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Showing posts from October, 2017

Origins by Dan Brown

Brief synopsis (no spoilers):   Things go horribly wrong at tech giant Edmund Kirsch's presentation to share his ground breaking findings. Symbologist Robert Langdon gets caught in the cross hairs and must find out what's going on.   Category : Adult Fiction Why I chose this book:  Liked other books by this author  My personal opinion : This was a fun read. I always take of Dan Brown's books with a grain of salt and don't take it seriously. But his stories always include art and historical and cultural details, all of which I enjoy.  Warnings Language:  None Violence:   A few episodes (fighting/death) "Adult" situations: Homosexuality mentioned at the end (I really wish he hadn't, I feel like it was just added in for effect. Boo!) Death:  Main character and minor character (both mildly gruesome - not overly descriptive, just violent in how thy happen) Movie rating equivalent : PG-13 Protagonist description:     Robert Langdon i

Mark of Fire by Richard Phillips

Brief synopsis (no spoilers): Two main stories: Carol, the daughter of Lord Rafel, wants to be a magic wielder. As she learns magic and grows in strength, she is unaware that she is being hunted by the greatest wielder in the world. The second story is about a ward of Rafel's, named Blade, who becomes an infamous assassin and works for the king. The king sends Blade to kill Rafel and Carol, but he warns them to flee instead. Blade wanders, to escape the king's justice, but finds himself in his own adventure. Category : Fiction, fantasy, possibly YA Why I chose this book : Kindle First My personal opinion : I really enjoyed the story line, the world the author created, and the depth of the characters. It was easy to lose myself in the story. I also really appreciate that the story is "clean" - no bad language, no sexual situations, etc. I feel comfortable recommending this to my teenage children. Warnings Language: none Violence: fairly frequent fighting "Adult&q

Warcross by Marie Lu

Brief synopsis (no spoilers):   " For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn’t just a game—it’s a way of life. The obsession started ten years ago and its fan base now spans the globe, some eager to escape from reality and others hoping to make a profit. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down players who bet on the game illegally. But the bounty hunting world is a competitive one, and survival has not been easy. Needing to make some quick cash, Emika takes a risk and hacks into the opening game of the international Warcross Championships—only to accidentally glitch herself into the action and become an overnight sensation. Convinced she’s going to be arrested, Emika is shocked when instead she gets a call from the game’s creator, the elusive young billionaire Hideo Tanaka, with an irresistible offer. He needs a spy on the inside of this year’s tournament in order to uncover a security problem . . . and he wants E

Shakespeare Scribe by Gary Blackwood (Shakespeare Stealer #2)

Brief synopsis (no spoilers): Plague at the theater forces the troupe to go on tour. Widge, an orphan, meets someone who may know about his past. His shorthand skills also become useful to Shakespeare.  Category: Juv. Fiction Why I chose this book: Second in the series My personal opinion: This story was a bit of a let down after the first. I felt like the story just kind of wandered without real purpose. And even though Widge learns some important things I never really felt any resolve.  Warnings Language: None Violence: A few brawls "Adult" situations: None Death: Mentioned - effects of plague Movie rating equivalent: PG Protagonist description: Widge is a good boy who wants to do the right things, but he also has a longing for belonging and knowledge of his past. He learns some difficult lessons throughout the story.  Point of view of story: First Book length: Short Story flow: Linear Grammar and spelling issues: A few old English or area specific di

Skysworn by Will Wight

Brief synopsis (no spoilers) We finally get some of Yerin's and Eithan's back stories. Lindon finally faces Jai Long. We have a new misfit for the crew. And we also get to learn more about Ozriel. Beware the cliffhanger. Category Fantasy, maybe Sci-Fi Why I chose this book Next in series My personal opinion (the review) Fantastic book- fits right with the rest of the series. I love that the story line continues to be clean, gripping, and fun. I definitely recommend this series. There's a fair amount of fighting, blood, and gross creatures, so my wife won't like it, but I think my two teenagers will. Warnings Language: None Violence: Fighting, but not graphic "Adult" situations: None Death: Yes, including major character(s) Movie rating equivalent PG-13 Protagonist description Lindon's will is solid iron, but his abilities are stunted Point of view of story Third person, mostly focused on Lindon Book length Medium Story flow Excellent Grammar and spelling

Blackflame by Will Wight

Brief synopsis (no spoilers) Lindon and Yerin are adopted into the Aurelius Clan, and their training continues under Patriarch Eithan. They each struggle down their own Path, but they must also learn to work as a team. They don't really know just how far they'll end up reaching. Suriel also continues her observation and work. Category Fantasy, maybe Sci-Fi Why I chose this book Next in series My personal opinion (the review) Excellent continuation of the series! Clean content, very interesting plot, characters have good depth to them, and there's a bunch going on. I will admit that sometimes it's hard to switch context for the Suriel story line, since it's so very different. It feels very disconnected. But it starts to merge in by the end. Warnings Language: None Violence: Fighting, but not graphic "Adult" situations: None Death: Yes, including major character(s) Movie rating equivalent PG-13 Protagonist description Lindon's will is solid iron, but h