Owls are wise right? So when Mr Owl says that 2017 is time to tackle
my e-book pile, I think I better listen to him! This year I really need
to reduce the pile of bargain books so I'm having an ebook blitz through
the entire year. It doesn't matter how many I finish or how many I DNF
as long as I get them off the TBR!
Here is my final challenge
update. I made huge progress and dealt with 66 ebooks. The first
35 were my original choices to start the month. The others were added through the rest of the month!
The Chosen Ones:
1 Justin Sloan-Teddy Bears and the Christmas Pirates (read-3 star)
2 Robert Hodam-The Ark (DNF)
3 James Hunt-Static #1 (DNF)
4 James Hunt-Static #2 (DNS)
5 Hugo Navikov-Spinosaurus (read-2.5 star)
6 Jason McPherson-Dead Ascent (read-3 star)
7 AR Shaw-The China Pandemic (DNF)
8 Sam Sisavath-Purge of Babylon (DNF)
9 Nathan Jones-Fuel (DNF)
10 Devon C Ford-Survival (DNF)
11 Joelle Charbonneau-The Testing Guide (read-1 star)
12 Lesley Jepson-The Secret (read-3 star)
13 Robert J Crane-Called (DNF)
14 Stephen Knight-Preparing for the dead (read-2 star)
15 Stephen Knight-Waiting for the dead (DNF)
16 Stephen Knight-Fighting the dead (DNF)
17 Jasmine Walt-Burned by magic (DNF)
18 Caethes Faron-Magic Born (read-3 star)
19 Tricia Owens-Descended from dragons (read 3 star)
20 Ella Summers-Magic Edge (DNF)
21 Rachel Rawlings-The Morrigna (DNF)
22 Ben Reeder-Exodus (read-3.5 star)
23 JR Rain-The dead detective (DNF)
24 LG Estrella-Unconventional heroes (read-3 star)
25 Alexandra Engellmann-Sky Ghosts (read-2 star)
26 Viktor Zarkov-Megatooth (read-4 star)
27 Boyd Craven III-Agony of the World (read-3 star)
28 George RR Martin-Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (read-2 star)
29 Eldritch Black-Night of the Christmas Letter Getters (read-2 star)
30 Morgan Nyberg-The Fixer (DNF)
31 Robert Brown-The last blade of grass (read-3.5 star)
32 Andrew Cunningham-Eden Rising (DNF)
33 David Nelson-The Journey (read-4 star)
34 Andrew Baze-The Road Home (read-3 star)
35 Albert Yates-The Dead Rising (DNF)
So after 17 days I was finished and picked another pile to tackle!
1 Owen Baille-Aftermath (DNF)
2 Matthew Gilman-After the Day (DNF)
3 David Nelson-Coming Together #2 (read-4 star)
4 David Nelson-A long road ahead #3 (read-3 star)
5 Stephen Birch-New World (DNF)
6 Devon Vondarin-The Crash (DNF)
7 JD McKenna-The Dead Familiar (read-4 star)
8 Kenneth Cary-Curtain Call (read-3 star)
9 Thomas Sherry-Deep Winter (DNF)
10 John Grit-Apocalypse Law (DNF)
11 J Walker-The Fortress #2 (read-2.5 star)
12 Belinda Frisch-Cure (DNF)
13 Eric Methven-EMP (read-4 star)
14 Josh Hilden-The Rising (DNF)
15 Dell Sweet-Earths Survivors Apocalypse (DNS)
16 Matt Wallace-Envy of Angels (read-3 star)
17 Alan Spencer-TRex (Read-2.5 star)
18 Andrew J Morgan-Noah's Ark (DNF)
19 Rick Chesler-Jurassic Dead (read-2.5 star)
20 K Gorman-Into the Fire (DNF)
And this is what I managed in my last week of the month:
1 Christopher Golden-Ararat (read-4 star)
2 Alison Weir-Anne Boleyn: A King's Obsession (read-5 star)
3 PA Douglas-Epidemic of the Undead (DNF)
4) RL Blalock-The Darkest Days (read-4 star)
5 Pippa DaCosta-Wings of Hope (read-3 star)
6 MD Massey-Druid Blood (read-3 star)
7 Z Rider-Insylum (read-2 star)
8 Pippa DaCosta-Falling (read-2 star)
9 Sarah Dalton-My Daylight Monsters (read-3.5 star)
10 Matthew D Mark-Dark Days Rough Roads (read-4 star)
11 John Reece-World's End (read-3 star)
Did you have a good reading month? Read anything really great so far?
When a druid has lived
for two thousand years like Atticus, he's bound to run afoul of a few
vampires. Make that legions of them. Even his former friend and legal
counsel turned out to be a bloodsucking backstabber. Now the toothy
troublemakers—led by power-mad pain-in-the-neck Theophilus—have become a
huge problem requiring a solution. It's time to make a stand.
As
always, Atticus wouldn't mind a little backup. But his allies have
problems of their own. Ornery archdruid Owen Kennedy is having a wee bit
of troll trouble: Turns out when you stiff a troll, it's not water
under the bridge. Meanwhile, Granuaile is desperate to free herself of
the Norse god Loki's mark and elude his powers of divination—a quest
that will bring her face-to-face with several Slavic nightmares.
As
Atticus globetrots to stop his nemesis Theophilus, the journey leads to
Rome. What better place to end an immortal than the Eternal City? But
poetic justice won't come without a price: In order to defeat
Theophilus, Atticus may have to lose an old friend.
My Review:
Atticus need to gain an advantage over his enemies by getting the
location of all the vampires around the world for his allies to use
which means a trip to a city which he has bad memories of. The down side
is having to break into a bank vault to get the information and then
trying to make peace with the dark elves. Owen starts training werewolf
children to be druids but is going to have some troll trouble as well as
Fand escaping prison, while Granuaile seeks help from Malina with the
Loki situation. Atticus unites with an old enemy as the Pack regret ever
getting involved with him.
Things are getting very dangerous for
the druids on several fronts but having Rabbi Josef offer the services
of his group is a welcome help. Malina's Coven are happy to try to help
Granuaile with Loki if Atticus deals with the Polish vampires as he
promised, as they are unhappy that he is instead stirring up the
vampires in other parts of Europe. Atticus is reluctant to go to visit
the dark elves but having one less enemy and a new ally against Hel and
Loki means he has little choice but to try, especially with a vampire
war to fight. However some of his actions turn out to be reckless and
will visit trouble on his allies and friends.
"He's out there somewhere right now with his cheeky hound doing something dumber than eating a bowl full of llama shite."-Owen
On
the personal side of things, Owen is adapting to a whole new life by
planning to move in with Greta, who is moving to join Sam's Pack. Their
home will become a training centre where Owen can train the children of
werewolves to become druids which will help protect them. Owen knows
when he sees the troll that this is connected to Fand and tricks the
information out of him. When the vampires are next to come calling, Owen
and the Pack are about to lose patience with the whole mess. Is it
going to be safe to train anyone when more Atticus inspired trouble
keeps coming their way?
One thing which left me cold though was
when Granuaile decides to visit her stepfather and beat him up under the
poor guise of 'defending the environment'. Yeah his company damages the
environment so go and damage his business interests or help clean up
the environment. Knocking ten bells out of him even if he is a douchbag
is a personal vendetta against him, not helping the planet. I don't
think a druid is supposed to attack people like that for personal
reasons. Grow up Granuaile, you lose my respect with this stunt.
"What kind of extra special batshite is that right there?"-Owen witnesses Rabbi Yosef's bearded battalion for the first time!
I
could have smacked Atticus in the face for what he did in his fight
against the vampires, especially when he didn't warn his friends what he
was doing. He is reckless and overestimates his own ability while
seriously underestimating his enemy. The shitstorm that he stirs up has
long reaching consequences for his allies who are starting to wonder why
they are helping him at all. Atticus is facing a whole new uncertain
future, and he is unsure how to deal with it. This book really does
leave Atticus and Granuaile at a crossroads with more trouble on the
horizon.
I hope that if book nine is the last one that we get a satisfactory conclusion.
Read November 2016.
Three Slices presents three novellas by modern fantasy writers:
A Prelude to War by Kevin Hearne
After
an old friend is murdered in retaliation for his mercenary strikes
against the oldest vampires in the world, Atticus O'Sullivan must
solicit the aid of another old friend in Ethiopia if he's going to have a
chance of finishing a war he never wanted. Meanwhile, Granuaile
MacTiernan starts a private war of her own against Loki, the lord of
lies, and if it brings Ragnarok early—so be it.
My Review:
I got this book just to read the Kevin Hearne Iron Druid story as I don't read the other authors work.
Atticus
is going to Africa to meet up with a powerful fortune teller who uses
cheese production to map out the path of the person visiting her. He has
need of important information and risks travelling to meet her, knowing
that Werner is on his trail. She previously led led Atticus to his
faithful hound Oberon and a safe haven in Tempe so he trusts her cheese
to direct him. We learn of the other decisions that he made based on her
information which have greatly affected his current situation, and
Atticus is less pleased to learn that she has also assisted his enemies
in learning things about him. I found this very interesting and it was
good background to the ongoing plot and to things that have already
happened.
While Atticus is hoping that the cheese will be ready
before the enemy arrive, Granuaile is seeking advice of her own in
Asgard about how to remove Loki's mark.
There are some short
stories that can be missed in the series as they don't add anything to
the current plot but this is not one to avoid. There is important
information and I would suggest reading it before you get to Staked as
it sets up the start of that book nicely and tells you why Atticus has
returned to Toronto.
Read November 2016.
Top Ten Tuesday
is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of
lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists
with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!
Please note that I do not allow third
party companies like DISQUS access to my blog or social media so if you
use that, I can't follow you or comment on your blog or posts. Sorry!
This is why I won't give DISQUS my details, for those who have asked:
"Authorize
DISQUS to use your account? Disqus is a service and tool for web
comments and discussions. This application will be able to:
*Read Tweets from your timeline.
*See who you follow, and follow new people.
*Update your profile.
*Post Tweets for you." Um, NO WAY, NOPE, NEVER GONNA HAPPEN!
This week is ANOTHER topic that I'm not interested in: Graphic Novels, Comics and Picture Books. I don't read any of these genres and it's becoming quite annoying having to invent my own topics every darn week. I'm going with ten books made into films that I want to see.
1) Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them
The Harry Potter fan is me really wants to see the film, especially the nifflers which I've heard so much about! I have the screenplay but before I get to that I need to see the film when it gets its dvd release.
2) The Girl With All The Gifts
I really liked this book and was excited to know that it was going to be a film. I didn't know until Sunday that it is already out on DVD so I snagged my copy yesterday and hope to watch it sometime this week!
3) The Hunger Games
I have all the films but I've only actually seen the first film once! I plan to binge watch the four films over a weekend once I motivate myself to get on with it. It's going to make me want to reread the books as well...
4) Bigfoot Wars
Books with Bigfoot just greatly appeal to me and I've wanted to read these books for ages. I haven't had the chance but I just had to snag the film when it came out. Not sure whether to go with book or film first now but want to do both!
5) The Mist
I haven't read the book or seen the film but it is exactly the kind of thing that really appeals to me. I'm not sure that I have the book but I certainly have the film and hope to get to it at some point soon.
6) The 33
The story of the Chile miners trapped underground had me glued to the news watching their rescue. I haven't read the book but would like to and I certainly want to see the film. Plus, it has Antonio Banderas so what more could you want!
7) IT
A new version of my all time favourite book by Stephen King is being made and will be released later this year! Am I excited? Oh yes! Really looking forward to seeing what they do with it! I'm hoping for great things!
8) Meg
I haven't read the books but I do have them on my ereader ready to binge read but I am very excited about this one! I LOVE sharks and I can't get enough of books and films about sharks so looking forward to watching this.
9) The Hobbit
I've seen the first two films based on the book but haven't had the chance to watch the Five Armies one yet. I prefer the LOTR adaptations but still want to find time to get this watched. I've not got much time to spare at the moment!
10) The Forest of Hands and Teeth
Can I say how long I have been wanting to see this made into a film? At last it is in pre-production with Maisie Williams (Game of Thrones Arya Stark) in the lead role. I like the idea of her as Mary and just want to see it now!
For nearly two thousand
years, only one Druid has walked the Earth—Atticus O’Sullivan, the Iron
Druid, whose sharp wit and sharp sword have kept him alive as he’s been
pursued by a pantheon of hostile deities. Now he’s got company. Atticus’s
apprentice Granuaile is at last a full Druid herself. What’s more,
Atticus has defrosted an archdruid long ago frozen in time, a father
figure (of sorts) who now goes by the modern equivalent of his old Irish
name: Owen Kennedy. And Owen has some catching up to do.
Atticus
takes pleasure in the role reversal, as the student is now the teacher.
Between busting Atticus’s chops and trying to fathom a cell phone, Owen
must also learn English. For Atticus, the jury’s still out on whether
the wily old coot will be an asset in the epic battle with Norse god
Loki—or merely a pain in the arse.
But Atticus isn’t the only one
with daddy issues. Granuaile faces a great challenge: to exorcise a
sorcerer’s spirit that is possessing her father in India. Even with the
help of the witch Laksha, Granuaile may be facing a crushing defeat.
As
the trio of Druids deals with pestilence-spreading demons, bacon-loving
yeti, fierce flying foxes, and frenzied Fae, they’re hoping that this
time, three’s a charm.
My Review:
Atticus has been reunited with Owen which is going to be a trial for
both of them after so many years have passed and Oberon is also having
to happily adapt to having a female hound around the place as a
companion to Granuaile. A message about her father from Laksha prompts
Granuaile to go solo with Orlaith on a mission to India to find him,
which Atticus is uneasy about but he has his own problems with the
police on his trail again over the death of a friend, Loki going after
Granuaile and an unknown traitor close to him.
Atticus is still
recovering from the shock of the gift that The Morrigan directed him
to-the frozen in time Archdruid who mentored Atticus. Owen has been
thawed out unscathed and has to adapt to a world of technology that
baffles and horrifies him as well as learning that he can't just swear
and grope women when he feels like it. While it is difficult to renew
their old bond, it does mean that they have three fully trained Druids
to fight their enemies. Atticus decides to limit Owen's contact with
Granuaile until he can teach him about modern laws and behaviour, and
seeks help from the local Packs to look after Owen while Atticus attends
to business.
"You think I'm being a Drama Hound don't you?"-Oberon
Granuaile
is delighted to have her own hound Orlaith to go with her to India.
Laksha tells her that her father was there on a dig and became possessed
by an evil spirit that summons demons and gives them local people as
hosts. Getting rid of the demon in each person is going to take too long
so an ice knife may be required if Granuaile can persuade the Yetis to
make one for her. Owen is also snooping around to find out who is
plotting with their enemies to betray them.
For me, this book
falls flat compared to the other books. I found most of Granuaile's solo
mission boring and I'm not sure what it was really adding to the
overall plot in the series. We know she is capable of being on her own
and tackling issues but other than giving her personal bonding time with
Orlaith, I saw no point to it. The only good part of her story was the
interlude when we met the wonderful Yeti pack who are related to
Manannan MacLir and also addicted to bacon and ice hockey! I so much
want to see more of them and found myself wishing that her mission was
to rescue avalanche victims with the Yeti Pack instead of trudging
around India looking for her father.
"There has to be a Poodles Anonymous meeting somewhere."-Oberon
I
did enjoy the addition of Owen which added extra humour to the book
with his foul mouth and inability to adapt to a new world. I loved his
interactions with the Pack, especially the bear wrestling scene where
Atticus manages to upset everyone! I think the addition of Owen is going
to be great for the series. It was also fun to have Orlaith come into
the story, both as hound to Granuaile and finally, a girlfriend for
Oberon! The Yeti Pack were fun and we need to see more of them, and if
Laksha is going to come back, I hope her storyline is a bit stronger.
While
I had issues with the India parts of the book, I did enjoy the traitor
storyline and I had correctly guessed who it was going to be. I enjoyed
the big reveal with civil war erupting in Brighid's domain when it all
kicks off. It was an exciting battle scene which the author writes
nicely as usual. I enjoyed the humour as I always do though I prefer the
Druids and hounds to be together instead of off doing seperate things
for so much of the book. There are still strong elements that keep you
enjoying the series but it isn't the best book in the series.
Read November 2016.
