Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the conThis review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Bringer of Dust is the second book in theThe Talents trilogy, picking up almost directly after the events in Ordinary Monsters. With the addition of a few new PoV characters and villains there will be a lot of tension, gruesomeness and obstacles to overcome for the characters. I would think of this as a mash up of Umbrella Academy, Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children and His Dark Materials set in Victorian London.
I wish I read Ordinary Monsters right before starting the book as it would have helped the story be fresh in my mind and while I think I got the gist of it, with some of the recaps through character interactions, it took a long time to get there. When you have a book that is ~600 pages long, I think sometimes it is smart to do a "the story so far" at the beginning to set the reader up for success. Still the story itself is interesting enough with hints of the first book here and there that I don't think I felt lost and eventually was reminded of enough of the key points by midway through that I did okay.
Characters, they are the thing that make this story great. I love Charlie from the first book and his desperation to save Marlowe from the terrible fate that became him. Even if that means he has to go through a portal into a strange realm where most mortal people die. With the help of friends, old and new, he will try to find another portal to save his friend.
The addition of The Abbess and Cracker Jack as new villains with some horrible minions, the level of the gruesomeness and horror aspects of Bringer of Dust definitely surpass the previous book. In this world, there are some truly terrible people willing to do horrendous things. Charlie seems to nice to be in a world like this but he will reach to protect those he cares about. I loved the addition of the Bone Witch talent and how her storyline eventually connects to Charlie and his search for Marlowe.
The only thing in the story that threw me off was about the middle of the book shifts gears and get to spend time with Marlowe and Berghast's in the 'other' realm. This is a great way to learn about the prison created to contain the biggest bad in the book, but it seemed like it went back in time to when we started with Charlie and the other new characters. It took awhile to shift gears, but this was a great way to get some more of the backstory and find out some of the history of both the prison and the prisoner.
Overall this is going to work well for people who love horror and grimdark and don't mind a really long story if it is interesting. There is plenty of action and things that make you fear for all of the characters. Expansion of the lore behind the story along with some set up for the final book, that will be a pretty epic showdown from what has been hinted at. There are some end-of-the-world type of huge stakes at hand.
I think Bringer of Dust does a few things better than the first book. The pacing was actually a lot better, the characters and world better established and the twist just as intense if not more.
Narration: Ben Onwukwe is a seasoned narrator and seems pretty perfect for this grimdark tale. His voice and cadence fits the tone of the story and builds on some of the suspense and drama of it. He has a great voice and did really well with the large cast of characters. I was able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.
I usually enjoy Scalzi's works so I was more than willing to give this one a shot, even if it was his first published book. It has so many of the thinI usually enjoy Scalzi's works so I was more than willing to give this one a shot, even if it was his first published book. It has so many of the things I have come to expect from his writing. Interesting characters, witty dialogue, pop culture references and just an interesting plot line.
If you needed to present your entire species to the world in way that would make sure you get you off on the right foot, what would be the best way to do it. Well you probably need a spin doctor of sorts and that is exactly what the Yherajak were looking for when they found our main character. Tom, an agent of mostly B-list actors whose new job is to figure out how to introduce blob like creature to the world...and make it loveable.
“The Yherajk were a less immediate but infinitely more complicated problem—alien globs who want to befriend a humanity that, if asked, would probably prefer to be befriended by something with an endoskeleton.”
What follows is a fun story filled with interesting moments and a few unexpected turns as Tom tries to figure out how to make humanity love a blob that communicates with fart like smells, keep his main clients and get them a few roles and avoid the sneaky reported who thinks Tom would make a great story. I mean Tom would, just because of the alien side gig, but that is exactly what he is trying to hide from a nosy reporter.
“Your president only speaks for Americans. American movies speak for your world. Who hasn't seen Wizard of Oz? Or Jaws? Or Star Wars? We've seen them, and we're not even from this planet.”
Overall an interesting story that had all the elements John Scalzi has just honed since he wrote this book.
Narration
Wil Wheaton takes on the performance of this fun book. He has done some of Scalzi's other works and I always enjoy his narration and performance. He captures the characters and make the book just that more fun along the way. Always entertaining as Wil delivers on the wit and sarcasm portions of the book beautifully. ...more
3.5 I love you and hate you all at the same time stars
I'm really torn on this series. On the one hand it is really readable. On the other hand the rea3.5 I love you and hate you all at the same time stars
I'm really torn on this series. On the one hand it is really readable. On the other hand the reader is sometimes asked to accept stuff, just cuz, and Violet the MC occasionally is just remarkably dumb. So much so that I almost didn't make it past the first 100 pages because I was irritated with her.
Violet has just found out (spoiler for Fourth Wing) (view spoiler)[Xaden is part of the resistance and didn't tell Violet the secret of the resistance. Including but not limited to the fact her brother is still alive (hide spoiler)], and she throws this big fit over it. To her it is just a huge betrayal that she wasn't trusted with the secrets. Which I found utterly ridiculous since one, they weren't just Xaden's secrets and two Violet's mother is the General so why would you give her information like that.
“Stop bringing logic into an emotional argument.”
But it seems there needed to be some extra drama or tension between the love interest so we had to deal with this manufactured drama...ugh. But once we got over that eye rolling nonsense there was some really cool fighting and war stuff going on. Xaden and Violet have to deal with being separated at times to since Xaden has graduated and is part of the war while Violet is just in her second year.
“The first year is when some of us lose our lives. The second year is when the rest of us lose our humanity.”
I think what really sells the series for me so far is wanting to know more about the Dragons and the Empyrean. I love how the bonding works and I'm usually a fan of the fated mates tropes so a lot of that is working for me. Tairn is a fantastic character and I enjoy his viciousness in the protection of Violet and Andarna. Andarna's transformation from a feather tail into the color she will be as an adult and her "teenage" years are pretty funny at times and eye rolling at other times. There really was no in between.
A few items to put in the plus column for this book is the expansion of the world building. We get a clear view of who the enemy is and what they are capable of. Character development, when Violet isn't being completely stupid over some stupid secrets, she becomes a bad ass in some other ways. Introduction of the infantry and their roles in the war along with the Griffin's and some of their riders. I liked learning more about the greater world outside of the school for dragon riders. Development of the General and Violet's relationship as well gave the reader some deeper insight to the actions of the general and a very touching moment at one point in the book. I enjoyed learning more about the scribes lives as well and the true reasons why the general sent Violet to threshing.
The stakes are higher and the rebellion/revolution is on. Violet is put through some incredibly difficult situations and targeted not just because of who her mother is but also because she and Xaden are an item. Delving into Xaden's origin story and the burden placed on him to protect all of the children from the rebellion what a huge addition to the overall story.
A few of the items in the minus column are Violets "I need to know all the secrets" mentality. It was really tiresome. The continued schooling that killed off rider after rider. So many deaths that felt hollow. The length of the book. It is almost 40% longer than the first book. I think there were some things that could have been streamlined. It almost felt like 2 separate books.
The ending had a very nice twist that I should have seen coming but didn't. It will be interesting to see what comes of it in the next book. While I saw most of the twists coming the one involving Xaden at the end I did not, so well done there Ms. Yaros.
Overall, I can see why so many people seem to like this series. I will continue on but hope that some of the manufactured tension is more believable and that we get a look at the dragon culture and how the Empyrean really works. Dragon politics, I want more.
Narration:
Well this is a full cast and that just adds to ever enjoyment factor for this series. Sometimes the special effects in the background can get a little overpowering. Especially in the middle of battles. But overall having different actors for all the main voices adds so much to the overall impact of the narration. Graphic Audio always does a great job with all of their adaptations and this one is no different....more
“One generation to change the text. One generation chooses to teach that text. The next g
3.5 Fluffy Dragon Stars
review for entire book + audio
“One generation to change the text. One generation chooses to teach that text. The next grows, and the lie becomes history.”
What kind of reader are you? Are you like me and you read ~200 books a year, most of them fantasy of some kind, some of them epic tombs that are more squares than rectangles? Or are you a slightly less seasoned reader that is really just in it for the ride more than the world? I think how much you enjoy this story will depend on the answers to those questions.
I see why this is so popular. I didn't jump on the twilight or 50 shades train when it was going by either. So for me over all this is just an okay read. I like the overall story, although it has some silliness surrounding Violet and Xaden's feelings and breathless anticipation. But an exclusive program that Violet never planned on going to and the opportunity to bond with a dragon? Yes! I totally see the appeal of that story.
Violet's mother was key in driving down the resistance years ago. All the leaders of that rebellion were executed but the children were saved only to be conscripted into the Empyrean forces were they will either make it through the program with a dragon or die trying. Violet had planned to be a scribe and spent her entire life leaning towards that, except she was forced by her mother to join the Riders Quadrant. She was considered frail her entire life and has a slight disability. Not to mention that being in the quadrant with the children of the people her mother killed has branded her as a target she isn't sure if she'll be able to stay alive. But hey, she's done some other impossible things so why not.
“Hope is a fickle, dangerous thing. It steals your focus and aims it toward the possibilities instead of keeping it where it belongs—on the probabilities.”
I will say that I enjoy the school type format of the story. I always love a good competition for your life and add in Dragons there is a lot to like. But my dang fantasy brain wanted more. Violet eventually bonds with a Dragon and we get a peak into the bond between rider and Dragon. But it seems the Dragons have hierarches and politics of their own that I really wanted to get a better understanding of.
Besides Violet and Xaden every other character is really flat and thankfully the love triangle that is kind of happening doesn't really look like one of the guys has a chance so there isn't a extra drama llama there.
The romance is sorta a slow burn. It is supposed to be enemies to lovers and while Xaden should have Violet because of who her mother is, he never came across super hateful and you always felt like there was more there.
Violet I sorta had a love/hate thing with too. She is really smart and needed to have some accommodations made due to some of her physical fragility but most of the time she gives a snarky quip and just moves along with out wallowing. Still when it comes to Xaden she is a bit silly. There is some drama after they get together that seemed like Violet over reacted especially after the big battle at the end of the book. I just thought it didn't really need to be so blown up.
Deaths...there were so many deaths. Every time I turned around another cadet was being killed by a dragon, a fight, the obstacle course, etc. There was really only one death that was impactful in the entire story because all the others were just throw away. Seemed like they didn't really need to be there.
So overall. I get why with the format of this book and the way it reads it would be such a big draw for so many casual readers. There is still a lot to really enjoy in the overall book and sometimes I can just let some of the silliness go and really fall into the story. But it is like candy and I completely gobbled it up but then 30 minutes later your hungry because you forgot you ate anything. But don't get me wrong I still enjoyed eating the candy that was this story.
Narration
Graphic Audio is something I enjoy. Sure sometimes that sound effects can be a little to much and roll over the story a little but I've learned to drown some of that out when needed. For a story like this I appreciate the full cast of characters for the voices and the sound effects make it seem so epic. This is a story I really prefer in this kind of a format.
This series has been so cute so far every short story in it is a winner and Rosie and the Dreamboat is no exception to that.
Rosie is a girl stuck in aThis series has been so cute so far every short story in it is a winner and Rosie and the Dreamboat is no exception to that.
Rosie is a girl stuck in a float pod and Leo is the fireman on the outside working his PR magic to keep her calm while they try to figure out how to get her out. As they talk to one another through the clamshell-esk prison something magical happens between them.
I completely enjoyed this story and the interactions of Rosie and Leo as she is trapped. You could see they were meant to be and I completely adored the ending to this. What a great story of, how I met your mother, to tell there kids down the road....more
One valentines day in high school C accidentally emailed T, thinking she was his calculus teacher. One oops This is a completely cute and quick story.
One valentines day in high school C accidentally emailed T, thinking she was his calculus teacher. One oops in high school turns into the two of them touching base every Valentines day for the next decade. Things don't line up, until the day they do ten years after their initial email.
This was completely adorable and reminded me of some of you've got mail very loosely in the strangers who email kind of way.
I enjoyed the entire story going through their high school, college, pandemic years until they finally get to meet. Completely cute and worth jumping into for a fun quick read. ...more
Delaney is just trying to get to her wedding day before some disaster strike ordinary again. She is feeling a little watched since it always seems thaDelaney is just trying to get to her wedding day before some disaster strike ordinary again. She is feeling a little watched since it always seems that a god just happens to show up at whatever she is doing and tries to hang out with her. Seems they are a little concerned about the current King of Hell being interested in taking over the gods vacation town of Ordinary.
This is another fun story with interesting characters and weird happenings. When an influencer comes to town he also seems to be everywhere and if Delaney and Company aren't careful he might just expose their sleepy little town to the entire world.
As is there will be an expedition into Hell with some of our favorite side characters. Excel is hilarious as always and Dragon Pig is the best little piggy looking dragon ever. I really enjoy all the quirkiness of this series. There is always something happening in vacation spot to the gods and it is always entertaining.
Another fun story, maybe not my favorite of all of them but it has enough going on to always keep you entertained as you root for Delaney and her sisters as they try and keep the peace in a town that should be a little bit on the sleepy side of life but is anything but....more
Everyone always says this is one of those books everyone needs to read and I can see why. I mean 2500 years after it was written and it is still prettEveryone always says this is one of those books everyone needs to read and I can see why. I mean 2500 years after it was written and it is still pretty relevant.
There are some great reviews out there for this so I will just talk about the audio.
There are great narrated versions out there. I picked on of my favorite narrators Simon Vance to listen to this story and as always he delivered.
There are some great philosophical gems in this that I have heard others tote time and time again and now I'm part of the club that finished this small but poignant book....more
Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the conThis review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
4.5 hearts
Walk of Shame is the second book in the Downside to Dating series and much like many series romances it can be read as a stand alone. This is a story about a woman who has decided dating isn't for her. She likes men just fine, but only for a night and only for one thing, then she is off to enjoy her own life man free. She has been successful at that since the day she was left at the alter by her childhood sweetheart, that is until a hard man in a soft sweater came to her rescue at the bar one night and she just can't seem to figure out how to keep her panties on anytime he is near.
Astrid hates all things hockey since Tig dropped her the day of their wedding to run off to another city and play for another team. She is now is that city after her dad got a coaching job there. She might be there for family but she still wants nothing to do with hockey. Seems like fate has other plans for Astrid. First, she broke all her rules and had sex with Cal even after she learned he lived in her building, but it gets worse when she figures out he is the new hockey coach brought on to help her ex out of his slump and worse than that when her dad talks her into coming back to help out the team in his last season. Now she is trying to avoid Cal because he is like catnip and she just can't get enough.
Cal might not be able to play the game anymore but this is his shot to be a part of it. Trouble is he is so distracted by Astrid that he keeps forgetting why hooking up with the head coach's daughter is probably a bad idea. But there is just something about her and Cal is going to pull out all the stops to see if he can find a way to not only get into her panties but maybe even into her head and her heart. Which might be more difficult than he realized since she keeps dodging him.
I had so much fun with this story. Astrid is a bit on the broken side but after the wedding debacle who wouldn't be. I loved watching her grow and Cal figure out how to do some adorable things to soften her up. Who knew Diet Coke could win a girl's heart. Their story is pretty cute with just enough angst to really seal the deal. Once I got going I didn't want to stop listening to the story to see what it was going to take for these two to figure out they were more than just people who hook up.
The epilogue was a bit strange but worked overall and sets up the next couple solidly. If you have read some of the other series about the Ice Knights, Harbor City or the Hartigans then you are in for a treat as there are quite a few cameos from other books.
Narration: Robert Hatchet and Savannah Peachwood are gold in this. Both have all the angst and sexy in their voices and really sold the characters. I love that each of the main character had their own voice for the story, it made it flow great. Plus both of their performances were just candy to my ears. The sexy times were soooo hot, so pick your listening place accordingly, you have been warned. I was able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.
Sale Alert 18Feb24 This is the amazon daily deal @2.99
V.E. Schwab has brought us back to the fantastic world she created in Shades of Magic. To reSale Alert 18Feb24 This is the amazon daily deal @2.99
V.E. Schwab has brought us back to the fantastic world she created in Shades of Magic. To really enjoy this new spin-off series I highly recommend immersing yourself in the original trilogy. It has been seven years since the events of the original trilogy and the main characters from that are still very present, with some new players to the game. [image] Kell and Lila have been sailing around the world having adventures and learning to live with the consequences Kell faced at the end of Shades of Magic. They have built a life together but Lila has not lost that stubborn streak to try and remain wholly independent and not need anyone.
“Why didn’t you stay on the ship?” he asked again, because now and then, it was not enough to dance around the truth. He wanted to hear her say it. Even if she did not wear the ring. He wanted to know that she chose to be here, with him. Lila held his gaze so long he could have counted the shards of light in her good eye. And then, at last, almost grudgingly, she said, “Because the bed would feel empty. Without you in it.”
Rys is stuck so to speak in London ruling with Alucard, who is known as the Kings Heart. He has a new Queen and daughter to bring into the mix. The structure of the relationships between all three are very interesting to say the least. Both Alucard and the Queen are determined to save Rys, not only from himself but from the new plot by a group called the Hand, who wants to remove him from power by any means necessary. [image] In White London there is a new Queen. In Holland's absence Kosika is taken over is in charge of that London. She is doing everything possible to revive the lands there. underestimated because she is a young child coming into her power at the age of 8, she is now 15 and proving to be a very adept ruler. However the walls might be thinning between here London and Black London. What are the risks and can they be held at bay. She has a strange advisor, but I haven't decided if he is helping or subtly subverting our little Kosika.
Tes, well she was one of the most interesting stories in the book. After running away from her family she has set up a shop to fix broken things. Her magic is really special, she can see the threads of magic. She can hold them in her hands and fix or change magical items to be even better. She has mostly tried to stay under the radar hiding from her family but when something appears in her shop to be fixed, she fixes it better than it was supposed to be creating something that can open a door between worlds. She is now embroiled in this magical war and the machinations of The Hand. She needs to find one of the Antari to help her. But as we know Lila isn't exactly warm and welcoming and there will be people in the palace that want to use her for their own gains.
“As far as she was concerned, family had nothing to do with proximity or blood. Family was a chosen thing. A label earned.”
I really enjoyed so much of this story. It was great to see all the characters that I loved in the original series and see what they were up to and how their lives were going. Lila is infuriating sometimes but she and Kell really fit together and I love their love story.
“To Lila, Kell had always been a pane of glass tilted toward her just so, so that where others saw only colors and streaks, she saw the truth of it. Of him.”
The new Queen was an interesting and morally ambiguous character. She chose to marry Rys for her own reasons, those of power and autonomy but sometimes she seems to be the most dangerous of all of the characters in the book. She is absolutely brilliant but also the creations she makes in the wrong hands could be beyond deadly.
This story had so many great facets. Told in both past and future we learn what the characters have been up to in the seven years since the events to drive out the black taint. We also get to see some glimpses for the bad guys PoV, even if not all of the names of those characters are revealed. There are multiple plots afoot to kill Rys, which as we know if impossible, well unless you kill Kell I suppose but that isn't common knowledge and I think Lila would have something to say to anyone who tried.
I'm really excited to see what happens when Kosika possible starts to interact with the characters in Kell's London and how the thinning of the doors will affect all of the magic in the worlds. Maybe Lila's home will finally get a little magic on that side as we see there is some hope for it when we visit there.
Overall, I couldn't put this book down I was so invested in the characters, the story, the political intrigue and character development. I found everything so interesting but if you weren't invested in the first series I think it could seem a little long and some of the concepts of the story might be a little confusing. Still if you read the first series this is like coming home after being away for a few years and catching up with all your old friends.
Narration:
I believe it was so smart to do multiple narrators on this. If you have read anything in the epic fantasy realm then you should already be familiar with Kate Reading and Michael Kramer. They are really fantastic at narrating and I always know they will deliver a solid performance. No matter how big the cast they have been able to accommodate large sets of characters into their Narrations. Marisa Calin isn't a novice narrator with over 100 titles under her belt, but I've only listened to one other book she has narrated. I think the biggest compliment I can give her is that I didn't notice differences between the caliber or her chapters or those of Kate Reading and Michael Cramer. She held her own with two powerhouses of narration and that is a huge compliment.
I listened to the story at my usual 1.5x speed....more
There are so many books out there that are focused on people in what is considered the "prime" of their lives but not so many that look at people lateThere are so many books out there that are focused on people in what is considered the "prime" of their lives but not so many that look at people later on when they are in their "golden years" and for women characters that is more than true. An older woman can be a grandmother in a tale or a sub-side character but rarely the lead. So I loved this book just based on the premise that a woman's life doesn't end at menopause and they can still be bad ass, have love lives and just in general be more than just one small check box.
This story revolves around a group of women who were probably considered rabble rousers in their 20s, recruited to become a squad of deadly assassins. Initially they hunted Nazi's but that change dover the years to just generally bad people. The four women worked with each other for 40 years before retiring. They were sent on a cruise together in recognition of their contribution to the agency, referred to as The Museum. On the cruise they discover they are the new targets of the Museum. Seems like they want to clean house and the Girls are on the list for assassination this time. On the run we will learn about their pasts together and put the pieces together for their present and why they are being targeted. They will have to solve the mystery and maybe kill a few people along the way to get their lives back.
“...The entire plan was there in shimmering hot pink ink. "It looks like a My Little Pony murder plot," Mary Alice said. "Jesus, is that glitter?" "I like it," Natalie said loyally. "I find it hard to take us seriously as agents of vengeance when our plot looks like a kindergarten craft project.”
I had a good time in this story. It was a nice blend of past and present as we add credence to the story of how elite of a team these women are. Billie is really the main character and she hold they story together well. This job was her life and she never settled down with anyone even though she had a few opportunities over the years. She didn't have dreams of being a housewife, or having kids. We get to see her the most in current time and the flashbacks to understand the story and mission on the museum better.
“I'm a woman. Guilt is our birthright. Guilt if we want to be mothers, guilt if we take the pill instead or choose to abort. Guilt if we stay home with our kids or guilt if we work. Guilt if we sleep with a man, guilt if we say no. Guilt if we're lucky enough to survive for no good reason. I'm so damned sick of it. I've never been so tired of anything in my life. I just ... I just want to go to sleep forever!”
As a woman in my mid-forties I really connected with her and therefor the rest of the story.
There are alliances, betrayals, past loves and current all in the mix. I really enjoyed the overall story and I'm glad I finally found time for it. The crew of women together I found delightful! The conclusion was also extremely satisfying to me.
If you are looking for something that reminds you life for a woman isn't over at 50 they might be the book for you.
Also...This was my favorite concept from the book. I had no idea their was a name for it. See I learned something while reading.
“Billie lies awake for a long time, watching the passing lights of cars on the highway and thinking about a strange phenomenon the French call l’appel du vide, the call of the void. It’s when you stand up high, staring into an abyss, and have a strong desire to throw yourself into it. It can take other forms. You might be driving and suddenly think about jerking the wheel, sending your car into oncoming traffic. Or you might be out for a hike and fantasize about hurling yourself off a cliff. It is not a suicidal impulse. In fact, it is the opposite. Psychologists say it’s actually about how much a person wants to live. They perceive a nearby threat to themselves and they think about that threat because they want so much to survive.”
This is a compilation for the fans. Most of the stories are set in the Kate Daniels world. But a few are short stories having nothing to do with the wThis is a compilation for the fans. Most of the stories are set in the Kate Daniels world. But a few are short stories having nothing to do with the world. I had read and reviewed most of the stories already but a few were new to me and I will review them here.
Retribution Clause:
Did you know Siaman had a cousin? Well he does and they are nothing alike. Adam and his partner Siroun work for insurance in Philadelphia. It isn't your normal kind of insurance. If you are someone with some questionable morals you can get a policy that will ensure the person who killed you will be killed by someone in Adam's like of work.
Adam and Siroun have just had a policy go active and have a limited amount of time before the client's murdering husband ends up in police custody and out of their reach. Time to storm the castle so to speak and get retribution for the client. Also try not to kill anyone because that isn't good for the bottom line.
I had a good time with these two and hope that I run into them again since that seems like a pair with a lot of pent up sexual tension and longing to indulge in.
Grace of Small Magics
Grace has lived a pretty normal life in a world where magic is still a pretty well kept secret. She has a small magic that hasn't been that hard to hide. But she just found out her family is indentured to another and has been for generations. It is her turn to answer the call of the mysterious Man who holds her families magics in chains. He needs Grace to enter a challenge with him if he has any hope of surviving.
This was a really well done short story with great elements of world building, character development and even a bit of romance.
I give it all the stars!!!
Every story was good and if you are a Kate Daniels fan it was great to listen to them all back to back to get all the extra PoVs + Swine and Roses along with the other two stories.
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the conThis review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Mislaid in Parts Half-Known is the ninth book in the Wayward Children series. This is a series that follows different characters each book, of children who do not fit into this world we live in quite right, and sometimes find doors to other worlds/realms where they really belong. While normally I would say you could read most of these stories as stand-alones to really understand this one and all the additional characters in it you would have needed to have read at least Lost in the Moment and Found to get Antsy's origin story. But it would be better to have read all the prior stories as so many characters from previous books are in this one as they go on a very interesting quest together.
Antsy lived in a between world where lost things go; she can find anything needed which has made her a bit of a target at the School for Wayward Children full of kids who have lost the doors to the worlds they were in and most want to go back. Befriended by some former leads in books we have read, they are about to go on an accidental quest opening doors and walking into new worlds together. Antsy will see what has become of the shop in the in-between she left has become and have some decisions to make now that she knows all the rules.
I liked that we got to go on a bigger quest in this book with some of my favorite characters. Cade, Christopher and Cora will assist Antsy in finding her world again and will end up making a few important stops along the way. We finally get to see that world of dinosaurs we have heard about in other books, though we don't get to linger there for long. I always enjoy seeing the different places the kids end up. I liked learning more about how the doors really work and what the real cost is to go through though them.
There were some sad moments as we say goodbye again to some characters as they find their true homes once again, it is happy and yet bittersweet. As always though I'm excited to see the new imaginings in Seanan McGuire's head and the worlds she has dreamed up for this series.
Narration: Jesse Vilinsky was a fantastic choice for this series. She was perfect for the voices of Antsy and all the Wayward Children. I have loved her narrations since I first noticed her narration of Swordheart. She is able to capture the emotion and humor of a story and deliver it flawlessly. I always know which character is talking and they all have depth to their voice more than just a new tone. Mislaid in Parts Half-Known was another fantastic performance by Jesse Vilinsky. I was able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.
Fast and fun Christmas story for the members of St. Mary's off on a small jump to the historic London for some traditional meat pies. It should be easFast and fun Christmas story for the members of St. Mary's off on a small jump to the historic London for some traditional meat pies. It should be easy, but as with everything dealing with St. Mary's chaos and shenanigan's ensue.
Told from Markham's perspective this is a quick and fun Christmas tale in true St. Mary's style. With a kidnapping, a fall off the chopping block, some confusion with the Time Police and Penny Royal just for good measure. I mean Max was on the trip so we should have known it wasn't going to be an easy jump.
All this in attempts to get an authentic Meat Pie for Ms. Mack so she could best the Women's Institute - the Raffia Mafia in the upcoming competition.
Fun, funny and full of a few little tid bits for those of you following the dramatics that is the St. Mary's crew....more
Very Entertaining! This is a collection of short stories about an intergalactic insurance agent and his trusty if semi dimwitted intern Jimmy. They arVery Entertaining! This is a collection of short stories about an intergalactic insurance agent and his trusty if semi dimwitted intern Jimmy. They are all a bit on the silly side of life chocked full of pop culture references and digs on this dimension where so many statistically improbably things have happened that even the Cubs have one a World Series.
There are some right wing dropped funnies about current happenings in this dimension, which is so backwards Firefly was cancelled after one season...I agree Larry, I agree. And there are a lot of fun other versions or dimensions of earth where things went extremely different. Adam Baldwin is the president in a few of them.
These are just go along for the ride and see what happens stories as Tom Stranger stives to give the best customer service to his clients and thwart his nemesis who underinsures and runs call centers to make sure you continually go around in circles and never get the pay out you deserve.
The fourth wall is broken as Larry Correia of this dimension and others makes some appearances. This is just a light and ridiculous listen when you just want something a little different and fun.
P.S. No Manatees were harmed in this audiobook. Flooooooh
P.P.S Only one Dolphin was harmed in this audiobook, but to be fair that guy was a jerk and sorta deserved it.
Narration
Adam Baldwin narrates this and is pretty hilarious at it. I especially enjoyed when Adam got to play himself :P. But no seriously he brought all the fun to this book that it is supposed to be with all the easily dropped puns and banter happening throughout. I definitely thought his performance made the stories even more enjoyable...more
The Sunlit Man is the last of the four books Brandon Sanderson wrote while not touring due to tThis review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
The Sunlit Man is the last of the four books Brandon Sanderson wrote while not touring due to the Covid travel restrictions that was part of the most successful Kickstarter of all time. The other books in the the four book Kickstarter were for his wife and son, but Sunlit Man is for the fans. It features one of the characters from the Stormlight Archives after the events of the yet to be completed book 5 of that series. Written as a standalone, this is much like the Hulk, Quantum Leap or the old Westerns where the wanderer shows up to save the day before moving along. It will definitely help your enjoyment of the book if you have at least read to book 2 or 3 of the Stormlight Archives or any of Sanderson's works set in the Cosmere or else you might not understand the magic system and some of the finer points of The Sunlit Man.
Nomad is one of the well known characters from the Stormlight Archives and some of the fun of this book is discovering who he is and why he might be on the run going by a different name and jumping planet to planet. With his friend Aux, who may or may not be a spren from Roshar, he has jumped onto a planet this time about to sacrifice a bunch of people to the sun. There are so many questions the reader will have in the first few chapters as we learn just bits and pieces along the way of this character on the run from the Night Brigade, why he isn't allowed to harm anyone, how he is tied to Wit, why did he hold the Dawnshard for awhile and why is his spren almost dead. There were a lot of questions from the very beginning and in true Sanderson fashion they are doled out a little at a time during the story to help us understand this characters and the life he is living today, without spoiling anything that might be happening in future books from the original series.
Nomad finds himself on a world with two different sets of people. One is the Cinder King, a man with a burning ember in his heart keeping him alive. He is cruel and looking to dominate the entire planet. The other set of people spend most of their time dodging the Cinder King and the Sun. On this planet the full force of the sun will annihilate anyone it's path and leave behind a soul stone. These are used as power sources by people on the planet to keep their flying cities running. For the Cinder King this means using the people he is trying to conquer to fuel his empire, for the resistance it means letting loved ones volunteer when it is their time. The investiture on this planet is so strange and Nomad needs to figure out how to use it if he is ever going to escape this planet and stay ahead of the Night Brigade.
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The things I loved about this story are really the things I love about most Sanderson stories. The worldbuilding is incredible, the people are complex and the heroes are always broken. Nomad has a past he is still trying to outrun and that brings up a slew of questions.
“He put his hands to his skull, digging his fingers into the skin. How could he run so hard and never get anywhere? The journey was supposed to be the important part, wasn’t it? Why, then, was he so miserable?”
How long should he run, is this a life worth living, he used to fight for people. He used to be a different man.
“But he could still hear. And somehow, in shutting out the light— there within the blackness of his own design— he felt something. Something of the person he’d once been. Words once spoken. In a moment of glorious radiance.”
The story is great, the plot, the villain, the discoveries made, and sacrifices given. It was a true heroes tale and journey. Maybe our Nomad will regain part of the man he used to be, maybe he won't. But I will hope to see him in future Cosmere tales. Whether as the main character or just someone who tags along for part of the adventure, I don't care as I enjoyed the journey our intrepid Knight seems to be on and hope that somehow and in someway he finds whatever redemption he is searching for. This was my favorite out of all four of the Kickstarter books and thought it was a great way to end the journey we started with Sanderson a year ago.
I want to say that one of the other great things about all of the Kickstarter books have been the art inside. Brandon Sanderson loves to show you some of the details of his worlds and I liked the art in this book so much. I listened to the audio but I went through the ebook to see all the artwork and will one day reread the words with my eyes to enjoy this story again with the art at the same time.
Narration: William Demerit narrated one other Sanderson book I have read. He was really perfect for this role as well. The narrators for The Stormlight Archives are great but it was nice to get a new voice for a new main characters and enjoy the performance from a PoV. William captured all of the characters so well. I really felt for Nomad and Aux as more of their tale was revealed slowly. He was a great new voice for a fantastic new lead. His pacing for the story was great and really added to my overall enjoyment.
Tony kills people. Well kind of, in this world most of the time if you are murdered you don't die. Well at least 99.9% of the time. Tony used to have Tony kills people. Well kind of, in this world most of the time if you are murdered you don't die. Well at least 99.9% of the time. Tony used to have more solid work in hospitals helping to save people on the verge of death but now budgets don't allow for that he is on the shadier side of things.
Accidentally involved in a bank robbery where another dispatcher proved the 0.1% of the time you still end up dead part true, Tony has found himself in a pickle. He is suspected by the police as being involved since he is a dispatcher too. The other people involved in the crime are ending up true dead and no one knows why or how. If Tony is going to stay alive he has a mystery to solve.
This is an enjoyable little mystery in a weird place where kids don't go bungie jumping for a thrill but actually plunge to their deaths to be resurrected in their homes. Murder doesn't usually work, but if you are clever you can make it happen.
A quick who done it murder mystery.
Narration:
Zachary Quinto's voice is like butter. Fantastic to listen to....more
Frost takes a Fae world adds a minor enemy to lovers, stacked with forbidden romance and a tv reality bachelor type tropes to set t3.5 Fae World Stars
Frost takes a Fae world adds a minor enemy to lovers, stacked with forbidden romance and a tv reality bachelor type tropes to set the stage for our story. At least on this version of the bachelor there isn’t any of that gross bachelor behavior of swapping spit and groping with multiple girls in the running. King Torin needs a bride to sit on the summer throne to save Faery from the winter it stuck in since the death of his parents.
Ava is a Fae cast out of faery when she was a baby, she has grown up in the human world but has longed to know faery. After coming home to find her human boyfriend in bed with another woman she drowns her sorrows with her best friend. In a chance meeting that night with Torin, in a drunken state she tells him what she thinks of his competition to be his bride. Intrigued Torin invites Eva to be in the competition as he needs a bride he can’t love, for reasons, to restore the magic in faery.
“Well, that’s good, darling, because as I said, I’m looking for someone I can’t love, and so far, you are the perfect match.”
Faery is different than Eva expected. It is beautiful and a place she finally feels like she belongs but it is also cruel and wild. The princesses she is up against are going to single her out as a threat and she will need a little assistance from Torin if she is going to survive.
“We are creatures of the Wild Hunt, and we could never be anything else. If you feel we go too far, it’s only because you are living a lie about your true nature.” The corner of his mouth curled. “Because underneath it all, you are as vicious as the rest of us.”
This is an interesting story overall. I liked the competition style set up and seeing how brutal the fae could be. Still nothing was really surprising, I knew almost immediately what most of Eva’s background was going to be so as clues were disclosed, they weren’t really ground breaking.
This was an enjoyable story overall. I think the romance aspect with a lot of the longing and no touching were very YA feeling but with wording could be very NA adult.
“When was the last time you lost yourself in a pleasure so intense, you forgot your name? That you forgot your own mortality? Because that is what it means to be fae. I could make you ache with pleasure until you forget the name of every human who made you think there was something wrong with you.”
The ending was interesting and I was glad I could jump into the next book right away. While I did guess at Eva’s heritage I wondered if she would ever be in a place to start to find her magic and what that would look like.
If you are a fan of Fae type stories and romances then this should fit the bill. Still I would have liked a little deeper character building especially for some of the secondary characters.
Narration:
I listened to the new Graphic Audio version of this that completely helped with the enjoyment of the book. Having a full cast for narration along with the sound effects for the world and events was fantastic. Graphic Audio has been great for bringing books to life and it probably added to my enjoyment of this series....more
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