The Book of Life

The Book of Life is the final book of the All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness

After traveling through time in Shadow of Night, the second book in Deborah Harkness's enchanting series, historian and witch Diana Bishop and vampire scientist Matthew Clairmont return to the present to face new crises and old enemies.  At Matthew's ancestral home at Sept-Tours, they reunite with the cast of Character from A Discovery of Witches- with one significant exception.  But the real threat to their future has yet to be revealed, and when it is, the search for Ashmole 782 and its missing pages takes on even more urgency.  In the trilogy's final volume, Harkness deepens her themes of  power and passion, family and caring, past deeds and their present consquences.  In ancestral homes and university laboratories, using  ancient knowledge and modern science, for the hills of  Auvergne to the palaces of Venice and beyond, the couple at last learn what the witches discovered so many centuries ago.

The Breakdown:
1. It is interesting to that Diana is a weaver, when Harkness is quite the fantastic weaver of words herself. The story is wonderfully complex, and Harkness does so well in keeping her plot points hidden until the reader stumbles upon them. She also weaves together an amazing cast of interesting characters. Each of which has their on unique personality. I am never once bored reading this book.

2. I feel that Diana and Matthew grow so much in this book.  Each comes to accept who they are and what they must do to save their love and their family. Diana especially learns to accept the powers she has and the legacy she is a part of, which is a far cry from what she was in the beginning of the trilogy.

3. I love the supporting character so much in this book. Sarah, Ysabeau, Gallowglass,  Fernando, and Jack, I could go on and on, all do so much not only to aid in the story development, but in the growth of Diana and Matthew. I really get the feeling that Diana and Matthew would not be such wonderful characters without their supporting friends and family

3. I do have to admit that Harkness does this weird thing where she switches between third person and first person from Diana's perspective. It really threw me off at first, but  I think that she made it work for her in the end.  I am just not sure that many could pull that trick off.

4. OMG, all the juicy secrets that are revealed at last! This book really does answer all my pressing questions, and questions I did not even know to ask. So much goodness that I am just bursting at the seams to talk about, but I don't want to spoil it for anyone reading this review.

5. My only complaint is that I thought that Gallowglass's story was left unfinished. I really want more from him in the end.

To Read or Not to Read:
Must Read

Currently Reading:
If Only
by A.J. Pine

Sinner

Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater is the follow up to her Wolves of Mercy Falls books.

Everybody thinks they know Cole's story. Stardom. Addiction. Downfall. Disappearance.  But only a few people know Cole's darkest secret- his ability to shift into a wold. One of these people is Isabel. At one point, they may have even loved each other.  But that feels like a lifetime ago.  Now Cole is back. Back in the spotlight. Back in the danger zone. Back in Isabel's life. Can this sinner be saved?

The Breakdown:
1. At the end of Forever, I was really asking myself if this the end of Cole and Isabel's story.  I felt like that Stiefvater left a lot unsaid between them, so I was super excited to hear about this book coming back to their story.  I am so glad to get more from these characters, because they are definitely some supporting characters that deserve their own story.

2.  I have said it before, but it is worth saying again, Stiefvater has a really lyrically quality to her writing. The words just flow so well that it is a beautiful.

3. Cole and Isabel are such complicated and almost tragic characters.  Cole, who feels to much, and has an overwhelming need to keep the rush up, previously with drugs, now with becoming a wolf.  Isabel, who strives so hard to feel nothing at all, to be indifferent to the world. They certainly make an interesting pair, and it only with each other that they really let their true self show.

4. Steifvater does a lovely job of bringing Cole and Isabel's story to a close. Just a warning, if you are looking for some Sam and Grace in this book, you will be sorely disappointed.  Other than a few mentions by Cole and a couple of phone calls, they are not in it.

To Read or Not to Read:
Read

Currently Reading:
The Book of Life
by Deborah Harkness

Ruin and Rising

Ruin and Rising is the last book of Leigh Bardugo's The Grisha trilogy.

The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.

Now the nation's fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.

Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a Saint.  Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives. 

Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova's amplifiers.  But as she begins to unravel the Darkling's secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields.  The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction- and claiming it could cost Alina the very future she's fighting for.

The Breakdown:
1. The first two books of The Grisha trilogy set high standards for Bardugo to deliver in the final book, and boy does she live up to the first two books, and then some.  She does an amazing job of bring the story of Alina and the Darkling and Ravka to an end. There is plenty of action, love, and some really great twist thrown in to the story.

2. Bardugo reveals some pretty amazing secrets in this book. She gives the us the origins of Morozova, surprises about the third amplifier, and even the Darkling's real name. She does such a wonderful job of bringing each of her secrets to life and really drawing the reader in to the story. It is definitely a hard book to put down.

3.  I simply adore Alina in this book. She has such a big burden on her shoulders with being a living saint, and the guilt she has over those she has lost. She is a strong character, and so caring when it would be easier to not to be, easier to hide or give into the Darkling's demands.  Plus, the love she has for Mal is a beautiful thing.

4. This was an amazing ending to a fabulous trilogy. Bardugo answered all the questions I had, and she did not leave me feeling like there was something missing at the end.

To Read or Not to Read:
Must Read

Currently Reading:
Sinner
by Maggie Stiefvater

Magic in the Air

Skin Game by Jim Butcher is the latest in the Dresden Files series.

Harry Dresden. Chicago's only professional wizard, is about to have a very bad day...

Because ad Winter Knight to the Queen of Air and Darkness, Harry never knows what the scheming Mab might want him to do.  Usually, it's something awful

He doesn't know the half of it...

Mab just traded Harry's skills to pay off one of her debts.  And now he must help a group of supernatural villains- led by one of Harry's most dreaded and despised enemies, Nicodemus Archleone- to break into the highest security vault in town so they can then access the highest- security vault in the Nevernever.

It's a smash-and-grab job to recover the literal Holy Grail from the vaults of the greatest treasure hoard in the supernatural world- which belongs to the one and only Hades, Lord of the freaking Underworld and generally unpleasant character.  Worse, Dresden suspects that there is another game afoot that no one is talking about.  And he's dead certain that Nicodemus has no intention of allowing any of his crew to survive the experience. Especially Harry.

Dresden's always been tricky, but he's going to have to up his backstabbing game to survive this mess- assuming his own allies don't end up killing him before his enemies get the chance.

The Breakdown:
1. I love this series! Butcher does an amazing job of keeping the stories interesting.  Fifteen books into the series, plus numerous short stories, and he is still holding my interest from page one until the very end.

2. Butcher is a master of twist and subplots.  He always manages to surprise me.  Characters are not always who you think they are, good and bad both. This book is one the best in that aspect, so much subterfuge that he catches me by surprise more than once.

3. I love that Butcher brings back characters from other books all the time, and he never leaves me wondering whatever happen to. This book of course he brings back the villain I just love to hate in Nicodemus, plus several others that have had roles in other books.

4. I can just take a second to talk about Hades. Although his appearance was brief, I loved him. It is the way I like Hades written in books that incorporate Greek myth, not as the Greek version of the devil, but as the fair ruler of the Underworld.

5. How can I forget everyone's favorite wizard, Harry Dresden. He is a smart-ass that does not always know when to shut his mouth, and I totally love that about him.  Not to mention his copious amounts of movie quotes, because hey, I, too, live my life in movie quotes.  Plus, I feel like Harry grows a little each book, becoming a little wiser along his journey.

To Read or Not to Read:
Must Read

Currently Reading:
Ruin and Rising
by Leigh Burdugo

The Girl with the Windup Heart

The Girl with the Windup Heart is the final book in Kady Cross's The Steampunk Chronicles.

London's underworld is no place for a young woman, even one who is strong, smart, and part-automation like Mila.  But when master criminal Jack Dandy inadvertently breaks her heart, she takes off to find an independent life, one entirely her own.  Her search takes her to the spangled shadows of the West End's most dazzling circus.

Meanwhile, taken captive in the Aether, Griffin King is trapped in an inescapable prison and at the mercy of his archenemy, The Machinist.  If he breaks under the hellish torment, The Machinist will claim his powers and control the Aether itself, and no one in either world will be safe- especially not Finley Jayne and her misfit band of friends.

Finley plunges headlong into the Aether the only way she knows how, by temporarily dying.  But she cannot parry The Machinist's maneuvers for long.  To defeat him for good, Griffin will have to confront his greatest fear and finally come face-to-face with the destructive power he wields.

The Breakdown:
1. Cross splits this book between Mila and Jack's story and Finley and Griffin's story which I think took a lot away from the development of either story.  Because she was trying to tell two very different stories at once, the book felt very rushed and like it was missing important details.

2. I did enjoy that there was more of Jack in this story, and that Cross really explained more about his past and his motives for what he does. I find Jack possibly the most intriguing characters of this series, and I really need to go back and read the novella about him.

3. The whole final confrontation with The Machinist ending up being a bit of a let down. I was definitely expecting something much grander that what Cross gave.

To Read or Not to Read:
Read just to finish out the story

Currently Reading:
Skin Game
by Jim Butcher

Sunrise

Sunrise is the final book of Mike Mullin's Ashfall series.

The Yellowstone supervolcano nearly wiped out the human race.  Now, almost a year after the eruption the survivors seem determined to finish the job. Communities wage war on each other, gangs of cannibals roam the countryside, and what little government survived the eruption has collapse completely.  The ham radio has gone silent.  Sickness, cold, and starvation are the survivors's constant companions.

When it becomes apparent that their home is no longer safe and the adults are not facing stark realities, Alex and Darla must create a community that can survive the ongoing disaster, an almost impossible task requiring even more guts and more smarts than ever- and unthinkable sacrifice.  If they fail... they, their loved ones, and the few remaining survivors will perish.

The Breakdown:
1. Mullin does a fantastic job of painting a bleak picture of what happens when the world falls apart.  He showcase the best and the worst of humanity in times of disaster. His book gets me thinking just how would we respond if something like this really happened, and that just maybe the doomsday preppers are not as crazy as they seem.

2. I think that Alex is one of my favorite male characters. He is strong and smart, and knows what needs to be done to survive, but he never loses his humanity.  He continues to be kind and help others, even when they were not always nice to him. He is definitely someone I would want around if I needed to survive an apocalypse.

3. I like that Mullin continues to put development in to characters that are just supporting characters like Ed, Anna, and Ben. He continues to add to their personalities even if they are not the center of the story.

4. I think this was the perfect ending for this series, and it really showcased how far the characters, especially Alex and Darla, have come since the start of the series.

To Read or Not to Read:
Must Read

Endlessy

So I am little behind on my review updates since I have been on a Internal Medicine rotation and haven't had time to write them.  The upside is I will probably get three reviews out this weekend. Without further ado, the first review.


Endlessy by Keirsten White is the final book in her Paranormalcy trilogy.

In Endlessy, pink-loving, butt-kicking Evie has way too much on her to-do list.  Paranormals are begging her to open a faerie gate so they can leave the human world, something Evie's not sure she has the power to do.  The Dark Queen is torturing humans and must be destroyed.

On top of all that, Evie's prom is coming up.  She's not sure what to wear, and oh, yeah, her shape-sifting boyfriend, Lend, has been cursed so that he falls into an enchanted sleep whenever he and Evie are in the same room... and even Evie's ex-boyfriend, the faerie Reth, can't reverse the dark magic.

An epic battle is looming, and the choices Evie makes will determine the fate of the whole paranormal world- and her own life.

The Breakdown:
1. Honestly, I was worried how this book was going to go since the second book, Supernatually, was a bit of a drag.  Thankfully, White improved and returned to the storyline and characters that made me like the first book.  This book really brought everything together, including how most paranormals came into exist on Earth.

2. I start to really feel Evie's frustration in this book. It seems that everyone wants something from her, and instead of talking to her about it they manipulate her into doing it. I do feel that Evie starts to grow as a person in this book, and it makes me like her even more.

3. So Jack makes it back in this book, and he does redeem himself for that crap he did in Supernaturally. I found that I enjoyed his antics more in this book because I knew his true character from the beginning, and it did not feel as though they were just dragging out the story.

4. All in all I thought White did a good job of concluding the trilogy.  She answered questions and solved the issues that had come up in the previous books.

To Read or Not to Read:
Read

Currently Reading:
The Girl with the Windup Heart
by Kady Cross