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Liturgy of the Ordinary by Tish Harrison Warren

1/31/2018

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Goodreads blurb:

Many of us go through the day feeling like we don't have time for God. But God can become present to us in surprising ways through our everyday routines. Framed around one ordinary day, this book explores daily life through the lens of liturgy, small practices and habits that form us. Each chapter looks at something making the bed, brushing her teeth, losing her keys that the author does in the day. Drawing from the diversity of her life as a campus minister, Anglican priest, friend, wife, and mother, Tish Harrison Warren opens up a practical theology of the everyday. Each activity is related to a spiritual practice as well as an aspect of our Sunday worship. Come and discover the holiness of your every day."
This was a refreshing read, drawing one's eyes to the holiness of the ordinary.  It's easy to get caught up in the day to day routines and forget that God has a place in everything -- even the mundane things like making the bed or cooking dinner.  Warren does a great job pointing out how Christ is (well, should be) present in our day to day lifestyle and  how each little thing we do can point to Him.

She organizes the book like she would her day...starting with waking up and ending with going to bed.  Each chapter takes an "ordinary" daily task and illuminates the holiness within.  This was a great reminder that Christ is present in our day to day world...not just on Sundays.  Embrace the routine and seek to find Jesus in every element of your day.

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Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire

1/29/2018

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Goodreads Blurb:

Beneath the Sugar Sky
 returns to Eleanor West's Home for Wayward Children. At this magical boarding school, children who have experienced fantasy adventures are reintroduced to the "real" world. 

Sumi died years before her prophesied daughter Rini could be born. Rini was born anyway, and now she’s trying to bring her mother back from a world without magic.
No, this Wayward Children book is my favorite.

What a delightful and heartbreaking story. I'm not a big fan of novellas - I prefer a book with some heft to it...something that will allow for the character development and world building that I enjoy. Out of the three Wayward Children books currently available, though,Beneath the Sugar Sky read like a full novel. I felt connected to the characters and the plot felt full and complete. Sure, it could have been expanded on -- and I would have read the crap out of that book. I do wish that McGuire had taken the same route with these as she has with the Toby Daye series (ie. full length books) for the Children series. I'll take what I can get, though, and this was a fantastic chapter to the Wayward Children story. 

Between Toby Daye and the Wayward Children, Seanan McGuire has fast become one of my "auto read" authors.

Rating:

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Of Sand and Malice Made by Bradley Beaulieu

1/26/2018

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Goodreads Blurb:

Çeda, the heroine of the widely anticipated, just-released novel Twelve Kings in Sharakhai, is the youngest pit fighter in the history of the great desert city of Sharakhai. In this prequel, she has already made her name in the arena as the fearsome, undefeated White Wolf; none but her closest friends and allies know her true identity.


But this all changes when she crosses the path of Rümayesh, an ehrekh, a sadistic creature forged long ago by the god of chaos. The ehrekh are usually desert dwellers, but this one lurks in the dark corners of Sharakhai, toying with and preying on humans. As Rümayesh works to unmask the White Wolf and claim Çeda for her own, Çeda’s struggle becomes a battle for her very soul.
​This was a fun glimpse into Ceda's background that occurs before we meet her in Twelve Kings in Sharakhai. It was a very short book -- dare I say a combination of three novellas strung together with a single thread? As such, it made for a quick read that was easy to pick up/put down. A downside to it being a shorter book was that we don't have the character development or world building like we do inTwelve Kings, but that's to be expected in this type of book.

A fun read for fans of the Shattered Sands -- definitely read Twelve Kings first, though, for strong character building and a fascinating world system.

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Pilot X by Tom Merritt

1/24/2018

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Goodreads blurb:

What would happen if a time traveler lived in a world where time could not easily be changed and if it was changed, it might destroy everything but himself?

Pilot X just wants to fly a time ship. Specifically the Verity. But the Guardians of Alenda, rulers of his people, throw him in the middle of a time war. When he makes peace they don’t seem pleased. In fact, his own people treat him like the enemy.
Are you a fan of Doctor Who?  If so, you may want to check this one out.  It seemed (to me at any rate) that this was a retelling of the Time War out of Doctor Who...just give the aliens races different names. 
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I wanted to like this...with character development (because some is better than none...and there was no character development at all beyond the barest minimum) and more plot narrative I might have been able to sink my teeth in this a bit more.


Tom (along with cohost Victoria Belmont) host a fantastic Science Fiction and Fantasy book club called Sword & Laser -- check them out on Goodreads and via podcast if you're interested.  I've enjoyed taking part in the bookclub for several years!

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Doomsday Book by Connie Willis

1/22/2018

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Goodreads Blurb:

For Kivrin, preparing an on-site study of one of the deadliest eras in humanity's history was as simple as receiving inoculations against the diseases of the fourteenth century and inventing an alibi for a woman traveling alone. For her instructors in the twenty-first century, it meant painstaking calculations and careful monitoring of the rendezvous location where Kivrin would be received.


But a crisis strangely linking past and future strands Kivrin in a bygone age as her fellows try desperately to rescue her. In a time of superstition and fear, Kivrin--barely of age herself--finds she has become an unlikely angel of hope during one of history's darkest hours.
1 started reading this book (about time travel and disease - specifically a flu outbreak) while on Christmas vacation...in a town dealing with a flu outbreak. Hospitals were restricting visitors to avoid exposure and nursing homes were on "lock down" to keep the residents as healthy as possible. I watched the characters in the story deal with the same measures (and more) as they tried to stall the spread of an unknown flu virus. I had no idea that Doomsday Book would fit so (creepily) well with that ambiance. 

I had already marked this book as "read", however, I don't think I actually ever read all of it. I think I originally read the first few chapters and then mistakenly marked it as "read". This time around I absolutely devoured this book and wish I had stuck with it the first time around. From the history standpoint it's every historian's dream -- the opportunity to go back in time to witness the history first-hand as it's being made. From the fantasy/science fiction standpoint it's a well-written (obviously since it won the Hugo AND Nebula awards) and multi-layered journey through the perils of time travel and epidemiology.

This was an excellent book! While I'm not excited to start my yearly tally with a book that has the word "Doomsday" in the title, I am happy it was a riveting five-star read.

Also, remember to wash your hands.
 
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The Dragon Lords: Fool's Gold by Jon Hollins

1/17/2018

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Goodreads Blurb:

A brand new adventure fantasy: imagine Guardians of the Galaxyplanning a heist on Smaug's gold, for fans looking for something with a modern twist and some humor.

Guardians of the Galaxy meets The Hobbit in this rollicking fantasy adventure.

It's not easy to live in a world ruled by dragons. The taxes are high and their control is complete. But for one group of bold misfits, it's time to band together and steal back some of that wealth.

No one said they were smart.
Well, that was unexpected.

I'm not usually a fan of the "band of thieves" trope in fantasy. When I read fantasy, I tend to gravitate toward magic, fantastical races, impressive world building, etc... While Fool's Gold does have magic in it (to some extent), it doesn't really tick those boxes. It does, however, center around a group of characters who unexpectedly band together to rob a group of dragons. So...you know...the whole "band of thieves" trope that I don't much care for.

But....I found myself sucked in to the story from the very first few pages. I blame Bessie the Pig for that. She's wily in every way...escaping her handler and luring unsuspecting readers into a story they may not really have wanted to read.

Once I was hooked, Fool's Gold delivered a tongue-in-cheek approach to fantasy. If I had to pick a few words to describe this book? Rude. Crude. Lewd. With a healthy dose of humor. The chapter titles are gems in and of themselves. The humor and the characters make up for the "standard" plotline (group of ragtags band together to go a-thievin' to achieve some supposedly impregnable mark). 

I anticipate I will pick up book #2 in 2018. ​

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The Warded Man by Peter V. Brett

1/15/2018

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Goodreads Blurb:

As darkness falls after sunset, the corelings rise—demons who possess supernatural powers and burn with a consuming hatred of humanity. For hundreds of years the demons have terrorized the night, slowly culling the human herd that shelters behind magical wards—symbols of power whose origins are lost in myth and whose protection is terrifyingly fragile. It was not always this way. Once, men and women battled the corelings on equal terms, but those days are gone. Night by night the demons grow stronger, while human numbers dwindle under their relentless assault. Now, with hope for the future fading, three young survivors of vicious demon attacks will dare the impossible, stepping beyond the crumbling safety of the wards to risk everything in a desperate quest to regain the secrets of the past. Together, they will stand against the night.
Second time around on this one...decided to reread it so I can jump into the sequels in time to finish the whole series.

My thoughts on round two? This is still a solid fantasy. Peter Brett's writing style is engaging, if a bit tedious at parts. I found the slow cycle between points of view (there are three in this book) to be jarring at first, but once I settled in to the story I enjoyed jumping between Arlen, Rojer, and Lesha. The magic system is interesting with demons rising from the Core every night to wreak havoc upon the people. 

I will say this -- I found that I just could NOT stand Lesha for about 90% of this book. I did NOT like the way Brett wrote her character - I took quite a bit of issue with it. Up until the final chapters it seemed as though Lesha was there primarily for sex (fantasies or otherwise). Characters were always marveling at her beauty (in a sexual fashion) or talking about how they wanted to have sex with her or she was talking about having sex for the first time or characters were always looking at her chest...and the list goes on. Then we have something happen to Lesha...(no spoilers). Lesha's character is redeemed slightly toward the end as she finally is doing something not related to sex. I mean...I understand what Brett was trying to do with her character. In his world system, women are bound into very traditional roles and they do not escape them. I think there's a way to present that without making it sound like every woman is written by a twelve year old boy.

All that aside...I did enjoy this the second time around and I'm looking forward to continuing. Like last time I finished this book, though, I feel like I just need a few interim books before I pick up The Desert Spear. I've heard the series only gets better from here and I am looking forward to see the evolution of characters and introductions of new ones.

Rating:

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The Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory

1/12/2018

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Goodreads Blurb:

Jacquetta, daughter of the Count of Luxembourg and kinswoman to half the royalty of Europe, was married to the great Englishman John, Duke of Bedford, uncle to Henry VI. Widowed at the age of 19, she took the extraordinary risk of marrying a gentleman of her household for love, and then carved out a new life for herself.
On a whim I decided to read Philippa Gregory's main series in chronological reading order. I figured that this would be a good way to a) catch up on her series as I've only read a book here and there and b) read about some of my husband's direct ancestors (yay genealogy research!). 

I thought that this first novel (not Gregory's first but, rather, first in the timeline) was...just ok. I'd probably rate it about a 2.5 if I were being honest. At the end of the day there just isn't that much historically available about Jacquetta of Luxembourg. In fact, most of the novel seemed to just be a vehicle for glossing over the first part of the War of the Roses. And "glossing" is the best word for it. Gregory slams a WHOLE bunch of factoids into one paragraph...too much, really. There are sections of the book that just seem like info dumps (one of my pet peeves). Gregory stuck Jacquetta in the back of a room somewhere and...BAM...we've dropped a whole bunch of history-ish facts down that she's "observed" or "overheard". 

The parts concerning Henry's illness were interesting...as were the interactions between Margaret d'Anjou and Jacquetta. I'm just not sure if the random interesting bits make up for the info dumps and the feeling that this was all just an extended introduction to her "real" books on this era in history -- The White Queen and The Red Queen and following. And, since The Lady of the Rivers was really just an introduction, I think Gregory stops the book prematurely (with Elizabeth going out to meet King Edward on the road...which is where, I believe, The White Queen picks up) as Jacquetta still has a few more documented things to experience. I am sure Gregory addresses these other things in the later book, however, I don't believe the later books are from Jacquetta's viewpoint as this one was.

This is a jumbled review...the TLDR of it is this: an "OK" book heavy on the info dumps that appears to exist only because her other books on the series sold well. It's missing that "spark" that are in some of her other works.

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Princesses Behaving Badly by Linda Rodriguez McRobbie

1/10/2018

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Goodreads Blurb:

You think you know her story. You’ve read the Brothers Grimm, you’ve watched the Disney cartoons, you cheered as these virtuous women lived happily ever after. But the lives of real princesses couldn’t be more different. Sure, many were graceful and benevolent leaders—but just as many were ruthless in their quest for power, and all of them had skeletons rattling in their royal closets. Princess Stephanie von Hohenlohe was a Nazi spy. Empress Elizabeth of the Austro-Hungarian empire slept wearing a mask of raw veal. Princess Olga of Kiev murdered thousands of men, and Princess Rani Lakshmibai waged war on the battlefield, charging into combat with her toddler son strapped to her back. Princesses Behaving Badly offers minibiographies of all these princesses and dozens more. It’s a fascinating read for history buffs, feminists, and anyone seeking a different kind of bedtime story.
Have you ever had Marshmallow Fluff? It's REALLY good when you toast some bread and make a peanut butter and marshmallow fluff sandwich. 

It's NOT that good when you think you're going to read a light history of royal women existing outside of the marry-prince-have-baby stereotype only to find this weird marshmallow fluffy stuff.

​Now I will admit...with a title of "Princesses Behaving Badly", I was not expecting an academic piece of historical writing. I was in the mood for some light vignettes about historical women that I could listen to in the car during the drive to/from work. What I got was a weird amalgamation of some "okay" history (and myth), frequent use of odd/crass slang, and a passive aggressive (and condescending?) feminist bias. 


The slang cheapened the book. Talking about a princess having balls (or not) or being a badass or pissed as hell might work in an informal blog. In a book that's presenting historical information? Um...not so much.

The feminist bias was fine I guess...we have a book showcasing women that history often overlooks so I expect it to be championing women. I don't think it had to be condescending or passive aggressive in its approach. It came off as defensive in a "see, look what women can do too even if we don't have balls!!" rather than an objective "women were valuable pieces in the historical puzzle" approach. It was off-putting.

The history. There was some...there was also a lot of myth. Granted, some of that is because women were not recorded in history like they ought to have been so we are relegated to discussing myth over fact in some instances. What historical analysis there was, I did enjoy. I wish there was more of it -- once the author stopped using crass slang and wrote about history, it was actually pretty good. Ultimately, short vignettes are too small to get an adequate historical context so I would propose all the shorts be taken with a grain of salt. Chances are there is more in-depth history/research about that particular woman that can provide some context beyond "she was a woman in a man's world" for the reader.

Let me add one more point - I listened to this on audio. I do believe that a book can live or die by its narrator and the woman who read this book wove attitude into her interpretation. For me, the attitude just amplified the slang/condescending approach. If I read a hard copy I may not have latched on to those aspects quite as much? I wasn't a fan of the audiobook.

Maybe this became better as it went along? I DNF'd at about 50%... If you want some very light and fluffy vignettes give this a whirl. If you want some meatier works on women of history, there are some good ones out there as well. Women of antiquity may have been overlooked, but there are some historical works trying to do them justice...

I'm off for a peanut butter and marshmallow fluff sandwich...

Rating:

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A Garden in the Rain by Lynn Kurland

1/8/2018

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Goodreads Blurb:

Patrick MacLeod is haunted by his past, by events he had no control over and wishes desperately he could change. He hasn't the heart for love, nor the time for rescuing maidens in distress of their own making. Until he sees a woman who touches his heart and stirs his soul...and makes him believe love might be possible again after all.

For Madelyn Phillips, Scotland is the land of dreams, filled with magic, romance, and handsome Highland lords. Unfortunately, the reality of her dream vacation is no car, no luggage, and a pesky ex-fiance determined to shadow her every move. She thinks her dreaming is in vain until she sees a man standing on a windswept moor, a Highlander full of secrets and longing, and knows she has seen her destiny.

But the past isn't through with either of them, and it will take all the love both of them possess to make their dreams come true.
 
I picked this one up as it was on a list of time travel romance must-reads. 

I wish they had placed an asterisk next to it that said: "Actually, this is book #4 so you might want to start at the beginning of the series which also has time travel and romance." 

And then I wish they had placed a second asterisk next to it that said: "And the time travel is only for about a quarter of the book sandwiched in the middle...the rest of it takes place in modern times dealing with characters/family trees you learned about in the first three books."

Let's be honest...I really did not enjoy this that much. I think that's partly because I jumped into the series a few books in and it read like it. There was no attempt to really catch a new reader up on the world...which is totally fine. I should have researched the book a bit more before picking it up. I think even if I had been caught up on the series I would have not cared for this book much anyway. 

One of my big issues with the book? The villains (Gilbert the father in law and the fiancé) were absolutely ridiculous. Madelyn's ex-fiancé is a stalker who perpetrates crimes left and right but supposedly gets away with it because he's a lawyer? Unbelievable. On the back cover blurb he's labeled as a "pesky fiancé"....um, it goes WAY beyond pesky. He was obnoxious. And a freaking CRIMINAL. And to top it all off, every time he perpetrated a crime or acted horribly (stealing her possessions? having her credit cards stopped and her credit score altered? stalking her? verbally abusing her every chance he got? etc ad nauseam), Madelyn or the supporting characters would just cower under the abuse or just wag their fingers at him and tell him to stop. It was ridiculous and I found it hard to believe that he was just able to behave in that manner for so long.

The romance fell flat for me too. I understand...98% of romance books are set up with the reader already knowing which two characters are going to end up together before he/she even starts reading. Just because we know who's going to fall in love with whom does not mean the romance has to be flat...or an afterthought. Madelyn and Patrick's romance just kind of happened...and then it was established with not enough development. I just didn't care about it which was disappointing because I wanted to read a romance book. I did not read any chemistry between these two...and, to be honest, I kind of doubted Madelyn's judgement after she was willing to marry Bentley Douglas Taylor III (...even his name reads "Obnoxiously Evil Villain"..good grief) after (I think it was only) six months. Madelyn and Patrick's romance read like it was a poor attempt at the it's-a-slow-burn-because-we-hate-each-other-but-then-find-out-we-are-each-other's-true-love-in-two-chapters trope.

​Also disappointing? When you think you're going to read a time travel book...only to find that the time travel doesn't kick in for about 250 pages and then only lasts about 50 pages. Um...not what I signed up for. I was expecting the time travel to be more integral to the plot and more interlaced throughout. We spend more time watching Madelyn try to figure out why Patrick likes to wield a sword then we do actually in medieval Scotland.


I'm probably just grumpy because it wasn't a time travel book like I was expecting AND Madelyn's fiancé REALLY bugged me and it infused the whole story with a tinge of sourness. I plan to go back and read book number one in the series to see if that sets a better bedrock for the series.

Rating:

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    (Updated 2/13/19)

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    What I've Read Lately

    The Winner's Curse
    McClairen's Isle: The Passionate One
    Flashfall
    A Promise of Fire
    The Serpent King
    Warcross
    Diana: Her True Story in Her Own Words
    Tell No One
    The White Queen
    The Shocking Secret of a Guest at the Wedding
    The Lady of the Rivers
    Sleeping Giants
    Because of Miss Bridgerton
    The Warded Man
    The Forbidden Wish
    Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI
    Roar
    Dusk or Dark or Dawn or Day
    The Final Empire
    The Road to Jonestown: Jim Jones and Peoples Temple


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