William
Utterly beautiful, disturbing, thought provoking and wonderful. While the story itself is captivating, that's not the point, there is a much deeper message about acceptance, both of difference and of yourself that truly spoke to me. You can be your own door.This book continues the core story of the Wayward Children, carrying on where [b:Come Tumbling Down 44804083 Come Tumbling Down (Wayward Children, #5) Seanan McGuire https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1556543251l/44804083.SY75.jpg 60132774] left off. It would be very helpful to have [b:Across the Green Grass Fields 53205924 Across the Green Grass Fields (Wayward Children, #6) Seanan McGuire https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1589982332l/53205924.SY75.jpg 75843947] fresh in your mind when starting this book.This series always leaves me struggling to review it - each book touches me so deeply and is so meaningful that I find it hard to put my thoughts into words.
I wasn't sure if I would like this book, I gave it a go because I'd really enjoyed her other books - I've just never really been into baking shows. I'm glad I gave it a go because it was a gem. The baking show was a classic detective fiction engine to get a group of strangers together so nobody is sure whodunnit, because yes - there is a death in mysterious circumstances.
In addition there is a broader mystery - the “Witches” in the title is a mystery to be slowly unveiled, as are the main character's origins and strange goings on at the manor.
Humour, mystery and warm characters - Nancy Warren at her best!
So Good! This wonderful little book was the pay off for the entire series and had wonderful callbacks and cameos from previous adventures. The whole series manages to be clever, funny and exciting while having a relaxing sense that it'll all be alright in the end. Exactly what I needed.I loved this series and I strongly suspect that this is the last book in the series, but I'd love to be proved wrong!Update: I was proved wrong! There is anther book called [b:Mosaics and Magic 62025573 Mosaics and Magic (Vampire Knitting Club, #14) Nancy Warren https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1660946483l/62025573.SY75.jpg 97774795]!
Overview: Another in a really great cozy mystery series with a sprinkling of magic on the side.
After 1st Reading: I've come to really enjoy this series, and I'm somewhat dreading running out of books, so I saved this one as a treat to read over Christmas. It really was a treat.
After 2nd Reading: This one is really a great little story - a good mystery, some really good scenes and nice character development.
I really enjoyed this little mystery. Nancy Warren's books have been nice mysteries with humour and magic as a little extra spice on the side. In this one however the magic was much more at the forefront and was handled with just the right balance of creepiness and humour that I could enjoy the nerves while being totally relaxed that it was all going to turn out alright.
The literary equivalent of watching the rain outside while enjoying a nice warm tea by the fire.
A good light read with a good amateur murder investigation to keep things interesting. Also adding spice is the fact that this story follows a modern day witch (of the good kind) who is exiled from Seattle to a small Irish village for the crime of extending her best friend's (and ex-husband's) life “past his time”. This is dangerous for the whole community as Death is an actual anthropomorphic personification who is dangerous to annoy because....well...death.So hoping for a nice quiet start in a quiet village our heroine arrives at the bookshop she'll be running and...well anyone familiar with Nancy Warren may not be too surprised that a mystery and some sleuthing ensues.For those who enjoyed the [b:The Vampire Knitting Club 41882197 The Vampire Knitting Club (Vampire Knitting Club #1) Nancy Warren https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1537203595l/41882197.SY75.jpg 65375197] books, there is a cameo by a few members of the Knitting Club, which put a smile on my face - but this really is an independent series, no prior knowledge is necessary.That said, if you enjoyed this book, you'll probably love [b:The Vampire Knitting Club 41882197 The Vampire Knitting Club (Vampire Knitting Club #1) Nancy Warren https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1537203595l/41882197.SY75.jpg 65375197]. I feel the Knitting Club has more humour, but that may just be me. An engaging light read. Four stars because that's what it aims to be, what I wanted and I really liked it.
This was a really great blending of urban fantasy* and murder mystery with just enough humour to lighten the inevitable darkness of...you know, a murder, not to mention an actual showdown with minions of Death personified.
This would be 4 stars bordering on 5, but I had to reduce it as the ending had a feature that's sort of a pet hate with me, The main character has her memories of the events of the book removed. This always leaves me with a feeling of being cheated as all of that character development is just snuffed out. It feels a bit like a bait and switch. but different things bother different people - the rest of the story was really great and I'm jumping straight into the next book in the series.
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* I've never liked the term “Urban Fantasy” as a term reffering to magic stuff happening in a modern(ish) setting. Half the stories happen in the countryside! I prefer “Paranormal Fantasy” myself, but I use the term most people understand.
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Final gripe: They put “Women's Fiction” in the title. Why try and put off half the population of the planet? If you are male and like mysteries, urban fantasy and a dose of humour - why should you be discouraged from reading this book because of your gender? I understand this is a marketing thing and more females than males may well enjoy this kind of thing, but I'm very much against gendering stuff as a male who played with dolls as a child, loves cooking, can sew and isn't really into sport - how does what I've got in my underwear have anything to do with enjoying a book about magic and murder? Don't judge.
This is a fascinating series, each entry has a different feel, style and focus. This volume adopts an adventure style that reminds me of “Planetary Romances” by authors such as [a:Leigh Brackett 22648 Leigh Brackett https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1265899327p2/22648.jpg] or the explorer novels such as by [a:H. Rider Haggard 4633123 H. Rider Haggard https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1298296700p2/4633123.jpg]. The focus however switched very much to introspection and character development - the combination of grand adventure and deep questions was pretty thrilling and was sweetened by some pretty hilarious comic moments The samurai in the cup holder and the "we are all monsters", "No I'm pretty sure it's just me." moments were brilliant.. Good stuff!
An excellent addition to the story of Skyward. Strongly recommended for readers of the series. As someone who has read all the published books in the series, this, and the previous novella [b:Sunreach 57903876 Sunreach (Skyward, #2.1) Brandon Sanderson https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1632169745l/57903876.SX50.jpg 90713801], really feel like an integral part of the series - and I just love the characters.
An excellent addition to the story of Skyward. Strongly recommended for readers of the series. As someone who has read all the published books in the series, this, and [b:ReDawn 57903879 ReDawn (Skyward, #2.2) Brandon Sanderson https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1633436358l/57903879.SX50.jpg 90713832], really feel like an integral part of the series - and I just love the characters.
SO GOOD! I'm sorry, if I'm going to write an honest review I'm going to have to gush a bit.A lot of books these days are very formulaic: Start with something to grab your attention, then enter a standard three part story focused on a single issue ending with a climactic scene and possibly an epilogue. this is not that book. Yes, there's stuff happening - there's a problem that gets solved in a really satisfying way, but that's not what makes this great, it's not really the point of the book.I'll try and explain - book reminded me of a really great mystery like [b:The Hound of the Baskervilles 8921 The Hound of the Baskervilles (Sherlock Holmes, #5) Arthur Conan Doyle https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1355929358l/8921.SX50.jpg 3311984] in which you are slowly piecing together facts dropped here and there. The fun is looking at the information you have and trying to fill in the blanks. But instead of a murder (or glowing dog) when you are reading this book you are discovering an amazing universe with an epic history.This book slowly reveals events that literally made my hairs stand on end - they would make such brilliant series in themselves.Drawing us through these revelations is Drago, a very likable and well meaning character who you can't help rooting for. Exactly the sort of character that I miss the moment I finish the book.If you like discovering new worlds - read this book. If you like reading about characters you care about - read this book. If you like puzzles to get your brain working - read this book. If you like utterly brilliantly written action scenes - read this book. Actually, if you've got an ounce of imagination - read this book.... but start at the beginning, read [b:Hera 2781 28259047 Hera 2781 (Drago Tell Dramis #0.5) Janet Edwards https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1450710941l/28259047.SY75.jpg 48298865], it's short and really good.I've said it before, of all the authors writing today, [a:Janet Edwards 5415711 Janet Edwards https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1657263898p2/5415711.jpg] is my favourite. [End of Gush]And now the wait for the next book begins. With this author, it's always worth it.
This novel was less a fantasy adventure and more an extended parable - holding a mirror up to our current world of consumerism and environmental collapse by imagining a long-long-ago world that faced the same challenges as they used up the magic in the world.
It is not a happy-ever-after tale, it does highlight the stupidity of some reactions (the world is collapsing because of overusing oil/manna? Your answer is to go and make maps so you can overuse more?) and this could be a depressing read, but it is told with wit which sweetens the pill.
Do I have any gripes, yes but not with the text - with the illustrations. I mean, I try to avoid swearing but What The ........ ? My copy was Illustrated every few pages and I think the illustrator was reading a different book to me, especially where the female character Mirandee is concerned. She is initially described as wearing blue robes, but later when they reach mountains of bundling up under woollen layers. In the illustrations her outfit.... well to refer to it as underwear would be too much....this stuff aspires to be underwear when it grows up.
Pictures aside, this weas a clever and thought provoking book.
A deeply moving tale centering on the wrongness of prejudice and the truth that we should be judged solely on the content of our character. Sadly this continues to be relevant today.
In the words of one of the characters: “We have a long way to go and a lot to learn and unlearn.”
I'm not exactly sure when I first read this book - it was around 1989 - and it really stuck with me. I remember very clearly the beautiful descriptions of the landscape and the central character's love for it. I remembered the insanity and injustice of people who care deeply for each other yet reject others based on an irrelevant thing such as a person's skin or appearance I found that incomprehensible at the time. It stuck with me.
Now, many years later I'm all grown up and I came across a copy of this book with the same cover as all those years ago. I was a little nervous opening it up - what would it be like? It was the same except I now have more of an understanding of the issues and an appreciation of the beautiful writing style. Interestingly enough, the only character in the book who is not prejudiced is a nine year old child who finds it incomprehensible, just as I did around that age.
Prejudice is learnt - not inherent.
I've been on a spree of reading this series of murder-mysteries. They are easy to read, have a layer of humour, a growing cast of likable characters, and have just a sprinkling of magic in the background. The only problem is that they are very hard to get away from - if it isn't the mystery that's drawing me back it's the characters themselves Will Hester and Carlos have a falling out? Are the couple who run the bookshop back from their honeymoon? How are the elderly sisters in the tea shop next door? What will Miles' Dad say when he tells him he's pursuing his acting career?***Will Lucy accept Rafe's proposal?****!!!
As I come to the 70% mark in each book I've been making mental lists of worthy volumes I should be reading. By the time I finish the book I'm just desperate to find out what happens next to all these great characters.
So, yes this is a good series - but be warned - if you haven't started it yet... it may be a little too good to put down!
A modern teenage girl is whisked away into an adventure between the stars meeting a huge variety of fascinating characters and creatures.
I couldn't help imagining this as a brightly coloured animation - perhaps something like Titan AE. Ms Ander's writing is just so vivid and lively. Taken as an adventure this is excellent, but there is a strong moral to the story (not preachy, but there) about the importance of working in unity as a team for the better of all, while respecting diversity.
Being different is great - so long as we respect each other.
I really enjoyed this story and can't wait for the sequel!
Another great mystery following Lucy the inept knitter, amateur sleuth and novice witch - this time investigating two terrible falls at a university library and the disappearance of an original Bronte manuscript and a original handwritten copy of Frankenstein.
These stories are seriously getting better and better. This book came dangerously close to getting five stars.
Charlie and Tilda discover a portal back to the days of the Roman Empire and end up as slaves at a Roman Bath serving sweaty Romans! Will they be able to use their wits and puzzle solving skills to escape? With an appearance by the Emperor Severus and a possible origin of the game of rounders.
A nice shortish novel to read to children, 8 to 9 year olds seemed about right to me. Good fun and educational (though don't tell the children that ;-) )
I really enjoyed this sideways take on the Sleeping Beauty tale.
Zinna Gray suffers from an incurable illness and has not been expected to survive to her 21st birthday, yet as the story starts she is celebrating her 21st in the grim knowledge that it will be her last. During the party a chain of events sends her to a parallel universe where she interrupts a certain princess who was in the process of pricking her finger on a spindle - and as a result opens up a whole new series of narrative possibilities.
Very well written.
