The Warrior’s Apprentice (Vorkosigan Book 2 of 16) Kindle Edition –Lois McMaster Bujold

 ASIN: B005DNGSUU

Publisher: Spectrum Literary Agency, Inc. (July 19, 2011)

Language: English

File Size: 993 KB

Text to Speech: Enabled

Print length: 372 pages

5 Stars

 

I’ve been told that one of the things all successful writers must learn is to know when to kill their darlings, and then do it. Unfortunately, authors and readers don’t always agree. She killed one of my chosen darlings, one of my most favorite characters. How dare she!!! Well, I guess she thought it was time, and since we’ve never met, she couldn’t have called for my input. Drat! (I’m still hoping he’ll get resurrected, but it’s a fading hope.)

 

Bujold has the perfect timing to write these books. The action never gets bogged down, there is enough humor to chuckle and snort and now and then laugh out loud (even when she does kill the wrong darling!). The sub plots thicken or are other wisely solved. And the adventure just keeps going.

 

Science Fiction at its best!

Death Wins a Goldfish: Reflections from a Grim Reaper’s Yearlong Sabbatical –by Brian Rea

 Publisher: Chronicle Books; Illustrated edition (February 5, 2019)

Language: English

Hardcover: 176 pages

ISBN-13:  978-1452172552

5 Stars

 

Death works in a cubicle farm with a bazillion other Deaths. Who knew? He reports to work and discovers a note from Human Resources telling him he has a great many unused vacation days—a year’s worth, to be exact, and starting Friday this week, he will be on vacation. A year-long vacation. 

 

This book is truly all about living, not dying. He keeps a journal of things he does, from upgrading his wardrobe to attending a carnival where he wins a goldfish and now has a pet, to dating apps to traveling to warm climes and hot spots. He even takes up painting!

 

The journal entries are fun, but the drawings are delightful. At first glance, it almost looks like a child’s book, but as you get into it, the reader will find it is anything but a child’s book. It’s for every workaholic out there. Life is for living, and living is not being crammed into a cubicle farm 24/7, no matter how much you love your job, or how indispensable you are. 

 

I do wish the goldfish played a bigger role, and had shown up on most (all?) pages, once introduced to Death and us.

Sebastian (Ephemera Book 1) Kindle Edition --by Anne Bishop

 ASIN: B000PC0SD2

Publisher: Ace (February 7, 2006

Language: English

Text-to-speech: Enabled

File size: 705 KB

Print length: 460 pages

5 Stars

 

If I have told myself once, I’ve told myself a bazillion times, “Self, DO NOT BUY the entire series at the same time! You will never pause between books to write your reviews!” I confess, and humbly apologize if this review is also a partial review of Book 2, 3, and or 4. I know better, but I must be honest, if the series is by Anne Bishop, the temptation is too great! And I’ve never been disappointed.

 

Once again, Bishop has come up with a fantastic series, where certain people (Landscapers) can communicate with the world, Ephemera. And there are Bridges who can open gateways/bridges between the countries or lands that are cared for by the Landscapers. And, there are Wizards, who for the most part are not nice people. Oh, and demons. Oh, yes, the demons are wonderful beings.

 

While Bishop’s other universes tend toward darkness, Ephemera has a nice balance, and some downright humorous situations. Sebastian lives in the Den of Iniquity, a land his cousin, Glorianna Belladonna cares for as a Landscaper and built for him. Several sub plots, which get finished before those dreaded words, “The End.”

 

Once started, I had a hard time putting the book/s down. Yes, this book is erotic, and sexy, and I really, really, Really, did not want to reach those dreaded words, “The End.”

Belladonna (Ephemera Book 2) Kindle Edition --by Anne Bishop

 ASIN:   B000PC0SMI

Publisher: Ace (March 6, 2007

Language: English

File size: 3609 KB

Text-to-speech: Enabled

Print length: 477 pages

5 Stars

 

Belladonna follows Sebastian, another page burner. Sometimes it pays to buy the whole series at the same time and just binge read. Which is what I did. This book was a tad darker than Sebastian, but I couldn’t put it down. Due to some things going on in my life, I needed to binge on books by an author whose work I know, and I chose wisely. There is enough conflict in this book that kept me on the edge of my seat, but not enough that I had nightmares when I turned the light off at night because I couldn’t keep my burning eyes open any longer.

 

The Eater of the World has been set free. He killed most of the Landscapers and Bridges who were close to his cage. Glorianna Belladonna is the only one who can re-cage the Eater. Can she do it? Will her brother, Lee, help her? What can Sebastian do? Well, who wrote the series? 

 

Bishop is one of the best authors, one of the best world builders I’ve ever read. And her universes are not the same one between series. I feel my reviews don’t do her justice, so just trust me, her books are fantastic and great reads.

Bridge of Dreams (Ephemera Book 3) Kindle Edition --by Anne Bishop

 ASIN: B006LTZJA0

Publisher: Ace; 1st edition (March 6, 2012

Language: English

File size: 1783 KB

Text-to-Speech: Enabled

Print length: 447 pages

5 Stars

 

The trilogy ends. Sebastian had his book, Belladonna hers, and now Lee, the Bridge, has his. I’m truly sorry the series is ended; I enjoyed these books tremendously. Not only did the Devil get his due, so to speak, but it was great fun to see the characters grow into who they truly were.

 

In this book, Lee is captured, tortured, and eventually finds himself in an Asylum. The only ones who know what he is, are cut off from seeing him; but not before they manage to let him know, that he can’t escape, because they will follow him home to kill his sister, Belladonna. Now blind, among strangers, he must learn new ways to trust, to see, to love.

 

I truly didn’t want this book to end, because the next book is a stand-alone novella in the same universe, but not more about the people I’ve grown to enjoy immensely. Alas, the trilogy ended, no matter how slowly I read. Fortunately, they are mine, and I can reread whenever I want.

The Voice (Ephemera Book 4--A Novella) Kindle Edition --by Anne Bishop

 ASIN:  B0071GEUXE

Publisher: Ace (February 7, 2012

Language: English

File size: 1009 KB

Text-to-speech: Enabled

Print length: 60 pages

5 Stars

 

I read The Voice, when it first came out. I was delighted to find it at the end of The Bridge in my version. Like another reviewer stated, reading it now, at the end, it held a lot more nuance. Meeting Nalah, Kobrah and the trauma she endured, the unnamed Shaman, Danyal who is prominent in Bridge of Dreams, and The Voice. This is a well-crafted, haunting story.

 

It can probably be read as a stand-alone, but I’d read it either at the beginning or ending of the trilogy, and it fleshes out some of the characters in the books. 

 

Note to Anne Bishop: PLEASE write more Ephemera books. Please, please, please.

Shards of Honor (The Vorkosigan Saga, Book 1 of 16) Kindle Edition --by Lois McMaster Bujold

 ASIN: B005BH9T86

Publisher: Spectrum Literary Agency, Inc (July 6, 2011

Language: English

File size: 917 KB

Text-to-speech: Enabled

Print length 295 pages

5 Stars

 

If your book club needs some excitement, suggest this book. It’s a fun story, well told, with a bit of space opera, romance, conflict, and an ending. It is the first book in a series, and I appreciate the ending, not a cliff hanger to get me to buy the next book. I seldom buy the next book when I come across an ending like that. I have, however, books 2, 3, & 4 of the Vorkosigan Saga  waiting in my Kindle as I write this.

 

Bujold is a masterful storyteller and this is a master story. There are several quips scattered throughout, which bring smiles to chuckles to laughs out loud. The characters are believable. The good guys are just that, and the bad guys are evil. And, it’s fiction and I love it. Lots of action, no nightmares, so it makes a great bedtime read.

 

The afterward at the end, seems a bit like a set up for another book, but I’m not sure. It was interesting, and a nice ending. I think people who are, at best, iffy on science fiction will enjoy this book.

 

Shards of Honor was the book for this month’s read in the book club to which I belong. I can hardly wait until we meet to discuss it. There is a damaged hero in this book that I hope surfaces in the later books. 

The Echo of Old Books: A Novel (Kindle Edition) by Barbara Davis

 ASIN: B0B9RNFT45

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing (March 28, 2023)

Language: English

File size: 7ǎ53 KB

Text-to-Speech: Enabled

Print length: 413 pages

5 Stars

 

This book is delightful! It’s listed in Women’s Historical Fiction, Laster in Life Romance, and Magical Realism. 

 

Ashlyn is a young woman who had a rough childhood and tragic marriage. The last thing she wants, of getting involved with another man. So, of course, there’s a man. She owns a book store and bindery, so, naturally, she and he meet over two intriguing books. His father had them and both his parents are now dead and he inherited the house, and was cleaning out his father’s stuff. 

 

There is no copyright page in either book, one is obviously written by a man, the other by a woman. They tell the same story of instant love and romance and terrible break up. They both use fake names, and Ashlyn becomes more than intrigued, and begins to play detective. She bothers Ethan and he goes through the books and it’s his family. He’s sure of it. His family is not close for reasons that are told.

 

Are Belle and Hemi (the authors of the books) still alive? Can they find them?  Okay, it’s a romance, Ashlyn and Ethan know it does not end happily ever after for Belle and Hemi, and can’t because the man they track down as Hemi, Steven, died a few years ago. But Belle might like the books.

 

This book has everything—an overbearing and very rich father who will marry his daughters to whoever will give him the best deal. Or get rid of them. A writer who, to me, looked like Cary Grant. A sister who would make an almost perfect Evil Stepmother from any Disney movie you can name. The chapter headings give you the name of the protagonist for that chapter, and the year. Belle and Hemi are in 1941, Ethan & Ashlyn are in 1954 (I think. I don’t do numbers, so forgive me if I’m off) and later.

 

I had a hard time putting this book down, but there are times when my eyes burned, and tears rolled, and it was past my bedtime. For about 4 nights. Great book. Marvelous. Brava! Ms. Davis, Brava!!.

The Machine Dynasty Trilogy --by Madeline Ashby

This trilogy is comprised of vN, iD, and ReV. I apologize that I am not enough of a computer person to use the “correct” fonts and size for the titles. I think it makes a difference. It is extremely helpful/important that you read the Forward and Introduction to Book One, vN. They explain the time, and the reason vN is used instead of the more familiar term of robot. The trilogy was a gift from a friend, and an eBook, which is one reason I went straight through the three books without coming up for air.  

I think this is both a hard sci fi and a fantasy series, well combined. Humans and vN co-exist, vN have been wired so if they see a human in trouble, they melt down. Not really the three Laws of Robotics by Isaac Asimov, but something equally fun. 

 

Our heroine is a young vN, with a vN mother and a human father. No, not that way. Mom and Dad are married, but vN iterate. When they have ample food (not edible for humans) they start building a ‘baby’ vN, a direct copy of Mom. 

 

There is violence in the books, but nothing horrid or gratuitous. There is sex, but it’s an adult book. I thoroughly enjoyed the books. I read them straight through, and I was unaware of when one ended and the next one began, other than there was a time shift, and a location shift.

 

I truly enjoyed the vN. They were, for the most part, fun. The vN Antagonist, was marvelous. She was totally evil—until she wasn’t. She always was true to herself. And her family. 

 

I enjoyed the world building tremendously. A great escape from the world on which we exist and live. This was my bedtime read, no nightmares. Several chuckles and outright laughs.

Ruler of the Sky, A Novel of Genghis Khan --by Pamela Sargent

Publisher: Open Road Media (April d1, 2024)

Language: English

Kindle: 5031 KB

Print Length: 896 pages

ASIN: B00J90CDT8

3 Stars

 

Not only does this novel give us the life of Genghis Khan, but also his extended family, his wives, his children, his friends, and his campaigns. The story itself is a solid 5 stars, the writing is good, but too much information, hence only 3 stars. I would have liked to focus on fewer main characters, and get to know, and like them.

 

My father would have loved this book. I can almost see him sitting in his reading chair (very comfortable with flat, wide wooden arms), his coffee on the left arm, his notepad on the right, and the book in his lap. By the time he would have finished the book, he would have all the characters names, titles, and when possible, lineage. My father also loved Russian Literature (in English). I am not my father’s daughter.

 

I read an electronic book and being casually familiar with the story and the time, I did not take notes. I wanted to read the story, not prepare to lecture on it. I don’t know for sure, but I think the Mongols, like most other people I’ve read about, used a diminutive name for their friends and family. I wish Ms. Sargent had done so. I assume (silly me) her target audience is primarily English speakers. I would have greatly appreciated shortened names for the most part. I was reminded of the Russian Greats I tried to read when younger. Although her characters did not change names like the Russians, the names were too long and unfamiliar to easily grasp and carry from page to page. For example, Bortai is more familiarly known as Börte, or even Borte.

 

Perhaps the place names she used were the Mongolian names? I truly wished she’d used the more familiar names for English readers. It would have been easier to follow some of the movements. I appreciate the research, truly I do, however, it was almost like reading about a different planet. The story is good, but all the names and minutia did not add to my enjoyment. Actually, they detracted from my enjoyment. As I write this, I realize I didn’t particularly like or relate to anyone in the book. Well, maybe Borte.