*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of NETGALLEY arc The Bitter Twins – Book 2 of The Winnowing Flame Trilogy by Jen Williams

There has been much excitement amongst the book-blogging community about this one, as Jen Williams has become a solid favourite among epic fantasy fans with her unique blend of clever pacing, vivid characters and the sheer energy of her writing. But what had everyone waiting for this one was that twist at the end of The Ninth Rain – see my review here – that turned this into a genre mash-up.

The Ninth Rain has fallen, the Jure’lia have returned, and with Ebora a shadow of its former self, the old enemy are closer to conquering Sarn than ever. Tormalin the Oathless and the Fell-Witch Noon have their hands full dealing with the first war-beasts to be born in Ebora for nearly three hundred years. But these are not the great mythological warriors of old; hatched too early and with no link to their past lives, the war-beasts have no memory of the many battles they have fought and won, and no concept of how they can possibly do it again. The key to uniting them, according to the scholar Vintage, may lie in a part of Sarn no one really believes exists, but finding it will mean a dangerous journey at a time of war…

For starters, if you’ve picked this one up without having first read The Ninth Rain, then put it right back down again and rush off to get hold of the aforesaid first book in the series. It took me a while to get into this one, because I don’t reread books and as The Bitter Twins picks up more or less where The Ninth Rain left off, I was frankly floundering. If I hadn’t read the first book in this series, I think it would have taken me far too long to sort out who was doing what to whom to fully appreciate the writing and the story.

However, once I was back in the groove – this one was a joy. The characters are nuanced and three-dimensional, so that our gutsy heroes and heroines have flaws and weaknesses, and even characters we have written off as wrong ‘uns are capable of selfless acts. I loved the storyline regarding the origins of the Eborans, which worked really well and nicely mirrored what is happening on the Corpse Moon where unsettling transformations are taking place.

One of the recurrent themes within the epic fantasy genre is the role of history and how it defines people’s own identity within their culture and race. Williams treatment of this theme in this series is an interesting one, overlaid as it is by the insertion of another genre and how that both plays with and subverts the idea of cultural identity, particularly by the Eborans, who are teetering on the verge of extinction. As the inferior race, the human protagonists within the story have their own baggage and, in some cases, scores to settle. My favourite character is Vintage, the delightful human scholar whose insatiable curiosity has hauled her right into the middle of the current mess.

I don’t want you to go away with the idea, however, that this book spends pages discussing or worrying about the above, as it’s all about the adventure and such considerations are fully embedded within the plot. Events are moving fast, threats abound, and our intrepid band of protagonists are constantly having to react to yet another sticky situation. The pages flew by as I found it hard to break off and get on with the growing stack of chores – so I didn’t. After all, this was a Jen Williams read – which means it’s something special. While I obtained an arc of The Bitter Twins from Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
9/10

Sunday Post – 4th March, 2018

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

It’s certainly been a different week… I loathe the snow – particularly driving in it, so was very relieved when Northbrook announced on Tuesday morning that it would be cancelling the afternoon and evening classes. In the event, the weather cleared up and there was bright sunshine, but throughout the week we had flurries and then blizzards, though fortunately it never snowed long enough to create any real depth or the drifts that afflicted other parts of the country. What was miserable was the bitterly cold easterly which howled through the cracks in our double-glazed windows and revealed just what a shoddy job the installers did when fitting them. Shame on you Anglian Windows! After I sellotaped over the cracks, I couldn’t believe the difference it made to the temperature in the house.

I was very lucky to be able to stay indoors for the duration of the sub-zero temperatures and when we woke up yesterday to the significant rise in temperature and everything once more snow and ice-free, I did a happy dance. My heart goes out to those who were stranded, or homeless and those families who are running out of supplies.

The only damage we sustained was that the tap in the outbuilding sheared off after the water pipe was frozen, creating a stream of water shooting across shed and soaking me as I attempted to put on the washing machine for the first time in three days.

Writing-wise, it has been a week where I’ve slowed down to take stock and ensure I’m on the right track, but I’m hoping now to be able to get the final third of Miranda’s Tempest rewritten this month.

This week I have read:

Blunt Force Magic – Book 1 of the Monsters and Men trilogy by Lawrence Davis
Janzen Robinson is a man lost between two worlds. Five years removed from a life as an apprentice to a group of do-gooding heroes who championed the fight against supernatural evils, the once-promising student is now a package courier going through the daily grind, passing time at a hole-in-the-wall bar and living in a tiny, run-down apartment on the south side of Cleveland, Ohio.

Then fate (or a case of bad timing) brings him face to face with a door that’s got his old life written all over it. From the ancient recesses of unyielding darkness known as the Abyss, a creature has been summoned: a Stalker, a predator whose real name is forbidden to be spoken aloud. It’s a bastardization of the natural order, a formidable blend of dark magic and primal tenacity. Its single-minded mission? Ending the life of a fiery, emerging young witch.

I loved this! Attracted by that amazing cover, I had thought I was getting an epic fantasy, swords and sorcery adventure – but this is firmly in the territory of urban fantasy, which plenty of gritty action and an intriguing, sympathetic protagonist. I shall be reviewing this one in due course.

 

The Bitter Twins – Book 2 of The Winnowing Flame trilogy by Jen Williams
The Ninth Rain has fallen, the Jure’lia have returned, and with Ebora a shadow of its former self, the old enemy are closer to conquering Sarn than ever.

Tormalin the Oathless and the Fell-Witch Noon have their hands full dealing with the first war-beasts to be born in Ebora for nearly three hundred years. But these are not the great mythological warriors of old; hatched too early and with no link to their past lives, the war-beasts have no memory of the many battles they have fought and won, and no concept of how they can possibly do it again. The key to uniting them, according to the scholar Vintage, may lie in a part of Sarn no one really believes exists, but finding it will mean a dangerous journey at a time of war…

Meanwhile, Hestillion is trapped on board the corpse moon, forced into a strange and uneasy alliance with the Jure’lia queen. Something terrifying is growing up there, in the heart of the Behemoth, and the people of Sarn will have no defence against these new monsters.

I have included the entire blurb for this one – something I rarely do – as this time, it was a shame I didn’t read it before I plunged into the novel. It was a while since I’d read The Ninth Rain and this book picks up immediately from the end of the last one, without any kind of pause or roundup to give readers a chance to rebond with the main characters and recall exactly what was going on. And as you can see – a lot is going on… So it took me a while to get back into the fray. However, once I became immersed in the story once more, I thoroughly enjoyed the action. Aliens and dragons in the same adventure – what’s not to love?

My posts last week:

Sunday Post – 25th February 2018

Review of Split Feather – Book 1 of The Daughter of the Midnight Sun series by Deborah A. Wolf

Teaser Tuesday featuring Blunt Force Magic – Book 1 of the Monsters and Men trilogy by Lawrence Davis

Can’t-Wait Wednesday featuring Meet Me in the Strange by Leander Watts

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of Into the Fire – Book 2 of the Vatta’s Peace series by Elizabeth Moon

Friday Face-off – The king is dead, long live the king… featuring The King Must Die – Book 1 of the Theseus series by Mary Renault

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of The Hyperspace Trap by Christopher G. Nuttall

 

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

Explorer Chick Adventure Co., The Perfect Reason To Get Outside and Play https://roamwildandfree.com/2018/03/03/explorer-chick-adventure-co-the-perfect-reason-to-get-outside-and-play/ For those of you in the process of compiling your bucket list…

Melfka’s Birthday Week: The Sweet Tooth Witch http://melfka.com/archives/2683 As Joanna gleefully lists her favourite guilty pleasures, other than chocolates, of course – it got me wondering what the rest of you lovely folks like eating from the sweetie aisle in the supermarket…

Little Walter: 50 Years Dead but he will never be gone! The King of the Blues Harmonica
https://theimmortaljukebox.com/2018/02/19/little-walter-50-years-dead-but-he-will-never-be-gone-the-king-of-the-blues-harmonica/ Do yourselves a favour and click on some of these recordings – you will never have heard harmonica playing quite like it before – unless you’re already a fan of this extraordinary musician.

Wrting Microfiction: The Sometimes Stellar Storyteller Six Word Story Challenge https://thenaptimeauthor.wordpress.com/2018/02/23/writing-microfiction-the-sometimes-stellar-storyteller-six-word-story-challenge/ Sometimes, short can be very sweet…

#Snowmaggedon And if you don’t happen to live this side of the pond and have been wondering what the fuss is about regarding the weather – put this hashtag into the Twitter searchbox and take a look at what we’ve all been obsessing about this week…

Have a great week and thank you very much for taking the time and trouble to visit, like and comment on my site.

Review of Blue Shift – Book 1 of the Second Species series by Jane O’Reilly

I picked this one up in Waterstones while spending some book tokens, beguiled by the helmeted girl on the cover.

The Earth is cold, dead and divided. The rich hide away from reality while the rest will do anything to survive. Humanity have only one hope: reaching a habitable planet. But getting there means travelling in large numbers through alien-held space, something that’s politically nearly impossible. Yet for some, fighting their way through space is just a way of life . . .

Jinnifer Blue is a rich girl on the run. An expert pilot, she apprehends criminals on behalf of the government and keeps her illegal genetic modifications a closely guarded secret. But when a particularly dangerous job goes south, leaving her stranded on a prison ship with one of the most ruthless criminals in the galaxy, Jinn realises that the rich and the powerful are hiding more than she’d ever guessed. Now she must decide if she can trust her co-prisoner – because once they discover what the prison ship is hiding, she definitely can’t trust anyone else . . .

I really like the premise that as Earth is increasingly inhabitable, humanity now has no choice but to head for the stars – only the aliens surrounding us aren’t all that impressed. Though some species have specific uses for some of us – and not in a good way… However I do feel O’Reilly missed a bit of a trick, here. Given the desperate straits Earth is in, the decisions taken at the highest level could be justifiable if you look at the numbers involved. For me, there was a problem with the antagonist – I just wish she wasn’t so unremittingly unpleasant as I think there is a real moral dilemma that O’Reilly has closed down by providing a wholly evil antagonist to represent the hard choice that may need to be made. However, this is the first book in the series and perhaps this aspect of the story is more thoroughly explored in the sequel – I do hope so.

I enjoyed Jinn, who is an appealing protagonist with a tricky past. This gives her edges and a certain toughness, which I liked. I found the grimness of an existence where everyone has to work to pay off their modifications nicely realistic, given it is clearly capitalism that has powered humanity’s existence in space. O’Reilly writes action well, although I did find a couple of the jumps in narrative time at the start of the book a little jarring and wondered whether it would have been more satisfactory if we had started the book in 2207, leaving the main characters to fill in what happened twenty years earlier.

However, once the book got going, I stayed up way later than I’d intended to discover what happens next – O’Reilly is certainly good at writing a page-turner. There was plenty of action, alongside the political manoeuvring and this detailed world was effectively depicted without loss of pace. The romance worked well, helping to power the story along although it wasn’t the main element. Do be warned, though, there are a couple of explicit sex scenes.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this one and I’m hoping to be able to get hold of the second book when it comes out as this dark, difficult problem facing Earth and its hapless inhabitants has got me wondering what will happen next… Recommended for fans of character-led space opera.
8/10

Can’t-Wait Wednesday – 29th November, 2017

40276268 – vintage old pocket watch and book

Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they’re books that have yet to be released. It’s based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week’s Can’t Wait offering – Fade Out by Patrick Tilley

#science fiction #first contact #historical

Patrick Tilley’s brilliant bestselling thriller of humanity’s first contact with advanced alien intelligence is a high-tension tour-de-force that will leave you thinking long after you have turned the last page.

This offering caught my eye on the Netgalley dashboard, chiefly because of the cool spacescape cover. But I was intrigued to see that a book first published in 1975 is being reissued now in 2017 – how will it stand up? Given the world was a very different place then, will it seem completely outdated? I’m fascinated to find out! I’ll be reading this one sometime next week and reviewing it in mid-December…

Review of KINDLE Ebook One Fell Sweep – Book 3 of The Innkeeper Chronicles by Ilona Andrews

I have thoroughly enjoyed this series so far and decided to treat myself with this third slice in Dina’s adventures with Gertrude Hunt, her magical inn…

Gertrude Hunt, the nicest Bed and Breakfast in Red Deer, Texas, is glad to have you. We cater to particular kind of guests, the ones most people don’t know about. The older lady sipping her Mello Yello is called Caldenia, although she prefers Your Grace. She has a sizable bounty on her head, so if you hear kinetic or laser fire, try not to stand close to the target. Our chef is a Quillonian. The claws are a little unsettling, but he is a consummate professional and truly is the best chef in the Galaxy. If you see a dark shadow in the orchard late at night, don’t worry. Someone is patrolling the grounds. Do beware of our dog. Your safety and comfort is our first priority. The inn and your host, Dina Demille, will defend you at all costs. We ask only that you mind other guests and conduct yourself in a polite manner.

Dina has proved herself to be resourceful and powerful – particularly when in her magical inn, as evidenced by the last eventful adventure in Sweep in Peace – see my review here. So the trick is to produce a scenario where she is under threat right in the heart of her stronghold – what about when a smelly, ramshackle alien lurches onto the property pleading for sanctuary? What if this desperate creature is being pursued by a horde of fanatical aliens who believe their path to everlasting life and glory is to run down the first species, the Hiru, until they are extinct? And they will stop at nothing to get to them…

We also get to learn more about Dina’s background as another family member surfaces, bringing with her a familiar guest. I always enjoy it when characters we’ve known from previous adventures reappear – especially when we see another side to them, as is the case with a certain vampire who featured in the last book. Yet another favourite character who also heavily features in this book is the Alpha werewolf, Sean. Dina has been attracted to her neighbour for some time, but innkeeping has been rather hectic recently, so she hasn’t had much opportunity to give those feelings a chance. However, when desperately battling for her very existence, she and Sean find those feelings become intensified. This romance between the two of them is well handled, to the extent that even cynical old me felt an ‘ahh’ moment when they sorted out their feelings for one another.

Once again, I found it very difficult to put this one down before the end. I love this series – it goes on delivering one storming read after another. As for those smelly, downtrodden aliens – there was a wonderful moment of true poignancy near the end that was magical. Highly recommended for anyone who has ever enjoyed an urban fantasy or space opera adventure, given this is a glorious mash-up of the two. Now, I’m just waiting for the next book in the series…
10/10

Discovery Challenge 2017 and Tackling My TBR – July Roundup

After reading Jo Hall’s post on the problems women authors have with getting discovered, for the past two years I’ve been taking part in the challenge to read and review at least twenty-four books by female authors each year that were previously unknown to me. During July, I read three books towards my 2017 Discovery Challenge, which brings my annual number of books written by women writers I hadn’t read before to twenty-two. They are:

Slouch Witch – Book 1 of The Lazy Girl’s Guide to Magic series by Helen Harper
Let’s get one thing straight – Ivy Wilde is not a heroine. In fact, she’s probably the last witch in the world who you’d call if you needed a magical helping hand, regardless of her actual abilities. If it were down to Ivy, she’d spend all day every day on her sofa where she could watch TV, munch junk food and talk to her feline familiar to her heart’s content. However, when a bureaucratic disaster ends up with Ivy as the victim of a case of mistaken identity, she’s yanked very unwillingly into Arcane Branch, the investigative department of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Her problems are quadrupled when a valuable object is stolen right from under the Order’s noses. It doesn’t exactly help that she’s been magically bound to Adeptus Exemptus Raphael Winter. He might have piercing sapphire eyes and a body which a cover model would be proud of but, as far as Ivy’s concerned, he’s a walking advertisement for the joyless perils of too much witch-work. And if he makes her go to the gym again, she’s definitely going to turn him into a frog.
I loved this one – it’s such a refreshing change to meet a protagonist who would far rather slump on the sofa and watch something on the TV than run around getting involved in magical adventures. Sharp and funny, I found this one difficult to put down. See my review here.

 

The Stargazer’s Embassy by Eleanor Lerman
The Stargazer’s Embassy explores the frightening phenomenon of alien abduction from a different point of view: in this story, it is the aliens who seem fearful of Julia Glazer, the woman they are desperately trying to make contact with.
Julia is the edgy protagonist who immediately gripped me and pulled me into the start of this one, which pings off the page with tension as we begin to get to know her. The tale slowly unspools as we learn her backstory and why she is constantly alert. Lerman’s depiction of a damaged character whose trust was destroyed during her childhood is very effective. See my review here.

 

Crash Land on Kurai – Book 1 of The Hikoboshi series by S.J. Pajonas
Crash Land on Kurai is the first book in the Hikoboshi series, an action adventure, space opera series that explores the worlds settled by the Japanese who fled Earth a century ago. Culture, history, technology, and swords clash in a fast-paced future society on the brink of war. Yumi Minamoto has the shortest fuse on the ship. She’s just whipped a bully and been confined to quarters, but she’s not staying there. A disgraced journalist trying to clear her name, her job is to document the mission to the Hikoboshi system, and she’s determined to get it right, despite all the trouble she causes. But when unknown vessels fire on their ship, and Yumi’s life pod crash lands on a dying moon, she’s separated from her family and friends, and her mission falls to pieces. Now she must navigate the unfamiliar and deadly terrain, deal with a society she doesn’t understand, and try to stay alive until rescue comes… if it ever does.
Yumi is an interesting protagonist – from a powerful and influential family, she is clearly the cuckoo in the nest. Constantly in trouble with the authorities, I liked the fact that when she says at the start of the story that she is a pain in the neck with an attitude and a knack for rubbing folks up the wrong way – she means it. See my review here.

I also managed to clear two books from my TBR pile. They are:

One Fell Sweep – Book 3 of The Innkeeper Chronicles by Ilona Andrews
Gertrude Hunt, the nicest Bed and Breakfast in Red Deer, Texas, is glad to have you. We cater to particular kind of guests, the ones most people don’t know about. The older lady sipping her Mello Yello is called Caldenia, although she prefers Your Grace. She has a sizable bounty on her head, so if you hear kinetic or laser fire, try not to stand close to the target. Our chef is a Quillonian. The claws are a little unsettling, but he is a consummate professional and truly is the best chef in the Galaxy. If you see a dark shadow in the orchard late at night, don’t worry. Someone is patrolling the grounds. Do beware of our dog. Your safety and comfort is our first priority. The inn and your host, Dina Demille, will defend you at all costs. We ask only that you mind other guests and conduct yourself in a polite manner.
Dina has proved herself to be resourceful and powerful – particularly when in her magical inn, as evidenced by the last eventful adventure in Sweep in Peace – see my review here. So the trick is to produce a scenario where she is under threat right in the heart of her stronghold – what about when a smelly, ramshackle alien lurches onto the property pleading for sanctuary? What if this desperate creature is being pursued by a horde of fanatical aliens who believe their path to everlasting life and glory is to run down the first species, the Hiru, until they are extinct? And they will stop at nothing to get to them… Review to follow.

Slouch Witch – Book 1 of The Lazy Girl’s Guide to Magic series by Helen Harper
See above

This means I’ve managed to clear thirty-four books from my teetering TBR pile so far this year. Have you read any of the above books? If so, what did you think? Are there any challenges you are undertaking – I’d love to hear how it’s going.

Friday Faceoff – No soldier outlives a thousand chances…

This meme was started by Books by Proxy, whose fabulous idea was to compare UK and US book covers and decide which is we prefer. This week the theme is soldiers, so I’ve chosen Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein.

 

This is the cover produced by Ace in 1987. I really like the overall bright yellow/orange colour and the no-nonsense font. It’s a long time ago since I read this one, but I don’t recall that space ships roaring into the action was much of a thing. My recollection is that they are all about the bloody hand to hand combat with the insectoid aliens, but it does make for a dramatic cover.

 

This paperback edition by Ace, produced in May 1987 is far more in tune with the content, given it features a trooper in one of those awesome suits. They also have recreated Heinlein’s signature for some reason that escapes me, which rather spoils the balance and impact of the cover.

 

Published in July 1982 by Berkley, this is another cover featuring a trooper wearing one of these amazing suits – although this version manages to look rather alien. Even with the fame of this book, the publishers still decided the author’s name would sell more copies by emblazoning it across the top third of cover, rather than the title.

 

Produced in August 1997 by New English Library, this cover is clearly in response to the recently released film. These covers aren’t usually my favourites, but I really like this one – there is real sense of battle going on and I also think the styling of the title font is eye-catching and attractive.

 

This is another Berkley cover, this edition published in November 1977. The vivid turquoise and font, along with the artwork give this cover a retro feel. I want to like this one, but I don’t. The aliens look far too static to be the terrible threat described in the book and that harsh colour puts me in mind of 1950s bathroom suites… Which one do you like best?

Review of KINDLE Ebook Sweep in Peace – Book 2 of the Innkeeper Chronicles by Ilona Andrews

Back in February, I read the first book in this entertaining series, Clean Sweep – read my review here. At that point, Himself bought the other two books in the series so far and tucked into them, but I don’t like reading books from the same series back to back. However, I hadn’t planned on leaving it quite so long before returning to this world.

Dina DeMille doesn’t run your typical Bed and Breakfast. Her inn defies laws of physics, her fluffy dog is secretly a monster, and the only paying guest is a former Galactic tyrant with a price on her head. But the inn needs guests to thrive, and guests have been scarce, so when an Arbitrator shows up at Dina’s door and asks her to host a peace summit between three warring species, she jumps on the chance. Unfortunately, for Dina, keeping the peace between Space Vampires, the Hope-Crushing Horde, and the devious Merchants of Baha-char is much easier said than done. On top of keeping her guests from murdering each other, she must find a chef, remodel the inn…and risk everything, even her life, to save the man she might fall in love with. But then it’s all in the day’s work for an Innkeeper…

Dina is on a mission. Her parents, along with their magical inn, disappeared without trace some six years ago and despite an exhaustive search, no one has seen any hint of them. She has now decided to settle down and run her own inn – though she has also posted pictures of her missing family and watches every guest’s reaction as they walk through the door, hoping that one day someone will offer valuable information – or betray a shocked jolt of recognition. However taking on this particular mission is doing things the hard way.

I loved the sense that Dina is plunged into a situation well over her head and scrambling to keep up, often several steps behind. She is a likeable protagonist – steady and determined, particularly when under pressure, but with the ongoing vulnerability of constantly missing her parents.

Andrews is also good at writing animals – Dina’s little dog is suitably annoying and yappy, except when he… isn’t. And when a cat makes an appearance, I was also convinced – I get a bit fed up when pets are depicted with too much treacly sentimentality. But what sets this intriguing fantasy/science fiction mashup apart is the originality of the premise – and how effectively Andrews raises the stakes. We are left in no doubt as to the high cost of this terrible war raging between two warlike species – and the impact on everyone, those taking part as well as those caught between them.

In addition, Dina finds her own happiness held hostage as to the outcome of the peace conference. Andrews’ pacing and handling of the narrative tension is spot on as she steadily ramps up it up with a mixture of the domestic mundane with a twist of fantasy – the galactic superchef produces wonderful meals and Dina has to spend a lot of time and magic ensuring each delegation’s needs are fully met – with the crucial details we need to understand exactly how important it all is. This is all deftly done, producing a smooth, enjoyable read that covers all the epic consequences of this nasty war through the fallout in Dina’s magical inn.

I have the next book in this entertaining series – One Fell Sweep – and I won’t be waiting so long to get to it and if you are seeking an interesting fantasy with a sci fi twist, then this series comes highly recommended.
9/10

Sunday Post – 23rd July 2017

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.

Last week was once again, a busy social one. On Tuesday I spent the morning with a good friend – we visited Highdown Gardens and had lunch there, before making our way to the pier at Littlehampton to enjoy the cooling sea breeze as it was a wonderfully hot day. In the afternoon Himself and I went to see Frances in her school play which was devised by the students about the difficult subject of bullying. It was a passionate and moving piece and we were very proud of her. I fitted in my Fitstep class on Wednesday morning and taught Tim in the afternoon. I was able to listen to the professional recording of the cast singing the songs that Tim wrote for the film – it was amazing to actually hear them being sung and a fitting end to a fantastically successful year.

On Friday I ran my one day Creative Writing course at Northbrook. Though it was rather hot, we had a very enjoyable day listening to students’ writing and working on exercises designed to spark creativity through the summer break. Both my classes for the autumn term are now full. In the evening I went out to celebrate Sally’s birthday with a meal at The Fish Factory. She had an extra present – the wonderful news that Tim has passed his first English external exam. Last night we went round to my sister’s for a lovely meal and played some games in what is fast-becoming a really enjoyable weekly routine.

This week I have read:
The Masked City – Book 2 of The Invisible Library series by Genevieve Cogman
Librarian-spy Irene is working undercover in an alternative London when her assistant Kai goes missing. She discovers he’s been kidnapped by the fae faction and the repercussions could be fatal. Not just for Kai, but for whole worlds.
This is a real treat. The spiky characters we met in the first book are now tested as they struggle in a very personal way with this latest threat to the fabric of the world. We also get to meet more of the Fae – and a thoroughly annoying, self-centred bunch they are. I loved the depiction of this fantastic version of Venice – highly recommended. Review to follow.

 

One Fell Sweep – Book 3 of The Innkeeper Chronicles by Ilona Andrews
Gertrude Hunt, the nicest Bed and Breakfast in Red Deer, Texas, is glad to have you. We cater to a particular kind of guests, the ones most people don’t know about. The older lady sipping her Mello Yello is called Caldenia, although she prefers Your Grace. She has a sizable bounty on her head, so if you hear kinetic or laser fire, try not to stand close to the target. Our chef is a Quillonian. The claws are a little unsettling, but he is a consummate professional and truly is the best chef in the Galaxy. If you see a dark shadow in the orchard late at night, don’t worry. Someone is patrolling the grounds. Do beware of our dog. Your safety and comfort is our first priority. The inn and your host, Dina Demille, will defend you at all costs. We ask only that you mind other guests and conduct yourself in a polite manner.
This series just goes on getting better and better. I love the steady character development and how we learn more about Dina and her family in each book. This time around, we discover a bit about her sister’s adventures in between another cracking adventure. This is one of my favourite series of the year. Review to follow.

 

Chocolate Chocolate Moons by Jackie Kingon
It is a novel set in the future that tells the story of plus-sized Molly Marbles, who wins a scholarship to Armstrong University on the Moon, a haven for the plus-sized set where her weight drops from 287 Earth pounds to 47.6 without so much as passing up a piece of pie. When boyfriend Drew Barron dumps her, then jumps at a job at Congress Drugs, a company that makes low calorie food supplements, Molly’s weight is the least of her woes. And when her favorite treats, Chocolate Moons are found poisoned, she finds she has bitten off more than she can chew.
When author Jackie Kingon read my review of Sherlock Mars, she got in touch and asked if I would like to read the prequel, which gave an account of how Molly got her nickname. I jumped at the chance, finding this quirky read had stuck in my head. I enjoyed this science fiction cosy mystery. Review to follow.

 

My posts last week:

Sunday Post – 16th July 2017

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of Face the Change – Book 3 of the Menopausal Superheroes series by Samantha Bryant

Teaser Tuesday featuring Chocolate Chocolate Moons by Jackie Kingon

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of Star Witch – Book 2 of The Lazy Girl’s Guide to Magic by Helen Harper

Discovery Challenge 2017 and Tackling my TBR – June Roundup

Friday Face-off – Any planet is ‘Earth’ to those who live on it… featuring The Empress of Mars by Kage Baker

Review of The Invisible Library – Book 1 of The Invisible Library series by Genevieve Cogman

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

50 Word Stories: The Catch https://richardankers.com/2017/07/21/50-word-stories-the-catch/
A nicely sharp story from talented wordsmith Richard Ankers.

Untitled https://photolicioux.wordpress.com/2017/07/17/untitled-110/ I love this rippling effect on the building, which turns it into something far more interesting…

…Istanbul is Constantinople… however many letters it takes to spell it… https://seumasgallacher.com/2017/07/20/istanbul-is-constantinople-is-istanbul-however-many-letters-it-takes-to-spell-it/ This recollection from best-selling indie author Seumas Gallacher reminded me of hours of fun playing similar word games when going away on holiday with my grandparents…

Reverse Bucket List https://dogdaysanddelights.wordpress.com/2017/07/18/reverse-bucket-list/ I really like this idea – as well as striving for more adventures, why not celebrate and recollect those we have already experienced?

British Fantasy Awards 2017 – Good News! https://hierath.wordpress.com/2017/07/14/british-fantasy-awards-2017-good-news/ Good news indeed! This is an impressive and astonishing number of nominations for a small indie press – and I’m honoured to be one of the authors they have signed up this year…

Thank you very much for taking the time and trouble to visit, like and comment on my site and may you have a great week.

Sunday Post – 5th March 2017

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.

I’ve been back to teaching this week – although I went down with a cold last Sunday and was too ill to teach Tim on Monday morning. However lots of liquids, homeopathic remedies and vitamin C later, I was sufficiently recovered to go into Northbrook and take my Monday evening class. By Wednesday, it was almost completely gone. I’m currently reading and editing a manuscript for a good friend, which is also giving me a convenient break from Miranda’s Tempest, before I go back to check if the rewrite is successful.

We’ve the grandchildren staying again this week-end, which is always a delight, so I shan’t be around quite so much for commenting, etc. It’s lovely to see the daffodils starting to bloom, despite the damp chilly weather. At long last, I’m beginning to feel that winter’s grip is starting to loosen. Have a great reading and blogging week – I’m wishing you all a glimpse of Spring sunshine to go with it…

This week I have read:
Satan’s Reach – Book 2 of the Weird Space series by Eric Brown

Telepath Den Harper did the dirty work for the authoritarian Expansion, reading the minds of criminals, spies and undesirables. Unable to take the strain, he stole a starship and headed into the unknown, a sector of lawless space known as Satan’s Reach. For five years he worked as a trader among the stars; then discovered that the Expansion had set a bounty hunter on his trail. But what does the Expansion want with a lowly telepath like Harper? Is there validity in the rumours that human space is being invaded by aliens from another realm? Harper finds out the answer to both these questions when he rescues an orphan girl from certain death.

Den is a likeable chap in a tricky situation, which gets steadily tricker as this fast-paced, enjoyable space opera progresses. This is space opera where the universe is heaving with multitudes of aliens and faster-than-light travels occurs such that zipping between planets takes a matter of weeks. That’s okay – I can happily cope with that. This is great fun.

Twelve Kings – Book 1 of The Song of the Shattered Sands by Bradley Beaulieu

Sharakhai, the great city of the desert, center of commerce and culture, has been ruled from time immemorial by twelve kings—cruel, ruthless, powerful, and immortal. With their army of Silver Spears, their elite company of Blade Maidens, and their holy defenders, the terrifying asirim, the Kings uphold their positions as undisputed, invincible lords of the desert. There is no hope of freedom for any under their rule. Or so it seems, until Çeda, a brave young woman from the west end slums, defies the Kings’ laws by going outside on the holy night of Beht Zha’ir. What she learns that night sets her on a path that winds through both the terrible truths of the Kings’ mysterious history and the hidden riddles of her own heritage. Together, these secrets could finally break the iron grip of the Kings’ power…if the nigh-omnipotent Kings don’t find her first.

Bradley’s world is intricate, vivid and engrossing. I love the layers of society and power he has built against this unforgiving backdrop – and the magical elements are woven in with skill to provide plenty of impact when we finally get to learn what exactly is going on during the holy night of Beht Zha’ir. While there are frequent flashbacks, I didn’t find them jarring, as they helped us to understand the motivation of our two main protagonists, who I became very fond of throughout the book and am looking forward to getting reacquainted with in With Blood upon the Sand.

After Atlas – Book 2 of the Planetfall series by Emma Newman

Govcorp detective Carlos Moreno was only a baby when Atlas left Earth to seek truth among the stars. But in that moment, the course of Carlos’s entire life changed. Atlas is what took his mother away; what made his father lose hope; what led Alejandro Casales, leader of the religious cult known as the Circle, to his door. And now, on the eve of the fortieth anniversary of Atlas’s departure, it’s got something to do with a brutal murder in a hotel room—and why Carlos is the man in charge of the investigation.

Those of you who know the first book in this series will realise that while set within the same world, this book does not immediately follow on from the events in Planetfall so you can enjoy this one without having read the first book. And enjoy it I did. This murder mystery absolutely gripped me in a near future world where most eat food provided by 3D printers and in England slavery is permitted for those unlucky enough to be stateless, such as Carlos Moreno. He is indentured to the Ministry of Justice as a top-grade investigator after a brutal hot-housing course and is one of their top investigators, having never failed in solving a crime.

My posts last week:
Sunday Post – 26th February 2017

Review of All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders

Teaser Tuesday featuring Twelve Kings – Book 1 of The Song of the Shattered Sands by Bradley Beaulieu

NEW RELEASE SPECIAL – Review of Very Important Corpses by Simon R. Green

Shoot for the Moon 2017 Challenge – February Roundup

Friday Face-off – Time Held Me Green and Dying… featuring Tom’s Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce

Review of Demon Hunting in Dixie – Book 1 of the Demon Hunting series by Lexi George

Interesting/outstanding blogs and articles that have caught my attention during the last week, in no particular order:
What a Sensitivity Reader Is (And Isn’t) and How to Hire One http://writerunboxed.com/2017/03/03/what-a-sensitivity-reader-is-and-isnt-and-how-to-hire-one/ I have heard of this growing practice, but thought there might be a number of folks out there who haven’t…

No, I’m Not a Sexual Deviant… https://mistybooks.wordpress.com/2017/02/04/no-im-not-a-sexual-deviant/ This is an issue that children’s authors who want to give talks in schools and libraries where they come into direct contact with children and young people may need to consider…

A Magnificent Library Parking Garage https://kristentwardowski.wordpress.com/2017/03/02/a-magnificent-library-parking-garage/ In an ideal world, every single multi-storey car park throughout the world would feature famous books from their own country…

Photolicioux – Inner Earth https://photolicioux.wordpress.com/2017/03/01/inner-earth/
Regulars to this blog will know this is one of my favourite sites – and this week once more, it doesn’t disappoint…

If I’m Ever Stranded… https://themusingquill.com/2012/07/23/if-im-ever-stranded-2/
The quote says it all, really…

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