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| art by Risa Rodil |
Hooray for spring colds. I've had this one for the last few weeks and am only now beginning to feel better. There's not much that you can do when your sick and everything , even standing up, is a challenge. Thank goodness for books and audiobooks. They've kept me company when there was little else to do but binge-watch Netflix.
Here's what I read this month:
Here's what I read this month:
by Leigh Bardugo
52 Pages (0:52 Hours)
There was a time when the woods near Duva ate girls - or so the story goes. But it's just possible that the danger may be a little bit closer to home. This story is a companion folk tale to Leigh Bardugo's debut novel, Shadow and Bone.
I've been reading and loving the Grisha novels and these little short stories are the icing on the cake. They are short folk tales from that World that give just a little background to some of their superstitions and beliefs. This one deals with a wicked step-mother, a wood witch and missing girls that seem to disappear into the forest. But who is responsible?
by Kiera Cass
323 Pages (7:25 Hours)
The time has come for one winner to be crowned.
When she was chosen to compete in the Selection, America never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown—or to Prince Maxon's heart. But as the end of the competition approaches, and the threats outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realizes just how much she stands to lose—and how hard she'll have to fight for the future she wants
I've got to admit, I didn't think I'd like this series as much as I do, but I'm really enjoying it.
This book is much better than the last two. America has finally given up her silly love triangle and decided that she loves Maxon enough that she wants to spend her live with him, even if that means being Queen and having to deal with his awful father.
But things are escalating in the world around them and the rebellions are stepping up their games as well. More attacks are happening and people are beginning to choose sides.
by Scott Lynch
530 Pages
An orphan's life is harsh — and often short — in the island city of Camorr, built on the ruins of a mysterious alien race. But born with a quick wit and a gift for thieving, Locke Lamora has dodged both death and slavery, only to fall into the hands of an eyeless priest known as Chains — a man who is neither blind nor a priest.
A con artist of extraordinary talent, Chains passes his skills on to his carefully selected "family" of orphans — a group known as the Gentlemen Bastards. Under his tutelage, Locke grows to lead the Bastards, delightedly pulling off one outrageous confidence game after another. Soon he is infamous as the Thorn of Camorr, and no wealthy noble is safe from his sting.
Passing themselves off as petty thieves, the brilliant Locke and his tightly knit band of light-fingered brothers have fooled even the criminal underworld's most feared ruler, Capa Barsavi. But there is someone in the shadows more powerful — and more ambitious — than Locke has yet imagined.
Known as the Gray King, he is slowly killing Capa Barsavi's most trusted men — and using Locke as a pawn in his plot to take control of Camorr's underworld. With a bloody coup under way threatening to destroy everyone and everything that holds meaning in his mercenary life, Locke vows to beat the Gray King at his own brutal game — or die trying...
This book was a lot of fun. When I was reading Six of Crows, Adam thought I might enjoy this book for being similar. So this is my RBA book of the month (actually last month, but I didn't get it finished in time). It was a lot of fun to see how a group of confidence men work, but even more fun to watch the situation get totally out of control and watch them trying to make things right. I'm really looking forward to reading the next book and seeing what's in store for these lovable characters.
by John Green
229 Pages (6:48 Hours)
Katherine V thought boys were gross
Katherine X just wanted to be friends
Katherine XVIII dumped him in an e-mail
K-19 broke his heart
When it comes to relationships, Colin Singleton's type happens to be girls named Katherine. And when it comes to girls named Katherine, Colin is always getting dumped. Nineteen times, to be exact.
On a road trip miles from home, this anagram-happy, washed-up child prodigy has ten thousand dollars in his pocket, a bloodthirsty feral hog on his trail, and an overweight, Judge Judy-loving best friend riding shotgun--but no Katherines. Colin is on a mission to prove The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability, which he hopes will predict the future of any relationship, avenge Dumpees everywhere, and finally win him the girl.
Love, friendship, and a dead Austro-Hungarian archduke add up to surprising and heart-changing conclusions in this ingeniously layered comic novel about reinventing oneself.
I'm not a huge John Green fan, but having only read The Fault in Our Stars, I thought I'd give this $2 audiobook a go. It was hard at first to listen to. Colin is not a likable character at all. Lucky for him (and me), the other characters are and they were what kept me listening. As I was, I thought of all the terrible things I was going to say about this book when I was done, but then the unthinkable happened. Colin grew as a character and actually became kinda likable in the end. I know, I was surprised too, although I shouldn't be since John Green is known for his characters and building amazing relationships. I guess I shouldn't judge a book by one annoying teenager.
by Patricia Briggs
292 Pages
When Mercy Thompson, mechanic and shape-shifter, attempts to return a powerful fae book she previously borrowed in an act of desperation, she finds the bookstore locked up and closed down.
It seems the book contains secrets -- and the fae will do just about anything to keep it out of the wrong hands. And if that doesn't take enough of Mercy's attention, her friend Samuel is struggling with his wolf side -- leaving Mercy to cover for him lest his own father declare Samuel's life forfeit.
All in all, Mercy has had better days. And if she isn't careful, she may not have many more...
When I stared this series, I wasn't thrilled with it, but I found the 5 books at BMV for next to nothing and kept them on my shelf as fillers for when I was between series that I really liked. But as the books went on, they became more of an escape when I just wanted to get lost into something simple and fun. I've actually grown to really like the series and this book was probably one of the best so far. Although the over arcing story line is about the fae searching for the book that she has hidden, the underling story is so much better. It really shows what being in the Pack is like and where everyone stands. It also deals with the person vs. the wolf inside, which I found fascinating. Now that my pile of these book is finished, I'm going to have to go back and see if I can find the rest.
by S. Andrew Swann
336 Pages
It has been a year since former thief Frank Blackthorne became Princess of Lendowyn and married a dragon. He's coming to terms with his new life, but during the royal anniversary banquet, an elven prince reads a scroll of evil magic and Frank's world is turned upside-down. Again.
The scroll's spell causes a murderous rampage in a palace full of noble dignitaries, so it's no surprise Frank's visitors are angry. The Elf-King Timoras threatens war but Frank can't do anything about it: because of the same bit of scroll magic, the ex-Dragon Lucille has taken over the princess's body, unaware that Frank is still there, locked in her skull. And worst of all, the fate of everyone may soon rest on the shoulders of the man responsible for the whole mess, someone who should be safely dead...
This book was good, silly fun, which is exactly why I bought it. I wasn't sure if I was going to have a chance to finish it though, as it took an impromptu swim in my tub. Luckily, after some quick googling, I found a few methods that would help. After about a week of working to get it dry I managed to flatten it enough that it was in good enough condition to read again. It's not perfect, but it still worked and the story was good enough to be worth saving.
by Sarah J. Maas
648 Pages (20:18 Hours)
Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she's at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past . . .
She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die just to see her again. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen's triumphant return.
Celaena’s epic journey has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions across the globe. This fourth volume will hold readers rapt as Celaena’s story builds to a passionate, agonizing crescendo that might just shatter her world.
This is another series that just keeps getting better and better. It's nice to see characters come into their own and take charge. It's one of the things I think Sarah J. Maas is really good at doing with her characters. I really feel like this story is coming together and it's nice to see the separate story lines begin to converge. I can't wait to see what happens in the next book.
by Joe Abercrombie
366 Pages
Thorn Bathu was born to fight. But when she kills a boy in the training square she finds herself named a murderer.
Fate places her life in the hands of the deep-cunning Father Yarvi as he sets out to cross half the world in search of allies against the ruthless High King. Beside her is Brand, a young warrior who hates to kill. A failure in her eyes and his own, the voyage is his last chance at redemption.
But warriors can be weapons, and weapons are made for one purpose. Will Thorn always be a tool in the hands of the powerful, or can she carve her own path? Is there a place outside of legend for a woman with a blade?
This was my other RBA for the month. I read the first one last year in March and wasn't really sure what I thought of it. I'm glad Adam pushed me to read the second book because it was much better. I liked the characters more and the story felt smoother. I'm looking forward to finishing the series.
Books that I am currently reading
by Timothy Zahn
93 of 694 Pages
by Anthony Ryan
425 of 602 Pages (24:39 Hours)
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (Extraordinary Voyages #6)
by Jules Verne
102 of 394 Pages
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (Extraordinary Voyages #6)
by Jules Verne
102 of 394 Pages
by Rohinton Mistry
30 of 603 Pages
Revisionary (Magic Ex Libris #4)
by Jim C. Hines
125 of 389 Pages
The Heir (The Selection #4)
by Kiera Cass
225 of 318 Pages (8:48 Hours)
I know, I know, so many books that I'm currently reading have been on here forever. I promise I am trying to make some progress on them, slowly but surely.
Revisionary (Magic Ex Libris #4)
by Jim C. Hines
125 of 389 Pages
The Heir (The Selection #4)
by Kiera Cass
225 of 318 Pages (8:48 Hours)
I know, I know, so many books that I'm currently reading have been on here forever. I promise I am trying to make some progress on them, slowly but surely.
