Kick-start 2017: Add-ons to my book collection

Kick-start 2017 with mint condition add-ons to my book collection:-

(1) Mythology by Edith Hamilton

(2) D'aulaire's Book of Greek Myths by Ingri d'Aulaire and Edgar Parin d'Aulaire

(3) D'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths by Ingri d'Aulaire and Edgar Parin d'Aulaire

(4) Percy Jackson and the Olympians (5-book Boxed Set) by Rick Riordan
      1. The Lightning Thief
      2. The Sea of Monsters
      3. The Titan's Curse
      4. The Battle of the Labyrinth
      5. The Last Olympian

(5) Percy Jackson's Greek Gods by Rick Riordan

(6) The Kane Chronicles (3-book Boxed set) by Rick Riordan
      1. The Red Pyramid
      2. The Throne of Fire
      3. The Serpent's Shadow

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Additions in the last month of 2016:-

(1) A Promise of Fire by Amanda Bouchet
(2) My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout

P/s: I place my online order on 7 Jan 2017 (ETA: 25 Jan) and receive all the books in good condition 10 days later, 7 minus the weekends. I am happy beyond words.

Review: Breath of Fire (Kingmaker Trilogy #2) by Amanda Bouchet

2.5 stars for Breath of Fire (Kingmaker Trilogy book 2) by Amanda Bouchet.

I dread writing this review. Seriously, I do not enjoy singing the praises of a debut author in one review and then turn around to criticise the same author in my next post. But still, I grit my teeth and get it done.

Having thoroughly enjoyed Book 1 Promise of Fire, this book is a disappointment. I feel bad for saying this but the author has set the bar too high in book one of the trilogy which, unfortunately, cannot be kept up to in the subsequent instalment.

Though I still enjoy the story, there are actually more things to dislike than like in Breath of Fire. More often than not, I feel like I am the one breathing fire because the story does not seem to get moving. The dynamics and special relationship between the protagonist and the hero is overplayed; whereas in book 1, it ignites fire and makes my heart skip a beat, in this book, it sets fire and makes my blood boil instead. To put it simply, the story goes stale - as the chemistry between the lovey-dovey duo fizzles out - because it feels like listening in to a radio station that has gone haywire and kept looping the same songs over and over.

Above all, I cannot help but feel that the story and plot mirrors that of my favourite Kate Daniels series by author Ilona Andrews; the gladiator style Agon games bears too much resemblance to the Midnight games in Magic Strikes. It is not in me to compare authors and their books as I have never done so in any of my earlier reviews. I guess the increasing lack of originality brings out the worst in me. But I am sure hard-core fans of Kate Daniels will agree with me.

A fantasy romance that oft feels much more like an urban fantasy, I am not sure if I will have the heart to read and review the final book, Heart on Fire, which is likely to be published and available one year from now.

Review: A Promise of Fire (Kingmaker Trilogy #1) by Amanda Bouchet

5 stars for A Promise of Fire (Kingmaker Trilogy book 1) by Amanda Bouchet.

It has been a long time since I last read a fantasy novel. Add in the romance and the idea of starting the year with a fantasy romance story appeals to me no end.

Naturally I am wary of my choice author as not many can get away with striking a good balance between fantasy and romance. As it turns out, this debut author exceeds my expectations. A Promise of Fire starts out promising and continues to live up to its promise right down to the last page. I am not only awed by the fluid writing that emits sparks of fire and magic at every turn of the story, my heart flutters and is set aflame at practically every turn of the page.

So, what - or rather, who - is a Kingmaker? A Kingmaker is a person who brings leaders to power through the exercise of political influence, without being a viable candidate. Here, the Kingmaker is a woman who hears the lie and knows the truth and is sought after by many to assist in royal succession. Long story short, it is about Power Bid.

The author does a fantastic job crafting the three realms (Sinta, Tarva and Fisa) and breathing life into each of the characters through the use of Greek mythology which I so love. We have Cerberus (the three-headed Hound of Hades), Charon (the Ferryman of Hades), Athena (the Greek Goddess of Wisdom and War), Poseidon (the God of the Sea) and Zeus (the God of the Sky and ruler of the Olympian Gods) to name a few. The author's choice of Greek myth fascinates me so much so that I have a strong desire to read up more on the ancient Greeks, their origins and the lives and adventures of their gods, goddesses, heroes, heroines and mythological creatures.

This novel is flawless on all counts, almost that is, and unquestionably a good genre and splendid story to start the year with. *** Spoiler Alert *** The only grievance I have is the excessive graphic account of steamy scenes in the later part of the book. However, there is the good that results from these encounters as it does not all go downhill from there. It actually makes the heroine more vulnerable and the story even more forward looking.

A Promise of Fire, a fabulous book to start the year with. A promise to a great story which guarantees to set the reader on fire. I cannot wait to get my hands on a copy - the dead tree version - of book 2 Breath of Fire.

P/s: Ophs! I know I'm supposed to keep it short and sweet. This review is still sweet, just not that short. Sorry guys, I can't help it.. 👅

2016 Year in Review and 2017 New Year's Resolution

Another year has come and gone.

At the last count, I have reviewed a total of 52 books for the year to date. Sadly, it is a drop of 22 books, 1 book shy of hitting the same number as the year before.

Year 2016 @ 52 (-22 YOY)
Year 2015 @ 74 (-23 YOY)
Year 2014 @ 97

Review: Marked in Flesh (The Others #4) by Anne Bishop

4 stars for Marked in Flesh (The Others book 4) by Anne Bishop.

It has been more than a month since I last read a book. So I am delighted and excited to finish this book in time to share this last book review for the year.

Truth be told, I am not sure if I have made the right choice reading this book initially as the last book 3 Vision in Silver somehow falls short of expectations due to story regression and whatnots. However, when in doubt, always go with the familiar. And so, book 4 of The Others series it is.

I am glad to say that once again, I have enjoyed immersing myself in this dark and mystical world of The Others where we have Namid's claws and teeth, the old forms of terra indigene who rule the Earth and whose prey are humans. And then, there is Namid's creation, the cassandra sangue, both wondrous and terrible, for which without them, there will be no story to begin with. Together, they make a wonderful urban fantasy tale.

Judging from the way the author wraps up this book, I reckon that the next instalment should be as interesting if not more. I am so looking forward to the next book 5 Etched in Bone.

Review: Finger Lickin' Fifteen (Stephanie Plum #15) by Janet Evanovich

3 stars for Finger Lickin' Fifteen (Stephanie Plum book 15) by Janet Evanovich.

The storyline is still good going but sadly the inevitable has finally happened, that is, I no longer find the humor as appealing as it used to be. I wonder if it is just me or ...

.. And by the way, I have given the last of the Between-the-Numbers Novels, book 14.5 Plum Spooky, a miss. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. In my case, the gain is time!

Review: C is for Corpse (Kinsey Millhone #3) by Sue Grafton

4 stars for C is for Corpse (Kinsey Millhone book 3) by Sue Grafton.

It is a done deal. But reading this work in progress investigative report for the truly departed makes me think otherwise.

Review: Half the World Away by Cath Staincliffe

4.5 stars for Half the World Away by Cath Staincliffe.

This is every mother's worst nightmare come true.

Distance. Culture. Language. You name it, the story has it. Across the vast ocean from one end of the globe to the other, from Manchester in the UK to Chengdu in the Sichuan province in China, it is indeed Half the World Away. But when physical barrier no longer becomes an issue, the breakdown in communication and cultural differences become everything that stand in the way of reaching out to a loved one.

Having visited Chengdu before, I can relate easily to what the author is trying to bring across in her story. I love the way the author brings this big city to life with its spicy fiery food, the custom of adopting a Chinese name and the hustle and bustle of a typical day in the park to name a few.

Equally impressive are the little details, simple as it may seem, that add charm to the story. The author has either done a fantastic job in her research or she has gone the extra mile to visit this city where the sun never shines.

If you like mystery stories that revolve around family life, then this one is for you.