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Shadow Study (The Chronicles of Ixia #7)
Shadow Study (The Chronicles of Ixia #7)
Maria V Snyder | 2020 | Mystery, Romance, Thriller, Young Adult (YA)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Contains spoilers, click to show
102 of 200
Book
Shadow Study (Chronicles of Ixia book 4)
By Maria Snyder

 
Once, only her own life hung in the balance…

When Yelena was a poison taster, her life was simpler. She survived to become a vital part of the balance of power between rival countries Ixia and Sitia.

Now she uses her magic to keep the peace in both lands—and protect her relationship with Valek.

Suddenly, though, dissent is rising. And Valek’s job—and his life—are in danger.

As Yelena tries to uncover her enemies, she faces a new challenge: her magic is blocked.And now she must find a way to keep not only herself but all that she holds dear alive.




This is the first one in this series I’ve struggled with! Usually I devour her books in one or two days this took 4 days not like me at all!! I knew from that first chapter the whole reason she lost her magic and it drove me crazy. Not sure some of Valek’s chapters were needed but I loved janco and Ari’s I did miss those two!! Nice to catch up with Opal and clan and it was still a very good read think It’s more a personal opinion on how I wanted this book to go. I’m not surprised about the commander and I worry about Valek confronting him! I enjoyed the last 10 chapters a lot more than the first 23!
  
Calico
Calico
Lee Goldberg | 2023 | Mystery, Science Fiction/Fantasy
5
5.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A Shock and Some Flaws
After a scandal forces her from the LAPD, Beth McDade lands a job as a detective in Barstow, California. Nothing much happens in this middle of nowhere location until one night when a motorhome hits a vagrant. It appears to be a tragic accident, only no one knows who the vagrant is. And the autopsy turns up some surprising things. Can Beth figure out what is going on?

Since I normally enjoy Lee Goldberg’s books, I picked this one up without paying much attention to anything about it. As a result, I wasn’t aware it was a blend of Police Procedural, Science Fiction, and Western. It was initially shocking when I realized where the book was going, but then I got caught up in the story, which unfolds in the present and the past. It helped that I grew to enjoy the characters, although the raw nature of the first chapter made it a little hard for me. This book definitely has more content than the cozies I typically read. However, the book tried to do too much. There’s a subplot that really doesn’t go anywhere, and some of the story set in the past gets summarized for us. Meanwhile, the last couple of chapters have a bit too much exposition for me. I appreciate the attempt to do something different, but the execution could have been better.
  
A Game of Thrones
A Game of Thrones
George R.R. Martin | 2014 | Fiction & Poetry
10
8.8 (87 Ratings)
Book Rating
Full review can be found on my blog: www.diaryofdifference.com

This book will shake and break your heart. This book will make you realise that life is anything but gentle. But this book will also bring you the greatest adventure you have yet to see.

I have bought my whole book collection back in 2014. I have been procrastinating with this series for four years. And today, while writing this review, I thank the old gods and the new, for convincing me to read the first book.

I am probably one of the last people that have reviewed this book, and I assume you all already know a lot about the Game of Thrones series.

It is a book about one Iron Throne, and all the wars, fights, betrayals are about who will be sitting on that throne, and who will be in charge of all kingdoms.

Now, starting off, I am still not sure why people would send armies and armies of soldiers in order to win the throne, when it seems that no matter who becomes a king, that person gets instantly killed. And no kingdom respects each other, and kings and lords keep fighting off and wasting resources for a lost purpose, so there’s that as well.

We have many houses, Stark, Lannister, Baratheon, Tully, Arryn, Targaryen, Tyrell, Greyjoy, Martell, etc - and they all feature with something unique to their house. Most importantly, they all either want the throne, want revenge or want them both.

But just to clarify - I loved the book!

George R.R. Martin is a genius! He has created this amazing world, and characters that are so alive that make you either hate them or love them, but with all your heart. He has created relationships so tangled and stories so well written, that he puts other authors to shame.

The book is written from a third person perspective, and each chapter features a character. And with each chapter, George moves the time gradually, so we are not stuck in a loop of time pause. I enjoyed this method quite a lot! It kept the story line going very smoothly.

‘’Most men would rather deny a hard truth than face it.’’

There were so many characters I admired. But my connection with these characters in this book is unlike any other connection I have made. I usually either love or hate a character. But here, I judged actions, and relationships, and things people said and did!

I liked Eddard Stark’s bravery, and his manliness, but I didn’t like the fact that he was too honest for his own good.

‘’Can a man still be brave if he’s afraid?
‘’That’s the only time a man an be brave’’.

I loved Arya’s fierceness, but I didn’t like her stubbornness.

‘’For the second time today Arya reflected that life was not fair.’’

I liked Sansa’s politeness, and girlishness. She had all the perfect manners, but she also would betray family for love.

I loved Jon Snow’s story, and how he overcame his past, and learned to live with it.


‘’Let me give you some counsel, bastard.‘’ Lannister said. ‘’Never forget what you are, for surely the world will not. Make it your strength. Then it can never be your weakness. Armor yourself in it, and it will never be used to hurt you.’’


I loved many other characters for things they did, and hated many others, but I cherished the difference in each and every character, and that was the beauty in it - that even though an author can create so many characters, he can make them so different from each other.

In this book, you will encounter everything: mostly mean people, ready to kill everyone and anyone standing in the way of their plans. You will read about a story of a family that falls apart, a kingdom that vanishes, a fight between kings, how a little girl will learn life in one day, how a mother will watch her children disappear, one by one.