booklistqueen's reviews
619 reviews

In the ninth Inspector Gamache novel, Louise Penny finally concludes of the overarching Arnaut plot (at least I think she does). How the Light Gets In has a good mix of action and character stories, bouncing between a Three Pines-contingent mystery and the internal division of the Sûreté. Honestly, it feels likes it could have been a wrapping up point for the series, so I'm curious to see what new direction Penny will take the books after this one. 

I find Britain's Green Rider series compulsively readable, and in the third book in the series, Britain is not afraid to go heavy on supernatural elements of her world. Just as action-based as the others, The High King's Tomb heavily focuses Karigan's fight against her feelings for King Zachary. Karigan's interesting mission adds an adversary that will play a bigger role in the forthcoming books. I also enjoyed seeing Karigan mature as a green rider as she mentors younger riders. 

I'm totally biased but I really love the Green Rider series. First Rider's Call fleshes out the Karigan's world more, adding character development and diving deeper into the magical elements that are prominent throughout the remainder of the series. Karigan is your typical "chosen one," yet I enjoy watching her fight against her fate. Although rarely mentioned, I will say that upon a reread, I'm not a fan of the age difference between Karigan and King Zachary. It's the part of the story that has not aged well. 

I devoured the Green Rider books when my third child was born; they were the only thing that kept me sane during those last few miserable days before his birth. So I was curious to see if my opinion of them would hold up on a re-read. I'm glad to say that I am devouring them once again. Green Rider is more of a standard young adult fantasy: heavy on the travelogue as Karigan completes a death-defying mission. It hits all the regular tropes of the genre (and has horses) and is so much fun to read. 

T. J. Newman seems to have found her niche with pure action novels about airplane crews. Although she doesn't leave much room for character development, I love how well she sprinkles in information about the duties of a flight crew during a disaster into his gripping reads. Although having the estranged spouses on both sides of the rescue was far-fetched and cliffhanger chapter endings are rather cliche, Drowning is such a page-turning shot of adrenaline that is so satisfying to read. I highly suspect Newman's novels will eventually be adapted to film. 

Is it as WWII drama? A family epic? A long slog without much point? The Whalebone Theatre was a very mixed bag for me. Quinn takes her time wandering through different periods in Cristabel's life. The writing was enchanting and unhurried, delving into the lives of the unusual Seagrave family and exploring character motivation along the way. Yet, the incongruity between the WWII spy action I was expecting from the publisher's description and the character-driven literary piece was completely distracting. 

I've read all of the thrillers Sarah Pekkanen has written with Greer Hendricks so it was interesting to see what she can do on her own. House of Glass is a domestic thriller that perfectly paints the unsettling feeling of a creepy child like Rose. The plot felt more realistic than many psychological thrillers and ended with plenty of action. Yet, I didn't love the narrator and felt her backstory and personal life was a distraction, pulling you away from the incredible tension with the Barclay family. 

I was unimpressed with this fantasy romance with an utterly predictable twist. Five Broken Blades mostly serves up a travelogue of three sets of conspirators, who all conveniently fall into underdeveloped romantic relationships. The epic "heist" ending feels as if it was almost an afterthought and is mostly used to set up a sequel which I have no desire to read. Although it was an easy read, the lack of originality and character development make this a completely forgettable book.

Among the best fantasy books for adventure-loving young teens is The Queen's Thief series. Sitting in the King's prison is a young thief named Gen who claims he can steal anything. So the king and his Magus put him to the test, needing him to steal a treasure that will let the King control other lands. But Gen has an agenda of his own, and it's anyone's guess which side he is on.

My husband's family decided to start a book club that included the nieces and nephews so I ended up rereading Megan Whalen Turner's The Thief. I read the first five books years ago and remember liking them. However, on a reread of The Thief, I realized how much I don't like the first book. The Thief spends most of its story as a travelogue interspersed with long folk stories about the world's mythology. The action is haphazard at best and the characters aren't developed well. Although the first book isn't a favorite, I still would recommend the series for it settles into a fun political fantasy in the next few books. 

Although Vin and Elend have conquered the Lord Ruler and maintained control of Luthadel, the world around them is falling apart in the third book of the Mistborn series. To battle the Deepness and the evil released at the Well of Ascension, Vin and Elend must follow a series of clues left behind by the Lord Ruler. But how do you fight a powerful force that can overhear any conversation?

My brother-in-law hailed The Hero of Ages as the best of the Mistborn trilogy. On the other hand, I found it a long slog. The dystopian setting added extra tension but the slow plot didn't keep me very engaged. With a finale that depends on the reader understanding the complex nuances of his magical world, Sanderson packs too much information into one book.