Books 3-30
May. 1st, 2018 05:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lizzardgirl3-14: C.S. Harris, The Sebastian St. Cyr Series, 1-12
I'm not going to list all the titles separately :) Shem kept raving about this series so I tried it out since the first books were rather cheap on kindle. With the first two or so I wasn't convinced, but I kept going, and they really got much better. The mysteries are sometimes a bit too convoluted and you could start a drinking game with the scenes where Sebastian kills attackers in self-defense, but I really like most of the returning characters (except Kat, but she gets less annoying!), most especially Hero. I also like the slow-burning over-arching mystery about Sebastian's past and whatever Jarvis end-game might be.
15-25: Rhys Bowen, The Royal Spyness Series, 1-11
So when I finished with the Sebastian St. Cyr I wanted a new series to binge (still on the kindle, more thoughts about that later) and I stumbled on this one while browsing and remembered I always wanted to give it a try. I really loved this too. There are some weird plottings where too many dead herrings just make you wonder why they were ever introduced, but it's such a fun, fast-paced, light romp with such quirky recurring characters and a wonderful main man for our heroine (and a really lovely relationship development so far) that I was very quickly hooked. Can't wait for the next book to come out this summer.
26: Sophie Kinsella, My Not So Perfect Life
I was at a loose end after the two series' and picked this up from the library. It was nice, rather. I liked how the happy-ever-after developed, not the stereotypical "Surprise, he was in love with her all along!"
27: C.S. Harris, Why Kill The Innocent (Sebastian St. Cyr 13)
So of course I had to get this when it came out :) It took me a bit to get into it, but I did like it as a new installment. Just a bit disappointed that the new puzzle pieces about Sebastian's past and what happened in the Jarvis household were few and far in-between. Guess I'll have to wait till the next one.
28: T.C. Boyle, The Terranauts
Ugh. This was one of those books that try too much and end up being just a disappointment. I was really interested in the premise, and it was nicely-enough narrated, but when I was through with it I felt that I had missed something. It was like the author built up to a big climax that just never happened because he decided to end the book just before it was to go down, as if he couldn't be bothered any more. Also, none of the characters were likeable, which wouldn't have been a big thing, but it was written as if we were to sympathise with them.
29: Ethan Cross, Spectrum
Another disappointment this one. Unevenly paced, far too much telling-not-showing, contradictory (and not in the good way) characters that just aren't engaging, weak mystery and somehow the author seems to think that white people are an oppressed minority in South Africa. Total waste of time.
30: Petra Hülsmann, Wenn Schmetterlinge Loopings fliegen
I needed a brain cleanser after #29 and this was just what the doctor prescribed. It's a German romantic comedy. Not at all the innovative, "edgy" stuff that 28 & 29 tried to be, but guess what? Believable characters with real chemistry (with each other and the reader), good pacing, well-tied plot and no weirdly racist messages in the subtext.
About the kindle reading:
Objectively, what's not to love about the kindle? I love that I can get all the books, instantly, it's on my phone so I almost always have them all with me, can read wherever, and unless they're brand-spanking newly out, the books are cheaper. It's ideal for bingeing longer series and I used the hell out of that. However - big HOWEVER - it just doesn't feel like the real thing! I just love having to hunt down a book in the library, having to lug it around with me and it just feels like a much more real experience when I have it in my hands and can turn the actual pages and feel like I'm reading an actual *book*. I do know that I will continue to use the kindle app (there's a few series that I'm still having an eye on - I'm also very open to suggestions! - has anyone read the Molly Murphy series by Rhys Bown, or anything by Deanna Raybourn?) - I think it's going to be very useful too when I go on holidays - but I do need me some real books too!
I'm not going to list all the titles separately :) Shem kept raving about this series so I tried it out since the first books were rather cheap on kindle. With the first two or so I wasn't convinced, but I kept going, and they really got much better. The mysteries are sometimes a bit too convoluted and you could start a drinking game with the scenes where Sebastian kills attackers in self-defense, but I really like most of the returning characters (except Kat, but she gets less annoying!), most especially Hero. I also like the slow-burning over-arching mystery about Sebastian's past and whatever Jarvis end-game might be.
15-25: Rhys Bowen, The Royal Spyness Series, 1-11
So when I finished with the Sebastian St. Cyr I wanted a new series to binge (still on the kindle, more thoughts about that later) and I stumbled on this one while browsing and remembered I always wanted to give it a try. I really loved this too. There are some weird plottings where too many dead herrings just make you wonder why they were ever introduced, but it's such a fun, fast-paced, light romp with such quirky recurring characters and a wonderful main man for our heroine (and a really lovely relationship development so far) that I was very quickly hooked. Can't wait for the next book to come out this summer.
26: Sophie Kinsella, My Not So Perfect Life
I was at a loose end after the two series' and picked this up from the library. It was nice, rather. I liked how the happy-ever-after developed, not the stereotypical "Surprise, he was in love with her all along!"
27: C.S. Harris, Why Kill The Innocent (Sebastian St. Cyr 13)
So of course I had to get this when it came out :) It took me a bit to get into it, but I did like it as a new installment. Just a bit disappointed that the new puzzle pieces about Sebastian's past and what happened in the Jarvis household were few and far in-between. Guess I'll have to wait till the next one.
28: T.C. Boyle, The Terranauts
Ugh. This was one of those books that try too much and end up being just a disappointment. I was really interested in the premise, and it was nicely-enough narrated, but when I was through with it I felt that I had missed something. It was like the author built up to a big climax that just never happened because he decided to end the book just before it was to go down, as if he couldn't be bothered any more. Also, none of the characters were likeable, which wouldn't have been a big thing, but it was written as if we were to sympathise with them.
29: Ethan Cross, Spectrum
Another disappointment this one. Unevenly paced, far too much telling-not-showing, contradictory (and not in the good way) characters that just aren't engaging, weak mystery and somehow the author seems to think that white people are an oppressed minority in South Africa. Total waste of time.
30: Petra Hülsmann, Wenn Schmetterlinge Loopings fliegen
I needed a brain cleanser after #29 and this was just what the doctor prescribed. It's a German romantic comedy. Not at all the innovative, "edgy" stuff that 28 & 29 tried to be, but guess what? Believable characters with real chemistry (with each other and the reader), good pacing, well-tied plot and no weirdly racist messages in the subtext.
About the kindle reading:
Objectively, what's not to love about the kindle? I love that I can get all the books, instantly, it's on my phone so I almost always have them all with me, can read wherever, and unless they're brand-spanking newly out, the books are cheaper. It's ideal for bingeing longer series and I used the hell out of that. However - big HOWEVER - it just doesn't feel like the real thing! I just love having to hunt down a book in the library, having to lug it around with me and it just feels like a much more real experience when I have it in my hands and can turn the actual pages and feel like I'm reading an actual *book*. I do know that I will continue to use the kindle app (there's a few series that I'm still having an eye on - I'm also very open to suggestions! - has anyone read the Molly Murphy series by Rhys Bown, or anything by Deanna Raybourn?) - I think it's going to be very useful too when I go on holidays - but I do need me some real books too!
