Backstory of Simon Torquill back when he was married to Amandine and father to August. Before things changed him. We get to see his romancing of Amandine, his loyalty to Patrick, and a bargain made that will likely prove to be his undoing.
Simon may be one of the most interesting characters in this universe and at this point, if you've read everything so far, it's basically impossible not to pity him to some degree. Yes, he did much of it to himself but I'm guessing he had only the slightest idea of what he was getting himself into.
Page count: 30p/9,669p ytd/320,554p lifetime
Wednesday, May 29, 2019
Monday, May 27, 2019
36:100 United States Government: Democracy in Action by Richard C. Remy, Ph.D.
Review from 2016:
High School government text book. Provides a good well-rounded grasp of our system of government and it's various influences, how bills become laws, how laws can be challenged up to the Supreme Court, how the system of checks and balances are supposed to work. Includes details on how things work at the local level and how parties work. Unfortunately, it was written before our government got as completely broken as it currently is so offers no insight on our current state of affairs or how normal people can actually affect real change, not that I was expecting it to but that's definitely something I think people should be educated on as well.
Page count: 898p/9,639p ytd/320,524p lifetime
High School government text book. Provides a good well-rounded grasp of our system of government and it's various influences, how bills become laws, how laws can be challenged up to the Supreme Court, how the system of checks and balances are supposed to work. Includes details on how things work at the local level and how parties work. Unfortunately, it was written before our government got as completely broken as it currently is so offers no insight on our current state of affairs or how normal people can actually affect real change, not that I was expecting it to but that's definitely something I think people should be educated on as well.
Page count: 898p/9,639p ytd/320,524p lifetime
35:100 Blood Work by Kim Harrison
A Hollows graphic novel detailing the meeting of Ivy and Rachel and how things did not go so well when they first met and how their friendship started to develop.
I miss Rachel, Ivy, Jenks, and the Hollows in general so it was nice to return for a little bit with this.
Page count: 169p/8,741p ytd/319,626p lifetime
I miss Rachel, Ivy, Jenks, and the Hollows in general so it was nice to return for a little bit with this.
Page count: 169p/8,741p ytd/319,626p lifetime
Sunday, May 26, 2019
34:100 Wild Seed by Octavia Butler
Patternmaster - Seed to Harvest #1
Doro has been wandering the Earth for over a thousand years and knows of no others like him so he has taken to setting up breeding towns from those who show a touch of power like his to try and create a master race. He can be patient since he has mastered the technique of moving his consciousness to a new host body at any time making him effectively immortal. But then he meets Anyanwu who is like but not like him. She has also lived far longer than a normal human but she is able to do so because she can completely control her body at a molecular level which means so long as she has the time, she can heal from anything. She is powerful in ways Doro isn't and can't be and he craves her subjugation and the mingling of their powers to bring more stability to his line. And while she believes his lies at first and is intrigued to be mated to one who has powers at least similar to hers and as long a life, she soon learns that Doro is not who she first thought him to be and she is stronger than he thought.
Such an incredibly powerful book. The theme of eugenics was not one I was comfortable with nor enjoyed but the relationship between Anyanwu and Doro, watching the shift and play of their power struggle, and the eventual conclusion was fabulous and so richly done.
I choose this book for my book club read this month because I learned that it will be adapted for TV and Octavia Butler has been on my list of authors to check out for a bit now. It's interesting to note that this book was the fourth book written in the series although the first in world chronological order (and one of the books has since been disowned by the author).
Page count: 320p/8,572p ytd/319,457p lifetime
Doro has been wandering the Earth for over a thousand years and knows of no others like him so he has taken to setting up breeding towns from those who show a touch of power like his to try and create a master race. He can be patient since he has mastered the technique of moving his consciousness to a new host body at any time making him effectively immortal. But then he meets Anyanwu who is like but not like him. She has also lived far longer than a normal human but she is able to do so because she can completely control her body at a molecular level which means so long as she has the time, she can heal from anything. She is powerful in ways Doro isn't and can't be and he craves her subjugation and the mingling of their powers to bring more stability to his line. And while she believes his lies at first and is intrigued to be mated to one who has powers at least similar to hers and as long a life, she soon learns that Doro is not who she first thought him to be and she is stronger than he thought.
Such an incredibly powerful book. The theme of eugenics was not one I was comfortable with nor enjoyed but the relationship between Anyanwu and Doro, watching the shift and play of their power struggle, and the eventual conclusion was fabulous and so richly done.
I choose this book for my book club read this month because I learned that it will be adapted for TV and Octavia Butler has been on my list of authors to check out for a bit now. It's interesting to note that this book was the fourth book written in the series although the first in world chronological order (and one of the books has since been disowned by the author).
Page count: 320p/8,572p ytd/319,457p lifetime
Thursday, May 23, 2019
33:100 The Ancient Roman World by Ronald Mellor & Marni McGee
My review from a few years ago:
Covering from the legends regarding the founding of Rome to the fall of the Roman Empire. There were some famous people like Archimedes that didn't get mentioned so won't be heard of at all in this entire series which I find to be a shame (time to pull out some other books and rectify that) but on the whole a good installment for this series and for middle-school history in general. It is very difficult reading this one while at the same time reading the "a-g approved" high school Glencoe as it makes Glencoe look absolutely horrid for all the glaring omissions. This series is just so much richer and goes so much deeper than what is given to our high school kids. Just continues to go to my point that we should stop worrying about quantity and worry more about quality because what they are being taught in high school really isn't worth anything when it's so shallow the bottom of your shoe barely gets wet if you step in that puddle.
Here's my review from a few years before that:
Part of "The World in Ancient Times" history series for middle school by Oxford. I learned a lot with this one starting from the beginning as they had more than one version of the founding of Rome. Weird since all I had ever heard about previously was the story of Romulus and Remus. There was also a fair amount on the emperors that came after Augustus, how they were chosen, how they ruled, etc. There was a chapter on the Jews and their history as well as a chapter on how Christianity started and spread. In all, I felt it was a good well-rounded history book that presented a lot more than just what seems to be typically known and explained the findings that told us these things.
Page count: 192p/8,252p ytd/319,137p lifetime
Covering from the legends regarding the founding of Rome to the fall of the Roman Empire. There were some famous people like Archimedes that didn't get mentioned so won't be heard of at all in this entire series which I find to be a shame (time to pull out some other books and rectify that) but on the whole a good installment for this series and for middle-school history in general. It is very difficult reading this one while at the same time reading the "a-g approved" high school Glencoe as it makes Glencoe look absolutely horrid for all the glaring omissions. This series is just so much richer and goes so much deeper than what is given to our high school kids. Just continues to go to my point that we should stop worrying about quantity and worry more about quality because what they are being taught in high school really isn't worth anything when it's so shallow the bottom of your shoe barely gets wet if you step in that puddle.
Here's my review from a few years before that:
Part of "The World in Ancient Times" history series for middle school by Oxford. I learned a lot with this one starting from the beginning as they had more than one version of the founding of Rome. Weird since all I had ever heard about previously was the story of Romulus and Remus. There was also a fair amount on the emperors that came after Augustus, how they were chosen, how they ruled, etc. There was a chapter on the Jews and their history as well as a chapter on how Christianity started and spread. In all, I felt it was a good well-rounded history book that presented a lot more than just what seems to be typically known and explained the findings that told us these things.
Page count: 192p/8,252p ytd/319,137p lifetime
Wednesday, May 22, 2019
32:100 Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan
Esperanza has an envious life. The only child of a rich ranch owner in Mexico, doted on by her parents, lots of pretty dresses, education, servants, etc. Yes, it is an idyllic life and one Esperanza can't imagine changing until one day it does. Her father is murdered by bandits and according to her uncle, everything but the house is left to him. Her mother has the house but without the income from the ranch, there is no way to keep it so her uncle, her father's brother, says he will marry her mother but both she and her mother know that he is a cruel man and they would be separated. So instead, they choose to run and hide all the way to America. Some of the family servants are going and offer them a place with them and their family that has already been established in CA working as crop pickers. It will be a hard life, harder than either of them has known, but at least they have the chance to stay together and free. They had no way of knowing that they were immigrating right during the start of what would later be known as the Great Depression.
A beautifully done tale of heartache and love, despair and hope, telling a tale that too often goes untold of why people immigrate and the hardships they face. This is something I think there needs to be greater visibility and discussion of and let us remember that first of all, these are humans who are deserving of respect and compassion.
Page count: 304p/8,060p ytd/318,945p lifetime
A beautifully done tale of heartache and love, despair and hope, telling a tale that too often goes untold of why people immigrate and the hardships they face. This is something I think there needs to be greater visibility and discussion of and let us remember that first of all, these are humans who are deserving of respect and compassion.
Page count: 304p/8,060p ytd/318,945p lifetime
31:100 Storm Cursed by Patricia Briggs
Mercedes had no idea what she had signed herself and thus Adam's pack for when she stood on that bridge and declared that her territory was safe ground. Being who she is she could not have done anything different and she thought only of basic things like hunting down the occasional misbehaving monster from time to time once it was explained to her. She had no idea that it would mean constant calls dealing with things like zombie goats, black witch families, or hosting diplomatic envoys for negotiations between the Grey Lords and the humans and dealing with those that do not want those negotiations to take place. But now that these are happening, Mercy, Adam, and the Pack must find a way to keep all these people safe or die trying if their word is to stand. This time, it's a much taller order than anyone could have ever expected.
Another spectacular installment in the Mercy Thompson series! Ms. Briggs does a wonderful job of building the tension while weaving in touching or funny moments and Mercy's snark. My biggest complaint is how long we have to wait between books (although, with how many favorite authors I have, there is almost always another fabulous book waiting for me to pick it up sitting in my to-read pile and I wouldn't want to give them up either LOL).
Page count: 358p/7,756p ytd/318,641p lifetime
Another spectacular installment in the Mercy Thompson series! Ms. Briggs does a wonderful job of building the tension while weaving in touching or funny moments and Mercy's snark. My biggest complaint is how long we have to wait between books (although, with how many favorite authors I have, there is almost always another fabulous book waiting for me to pick it up sitting in my to-read pile and I wouldn't want to give them up either LOL).
Page count: 358p/7,756p ytd/318,641p lifetime
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