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Fantasy

Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield

Once upon a river

4 stars

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a hard book to describe. It’s part folktale, part mystery, part romance and part magical fairy tale. The story starts off slowly, but stick with it. As it unwinds, the pace picks up until its tragic, but wonderful, ending.

During a dark midwinter’s night in a small inn by the Thames river, the regulars are entertaining themselves by telling stories. A badly injured stranger bursts through the door carrying a little dead girl. After the healer tends to the injured stranger, she inspects the body of the little girl and discovers she’s alive. The regulars speculate as to how the little girl could be alive. Is it a miracle, magic, science or something else? Continue reading “Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield” →

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Time’s Convert by Deborah Harkness

Time's Convert

4 stars

I really enjoyed this book. It’s set in the same world as the All Souls Trilogy books. This book centers on Marcus, Matthew de Clermont’s son, and his fiance Phoebe. The story begins with Marcus’ life as a young boy in rural Massachusetts just before the Revolutionary War. Fleeing an abusive home, he runs away to join the military to fight the British. While there he begins training with various medical doctors and starts tending the troops. During one brutal campaign he meets Matthew in a field hospital. When he later takes ill and is about to die, Matthew offers to make him a vampire, and Marcus accepts. The remainder of the story centers on Marcus’ journey from young vampire to present day. Continue reading “Time’s Convert by Deborah Harkness” →

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Seafire (Seafire, #1) by Natalie C. Parker

Seafire

Caledonia Styx’s family ran a rogue ship that defied a corrupt warlord Aric Athair and his bloodthirsty army of young men called Bullets. As she and her best friend are on a remote island gathering supplies, Athair attacks her family’s ship and everyone onboard is killed. Continue reading “Seafire (Seafire, #1) by Natalie C. Parker” →

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Wildcard (Warcross, #2) by Marie Lu

Wildcard

4 stars

This is the conclusion to the Warcross series. The book picks up right after the events of the first book. Emika Chen has survived the Warcross Championship and knows Hideo’s plans for the NeuroLink algorithm. Everyone with the updated version of the lens is under his control, but a disturbing trend is beginning. Could the neurolink be the cause of multiple suicides around the world? Continue reading “Wildcard (Warcross, #2) by Marie Lu” →

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This Shattered World (Starbound, #2) by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

This Shattered World

4 stars

This is the second installment in the Starbound trilogy. This story is set on the terraformed planet Avon. The planet hasn’t developed as quickly as it should have and the colonists are struggling to survive. The colonists have started to rebel against the terraforming corporations in charge of the planet’s development. As a result, the corporations have sent soldiers to Avon to quell the uprising and install order. Lee Chase is a military Captain with a reputation for being tough and dangerous. Flynn Cormac is one of the rebel leaders trying to reach a peaceful agreement with the soldiers. Continue reading “This Shattered World (Starbound, #2) by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner” →

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Bright Ruins (Dark Gifts #3) by Vic James

bright ruins

4 stars

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the final book in the Dark Gifts trilogy. The story picks up right after the last book left off. Abi has escaped the Blood Fair and continues to fight with the rebels to take down the Equals. A new Equal with an astounding gift aids the rebel’s cause and they plot one of the biggest protests yet. Continue reading “Bright Ruins (Dark Gifts #3) by Vic James” →

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Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore (Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore #1) by Robin Sloan

Mr Penumbra

3 stars

This was our Oct. book club pick. Clay lost his job as a web designer when his employer went out of business. Desperate for work, he takes the late shift in a 24 hour book stored called Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore. The store only seems to have a few customers who don’t buy books. Rather, they trade one huge mysterious book for another. One of Clay’s duties is to write down every detail about the transaction with the customers, including what they check out, what they are wearing, and what their behavior and mannerisms are. Continue reading “Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore (Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore #1) by Robin Sloan” →

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Tarnished City (Dark Gifts #2) by Vic James

Tarnished City

4 stars

This is the second book in the Dark Gifts trilogy. The story picks up right after the end of the first book. Lord Jardin is the interim Chancellor and begins massive crack downs on the slaves and rebels. He also begins talking about implementing new laws against skill-less and Gavar begins to worry about his daughter’s future. Luke has been convicted of murder and condemned. He is turned over to Lord Crovan and taken to his private estate for experimentation and torture. Continue reading “Tarnished City (Dark Gifts #2) by Vic James” →

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Starless by Jacqueline Carey

Starless

4 stars

Another great book by this author. Unlike most of her books, this is a stand alone book which was a nice change of pace. This isn’t my favorite book of hers, but since I like her writing so much I was still thrilled to read it.

The story follows Khai, who is trained in the arts of killing and stealth by a warrior sect in the deep desert. Khai will serve as Shadow to twin Sun-Blessed Zariya. Khai must learn to navigate the Court of the Sun-Blessed and keep Zariya alive in a nest of vipers intent on killing anyone that gets in their way of power. Continue reading “Starless by Jacqueline Carey” →

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