In the world of V.E. Schwab’s Shades of Magic trilogy, in which this is the first book, there are parallel worlds. There used to be gateways between them, but now only the magical Antari (identified by having one normal and one fully black eyeball) are able to travel through to the various worlds, using their blood and magical ability. Young Kell, fostered with the royal family in Red London is one of these Antari. In each of the four worlds, there is a London, the geographical […]
I’m Haunted By the Lives That Wove the Web
I want to say that I enjoyed this novel more than I did, as it is I waver between two and three stars in rating this. I liked the concept well enough, but that wasn’t quite enough to cover the writing flaws. Ghost Bride is the June pick for the Vaginal Fantasy book club, and honestly I think it’s kind of a weird pick. Although the story contains a romance, it isn’t a love story. I mean, I definitely tend to prefer stories that contain […]
Get it together, Fitz
Fool’s Quest is the second book in the Fitz and the Fool trilogy, having left Fool’s Assassin with Bee (and Shun) having been kidnapped by the Servants and a group of Chalcedean mercenaries. Here we catch up with Fitz….not hot on their heels, as he’s instead consumed by caring for the Fool, who’s been returned to him a broken man but one intent on having Fitz wreak vengeance upon those who harmed him. The Witmaster is on at Fitz to take a new partner, and […]
The Trick to Falling
I go through phases of reading YA fantasy. I have come to realize that for the most part I age the characters up in my mind, because they rarely seem like teenagers. While I was in the middle of reading Six of Crows, I listened to The Dollop episode 275, “The Newsie Strike.” As a Dave and Gareth were marveling over 8 – 16 year old boys organizing and leading a strike, and understanding the economic theory behind each side’s position. It reminded me that […]
More Harry Magic
I read the first in Jim Butcher’s new series and kinda liked it, so I figured I’d check out his other stuff. I read the first Dresden novel, and though it was only ok. Then I saw that multiple people were saying that the Dresden series only gets good after about book 4. My local library does not have the entire series thus far, and the branch near me does not have all of the book in the order I might want them (chronologically). So […]
“Of course I’ve got a conscience, he’s sitting right next to me.”
Jonah Pastern is a magician, a liar, a windwalker, a professional thief… which about sums up the character as we met him in ‘A Flight of Magpies’. This book is set shortly after that one and is a linked story to that world. You don’t necessarily have to read the Magpie trilogy to understand this book, but it certainly helps since many of the characters make an appearance here. Based on Jonah’s actions in the previous book, I wasn’t sure he would be a guy […]