Tag Archives: fantasy books

Dec 2 2013
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November 2013: Review Recap!

Review Recap

Ever feel obligated to read certain books? I used to all the time, whether it be a popular seller, and advanced book, or even a continuation to a series I only kind of liked. Somewhere around March of this year I decided that I’d had enough of reading books that I wasn’t immediately excited about – especially considering my perpetual 20+ list of books that I’m just dying to read. As a result, I have had more fun reading in the last several months than I’ve had since I was a kid. Here’s my new motto and I’m sticking to it: Life’s too short to read books that don’t excite you!

So here’s a look at what I’ve been up to this month:

The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
False Sight by Dan Krokos
Perdition by Ann Aguirre

The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes – 5/5 stars

False Sight by Dan Krokos – 2.5/5 stars

Perdition by Ann Aguirre – 4/5 stars

Alienated by Melissa Landers
Champion by Marie Lu
Blue Diablo by Ann Aguirre

Alienated by Melissa Landers – 5/5 stars!

Champion by Marie Lu – 4/5 stars

Blue Diablo – 3/5 stars

Even though they weren’t all five-star books, I was still super eager to read each one. My favorite this month was probably The Naturals followed very closely by Alienated!

 Waiting on Wednesday features:

Considering how much I love Richelle Mead, it’s no surprise that the book I most looking forward to reading is Silver Shadows.

What amazing books did you read this month? :-)

Insurgent-Veronica-Roth-Divergent-Cover

 I want to start out by thinking Blog of Erised for hosting such a fun challenge.

Last month, I figured out that my challenge count was a bit inaccurate. I was only counting the dystopians I’d read and reviewed, leaving out the ones I hadn’t done a post for yet. According to the rules, all read books count so this month we will see a rather larger jump in my overall score. :-)

This month, I finish the following dystopians:

 A total of 6 – add that to the 19 books accumulated as of last month and we end up with:

 The Official Tally:

25/24

Level 4: Leader!

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Yay – challenge met!

What dystopians did you read this month?

by Niki Hawkes

Nov 18 2013
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Top Ten Books I Recommend to Nonreaders! (11/18/2013)

Top ten Tuesday pink

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

 For avid readers like myself, there is no end to the number of great books just waiting to be added to our colossal TBR piles. For nonreaders, however, it can be really difficult finding quality reading if you’re not immersed in the book world. It has been my experience that most nonreaders select their next books based solely on word of mouth and personal recommendations.

 Because they are not familiar with many of the subgenres of speculative fiction, I always try to get them started on “gateway” novels – ones that aren’t too intimidating for the casual reader but are good enough that I can recommend them confidently to a wide range of people. As a side note, I consider anyone who reads fewer than five books a year to be a nonreader. These recommendations also work for avid readers looking to explore other genres.

Top Ten Books I Recommends to Nonreaders!

   Now keep in mind that I wouldn’t hand any of these titles to people who only like creative nonfiction or biographies. They have to be interested in these genres to begin with, and I do a lot of brain picking before I throw my heart and soul into a recommendation. I actually have a list of about five titles per genre that I mention to an interested person, but tried to pick the best from each one to represent here. Would any of these make your list?

by Niki Hawkes

Nov 5 2013
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Coming Soon: Thief’s Magic by Trudi Canavan

thief's magicTitle: Thief’s Magic

Author: Trudi Canavan

Series: Millennium’s Rule #1

Genre: Fantasy

Release Date: May 27, 2014

The Overview: In a world where an industrial revolution is powered by magic, Tyen, a student of archaeology, unearths a sentient book called Vella. Once a young sorcerer-bookbinder, Vella was transformed into a useful tool by one of the greatest sorcerers of history. Since then she has been collecting information, including a vital clue to the disaster Tyen’s world faces.

Elsewhere, in an land ruled by the priests, Rielle the dyer’s daughter has been taught that to use magic is to steal from the Angels. Yet she knows she has a talent for it, and that there is a corrupter in the city willing to teach her how to use it — should she dare to risk the Angels’ wrath. But not everything is as Tyen and Rielle have been raised to believe. Not the nature of magic, nor the laws of their lands… and not even the people they trust.

thief's magic

Hosted by Breaking the Spine

This is one of those authors that I absolutely love… but am uber behind in reading. To get myself back on track, I’ve decided to read at least one of her trilogies before this new series comes out in May. Based on the quality of work of what I have read, I can’t imagine this new trilogy being anything less than amazing! If you haven’t tried her yet, consider starting with The Magician’s Guild and get ready for loads of entertainment!

What book are you waiting on?

by Niki Hawkes

Nov 2 2013
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Stacking the Shelves – October’s Edition!

Stacking the shelves

Hosted by Tynga’s Reviews

Considering I own over 4000 books, I have a difficult time justifying the purchase of new books when there are so many unread ones on my shelves. I did the math, and if you subtract the ones I’ve already read, then divide the remaining by my average 100 books read per year, it will take me at least 35 years to read everything in my current collection. That’s not even taking into account all of the new amazing books that will come out in that timeframe (I can think of at least 20 I want in the next few months alone). Because of this, I have recently started to clear out some of the titles I know I won’t get to within the next ten years. There are so many unread series that I am excited for that I honestly haven’t missed the ones I was only casually interested in. Let the book purge begin!

Does that mean I’ve stopped purchasing books altogether? Uh, no. Not even close. I’m just a little more picky. :-)

Here’s a look at my library’s new additions:

Hardcopies:

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E-Books:

Trading in Danger by Elizabeth Moon
The Bane by Keary Taylor
The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
The Glasswrights’ Apprentice
Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson
The Fifth Wave by Ricky Yancey
Allegiant by Veronica Roth

ARCs:

Alliance by Mark Frost
Fractured by Sara Fine
Unhinged by A.G. Howard
Freak of Nature by Julia Crane
Pawn by Aimee Carter
Lady Thief by A.G. Gaughen

Thank you Netgalley!

 There you have it – my month of splurges for October!

What books stacked your shelves this week?

Oct 31 2013
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October 2013: Review Recap!

Review Recap

I actually read a ton of books that I loved this month. The only problem is, I didn’t have a chance to write reviews for all of them (I know, ultimate shame). So, although this recap doesn’t accurately reflect my month in reading, there were still some pretty decent books reviewed:

Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
Book of Enchantments by Patricia C. Wrede
Hammered by Kevin Hearne

Poison Study – 4/5 stars

The Book of Enchantments – 4/5 stars

Hammered – 2/5 stars

False Memory by Dan Krokos
Inhuman by Kat F Falls
Prodigy by Marie Lu

 False Memory – 3/5 stars

Inhuman – 4/5 stars

Prodigy – 4/5 stars

And my favorite read:

Allegiant

 Allegiant – 4.5/5 stars!

As I said, most of best books I picked up this month haven’t been reviewed yet, so be on the lookout within the next couple weeks for some rave reviews!

Waiting on Wednesday features:

This is probably the best collective month of coming soon features that I’ve ever done – all of these books (with exception of the Estep book) I am so excited to read that I will be dropping everything to pick them up the day they come out!

What awesome books did you read this month?

by Niki Hawkes

Oct 29 2013
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Coming Soon: The Immortal Crown by Richelle Mead

The immortal crownTitle: The Immortal Crown

Author: Richelle Mead

Series: Age of X #2

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Release Date: May 29, 2014

The Overview: Gameboard of the Gods introduced religious investigator Justin March and Mae Koskinen, the beautiful supersldier assigned to protect him. Together they have been charged with investigating reports of the supernatural and the return of the gods, both inside the Republic of United North America and out. With this highly classified knowledge comes a shocking revelation: Not only are the gods vying for human control, but the elect—special humans marked by the divine—are turning against one another in bloody fashion.

Their mission takes a new twist when they are assigned to a diplomatic delegation headed by Lucian Darling, Justin’s old friend and rival, going into Arcadia, the RUNA’s dangerous neighboring country. Here, in a society where women are commodities and religion is intertwined with government, Justin discovers powerful forces at work, even as he struggles to come to terms with his own reluctantly acquired deity.

Meanwhile, Mae—grudgingly posing as Justin’s concubine—has a secret mission of her own: finding the illegitimate niece her family smuggled away years ago. But with Justin and Mae resisting the resurgence of the gods in Arcadia, a reporter’s connection with someone close to Justin back home threatens to expose their mission—and with it the divine forces the government is determined to keep secret.

The immortal crown

Hosted by Breaking the Spine

As Richelle Mead is my favorite author, I’m excited to read anything she decides to publish. As a futuristic urban fantasy, Gameboard of the Gods was one of her best works yet and I am extremely eager to see what happens next. All I can say is, I will be dropping everything to read The Immortal Crown the day it comes out (which is halfway through next year ::grumbles::).

What book are you waiting on?