We've had a bit of everything the past couple of days. Friday was sunnyish. Yesterday, Jo and I went out for lunch and to check out some shops. The Rotary Club had their annual book sale so I purchased a couple of books. I was very restrained. It started raining and switched to snow yesterday, but by 10 last night, it had pretty well melted. Strange sort of day. Today it's a much nicer day. We're kind of rotating from show to show; the Blue Jays game (they beat the Tigers 16 - 4), a British show that they've stacked up, called Portrait Artist of the Year (all leading up to the 1st episode of the new season tonight) and also the Brier. Whew! I still have to get on to sorting out laundry I've stacked up for the past week.. LOL. Something to keep me busy, eh?
Since my last reading update last week, I've completed 3 books. I have also received a few new books, including those I purchased yesterday. So, let's get going with some reviews and synopses.
Just Finished
"I found the first Volume of Heartstopper by Alice Oseman interesting, even though it isn't my normal fare; being about gay high school students. But I decided to continue with the series as I wanted to discover what would happen next in the budding relationship between Nick and Charlie. Heartstopper: Volume Two was just as good or even better as Oseman really hit her stride with this Volume.
The story starts with Nick and Charlie sharing a kiss. Nick panics and runs off, leaving Charlie confused and hurt. This is kind of resolved as Nick realizes that he might also be into boys and that he really likes Charlie. The story that continues is the further development of this relationship. At first it's a secret relationship, as Nick sorts out feelings and tries to decide if he is gay or maybe bisexual. Slowly over the course of the story, they open up more to each other, close friends and family, and Nick comes to realize that his friends might not actually be the friends he thinks they are.
The story moves along nicely, the artwork is excellent and the characters draw you in. Most enjoyable 2nd story in this volume which is now up to 4 Volumes, with 5 due shortly. It's also a popular TV series. Well worth trying, even if it's not your normal genre. (4.0 stars)"
"What can you say about The Cometeers by Jack Williamson. Well, it was originally published in 1936 and it is the 2nd book in Williamson's Legion of Space trilogy. It's a fantastical space adventure. I'm sure the technology described is not based on anything factual. It's kind of like the movie serials you used to see before the main feature at the matinee show. It's kind of silly, but ultimately entertaining. And for the time, since I wasn't around then, it probably sat in the pulp Sci-Fi bookshelves, maybe was featured in Sci-Fi magazines.. Well, that's enough of that.
What's the story. A huge comet has entered the Solar System and seems to have stopped. There are reports of invisible aliens breaking into secure areas and stealing items, especially those belonging to the Legion of Space, the protectors of the galaxy. John Star has tried to persuade the Earth council to destroy the comet as he believes it's basically 'evil'. The Commander of the Legion, Jay Kalam, believes an effort should be made to approach the Comet and try peaceful negotiation first. He wins out.
Meanwhile, on Phobos, John Star's wife, Aladoree, the Keeper of the Peace and Protector of the AKKA (no, not to be confused with ABBA) and their son, newly minted Legion officer, Bob Star, are guarded by two old Legion retainers, Giles Habibula and Hal Samdu. (Remember them from the 1st Legion of Space novel? No? Hmm!). So father John returns, Commander Jay, aboard the Invincible, the newest space battleship, also shows up. All H*ll breaks lose. John Star takes his wife to safety, we hope, to prevent the Cometeers from capturing her and her power over the AKKA. Commander Jay, accompanied by Bob and his partners in crime, go to Neptune, first, to guard Space Enemy #1, The Man Called Merrin, AKA Orco. After he drops them off, Commander Jay heads off for an encounter with the Cometeers. Can you guess the results? (I'll let you read the rest to see how it all turns out.)
So a fantastical space adventure, over - the - top, somewhat heroes, but a fun, rollicking story to entertain you as you relax in the evenings. Don't expect the Sci-Fi of today, it's just a big adventure. (2.0 stars). Enjoy!"
"Demon in the Wood is a graphic novel set in the Grishaverse by creator, Leigh Bardugo. The excellent artwork is by Dani Pendergast. Thus far I've only read one book. that being Six of Crows. This story is about the early life of Eryk and according to the Grishaverse reading order, it should be read after Shadow and Bone. So, once again, I'm reading books out of order. LOL
Having said that, it's an interesting story, quite dark. Eryk and his mother Lena are on the road trying to find a safe home to live in. They are Grisha, the most dangerous kind and are trying to avoid being killed by the witchhunters, the Druskelles. Lena has heard of a village of Grisha that might welcome them for awhile. They are surprised to find it so close to a village of humans.
The welcome Lena expected isn't quite that warm, but they decide to stay. The elders ask Lena to help them in a hunt for a bear, which may be an amplifier, meaning if they kill it it's bones will amplify their powers. A young girl in the Grisha village has only weak powers and she asks Eryk to help her hunt the bear so she can get the amplifier. I'll leave the story there as you need to read it to see how it all winds up.
It's a dark, gritty story, drawn so very well and intensely colored. It's an excellent intro to the Grishaverse. I need to get back to reading the other books. (3.5 stars)"
Currently Reading
"Grandfather, What Evil Eyes You Have!
"We have never known whether these things happened or whether Sarah wants them to happen..."
Disaster seemed to follow Sarah in the form of grisly and often fatal accidents. And it seemed to stop when she took refuse in her grandfather's house.
Until she found out that Grandfather wasn't Grandfather, her mysterious accidents were really his malicious crimes, and the final bit of "bad luck" he had planned for Sarah was her own brutal death..."
"Three strangers, each on a separate mission, converge in the California desert. Jimmy Edlin is hot on the trail of a religious cult he believes is responsible for his brother's murder; George Hooker is a physicist in search of a missing colleague; and Malcolm Darbyshire is an Englishman looking for a beautiful heiress who has vanished without a trace. When the three men come together and discover that their situations are intertwined, they join forces to try to unravel these mysteries. Braving danger and death at every turn, they follow a trail of clues that leads to an explosive conclusion, as they uncover a sinister group whose insane philosophy calls for the destruction of all life on earth and who possess the awesome power to bring about doomsday!"
When Murderbot discovers a dead body on Preservation Station, it knows it is going to have to assist station security to determine who the body is (was), how they were killed (that should be relatively straightforward, at least), and why (because apparently that matters to a lot of people—who knew?)
Yes, the unthinkable is about to happen: Murderbot must voluntarily speak to humans!
Again!"
But did she do it? After not seeing him for seven years? And where was Lucas all that time? Ultimately, the small-town courtroom is where the truth can be found--if one can spot it through the blinding maelstrom of injustice, confusion, chaos, reality, and love...."
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