by Kay | May 23, 2011 | Weekly Feature |
In this weekly event hosted by
One Persons Journey Through a World Of Books where we discuss what we’ve been reading this week (and, occasionally, what we haven’t).
I’ve had rather limited reading time as of late… working, studying, travelling, etc. has meant I have had to deprive myself. I plan on finishing Rivers of London this month, but then will have to take a bit of a reading hiatus – an unfortunate necessity, I’m afraid.
Currently reading:
- Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch – Alas, this one has not lived up to the promise with which it began. Still enjoying it, and will certainly get the sequel, but wish it were a wee bit better!
Finished this week:
- Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik – I’m afraid this was not as great as the first book in the series. I still enjoyed it, but the pacing was off and a few of the characters went a bit bonkers…
New Reviews:
by Kay | May 11, 2011 | Weekly Feature |
“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that are being eagerly anticipated.
Charmfall by Chloe Neill
Goodreads -YA – January 2012 by Gollancz
High school can be a battlefield, but for Lily Parker, surviving at St. Sophia’s School for Girls is a matter of life and death…
Protecting Chicago from the dark side can be an exhausting job, especially when you’re a sophomore. So when the girls of St. Sophia’s start gearing up for Sneak, their fall formal, Lily decides to join in on some good, old-fashioned party prep—even if it means not giving demons, vampires and the twisted magic users known as Reapers her undivided attention.
But when a Reaper infiltrates the school, Lily doesn’t forget what she’s sworn to protect. She reaches deep into herself to draw out her magic—and finds that it’s gone. And it turns out she’s not alone. A magical blackout has slammed through paranormal Chicago, and no one knows what—or who—caused it. But Lily knows getting back her magic is worth the risk of going behind enemy lines…
Despite the ick that was Hexbound, I can’t help but be excited about Charmfall, the third book in Chloe Neill’s Dark Elite series… perhaps if Hexbound had come out sooner, I would have like it more? Either way, I wish Charmfall weren’t coming out in January! I am hoping for more Sebastian (who really seems like a nice guy… who works on the side of evil) and the restoration of the awesome Lily/Scout dynamic.
by Kay | May 9, 2011 | Weekly Feature |
Currently reading:
- Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch – This book is fabulous. Very tongue-in-cheek, and has a gorgeous cover (seriously, it’s stunning – but the US is friggin’ scary). Can’t wait to review this one.
- Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik – I never start sequels straight after reading the first book. Never ever – I like to hoard the books I know are going to be fantastic for a rainy day. But not this time! I just had to know what was happening to Temeraire!
Read over the last two weeks:
- The Iron Hunt by Marjorie M. Liu – Unfortunately, this one was not to my taste. Liu can craft a gorgeous sentence, but the plot was all over the place.
- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – ADORED. And reviewed!
- Temeraire by Naomi Novik – Again, this was fantastic. Loved it so much I went out an immediately bought the sequel…
I’ve been taking part in the
TBR New Authors mini-challenge this last month and, as is the case during every Literary Escapism challenge, I’ve discovered some fantastic authors sitting on my shelves!
Reviewed:
by Kay | Apr 27, 2011 | Weekly Feature |
“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that are being eagerly anticipated.
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
Goodreads – June 6, 2011 by Harper (US) and Bloomsbury (UK)“In this life we love who we love. There were some stories in which facts were very nearly irrelevant.”
Dr. Marina Singh, a research scientist with a Minnesota pharmaceutical company, is sent to Brazil to track down her former mentor, Dr. Annick Swenson, who seems to have all but disappeared in the Amazon while working on what is destined to be an extremely valuable new drug, the development of which has already cost the company a fortune. Nothing about Marina’s assignment is easy: not only does no one know where Dr. Swenson is, but the last person who was sent to find her, Marina’s research partner Anders Eckman, died before he could complete his mission. Plagued by trepidation, Marina embarks on an odyssey into the insect-infested jungle in hopes of finding her former mentor as well as answers to several troubling questions about her friend’s death, the state of her company’s future, and her own past.
Once found, Dr. Swenson, now in her seventies, is as ruthless and uncompromising as she ever was back in the days of Grand Rounds at Johns Hopkins. With a combination of science and subterfuge, she dominates her research team and the natives she is studying with the force of an imperial ruler. But while she is as threatening as anything the jungle has to offer, the greatest sacrifices to be made are the ones Dr. Swenson asks of herself, and will ultimately ask of Marina, who finds she may still be unable to live up to her teacher’s expectations.
In a narrative replete with poison arrows, devouring snakes, and a neighboring tribe of cannibals, State of Wonder is a world unto itself, where unlikely beauty stands beside unimaginable loss. It is a tale that leads the reader into the very heart of darkness, and then shows us what lies on the other side.
I don’t usually feature literary fiction here – but I absolutely adore Ann Patchett. She’s one of those authors who knows how to construct a novel with a style so effortless you know it required endless planning. The saying that the best coincidences require a lot of planning? Well, that’s Ann Patchett. Her novel The Magician’s Assistant is one of my very favourites. And her last novel, Run, was absolutely stunning. I’ve spent the last 5 years desperately awaiting news about a new book, so imagine my joy to hear about State of Wonder!
The only thing I am worried about in this book is the “research” aspect. Pharmaceutical researchers are infamous for their animal testing, but I’m going to hope that Dr. Marina Singh is one of the rare few who does not engage in this disgusting practice! Otherwise she shall be rather difficult (read: impossible) to relate to!
by Kay | Apr 25, 2011 | Weekly Feature |
In this weekly event hosted by One Persons Journey Through a World Of Books where we discuss what we’ve been reading this week (and, occasionally, what we haven’t).
Currently Reading:
- The Iron Hunt by Marjorie M. Liu – I am not quite in love with Liu’s style. She uses: Very. Short. Sentences. But, enjoying the plot, so we’ll see!
Finished this week:
- Moloka’i by Alan Brennert – I don’t often review literary fiction, but this one was just so fantastic I will have to share! I cried about 10 times reading this thing, and yet I wouldn’t call it a tragedy. Saga – yes. Tragedy – no. Expect a review this week!
Did NOT Finish:
- Across the Universe by Beth Revis – After reading so many great reviews of this book, I was extremely disappointed. The world-building was non-existent and the characters were just a bore: this book is Sci-Fi 101. It took me only twenty pages to realise that – at best – I’d be writing a 2 star review for this book. So not worth the effort. Shame…
Up next from the TBR pile:
I am still working my way through TBR Newbies challenge books. After The Iron Hunt, I think I will FINALLY start reading The Hunger Games. Considering the film is already being cast, it’s about time!
by Kay | Apr 18, 2011 | Weekly Feature |
In this weekly event hosted by One Persons Journey Through a World Of Books where we discuss what we’ve been reading this week (and, occasionally, what we haven’t).
Currently reading:
- Moloka’i by Alan Brennert – Was back in 2007, I read Wendy’s review (Musings of a Bookish Kitty) of this book and added it to my wishlist. In 2009, I stumbled upon it in a second-hand store. And now, four years later, I’ve finally started it! I’m only two chapters in but it is beautiful so far. I went to Hawaii over the Christmas holidays, so a lot of the areas Brennert describes are still fresh in my mind.
Finished this week:
- Beauty by Robin McKinley – Lovely book. Expect a review in the next few weeks.
- Lover Revealed by J.R. Ward – God, this was terrible. Epically terrible. I am starting to dread the rest of the series now…
- The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong – I read this one in a day and LOVED IT. It’s not quite as fantabulous as her Darkest Powers series, but it is still really really really amazing. And, GOD, I had some many questions by the end of it! I cannot believe we have to wait a whole year for the next book! Gahhh!
Reviews:
