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halfway to the long weekend
Catching up on the Wednesday reading meme…
finished
Cold-Hearted Rake, Lisa Kleypas – Her first historical in years, so yeah, I dove right into it, and while I didn’t hate it, there was something off about it. I liked the characters but I had a lot more fun watching the protagonists interact with his younger brother than I did with the actual romance. And I am all kinds of doubting about how she’s going to pull off the next in the series without crossing into any one of several old!skool tropes that really should have been left in the distant, distant past.
Proven Guilty, Jim Butcher, audio by James Marsters – Halfway through this one, I started having suspicions that we weren’t really going to solve things, and while we did wrap up the specific case, there were indeed a lot of threads that were there to set up what I’m assuming is the back half of the series itself. On the plus side, at least Harry’s gotten over his whiny betrayal drama with Ebenezer, but wow, do I hope his actions with Molly come back to bite him harrrrrd (not the big picture actions, but the pitcher of ice water actions. Jackass.)
Carry On, Rainbow Rowell – I did not actually finish this one (tbh, I barely got started on it) but I think I just wasn’t in the mood for the meta of fic of an AU HP fic, and since there’s a hold list a mile long for the book, I let it go to someone who is presumably dying to read it. I wouldn’t be opposed to circling around on it again, but … my TBR list is gigantic, so I don’t know if it will happen.
The Proposal and The Arrangement, Mary Balogh – The first two books of her Survivors’ series, where each book focuses on one of a group of former soldiers/diplomats who met and recovered from various injuries, both physical and mental, after the Napoleonic Wars. I do love that she focuses on couples other than the typical Regency debutante and debauched rake, and the history is pretty spot on. There’s a little too much telling-not-showing going on in the first book especially, just to set up the group and their relationship to each other, but there was a lot to get on the table and it didn’t throw me too much off-stride. Good enough that I’ve got the third book queued up.
The Dream Thieves and Blue Lily, Lily Blue, Maggie Stiefvater – I find myself caring so much for these kids even if the unexplained mysteries aggravate the crap out of me. I trust things will be explained by the fourth book, but I was repeating that to myself quite often during Dream Thieves especially. I do remain in awe of how much MS can communicate with a single thought or line of dialogue. Waiting impatiently for The Raven King (I just went out to see if the library has it in the system so I can put a hold on it, but no joy yet.) I'm actually searching out stuff on tumblr during the wait, jeez.
reading now
To Say Nothing of the Dog, Connie Willis – I *will* conquer this one (I’ve tried multiple times)—I’ve got both the audiobook and the kindle book, so I’m whisper-syncing it. I really love CW, but I never can quite keep up with where I was in all her books, but I’m not giving up yet.
Vienna, 1814, David King – I had this one on an ILL and couldn’t get an extension, so I’m back on the waiting list (or waiting for my book budget to open up enough to grab it in hard cover.)
The Escape, Mary Balogh – Book #3 in the Survivors Club. I just started it so I have no actual thoughts yet.
This Will Make You Smarter, ed. John Brockman – I may be throwing this one against the wall soon as a few too many of the essays drip of pretentious, entitled smugness. We’ll see.
next
March, Geraldine Brooks – The Civil War of Little Women from Mr. March and Marmee’s POV, filtered through Bronson Alcott’s life. Given how often I’ve read LW, I have to at least give this one a try, right?
finished
Cold-Hearted Rake, Lisa Kleypas – Her first historical in years, so yeah, I dove right into it, and while I didn’t hate it, there was something off about it. I liked the characters but I had a lot more fun watching the protagonists interact with his younger brother than I did with the actual romance. And I am all kinds of doubting about how she’s going to pull off the next in the series without crossing into any one of several old!skool tropes that really should have been left in the distant, distant past.
Proven Guilty, Jim Butcher, audio by James Marsters – Halfway through this one, I started having suspicions that we weren’t really going to solve things, and while we did wrap up the specific case, there were indeed a lot of threads that were there to set up what I’m assuming is the back half of the series itself. On the plus side, at least Harry’s gotten over his whiny betrayal drama with Ebenezer, but wow, do I hope his actions with Molly come back to bite him harrrrrd (not the big picture actions, but the pitcher of ice water actions. Jackass.)
Carry On, Rainbow Rowell – I did not actually finish this one (tbh, I barely got started on it) but I think I just wasn’t in the mood for the meta of fic of an AU HP fic, and since there’s a hold list a mile long for the book, I let it go to someone who is presumably dying to read it. I wouldn’t be opposed to circling around on it again, but … my TBR list is gigantic, so I don’t know if it will happen.
The Proposal and The Arrangement, Mary Balogh – The first two books of her Survivors’ series, where each book focuses on one of a group of former soldiers/diplomats who met and recovered from various injuries, both physical and mental, after the Napoleonic Wars. I do love that she focuses on couples other than the typical Regency debutante and debauched rake, and the history is pretty spot on. There’s a little too much telling-not-showing going on in the first book especially, just to set up the group and their relationship to each other, but there was a lot to get on the table and it didn’t throw me too much off-stride. Good enough that I’ve got the third book queued up.
The Dream Thieves and Blue Lily, Lily Blue, Maggie Stiefvater – I find myself caring so much for these kids even if the unexplained mysteries aggravate the crap out of me. I trust things will be explained by the fourth book, but I was repeating that to myself quite often during Dream Thieves especially. I do remain in awe of how much MS can communicate with a single thought or line of dialogue. Waiting impatiently for The Raven King (I just went out to see if the library has it in the system so I can put a hold on it, but no joy yet.) I'm actually searching out stuff on tumblr during the wait, jeez.
reading now
To Say Nothing of the Dog, Connie Willis – I *will* conquer this one (I’ve tried multiple times)—I’ve got both the audiobook and the kindle book, so I’m whisper-syncing it. I really love CW, but I never can quite keep up with where I was in all her books, but I’m not giving up yet.
Vienna, 1814, David King – I had this one on an ILL and couldn’t get an extension, so I’m back on the waiting list (or waiting for my book budget to open up enough to grab it in hard cover.)
The Escape, Mary Balogh – Book #3 in the Survivors Club. I just started it so I have no actual thoughts yet.
This Will Make You Smarter, ed. John Brockman – I may be throwing this one against the wall soon as a few too many of the essays drip of pretentious, entitled smugness. We’ll see.
next
March, Geraldine Brooks – The Civil War of Little Women from Mr. March and Marmee’s POV, filtered through Bronson Alcott’s life. Given how often I’ve read LW, I have to at least give this one a try, right?
no subject
I was so happy when that finally happened. I don't think Harry's hissy fit is meant to be entirely justified, but rather character growth or something, but I just so sick of that and couldn't see his point of view at all.
As for Harry and Molly... I really like what Harry having an apprentice does overall, and Molly became one of my favorite characters as a result of the stuff set up in this book, but everything to do with Harry and Molly taking off from that scene is at this point my least favorite thing about the books (I'm trying to be non-spoilery, so hopefully am not overly-implying anything, but anyway).
I trust things will be explained by the fourth book
I'm kinda doubtful that everything will be resolved, especially given how many new threads were introduced just at the end of book 3, but I also expect I'll enjoy The Raven King regardless of how much sense/closure the plot has, because of the characters.
no subject
I agree with you about kids from the Raven Cycle--I am very invested in their stories and I want to know what happens! Thank goodness I am only just now reading the books; I would have gone nuts waiting for the 4th one for any much longer.
Also, was it you who really loved Ronan? It was curious--I didn't mind how much the 2nd book was about him and his family, but I didn't truly fall into thrall until the 3rd book. Something about him in BLLB just tore me up. I want happy endings, dammit!
no subject
I mean, I get a teenager feeling betrayed when his parental figure is revealed to be human, but jeez, Harry is a liiittttle too old for that excuse
Yep. Like I buy the general notion as part of his character, but it makes him feel really immature, and makes me like him less as a character.
Also, was it you who really loved Ronan?
Yes! Or, at least, I'm a reader who really loves Ronan. I do love him best in Dream Thieves -- the whole messed up arc with Kavinsky was really well done, I thought, and remains my favorite part of the three books. But I liked him in BLLB, too, especially all his interaction with Adam. I did really miss Ronan's POV in the third book, but Stiefvater has said it will be back in book 4, so I'm looking forward to that.