Kiwiria's November Novels
Dec. 6th, 2018 12:53 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kiwiria posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
christianreaderCompletely forgot I hadn't gotten around to posting this yet! That's what happens when I'm out of town around the 1st apparently.
Dragon Kin: Jae & Fendellen - Audrey Faye & Shae Geary, 5/5, 206 pages
Probably my favourite of the lot. I liked the fact that it was the human who was new to the village, rather than the dragon. And Jae's reaction to a) all the dragons and elves. and b) suddenly being accepted for who she is was extremely well written. I loved how everybody made sure she felt welcome, and how she slowly discovered how she fit in.
Oh, and the three new dragon kits were more than a little cute too!
Meet Me at the Cupcake Café - Jenny Colgan, 4/5, 456 pages
Adorable story. Extremely predictable, but that's the norm for books like this, and I didn't expect anything different, nor did I mind. I've always loved reading about people making a go for it at shops (pretty much regardless of what they're selling) and this was no exception. But most of all, I loved all the friendships that grew from the shop - Pearl and Louis especially, of course, but also Des and Mira, Doti and Chester - even Austin and Darny. The romance was sweet too, and totally appropriate, but it was partly the friendships and partly Issy's joy at the success of her café that made this a true comfort read :-)
Obsidio - Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff, 4/5, 615 pages
A great conclusion to the trilogy. It didn't have quite as many twists and turns as the two previous books, but still enough to keep me nicely entertained. It's hard to say much more without spoiling the first two books, but I did find it a very satisfying wrap-up.
A Discovery of Witches - Deborah Harkness*, 4/5, Audiobook ~23hrs
It's very definitely Twilight for adults. There are SO many similarities between the two books - or rather between Edward and Matthew, and between the relationships described. That's not a bad thing though - I really liked Twilight, and while I noticed the similarities, they didn't bug me.
This second time around I didn't feel it slow to start at all! And I really enjoyed it, with a few exceptions:
- Matthew. He infuriated me at times. I don't get why he isn't vilified every bit as much as Edward Cullen, because he's certainly just as bad (sometimes worse) with his attempts to control Diana for the purpose of protecting her.
- Knox, Gillian and all the witches in the beginning of the book. Their arrogance and presumption towards Diana was - again - infuriating.
I loved Marthe and Ysabeau :-) Didn't remember that from my first read-through. The house and its ghosts were delightful as well :)
Shadow of Night - Deborah Harkness*, 4.5/5, 672 pages
This was an amazing sequel to A Discovery of Witches and I think I might even like it a tiny bit more than that one. This was Twilight means Dragonfly in Amber (Diana Gabaldon)... I wouldn't have thought it would work, but it totally did!
I loved this chance to see Matthew and his Dad together, as well as Diana and her... both that would be a spoiler! On this second read, I finished it in just under a week. Harkness definitely spins a good tale!
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader - C.S. Lewis*, 272 pages
Next to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, this is my favourite Narnia book. I really like Caspian, and while I miss Peter and Susan, I enjoy following the slow change in Eustace.
For the first time ever I found myself annoyed with the wizard though. It's pretty arrogant of him to leave the Dufflepuds as they are just because he thinks they look better that way. Can't remember ever having been bothered by that before.
The voyage over the eastern-most sea was beautifully described. Made me want to be right there with them.
Out of the Silent Planet - C.S. Lewis*, Audiobook ~7hrs
I remember a long car ride as a child. It was too dark for us to read, so either Mum or Dad told us a story about a man from earth who was kidnapped and brought to a strange planet.
Several years later, Dad was looking for a book to read aloud to me, and picked it this one. I still pronounce all the Malechandrean terms in his voice, so the audiobook narrator got them all wrong ;-) Took me a few years to remember the car ride and realize it was the same story though.
But ever since then, I've been fascinated with the idea of not only life on other planets, but religion on other planets ever since. But then, why should the Earth be the only planet God ever revealed Himself to? If indeed there is life on other planets, wouldn't it make more sense that God revealed Himself there too, rather than that he didn't?
It's a brilliant book, and the descriptions of Malechandra wonderfully other-worldly. It's the first in a trilogy but can easily be read on its own.
Book of the Month:
Biggest disappointment: None!
Dragon Kin: Jae & Fendellen - Audrey Faye & Shae Geary, 5/5, 206 pages
Probably my favourite of the lot. I liked the fact that it was the human who was new to the village, rather than the dragon. And Jae's reaction to a) all the dragons and elves. and b) suddenly being accepted for who she is was extremely well written. I loved how everybody made sure she felt welcome, and how she slowly discovered how she fit in.
Oh, and the three new dragon kits were more than a little cute too!
Meet Me at the Cupcake Café - Jenny Colgan, 4/5, 456 pages
Adorable story. Extremely predictable, but that's the norm for books like this, and I didn't expect anything different, nor did I mind. I've always loved reading about people making a go for it at shops (pretty much regardless of what they're selling) and this was no exception. But most of all, I loved all the friendships that grew from the shop - Pearl and Louis especially, of course, but also Des and Mira, Doti and Chester - even Austin and Darny. The romance was sweet too, and totally appropriate, but it was partly the friendships and partly Issy's joy at the success of her café that made this a true comfort read :-)
Obsidio - Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff, 4/5, 615 pages
A great conclusion to the trilogy. It didn't have quite as many twists and turns as the two previous books, but still enough to keep me nicely entertained. It's hard to say much more without spoiling the first two books, but I did find it a very satisfying wrap-up.
A Discovery of Witches - Deborah Harkness*, 4/5, Audiobook ~23hrs
It's very definitely Twilight for adults. There are SO many similarities between the two books - or rather between Edward and Matthew, and between the relationships described. That's not a bad thing though - I really liked Twilight, and while I noticed the similarities, they didn't bug me.
This second time around I didn't feel it slow to start at all! And I really enjoyed it, with a few exceptions:
- Matthew. He infuriated me at times. I don't get why he isn't vilified every bit as much as Edward Cullen, because he's certainly just as bad (sometimes worse) with his attempts to control Diana for the purpose of protecting her.
- Knox, Gillian and all the witches in the beginning of the book. Their arrogance and presumption towards Diana was - again - infuriating.
I loved Marthe and Ysabeau :-) Didn't remember that from my first read-through. The house and its ghosts were delightful as well :)
Shadow of Night - Deborah Harkness*, 4.5/5, 672 pages
This was an amazing sequel to A Discovery of Witches and I think I might even like it a tiny bit more than that one. This was Twilight means Dragonfly in Amber (Diana Gabaldon)... I wouldn't have thought it would work, but it totally did!
I loved this chance to see Matthew and his Dad together, as well as Diana and her... both that would be a spoiler! On this second read, I finished it in just under a week. Harkness definitely spins a good tale!
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader - C.S. Lewis*, 272 pages
Next to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, this is my favourite Narnia book. I really like Caspian, and while I miss Peter and Susan, I enjoy following the slow change in Eustace.
For the first time ever I found myself annoyed with the wizard though. It's pretty arrogant of him to leave the Dufflepuds as they are just because he thinks they look better that way. Can't remember ever having been bothered by that before.
The voyage over the eastern-most sea was beautifully described. Made me want to be right there with them.
Out of the Silent Planet - C.S. Lewis*, Audiobook ~7hrs
I remember a long car ride as a child. It was too dark for us to read, so either Mum or Dad told us a story about a man from earth who was kidnapped and brought to a strange planet.
Several years later, Dad was looking for a book to read aloud to me, and picked it this one. I still pronounce all the Malechandrean terms in his voice, so the audiobook narrator got them all wrong ;-) Took me a few years to remember the car ride and realize it was the same story though.
But ever since then, I've been fascinated with the idea of not only life on other planets, but religion on other planets ever since. But then, why should the Earth be the only planet God ever revealed Himself to? If indeed there is life on other planets, wouldn't it make more sense that God revealed Himself there too, rather than that he didn't?
It's a brilliant book, and the descriptions of Malechandra wonderfully other-worldly. It's the first in a trilogy but can easily be read on its own.
Book of the Month:
Biggest disappointment: None!
