Tuesday, July 31

Tell Me Something Tuesday: Popular Book Series


Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post on Rainy Day Ramblings where Rainy discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog.

What are some popular series you haven't tried or have and stopped because they just don't appeal to you?

Oooo there are a few I have yet to try or given up on. I have a hard time really getting into overly popular books and series. I get scared and worried. Here is a list that I can think off right off the top of my head: 

- 50 Shades of Grey series (not attempted)
- Game of Throne series (not attempted)
- Anita Blake series (got to about book 7 or so – I should get back into this)
- Stephanie Plum (read book 1, meh)
- Maze Runner (not attempted)
- Outlander (Started book 1 recently…we shall see)

These are just a few. I am sure there are plenty more I am forgetting about. 
Here is a challenge! If you have read any of these series and loved them, try to convince me to try it!! Hahaha. Good luck. 







Here are some paintings I have done recently in my paint notebook. It is so nefty. You can paint and it won't bleed! Love it! Way cheaper than canvases. 



Monday, July 30

Blodeuedd's Monday Review: King of Ashes by Raymond E Feist


Hardcover, 545 pages
Published April 5th 2018 by Harper Voyager
The Firemane Saga #1
Fantasy
Library

My thoughts
I think I am going to try to make non-review book reviews short...you know it goes faster that way ;)

So, was I disappointed? In a way. It did not feel like Feist. This really could have been by any other author out there. It was still a good book, but it did not have anything that wowed me. Or that screamed Feist.

It's about 4 kingdoms ganging up on one and killing everyone. Then 17 years later we have the prince who got away being trained by assassins. Hatu was rather bland to be honest. I want to see more life in him, but then he has be trained to be forgettable and so he is.

Another POV is Declan a young smith. Him I liked. He wanted to have his own smithy and start his life.

And then it ends. We know the players and...oh right, there is also The Church of the One. I am so over that. Can't the religion trying to crush everyone else be a polytheistic one for once.

Conclusion:
Good, but nothing great or amazing.

Cover
Nice

Blurb
For centuries, the five greatest kingdoms of North and South Tembria, twin continents on the world of Garn, have coexisted in peace. But the balance of power is destroyed when four of the kingdoms violate an ancient covenant and betray the fifth: Ithrace, the Kingdom of Flames, ruled by Steveren Langene, known as "the Firemane" for his brilliant red hair. As war engulfs the world, Ithrace is destroyed and the Greater Realms of Tembria are thrust into a dangerous struggle for supremacy.
As a Free Lord, Baron Daylon Dumarch owes allegiance to no king. When an abandoned infant is found hidden in Daylon’s pavilion, he realizes that the child must be the missing heir of the slain Steveren. The boy is valuable—and vulnerable. A cunning and patient man, Daylon decides to keep the baby’s existence secret, and sends him to be raised on the Island of Coaltachin, home of the so-called Kingdom of Night, where the powerful and lethal Nocusara, the "Hidden Warriors," legendary assassins and spies, are trained.

Years later, another orphan of mysterious provenance, a young man named Declan, earns his Masters rank as a weapons smith. Blessed with intelligence and skill, he unlocks the secret to forging King’s Steel, the apex of a weapon maker’s trade known by very few. Yet this precious knowledge is also deadly, and Declan is forced to leave his home to safeguard his life. Landing in Lord Daylon’s provinces, he hopes to start anew.

Soon, the two young men—an unknowing rightful heir to a throne and a brilliantly talented young swordsmith—will discover that their fates, and that of Garn, are entwined. The legendary, long-ago War of Betrayal has never truly ended . . . and they must discover the secret of who truly threatens their world. 


Sunday, July 29

Joint Book Review - The Gospel of Loki by Joanne M Harris






Hello all! Blodeuedd and I will be discussing "The Gospel of Loki" by Joanne M Harris. Blodeudd is in red and I am in purple/black. 






Author: Joanne M Harris
Title: The Gospel of Loki (Loki #1)
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: ebook
Published: February 13th 2014
Where I Got It: My Shelf (Amazon)


The novel is a brilliant first-person narrative of the rise and fall of the Norse gods - retold from the point of view of the world's ultimate trickster, Loki. It tells the story of Loki's recruitment from the underworld of Chaos, his many exploits on behalf of his one-eyed master, Odin, through to his eventual betrayal of the gods and the fall of Asgard itself. Using her life-long passion for the Norse myths, Joanne Harris has created a vibrant and powerful fantasy novel. Loki, that’s me. Loki, the Light-Bringer, the misunderstood, the elusive, the handsome and modest hero of this particular tissue of lies. Take it with a pinch of salt, but it’s at least as true as the official version, and, dare I say it, more entertaining. So far, history, such as it is, has cast me in a rather unflattering role. Now it’s my turn to take the stage. With his notorious reputation for trickery and deception, and an ability to cause as many problems as he solves, Loki is a Norse god like no other. Demon-born, he is viewed with deepest suspicion by his fellow gods who will never accept him as one of their own and for this he vows to take his revenge. From his recruitment by Odin from the realm of Chaos, through his years as the go-to man of Asgard, to his fall from grace in the build-up to Ragnarok, this is the unofficial history of the world’s ultimate trickster.



I do not know what I expected, but what I got what not anything new. It was Loki’s story, riding on the Marvel wave.

I was not sure what to except myself when I picked this up. I like Loki and all the gods, but I went in a little blind. Haha

I was pretty bored, all the way through. She tried wayyyyyyy too hard.

Yeaaa I got bored after about 25%. The first chunk was actually decent. I was enjoying Loki and everyone else. After a while though, I started rubbing my eyes and wanted to be done. This felt like a bunch of short stories shoved into one book. I was not sure what the whole point was. There didn’t seem to be any real plot. Just a bunch of random Loki scenes shoved into a book. I think a short story would’ve been better.

First I thought it was me (but then you felt the same). I was all, these are just the same stories my ancestors told each other during long winter nights. She was re-telling old Norse Sagas and putting in emo girls and angsty teens. And she managed to make it dull. Because there are a bunch of short stories, that is how it was told. She did not manage to make it flow.

There was no flow at all. She certainly tried too hard honestly like you said.

Did she want to to be funny? I really do not know what kind of vibe she was going for. Loki was a sleazebag. Ugh, what a dick!

There were times she tried the funny angle and then a serious angle. There was no flow so it felt like chunks. LOL I did enjoy Loki being an asshat but it did get old. Even this was overdone and made it boring after a bit.

She should have been funnier? Oh I do not know. Something crucial was missing. She should have gone all the way with her emos and angst perhaps. Now she told the same story with a little extra detail. Loki is a weirdo, it could have been fun, I mean he gives birth to a horse! That is funny! Make us see that instead lol. Yes makes us see the things we did not see.

Haha he was a weirdo for sure. Yessss it would’ve made this a hair better to see instead of being told. I loved the scenes when we got to see things happen. I enjoyed the dialogue moments.

Maybe you are onto something. She tried doing the Saga, but what was needed was an actual freaking book with dialogue and a scene of him giving birth (omg  I am stuck on that, but hell it would have made it interesting).

That would’ve been hilarious!!!!

And him seducing that horse, then running around for however a horse is preggers doing horsey things and then the road back with the horse being all ooops I did it again!

Ugh! I’m so mad. I would’ve loved to laugh at that scene. This had such a good skeleton for a good book.

Also what I did not like at all was this BS about him being wildfire and born in some Chaos dimension. He was a giant, his parents was giants, hey, do not mess with my ancestors religion woman!

I get taking liberties and whatnot buuuuuuuuuuuuuut there are lines and there should be some respect to the old. Especially since there are groups that still follow this religion.

Why even change that? It made me irritated. Giants are fan and evil. I am sorry, are they not scary enough for you so you had to make him into a demon? Giants were mortal enemies to the Gods.

Yeaaaaa. I get she was trying something, but why reinvent the wheel? Stick with the old, good stuff and maybe change how things happen. IDK.

Ohhh I did read a good re-telling once. The author made it so that all this was real, but happened long ago and then the tales got re-told as the tales of the gods. So there was some historical woman doing whatevs, I only read the one, then it got depressing when we came to the Freya book.

I think I read a re-telling once ages ago and it was good (from what I remember). But yeah...I barely remember what happened at the end. I was so tired and ready to be done.

I say that if you want to read about Norse myths then go get any book about Norse mythology. Yes it will be non-fic, but trust me it will be just as good and it will be real.

Agreed. I honestly think this would’ve been better as a short story. Too fanfictiony for my liking.

Too “I am being clever and making Hel emo, hah, I am laughing at myself here”. ;)

Hahaha that covers it real well.


So, not recommendation from either of us then ;) Waste of time. Better luck next time!!

Yesss, the first 25% was good but it went downhill from there. I wouldn’t mind trying something else by the author possibly but we shall see.

*coughs* Maybe before, but not anymore *coughs*

Hahaha true. That is keeping me at bay. ;)

The end?

Yesss, the end. Until next time! We need a good one! It has been a hot minute.

We need to do some serious thinking

Yes. We have to strike gold soon. We’ve had a lot of mehs the last few months.




About the Authors
Carole and Blodeuedd have been blogging a long while now. The last couple of years the epic duo have been discussing books, watching movies, and even wetting the pen and sharing their stories with the worldwide web. They both love cats, chocolate, and a good story.





Saturday, July 28

Saturday Movie Night - A Wrinkle in Time (2018)








Hello everyone! This month Blodeuedd and I are reviewing, A Wrinkle in Time. 




Blodeuedd is in red and I am in blue.




Title:  A Wrinkle in Time
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Family
Running Time: 1 hr and 49 mins
Rating: PG
Released: 2018

After the disappearance of her scientist father, three peculiar beings send Meg, her brother, and her friend to space in order to find him.













TRAILER: 





DISCUSSION: 



Good day m’am!

Hi! Let’s start with our movie discussion then :D

Yess, so this was a random last minute pick. And it wasn’t bad...but it wasn’t really good either. I wanted to like it because it has a good cast and the story seemed interesting enough, buuuuuuuuuuut ya

I have heard that people love the book and that the movie was so good! And honestly I was disappointing. It was really meh, all the time.

I believe I had read the book...I can’t honestly remember. This really was a disappointment. It had potential but I couldn’t get past the acting. It all felt so awkward all the time.

The 3---what were they? Goddesses? Witches? Anyway, none of them excelled. The girl ..eh, the young boy, double yawn. Why was he even there? The only good thing about that movie was her young brother. I felt like he did a great job. Sorry kids!

Yess he really was the best character and the best actor. Everyone else felt so fake and so awkward. The Misses (I think that is what they were called) were useless. The girl was so awkward. I swear if she adjusted her glasses or screams one more time I was going to die. LOL The adults in this world sucked. And that young boy? He felt like he was just added for a romantic element.

Why couldn’t they find the dad!?
That boy, yes a romantic element, but all he did was standing there mooning and I was all, insta love is lame. He should have been cut out.
The girl, well the premise of her was excellent. Doing all to save her brother, but I felt they had not written her part well. Maybe she is better in the book.

Agreed. He was just space to try and help the girl feel good about herself. Yes, her premise was good, but the writing and acting made her annoying. The brother was right about everything he said at that one point. The dad was a jerk for that. Why would you just touch the wrinkle? Not call for someone or do something. And what was he doing for 4 years? Sighs.

More an idiot than a jerk, oh and he should be dead.
But let’s talk about that stupid black thing going through space making people evil. *eye roll* I just could not. People were bitches long before that black blob made it to earth.

Unless it got here eons ago? They were not very clear

Didn’t they say it was getting closer?

*shrugs* I honestly don’t remember. It took three times to get through the film. Hahaha I might’ve missed it.
It’s not like I paid any better attention to it. Took me over a week to watch it. Oh and did they even defeat it now when I think about it? Omg maybe I did not even watch the end--nope, I did. Everyone was happy.

That end had me annoyed. Too happy. Nothing felt real. But yes, I was pretty done after the scene when the bully pretty much said she wished the main girl was dead and when the main girl defended herself she got in trouble. OH and the adults were legit talking shit about the brother and sister out in the open. Like really? Really? >_>

That just felt like bad writing. It also felt like the movie did not know where it stood. I felt it could have been more a kid’s movie. Now it tried things, or, I do not know. It was messy.

Yes, the writing was bad. Sure the effects were good and cool, but the film felt off and awkward.

Right like when she saved them and he was all my heroine! It made me lol. Come on, what kind of teen boy would do that? I mean that look on him. This was an author’s/director’s wet dream. That the nerd gets her man.

It really was. The main girl did nothing. He fell head-over-heels after she threw a ball in that chick’s face and he was all SWOON! I LOVE YOUR HAIR! WHA?

He felt weird and stalkerish haha.

It did. Like stop talking about her hair. Creeper.

At least I saw him looking dreamingly at her. I do not think it came across much from her side. And he who followed her to other worlds. A girl saves the day! I guess we are supposed to be all girl power! And haha he is just in the background, but why should anyone just stand there being useless?

They really were shoving the girl power down our throats. If they really wanted to make a point they would’ve cut his character. He was just there to make her feel pretty and loved. He had no uses. Which is not fair for him. No character should just be a filler.

You are right. I would have liked it better with him gone and her saving the day!

I think it would’ve helped a small bit. Maybe...the writing and acting was still meh. I liked the premise of the story and the effects, but that is it.

I liked some of the worlds, the premise and the concept of the Misses. But the writing did not work for me. Too many things started to bug me and it was a chore watching it.

The worlds were cool. I wanted more of those. See more!

That movie was confusing when I think back. Watch something else instead. But if kids like it then good. We oldies analyze too much ;)

LOL we really do. I think the kids would only the like worlds and the effects. The story bits are boring. So just play the good bits with the flowers over and over. Hahaha

I did like that world the best too ;)

So pretty! I want them in my garden

That would be something.
Anyway final thoughts. Just cos a movie passes the bechel test or whatever it was called. Does not mean I will care one bit. I like what it try to show, but I wish it has been done in a better way

Agreed. The writing and acting were just so awkward and cringe-worthy at times. The premise of the characters and concept were good, but yes, the execution was a big meh for me.

Better luck next time! ;)

Yesss! It was good that we watched it. I was curious. Until next time!!

THE END





Friday, July 27

Book Review: The Phantom Tree by Nicola Cornick

Author: Nicola Cornick
Title: The Phantom Tree
Genre: Historical Fiction, Paranormal, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Mystery 
Pages: ebook
Published: December 29th 2016
Where I Got It: My Shelf (Netgalley)



Browsing antiques shops in Wiltshire, Alison Bannister stumbles across a delicate old portrait – supposedly of Anne Boleyn. Except Alison knows better… The woman is Mary Seymour, the daughter of Katherine Parr who was taken to Wolf Hall in 1557 as an unwanted orphan and presumed dead after going missing as a child.

The painting is more than just a beautiful object from Alison’s past – it holds the key to her future, unlocking the mystery surrounding Mary’s disappearance, and the enigma of Alison’s son.

But Alison’s quest soon takes a dark and foreboding turn, as a meeting place called the Phantom Tree harbours secrets in its shadows…

I loved this premise so I had to give this books a try.


Now, the story follows Mary and Allison who were roommates and distant relatives at Wolf Hall. Mary is the daughter of the late Queen Catherine and Allison is pretty much a nobody. A distant relative of the Seymour clan. Things happen and Allison finds her way into the future and has a big mystery on her hands that only Mary, in the past, can help with. 


I liked both Mary and Allison. I’m glad they started out hating each other, but then becoming friends…of sorts. They are those typical frenemies if you will. They give each other a hard time because they are so different, but they are really truly the same at the same time. It really made their relationship special. I will have to say, I did like Allison’s POV the best. I might be biased since she was in the present, but we got to see her past POV as well. Her’s was the most interesting and the one I really wanted to understand. Mary was okay too but it took a long time for things to start getting interesting. 


The fantasy aspect was done well here. I was worried, but it worked well. There were sometimes I was confused, but it worked out well. 


My only complaint about this book was the ending. I had to re-read it a couple of times, especially Mary’s part there. I am still not 100% sure what happened to Mary at the end there. I THINK I know what happened, but do I? Not sure. Maybe someone to explain it to me. I feel dumb. 

Anyways….


I really did enjoy the story, the characters, and the mystery. I actually teared up when the big reveal occurred. It was of joy and sorrow. The author did an amazing job with this. I was pleased. 


In the end, I liked this story a lot. The ending for Mary left me scratching my head even now and I read that a couple of times. If you like historical fictions mixed with some fantasy/paranormal, I recommend this. It is good and maybe if someone who reads it can explain to me the ending. I’ll stamp this with….4 stars. 








Wednesday, July 25

Audiobook Review: Witchmark by CL Polk

Author: C.L Polk
Narrator: Samuel Roukin
Title: Witchmark (Witchmark #1)
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Romance, Mystery
Pages: Audiobook
Published: June 19, 2018
Where I Got It: My shelf (Audible)

In an original world reminiscent of Edwardian England in the shadow of a World War, cabals of noble families use their unique magical gifts to control the fates of nations, while one young man seeks only to live a life of his own.

Magic marked Miles Singer for suffering the day he was born, doomed either to be enslaved to his family's interest or to be committed to a witches' asylum. He went to war to escape his destiny and came home a different man, but he couldn’t leave his past behind. The war between Aeland and Laneer leaves men changed, strangers to their friends and family, but even after faking his own death and reinventing himself as a doctor at a cash-strapped veterans' hospital, Miles can’t hide what he truly is.

When a fatally poisoned patient exposes Miles’ healing gift and his witchmark, he must put his anonymity and freedom at risk to investigate his patient’s murder. To find the truth he’ll need to rely on the family he despises, and on the kindness of the most gorgeous man he’s ever seen.





I’ve heard nonstop about this book and it made me curious to check it out. I was just going to wait to see if I can find the paper version somewhere, but then I found this on Audible and it is narrated by an actor I really like…..so I decided to get this as my freebie for the month. 

The story follows Miles who ran away from his family and joined the war and now is a doctor. Miles is a witch and I don’t blame him for running away. He was doomed either to be enslaved to his family's interest. Not something I would like either. However, he has to be careful because witches are known and anyone who is one is sent to an asylum for witches. Things happen and he is dragged back into the world of witches and his family in search of the truth. 

I really enjoyed this world. It was an interesting one. I was confused in the beginning, but as the story went on everything was explained and it has made me more curious about this world and especially Miles. The poor guy! All he wants to do is be a doctor and live in peace. I would’ve run away too if I was doomed to be part of that world and family. Hopefully, things will change, but I have my doubts. 

The romance aspect was done well between Miles and Hunter. It did not take over and that is good. I am suspect of Hunter like Grace is especially knowing his kind. We shall see…I hope I am proven wrong, but I am not sure of Hunter. Maybe I am being protective of Miles since I like him so much. We shall see. 

The ending was good! I am so curious to read the next book! I MUST KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NOW! I have hope in this world, but I am worried things will not change. People are horrible. 

Now…the narration…was amazing. I could be biased because I like the actor! Haha, but he was good. He really had me hooked even though I was confused and not completely attached to the story the first few pages. He certainly has a way to bring the character and story to life! I want to listen to more of the audios. 

In the end, I really enjoyed this story. I have no real complaints or issues. I was a little confused at the beginning, but after a few pages and things started to make sense I was hooked. I listened to this WAY faster than I originally had planned for. I could not stop listening. The narrator was amazing and the story was really, really good. I’ll stamp this with 4 stars.