Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

 

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
332 Pages | 2007
Star Rating: ★★★⯨☆
Overly good title storyline wise for age range, but there are errors that should have been caught in the editorial phase. More care could have been taken.

Summary: Lissa Dragomir is a Moroi princess: a mortal vampire with a rare gift for harnessing the earth's magic. She must be protected at all times from Strigoi; the fiercest vampires—the ones who never die. The powerful blend of human and vampire blood that flows through Rose Hathaway, Lissa's best friend, makes her a dhampir. Rose is dedicated to a dangerous life of protecting Lissa from the Strigoi, who are hell-bent on making Lissa one of them.

After two years of freedom, Rose and Lissa are caught and dragged back to St. Vladimir's Academy, a school for vampire royalty and their guardians-to-be, hidden in the deep forests of Montana. But inside the iron gates, life is even more fraught with danger... and the Strigoi are always close by.

Rose and Lissa must navigate their dangerous world, confront the temptations of forbidden love, and never once let their guard down, lest the evil undead make Lissa one of them forever...

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins

390 pages

⭐⭐⭐/5

Summary (Goodreads): 

Carolyn knows she's a little bit... odd. But she figures that's only natural when she's spent her life locked away in an infinite Library, forced to study at the feet of the man who might be God. She's seen her share of terrible things in those years, even died a few times herself.

Steve tries hard to be an ordinary guy, and he's been doing a pretty good job at it—until Carolyn shows up in his life with a tempting offer, a pair of red rubber galoshes, and exactly $327,000. Soon, he finds himself swept up in a war waged on a scale he can barely comprehend, as powerful forces battle for control of the Library and the future of the universe itself.

Brilliantly plotted, blackly funny, truly epic in scope—and featuring a cast of characters that includes a tutu-clad psychopath, a malevolent iceberg, and a lion named after an atomic bomb—The Library at Mount Char is the year's most ambitious and acclaimed fantasy debut and a ride like none you've ever been on.

My Thoughts:

I had a little hard time to get into this book, but then I couldn't put it away during the middle part. The last quarter was hard to get through again. 

SILVER IN THE WOOD by EMILY TESH

 SILVER IN THE WOOD by EMILY TESH  (PGS 112)

Goodreads Review: There is a Wild Man who lives in the deep quiet of Greenhollow, and he listens to the wood. Tobias, tethered to the forest, does not dwell on his past life, but he lives a perfectly unremarkable existence with his cottage, his cat, and his dryads.

When Greenhollow Hall acquires a handsome, intensely curious new owner in Henry Silver, everything changes. Old secrets better left buried are dug up, and Tobias is forced to reckon with his troubled past—both the green magic of the woods, and the dark things that rest in its heart.

Tower of Dawn

Tower of Dawn BK 6 by Sarah J. Maas, 660 pages

Synopsis: Chaol Westfall and Nesryn Faliq have arrived in the shining city of Antica to forge an alliance with the Khagan of the Southern Continent, whose vast armies are Erilea's last hope. But they have also come to Antica for another purpose: to seek healing at the famed Torre Cesme for the wounds Chaol received in Rifthold.

After enduring unspeakable horrors as a child, Yrene Towers has no desire to help the young lord from Adarlan, let alone heal him. Yet she has sworn an oath to assist those in need—and will honor it. But Lord Westfall carries shadows from his own past, and Yrene soon comes to realize they could engulf them both.

In this sweeping parallel novel to the New York Times bestselling Empire of Storms, Chaol, Nesryn, and Yrene will have to draw on every scrap of their resilience if they wish to save their friends. But while they become entangled in the political webs of the khaganate, deep in the shadows of mighty mountains where warriors soar on legendary ruks, long-awaited answers slumber. Answers that might offer their world a chance at survival—or doom them all . . .

My Thoughts: I know so many people dislike this book, as they are not Chaol fans. However, this book shows an incredible amount of character development and growth for him. I also love love love Yrene. I love that this book happens parallel to the previous book and everyone is finding out what they need to find out. 

Absolute Batman Vol. 3: Devil's Workshop by Scott Snyder, et al.

 Absolute Batman Vol. 3: Devil's Workshop by Scott Snyder, et al.-208 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta's Absolute Batman continues to gain momentum, as The Joker, Poison Ivy, and the Court of Owls join the New York Times bestselling series!

Batman won his explosive battle with Bane, but his friends will never be the same—and he might not be able to help them, even if he crosses worlds and enlists the help of a god to do it.

Meanwhile, another of Ark M's residents will be unleashed on Gotham. And the biggest question of all still remains…what is the true identity of the man behind everything? Legendary artist Jock reunites with writer Scott Snyder to tell one version of the story Alfred’s been chasing for years, and a one-shot explores the origins of Ark M!

Volume 3 collects the Absolute Batman 2025 Annual, Absolute Batman: Ark M, and Absolute Batman #15-18.

Thoughts: This was a good read. I continue to enjoy reading this series (and all the "Absolute" DC series so far). An alternate Poison Ivy is introduced in this volume and Wonder Woman makes an appearance. The ultimate villain/supervillain is Jack Grimm, though, and that's who Batman is ultimately after. I look forward to the next volume. 

Empire of Storms

 Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas Bk 5 733 pages

Synopsis: The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius as war looms on the horizon. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those who don't.

With her heart sworn to the warrior-prince by her side, and her fealty pledged to the people she is determined to save, Aelin will delve into the depths of her power to protect those she loves. But as monsters emerge from the horrors of the past and dark forces become poised to claim her world, the only chance for salvation will lie in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear.

My Thoughts: This book really sets Aelin in stone as a major character who wants to save her kingdom and ultimately the world. She's the anti-hero you didn't know you needed to read about. The choices each character has to make are heart-wrenching, and all of these choices are leading up to the big war. 

Queen of Shadows

 Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas 672 pages bk 4

Synopsis: Aelin Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen. But before she can reclaim her throne, she must fight.

She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die for her. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen's triumphant return.

Everyone Aelin loves has been taken from her. Everything she holds dear is in danger. But she has the heart of a queen-and that heart beats for vengeance.

My Thoughts: I love Throne of Glass. I haven't read this series in a long long time, and I began it again, and I forgot how much I love book 4. The pacing, the plot, the characters. I love that this is the first series she wrote, and she wrote it more plot-driven than the other series she's created. I always cry at the end; Aelin is the most 3-dimensional character I have ever witnessed, and she is one of my favorites. 

We Used to Live Here

 

We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer - 312 pages

Synopsis: As a young, queer couple who flip houses, Charlie and Eve can’t believe the killer deal they’ve just gotten on an old house in a picturesque neighborhood. As they’re working in the house one day, there’s a knock on the door. A man stands there with his family, claiming to have lived there years before and asking if it would be alright if he showed his kids around. People pleaser to a fault, Eve lets them in.

As soon as the strangers enter their home, inexplicable things start happening, including the family’s youngest child going missing and a ghostly presence materializing in the basement. Even more weird, the family can’t seem to take the hint that their visit should be over. And when Charlie suddenly vanishes, Eve slowly loses her grip on reality. Something is terribly wrong with the house and with the visiting family—or is Eve just imagining things?

My Thoughts: The story was fun, it absolutely flew by and was a very easy read. The main mystery kept me hooked throughout, even though I didn't love the characters. I kept hearing that the ending was terrible but I really didn't mind it. There were also some fun dynamics introduced that were completely abandoned partway through. All in all, it was okay - very fun but not super high quality. 

The Woman in Suite 11 (Lo Blacklock, #2) by Ruth Ware

 The Woman in Suite 11 (Lo Blacklock, #2) by Ruth Ware-387 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐

In this follow-up to #1 New York Times bestselling author Ruth Ware’s multi-million copy mega-hit The Woman in Cabin 10, Lo Blacklock returns to attend the opening of a luxury hotel, only to find herself in a white-knuckled race across Europe.

When the invitation to attend the press opening of a luxury Swiss hotel—owned by reclusive billionaire Marcus Leidmann—arrives, it’s like the answer to a prayer. Three years after the birth of her youngest child, Lo Blacklock is ready to reestablish her journalism career, but post-pandemic travel journalism is a very different landscape from the one she left ten years ago.

The chateau on the shores of Lake Geneva is everything Lo’s ever dreamed of, and she hopes she can snag an interview with Marcus. Unfortunately, he proves to be even more difficult to pin down than his reputation suggests. When Lo gets a late-night call asking her to come to Marcus’s hotel room, she agrees despite her own misgivings. She’s greeted, however, by a woman claiming to be Marcus’s mistress, and in life-or-death jeopardy.

What follows is a thrilling cat-and-mouse pursuit across Europe, forcing Lo to ask herself just how much she’s willing to sacrifice to save this woman…and if she can even trust her?

Thoughts: I really liked The Woman in Cabin 10 and I'm looking forward to watching the Netflix movie out next month and since this is set mostly in Switzerland and Europe it is a good time to read this book. I enjoyed this one, but not quite as much as the first. It does give some answers to burning questions from the end of the first book, though. It also wraps things up for our main characters in a satisfying way. 

CAN YOU SOLVE THE MURDER? (An Interactive Crime Novel) by ANTONY JOHNSTON

 CAN YOU SOLVE THE MURDER? (An Interactive Crime Novel) by ANTONY JOHNSTON (Pgs 304)

Step into the shoes of a detective and investigate the most mysterious crime of your career.

Goodreads Review: There’s been a murder at Elysium, a wellness retreat set in an English country manor. You arrive to find the body of a local businessman on the lawn – with a rose placed in his mouth. It appears he was stabbed with a gardening fork and fell to his death from the balcony above. But that balcony can only be accessed through a locked door, the key is missing, and everyone in Elysium is now a suspect…

Gather the evidence and examine the clues. Choose who to interview next, and who to accuse as your prime suspect. But remember that every decision you make has consequences – and some of them will prove fatal…

Do you have what it takes? Can YOU solve the murder?

This was an interesting, interactive read, definitely different than the usual mystery book. You WILL need paper and pen for this!

The Queen's Fortune

The Queen's Fortune by Allison Pataki 448 pages

Summary: As the French revolution ravages the country, Desiree Clary is faced with the life-altering truth that the world she has known and loved is gone and it’s fallen on her to save her family from the guillotine.

A chance encounter with Napoleon Bonaparte, the ambitious and charismatic young military prodigy, provides her answer. When her beloved sister Julie marries his brother Joseph, Desiree and Napoleon’s futures become irrevocably linked. Quickly entering into their own passionate, dizzying courtship that leads to a secret engagement, they vow to meet in the capital once his career has been secured. But her newly laid plans with Napoleon turn to sudden heartbreak, thanks to the rising star of Parisian society, Josephine de Beauharnais. Once again, Desiree’s life is turned on its head.

Swept to the glittering halls of the French capital, Desiree is plunged into the inner circle of the new ruling class, becoming further entangled with Napoleon, his family, and the new Empress. But her fortunes shift once again when she meets Napoleon's confidant and star general, the indomitable Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte. As the two men in Desiree’s life become political rivals and military foes, the question that arises is: must she choose between the love of her new husband and the love of her nation and its Emperor?

From the lavish estates of the French Riviera to the raucous streets of Paris and Stockholm, Desiree finds herself at the epicenter of the rise and fall of an empire, navigating a constellation of political giants and dangerous, shifting alliances. Emerging from an impressionable girl into a fierce young woman, she discovers that to survive in this world she must learn to rely upon her instincts and her heart.

My Thoughts: This book was interesting, but it also took me forever to get through. I didn't really connect with any of the characters. I loved learning about Desiree's life through this book (even if some of it is fictionalized) and I loved seeing Napoleon B in a negative light. I do enjoy learning about all the amazing women from the past in historical novels, because in school we don't ever really learn about the women who did amazing things. 

MURDER IN A SCOTTISH SHIRE: (Scottish Shire Mystery#1) by TRACI HALL

 MURDER IN A SCOTTISH SHIRE: (Scottish Shire Mystery #1) by TRACI HALL (PGS 304)

Goodreads Review: For a twenty-eight-year-old single mum, Paislee has knit together a sensible life for herself, her ten-year-old son Brody, and Wallace, their black Scottish terrier. Having inherited a knack for knitting from her dear departed grandmother, Paislee also owns a specialty sweater shop called Cashmere Crush, where devoted local crafters gather weekly for her Knit and Sip.
 
Lately, though, Paislee feels as if her life is unraveling. She’s been served an eviction notice, and her estranged and homeless grandfather has just been brought to her door by a disconcertingly handsome detective named Mack Zeffer. As if all that wasn't enough, Paislee discovers a young woman who she recently rehired to help in the shop dead in her flat, possibly from an overdose of her heart medicine. But as details of the death and the woman’s life begin to raise suspicions for Detective Inspector Zeffer, it’s Paislee who must untangle a murderous yarn . . .

THE CANAL MURDERS: (A YORKSHIRE MURDER MYSTERY BOOK 10) by J.R. ELLIS

 THE  CANAL MURDERS: (A YORKSHIRE MURDER MYSTERY BOOK 10) by J.R. ELLIS 

(Pgs 285)

Goodreads Review: Life moves at a slower pace on the canals. But death always comes when you least expect it. The last thing DS Stephanie Johnson and DS Andy Carter expected during their much-needed canal holiday was a murder. When retired folk musician Annie Shipton is found stabbed through the neck at the helm of her barge, the couple can’t help investigating the seemingly impossible crime. Nobody else boarded Annie’s boat—so how was she killed from behind? With the method a perplexing mystery, DCI Oldroyd is summoned from Harrogate, and it’s not long before the detectives have a long list of potential suspects with a motive to want Annie dead. There’s the young cyclist she argued with over access to the towpath, an ambitious and arrogant local developer she clashed with repeatedly, an estranged husband…and more than a few lingering issues with her former bandmates, most of whom live along the canal. When a second shocking murder sends shockwaves through the community, the locals start talking about a curse on the waterway. It seems the killer will go to any lengths to avoid detection. But can Oldroyd hunt them down before someone else becomes the next target?

A POLLUTED FONT: The Chronicles of Hugh de Singleton, Surgeon #16 by Mel Starr

 A POLLUTED FONT: The Chronicles of Hugh de Singleton, Surgeon #16 by Mel Starr (Pgs 181)

When Hugh and Kate's new-born son is taken to the church to be baptized, they are astounded to find that the locked font is completely dry. The possibility of a leak is quickly ruled out, and just as Hugh is beginning to wonder if there may be a sinister explanation for the stolen holy water, Fr Robert is found lying motionless by the rood screen in a pool of blood . . .
Meanwhile, parliament has passed a poll tax, stipulating everyone above the age of 14 is to be taxed equally. Folk are soon scrambling to find the money to pay and, inevitably, unscrupulous elements in society see an opportunity to feed off people's desperation and make some cash . . . But what connection can there possibly between this and events at Bampton?

YOU'RE LEAVING WHEN? ADVENTURES IN DOWNWARD MOBILITY by ANNABELLE GURWITCH

 YOU'RE LEAVING WHEN? ADVENTURES IN DOWNWARD MOBILITY  by ANNABELLE GURWITCH  pgs 213

With signature "sharp wit" (NPR), Annabelle Gurwitch gives irreverent and empathetic voice to a generation hurtling into their next chapter with no safety net and proves that our no-frills new normal doesn't mean a deficit of humor.

In these essays, Gurwitch embraces homesharing, welcoming a housing-insecure young couple and a bunny rabbit into her home. The mother of a college student in recovery who sheds the gender binary, she relearns to parent, one pronoun at a time. She wades into the dating pool in a Miss Havisham-inspired line of lingerie and flunks the magic of tidying up.

You're Leaving When? is for anybody who thought they had a semblance of security but wound up with a fragile economy and a blankie. Gurwitch offers stories of resilience, adaptability, low-rent redemption, and the kindness of strangers. Even in a muted Zoom.