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thecaptainsquarters
Well I can say this novel certainly upped the ante! In this one Jennifer is sent on a quest in the neighboring Cambrian Empire to look for an artifact that everyone else believes is a legend. If she doesn't find it the dragons are doomed. The Cambrian Empire prides itself on being dangerous and sells adventure packages for adrenaline seekers. Ye buy packages based on the Fatality Index - the likely number of people in yer party who are going to die. Arrr!
Scary things in the Cambrian Empire include Tralfamosaur, slugs, a war between railroad companies, and market economics. But luckily Addie Powell is their awesome tour guide. Seriously I love her and think she is one of the best parts about the novel. No major spoilers but this book was a pure whimsical delight. I want book four!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Scary things in the Cambrian Empire include Tralfamosaur, slugs, a war between railroad companies, and market economics. But luckily Addie Powell is their awesome tour guide. Seriously I love her and think she is one of the best parts about the novel. No major spoilers but this book was a pure whimsical delight. I want book four!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Ahoy there me mateys! If ye haven’t read the first book in this series, scythe, then ye might want to skip this post and go read the first book. Worth the read. If ye keep reading this log then ye have been forewarned and continue at yer own peril . . .
I am absolutely glad I read this novel. I loved it! This book is set one year after the events of book one. Citra is a junior scythe and is trying to settle into that new role. At the same time, her approach to death is unusual and is causing political waves. Rowan has chosen to become an vengeful angel of death known as “Lucifer” and attempts to fight the corruption of scythes from the outside. Much to the chagrin of the organization. The clash between the new wave scythes and the older guard continues to cause havoc.
I thought this book be way better than the first novel in terms of plot and pacing. The Thunderhead viewpoints were fun and I adored the addition of Greyson. In fact he became me favourite character in the book. And I loved the ending all around. I won’t give any other details because no spoilers. But I am eagerly awaiting book three and think that all of me crew should give this series a chance. Arrrr!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
I am absolutely glad I read this novel. I loved it! This book is set one year after the events of book one. Citra is a junior scythe and is trying to settle into that new role. At the same time, her approach to death is unusual and is causing political waves. Rowan has chosen to become an vengeful angel of death known as “Lucifer” and attempts to fight the corruption of scythes from the outside. Much to the chagrin of the organization. The clash between the new wave scythes and the older guard continues to cause havoc.
I thought this book be way better than the first novel in terms of plot and pacing. The Thunderhead viewpoints were fun and I adored the addition of Greyson. In fact he became me favourite character in the book. And I loved the ending all around. I won’t give any other details because no spoilers. But I am eagerly awaiting book three and think that all of me crew should give this series a chance. Arrrr!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Ahoy there me mateys! I be readin' a lot of adult sci-fi and YA so far this year and had a hankerin' for some fantasy. I was goin' to read the paladin of souls but discovered just before I was about to read it that it be a book 2 of a series. So I picked up this book 1 instead. This was me first foray into this author's work, and I be hooked. I can't believe I missed enjoying her novels before. I will certainly be readin' the second book.
This was a slow-burning, delicious world-building, character-driven story. The main character, Cazaril, is a broken woe-filled man with absolute horrible luck. He is only in his 30s but seems ancient and weather-worn. When met, he is on a desperate journey to throw himself on the mercy of his former employer in an attempt to find a job, any job, wherein he may work and try to obtain some measure of peace.
Of course peace is not what he gets. Instead he is pulled into a horrible situation he wants no part of. Politics, gods, curses, magic and impossible odds. Anything else I can say about it would only be a diminishment of how completely awesome it is. Seriously, ye have to read it.
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
This was a slow-burning, delicious world-building, character-driven story. The main character, Cazaril, is a broken woe-filled man with absolute horrible luck. He is only in his 30s but seems ancient and weather-worn. When met, he is on a desperate journey to throw himself on the mercy of his former employer in an attempt to find a job, any job, wherein he may work and try to obtain some measure of peace.
Of course peace is not what he gets. Instead he is pulled into a horrible situation he wants no part of. Politics, gods, curses, magic and impossible odds. Anything else I can say about it would only be a diminishment of how completely awesome it is. Seriously, ye have to read it.
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Ahoy there me mateys! Though this log’s focus is on sci-fi, fantasy, and young adult, this Captain does have broader reading tastes. So occasionally I will share some novels that I enjoyed that are off the charts (a non sci-fi, fantasy, or young adult novel), as it were. I received this non-fiction eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
This novel was recommended by stephanie @ adventuresofabibliophile. The title and cover immediately captured me fancy. Stowaways and a ship! Arrr! It takes place in the 1920s which is a bonus. Also me adventurous ma is currently on a ship heading for Antarctica and penguins and cold! So it seemed appropriate to read about previous Antarctic explorers.
While I prefer sunnier climes, I have always had a fascination for exploration stories of all kinds be it mountain climbin', island hoppin', or south pole ice scramblin'. As a younger lass I read about Shackleton, Darwin, and Cook's true life adventures. National Geographic magazine was a much loved publication. Equally beloved were the fictional survival stories like White Fang, Robinson Crusoe, and the Count of Monte Cristo. I continue to love these types of stories like recent reads castle of water and feel me fall (highly recommended).
So I began to read this book about Billy Gawronski who was so obsessed with being a member of Byrd's crew that he was a stowaway on Byrd's ships not once but three times! His tenaciousness and pure grit to make it to Antarctica was endearing and fun. He wasn't the only one trying to secure a place on this expedition. Byrd was a crafty man and had thousands of candidates trying to obtain a non-paying berth on the voyage attempting to make American history.
Overall I found this to be a more a story about the facts surrounding getting to and from Antarctica rather than what happened on Antarctica. It is a seemingly well-researched book. Much like in real life, Byrd really is the center of the story with Billy's portions as the more humanistic filler. The beginning of the book up until the establishment of Little America is the best part of the book though the story loses steam after that. In any case I found many of the tangential facts to be fascinating. Like how President Coolidge had a pancake breakfast with actresses in an attempt to bolster his election campaign. This book was a quick read that I enjoyed even if I thought it would be more about Billy's adventures in Antarctica.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Simon & Schuster!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
This novel was recommended by stephanie @ adventuresofabibliophile. The title and cover immediately captured me fancy. Stowaways and a ship! Arrr! It takes place in the 1920s which is a bonus. Also me adventurous ma is currently on a ship heading for Antarctica and penguins and cold! So it seemed appropriate to read about previous Antarctic explorers.
While I prefer sunnier climes, I have always had a fascination for exploration stories of all kinds be it mountain climbin', island hoppin', or south pole ice scramblin'. As a younger lass I read about Shackleton, Darwin, and Cook's true life adventures. National Geographic magazine was a much loved publication. Equally beloved were the fictional survival stories like White Fang, Robinson Crusoe, and the Count of Monte Cristo. I continue to love these types of stories like recent reads castle of water and feel me fall (highly recommended).
So I began to read this book about Billy Gawronski who was so obsessed with being a member of Byrd's crew that he was a stowaway on Byrd's ships not once but three times! His tenaciousness and pure grit to make it to Antarctica was endearing and fun. He wasn't the only one trying to secure a place on this expedition. Byrd was a crafty man and had thousands of candidates trying to obtain a non-paying berth on the voyage attempting to make American history.
Overall I found this to be a more a story about the facts surrounding getting to and from Antarctica rather than what happened on Antarctica. It is a seemingly well-researched book. Much like in real life, Byrd really is the center of the story with Billy's portions as the more humanistic filler. The beginning of the book up until the establishment of Little America is the best part of the book though the story loses steam after that. In any case I found many of the tangential facts to be fascinating. Like how President Coolidge had a pancake breakfast with actresses in an attempt to bolster his election campaign. This book was a quick read that I enjoyed even if I thought it would be more about Billy's adventures in Antarctica.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Simon & Schuster!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this young adult fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
This book was a slow-burning, dark, and atmospheric read. It felt like a Grimm’s fairy-tale mixed with some Alice in Wonderland but was mostly set in our modern world. For all of the book’s slow pacing, I somehow found meself mesmerized by the mystery of it all.
Alice and her mom are always beset by bad luck and have led a fairly nomadic life. Alice’s life has been heavily influenced by the tantalizing facts about her grandmother, Althea, even though they have never met. Ye see a young Althea wrote a famous children’s book of fairy-tales and became a sensation. Yet the book is hard to get a hold of. It is a rare collector’s item and is out of print. Alice has never been allowed to read it. The one time she tried she only got as far as the table of contents before her mom confiscated the volume. It was never seen again. Why are Alice and her mom always on the run? And what is so special about those stories?
If ye read this novel ye can find out. Alice is a kinda quirky, if tad unlikable, character and her journey certainly is an interesting one. Most of the story takes place in a seemingly contemporary tale where the fantasy can be glimpsed in the seams and cracks outside of periphery vision. Those glimpses are enticing. Of course the fantasy elements increase as the story progresses and that was super fun.
The only small quibble was the ending felt unsettled. But it fit the Grimm-like mood and so I was satisfied. Then, of course, I found out it is part of a series! I do think it can feel like a standalone though. I do wonder what adventures Alice will get into next.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Flatiron Books!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
This book was a slow-burning, dark, and atmospheric read. It felt like a Grimm’s fairy-tale mixed with some Alice in Wonderland but was mostly set in our modern world. For all of the book’s slow pacing, I somehow found meself mesmerized by the mystery of it all.
Alice and her mom are always beset by bad luck and have led a fairly nomadic life. Alice’s life has been heavily influenced by the tantalizing facts about her grandmother, Althea, even though they have never met. Ye see a young Althea wrote a famous children’s book of fairy-tales and became a sensation. Yet the book is hard to get a hold of. It is a rare collector’s item and is out of print. Alice has never been allowed to read it. The one time she tried she only got as far as the table of contents before her mom confiscated the volume. It was never seen again. Why are Alice and her mom always on the run? And what is so special about those stories?
If ye read this novel ye can find out. Alice is a kinda quirky, if tad unlikable, character and her journey certainly is an interesting one. Most of the story takes place in a seemingly contemporary tale where the fantasy can be glimpsed in the seams and cracks outside of periphery vision. Those glimpses are enticing. Of course the fantasy elements increase as the story progresses and that was super fun.
The only small quibble was the ending felt unsettled. But it fit the Grimm-like mood and so I was satisfied. Then, of course, I found out it is part of a series! I do think it can feel like a standalone though. I do wonder what adventures Alice will get into next.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Flatiron Books!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this sci-fi eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
Well mateys. I learned a new word from this novel. Semiosis. Cool sounding word. Wasn’t sure of it’s exact meaning. So I be sharing with me hearties:
semiosis : a process in which something functions as a sign to an organism.
Yup, this book was indeed all about that. A bunch of folk from Earth have dreams of creating a new space colony dedicated to being in harmony with nature. The colony is called Pax for the peaceful civilization of their dreams. Only when they wake up, they find that the ship has sent them to a different planet than they expected. With little choice, they decide to make the best of it. But what happens when nature has a mind of its own?
Well, interestingly weird things happen. Plants, animals, weather – nothing is like the humans planned for. In fact one of the best things about this novel is how the human planning goes all wrong – especially in the beginning. Humans do survive but with interesting consequences. Another fun thing about this novel is that the story is told over 5 generations and 107 years with different narrators for each chapter. So the reader gets to see the ramifications of earlier choices as well as get some of the distortion of truth as time goes by.
Me favourite thing about the book is the relationships formed between the humans and the natural inhabitants of the planet. The signs and communication between lifeforms is the theme and highlight of the book. I loved the way language was used and the various forms it took. If I could have some of the animals as me life companions then I would certainly want a kat, which I picture as a cuddly miniature kangaroo that plays leapfrog and digs holes. The characters were individualized and well portrayed. I thought the plot was solid if somewhat plodding. But the concepts of utopias, mutualism, first contact, culture, and co-existence made this a very enjoyable read.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Macmillian-Tor/Forge!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Well mateys. I learned a new word from this novel. Semiosis. Cool sounding word. Wasn’t sure of it’s exact meaning. So I be sharing with me hearties:
semiosis : a process in which something functions as a sign to an organism.
Yup, this book was indeed all about that. A bunch of folk from Earth have dreams of creating a new space colony dedicated to being in harmony with nature. The colony is called Pax for the peaceful civilization of their dreams. Only when they wake up, they find that the ship has sent them to a different planet than they expected. With little choice, they decide to make the best of it. But what happens when nature has a mind of its own?
Well, interestingly weird things happen. Plants, animals, weather – nothing is like the humans planned for. In fact one of the best things about this novel is how the human planning goes all wrong – especially in the beginning. Humans do survive but with interesting consequences. Another fun thing about this novel is that the story is told over 5 generations and 107 years with different narrators for each chapter. So the reader gets to see the ramifications of earlier choices as well as get some of the distortion of truth as time goes by.
Me favourite thing about the book is the relationships formed between the humans and the natural inhabitants of the planet. The signs and communication between lifeforms is the theme and highlight of the book. I loved the way language was used and the various forms it took. If I could have some of the animals as me life companions then I would certainly want a kat, which I picture as a cuddly miniature kangaroo that plays leapfrog and digs holes. The characters were individualized and well portrayed. I thought the plot was solid if somewhat plodding. But the concepts of utopias, mutualism, first contact, culture, and co-existence made this a very enjoyable read.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Macmillian-Tor/Forge!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Ahoy there me mateys! This author came to me attention with her book the princess of the midnight ball which is a twelve dancing princesses retelling. No, I haven't read it yet. I was looking for something light to read as me last several books have been rather heavy. The dancing princesses book wasn't available but this one was. It had also been on me list as it had a cool cover.
So I scooped it up and had a gander. The book ended up being a silly okayish read that did give me some enjoyment.
The story involves two girls from New York that are sent on a trip to meet their mothers' family back in Romania. These cousins get more than they bargained for. Secrets are being kept and the family is being evasive. What is the family hiding and what does that have to do with them?
So some cool things in this book:
- It takes place in the 1890s. I love historical fantasy fiction.
- The format is letters, diary entries, and perspectives from the girls themselves.
- It has shape-shifters. Which I figured from the cover.
- The two cousins have an awesome relationship. I love how supportive they are of each other.
- The girls both have very different personalities but due to circumstances in the book their roles are reversed at one point and that was excellent fun.
- The majority of the book takes place in Romania. I don't know many books that are. (One other. That's all I could come up with.)
- Lou has an awesome power. I loved how it was used.
- It was a quick read.
The not as fun:
- The plot is kinda plodding in a lot of places. It took forever for the girls to find out about the family. I would have liked that reveal to be way earlier in the book. And of course when yer reader guessed fairly early on what was going on, it makes the two girl's lack of intelligence in that regard tedious and annoying.
- The girls' powers could have been used WAY more in terms of plot.
- While the book is set in Romania, I would have liked the country to feel more integral to the plot. Yes there are myths and history facts that are used in good ways in the story but not enough.
- The villain was extremely two dimensional and irked me in his rational. Which basically came down to "because he wanted it."
- The love interests were too numerous and too boringly shallow.
- I wanted more action and adventure and girls kicking butt. I wanted the girls to show more initiative.
While this book didn't thrill me, it was a good way to spend some of the evening. Me crew still highly recommends her dragon books and I still want to read the fairytale so I will certainly give this author another shot.
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
So I scooped it up and had a gander. The book ended up being a silly okayish read that did give me some enjoyment.
The story involves two girls from New York that are sent on a trip to meet their mothers' family back in Romania. These cousins get more than they bargained for. Secrets are being kept and the family is being evasive. What is the family hiding and what does that have to do with them?
So some cool things in this book:
- It takes place in the 1890s. I love historical fantasy fiction.
- The format is letters, diary entries, and perspectives from the girls themselves.
- It has shape-shifters. Which I figured from the cover.
- The two cousins have an awesome relationship. I love how supportive they are of each other.
- The girls both have very different personalities but due to circumstances in the book their roles are reversed at one point and that was excellent fun.
- The majority of the book takes place in Romania. I don't know many books that are. (One other. That's all I could come up with.)
- Lou has an awesome power. I loved how it was used.
- It was a quick read.
The not as fun:
- The plot is kinda plodding in a lot of places. It took forever for the girls to find out about the family. I would have liked that reveal to be way earlier in the book. And of course when yer reader guessed fairly early on what was going on, it makes the two girl's lack of intelligence in that regard tedious and annoying.
- The girls' powers could have been used WAY more in terms of plot.
- While the book is set in Romania, I would have liked the country to feel more integral to the plot. Yes there are myths and history facts that are used in good ways in the story but not enough.
- The villain was extremely two dimensional and irked me in his rational. Which basically came down to "because he wanted it."
- The love interests were too numerous and too boringly shallow.
- I wanted more action and adventure and girls kicking butt. I wanted the girls to show more initiative.
While this book didn't thrill me, it was a good way to spend some of the evening. Me crew still highly recommends her dragon books and I still want to read the fairytale so I will certainly give this author another shot.
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/