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David McK (3649 KP) rated The Olympian Affair (The Cinder Spiers #2) in Books
Aug 26, 2024 (Updated Aug 26, 2024)
Well, that was a long wait.
Approximately 10 years (edit: 8, to be precise) since the publication of the previous full-length entry in this series (The Aeronaut's Windlass).
So it's just as well I went back and read that recently, as well as the recently-published 'interquel' short story of Warriorborn.
I *would* advise reading that short story first, since this picks up almost immediately from the end of said story: Benedict jumps at the end of the latter, AMS Predator catches him at the start of this.
That sentence will make more sense to any who have read it.
Anyway, what we have is another full-blown Steampunk novel, with war brewing between the home Spires/nations of the world in which it is set, and with some heavy hints towards the end that it is set in 'our' world, but in the far far (and largely dystopian) future - I also got a bit of a vibe of that bit in 2005's 'King Kong' film where they are on Skull Island and surrounded by giant man-eating millipedes etc (which is why, in the story, the surface world is so feared).
Let's hope I don't have to wait so long for the next instalment
Or even for a new Harry Dresden (my favourite of Butcher's works) story
(with the author even apologising for the wait for this in his authors note at the end)
Approximately 10 years (edit: 8, to be precise) since the publication of the previous full-length entry in this series (The Aeronaut's Windlass).
So it's just as well I went back and read that recently, as well as the recently-published 'interquel' short story of Warriorborn.
I *would* advise reading that short story first, since this picks up almost immediately from the end of said story: Benedict jumps at the end of the latter, AMS Predator catches him at the start of this.
That sentence will make more sense to any who have read it.
Anyway, what we have is another full-blown Steampunk novel, with war brewing between the home Spires/nations of the world in which it is set, and with some heavy hints towards the end that it is set in 'our' world, but in the far far (and largely dystopian) future - I also got a bit of a vibe of that bit in 2005's 'King Kong' film where they are on Skull Island and surrounded by giant man-eating millipedes etc (which is why, in the story, the surface world is so feared).
Let's hope I don't have to wait so long for the next instalment
Or even for a new Harry Dresden (my favourite of Butcher's works) story
(with the author even apologising for the wait for this in his authors note at the end)
Jenny Houle (24 KP) rated The Weight of This World in Books
Jan 13, 2018
I received an ARC from FirstToRead for an unbiased review of THE WEIGHT OF THE WORLD.
It's particularly hard to explain the details of this book without spoilers, beyond the blurb already posted about it: "A combat veteran returned from war, Thad Broom can’t leave the hardened world of Afghanistan behind, nor can he forgive himself for what he saw there. His mother, April, is haunted by her own demons, a secret trauma she has carried for years. Between them is Aiden McCall, loyal to both but unable to hold them together. Connected by bonds of circumstance and duty, friendship and love, these three lives are blown apart when Aiden and Thad witness the accidental death of their drug dealer and a riot of dope and cash drops in their laps. On a meth-fueled journey to nowhere, they will either find the grit to overcome the darkness or be consumed by it."
I don't entirely think I knew what I was getting myself into reading the book, which was well written but a little too graphic for me. I think in referring others to it, I will consider those who handle certain scenarios well, versus those who do not (for example, I'm not exactly rushing out to recommend this to any of my friends who've returned home from war and are dealing with PTSD).
The development of the three main characters and the intensity of their bonds and loyalty, despite all the ways they continued to fail one another, were a true depiction of human spirit. How we can love someone so much that we never mean to fail them, yet we can never do fully right by them.
I loved the epilogue but not the ending...if that makes sense (I'm afraid to say much for fear of spoilers). Part of me wanted so desperately for Aiden, Thad and April to all find their way away from Little Canada, alone or together, having beaten all their demons. Part of me, though, is realistic enough to know that is not how life works.
I will absolutely be hunting for other books by David Joy having read this one. So glad I took the time and stuck out the scenes that were hard to stomach.
It's particularly hard to explain the details of this book without spoilers, beyond the blurb already posted about it: "A combat veteran returned from war, Thad Broom can’t leave the hardened world of Afghanistan behind, nor can he forgive himself for what he saw there. His mother, April, is haunted by her own demons, a secret trauma she has carried for years. Between them is Aiden McCall, loyal to both but unable to hold them together. Connected by bonds of circumstance and duty, friendship and love, these three lives are blown apart when Aiden and Thad witness the accidental death of their drug dealer and a riot of dope and cash drops in their laps. On a meth-fueled journey to nowhere, they will either find the grit to overcome the darkness or be consumed by it."
I don't entirely think I knew what I was getting myself into reading the book, which was well written but a little too graphic for me. I think in referring others to it, I will consider those who handle certain scenarios well, versus those who do not (for example, I'm not exactly rushing out to recommend this to any of my friends who've returned home from war and are dealing with PTSD).
The development of the three main characters and the intensity of their bonds and loyalty, despite all the ways they continued to fail one another, were a true depiction of human spirit. How we can love someone so much that we never mean to fail them, yet we can never do fully right by them.
I loved the epilogue but not the ending...if that makes sense (I'm afraid to say much for fear of spoilers). Part of me wanted so desperately for Aiden, Thad and April to all find their way away from Little Canada, alone or together, having beaten all their demons. Part of me, though, is realistic enough to know that is not how life works.
I will absolutely be hunting for other books by David Joy having read this one. So glad I took the time and stuck out the scenes that were hard to stomach.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated The Iron Warrior (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten, #3) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<a href="http://www.inwonderlandbookblog.com/2016/02/the-iron-warrior-review.html"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on In Wonderland</a>
At this point in time, I'm starting to think "My name is..." is starting to become really basic.
But hey, I won't complain. It's been nearly two years since <i><a title="The Iron Traitor review" href="http://www.bookwyrmingthoughts.com/2013/11/review-the-iron-traitor-by-julie-kagawa.html"; target="_blank" rel="tag">The Iron Traitor</a></i> came out and I've been waiting to get my hands on this one since... forever.
Anyways...
The very last book in the <i>Iron Fey</i> series starts off about a month after the lovely cliffhanger Kagawa left us in the second book – Ethan finds himself back in the NeverNever and discovers that not only is the world in chaos after the split second break in the Veil, but Keirran has declared war on all of the faery courts. Family drama at its best, right?
<i>The Iron Warrior</i> is perhaps one of the darkest, if not the darkest novel in the entire series (including the main arc with Meghan). Kagawa takes us on an adventure into the NeverNever as she did with the past books, but it is one really disturbing journey. We go into parts of the faery world that have not been covered and more obstacles in the Between where creepy carnivals and malevolent witches are involved in the process as Ethan and Kenzie try to stop Kierran from raging war on the courts.
All of the characters – at least, the ones that remain alive from the spin off and the main series all make some sort of appearance in this last book, and Kagawa introduces a few new ones that will never make a future appearance. There are so many feels and internal threats to kidnap Razor – he is absolutely ADORABLE and his tiny size makes him so much more adorable – that happen throughout the book.
It's a sad thought to close the final chapter to the NeverNever, but <i>The Iron Warrior</i> is totally worth reading if only to see all of the major characters from both series once more.
At this point in time, I'm starting to think "My name is..." is starting to become really basic.
But hey, I won't complain. It's been nearly two years since <i><a title="The Iron Traitor review" href="http://www.bookwyrmingthoughts.com/2013/11/review-the-iron-traitor-by-julie-kagawa.html"; target="_blank" rel="tag">The Iron Traitor</a></i> came out and I've been waiting to get my hands on this one since... forever.
Anyways...
The very last book in the <i>Iron Fey</i> series starts off about a month after the lovely cliffhanger Kagawa left us in the second book – Ethan finds himself back in the NeverNever and discovers that not only is the world in chaos after the split second break in the Veil, but Keirran has declared war on all of the faery courts. Family drama at its best, right?
<i>The Iron Warrior</i> is perhaps one of the darkest, if not the darkest novel in the entire series (including the main arc with Meghan). Kagawa takes us on an adventure into the NeverNever as she did with the past books, but it is one really disturbing journey. We go into parts of the faery world that have not been covered and more obstacles in the Between where creepy carnivals and malevolent witches are involved in the process as Ethan and Kenzie try to stop Kierran from raging war on the courts.
All of the characters – at least, the ones that remain alive from the spin off and the main series all make some sort of appearance in this last book, and Kagawa introduces a few new ones that will never make a future appearance. There are so many feels and internal threats to kidnap Razor – he is absolutely ADORABLE and his tiny size makes him so much more adorable – that happen throughout the book.
It's a sad thought to close the final chapter to the NeverNever, but <i>The Iron Warrior</i> is totally worth reading if only to see all of the major characters from both series once more.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Remnants of Ash (Reign of Fae #1) in Books
Dec 4, 2019
Mere mortal. Fae hunter. Oh, and the apocalypse? Yeah, that happened!
She’s an unstoppable human. He’s an immovable beast. But the Fae have scorched the earth, thrusting it into unending darkness, and humans are next...
Through her research, University of Washington student Chloe Etain stumbled into an ancient war between the Light and Dark Fae that has culminated in her world being thrown into pre-industrial chaos. Dark Fae scum now roam free, feeding on unsuspecting humans. Chloe knows the truth though and, possibly, how to stop it. But as a mere mortal, what can she do?
That’s when the fates step in. Bram Tice, a fae hunting his own kind, vows to help Chloe. But he won’t say which Court demands his allegiance. Together, they set out to right the imbalance plaguing her world and save humanity before they turn into nothing more than remnants of ash.
This has been in my tbr pile for a while so I was looking forward to getting stuck in.
I can't really say I enjoyed it it wasn't a bad read but something was missing for me.
The storyline seemed to have a few holes and it was quite jumpy in parts (not the scary jumpy either 🤣 )
I will continue with book 2 as I don't like to give up on any series.
⭐⭐⭐
She’s an unstoppable human. He’s an immovable beast. But the Fae have scorched the earth, thrusting it into unending darkness, and humans are next...
Through her research, University of Washington student Chloe Etain stumbled into an ancient war between the Light and Dark Fae that has culminated in her world being thrown into pre-industrial chaos. Dark Fae scum now roam free, feeding on unsuspecting humans. Chloe knows the truth though and, possibly, how to stop it. But as a mere mortal, what can she do?
That’s when the fates step in. Bram Tice, a fae hunting his own kind, vows to help Chloe. But he won’t say which Court demands his allegiance. Together, they set out to right the imbalance plaguing her world and save humanity before they turn into nothing more than remnants of ash.
This has been in my tbr pile for a while so I was looking forward to getting stuck in.
I can't really say I enjoyed it it wasn't a bad read but something was missing for me.
The storyline seemed to have a few holes and it was quite jumpy in parts (not the scary jumpy either 🤣 )
I will continue with book 2 as I don't like to give up on any series.
⭐⭐⭐
Global Population: History, Geopolitics, and Life on Earth
Book
Concern about the size of the world's population did not begin with the "population bomb" in 1968....
ClareR (6037 KP) rated Machines Like Me in Books
May 25, 2019
Androids and an alternate 1980s Britain
I’ve been vacillating between 6 and 7/10 since I’ve finished this. I really liked parts of it - the robot, Adam, learning his way in the world, how he falls in love. Parts of it I found exceptionally frustrating. Why would you spend £84,000 and then ignore the Android for days? Why would you want nothing to do with it once it’s ‘awake’ and learning? Why bother at all!
I thought the alternate 1980s Britain was quite interesting - how we would potentially have reacted to a defeat during the Falklands war and the repercussions. And what would Alan Turing have been like if he hadn’t committed suicide?
The thing is, I didn’t particularly like either Charlie or Miranda (the lead human protagonists). Neither were likeable and treated Adam with contempt and suspicion, which grated on me. I usually like a book where I don’t like the main character, but there was something about Charlie that made me put the book down on several occasions, swearing to myself that I wouldn’t pick it up,again. Bit I did, and I think Adam, and Miranda’s backstory is to blame.
And as for Miranda. Well. I wasn’t convinced about her suddenly needing to foster/ adopt Mark, a small boy who is abandoned on their doorstep. It was just so unlikely.
I don’t know. I’ve read other Ian McEwan books that I’ve loved, but this one really didn’t do it for me on the whole. You can’t love them all, I suppose.
I thought the alternate 1980s Britain was quite interesting - how we would potentially have reacted to a defeat during the Falklands war and the repercussions. And what would Alan Turing have been like if he hadn’t committed suicide?
The thing is, I didn’t particularly like either Charlie or Miranda (the lead human protagonists). Neither were likeable and treated Adam with contempt and suspicion, which grated on me. I usually like a book where I don’t like the main character, but there was something about Charlie that made me put the book down on several occasions, swearing to myself that I wouldn’t pick it up,again. Bit I did, and I think Adam, and Miranda’s backstory is to blame.
And as for Miranda. Well. I wasn’t convinced about her suddenly needing to foster/ adopt Mark, a small boy who is abandoned on their doorstep. It was just so unlikely.
I don’t know. I’ve read other Ian McEwan books that I’ve loved, but this one really didn’t do it for me on the whole. You can’t love them all, I suppose.
Wolf Tamer (Claiming My Pack #1)
4.5
Rate It
Book
An Orphan Girl. A Group of Wolves. A Destined Fate for War. Don't you ever wish to find where...
Reverse_Harem Paranormal Romance Adult
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Siren (The Prophecy #4) in Books
Aug 22, 2020
Contains spoilers, click to show
152 of 200
Kindle
Siren ( The Prophecy book 4)
By Jessica Wayne
Her insecurities will be her downfall.
Anastasia Carter has spent her entire life fighting one war or another. After two years of peace in Terrenia, she is having trouble letting go of the voice inside her head that is telling her the battle is far from over.
When a new enemy rises and sets their sights on Dakota, Anastasia must risk it all to save the life of her husband.
Even if it means losing everything she fought to save.
At first I didn’t know what to think I mean she could have really ended it on the happy ending it was with Vincent dead!
Saying that I’m so glad she didn’t!! I absolutely love this world Jessica has written I love the characters and this book was full of emotion. If I had to critique one thing it will be the whole Elizabeth hiding who she was it kinda annoyed me a little that after discovering where Ana was and the person she was that Elizabeth kept quiet about her and Dekota! I have to say I absolutely went from hating Vincent to really liking him! Also what an ending!
Kindle
Siren ( The Prophecy book 4)
By Jessica Wayne
Her insecurities will be her downfall.
Anastasia Carter has spent her entire life fighting one war or another. After two years of peace in Terrenia, she is having trouble letting go of the voice inside her head that is telling her the battle is far from over.
When a new enemy rises and sets their sights on Dakota, Anastasia must risk it all to save the life of her husband.
Even if it means losing everything she fought to save.
At first I didn’t know what to think I mean she could have really ended it on the happy ending it was with Vincent dead!
Saying that I’m so glad she didn’t!! I absolutely love this world Jessica has written I love the characters and this book was full of emotion. If I had to critique one thing it will be the whole Elizabeth hiding who she was it kinda annoyed me a little that after discovering where Ana was and the person she was that Elizabeth kept quiet about her and Dekota! I have to say I absolutely went from hating Vincent to really liking him! Also what an ending!
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Purple Hearts in Books
Dec 7, 2018
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>
An epic tale of a reimagined World War II comes to an explosive end in this third and final book <i>Purple Hearts</i>. Michael Grant created an alternative history in which women were allowed to enter the army and fight alongside the men on the front lines in Europe. Having earned accolades, promotions and the right to go home to America at the conclusion of the previous book, Rio, Frangie and Rainy decide to stay for the remains of the war. It is 6th June 1944, and the battle on the sands of Omaha Beach is about to begin – D-Day.
The story rushes into the horrors of the D-Day landings where Rio, now a Sergeant, is leading her platoon through the treacherous battleground, whilst Frangie, the medic, tries to patch up fallen comrades. The author teases the reader with the introduction of new characters who promptly get killed during this fateful day and battles further along the line. There is no sugar coating the horrific experience of soldiers and civilians, regardless of whether the scenes are fictionalized or not.
The difficulty with writing a work of fiction about the final years of World War II is that the majority of readers will already know the facts. Therefore, it was impossible for Grant to compose a drastic alternative history. Despite the inclusion of women soldiers, the main events occur exactly as they did in reality, beginning with D-Day before moving on to Liberated France, the Hürtgen Forest, the Battle of the Bulge, and, eventually, VE Day.
The three main characters have undergone complete transformations since the beginning of book one. No longer are they the innocent girls mocked for the belief they could be as strong as male soldiers. As horror after horror unfolds, readers are left with only the hope that these three survive.
Throughout book one and two, the narrative was interspersed with a commentary from an anonymous female soldier in a bed at the 107th evacuee hospital in Würzburg, Germany. As promised at the beginning of the series, readers finally find out which character this nameless voice belongs to, although it is dragged out until the final pages of the book.
The title, <i>Purple Hearts</i>, refers to the medal earned by soldiers injured in battle. Rio, Frangie and Rainy have each received one, along with a few other characters. Unfortunately, many are killed in the battles, some who have been in the story from the start, making this an extremely shocking book. It goes to show how dangerous war is and the brutality WWII soldiers experienced. It is a surprise that as many survived as they did.
Although at this point the main focus of the story is the war, there is still the underlying theme of equality, both for women and for black people. Frangie provides the insight into the segregation of blacks, being assigned to black-only patrols and having white patients refuse to be treated by her. However, as the war gets more violent, these lines get blurred until it is (mostly) no longer important the colour of a soldier or medic’s skin.
<i>Purple Hearts</i> is a brilliant end to a challenging series. Readers become invested in the characters and are drawn into a story that is so true to form that it is easy to forget that women did not actually take part in the fighting. Evidently well researched, Michael Grant has penned a series that educates whilst it entertains, opening readers’ eyes to the truth about war. This is nothing like a textbook full of facts and figures, it is a moving, personal (forget the fictional bit) account of what WWII was really like. Written with young adults in mind, this is a great series for both teens and older readers.
An epic tale of a reimagined World War II comes to an explosive end in this third and final book <i>Purple Hearts</i>. Michael Grant created an alternative history in which women were allowed to enter the army and fight alongside the men on the front lines in Europe. Having earned accolades, promotions and the right to go home to America at the conclusion of the previous book, Rio, Frangie and Rainy decide to stay for the remains of the war. It is 6th June 1944, and the battle on the sands of Omaha Beach is about to begin – D-Day.
The story rushes into the horrors of the D-Day landings where Rio, now a Sergeant, is leading her platoon through the treacherous battleground, whilst Frangie, the medic, tries to patch up fallen comrades. The author teases the reader with the introduction of new characters who promptly get killed during this fateful day and battles further along the line. There is no sugar coating the horrific experience of soldiers and civilians, regardless of whether the scenes are fictionalized or not.
The difficulty with writing a work of fiction about the final years of World War II is that the majority of readers will already know the facts. Therefore, it was impossible for Grant to compose a drastic alternative history. Despite the inclusion of women soldiers, the main events occur exactly as they did in reality, beginning with D-Day before moving on to Liberated France, the Hürtgen Forest, the Battle of the Bulge, and, eventually, VE Day.
The three main characters have undergone complete transformations since the beginning of book one. No longer are they the innocent girls mocked for the belief they could be as strong as male soldiers. As horror after horror unfolds, readers are left with only the hope that these three survive.
Throughout book one and two, the narrative was interspersed with a commentary from an anonymous female soldier in a bed at the 107th evacuee hospital in Würzburg, Germany. As promised at the beginning of the series, readers finally find out which character this nameless voice belongs to, although it is dragged out until the final pages of the book.
The title, <i>Purple Hearts</i>, refers to the medal earned by soldiers injured in battle. Rio, Frangie and Rainy have each received one, along with a few other characters. Unfortunately, many are killed in the battles, some who have been in the story from the start, making this an extremely shocking book. It goes to show how dangerous war is and the brutality WWII soldiers experienced. It is a surprise that as many survived as they did.
Although at this point the main focus of the story is the war, there is still the underlying theme of equality, both for women and for black people. Frangie provides the insight into the segregation of blacks, being assigned to black-only patrols and having white patients refuse to be treated by her. However, as the war gets more violent, these lines get blurred until it is (mostly) no longer important the colour of a soldier or medic’s skin.
<i>Purple Hearts</i> is a brilliant end to a challenging series. Readers become invested in the characters and are drawn into a story that is so true to form that it is easy to forget that women did not actually take part in the fighting. Evidently well researched, Michael Grant has penned a series that educates whilst it entertains, opening readers’ eyes to the truth about war. This is nothing like a textbook full of facts and figures, it is a moving, personal (forget the fictional bit) account of what WWII was really like. Written with young adults in mind, this is a great series for both teens and older readers.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated The Everlasting Circle (Everlast #3) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
Well, its about bleeping time okay, that probably sounds a tad bit rude (my language was totally in check).
Anyways, its been two two! years since the second book came out, and Im kind of over the top excited to return to the world Juliana Haygert built several years ago.
The greatest thing Haygert provides at the very beginning of bringing us back to the world of Everlast is a recap of the first two books up to the point of preparing for war with Imha and Omi (among others). Theres also a lot of tension between Micah and Nadine from the second book carrying over to the final book, and I have to say I dont really mind the tension. After Micah got his own novella back in the Cup of Life, I kind of have a fondness for him and it was an absolute delight to take some peeks into Micahs mind in The Everlasting Circle.
The last book in the Everlast trilogy brings a nice close to the entire series with a HEA and many, if not all, questions from the prior books answered.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/mini-reviews-part-1-emily-skrutskie-marie-lu-and-others/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Well, its about bleeping time okay, that probably sounds a tad bit rude (my language was totally in check).
Anyways, its been two two! years since the second book came out, and Im kind of over the top excited to return to the world Juliana Haygert built several years ago.
The greatest thing Haygert provides at the very beginning of bringing us back to the world of Everlast is a recap of the first two books up to the point of preparing for war with Imha and Omi (among others). Theres also a lot of tension between Micah and Nadine from the second book carrying over to the final book, and I have to say I dont really mind the tension. After Micah got his own novella back in the Cup of Life, I kind of have a fondness for him and it was an absolute delight to take some peeks into Micahs mind in The Everlasting Circle.
The last book in the Everlast trilogy brings a nice close to the entire series with a HEA and many, if not all, questions from the prior books answered.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/mini-reviews-part-1-emily-skrutskie-marie-lu-and-others/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>