Title: When You Carry the Star Author: Ernest Haycox In: The Mammoth Book of Westerns (Jon E. Lewis) Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!) My Bookshelves:Westerns Dates read: 16th July 2020 Pace: Slow Format: Short story Publisher: Robinson Year: 2013 5th sentence, 74th page: The leagues rolled away to the distance, southwesterly into a horizon unbroken, northwesterly to a lien of hills even now beginning to fade behind an autumn haze.
When Linza’s friend begins to go off the beaten track it’s up to him, as the Sheriff, to hunt him down. But that’s what you do when you carry the Star.
This is a short story that features a friend hunting a friend. A man who is forced to do the distasteful in the name of justice and honour. It’s a little sad to be honest. I can’t imagine having to man hunt a friend, but it’s also got that quintessential feeling of a western – one that focuses on good guys and bad guys and where things are just plain right and wrong. Black and white.
I like the descriptions of Denton going “mad”. How he suddenly flipped his lid and went against everything and every code that he honoured. It was a little bit tragic and harsh. But I did like how the description of something that could have been heat stroke was described.
This story really focuses on the honour and power of a lawman. It highlights how the men of the law were focused upon protecting and upholding the law. Even if it means hunting down and killing ones friend. Which, admittedly was a little bit of a tragic ending…
Title: A Quick Bite Author: Lynsay Sands Series: Argeneau #1 Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!) My Bookshelves:Paranormal romance, Vampires Dates read: 10th – 14th July 2020 Pace: Medium Format: Novel Publisher: Avon Year: 2005 5th sentence, 74th page: Lissianna knew she should be grateful for the gift, but she’d really rather had had him for dinner.
That hot guy tied to Lissianna Argeneau’s bed? He’s not dessert – he’s the main course!
Lissianna has been spending her centuries pining for Mr. Right, not just a quick snack, and this sexy guy she finds in her bed looks like he might be a candidate. but there’s another, more pressing issue: her tendency to faint at the sight of blood… an especially annoying quirk for a vampire. Of course it doesn’t hurt thtat this man has a delicious-looking neck. What kind of cold-blooded vampire woman could resist a bite of that?
Dr. Gregory Hewitt recovers from the shock of waking up in a stranger’s bedroom pretty quickly – once he sees a gorgeous woman about to treat him to a wild night of passion. But is it possible for the good doctor to find true love with a vampire vixen, or will he be just a good meal? That’s a question Dr. Greg might be willing to sink his teeth into… if he can just get Lissianna to bite.
This was everything that I enjoy in a good paranormal romance and a Lynsay Sands book – it was quick, fun and easy. Light-hearted and a little titillating. And just generally a great way to spend a nice portion of time immersed in another world. It wasn’t one of those books that will necessarily linger with me long after I’ve turned the final page. But it’s one that I will probably pick up again down the line with a sense of enjoyment.
I really enjoyed Sands’ take on vampires and vampire lore in this story. For starters, it uses nanos and advanced technology to talk about the advent of vampirism. Secondly, there is the fact that the lead vampire in this story – Lissiana, has a blood phobia. It actually left me laughing out loud. Who would have thought that such a thing would be in a vampire romance novel? I can’t imagine ever fainting at the sight of blood… the fact that it’s a vampire… well, I was actually laughing out loud throughout.
There is a scene in this book in which Greg describes his past relationship and why he ended it. And the focus of this is the fact that what he wants more than anything is a partner. Just like Lissi. There is a total focus on being partners, not enslaved to one another. That no one has greater power over the other. But rather, they just help each other out. I think that its such a beautiful sentiment and one that I would love to see more of in a lot of the romances that I read. It’s just… this is, to me, what a relationship is all about – partnership.
I never thought I would use the phrase “pleasantly titillating” in a book review. But I’m going to use it here. There was just something that was a little fun about those moments in which Greg and Lissi are caught in the more compromising positions. It adds a good level of humour and amusement to the story. It also gives a bit of a cringe-factor to some of the moments… definitely something that I found pleasant and fun in this story. I’m not quite sure how Sands managed to walk that line… but I really, really enjoyed it.
Title: The Guinevere Deception Author: Kiersten White Series: Camelot Rising #1 Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!) My Bookshelves:Camelot, Magic, Young adult Dates read: 18th May – 10th July 2020 Pace: Medium Format: Novel Publisher: Delacorte Press Year: 2019 5th sentence, 74th page: “He might not be human.”
Princess Guinevere has come to Camelot to wed a stranger: the charismatic King Arthur. With magic clawing at the kingdom’s borders, the great wizard Merlin conjured a solution: send in Guinevere to be Arthur’s wife… and his protector from those who want to see the young king’s idyllic city fail.
The catch? Guinevere’s real name – and her true identity – is a secret. She is a changeling, a girl who has given up everything to protect Camelot.
To keep Arthur safe, Guinevere must navigate a court in which the old – including Arthur’s own family – demand that things continue as they have been, and the new – those drawn by the dream of Camelot – fight for a better way to live. And always, in the green hearts of forests and the black depths of lakes, magic lies in wait to reclaim the land. Arthur’s knights believe they are strong enough to face any threat, but Guinevere knows it will take more than swords to keep Camelot free.
Deadly jousts, duplicitous knights, and forbidden romances are nothing compared to the greatest threat of all: the girl with the long, knotted black hair, riding on horseback through the dark woods toward Arthur. Because when your whole existence is a lie, how can you trust even yourself?
I had thought that this would be a fairly easy read. One that I would just whisk through and enjoy without being totally floored. I was wrong. So completely and totally wrong. This story had surprise after surprise after surprise after… every page bought something new to light that I just wasn’t expecting. White managed to turn everything on its head. Repeatedly. Nothing was what I expected. And everything pulled me further into the world that Whitehas so lovingly crafted as her own.
At first I loved the fact that Guinevere is the tough, powerful, magical being in this story. That she’s the one who is to protect Arthur and Camelot. As the story unfolded and things steadily got turned more and more on their head… I started to feel really, really sorry for her. There were so many revelations, difficulties and tragic moments throughout that my heart almost hurt at the end of this novel.
I love that there are a number of strong, independent women in this novel. And those who don’t fit that mould are barely mentioned. It’s nice to read a historical fiction / story of Camelot that doesn’t have women who, although strong are just falling in love and blindly following their menfolk. Rather, there are hints of love and companionship throughout, but nothing that deters Guinevere and her cohort from their chosen path. And, ultimately, when Guinevere is in trouble… it’s the women who ride to her rescue. Doesn’t exactly make me like Arthur all that much… but I’m hoping that in the next novel, he will redeem himself…
The men in this novel kind of drive me nuts. They’re stupid and tend to disregard the women who are by them. In particular, I found Arthur a little too quick to disregard Guinevere’s warnings and power. There may be a few reasons why that are revealed towards the end of the novel… but I still found him annoyingly high-handed and difficult.
Title: Clan Rathskeller Author: Kevin Hearne Series: The Iron Druid Chronicles #0.5 Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect) My Bookshelves:Celtic, Magic, Mythology, Urban fantasy Dates read: 10th July 2020 Pace: Fast Format: Free online short story Publisher: Kevin Hearne Year: 2010 5th sentence, 74th page: Or me, if you want to get fussy with the definition.
This is short story that takes place ten months before the events of “Hounded”, the first book in the Iron Druid Chronicles, coming 2011 from Del Rey.
This is a fun short story. One that had me laughing and giggling all throughout. Particularly the fact that it’s gnomes pretending to be humans pretending to be elves. Or something along those lines. A little bizarre. A little unique. And just generally enjoyable and funny.
While I was reading this, I did read a lot of the sentences out to my partner. He was confused about what I was reading, but even my little titbits made him laugh. There is just something very satirical and fun about Hearne’swriting that makes me itch to dig out Hounded.
This was a great short story. One which helped to not only whet my appetite for the Iron Druid Chronicles series. It also introduced some of the characters that I’m sure are likely to be a major part of the series (such as the lead character and his trusty sidekick). And now… now I just have to finish a few books before I start a new one…
Title: Grimoire of the Lamb Author: Kevin Hearne Series: The Iron Druid Chronicles #0.4 Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect) My Bookshelves:Celtic, Magic, Mythology, Urban fantasy Dates read: 13th July 2020 Pace: Fast Format: Short story Publisher: Harper Voyager Year: 2013 5th sentence, 74th page: I backed out of the cage and left the door open, speaking to him from freedom.
There’s nothing like an impromptu holiday to explore the birthplace of modern civilisation, but when Atticus and Oberon pursue a book-stealing Egyptian wizard – with a penchant for lamb – to the land of the pharaohs, they find themselves in hot, crocodile-infested water.
The trip takes an even nastier turn when they discover the true nature of the nefarious plot they’ve been drawn into. On the wrong side of the vengeful cat goddess Bast and chased by an unfathomable number of her yowling four-legged disciples, Atticus must find a way to appease or defeat Egypt’s deadliest gods – before his grimoire-grabbing quarry uses them to turn him into mincemeat.
As with the other two Iron Druid Chroniclesshort stories that I’ve read. This was humorous, funny and something that I really enjoyed. Partly, Oberon managed to carry a lot of this. I don’t think I’ve enjoyed a scene in a story as much as his outrage at running from Bast’s cat minions. There was something ironic, funny and a little bit witty about such a moment. Which perfectly sums up this entire short story.
I love that Atticus has a rare books bookshop. And that in this bookshop, there are a series of grimoires that have a lot of potential to really screw things up for the world. The fact that the grimoire that takes centre stage in this short story was thought to be just a series of lamb recipes… like I said, I found this a very humorous book. One that had me giggling throughout.
There was a great mix of mythologies in this. There was Atticus’ Druid nature and ties to the earth. Then there were all of the Egyptian deities running around helping to cause havoc. Definitely a pantheon that I found a little intimidating. Particularly with Hearne’s focus on the more bloodthirsty aspects of this mythology… now I am actually going to start reading Hounded…
Title: Ten Things I Love About You Author: Julia Quinn Series: Bevelstoke #3 Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Historical romance, Regency romance Dates read: 12th July 2020 Pace: Medium Format: Novel Publisher: Avon Year: 2010 5th sentence, 74th page: Because she was.
Ten Things You Should Know About This Book
Sebastian Grey is a devilishly handsome rogue with a secret.
Annabel Winslow’s family voted her The Winslow Most Likely to Speak Her Mind AND The Winslow Most Likely to Fall Asleep in Church.
Sebastian’s uncle is the Earl of Newbury, and if he dies without siring an heir, Sebastian inherits everything.
Lord Newbury detests Sebastian and will stop at nothing to prevent this from happening.
Lord Newbury has decided that Annabel is the answer to all of his problems.
Annabel does not want to marry Lord Newbury, especially when she finds out he once romanced her grandmother.
is shocking,
is delicious, and
is downright wicked, all of which lead the way to
Happily. Ever. After.
This was the final book in the Bevelstoke series. And, for me, I think it might have been the best. Although, now that I think about the other two… I also loved them. There was just something about Annabel’s situation that drew me in and plucked at my heart strings far more strongly than the other heroines in this series.
I had planned to just read a little of this book, and then go to sleep. I was kind of exhausted. But, that certainly didn’t happen. Again, Annabel’s plight and difficulties just completely drew me in. And every time I thought that there was a natural pause in this story coming up… a new challenge reared its ugly head and pulled me right back in again. It was an adventure that I was just swept away in. And next thing I knew… I’d stayed up WAY past my bedtime…
My only real moment of ow, that’s not the way it should be was when there just wasn’t quite enough comeuppance at the ending of this story. I think that the ending Quinn went with was absolutely wonderful and kind of perfect. But I’m of the vindictive persuasion… so I wanted the horrifying and somewhat evil Newbury to suffer. And suffer. And suffer. And, well, you get my vindictive little drift…
Sebastian most certainly drew my attention with his actions in Chapter Seventeen of What Happens in London. Which meant that I just couldn’t wait to find out who he would end up with. And Annabel just wasn’t what I pictured – but everything that I needed. Partner that with the fact that he’s a writer, an insomniac and just all round enjoyable and witty in his characterisation… I thought that he was the mot perfect of the three heroes in this series…
Title: What Happens in London Author: Julia Quinn Series: Bevelstoke #2 Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Historical romance, Regency romance Dates read: 10th – 11th July 2020 Pace: Medium Format: Novel Publisher: Avon Year: 2009 5th sentence, 74th page: “I thought you’d stopped counting.”
Rumors and Gossip… The lifeblood of London…
When Olivia Bevelstoke is told that her new neighbor may have killed his finacee, she doesn’t believe it for a second, but, still, how can she help spying on him, just to be sure? So she stakes out a spot near her bedroom window, cleverly concealed by curatins, watches, and waits… and discovers a most intriguing man, who is definitely up to something.
Sir Harry Valentine works for the boring branch of the War Office, translating documents vital to national security. He’s not a spy, but he’s had all the training, and when a gorgeous blonde begins to watch him from her window, he is instantly suspicious. But just when he decides that she’s nothing more than an annoyingly nosy debutante, he discovers that she might be engaged to a foreign prince, who might be plotting against England. And when Harry is roped into spying on Olivia, he discovers that he might be falling for her himself…
From her first appearance in The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever, I fell a little in love with Olivia. There is just something humorous, witty and intriguing about the beautiful girl who can’t keep her impulses to herself. So when I realised that the next novel in this trilogy was about her, and started with her spying on her neighbour… I was completely swept away. And intrigued. And just generally in my happy place…
I was kind of floored by the “bad guy” in this story at the end. In fact, as I’m reading more and more Julia Quinn stories, I was surprised that there truly was a “bad guy”. Normally the people who get in the way of a good happily ever after moment in her stories (the ones that I’ve read thus far anyway) are the two romantic leads themselves. So when someone else gets in Olivia’s way… I was pleasantly surprised. I love when an author I’ve been reading a lot of is able to completely surprise me. There is just something all that much more exciting about such an act.
One of my favourite aspects of this novel was the spy angle. The war with the French and Napoleon are mentioned frequently in many of Quinn’s regency romances – but I’ve never read one that features spying and Russian. I also just loved the Russian spin and the fact that the lead male, Harry, is in love with the language. It made me weirdly keen to go out and learn Russian of all languages. That extra bit of subterfuge made this all that much more difficult to put down…. Especially when I was curled up with a nice cup of tea in my onesie whilst reading this…
Even Miranda managed to make an appearance in this book. Although, not enough of one to truly make me happy in this. She is mentioned frequently, and it makes me imagine a reality in which Turner, Miranda, Olivia and Harry all continue to live happily and a little less than conservatively… it definitely meant that I finished this book on a huge, happy smile.
Title: The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever Author: Julia Quinn Series: Bevelstoke #1 Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Historical romance, Regency romance Dates read: 5th – 6th July 2020 Pace: Medium Format: Novel Publisher: Avon Year: 2007 5th sentence, 74th page: That is neither here nor there.
2 March 1810… Today, I fell in love.
At the age of ten, Miranda Cheever showed no signs of Great Beauty. And even at ten, Miranda learned to accept the expectations society held for her – until the afternoon when Nigel Bevelstoke, the handsome and dashing Viscount Turner, solemnly kissed her hand and promised her that one day she would grow into herself, that one day she would be as beautiful as she already was smart. And even at ten, Miranda knew she would love him forever.
But the years that followed were as cruel to Turner as they were kind to Miranda. She is as intriguing as the viscount boldly predicted on that memorable day – while he is a lonely, bitter man, crushed by a devastating loss. But Miranda has never forgotten the truth she set down on paper all those years earlier – and she will not allow the love that is her destiny to slip lightly through her fingers…
I have been reading a lot lately, and I really wanted and needed something that was just pleasantly, easily light and fluffy. Which is exactly what this is. After all, that is exactly what I love about Julia Quinn. You know there will be a happy ending. You enjoy the journey. And everything is just… generally, good and easy. Perfect for a nice night when you just want to sink into a good book with a nice, big glass of wine.
Miranda is predictably sweet. I love that at the beginning she feels a little like a wallflower. Until she is crossed, and in this case, I would be completely on her side. Then she is a bit of a hellcat. The imagery of her trying to beat a man with her bag is ingrained into my mind. And still has me giggling mercilessly. I would probably want to do the exact same thing in her shoes… it helped that when Turner begins to see her for who she is… he actually acknowledges that fire and spirit and states that his own brother would not be a good match for it. It just made the relationship all the more sweet… he recognised her less than desirable (at that time) qualities and adored them about her, didn’t dismiss her.
Where Miranda is predictably sweet, Turner is kind of a moron throughout much of this story. I kind of love him because he’s a wonderful character. But he’s just so damn stubborn. And even after that moment when he and Miranda finally decide to show their love for one another… he continues to be a moron. And stubborn. And just too damn scared to do or say anything that is against what he believes to be his truth… even when it’s damn obvious that he’s wrong, wrong, wrong.
Although the middle point where there is a great problem and milestone to overcome is kind of great. It’s also kind of frustrating. Because Turner is a fool. And, even as the story reaches its conclusion, you still want to smack some sense into the boy. Luckily though, at the point when you are just starting to get truly, and deeply fed up… things are solved and the horrors are mitigated. It’s a great story. A great ending and just all round cute. The perfect happy, peaceful and bubbly story to spend a night with.
Duration: 1st August – 31st August 2020 Number of books: 3 Hosted by: Bookworm Bitches
August 2020: Be the Good Duration: 8/1/2020-8/31/2020
There are 3 tasks, you only need to read three books to finish this challenge. Or pick one task and read 3 books for that one task.
August- altruism 1. Read a book where a character does something good for another – Tomorrow, When the War Began by John Marsden 2. Read a book that makes you want to do something good for another (donate money, volunteer, visit someone, etc.) – Neanderthal Marries Human by Penny Reid (unconditional love) 3. Read a book that involves charity or civic organizations (a character volunteering or working for one, a fundraiser event, etc.) – Rock Wedding by Nalini Singh (both donate to many, many charities)
Rules ~Books must be read during the selected time period. ~Post the date you finished the book. ~All books read for challenges can be used for more than one challenge. ~Books can be either Fiction or Non Fiction. Your choice. ~At the end of the challenge, it will be closed for commenting and moved to the archives folder ~Use the add book/author tool to tag your book within your challenge.
August 2020 SPELL – Admit You’re Happy Timeframe: 8/1/20 to 8/31/20
To go along with Barb’s Admit You’re Happy challenge, choose one or more of these words to spell out in August. You may use the first letter of the first word in the book’s title (excluding A, An and The) OR the author’s first or last initial (middle names or initials can NOT be used).
happy family friends good food cooking career puppies kittens opposites beautiful sunny outdoors nature music musician group author series favorite
CHALLENGE RULES: ♦ Please sign up by posting at least a partial list of the challenge requirements. This gives us a post to link you to, which you can use to update your books as the challenge progresses.
♦ Unless otherwise noted, books must be at least 150 pages long. (See the link here for rules regarding graphic novels.) Books may only be used for one task in this challenge, but cross-challenge posting is encouraged 🙂 Re-reads are allowed, as long as you read the entire book and not simply skim through it.
♦ For each book you read, please post a link to the title, and indicate the author and the date you finished reading it. * If you don’t know how to post a link to the book title, cover or author, see the instructions here: Add a link to the book title, book cover and/or author
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Earth and Skye 