historical fiction

WWW Wednesday – May 24

~ Amanda @ Literary Weaponry ~ 4 Comments

WWWWednesday

 

WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words and was formerly hosted by A Daily Rhythm. It is open for anyone to participate, even without a blog you can comment on Sam’s post with your own answers. It is a great way to share what you’ve been reading! All you have to do is answer three questions and share a link to your blog in the comments section of Sam’s blog.

The three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading?

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“He is a weapon, a killer. Do not forget it. You can use a spear as a walking stick, but that will not change its nature.”

The Song of Achilles by Madison Miller. I’m not going to lie, the first half of this book bored me beyond words. I could barely read a couple of paragraphs before putting it down again. I have reached the section where they have landed at Troy and hopefully it gets a little more interesting or I’m going to have to DNF this one.

 

What did you recently finish reading?

Victoria

“I know that I am young, but I am ready for the great responsibility that lies before me.”

Victoria by Daisy Goodwin. I love when I stumble upon a good work of historical fiction. Victoria is the story of the early years of Queen Victoria of England. When I started the story I knew very little about her but quickly came to love her. This strong willed Queen had me entertained from page one.

 

What do you think you’ll read next?

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“Forgiveness can get you places, I guess. But sometimes you need to light a fire.”

Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige. To be honest with you lovely folks, I feel a reading rut coming on. I’m hoping Dorothy Must Die will snap me out of that funk. Let me let you in on a little secret, I never watched the original Wizard of Oz. Or read it. However, I adore Wicked. Hopefully Paige’s take on the classic story will give me some zip.

 

That’s it for this Wednesday. Happy reading!

Victoria by Daisy Goodwin

~ Amanda @ Literary Weaponry ~ 6 Comments

Victoria

 

Sometimes I sit down to write these reviews and just don’t know where to start. I’ve been staring at this screen for several minutes now wondering, “Now, where do I begin?” Always best to start at the beginning, I suppose. I didn’t intend to read this book. I hadn’t read any opinions about it on Goodreads or, to be honest, had not ever even seen it before. This book was chosen completely at random. I was walking into the library with my little girl and snagged a book haphazardly from a display near the entrance to amuse myself while she did her thing. I’m so glad that my hand landed on this one.

“I am referred to as Alexandrina Victoria. But I do not like the name Alexandrina. From now on I wish to be called Victoria.”

Our story begins with a young Alexandrina, the heir to the English throne. She is hardly more than a child and is already keenly aware that when the current king dies she shall ascend to the throne. Her mother, a rather self serving German duchess, and her co-conspirator Conroy believe that upon the king’s imminent death they will be the power behind the throne and control Alexandrina Victoria’s every move. However, the young Victoria has far too much spirit to ever allow that to happen.

I’m mildly ashamed to admit that when I started this book I knew very, very little about Queen Victoria. Other than knowing she was an English monarch, about the only other exposure I had had to her was a portrayal of her in Doctor Who that was mostly unflattering.  I know, I know, horrible of me. As a lover of history I should have had more knowledge of her. Somehow the queen had never been a blip on my radar, though. I will be amending that.

From the moment Victoria took the throne she began as she meant to go on. She dropped her first name of Alexandrina, which she disliked, for the uncommon Victoria. She also promptly created distance between herself and her mother. Victoria knew that the duchess and Conroy intended to rule her and she would not have it. She was young, only eighteen, when she took the crown and was well aware that people thought her too young and inexperienced to rule effectively. The Queen had every intention of proving them wrong.

I have to applaud the nerve Victoria displayed throughout the book. She knew her own mind and was more than willing to push her agenda. The Queen seemed fearless. During the course of this story, once the monarch had made up her mind there was no turning back. Sure, she was wrong occasionally but she had no qualm about making strong decisions.

One such decision she weighed heavily was taking a husband. The young queen had become enamored with her first Prime Minister, Lord Melbourne. Though he was years older than her she still took a liking to him. He had kindly and gently guided her at the beginning of her reign. Victoria had not been properly taught all the ways of the English court and government and Melbourne was there to help her through the worst of it. She even went as far as to propose to him though he, as politely as he could, declined.

There were no wars and battles in this book. No obvious and flashy entertainment. Instead it was a story of the Queen’s everyday life and her struggles to adjust to her role up until her betrothal to Prince Albert. We witness her coronation, her opening of poor houses for her people, and her giddy joy while playing with her dog or enjoying a ball. It is the life of the woman behind the throne.

Despite the lack of flashy entertainment this book pulled me in. It was so easy to get lost in the budding world of Victorian England. All of the characters were well written and had purpose and the story was easy to follow. There were certainly a few points where I wanted to knock a character’s head for poor decisions but even those parts were amusing. Victoria had sparkle and glint, drama and intrigue. It was a thoroughly enjoyable read and I’m very glad that it was the closest book to me on my way into the library that day.

“I know that I am young, but I am ready for the great responsibility that lies before me.”  

Throwback Thursday – May 18

~ Amanda @ Literary Weaponry ~ 1 Comment

throwbackthursday

Renee began this Throwback Thursday meme at Its Book Talk as a way to share some of her old favorites as well as sharing books that she wants to read that were published over a year ago. Books that were published over a year ago are almost always easier to find at libraries or at a discounted sale price. As I have been sifting through my TBR list and purging those books that no longer hold my interest, I came across several from years past that I have not yet had the opportunity to read that I’d love to share with you!

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Title: The King’s Mistress by Emma Campion
Published: August 2009
Added to TBR: December 2016
Published by: Arrow Books LTD

When had I choice to be other than I was? From childhood Alice Salisbury has learnt obedience in all things and at fourteen, dutifully marries the man her father has chosen for her – at the cost of losing the love of her mother forever and the family she holds dear.

But merchant Janyn Perrers is a good and loving husband and Alice soon learns to enjoy her marriage. Until a messenger brings news of his disappearance and she discovers that her husband had many secrets, secrets he didn’t want her to know – but which have now put a price on her own head and that of her beloved daughter. Brought under the protection of King Edward III and Queen Philippa, she must dutifully embrace her fate once more – as a virtual prisoner at Court.

And when the king singles her out for more than just royal patronage, she knows she has little choice but to accept his advances. But obeying the king brings with it many burdens as well as pleasures, as she forfeits her good name to keep her daughter free from hurt.

Still a young woman and guided by her intellect and good business sense, she learns to use her gifts as wisely as she can. But as one of the king’s favourites, she brings jealousy and hatred in her wake and some will stop at nothing to see her fall from grace. – from Goodreads

 

I have always loved a good work of historical fiction and there are few topics more interesting to me than the intrigues of a historical royal court. While the reviews of this book widely vary I think it could still be an entertaining read. The idea of a mother that will do whatever is necessary to protect her daughter damn the consequences to herself certainly appeals to me. Luckily, this book is available at my local library and I think I may go pick it up today.

How about you? Are there any older books sitting on your TBR begging for some attention?

 

WWW Wednesday – May 17

~ Amanda @ Literary Weaponry ~ 8 Comments

WWWWednesday

 

WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words and was formerly hosted by A Daily Rhythm. It is open for anyone to participate, even without a blog you can comment on Sam’s post with your own answers. It is a great way to share what you’ve been reading! All you have to do is answer three questions and share a link to your blog in the comments section of Sam’s blog.

The three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading?

Victoria

“I know that I am young, but I am ready for the great responsibility that lies before me.”

Victoria by Daisy Goodwin. This book has been very much a happy accident for me. I snagged it haphazardly from a shelf on my way into the library to have something to read while my daughter played. This story is about the reign of Queen Victoria of England and so far it has been wonderful.

Dangerous Dreams by Mike Rhynard. This book was given to me as an eARC by NetGalley. I was very excited to get it as the story of the lost colony of Roanoke is fascinating to me. It is pretty much the only piece of American history that I find interesting. However, the story is falling flat. So much useless detail and the dialogue is never ending and dull. Probably going to DNF this one.

What did you recently finish reading?

TheHauntingOfAshburnHouse

LIGHT THE CANDLE
YOUR FAMILY
IS STILL
DEAD

The Haunting of Ashburn House by Darcy Coates. I don’t pick up a horror novel often but when I do I like it to scare the dickens out of me. This one sure delivered on that. Even thinking about it now, a week after I finished reading it, I’m looking over my shoulder shuddering. Now that is effective horror.

What do you think you’ll read next?

“I will die. You will die. We will all die and the universe will carry on without care. All that we have is that shout into the wind – how we live. How we go. And how we stand before we fall.”

Golden Son by Pierce Brown. I read the first novel in this trilogy, Red Rising, not too awful long ago and was thrilled by it. Lately I’ve had an itch to continue the trilogy so hopefully I can get a copy of this book soon. Brown’s writing was riveting in Red Rising and his attention to detail and depth of story impressed me. Hopefully Golden Son lives up to expectations.

Thanks for reading and feel free to leave a link to your WWW Wednesday in the comments. Happy Wednesday!

Goodreads Monday – May 15

~ Amanda @ Literary Weaponry ~ 3 Comments

Goodreads Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Page Turner. To participate, you choose a random book from your TBR Goodreads section and decide whether or not that book is going to stay on your TBR or be removed. Pretty simple, right? Let’s get to it.

 

The Women in the Castle by Jessica Shattuck

The instant New York Times bestselling novel…

Set at the end of World War II, in a crumbling Bavarian castle that once played host to all of German high society, a powerful and propulsive story of three widows whose lives and fates become intertwined—an affecting, shocking, and ultimately redemptive novel from the author of the New York Times Notable Book The Hazards of Good Breeding

Amid the ashes of Nazi Germany’s defeat, Marianne von Lingenfels returns to the once grand castle of her husband’s ancestors, an imposing stone fortress now fallen into ruin following years of war. The widow of a resistor murdered in the failed July, 20, 1944, plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler, Marianne plans to uphold the promise she made to her husband’s brave conspirators: to find and protect their wives, her fellow resistance widows.

First, Marianne rescues six-year-old Martin, the son of her dearest childhood friend, from a Nazi reeducation home. Together, they make their way across the smoldering wreckage of their homeland to Berlin, where Martin’s mother, the beautiful and naïve Benita, has fallen into the hands of occupying Red Army soldiers. Then she locates Ania, another resistor’s wife, and her two boys, now refugees languishing in one of the many camps that house the millions displaced by the war.

As Marianne assembles this makeshift family from the ruins of her husband’s resistance movement, she is certain their shared pain and circumstances will hold them together. But she quickly discovers that the black-and-white, highly principled world of her privileged past has become infinitely more complicated, filled with secrets and dark passions that threaten to tear them apart. Eventually, all three women must come to terms with the choices that have defined their lives before, during, and after the war—each with their own unique share of challenges.

Written with the devastating emotional power of The Nightingale, Sarah’s Key, and The Light Between Oceans, Jessica Shattuck’s evocative and utterly enthralling novel offers a fresh perspective on one of the most tumultuous periods in history. Combining piercing social insight and vivid historical atmosphere, The Women in the Castle is a dramatic yet nuanced portrait of war and its repercussions that explores what it means to survive, love, and, ultimately, to forgive in the wake of unimaginable hardship
–From Goodreads

I added this one to my TBR just a few months ago. There was a giveaway going on and, though I have yet to win one, I entered it. I can never seem to resist. This book would have pulled me in a decade ago but now it just doesn’t sound appealing. Going through the reviews most people seem over the moon about it but I think, at least for me, it is going to get the axe. While WWII is certainly a major event in our history which needs to be remembered and never repeated, reading about it for fiction and entertainment’s sake just feels off to me.

My vote- Axed

WWW Wednesday – May 10

~ Amanda @ Literary Weaponry ~ 3 Comments

WWWWednesday

 

WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words and was formerly hosted by A Daily Rhythm. It is open for anyone to participate, even without a blog you can comment on Sam’s post with your own answers. It is a great way to share what you’ve been reading! All you have to do is answer three questions and share a link to your blog in the comments section of Sam’s blog.

The three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading? 

TheHauntingOfAshburnHouse

The Haunting of Ashburn House by Darcy Coates

Only one thing is certain: Ashburn’s dead are not at rest.
I have been wanting to get my hands on this book for months but couldn’t find it for a reasonable price or even on inter-library loan. I finally gave in and used the last of a Christmas gift card to purchase it. So far it has given me nightmares and made me not want to take the dog out at night. I think that is good praise for a horror/thriller, don’t you?

What did you recently finish reading?

ACourtofWingsandWuin

“It is a new world, and we must decide how we are to end this old one and begin it anew.”

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J Maas. I’m going to white girl out on you and just say that “I can’t even.” Read the review, I’m still too frustrated to talk about it rationally without going on an hour long rant. Tempting as that may be I won’t subject you to it here.

What do you think you’ll read next?

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“In the darkness, two shadows, reaching through the hopeless, heavy dusk. Their hands meet, and light spills in a flood like a hundred golden urns pouring out of the sun.”

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. A book written about the ancient mythological hero Achilles? Don’t mind if I do! Achilles as a historical figure is not one to garner sympathy or affection so I’m very curious to see how Miller would have us connect with the hero.

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Thanks for joining me for this week’s WWW Wednesday. As always, feel free to leave a link to your post in the comments or have a chat with me about one of these books. I would love to hear your thoughts!

A Perilous Undertaking by Deanna Raybourn

~ Amanda @ Literary Weaponry ~ 3 Comments

APerilousUndertaking

Sequels. Whether in books or movies you never quite know what to expect. Traditionally the sequel doesn’t meet the same expectations of it’s predecessor. Take the original Star Wars trilogy for example. Some of the absolute most popular films in history and yet that second one, The Empire Strikes Back, is typically considered the most lowly of the three. The curse of the sequel.

I read the first book of Raybourn’s Speedwell mysteries, A Curious Beginning, a few months back and very much enjoyed every page. When I spotted A Perilous Undertaking at the library I was excited to jump back into it’s Victorian era mystery but at the same time apprehensive. Would it live up to the first book or would I be left wanting?

I should never have doubted Raybourn. A Perilous Undertaking is every bit as good as A Curious Beginning. Shame on me.

We return to the story with Veronica Speedwell, a lepidopterist, some months after having learned that she was a bastard child of the royal family. A family that would never, and could never, claim her. She accepted this and was quite content going about her own life in pursuit of scientific inquiry of butterflies. She and her companion (not in the connubial sense) Stoker have planned a new expedition and are excited to leave London behind in search of adventure.

Their plans are thwarted when one of their party (the one with the deep pockets) falls ill and they are forced to put their expedition on hold. In the meantime, Veronica has found herself at a club in the company of one of the royal princesses. Princess Louise asks for Veronica’s help in correctly solving a murder and clearing the name of the man currently blamed for the deed.

“The hardest lesson I had learnt upon my travels was patience. There are times when every muscle, every nerve, screams for movement, when every instinct urges escape. But the instinct to fly is not always a sound one. There are occasions when only stillness can save you.”

Going through some other reviews of this book on Goodreads and Amazon and such I’ve noticed several people commenting that it takes this story a while to get going. I don’t agree. Every act, every moment in the first few chapters is important. You are reacquainted with the cast of characters, given information on their current lives as they do differ slightly from the first book, and are introduced to the mystery at hand. I didn’t think it was slow moving at all but instead necessary information to make the story complete.

Of course Veronica takes up the mystery with the aide of dear Stoker and once again they find themselves investigating a murder. I was, as I was the first time, thrilled with Veronica’s decidedness to be her own woman. She did not allow the social aspect in the Victorian era of letting the male oppress the woman rule her. I love what a strong, intelligent, willful character she is.

The investigation takes the duo to some very interesting places. A vast private home being used to house and teach budding artists, an opium den, Scotland yard, the royal palace, and a grotto on a piece of private property which was obviously used as a salacious sex den. All the while Veronica and Stoker keep up their witty banter which I quickly fell in love with in the first book. They are both highly intelligent people on a mission and their dialogue is marvelous. The dynamic between those two is so entertaining that they could be having a discussion about the common house fly and make it interesting.

If you enjoy a good mystery or have an interest in Victorian era historical fiction I highly recommend giving this series a shot. The story was thoroughly engrossing and while I suspected the eventual murderer it was still a joy to watch the duo come to the same conclusion. As a side note, while I am not particularly squeamish I know that some topics can be delicate for folks and would like point out that the murdered person was a pregnant woman. I’m sure it would be a touchy subject for some people and prefer to give readers a heads up.

I hope that if you do choose to pick up these Veronica Speedwell mysteries that you enjoy them as much as I do. The third book featuring these characters, A Treacherous Curse, is due out in January of 2018.

Mine Till Midnight by Lisa Kleypas

~ Amanda @ Literary Weaponry ~ 2 Comments

minetillmidnight

 

So, yeah, you know that holiday that is coming up? The one where the menus at restaurants shrink yet become more expensive and roses go from 9.99 for a dozen to 29.99 a dozen. There will also be over the top wedding proposals along with some brutal rejections. What’s that day called again? Oh yeah, Valentine’s Day. I’ll be honest, it’s not my holiday. Stop with the snarky comments, it’s not because I’m single. I’m happily married, thank you very much. When I think of Valentine’s Day what usually comes to mind is the Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre of 1929 in Chicago. Capone and Bugs were involved and seven men were brutally murdered in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. In the spirit of that I considered reviewing a horror novel. I even had it picked out. But I was feeling like a softy and changed my mind. So instead of brutal murders and mystery I went with a romance novel.

Here is a fact for you- I don’t really like romance novels. Just not my cup of tea but according to Goodreads this one promised a strong leading lady, historical romance, and some steamy scenes between the sheets so I figured I would give it a shot.

Our story begins in London where Miss Amelia Hathaway is searching for her drunken, possibly drug addled, brother. Upon the death of his fiance, Leo had lost himself and spent most of his time in the bottle or in houses of ill repute. So Amelia makes her way to a drinking and gambling club meant only for the aristocracy where she is confident she will find her brother. There she meets Cam, the gypsy club manager, who obviously has more on his mind than assisting Miss Hathaway. *Hint hint nudge nudge wink wink*

Miss Hathaway believes the only way to save her brother is to remove him from the temptations that the city has to offer. So Amelia, Leo, and their three younger sisters move to an estate in the country. The house is in desperate need of repair but Amelia is convinced they can fix it despite Leo drinking and whoring away their funds.

But really, this is a romance novel, so…

Amelia was wronged by her former love so now she has determined to live her life as a spinster though she is not even 30. Cam, being half gypsy, feels like he belongs neither to the gypsy culture or among the more typically structured society. However they are certainly drawn to each other and even though Amelia and the Hathaways fled to the country they still keep bumping into each other. Amelia resists Cam’s attempts to assist her with the house (even when it catches on fire) but he persists. He is one determined kinda-gypsy.

Really, it is kind of sweet even though he is overbearing and, quite frankly, a bit of a male chauvinist. For the time period the book is written in that is really not much of a surprise. Although it is a little annoying. I kept waiting for her to whoop him. It would have been way better if she had whooped him.

Long story short, Mr. Gypsy saves the day because he has inexplicable good luck, Leo has suicidal tendencies because his dead fiance is haunting him (I think, that didn’t make a lot of sense), and Amelia gives into the chauvinist.

You know, maybe I’m jaded but didn’t seem like much of a romance novel. Man thinks he is above woman’s societal norms, man changes his mind, man expects woman to comply with his demands, woman pretends to be strong willed but is really a patsy in sheep’s clothing.

Yup. I’m jaded. Either way, for a romance novel it wasn’t half bad. Now, I’m going to go pick up a psychological thriller or something. I deal better with murder and mayhem than, “Oh my God, I love you!” and “Hey, I didn’t think I did but you are an overbearing putz who is acceptable in the sack so I’m giving in to you because I am weak willed. I love you, too!” Can’t. Deal.

 

 

A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn

~ Amanda @ Literary Weaponry ~ 15 Comments

acuriousbeginning

 

The story begins with the lovely Miss Veronica Speedwell burying her beloved aunt who had, along with another aunt, raised her. I know, a bit morbid, but stick with me here. It is 1887 and it is common knowledge that a woman’s place is in the home. She is to be biddable, innocent, virtuous, and have no intellectual opinions to speak of. Miss Speedwell is having none of that nonsense. She is a free spirit and does as she likes, not what is expected of her.

What she likes is to travel the world on expeditions collecting rare and lovely butterflies to sell to collectors with deep pockets. She makes her own way in the world and lives by no one’s rules but her own. In my mind I pictured her a bit like Indiana Jones except with a butterfly net instead of a whip. I’m sure she could have handled the whip quite well, though, if she had a mind to.

After burying her aunt, who was her aunt in name only and not by blood, Miss Speedwell intends on securing funding for another expedition. She longs to leave the damp weather of Britain behind but her plans are quickly curtailed when she finds her home being ransacked. Once he is spotted the robber also attempts to kidnap Miss Speedwell. With the assistance of a mysterious gentleman she breaks free and from that point on her life is irreparably changed, though she doesn’t know it yet.

The mysterious fellow turns out to be Baron Maximilian von Stuffenbach and after some discussion she travels with the Baron to London. The Baron impresses upon her that her life is in danger and leaves her with his friend Stoker in London while he does some research into the matter, confident that Stoker will keep her safe. Miss Speedwell went along because she wanted to go to London anyway and if the Baron took her then she wouldn’t have to pay for a train ticket.

Unfortunately while Miss Speedwell is with Stoker the Baron is murdered and Stoker, who is a bit odd himself (he brings to mind a surly pirate), fears that he will be blamed for the murder due to some past indiscretions. He and Veronica then flee the city. She only goes with him out of curiosity and for adventure. I got the impression that you cannot force Veronica to do anything that she does not truly want to do. What she gets is certainly an adventure.

They find themselves in a traveling circus where Veronica is accidentally stabbed, being harbored as fugitives by two aristocrats, and kidnapped on the Thames. All along the journey they have many intelligent and witty debates. The dialogue in this book is wonderful. The characters also stick to their themes, you won’t find the strong Miss Veronica Speedwell cowering in a corner. That is something I loved about this book. The characters know exactly who they are and stick to it. There is no waffling wondering who they are or doing things that break the continuity. Thanks, Raybourn! I don’t encounter that as often as I’d like.

So much happens in this book that I can’t address it all here. There is action, wit, mystery, sexual tension, and so much more. Stoker is a lovable if broken man, Speedwell is intelligent and determined and together they find themselves solving murder and mysteries. I will definitely be picking up Veronica’s next adventure, A Perilous Undertaking.

January Wrap Up

~ Amanda @ Literary Weaponry ~ 12 Comments

janwrapup

 

I thought I’d try something new this month with a month end wrap up of what I’ve read, tried to read, or started on during the month of January.

January Reads

During the month of January I read through nine books. Not as many as I wanted but also not shabby at all. For February I’m going to aim for ten again, hopefully I can hit it this time.

 


sequencethewitchfinderssister24690theshadowlandheartlesstheinvisiblelibraryadarkershadeofmagicthecaseofthegreendressedghostthreedarkcrowns

 

January Favorites

Sometimes a book really captures your attention and pulls you in. My two favorite reads for the month were:


heartless

I just can’t say enough about this book. I fell in love with it. Meyer tells the story of what happened in Wonderland before Alice and how the Queen of Hearts came to be. There is adventure, romance, danger, and a heartbreaking ending. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, have tissues because those last 100 pages are just full on ugly cry.

 

adarkershadeofmagic

 

This work by V.E. Schwab has become one of my favorite books ever. It is part of a trilogy and I read this one and the second, A Gathering of Shadows, in less than 3 days. At around 400 pages a pop that is no small feat, at least for me. Adventure, danger, magic, and some really beautiful story telling. Pick this one up!

 

Least Favorite

sequence

 

SeQuence quickly became my least favorite book for the month of January. It was full of weak characters with no thoughts outside of, “I love you!” and “Oh my gosh, I love you too but now must avoid you because I am emotionally immature!” Couldn’t deal with this book. Terrible.

 

 

Throwing in the Towel

Sometimes you start a book with high hopes. You want to get lost in whatever web it is weaving and leave the real world behind even if just for a little while. Occasionally the story just doesn’t grab you though and you end up throwing in the towel.

theliesoflockelamora

Every time I get on one of Reddit’s book boards or into Goodreads this book slaps me in the face. With it’s brilliant reviews and large fan base I figured The Lies of Locke Lamora would be a slam dunk. I was wrong. For some reason it just didn’t pull me in what-so-ever. I would pick it up and only get a few paragraphs in before I’d put it down again. By the time I put it down there had been zero female characters. Very disappointing.

 

agreatreckoning

I’m pretty sure failing at this one was my fault. I grabbed it from the library on a whim because the blurb at the back sounded entertaining. What I didn’t realize was that it was this book is the 12th of a series and some serious world building had occurred prior to it. The characters were walking around like you should understand their purpose already and I just didn’t. Not getting through this book is entirely on me.

 

Overall I think January was a pretty successful month of reading. I’m also starting February with a book I’ve been looking forward to, Caraval by Stephanie Graber, so I’m off on the right foot. How did you do this January? What were your favorites? What did you hate?