Chuckles Cover Love #79 Elisabeth Wheatley

If there is one thing that makes a great book even better, it is when it has a cover that we love! The cover design is what catches the eye as we browse through a bookstore shelf or check out the Amazon or Goodreads recommendations. The right cover makes me look closer at a book, to read the blurb and maybe make a purchase. A poor cover might mean I never look at the blurb at all.

NB: I don't follow or leave comments on blogs run by Google Plus, or DISQUS as I refuse to join something just to leave comments, and I won't allow them to follow new people, update my profile or post tweets 'on my behalf'. I won't comment on any blog that makes me sign in using another account.   

This Week! 

I like the use of one dominant colour for each book and you can clearly see that they are a set. The design is cheaper but I still think they are decent covers overall.

Chuckles Weekend Roundup

Welcome to my feature Chuckles Weekend Roundup where I will be looking at what books I've received, anything interesting I've done or bought or watched and other random stuff. I'll be taking a look back at what happened in my blogging world too, sort of like The Sunday Post that some of you do! 

Please note that I'll be visiting your STS/SP as normal, but I don't follow or leave comments on blogs run by Google Plus, or DISQUS as I refuse to join something just to leave comments, and I won't allow DISQUS to follow new people, update my profile or post tweets 'on my behalf'. I am the only one who does that on my social media! I won't comment on any blog that makes me sign in using another account. Sometimes, I have problems leaving messages on blogs hosted by Wordpress-they try to block me because I deleted my account with them but I will persevere as it only happens the odd time!

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It has been a week of catch up for sure. In my last Friday post I said that I was taking a week off the blog to lounge around and have a break after my DIY and housework. That turned into a surprise holiday arranged by my dad and I ended up having a seaside break instead. I got back on Sunday and have been trying to catch up on posting blog posts, replying to comments, visiting blogs and more dreaded housework. I do seem to be pretty much back on track now which is good. The irony is that I didn't read a single thing on holiday! I've only read a few short stories since I got back but I do plan to get back into my reading in the coming week.

 

Naturally, I was book and dvd buying while I was away. I used the famous 'I'm on holiday!' excuse to buy more than I should have done but somehow, I feel no guilt! Now I just need to find a spare bit of shelf for the books I can't fit in and get the dvds watched. Yeah, that could take a while! I'm not sharing all the dvds we got, just what I bought myself!

 

PAPERBACKS

 

  

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32792667-strange-practice

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38912888-my-husband-and-i

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31752139-the-king-who-had-to-go

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31116030-blood-for-blood

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37824187-exile

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36566062-a-very-english-scandal 

 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35282698-the-last-tudor

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34565179-the-tudor-crown

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34524050-to-kill-the-president 

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36356612-my-life-our-times

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35098989-the-boy-on-the-bridge

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2290107.Shadows_of_a_Princess

DVD

My dad bought a few superhero boxsets and dvds like the 3 Thor films, Logan and The Wolverine, Deadpool, a pile of Korean films, the Planet of the Apes trilogy, a couple of westerns and Danny Trejo films, a couple of things with Jason Mamoa and Steven Seagal and some cheap horror films. Nice!

Chuckles Blogging World

I'm caught up and back to normal! I even managed to get a few book reviews done!

 

Book Reviews

 

Chuckles Mini Reviews Catch Up

http://chucklesbookcave.blogspot.com/2018/06/chuckles-mini-reviews-catch-up.html

Carrie Vaughn-Kitty Raises Hell

http://chucklesbookcave.blogspot.com/2018/06/book-review-kitty-raises-hell-by-carrie.html

Regular Posts

 Cover Love was Elisabeth Wheatley, Top Ten Tuesday was DNF, Can't Wait Wednesday was about Cabin At The End Of The World and Books from the Backlog featured The Tide. I also went around the blogs to pick the best of the week.

Chuckles Cover Love

http://chucklesbookcave.blogspot.com/2018/06/chuckles-cover-love-78-elisabeth.html

 

Around The Blogs With Chuckles

http://chucklesbookcave.blogspot.com/2018/06/around-blogs-with-chuckles_11.html 

 

Top Ten Tuesday

http://chucklesbookcave.blogspot.com/2018/06/top-ten-tuesday-dnf.html 

 

Can't Wait Wednesday

http://chucklesbookcave.blogspot.com/2018/06/cant-wait-wednesday-cabin-at-end-of.html 

 

Books From The Backlog

http://chucklesbookcave.blogspot.com/2018/06/books-from-backlog-tide.html 

 

Discussion Posts 

Chuckles Chat looked at scenarios we love and hate about YA/NA and Game of Thrones Gossip looks at Brienne. Prepping With Chuckles looks at the importance of having cash.

 

Chuckles Chat

http://chucklesbookcave.blogspot.com/2018/06/chuckles-chat-68-scenarios-we-love-and.html 

 

Game of Thrones Gossip

http://chucklesbookcave.blogspot.com/2018/06/game-of-thrones-gossip-70-brienne.html 

 

Prepping With Chuckles

http://chucklesbookcave.blogspot.com/2018/06/prepping-with-chuckles-importance-of.html 

 

Film Reviews 

 none this week

Special Posts

 

Finally I'm Back! Holiday report!

http://chucklesbookcave.blogspot.com/2018/06/finally-im-back.html 

Book Tags/Blog Awards

 none this week

Currently Reading/Up Next

I didn't read anything during my holiday and since I got back, I've only managed to find time to read a few bits of free serial novels to clear them off my ereader. I've got a few other short stories to look at and then I need to get back into proper books! I'm hoping to look at this one later this week...

 

 

Next week on the blog 

Cover Love will feature Elisabeth Wheatley, Top Ten Tuesday will be about my summer tbr, Can't Wait Wednesday is The Farm, Books From The Backlog is Endurance, Chuckles Chat is scenarios we love and hate in historical fiction and Game of Thrones Gossip is all about Davos.

 

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Game of Thrones Gossip #70 Brienne

Welcome to my Game of Thrones Gossip, where us fanatics get the chance to discuss everything we love about this amazing TV series. I decided to do a whole series of these discussion posts that let us say everything we want and enjoy every second of it! Please feel free to comment fully and without restriction!

I have to warn you that it is important that you have seen all six seasons before reading any of these posts because these posts and blogger comments will be exploding spoilers all over the place. If you haven't watched the series and plan to, be warned that it's a bad idea to be here right now! I take no responsibility if you read on and things are spoiled for you.

Now I'm looking at the main characters introduced in season three, what our season two characters were doing and looking at all the bests bits. Enjoy the season three posts! 

Brienne's patience is being sorely tested by her prisoner Jaime who is continually trying to needle her about her looks, her ability's and her life in general. She is focused on trying to ignore the jibes and do as she promised Catelyn, delivering him to King's Landing and freeing the Stark girls. The journey brings them into contact with a traveler on the road who speaks to them. Jaime urges Brienne to go after the man and kill him, concerned that the man may have recognised him and reported their position. Brienne has no intention of killing an innocent man and refuses to do so, a decision that she will come to regret. It is clear that Jaime has a more cynical view of things than she does but it is an instinct that would have served her better.

Brienne knows that they must now cross the river. She is faced with the dangerous crossing through the water with a hand-tied prisoner or the option of using a wide open bridge which may well be watched by enemies. She chooses to cross the bridge where Jaime for some stupid reason decides to try and escape in the middle of hostile territory, rather than be taken home. They begin to fight when Jaime steals one of her swords. He is not in great shape after his captivity and has the disadvantage of his hands being tied, and realises that Brienne is more skilled than he thought. Brienne finally gets the better of Jaime but their fight out in the open has attracted attention and armed men from House Bolton led by sadistic Locke, take them prisoner. They were aleted by the traveler that Brienne refused to kill.

Jaime and Brienne are unaware that House Bolton are about to betray Robb and expect to be returned to him. As they head to their camp for the night Brienne is angry when Jaime warns her that the men intend to rape her that night and that if she wants to live she should let them get on with it and think of Renly. She indicates that she will fight them every step of the way even if she dies and Jaime admits he would do the same in her position. When the camp is set, Jaime watches as Brienne is taken into the woods to be gang raped and decides to make a deal with their captors, saving her. Brienne realises that Jaime is responsible for her reprieve and watches on with horror as his clumsy attempts to negotiate lead to him having his sword hand cut off. After his injury, Jaime is ready to give up and die but Brienne persuades him to eat so he can get his revenge later.

Brienne are taken to Harrenhal where they become 'guests' of Roose Bolton. She is the first person that hears the real story behind the Kingslayer, listening in horror as Jaime recounts how The Mad King had put wildfire all over the city and was telling the pyromancer to burn down the entire city, killing not just his enemies but all the innocent people in King's Landing. She realises that he is not the evil man she believed him to be and when he collapses, she holds him in her arms as she calls for help. They say goodbye as Jaime is being permitted to return to King's Landing while she is to be held for treason. In reality, once Jaime is gone, she is gifted to Locke and his men. Brienne is in the pit with a wooden sword and an angry bear that she is to fight when she is surprised to see Jaime return to rescue her, insisting on taking her with him. They continue on their journey together.

I loved the scenes with Jaime and Brienne, especially the scene in the bath where we see how the sacking of King's Landing by the rebels led to Jaime being unfairly labelled as a mere Kingslayer. The journey with Brienne was the start of his redemption and I loved it!

Books From The Backlog-The Tide

Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your bookshelf.  You might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in your stacks. Go to Carole's blog and add your blog post link in to join in the fun! Hosted by Carole at https://carolesrandomlife.blogspot.co.uk/

This seems like a fun feature and I have been planning to take part since Carole launched this so at last, here we go! I have a TON of unread books to choose from in various genres and I'm looking forward to sharing some of them with everybody. 

Captain Dominic Holland leads a crew of skilled covert operatives and talented scientific personnel. He’s taken them to all corners of the earth to protect the United States from biological and chemical warfare. When his CIA handler, Meredith Webb, gives him a mission to investigate a disturbing lead on a laboratory based out of an abandoned oil rig, they discover the most terrifying threat to mankind they’ve ever faced—a genetically engineered biological weapon called the Oni Agent.

Back in the United States, Meredith discovers a frightening connection between the CIA and the Oni Agent. But her investigations are short-lived when the Agent spreads and brings mankind to its knees. Cities burn as it turns humans into warped creatures hell-bent on destruction.

Dominic and Meredith vow to do everything they can to combat the Agent and find a cure. But will their efforts be enough to turn the tide—or is humanity’s fate already sealed?

Oh I do like a monsters on the rampage caused by a biological weapon plot! I hope there is plenty on that side of things as well as the conspiracy. I got this book in February 2017.

Book Review: Kitty Raises Hell by Carrie Vaughn (Kitty Norville #6)

Kitty and Ben thought they were done with Las Vegas, but it's beginning to looks like Vegas isn't done with them. A sadistic cult of lycanthropes and their vampire priestess have laid a curse on Kitty, revenge for her disrupting their rituals, and now an invisible evil that smells like brimstone and plays with fire has followed them home. The next full moon triggers danger and destruction in the form of fire, and it's not just targeting Kitty, but the pack of werewolves she's sworn to protect.

Kitty needs help if she's going to be able to extinguish the terror that's threatening to torch them all!

Kitty and Ben return - and this time they're fighting for their lives!

My Review: 
A week after the incident at the club, Rick is scanning the city looking for their new enemy. Kitty is interested that a famous TV show called Paradox PI have come to film in Denver for a ghost special and persuade Gary, Tina and Jules to appear on a live special of The Midnight Hour for maximum publicity for all of them. However things turn bad when an entity at the house they film at comes after them and also attacks Kitty's club. A mysterious vampire called Roman tells Kitty that it is a demon stalking her pack and offers his help but Rick does not like a strange vampire on his turf.

I really enjoyed this adventure! The team from the TV show were genuine ghosthunters and not the fake asshats you get in some books so I liked their introduction straight away. I always enjoy the parts featuring Kitty's show but this was given added spice by the joint filming, with Paradox PI using film for their Tv specialand Kitty reporting on events for a spellbound radio audience. It was a fun twist on the normal broadcast. And who can resist an evil, unseen violent entity attacking our heroes? There is a lot of evil spirit action in the book, with it becoming more dangerous at each encounter. It made for a tense plot as Kitty tries to protect her Pack from something she cannot see. You can feel her helplessness at times. Hearing that an old friend from Vegas has vanished only adds to her stress levels.

The addition of Roman adds a new dimension to Kitty's relationship with Rick. Vampire politics dictate that Rick does not want a strange older vampire on his territory, as he knows nothing about him and does not trust him. He does not need to have a rival for power in the city while the entity is on the loose. Kitty is sure that Roman knows something that can help her and wants to find out more but Rick is determined not to let that happen. With her Pack in danger, Kitty may have to risk destroying her alliance with Rick to save the people she loves. The question that goes on through the book is whether or not Roman can be trusted, which adds another layer to the plot.

Kitty also has to face up to her past with the arrival of TJ's younger brother Peter coming to Denver to find answers about his missing brother. Kitty cannot bear to tell him what happened to TJ but Peter is determined to find out. There are a couple of good emotional scenes with Kitty facing up to her grief and guilt and trying to let the past go. Peter also becomes interested in helping by nosing around in Vegas to see if her enemies there might be involved in recent events, but Kitty fears putting him in any more danger.

What I enjoy most about this series is that each book is different in plot. I enjoyed having the ghost hunting element in this book as something different and it introduced new characters that I liked. Kitty's circle of friends and allies are growing and I do like having a range of interesting characters coming in and out of the books. It's better than relying on just a few characters to hold the reader's interest each time. I also liked seeing more of Rick in this one, and seeing Kitty's struggles to protect her Pack. 

Overall, another really enjoyable book in a consistant series. 
Read January 2018
4 stars.