This is one that was recommended to me by my bookpusher, erm, local bookstore owner. I had looked at it, picked it up, put it back, and walked away. But something about it stayed with me and I ended up getting it for my kindle because I couldn't stop really thinking about it.
The book is simply like that. It inserts itself into your brain, imprints itself there in it's folds, and just sits. There are no loud bangs with this book. No huge revelations, no explosions of action. It simply is. I can't tell you that I ever cared deeply about the main characters, except that's not the case. I cared deeply about the circus itself. It was it's own character and while it never spoke in words and was merely the venue, it was the most alive part of the book. There were secondary characters that I cared about.
It's a quiet book but one that I found it easy to get lost inside of. I would start reading and look up to find that my kids were done with their activity and it was an hour later and it seemed like mere moments. And I would find myself trying to find more moments where I could read it because I wanted to escape into that quiet, beautiful, fascinating world. I found the world itself rich and the language beautifully descriptive, hauntingly riveting.
Page count: 401p/13,261p ytd
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
110:41 Timeless by Gail Carriger
The 5th (and last) of the Parasol Protectorate series. Alexia has been invited to bring Prudence to Egypt to meet the oldest living vampire queen in existence. Of course, Alexia can do nothing simply so she ends up bringing not only her family but Ivy, Tunstell, their twins and nanny, and their acting troupe to perform for the queen as well. Of course tho, nothing is ever simple.
The good ~ I liked how some of the secondary characters roles were finally fully flushed out and we got the answers to most of the questions that have been brought up during the series. And yes, there is a HEA in here.
The bad ~ I felt the last half of the book was a bit rushed. Too much going on trying to wrap everything up nicely and a bit hectically. Not awfully done, but just lacked the wit and subtlety of the rest of the series trying to get everything in.
In all, I really enjoyed the book and the entire series. As my first foray into steampunk of any kind, it definitely made a wonderful impression on me and I look forward to dabbling in it further. I've also heard that there will be more books set in this world in which these characters will contribute but that they will not be the main characters. Rumor has it that they will be more about Prudence instead. I can only hope rumors are true in this case as I would love to read such stories.
Page count: 402p/12,860p
The good ~ I liked how some of the secondary characters roles were finally fully flushed out and we got the answers to most of the questions that have been brought up during the series. And yes, there is a HEA in here.
The bad ~ I felt the last half of the book was a bit rushed. Too much going on trying to wrap everything up nicely and a bit hectically. Not awfully done, but just lacked the wit and subtlety of the rest of the series trying to get everything in.
In all, I really enjoyed the book and the entire series. As my first foray into steampunk of any kind, it definitely made a wonderful impression on me and I look forward to dabbling in it further. I've also heard that there will be more books set in this world in which these characters will contribute but that they will not be the main characters. Rumor has it that they will be more about Prudence instead. I can only hope rumors are true in this case as I would love to read such stories.
Page count: 402p/12,860p
Monday, April 2, 2012
110:40 Making Thirteen Colonies by Joy Hakim
The 2nd book in the History of US series (5th-8th US History text). Well, Jon likes them as much as he likes history at all (which is to say not much) but I will say that I think I was spoiled by the Oxford Ancient Times series. This one just hasn't gripped me, the writing is repetitive in it's simplistic language, and I'm basically just ungripped. I'm sure there are better books out there but the small chapters and easy reading is exactly what Jon needs so I think I'm stuck with it. *sigh* Only 8 more volumes left.
Page count: 185p/12,458p ytd
Page count: 185p/12,458p ytd
10:39 Heartless by Gail Carriger
The 4th book in the Parasol Protectorate. The infant-inconvenience as Alexia refers to the babe has had the unfortunate side-effect of causing all the vampires to try to kill her. Her only recourse is to allow the babe to be adopted by Lord Akeldama. However, in doing so it means that she must move back into London to be able to still be part of the child's life once s/he is born and that means a whole host of other problems. Add in the ghosts that keep coming around who are close to disanimation but giving her bits and pieces of dire warnings about the queen being danger and there goes Lady Maccoon all over London while 8mos pregnant trying to solve everything on her own.
Another delightful romp in this world. Each book has gotten better than the last and I'm sorry that the next one is the last in the series. I can only be happy that I only just discovered the series so I get to read the whole thing at once and not have to wait for each one to come out.
Page count: 385p/12,273p ytd
Another delightful romp in this world. Each book has gotten better than the last and I'm sorry that the next one is the last in the series. I can only be happy that I only just discovered the series so I get to read the whole thing at once and not have to wait for each one to come out.
Page count: 385p/12,273p ytd
Friday, March 30, 2012
110:38 Blameless by Gail Carriger
The 3rd book in the Parasol Protectorate series. Lady Alexia Maccon is pregnant but her werewolf husband (and just about everyone else) is sure that it isn't his so she has quit his house and moved in with her family again. As if that wasn't bad enough, she has been told her services of muhjah are no longer needed and her dear friend, Lord Akeldama, has gone missing and a swarm of mechanical ladybugs is trying to kill her. Determined to find a way of proving her faithfulness and getting away from those who are trying to kill her, she leaves England to head to Italy in the hopes that she can find better information abroad than at home.
Another fast-paced, riveting adventure. Just totally loving this series.
Page count: 374p/11,888p ytd
Another fast-paced, riveting adventure. Just totally loving this series.
Page count: 374p/11,888p ytd
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
110:37 Changeless by Gail Carriger
The 2nd in the Parasol Protectorate series. Something has turned all the supernaturals in London fully human but after a few days, things return to normal there but it's apparent that whatever caused it is going north towards Scotland where Alexia's husband, Lord Maccon, has gone to settle some business with his former pack. The good news, Alexia gets to travel by dirigible. The bad, it certainly appears that someone is not happy with her errand and will stop at nothing to make sure she doesn't succeed.
Another fast-paced, riveting book. Really loving this series but OMG what a cliff-hanger. So glad I have the whole series so I don't have to wait to find out what happens next.
Page count: 388p/11,514p ytd
Another fast-paced, riveting book. Really loving this series but OMG what a cliff-hanger. So glad I have the whole series so I don't have to wait to find out what happens next.
Page count: 388p/11,514p ytd
Thursday, March 22, 2012
110:36 Soulless by Gail Carriger
Picked this one up on the recommendation of my local dealer, um I mean book pusher, I mean local bookstore owner. He's an evil one that man but back to the book.
I've never read anything even remotely steampunk before. I knew the genre existed (I'm not that deaf, dumb, and blind) but really was generally clueless as to what it was about other than gears and odd bits stuck onto old-fashioned clothing and why the heck anyone would want to write about that confused the heck out of me but not nearly so much as why anyone would want to read about it. I gradually figured out there was more to it but not by much and had resolved to try it "some day" and then stuck it to the back of my brain.
Then this was shoved into my hand. I admit, I like my urban fantasy. It's my bubblegum, my popcorn, my midnight bowl of ice cream all wrapped up in one without the fat content ending up on my hips. So when I saw that this had elements of urban fantasy that I liked thrown together with steampunk in 19th century London, well....it was kind of inevitable that it would end up coming home with me (well, this and all subsequent ones as I had a feeling it was bound to keep my interest).
It did not disappoint. A strong female character but trying to hold to the ideas and proprietary of the time but thrust into situations very outside the norm being courted by supernaturals for reasons unknown with a mystery very much underfoot. I loved the flamboyent Lord Akeldama and the all the attention to fashion, scenery, and the little details. So very glad I have the rest of the series already sitting on my shelf waiting for me.
Page count: 373p/11,126p ytd
I've never read anything even remotely steampunk before. I knew the genre existed (I'm not that deaf, dumb, and blind) but really was generally clueless as to what it was about other than gears and odd bits stuck onto old-fashioned clothing and why the heck anyone would want to write about that confused the heck out of me but not nearly so much as why anyone would want to read about it. I gradually figured out there was more to it but not by much and had resolved to try it "some day" and then stuck it to the back of my brain.
Then this was shoved into my hand. I admit, I like my urban fantasy. It's my bubblegum, my popcorn, my midnight bowl of ice cream all wrapped up in one without the fat content ending up on my hips. So when I saw that this had elements of urban fantasy that I liked thrown together with steampunk in 19th century London, well....it was kind of inevitable that it would end up coming home with me (well, this and all subsequent ones as I had a feeling it was bound to keep my interest).
It did not disappoint. A strong female character but trying to hold to the ideas and proprietary of the time but thrust into situations very outside the norm being courted by supernaturals for reasons unknown with a mystery very much underfoot. I loved the flamboyent Lord Akeldama and the all the attention to fashion, scenery, and the little details. So very glad I have the rest of the series already sitting on my shelf waiting for me.
Page count: 373p/11,126p ytd
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