Throwback Thursday – July 6

July 6, 2017 ~ Amanda @ Literary Weaponry ~ 1 Comment

throwbackthursday

Renee began Throwback Thursday 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’d love to share with you!

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Title: Stormdancer (The Lotus War #1) by Jay Kristoff
Published: September 1st 2012
Publisher: Tor UK
Average Goodreads Rating: 3.8

Arashitoras are supposed to be extinct. So when Yukiko and her warrior father Masaru are sent to capture one for the Shõgun, they fear that their lives are over – everyone knows what happens to those who fail the Lord of the Shima Isles. But the mission proves less impossible and more deadly than anyone expects. Soon Yukiko finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in her country’s last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled arashitora for company. Although she can hear his thoughts, and saved his life, all she knows for certain is he’d rather see her dead than help her. Yet trapped together in the forest, Yukiko and the beast soon discover a bond that neither of them expected.

Meanwhile, the country around them verges on collapse. A toxic fuel is choking the land, the machine-powered Lotus Guild is publicly burning those they deem Impure, and the Shõgun cares for nothing but his own dominion. Authority has always made Yukiko, but her world changes when she meets Kin, a young man with secrets, and the rebel Kagé cabal. She learns the horrifying extent of the Shõgun’s crimes, both against her country and her family.

Returning to the city, Yukiko is determined to make the Shõgun pay – but what can one girl and a flightless arashitora do against the might of an empire?

“Why, Amanda! This does not sound like your usual kind of read at all! Are you feeling okay?” Yes I am, thanks for asking! I stumbled across this little beauty of a book on another blog earlier this week and it caught my eye. Admittedly, I’d have to be in the right kind of mood to pick this one up but it sounds fascinating all the same. It gives me the impression of some kind of steam punk anime and, while neither of those concepts usually spark my imagination, I think this one could be well worth a shot.

Find this book on

Goodreads | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Book Depository | Thriftbooks

WWW Wednesday – July 5

July 5, 2017 ~ Amanda @ Literary Weaponry ~ Leave a comment

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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“Hope can be a powerful force. Maybe there’s no actual magic in it, but when you know what you hope for most and hold it like a light within you, you can make things happen, almost like magic.”

Daughter of Smoke & Bone (Daughter of Smoke & Bone #1) by Laini Taylor

I have a problem. I both like and dislike this book. I pick it up and feel engrossed in the story even though I don’t particularly like the story so far. Does that make sense? Taylor’s writing style is to blame, I think. The way she crafts the story just sucks you in even though I’m not feeling the plot quite yet. It’s still early, though. We’ll see what happens.

What did you recently finish reading?

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“But death was her curse and her gift, and death had been her good friend these long, long years.”

Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2) by Sarah J. Maas

If any of you read my review for Throne of Glass you’d know that I was completely unimpressed. However, a few of you lovely folks convinced me to read Crown of Midnight and do you know what? I’m glad you did. It was a hundred times better than book one. The assassin actually does assassiny things! There is still a weird and awkward love story woven into it but that is okay. I have accepted that I will never like Chaol and moved on. My review will be up for this book on the 14th.

What do you think you’ll read next?

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“To say that I met Nicholas Brisbane over my husband’s dead body is not entirely accurate. Edward, it should be noted, was still twitching upon the floor.”

Silent in the Grave (Lady Julia Grey #1) by Deanna Raybourn

I have a love affair with Raybourn’s books. I just can’t seem to help myself. After reading her two currently published Veronica Speedwell novels I needed more from her so I picked Silent in the Grave up at the library. I’m trying not to read it at the same time as Daughter of Smoke and Bone but I’m tempted. Can’t wait to get started on it. Murder and a strong female lead all mixed up in a historical mystery? I’m in.

What are you reading this week?

Down the TBR Hole #2

July 3, 2017 ~ Amanda @ Literary Weaponry ~ 1 Comment

Today it is time for another installment of Down the TBR Hole. This is my second time traversing this dangerous hole. Let’s see what we find down here today!

This meme is hosted by Lia @ Lost in a Story.

Here is what you do:

Go to your goodreads to-read shelf.
Order on ascending date added.
Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books
Read the synopses of the books
Decide: keep it or should it go?

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The Seance by John Harwood

Wraxford Hall, a decaying mansion in the English countryside, has a sinister reputation. Once, a family disappeared there. And now Constance Langton has inherited this dark place as well as the mysteries surrounding it. Having grown up in a house marked by the death of her sister, Constance is no stranger to mystery, secrets, and the dark magic around us. Her father was distant. Her mother was in perpetual mourning for her lost child. In a desperate attempt to coax her mother back to health, Constance took her to a seance hoping she would find supernatural comfort. But tragic consequences followed, leaving her alone in the world– alone with Wraxford Hall. Saddled with this questionable bequest, she must find the truth at the heart of all these disappearances, apparitions, betrayal, blackmail, and villainy, even if it costs her life. John Harwood’s second novel delivers on the great promise proven by his first with this gripping mystery set in the heart of Victorian England.

The reviews for this one on Goodreads are all over the board and it is currently averaging a 3.56. Despite that, I still think it sounds like it could be great story. I probably won’t get to this book anytime soon but I’m going to keep it around.

Verdict: KEEP

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The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter by Theodora Goss

Mary Jekyll, alone and penniless following her parents’ death, is curious about the secrets of her father’s mysterious past. One clue in particular hints that Edward Hyde, her father’s former friend and a murderer, may be nearby, and there is a reward for information leading to his capture…a reward that would solve all of her immediate financial woes.

But her hunt leads her to Hyde’s daughter, Diana, a feral child left to be raised by nuns. With the assistance of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, Mary continues her search for the elusive Hyde, and soon befriends more women, all of whom have been created through terrifying experimentation: Beatrice Rappaccini, Catherine Moreau, and Justine Frankenstein.

When their investigations lead them to the discovery of a secret society of immoral and power-crazed scientists, the horrors of their past return. Now it is up to the monsters to finally triumph over the monstrous.

This book comes out this August and may I just say it sounds amazing? I cannot wait to get my hands on it. I also just realized that next month is August and that completely freaked me out. Yikes!

Verdict: KEEP

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The Legend of Sithalkaan (The Legend of Sithalkaan #1) by J.N. de Bedout

The feudal strife of the Sengoku Jidai has soaked Japan in blood. Despite the perils, an ambitious young musketeer is chosen to guide a group of Jesuit priests deep into the Japanese hinterlands in search of an ancient and terrifying artifact. Alas, they are not the only ones pursuing it. A fanatical enemy willing to devastate the country in its wake has already launched its own campaign to seize it.

Villages vanish beneath the marching feet of bloodthirsty marauders.

Cauldrons of intolerant faith scorch the populace.

Lust for vengeance boils beneath the surface.

An eternity of pain hangs in the balance.

Unfathomable horrors grate the musketeer and his pious patrons. Blood will stain them. Grief will besiege them. But can they defy the odds and safeguard the artifact before this savage enemy unleashes a cataclysm on the country?

You ever look at a book on your TBR and wonder how it got there? I have no memory of this book. I think it is going to stay that way. Goodbye.

Verdict: tenor

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The Axeman’s Jazz by Ray Celestin

New Orleans, 1919. As a dark serial killer – The Axeman – stalks the city, three individuals set out to unmask him.

Though every citizen of the ‘Big Easy’ thinks they know who could be behind the terrifying murders, Detective Lieutenant Michael Talbot, heading up the official investigation, is struggling to find leads. But Michael has a grave secret and – if he doesn’t find himself on the right track fast – it could be exposed.

Former detective Luca d’Andrea has spent the last six years in Angola state penitentiary, after Michael, his protégée, blew the whistle on his corrupt behaviour. Now a newly freed man, Luca finds himself working with the mafia, whose need to solve the mystery of the Axeman is every bit as urgent as the authorities’.

Meanwhile, Ida is a secretary at the Pinkerton National Detective Agency. Obsessed with Sherlock Holmes and dreaming of a better life, Ida stumbles across a clue which lures her and her musician friend, Louis Armstrong, to the case and into terrible danger . . .

As Michael, Luca and Ida each draw closer to discovering the killer’s identity, the Axeman himself will issue a challenge to the people of New Orleans: play jazz or risk becoming the next victim. And as the case builds to its crescendo, the sky will darken and a great storm will loom over the city . . .

Inspired by a true story, The Axeman’s Jazz, set against the heady backdrop of jazz-filled, mob-ruled New Orleans, is an ambitious, gripping thriller announcing a major new talent in historical crime fiction.

When I first saw this book I thought it sounded amazing. I still do. I think it is going to be bumped up the TBR list.

Verdict: KEEP

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The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand

On Christmas Eve five years ago, Holly was visited by three ghosts who showed her how selfish and spoiled she’d become. They tried to convince her to mend her ways.

She didn’t.

And then she died.

Now she’s stuck working for the top-secret company Project Scrooge–as the latest Ghost of Christmas Past.

Every year, they save another miserly grouch. Every year, Holly stays frozen at seventeen while her family and friends go on living without her. So far, Holly’s afterlife has been miserable.

But this year, everything is about to change. . .

Alright. What was I thinking. This sounds all kinds of lame. Buh- bye!

Verdict: tenor

Ah, nothing like a good cleanse…of the reading list. Two books down, that means I get to add three more, right? Isn’t that the rule?

June Wrap Up

July 1, 2017July 3, 2017 ~ Amanda @ Literary Weaponry ~ 11 Comments

Another month of 2017 has passed us by. Here, summer is upon us with long, warm days by the pool and watching fireflies at night. My daughter thinks that the fireflies are tiny little faeries and it is adorable watching her chase them in the evening. Of course, then the dog tries to eat them which leads to a bit of a meltdown but it is still adorable. Other than the first day of summer, June was a fairly productive month after I got over the reading slump at the beginning…

Outside of Books

June included my fifth wedding anniversary! I got married on June 24th, 2012 in Groton, Connecticut. My now husband had just joined the Navy and he wasn’t permitted to live off base or given a housing allowance unless he was married. So, standing on a rocky beach looking out at the water on a sunny morning we were married with only the priest and my parents in attendance.

Now, to the part that makes me chuckle. The 24th rolled around this year and my husband suggested going kayaking on the lake. Sure! Sounds fun. So the three of us head to the lake and besides a small incident where my husband and daughter fell out of the boat we had a great time. I ended up with a horrible sunburn on my shins and ankles but it was still fun. The day passes, we come home, I’m making dinner and he STILL has not mentioned our anniversary. It was curious but not particularly odd as my husband isn’t exactly emotionally outspoken so I let it go.

My husband LOVES shellfish, especially lobster, but we don’t get it outside of special occasions now. Living so far from the water (I miss the ocean) it is just too expensive. When we lived in Connecticut it was cheaper than beef! So when he comes down for dinner and sees lobster he seems confused as to why. The big dolt thought our anniversary was the next day. I gave him a hard time but it was a good laugh. He went out to the car and brought in my present which was a new FitBit Charge 2 as my old FitBit Charge HR was literally falling apart. All in all, it was a memorable day.

Look at me sharing personal stuff. I never do that! But it was a really great day so I wanted to share it with you wonderful folks.

That is all for this month! I hope you all have a wonderful July!

Morning Star by Pierce Brown

June 30, 2017 ~ Amanda @ Literary Weaponry ~ Leave a comment

“This is always how the story would end,” he says to me. “Not with your screams. Not with your rage. But with your silence.”

Oh, I am silent. This book left me in a bad place. If any of you caught my rambling, emotion driven review of Golden Son you’ll know that I was over the moon about getting my hands on this book. I needed it like I need air. I thought my world was going to crash down around me if I didn’t get my weirdly small adult hands on this book. I had to have it.

Well, I got it and it has left me in a deep, dark place.

I hate to say it, but I have issues with this book. I wanted to adore it the way I adored Golden Son. I wanted to have that same connection with Morning Star as I had with Golden Son that gave me the burning desire to read more. I just wanted to love it. Is that so wrong?

Cons

Sevro – For the first two books Brown has given us a very clear impression of Sevro. Things we know we can expect from him and how he behaves. In Morning Star that seems to have been thrown out the window. I have adored Sevro and rooted for him for two books only to be annoyingly frustrated with him in this one. He wouldn’t shut up, made very poor choices without thinking anything through, and generally just got on my nerves to the point I wanted to skim the scenes with his dialogue.
Jackal – Those of you who have read the books know how Golden Son ended. The Jackal was the end of that book. The entire plot revolved around him at the end. In Morning Star, despite the fact that large parts of the plot still depended on him, we hardly saw him. All we got were mentions of him and, I’m sorry, but that just wasn’t enough for me.
Deaths – Brown did not shy away from killing off characters for two books. If it worked for the plot, they got the ax. Period. No remorse. With this conclusion that wasn’t the case. Characters whose deaths I felt could greatly further the plot line were left alive and useless while the one who I thought deserved to live was killed. I don’t understand. I just don’t.
Mustang – I still don’t like her. In Golden Son I got the impression that she was just trying to figure things out and hadn’t quite found her place in the world. I was greatly looking forward to watching her claim her place, whatever that happened to be. However, I don’t think she actually grew as a character in the slightest. Sure, things happened to her but they didn’t change her. The Mustang we ended with is the same one we started with. How could Sevro change so much and Mustang so little? Irksome.
Loose end – Did I miss something? I admit, I skimmed a page or two, but I don’t recall Harmony being given an ending. I think for the story to have truly closed, she needs one. Her story line needed to be distinctly wrapped up and instead she is in the wind.

“If you’re watching, Eo, it’s time to close your eyes. The Reaper has come. And he’s brought hell with him.”

Pros

Battles – Of course we have the epic space battles in this book. I simply cannot fault Brown for how he puts these scenes together. You can feel the urgency, hear the singing of a slashing blade, and see the dance of battle unfolding. It is masterful.
Darrow – Through Red Rising and Golden Son we came to know Darrow as an overconfident yet lovable, militaristic, single minded, pain in the butt. I say that fondly. In Morning Star, he becomes something more. He has been completely broken apart and rose from the ashes a better man.
Roque – Even though I’m probably the last person to read this book, I’m going to try to leave out anything spoilery about Roque. I will just say that his end felt right and was well done.

As you can obviously see, my con list is longer than my pro list. For some reason, though, I still find myself giving it 4 stars on Goodreads. While I didn’t particularly like how the third book went, it still felt true to the story that Pierce had already set up.

We’ve all read those trilogies or series that, after a couple of books, they stop feeling true to themselves. The rules within their universe change and the characters change without reason but simply to move a story line along. At no point in Morning Star did that feel like it was the case.

Except the very end. The last scene felt incredibly forced and awkward, but besides that…

In a nutshell, did I love this book as much as I did the first two in the the trilogy? No. Was it still a good book? Yes. Do I think Brown could have done better? Absolutely.

Find this book on

Goodreads | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Book Depository