Tynga's reviews

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Stacking the Shelves [278]

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

If you want to find out more about Stacking The Shelves, please visit the official launch page!

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My rather short stack is over at Reading Reality, along with an equally brief report on just how far this week has gone down the tubes.

We are moving this weekend, quite possibly as you read this. And that's disruptive enough.

But on Thursday we lost our Clown Princess, 17 1/2 year old Mellie-cat. We've had her since the day she was born, and we are heartbroken. We miss her, and so does Freddie-cat, who is very confused about where his Aunty-Mellie has gone and why she isn't there to order him around. She'll be missed.

Everyone has things they do to deal with grief and stress. I read. It helps me slip away just a bit, for just a little while. When I come back to reality, whatever is wrong is just a bit further away. I got a couple of really good books this week to help with that.

Beast (Galactic Gladiators #7) by Anna Hackett

The Women of Baker Street (Mrs. Hudson and Mary Watson #2) by Michelle Birkby

Please link your STS post in the linky below:

Posted by Marlene Harris at 08:00

11 People left their mark

Saturday, October 21, 2017

Stacking the Shelves [277]

If you want to find out more about Stacking The Shelves, please visit the official launch page!

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Hello Readers!

I've ended my maternity leave and my next day back at my library is this Monday!

Here's what I've added to my shelves since last time:

The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss

(The Name of the Wind, 2.5)

Recently completed. Review coming soon!

Tongues of Serpents by Naomi Novik (Temeraire, 6)

Recently completed. Review coming soon!

The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman

Recently competed. Review coming soon!

Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Recently completed.

This won the YALSA Morris Award for 2016, and I loved it. If you don't read much YA (or not much contemporary YA), this is a must read.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Recently completed.

Another must-read YA novel that I FULLY expect will win some sort of YALSA award in January. I was in tears at the ending both because of it and because of how on-point it was.

The Ship of Brides by Jojo Moyes

Recently completed.

I'm currently reading through other Moyes works, and this one is not as romantic and fluffy as some of her others. It covers perspectives of four different war brides coming from Australia to England, and the unique journeys suffered by similar women in history.

An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon (Outlander, 7)

Recently completed.

AND...

Written in My Own Heart's Blood by Diana Gabaldon (Outlander, 8)

Currently reading.

I'm sure we have some Outlander fans in this mix! (Aren't you dying for tomorrow's episode? I am!) I've been reading through the Outlander series for the first time this past year, but trying to pace it out to give myself time to come out of the obsession, and I'm almost caught up! I haven't decided whether to read the Lord John novels yet, but will be reading the relevant series novellas in her new compilation soon-ish.

That's it for me for now until I start back into my beloved YA with work!

What do you have to add this week?

Posted by Kara at 07:00

Stacking The Shelves, sts 15 People left their mark

Thursday, October 19, 2017

Victory of Eagles by Naomi Novik

Book Stats:

Reading level: Adult
Genre: Fantasy, Historical fiction
Paperback: 376 pages
Publisher: Del Rey
Release date: May 19, 2009

Series: Temeraire #5

Source: Library

Reviewed by: Kara

Order: Amazon | Book Depository

For Britain, conditions are grim: Napoleon’s resurgent forces have breached the Channel and successfully invaded English soil. Napoleon’s prime objective is the occupation of London. Unfortunately, the dragon Temeraire has been removed from military service–and his captain, Will Laurence, has been condemned to death for treason. Separated by their own government and threatened at every turn by Napoleon’s forces, Laurence and Temeraire must struggle to find each other amid the turmoil of war. If only they can be reunited, master and dragon might rally Britain’s scattered resistance forces and take the fight to the enemy as never before–for king and country, and for their own liberty.

In the last novel, the British had contaminated Napoleon's dragons with the wasting disease, and Temeraire and Laurence recognized that this would spread to other countries and all dragons would die. Temeraire and Laurence made a choice to bring the cure to France's dragons though all of Britain would see this as betrayal and Laurence would lose everything and be branded as a traitor. Upon their return to Britain, Laurence and Temeraire were separated and have been sent to their respective fates: Temeraire to the breeding grounds and Laurence captive in a ship's brig to await his hanging.

Things do seem the lowest of the low for our two heroes. Still, with a war on, Temeraire is the most valuable dragon in their arsenal, and things don't quite pan out to the expectation. This book is where Temeraire begins to shine separate of Laurence. When he believes Laurence is dead, he wins the allegiance of the dragons at the breeding grounds and takes them to war against Napoleon, who has launched a campaign on British soil. However, the dragons are also acting without military orders. Laurence, who has only been called to duty since the war needs Temeraire, must act as Temeraire's representative (once reunited) for the canny dragon has made himself a commander, with dragons and militia under his orders. Temeraire begins to grasp the chain of command and the hurdles resulting while also confronting the outcomes, bringing a better understanding of what Laurence has done for him in choosing treason to make the moral choice. Finally, with Temeraire's military rise, he uses this newfound power to command respect from the men and bargain for dragon rights, though we have not yet fully seen how this will play out.

Laurence, too, has his own inner battle, finding he readily accepts martial consequences of his actions for himself but not for many others it has affected. This is a subtle conflict, and Laurence chooses safeguards to prevent this from occurring again under his command by withholding their true orders from the other captains and crew. This obedience to orders to save his companions further complicates matters, though, as their orders goes against his moral code. And after everything Laurence has suffered, we finally see this take a noticeable toll on him through Temeraire's observation.

Despite the separation and chaos of this novel, I really enjoyed the character development and the opportunities for Temeraire to both lead and learn, mostly without Laurence's guidance or influence. I still like Laurence, and with him so miserable, it would be nice to see him afforded a bit of happiness soon. I don't see how this is likely with them headed to Australia, but I guess I will have to keep reading!

Posted by Kara at 07:00

Adult, Del Rey, dragons, Fantasy, historical fiction, naomi novik, temeraire, Victory of Eagles Leave your mark

Saturday, October 14, 2017

Stacking the Shelves [276]

If you want to find out more about Stacking The Shelves, please visit the official launch page!

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Another very tall shelf stack over at Reading Reality this week. I'm so happy these are all ebooks. If they were print the house would sink! The scary thing is that in the days before NetGalley and Edelweiss, I used to buy books at just about the same rate. OMG.

As always, I have a couple of books to tease you with.

The Awkward Squad by Sophie Henaff

This one isn't going to be out until well into next year, but I couldn't resist picking it up. The premise, of a disgraced cop who ends up commanding a squad of misfits, sounds very much like one of my favorite British TV crime dramas, New Tricks. And if it's half as good, it should be a real treat.

A Scandal in Battersea by Mercedes Lackey

If the title and the cover don't give this away, A Scandal in Battersea is a Sherlock Holmes pastiche set in the world of Lackey's Elemental Masters. I absolutely ADORE Holmes' pastiches, and Lackey is one of my favorite authors. What's not to love?

Please link your STS post in the linky below:

Posted by Marlene Harris at 08:00

7 People left their mark

Thursday, October 12, 2017

Empire of Ivory by Naomi Novik

Book Stats:

Reading level: Adult
Genre: Fantasy, Historical fiction
Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Del Rey
Release date: September 25, 2007

Series: Temeraire #4

Source: Library

Reviewed by: Kara

Order: Amazon | Book Depository

Tragedy has struck His Majesty’s Aerial Corps, whose magnificent fleet of fighting dragons and their human captains valiantly defend England’s shores against the encroaching armies of Napoleon Bonaparte. An epidemic of unknown origin and no known cure is decimating the noble dragons’ ranks–forcing the hopelessly stricken into quarantine. Now only Temeraire and a pack of newly recruited dragons remain uninfected–and stand as the only means of an airborne defense against France’s ever bolder sorties.
Bonaparte’s dragons are already harrowing Britain’s ships at sea. Only one recourse remains: Temeraire and his captain, Will Laurence, must take wing to Africa, whose shores may hold the cure to the mysterious and deadly contagion. On this mission there is no time to waste, and no telling what lies in store beyond the horizon or for those left behind to wait, hope, and hold the line.

This is possibly the most anxiety-ridden book so far in the series as all of Britain's dragons except Temeraire are in danger of being wiped out by an aggressive epidemic. With the war still ongoing, the only defense keeping Napoleon out without the dragons is the Navy, and even then, with Napoleon's and Lien's ingenious tactics, war could soon come onto British shores. Leaving the willful Iskierka and Arkady's band of ferals (with the translation help of Tharkay and Granby) to defend all of Britain from Napoleon by air, Temeraire and his cohort must travel back to Africa in hopes of finding a cure for the draconian disease.

Book 2, Throne of Jade actually introduces quite a bit that surfaces in this novel. Quick recap: on route to China, Temeraire took suddenly ill, but with the help of the Chinese cooks who were unafraid to use whatever means to feed him as possible, they managed to find something that cured his illness. That same illness spread to Britain and amplified (Temeraire not having the illness long enough to observe the full scope and devastation of the disease), and now all the British dragons face wasting decay and death. The cure, thought to be an odd, smelly mushroom, is virtually unknown and thus, their search is made 1,000x harder by the language barrier, unknown name and unknown description over all the continent of Africa. Having traveled to Cape Town, South Africa, Temeraire's and Laurence's job is to find that cure and test it on their friends, Lily, Maximus etc. (his wingmates from previous novels) before sending it back to Britain.

Laurence and his fellows bring with them two former slaves: Joseph Erasmus, an African missionary and his wife Hannah, and their two young daughters. Since they are onboard the Allegiance with Captain Riley again, this brings up another key theme/conflict from Throne of Jade: slavery and human rights/dragon rights. Though slavery is condemned by Laurence (and Temeraire), it still exists in Britain and other countries and upheld in British law though there has been a movement for some time to abolish it. Riley's family are slave owners, and this creates tension between the naval officers and Laurence and some of his airmen. Slavers have been increasing their raids of African villages from the coast and moving inward. While they are in pursuit of the mushrooms and harvesting a large cache, Laurence and some other captains and crew, including the newly pregnant Catherine Harcourt and former slave Hannah Erasmus, are captured by African natives. Here they directly see the effects slavery has had on the African villages and their dragons, and though Laurence is against it, they still must pay the price for being associated. It forces everyone, human and dragon alike, to confront their perceptions of slavery, and even Britain suffers the devastating consequences in the end. Will our heroes make it out of Africa alive? I couldn't predict any part of the way this ended (!), and I'm sure the mind-blowing outcome will come into play in a later novel.

This one made me laugh, cry, and bite my nails with anxiety since there are a plethora of awful possibilities just waiting to happen... Onward to more reading!

Posted by Kara at 07:00

Adult, Del Rey, dragons, Empire of Ivory, Fantasy, historical fiction, naomi novik, temeraire Leave your mark

Saturday, October 07, 2017

Stacking the Shelves [275]

If you want to find out more about Stacking The Shelves, please visit the official launch page!

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My complete shelf stack over at Reading Reality got rather tall this week. I saw oodles of interesting looking books at NetGalley and Edelweiss. Possibly too many.

But I'd still like to share a couple of books with you, just to tease.

Artifact (Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt #1) by Gigi Pandian

This is the first book in Pandian's lovely Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt series. I read the fifth book this week, The Ninja's Illusion, and loved it, so I immediately went off to get the rest of the series. If you enjoyed the late Elizabeth Peters' Vicky Bliss series, you'll love Jaya Jones. If you like mysteries with quirky heroines that have a great mix of cozy characters with adventurous exploits, you'll also love Jaya. I know I did!

The Governess Who Captured His Heart (Honorable Scoundrels #1) by Sophie Barnes

I also nabbed all three books in Sophie Barnes' new Honorable Scoundrels series. I really enjoy her historical romances, because she does a lovely job of turning the established tropes on their pointy little heads without making her heroines too modern, and therefor too anachronistic. Her books are always a good time, so I'm looking forward to reading this series. And they are all marvelously short! There are times when a quick little read to whisk you away is just what you're looking for, and these look like they will fill that particular bill quite admirably.

Please link your STS post in the linky below:

Posted by Marlene Harris at 08:00

9 People left their mark

Thursday, October 05, 2017

Black Powder War by Naomi Novik

Book Stats:

Reading level: Adult
Genre: Fantasy, Historical fiction
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Del Rey
Release date: May 30, 2006

Series: Temeraire #3

Source: Library

Reviewed by: Kara

Order: Amazon | Book Depository

After their fateful adventure in China, Capt. Will Laurence of His Majesty’s Aerial Corps and his extraordinary dragon, Temeraire, are waylaid by a mysterious envoy bearing urgent new orders from Britain. Three valuable dragon eggs have been purchased from the Ottoman Empire, and Laurence and Temeraire must detour to Istanbul to escort the precious cargo back to England. Time is of the essence if the eggs are to be borne home before hatching.

Yet disaster threatens the mission at every turn–thanks to the diabolical machinations of the Chinese dragon Lien, who blames Temeraire for her master’s death and vows to ally herself with Napoleon and take vengeance. Then, faced with shattering betrayal in an unexpected place, Laurence, Temeraire, and their squad must launch a daring offensive. But what chance do they have against the massed forces of Bonaparte’s implacable army?

This third novel is very much an epic as it is mostly journeying across Asia and Europe (more so than most of the other novels so far). They've managed to appease China in having Laurence adopted as the Emperor's son and sealed good relations with England in the process, and now they must return as England calls for Laurence and Temeraire to escort three dragon eggs from Istanbul home. Temeraire and his crew, along with a slippery guide named Tharkay, travel across deserts and rice paddies of inland China through unknown territories to Turkestan, facing starvation, attacks, and finally betrayal.

At the forefront of this novel is the idea of dragon rights and better conditions for what most other countries see as beasts or property. When Temeraire decides to return to England, he is filled with righteous fire and determined to bring better conditions to his dragon friends. Having seen some of the luxuries in China, they bring back cooks and other Chinese ideas like his decorative dragon claw sheaths, pavilion plans, and sand tables for writing. On their journey though, they must trust their safety to Tharkay, which is in some ways problematic as he keeps disappearing and after the secrets in China, Laurence is wary of more danger. They also encounter a large band of feral dragons, led by Arkady, who wish to see the Sultan of Istanbul and have great battles and stories such as Temeraire tells. When they arrive in Istanbul, they face a mess as their allies have conflicting stories than their instructions. Here they discover that Lien has preceded them across Asia to align herself with Napoleon and turn the Sultan against them. Desperate to return to England and help in the war after having learned of other defeats, Laurence and Temeraire must decide to do things their own way without guidance. Here their bond grows even stronger as they have only themselves and their crew to rely on with the communications silent. Here their honor, choices, and unorthodox kindness to their allies are key game changers in their long journey home, especially in a war that dragon intelligence has altered drastically.

I loved the new characters and setting in this novel, though it does seem like it's a wonder that any of Laurence's crew survives. There is one super heartbreaking moment in this novel that made me cry, but there are lots of great moments too, like finally getting to see Granby having more opportunities. The brush with historical characters is exciting, though I had to do a bit of research about Napoleon and the Prussian royalty. Like always, there is quite a big cliffhanger that drives you on to the next novel. Review coming soon!

Posted by Kara at 07:00

Adult, black powder war, Del Rey, dragons, Fantasy, historical fiction, naomi novik, temeraire Leave your mark

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Stacking the Shelves [278]

Saturday, October 21, 2017

Stacking the Shelves [277]