In Pursuit of My Own Library

We have just two weeks left before we say goodbye to Temeraire the dragon. For more information on the novel, visit Naomi Novik's page . There will be a contest  for an autographed copy announced soon as well!! My thoughts on the series that has spanned a decade and captivated me from the beginning are below. League of Dragons by Naomi Novik The concluding novel of the "Temeraire" series has arrived. After many, many months of anticipation (and a full circle of my time on Netgalley), I had chills picking up League of Dragons . It is the conclusion to a nine book series with which I have had my ups and downs. The bar has been set pretty high, even for a dragon.  Utmost honesty and realization here--the level of hype means I was going to be undoubtedly left wanting with this novel.   I was not disappointed with this novel, just left a little flat because I had an entire year to hype it up in my head despite my best efforts not to do so. The war with Napolean is on i

On this day of sunshine, grills, and pool season, remember why you are able to do all those fun things. As summer unofficially begins, it is the season of vacations and beach reads (even if you have no beach, pool, or deck, there is sunshine and a greater need to get away from your kids). Go pick up a book and start the unofficial summer season in the best possible bookworm way. Pyramids by Terry Pratchett I took another zany break with Terry Pratchett this month. When I seem to be taking life too seriously, it helps to read some Pratchett. His satire can really put your perspective back into order. This is the seventh book of Discworld. While they are absolutely not required to read in order, as many are standalone novels, I find that it gives each book the best flow. The overall atmosphere gains traction with each story that can be missed if you just breeze in midway. This twisted tale of the Egyptian and Greek ancient civilizations is not my favorite of Pratchett's

Thankfully the sunshine has decided to linger around a little extra for me today. Clouds are definitely brewing, but they are happy, fluffy white puffballs for right now. I actually kind of feel like a Bob Ross painting sitting on my deck right now. With the springtime blossoming all around, I have been in a mood for light-hearted reading. I continue with the "Septimus Heap" series today. Syren by Angie Sage Another good showing from Angie Sage. The whole series has been enthusiastically fun while being about some pretty serious business. I guess I just appreciate the style of making our mundane, modern things Magyckal with twisted spellings and exaggerated capitalization. Not to mention the actual magic being activities we have been doing as household chores all these years. (Seems legit that a medieval serf time-traveler would find a Toaster magical.) The series has given me a boost of imagination and flair. I really look forward to the next novel--and maybe even the n

It is new book Tuesday! I have one for you today that is so new, it isn't even on the shelves yet. Ha! Check out below what I had to say about a collection of short stories by one of fantasy's legends. Dreams of Distant Shores by Patricia A. McKillip This is a compilation of short stories, which was a refreshing pace to read for me. I could easily pick it up in the middle of my hectic day, read a quick fantasy, and get back to work after I had finished the story. The stories are the quintessential escape for the lunch hour. Warning side effect of these stories: I did find myself daydreaming for most of the day after reading just small pieces. These are the types of fantasies that open you to the fae and just don't let go immediately. I felt like I had become part of the wind and words, floating around waiting to be reality. No two stories focused on the same characters or places, or time for that matter, but there were some common themes that could tie all the sto

After enjoying a long morning in the sunshine to recharge the batteries after so much rain, I am back with some more reviews. I really needed these blue skies; I must be part reptile. The sunshine just makes me wake up. Now I may be able to actually keep up to date with my reviews. Queste by Angie Sage Every novel, I have been progressively impressed with the "Septimus Heap" series. I started them as a filler for my "Harry Potter" whole, and now I have a respect for them in their own right. The wit and humor are stellar. The writing style is light and easy to get through making these books perfect to keep your spirits up during a week of rain. There is a constant sense of sarcasm that just fits my personality perfectly. The magic in the book is fun and everything has flair. This series creates a vivid journey into my imagination. Queste  does not deviate from any of the beauty of the first 3 novels. The characters continue along with their charm in a new jo

Time just seems to disappear completely on me these days. I was doing such a brilliant job of keeping up to date with everything, and then-bam!-one day missed turns into a week later. I was busy with organizing the house, cleaning up the yard after 10 days of rain and travelling with the husband. There was definitely some reading in there to recuperate from massive amounts of cleaning and yardwork. The briefest of reviews will come today as I get back on track with my upcoming novels for Netgalley and an interview with Anna Kashina. An exciting conclusion to the week, in my humble opinion. Iceberg by Clive Cussler I enjoyed The Mediterranean Caper so much, I picked up Iceberg  to see if it was a fluke or maybe, just maybe, I actually like something out of the adventure/spy genre. I think I managed to come across an author that has plenty published to give me a genre shake up every now and again. The novelty might lie largely in the date of publication and the removal of the PC fil

It's a new week, so let's get it kicked off with a new genre. Well, to be accurate, a new genre for me to be reading and reviewing on my blog. I have never liked the mystery/thriller/suspense/adventure genre and have often made note of that when I read books that walk the line with other genres I do read from regularly. I feel that too often the authors from the world of intrigue never seem to develop foreshadowing correctly. They play their hands much too early, and I am left reading a book for which I know the ending. The Mediterranean Caper by Clive Cussler Reasons I read this book: Recommendation. When I worked as a bookseller, it was my job to know all the sections in my store. I needed to not just know the best sellers from each genre, but what made them best sellers. I also interacted with many readers who held different opinions to mine. (This is a very healthy way to get your dose of reality for the day.) Clive Cussler was recommended to me when I got into a co

... and the mind-boggled review to go with it. This book was the most unique reading experience I have ever had in decades of reading. Assassin Queen by Anna Kashina This week we have the final novel of the "Majat Code" trilogy. I previously reviewed the first and second novels and have read a short companion novella as well. Some may recall me raving about the first novel and being slightly disappointed about the turn of the second novel. The novella was more in tune with Blades of the Old Empire  and added to the hype for The Guild of Assassins . So with the letdown from the latter book, why did I get the third? More importantly, how did I feel about it? Redeemed and exacerbated. How can you feel both of those at once? That is the mystery of the third novel of the "Majat Code." There were some extremely awesome, butt-kicking scenes reminiscent of "Blades," and the romance from "Guild" was still included. I was excited and disappoint