Overall a good batch this time! I was definitely on a strong reading spell when I blazed through these, and I really did. I think I finished the four of these back to back over two or three days.
Good times.
Monstress, Volume One: Awakening
by Marjorie M. Liu and Sana Takeda
☆☆☆☆☆
This was a beautiful mash up of folk-lore, steampunk, and high fantasy. I loved every panel of this, the artwork was incredible and the mashup worked in every way for me. This ticked every box I had. This definitely swept me along on the ride, the reveal on the end was just… it hit hard! Because of how invested I was in the story, and in our characters the reveal in the end was incredibly well done. I was hooked in every way on this, I can’t wait to read Volume 2.
The Lives of Tao (Lives of Tao Book 1)
by Wesley Chu
☆☆☆.75*s
Have you ever read a movie to book adaptation and thought ‘This was better as a movie?’ This was the opposite of that. This was the best kind of ‘action book’. There were training montages, some diverse and very cool characters, and a plot that was just deep enough to invest you. It really would make a stellar movie/show.
I found the characters likable, and relatable. It did fall down just a bit in tropes and foreshadowing making a few things obvious. There was in particular a big event at the end that I desperately didn’t want to happen but knew would. Half way through I knew it would, but as I intend to read the second book we’ll see how it pans out. In addition there were some other slightly more tropey characters and ideas, but some of those were handled in a way I can accept.
If you like action books, and stories in the vein of Men in Black I’d recommend this one.
Hostage to Pleasure (Psy-Changling #5)
by Nalini Singh
☆☆☆.5*s
This installment had a bit of the overprotective and possessive notes that the previous one had, but not as strong. I’m hoping that that is finally easing up (though I realize the ‘Alpha’ thing can’t be avoided in these types of books, I’m just saying it can be handled certain ways).
This one was definitely fun, I had problems putting it down, the story moved a breakneck pace through out the whole thing. I do think I liked Dorian a bit more as a side character, but I enjoyed reading about Ashaya. She was very likable. There isn’t much I can say about this, but that it’s continuing the plot of the series overall very well but definitely making a habit of hiding off screen what I would think would be the climax.
Regardless it makes for fun, easy, and light reads to relax the brain.
Murder with Peacocks (Meg Laslow #1)
by Donna Andrews
☆☆☆☆
I cannot even begin to explain why I enjoyed this so much but there was just something about the half frantic narrative (because our main character was helping plan three weddings she was quite literally , all over the place) and the just ‘oh look at that a murder’ attitude that got to me. It was almost like British style mystery but set in America? I don’t know it’s very hard to explain. It’s cozy as hell though. Let’s say that, cozy but with a overworked and frantic main character.
The quips and dialogue had me giggling at times, and I actually did enjoy all the characters. They all seemed distinct enough to me that I could identify them at a single line. That’s impressive for someone like me who has a terrible time with names.
If they made this into a show or movie I’d watch it!
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