Audiobook Review: From a High Tower by Mercedes Lackey

From a High Tower
Author: Mercedes Lackey
Narrator: Jennifer Van Dyck
Series: Elemental Masters (Book 10)
Publication: Audible Studios (June 2, 2015)
Length: 11 hours and 47 minutes

Description: The tenth novel in Mercedes Lackey's magical Elemental Masters series reimagines the fairy tale Rapunzel in a richly-detailed alternate Victorian world

Giselle had lived fourteen years of her life in an abandoned tower. Her mother kept Giselle, a young Air Master still growing into her abilities, isolated for the sake of herself and others.

This life left her unprepared when a handsome young man appeared at the base of her tower. But when the young stranger entered her window, he tried to force himself on her. She was saved by Mother, an Earth Master, who hurled the man out the window he had climbed in.

The Foresters of the Black Forest were Earth Masters whose job it was to cleanse the ancient forest of evil elementals, and over the next four years, they shared their fighting expertise to teach Giselle self-defense. By the age of twenty, Giselle was an expert markswoman, and it was this skill that she used to survive when Mother died. Cutting her long hair, she masqueraded as a boy to enter shooting competitions and used the prize money to support herself.

But she could not forget the first man who assaulted her, for when that stranger had fallen from her tower long ago, his body had never been found. In Giselle’s heart, she was certain his magic had helped him to survive the fall. Surely, it was only a matter of time before he found her and sought revenge. Was she prepared to stand against him?

My Thoughts: This is a riff on Rapunzel and is set in Victorian Germany. Giselle was purchased by her mother from a poor family because she recognized Giselle's potential magic. Her mother was an Earth Master and Giselle is a budding Air Master. 

When Giselle was fourteen and while her mother was away gathering supplies, a handsome young man arrives and tricks Giselle into letting her into her tower. He assaults her and Giselle is only rescued by her mother's convenient return. Her mother has the Foresters teach her self-defense skills including marksmanship. Giselle becomes an expert marksman which lets her survive when her mother dies.

At twenty, Giselle is out disguising herself as a man in order to enter shooting contests to earn money. A local army commander sees her and wants her in the Army. Giselle uses her air spirits to get away from him, but he dies in the escape which fills Giselle with guilt. She goes to a local Earth Master for healing, and the Earth Master introduces her to a traveling American Wild West Show where she is treasured for her shooting. 

However, the man who assaulted her is not finished with her. When Giselle brings the Show home with her to winter over at her isolated home, the masters in the company have to fight off the villains who are determined to capture Giselle and her supposed treasure. 

This was an engaging coming of age story with ties to the ninth book in the series. Giselle becomes friends with that story's heroine who assists her with her problems, teaches her about her magic, and provides a course to the future for Giselle. 

I bought this one September 28, 2021. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Demon Daughter & Penric and the Bandit by Lois McMaster Bujold

Demon Daughter & Penric and the Bandit
Author: Lois McMaster Bjuold
Series: Penric and Desdemona series
Publication: DD (Spectrum Literary Agency, January 7, 2024); PB (Spectrum Literary Agency, June 30, 2024)

Description: Demon Daughter: A six-year-old shiplost girl draws the kin Jurald family of Vilnoc into complex dilemmas, and sorcerer Learned Penric and his Temple demon Desdemona into conflict—with each other. It will take all of Penric’s wits, his wife Nikys’s wisdom, and the hand of the fifth god’s strangest saint to untangle the threads of their future.

My Thoughts: When Penric is called in to handle a demon who is setting fires in a small seaside village, he discovers a six-year-old girl who has a brand-new demon. Penric knows that he should bring the girl to the local saint and have the demon removed, but he takes the child home first.

Penric brings young Otta to live with his family and try to teach her some things about her relationship with her demon so that she will no longer be a danger to those around her. As she is learning the language and learning to control her demon, she becomes friends with Penric's daughter Rina who is just a year older than Otta and who has always wanted a demon of her own. 

But Penric is conflicted and so is his demon Des. He has never heard of a child so young being able to successfully manage a demon. For most people, there are years of training before they are entrusted with a demon. Penric feels that the best thing to do would be to take Otta to Iroki who is a saint and whose task is to remove dangerous demons. Des is correct in saying that removing a demon is just another word for destroying it. 

This was an engaging novella filled with lots of dilemmas. Bujold's ability to bring characters to life is evident here. 

Penric and the Bandit: Strange company…

When Rozakajin, road-weary bandit and army deserter, spots a hapless blond young man in a country inn with an intriguing treasure map, he thinks he’s scouted an easy and lucrative victim. Attaching himself to odd traveler Penric seems simple enough, but when Roz’s old enemies catch up from behind, his plans take a turn for the much worse. When Pen’s claim that I never travel alone proves true in ways Roz never imagined, his world becomes more frightening still—but also much wider than he’d ever dared to dream.

My Thoughts: Penric is on a journey to locate an old, abandoned monastery which might have rare manuscripts - a real treasure. One evening he meets a man named Roz who is a bandit running from his old life and who hasn't yet chosen a new life. 

Roz is intrigued by the idea of treasure, because whatever comes next for him, ample funds would be necessary. Unfortunately for Roz, his old life in the form of the bandit troop he is running away from isn't as far behind him as he would wish.

When they catch up to Roz, he sees the only option to save his life is to have them follow him to Penric's treasure which he offers to give them. After all, they are dangerous men. 

Fortunately, Penric and his demon Desdemona are more than equal to the task of dealing with a bandit troop though it costs him. He's not the mild-mannered clerk that he appears to be. 

I enjoyed this story which was not only a treasure hunt but a journey of great change for Roz who has his universe expanded after being with Penric. 

Both of these novellas were excellent. Bujold's writing always entertains and is always thought-provoking. 

I bought these in January and July, 2024. You can buy your copy of Demon Daughter here and Penric and the Bandit here.

Book Review: The Grandest Game by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Grandest Game
Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Series: The Grandest Game (Book 1)
Publication: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (July 30, 2024)

Description: Get ready for a new series that brings readers deeper into the lush, romantic, and puzzle-filled world of the #1 bestselling Inheritance Games series (over 3 million copies sold!), set a year after we last saw Avery and the Hawthornes.

Seven tickets. An island of dreams. The chance of a lifetime.

Welcome to the Grandest Game, an annual competition run by billionaire Avery Grambs and the four infamous Hawthorne brothers, whose family fortune she inherited. Designed to give anyone a shot at fame and fortune, this year’s game requires one of seven golden tickets to enter. With millions on the line, those seven players will do whatever it takes to win.

Some of the players are in it for the money. Some for power. Some for reasons all their own. Every single one of them has secrets. Amidst it all is Grayson Hawthorne, tasked with a vital role in this year’s game. But as tensions rise and the mind-bending challenges push the players to their limits—physically, mentally, and emotionally—it soon becomes clear that not everyone is playing by the rules

#1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Lynn Barnes delivers a brand-new series in the world of The Inheritance Games, where fan-favorite and new characters collide in a game you’ll never forget.

My Thoughts: THE GRANDEST GAME returns us to the world of the Inheritance Games. Avery Grambs and the Hawthorne brothers have developed a game in which someone will win more than $20 million dollars. There are only seven places in the game which will take place on an island. 

This story introduces and follows a few of the players all of whom are in the game for their own reasons from Rohan who wants the money to secure his play in a secret organization to Lyra who wants to learn about her past and provide needed funds for her parents. 

All of the characters have intriguing personalities and intriguing reasons for wanting to win this new Inheritance Game. 

The story is filled with puzzles for the players and the readers to solve. I loved the story and can't wait for the sequel since there is definitely a cliffhanger ending to this one. 

I bought this one July 31, 2024. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Feuds edited by Mercedes Lackey

Feuds
Author: Mercedes Lackey (Editor)
Series: Valdemar Anthologies (Book 18)
Publication: DAW (November 26, 2024)

Description: This 18th anthology of short stories set in the beloved Valdemar high fantasy universe features tales by debut and established authors and a brand-new novella from Mercedes Lackey.

The Heralds of Valdemar are the kingdom's ancient order of protectors. They are drawn from all across the land, from all walks of life, and at all ages—and all are Gifted with abilities beyond those of normal men and women. They are Mindspeakers, FarSeers, Empaths, ForeSeers, Firestarters, FarSpeakers, and more. These inborn talents—combined with training as emissaries, spies, judges, diplomats, scouts, counselors, warriors, and more—make them indispensable to their monarch and realm. Sought and Chosen by mysterious horse-like Companions, they are bonded for life to these telepathic, enigmatic creatures. The Heralds of Valdemar and their Companions ride circuit throughout the kingdom, protecting the peace and, when necessary, defending their land and monarch.

Now, twenty-two authors ride with Mercedes Lackey to the beloved land of Valdemar, where feuds—large and small, devastating and comic, longstanding and fresh—are brewing. Familiar faces await: in her brand-new novella Mercedes Lackey brings fan-favorite Vanyel back to the page, along with his aunt, the indomitable Herald Savil. So come explore Valdemar in these fantastical tales where:

Vanyel is enlisted in a clandestine mission, but when his investigation into two squabbling noble families reveals a pair of lifebonded lovers, he and Savil find themselves scrambling to prevent an all-out war—and the King himself is watching…

A duel between two small town bards abruptly crosses a line, and their battle of wits explodes beyond verbal showmanship…

A student of the Bardic college is increasingly frustrated by a peer’s insistence that she’s seeing ghosts, but as her visions escalate she begins to wonder and to worry…

My Thoughts: The eighteenth Valdemar anthology is centered around the theme of feuds. There are twenty-two stories including a new novella by Mercedes Lackey. Many of the other authors are frequent contributors to the Valdemar anthologies. 

The stories take place in a wide variety of places and have a wide variety of main characters. From heralds to bards and even one story starring a kyree, glimpses are seen from all over Lackey's fantasy world. 

All of the stories were enjoyable. Some made me feel that I was entering an established set of characters and situations which I found to be accurate as I was reading the author's brief biographies at the end of the book. 

I have not read all of the previous anthologies though I own most of them. I'm not a huge fan of short stories since I find that I want to know more than a short story can fit in. I felt that way about a number of the stories in this anthology. I wanted more information and more adventures for the main characters.  I did enjoy Lackey's new novella starring Vanyel and Savil. That one felt long enough to satisfy me. 

After the first few stories, I felt that the theme of feuds was too repetitive but later stories expanded the idea of feuds to one-sided ones and other varieties. Fans of the previous anthologies and those just hungry for another look into Lackey's Valdemar will enjoy these stories. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Divine by Choice by P. C. Cast

Divine by Choice
Author: P. C. Cast
Series: The Parthalon (Book 2)
Publication: Blackstone Publishing (March 2, 2023)

Description: Finally settled into her new world and role as the Goddess Epona’s Chosen, Shannon finds herself loving her life of luxury and service more and more each day. Her handsome husband is due to return from his travels soon, and the temple and its people have recovered from the terrible war months before. Even though the evil has been banished from the land and all is calm, Shannon can’t seem to shake the cloud of uneasiness (and nausea) she’s been feeling, even after she receives the wonderful news of her forthcoming bundle of joy.

But when a routine ride through the countryside turns dangerous, Shannon is once again pulled across the divide—back to the rolling green of Oklahoma. Sensing the darkness growing in her former world and driven by Epona’s steady hand, she must rely on the tempting and sexy Clint Freeman to help her defeat the all-too-familiar evil that lurks in the shadows before she can return to her real home—Partholon.

My Thoughts: Oklahoma high school English teacher Shannon is finally settling in on Partholon as the Goddess Epona's Chosen and wife to centaur ClanFintan. The war is over, but changes are still on the horizon. 

Shannon, now called Rhea, finds herself pregnant and feeling a growing sense of evil. When a trip to a local shrine finds her jerked back to the Earth she left behind, Shannon has to battle old evil in a new setting if she is ever going to get back to her new life. 

Even though it has been many, many years since I read the first book in this series, I was able to quickly adjust to the world and the mythology which is a combination of Scottish and Greek myths. This was an entertaining fantasy. 

I bought this one July 10, 2009, shortly after I bought my first Kindle. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: The Raven Heir by Stephanie Burgis

The Raven Heir
Author: Stephanie Burgis
Publication: Bloomsbury Children's Books; 1st edition (September 14, 2021)

Description: Perfect for fans of Robert Beatty and Shannon Hale comes a magical new middle grade fantasy series about a young shapeshifter trying to save her family.

Deep within an enchanted forest lies a castle where a set of triplets and their sorceress mother have lived for years--safe from the decades-long war for the Raven Throne that rages in the kingdom. Cordelia, one of the triplets, has the power to become any animal with just a thought, and she yearns to discover more about the world outside her castle.

But one day, the world comes to her, when the eldest of the triplets becomes the newest heir to the throne. Knowing that being named heir means certain death, Cordelia's mother hid the truth about which child is the eldest when she hid them in the forest. When her family is captured, it's up to Cordelia to use her powers to keep her siblings hidden and discover the truth about the Raven Heir--before it's too late.

From the author of The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart comes a thrilling new fantasy full of magic, adventure, and the power of family.

My Thoughts: THE RAVEN HEIR is the beginning of a new middle grade fantasy series. Cordelia and her triplet brother and sister have been raised in the middle of an enchanted forest protected by their mother. Cordelia, who is able to shift into any sort of animal, chafes at the restrictions that keep her confined to the forest and chafes at the secrets her mother is keeping.

When the castle is discovered and put under siege, Cordelia's mother tells her and her siblings Rosalind and Giles to flee. Running from these new enemies, the twelve-year-olds have to find out why they have been hidden and who wants them and why. 

The children learn that one of them is the potential heir to the Raven Throne. However, they don't know which of them. They do learn that many of the dukes want them only to cement their own power in the kingdom. They meet a previously unknown grandmother who has her own uses for the heir and her own political agenda. 

Cordelia is determined to find the Raven crown which was broken and hidden when the then current king broke the covenant with the land which led to the current problem of war for the kingdom as the dukes all fight to claim the throne. She and her siblings begin their journey to the site where the crown is hidden and along the way they see what the constant war has done to the kingdom. 

This was an exciting start to a new series. I love the emphasis on the importance of family and the ties between siblings. 

I bought this one May 29. You can buy your copy here.

Friday Memes: The Raven Heir by Stephanie Burgis

 Happy Friday!

Book Beginnings is hosted by Gillion at Rose City Reader. She asks that the first sentence is posted along with the author and title of the book and the reader's initial thoughts on the sentence, the book, or anything else it inspires. 

Carrie at Reading Is My Superpower.org also provides a linky for sharing first lines and connecting with others. This meme asks that the chosen books be PG or marked as Mature if they are not. 

The Friday 56 was hosted by Freda at Freda's Voice. This meme is currently on hiatus but many of us are still including a sentence from page 56 or from 56% of the ebook. Anne @ Head Full of Books is picking up the slack until Freda is ready to return. I think this link will get you to the correct place. 

Beginning:

Beyond the castle's moat, the deep, dark forest was shot through with trails of sunlight, tacing golden paths of possibility.

Friday 56:

"How long can you keep it going?" Rosalind asked as she tugged firmly at the arm Codelia had used to hide her wound. 

This week I am spotlighting The Raven Heir by Stephanie Burgis from my TBR pile. Here is the description from Amazon:

Perfect for fans of Robert Beatty and Shannon Hale comes a magical new middle grade fantasy series about a young shapeshifter trying to save her family.

Deep within an enchanted forest lies a castle where a set of triplets and their sorceress mother have lived for years--safe from the decades-long war for the Raven Throne that rages in the kingdom. Cordelia, one of the triplets, has the power to become any animal with just a thought, and she yearns to discover more about the world outside her castle.

But one day, the world comes to her, when the eldest of the triplets becomes the newest heir to the throne. Knowing that being named heir means certain death, Cordelia's mother hid the truth about which child is the eldest when she hid them in the forest. When her family is captured, it's up to Cordelia to use her powers to keep her siblings hidden and discover the truth about the Raven Heir--before it's too late.

From the author of The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart comes a thrilling new fantasy full of magic, adventure, and the power of family.

ARC Review: Candle & Crow by Kevin Hearne

Candle & Crow
Author: Kevin Hearne
Series: Ink & Sigil (Book 3)
Publication: Del Rey (October 1, 2024)

Description: From the New York Times bestselling author of The Iron Druid Chronicles comes the final book in the “action-packed, enchantingly fun” (Booklist) Ink & Sigil series, as an ink-slinging wizard pursues the answer to a very personal mystery: Who cast a pair of curses on his head?

Al MacBharrais has a most unusual job: He’s a practitioner of ink-and-sigil magic, tasked with keeping order among the gods and monsters that dwell hidden in the human world. But there’s one supernatural mystery he’s never been able to solve: Years ago, someone cast twin curses on him that killed off his apprentices and drove away loved ones who heard him speak, leaving him bereft and isolated.

But he’s not quite alone: As Al works to solve this mystery, his friends draw him into their own eccentric dramas. Buck Foi the hobgoblin has been pondering his own legacy—and has a plan for a daring shenanigan that will make him the most celebrated hobgoblin of all. Nadia, goth queen and battle seer, is creating her own cult around a god who loves whisky and cheese. 

And the Morrigan, a former Irish death goddess, has decided she wants not only to live as an ordinary woman but also to face the most perilous challenge of the mortal world: online dating.

Meanwhile, Al crosses paths with old friends and new—including some beloved Druids and their very good dogs—in his globe-trotting quest to solve the mystery of his curses. But he’s pulled in so many different directions by his colleagues, a suspicious detective, and the whims of destructive gods that Al begins to wonder: Will he ever find time to write his own happy ending?

My Thoughts: The final book in the Ink & Sigil trilogy wraps things up nicely. Al MacBharrais has been cursed with two different curses. One kills his apprentices and the other makes anyone who hears his voice too often hate him. He is determined to find out who cursed him and to break the curses.

Before Al can deal with his personal problems though, he has to deal with the Blue Men of the Minch who are sinking luxury yachts. According to their contract, they aren't in violation of any of the terms. Al learns that the yachts they sink are being used by traffickers among whom is a man who is a power behind the government and who also happens to be a warlock. 

Al also has to deal with his hobgoblin Buck Foi who wants to start his own family and become the most celebrated hobgoblin of all time. And Al's accountant is starting her own cult around a god who loves whiskey and cheese and who eats violent men. 

I really enjoyed this conclusion to the trilogy. I like the way it mixes all sorts of mythologies into an entertaining adventure. I liked that Al finally gets his happy ending. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

When Women Were Dragons
Author: Kelly Barnhill
Publication: Anchor (May 3, 2022)

Description: In the first adult novel by the New York Times bestselling author of The Ogress and The Orphans, Alex Green is a young girl in a world much like ours, except for its most seminal event: the Mass Dragoning of 1955, when hundreds of thousands of ordinary wives and mothers sprouted wings, scales, and talons; left a trail of fiery destruction in their path; and took to the skies. Was it their choice? What will become of those left behind? Why did Alex’s beloved aunt Marla transform but her mother did not? Alex doesn’t know. It’s taboo to speak of.

Forced into silence, Alex nevertheless must face the consequences of this astonishing event: a mother more protective than ever; an absentee father; the upsetting insistence that her aunt never even existed; and watching her beloved cousin Bea become dangerously obsessed with the forbidden.

In this timely and timeless speculative novel, award-winning author Kelly Barnhill boldly explores rage, memory, and the tyranny of forced limitations. When Women Were Dragons exposes a world that wants to keep women small—their lives and their prospects—and examines what happens when they rise en masse and take up the space they deserve.

My Thoughts: WHEN WOMEN WERE DRAGONS was a fascinating story of our recent past with one significant change. On April 25, 1955, there was a mass dragoning when more than 600,000 women spontaneously turned into dragons and the government instituted a massive coverup to hide dragoning.

Alex Green was a young girl when the dragoning took place. She was four when she saw her first dragon who happened to be a neighbor who had been kind to her. Alex's mother had cancer and was away for treatment during that same time period. Alex was cared for by her Aunt Marla, her mother's older sister. She was eight when the mass dragoning happened and her Aunt Marla was one of those women who dragoned. 

It was a repressive time. No one ever talked about dragoning or cancer or women's health issues. But Alex tried to stifle her curiosity but had many questions. She didn't know how to feel when her mother brought Marla's infant daughter home and declared that Bea had always been her sister and that Aunt Marla had never existed. Alex quickly became Bea's greatest protector which didn't change when her mother died of cancer when Alex was in eighth grade and when her father remarried and established Alex and Bea in an apartment and sent financial support but never visited his daughters again. 

Alex was left alone with responsibilities that should never have been placed on a child's shoulders, but she was determined to study and even attend college one day despite her father's refusal to support that dream. She did have a friend and supporter in Mrs. Gyzinska who was the head librarian at the local Carnegie Library. 

The story is told not only in Alex's voice but through newspaper articles and excerpts from the work of Dr. H. N. Gantz who had lost his positions as a university professor and doctor of medicine when he refused to stop researching and writing about dragons. 

This was an intriguing story. I enjoyed the rich language and deep emotions. Alex was a character who wasn't going to let the common values of the day stop her from becoming who she was meant to be. I liked the whole underground rebellion against the repression of facts in which Mrs. Gyzinska and Professor Gantz were deeply involved. 

Favorite Quote:

There cannot be science without the free and unfettered dissemination of truth. When you, as the creators of policy, seek to use your power to curtail understanding and thwart the free exchange of knowledge and ideas, it is not I who will suffer the consequences of this, but rather the whole nation, and, indeed, the entire world. 

I bought this one July 24. You can buy your copy here.

Friday Memes: When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

 Happy Friday!

Book Beginnings is hosted by Gillion at Rose City Reader. She asks that the first sentence is posted along with the author and title of the book and the reader's initial thoughts on the sentence, the book, or anything else it inspires. 

Carrie at Reading Is My Superpower.org also provides a linky for sharing first lines and connecting with others. This meme asks that the chosen books be PG or marked as Mature if they are not. 

The Friday 56 was hosted by Freda at Freda's Voice. This meme is currently on hiatus but many of us are still including a sentence from page 56 or from 56% of the ebook. Anne @ Head Full of Books is picking up the slack until Freda is ready to return. I think this link will get you to the correct place. 

Beginning:

Greetings, Mother --

I do not have much time. This change (this wonderous, wondrous change) is at this very moment upon me. I could not stop it if I tried. And I have no interest in trying.

Friday 56:

In those first chaotic weeks after the Mass Dragoning, Sister Margareta, my third-grade teacher, taught us the earliest accepted explanation: that dragons, either escaped from Hell or intentionally released its Demon Gate by sinister forces in the hidden global war between good and evil (Russian, presumably), had devoured a certain subset of the nation's mothers, for reasons unknown. And likely reasons unknowable. After all, who can reason with a dragon?

Thie week I am spotlighting When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill. I have read some of her young adult books and enjoyed them. Here is the description from Amazon:

In the first adult novel by the New York Times bestselling author of The Ogress and The Orphans, Alex Green is a young girl in a world much like ours, except for its most seminal event: the Mass Dragoning of 1955, when hundreds of thousands of ordinary wives and mothers sprouted wings, scales, and talons; left a trail of fiery destruction in their path; and took to the skies. Was it their choice? What will become of those left behind? Why did Alex’s beloved aunt Marla transform but her mother did not? Alex doesn’t know. It’s taboo to speak of.

Forced into silence, Alex nevertheless must face the consequences of this astonishing event: a mother more protective than ever; an absentee father; the upsetting insistence that her aunt never even existed; and watching her beloved cousin Bea become dangerously obsessed with the forbidden.

In this timely and timeless speculative novel, award-winning author Kelly Barnhill boldly explores rage, memory, and the tyranny of forced limitations. When Women Were Dragons exposes a world that wants to keep women small—their lives and their prospects—and examines what happens when they rise en masse and take up the space they deserve.

Book Review: Storm Furies by Wen Spencer

Storm Furies
Author: Wen Spencer
Series: Tinker (Book 6)
Publication: Baen Books; 1st edition (August 6, 2024)

Description: THE GODDESS OF WAR RIDES, HERALDED BY STORM FURIES

The oni have invaded Pittsburgh on Elfhome. And, so far, it looks like they are winning. All this is according to prophecy. But the prophecy is big on symbols and light on specifics. Tinker and her allies are doing the best they can to defend the city and the civilians caught in the crossfire of a war between elves that’s been brewing for centuries. But the enemy has no hesitation whatsoever in involving innocents. All the pieces in this deadly game are in place—and everyone trusts Tinker will save them. All she needs is a plan. And then the lights go out, and the storm begins to rage . . .

My Thoughts: STORM FURIES is the direct sequel to HARBINGER. In fact, it begins moments after HARBINGER ends. 

The oni have invaded Pittsburgh and a great many different groups are fighting them. This story is told from numerous viewpoints with each chapter following one person or group or another. Among the viewpoints are Tinker, Windwolf, Oilcan, Jillian and Louise Mayer, Tommy Chang, Law, Jane Kryskill, and Olivia or Olive Branch over Stone. Each character has their own role to play in the larger conflict and their own personal problems and interests too. 

The story is filled with battles and skirmishes and life-changing decisions. Tinker comes to learn that Pittsburgh is the place where long-standing rivalries and viewpoints have to come together if they want to win against the oni and change the world. 

This is an epic story filled with wonderful characters and an intriguing society. While the story ends with a victory that is more like a breathing space, there are still a number of plot threads dangling. After all, Emperor Heaven's Blessing is still out there scheming. 

The story proceeds at breakneck speed. I found it very hard to put down. In fact, rereading HARBINGER and then STOEM FURIES has made me very much sleep deprived. I don't regret a minute though. 

Favorite Quote:

Tinker was really letting things slip through the cracks. To be fair, there were currently a lot of cracks. 

I bought this one on release day. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Arrow's Fall by Mercedes Lackey

Arrow's Fall
Author: Mercedes Lackey
Narrator: Christa Lewis
Series: Heralds of Valdemar (Book 3)
Publication: Tanto Audio (June 5, 2018)
Length: 10 hours and 8 minutes

Description: With Elspeth, the heir to the throne of Valdemar, now of marriageable age, Talia, the Queen's Own Herald, returns to court. Here, she finds the Queen and heir beset by diplomatic intrigue as various forces vie for control of Elspeth's future.

But just as Talia is about to uncover the traitor behind all these intrigues, she is sent off on a mission to the neighboring kingdom, chosen by the Queen to investigate the worth of a marriage proposal from Prince Ancar. And, to her horror, Talia soon discovers there is far more going on at Prince Ancar's court than just preparation for a hoped - for royal wedding. For a different magic than that of the Heralds is loose in Ancar's realm - an evil and ancient sorcery that may destroy all of Valdemar unless Talia can send warning to her Queen in time.

My Thoughts: The final book in the Heralds of Valdemar trilogy has Talia and Kris sent to the neighboring kingdom of Hardorn to vet a possible spouse for Elspeth. The Queen has had a friendship with the ruler of Hardorn and the alliance would be good for Valdemar. But she hasn't seen young Prince Ancar since he was a child. 

Talia and Kris run into trouble as soon as they cross the border. There are nasty rumors about Prince Ancar's court which seems filled with magicians who practice the old magic. His personal habits aren't recommending him as a proper spouse for Elspeth either. 

However, when they try to leave to get word to Queen Selenay about the problems in the kingdom, Talia is captured, and Kris and his companion are killed. Talia does manage to get a message out via a trader she met while she was interning. The trader manages to get a poison in to her, but she has to wait until she knows the message has reached her Queen before she dares to take it. While she waits, Ancar and his devoted nurse Hulda spend their time torturing and abusing her. 

Meanwhile, the Queen and her entourage which includes Elspeth and Dirk, the man lifebonded to Talia, are making their way to the border. When Rolan arrives with the message, the Queen turns around. But Dirk isn't willing to leave Talia in Ancar's hands and manages to use his gift for fetching to snatch her out of Ancar's hands. 

Gravely injured, Talia is still able to tell the Queen what she knows and assist with the battle between Valdemar and Ancar's forces. 

This was a great conclusion to this trilogy. 

I bought this one from Chirp April 23, 2022. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

Legends & Lattes
Author: Travis Baldree
Series: Legends & Lattes (Book 1)
Publication: Tor Books (June 7, 2022)

Description: After a lifetime of bounties and bloodshed, Viv is hanging up her sword for the last time.

The battle-weary orc aims to start fresh, opening the first ever coffee shop in the city of Thune. But old and new rivals stand in the way of success — not to mention the fact that no one has the faintest idea what coffee actually is.

If Viv wants to put the blade behind her and make her plans a reality, she won't be able to go it alone

But the true rewards of the uncharted path are the travelers you meet along the way. And whether drawn together by ancient magic, flaky pastry, or a freshly brewed cup, they may become partners, family, and something deeper than she ever could have dreamed.

My Thoughts: This fantasy is about fresh starts and finding friends. Viv is an orc who is tired of being in battles all the time. When she discovers a magical relic, she takes it as an opportunity to start a new life. Research leads her to Thune with its converging leylines as a new home. She plans to open a coffee shop which will be a challenge because no one in Thune has ever heard of coffee.

Her circle grows as a she meets a carpenter who helps her convert the old livery stable she bought into a new venue for her business. Then she advertises for an assistant and gets a succubus who is looking for a new start of her own. When another customer wanders in who is a genius baker, he is drawn into the fold too. 

But all is not simple and easy. The local protection association threatens her livelihood, and an old enemy wants the magical relic that she found. But calling still other friends and a deal with the crime boss whose organization is selling protection, lowers those threats.

At least until the old enemy manages to use magical fire to burn down Viv's place and steal the relic. But friends rally to rebuild bigger and better and confirm that Viv has found her new home and people who are just who she has been missing.

This was an enjoyable story - almost a cozy fantasy - with great characters. 

Favorite Quote:

While Viv puzzled over that, Laney wafted the steam from the roll to her nose. "I don't mind tellin' you, this beats the smell of horse apples, any day of the week." Her eyes disappeared in the dried-fruit crinkle of her grin.

"I'd always hoped we'd clear the high bar set by horseshit."

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Friday Memes: Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

 Happy Friday!

Book Beginnings is hosted by Gillion at Rose City Reader. She asks that the first sentence is posted along with the author and title of the book and the reader's initial thoughts on the sentence, the book, or anything else it inspires. 

Carrie at Reading Is My Superpower.org also provides a linky for sharing first lines and connecting with others. This meme asks that the chosen books be PG or marked as Mature if they are not. 

The Friday 56 is hosted by Freda at Freda's Voice. This meme is currently on hiatus but many of us are still including a sentence from page 56 or from 56% of the ebook. Anne @ Head Full of Books is picking up the slack until Freda is ready to return. I think this link will get you to the correct place. 

Beginning:

Viv buried her greatsword in the scalvert's skull with a meaty crunch.

Friday 56:

They browsed for a few hours, past noon. Viv kept her eye out for the items on her list, and Tandri deftly steered her away from some bad buys, noting subtle cracks in pottery or poor joins in ironwork.

This week I am spotlighting Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree. This one has been on my TBR pile for a while, and I have seen lots of good buzz about it. Here is the description from Amazon.

After a lifetime of bounties and bloodshed, Viv is hanging up her sword for the last time.

The battle-weary orc aims to start fresh, opening the first ever coffee shop in the city of Thune. But old and new rivals stand in the way of success — not to mention the fact that no one has the faintest idea what coffee actually is.

If Viv wants to put the blade behind her and make her plans a reality, she won't be able to go it alone.

But the true rewards of the uncharted path are the travelers you meet along the way. And whether drawn together by ancient magic, flaky pastry, or a freshly brewed cup, they may become partners, family, and something deeper than she ever could have dreamed.

Book Review: The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik

The Last Graduate
Author: Naomi Novik
Series: Scholomance (Book 2)
Publication: Del Rey (September 28, 2021)

Description: NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The specter of graduation looms large as Naomi Novik’s groundbreaking, New York Times bestselling trilogy continues in the stunning sequel to A Deadly Education.

“The climactic graduation-day battle will bring cheers, tears, and gasps as the second of the Scholomance trilogy closes with a breathtaking cliff-hanger.”—Booklist (starred review)

HUGO AWARD FINALIST • LOCUS AWARD FINALIST • ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Polygon, Thrillist, She Reads

In Wisdom, Shelter. That’s the official motto of the Scholomance. I suppose you could even argue that it’s true—only the wisdom is hard to come by, so the shelter’s rather scant.

Our beloved school does its best to devour all its students—but now that I’ve reached my senior year and have actually won myself a handful of allies, it’s suddenly developed a very particular craving for me. And even if I somehow make it through the endless waves of maleficaria that it keeps throwing at me in between grueling homework assignments, I haven’t any idea how my allies and I are going to make it through the graduation hall alive.

Unless, of course, I finally accept my foretold destiny of dark sorcery and destruction. That would certainly let me sail straight out of here. The course of wisdom, surely.

But I’m not giving in—not to the mals, not to fate, and especially not to the Scholomance. I’m going to get myself and my friends out of this hideous place for good—even if it’s the last thing I do.

With keen insight and mordant humor, Novik reminds us that sometimes it is not enough to rewrite the rules—sometimes, you need to toss out the entire rulebook.

The magic of the Scholomance trilogy continues in The Golden Enclaves

My Thoughts: This middle book of the Scholomance trilogy concerns El's Senior year. She begins the year being the target of the Scholomance and honing her fighting skills. She has managed to make some friends and build some alliances but is separated from them for most of her classmates and when she is put in a seminar with assorted Freshman.

She is determined first to find a way to get her friends through to graduation and through the fight that is necessary if they are to leave the Scholomance behind. But gradually, she determines that she won't be satisfied until she gets all of the Seniors out alive. Since many of them don't trust her and even more don't know her, this is going to be a difficult task. Luckily, she is befriended by the class's valedictorian who has more than enough ideas of ways to make El's task possible even if she is a difficult person and not El's friend.

As the training goes on, El realizes that the only way she will be satisfied is if she manages to get all of the students out of the Scholomance - Freshman to Seniors. To do this she is going to have to depend on most of the other students to help and to put aside the rivalries and self-centered behavior that were the skills that got them out before.

This wouldn't seem like a good time to fall in love but El manages to fit it in. She and Orion Lake have been rivals since their first days in the Scholomance. He's the popular Enclaver who has become the school hero by saving countless lives including El's. He's also the only one other than El who is almost certain to be able to win their way out of the Scholomance. 

The worldbuilding in this story is fantastic. From a complex political system and magical system to a wide variety of evil creatures determined to eat the young wizards, the story is packed with intriguing ideas. It is also packed full of adventure. But even more it is packed with ethical dilemmas and the need to make the right choices. 

Fans of epic fantasy will enjoy this one - but read A DEADLY EDUCATION first. 

Favorite Quote:

"There's no such thing as normal people," I said, a desperate flailing. "There's just people, and some of them are miserable, and some of them are happy, and you've the same right to be happy as any of them -- no more and no less."

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Friday Memes: The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik

 Happy Friday!

Book Beginnings is hosted by Gillion at Rose City Reader. She asks that the first sentence is posted along with the author and title of the book and the reader's initial thoughts on the sentence, the book, or anything else it inspires. 

Carrie at Reading Is My Superpower.org also provides a linky for sharing first lines and connecting with others. This meme asks that the chosen books be PG or marked as Mature if they are not. 

The Friday 56 is hosted by Freda at Freda's Voice. This meme is currently on hiatus but many of us are still including a sentence from page 56 or from 56% of the ebook. Anne @ Head Full of Books is picking up the slack until Freda is ready to return. I think this link will get you to the correct place. 

Beginning:

Keep far away from Orion Lake.

Friday 56:

The cushion-monster was lumping straight towards her back: it would get her before she got ten steps onto the walkway. 

This week I am spotlighting The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik. This is the second book in the Scholomance Trilogy. I recently read the first in the series. Here is the description from Amazon:

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The specter of graduation looms large as Naomi Novik’s groundbreaking, New York Times bestselling trilogy continues in the stunning sequel to A Deadly Education.

“The climactic graduation-day battle will bring cheers, tears, and gasps as the second of the Scholomance trilogy closes with a breathtaking cliff-hanger.”—Booklist (starred review)

HUGO AWARD FINALIST • LOCUS AWARD FINALIST • ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Polygon, Thrillist, She Reads

In Wisdom, Shelter. That’s the official motto of the Scholomance. I suppose you could even argue that it’s true—only the wisdom is hard to come by, so the shelter's rather scant.

Our beloved school does its best to devour all its students—but now that I’ve reached my senior year and have actually won myself a handful of allies, it’s suddenly developed a very particular craving for me. And even if I somehow make it through the endless waves of maleficaria that it keeps throwing at me in between grueling homework assignments, I haven’t any idea how my allies and I are going to make it through the graduation hall alive

Unless, of course, I finally accept my foretold destiny of dark sorcery and destruction. That would certainly let me sail straight out of here. The course of wisdom, surely.

But I’m not giving in—not to the mals, not to fate, and especially not to the Scholomance. I’m going to get myself and my friends out of this hideous place for good—even if it’s the last thing I do.

With keen insight and mordant humor, Novik reminds us that sometimes it is not enough to rewrite the rules—sometimes, you need to toss out the entire rulebook.

The magic of the Scholomance trilogy continues in The Golden Enclaves

Book Review: Highway to Hell by Rosemary Clement-Moore

Highway to Hell
Author: Rosemary Clement-Moore
Series: Maggie Quinn (Book 3)
Publication: Delacorte Press (March 5, 2009)

Description: Maggie Quinn was expecting to find plenty of trouble with Lisa over Spring Break. Destination: South Padre Island! Give a girl a bikini, a beachfront hotel, and an absent boyfriend, and it’s as good as a road map to the dark side. And Maggie and Lisa plan to enjoy every bit of it--just like nice, normal college freshmen. Fire, brimstone, and demonic sorority girls: these ladies are officially off the clock.

But Maggie doesn’t have to go looking for trouble. Trouble has started looking for her. One dead cow and a punctured gas tank later, she and Lisa are stuck in Dulcina, Texas—a town so small that it has an owner. And--you guessed it--lately life in this small town hasn’t been all that peaceful. An eerie predator is stalking the ranchland. Cattle are dying mysteriously, with strange bite marks on their hides. And judging by the rising body count, whatever's doing the killing is getting bolder by the day.

Everyone in town has a theory, but not even Maggie’s psychic mojo can provide any answers. And the longer the girls are stranded, the more obvious it becomes that something is seriously wrong. Only no one—not even Maggie’s closest ally—wants to admit that they could have been forced on a detour down the highway to hell.

It looks like fighting evil isn't a job with vacation time.

My Thoughts: The third book in the Maggie Quinn series has Maggie and her best friend Lisa driving to Spring Break on South Padre Island. Neither are really the Spring Break type. Maggie wants to do an article for her school newspaper and Lisa just wants to do something normal. 

However, their plans fall apart when Maggie's jeep hits a dead cow in the road and the two of them find themselves stranded in Dulcina, Texas, with something supernatural going on. The locals are sure that El Chupacabra has made a return as evidenced by missing and dead animals ranging from a small dog through goats and calves and cows. Both Maggie and Lisa are intrigued, and both are hoping that this won't be their next encounter with evil. 

With Justin spending some time with his best friend Henry, Maggie feels a bit lost without his support and his research skills. A trip to a small local roadside museum with a faked-up skeleton of a supposed chupacabra doesn't shed much light on the mystery though a small relic from a long-lost Indian tribe may hold a clue.

Evidence of some sort of supernatural something becomes hard to dismiss as Maggie is having visions about something evil despite Lisa new friend Zeke's assurance that it is just some natural creature made more dangerous by the drought. Zeke's grandmother who appears in Maggie's visions is busy denying any sort of supernatural evil despite having bested it some fifty years earlier. When Justing and Henry join the girls, the whole Scooby gang is together again and just in time to battle a demon. 

This story has it all. There is great worldbuilding, intriguing supernatural characters, snarky conversations between best friends, and all sorts of action as they bettle the demon. Fans of YA paranormal fiction will enjoy this one. 

Favorite Quote:

"Where's Zeke?"

"He's talking to the doctor about Dave. Are you out of your mind?"

Trying not to grimace at the pins and needles of restored circulation, I uncurled from the couch. "You're going to have to give me a frame of reference for that question. It's been a long night, and in no way lacking in crazy."

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Friday Memes: Highway to Hell by Rosemary Clement-Moore

 Happy Friday!

Book Beginnings is hosted by Gillion at Rose City Reader. She asks that the first sentence is posted along with the author and title of the book and the reader's initial thoughts on the sentence, the book, or anything else it inspires. 

Carrie at Reading Is My Superpower.org also provides a linky for sharing first lines and connecting with others. This meme asks that the chosen books be PG or marked as Mature if they are not. 

The Friday 56 is hosted by Freda at Freda's Voice. This meme is currently on hiatus but many of us are still including a sentence from page 56 or from 56% of the ebook. Anne @ Head Full of Books is picking up the slack until Freda is ready to return. I think this link will get you to the correct place. 

Beginning:

Some people think that Texas has only one season, that it's summer all year long. In fact, the Lone Star State does have four seasons: Hot, Humid, Horrible, and Hellacious. But when I decided to road-trip with D&D Lisa to South Padre Island, I didn't think that last one would be so literal.

Friday 56:

"Drought didn't kill my best herding dog," said Carl from the Old Guys' table. "Or Teresa's goats.

Teresa unfolded her arms slowly, with a sense of drama. "All with their throats ripped out."

This week I am spotlighting Highway to Hell by Rosemary Clement-Moore. This is the third book in a trilogy. The first two had been on my TBR pile for years before I recently read them. Here is the description from Amazon:

Maggie Quinn was expecting to find plenty of trouble with Lisa over Spring Break. Destination: South Padre Island! Give a girl a bikini, a beachfront hotel, and an absent boyfriend, and it’s as good as a road map to the dark side. And Maggie and Lisa plan to enjoy every bit of it--just like nice, normal college freshmen. Fire, brimstone, and demonic sorority girls: these ladies are officially off the clock.

But Maggie doesn’t have to go looking for trouble. Trouble has started looking for her. One dead cow and a punctured gas tank later, she and Lisa are stuck in Dulcina, Texas—a town so small that it has an owner. And--you guessed it--lately life in this small town hasn’t been all that peaceful. An eerie predator is stalking the ranchland. Cattle are dying mysteriously, with strange bite marks on their hides. And judging by the rising body count, whatever's doing the killing is getting bolder by the day.

Everyone in town has a theory, but not even Maggie’s psychic mojo can provide any answers. And the longer the girls are stranded, the more obvious it becomes that something is seriously wrong. Only no one—not even Maggie’s closest ally—wants to admit that they could have been forced on a detour down the highway to hell.

It looks like fighting evil isn'at a job with vacation time.

Book Review: A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik

A Deadly Education
Author: Naomi Novik
Series: The Scholomance (Book 1)
Publication: Del Rey (September 29, 2020)

Description: I decided that Orion Lake needed to die after the second time he saved my life.

Everyone loves Orion Lake. Everyone else, that is. Far as I’m concerned, he can keep his flashy combat magic to himself. I’m not joining his pack of adoring fans.

I don’t need help surviving the Scholomance, even if they do. Forget the hordes of monsters and cursed artifacts, I’m probably the most dangerous thing in the place. Just give me a chance and I’ll level mountains and kill untold millions, make myself the dark queen of the world.

At least, that’s what the world expects. Most of the other students in here would be delighted if Orion killed me like one more evil thing that’s crawled out of the drains. Sometimes I think they want me to turn into the evil witch they assume I am. The school certainly does.

But the Scholomance isn’t getting what it wants from me. And neither is Orion Lake. I may not be anyone’s idea of the shining hero, but I’m going to make it out of this place alive, and I’m not going to slaughter thousands to do it, either.

Although I’m giving serious consideration to just one.

With flawless mastery, Naomi Novik creates a school bursting with magic like you’ve never seen before, and a heroine for the ages—a character so sharply realized and so richly nuanced that she will live on in hearts and minds for generations to come.

My Thoughts: This story is told by Galadriel, call her El, about her time at the Scolomance, a school for budding magicians. El has a difficult time there because prophecy has said that she will become an evil sorcerer. But El was raised by her flowers and butterflies and positive thinking mother and knows that she can fight her destiny and become the sort of sorcerer she wants to be. 

El's nemesis is Orion Lake. He's the school hero and has single-handedly saved a quarter of their class from being devoured by the many monsters that haunt the school. El doesn't want his help. She's determined to survive the school on her own. But Orion keeps turning up and saving the day. 

There are two kinds of magic in El's world: mana and malia. Mana is positive magic created by effort; malia is negative and stolen from other lives. The school is determined to make El into the sort of sorcerer who pulls and uses malia and turn her out into the world as a maleficer. She's determined not to be turned into one.

There is wonderful and complex worldbuilding in the story. It is filled with magnificent and hungry creatures of all kinds. It is also filled with engaging and well-rounded human characters. I especially liked that El gradually makes friends with some of her human classmates including the dreaded Orion Lake. 

Favorite Quote:

Some sorcerers get an affinity for weather magic, or transformation spells, or fantastic combat magics like dear Orion, I got an affinity for mass destruction. 

I bought this one September 29, 2020. You can buy your copy here.