Sunday, January 15, 2023
I'm Almost Completely Caught Up on Everything Ilona Andrews has Published.
Saturday, January 14, 2023
#TheSundayPost So Many Books, Only So Much Time-
The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme
Saturday, January 7, 2023
Back to Work Tomorrow: #TheSundayPost
The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme
Thursday, January 6, 2022
Fated Blades by Ilona Andrews! My Favorite Science Fiction!
Honestly, I don't know how I forgot that I had this novella downloaded to read! But here we are, it was a bit of a Christmas present from past me to current me I guess.
I'm sure I have said it before, but I'll say it again, I love everything Illona Andrews publishes. No surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I actually have it in audio as well as kindle. I started listening to it when I was having some very invasive dental work done and it was a little hard to get lost in the story with a drill in my jaw, so I listened to the first few chapters, and then later after my mouth began to heel, I switched over and read the kindle version from the start.
As this is a novella and Ilona Andrews is one of my favorite authors, I read this in one sitting. It took me most of the story to visualize how the secare's blades and shields worked. I couldn't figure out where they had their hands during the battles. I have a hold on The Kingsman Universe from my library and so by the time I finish reading that I should have a better grip on the ins and outs of their skills.Sunday, February 14, 2021
Presidents Day Today, Paczki Day Tomorrow and #BloodHeir by Ilona Andrews
Should you feel like celebrating Presidents' Day, I suggest a viewing of Hamilton on Disney Plus--that is if you enjoy a good musical. Or you could one of the many, many biographies of our many presidents, OR you could dive into President Obama's biography. Since President Obama's biography which is a part one biography, is over 700 pages, if I read it I'm thinking I'll do the audio. I like his voice. When I was a kid we would sometimes have cherry pie for Presidents' Day because of the old legend that Washington was asked if he chopped down a cherry tree and he said he couldn't lie and admitted he chopped down the cherry tree.
These days there will be no pies on Presidents' Day, but this year the day after is Fat Tuesday and that means Paczkis! Basically, Paczkis are Polish jelly or custard-filled donuts. Interestingly, according to the internet while we here in Chicagoland call the day before Ash Wednesday Paczki day, in Poland Paczki day is Fat Thursday (the last Thursday before Ash Wednesday). Moving forward I'm going to try and have a Paczki week. I like the raspberry-filled the best. Custard filled dough of any kind is not my thing.
*****
Today's book review is for a new book from the husband and wife writing team known as Ilona Andrews. Blood Heir is a new book in a familiar world. Julie, who got to know previously is now a grownup- with a new face and a new name, Aurelia Ryder.
She's finally home, but if she visits her family, they will die. We are in a very new territory. This book can be read on its own. If you have not read the Kate Daniels series, you can enjoy all those books after this one, as you wait for the next book in this new series. As a reader who comes to this book after years of enjoying the Kate Daniels series, my reading of Blood Heir is enriched as someone who has spent time in Ilona Andrews' post-shift world.
The book is filled with ancient mythology and failed technology. Aurelia holds her own against very powerful foes and we learn a little bit about her old crush, who is now a very different kind of Wolf. The transformation of Derek is as big as the transformation of Julie and I am really looking forward to what happens next.
The first time she was called Knight Ryder I chuckled and then later in the book I see this exchange. So Night Ridger existed in this world too!Thursday, September 10, 2020
Where Do I Go From Here?
I'm a little sad today to say goodbye to Kate Daniels, she was funny and she was smart and she was really good with a sword! I'll miss spending time with her! If you are looking for a relatively long series with a great heroine, this is an excellent series to read.
Magic Triumphs by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A very fitting end to a wonderful series. If you haven't read Iron and Magic already, read it before starting the finale in the Kate Daniels series. Once again I was amazed at how well Ilona Andrews balances snarky humor and drama.
I loved how this fantasy series is really about Kate finding family and being family for other people. The mythologies used in the stories are always fascinating and I would love spinoff books featuring Roman and his family.
One of the reasons I so enjoyed this series is that Kate and Curran build real, solid love. There is some drama and there are worries along the way but there aren't dramatic fights added as a device just to keep the couple apart so I keep reading. I think it's a testament to Ilona Andrew's world-building that we have a central couple and so much action, drama, and interesting side characters that we never get bored.
When I was reading and saw there were only 50 pages until the end of the story, I was very worried about the ending, I shared Kate's concerns, I didn't see how my favorite people could survive and how everything could be resolved in 50 pages. And yet, there was resolution and a very satisfying ending. So well done!
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Friday, September 4, 2020
Holiday Weekend is Here! Don't Forget...
Sapphire Flames by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Such a well-done paranormal romance! You can't read this and not love House Baylor, plus Linus Duncan is basically Ironman, how fun is that! I love the sizzling romance between Catalina and Alessandro and all the obstacles in their way, I have to keep reading just to see how they will overcome everything that is thrown at them.
Ilona Andrews is so skilled at writing action-paced dramas. They balance action scenes with romance in a way that never makes you want to skim the fight to get to the romantic banter.
Emerald Blaze just came out and I'm on the waiting list at my library to read the next installment of Catalina's story. I'm really looking forward to learning more about Alessandro's quest and I hope maybe Catalina's mom will go on a date with Sgt. Heart???
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Monday, August 31, 2020
Sure It's Monday, But a Three-Day Weekend is at the End of This Week!
The weather in my neck of the woods was wonderful this weekend, the temps dropped from intolerable to tolerable. A local brewery released their Oktoberfest beer and I was very tempted to see if it was possible to go there and stay away from everyone and have my first beer of the fall season. I am planning to taste some new fall beers this year and write about them as I did in the fall of 2017. I also plan to read some beer-centered cozy mysteries!
It's the last day of August, and as you can see I'm working on planning my fall. On my to-do list for today, I have allotted time to reflect on August and plan September. If that sounds good to you, join me in doing this practice each month. I write about the highlights and low lights of the month and then review my planner and see what I want to do in the upcoming month.
I read a novella from a book series I really enjoy over the weekend. I loved that it was set up in classic mystery style, think Agatha Christie or Clue. Everyone had means and motive, and the Main Character had to solve it. Lots of fun! My review is below-
Diamond Fire by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book is done as a classic mystery, everyone involved is at the Rogan family estate and
Catalina is our detective. There is also the comedy that comes from planning a wedding and I enjoyed seeing the wedding planning from Catalina's perspective as well as the scenes with Mrs. Rogan. It was also fun to read how Ilona Andrews had a Sherlock Holmes climax were the mystery was revealed to all the suspects present. I'm already halfway through the next book in the series, the Hidden Legacy series is so hard to put down!
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