What have I read this week? Very little, as it happens.
This is a collection of short stories set in the same world as Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. Although it is not essential to have read that book and its sequels to read this, it is definitely helpful for the background. I enjoyed this. It was interesting to discover more about the peculiars.
What have I read this week?
This is a science fiction novel about a gay man named Nico, who starts the book being sentenced to death for murder. He lives in a theocratic future world where humans are genetically designed and homosexuality is illegal. I liked this one. Nico is an interesting character and I liked his viewpoint. I did find the social commentary a little heavy-handed at times, but I would definitely read other books by this author again.
This is the third book in the Imperials Saga, but the first one I’ve read. It follows three different characters: Tracy, a disgraced starship captain, Mercedes, the heir to the Imperial throne, and her consort Boho. I quite liked this, although I felt that the end of the book seemed a little rushed – a lot of stuff suddenly happens off-screen. However I would probably read more in this series.
What have I read this week?
This is a novel about a gay boy growing up in a small poor French village. It’s inspired by the author’s life. I found it kind of depressing, to be honest. It’s well written, but I can’t say that I enjoyed it.
This is a fantasy novel about a young woman named Amalia who is the heir to a powerful member of the Council of Raverra. She harnesses a fire warlock, which means that the two of them are tied together for life – the book focuses on how she deals with the combination of her new duties and her duties as her mother’s heir. I liked Amalia as a heroine, and the world is interesting. This was a fun book, and I’ll definitely be reading the next one.
This is the sequel to Foreign Devils, and the final book in the trilogy. I enjoyed it a lot – I felt it was a good conclusion to the story. It does end in such a way that there definitely could be more stories with these characters, but their current arcs are finished off nicely.
What have I read this week?
This is a nonfiction book about the Wars of the Roses. It’s a pretty accessible read.
Things I have learned:
Favourite quotes:
Katherine had been born in 1401 in Paris of a demented father and a nymphomaniac mother, Isabeau of Bavaria.
It was perhaps fortunate for her that Douglas was murdered not long after his return to Scotland, which meant that she could no longer rely on substantial Scottish support.
Tiptoft remains one of the most enigmatic and repellent figures of the age.
This is a children’s book, a retelling of Sleeping Beauty with a bit of Snow White thrown in. This is a lovely illustrated version, with illustrations by Chris Riddell. I enjoyed it, but I am a fan of Gaiman’s work anyway.
What have I read this week? Not much, once again. I’m changing the titling of these posts, because I keep losing track of which number I’m on. Future posts will just have dates.
This is the sequel to The Incorruptibles. I enjoyed it, although I found it slower going than The Incorruptibles. I am definitely going to read the third one, though, because I really want to know how everything turns out.
What have I read this week? Not much.
This is a alternate-history fantasy novel about a half-man, half-dvergar (a dwarf equivalent) named Shoestring. Shoe and his partner Fisk are working as scouts for a party of patrician Rumans in the wilderness. I quite enjoyed this and will probably read the other books in the series.
What have I read this week?
This is a YA fantasy novel about a girl named Mira Brand. She has a magical talisman that allows her to move between worlds and is seeking hidden treasures. This book was okay. The plot was okay, but I didn’t really like the characters. I won’t make any effort to read more in this series.
These are the first two books in a series about a girl named Mia Corvere whose father is executed for treason. She vows to get revenge on his killers and joins a secret order of assassins. I preferred the first book to the second, as I found it a more compelling read. However, I enjoyed them both and will undoubtedly read the third.
This is a YA book about an African boy named Osei who goes to an American school where he is the only black kid. It is a retelling of Othello. I didn’t really like it – I found the plot unconvincing, as it didn’t make sense to me that Osei would trust the Iago character who he has only just met.
What have I read this week? Not much, as I’ve been on holiday.
This book is a fantasy novel about a young woman named Kyndra. She is about to undergo her coming of age ceremony but it goes wrong. I enjoyed this book – I liked Kyndra as a character, and I liked the story. It was a fun read. I will probably read more in this series.
What have I read this week?
This is a historical fiction novel about the murder of Thomas Beckett in 1170. It is told from the point of view of the fifth knight who was present at the murder and a young nun. I found it a little tedious in places because I found the nun annoying. The plot was pretty interesting, though.
This novel is about a man who collects lost objects and then passes his collection on to his assistant when he dies with the request for her to try to reunite the objects with their owners. It was readable, but I wasn’t hugely excited by it.
This is a fantasy novel about a young woman named Twylla who is taken from her family to become the embodiment of the daughter of the Gods. I enjoyed this a lot. It was interesting and exciting and I would definitely read other books by this author.
What have I read this week?
The trilogy consists of Shaman’s Crossing, Forest Mage and Renegade’s Magic. These books are about Nevare Burvell, a boy who has been raised to become a soldier, and what happens to him when he encounters the magic of the local conquered tribespeople. I enjoyed this trilogy. It was a good read, even if the main character was annoying occasionally. I’d definitely recommend it, but it does get pretty dark in places.
This is a YA fantasy novel about a young person who runs away from their wealthy family and joins the circus. I’m not saying any more to avoid spoilers. I really enjoyed it, and I liked the main characters and the world they live in. I intend to read the other books in the series.
Random Ramblings 