Audiobook

Can I book about a modern day island on the American east coast (Nantucket) going back in time be boring? Yes. And for an isolated island with minimal supplies there is a lot of traveling going on - to Europe, to the Caribbean, South America. I know the author didn't want to bog down the book with descriptions of days and days of travel, but sometimes it seemed they were one day in Nantucket and then after waiting a week (no real sense of urgency - just we're going as fast as we can?!), it would take them about a day or so to get to the baddies. 

And I'm sick of reading that every battle between native and more civilized forces being compared to the Anglo-Zulu War. Catherine Asaro did a much better job with a comparison of this conflict. The "final" battle was confusing because I kept thinking, "Are they with the Eagle people or the Wolf people?" 

Anyway, I didn't enjoy this book much at all.

Originally published at midureads.wordpress.com on January 17, 2018.

The King of Norway by Cecelia Holland

3 Stars

A Viking adventure with all the gore and blood that you could ask for. If only I could have been made to care for the characters…

Forever Bound by Joe Haldeman

3 Stars

Soldiers learning to maneuver robots in the war have to do as part of a hive mind. Pretty soon, real life cannot compare with the virtual one that they lead with the other members of the hive.

The Triumph by Megan Lindholm/Robin Hobb

4 Stars

A retelling of the myth of Marcus Atilius Regulus, a Roman Consul. In the story, he is tortured by Carthaginians before his death. Everything in the story is actually setting up the reader for the way he dies.

Clean Slate by Lawrence Block

3 Stars

An abused child grows up into a sociopath. You can guess what happens next!

And Ministers of Grace by Tad Williams

3 Stars

It isn’t that bioengineered soldiers haven’t been done before. Here though the author makes it all about religion.

Soldierin’ by Joe R. Lansdale

4 Stars

A black man joins the army in the eradication of Native Americans. The story remains localized and makes no claims about the big picture.

Dirae by Peter S. Beagle

3 Stars

A coma patient becomes an avenging spirit with a special soft place in her heart for kids.

The Custom of the Army by Diana Gabaldon

4 Stars

I have been wondering if I would like Gabaldon’s writing and I wonder no more. This story is based on a skirmish between the French and English soldiers on Canadian soil.

Seven Years from Home by Naomi Novik

4 Stars

Nature and “people” come together in this story to save the land. I liked this one because plants featured in it.

The Eagle and the Rabbit by Steven Saylor

3 Stars

POVs change as we see Carthage fall and a Roman general plays mind games with the Carthaginians he will be selling off to slavery.

The Pit by James Clemens/James Rollins

4 Stars

Canine gladiators and sibling love made this story one of my faves!

Out of the Dark by David Weber

4 Stars

An alien race tries to take over the planet and humans band together to stop that from happening. They also have help from the unlikeliest of sources.

The Girls from Avenger by Carrie Vaughn

3 Stars

Women have faced discrimination whenever they have dared to step into a profession. Flying planes during a war isn’t any different.

Ancient Ways by S. M. Stirling

4 Stars

A mercenary is hired to rescue a princess who didn’t really need to be rescued. The princess was a pleasant surprise.

Ninieslando by Howard Waldrop

3 Stars

A utopian dream to unite the world while a war goes on outside. Didn’t take too long for it to unravel.

Recidivist by Gardner Dozois

4 Stars

AIs rule the world. Humans don’t stand a chance against them yet they won’t give up fighting back or remembering how life used to be.

My Name is Legion by David Morrell

3 Stars

Sometimes, the enemy on the other side of the border is your friend. In this story, soldiers who trained together are forced to fight against each other when France daren’t go against Germany.

Defenders of the Frontier by Robert Silverberg

3 Stars

Soldiers have been manning an entry point into their empire for years now. No reinforcements have arrived for some time. The absence of enemies starts to make them think. Does the empire they have been defending even exist anymore?

The Scroll by David Ball

3 Stars

A bully of an emperor keeps an architect alive just to torture him. The ending was a letdown.

The Mystery Knight: A Tale of the Seven Kingdoms by George R. R. Martin

3 Stars

A tale of Egg, the squire who isn’t a squire, and the knight he serves.

I’d say, you won’t be missing much if you didn’t read this anthology. But that’s just me…

Hey everyone and how's it hanging? That's awesome! Oh me well I'm doing pretty good, just chilling a little and writing this review hehe! Yes, again with another review. Don't worry it's not another Chronicle book (that's on Wed..not kidding!) No, today is something different and I will be reviewing "The Only Pirate at the Party" by Lindsey Stirling and Brooke S. Passey.

This is a biography/autobiography of one of my favorite youtubers Lindsey Stirling!!!

I really enjoyed reading this book. I have been a fan of Lindsey for a few years and her music is so awesome. Her book focuses on her ups and downs throughout her childhood up til now. How she got started with playing the violin to her eating disorder that she had been fighting since she was a kid (she is better now, but of course she still fights.) She writes about her experience with America's Got Talent, youtube, college life, and many others. She also writes about one experience that really pissed me off. It was with famous singer Andrea Bocelli and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. He had invited Lindsey to play along side with him and the orchestra. Then, to come find out how incredibly rude he and the orchestra were towards her. I'm sorry but if someone is incredibly rude to me &/or to anyone I know. I would not hold back when I call that person(s) out. So, basically they were telling her that she has no talent and she's a fake. No! she is not fake and she is talented. Coming for someone who is famous along with an orchestra who is too, who sings or plays someone else's work is worthy? Yeah okay I don't think so (I know that they are talented people, but come on!), Lindsey creates her own music and is talented in her own right!!!

I find this book really inspirational and moving. If you have not heard of this awesome woman I suggest you go and youtube her. She's got skills that I wish I had!

That's it from me! I hope you all go and check out Lindsey and see what she's all about. I will be back on Wed with yes another review on another Chronicle book. Just bare with me I am almost done with the series. Until then I hope you all have a great day/night where ever you are.

&

VOLIN!!! 

I got to page 9 and was so completely bored I decided to give up. I imagine had I read the other books I might have been more interested in the funeral scene, however all I noticed at the time was the large amount of descriptions of the surrounding land, the people and mainly the sword. For some unknown and odd reason there was a ridiculously large amount of information about this sword. Its a sword for fucks sake, we don't need to know all the details within the first few pages!

Usually I'm okay with info dumping, I read a lot of UF where they have a tendency to dump you in the deep end and wait to see if you swim or sink, unfortunately in this case I sunk, and I sunk quickly. 

At this time I have zero desire to continue. Shame the cover and blurb were intriguing.

The Only Pirate at the Party is a very easy read for a autobiography. I really enjoyed Lindsey Sterling's voice and positivity throughout the book.

Lindsey is known for being on America's Got Talent to being a dancing violinist and having her very own youtube channel with video's with millions of views as well as several records that have charted billboards. Her story is inspiring and uplifting for artists trying to follow her dreams.

She certainly isn't the best writer out there, as I find common with autobiographies but her story IS very uplifting and makes you want to follow your dream. And she gets the message across, you can do anything YOU want to do if you put your mind to it.