The Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentleman Bastard #1) by Scott Lynch

Amy   

fantasy, action/suspense


The Lies of Locke Lamora bored me until I got about 40% of the way through—I almost stopped listening to it a couple of times but persisted due to its high Goodreads rating. There were some long, overly-detailed unnecessary sections and boring setting description sections. Finally, about 50% of the way through, I was looking forward to every opportunity I had to listen. I was hooked. Too bad it took that long, really. Locke’s character was unique and endearing and many of the other characters were, likewise, enjoyable. I loved Scott Lynch's use of European-sounding names for people and places. They were wonderfully creative and fun to consider!

This novel is classified as fantasy when, really, it’s not VERY fantasy. The people are living in a fantasy world that was somehow left behind by some prior non-human life forms.  This history was never explained nor much-discussed by the characters. And there are alchemical inventions which might be construed as fantasy yet they seemed plausible--more like science fiction. And, that’s all the fantasy in this novel. It has a historical feel to it. A personal annoyance is that the character Sabitha is mentioned several times as a person in their past but is never well-described, never comes into the timeline of the story, and her earlier absence/departure is never explained. I’m sure that’ll happen in a sequel. I’ll probably read the sequel to this novel eventually but won’t be rushing out to get it.

The narrator of the audio book, Michael Page, reads this novel like he’s a Shakespearean stage actor, overacting to the point that I felt stressed listening to him. I attribute much of my dissatisfaction with the first half of the novel to his narration. However, his male character voices and accents won me over because they were all wonderfully unique and some were hilarious. I got used to him eventually. I appreciated his pronunciations of the European-sounding names. So, I’ll give him a B+.

Turtles All The Way Down by John Green

Lynnie

young adult, contemporary fiction

I’m typically a big fan of John Green’s. His characters give me hope for teenagers and I generally find his stories endearing and relatable. That is not how I felt about Turtles All The Way Down however. This book felt oddly contrived- a girl with mental health problems, a missing billionaire whose son our main character may or may not like or even love, some best friends and throw-away secondary characters... and in the end, nothing really happened, which might be the worse part of all. It felt as though Green threw darts at a board to create characters & situations because none of it really ever made sense to me.

I was never really engaged in this story, mostly I just felt sorry for the characters. There’s no doubt they are experiencing serious trauma in their lives but rather than learning something from them I just felt like a creeper watching them in their misery. No thanks.

Renegades, Archenemies, and Supernova (Renegades #1, #2, #3) by Marissa Meyer

Amy    

Lynnie   Unfinished



young adult, fantasy, action

There have only been a handful of times in which our ratings were different by 2 hearts or more!  This one has an explanation provided by Lynnie below. 

Nova has been raised by her uncle and his gang of Anarchists since her parents were killed by a rival gang.  She blames the law-enforcing group of superheroes, the Renegades, for not coming to her parents' rescue and wants to remove their power.  So, she decides to try out to be a Renegade in order to infiltrate their headquarters and learn secrets in order to undermine their authority, fight them, and bring them down.

Amy's  Review

What fun! I enjoyed the characters and the world of Renegades. I like a story with action and forward motion and this one had it. In Renegades, the reader is uncertain who the real bad guys are because everyone has a little bad and a little good. Arguments are made for both sides and, as happens in real life, the younger generation learns from their parents' mistakes. I like the kindness of the "families" and the way those families gain their understanding of the world from different points of view. It makes for an interesting read. I also really enjoyed all the superpowers described even if a crime-fighting organization of superheroes seems a bit cliché. I especially like Adrian's superpower of making drawings become real objects (and the tattoos!) and the fact that Nova's superpowers are not flashy yet she is still brave and heroic.

The huge gaping flaw in this novel is the big clue that was given to Nova which she did not recognize. Now, I have to wait for the next book to verify my interpretation of that clue and see how things pan out whenever Nova finally figures it out. Smaller flaws in the novel revolve around situations where Nova did not sufficiently cover her tracks yet the Renegades didn't catch them and a couple overly-convenient situations. These flaws are why I'm stopping at 3-1/2 stars for this one.

Marissa Meyer is a wonderful author. I've enjoyed all of her novels! These characters have a lot of heart and I'll definitely be reading the sequel.

P.S. I am not a comic book reader (see below).


Lynnie's Review

So look, normally if I don't finish a book I give it 1 star, but I'm not even going to rate this one; I don't think it's fair.

I have spent 40+ years reading comic books and graphic novels, mostly about super heroes, and here's the thing- if you have spent any time at all in that genre, this is not going to be new or interesting and will in fact feel like a mashed up retread of a lot of stories and characters you've already read. BUT, I do think that for people that would never step foot in a comic shop, which is probably most of you (you people are totally missing out, by the way, but I digress), this book will be fantastic.

I have always said that if I could have a super power, it would be to control sleep- of myself and others- so Nova was a great character. And Adrian can draw things into reality which is a tremendously cool super power. Aaaaaand... that's about where I lost interest because they do the same things that every other super hero does. So, I'm jaded, and to be fair, my super hero attention span is about as long as a your average comic book. This book isn't for me so it's not fair for me to rate it.

If you're not a comic book nerd like me, I bet you'll love it.   

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Added 3/29/19:

Archenemies (Renegades #2)    

Amy  

young adult, fantasy, action

This was a fun sequel! I always enjoy Marissa Meyer's novels and, once again, she has amazed me by writing a sequel which is even better than the first installment in the series. This is a fabulous habit of hers that not many authors can pull off. I really liked the storylines, hidden identity pitfalls, and teenage insecurities being exhibited by superheroes. I was so bummed that it ended when it did and that I will, undoubtedly, have a long wait before the final novel in the trilogy is released. If you enjoyed Renegades, you will enjoy this one.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Added 12/12/19:

Supernova (Renegades #3)

Amy  

young adult, fantasy

The final book in the trilogy is very satisfying. There was a lot of action, surprise, drama, frustration, and success.  There was excellent character growth and lots of heart. I also felt it had some creative plot points—especially the twisty epilogue!!!!! If you enjoyed the other books in the series you will certainly enjoy this one.  The moral of the story is that we need to get along, treat each other with respect and fairness, and accept each others’ differences. Melissa Meyer is a fabulous storyteller and is always creative.

Amy's Favorite Books of 2017

Here are the best books I read in 2017.  (These are not all books that were released during 2017.)  I read 66 books this year (so far) and decided to stop reading 3 others before completing them.  That's more books in one year than ever before! 

I gave only one book 5 stars—The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon.   Eight of my Top Ten represent new authors for me and one of the two authors I’ve previously read, Laini Taylor, made my “Best of 2013” list for Daughter of Smoke and Bone (before we were blogging).

My 2017 favorites, in order, were:

1.       The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon (young adult)

2.       The Final Empire / The Well of Ascension (Mistborn series #1 / #2) by Brandon Sanderson (epic fantasy/adventure)

3.       The Rook (The Checquy Files #1) by Daniel O’Malley (fantasy/mystery)

4.       Strange the Dreamer (Strange the Dreamer #1) by Laini Taylor (fantasy/young adult)

5.       The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (young adult)

6.       The Queen of the Tearling / The Invasion of the Tearling (The Queen of the Tearling series #1 / #2) by Erika Johansen  (fantasy/adventure/young adult)

7.       Killing Floor (Jack Reacher #1) by Lee Child (mystery/action/suspense)

8.       Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig (contemporary fiction)

9.       The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead (historical fiction)

10.   Clara and Mr. Tiffany by Susan Vreeland (historical fiction)

Below are some details about these books (listed in alphabetical order).

Clara and Mr. Tiffany by Susan Vreeland (historical fiction) - I learned so much about NYC around the turn of the century, about life for female workers in that era, about glass window- and lamp-making processes, about the business of Tiffany’s, and about Louis Comfort Tiffany himself (who was the son of the jewelry store Mr. Tiffany) and his family history. I learned all this while enjoying the story of Clara Driscoll’s life. She was a real person who worked for Mr. Tiffany, first helping with the creation of glass windows, coming up with the idea (supposedly) for Tiffany lamps, and becoming a designer of glass lamps and windows under Tiffany’s tutelage. She also became the manager of the women’s department at Tiffany Studios. Meanwhile, she led an interesting personal life and was fortunate to have some great friends. I appreciated all the research that Susan Vreeland must have performed and her creativity at filling in the gaps of Clara’s story whenever there was no documentation available. The characters in the book really came to life and so many of them were loveable and irresistible.

Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig (contemporary fiction) - I enjoyed this quick read very much. It’s told from the point of view of a 14-year-old autistic girl named Ginny Moon. The way that Benjamin Ludwig writes the story impels the reader to keep turning pages. I had to know the backstory and I had to know what would happen next. Sometimes, it seemed to get a bit long but, I believe, that is because we are reading from Ginny’s perspective and it just takes her a long time to interpret her motivations and figure out her intentions. Additionally, she did not have much control over her life, given the circumstances, so it was frustrating for her. Ginny’s focus is on her own life—not knowing what is best for herself, her inability to make sense of and express her feelings, the desire to be a useful contributor, and the need to be safe. The characters are wonderful. In fact, overall, I felt that Ginny was very lucky that all the people in her new life were actually good people trying to help—especially her therapist. It is heartwarming to know that there are people like the author of this novel who adopt children with special needs despite the tremendous responsibility and need for patience. (I also think it is okay for young adults to read.) 

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (young adult) - What a relevant novel. This story is told from the viewpoint of an African American 16yo girl, Starr, who witnesses the tragedy of her good friend being murdered by a white policeman during a traffic stop for a broken tail light. It covers serious topics such as racial injustices, gang life, inter-racial relationships, underprivileged vs. wealthy, family issues and resolutions, teen drama, loyalty, and advocacy. It’s very well done and gives the reader insight into Starr’s life including her complicated family situation, her rough neighborhood, and her private school in a better part of town. It highlights bravery among those who are able to rise above their life circumstances. These people are all brave despite adversity. They are an inspiration. I think this viewpoint of Starr’s world is important to read. I loved that the author was able to inject some really funny comedy into the story--especially three scenes which made me laugh out loud during the second half. This novel also just won the 2017 Goodreads Best Young Adult Fiction and Goodreads Best Debut Author, both of which are entirely deserving!

Killing Floor (Jack Reacher #1) by Lee Child (mystery/action/suspense) - Jack Reacher, who is just making a quick trip to a small Georgia town, gets arrested for a crime he did not commit. Given his background as a military crime investigator, he always seems to have an innate understanding of situations and is ready for anything. He's quick on his feet and intelligent. I like reading about smart protagonists and I like seeing good triumph over evil. I also enjoy great characters and an adventure. This novel had all of that. The story was engaging and made me want to keep listening to find out what happened next. It had pretty good pacing but got bogged down in details that didn't interest me a few times.

The Final Empire and The Well of Ascension (Mistborn series #1 and #2) by Brandon Sanderson (epic fantasy/action/suspense) - I have not yet blogged about these novels because I'm hoping to convince Lynnie to read them.  Vin is a Skaa (slave) orphan, surviving by thieving and scheming. She does not know that she possesses special powers until a mistborn man named Kelsier takes her under his wing to train her. She becomes involved in Kelsier's plan to defeat the Lord Ruler and make life better for the Skaa. The heroine is awesome, the powers of the Misting and Terris characters are creative and interesting, the villain is evil and powerful, the good guys have spunk, guts and brains, and the story is engaging. What's not to like? The writing and story-crafting was very well done. In the second novel, the story of this group of well-intended friends attempting to make their world better picks up a short while after the first novel. The adventure is terrific. The intrigue is high. The action is gripping. The relationships are refreshing.  Unfortunately, while I did enjoy the 3rd novel in this series quite a bit, it wasn't as satisfying as these first two. (I also think these are okay for young adults to read. There is no sex or drug use in the modern sense but there is violence and cruelty.) 

The Queen of the Tearling and The Invasion of the Tearling (The Queen of the Tearling series #1 and #2) by Erika Johansen  (fantasy/adventure/young adult) – WARNING, even though it’s billed as a young adult series, it’s for the older young adults due to themes of rape. This series has adventure, action, good vs. evil, girl power, and magic. It even has a mysterious masked man! The story is set in the future after some portion of American and British citizens made a “crossing” to some other land. Apparently, the ship that contained most of the doctors and nurses did not successfully make the crossing. Plus, there is not modern electricity in this new world. The people in this novel are living in a medieval-type of environment ruled by monarchs. It’s unusual and creative, which I truly appreciate. I did have some complaints about the storyline but still enjoyed the ride.  I will mention, however, that the final novel in the trilogy was not as good as these first two.

The Rook (The Checquy Files #1) by Daniel O’Malley (fantasy/mystery) - What fun! Myfanwy (rhymes with Tiffany) Thomas knows that she’ll be losing her memory and decides to leave her body’s new “inhabitant” instructions for continuing with her life, if she so chooses. What the new inhabitant comes to learn is that Myfanwy is a leader in a secret British organization that is staffed with uniquely talented individuals. This organization keeps Britain safe from paranormal threats. And most of the members of the organization also have unusual paranormal powers. It was a creative premise that grabbed my interest from the beginning and held nonstop discovery and adventure. The characters were all intriguing—both the bad ones and the good ones. The author’s creativity was astounding. And I loved the pacing and the humor. There were a couple times where the humor was a bit too much on the slapstick side but I still enjoyed the quirkiness and attitudes. 

Strange the Dreamer (Strange the Dreamer #1) by Laini Taylor (fantasy/young adult/romance) – This story defies explanation—it would sound crazy to give someone a summary of this book because it would sound so far-fetched as to be ridiculous. Yet, with Laini Taylor’s world-building, it seems naturally plausible! Her imagination is simply at another level. She’s beyond creative and lovely and dreamy—she’s ingenious. I wish I was as talented with adjectives as she is because I fail to capture a worthy description of her talent. The story was magically crafted and kept me entirely engaged. Each new chapter seemingly introduced some new discovery or enchantment or dread. UGH—the dread in this novel borders on too much. And the ultimate “bad guy” (of the several from which to choose) is horrid—clueless, misguided, naïve, and hate-bound. I can’t stand this person! If you enjoy fantasy, read it!

The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon (young adult) - This book deserves all the positive reviews and accolades it has received. What fun! How current. Full of teen drama and well-deserved angst, told from several viewpoints and including details of several characters’ lives, it is the story of two teens who are the subjects of cosmic turns of fate. One of them is going through a major life event—the impending deportation of her family to Jamaica—and the other is questioning his parents’ expectations for his future. While I tend to dislike books where there are too many convenient coincidences, the idea of coincidence and predestination is a central character to this story. I loved it! I loved the fact that the story was about immigrants. I loved the characters. I was never bored and kept wanting to read more. The crafting of the story was masterful. The storyline was engaging and gripping. Truly, a fantastic novel.

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead (historical fiction) - This is the story of a young slave woman named Cora who was born and raised on a plantation in Georgia and, particularly, the journeys of her older teen years. Most of her journey was not pleasant, so be warned. The most amazing thing to me wasn’t the story or the characters or the writing (which all held my interest and made me want to keep reading). No, it’s the fact that there is literally an underground railroad in this novel--like a subway! I was shocked! This author made the concept of underground trains completely believable but it was all just creative fiction! Mr. Whitehead’s writing is genuine and really takes you to the time and place of the novel. The characters were all realistic and the story itself was engaging and included satisfying explanations for mysteries raised during the story.


If you’re hungry for more, here are my favorites from 2014, 2015, and 2016.  Also, don’t miss Lynnie’s favorites of 2017!  (Three of the books above also made her favorites list--The Rook, Strange the Dreamer, and The Queen of the Tearling!) 

--Amy

Lynnie's Favorite Books of 2017

Well, I've made it through another year and 50 more books. Fortunately I liked most of what I read as I rated 37 of those books with 3 stars or higher on Goodreads.  Unfortunately, there were 7 books that I did not finish, which is a high number for me.  Oh well, you can't win the reading lottery all the time.  I only gave 5 stars to two books I read this year, one of which, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling, I won't include on this list as it's been a favorite for many years.  

Listed below are my favorite books of the year in no particular order.  If you need something to read in 2018, I recommend any of them.

 Favorite Books for Grownups: 

The Rook by Daniel O'Malley

I'm so glad my sister, Amy, recommended this book. It has a unique premise, is filled with creativity and has non-stop action that kept me wanting to read more, an adventure and a mystery all wrapped in to one. I hear it's being made into a tv show so read it now before everyone starts talking about it at work. 


 
What Was Mine by Helen Klein Ross

Not a book I would typically enjoy, I was absolutely engrossed in this story. While the book description gives away the main plot (a woman kidnaps a baby and gets away with it for 21 years before being discovered), watching it unfold is sometimes intense and always fascinating. It's a book that I thought about long after reading it. 


The Book of Polly by Kathy Hepinstall

Read this book for the characters- they are southern, sassy, and will make you shake your head in dismay as often as they make you laugh. The story and the characters are quirky and you'll be glad you decided to spend some time with them.  





Favorite Books for Young Adults:
 
Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

I adored Taylor's previous series, Daughter of Smoke and Bone, and in this novel she does not disappoint.  Taylor is a master world-builder and it was fun to spend time getting to know Lazlo Strange and all of the people around him.  This is fantasy and escape the way it should be done (but watch out for that cliffhanger ending).



The Tearling Series by Erika Johansen
(The Queen of the Tearling, The Invasion of the Tearling, The Fate of the Tearling)

While I liked some of the books in the series better than others, it's rare to find a series these days that holds my attention so completely. Obviously I was late to the series as I read all three books in the series in 2017 but that means that you don't have to wait to read the entire series either. If you're interested in dystopian fantasy and adventure, this is a great series.  


Honorable Mentions:

Barefoot Contessa Foolproof by Ina Garten - Another great cookbook by Garten full of easy to follow, useful recipes. She never lets me down.

You Gotta Get Bigger Dreams by Alan Cumming - An interesting glimpse into the life of Alan Cumming who is remarkably self-aware about how absurd his life is sometimes as a celebrity. Very entertaining.

In case you're curious and looking for more reading ideas, here's a link to my favorites lists from 2015 and 2016. And don't forget to check out Amy's Favorites of 2017 too!

All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater

Amy     

fantasy, young adult

I almost gave up on All the Crooked Saints after the first 1/8 (the audio book is divided into eight pieces) because it was boring—it was mostly descriptions about characters, and insufficient ones at that. There were too many people being introduced and no meat to the story. Then, finally, the storyline started to emerge and I decided to stick with it, as far-fetched as it was. In the end, I enjoyed it. And I enjoyed the author’s humor which made me laugh out loud a few times. But I didn’t enjoy it as much as I wanted to.  It's about a family of saints who live out in the desert and receive pilgrims who are trying to remove the evil from their lives.

Maggie Stiefvater’s novels have sort of fallen out of my favor. I loved her Shiver series so intensely that I’ve given her more chances than I’ve given any other author. After Shiver (aka The Wolves of Mercy Falls series), I read all of her other novels but none of them were as good as the Shiver series. I couldn't even finish The Raven Cycle series. So, I decided to be done with Maggie.

I only gave this one a try because, like all her other novels, it got great reviews and, for some reason, Maggie has a place in my heart. I’m really not sure if I’ll read any more of her novels. I guess I’ll figure that out later. I would like to add that I do not like the title of this novel. It does deal with saints, but I don't believe they're crooked (in any definition of the word).

Meanwhile, the narrator of this audio book, Thom Rivera, was very enjoyable—probably perfect for this story. His accents and acting were wonderful. I give him an A.

Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig

Amy 

contemporary fiction

I enjoyed this quick read very much. It’s told from the point of view of a 14-year-old autistic girl named Ginny Moon. It reminded me of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (Mark Haddon) in that way. Ginny’s focus is on her own life—not knowing what is best for herself, her inability to make sense of and express her feelings, the desire to be a useful contributor, and the need to be safe. The way that Benjamin Ludwig wrote the story impelled me to keep turning pages. I had to know the backstory and I had to know what would happen next. Sometimes, it seemed to get a bit long but, I believe, that is because we were reading from Ginny’s perspective and it just took her a long time to interpret her motivations and figure out her intentions. Additionally, she did not have much control over her life, given the circumstances, so it was frustrating for her.

The characters are wonderful. In fact, overall, I feel that Ginny is very lucky that all the people in her new life are actually good people trying to help—especially her therapist. I was furious at her Forever Mom, though, for not realizing her actions were exactly the opposite of what Ginny needed. Poor Brian—he certainly had an uphill battle with those two. It is heartwarming to know that there are people like the author of this novel who adopt children with special needs despite the tremendous responsibility and need for patience.

Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal

Amy   

women's fiction

Delightful and charming. A friend recommended it and the title was intriguing so I gave it a try. I’m so glad I did!

Nikki is a twenty-something-year-old woman of Indian descent living in London. She’s trying to gain her independence from her family’s expectations and is seeking her own path through life. She’s only partially successful when she stumbles upon a teaching opportunity at an Indian community center and decides to take advantage of it. Soon after meeting all the widows who have signed up for the class, she realizes that they are hoping to get something different out of the class than she had expected. Meanwhile, the story contains some romance, tragedy, and mystery along with lessons about Indian heritage and the Sikh religion. On the down side, the mystery felt a bit forced and clunky. Also, the interspersed erotic stories broke up the flow of the main story a bit more than I would have preferred. But it all worked out to fit together into a grand picture. I appreciated the (mostly) realistic characters and the insights.

If you want something different and uplifting, give Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows a read.  I would like to read another novel by Balli Kaur Jaswal!

Let it Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle

Lynnie

young adult, short stories, contemporary fiction

Let It Snow is a cute book & fun YA way to get into the holiday season. All three stories intertwine a bit, but they are separate stories and all three are not created equal! The book starts with its strongest story- Maureen Johnson's The Jubilee Express. It's silly & engaging & the characters made me smile frequently. The second story is John Green's Cheertastic Christmas Miracle which was also fun & quirky. The final story, The Patron Saint of Pigs by Lauren Myracle was the least engaging of the bunch. The main character is hard to like & it really was a bit of a chore to finish because of her, though all the stories wind up nicely in its final pages.

Still, if you're looking for something easy & fast to read (which I was), this fits the bill & is worth it for the first 2 stories alone.

Clara and Mr. Tiffany by Susan Vreeland

Amy      

historical fiction

I read Clara and Mr. Tiffany for my book club and really enjoyed it! I learned so much about NYC around the turn of the century (did you know the subway opened for business in 1904?), about life for female workers in that era (who were not allowed to join labor unions), about glass window- and lamp-making processes, about the business of Tiffany’s, and about Louis Comfort Tiffany himself (who was the son of the jewelry store's Charles Lewis Tiffany) and his family history. I learned all this while enjoying the story of Clara Driscoll’s life. She was a real person who worked for Mr. Tiffany, from helping with the creation of glass windows, coming up with the idea (supposedly) for Tiffany lamps, and becoming a designer of glass lamps and windows under Tiffany’s tutelage. She also became the manager of the women’s department at Tiffany Studios. Meanwhile, she led an interesting personal life and was fortunate to have some great friends.

I appreciated all the research that Susan Vreeland must have performed and her creativity at filling in the gaps of Clara’s story whenever there was no documentation available. The characters in the book really came to life and so many of them were loveable and irresistible.

The narrator of the audio book, Kimberly Farr, did a fine job overall. At times she read a little too slowly/robotically but would strike her groove fairly quickly. She was able to pull off some good accents and her voice acting was good. I give her an A.

The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton

Amy

historical fiction

I read The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton for Book Club despite its lower-than-I-usually-read Goodreads rating (3.58). Surprisingly, I did like it even though it is sad story. The 17th century setting was described well and, having been to Amsterdam, I was able to imagine the general layout of things. The pacing and the topics kept surprising me. The novel went where I didn’t expect it to go. For broaching those subjects, I appreciated it. However, the basic story is a tragedy. There is hope at the end, but it came at a very steep price. Some things were, annoyingly, never explained. The title is misleading. The story is not about the miniaturist—she is only a character that provides some intrigue and mystery and adds a bit of the fantastic into the story. Though, I will concede, she was the most interesting character in the novel and contributed to the afore-mentioned good pacing. Not much is resolved in this novel but that is actually alright. I was glad it ended when it did.

The Rook by Daniel O'Malley (The Checquy Files #1)

Amy       
Lynnie  

fantasy, mystery

Myfanwy (rhymes with Tiffany) Thomas knows that she’ll be losing her memory and decides to leave her body’s new “inhabitant” instructions for continuing with her life, if she so chooses. What the new inhabitant comes to learn is that Myfanwy is a leader in a secret British organization that is staffed with uniquely talented individuals. This organization keeps Britain safe from paranormal threats. And most of the members of the organization also have unusual paranormal powers.

Amy's Review

What fun! I liked The Rook much more than I expected I would! It was a creative premise that grabbed my interest from the beginning. I was a little worried it would get too bogged down in Myfanwy’s instructions to her successor and then even more worried when the details of her job seemed overwhelmingly complex near the beginning. However, the story quickly moved through that stuff and moved into nonstop discovery and adventure. The characters were all intriguing—both the bad ones and the good ones. Daniel O'Malley’s creativity was astounding. And I loved the pacing and the humor. There were a couple times where the humor was a bit too much on the slapstick side but I still enjoyed the quirkiness and attitudes. I look forward to reading the sequel.

The audio book narrator was mostly fabulous. Susan Duerdon is extremely talented with regard to a variety of voices (even male voices) and accents. Her storytelling and acting was terrific. My only complaint is that she would often go long periods of time where all her phrases ended with an upwards intonation so that the speaking itself overshadowed the words being spoken. It sort of felt a bit frantic or pronounced. I can’t really describe it but it wasn’t comfortable and seamless. It was sort of like the guy who does the movie preview announcements where every sentence is given weighty importance. It would take me out of the story when she did that and I had to actively try to ignore her tone and focus on the words she was saying. But, her voice acting was so well-done otherwise, I’ll give her an A.  

Lynnie's Review

What an unexpectedly wonderful book! I'd never even heard of The Rook until Amy read it and I'm so glad that she suggested it to me. It's a unique premise, filled with creativity and with non-stop action. I was sad I didn't have as much time as I normally do so it took me a while to read it, but I truly enjoyed every moment. The Rook follows a woman who is a leader of a secret agency filled with people with special abilities. This agency employs and protects this uniquely talented individuals and protects the world from other people with these powers and abilities. Unfortunately she (Myfanwy) has had her memories erased and must figure out her life and her duties based on letters that she left herself before her memories were erased. While that sounds convoluted it really works and is much easier to follow than I thought it would be (& probably easier to follow than this review!). The characters are all fascinating and while the entire story is outrageously far-fetched it is a lot of fun to read.