2018 Reviews Week 8

2018 Reviews Week 8

February 19th- 25th, 2018

Book 24: Runebinder (The Runebinder Chronicles # 1)  
by Alex R. Kahler
Read by Zach Villa

Listened to February 18th- 19th, 2018
📚📚📚📚📚

Part Avatar: the Last Airbender; Part fantasy world with mages, witches, wizards, and demons; and Part dystopian, apocalyptic world 

Elemental magic is used in a world that is now falling because of a greed for power. Once- human monsters called Howls are prowling the streets, hungry and guided by the necromancers and the all-powerful Kin. Hunters try to fight back and save the world using the magic that started the fight. But they are losing.

We follow the story of Tenn, one of the hunters who is trying to fight for the ones he loves and cares about. Memories of Tenn's past and many others, flood the narration as Tenn finds out he is being singled out. He is becoming a pawn in a bigger game than he ever realized. His magic is also becoming hazardous to himself and the ones he loves as he begins to not be able to control it.

This world that Alex has created in this story was intriguing and entertaining to listen to with this audiobook. I could not get enough of the magic especially the elemental aspects of it. I really enjoyed learning how the element that each person was inclined to went along with their temperament and way of thinking. I loved the control that they had over their magic but also seeing how it could take over them. Especially with Tenn.

Tenn, who is more inclined to the element of water, is much more emotional and affected by his past then others around him seem to be. He also is able to see what has happened to others around him after they die. His romance was also one of my favorite aspects of this story. I am glad that it is not the only thing that drives him on though. There was a great mixture of both.

Alex has created a voice for each character, specifically, the main character that will build this part dystopian, part fantasy world into a tale unlike any other. I am going to say right now, that this is probably my favorite dystopian world that I have ever read about. The mixture between the dystopian aspects of our world mixed with magic was one of the best parts. The magic comes alive in this masterful performance and tale. I cannot recommend it enough.

*I was given a copy of this audiobook for free for an honest review* 

Book 25: Once Upon a Time Machine #1 

Edited by Andrew Carl

Read February 20th, 2018

📚📚📚

After reading Once Upon a Time Machine #2, I was really looking forward to going back and reading the first volume of these reimagined stories. I will say that I enjoyed some of these fairy tale twists but most of them were not as good as the ones in the second volume. There were twenty-five retold tales in this volume. Out of those, I would say that I enjoyed five. The rest were okay but not as good as I was hoping. I would pick this up if you are interested but you should really pick up the second volume when that comes out. It's so much better. 

Book 26: Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett

Read February 22nd -23rd, 2018

📚📚📚📚


“The three rules of the Librarians of Time and Space are: 1) Silence; 2) Books must be returned no later than the last date shown; and 3) Do not interfere with the nature of causality.”
― Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!

Synopsis 
This is the eighth novel in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series and the first book in the City Watch subseries. 

Carrot has been raised by the dwarfs since he was a baby. His father, the king of the dwarfs decides to finally tell him that he was not actually a dwarf but a human that they had found. He sends Carrot to the city of Ankh-Morprk, to be part of the City Watch. Hilarity ensues. 

The City Watch is run by Captain Sam Vimes, a drunkard man who does not seem to want his job too much. Carrot starts to cause problems when he begins to arrest people around Ankh-Morprk who are committing crimes. Captain Vimes is informed that one of his workers has arrested the head of the Thieves Guild for stealing stuff. Carrot does not realize how things work in Ankh- Morpk. You can't go arresting people for committing crimes. 

When wizards summon a dragon into existence, it is made the first king of Ankh- Morpk in a long time. He is a noble dragon. Also, he has a nasty habit of burning everything around him when he gets angry. The City Watch and many brave citizens risk everything to try and dethrone the beast. 

“A book has been taken. A book has been taken? You summoned the Watch," Carrot drew himself up proudly, "because someone's taken a book? You think that's worse than murder?"
The Librarian gave him the kind of look other people would reserve for people who said things like "What's so bad about genocide?”
― Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!

Overall Thoughts
This series just keeps getting better and better as it goes on. Terry Pratchett wrote some of the best characters and scenes in literature, let alone fantasy. The citizens of Ankh-Morpk are insane in the best way possible. This book really has a lot of the humor of the series come out through the interactions of the characters. I loved the new characters in this book, especially the City Watch and also the return of old favorites such as Death and the Librarian. 

In blue, I have put some of my favorite quotes from the book. There are too many to put into this post but these are some of the best. Below, I have the dedication from the beginning of the book. 

As a fan of the series, I just keep getting more impressed by everything in this series. If you would like to see my other reviews click on Terry Pratchett's Discworld link above or here. 

I recommend this series to everyone. It's one of a kind and is becoming my favorite series of all time. 

“They may be called the Palace Guard, the City Guard, or the Patrol. Whatever the name, their purpose in any work of heroic fantasy is identical: it is, round about Chapter Three (or ten minutes into the film) to rush into the room, attack the hero one at a time, and be slaughtered. No one ever asks them if they want to.

This book is dedicated to those fine men.”

― Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!

Book 27: Don't Look At Me 
by J. P. Grider

Read February 24th, 2018
📚📚📚📚📚


This is one of the best contemporary retellings of a fairy tale that I have read, ever. It is a modern-day Beauty and the Beast tale that is twisted and reversed. The story follows our two protagonists. The first being Haven, a young woman who is working as a broadcast journalist until she is attacked one night. The man that attacks her cuts up her face, leaving it heavily scared with gashes and a large hole. Her confidence is destroyed that night and she believes that her life will never go back to normal. Fearing that the world outside will judge her for being "ugly", she hides away in her house.

The second being Quest, a young man who was discharged from the army for trying to fix a wrong. He is now plagued by nightmares of what he has done. His whole perspective of himself has been warped and he feels that he is no longer good enough. Both Haven and Quest meet under circumstances that neither expect and grow a friendship with each other.

I loved the time that was spent building Quest and Haven's relationship. Each perspective felt distinct and each of their voices was genuine. This story had me feeling for both of the characters and each had my heart the entire time. I'm glad that this was as great as I thought that it sounded. Also, it takes place in a bookstore for a good portion, which is almost always a plus. 

This was a great example of a story taking elements from a fairy tale but using them in the best ways. 
I cannot recommend this enough. 

*I was given a copy of this book for free from the author, for an honest review* 

Book 28: Taxes and Tardis by N. R. Walker
Read February 25th, 2018
📚📚📚📚
A cute love story that I have come to expect from N. R. Walker. I loved the story as a whole especially the whole "geek" loving the athletic man. Not a perfect story but it sure made me smile a lot. 

The ending was perfection.