Hi everyone
I read more than expected last month!
Here's the list of the books I read in March 2025.
- Philippa Perry: The Book You Want Everyone You Love To Read
- David Dalglish: A Dance of Blades
- Darren Hardy: The Compound Effect
- Julie Leong: The Teller of Small Fortunes
- Joe Abercrombie: The Trouble With Peace
How was your month? Did you read anything good?
Happy reading!
Helena
Hi everyone
The Trouble With Peace is Joe Abercrombie's second book in The Age of Madness series.
I got my copy from Bol.com.
"Conspiracy. Betrayal. Rebellion.
Peace is just another kind of battlefield...
Savine
dan Glokta, once Adua’s most powerful investor, finds her judgement,
fortune and reputation in tatters. But she still has all her ambitions,
and no scruple will be permitted to stand in her way.
For heroes
like Leo dan Brock and Stour Nightfall, only happy with swords drawn,
peace is an ordeal to end as soon as possible. But grievances must be
nursed, power seized and allies gathered first, while Rikke must master
the power of the Long Eye . . . before it kills her.
The Breakers
still lurk in the shadows, plotting to free the common man from his
shackles, while noblemen bicker for their own advantage. Orso struggles
to find a safe path through the maze of knives that is politics, only
for his enemies, and his debts, to multiply.
The old ways are
swept aside, and the old leaders with them, but those who would seize
the reins of power will find no alliance, no friendship, and no peace,
lasts forever."
No.
This was utterly boring.
Orso, Savine, Leo, even Rikke; they are all in a constant state of 'woe is me'. It's as if they are totally different characters from the previous book.They were strong and confident and they are now reduced to people who are downtrodden and completely passive with no goals or even will to live, let alone prosper. I was hoping they'd die so we could focus on more interesting people, didn't happen though.
I like reading Abercrombie for his action, the humour, the battlescenes, the politics, the daily life, not for the whining of the characters.
The overall tone stays the same throughout the novel, there's never anything good happening, not much good in the characters either. His grimdark style would hit harder if his writing made us feel something for the characters. Now there's no glimmer of light or hope anywhere and that doesn't help to make us feel and care for the characters.
Nothing actually happens. The plot is very vague with seemingly a lot happening while there's actually nothing progressing. It's so slow it was a struggle to finish.
Happy reading!
Helena
Hi everyone
I got three new books! So happy with these and I'm looking forward to reading them.
- Jonathan French: The True Bastards
- Patrick Rothfuss: The Narrow Road Between Desires
Have you read any of these? If so, did you like them?
Happy reading!
Helena
Hi everyone
The Teller of Small Fortunes is the debut novel of Julie Leong.
I read this gem on my e-reader.
"Tao is an immigrant fortune teller, traveling
between villages with just her trusty mule for company. She only tells
"small" fortunes: whether it will hail next week; which boy the barmaid
will kiss; when the cow will calve. She knows from bitter experience
that big fortunes come with big consequences…
Even if it’s a
lonely life, it’s better than the one she left behind. But a small
fortune unexpectedly becomes something more when a (semi) reformed thief
and an ex-mercenary recruit her into their desperate search for a lost
child. Soon, they’re joined by a baker with a knead for adventure,
and—of course—a slightly magical cat.
Tao sets down a new path
with companions as big-hearted as her fortunes are small. But as she
lowers her walls, the shadows of her past are closing in—and she’ll have
to decide whether to risk everything to preserve the family she never
thought she could have."
I really enjoyed this. It's easy to read, it has lovely, likeable characters you care for, it's an adventure, they see a lot of their world and it has an interesting magic.
The part where they go on a sidequest in search of a treasure was just out of the blue. No point to it, didn't add anything to the story, just a strange sidetrack to follow.
Aside from that, very enjoyable, sweet, light and cozy.
Whatever Julie Leong does next, I read it!
Happy reading!
Helena
Hi everyone
The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy was mentioned in another book I recently read so I went searching for it on my e-reader.
"No gimmicks. No Hyperbole. No Magic Bullet. The Compound Effect is based on the principle that decisions shape your destiny. Little, everyday decisions will either take you to the life you desire or to disaster by default. Darren Hardy, publisher of Success Magazine, presents The Compound Effect, a distillation of the fundamental principles that have guided the most phenomenal achievements in business, relationships, and beyond. This easy-to-use, step-by-step operating system allows you to multiply your success, chart your progress, and achieve any desire. If you’re serious about living an extraordinary life, use the power of The Compound Effect to create the success you want."
I really disliked this. The man is absolutely full of himself. I loathed the writing and the constant hyperbole-style talk. It's as if he's invented fire or something equally important instead of this simple theory. Most people he mentions I've never even heard of.
The theory behind The Compound Effect is only worth a chapter, not a whole book.
Happy reading!
Helena
Hi everyone
A Dance of Blades is the second book in the Shadowdance series, written by David Dalglish.
I read this on my e-reader.
"It's been five years since Haern faked his death to escape the tyranny of his father. He has become the Watcher, a vicious killer who knows no limits, and whose hatred of the thief guilds is unrivaled. But when the son of Alyssa Gemcroft, one of the three leaders of the powerful Trifect, is believed murdered, the slaughter begins anew. Mercenaries flood the streets, with one goal in find and kill the Watcher."
I really enjoyed this book. The writing is easy to read, I like the characters, it's full of action and fighting, the story never slows down and I like the worldbuilding.
One thing I didn't love; the character of Alyssa. She just felt off. Boring, uninterested in anything happening in her world, naive and definitely not a strong, powerful character like the others. I really disliked reading her chapters.
Happy reading!
Helena
Hi everyone
After reading Philippa Perry's The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read, I really wanted to read her most famous work.
I read this on my e-reader.
"Life is all about relationships and the quality
of those connections, whether that's with family, partners, friends,
colleagues or most importantly yourself. If you can get those
relationships on a functional and even keel, then the other tricky stuff
that life throws your way becomes easier to manage.
In this
warm, practical and witty book, No.1 Sunday Times bestselling
psychotherapist Philippa Perry shows you how to approach life's big
problems.
How do you find and keep love? What can you do to
manage conflict better? How can you get unstuck and cope with change and
loss? What does it mean to you to be content? Are other people just
annoying or are you the problem?
With a healthy dose of sanity, Philippa Perry's compassionate advice could help you become a happier, wiser person."
I didn't gain much fromt his book. There's not really anything new here. It's certainly not written in a scientific style but rather in 'talk with your aunt' way with too many stories about others.
Not for me.
Happy reading!
Helena
