Harry Potter Turns 20

It's a big deal today, all over social media and the blogosphere.  Harry Potter turns 20.

I've never been a Harry Potter fan.  I made it part way through book 3, I think, and that was that.  And while I have also watched most of the movies - I think - I'd be hard pressed to tell you much about them aside from who played who in them.

That being said, I give HUGE kudos and congratulations to J. K. Rowling and her books of Potterdom.  They inspired a massive amount of children, and adults, to pick up a book and start to read.  So many kids that never wanted to read before, read that first Harry Potter tale and were hooked.  And remained hooked!

That is worth everything.  :)

Well done!

My April Reads

The first half of April, I sped along reading.  The latter half?  Not so much.  I've been working on my current read for a couple of weeks now.  And not because it's bad, it's just that I'm able to set it aside and do some other things.  So that being said, here are my April reads and, like before, if you click on the link beneath the covers, it'll take you to my thoughts over on BookLikes.

Libromancer
by
Jim C. Hines

The Iron Wyrm Affair
(Bannon & Clare #1)
by
Lilith Saintcrow

Hell on Wheels
by
Z.A. Maxfield

My March Reads

This month, 3 of my 4 books were big thick epic reads - which I love, I am NOT complaining!   So while it doesn't seem as if I was as reading-active as previous months, I really was!  I had one problem though, one of those 3 was a SLOG.   If you're interested in what I thought about my reads, just click the links beneath the covers to take you to my book blog on Booklikes.  :)

Touchstone
by
Melanie Rawn

Emperor of Thorns
by
Mark Lawrence

Curious
by
R. G. Alexander

Crash & Burn
by
Abigail Roux

My February Reads

I read some really good ones in February.  I think my fave of the month was Jackdaw - and I have to say, the characters stuck with me even once I was on into the next book.   And I've been very good and not added too much to the TBR pile.   As always, click on the titles to take you to my thoughts on my book blog at Booklikes.  :)

King of Thorns
by
Mark Lawrence

The Hell You Say
by
Josh Lanyon

Dogfighters: Under the Hill
by
Alex Beecroft

Acrobat
by
Mary Calmes

Bound with Love
by
Megan Mulry
(Thoughts to come)

The Alchemist of Souls
by
Anne Lyle

Jackdaw
by
KJ Charles

Death of a Pirate King
by
Josh Lanyon

My January Reads

So I spent a lot of time reading in January.   My thoughts on all these books are, as always, over on my book blog at BookLikes (Click the title to take you to the entry).  It was a good month, I have to admit.  I enjoyed every book I read!

According to Hoyle
 by Abigail Roux

The Emperor's Blades
 by Brian Staveley

Home the Hard Way
 by Z.A. Maxfield

Lord of the White Hell
 (Part One)
by Ginn Hale

A Dangerous Thing
 by Josh Lanyon

Among the Living
(PsyCop #1)
 by Jordan Castillo Price

Dark Witch
 (The Cousins O'Dwyer #1)
 by Nora Roberts

Shadow Spell
 (The Cousins O'Dwyer #2)
 by Nora Roberts

Blood Magick
 (The Cousins O'Dwyer #3)
 by Nora Robert

Prince of Thorns
(The Broken Empire #1)
 by Mark Lawrenc

A King Undone by Cooper Davis - My Thoughts

Bought because KJ Charles had good things to say about it, A King Undone didn't disappoint.  This is the first time I've read anything by Cooper Davis and again, not disappointed at all.  Another author I will definitely read again.

Interested in my thoughts on A King Undone?  They're available on my book blog over at BookLikes, as always.

Three the Hard Way by Sydney Croft - My Thoughts

Here we are with another of my Christmas time reads.  Sydney Croft is the pen name of the author duo, Larissa Ione and Stephanie Tyler (who also writes as SE Jakes) and they have written this novella set in their ACRO World for the Riptide Share the Love holiday charity bundle.

To find out what I thought of Three the Hard Way, skip on over to my book blog on BookLikes.

I must add that I really like the cover (by L. C. Chase) on this one.


And then I read this quick Christmas freebie from one of my favourite authors and I totally loved it!

What Happens at Christmas by Victoria Alexander - My Thoughts

Another Christmas novel and I quite enjoyed the reading of it.  It's fun, it's light, it has it's faults, but 'tis the season and all.  :)   What Happens at Christmas made me smile.

I have a few more thoughts on this book that can be found in the usual place, my book blog over at BookLikes.

Sleigh Ride by Heidi Cullinan - My Thoughts

Yes, so, I have finished another book.  This a Christmas season set book by one of my favourite authors.  With both main characters being over the age of 35!  Woot!  I loved it to bits!

If you're interested in hearing details about what I loved about Sleigh Ride, just head on over to my BookLikes book blog and check it out!

The King's Deryni by Katherine Kurtz - My Thoughts

My Birthday Book!  My prezzie to myself of a new book by my favourite author writing in my favourite universe.  It's been 8 years since the last book by this author, in this series, came out.  The publication date - December 2nd - is the day before my birthday, so I declare that it is mine.  :)

My thoughts - as honest as they could be - can be found, as they always are, on my book blog over at Booklikes should you wish to read them.  :)

I took my aunt to Hawksbury for some tests this week, while I was reading The King's Deryni, but I didn't want to bring the big tome with me.  Did I not mention this was a hardcover brick of over 500 pages?  So I took my ereader with me and read a shortie by another of my faves.  I love the Charm of Magpie series and I love Stephen and Crane, and I had been saving this short story for a special occasion.  This was it.  :)   I had a quick thought over on Booklikes.  

Bomber's Moon by Alex Beecroft - My Thoughts & The Blushing Bounder by Meljean Brook - More Thoughts

I enjoy a good fantasy with historical elements and renegade fairies and a bunch of fun characters.  Bomber's Moon doesn't disappoint.  This is the first of the two Under the Hill books by Alex Beecroft and if you wish to know what I thought about it, head on over to my book blog on BookLikes.

Oh, and then, last night, once I finished Bomber's Moon, I started the shorty, The Blushing Bounder by Meljean Brook.  A lovely little steampunk romance designed to put a smile on one's face.  I wrote a few quick thoughts on my book blog.

Tattoos and Teacups by Anna Martin - My Thoughts

This had been in my TBR for a while and maybe it should have stayed there.  Sadly it wasn't a great read, not even close.  :(  It happens.

If you want to read why, then my thoughts are over on my book blog at BookLikes.  

Fatal Shadows by Josh Lanyon - My Thoughts

Josh Lanyon's series of mysteries starring bookstore owner and newly published author Adrien (with an 'e') English has been recced to me over and over the past couple of years and I had never gotten around to reading them.  I have read a couple of Josh's other works and quite enjoyed them and guess what?  I enjoyed this one too.  :)

If you want more of my thoughts on Fatal Shadows, you know where they are - over on my book log at BookLikes.

Flight of Magpies by KJ Charles - My Thoughts

I am amazed!  I was able to read this book within 3 weeks of it's publication.  *g*  That doesn't happen often these days.  Flight of Magpies is the 3rd of the A Charm of Magpies trilogy and supposedly the conclusion of Stephen and Crane's story.  I suspect that they will make a 'guest appearance' in the next novel in this universe, Jackdaw, which is out next year, but for all intents and purposes, the story is complete (ish).  :)

My thoughts on Flight of Magpies are, as always, available at my book blog on Booklikes if you're interested.  :)

Magic Mansion by Jordan Castillo Price - My Thoughts

In all the M/M reading I've done over the past couple of years, Jordan Castillo Price was always an author that was recommended to me but I never had the chance to follow up on those recs. One day I had a thought strike me that I had never read a romance about magicians and I thought that would be an interesting occupation for a main character and indeed a fascinating world to explore.

If you're interested in what I thought about Magic Mansion, check out my book blog over at BookLikes.

The Steel Remains by Richard Morgan - My Thoughts

I'd been wanting to read this one for a long while and finally was reminded of that fact by Aleksandr Voinov.  I went to check out availability and it was on sale.  WOOT!  So I bought it and read it and if you're curious as to what I thought...

head on over to my book blog on Booklikes.  In the end, I wasn't disappointed.  :)

One-Eyed Jack by Elizabeth Bear - My Thoughts

Elizabeth Bear is one of those authors whose work has an almost magical feel to it.  I love it, but I don't always understand it.  :)  Odd to say about a fantasy author, yes?

At any rate, my thoughts on One-Eyed Jack are as always, posted on my book blog at BookLikes.

How to Train Your Dom in 5 Easy Steps by Josephine Myles - My Thoughts

Josephine Myles is a favourite of mine.  Her books are so very British and I love the different flavour of them.  I had been looking forward to this one because she turns some very popular tropes on their heads and does it in inimitable Jo style.  :)

My thoughts on How to Train Your Dom in 5 Easy Steps are, as always, available on my book blog over at BookLikes, should you be interested.

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan - My Thoughts

This is the book I set aside to read Kingdom of Scars.  I really, really wish that I could visit a bookstore like this one day.  :)

To read my thoughts on Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, head on over to my book blog at BookLikes.

Kingdom of Scars: A Novel by Eoin Macken - My Thoughts

Yep, this is the debut novel written by the guy who played Gwaine in the TV show Merlin.  Eoin Macken has become a fave of mine, so I went for the book, ready to be disappointed.  Nuh-uh!!  It's great!!

Read my thoughts on Kingdom of Scars over at my book blog at BookLikes and see why I liked it so damned much.  :)