Sunday Summary: 6 December 2015

As I wrote yesterday, I was offline for a couple of weeks. Life suddenly got very complicated and blogging was the thing that had to go. I'm back, but just barely. I need to write and post three reviews for ARCs that I've read, and I want to keep up the two weekly posts of new books received and what's been going on in my reading life. Maybe during the holidays I'll blog ahead a little bit.

Where I've been reading

This past week I was working in Montreal. Such a lovely city and even more so with the Holiday decorations everywhere you look. It was cold—especially to this Texan—so I didn't spend any time out of doors. And, because I'm so conscious of how far behind I am in reading toward my goal of 200 books in 2015, I never turned on the television. Instead, I read from suppertime until bedtime. Wish I could make myself do this while I'm at home, but the hubby is a TV fan and I give in to the attraction.

 

What I've been reading: Completed this week

Format: eBook
Source: borrowed from library via Overdrive
Completed: 30 November

★★★★☆

Manners & Mutiny, the fourth and final book in Gail Carriger's Finishing School series, showcases Sophronia and her cohorts as they thwart an evil plot by the Picklemen. Mademoiselle Geraldine's finishing school housed in a floating dirigible is targeted by the Picklemen as they do their dastardly best (or should that be “worst”?) to subvert all the mechanicals as they strive to take over the government.

I have to say that I'm sad to see the series end. Yes, Ria and her friends are “finished” and won't be returning to school, but they are just starting out in their lives as covert agents and I really want to know what happens next. Perhaps Ms. Carriger can be convinced to feature these characters in a new series.

Format: eBook
Source: eGalley ARC from NetGalley
Completed: 2 December

★★★☆☆

In The Awakening, Dr. Albert Snowden and his niece, Emily are approached by a man named Evaran who informs them that they had been abducted by aliens and have been “living” in a virtual reality projected for them in the aliens' space ship. With the VR breaking down, Snowden and Emily, along with thousands of other abductees from many planets, are waking up and running free. Evaran knows that the ship is doomed and that if Snowden and his niece are to survive, they must escape to Evaran's docked ship. However, those thousands of others are out to kill anyone and everyone they cross.

This space fiction reminds me in some part of Jack Chalker's Well of Souls series and James White's Sector General stories in that the spaceship is FULL of all kinds of aliens—though in this case most of them are violent and hostile. While I did enjoy the premise and the overall story, unfortunately, I think three stars is a little bit generous for The Awakening. Mostly because I got really annoyed at times. Most annoying was the phrase “interacted with his ARI”. OK, I get it. It's a gadget. But some variety in phrasing would REALLY help this book out.

Format: eBook
Source: borrowed from Kindle Unlimited
Completed: 3 December

★★★★☆

I'm such a fan of Debora Geary's Witch Central books. I read the books in the original Modern Witch series one per month, borrowing them from Amazon via the Kindle Owner's Lending Library benefit that came with my Amazon Prime membership. Now that I've signed up for Kindle Unlimited, I'm racing through the related books, starting with An Imperfect Witch. I loved this story featuring ex-delinquent Lizard. Using her witchly ability to sense emotions, she's become a real estate sales star in partnership with Lauren Sullivan. Her personal life isn't going so well and being a witch doesn't make things any easier.

I have loved all the books in this series and I hope Ms. Geary keeps bringing them out.

Format: eBook
Source: borrowed from library via Freading
Completed: 5 December

★★★★☆

As I near the end of the series, I have to reflect on how much I've enjoyed hanging out in Brother Cadfael's world for a while. Well, I probably wouldn't really like to live in the 12^th century, but I have enjoyed reading about it. (After all, two of my criteria when choosing where to live is that I must have indoor toilets and fast Internet.)

The Holy Thief is one of the better books of the series. In this volume, the 19^th and next-to-last, Brother Cadfael must solve the murder of a young shepherd who was waylaid and killed as he traveled to the monastery of Saint Peter and Saint Paul to testify in the case of a theft from the Benedictine order. Saint Winifred (or at least her casket) plays an important role in exposing the motives of not only the murderer, but those guilty of lesser crimes.

What I've been reading: In progress

Another book in the Modern Witch series, To Have and to Code is the prequel, telling the story of how Nell Sullivan, computer genius and strongest witch in her generation met and married Daniel Walker. It all starts in the Enchanted Realm, Nell's online game, when newcomer The Hacker challenges the number one player, The Wizard. Nell and her brother Jamie simply assume that The Hacker (Daniel Walker's online persona) is another witch like themselves and offer him a job programming at Enchanted Realm. Daniel isn't a witch at all—but he does have amazing coding skills.

I'm listening to The Guilty, the latest Will Robie mystery from David Baldacci. Will goes home to Cantrell, Mississippi, when he discovers that his father has been arrested for murder. It's his first trip back to Cantrell since he left at age 18 and he's had no contact with his father in all that time. So, in addition to proving his father's innocence, Will must try to mend his relationship with his family and the residents of Cantrell.

And now I've started reading Brother Cadfael's Penance, the final book in Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael series. I set myself the goal of reading all of the series by the end of 2016 and I'm just about there.

In this episode, Brother Cadfael is determined to find where Olivier de Bretagne is being held prisoner and arrange for his ransom and release. Unknown to any except Sheriff Hugh Berringer and his Abbot, Olivier is Cadfael's son. And the Benedictine monk will do whatever it takes, including disobey the orders of his superior, to ensure Olivier's safety.

This Week on the Blog

Only one post this week, Saturday's Stacking the Shelves.

1. Stacking the Shelves (57)

 

I'm pleased to be linking up with The Sunday Post, hosted by Kimba @ The Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

 

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on the blog, showcase books and things received. Share news about what is coming up on the blog for the week ahead.

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