In Pursuit of My Own Library

Happy release day to Chuck Wendig! The second novel of his Heartland Trilogy hits stores today. If you are just checking into my blog, go here for my review of Under the Empryean Sky before reading this review. Blightborn by Chuck Wendig This novel certainly grew in writing style. The segues from character arcs was smoother and flowed the story together in a fabulous braided vine. The "gang" from the first have been divided by circumstance, secrets, and physical distance. There is the struggle to reconnect and find the simplicity of the times before. The characters have progressed in their stories individually, inevitably progressing the dynamic of all their relationships. I feel that the actual content of the story plot suffered in this novel. I was more impressed with the forbidden gardens and issue of genetically modified feed for the livestock of humanity from the first book. This novel spends more time in the vapid clouds of the flotilla and its wild  abandon ...

One of my very dear friends has signed her first book contract for a trilogy. You may have seen my previous posts of her pitches and progress through the publishing process. Well it all finally paid off!!! Check out her blog for the really, really good news! I seriously cannot wait to get the chance to read Sworn . http://chmcfarland.wordpress.com/2014/07/21/big-news-sworn-is-going-to-be-published/

I needed a zany reading breather. And what better way to do that than with Terry Pratchett! It has been a decade since I first read these precious gems; it was definitely time to join the gang of Rincewind, Granny, and the Luggage again. Plus, now I have a blog to put out reviews of these idiosyncratic novels. Here we go... The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett The original Discworld novel. Where it all began. Where it all tripped on the rug, and the delicate act of faceplanting made us all laugh secretly because we wouldn't want to laugh out loud at someone's misfortune until we know everyone else is laughing with us. I absolutely love this very first book. We are introduced with some of the best characters in literature, and not all of them are exactly human. There is magic and failed wizardy, demonic technology, cognizant luggage, and the quantum physics. These books expand the way you think about the world around you.  The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett ...

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So, where have I been? Why have a fallen off the radar (yet again)? I have been reading, landscaping, and recovering from landscaping by reading. Two of the books I am still writing up reviews for now, and I should have them posted later this week after my contest winner reveal. The Guild of Assassins by Anna Kashina Now we will be taking a look at part two in "The Majat Code." This next leg in the journey against the Kaddim brothers was not as impactful to me as the first. I was immensely impressed with the action and adventure of Blades. It could have possibly been a case where my excitement for the sequel was just so great that it was bound to fall a little flat. However, I really think (if I will admit my own honesty to myself) it was the addition of a love story that threw me off a bit.  These are bad, ---kicking ninja warriors here. Trained from incredibly young ages to be stoic and death dealing weapons of mass destruction. They sleep on dirt for comfort. We ...

And what better start than a review for a book all about summer.  I have planted some more hedges for privacy along my border, and it seems like I am never finished landscaping. I enjoyed taking some breaks for reading in there though that probably made the job last longer. (What is a bookworm to do?) The Last Kings of Sark kicked off my summer reading list quite nicely. The Last Kings of Sark by Rosa Rankin-Gee Four very solid stars. I have to take away one star for the format of the book. I'm kind of an old-fashioned reader who likes my story sequential with obvious transitions. This novel is divided with a feel of short story chapters that combine to make up a whole book. We start with Jude on the first day of her summer tutoring job, and then more or less follow a timeline that spans 10 or so years. Unfortunately, I did feel a little lost sometimes. So, four stars it is. The first chapter focuses on the longest stretch of time and has no particular order other than Summ...

What a week. Phew. Something about Friday the 13th landing on the night of the full moon. Superstitions will abound. What better to go along with the crazy then Beyond the Western Sun  chock full of native superstition and the amazing gift of storytelling. Beyond the Western Sun by Kristina Circelli I know an author going to IndieFest in FL. As I was perusing their website for other authors attending, Kristina's author bio stuck out with her Native American theme. She is spreading some of her heritage with a mix of the fantasy fiction. Native American's are natural born storytellers, as most of their history is passed through oral tradition. I have always been fascinated with their origin stories and folk legends explaining why we exist in this world and the part humanity plays in nature. This was an author I had to check out. I looked her works up on Amazon, and the first of the Whisper series was free, so of course I had to download it. This book will not leave you wit...