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The Girl in The Tower: The Winternight Trilogy
The Girl in The Tower: The Winternight Trilogy
Katherine Arden | 2018 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
9
8.6 (7 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Girl in the Tower is the second in the Winternight Trilogy, after the acclaimed debut novel, The Bear and the Nightingale. It's always hard to talk about sequels without giving too much away about the preceding books, so forgive me if I'm vague. One advantage to waiting so long to read The Bear and the Nightingale was that I got to jump straight into the sequel! Now I have to several months for the third.

The Girl in the Tower revisits our heroine, Vasya, from the first book. Now she has left home to begin her adventures - though her travels are curtailed pretty quickly, and she's roped into going to Moscow with her brother and the Grand Prince, while disguised as a boy. While in Moscow she learns a little bit more about her family history, and I'm hoping the rest will be revealed in the third book this summer. (The Winter of the Witch is scheduled to release in August 2018.)

In this second book, Vasya has done some growing, and has learned to make use of the spirits she sees - she knows the hearth spirits can always find their families, and uses that trait to track a kidnapped girl when no one else can. So long as no one realizes what she's doing, she's fine. But Rus is in the crossover period between the old ways and the new, and if she's found talking to spirits, she'll be branded a witch all over again. She keeps her masquerade going through the first two-thirds of the book, but it's obvious it's going to fail eventually. The way in which it does is sudden and unexpected, and the repercussions are harsh.

And then there's Morozko, the Frost Demon, the god of death. I love Morozko. He's by necessity enigmatic - and in a rough position. I want he and Vasya to fall in love and have a happy ending - the attraction between them is impossible to miss - but immortal beings, in this world, can't love. If they love they lose their immortality. And, possibly, their lives entirely. I hope the author has a solution in mind for these two, because I currently don't see one.

I actually liked this one more than the first book, which is unusual. I liked the first one, but I wasn't blown away. This one pulled me in and didn't let me go. Amazing sequel, and I hope the third one lives up to this standard!

You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
  
Jenelyn's Journey: The Werewolf of Wittlich
Jenelyn's Journey: The Werewolf of Wittlich
E.E. Byrnes | 2021 | Mystery, Paranormal
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A very different story is being told here and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
JENELYN'S JOURNEY: THE WEREWOLF OF WITTLICH is the first book in the Jenelyn's Journey series and we start off in L.A. with Jenelyn and her parents. Because she is now eighteen, she must start her Journey, following where the Spirits lead. She will start her Journey in Germany, the starting point changing for each person but following as tradition dictates. Luckily for Jenelyn, a German couple who helped her mother on her own Journey, have agreed to let Jenelyn stay with them.

I loved the changes in German and American cultures and traditions, as seen through Jenelyn's eyes. She had a wide-eyed wonder about the architecture, places, and people that I thoroughly enjoyed. She was both naive and street-smart which worked for her. She makes friends and has great relationships with various people in her life, which just makes the goodbyes so much harder! Gretchen and Laszlo were brilliant characters with their own secrets but always supportive of Jenelyn.

I would say this book was a bit heavier on the mystery side than the Spirits. There wasn't as much on the supernatural side as I was expecting, but I still found it interesting, especially with how it all tied together. The book is immersive in Germany, so I expect the same will happen in the next book - I won't say where she's off to next so I don't spoil it for anyone.

A very different story is being told here and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Definitely recommended by me.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
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Lindsay (1804 KP) rated Nora Bonesteel's Christmas Past (Ballad, #10.5) in Books

Feb 15, 2018 (Updated Apr 9, 2019)  
This story is about sheriff Spencer Arrowood and deputy Joe LeDonne and Nora Bonesteel. Will happen with them. The sheriff and deputy go on a call to bring in someone. They go about as if they now the person. Though the person they have come to get put them though some things. To find out what they did and help they do. They all look like they may on spend Christmas away from home.

Nora get a visit from a couple that bought the old Honeycutt's house. Things start to happen once this couple decides to come up and spend Christmas at the house. Nora and many other things start to happen with memories and spirits are found in the walls. You need to read to find out what the story is behind the old memories.
  
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Sam (228 KP) rated Spirited Away (2001) in Movies

Aug 15, 2019 (Updated Aug 17, 2019)  
Spirited Away (2001)
Spirited Away (2001)
2001 | Animation, Fantasy
9
8.4 (62 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Beautiful Imagery (2 more)
Fascinating Side Characters
Well Developed Plot
Annoying Main Character (0 more)
An Original Everyone Needs to See
I will forever hold to the simple gorgeousness of Studio Ghibli films. This one is no exception. Probably one of their most well known films I believe everyone needs to see this film at least once. Although I will admit that this is one of my least favorite main characters. The story follows a young girl as she navigates the world of the spirits, crying throughout the majority of the film as she involves herself in business she doesn't understand, causing problems at every turn. The characters that surround her are gorgeously portrayed however and well developed considering just how many characters populate this film. Why they all seem to love the main character however is a question I cannot answer.