Book Review: Seven Stones to Stand or Fall by Diana Gabaldon

 

Goodreads Summary: NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A magnificent collection of Outlander short fiction—including two never-before-published novellas—featuring Jamie Fraser, Lord John Grey, Master Raymond, and many more, from Diana Gabaldon
Among the seven spellbinding pieces, there is "The Custom of the Army," which begins with Lord John Grey being shocked by an electric eel and ends at the Battle of Quebec. Then comes "The Space Between," where it is revealed that the Comte St. Germain is not dead, Master Raymond appears, and a widowed young wine dealer escorts a would-be novice to a convent in Paris. In "A Plague of Zombies," Lord John unexpectedly becomes military governor of Jamaica when the original governor is gnawed by what probably wasn't a giant rat. "A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows" is the moving story of Roger MacKenzie's parents during World War II. In "Virgins," Jamie Fraser, aged nineteen, and Ian Murray, aged twenty, become mercenaries in France, no matter that neither has yet bedded a lass or killed a man. But they're trying. . . . "A Fugitive Green" is the story of Lord John's elder brother, Hal, and a seventeen-year-old rare book dealer with a sideline in theft, forgery, and blackmail. And finally, in "Besieged," Lord John learns that his mother is in Havana—and that the British Navy is on their way to lay siege to the city.

Filling in mesmerizing chapters in the lives of characters readers have followed over the course of thousands of pages, Gabaldon's genius is on full display throughout this must-have collection.

Goodreads Rating: 4.27 stars with over 14,000 ratings

Genre Listing: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Short Stories, Time Travel

Goodreads Challenge: 21/30

2023 Reading Challenge: #14 Read a book of short stories or a novella (find the entire challenge here)

Book Review: 

Hello, Readers! I hope everyone is doing well. I finished a book I had planned for this challenge and am excited about that. When Tress and I were writing out the prompts for this year's challenge, I specifically wanted to read Seven Stones to Stand or Fall by Diana Gabaldon for this prompt. It definitely gave me the Outlander fix that I needed. Since this is a set of short stories/novellas, I thought I'd list each story, give my thoughts on it, and then average out the ratings to provide me with my rating for this book. 

A note for other readers before getting into my thoughts: these stories are not in any particular order regarding how they're presented in the book (as far as I know). The introduction explains where they'd fall in the timeline of the main books and the Lord John spinoff series. I returned to this every time I started a new story to remember where it was. The good thing is that there aren't really any spoilers for the main series. Most of the stories revolve around Lord John and may casually mention Jamie, but that's about it. There is also a lot of annotation for the stories, which I liked. Some of it provided more historical context or information for the series. I also liked that Diana Gabaldon discusses her strengths and weaknesses with writing in it. 

The Custom of the Army  Rating: 3/5

I liked this story and am always up for Lord John and his chivalry. I can't say I was fully invested in this one until it got closer to the end of the story. This one was slower-paced. I enjoyed it, but it wasn't my favorite of the seven.

The Space Between Rating 3/5

This interesting story focuses on Jamie's pseudo-step-daughter Joan and her trip to join a French convent. She's escorted by one of the Murray sons, and it was a nice way to get to know a couple of characters that weren't part of the main story often. It was pretty sweet, and I enjoyed it.

A Plague of Zombies  Rating 2/5

This was probably one of my least favorite stories of the seven. It was interesting, but I couldn't really get into it. However, it leads to events in another story in the book. 

A Leaf on the Wind of All Hollows Rating 2/5

I wanted to like this one a lot more than I did. It follows Roger's parents and the events in WWII before Roger is orphaned. But it was forgettable compared to the other stories in this book. Some things could be interesting to play on in Book 10 if it ever comes out, but other than that, I didn't have much love for it. 

Virgins Rating 5/5

Virgins was by far my favorite story in this set of short stories. It follows Jamie and Ian in Paris as young adults; honestly, it's hilarious. I could picture it being a flashback scene on the show, which would be amazing. 

A Fugitive Green Rating 5/5

This was definitely my second favorite of the stories. It follows the events that lead Lord John's brother Hal to meet and marry his wife, Minnie. I loved it. I could honestly read an entire series dedicated to the couple's antics. 

Besieged Rating 2/5

This is the final story in the book, and it was another one that was forgettable for me. It was okay, but it left much to be desired compared to the others. I will caveat this with, I don't know if it was the story itself or that I was just ready to be done with the book at this point.


If I can do the math properly (debatable), that gives me an average of 3.14. And given that I don't PI as ratings (though maybe I should), I'll just leave it as a 3. Overall, the stories are enjoyable and worth a read if you've read the main Outlander series. It probably won't be that enjoyable if you haven't read it.

Book Review: Go Tell the Bees that I am Gone by Diana Gabaldon

 

Goodreads Summary: The past may seem the safest place to be . . . but it is the most dangerous time to be alive. . . .
Jamie Fraser and Claire Randall were torn apart by the Jacobite Rising in 1743, and it took them twenty years to find each other again. Now the American Revolution threatens to do the same.

It is 1779, and Claire and Jamie are reunited with their daughter, Brianna, her husband, Roger, and their children on Fraser's Ridge. Having the family together is a dream the Frasers had thought impossible.

Yet even in the North Carolina backcountry, the effects of war are being felt. Tensions in the Colonies are great and local feelings run hot enough to boil Hell's tea kettle. Jamie knows loyalties among his tenants are split, and it won't be long until the war is on his doorstep.

Brianna and Roger have their own worry: that the dangers that provoked their escape from the twentieth century might catch up to them. Sometimes they question whether risking the perils of the 1700s—among them disease, starvation, and impending war—was indeed the safer choice for their family.

Not so far away, young William Ransom is still coming to terms with the discovery of his true father's identity—and thus his own—and Lord John Grey has reconciliations to make, and dangers to meet . . . on his son's behalf, and his own.

Meanwhile, the Revolutionary War creeps ever closer to Fraser's Ridge. And with the family finally, together, Jamie and Claire have more at stake than ever before.

Goodreads Ratings: 4.56 stars with over 8,000 ratings

Genre Listing: Historical Fiction, Romance, Time Travel, Fantasy, Historical Romance

Reviews on the Series: Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, Drums of Autumn, The Fiery Cross, A Breath of Snow and Ashes, An Echo in the Bone, Written in My Own Heart's Blood

Goodreads Challenge: 44/50

2021 Reading Challenge: #49 Read a book with an interesting cover font (Find the entire challenge  here) 

Book Review:

Hello, Readers! I hope everyone is doing well and getting to spend time with loved ones through the holiday season. This will probably be a shorter blog post as I need to work on my final two projects for Grad School (Yay!) and get ready to visit family for Christmas. I'm hoping that I'll get back to doing more thorough reviews on books once I graduate. We shall see what 2022 brings, however.

I picked up Go Tell the Bees That I am Gone by Diana Gabaldon the day it launched because, of course, I did. I wasn't really planning on reading it right away, though. My intention was that I'd pick a bunch of short books to try and get to 50 books. I think I'll be happy to get two more books in to round out the year at this point. Also, if you weren't aware, Tress and I launched the 2022 Reading Challenge. You can find it here. This is the 5th year for the challenge, so we did some special things with the categories to celebrate. 

So as for 'Bees,' as I've been calling it in my head. I was really excited to jump back into the Outlander world. And because I binged the last of the series last year, I felt like I got my bearings pretty quickly. Also, Diana Gabaldon always does a great job of recapping, making it easier to remember. 

I tend to forget how long Claire and Jamie's journey has been through the 9 books. So it's always a little odd for me to read about their ages in these later books. This book is the first one that really dawned on me that they are getting older, making me sad. 

There were a lot of life-changing events that happened (trying to keep it spoiler-free) that I thought were interesting. Unfortunately, I felt like a lot of it was really predictable. I feel like it was essentially day-to-day Fraser Ridge shenanigans that were building up to some more significant thing, and when that happened, I wasn't really all that surprised. It felt a little anti-climactic, and I was left asking, "that was it?" I was also talking to a friend who had listened to the audiobook and felt the wording seemed choppy. I don't know if I would have noticed that if she hadn't pointed it out, but now that I think about it, I wholeheartedly agree. It felt less poetic and rushed. It was like there were so many characters to catch up on that none of them could really get the full attention that they would have otherwise done. 

I still loved and enjoyed the book. I assume there will be a 10th book, and I'm eager to read it. Bees was still an enjoyable book. However, it felt like it was just a transitionary story to something bigger. A large part of the action is the last 25% of the story, which were events previous books built up to. How that something actually happened didn't seem nearly as monumental as I expected it to. I think there was a lot of foreshadowing earlier in the book that gave it away. There's honestly a lot more I actually want to say on this book, but because it's so new. I'll leave it at, giving it 3 moons, because while I loved it, I also feel that I got overly excited and was a little let down by some of the foreshadowings and rushed content. It made it feel like instead of telling the story to its full potential, the focus was just getting through it and on to the next one from a writing standpoint. 

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John Tiffany

 

Goodreads Summary: The official playscript of the original West End production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

It was always difficult being Harry Potter, and it isn't much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband, and father of three school-age children.

While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.

The playscript for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was originally released as a 'special rehearsal edition' alongside the opening of Jack Thorne's play in London's West End in summer 2016. Based on an original story by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, and Jack Thorne, the play opened to rapturous reviews from theatergoers and critics alike, while the official playscript became an immediate global bestseller.

This definitive and final playscript updates the 'special rehearsal edition' with the conclusive and final dialogue from the play, which has subtly changed since its rehearsals, as well as a conversation piece between director John Tiffany and writer Jack Thorne, who share stories and insights about reading playscripts. This edition also includes useful background information, including the Potter family tree and a timeline of events from the Wizarding World prior to the beginning of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

Goodreads Rating: 3.58 stars with over 767,000 ratings

Genre Listing: Fantasy, Fiction, Young Adult, Plays, Magic, Adventure, Middle Grade, Time Travel

Goodreads Challenge: 18/50 (Almost caught up, woohoo!)

2021 Reading Challenge: #59 Read a book that has unfavorable reviews, but you're still curious about it. (Get the full challenge here)

Book Review:

Happy Sunday, Readers! I've been completely burning through books, and it makes me happy. Though, I should probably be using this time to work on a paper for my ethics class. Sometimes when Tress and I come up with our challenge prompts, I think we have specific books in mind for it. At least, I do from time to time. This is one of those times and one of the even rarer times when I read the book I wanted the prompt for. Often, I end up reading something else or not getting to it at all. On Goodreads, The Cursed Child has pretty average reviews; however, I had it in mind for this prompt because I have heard absolutely nothing good about it from my group of friends. I was curious to see if it was bad as everyone had said.

I was torn on reading this for multiple reasons. First, I was hesitant because of the bad feedback I had heard about the book. I was also unsure if I would read it because of the current hate that J.K. Rowling has been putting into the universe. I feel like in the past six months, or so, I've had to touch on a lot more current events than I'd like to, which was never the intention of this blog. I wanted it to be a safe place to just discuss books and escape whatever's going on in the world. However, I think that with how divisive things are becoming, I also need to make my stances on things known. Reading this makes me feel like a giant hypocrite and like I'm supporting her hateful views, and I don't at all. I want people to live their lives and be comfortable as their authentic selves without the fear of someone cruel treating them like they aren't people. This is a hard one because I absolutely love the Wizarding World, but I also despise the author's views.

Anyways, on with the review. I actually enjoyed the Cursed Child quite a bit. I thought it gave an exciting glimpse into life after a hero's work is done in stories that we don't often get. I think to really get into it I had to remind myself that it's a play, and as a result, it's not going to be able to have the same detail as a 500+ page book. I've never really had an issue with reading plays, but I can see why having the notation of what the authors are doing would take some out of the story.

I thought that even though characters many of us grew up with were adults, there was a glimpse of who they were in the original books. There was also a serious nostalgia factor as the story explored the possibility of what would have happened in the original books if the events of the Tri-Wizard Tournament had gone differently. It gave a fascinating take on events. I also like that these events brought some beloved characters back to life, at least briefly. 

I enjoyed the irony of Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy's sons being best friends and all of the drama that ensues because of it. It also amuses me that Draco's kid is basically a Slytherin Hermoine. I liked that it shows what Harry Potter would be as a parent and trying to figure it out, especially given that many of us who grew up when the books and movies were first replaced are parents now (not me, but most of my friends are). I think it was a good way for my generation to further grow with a character they love.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book, and I had been thinking about rereading HP. This was a good way to reconnect with the story but also read something new. I think to enjoy it, there's definitely some level of having to remove oneself from what should happen or what already happened in the stories, and understand that it's a play, so it's not going to have the same level of detail that a regular book would.

Book Review: Written in My Own Heart's Blood by Diana Gabaldon

 

Goodreads Summary: In her now-classic novel Outlander, Diana Gabaldon told the story of Claire Randall, an English ex-combat nurse who walks through a stone circle in the Scottish Highlands in 1946, and disappears . . . into 1743. The story unfolded from there in seven bestselling novels, and CNN has called it “a grand adventure written on a canvas that probes the heart, weighs the soul and measures the human spirit across [centuries].” Now the story continues in Written in My Own Heart’s Blood.
1778: France declares war on Great Britain, the British army leaves Philadelphia, and George Washington’s troops leave Valley Forge in pursuit. At this moment, Jamie Fraser returns from a presumed watery grave to discover that his best friend has married his wife, his illegitimate son has discovered (to his horror) who his father really is, and his beloved nephew, Ian, wants to marry a Quaker. Meanwhile, Jamie’s wife, Claire, and his sister, Jenny, are busy picking up the pieces.

The Frasers can only be thankful that their daughter Brianna and her family are safe in twentieth-century Scotland. Or not. In fact, Brianna is searching for her own son, who was kidnapped by a man determined to learn her family’s secrets. Her husband, Roger, has ventured into the past in search of the missing boy . . . never suspecting that the object of his quest has not left the present. Now, with Roger out of the way, the kidnapper can focus on his true target: Brianna herself.

Goodreads Rating: 4.53 stars with over 98,000 ratings

Genre Listing: Historical Fiction, Romance, Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Time Travel, 

Goodreads Challenge: 6/50 (5 behind)

2021 Reading Challenge: #29, Read a book from your favorite genre (find the full challenge here)

Reviews on the series (Alphabetical): A Breath of Snow and Ashes, Dragonfly in Amber, Drums of Autumn, An Echo in the Bone, The Fiery Cross, Outlander, Voyager, 

Book Review:

Hello Readers! Apparently, there is a light at the end of the Outlander tunnel- at least for now. I had absolutely no intention of binge-reading the series, but it was too good. I've basically lost so much sleep while going through the remaining three books. And now I wait for book nine to be released.

I stayed up entirely way too late reading Written in My Own Heart's Blood by Diana Gabaldon. This series combines two genres I love- Fantasy and Historical Fiction, hence my placement for #29. WIMOHB really dives into both. Historically, it's centered around the Revolutionary War. There's a lot more building on how time-traveling works as well. For the Revolutionary War part of it, Diana Gabaldon brought in historical figures like Washington, Benedict Arnold, Marquise de La Fayette, and the Hamiltons (briefly). Being the Hamilton addict that I am, this only meant I had the Hamilton soundtrack in my head while reading. Especially Guns and Ships. 

There are all kinds of exciting turns that happen with the time travel plotline. Brianna and Roger, being the scholars they are, start recording a lot of what they know. There's a bit of a twist with Jem and Mandy due to the time-traveling, which I really enjoyed. I hope that gets explored a little bit more in the next book. I find the philosophical aspect of why really fascinating. When Brianna is pursued by the man who kidnaps Jem, some information as to why is revealed. I think it's going to tie back into the whole 200-year-old baby prophecy in one of the earlier books (voyager, maybe?) The entire book ended with Roger and Brianna about how I expected it to. 

I'm having a hard time remembering events since I read three of the books back to back. So I may mix up things. We got to see a lot more of William, and while he wasn't my favorite character, I did enjoy a lot of his storyline. Some of it was pretty sad, but it added a lot of drama. I'm curious to see where his story goes. I felt like he has Jamie's sense of honor, which I liked.

I adore Rachel. She might be becoming one of my favorite characters. She seems super adorable, and I really like her balance with Ian. I'm also thrilled that Ian finally found some happiness in his storyline. I want witty banter between Rachel and Jenny. I feel like there'd be a whole lot of sass in that conversation. 

Okay. Gotta talk about Henri-Christian. Hopefully, this won't spoil anything, but... WHAT THE HELL, DIANA GABALDON!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!  Who hurt you?  That is all I can bring myself to say on that matter.

As usual, I loved the book. Binging through the rest of the series put me seriously behind, but I don't even care. If you love fantasy, Historical Fiction, and Romance, then definitely give the series a shot. The books are long but worth it—Onward to other books. 

Book Review: An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon

 

Goodreads Summary: Diana Gabaldon’s brilliant storytelling has captivated millions of readers in her bestselling and award-winning Outlander saga. In An Echo in the Bone, the seventh volume, Gabaldon continues the extraordinary story of the eighteenth-century Scotsman Jamie Fraser and his twentieth-century time-traveling wife, Claire Randall.

Jamie Fraser, former Jacobite and reluctant rebel, is already certain of three things about the American rebellion: The Americans will win, fighting on the side of victory is no guarantee of survival, and he’d rather die than have to face his illegitimate son—a young lieutenant in the British army—across the barrel of a gun.

Claire Randall knows that the Americans will win, too, but not what the ultimate price may be. That price won’t include Jamie’s life or his happiness, though—not if she has anything to say about it.

Meanwhile, in the relative safety of the twentieth century, Jamie and Claire’s daughter, Brianna, and her husband, Roger MacKenzie, have resettled in a historic Scottish home where, across a chasm of two centuries, the unfolding drama of Brianna’s parents’ story comes to life through Claire’s letters. The fragile pages reveal Claire’s love for battle-scarred Jamie Fraser and their flight from North Carolina to the high seas, where they encounter privateers and ocean battles—as Brianna and Roger search for clues not only to Claire’s fate but to their own. Because the future of the MacKenzie family in the Highlands is mysteriously, irrevocably, and intimately entwined with life and death in war-torn colonial America.

With stunning cameos of historical characters from Benedict Arnold to Benjamin Franklin, An Echo in the Bone is a soaring masterpiece of imagination, insight, character, and adventure—a novel that echoes in the mind long after the last page is turned.

Goodreads Rating: 4.42 stars with over 124,000 ratings

Genre Listing: Historical Fiction, Romance, Science Fiction, Time Travel, Scottish Culture

Goodreads Challenge: 5/50 books (5 behind schedule, whoops.)

2021 Reading Challenge: #18 Read a book by an author born in the 20th century (1901-2000) (Find the full challenge here)

Book Review:

Hi readers, I hope everyone survived Day Light Savings Time. The verdict is still out on if I did. The three cups of coffee I had today make me think no. It probably didn't help that I took a two-hour nap yesterday and then stayed up until 3ish, finishing Echo in the Bone and then immediately starting Written in my own heart's blood. I didn't intend on burning through the rest of the Outlander series, but here we are.

I feel like me starting book eight should indicate my thoughts of Echo in the Bone. It left off at a cliffhanger that I had to read more on. I can't even talk about it because it'd be such a spoiler. In the infinite possibilities of endings, I still don't think I'd ever had guessed what happened. Holy Crap. I can't even process it.

The way that Brianna, Roger, and the kids continue to be part of the story is fascinating. The time travel mechanics continue to be explored, and I'm always eager to read more about it. I think there's going to be some exciting happenings surrounding time-travel in book eight. Call it a hunch. 

In book seven, we started getting William's perspective. I wasn't necessarily as interested in it at first, but he grew on me. I did feel pretty bad for him towards the end of book seven. He kind of got a really crappy situation handed to him. I did like the inclusion of Rachel and Denzel. 

Jenny and her family get reintroduced into the story. I don't like why she got reintroduced, but I'm glad she's back. She's one of my absolute favorite characters in the series, and she's been missed these last few books. I'm not even sure she was mentioned in book six. If she was, it was barely. I think she'll have a more prominent place in book eight. Bring on Jenny's sass!

I feel like every time I read the next Outlander book, it becomes my new favorite. I really love this series, and I don't know that I can adequately describe how much. There is just so much that goes on in these books, and they're so interesting. They can be a little overwhelming because of how long they are, but they are worth the read. I guess when I finish book eight, I'll have to read one of my other hundreds of books that I'm neglecting. 

Keeping it short and sweet tonight. I'm exhausted. 

Book Review A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon

 

Goodreads Summary: This sixth novel in Diana Gabaldon’s bestselling Outlander saga is a masterpiece of historical fiction from one of the most popular authors of our time. A Breath of Snow and Ashes continues the extraordinary story of 18th-century Scotsman Jamie Fraser and his 20th-century wife, Claire.
The year is 1772, and on the eve of the American Revolution, the long fuse of rebellion has already been lit. Men lie dead in the streets of Boston, and in the backwoods of North Carolina, isolated cabins burn in the forest.

With chaos brewing, the governor calls upon Jamie Fraser to unite the backcountry and safeguard the colony for King and Crown. But from his wife, Jamie knows that three years hence the shot heard round the world will be fired, and the result will be independence—with those loyal to the King either dead or in exile. And there is also the matter of a tiny clipping from The Wilmington Gazette, dated 1776, which reports Jamie’s death, along with his kin. For once, he hopes, his time-traveling family may be wrong about the future.

Goodreads Rating: 4.42 stars with over 144,000 ratings

Genre Listing: Historical Fiction, Romance, Time Travel, Fantasy

Goodreads Challenge: 4/50

2021 Reading Challenge: #7 a book with the color white on the cover (Find the full challenge here)

Book Review:

Hi Readers, and Happy Valentine's day if you celebrate. The husband and I don't really celebrate since our Anniversary is in April. We did have a virtual game night with some friends, though, which is always fun. I also avoided my project for my communication class. 

So, I have problems. These problems are called staying up way too damn late to read. I finished A Breath of Snow and Ashes really late. I think it was around 5 am, but I couldn't just go to sleep with the way it ended. So, as soon as I finished it, I  picked up An Echo in the Bone and read a couple chapters of it. 

Outlander is hands-down one of my favorite series. I love the historical fiction aspect of it and the time travel. There's always a lot of twists and turns to keep it interesting. I had many theories about things that were going to happen in this book, and I was completely wrong. I don't want to go into too many details because I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't read it yet. Fraser's Ridge is a happening place out in the backwoods. 

I really like that there was a little bit of background story from Ian's time with the Mowhawk and why he was so quiet about whatever happened to him. It was really heartbreaking, but I liked how it was told and how it was pieced together. There was also a really interesting plotline with Phaedre (Spelling?) that I wasn't expecting. I'm really curious to see what happens to her. I feel like in previous books, she was mentioned and present, but more background. In Breath of Snow and Ashes, it seemed like she took a more prominent role in the plot. 

A lot of character plots get wrapped up or at least seem to. I'm not really sure how to explain it, but it felt like a very definitive end in some regards. The constant theme was foreshadowing and dread leading up to the night of the fire mentioned in the news article Roger, and Brianna found. It definitely didn't feel like the end of the story, but it was a definite close to a chapter. 

I just want to throw it in here that Stephen Bonnet remains the vilest awful villain in the history of books that I can think of. I thought the Earl in Pillars of the Earth might be worse, but no. It's Stephen Bonnet. The rest of this thought is currently be redacted because of spoilers. 

There were more nuggets in regards to time travel, and I want more. They ran into others like them, and I'm just so curious to see what else happens with Time travel. 

I had more thoughts on A Breath of Snow and Ashes, but it's taken me like two days to write this blog post. My obsession with the series continues because I love the characters, I love the drama, and I love that the history is gritty and feels real. I feel like it's really well researched, and I always want to keep reading. 

Book Review The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon

Goodreads Summary: The year is 1771, and war is coming. Jamie Fraser's wife tells him so. Little as he wishes to, he must believe it, for hers is a gift of dreadful prophecy—a time-traveler's certain knowledge. Claire's unique view of the future has brought him both danger and deliverance in the past; her knowledge of the oncoming revolution is a flickering torch that may light his way through the perilous years ahead—or ignite a conflagration that will leave their lives in ashes.
Goodreads Rating: 4.26 stars with over 158,000 ratings
Genre Listing: Historical Fiction, Romance, Fiction, Fantasy, Time Travel
Goodreads Challenge: 15/60
2020 Reading Challenge: #21 Read a book that was turned into a movie or tv show (see the full challenge here)
Other Reviews on the Series: Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, Drums of Autumn

Book Review:

I wasn't planning on jumping into The Fiery Cross so soon after Drums of Autumn, but I kept seeing things on Twitter that made me need to read it right away. Which is fitting, because I needed something for the movie/tv show slot. I was surprised to find that a lot of The Fiery Cross was from Roger and Brianna's point of view. Roger really gets the short end of the stick when living with the Frasers. I felt so bad for him when reading his scenes.

This was probably my least favorite of the outlander books I've read so far, but I still enjoyed it. There's a lot of day to day stuff regarding how Fraser Ridge function, which I found interesting but not terribly exciting. I think it really picked up for me about halfway through the book. During Jocasta and Duncan's wedding, there's a murder, and I feel like it kind of brushed over. When it first happens, Claire and Jamie are trying to find out what happened, but then I feel like it just gets forgotten when something happens to Jocasta and Duncan. Towards the end of the book, it eventually reveals who the murderer was, but it kind of felt like a neglectful way to tie it up. 

In true Diana Gabaldon fashion, characters never really go away as long as they're alive. There's a lot of mention of Ian in this book, and I got a little spoiled by Twitter because of Season 5 going on right now. I figured with how often the characters mentioned it in the book that he'd probably make an appearance in some fashion. Raymond also gets mentioned, which would be odd and interesting if he made an appearance in book 6. There's a lot about time travel at the end that has my interest sufficiently peaked for book 6. However, I am going to show some restraint and try to catch up on other books since I'm 4 books behind. 

A lot of The Fiery Cross is trying to find Stephen Bonnet. If you don't want spoilers, just skip ahead. Because I can't let this part not be discussed thoroughly. So, in TFC, Jamie is hell-bent on avenging Brianna and killing Bonnet.  On the one hand, I'm for this because he is vile. On the other hand, what ends up happening is so much better.

Roger and Jamie's plans get foiled, and a trap is set for them. Bonnet finds the women-folk alone while they're picking berries or some homesteading activity. The whole scene is a huge Girl-Power moment that had me damn near, shouting for joy for our Fraser ladies. Pregnant Marsali (Seriously, again? Rabbits) tries to get a shot off on Bonnet while Claire is trying to protect Jemmy. Our sharpshooting champion, Brianna, comes in with a gun of her own. Instead of killing him, there is a decent chance that she shoots him in the balls. Gods do I hope that's what happened. I say hope because it's not entirely clear. I assume it will be discussed more in a later book.

The next book should be getting more into Revolutionary history, which I can't wait for. I am such a history nerd. Which I think is why I like this series so much. It covers so much history, and it feels realistic. It doesn't skip over the bad parts or try to glamorize it. I will never claim to be an expert, but it feels well researched.  Now I need to figure out what to read next. I've gone a little crazy with books lately, so I have a lot of choices. 

Book Review: Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon

Goodreads Summary: The magnificent saga continues...
It began in Scotland, at an ancient stone circle. There, a doorway, open to a select few, leads into the past—or the grave. Claire Randall survived the extraordinary passage, not once but twice. Her first trip swept her into the arms of Jamie Fraser, an eighteenth-century Scot whose love for her became legend—a tale of tragic passion that ended with her return to the present to bear his child. Her second journey, two decades later, brought them together again in frontier America. But Claire had left someone behind in the twentieth century. Their daughter, Brianna...

Now Brianna has made a disturbing discovery that sends her to the stone circle and a terrifying leap into the unknown. In search of her mother and the father she has never met, she is risking her own future to try to change history...and to save their lives. But as Brianna plunges into an uncharted wilderness, a heartbreaking encounter may strand her forever in the past...or root her in the place she should be, where her heart and soul belong...
Goodreads Rating: 4.35 stars with over 191,000 ratings
Genre Listing: Historical Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Fiction, Time Travel,
Previous Reviews on the series: Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager
Goodreads Challenge: 9/60
2020 Reading Challenge: 4.) Read a book by your favorite Author (find the full challenge here)

Book Review:

I'm not even sure how to start this review. I was not prepared for the ending. Reading Drums of Autumn ended up being a different experience for me than reading the first three books in the series. I was trying to watch the show on Netflix/Stars. I started after I had already read Voyager, but once I got through season 3, I couldn't stop. I ended up watching most of season 4 before even purchasing Drums of Autumn. I felt like a lot of my internal dialogue while reading was deciphering how the show changed things.

The book is always better, but I don't feel like season four was that far off. There were some timeline changes, except for Jenny not being in season four and the ending I feel like it was a pretty close adaptation. I liked the conclusion in the book way better. I really hope that book five dives more into it. I want to read Brianna and Claire's reaction.

I really liked the history aspect of Drums of Autumn. It's set in an exciting time frame just before the American Revolution. I'm no expert on the subject, but I feel like Diana Gabaldon does an excellent job of research for the historical setting. It feels realistic, and I absolutely adore the frivolous details about attire. It makes me happy.

There's very little in this book that doesn't make me happy. The main thing that does not make me happy is Stephen Bonnet. Holy hell, he is vile. I knew he was awful from watching the show, but somehow he was worse in the book. I can't fully articulate my hate for him, but I was disappointed that he was not gutted like a fish.  Maybe in book 5, but then I'd have to read about him again.

I thought that the relationship between Jamie and Brianna was interesting. The dynamic between them made me laugh and was essentially Jamie arguing with the female version of himself from the future. Despite that, their non-fighting moments were delightful. Jamie makes an absolutely adorable grandpa. I thought it was so cute how adoring he was to the munchkin.

I found it interesting how easily Roger slipped into the 1700s Scot role. He almost seemed unrecognizable from the Scholar once he entered the circle. I think more than once, I muttered, "Communicate, you stubborn Scot." Roger's lineage is really fascinating to me, and we get to find out a little bit more of it in Drums of Autumn. I'm not sure if it's going to get explored more, however. I'm leaning towards it won't get too much more in-depth. I think that there's going to be a lot more conflict between Jamie and Roger.

As always, I adored Jenny. She's one of my favorites in the series. This book, however, she beat out by Lord John Grey. He was just gallant and wonderful. I thought his scenes with Brianna were absolutely hilarious. I'm assuming he'll continue to be a small part of the series. If not, I'm rioting. Which, for me, means I'll silently brood and continue reading.

As with all of the series, I absolutely loved the Drums of Autumn. I can't wait to read book five when I have time to sit down with another 1000 page book.

Book Review: What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon

Goodreads Summary: In an unforgettable love story, a woman’s impossible journey through the ages could change everything…
Anne Gallagher grew up enchanted by her grandfather’s stories of Ireland. Heartbroken at his death, she travels to his childhood home to spread his ashes. There, overcome with memories of the man she adored and consumed by a history she never knew, she is pulled into another time.

The Ireland of 1921, teetering on the edge of war, is a dangerous place in which to awaken. But there Anne finds herself, hurt, disoriented, and under the care of Dr. Thomas Smith, guardian to a young boy who is oddly familiar. Mistaken for the boy’s long-missing mother, Anne adopts her identity, convinced the woman’s disappearance is connected to her own.

As tensions rise, Thomas joins the struggle for Ireland’s independence, and Anne is drawn into the conflict beside him. Caught between history and her heart, she must decide whether she’s willing to let go of the life she knew for a love she never thought she’d find. But in the end, is the choice actually hers to make?

Goodreads Rating: 4.41 stars with over 18,000 ratings
Genre Listing: Historical Fiction, Romance, Time Travel
Goodreads Challenge: 16/50
2019 Reading Challenge: #8 A Romance Novel (Get the full challenge here)

Book Review:

I've had this on my kindle for ages it seems like. I think it might have been a Kindle First read, but I'm not entirely sure. Regardless, it fits nicely in number eight on the Reading challenge list. I wasn't entirely sure how I was going to like What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon. Based on some of the reviews I had read prior, it was basically Irish Outlander. There's a couple of people I've already recommended it to and referred to it as "Irish Outlander." There are some similarities between the two, but I think there are enough differences that separate it quite a bit.  Really for me, the similarities are it's a historical fiction romance centered around time travel.

At first, I thought that Anne's connection to 1921 was a little odd. She essentially goes back in time and takes the place of her great grandmother because they look so similar. She even has the same name, so it tends to be a little confusing in regards to which Anne is being discussed. I think this was intentional, though because it creates this mystery surrounding what happened to the original Anne. As a character, I didn't really enjoy the modern Anne. A good chunk of her personality was centered around the money that she had accumulated in 2001. Aside from her grandfather, she seems to have no one in her modern life. She just has her writing career, her money, and her possessions.

I can't say that Anne ever really grew on me as a character. In her life in 1921, she was tolerable, but I didn't have any real connection to her. She was just there, necessary for the story to progress. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the story quite a bit. I just wasn't particularly wowed by Anne. I found myself more interested in the historical aspects of the story and Thomas's journal entries.

While weird, I did think the connection to 1921 and Ireland was interesting. The time travel seemed to be based on objects and sentiment. I enjoyed the fact that there were breadcrumbs left by modern Anne. These inclusions did not create any time-traveling paradox situations, which was nice and kept it simple. I'm not really sure how to explain it without giving away so much of the story. 

A lot of the story references W.B. Yeats' poetry. This was a nice bonus for me. I used to love reading poetry and would frequently write poetry. I'm not sure why, but over the years I've just stopped reading and writing poems. The inclusion of it in What the Wind Knows made me realize that I really need to make more of an effort on this front.

I think that Outlander fans will enjoy this book, but I wouldn't go in thinking it's going to be an Outlander copycat. It has its own stories, own theories on time travel, own historical events. It's just similar because it's European Historical Fiction and Romance with a time travel theme. Also, if you are hoping for gratuitous sex scenes like in Outlander, you'll be somewhat disappointed. This is pretty PG-13. I highly recommend checking out the author notes at the end. It gives some interesting insight into Amy Harmon's family history.

Book Review: Voyager by Diana Gabaldon

Goodreads Summary: From the author of the breathtaking bestsellers Outlander and Dragonfly in Amber, the extraordinary saga continues.
Their passionate encounter happened long ago by whatever measurement Claire Randall took. Two decades before, she had traveled back in time and into the arms of a gallant eighteenth-century Scot named Jamie Fraser. Then she returned to her own century to bear his child, believing him dead in the tragic battle of Culloden. Yet his memory has never lessened its hold on her... and her body still cries out for him in her dreams.

Then Claire discovers that Jamie survived. Torn between returning to him and staying with their daughter in her own era, Claire must choose her destiny. And as time and space come full circle, she must find the courage to face the passion and pain awaiting her...the deadly intrigues raging in a divided Scotland... and the daring voyage into the dark unknown that can reunite—or forever doom—her timeless love.
Goodreads Rating: 4.39 with over 221,000 ratings
Genre Listing: Historical Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Fiction, Time Travel
Goodreads Challenge: 5/50
2019 Reading Challenge:  #9 A book that has been turned into a TV series or Movie (Find the full challenge here.)
My previous reviews on the series: Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber

Book Review:

Ahh. I finally finished Voyager. Anytime I finish a book this long it feels like such a huge accomplishment because I usually read books that are less than 400 pages. The downside is now Goodreads is telling me that I'm behind. So rude.

This is mostly going to just be me gushing about Voyager because I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT. So far, this is my favorite book in the Outlander series. I think that Voyager gave me everything I had been wanting in the first two books. Not that I didn't love Outlander and Dragonfly in Amber, but Voyager is just so adventure-y and wonderful.

I really loved that Diana Gabaldon gave us a brief glimpse of Claire and Jamie's lives without one another. I think it just made their reunion much more enjoyable and fantastic. One of the things that I was happy to see, even though it was incredibly sad, was Claire's life with Frank once she came back from the past. It was interesting to see Claire try to cope with coming back to her present time as well. I got the sense that until she became a doctor, she didn't really feel useful and felt pretty overwhelmed from just mundane everyday things. 

Jamie went in full outlaw mode without Claire, and I was more interested in his 20 years without Claire once I got into it. He just had to endure so much loneliness and, while Claire did as well, she at least had some distraction from that loneliness. I felt like with Jamie it was just in everything he did. I did find it interesting how he just becomes sort of the Laird almost for the men he was in prison with.  He just seemed to naturally become their leader and protector. His friendship with John Grey was fascinating to me. I've been told I need to check out the books revolving around Grey as well. Ah the TBR list continues to grow and never actually shortens.

There was so much adventure in this book! I don't even know where to begin with it! Smuggling, Brothels, Pirates, and Traveling! I don't know that I was ever bored while reading this. I loved how much Voyager got into the theory behind time traveling. This was another thing that I had been really hoping for since I started reading the series. Obviously, there are a lot more theories to discover, but what was in Voyager definitely satisfied me.

I feel like this entire book was 800 pages of six degrees of separation. Obviously, there was always a genealogical connection with Frank and the Randalls, but Voyager went way beyond that. So many characters that have previously been in the story in some minor capacity came back in this book, and it made it so interesting. There was a lot of me messaging my friend Tress, who got me into the series, and saying "Holy shit, so and so is back!!!" I was just amazed throughout the entire book.

I wanted to instantly move into the fourth book of the series, but alas all of the e-book copies are checked out at my library. I may or may not be pouting about not being able to read it yet. Ah well, I suppose I'll find something else to read in the meantime. There's so much more that I want to say about this book, but I feel like all I will do is discuss spoilers. I absolutely loved it, and welcome anyone  to give their thoughts in the comments!

Book Review: Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon

Goodreads Summary:  From the author of Outlander... a magnificent epic that once again sweeps us back in time to the drama and passion of 18th-century Scotland...
For twenty years Claire Randall has kept her secrets. But now she is returning with her grown daughter to Scotland's majestic mist-shrouded hills. Here Claire plans to reveal a truth as stunning as the events that gave it birth: about the mystery of an ancient circle of standing stones ...about a love that transcends the boundaries of time ...and about James Fraser, a Scottish warrior whose gallantry once drew a young Claire from the security of her century to the dangers of his ....

Now a legacy of blood and desire will test her beautiful copper-haired daughter, Brianna, as Claire's spellbinding journey of self-discovery continues in the intrigue-ridden Paris court of Charles Stuart ...in a race to thwart a doomed Highlands uprising ...and in a desperate fight to save both the child and the man she loves...

Goodreads Rating: 4.32 stars with over 234,000 ratings
Genre Listing: Historical Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Time Travel
Get the book: Amazon, Book Depository
Goodreads Challenge: 16/30
2018 Reading Challenge: #50, A book over 500 pages ( see the reading challenge post here)
Other Review on the series: Outlander

Review:

I FINALLY finished this damn book. I started this book back in April, admittedly I wasn't reading it as quickly as I could have. I think I would have finished it a lot quicker if I had read it on Kindle instead of paperback. I swear big books seem way less daunting in e-book format. It doesn't help that I read mainly in bed, and haven't had that great of a book light to get through this at night. But I finally finished it.

I thought it was really interesting how Dragonfly in Amber started in the 1960's and works it's way back to how Claire got back to her own time. I will say that if you are the type of reader who needs to be instantly drawn into a book, this one may be a bit of a challenge for you. It was for me. I was immediately intrigued at the start when Claire was bringing Brianna and Roger into the story. However, when she starts discussing her life with Jamie in France, it gets a bit tedious.  There's a lot of espionage, but it's a lot of fancy dinner parties, pretending to be friendly with others, and stealing letters. There's not a ton of action at first. 

There were some subplots that I thought were interesting, and some that I thought were reasonably predictable. I do like that Claire starts considering the ramifications of her time traveling. I'd be curious to see if that's addressed more as the series continues. Because of just how much was going on in this book, I can't quite discern if she's changed anything in the book's history or not or if everything is just sort of a fixed point in time and going to happen regardless. Throughout the book there's a question of Frank's lineage and if the happenings are going to affect him ever being born. Claire keeps checking her ring as though it's proof, but honestly, throughout the interactions, I figured out fairly early on that his lineage wasn't precisely what he thought it was. 

Along with this line, there's a subplot regarding Roger and Gellis that I hope gets more attention in Voyager. I think it's fair to assume that Claire tries to go back in time to find Jamie, and I'm kind of curious to see what happens to Fergus. He somewhat felt like an adopted son and thought he was an excellent character addition. One of my favorite side characters in Dragonfly in Amber was Master Raymond. I have no idea why, but I somehow pictured him to be like Billy Crystal's character Miracle Max from Princess Bride. Once that got in my head I couldn't get it out, and it made any of Master Raymond's scenes a hoot to read. 

Overall, I loved Dragonfly in Amber. Diana Gabaldon does a fantastic job of combining fantasy elements with historical fiction elements. I love how she truly makes it feel realistic. She doesn't glamorize the past, she shows it gritty and dirty. I can't wait to read Voyager. Unfortunately, I'm probably going to put it off for a bit because I just don't have it in me right now to read another 900-page book. 

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Book Review of Unhappenings by Edward Aubry

Goodreads Summary:  When Nigel Walden is fourteen, the UNHAPPENINGS begin. His first girlfriend disappears the day after their first kiss with no indication she ever existed. This retroactive change is the first of many only he seems to notice.
Several years later, when Nigel is visited by two people from his future, he hopes they can explain why the past keeps rewriting itself around him. But the enigmatic young guide shares very little, and the haggard, incoherent, elderly version of himself is even less reliable. His search for answers takes him fifty-two years forward in time, where he finds himself stranded and alone.

And then he meets Helen.

Brilliant, hilarious and beautiful, she captivates him. But Nigel’s relationships always unhappen, and if they get close it could be fatal for her. Worse, according to the young guide, just by entering Helen’s life, Nigel has already set into motion events that will have catastrophic consequences. In his efforts to reverse this, and to find a way to remain with Helen, he discovers the disturbing truth about the unhappenings and the role he and his future self-have played all along.

Equal parts time-travel adventure and tragic love story, Unhappenings is a tale of gravely bad choices, and Nigel’s struggle not to become what he sees in the preview of his worst self.

Goodreads Rating: 4.24 stars with just under 400 ratings.
Genre Listing: Science Fiction, Time Travel, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult
Get the Book: Amazon, Book Depository
Book Challenge progress: Pop Sugar Challenge, 3/40 A Romance Set in the future

Review:

Edited 12/1/2016

I happened upon this book (pun intended) via Kindle Unlimited. Yes, I reactivated it. I'm an addict to having books at the touch of my finger. I'll be honest I was wanting to read it without even getting through the entire synopsis. I must say, this book was very engaging. I say this because I started it last night and only paused for a few hours to sleep. It's an easy read, and at only 370 pages, it doesn't take long to read.

If you require a lot of character detail, this is probably not the book for you. There's not a lot of information regarding what characters look like and a whole lot of background story on them. It's very much a "you know what you need to know" type of book. There is also a lot of questions/foreshadowing that comes from the characters. The answers to these questions usually result in an "I don't know" or a "you'll find out" type of answer from the characters. I say this because I honestly lost count of how many times Penelope/Una/Athena tells Nigel she doesn't know or that she can't answer his questions. It's annoying, but I got past it. Eventually, questions start getting answered.

I didn't find any of the characters particularly remarkable. I did like the mystery surrounding Penelope/Una/Athena, but honestly the big reveal isn't that surprising. I had guessed it fairly early on in the book. Helen's likable enough, but I feel like she's almost too likable. There are no real quirks to her. She's agreeable, superficially witty, and just accepts everything that happens for most of the story. I don't have any real like or dislike for Nigel. He's just necessary to the story. Carlton's presence just seems like it was taken to the absolute extreme.

For me, the best part of the story was the unhappenings. I found myself interested to see what would "unhappen" and what timeline would take its place. The time travel was interesting as well, but it does get a little crazy trying to keep track of all the whens. There is a lot f jumping around between timelines. It's not too awful to keep up with, though.

Eventually, everything does make sense. All of the questions that are asked are answered. The unhappenings are explained, and things set themselves right. I will say that the time traveling aspect of it is very similar to aspects of Doctor Who. I say it reminds me of these two things because there's a lot of  Nigel's timeline going forward while Penelope/Una/Athena's timeline was working backward. That kind of reminded me of The Doctor and River Song. There's also a lot of asking where in the timeline they are.

As usual with my Kindle reads, here are some quotes I found particularly interesting.

"Memo to self: if a person is obviously lying about something, it is a good idea to consider the possibility that he is lying about everything." -Chapter Twenty-Seven
  - I just think this is sound advice.

"You have everywhere and everywhen to go." - Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Three
 - I just love this out of context. In the book, it's actually sad, but out of context, it sounds so promising to someone with a severe case of wanderlust.


Overall, this is not a bad book. I enjoyed it very much. It's by no mean a great read, but it is entertaining. I think that's generally what matters most in books. I rarely read to be enlightened and empowered. I read to be entertained.

Book Review of Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Goodreads Summary: The year is 1945. Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon—when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient stone circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach—an “outlander”—in a Scotland torn by war and raiding border clans in the year of Our Lord . . . 1743.
Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire is catapulted into the intrigues of lairds and spies that may threaten her life . . . and shatter her heart. For here James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, shows her a love so absolute that Claire becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire . . . and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.

Goodreads Rating: 4.18 stars with over 430,000 ratings

Genre Listing: Historical Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Time Travel, Adventure,

Get the Book: Outlander, Book Depository

Listing for Popsugar book challenge: A book that's more than 600 pages. 1 down, 39 to go!

Link to the Book Haul: January 2016 Book Haul

Edit: Review of next book in series: Dragonfly in Amber

Review:

Edited 12/1/2016

Well, I'm not even going to build the suspense for my thoughts. I have a new addiction, and it's the Outlander series. I'll try to do this review without spoilers, but I make no promises. I just want talk about everything Outlander right now.

I received this book for Christmas and had been told for a while I need to read this. I now completely understand why. I was hooked by page seven. Initially what drew me in was the wit that shared between Frank and Claire. It was easy to start adoring both characters, and I found them humorous.

I love historical fiction, and for me, Outlander provided a lot of things to grab my interest. I enjoyed reading about the Scottish culture. I enjoyed reading about the Pagan rituals. I found the descriptions of the landscape incredibly lovely. There's adventure, romance, action. It's fantastic.

As I've said before, I love Claire's wit. I like that there's a balance in her predicaments. There're times where she has to be saved, but there's also times where she saves the situation. She's a strong lead, which was very refreshing.  I appreciated the inner turmoil she goes through regarding her situation. She loves Frank, but she loves Jamie, and then there is the whole ordeal of being trapped in a different time. I felt like this showed a lot of character depth.

I love how stubborn Jamie is, and yet at the same time he shows a lot of wisdom. He's rugged, handsome, a warrior, and educated. I love how well he and Claire match each other. They're both so feisty and a little hot headed.

All of the characters, even the side ones, seem so well developed. Yes, the book is 850 pages long, but with that length, you are getting an actual connection to all of the characters. Not just Claire, Jamie, and to some extent Frank. You're getting the stories of the clansmen and women, and many other people that Jamie and Claire encounter.

The history nerd in me is very curious to see if we get to see Claire's actions change the course of history. I'm hoping that the second book touches more on the time travel aspect of the story. Obviously in this book she did the time traveling and was dealing with the adjustment of that. I just really want to see the ramifications of that. I also really enjoyed the philosophical/ theological debate between Claire and Brother Anselm towards the end of the book. I love a good philosophical debate, and this satisfied.

Originally I had thought that the book should have ended in some grand gesture when Claire made her choice between Frank or Jamie. I was getting a little frustrated and bored with it after she chose because of it. Now that I've finished the book, I can completely understand why it didn't end there. So much more happens in that last ~300 pages or so. Wow. Obviously, I'm in love with the book. I don't have anything negative to say about it. I'm going to need to make a trip to the bookstore and acquire the next in the series.

(Like I'd rate this anything but 5 moons)

Book Review of Gates of Thread and Stone by Lori M. Lee

Goodreads Summary: In the Labyrinth, we had a saying: keep silent, keep still, keep safe.

In a city of walls and secrets, where only one man is supposed to possess magic, seventeen-year-old Kai struggles to keep hidden her own secret—she can manipulate the threads of time. When Kai was eight, she was found by Reev on the riverbank, and her “brother” has taken care of her ever since. Kai doesn’t know where her ability comes from—or where she came from. All that matters is that she and Reev stay together, and maybe one day move out of the freight container they call home, away from the metal walls of the Labyrinth. Kai’s only friend is Avan, the shopkeeper’s son with the scandalous reputation that both frightens and intrigues her.

Then Reev disappears. When keeping silent and safe means losing him forever, Kai vows to do whatever it takes to find him. She will leave the only home she’s ever known and risk getting caught up in a revolution centuries in the making. But to save Reev, Kai must unravel the threads of her past and face shocking truths about her brother, her friendship with Avan, and her unique power.

Goodreads Ratings: 3.69 with over 1600 ratings

Genre Listing: Fantasy, Young Adult, Science Fiction, Time Travel, Romance, Mythology, Paranormal, Dystopian,

Get the book: Amazon,  Book Depository

Review:

Edited 12/1/2016

Disclaimer: I received this book in exchange for a review through NetGalley.

It's been a while since I've read a decent dystopian. The genre is becoming more and more popular, which means sifting through a lot of crap to find the gems. All of the ones I've been reading have been similar to me lately. Gates of Thread and Stone was a refreshing change of pace in the world of Dystopian novels.

Kai is a strong female lead who can kick ass. She's street smart and a bit of a true survivor because of how she has to live in the labyrinth. Kai never once came across as weak to me. Throughout the book, she's consistently determined, stubborn, and does what she has to get by. I liked that a lot in her. There's a love interest, and it's mentioned a few times, but it never steals the storyline. It's always just in the background. I liked this, because as I've said before, nothing bothers me more than unnecessary romance scenes.

I thought that the details of the book were fantastic. I could tell that this world was gritty and dirty, and potentially even hell on earth. I thought that the twist of the Infinite was fascinating and different. It combined some of my favorite things to read about, strong characters, magic, mythology, and post-apocalyptic civilization.

Kind of a spoiler: I did not trust Avan at all during this book. It's not that I disliked him, but he seemed fake and like he had ulterior motives to helping Kai. The entire time I was wondering when his true colors showed. I guess they did in a way, just not the way I had expected.

I don't know how I feel about Reev. The whole story was about him, but he wasn't there. When he was around, there wasn't a whole lot of emotion. He was just there.

One thing that did bug me about this is all of the actions seemed like they were too convenient. Obviously, a lot of that was because of the way the end of the story worked out. But it still would have been nice to see some kinks thrown into plans. (Sorry, that's vague. I'm trying to do this without spoilers). It made a lot of events rather predictable.

Overall, I enjoyed it and will probably be on the look out for the next book.

Four out of Five Moons

Book Review of Hollow City by Ransom Riggs

Goodreads summary: Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children was the surprise best seller of 2011—an unprecedented mix of YA fantasy and vintage photography that enthralled readers and critics alike.

This second novel begins in 1940, immediately after the first book ended. Having escaped Miss Peregrine's island by the skin of their teeth, Jacob and his new friends must journey to London, the peculiar capital of the world. Along Review of Hollow City by Ransom Riggs the way, they encounter new allies, a menagerie of peculiar animals, and other unexpected surprises.

Complete with dozens of newly discovered (and thoroughly mesmerizing) vintage photographs, this new adventure will delight readers of all ages.

Goodreads rating: 4.03 with over 30,000 ratings.

Genre listings: Fantasy, Young Adult, Horror, Paranormal, Mystery, Historical Fiction, Supernatural, Time travel, Adventure

Get the Book: Amazon, Book Depository
My other reviews of Ransom Riggs' books: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Review:

Edited 12/1/2016

This series is easily becoming a favorite of mine. I didn't get much of a chance to read this throughout the week, but I got through it pretty quickly over the weekend. I can't get over how imaginative it is or the compiled pictures. The photos add a unique touch to an already unique story. I love how odd it all is.

Something I enjoyed about this second book is that it was all in a time loop. It added a great deal of historical context to the adventure. It also became a lot more about what Jacob could do and not just about stories from his grandfather. There was lots of character development that I thoroughly enjoyed.

I think that one of my favorite parts of these stories is that it's not just about Jacob or his relationship with Emma. I feel like a lot of books recently just focus on the relationship aspect of a story. This (and the first book in the series) have been so much more than that. There's an original adventure, mystery, and characters a reader can care about. I love that each of Jacob's friends gets time to shine and help the crusade.

Overall I feel that this is an incredibly imaginative and well-rounded story. It's got a lot of things I love about it, and very few things that I dislike about it. It's a shame that the 3rd book won't be coming out until 2015 sometime. There is apparently a graphic novel, though. I'm not really into graphic novels, but I feel like I need to check this one out. Also, I've just learned via Ransom Rigg's website that Tim Burton is directing a movie of Miss Peregrine's home for peculiar children. I can not even start to describe how incredibly stoked I am for this. Time Burton is my absolute favorite director, and I think his creepy ways are going to do this book a lot of justice. I've already relayed to my husband that we WILL be going to see it on opening day, no matter what. It's happening. I can't wait. I've been doing a dorky little happy dance since I found out.

Five out of five moons.