Ilona Andrews: Magic Burns

Hi everyone

Magic Burns is the second book in Ilona Andrews Kate Daniels series. 
I read this on my e-reader. 

"Kickass mercenary Kate Daniels is back in another breakneck urban fantasy adventure. She's ready to take care of anyone who gets in her way . . .Down in Atlanta, tempers - and temperatures - are about to flare . . .As a mercenary who cleans up after magic gone wrong, Kate Daniels has seen her share of occupational hazards. Normally, waves of paranormal energy ebb and flow across Atlanta like a tide. But once every seven years, a flare comes, a time when magic runs rampant. Now Kate's going to have to deal with problems on a much bigger a divine one.When Kate sets out to retrieve a set of stolen maps for the Pack, Atlanta's paramilitary clan of shapeshifters, she quickly realises much more is at stake. During a flare, gods and goddesses can manifest - and battle for power. The stolen maps are only the opening gambit in an epic tug-of-war between two gods hoping for rebirth. And if Kate can't stop the cataclysmic showdown, the city may not survive..."

This was so entertaining. I enjoyed every minute of this book. I liked all the characters, I found the story to be really engrossing, it's packed full of action, there's humor, a bit of spice, magic, fighting, ... Everything you need for a fun read.

Happy reading!
Helena 

Yuval Noah Harari: Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow

Hi everyone

I read Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow, by Yuval Noah Harari spread over the last few weeks.
This is my husband's copy.

"Sapiens showed us where we came from. Homo Deus shows us where we're going. War is obsolete. You are more likely to commit suicide than be killed in conflict. Famine is disappearing. You are at more risk of obesity than starvation. Death is just a technical problem. Equality is out - but immortality is in.
What does our future hold? Yuval Noah Harari, author of the bestselling phenomenon Sapiens envisions a not-too-distant world in which we face a new set of challenges.
Homo Deus explores the projects, dreams and nightmares that will shape the twenty-first century - from overcoming death to creating artificial life. It asks the fundamental questions: Where do we go from here? And how will we protect this fragile world from our own destructive powers?"

This was a bit dissapointing. I read Sapiens about a year ago and that was very interesting. I really enjoyed it. But Homo Deus is just not as engrossing or interesting. There's not much new here. The information in the book just wasn't groundbreaking, I never paused thinking 'wow that's amazing'. 

The writing is good, there's just not much to the information. 

Happy reading!
Helena 

 

 

Brian McClellan: Promise of Blood

Hi everyone

Promis of Blood is the first book in The Powder Mage series by Brian McClellan. This series is set before the Gods of Blood and Powder series, which I read (and loved) first. So if you have yet to start Brian McClellan's writing, I suggest you start here. And I suggest starting now because his books are amazing.
I bought this book from Bol.com.

"The Age of Kings is dead . . . and I have killed it.
It's a bloody business overthrowing a king...
Field Marshal Tamas' coup against his king sent corrupt aristocrats to the guillotine and brought bread to the starving. But it also provoked war with the Nine Nations, internal attacks by royalist fanatics, and the greedy to scramble for money and power by Tamas's supposed allies: the Church, workers unions, and mercenary forces.
Stretched to his limit, Tamas is relying heavily on his few remaining powder mages, including the embittered Taniel, a brilliant marksman who also happens to be his estranged son, and Adamat, a retired police inspector whose loyalty is being tested by blackmail.
But when gods are involved...
Now, as attacks batter them from within and without, the credulous are whispering about omens of death and destruction. Just old peasant legends about the gods waking to walk the earth. No modern educated man believes that sort of thing. But they should...
In a rich, distinctive world that mixes magic with technology, who could stand against mages that control gunpowder and bullets?"

Promise of Blood is not a little book (it's not really big either) but it read like one. I was never bored, constantly on the edge of my seat, constantly wanting more, there are no infodumps but you do learn enough about the world, the magicsystems and the characters.
I loved every moment. It's great to get to know the old characters anew (because I read the second series first I mean). We learn about more about Ka-Poel, we see through Tamas' eyes and we get to know him better. Honestly, I enjoyed every character and every storyarc. There weren't too many so you can easily keep them all separatly and because we have multiple POV's you care about them all.
The story is great, there's a lot going on but it's never overwhelming and it stays interesting.

I loved it and I have already ordered the second and third part in the series. 

Happy reading!
Helena 

Wrap Up: June 2025

Hi everyone

June has flown by. Summer vacation has started for the children, my husband and I are still working but in a couple of weeks we'll be going on holiday and we're all looking forward to that.

Here's the list with links to the books I read in June.

- Rachel Joyce: Maureen Fry and the Angel of the North

- Yoko Ogawa: Revenge 

- Stephen Aryan: Of Gods and Men

- Jonathan French: The True Bastards

- Trudi Canavan: Thief's Magic

- Martha Wells: Witch King 

Did you read anything you'd like to recommend?

Happy reading!
Helena 

 

Martha Wells: Witch King

Hi everyone

Witch King is the first book in The Rising World series by Martha Wells.
I've read quite a few of her works now and sadly; the only ones I truly enjoyed were The Murderbot Diaries.
I read this on my e-reader.

""I didn't know you were a... demon."
"You idiot. I'm the demon."
Kai's having a long day in Martha Wells' WITCH KING....
After being murdered, his consciousness dormant and unaware of the passing of time while confined in an elaborate water trap, Kai wakes to find a lesser mage attempting to harness Kai’s magic to his own advantage. That was never going to go well.
But why was Kai imprisoned in the first place? What has changed in the world since his assassination? And why does the Rising World Coalition appear to be growing in influence?
Kai will need to pull his allies close and draw on all his pain magic if he is to answer even the least of these questions.
He’s not going to like the answers."

This was mediocre. The characters were very forgettable and rather interchangeable; it was hard to keep them apart or to give them a distinct voice in my head. Not one person stood out, not one captured my attention.
The plot was nothing special, the writing felt very YA, the tone of the conversations felt wrong for the time and the setting of the story. It felt off, like the characters talked too modern for the setting.

So I won't be continuing this series. 

Happy reading!
Helena 

Trudi Canavan: Thief's Magic

Hi everyone

Thief's Magic is the first book in the latest series by Trudi Canavan; Millennium's Rule.
I got my copy from Bol.com.

"Forget what you know about the nature of magic.
In a world where an industrial revolution is powered by magic, Tyen, a student of archaeology, unearths a sentient book called Vella. Once a young sorcerer-bookbinder, Vella was transformed into a useful tool by one of the greatest sorcerers of history. Since then she has been collecting information, including a vital clue to the disaster Tyen's world faces.
Elsewhere, in an land ruled by the priests, Rielle the dyer's daughter has been taught that to use magic is to steal from the Angels. Yet she knows she has a talent for it, and that there is a corrupter in the city willing to teach her how to use it -- should she dare to risk the Angels' wrath.
But not everything is as Tyen and Rielle have been raised to believe. Not the nature of magic, nor the laws of their lands. . . and not even the people they trust."

It's sad. I really enjoyed Trudi Canavan's Black Magician Trilogy and I loved her The Age of the Five trilogy (I want to reread those) so I was expecting to enjoy this series too. But this was not as good as I had hoped. Far from.
I thought this was really boring, very slow and just uninteresting. The characters were dull, naieve and stupidly simple. There's too many info-dumps. The story is very YA and too romantic for my tastes.

I won't be continuing the series. 

Happy reading!
Helena 

Jonathan French: The True Bastards

Hi everyone

The True Bastards is the second book in The Lot Lands series, written by Jonathan French.
I got my book from Bol.com.

"Fetching was once the only female rider in the Lot Lands. Now she is the leader of her own hoof, a band of loyal half orcs sworn to her command. But in the year since she took power, the True Bastards have struggled to survive. Tested to the breaking point by the burdens of leadership, Fetching battles desperately to stave off famine, desertion, and the scorn of the other half-orc chieftains, even as orcs and humans alike threaten the Lots' very existence. Then an old enemy finds a way to strike at her from beyond the grave--and suddenly only one, faint hope for salvation remains." 

This was brutal. I liked it a lot but it was really brutal. Brutal and grim as in good people dying, torture and backstabbing. 

The story is slower than the first book, a lot happens, it's never truly slow, but there were parts the plot dragged. And some events, decisions or plotparts were a bit unnecessary.
I love that Jonathan French chose Fetch as the maincharacter and I love her arc as the hoofchief. She's awesome! Honestly, I love all the characters in The True Bastards hoof. These characters are addictive.

I'm excited to read the third book in the series because it promises to be just as good as this one. 

Happy reading!
Helena