Jo is out running some errands and the puppies are resting a bit. So here is a quick mid-September update.
Finished
I've finished 5 books in September so far even if 4 of them are graphic novels. All very enjoyable.
"Space Boy Omnibus Volume 3 by Stephen McCranie continues the story of the mysterious Oliver and his friend Amy. This Omnibus collection consists of Volumes 7, 8 & 9 of the graphic novel series.
In #2, Oliver and his caretaker Dr. Kim decide they have to leave town, both to preserve Oliver's identity and also to protect Amy. The newly introduced FCP, First Contact Project, under command of the 'evil'? Commander Saito makes its presence known. Amy desperately wants to find out who Oliver really is and she ignores her friends and schoolwork to search out information.
There are a couple of side stories going on as well; the ongoing development of a relationship between Schaeffer and Tammie and the issues between Cassie and David. There is also Zeph's desire to date Amy...
There is more danger and action in this collection as Amy battles the FCP commandos. Her friends Cassie and Tammie are both put at risk. Oliver leaves Dr. Kim to go back to protect Amy. There is friction within the FCP as Commander Saito's harshness and singular focus is wearing on her troops.
Ultimately, we will learn more about Oliver and who he is. There will be threads left unsatisfyingly open by the end of the Omnibus; Where is Tammie!!! Is Cassie ok??? Who is Langley??? Is he really that evil? Well drawn, a fascinating story.. Of course, now I will have to read Omnibus Vol 4.. (3.5 stars)"
"Space Boy Omnibus Volume 4 by Stephen McCranie contains Chapters 10 - 12 of the Space Boy story. I think it's one of the better of the 4 Omnibuses as the first two chapters are basically a prequel which finally explains who Space Boy (Oliver) is and how he found himself in the situation where we first meet him in the initial stories.
Without trying to give away too much, Oliver and his family are part of a space expedition that was sent into space 300 years before. Well, Oliver wasn't part of the original group, but his ancestors were and Oliver and his parents are part of later generations that grew up on the space ship Arno. The mission was sent out to find the Artifact, partly to get the Earth countries working together on a common goal after a disastrous war.
Things begin going wrong and Oliver's father desperately tries to discover what is wrong to prevent a disaster. OK, I don't think I should tell more except to say that because of what happens Oliver finds himself communicating with the FCP back on Earth and that's how he eventually meets Amy.
These two chapters, 10 & 11 are very exciting, filled with wonderful characters and with lots of tension. After Chapter 11, we find ourselves back in the present (Chapter 12) and Amy is now held prisoner of the FCP. Mr. Langley wants Amy to become a member of the FCP security force and wants her to keep contact with Oliver, to persuade him to finish the mission of finding the Artifact.
It's all very mysterious, especially with the inclusion of the alien wanderer who intrudes on both Oliver's and Amy's dreams. Is he good or bad? What are his plans? Mr. Langley seems to know.
It's such a fascinating story and I've enjoyed the artwork, the characters and the wonderful story. Unfortunately Omnibus 5 won't be out until March 2024 so I may have to buy the individual chapters to keep up with things. Can't wait! (4.0 stars)"
"The Hidden Witch is the 2nd book in the Witch Boy YA graphic novel trilogy by Molly Knox Ostertag. What a wonderful series for pre-teens and young adults getting into reading. Bright, colorful artwork and a great story.
In Book 2, Aster, the Witch Boy, is now learning witchcraft at his home. In the initial story, we learned that boys in the family are learn to become shapeshifters while only the girls learn witchcraft. But Aster listened in to lessons and by the end his family agreed that they needed to change the rules.
In this second story, Aster continues his lessons and also helps Grandmother with a special project, trying to heal her brother, Mikasi, who also learned magic but let it get an evil hold on him. At the same time, Aster's non-witch friend, Charlie, is back in high school and meets a new girl, Ariel, who has her own troubled past.
Ariel is a foster child and has moved from school to school. She is also a witch and her dark side, a Fetch, is gaining control. Charlie, Aster and his cousin, Sedge all work to help Ariel escape from this dark magic that is growing inside her.
It's a fascinating story, more polished maybe than the first. It flows nicely and draws you in right from the get - go. Great characters, a story of friendship and its power to heal. Loved it and now will move on to the final story in the trilogy. (4.0 stars)"
"The Midwinter Witch is the third and final (hoping there might eventually be more) book in author Molly Knox Ostertag's Witch Boy YA fantasy graphic novel trilogy. It was a joy to read.
In this final instalment, Aster, his family and new friends, Charlie and Ariel head off to his extended family's midwinter celebration. It's a chance for the family to reunite and there are competitions for the best shapeshifter and best witch.
Ariel, who is learning to harness her witchy powers with the family, has doubts about going as she is a foster child and feels somewhat not a part of everything. She also begins having dreams where she meets her mother's sister and this causes confusion for Ariel. Aster is determined to compete in the Witch competition even though he is the first boy to take part (witching had traditionally been practiced only by the women of the family) even though his mother asks him not to.
So there is tension amidst the family celebrations. Other distant relatives try to make Aster uncomfortable. Ariel's aunt wants her to leave the family and come with her even though she isn't a particularly nice witch. It makes for an entertaining, exciting story. Once again the characters are wonderful and engaging. The artwork in this graphic novel series has always been bright, clearly drawn and so colorful. I enjoyed all of them immensely. If you've got young children interested in reading, you can't go wrong with this series. Heck, it's just a fun, entertaining read for adults. That's what I tell myself anyway. (4.0 stars)"
"Something Borrowed, Something Black is the 4th of 5 books in the Peter Macklin crime series by Loren D. Estleman. Peter Macklin is now retired hit man for the Detroit mob. He is newly married to Laurie and they are honeymooning in Los Angeles. Unfortunately for Peter, an old mobster from Detroit, Maggiore (now Major) spots him and forces Peter back to work. He wants Johns Davis, a high end bookie now working out of San Antonio, murdered. His previous effort failed.
To force Peter to do the job, he basically threatens Laurie. She is watched constantly by Abilene, one of Maggiore's heavies. So that is the premise. The story is told from Peter's, Johns', Laurie's and the police officer's, from San Antonio, perspective. We follow Peter to San Antonio as he plans and executes his plan. We follow Laurie, surprisingly strong, as she tries to deal with her discovery of Peter's past and also to get away from Abilene.
It's an interesting story, moves along nicely and gets into the various characters very well. It's a bit introspective at times but it doesn't really affect the story. Lots of action, and a surprisingly satisfying ending. I look forward to reading more of the series. (3.0 stars)"
Currently Reading
"The third installment in Kate Atkinson's wildly beloved series of Jackson Brodie Mysteries: a complex tale of murder, coincidence, and connected lives.
On a hot summer day, Joanna Mason's family slowly wanders home along a country lane. A moment later, Joanna's life is changed forever...On a dark night thirty years later, ex-detective Jackson Brodie finds himself on a train that is both crowded and late. Lost in his thoughts, he suddenly hears a shocking sound...
At the end of a long day, 16-year-old Reggie is looking forward to watching a little TV. Then a terrifying noise shatters her peaceful evening. Luckily, Reggie makes it a point to be prepared for an emergency...
These three lives come together in unexpected and deeply thrilling ways in the latest novel from Kate Atkinson, the critically acclaimed author who Harlan Coben calls "an absolute must-read."
-- from the Introduction by Vice President Al Gore
Rarely does a single book alter the course of history, but Rachel Carson's Silent Spring did exactly that. The outcry that followed its publication in 1962 forced the banning of DDT and spurred revolutionary changes in the laws affecting our air, land, and water. Carson's passionate concern for the future of our planet reverberated powerfully throughout the world, and her eloquent book was instrumental in launching the environmental movement. It is without question one of the landmark books of the twentieth century.
Silent Spring served as a touchstone for Al Gore while he was working on his widely praised, bestselling book on the environment, Earth in the Balance. Now Rachel Carson's message is more important than ever, and no one is more qualified than Al Gore to introduce her classic book to a new generation of readers."
From the deserted quarries of the Edge Cliff to the lethal glades of bloodoak trees, their deadly pursuit can only end in a clash of the sky galleons.
Clash of the Sky Galleons is the third book of the Quint Saga – first trilogy in The Edge Chronicles, the internationally best-selling fantasy series, which has featured on the UK and the New York Times best-seller lists and sold more than 3 million copies. There are now 13 titles and four trilogies in the series, but each book is a stand-alone adventure, so you can read The Edge Chronicles in any order you choose."
The book is, in effect, a marvelous summing up of the series. The story centers on the visit of an American senator to Stockholm. Martin Beck tries to protect him from an international gang of terrorists, while they decide that Beck too should be removed from the scene. Interwoven with this basic story are two fascinating subplots. One, a classic mini-mystery, is the story of a millionaire pornographer bludgeoned to death in his own bathtub. The other is the story of a young girl, a Swedish hippie caught up unexpectedly in the maze of police bureaucracy. As in other Martin Beck books, the plot comes together in a totally unexpected climax."
This volume also includes three of Capote's best-known stories, “House of Flowers,” “A Diamond Guitar,” and “A Christmas Memory,” which the Saturday Review called “one of the most moving stories in our language.” It is a tale of two innocents—a small boy and the old woman who is his best friend—whose sweetness contains a hard, sharp kernel of truth."
When Catherine Saxon, an American correspondent reporting on the war in Europe, is found murdered in her London digs, news of her death is concealed by British authorities. Serving as a linchpin between Scotland Yard and the Secret Service, Robert MacFarlane pays a visit to Maisie Dobbs, seeking her help. He is accompanied by an agent from the US Department of Justice—Mark Scott, the American who helped Maisie get out of Hitler’s Munich in 1938. MacFarlane asks Maisie to work with Scott to uncover the truth about Saxon’s death.
As the Germans unleash the full terror of their blitzkrieg upon the British Isles, raining death and destruction from the skies, Maisie must balance the demands of solving this dangerous case with her need to protect Anna, the young evacuee she has grown to love and wants to adopt. Entangled in an investigation linked to the power of wartime propaganda and American political intrigue being played out in Britain, Maisie will face losing her dearest friend—and the possibility that she might be falling in love again."
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