30 in 30: Mission Accomplished!
Yes! I actually did it! 30 books in 30 days.
The full shelf-list is below, and below that are my reviews of the rest of the books :) There are a handful that I only added my ratings to, rather than reviewing, as I got a bit . . . winded.
Urban Fantasy
Summon the Keeper - Patricia Huff
I've read a lot of urban fantasy. I like it. It's gritty, it's sly and it inserts the magic of fantasy into our own world. Summon the Keeper is no exception. My favorite character in this book, however, has to be the cat. Who is nothing more than a cat. Why should a cat need to be anything more than what he/she is?
Rating: 3 stars
Web of Lies - Jennifer Estep
My dear friend and fellow devourer of books, Michelle, introduced me to Jennifer Estep and her "Elemental Assassin" Series. I'm glad she did. Gin Blanco, aka The Spider, is a guarded character with a special set of skills (she's an assassin) and a second special set (she's an elemental magician). Tough, street-smart, and not quite detached enough, Gin has an odd set of moral standards and - as all urban fantasy heroes and heroines seem to tend towards - a certain disregard for safe and sane. Though perhaps not the most original of plot concepts, the "Elemental Assassin" series is certainly an entertaining read.
Rating: 4 stars
Fated - Benedict Jacka
One word: FUN! I picked up Fated on a total whim. Okay - it was the cover that made me pick it up, with a quote from Jim Butcher, the author of the Harry Dresden books. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. Alex Verus, diviner, is a highly entertaining character with a wry narrative style that reminds me strongly of Harry Dresden. There is danger, and a quest, and too many factions for even Alex to really want to keep track of, and plenty of humor. If you're a fan of the Dresden Files - I highly recommend that you read Fated.
Rating: 5 stars
Epic Fantasy
The Wise Man's Fear - Patrick Rothfuss
It's been a while since I picked up an epic as engaging as Patrick Rothfuss' Kingkiller chronicles. The books themselves are fairly daunting - large and heavy. But they're worth the investment of time, and the courage it sometimes takes to delve into such an epic story arc. Patrick Rothfuss has an amazing way with words, and you will find yourself drawn into the story of Kvothe, the main character and sometimes narrator of the story. I'm sure there is more I could say, in fact I could probably expound on writing style, and the way the plot unfolds - but I strongly encourage you to discover this story for yourself!
Rating: 5 stars
The Serpent Sea - Martha Wells
Martha Wells never disappoints. In this sequel to "The Cloud Roads", she pulls her readers deeper into the world of the Raksura, slowly revealing more of their origins. Of course, Epic Fantasy requires a quest and the character to learn and grow, and The Serpent Sea lives up to these expectations and, in many ways, exceeds them. I own this book now.
Rating: 5 stars
Fantasy
Eyes Like Stars and Perchance to Dream - Lisa Mantchev
Young Adult fantasy. Set in the Magical "Theatre Illuminata" Eyes Like Stars and Perchance to Dream follow the story of a orphan girl brought up in the theatre, her companions from the plays who cannot leave the theatre for the world outside, her first true love, and of course, a quest. A unique take of the coming-of-age story, I found these books to be fun to read, but probably better to suited to someone who is more of a theatre buff than I.
Rating: 3 stars
Science Fiction/FantasyThe Rowan - Anne McCaffrey
Re-read. I originally discovered Anne McCaffrey in a short story tucked away in my academy literature textbook. I was hooked. When my parents and I drove into Nairobi for our weekly shopping trip, I'd steal away to the bookstore, where I'd pick up an Anne McCaffrey book and read until it was time for me to leave. The Rowan with it's arresting cover-art - was the first scifi book to really capture my imagination - but I've not re-read it since. Recently, I discovered that it had been re-released, with a new cover - thankfully, just as beautiful. I couldn't resist picking it up to see if it was as good as I remembered. It was.
Rating: 4 stars
Steampunk
The Girl in the Steel Corset - Kady Cross
Young Adult. Set in an alternate version of Victorian London, Kady Cross' The Girl in the Steel Corset is a fun romp that twists through the lows and highs of London society, as well as weaving together a steampunk science fiction and touching on origin myths for the the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Despite it's cover and title, the story is more of a run-amok mystery than a society-based romance. Altogether a great read.
Rating: 4 stars
Hearts of Smoke and Steam - Andrew Mayer
I loved the first book in Andrew Mayer's Society of Steam and two books in, I'm still loving the series. Sarah - the main character - continues to step out against all kinds of convention. But somehow her character manages not to seem like a rabid suffragist or really anything but - deep down - a good-hearted young woman, who is always going to be a lady. Not an easy feat, as she falls into, jumps into, runs from, and is yanked under a continuous onslaught of adventures.
Rating: 5 stars
Mystery/Thriller
Ghostwalk - Rebecca Stott
Historical Fiction: Isaac Newton.
Rating: 3 stars
The Sherlockian - Graham Moore
A fantastic read for fans of Sherlock, and of Arthur Conan Doyle - what else would The Sherlockian be, but a mystery? Set half in the present, and half in the past - The Sherlockian is a masterpiece of mystery story-telling. And one of my favorite kind of stories: a book about books!
Rating: 5 stars
The Face Thief - Eli Gottlieb
Rating: 2 stars
Heat Wave and Naked Heat - "Richard Castle"
At first I had a bit of trouble getting into Heat Wave because it felt as though the writer or writers who form "Richard Castle" were simply following the show, with the addition of a "Rook and Nikki occasionally have sex". But as the book progressed, I actually found it to be entertaining in its own right. While obviously drawn from the show - it's characters are well-separated from their inspirations as they begin to develop and interact with each other, and by the second book, I really was enjoying the stories for themselves.
Rating: 4 stars
Fiction/Literature
The Lost Books of the Odyssey - Zachary Mason
Rating: 3 stars
The full shelf-list is below, and below that are my reviews of the rest of the books :) There are a handful that I only added my ratings to, rather than reviewing, as I got a bit . . . winded.
Urban Fantasy
Summon the Keeper - Patricia Huff
I've read a lot of urban fantasy. I like it. It's gritty, it's sly and it inserts the magic of fantasy into our own world. Summon the Keeper is no exception. My favorite character in this book, however, has to be the cat. Who is nothing more than a cat. Why should a cat need to be anything more than what he/she is?
Rating: 3 stars
Web of Lies - Jennifer Estep
My dear friend and fellow devourer of books, Michelle, introduced me to Jennifer Estep and her "Elemental Assassin" Series. I'm glad she did. Gin Blanco, aka The Spider, is a guarded character with a special set of skills (she's an assassin) and a second special set (she's an elemental magician). Tough, street-smart, and not quite detached enough, Gin has an odd set of moral standards and - as all urban fantasy heroes and heroines seem to tend towards - a certain disregard for safe and sane. Though perhaps not the most original of plot concepts, the "Elemental Assassin" series is certainly an entertaining read.
Rating: 4 stars
Fated - Benedict Jacka
One word: FUN! I picked up Fated on a total whim. Okay - it was the cover that made me pick it up, with a quote from Jim Butcher, the author of the Harry Dresden books. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. Alex Verus, diviner, is a highly entertaining character with a wry narrative style that reminds me strongly of Harry Dresden. There is danger, and a quest, and too many factions for even Alex to really want to keep track of, and plenty of humor. If you're a fan of the Dresden Files - I highly recommend that you read Fated.
Rating: 5 stars
Epic Fantasy
The Wise Man's Fear - Patrick Rothfuss
It's been a while since I picked up an epic as engaging as Patrick Rothfuss' Kingkiller chronicles. The books themselves are fairly daunting - large and heavy. But they're worth the investment of time, and the courage it sometimes takes to delve into such an epic story arc. Patrick Rothfuss has an amazing way with words, and you will find yourself drawn into the story of Kvothe, the main character and sometimes narrator of the story. I'm sure there is more I could say, in fact I could probably expound on writing style, and the way the plot unfolds - but I strongly encourage you to discover this story for yourself!
Rating: 5 stars
The Serpent Sea - Martha Wells
Martha Wells never disappoints. In this sequel to "The Cloud Roads", she pulls her readers deeper into the world of the Raksura, slowly revealing more of their origins. Of course, Epic Fantasy requires a quest and the character to learn and grow, and The Serpent Sea lives up to these expectations and, in many ways, exceeds them. I own this book now.
Rating: 5 stars
Fantasy
Eyes Like Stars and Perchance to Dream - Lisa Mantchev
Young Adult fantasy. Set in the Magical "Theatre Illuminata" Eyes Like Stars and Perchance to Dream follow the story of a orphan girl brought up in the theatre, her companions from the plays who cannot leave the theatre for the world outside, her first true love, and of course, a quest. A unique take of the coming-of-age story, I found these books to be fun to read, but probably better to suited to someone who is more of a theatre buff than I.
Rating: 3 stars
Science Fiction/FantasyThe Rowan - Anne McCaffrey
Re-read. I originally discovered Anne McCaffrey in a short story tucked away in my academy literature textbook. I was hooked. When my parents and I drove into Nairobi for our weekly shopping trip, I'd steal away to the bookstore, where I'd pick up an Anne McCaffrey book and read until it was time for me to leave. The Rowan with it's arresting cover-art - was the first scifi book to really capture my imagination - but I've not re-read it since. Recently, I discovered that it had been re-released, with a new cover - thankfully, just as beautiful. I couldn't resist picking it up to see if it was as good as I remembered. It was.
Rating: 4 stars
Steampunk
The Girl in the Steel Corset - Kady Cross
Young Adult. Set in an alternate version of Victorian London, Kady Cross' The Girl in the Steel Corset is a fun romp that twists through the lows and highs of London society, as well as weaving together a steampunk science fiction and touching on origin myths for the the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Despite it's cover and title, the story is more of a run-amok mystery than a society-based romance. Altogether a great read.
Rating: 4 stars
Hearts of Smoke and Steam - Andrew Mayer
I loved the first book in Andrew Mayer's Society of Steam and two books in, I'm still loving the series. Sarah - the main character - continues to step out against all kinds of convention. But somehow her character manages not to seem like a rabid suffragist or really anything but - deep down - a good-hearted young woman, who is always going to be a lady. Not an easy feat, as she falls into, jumps into, runs from, and is yanked under a continuous onslaught of adventures.
Rating: 5 stars
Mystery/Thriller
Ghostwalk - Rebecca Stott
Historical Fiction: Isaac Newton.
Rating: 3 stars
The Sherlockian - Graham Moore
A fantastic read for fans of Sherlock, and of Arthur Conan Doyle - what else would The Sherlockian be, but a mystery? Set half in the present, and half in the past - The Sherlockian is a masterpiece of mystery story-telling. And one of my favorite kind of stories: a book about books!
Rating: 5 stars
The Face Thief - Eli Gottlieb
Rating: 2 stars
Heat Wave and Naked Heat - "Richard Castle"
At first I had a bit of trouble getting into Heat Wave because it felt as though the writer or writers who form "Richard Castle" were simply following the show, with the addition of a "Rook and Nikki occasionally have sex". But as the book progressed, I actually found it to be entertaining in its own right. While obviously drawn from the show - it's characters are well-separated from their inspirations as they begin to develop and interact with each other, and by the second book, I really was enjoying the stories for themselves.
Rating: 4 stars
Fiction/Literature
The Lost Books of the Odyssey - Zachary Mason
Rating: 3 stars
You really should read "Heat Rises" as well, well done twist on all of the characters. "The Sherlockian" sounds like a fun book. Congratulations on completing 30 in 30. There is no way I could ever do that unless they were all children's books.
ReplyDeleteI actually own the first two. "Heat Rises" isn't in our home library just yet - but I may have to add it :)
Delete"The Sherlockian" really was quite good! (though, re-reading my review, I realise that I already stated that I felt pretty strongly that this was/is the case).
*grins* I bet you could do it. It would just depend on the books (interest-level) and the amount of time you had free for those 30 days! :)
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