Author: jeana84

Book Talk – Fantasy Fun- Unicorns

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Unicorns.

Beautiful, majestic creatures synonymous with purity. The legend around unicorns doesn’t vary much by country, or really since they were first believed to exist. Many believed that unicorn horns contained magical properties and could cure any illness. Therefore, unicorn horns were widely sought after, and fake ones were often pedaled as the real thing. It was believed that a young maiden could entrance a unicorn, that if she sat calmly a unicorn would come, lay down and put it’s head in her lap. This was supposedly the method used to capture unicorns.

Now a days, unicorns are every where. I don’t think I can go into a store of one kind or another and not see something with a unicorn on it. Granted, these unicorns are more the cartoon-y type ones as opposed to the majestic, graceful ones. Not that there’s a problem with this. I myself have several of the TY unicorns, in varying colours.

Where I don’t see unicorns very much is in fantasy novels. As I was thinking of writing this article, I realized I could only think of 3 instances, that I’ve read, of unicorns in books. The Last Unicorn, The Obsidian Trilogy and The Twelve Kingdoms. And to be fair, in the Twelve Kingdoms, they are Kirin, the Japanese version of unicorns.

A quick search on Goodreads for the word “unicorn” brought up mostly children’s and middle grade books about unicorns. There was very little that I could see that would be YA or adult fiction. Why is this? Are unicorns not a staple of the fantasy genre? When you think of “fantasy” do unicorns not come to mind?

Do you know of some fantasy fiction about unicorns? Do you want to see more unicorns in fantasy novels? Why do you think unicorns are written about as much as some other fantasy creature?

Fantasy Books with Dragons

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What do you think of when you hear the word “fantasy?” Does it make you think of magic and far off places? Heroes going on epic quests? Fantastical creatures? Dragons?

Years ago, I was reading advice published from a fantasy author to aspiring authors. Her advice to those wanting to break into the genre was to never write about dragons. Why? It’s overdone, she said. I remember reading this and feeling a bit confused. Why shouldn’t fantasy authors write about dragons if they want to? Aren’t dragons a staple of the fantasy genre? Aren’t they popular for a reason?

I can also understand that some fantasy novels may throw dragons into their stories because of some sort of expectation that a fantasy novel or series should have dragons in it. I’m sure there was a point in time where every fantasy book had at least one dragon thrown in there are one point or another. After all, Tolkein had a dragon, so shouldn’t all fantasy have dragons?

Well, the answer to that would actually be no. And I think that is the beauty of fantasy, you don’t have to have certain things to have a successful novel. Authors are literally making it all up in their heads! They can do anything they want. So, you want dragons? Yes, have dragons! You want other mystical creatures, great! There are no set rules.

Now, you may think that you don’t want to read or write a book just like every other book currently out there. You want something new! Something unique. And why shouldn’t you? No one is forcing you to read or write about dragons but, admit it, you are a fantasy fan you and love dragons!

Like many other magical creatures, the role of dragons has changed over the years. At one time, dragons were only a monster to defeat, an obstacle for the hero to over come in order to carry on with his quests. Knights would rescue damsels in distress who had been kidnapped by dragons (because everyone knows dragons love maidens). They’ve gone from being evil or an enemy to companions and even gods.

I personally love to read novels about dragons. I’d love to read even more! Got any recommendations for me?

What are some of your favorite dragon books? Let me know in the comments!

I Am Dragon – Movie Review

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So, I was stuck at home the last few days, sick, tired of watching Disney movies when I start scrolling through Amazon Prime until I come across a movie called I Am Dragon. I’m all like “I like dragons” so I check out the trailer, it looks promising. Holy crap am I glad I decided to watch this because I absolutely loved it.

The movie is like a Russian fairytale. A village once sacrificed young maidens to a dragon until a brave knight hunted down and killed the dragon. The ritual became a wedding ceremony instead of a sacrifice.

Mira is about to be married to the grandson of the knight who slew the last dragon. Everyone believes there are no more dragons and that performing the old ritual as a wedding ceremony is safe. Of course, they are wrong and Mira is carried off by a dragon.

Now, from here, you might expect that Mira will weep in despair until her beloved rescues her and slays the dragon. Well, Mira isn’t much of a damsel in distress. Oh, she has a good cry after being dumped into a dark cave and left alone but once that is out of her system, she sets to trying to escape.

She immediately meets a man she calls Armand (he can’t remember his actual name) who she initially believes is also a prisoner. It’s not long before it’s obvious that Armand is the dragon (this is shown in the trailer so I don’t feel like it’s a spoiler). The majority of the movie is about their growing relationship.

To say this movie is good would be an understatement. I think it was far better than a lot of Hollywood movies nowadays. The costumes were beautiful, the acting spot on. In the opening scene where several girls are being prepared for sacrifice to the dragon, their fear is so real. Imagine laying in a boat in the middle of a harbor, waiting for a giant flying monster to choose one of you as a sacrifice. The tension is real.

The music also really made this movie. So much of it is so beautiful and adds to the overall ambiance. Sadly, there doesn’t seem to be an actual soundtrack in existence for this movie. I’ve only been able to find clips on youtube.

There were parts that I felt didn’t quite fit properly. Armand tells Mira about his childhood and how his father was killed. Something in that timeline didn’t quite seem right if Armand’s father was the last dragon that Mira’s people made a sacrifice to. It’s a fairly minor thing so probably best to just ignore it.

Overall, I rate this movie 4 out of 5 stars and I highly recommend it, especially to anyone who enjoys a real romance in a movie. Absolutely fantastic!

The Boys – Season 1 – Review

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Other than Squid Game, I’m pretty sure there isn’t a more messed up, gory show currently airing on any streaming service. As evidenced by when I am writing this, I was somewhat reluctant to watch this show as I’d read the first volume of the graphic novel on which it is based and that GN didn’t really do it for me. It wasn’t until a good friend said that she had really liked it that I decided to give it a chance.

The Boys takes place in an alternate reality where superheroes exist. Most people love them but other see the damage they cause while “saving” people. Poor Hughie, the main protagonist, witnesses his girlfriend completely blown apart by a super hero running as super speed right through her. Not long after, Hughie is approached by Billy Butcher, who offers him help getting back at A-Train, the supe who killed his girlfriend.

This show is messed up in so many ways. It does not shy away from the gore in the least. Don’t eat anything while watching this because it’s pretty much guaranteed that at some point in every episode someone is going to explode or get ripped apart in very bloody fashion.

Super heroes in this show are more like celebrities than actual heroes. They spend more time doing photo shoots, making movies and promoting crappy products than actually saving people. The company that basically owns them, Vought, controls just about every aspect of their lives and makes sure they stay “on brand” all the time.

Along with Butcher and Hughie, there’s Mother’s Milk (or MM) and Frenchie that make up the team that is The Boys. Their mission? To take down Vought and expose super heroes for the killers, rapists and all around horrible people that they truly are.

The Boys is definitely an acquired taste. It is not the short of show I would recommend to a lot of people. As I’ve said, there is a lot of gore. There’s also a lot of swearing and references to sexual assault, as well as sex scenes. This show is out there and if you like that kind of stuff, you will enjoy this.

I enjoyed it. I’m still enjoying it as I near finishing season 2. But again, this show is rated 18+ and it more than earns that rating. I give it 3 out of 5 stars.

Monthly Wrap Up – July 2022

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I’m a bit late on the wrap up for this month, but I have been feeling a bit out of sorts the last few days.

July was not a great month for reading for me. I only finished two books and I’m now two books behind on my Goodreads Reading Challenge. I don’t know if I’m going to catch up on that this month or not. I’m thinking probably not as the book I started reading last night is a longer one, as are it’s sequels, so I’d be surprised if I got through those quickly.

July had a focus on other hobbies for me. I started a jigsaw puzzle which I pick at periodically and I also started doing cross stitch for the first time. I even completed two projects. (pictures on my instagram if you’re interested) I have two other patterns now waiting for my attention. One is definitely going to take quite a while to complete. It’s of a butterfly and I intend to give it to my mom after it’s complete because she loves butterflies. The other is of a black cat that I just thought was really cute. Not sure what I will do with that when it’s done.

I also rewatched all of Ted Lasso for the third time while working on my cross stitch and started watching the Boys. A review of season 1 will be posted shortly.

So, how was July for you? Did you read lots or not so much? Were you able to enjoy summer at all? Maybe read on a beach?

I’d love to know about it in the comments or link me to your own monthly wrap up!

Thanks for reading!

Fantasy Book Review – These Gossamer Strings – The Last Gift #3 by Allegra Pescatore

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Synopsis (From Goodreads):

A God is Dead. A Queen is Missing. Secrets are Unraveling.

On trial for the murder of the King, Elenor and Gabriel must become allies if they want to survive. His magic is spiraling out of control, awakening a mystery hidden in the very walls of the palace. She has one month to pass her Water Rite and find a way out of the marriage her parents set up. But things are about to get much more complicated.

Between sadistic family members intent on taking Elenor’s throne, Tirit Mindel breathing down Gabriel’s neck, and a Golden Dragon appearing in the sky above the Mondaer Desert with an ominous warning, more than the Kingdom of Lirin is at stake.

If that weren’t bad enough, time is ticking down for Fedrik and Fay as well. With the desert turning against them and Daemon as a questionable new ally, figuring out how to control Fedrik’s Gift has become a matter of life and death.

Picking up in the fallout of Where Shadows Lie, In Silence Abiding is the long-awaited and non-stop second instalment of The Last Gift. Dive back into the world of Dracona and hold onto your hats. Things are about to get… salty.

Allegra Pescatore is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. Her writing is amazing from beginning to end and this novel is no exception.

The author has created an amazing world in The Last Gift series. It is rich and detailed, filled with magic and political intrigue. There’s always something happening. Even when you think “ok, these people have been through enough, give them a break” no! They are thrown into more impossible or dire situations. Every time I think these characters can’t possibly handle any more, some new horrible situation arises for them to deal with. Honestly, if I were any of these characters I’m pretty sure I would have had a mental breakdown in the first book.

I love how each chapter begins with a snippet from a letter or journal entry, giving a glimpse into the past, which adds understanding into some situations and relationships. These snippets add depth in a way flashbacks never could.

Several plot point were wrapped up in this novel, but several others are still hanging loosely, fluttering in the wind, taunting me until the next book comes out. Not sure how I will wait that long. There was one thing I predicted would happen in the first book that has finally come to pass (I don’t want to spoil what that is) but other than that one thing, this series is the last thing from predictable. I never knew what was going to happen next. My attention was constantly engaged and rarely wandered. I truly can’t wait what is in store for this world and it’s characters next.

There were a couple sex scenes in this novel, normally something I’m not a fan of, but somehow, I felt like the scenes added to the relationship between the characters instead of just being a sex scene.

I think I might have a bit of a crush on Gabriel. He’s just such a good person, truly caring and understanding of others, fiercely loyal and protective of the people he cares about. Best of all, he knows when people just need a hug and is willing to give one, no strings attached.

I really want to gush how amazing this novel is as well as the series itself, but instead, I’m just going to tell you to read it yourself. If you are a fan of any kind of fantasy, I think you will enjoy this novel. I’m rating it 5 out of 5 stars and hope more people will come to pick up this series and enjoy it as much as I have.

Have you read this book or any of the books in the series? I’d really love to know what you think if you have.

Thanks for reading 🙂

Check out my reviews of the previous books in this series: Whispers of Stone and Where Shadows Lie

The Death Gate Cycle Series Review

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I had fully intended to write reviews for all seven books of the Death Gate Cycle series. However, I soon got to a point where I didn’t really know what to say anymore and I just wanted to get through the books and finish the series.

So, overall, what did I think of this series? Well, for starters, the world building was a amazing. Each of the four worlds is very unique, each with their own beauty and dangers.

After the first book, some things were a bit predictable. It was fairly clear that Haplo would be visiting each of the four worlds and that each visit would take place within a single book. What happened after that was much less predictable.

Haplo changes significantly as a character. In the beginning, his loyalty to his lord and his lord’s cause is unwavering. He cares nothing for the people of the world’s he visits. He simply goes there to complete his mission. It isn’t long, though, before Haplo begins to change. The more time he spends around the various people of the different world’s and especially around the bumbling Alfred, he begins to see that his lord may not be the perfect ruler for all the worlds.

Other characters through out the series are interesting as well. Just don’t get too attached as they often have a tendency to die quite suddenly. Although, not every one stays dead.

I liked that the characters from the first four books made reappearances in later volumes. It may them feel more part of the story as a whole as opposed to just filler characters thrown in to serve Haplo’s journey.

I thought the magic system of the Sartans and Patryns was an interesting one. Rune magic isn’t an uncommon thing in fantasy but they way it was used here was less common. Each of the two races has their own set of runes, which the other race cannot use. The runes being tattooed on the skin of the Patryns was pretty cool in my opinion. Their race has existed in a horrid place, the Labyrinth, for centuries and they’ve found a way to help protect themselves and give warning of near by danger without having to actively use their magic.

My biggest dislike in this series is the references back to our modern world. I said this in a previous review that doing that in fantasy always annoys me. I read fantasy novels because I want to escape into an entirely new and different world that came from the author’s imagination. I feel like making that fantasy world into some distant future of our own world is just lazy and unnecessary. I’m sure there are times when it is done well, but I have yet to come across one.

Overall, this series is a solid 4 out of 5 stars. I highly recommend it to any and all lovers of fantasy. I think this would be a good series for someone who is looking to dip their toe into the genre for the first time.

Thanks for reading!

The Book of Boba Fett – Review

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Synopsis: Bounty hunter Boba Fett and mercenary Fennec Shand navigate the underworld when they return to Tatooine to claim Jabba the Hutt’s old turf.

Before I really get started, I feel I should mention that I am not, in any way, a Star Wars fan. I was aware previously of Boba Fett as a character as I have seen all of the Star Wars movies. However, I really don’t have much love of the Star Wars universe as a whole and I never had any intention of watching the Book of Boba Fett.

I am, however, a fan of the show The Mandalorian, so when I went looking for information on season 3 of The Mandalorian and found out that he and Grogu appear in the Book of Boba Fett, I realized I would need to watch it.

Sadly, I had no love of this show at all until The Mandalorian appeared. I didn’t find Boba Fett to be a particularly intriguing character, I felt no connection to him and therefore didn’t care about his journey at all. I liked Fennec Shand from The Mandalorian but when she appeared in this show, I just felt very meh about her as well.

Even the action scenes, which I would normally be really into, were kind of long and drawn out which just made them boring. Who knew action scenes could be boring?

I managed to soldier through until the Mandalorian finally appeared. Then, suddenly, I was actually interested and engaged in the show. Probably because I care about the Mandalorian as a character and his relationship with Grogu. I could have cared less about the stuff with Luke Skywalker though.

I know there are lots of Star Wars fans out there who will disagree with my assessment of this show. I’m sure this show was made more with actual fans in mind, which is completely fine. Fans will love this show and enjoy Boba Fett’s story. I just didn’t. It wasn’t for me. Only the last 3 episodes were of much interest to me. I’m glad I watched this only because it means I won’t be missing anything in season 3 of the Mandalorian.

My rating for the episodes without the Mandalorian: 2 stars, episodes with the Mandalorian: 4 star out of 5.

Monthly Wrap Up – June 2022

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I have to say, June has been a very good month for reading for me. I completed 6 books, have a 7th that I’m almost finished and another to finish a series lined up. My main focus this past month was on the Death Gate Cycle by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. I’m currently on book 6, which I hope to finish this evening then just have the 7th and final book and that series will be finished.

Once I’m finished that, I will probably read a couple of ebooks I have that I accepted review requests on. That should be a nice palate cleanser before I move on to a new series or trilogy.

I’ve been steadily working my way through a list of books that I own where the series or trilogy is complete. When I started, the list had close to 100 books on it. It is now down to 58. I’m 2 books behind on reaching my goal of 52 books this year, but hopefully I can make that up.

How was your reading in June? How’s July looking?

Let’s Talk Bookish – Books on Vacation – June 17, 2022

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Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly meme created by Rukky @Eternity Books and hosted by Aria @Book Nook Bits, and it’s where we get to discuss certain topics, share our opinions, and spread the love by visiting each other’s posts! If you want to join in the bookish discussion fun, check out the June 2022 prompts!

BOOKS ON VACATION

(SUGGESTED BY FIVES @ DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE)
Prompts: What books do you like to bring on vacation? Do you bring any books at all? What kind of books do you think are good for a vacation? How much time do you usually have to read on vacation? What does an ideal vacation with a book look like?

For me, this all depends on where I’m going and who I’m going with. If I’m with my family, I know I’m not going to have a lot of time to spend by myself reading. It’s expected that the family will be together, playing board games or just chatting. I still bring a book (because of course I’m going to bring a book), usually the one I’m currently reading.

Now, if I happen to be going to a cabin on a lake with only one friend, a friend who is also a reader, I know I’m going to have much more time to myself and therefore time to read. In that case, I’ll bring the book I’m reading plus the next one in the series (because I’m always reading a trilogy or series) and maybe the one after as well depending on the length of the books.

I once went on a week long vacation with a friend to her family’s cabin on a lake. We’re book big readers. I brought an entire trilogy with me. I didn’t get through all the books because they were fairly long, but I know I polished off two of them. I remember coming back and continuing on with the third book and it felt like it took so long to get through that last book. I had to keep reminding myself that the amount of time I had to actually sit and read was much less than it was while on vacation. That week, I would literally wake, get dressed, walk down some stairs and I’d be at the lake side. I’d sit out there all day, either reading or swimming. I think I occasionally ate something too lol. That was a great vacation!