The weather outside is beautiful and I'm finding that I'm spending more and more of my time outdoors instead of hanging out on the couch reading. Does that mean I'm reading less than usual for my challenge? No, not at all. If anything it means that I'm just listening to audiobooks more than usual, which I'm totally okay with.
Here's what I read (and listened to) this month:
Here's what I read (and listened to) this month:
by Paula Froelich
263 Pages
Mercury in Retrograde introduces three women whose lives intersect when they each decide to move into the same SoHo apartment building. Penelope Mercury is an intrepid reporter at the New York Telegraph who spends her days pounding the pavement in every borough to meet the unreasonable demands of her boss. She aspires to cover courtroom drama for the paper, but on one disastrous day instead of being promoted, she gets fired.
Lena "Lipstick Carcrash" Lippencrass is an Upper East Side socialite who works at the high fashion magazine Y and loses her perfect apartment after her wealthy parents cut her off from her trust fund. And Dana Gluck is a corporate lawyer on the verge of becoming a partner who has seen her marriage and prospects for motherhood disappear, leaving her almost comatose with depression.
Lena "Lipstick Carcrash" Lippencrass is an Upper East Side socialite who works at the high fashion magazine Y and loses her perfect apartment after her wealthy parents cut her off from her trust fund. And Dana Gluck is a corporate lawyer on the verge of becoming a partner who has seen her marriage and prospects for motherhood disappear, leaving her almost comatose with depression.
As these three disparate women become friends, they soon discover that having their carefully planned lives fall to pieces might have been the best thing that could have ever happened to them. A thoroughly modern novel, Mercury in Retrograde captures the trials and tribulations of city life with humor and heart.
I've been saving this tbr book until Mercury was in retrograde and I must admit that I was pretty skeptical about it, as I usually am about my tbr books. And as usual, I was pleasantly surprised. This was actually a fun book. The 3 main characters got along great together and helped to bring out the best in one another. I really appreciate that, especially in books about women. There were some great laugh out loud moments and a bunch of feel good moments as well. I really can't ask for anything more.
by Ann Aguirre
315 Pages
"I’m still a redhead. Before we left Texas, I touched up the roots with Garnier Nutrisse 64-R, and then I had some tawny apricot highlights put in. I guessed that meant I intended to keep this color for a while. Symbolic—I’d made a commitment, at least to my hair."
As a handler, Corine Solomon can touch any object and know its history. It’s too bad she can’t seem to forget her own. With her ex-boyfriend Chance in tow—lending his particularly supernatural brand of luck—Corine journeys back home to Kilmer, Georgia, in order to discover the truth behind her mother’s death and the origins of her “gift.”
But while trying to uncover the secrets in her past, Corine and Chance find that something is rotten in the state of Georgia. Just a few miles away, no one seems to know Kilmer exists. And inside the town borders there are signs of a dark curse affecting the town and all its residents—and it can only be satisfied with death…
This is the 2nd book in this series and I'm quite happy that I picked it up. It was really good. Corine heads back to her hometown to find out what really happened to her mother and to try and figure out more about her powers (¥). I figured that it would take more than one book for them to actually go back and find out what was going on. I figured it would be one of those things that they talk about for a few books and then maybe finally go in the last book.
She still seems to have a bit of a love triangle (▲) going on between her and Chance and Jesse. I won't tell you who I'm rooting for, but I'll just say I'm happy with the outcome of this book and I'm excited to see what happens next.
She still seems to have a bit of a love triangle (▲) going on between her and Chance and Jesse. I won't tell you who I'm rooting for, but I'll just say I'm happy with the outcome of this book and I'm excited to see what happens next.
by Robert Jordan
705 Pages (26:34 hours)
The Wheel of Time turns and ages come and go, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the age that gave it birth returns again.
For centuries, gleemen have told the tales of The Great Hunt of the Horn. So many tales about each of the Hunters, and so many Hunters to tell of. Now, the Horn itself is found: the Horn of Valere long thought only legend, the Horn which will raise the dead heroes of the ages.
And it is stolen.
I mentioned that I was listening to more audiobooks while out and about this month. Well, those audiobooks has all been Wheel of Time. This is the 2nd book in this series and it is my 3rd time reading it. It's nice to listen to the book instead of reading it or re-reading the summaries. The only thing I don't like are some of the pronunciations of names and places, but those are things that differ for everyone. Book 2 builds very well on the first book. It's where the large world that Jordan has build begins to open up and you start to understand how the world works and the different factions within it, including the first look into the White Tower (unless you read New Spring first, like I did last year). It's amazing how much foreshadowing Jordan put into his books, considering some of the threads didn't come together until the end books.(▲)
by Robert Jordan
699 Pages (24:48 hours)
The Dragon Reborn—the leader long prophesied who will save the world, but in the saving destroy it; the savior who will run mad and kill all those dearest to him—is on the run from his destiny.
Able to touch the One Power, but unable to control it, and with no one to teach him how—for no man has done it in three thousand years—Rand al'Thor knows only that he must face the Dark One. But how?
Winter has stopped the war— almost—yet men are dying, calling out for the Dragon. But where is he?
Perrin Aybara is in pursuit with Moiraine Sedai, her Warder Lan, and Loial the Ogier. Bedeviled by dreams, Perrin is grappling with another deadly problem—how is he to escape the loss of his own humanity?
Egwene, Elayne and Nynaeve are approaching Tar Valon, where Mat will be healed—if he lives until they arrive. But who will tell the Amyrlin their news—that the Black Ajah, long thought only a hideous rumor, is all too real? They cannot know that in Tar Valon far worse awaits...
Ahead, for all of them, in the Heart of the Stone, lies the next great test of the Dragon Reborn....
Yup, lots of Wheel of Time. I like this book because it's the first book that Rand isn't the main character (even though the story still revolves around him) and we get a better look into other characters; Egwene and Perrin, mostly, and finally Mat!
This book shows us that we can't run from our fate even if we want to or try to. Somehow it all fits into the Pattern. It's pretty awesome to see them try and fight it, though and to see how their threads get tied back together even when they are across the world from one another.(▲)
We also begin to see how large the pattern is and it's much bigger than any of the characters can imagine. The Dark One is stirring and the Forsaken are lose and setting up their own plans.
Originally Jordan had planned to end the series here, but I'm so glad that he didn't.
We also begin to see how large the pattern is and it's much bigger than any of the characters can imagine. The Dark One is stirring and the Forsaken are lose and setting up their own plans.
Originally Jordan had planned to end the series here, but I'm so glad that he didn't.
1303 Pages
In the first volume, we were introduced to the remarkable world of Roshar, a world both alien and magical, where gigantic hurricane-like storms scour the surface every few days and life has adapted accordingly. Roshar is shared by humans and the enigmatic, humanoid Parshendi, with whom they are at war. Among those caught up in the conflict are Highprince Dalinar Kholin, who leads the human armies; his neice Jasnah, a renowned scholar; her student Shallan, a brilliant but troubled young woman; and Kaladin, a military slave who, by the book’s end, was beginning to become the first magically endowed Knight Radiant in centuries.
In Words of Radiance their intertwined stories will continue and, as Sanderson fans have come to expect, develop in unexpected, wonderfully surprising directions. The war with the Parshendi will move into a new, dangerous phase, as Dalinar leads the human armies deep into the heart of the Shattered Plains in a bold attempt to finally end it. Shallan will come along, hoping to find the legendary, perhaps mythical, city of Urithuru, which Jasnah believes holds a secret vital to mankind’s survival on Roshar. The Parshendi take a dangerous step to strengthen themselves for the human challenge, risking the return of the fearsome Voidbringers of old. To deal with it all, Kaladin must learn how to fulfill his new role, while mastering the powers of a Windrunner.
This is also the 2nd book in the series (wow, I read a lot of 2nd books this month) and despite it being 1300 pages, I couldn't put it down (even when my poor arm begged me to)
It was really great to finally have all the characters together and to see how they interact with one another. It's not always easy, but their interactions never seem forced, even when the conversations go off in weird, funny or confusing directions.
I usually hate books that take place in dessert (or I guess barren plains), but Sanderson knows how to make it interesting. Somehow even the way he talks about the and animals of the area is fascinating, which is an achievement for any fantasy writer.
I can't believe I have to wait until next year until the next one comes out! I should just start trying to collect them in hardcover now and save myself the hassle later on.
Books that I am currently reading
It was really great to finally have all the characters together and to see how they interact with one another. It's not always easy, but their interactions never seem forced, even when the conversations go off in weird, funny or confusing directions.
I usually hate books that take place in dessert (or I guess barren plains), but Sanderson knows how to make it interesting. Somehow even the way he talks about the and animals of the area is fascinating, which is an achievement for any fantasy writer.
I can't believe I have to wait until next year until the next one comes out! I should just start trying to collect them in hardcover now and save myself the hassle later on.
Books that I am currently reading
by H.P. Lovecraft
