Category Archives: Words
Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
First of all, I have never enjoyed an audio book as much as this one. At least half a star is for that alone. The story was quite the exciting romp through the world of the Gentleman Bastards. I don’t know how to say much without spoiling the book for people, but suffice it to say that if you enjoyed The Lies of Locke Lamora you will most likely enjoy Red Seas Under Red Skies. Jean & Locke are definitely up to no good and it doesn’t always work out for them. Still, to paraphrase one of Jean’s more memorable lines, they’re the biggest, baddest motherfuckers in the room.
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Leave a comment | tags: 4.5 stars, adventure, badassery, book, book review, books, boozy, fantasy, gentleman bastards, have some more wine, jean tannen, locke lamora, questionable motives, review, scott lynch, star-crossed lovers, sweet sweet luuurve, swordplay, too stubborn for their own good, up to no good, you're a kitty | posted in Words
Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James
My rating: 1.5 of 5 stars
P.D. James, I loved The Children of Men. I even bought a copy of it to write a paper comparing it to another book for no other reason than that I found it that fascinating and intriguing. I’ve enjoyed the other books of yours I read. You are, or sadly were, an author for whom I have great respect. I just want to know, what happened with Death Comes to Pemberley?
I think I could have liked this book. I found the premise interesting and I have a long-running adoration of Pride and Prejudice. This though? This was tawdry. It went for sensationalism in a way Austen would find anathema. The characters were shadows, the plot was both weak and made me sad, and the book left me feeling irritable for days. Months later the primary thought I have about this is, “Damn authors, get off my lawn!” I even created a shelf with that name.
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Leave a comment | tags: audio book, book, book review, books, country houses, damn you authors; get off my lawn!, disappointing, i hear you like books in your books, mystery, review, sweet sweet luuurve | posted in Words
The Terror by Dan Simmons
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
It is not beyond the realm of possibility that this book would have waited from being finished in February to being reviewed in July even had my year not been inhumanely busy. Despite the disgustingly hot weather, I have goose bumps thinking about it.
The Terror is taken from the name one half of a pair of ships sent on an Arctic expedition at some point when reinforcement technology for ice breaking ships still involved the types of wood used in conjunction with some iron. Near the beginning a character thinks to himself that the number of awards given to the returning commanders of these expeditions seems to be higher the more lives are lost. I’m inclined to agree.
This book was dark, dirty, and above all cold. To steal from the inimitable karen’s review, “oh my god, let me never get scurvy.” There are many things I could add to that list. I have no idea how realistic it may be, but the descriptions of the conditions experienced by the people on those ships make me wish I could forget hearing them.
Sadly, I feel the same way about much of the element of this book that throws it into the fantasy heap. It somehow went from a scary thing that could have been made frightening to a rather campy and eventually lame rehashing of a mythology that I suspect is nowhere near as simplistic as it seems. The last 10 or so chapters could have been left off the book. More HMS Terror and less of the Terror would have made this a far better book.
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Leave a comment | tags: 3.5 stars, book, book review, books, crazy deities, denizens of hell, everybody dies, fantasy, friend review sparked interest, historical fiction, horror, impending doom, magical creatures, mythological types, the fuck is this the fuck was that | posted in Words
Fool Moon by Jim Butcher
I enjoyed Fool Moon more than I did Storm Front, which I definitely enjoyed. Harry was still stupidly overprotective of other people in a way which put them in more danger than they would have been otherwise, but at least there was less “omg, the wimmenz, they need protecting and coddling” bullshit. I also found the story more interesting. Where the first book bounced around in a way that I found confusing at times, the pace of the second was pretty good. The audio is also great. I recommend listening to these. I’m looking forward to the next one!
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Leave a comment | tags: 4 stars, badassery, book, book review, books, chicago, fantasy, fool moon, harry dresden, jim butcher, magical creatures, windy city, witches & wizards, wolves of the were persuasion | posted in Words
Small Gods by Terry Pratchett
I don’t even know how to express just how much I loved Small Gods. I really, really, really enjoyed reading this. Sure, that may have been because my boyfriend’s great love of turtles has rubbed off on me. It may have been a devious glee at the thought of a petulant little god who never considered that he should do anything for his believers. The great library and the hilarious stereotype of the philosophers in Ephebe certainly didn’t hurt. Nor did the penguin. Or the history monk. Vorbis was creepy as hell, which added a slight touch of reality. Seriously, go read this. Now. Go!
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Leave a comment | tags: 4.5 stars, book, book review, books, crazy deities, discworld, fantasy, humorous, libraries are awesome, magical creatures, review, small gods, terry pratchett, too stubborn for their own good, turtles | posted in Words
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was better than Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Coming from me, that pretty much falls into the “damning with faint praise” category. There were some parts of this book I really enjoyed, especially some of the character development with the Weasley kids. Overall though…well, if you don’t mind obscenities or spoilers, my complete thoughts are in the rant below.
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Leave a comment | tags: 3 stars, book, book review, books, deathly hallows, disappointing, fantasy, Harry Potter, jk rowling, magical creatures, precocious kiddos, review, the fuck is this the fuck was that, young adult | posted in Words
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
*jaw-cracking yawn*
I was seriously disappointed by Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Nothing happened. Well, until the very end, but even then, it wasn’t enough to save my overall impression of the book from being primarily that it was boring. They get a new professor, Dumbledore is all cagey with Harry, Snape is an asshole, Harry is an idiot, blah, blah, blah. Yes, I know there actually was a lot that took place in the book, but it still felt largely like it wasn’t there for anything other than setting up the last book.
Did I mention that it was boring?
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Leave a comment | tags: 2.5 stars, albus dumbledore, disappointing, ginny weasley, half-blood prince, Harry Potter, harry potter and the half-blood prince, hermione granger, jk rowling, precocious kiddos, ron weasley, up to no good, witches & wizards | posted in Words
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
Good lord, I’ve not reviewed a single book I’ve read this year & it’s already February. *deep breath* Here goes…
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Leave a comment | tags: 4 stars, children, dolores umbridge, fantasy, ginny weasley, Harry Potter, harry potter and the order of the phoenix, hermione granger, hogwarts, jk rowling, magical creatures, order of the phoenix, precocious kiddos, ron weasley, sirius black, up to no good, witches & wizards | posted in Words
Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews
Magic Slays has a poignancy and genuine darkness that was a change from the preceding books in the series. Unfortunately,it also has some problems, for instance the complete ignoring of everything that happened in Magic Dreams. That being said, Kate shows vulnerabilities and weaknesses that made her a far more believable character. The villain was of a sort I had been waiting to see since the main construct of the series was introduced. The tension between Kate & Curran was more believable than in the past. Overall, perhaps less enjoyable because of the afore-mentioned darkness, but a better book. 4 stars just for that.
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Leave a comment | tags: 4 stars, atlanta, badassery, curran, down south, drinkers of blood, fantasy, ilona andrews, kate daniels, magic slays, magical creatures, re-read potential, sweet sweet luuurve, swordplay, that is not natural, too stubborn for their own good, vampires, witches & wizards, wolves of the were persuasion | posted in Words
Hexed by Ilona Andrews
This is a review of Magic Dreams, #4.5 of the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews. Unfortunately, there is not a standalone version, hence the review of this anthology.
Magic Dreams was sad. I like Dali’s character and it turns out her life is more sad than I thought. The villain was the saddest I have seen in this series to date. Even Jim was sad, although that could have had something to do with, well, spoilers. Anyway, sad. I enjoyed it overall and was quite angry that it was in no way acknowledged in the fifth book. Also sad. It’s all sad.
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Leave a comment | tags: 3.5 stars, atlanta, badassery, dali, down south, drinkers of blood, fantasy, ilona andrews, kate daniels, magic dreams, magical creatures, re-read potential, sweet sweet luuurve, that is not natural, too stubborn for their own good, witches & wizards, wolves of the were persuasion | posted in Words