Like September, October is another big month for book releases. Here are a few of the ones about which I am most excited. Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard – The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan. This, along with Robin Hobb’s Fool’s Quest and Marissa Meyer’s Winter are among my most anticipated books of the later half of 2015. For those of you who don’t know, Sword of Summer is the start of a new series by the author of the Percy Jackson series which, this time, focusses on Norse mythology. Riordan’s books are always funny, engaging and exciting and I have no reason to suspect this one will be any different. Knowing what I know of the Norse pantheon, the opportunities for high jinx seem limitless. Sword of Summer will be released on October 6th and I have it preordered in both Kindle and Audible versions. Also on October 6th Brandon Sanderson is releasing another book. Dang, that guy is prolific. Does he actually sleep? This month it’s the turn of Shadows of Self, the sequel to his Alloy of Law, a steampunkesque novel set in his Mistborn world. I love the world Sanderson created in…
As I mentioned in my last reading roundup, I’ve been catching up with John Stephens’ Books of Beginning in preparation for the release of The Black Reckoning. As I’ve been on nightshift, I’ve listened to these books in audiobook format, narrated by Jim Dale. I’m generally not a big fan of Dale’s narration – a personal opinion; I know many listeners value his work highly – but I did enjoy his narration for this series. For those of you unfamiliar with this series, it’s about three sibling orphans who find that they are fated to be the Keepers of the mystical Books of Beginning. This concluding book brings all the threads of the series together. I did enjoy that the series didn’t end immediately after they defeated the Big Bad; it’s always interesting to see heroes try to adapt to the normal world and family life. While no Harry Potter or even Percy Jackson, this is an enjoyable series and is work picking up. I gave The Black Reckoning four stars out of five. Every month in the leadup to the release of Cassandra Clare’s Lady Midnight, the first in a new Shadowhunter series, she along with co-writers is…
Good morning and welcome to another reading roundup. This was another week of nightshifts so a lot of audiobook consumption was involved. Here are some of the books I enjoyed this week. The Wicked Will Rise is the second novel in Danielle Paige’s reimagining of L Frank Baum’s Oz in which Dorothy has turned evil. Some of you who read my review of the first novel, Dorothy Must Die, may remember that I had a few issues with it, notably the pacing and the audiobook production. I am happy to say I found no such issues with the sequel. I found the pacing much more lively and consistent and it kept me listening along. I would strongly suggest that you read the e-novella The Wizard Returns beforehand – it’s not strictly necessary, but it will fill in a few blanks. The protagonist, Amy Gumm, continues to be kickass and engaging and I loved hearing the continuation of her story. I found some of the situations and emotional problems she has to deal with very well done. The narrator, Devan Sorvani, once again did an excellent job of bringing her to life and the production was much better this time in…