A charming and delightful continuation of the series. I enjoyed my time with these characters, though I would have loved it if Bambleby were more presA charming and delightful continuation of the series. I enjoyed my time with these characters, though I would have loved it if Bambleby were more present and active on the page in this sequel because he is such a great counter-balance to Emily Wilde's down-to-business perseverance. I am very much looking forward to the third installment and will continue to listen to the lovely narration performed by Ell Potter on the audiobook. ...more
A group of authors are gathered together on a train traversing the desert. They have all been invited for a crime-writer's festival by the Australian A group of authors are gathered together on a train traversing the desert. They have all been invited for a crime-writer's festival by the Australian Mystery Writer's Association, when...dun dun duuuuun a murder occurs! Who better to solve this crime than Benjamin and his fellow crime writers who can all lean on the investigative skills they gained while writing their books. What could possibly go wrong?
The continuation of the series that began with Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone, this second installment has the same meta elements, humor, and clever reveals that worked so well in the first book. The audiobook is wonderfully narrated and adds to the cheekiness of the fourth-wall breaking first-person narration. This was a fun time, and I think it will work equally well for fans of the first book.
The final novel in this epic fantasy trilogy delivered for me. While following the political, religious, and relational aspects of this series, I realThe final novel in this epic fantasy trilogy delivered for me. While following the political, religious, and relational aspects of this series, I really came to care for our main characters Helena and Vonvalt. They were both flawed but likable and had depth and development. I was quite sad to end my journey with them.
I was also a big fan of the way this series blended horror and fantasy elements while never becoming entirely grim-dark. Vonvalt's and Helena's focus on justice and good kept the tone from feeling bleak despite the massive odds that were stacked against them. While each book in the series may have been a 4.5 star for me, the overall series was definitely a 5 star one. If Richard Swan comes out with a new series, I will be pre-ordering it....more
A very engaging novella in the Wraith Kings series. Draven's writing is very immersive, and I felt like I was there in this seaside town as a mysterioA very engaging novella in the Wraith Kings series. Draven's writing is very immersive, and I felt like I was there in this seaside town as a mysterious danger emerges from the water. I am very much looking forward to the future book in this series that will focus on these characters as I found them likable and interesting....more
DNF @ 43% - Putting this one down through no fault of its own. I have been listening to and enjoying this sci-fi book on audio, but due to the severalDNF @ 43% - Putting this one down through no fault of its own. I have been listening to and enjoying this sci-fi book on audio, but due to the several points-of-view and the complexity of the political happenings of the story, this is a book I know I would do better physically or immersive reading. I feel like I am missing some important details by only listening to it. It is well written, has interesting and strong female characters, and I want to give it the attention it deserves. I'll likely wait until after the second book of the trilogy is released to dive back into this....more
3.5 ⭐️ - I had fun with this sequel, though it wasn’t as compulsively readable as Fourth Wing. The middle portion of the book felt overly long, but th3.5 ⭐️ - I had fun with this sequel, though it wasn’t as compulsively readable as Fourth Wing. The middle portion of the book felt overly long, but the last 20% or so really picked up the pace. The dragons and their personalities continue to be one of my favorite aspects of the series. These books aren’t going to win awards for their literary merit, but they are a good time if you go in to them with the right expectations.
A satisfying and fun conclusion to the YA horror/fantasy City of Nightmare Duology. We follow Ness, who is afraid of just about everything. Granted, iA satisfying and fun conclusion to the YA horror/fantasy City of Nightmare Duology. We follow Ness, who is afraid of just about everything. Granted, it can be a bit tough at times to be in the head of a character who is worried and anxious ALL the time, but I could hardly blame Ness. After all, she lives in a world where people fall asleep only to wake up as their nightmare personified. It is a dystopian world where Ness could be shot on any given evening while working as a bartender, the politicians are beyond corrupt, and dinosaurs can pop up and take out the center of town on a sunny afternoon. She has good reason to be afraid.
Ness finds herself in a position to make a bargain with the Nightmare Phantom, and, as is usually the case for her, things end up falling apart and going from bad to worse. The concept for this duology is really the shining star for me. It's such a fun idea to explore, and I think the author did a great job of running with the possibility of having living nightmares as a part of society. I think the books would have made a deeper impact on me if it had been a trilogy instead of a duology, and we would have spent more time with the characters and their interactions. The end of this book felt a bit rushed, but it made for a quick and enjoyable series to slot in between more complicated and expansive adult fantasy books....more
I had a good time with this indie fantasy/mystery novel. It starts off with some strong Dickensian vibes as we follow young Inkwell Featherfield, who I had a good time with this indie fantasy/mystery novel. It starts off with some strong Dickensian vibes as we follow young Inkwell Featherfield, who has been taught to trust no one, and is making his way on the streets when he gets embroiled in a major mess involving a dead body, demons, and some fugitives.
The reader is doled out bits of world-building slowly as Inkwell himself becomes aware of information. We are kept in the dark on some major elements right up to the end of the book, which helps increase the suspense for the second installment in this series. The characters were quirky and distinct and the writing was solid. The book seemed to shift a bit tonally more than once, and that threw me off a little. While I enjoyed this story, I'm on the fence about continuing with the series. The author did a great job of making me question whom I should trust, and not knowing who the "good guys and bad guys" really are might be enough of an impetus for me to continue....more
DNF @ 19% - A sci-if novel featuring elements of Hindu philosophy, two main characters who have been married for years, and people who literally manipDNF @ 19% - A sci-if novel featuring elements of Hindu philosophy, two main characters who have been married for years, and people who literally manipulate objects around them to create & sustain the sky world where humanity lives now that climate change has decimated Earth. So many aspects of this are appealing to me, but it just wasn’t coming together in a way that worked for me. There are elements of a great book in here, but I wasn’t connecting with the characters or the story enough to compel to continue. ...more
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