Now that summer’s here and activities around the farm repeatedly pile up (weeding, harvesting, mowing lawns, hay, preserving, weekly trips to the farmers market, preparing for said market, experimenting with recipes, etc. etc.) I haven’t been reading much (or writing, for that matter . . . heh).
Unless, of course, you want to count audiobooks. I have found them to be a great companion to hours in the kitchen. In any event, this is what I’ve been reading over the last couple of months. And I can’t believe it’s actually been that long since I last updated my reading list. Oops.
Drrr!! x2 ─ There are like, thirteen books in this series, so we’re going to be at this for a while. . . . In any event, this was a fun and equally as wild sequel, putting more focus on some of the other characters that we didn’t see much of in the first book. I’ve got a better handle on the style of formatting, too; there is heavy use of paragraph breaks and double spaces in order to emphasize the dramatic effect and so much more introspection with the characters than actual dialogue. It’s an interesting form of storytelling, I think. And I won’t say I wasn’t happy to see more of a certain debt collector’s bodyguard . . .
By Darkness Hid ─ I. Loved. This. Book. I even liked Vrell all right, and I don’t usually get attached to female protags. Achan was pretty awesome, too, the kind of underestimated underdog character I love. His personality is one I really enjoy reading (and that twist at the end? So called it). The story had an almost classic feel about it, too; at least it’s what I picture when I think of ye olde fantasy adventure (minus elves and dwarves and dragons, but I heard that there’s a fire breathing bear in this world. I really, really want to see a fire breathing bear. Actually, I want Achan to make friends with a fire breathing bear. That would be totally awesome). Anywho, there’s plenty of action, humor, a dash of romance, audacious bad guys, swashbuckling rescues, and heroic daring-do. The saddest part is that I have to wait a while before I can get the second book!
The Screwtape Letters ─ A good book that I highly recommend. You can read my full review of it here.
Drrr!!!x3 ─ Either I’m getting more used to it, or the translation is getting better. This marks the conclusion of the opening story arc, and the end of what I’m familiar with in regards to the story. Beyond this point is Uncharted Territory.
Agincourt ─ I picked this up because it focused largely on archers, not gonna lie! The detail given to the art of the bow and its components is awesome, and I will definitely be filing away information and doing more research for my own writing on the subject. I don’t often read historical fiction, but I enjoyed this one. Cornwell crafts well-written, detailed, and gritty battle scenes, and his narrative carries you easily from one thing to the next. Nicholas Hook might have to join ranks with my favorite archers, for both his skill with the bow and his character. I also enjoyed reading Sir John, who is by no means a delicate man! He’s boisterous, has a mouth on him, and loves warring, but he’s a good, inspiring leader and great tactician.
I am Number Four ─ Ever since I saw the movie all the way back when it first came out, I wanted to read the books. Then proceeded to not do so until many years later. I listened to the audiobook ─ my second ─ and loved it. The story has so much more depth than you can get in a ninety minute film (or however long it actually was, it’s been a while). It was fun and exciting, and at the end . . . let’s just say I had to pick my heart up off the floor. Man, that was painful. But at the same time─ Nope. Just painful. The most beautiful thing about it was how much Lore got me to love the characters before the epic climax. He (and the narrator, granted) got me to not mind the first-person present-tense POV. It bore a focus on love, hope, purpose, and finding a place to come back to. I really enjoyed this story.
Spirit Gate ─ Well, I tried, anyway. It wasn’t doing much for me, so I put it away halfway through chapter three.
The Power of Six ─ The second volume of the Lorien Legacies, I also listened to this in audiobook while working in the kitchen over a couple of days. I ate it up. It was so good; the character interaction is awesome. What amazes me is how much goes on, without a whole lot actually going on. It’s weird and interesting to think about after the fact, but there wasn’t much that could be considered a dull moment, and I’m stoked to continue the series.
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