people have magic and some don't, even if they're in the same family. How magic works is only briefly explained, so don't expect details. This is a kids book after all. <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> The plot is pretty straight forward, there are a couple of lulls in the pacing. But overall, it's a fairly fast paced book. Some of the antagonists are a little underdeveloped in my opinion and the very ending felt rushed. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">I would like to read more books set in this world, and I think there are two more, but they aren't listed being part of a series so I'm not sure.<br /></div>Marie - Pages To Explorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02748295851467280622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757859867911340544.post-41637173029928582182023-08-15T08:20:00.000-07:002023-08-15T08:20:21.398-07:00ARC Review: Sun of Blood and Ruin by Mariely Lares<p><u></u></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1682045821i/70240500.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="527" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1682045821i/70240500.jpg" width="211" /></a></u></div><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><u>Title:</u> Sun of Blood and Ruin</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><u>Author:</u> Mariely Lares</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><u>Series:</u> Sun of Blood and Ruin #1</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><u>Genre:</u> Historical Mythology/ ReTelling/ Adult Fantasy</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><u>Publisher:</u> Harper Voyager</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><u>Publication Date:</u> November 7, 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><u>Edition:</u> 384 pages, Kindle Edition</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><u>Source:</u> <b>NetGalley</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><u>Pre-Order:</u> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sun-Blood-Ruin-Mariely-Lares/dp/006325431X/" target="_blank">Amazon US</a> | <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sun-of-blood-and-ruin-mariely-lares/1142824246" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> | <a href="https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Sun-Blood-Ruin/Mariely-Lares/9780063254312" target="_blank">BAM</a> | <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/sun-of-blood-and-ruin-mariely-lares/19879283" target="_blank">Bookshop</a> | <a href="https://www.powells.com/book/sun-of-blood-ruin-9780063254312X" target="_blank">Powell's</a> | <a href="https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/sun-of-blood-and-ruin/37887862/item/#edition=65833182&idiq=55900871" target="_blank">Thriftbooks</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #ea9999;">Synopsis:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #ea9999;"> <b>Rumor has it on the streets of sixteenth-century New Spain, there’s a new vigilante in town serving justice. This reimagining of Zorro—featuring a heroic warrior sorceress—weaves Mesoamerican mythology and Mexican history two decades after the Spanish conquest into a swashbuckling, historical debut fantasy with magic, intrigue, treachery, and romance.<br /> A new legend begins…</b><br /><br /> In sixteenth-century New Spain, witchcraft is punishable by death, indigenous temples have been destroyed, and tales of mythical creatures that once roamed the land have become whispers in the night. Hidden behind a mask, Pantera uses her magic and legendary swordplay skills to fight the tyranny of Spanish rule.<br /> To all who know her, Leonora de Las Casas Tlazohtzin never leaves the palace and is promised to the heir of the Spanish throne. The respectable, law-abiding Lady Leonora faints at the sight of blood and would rather be caught dead than meddle in court affairs.<br /> No one suspects that Leonora and Pantera are the same person. Leonora’s charade is tragically good, and with magic running through her veins, she is nearly invincible. Nearly. Despite her mastery, she is destined to die young in battle, as predicted by a seer.<br /> When an ancient prophecy of destruction threatens to come true, Leonora—and therefore Pantera—is forced to decide: surrender the mask or fight to the end. Knowing she is doomed to a short life, she is tempted to take the former option. But the legendary Pantera is destined for more than an early grave, and once she discovers the truth of her origins, not even death will stop her.</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/d380bdb2-be1b-471a-ad27-2b4d66a4a4fb" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="41" data-original-width="113" height="41" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2aQDDqp2SX57xW58A_dZ-sX2K7yNf6HsoXFh6CP1fAdTZe6-WfzJ7zN3WXZZebx799I8nK9kaGz_UuK2WHjKieUeZd6kXRXYKLHSs1j5pm9NoEi-ulrdYAb0htGGFZNykpcpBRBMVzLtDAYASi55HXF437qpUuCDaxv0GX-qRgIdGDqcTjSq2PXqqdDM/s1600/StoryGraphbutton.png" width="113" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">******************<br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG8E2EoQN-U5T5xyiV579UE7WEnhDM2GEwtSanKN4Q5zpVZBUltCH_MSMBgoNL3RQF-C2WT5gq_48hojzVTPl1dYfchgYWXfyHvoglgqUYUfBYKjzaavuq80pKb8RaX3pv5ayNZQsOirz0hoIaxcZNBCLO98kyodorK_eVSdJucmiGwYn7WkTQU7EhIL0/s1705/text-review.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1705" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG8E2EoQN-U5T5xyiV579UE7WEnhDM2GEwtSanKN4Q5zpVZBUltCH_MSMBgoNL3RQF-C2WT5gq_48hojzVTPl1dYfchgYWXfyHvoglgqUYUfBYKjzaavuq80pKb8RaX3pv5ayNZQsOirz0hoIaxcZNBCLO98kyodorK_eVSdJucmiGwYn7WkTQU7EhIL0/s320/text-review.png" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Admittedly, I've had a rough time with some of the Historical
Fantasy I've picked up this year. But this one was so much fun to read. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Leonora
was a great character, early on I wasn't entirely sure of some of her
motivations. We're thrown into so much action very early on, two
separate large events, then a lot of downtime where Leonora is
recovering and it doesn't feel like a lot is happening because of how
much action started the book. The "downtime" is filled in with what is
best described as political intrigue. Leonora is not very good at it
though, and just keeps making more problems for herself because she's a
little bull-headed. She's better at physical fighting than she is at
politics. It doesn't help that because of her mixed heritage nobody at
court seems to trust her. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The romance, while
it's only in the last maybe 30% of the book, lacked the chemistry for me
to find it believable. I like them separately as characters, but as a
pairing, it felt as if it came out of nowhere. I think Leonora needed
friends and allies more than she needed a romantic partner. Everything
else about their relationship could stay the same, just remove all
romantic connotations and it would still work. As I say and will keep
saying platonic affection is real and shouldn't be ignored.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There
is a mid-way point to this book where the magic starts to take up more
of the plot, and while I didn't hate it, the book also felt like it
stopped being about preventing the Spanish invaders from taking more
land, and about preventing or subverting this mysterious prophecy. And
for me, that kind of started to lose me a little with the plot. I still
enjoyed every minute of it because I love reading all kinds of
mythology. And learning about the culture through these characters was
very engaging and interesting, the plot got muddled for me. Even the
defeat of the Spanish antagonists felt a little underwhelming because of
this. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I am very interested in reading what's
next for this series, I'm not sure how many books it's going to be, but I
look forward to reading them regardless. <br /></div>Marie - Pages To Explorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02748295851467280622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757859867911340544.post-54934019681877938372023-08-06T15:15:00.003-07:002023-08-06T15:15:23.314-07:00Review: Swimming to Freedom - An Untold Story of Escaping China and the Cultural Revolution by Kent Wong <div style="text-align: justify;"><u><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1610202324i/54776176.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="526" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1610202324i/54776176.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>Title:</u> Swimming to Freedom <br /><u>Author:</u> Kent Wong <br /><u>Series:</u> N/A<br /><u>Genre:</u> Nonfiction/ Memoir/ Biography<br /><u>Publisher:</u> Abrams Press<br />Publication Date: April 27, 2021<br />Edition: 320 pages, Kindle Edition<br />Source: Library<br />Purchase: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Swimming-Freedom-Escape-Cultural-Revolution/dp/1419751514" target="_blank">Amazon US</a> | <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/swimming-to-freedom-kent-wong/1138529405" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> | <a href="https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Swimming-Freedom/Kent-Wong/9781419751516" target="_blank">BAM</a> | <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/swimming-to-freedom-my-escape-from-china-and-the-cultural-revolution-kent-wong/18403389?ean=9781419751516" target="_blank">Bookshop</a> | <a href="https://www.powells.com/book/swimming-to-freedom-my-escape-from-china-the-cultural-revolution-9781419751509" target="_blank">Powell's</a> | <a href="https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/swimming-to-freedom-an-untold-story-of-escaping-china-and-the-cultural-revolution_kent-wong/26810174/?resultid=782d2e16-de4c-4a2c-bdfb-e1b38d7a47e5#edition=60114659&idiq=47183736" target="_blank">Thriftbooks</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">Synopsis:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">When Kent Wong was a young boy, his father, a patriotic Chinese official in the customs office in Hong Kong, joined an insurrection at work and returned with the family to the newly established People's Republic of China. Hailed as heroes, they settled in the southern city of Canton. But Mao's China was dangerous and unstable, with landlords executed en masse and millions dying of starvation during the Great Leap Forward.<br />Kent Wong's Swimming to Freedom is a memoir of a childhood amid revolutionary times, where boyish adventures and school days mixed with dire poverty and political persecution, and a moving story of an inextinguishable yearning to be free. Mao's Hundred Flower Campaign ensnared Kent's father. A decade later the Cultural Revolution closed schools, plunged the country into chaos, and scattered Kent and his sisters to disparate villages where they struggled to eke out a bare existence. Kent began to realize that with higher education closed to him (as the son of a "capitalist rightist"), he had no future in China. So, when he hooked up with a dissident underground and heard about fellow countrymen braving extraordinary hardship to reach freedom by swimming across miles of open water to Hong Kong, he decided to risk his life for a better future.<br /><i>Swimming to Freedom is an extraordinary account of a largely unknown chapter in history, when an estimated half million "Freedom Swimmers" risked everything to escape hardship and oppression. It is a gripping memoir and a moving testament to the human spirit. </i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #b6d7a8;">A deeply personal, heart-wrenching memoir of the author's upbringing in Communist China during the Cultural Revolution and his tenacious flight to freedom against all odds.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/0a4700cf-1d25-4b55-af8d-8831b6e73bf6" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="41" data-original-width="113" height="41" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIOj-Y3R65eRjwiDjcc1jrNu0oqvSJ66sGZTnCBrx9wXfEF2yvhyiamBH3bLjwHUWvLiS0Os7ZUYaUgzAJU6xb-7Lff6zFRSy508UhZeVxeQyVa18maxM8yTSEcvDE02qx0BBdToCqdpub3cKF9U0amsgjMPLZ2PTgjCuSqu9Muw1rBcVPHDqAon3wjm8/s1600/StoryGraphbutton.png" width="113" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />****************************</div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBz2_NohTG__YmmjbsNHgHcLzehkf-ff4VPe_dSvJwQEFwBXdPa4lMJ6Gv9-8zxZIsu0dvNdzn1twTON3VNT2gzXR_qCjpMQH0DuJEHrKa4m95bOLE2WqV-Ax7fUgl9zhPsr2VcULXUuGTc2KoM_cLjCSS75te_lvopvAf9iM74WC5TgcOrrPVcufdITI/s1705/text-review.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1705" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBz2_NohTG__YmmjbsNHgHcLzehkf-ff4VPe_dSvJwQEFwBXdPa4lMJ6Gv9-8zxZIsu0dvNdzn1twTON3VNT2gzXR_qCjpMQH0DuJEHrKa4m95bOLE2WqV-Ax7fUgl9zhPsr2VcULXUuGTc2KoM_cLjCSS75te_lvopvAf9iM74WC5TgcOrrPVcufdITI/s320/text-review.png" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I don't often read non-fiction, so I don't review it much either. I think this is the second non-fiction book I have finished in a while. The other being Jennette McCurdy's book earlier this year. "Reviewing" memoirs isn't the same as reviewing fiction (obviously). I just hope to convey how this book affected me.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">I think everybody should read this book. And I honestly mean everybody.This book is very insightful about a time in history that seems to be a combination of ignored and hidden. I didn't know anything about this time in history. Sure, it's Chinese history, but it did have an impact on a significant portion of the world. American history shines a light on the sins other countries have committed, but have been radio silence about what I learned reading this. <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> It's just really hard to articulate how important I feel it is to read this book. There's no way I can explain it. It's just a very ignored part of world history that I think needs to be remembered and talked about.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Marie - Pages To Explorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02748295851467280622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757859867911340544.post-6053715415825890762023-07-27T18:46:00.002-07:002023-07-27T18:46:57.893-07:00Review: Rise of Empire by Michael J. Sullivan<div style="text-align: justify;"><u><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1307959897i/10803593.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1307959897i/10803593.jpg" width="218" /></a></div>Title:</u> Rise of Empire<br /><u>Author:</u> Michael J. Sullivan<br /><u>Series:</u> The Riyria Revelations #3-4<br /><u>Genre:</u> High Fantasy<br /><u>Publisher:</u> Orbit<br /><u>Publication Date:</u> December 14, 2011<br /><u>Edition:</u> 802 pages, Kindle Edition<br /><u>Source:</u> Library<br /><u>Purchase:</u> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004RD858U" target="_blank">Amazon US</a> | <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rise-of-empire-michael-j-sullivan/1104521267" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> | <a href="https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Rise-Empire/Michael-J-Sullivan/9780316187701" target="_blank">BAM</a> | <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/rise-of-empire-michael-j-sullivan/110151?ean=9780316187701" target="_blank">Bookshop</a> | <a href="https://www.powells.com/book/rise-of-empire-riyria-revelations-2-9780316187701?partnerid=32322" target="_blank">Powell's</a> | <a href="https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/rise-of-empire_michael-j-sullivan/416585/item/#edition=6408686&idiq=5069129" target="_blank">Thriftbooks</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #ffe599;">Synopsis:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #ffe599;"> The adventure continues as Royce and Hadrian aid the struggling kingdom of Melengar as it alone stands in defiance against the newly formed empire. War approaches and a desperate gamble behind enemy lines is their only chance at forming an alliance with the Nationalists to the south.<br /> But Royce has plans of his own as he uses this opportunity to discover if an ancient wizard is using Riyria as pawns in his own bid for power. To find the truth, Royce must unravel Hadrian's hidden past. What he discovers will lead them to the end of the known world, on a journey rife with treachery and intrigue.<br /><b><br />Rise of Empire was originally published as: Nyphron Rising and The Emerald Storm.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/b7bc1c71-a85a-4137-aaaf-6e93109b9732" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="41" data-original-width="113" height="41" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmHICZt-hjJFt1yd4n0wENCjpEmKAGjAx83d7LP4L9E8hNgphxbNtbLFHPBgC-JHstKA6Vsk5FcBF3WDAwc-brxLQe-RLNOVSK6Ox2mxMBpV8tZSowkyw3r3JkyAAeNqtvnRqSWZzgQRc5ClJNrTkR99LMOnO0oD8sRrT-h7KbsYBKzBfbkc4JDb15O9Q/s1600/StoryGraphbutton.png" width="113" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">**********</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><a name='more'></a></span> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJ84ZOOtUWyCirYDd3UQd5Jbrl7c1Kk1SymvPePuLocpOrXtYsMXQ7hiT_A3uR6LRu35GheiOL_PIgpoYk7Oj606om7hVY06SZVpILnGpUTguHx2jHqAnNvKLt8LOIl8np-yOMB09sSV-n83oxoejU_yoV0TGe1hKYHfrFRI9bIw3LowpUXeQraQTdHw/s1705/text-review.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1705" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJ84ZOOtUWyCirYDd3UQd5Jbrl7c1Kk1SymvPePuLocpOrXtYsMXQ7hiT_A3uR6LRu35GheiOL_PIgpoYk7Oj606om7hVY06SZVpILnGpUTguHx2jHqAnNvKLt8LOIl8np-yOMB09sSV-n83oxoejU_yoV0TGe1hKYHfrFRI9bIw3LowpUXeQraQTdHw/s320/text-review.png" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Writing a review for this book feels harder than writing the review for the first one. A lot happens in this book, shocking reveals, unexpected deaths, and lots of magic. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The character who gets the most character growth is Arista. Sure, Royce is lightening up, but Arista was never sure of herself, and in this book she's really coming to terms with what she can really do and who she is deep down. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I am really sad for Thrace. What this new Empire has done to her, breaking her down so they can control her. And even Amilia, while kind, still treats her like she's a fragile minded child. She doesn't seem to really respect Thrace/Modina as a person or thinks she has any kind of agency. I do on some level understand that Amilia is just very protective, but I'd like her to see that she is starting to be like everybody else around Modina, and not see the value she has as a person. I am very interested to read where her story ends up, and I hope it's a happy ending. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Hadrian, he's been one of my least favorite characters in this book. He's been, for lack of a better word, whiny. I understand that he's trying to find his purpose and is feeling a lot of guilt, but at the same time my guy... find a better outlet than being melodramatic about it. I like that Royce does call him out a bit on it, so I know it was "on purpose". I can only assume that the purpose will make sense by the end of the series.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Speaking of Royce, at first at the start of the first book, I didn't really like him all that much. But he might be my favorite character now. He is the most complex, and the more interesting since his back story is still mostly a mystery to me. I guess I'll find out what I want to know about him when I get around to reading the other Riyira series and when I finish this series. <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">I know that I read Legends of the First Empire first, and I've heard people who've already read all the books in The World of Elan say that there are spoilers if you don't read them in publication order. And while the small things like who the Gods really are is something that's not a mystery to me, who the heir is leaves me at a loss. I can't help but feel that who I <i>think</i> the heir is, might be a fake out. Knowing that I do from the epilogue at the end of Age of Empire, it just feels too convenient. Or maybe I have been spoiled for who the Heir is, and I'm in denial about who I think it is. Although I'm pretty sure I can guess who this "Patriarch" is. <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> I am fairly nervous about how this series will end. I know how it starts, but I have no idea how it will end since this aren't any books out that take place after the events of this series. Everything takes place before.</div>Marie - Pages To Explorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02748295851467280622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757859867911340544.post-86461895034638365972023-07-10T09:21:00.000-07:002023-07-10T09:21:02.168-07:00Review: Theft of Swords by Michael J. Sullivan <div style="text-align: justify;"><u><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1597215810i/11254578.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1597215810i/11254578.jpg" width="217" /></a></div>Title:</u> Theft of Swords<br /><u>Author:</u> Michael J. Sullivan <br /><u>Series:</u> The Riyria Revelations #01-02 <br /><u>Genre:</u> High Fantasy <br /><u>Publisher:</u> Orbit <br /><u>Publication Date:</u> November 23, 2011 <br /><u>Edition:</u> 694 pages, Kindle Edition <br /><u>Source: </u>Library<br /><u>Purchase:</u> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Theft-Swords-Vol-Riyria-Revelations/dp/0316187747" target="_blank">Amazon US</a> | <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/theft-of-swords-michael-j-sullivan/1100745113" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> | <a href="https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Theft-Swords/Michael-J-Sullivan/9780316187749" target="_blank">BAM</a> | <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/theft-of-swords-michael-j-sullivan/110155" target="_blank">Bookshop</a> | <a href="https://www.powells.com/book/theft-of-swords-riyria-revelations-01-9780316187749" target="_blank">Powell's</a> | <a href="https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/theft-of-swords_michael-j-sullivan/311335" target="_blank">Thriftbooks</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #ffe599;">Synopsis:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #ffe599;"> Royce Melborn, a skilled thief, and his mercenary partner, Hadrian Blackwater, make a profitable living carrying out dangerous assignments for conspiring nobles-until they are hired to pilfer a famed sword. What appears to be just a simple job finds them framed for the murder of the king and trapped in a conspiracy that uncovers a plot far greater than the mere overthrow of a tiny kingdom.<br /> Can a self-serving thief and an idealistic swordsman survive long enough to unravel the first part of an ancient mystery that has toppled kings and destroyed empires?<br /> And so begins the first tale of treachery and adventure, sword fighting and magic, myth and legend.<br /><br /><b> When author Michael J. Sullivan self-published the first books of his Riyria Revelations, they rapidly became ebook bestsellers. Now, Orbit is pleased to present the complete series for the first time in bookstores everywhere.<br />Theft of Swords was originally published as: The Crown Conspiracy and Avempartha.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/e3e00047-aea2-4f3a-897c-455c722912ba" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="41" data-original-width="113" height="41" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmy3z55Ng7pUQwxKjIIsxW2hPXJCUM4zVN5UZbPHgzKuwVVLufZrw6F3BTASf8hTbfAMeLkRebTq0gAeF6iiz15SM3birsKefasW6WuRtP3T9eHc2R48zwzr_FbxfMCBqr9XNGqYzQ-jHTGrjWP0GbuVZ0KQjLRrdIgm7Wlezs2LbKgnrsa_xcUcT6qHs/s1600/StoryGraphbutton.png" width="113" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">************</div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPm8LW8iLOeR5FZPbr33v_fioDC93oyH8iSu8FVcLXSIymbLSUIkN-v-PInXKXt2sUIgXGcZp622GNtqjwK8rfXtyUECen7B-2mqReCUo_SgzcBEBfLyYNUztwZZ2OHvdmz2uFdjS2u925qxEHbbLOWpX4fL0glZ6IUjAs-zQxz-Rc4JnOIaPETTY7L7k/s1705/text-review.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1705" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPm8LW8iLOeR5FZPbr33v_fioDC93oyH8iSu8FVcLXSIymbLSUIkN-v-PInXKXt2sUIgXGcZp622GNtqjwK8rfXtyUECen7B-2mqReCUo_SgzcBEBfLyYNUztwZZ2OHvdmz2uFdjS2u925qxEHbbLOWpX4fL0glZ6IUjAs-zQxz-Rc4JnOIaPETTY7L7k/s320/text-review.png" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">My initial plan was to read the World of Elan books in historical chronological order, and I tired reading Nolyn three times, the first book in the "bridge" series between Legends and the Riyria series', but wasn't really in the mood for that yet. So I started with the first book published in the world. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I really enjoyed this book. I loved the characters, and I liked seeing what the world was like thousands of years later and how the history was lost and what they got "wrong". It makes me wonder what parts of our own history got lost or altered over the millennia. <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I like Hadrian and Royce more at the start than I did most of the characters in Legends. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">It took a couple of books before I had favorite characters in the other series, but I instantly like the main characters in this book. I like that they're both foils for each other. Royce keeps, or tries to keep, Hadrian more pragmatic about things. And Hadrian tires his damnedest to get Royce to be more compassionate about random strangers. <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: justify;">There are a lot of side characters in this book. Some are more likeable than others. Arista, she is a character than I am unsure about. I don't know how old she' supposed to be, but I'm assuming she's already an adult. But at times she behaves pretty young. That could do to her being a shut in. But she's kind of gullible. If she was younger I think it would bother me less. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Estra, I like him. He's mysterious enough and knowing one of the bridge books is about him makes me excited to read it when I get to it. Even the some things he thought were true were lost in time from when they happened during his time.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I've already borrowed the second book from the library before even I wrote this review. I had to force myself to not read it yet so I wouldn't details crossed.</p>Marie - Pages To Explorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02748295851467280622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757859867911340544.post-44580031302721587922023-07-07T10:01:00.001-07:002023-07-07T10:01:08.985-07:00Review: Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree <div style="text-align: justify;"><u><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1654581271i/61242426.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="521" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1654581271i/61242426.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>Title:</u> Legends & Lattes<br /><u>Author:</u> Travis Baldree <br /><u>Series:</u> Legends & Lattes #1<br /><u>Genre:</u> Low-Fantasy/Cozy Mystery/LGBT<br /><u>Publisher:</u> Tor<br /><u>Publication Date:</u> February 22, 2022<br /><u>Edition:</u> 296 pages, Kindle Edition<br /><u>Source:</u> Library<br /><u>Purchase:</u> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Legends-Lattes-Novel-Fantasy-Stakes-ebook/dp/B0B3755RV9" target="_blank">Amazon US</a> | <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/legends-lattes-travis-baldree/1141022971;jsessionid=01011999E208BF369C0DC0D597F2CFAF.prodny_store02-atgap13?ean=9781250886088" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> | <a href="https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Legends-Lattes/Travis-Baldree/9781250886088?id=8387373880150" target="_blank">BAM</a> | <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/legends-lattes-a-novel-of-high-fantasy-and-low-stakes-travis-baldree/18632175?ean=9781250886088" target="_blank">Bookshop</a> | <a href="https://www.powells.com/book/legends-lattes-9781250886088" target="_blank">Powell's</a> | <a href="https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/legends--lattes_travis--baldree/37077305/" target="_blank">Thriftbooks</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #d0e0e3;">Synopsis:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #d0e0e3;"> After a lifetime of bounties and bloodshed, Viv is hanging up her sword for the last time.<br /> The battle-weary orc aims to start fresh, opening the first ever coffee shop in the city of Thune. But old and new rivals stand in the way of success — not to mention the fact that no one has the faintest idea what coffee actually is.<br /> If Viv wants to put the blade behind her and make her plans a reality, she won't be able to go it alone.<br /> But the true rewards of the uncharted path are the travelers you meet along the way. And whether drawn together by ancient magic, flaky pastry, or a freshly brewed cup, they may become partners, family, and something deeper than she ever could have dreamed.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/34c66d4e-2363-4a88-a43e-40baacae7afa" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="41" data-original-width="113" height="41" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ8LgBPhRq8Oc1fDtNkvWAe7tk7rJgvbrKqA--nb8GT0a0ewXpYW0lao7Z5sXdCKDXlbwm3ZPvkx38h1M2vVfj7J376r3OBrsWTTrC8lJGpn94RzUakMiCP_okbW6KR-s_SKtmYwUMVjSGDxYValwweLbV6eBB2ilqnut4X1q4wvYvDiLnBrgodajARbA/s1600/StoryGraphbutton.png" width="113" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">***************</div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQoB-3snCy_Mu5aTk-YRgvWdu2JeyWTrybiHcAtbv9P1bXlLkD4pwN1-RSdNgrxmnt-yMQG2HEVeRENYCDROBeN-RF7GBPGxP0k98Z6uW_UhFx947q-jfqlPPaIYLmZ0W3Yx91zNxb6VQPl3BZDlpoY1wuPd51YmHsEIbczVZMvdk-djHgDu23T8C5Jvg/s1705/text-review.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1705" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQoB-3snCy_Mu5aTk-YRgvWdu2JeyWTrybiHcAtbv9P1bXlLkD4pwN1-RSdNgrxmnt-yMQG2HEVeRENYCDROBeN-RF7GBPGxP0k98Z6uW_UhFx947q-jfqlPPaIYLmZ0W3Yx91zNxb6VQPl3BZDlpoY1wuPd51YmHsEIbczVZMvdk-djHgDu23T8C5Jvg/s320/text-review.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This book was a delight to read. All the characters are great, the plot, the vibes. Just everything about this book was wonderful. I really like Viv as a protagonist, and I love that she's an Orc who isn't a stereotype. Yes, she was a warrior, but now she seeks a simple life. Something a lot of people can relate to I think. I loved all the characters. They were all very diverse in an interesting way, as most of them weren't human. Ratkin, Gnomes, Dwarves, Succubi, Hob. Though Thimble, the ratkin, might be my favorite side-character.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />I like that there still was conflict, having only positive events would make the story feel, for lack of a better word, flat. The conflict, at first, I thought was just going to be with the local "crime boss" but was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't that obvious. It was still some low-steaks conflict, for the most part. But it wasn't "cliche". <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />I had heard there was a sub-plot of a romance, and I wasn't sure how a romance would fit into this story, but I ended up really liking it as well. It's a sub-subplot of a romance. It was just cute. It did add to the cozy fantasy of it all. This is a great story of friendship and community.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />I know there's a prequel, Bookshops and Bonedust, but I would love to read a real sequel. Maybe learn more about that Dire-cat, and the mysterious Gnome Chess-player.</div>Marie - Pages To Explorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02748295851467280622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757859867911340544.post-29374911525122173982023-06-16T22:37:00.003-07:002023-06-16T22:40:02.240-07:00ARC Review: The Judas Blossom by Stephen Aryan<div style="text-align: justify;"><u><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1675484278i/63041394.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="312" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1675484278i/63041394.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Title:</u> The Judas Blossom <br /><u>Author:</u> Stephen Aryan<br /><u>Series:</u> The Nightingale and The Falcon Trilogy #1<br /><u>Genre:</u> Adult Fantasy/Historical Fantasy<br /><u>Publisher:</u> Angry Robot<br /><u>Publication Date:</u> July 11, 2023<u><br />Edition:</u> Kindle Edition<br /><u>Source:</u> NetGalley<br /><u>Pre-Order:</u> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Judas-Blossom-Book-Nightingale-Falcon/dp/1915202191/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=" target="_blank">Amazon US</a> | <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-judas-blossom-stephen-aryan/1142495560;jsessionid=C3A7B2A81D5154AA7F84734DD6601944.prodny_store01-atgap14?ean=9781915202192" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> | <a href="https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Judas-Blossom/Stephen-Aryan/9781915202192?id=8866736337482" target="_blank">BAM</a> | <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-judas-blossom-book-i-of-the-nightingale-and-the-falcon/18899137?ean=9781915202192" target="_blank">Bookshop</a> | <a href="https://www.powells.com/book/the-judas-blossom-9781915202192?partnerid=32322" target="_blank">Powell's</a> | <a href="https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-judas-blossom-book-i-of-the-nightingale-and-the-falcon/37657638/item/#edition=65652114&idiq=54636717" target="_blank">Thriftbooks</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="color: #f9cb9c;">Synopsis:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c;"><b>1260, Persia:</b><br /> Due to the efforts of the great Genghis Khan, the Mongol Empire covers a vast portion of the known world. In the shadow of his grandfather, Hulagu Khan, ruler of the Ilkhanate, is determined to create a single empire that covers the entire world. His method? Violence.<br /> His youngest son, Temujin Khan, struggles to find his place in his father’s bloody rule. After another failure, Temujin is given one last chance to prove himself to Hulagu, who is sure there is a great warrior buried deep inside. But there’s something else rippling under the surface… something far more powerful and dangerous than they could ever imagine…<br /> Reduced to the position of one of Hulagu’s many wives, the famed Blue Princess Kokochin is the last of her tribe. Alone and forgotten in a foreign land, Kokochin is unwilling to spend her days seeking out trivial pursuits. Seeking purpose, she finds herself wandering down a path that grants her more power than a wife of the Khan may be allowed.<br /> Kaivon, the Persian rebel who despises the Mongols for the massacre of his people, thirsts for revenge. However, he knows alone he cannot destroy the empire. When given the opportunity to train under the tutelage of Hulagu, Kaivon must put aside his feelings and risk his life for a chance to destroy the empire that aims to conquer the world.<br /> Family and war collide in this thrilling and bloody re-imagining of the Mongol Empire’s invasion of Persia.<br /><b><br />An imaginative and sprawling epic fantasy re-imagining of the Mongol Empire's invasion of Persia, following the lives and treacherous journeys of four key figures in the heart of war.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/5f534453-95c0-4ebf-a1c4-e7e0f511687d" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="41" data-original-width="113" height="41" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZ0vgIhriDE556fNKW58CwYbXjAtRuXfrdlN-ShqFM02gO4tpWMe0MVrk_PESvebKaHCWpKVaOOyqPFRbHYf2f4V4K3RvzRTypmFQKuLL-vDEIUQMqCb172ebLOVf_Vq-LtM2aV8LXO0PFT1j0HTQ3SsmjvoRVRBlaVvemSS100Noq3eCL4p83COj/s1600/StoryGraphbutton.png" width="113" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">*************</div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0oF_rrbdVFeqTcKT6vDtTgR8VwPMRSpcH72BqcLRPfF927LhSz-fy0Zp-PYEIVspyCM_Otgk0b9Wl8_cFnouiNFW1_8a8m0l8DCBb0YdJorHwEbUUI4JoSpWRQmbUYT5FzG6LWQjOHXO11Fs_yFsZ9z20kdYSZ8xNtatbXVFtUmOGEj4xNHKasEw2/s1705/text-review.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1705" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0oF_rrbdVFeqTcKT6vDtTgR8VwPMRSpcH72BqcLRPfF927LhSz-fy0Zp-PYEIVspyCM_Otgk0b9Wl8_cFnouiNFW1_8a8m0l8DCBb0YdJorHwEbUUI4JoSpWRQmbUYT5FzG6LWQjOHXO11Fs_yFsZ9z20kdYSZ8xNtatbXVFtUmOGEj4xNHKasEw2/s320/text-review.png" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I liked it overall, but I really struggled with the pacing for much of the book. I feel like this is a trend with me and historical fantasy, the pacing is just a touch too slow for me in most of them. <br /> <br /> This book took a long time to really grasp me, as previously stated, the pacing killed this book for me. I struggled to get and stay invested in things. There are multiple POVs in this book, but the narration all sounded the same so if had to stop reading halfway through a chapter, I'd forget whose POV I was reading for a bit. <br /><br />There was nothing 'wrong' with this book other than it just not being for me. Not sure what it was exactly, could be as simple as the writing style didn't work for me.<br /><br />It's taken me a while to collect my thoughts enough to write something, and I just don't have a whole lot to say. This book was just fine for me.</div>Marie - Pages To Explorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02748295851467280622noreply@blogger.com0