The Prince of Nowhere by Emily Drake

Honestly, this was not what I was expecting. I was not expecting the two year time-jump, not that it made any difference whatsoever. I was expecting something having to do with Gregory, which this did not at all. It was honestly okay most of the way through, which seems to be par for the course with The Magickers series. The ending, as usual, was super rushed, though also took forever getting there.

So, the nothing burger of a time-jump. I honestly feel like it was there to have given Ting/Pearl time to become a larger dragon and explain how she’s now used to this. Trent and Jason seem to have figured out how to use Trent’s abilities in a much different manner than Trent was using them in The Gate of Bones. That was so different I was confused as to what anyone was talking about in regard to Trent’s abilities. But otherwise… everything is pretty much the same as it was at the end of The Gate of Bones.

I enjoyed meeting and getting to know Leah. She’s a fun new character. I’m honestly glad, though, that we only got this short amount of time with her, as I feel like she would have just faded into the ensemble if the series were continuing. Along with Leah, we got more of a glimpse into Haven’s other inhabitants and how another piece of their society works.

Eyomani was honestly a nothing burger of an antagonist. His motivation, explained at the very end, was honestly stupid. I would have rather not had him at all and just focused on finding Rich’s cure. That, and dealing with Leah and her tracker-companion would have been just fine.

So, yeah… The Prince of Nowhere was largely just alright. The very ending felt like a rushed mess that had to basically tie up everything

 

In Other News

I finished another OviPets Project. This one is an approximation of the Digimon: Sakumon. Sakumon has a blade on its head and OviPets doesn't have that option so the unicorn horn had to do.

Sakumon took me approximately 3 months to complete and is a "Village of Beginnings" project.

The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

The Last Olympian had me in tears a good few times. I largely chalk this up to a waves of backup Percy and the Campers receive over the course of the New York Battle. I’ve said it before and I will say it probably a thousand more times: I am a sucker for the “Big Damn Heroes” Trope in which everyone and their mother shows up to help save the day. The Last Olympian had many such moments and therefore: tears. Couldn’t help it.

I am rather glad that Nico got more characterization. I originally found him mostly a non-entity, so I’m glad that’s changed. I'm not sure exactly how much of a spoiler it is to say that Thalia makes a reappearance... but she does. It was the first of the "Big Damn Heroes" moments that had me tearing up. She seems much more grounded here, though I'm not sure exactly what gave me that impression.

After the reveals about Luke's mother, I saw Rachel Dare's fate coming. I honestly thought it was rather obvious, though I like her as a character. 

I don’t think I have much else specific to say about The Last Olympian. I enjoyed it a lot more than the other books, that’s for sure. It felt much more focused, which, given the New York Battle took up a sizable chunk of the book, makes sense. Definitely an acceptable and satisfying end to Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

 On A Personal Note

I honestly would probably have enjoyed these more when I was younger. I've been told by and IRL coworker/friend that the next batch of books is better... however, I really have zero desire to continue beyond this point. Plus, well, I'm more excited to start The Wheel of Time. I might return to the Percy Jackson universe at some stage, but... not right now.

I'll do my customary pallette cleanser standalone novel before starting The Wheel of Time. Just so ya'll know where I'm at, reading-wise. 

Wyvernhail by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

Spoiler Free Reread Review

Wyvernhail is the fastest paced of these five books. Hai's desperation to save the future from the flames of the unborn Keyi is palpable. She, no overt spoilers, does manage to save everything and tie a neat bow on the whole series. Wyvernhail is also a book of self-discovery for Hai, though I don't think she realizes it until the very end.

I'm not entirely sure how I feel about Wyvernhail personally. On the one hand, I am again frustrated by the way Wyvern's Court is still super segregated, though that is both less and more of an issue in Wyvernhail. I am annoyed by the falcon interference. I am pleased that Hai, despite being pulled this way and that by her magic, is able to have some adult relationships that are implied to be... well... less than healthy. And to be clear, I'm not pleased by the less-than-healthy aspects of this, but by the fact her character isn't infantilized.

Wyvernhail also does a lot of heavy lifting, as far as the World Building for the entire series. There's been bits a pieces of the past scattered throughout the series, but Wyvernhail comes right out and explains what happened with Maeve and Keisha and Alasdair and the falcons. It feels cathartic, but I also doubt Hai really explains any of this to her compatriots, so I'm not sure whether or not it's helpful to the people of Wyvern's Court.

I do like Wyvernhail well enough. Definitely not as up on it as I was on first read, but then, I've grown since then so... yeah.

Promises to Keep by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

Mostly Spoiler-Free Reread Review

So, Promises to Keep is essentially where the Den of Shadows/Nyeusigrube series ends. It doesn't precisely feel like an ending, nor really a beginning... which will make more sense if you read it to the end. There ends up being a lot going on that both is and isn't properly explained. That's not a bad thing, but... does feel sort of rushed.

Promises to Keep combines all the elements from the stories that came before and the characters. It gives Token of Darkness an actual reason for being (which I had forgotten on my last reread) as, it turns out, Promises to Keep deals rather heavily in the Elementals that were more properly introduced in Token of Darkness. I was highly interested in the inner-workings of the Nyeusigrube magic system and Promises to Keep managed to explain it better than any of the other books. The power scaling from Token of Darkness's Samantha to what Jay deals with in Promises to Keep is all the more impressive considering Samantha was just a weak Elemental and nearly killed a girl.

I also quite enjoyed Jay as a character. He was a bright spot in All Just Glass and is definitely more fleshed out here. He's a relatively light, fun character, as Nyeusigrube characters go. Just what this story needed. His relationship with Brina was very interesting. I like them as a pair.

I do confess that I had a fondness for Xeke and Rikai from well before I read them in these pages. Amelia Atwater-Rhodes' website in the early 2000's had some message boards in which she would essentially roleplay her characters with users. It was good fun and endeared me to Xeke and Rikai. It was definitely fun to finally see them in the pages of Nyeusigrube proper.

I am largely satisfied with the ending... or multiple endings. We get to check in on a few of the more prominent Nyeusigrube denizens, see how they're doing post-Elemental shenanigans. I won't spoil any of that. It really did feel like a good send off (or just a stopping point) for the world and its characters.

2014 Review

Favorite Lines

"Do not disturb except in case of unexplained life-threatening injuries. It would suck if the healers let him die because her left a badly worded note." - Jay Marinitch Narration

"You live comfortably in one of the wealthiest nations in the world," Brina said, voice clipped. "You live on the bones of your own ancestors, who were eradicated by the expanding white populations. The food you eat, the clothes you wear, the toys you buy are often made across the oceans by nameless, faceless workers living in conditions you would find intolerable." - Brina di'Birgetta

"Cat pee never lies." - Xeke

The Skies of Pern by Anne McCaffrey

I really loved The Skies of Pern. It was the prefect blend of action and politics and, ya know, general Pern-ness. I did the rest of my review in parts, like the book, so enjoy. Oh, and slight spoilers toward the end.

Part 1

Okay so… this is really hitting close to home, as I have found several of the Pern books to do. Of course there would be a faction of people on Pern who don’t like how quickly tech is advancing. Of course they would form coalitions to try and stop it. Of course this parallels what had happened and continues to happen here on Earth. There’s even spread of disinformation happening! All very real and very close to home these days. I’m honestly crossing my fingers Pern never gets the internet.

I do quite like F’lessan and Tai. F’lessan’s been around in other Pern books, but there hasn’t really been time to get to know him as an adult until now. I like Tai, though she does suffer from orphan-itis. Dead parents and an independent streak a mile long.

Part 2

Probably the most nerve-wracking bit of writing I’ve come across in a while. Riveting, as well. Nothing like a natural disaster to get the blood pumping. I felt every moment of those emergency evacuations. Kind of wish we had dragons here for that sort of thing.

I honestly got choked up a couple times during this section. If that doesn’t tell you how well it’s written, I dunno what will.

Part 3

Rebuilding, thwarting Abominator plans, and creating a dragon rider-centric Crafthall.

Tai’s experience with F’lessan was interesting, if only to highlight how traumatizing, actually, it would be to be a dragon rider during mating flights. I really like the F’lessan/Tai relationship. F’lessan does his very, very best to get consent from Tai during that mating flight and it’s pretty damn cool, considering how consent during mating flights has been previously portrayed.

The thwarting of the Abominators at the Printer Crafthall was kind of fun. Gotta love a bit of helpful skullduggery.

Part 4

I do think it’s kind of funny that “we’ve” discovered dragon telekinesis after Aivas wanted to use it on the engines (or whatever his plan was) in All the Weyrs of Pern.

There we go again, friggin’ dragons making me cry. I love Pernese dragons so, so much. The Monaco riders showing up to help Golly fly again was also a tear-jerking moment.

The demise of the “villain” of the piece was anti-climactic. Not that I was expecting something drawn out, but… yeah. Oh well. I should probably be disappointed that (unless Todd McCaffrey decides to continues into the “present” Pern) it doesn’t seem like we’ll get an ending to the Abominators completely, buy… I’m really not. This sort of thing probably wouldn’t go away completely anyway, if the current Neo-Nazi movement is any indication. I do sort of wish Toric got his ultimate comeuppance, but I’m happy to see the back of his character.

Favorite Lines

"And those are happy to believe easy lies rather than complicated truths," - Lord Jaxom

"Since when has the middle of the night been free of trouble!" - Master Idarolan

"The written word has a power all its own, that rumor can never replace. So you publish truth. The Abominators circulate rumor. A person can reread words and reestablish truth. Rumor can't be caught, can't be traced. It may be more fun to pass along but a book, a sheet of printed paper, that's tangible and the sense of it doesn't change when it's passed from hand to hand." - Pinch

Symphony for a Deadly Throne by E.J. Mellow

I quite enjoyed Symphony for a Deadly Throne. It was a very nice mix of adventure and romance, though most of it was in the romance category. There was a lot of back and forth between Zimri and Arabessa, though not exactly frustratingly so.

I say that, but I did spend a lot of time being incredibly angry with Zimri. Sir, you live in a kingdom where you know “Silent Oaths” and “Secret Stealers” are a thing and you feel the need to keep pressing Arabessa for hers. She kept TELLING YOU she needed time and basically couldn’t tell you anything else and you just had to keep pushing. Much “UGH!” about that whole mess.

I would like to know why Kativa’s parents under this time-crunch to get her married? Shouldn’t the betrothal be enough within the time frame they imposed? Especially given how things worked out… Just all seemed weird and very much a plot-contrivance.

Arabessa’s feelings about being the eldest child were incredibly realistic and relatable. Lord knows I’ve felt that same kind of pressure more than once. My sisters and I might not be Mousai, but having to care for them at various points in our lives was definitely a thing.

Symphony for a Deadly Throne was also a fitting ending to this trilogy. I’m satisfied with it.

Favorite Lines

"Perfection is a made-up construct. It is much like time: it cannot be held, and only fools would waste sands falling in an attempt to try." - Zimri/The Collector

“No one said anything about knives being allowed,” he protested. 

     “Knives are always allowed.” - Zimri/The Collector & Arabessa Bassette

The Bone Ship's Wake by R.J. Barker

A spoiler-free review in three parts, just like the book itself.

Part I

Started out very cinematically. Really loved the first couple chapters. I liked seeing Tide Child from an outside perspective. “Liked” Meas’ chapter… ya know, as much as one can “like” descriptions of torture or whatever. It was fun seeing how much Joron has changed over all three books. He’s truly come into his own here.

Honestly, a good chunk of this dragged. The whole chase sequence was yawn inducing. I’ve been reading this at work and it took me days to get through this section. Probably how the crew of the Tide Child felt.

Part II

I’m not sure how I feel about this part. Meas is finally rescued. The greater plot pieces fall into place. Well-loved characters are lost. And I think Joron’s finally accepted the whole “Caller” thing.

There’s a lot of dealing with trauma, which I appreciate. It’s a lot.

Part III

Okay, the reveal of the keyshan flags got me. Teared/choked up some. Same with the final battle… or moments in it.

This last part is, again, a lot of waiting and planning and more waiting. The realities of life on a ship, where travel is relatively slow, actually, really, really set in here.

The final battle was interesting enough. The main magic of the series finally completely released to do what was foretold… alright, if somewhat vague as to what was actually happening. Made sense, as Joron rarely knew exactly what was happening, even with his own gift. Anyway, I’m satisfied with how this ended.

Favorite Lines

"...if you think you can dilute your pain in blood you are wrong. Blood will only feed it." - Garriya

"Terrible acts, Joron, they are often unthinking. We learn, and we get better. It is those who do not learn, or simply embrace and become inured to the terrible things we do that must be feared, and must be stopped." - Meas Gilbryn

In Other News

I've finished another OviPets project! This one is the first of my "Cafe Digi" line: Hot Cocoa.

Rituals by Kelley Armstrong

I have reached the "official" end of the series... still got two more novellas to go, but Rituals marks the end of the main series. It was quite the ending... threading in some little loose ends rather deftly, all things considered, while at the same time throwing in an ultimate Big Bad for the series that was apparently there all along, just not as overt as the Tylwyth Teg and Cŵn Annwn. The sluagh, a semi-interesting addition that really drove the plot more than anything else.

I'm not sure I really agree with Olivia's decision of "mates" in the end. Of course, I also didn't really think Kelley Armstrong was going to go the polycule route, either. Still... I think I'm just gonna make that my head-cannon. Olivia chooses who she chooses for the sake of the plot but they end up in a polycule down the line because that just makes more sense to me. "Stick together" is much easier in a modern relationship than it would have been between the kingdoms of Gywnn and Arawn.

I really, really enjoyed the addition of Helia and Alexios. They were a lot of fun and added a much-needed breath of levity. I was half-expecting them to be the solution to the sluagh's, uh... spoilery thing it turned out the sluagh were responsible for... but... yeah. They were fun.

I'm glad we finally got an answer as to what exactly's going on with Grace's apartment building. I liked that addition to the lore. Liked most of the additions to the lore. They were very well done and satisfying overall. Oh! I almost forgot about Lloergan! I'd hoped we'd get more of her, and we did. Even a pronunciation guide to her name... though you won't catch me trying to say it anytime soon. Didn't even stick after reading it a few times. But anyway, Lloergan was very sweet and her presence very welcome.

Seanna's reemergence I could honestly take or leave. She was a puzzle piece, ultimately. One that felt a little shoe-horned in, if I'm being completely honest, but... yeah. I suppose I was just as curious as anyone as to why she seduced (or whatever) Patrick all those years ago and we did get that answer... but she was very "meh" as a character, all told.

Rituals was a satisfying ending to the Cainsville series. I like that it's ultimately open to additions, as with the pair of novellas I'm about to read... and, ultimately, I'm just glad to not have to read more of the love triangle thing. Persephone would be proud, I think.

Favorite Lines

"Right or wrong, one cannot argue with the excitement value of a good murder, because it leads to a good mystery." - Helia

"Adventure comes with risk or it would hardly feel adventurous." - Helia

"We love traps. They're like puzzles, only with higher stakes." - Olivia Taylor-Jones

Talking to Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede

I love Talking to Dragons. Patricia C. Wrede says in her introduction that Talking to Dragons was one of those books that basically wrote itself without her really thinking about it. It feels that way to read. The story grabs you and pulls you along to the end. The whole thing is very good.

It's interesting to know more than the main character. Daystar knows absolutely nothing about his family history and very little about the Enchanted Forest. Whereas, having read the previous three books, we know much, much more. Morwen and Telemain, for instance. We know who they are and that they can be trusted, even is Telemain is messing around with a wizard staff for research reasons, probably. Then there's the whole castle thing and freeing Mendanbar... we know that's where Daystar and Shiara are ultimately headed, even if they have zero clue.

I really quite liked Shiara, Suz, and the young dragon. Shiara's right up my alley, as far as temperament goes. Love those fiesty characters. Suz reminds me a lot of The Worm from Jim Henson's Labyrinth. I don't quite imagine Suz having The Worm's voice, but it's close. The young dragon was a delight. It's nice to see a young dragon, as up 'til now, we've only seen adults. Plus, I think they lend an extra air of whimsy to the whole thing.

I think the most memorable random-happening outside of cameos was the princess and her knight. That seemed to go on a bit, but it was amusing. I was very much of the same mind as Shiara about the princess. Girl needed to grow a brain, that's for sure. Also actually gave a bit of added perspective on how Cimorene was expected to behave when she was a princess.

It seems like Antorell has really gone downhill in terms of intelligence in the 17-ish years since we last saw him. I mean, he wasn't too bright to begin with, but... yeah. Man's got some serious issues regarding his thinking process.

But yeah... Talking to Dragons is easily my favorite of the quartet after Dealing with Dragons. It's refreshing to have that sparkle back after the, uhm, slowness... drudgery... of Calling on Dragons. Definitely a fitting end to the series, even if it was written first.

Favorite Lines

"Being upset is no excuse," Mother said sternly. "If you're going to be rude, do it for a reason and get something from it." - Cimorene

"That," said Morwen, "was a sword. They are long, pointed, and very sharp. You're lucky it didn't take your head off."

A Slight Spoiler Comment

I just want to say that Morwen and Telemain planning on getting married all of a sudden is unecessary, in my opinion. I know that we're basically missing 17-ish years of their lives between Calling on Dragons and Talking to Dragons, but their relationship just wasn't skewing romantically, like, at all in Calling on Dragons.

I remembered that this was a thing and so I was looking for some kind of romance between them... but no. It's just not there. I'm personally going to head cannon it away. They are platonic friends forever in my mind.

Goldenhand by Garth Nix

I am definitely not as enamored with Goldenhand as I was with the rest of the Abhorsen/Old Kingdom series. It was good, but it wasn’t fantastic. The pacing was quick, for the most part, but also not in a detrimental way. The characters were as lovely and vibrant as ever. Goldenhand was just missing something, for me, that would have elevated it.

Kind of in love with Mistress Finney. Might be a little silly, but I like the added dimension to message hawks. This is a very small part of the story, but I always love me some world-building so… yeah.

Not a fan of romance, really, but Nick and Lirael being awkward and ridiculous around each other amuses me. I’m not sure how I feel about another quick romance… or two, actually, but I am glad there was no will-they-won’t-they dithering for too terribly long. About a day, I think, maybe?

I feel like Ferin’s chapters detailing her battle/running-thing on the shale ridge took forever due to Nix needing to line Ferin’s actions up to Lirael’s. It did feel a little weird that Ferin’s speaking style seemed to change between that adventure and when she’s talking to Sam later. Somehow gone from perfectly eloquent to having some sort of ESL-like cadence. I’m not doing a good job of explaining, so I’ll just reiterate that it felt weird.

Overall, I’m perfectly happy with Goldenhand. Happy, not over-joyed. I’m glad Lirael got some closure with the Clayr. I’m glad Clariel gets a better ending. However, I do feel like all my emotions were spent at the end of Abhorsen, so there’s that.

Abhorsen by Garth Nix

Abhorsen is, without a doubt, a very good and fitting end to the trilogy… though the story goes on. Abhorsen is filled with more world-building, character growth, and… well… adventure is the only word that’s coming to mind. The pace is excellent. I devoured Abhorsen in approximately a day, if that tells you anything. It was very good. I cried. Usually the mark of a very good story.

The ABSOLUTE IRONY of Chlorr of the Mask being the one to besiege Abhorsen’s House. Spoiler if you haven’t read Clariel, but Chlorr is Clariel. And if you’ve read Clariel you understand the irony. It’s pretty delectable, honestly.

I actually enjoy Sam in this book. He doesn’t spend his time worrying or sunk into his previous depression, which is good. He’s actually shown to be more clever than he was before, so that was also good.

Lirael is ever growing, learning to be the Abhorsen-In-Waiting and actual Abhorsen. It’s pretty cool to “watch.” I especially enjoyed her few mostly-solo missions, especially the one at the end.

I am very satisfied with this ending. It was the ending of the Abhorsen/Old Kingdom series for a while. Like I said in the beginning, I cried. Several times, in fact. I’m ever a sucker for teams coming together and/or military people saying “fuck it” to the rules because they gotta do the right thing. Got both of those here. I’m still highly satisfied. But now I’m off to The Creature in the Case… well, a shower and some other things, but that’s what’s next.

A Slight Annoyance

My Goodreads reading goal was set to 80 books. Abhorsen is book 80. However!!!!

The Goodreads App glitched and did not give me the "Yay! You did it!" Plaque thingy with the confetti. I am very, very annoyed about this. 😑😡

So now I've set my goal to 81 and will hopefully get the dang confetti when I log my next book.

The Sandman: Book Six by Neil Gaiman

The Dream Hunters: I mostly skimmed this adaptation. I enjoyed the art, but not as much as that which accompanied the original. The story is still quite awesome.

The Sandman: Overture: Aaahhh! Victorian Death! She looks amazing. Truly, the art in “Overture” is amazing. I love it so much. So, so much to look at, too. Gonna have to go back and just peruse some of the pages just to see what I missed the first time.

The story is fantastic. I was riveted at every moment. Definitely an epic “beginning” to The Sandman.

The Sandman Universe: Eh, twas interesting. Not interesting enough to throw me down that rabbit-hole, but interesting. Nice art, too.

Lioness Rampant by Tamora Pierce

A Semi-Spoilery Reread Review

So, I have read Lioness Rampant three times at this point. I will tell you that I did not remember what the hell happened through 90% of the book at any given moment between the last time I read it and the present. I feel like that's probably because there was actually a lot that happened. Lioness Rampant is a "quest book" -- as Pierce puts it in the 2014 afterword -- but the quest isn't the main focus of the end, which is arguably more jam packed than the rest of the book. I barely remembered what happened during that last 90% as well. There's just so much and it honestly made me tear up this time around.

So, the things I remembered are technically spoilers, so... you've been warned. I promise not to spoil the end, though.

Thayet and Buri eventually ending up in Tortall. I have read and remember more of Protector of the Small and so had it hammered into my brain that Thayet eventually becomes queen and Buri sticks around. I remembered Thayet was a warlord's daughter, but not much beyond that. I did not remember how they ended up in Tortall, like, at all. I think I vaguely remembered Alanna introducing Thayet to Jonathan... I mean, her court entrance was amazeballs in my mind. Big Beauty and the Beast style staircase and the dress was super vivid in my brain. How could I forget that?

I knew Alanna got the Dominion Jewel, but the method by which she got it totally left my brain and still wants to. I think the concept of more eldritch being tied to certain places is a cool concept, though not one I think is explored again... I swear I read Immortals at some stage but I literally remember nothing except Daine so I cannot say for sure. I assume that's where the eldritch beings might come into play... but yeah. Alanna fights a big ol' ape in the cold. Cool. *shrug* moving on.

I did not remember Liam at all. He exists aaaaand then poof, gone from my brain. I guess that's kind of amusing for the Shang Dragon being as they're supposed to be the best of the best and I just plum forget him every time. Liam kind of struck me as Scottish or whatever the Tortallan-y version of that is. I really don't have much to say about him.

The ending part of the book is just so much court stuff piled in on top of itself. So much to remember and keep straight for as long as it's happening, I guess. I was really touched on Alanna's behalf when people were welcoming her home and accepting her as The Lioness. Made me tear up. I guess I was more attached to these guys than I thought.

I did remember the whole scene where Jon gives George his pardon and makes him a Baron. That scene lives rent free in my head for some reason. I did forget that it was a bit later than all the other stuff, like Alanna becoming Champion and whatnot. Thought those scenes were one... I was wrong. Go figure.

Alanna shows in Lioness Rampant that she really has grown from even the end of The Woman Who Rides Like a Man. Her growth isn't exactly super obvious, but sneaks up on you. It's definitely a factor in how she eventually deals with the resurrected Roger. Actually uses her head instead of just rushing in all reckless and whatnot. Not that she was super prone to that in the beginning, but... I dunno. It felt significant.

The last thing I remembered was the whole thing around Roger. I won't talk about it here, but his machinations were definitely something to remember. I didn't quite get the setting in my head right or all the details, but it was largely correct and present in my head as I was reading. Every time Alanna awoke from one of her vision-dreams, I was like, "nope, girl, that wasn't just a dream."

So yeah, I liked Lioness Rampant. It's very likely a good portion of it is going to slip my mind again until my next reread, but I feel like that's okay. Rediscovering Alanna's story is part of what makes my disparate rereads fun.

Favorite Line

"Fairy stories are important," Jendrai told Alanna. "Legends teach us and guide scholars in searching out the truth of history." - Nahom Jendrai

Forest of Ruin by Kelley Armstrong

I really feel like a good chunk of Forest of Ruin drastically slowed the plot and killed the urgency. There’s just so much relationship stuff going on here, and not just romantic relationship stuff. Also, Alvar Kitsune really goes from being this big looming threat to, like, Voldemort in the first couple of Harry Potter books. Like, you know he’s there but he’s not a direct or even an actual threat anymore.

There’s a lot of running around throughout Forest of Ruin that’s essentially tying up the very loose ends from the previous two books. We left Ashyn and Ronan with her grandfather and the revelation that dragons are being brought into this. Moria and Gavril have to deal with their mission from the Emperor, which Tyrus also has to deal with because he can’t just stay put for two seconds if he’s not ill. And then we gotta find the kids — finally — and foil Albar Kitsune’s big giant plans that no one has any idea about… and resolve the various relationship issues at the same time. Led to a very draggy book, to be honest. The sense of urgency from the previous books just up and died.

The resolution to the whole “we must keep Tyrus away from the capital or Emperor Tatsu’s going to be forced to imprison him or whatever” thing was super underwhelming. If it was that easy to just walk up and air grievances in front of the city, why didn’t you do that before? The deal was barely sweetened by the children and the macguffin of a dragon. Honestly, the only other thing gained by that whole runaround was Gavril’s Mom Trauma.

And speaking of Alvar’s plans that could have and essentially did go wrong… he basically turned Gavril against him at every turn. This weird belief in Gavril’s unfailing filial piety above all else is just toxic and annoying… and Gavril reall should have stabbed Alvar before Alvar murdered the princes. Alvar Kitsune is honestly one of the weakest villains I’ve read in a while, and that includes a book I more-or-less hated recently. Every single one of his plans past the Edgewood/Fairview thing just kept failing and barely made sense. It’s like there’s this weird subterfuge he’s trying to pull and it just doesn’t work in world or character-wise.

I can honestly say I’m happy with how the Tyrus-Moria-Gavril “love triangle” worked out. It really wasn’t one and in the end, that’s totally okay with everyone involved. Platonic friendships FTW. I can also honestly say that Ronan’s clearly got baggage and I really disliked how his baggage was handled. Just came off like he was being stupid and completely obtuse half the time. He and Ashyn are going to need what passes for therapy in their world if they end up making it in their long-distance relationship.

Forest of Ruin was overall just alright. Armstrong kind of stuck the landing, but only after a lot of faffing about. I will also say that, after the climax, the ending of the book went straight back to the very slow pace the book had toward the middle, which was frustrating, really. But I guess all’s well that ends well and everyone got their happy endings.

Stay Tuned For Pokemon Scarlet Image Posts

The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong

A Spoiler Free Review

Originally Posted on GoodReads: 9-8-22

Well… Chloe’s backbone has morphed into some seriously toxic behaviors. First, the whole thing with Simon and Derek. Teen drama at it’s worst but also, Derek’s behavior is toxic. Chloe says he makes her feel stupid one minute and then the next he’s all concerned… run away from that, girl. Secondly, Chloe’s suddenly reluctant to share her feelings with Tori despite their new found friendship due to the apparently dubious respect she thinks she’s earned with the other girl. Look, I know teenagers are supposedly bags of hormones, but I have never read a teenager who’s as back-and-forth as Chloe. Just… this whole thing has me shaking my head and wanting out. Extremely happy this is the last book in the trilogy.

I really, really dislike Margaret. She does that thing of discounting what a child says because the child can’t possibly be telling the truth about their own abilities… Tori actually gives her a pretty good dressing down about that, but it’s still not okay. Doesn’t help that she immediately freaks out upon finding out what Chloe wasn’t lying. Of course, it turns out I was very right in my dislike of Margaret. Geeeez was I right.

I honestly do not enjoy this type of blow-by-blow writing. If something interesting was going on, sure, give me updates. But honestly, this entire series has been one long bore-fest. Not exactly enough to bore me to sleep, but NOTHING HAPPENS. Even when something interesting does happen, it’s over in a matter of pages and then it’s back to boring.

Also, low and behold, none of the adults in this trilogy think they should, I dunno, just talk to the kids. So of course the kids mistrust them. Of course they do. And then the adults are surprised when the kids first instinct is to run away from the liars. Surprise, surprise. Maybe shouldn’t have lied in the first place. The “kids” are 15-17-ish. Plenty old enough to understand the concepts that would be laid in front of them. Shutting them out at every turn DOES NOT HELP. And it’s super frustrating for the reader.

I really am not sure how I feel about how this trilogy ended, and it ended with a big ol’ bang and a ride off into the sunset. I would like to know more about the demi-demon I never mentioned in the last review. Just because she’s definitely got a story going on. I’m honestly happy to see the back of the rest of the characters. Derek needs to go at least meet the Pack, in my opinion. But yeah… the end seemed really crammed into the end of this book. A mostly boring book with a bam bam bam ending.

Artemis Fowl: The Last Guardian by Eoin Colfer

A Spoiler Free Review

Originally Posted on GoodReads: August 9, 2022

Well color me suitably impressed. Or as impressed as I can get with a young adult novel that is also the finale of a series. Artemis Fowl has been up and down, but the end is definitely up, for which I am immensely happy.

I’m still salty about The Atlantis Complex. Like, literally the dumbest mental illness/plot point. Pretty much waved away here at the beginning. Also not very happy to see Dr. Jerbil Argon back. Just… ugh. Didn’t like him in The Opal Deception, still don’t like him here. Luckily, it’s only in order to assure everyone that Artemis is indeed cured of the annoying plot device so he can continue on being the hero.

I was very glad to have Opal back in the villain chair. There was no way she was going to be locked in that Atlantis prison for the rest of the series. I am a tad torn as to the way she managed to escape, but that’s the version of me that is more into alternate timelines than exploding universes. That said, I did wonder how they were going to deal with two Opals in the same time and it was handled as best as one could hope. I’m also glad the Opal clone, Nopal, was dealt with. I’d honestly forgotten Nopal existed, so it was a bit of a surprise when she showed back up.

The way Colfer did Berserkers was interesting. Very few fantasy authors that I’ve read treat Berserkers as anything more than rage machines, so to see them more as a military unit was pleasant. It was also interesting to see how the Berserkers had to overcome the difficulty of disparate hosts. I liked it. It was amusing at times. Also, ya know, always fun to have that mind-controlled loved-ones trope show up.

I even enjoyed the aside focused on Foaly and Caballine. At the beginning of that, I was sure I was going to be annoyed with it, as the action had been following Artemis, Holly, and Butler up to that point. However, it was actually nice to have a little break from them to follow Foaly around and actually get to know Caballine a bit. I liked her a lot.

The story as a whole was mostly paced well. There were points where I was rolling my eyes a bit, but not enough to completely break my immersion. Everyone was also in character, which was very nice. Also, no mention of the Holly/Artemis romance. Good riddance. I don't think it's strictly necessary to have your male and female leads be in some kind of romantic relationship. It's often shoehorned in, as it was here. Getting rid of it in favor of the platonic relationship is much better and definitely more valid for these characters.

There is a point at which the world basically explodes. It’s more of a technology explodes kind of deal. For everyone, humans and fairies alike. Colfer is apparently convinced humans would have been rocked back to the stone age by this. He says as much. I disagree. I think there’s enough non-tech and tech that was developed before the five year cutoff that we would by no means be back in the stone age. Back to the 90s, maybe, but definitely not stone age. Also, have a very big beef with how he says humanity recovered from this catastrophe. Like, it’s nice to think we’d go all solar and wind powered, but we were mostly gas powered before any of the tech got going. Doubt we’d bounce back in environmentally friendly ways, to be honest. I don’t have that much faith in humanity. But hey, it’s Colfer’s universe.

I’m also honestly not sure how much more I can say without spoiling things. Part of the fun is the play-by-play of the adventure. I am glad it ended as it did, though I’m a tad tired of sacrifices being undone. That’s definitely all I’ll say on that, though, as giving away the ending is definitely a spoiler. Anyway, I am very, very glad the series ended on a high note.

In Other News

I will be doing a Series Overview for Artemis Fowl, but it will probably take me a little while to do so. This post will also be the last of my daily posts for a good long while. I've been posting all my reviews for 2022 (and 2021 due to when I started The Women of the Otherworld/The Otherworld) and we're now all caught up. All subsequent reviews will be posted when I finish reading and/or watching whatever I'll be reviewing.

Currently reading: The Princess Bride by William Goldman and Midnight's Daughter by Karen Chance

Currently watching: The Sandman and The Umbrella Academy

As a rather personal side note: Please, please, please be patient, polite, and flexible when dealing with your service professionals, no matter which service they're providing you. We're all overworked and understaffed and would really appreciate some understanding on the part of the consumer. We're also STILL dealing with product shortages and variable product availability, so please keep that in mind.

Thirteen by Kelley Armstrong

A Spoiler Free Reread Review

Originally Posted on GoodReads: May 29, 2022

I mentioned in my Spell Bound review that I enjoyed the “Avengers Assemble” of it all. Thirteen had buckets more of that. Definitely enjoyable. Made almost all the world building from the past books and short-stories worth it. Still salty about Living With the Dead… had next to nothing to do with the rest of the series other than getting Bryce vaguely involved.

I currently don’t really have more thoughts on Thirteen. It was epic. There was drama. Surprise reveals were a treat. Savannah and Adam’s relationship was well cemented. All the very straight characters got their happy “endings.” Not to make that sound like the gays (gay, single) also didn’t get their happy endings but… there’s literally just Sean so… yeah. Pretty sure that’s all my thoughts on the story as a whole. If I have more later, I’ll add more comments.

PS: Troy is secretly my favorite.

Stay tuned for my very first Series Overview!