Author: jeana84

Clear the Shelf Book Challenge 2023

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For a few years now I’ve been saying that I want to read books that the series is completed and I own all the books. I even made a shelf on Goodreads to help me track it. Have I done well at this? Well, it started with nearly 100 books on it and is now down to 53.

I realize that 2023 is already more than half over, but now is as good of time as any to start tracking this in a different way. This year hasn’t been a great year for reading for me. I’m hoping keeping track on the blog will help motivate me as it’s more than just updating a list. I can write down my thoughts and moods here to help me keep going.

So, I will do my best to post updates on this at least once a month, sharing which books I finished, what I am currently reading, what I plan to read next along with why I have or haven’t stuck to the Goodreads list, if I deviate, why. I really feel like this will help keep me motivated as I also reread some books before finishing off the series.

So, let’s get started.

What book did I just finish?

Son of the Shadows Book 2 of the Sevenwaters series by Juliet Marillier.

Was this book on the list? No

Why did I read it? It was a reread as I need to refresh on the beginning of this series before finishing it.

What am I reading now?

Child of the Prophecy Book 3 of the Sevenwaters series by Juliet Marillier

Was this book on the list? no

Why am I reading it? Same reason as above

What am I reading next?

Seer of Sevenwaters Book 5 of the Sevenwaters Series

Is it on the list? Yes

Fantasy Book Review – Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier

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Synopsis:

Lovely Sorcha is the seventh child and only daughter of Lord Colum of Sevenwaters. Bereft of a mother, she is comforted by her six brothers who love and protect her. Sorcha is the light in their lives: they are determined that she know only contentment.

But Sorcha’s joy is shattered when her father is bewitched by his new wife, an evil enchantress who binds her brothers with a terrible spell, a spell which only Sorcha can lift—by staying silent. If she speaks before she completes the quest set to her by the Fair Folk and their queen, the Lady of the Forest, she will lose her brothers forever.

When Sorcha is kidnapped by the enemies of Sevenwaters and taken to a foreign land, she is torn between the desire to save her beloved brothers, and a love that comes only once. Sorcha despairs at ever being able to complete her task, but the magic of the Fair Folk knows no boundaries, and love is the strongest magic of them all…

After reading Heir to Sevenwaters, I realized how much of the first three books I didn’t remember so I decided to go back to the beginning and read them again. I’m really glad I did because there was so much I had forgotten. The first time I read Daughter of the Forest was well over five years ago and I’ve read a lot of books since then.

I remember liking these books the first time but not necessarily loving them. I think I have grown as a reader since then because this time around, I loved Daughter of the Forest. Sorcha is such an amazing character. She’s barely more than a child when her father is enchanted by an evil sorceress, and her brothers are all turned to swans. I can be silent for hours without thinking about it but Sorcha remains silent for YEARS, while enduring some of the worst trauma a person can go through. She is isolated and alone through the majority of her ordeal. Even when there are people around her, they don’t understand what she’s doing or why and make assumptions about her that nearly lead to her death.

Can I relate to Sorcha as a character? No. Her experiences are far beyond anything I can imagine. However, reading this book from Sorcha’s point of view really draws the reader in to her experience. I don’t think it would have quite the same impact if it were told from third person point of view.

My rating for Daughter of the Forest is 4 out of 5 stars and I would recommend it to anyone who loves Celtic based fantasy, fantasy in general and folklore retellings.

Thanks for reading!

Book Review – Rose Madder by Stephen King

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Synopsis:

Rose Daniels saw the single drop of blood on the bed sheet–and knew she must escape from her macabre marriage before it was too late.

But escape was not as easy as fleeing to a new city, picking a new name, finding a new job, lucking out with a new man. Her husband, Norman, was a cop, with a cop’s training, a cop’s technology, a cop’s bloodhound instincts. And even worse, Norman was–well, Norman. Rose knew she had been married to a savage brute. Now she realized she was being tracked down by a terrifying monster–but the only place she found to hide could be the most dangerous one.

I can officially no longer say that I have never read a Stephen King novel. Not that it was ever a conscious decision that I wouldn’t read Stephen King, it was just that I had never specifically sought out his books or had anyone recommend one to me. I’d seen adaptations of his work and what I saw had not made me want to run out and buy the book.

When I started Rose Madder, I had no idea what to expect. The synopsis doesn’t give much away in terms of plot. All I knew was that my roommate thought I would like it so I decided to give it a shot. Boy, am I glad I did!

This book starts off intense and it stays intense! From the very first word, I was drawn into this book. It was hard not to be. It reaches out, grabs your attention and doesn’t let go! Rose Daniels is an abused woman, trapped in a marriage from hell. She has no friends or family to turn to and doesn’t truly know that her situation is wrong. It isn’t until she sees a single drop of blood on her bed sheet that she suddenly wakes up and sees just what kind of life she has been living. She works up the courage to walk out the front door of her house (with her husband’s bank card) and just keep going.

I was really impress with the way King wrote from Rose’s point of view. I really felt like he captured the anxiety, fear and uncertainty that a victim like Rose would be going through as she finally gets to the point of leaving her husband. Her entire journey getting to somewhere safe is almost nail biting. All of her internal dialogue felt real. I went on that emotional rollercoaster ride right along side Rose.

Then there was Norman’s point of view. Seeing the world as Norman sees it and being privy to his internal dialogue could be disturbing at times. Some of the language he uses is down right offensive and his view on people, especially women, is misogynistic at best. The contrast between Rose and Norman is profound!

Rose Madder was written and takes place in the early 1990’s and I really found it interesting to read about Rose’s journey without smart phones constantly at hand. I’m old enough to remember when no one had a cell phone and it was kind of cool looking into the past like this.

I never had any doubt that Stephen King is a good writer. How could he not be with the number of books he’s written and being one of the best selling authors of all time. I’m really happy that I finally got to see just what the fuss is about lol. I hope to read more of his stuff in the future. If you have any recommendations of goods to read, please let me know in the comments.

My rating for Rose Madder is 5 out of 5 stars and I would recommend it to anyone really.

Thanks for reading!

Monthly Wrap Up – March 2023

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Well, I have to say, I’m kind of disappointed in myself. It’s the end of March already and I’ve only read 5 books this year. 5 books in 3 months? For me, that’s pretty unusual. I’ve read 5 books in a month before! Am I in a reading slump? No, I’m actually recovering from one. So, maybe 5 books in 3 months is pretty good considering…

I recently reopened my Etsy shop and have been making jewelry again, as well as crochet stuff. I finished the cross stich I was working on. (forgot to take a picture of it so can’t share that). I saw the Irish Rovers live. That was really cool.

Wow, this is a really short update.

Fantasy Book Review – Vorodin’s Lair by J.V. Hilliard

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Synopsis:

Ominous Omens

Daemus, a low Keeper of the Cathedral of the Watchful Eye, isn’t the only one having visions. His nightmares speak of the ageless sorcerer, Vorodin, who may be able to help. But the answers he seeks may bring him—and the realm—to the brink of war.

Elven princess, Addilyn Elspeth, must discover why she’s receiving visitations from a mysterious creature that shouldn’t exist. She combines forces with Daemus on their harrowing journey to the scholar city of Abacus, where Vorodin’s Lair awaits.

A Plot of Revenge

Their powerful adversary and fallen Keeper, Graytorris the Mad, continues to chase the young Keeper throughout the realm, seeking vengeance against his order while trying to find a cure for his own affliction.

Explore the realm of Warminster, as fantasy and magic mixes with epic adventure and romance. Omens, battles and plot twists await you in the pages of Vorodin’s Lair.

Have you read The Last Keeper, Book 1 of the Warminster series? No? Go read it right now and then come back to this because this review will contact spoilers for the first book.

Read it? Ok, good. Now you can read this review for book 2.

Vorodin’s Lair picks up right where The Last Keeper left off. Faux and Arjun are in jail with a death sentence hanging over their heads. To secure their freedom, they are given the chance to protect Daemus and secure the help of a neighboring ruler.

At the same time, Prince Montgomery is sent elsewhere to secure more allies for Thronehelm, as war is officially declared with the recent defectors.

There are multiple threads of the plot happening in various places to different characters. I started to feel like this novel was going in a similar direction as The Wheel of Time and A Song of Ice and Fire series have, with so many characters, POV’s and subplots going on that the story doesn’t really move forward. Although I wouldn’t say that I was bored or that I dislike any particular character as to not want to read their POV, there were times when I wish the story stayed with some of the more central characters. Most of all, as a reader, I don’t always want to know everything that is going on. Not knowing what is happening with the bad guys can enhance the plot in a different way.

That being said, it would also been seen as a positive. Yes, I occasionally forgot that other characters existed as I was reading about a different set, but that is more likely because the writing is so good that the reader gets sucked into what is happening in the moment and everything else fades to the background.

J.V. Hilliard has such amazing descriptive skills in his writing, especially during battle scenes, that it’s impossible to put this book down. I felt like my heart was in my throat at times. Deaths can occur so suddenly and I just kept hoping the ones I liked most wouldn’t be the next to die.

I truly look forward to the next installment in this series and to see how the story continues on.

My rating for Vorodin’s Lair is 4 out of 5 stars and I highly recommend it to all lovers of fantasy, just don’t forget to read The Last Keeper first.

I’d like to thank the author, J.V. Hilliard for providing me with a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and this review was 100% written by me.

Thanks for reading!

Fantasy Book Review – Heir to Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier

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Synopsis: The chieftains of Sevenwaters have long been custodians of a vast and mysterious forest?and a new heir has been born. But the family’s joy turns to despair when the baby is taken, and something unnatural is left in his place. To reclaim her newborn brother, Clodagh must enter the shadowy Otherworld and confront the powerful prince who rules there?

Heir to Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier is the 4th book in the Sevenwaters series. This book is told in the first person point of view of Clodagh, one of six daughters of Lord Sean and Lady Aisling.

Clodagh is seen as the “domestic” daughter. Her skills are thought to be that of a housewife, and therefore rather boring. Her other sisters have talents of their own, as a healer, a seer and just a more outgoing personality.

This book begins with Clodagh tying a ribbon as an offering to a tree in the forest to pray for the safe delivery of her newest sibling. Lady Aisling is older now, has already had six children and her health is not at it’s best. There is an oppressive sense of doom hanging over everything even though the house is also preparing for Clodagh’s sister’s wedding. With her mother mostly confined to bed, Clodagh is expected to keep the household running.

Clodagh is an interesting character, one I felt I could relate to. She is expected to keep the house running smoothly, take care of wedding preparations, as well as keeping her sister, the bride from going a bit crazy. I felt her sense of duty to her family, how she pushed herself to keep going even when she was exhausted and kept up appearances of being calm and in control. When the new baby is born, a son, Clodagh is the first to step up and help care for the baby. She even tells herself that there is no sense in thinking of what her own marriage might entail because she is needed at home to help her mother care for the baby. When the baby unexpectedly disappears and a changeling is left in his place, only Clodagh can see that he is a living being, the only one who can hear his cries.

Since she was the one watching the baby when the abduction occurs, she is blamed by her father for not watching every second. Although men are sent to search for the baby, Clodagh knows that this isn’t a normal sort of abduction and that the Fair Folk have something to do with it. Clodagh sets out on a perilous journey to find her brother, facing all kinds of dangers and heartache along the way.

This woman, who most dismiss as the “housewife” type of daughter has more courage and love than most people have in their little finger. When she puts her mind to something, she will see it through no matter the personal cost.

Based on the title of this novel, Heir to Sevenwaters, I had expectations of how the story would likely go. I’m so glad that my expectations were completely dashed. This story is in no way predictable and a complete rollercoaster of emotions.

After reading several books with multiple POV, this first person POV felt like a breath of fresh air. The reader doesn’t know anything that Clodagh doesn’t. We don’t see what the bad guys are up to, or even other people in the household. I love that.

Although I can rarely pronounce the names correctly, Celtic fantasy has to be one of my favorite subgenres of fantasy. The three books that precede Heir of Sevenwaters are all excellent and I look forward to the rest of the series.

My rating for this book is 5 out of 5 stars! I highly recommend it to anyone who loves Celtic fantasy, though I’d recommend reading the three previous books first.

Have you read this book? What did you think?

Thanks for reading!

Monthly Wrap Up – February 2023

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Wow, tomorrow is the first day of March already! Is it just me or is time going by much faster? Except the time I spend at work feels like a crawl?

Well, in terms of reading, I wouldn’t say that February was a spectacular month. I finished two books, which is twice as much as January! Horray! Not amazing, I know, but I’m getting back into reading a little at a time.

My other hobbies seem to have exploded as well. I’ve got crochet, cross stitch and jewelry projects all ongoing. Sometimes, there’s so much that I want to do that I don’t know where to start and I just sit there and stare into space while my brain goes a million miles a minute with ideas. It’s exhausting and at the same time, it keeps me from sleeping, as I’m thinking about the different things I want to do and try.

The important thing is that I am reading. That I’m doing things that I enjoy.

February is not a good month for me. On February 23, 2021 I had to say goodbye to my best friend of over 15 years. He was the sweetest most cuddly cat in the world. I miss him horribly. He was quite sick leading up to it and he was extra clingy before I had to make that choice. Due to living circumstances I haven’t been able to get another cat.

Things like crotchet and cross stitch are very good for distracting the mind. You can to count and keep track of rows and rounds, which really doesn’t leave room for any other thoughts. Reading on the other hand, can allow my mind to drift. I’m reading but I’m not absorbing and I hate doing that.

I started reading Heir to Sevenwaters a few days ago and so far I am loving it. My mind isn’t wandering while reading and I’m really happy about that.

I hope March proves to be a good month. I will continue on with Heir to Sevenwaters, followed by the rest of the books in the series. I also have some books I accepted review requests on so I should probably get to those soon as well.

Thanks for reading and for fun, here’s a picture of my hamster, Po.

Fantasy Book Review – The Last Keeper by J.V. Hilliard

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Synopsis:

A young boy’s prophetic visions.
Blind at birth, Daemus Alaric is blessed with the gift of prophetic Sight. Now, as a Keeper of the Forbidden, he must use his powers of the Sight to foil the plans of a fallen Keeper, Graytorris the Mad.

An elven Princess with a horrifying secret.
Princess Addilyn Elspeth travels from Eldwal, the magically hidden home of the Vermilion elves, to begin her life as a diplomat to the human capital of Castleshire. During her journey, she stumbles upon a mystical creature foretelling ill tidings.

A terrifying force of evil.
Daemus’ recurring nightmare vision threatens to catapult him into a terrifying struggle that will leave the fate of the Keepers—and the realm—hanging in the balance. Daemus and Princess Addilyn must set out to face the menace that threatens their very existence.

Will the entire realm fall to its knees?
The Last Keeper is the first book in The Warminster Series. With gripping, epic action and heart-pounding adventure, you’ll love this new adventure series.

When I first started reading this book, I was in the beginning of a pretty bad reading slump. I couldn’t focus. There seemed like there were a lot of characters and I just couldn’t keep track of who was who. I had to stop as I knew I wasn’t doing this book justice by continuing. When my focus did return, I decided to start this book over from the beginning, which I’m very glad I did. The way I felt about the book completely changed. There weren’t too many characters, how could I not keep track of them in the first place? I don’t know if was because I’d already read the beginning that I absorbed more on the second attempt or if I was just back to normal in terms of reading. I’m going to go with the latter as what I hadn’t read the first time continued to feel fresh and exciting.

From the beginning, I didn’t quite know what to expect, which was great. As the first book in a series, there is a lot of set up going on, introducing characters, establishing the world and it’s rules. Thankfully, I didn’t feel like I was being told about the world. The author has an amazing was of describing things that feels natural and really helps a visual person like me picture the characters and events. Everything feels incredibly natural and the words just flow so well.

The characters are all very interesting and I have to say that I really love the diversity of the races in this world. There are people with crimson eyes or blue skin. Although there are what is known as trollborn – which are basically half breeds – that are sometimes looked down upon or discriminated, there are so many of them that it isn’t as horrible as it could be. I’m not really explaining that correctly. There are some that would say “trollborn” with scorn but most don’t. They are simply a part of the world as a whole.

If there was one think I didn’t like, it was how often the point of view would change during tense scenes. For instance, in the middle of a battle, the POV would constantly switch after a couple of paragraphs from one side of the battle to the other, from one character to another. I think this novel could have benefitted from showing less of what the villainous side was up to. Sometimes, as the reader, I prefer not to know everything . It can be too much information and I lose track of what character knows what.

Overall, this is an excellent novel. I never found it predictable, it was exciting, tense and emotional. It also ended on quite the cliffhanger so I’ll be needing the next book sooner rather than later.

My rating for The Last Keeper is 4 out of 5 stars and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a fresh and exciting fantasy novel.

Thanks for reading!

Book Review – In Full Color by Rachel Dolezal

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Before I begin this review, I want to say that I am not the type of person who pays a lot of attention to the news, nor am I American, so I had no idea who Rachel Dolezal was until I saw her documentary on Netflix. I found the documentary very interesting, perhaps more so because I had no previous knowledge of the media storm that had become her life and therefore, had no bias going in. It was from the documentary that I learned about this book and I decided to add it to my Christmas list. My brother was kind enough to get it for me and I was excited to read it.

I’m really glad I went into this with no preconceived notions about her or her life. I was able to read this with no real expectations and I think that going that way allowed me to simply absorb her life story without judgement.

Rachel Dolezal did not have an easy life from the very beginning. Her parents were horrible people, her older brother molested her and when her parents decided to adopt four babies within a year, she basically became a live-in free nanny.

I actually don’t want to say too much about her life, as I think it’s better to read this book knowing as little about her as possible. This book is well written and written from her heart. It’s clear she wants people to understand her better and really, there was no other way than writing a book. So many people have judged her and jumped to conclusions. The hate she has directed at her is not deserved. She tried her entire life to help others, to make life better for Black Americans. She should be seen as an inspiration, not a liar and pariah.

I’m not BIPOC, so I can never understand that perspective. I can never understand what it is like to grow up as a Black person in America. I can however, relate to her feelings of “other” of being on the outside, of not fitting in. I think a lot of people experience this, especially in their formative years, but as a society, we never talk about it. We’re expected to behave in a certain way, to see ourselves in a certain way, so that when we don’t others can’t understand.

Identity is something that is spoken of a lot nowadays. There’s gender identity, racial identity, etc. Society is on the path to being more inclusive and diverse, of recognizing that people don’t always identify with the gender they are born with. So, I wonder, is feeling that you are more connected to a different race that much different? I don’t know the answer to that and wouldn’t presume to give an answer.

Mostly, I feel like this book and Rachel Dolezal’s life and subsequent media scandal is very thought provoking. I can’t help but wonder where she would be now had that particular interview never occurred. Certainly, she wouldn’t be harassed online nearly as much. Which is another thing that bothers me. Having read this book about her life, she truly doesn’t deserve the harassment she and her family get. Telling her son that his mother should kill herself, calling a new born baby the N word. How does saying stuff like that online make those people any better than they perceive her to be? In my eyes, it makes them worse. Hate her all you want, telling someone that they are a family member should kill themselves is NOT ok. I wish people would stop and think before they post horrible things like that.

I’m sure very few, if anyone, will read this post, and I know this isn’t much of a review of the book itself, and if anyone does read this, I could get some hate directed at me for saying what I have, but I also feel like it needs to be said.

I would truly recommend that people read this book. I would encourage going into it with an open mind and try to forget anything you may have seen in the media. I’m giving this book 5 out of 5 stars as it was probably one of the most though provoking books I’ve ever read.

Thank you for reading and please give it a chance!

Fantasy Book Review – Traitors Gate – Crossroads # 3 by Kate Elliott

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Synopsis: In Spirit Gate and Shadow Gate, Kate Elliott took readers to the fascinating world of the Hundred, a land teeming with an array of cultures, gods, and conflicts blighted by the shadow of chaos and destruction. Now, with the same intensity and dramatic sweep that has brought this epic to life, Elliott returns to the exquisitely crafted cities and landscapes of the Hundred, in a thunderous conclusion to the saga.

In the darkness of war and destruction, forces gather to reclaim the peace: Those immortal Guardians who still serve justice seek a means to end the devastating reign of one of their own; a hired outlander army struggles to halt the advance of the horde that has despoiled vast lands and slaughtered countless people in its murderous wake, while still guarding against a burgeoning threat from an aggressively expansionist empire; and the eagle reeves who have long been the only law enforcers of the Hundred struggle to reorganize after a devastating massacre has decimated their numbers. But even as these forces give hope to those who would live in peace, a terrible danger looms: a traitor with Imperial ambitions, the most dreaded, least anticipated threat of all…

In the unfolding drama of political upheaval and violent change, nothing is certain, as alliances dissolve and power shifts with the unpredictability of a desert sandstorm. A riotous epic with the vast breadth and excitement only masterful storyteller Kate Elliott can summon, Traitors’ Gate will leave her many readers begging for more. 

From the very beginning of Traitors Gate, this did not feel like the conclusion to a trilogy. To me, it felt more like the third book in an ongoing series. There was just so much that was happening, new characters being introduced and conflicts that needed to be resolved. Despite this novel being close to 900 pages, I kept wondering through out how the author was going to resolve everything. Well, I wouldn’t really say that she did. This trilogy could easily become longer series. In fact, I would love to read another book in this world continuing from Traitors Gate.

As for the book itself, I think this has to be the best of the three. There was a lot more action, sense of danger and tension between characters. Shai in particular really comes into his own. In the beginning of Spirit Gate, he was a quiet recluse. By the end of Traitors Gate he’s become strong and confident. Putting himself in danger time after time to protect innocent lives. His adventure alone would be a worthy tale.

Unfortunately, I feel like this book (and the whole trilogy really) suffered from having too many characters. There were certain characters that I was far more interested in than others and I felt like the ones I actually cared about didn’t get very much page time. Marit and Kirit, for example, I didn’t get nearly enough of. I really wanted more about the Guardians in general. They were far more interesting than some of the other characters, but perhaps the author meant to keep an air of mystery around them.

One thing that really bothered me, not just about this book but the whole trilogy, was the prevalent misogyny. Men can basically do whatever they want in some cultures in this world. A man can literally go to a woman’s father and just buy her as a wife and there’s nothing she can do about it. She can’t say no. In one culture, the women aren’t even allowed to show there faces outside and their names can’t be spoken to outsiders. If her face is seen by a man not her kin, she’ll basically be disowned. It irritated me throughout that men, especially those in positions of power could just buy or take a woman if they wanted.

And the slavery! I’m sure the author was trying to show how horrible slaves are treated and that it is wrong and bad, but the things that happened to some of them was stomach turning. Did she have to go so far as to include pedophilia?

Kate Elliott knows how to keep readers on the edge of their seats, ending chapters in such a way that you have to keep going. So many times, I was like “omg, I can’t believe that just happened!” There were so many unexpected things here.

Overall, I think Crossroads is a great fantasy trilogy that any fan of the genre would enjoy. My rating for Traitors Gate is 4 out of 5 stars and I would recommend it to fans of fantasy who also enjoy political intrigue and multiple points of view.

Have you read this trilogy? What did you think?

Thanks for reading!