Sunday Post – 18th December 2016

This is part of the weekly meme over at the Caffeinated Book Reviewer, where book bloggers can share the books and blogs they have written.

It’s been another busy week. Last week-end it was lovely to be grannying again, especially as the children helped out with decorating the house and the Christmas tree. On Monday I was up to Coulsdon to stay with my sister and brother-in-law. As well as catching up with my lovely niece and firming up arrangements for Christmas – we are all meeting up at my mother and father-in-law’s house for the Christmas festivities – I also helped with a bit of editing on some work she is doing, returning home on Wednesday evening. We are still horribly behind with our Christmas preparations – I haven’t written my cards yet. However, I have managed to catch up with writing up book reviews and a couple of extra blogs, hopefully getting a few in hand for the holiday season when I’ll be doing something other than sitting at the computer.

I’m also delighted to report that my writing mojo has returned and I’ve managed to tuck into Miranda’s Tempest, continuing with the major rewrite I started and then got stalled on. While I think it’s unlikely I’ll get it completed before Christmas, if I can at least keep the handles wound on it, I’ll be very pleased.

This week I have read:

Rebel of the Sands – Book 1 of The Rebel of the Sands trilogy by Alwyn Hamilton
She’s more gunpowder than girl—and the fate of the desert lies in her hands. Mortals rule the desert nation of Miraji, but mystical beasts still roam the wild and barren wastes, and rumor has it that somewhere, djinni still practice their magic. But there’s nothing mystical or magical about Dustwalk, the dead-end town that Amani can’t wait to escape from, as she’s destined to wind up “wed or dead”.

There has been a real buzz about this YA desert fantasy offering, and I can see why. Hamilton tips us right into the middle of the action from the first page as Amani’s spiky first person narrative pulled me into the story and didn’t let go. It is a foot to the floor, non-stop adventure where she careens through the vividly depicted landscape that borrows much from eastern influences. It’s a delight and I’m now hoping to be able to hunt down the sequel.

 

Ever the Hunted – Book 1 of Clash of Kingdoms series by Erin Summerill
Seventeen year-old Britta Flannery is at ease only in the woods with her dagger and bow. She spends her days tracking criminals alongside her father, the legendary bounty hunter for the King of Malam—that is, until her father is murdered. Now outcast and alone and having no rights to her father’s land or inheritance, she seeks refuge where she feels most safe: the Ever Woods. When Britta is caught poaching by the royal guard, instead of facing the noose she is offered a deal: her freedom in exchange for her father’s killer. However, it’s not so simple. The alleged killer is none other than Cohen McKay, her father’s former apprentice. The only friend she’s ever known. The boy she once loved who broke her heart.

It was pure chance that I read two YA fantasy adventures back to back. They both featured teenage female protagonists on the run, both had secrets and issues they knew nothing about at the start of the adventure. Both had a romantic sub-plot. Both are cracking reads.
However, Britta isn’t so carelessly, gloriously reckless as Amani – she is wary and untrusting of everyone. The pace in this one isn’t quite so full-on, either, but I thoroughly enjoyed this tale set in a more traditional medieval fantasy setting. There were some pleasing plot twists in this adventure I didn’t see coming – and I certainly didn’t guess who had murdered Britta’s father.

 

Just One Damned Thing After Another – Book 1 of The Chronicles of St Mary’s by Jodi Taylor
“History is just one damned thing after another.” Behind the seemingly innocuous façade of St Mary’s, a different kind of historical research is taking place. They don’t do ‘time-travel’ – they ‘investigate major historical events in contemporary time’. Maintaining the appearance of harmless eccentrics is not always within their power – especially given their propensity for causing loud explosions when things get too quiet. Meet the disaster-magnets of St Mary’s Institute of Historical Research as they ricochet around History. Their aim is to observe and document – to try and find the answers to many of History’s unanswered questions…and not to die in the process. But one wrong move and History will fight back – to the death. And, as they soon discover – it’s not just History they’re fighting.

This is time-travelling adventure is a joy. Funny, anarchic with a reckless sense of derring-do, this tale is told in first person viewpoint by Max as we follow her initial introduction to St Mary’s, training and early adventures. That said, the attrition rate is high and a number of folks die in this – some of whom I was really sorry to see go… I think this would make a marvellous TV series, however – not yet. There are a raft of these books out there and I want to read them all, first.

My posts last week:
Sunday Post – 11th December 2016

Review of A Natural History of Dragons – Book 1 of The Memoirs of Lady Trent series by Marie Brennan

Review of How To Train Your Parents by Pete Johnson

Friday Faceoff – Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world… featuring Undead and Unemployed – Book 2 of the Queen Betsy series by Mary Janice Davidson

2016 Discovery Challenge – November Roundup

Interesting/outstanding blogs and articles that have caught my attention during the last week, in no particular order:

A Short Analysis of T.S. Eliot’s ‘A Journey of the Magi https://interestingliterature.com/2016/12/15/a-short-analysis-of-t-s-eliots-journey-of-the-magi/ Once more this wonderful site comes up with a superb discussion about this beautiful, complicated poem on alienation and loss in amongst the Christmas story…

Great Gifts for Book Lovers https://kristentwardowski.wordpress.com/2016/12/14/gifts-for-book-lovers/ Kristen comes up with some timely ideas for the bookworm in your life…

500 Words You Should Know by Caroline Taggart https://librarystaffpicks.wordpress.com/2016/12/15/500-words-you-should-know-by-caroline-taggart/ Those lovely people at the awarding winning library site BallyroadReads have highlighted this entertaining book for the wordsmiths in your life…

The Character Evolution Files, No. 14: Aligning the Protagonist’s Character Arc with the Story’s Plot, Part 1 https://saraletourneauwriter.com/2016/12/15/plot-arc-alignment-part-1/ Sara Letourneau provides a thorough how-to article on how to ensure your character’s journey works within your plot.

Inspirational Bernard Williams’ Quotes http://logicalquotes.com/bernard-williams-quotes/ Some of these are gems – and if you enjoy reading strong, interesting quotes by a range of folks, then swing by this enjoyable site.

Many thanks for visiting and taking the time and trouble to comment – and may you have a wonderful reading and blogging week.