GotMyBook

Got My Book

 

Yes, I'm "that person," the one who wears her headphones nearly everywhere. Whenever anyone apologizes to me for a delay, I just say,

"That's ok, I've 'Got My Book.'"

 

*****

Come join me on an Audiobook journey through the worlds of fantastical fiction, with other book related side trips.

Waiting for #3 Before Deciding: The Crucible of Empire | Review

9:00 am 1 November 2016
The Crucible of Empire - Eric Flint, K. D. Wentworth, Chris Patton, Audible Studios

An uneven, possibly overly long, Adult SF story with some great characters.

 

When humans and their Jao overlords joined forces in a desperate battle to save the Earth from the malevolent race called the Ekhat, the relationship between the two species was changed forever. Two years later, humans and Jao are learning to work together in an uneasy alliance. Then, in a distant nebula, three Jao ships detect signs of another sentient species during a battle with the Ekhat. Only one of the ships returns, with most of its crew dead or injured.

Ronz sends the Lexington, a massive ship built on Earth and crewed by both human and Jao, to investigate. The Lexington dwarfs any ship ever built by the Jao and even outmasses Ekhat ships, which may enable it to survive the attack that destroyed two of the three Jao ships.

 

Buy Now | +Goodreads

Whispersync Deal Alert*: Kindle + Audible = $8.98 (must purchase Kindle first, prices may change)

Disclosure: GMB uses affiliate links, clicking and making a purchase may result in a small commission for me.

BOOK DETAILS:

The Crucible of Empire by Eric Flint & KD Wentworth, read by Chris Patton, published by Audible Studios (2012) / Length: 16 hrs

 

SERIES INFO:

This is Book #2 of 3 in the "Jao" trilogy. Book #3 was just recently published, and is not currently available on audio.

 

**This review contains spoilers for the previous book.**

 

SUMMARY:

This book was a bit hit or miss for me. There were some parts that I loved, some I didn't enjoy as much, and a few I didn't like at all. In general, it seemed like a side trip. It's been left for the third book to explain why it was necessary.

 

CHARACTERS:

Tully: Still a favorite. He has really grown & changed, but isn't quite comfortable with that fact yet himself. It is interesting to see a spy who was always on the move try to become a leader.

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gmb-adult gmb-scifi gmb-10to20hrs gmb-audiblestudios gmb-military gmb-future gmb-moonplanets gmb-firstcontact
6

Thoughts that Think Themselves | Rants & Raves

8:51 am 31 October 2016

**Today's Topic: Second & Third Thoughts vs Too Stupid to Live**

Wherein I present a hated or loved trope and discuss it using examples.

Disclosure: GMB uses affiliate links, clicking and making a purchase may result in a small commission for me.

 

 

**This discussion contains major spoilers for The Iron Trial  (I have hidden them), and may contain minor spoilers for the other books. If you avoid all spoilers, you can just read the portion above "The Raves"**

 

 

Characters Who Think (or Not)

 

In August, I debuted my new "Rants & Raves" (a sub-feature of "My Musings") with a discussion of one of my biggest pet peeves, Dangerous Secrets kept by parents & other responsible adults.

 

This month I'd like to turn it around and talk about one of my favorite things. I am very fond of characters who are deep thinkers, and especially those who consider the consequences of their actions ahead of time and/or debunk the rhetoric of villains.

 

For me this category will forever be identified with Tiffany Aching, and Terry Pratchett's description:

"First Thoughts are the everyday thoughts. Everyone has those. Second Thoughts are the thoughts you think about the way you think. People who enjoy thinking have those. Third Thoughts are thoughts that watch the world and think all by themselves. They’re rare, and often troublesome."

And in the hands of a skilled author, a thinking character doesn't have to be a Mary Sue or other "too perfect" type of character. They can still make "bad" decisions for a myriad of reasons.

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gmb-discussion gmb-rantrave
6 2

My Priority TBR Overfloweth | Sunday Summary #26

12:01 am 30 October 2016
Sadly only one publisher submitted additional audiobooks for the Cybils Awards, but it was still over a dozen new books.

The Sunday Post, hosted by Kimba @Caffeinated Book Reviewer, is a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

Caution: Her site has sidebar ads that sometimes contain cover images which may be offensive to some.

Our final count of eligible books for this year's Cybils is 48. Thankfully we aren't each required to read every book. I will be starting my main reading push this coming week. (Note: I decided not to list all the books I am getting from the library each week, since I have over a dozen so far.)

 

In other news, I am not going to meet my (very ambitious) Blog Ahead goals entirely, but I hope by the end (Monday night) to have finished 4 more reviews and 1 more "Other" posts. So far I have written 28 posts (13 of which were for October & 15 for Nov/Dec).

 

Important blogging news this week: Changes are coming to BEA. Read the official announcement.

Blog Ahead (October 2016)

(hover over image for details / click to go to sign-up)

  Reviews    Other
Started with: 3 
2
Goals (for Oct | for Later):  
8 | 26 5 | 4
Progress: 8 | 14 5 | 1
 

On GMB: Last week

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gmb-sunsum
3 15

Just this Side of Reality: Nim's Island | Review

8:45 am 29 October 2016
Nim's Island - Wendy Orr, Kate Reading, Inc. Blackstone Audio

An enchanting MG Contemporary Fantasy

 

Nim lives on an island in the middle of the wide blue sea, shared by only her father, Jack, a marine iguana called Fred, a sea lion called Selkie, a turtle called Chica, and a satellite dish for her e-mail. No one else in the world lives quite like Nim, and she wouldn't swap places with anyone.

But when Jack disappears in his sailing boat and disaster threatens her home, Nim must be braver than she's ever been before. And she needs help from her friends, old and new.

 

Buy Now | +Goodreads

This audiobook is regularly priced at just $5.95 on Audible.

Disclosure: GMB uses affiliate links, clicking and making a purchase may result in a small commission for me.

BOOK DETAILS:

Nim's Island by Wendy Orr, read by Kate Reading, published by Blackstone Audio (2008) / Length: 2 hrs 25 min

 

SERIES INFO:

This is Book #1 of 3 in the Nim series. It is the only one available on audio.

 

SUMMARY:

It could be argued that this book is not really fantasy, it is just a book about a very imaginative little girl who is good with animals. That's probably true; but it reads more like a fantasy than a straightforward contemporary, so I feel comfortable reviewing it here on the blog.

 

Although the book is very short, it feels longer (in a good way). And it is strong in all three areas I generally review (see below).

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gmb-contemporary gmb-fantasy gmb-mg gmb-0to5hrs
2

Where it All Began: For Love of Mother-Not | Review

10:15 am 27 October 2016
For Love of Mother-Not: A Pip & Flinx Adventure - Alan Dean Foster, Stefan Rudnicki, Audible Studios

An interesting YA prequel to a long running (though now complete) NA SF series.

 

He was just a freckle-faced, red-headed kid with green eyes and a strangely compelling stare when Mather Mastiff first saw him an the auctioneer's block. One hundred credits and he was hers.

 

For years the old woman was his only family. She loved him, fed him, taught him everything she knew - even let him keep the deadly flying snake he called Pip.Then Mother Mastiff mysteriously disappeared and Flinx took Pip to tail her kidnappers. Across the forests and swamps of the winged world called Moth, their only weapons were Pip's venom . . . and Flinx's unusual Talents.

 

Buy Now | +Goodreads

Whispersync Deal Alert*: Kindle + Audible = $6.48 (must purchase Kindle first, prices may change)

Disclosure: GMB uses affiliate links, clicking and making a purchase may result in a small commission for me.

BOOK DETAILS:

For Love of Mother-Not by Alan Dean Foster, read by Stefan Rudnicki, published by Audible Studios (2009) / Length: 8 hrs 15 min

 

SERIES INFO:

This is (chronologically) Book #1 of 14 in the completed "Pip & Flinx" series, all of which are available on audio. If you prefer to read in publication order, it is #5.

 

SUMMARY:

This is probably my favorite of the Pip & Flinx adventures that I have read (I am currently a little over half way through the series.)

 

CHARACTERS:

Flinx: His ethics aren't what I would consider acceptable, specifically regarding other people's property. But considering his lack of true parental guidance, I guess it's to be expected. He is such a complex yet essentially likable character though.

 

Mother Mastiff: Very interesting as a fictional character, but not someone I would entrust with an actual child. She does really love him, and makes some unselfish decisions to try and protect him.

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gmb-5to10hrs gmb-scifi gmb-ya gmb-audiblestudios gmb-farfuture gmb-moonplanets
9

Haunted, Human, Huntress | New Audiobook Releases

11:00 am 26 October 2016

New Releases

Each week there are dozens of SciFi/Fantasy audiobooks released; I highlight the most talked about and/or interesting looking ones. The first person to correctly identify which 3 books below I took the key words in the title from will get a virtual shout-out in next week's post & tweet. (I'm doing this to try and make it more fun for me to improve my titles.)

 

Disclosure: GMB uses affiliate links, clicking and making a purchase may result in a small commission for me.

Disclaimer: Unless otherwise noted, I have not read these books and thus can't give content warnings.

This week's list is being posted a bit late. There were a LOT of books published yesterday that weren't available as pre-orders, so it took awhile to finish it.

Buzzed About

100 Dresses, Book #1: If the Magic Fits

By: Susan Maupin Schmid / Narrator: Jessica Almasy / Pub: Listening Library / Length: 7:18

"Inside an enchanted castle, there’s a closet—a closet with one hundred dresses that nobody ever wears. Dresses like those need a good trying-on, and Darling Dimple is just the girl to do it. When she tries on Dress Number Eleven, something unbelievable happens. She transforms into the castle’s Head Scrubber! It turns out that each dress can disguise her as someone else. And Darling is about to have an adventure that calls for a disguise or two…or a hundred."

 

Buy Now | +Goodreads

Chronicles of Elantra, Book #12: Cast in Flight

By: Michelle Sagara / Narrator: Khristine Hvam / Pub: Harlequin Audio / Length: 16:36

"Private Kaylin Neya already has Dragons and Barrani as roommates. Adding one injured, flightless Aerian to her household should be trivial. Sure, the Aerian is Sergeant Moran dar Carafel, but Kaylin’s own sergeant is a Leontine, the definition of growly and fanged. She can handle one Aerian.

 

But when a walk to the Halls of Law becomes a street-shattering magical assassination attempt on the sergeant, Kaylin discovers that it’s not the guest who’s going to be the problem: it’s all of the people who suddenly want Moran dar Carafel dead. And though Moran refuses to tell her why she’s being targeted, Kaylin is determined to discover her secret and protect her at all costs—even if keeping Moran safe means dealing with Aerian politics, angry dragons and something far more sinister. "

Buy Now | +Goodreads

Haven't started this series yet? Check out Book #1

Iron Man: The Gauntlet

By: Eoin Colfer / Narrator: Ari Fliakos / Pub: Listening Library / Length: 6:09

"Tony Stark is known throughout the world as many things: billionaire, inventor, Avenger. But mainly for being the invincible Iron Man.

 

Just when Tony is about to add his pizzazz to an international ecosummit in Ireland, someone close to him forces him to question his role in making the world a more dangerous place with his high-tech weaponry. But Stark doesn't have much time to reflect before an old enemy presents him with an even greater challenge: the assassination of all the ecoministers...and Iron Man himself. Just how invincible Iron Man is when he is stripped of everything remains to be seen in this breathless adventure by the best-selling author of Artemis Fowl."

Buy Now | +Goodreads

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gmb-newrel
9 2

Wagner meets... The Sleeping Beauty | Review

9:41 am 25 October 2016
The Sleeping Beauty: Tales of the Five Hundred Kingdoms, Book 5 - Mercedes Lackey, Gabra Zackman, Audible Studios

This Adult Fantasy, which mixes various fairytales with "The Ring Cycle," is one of Lackey's better 500 Kingdoms novels.

 

Heavy is the head--and the eyelids--of the princess who wears the crown...In Rosamund's realm, happiness hinges on a few simple beliefs: For every princess there's a prince. The king has ultimate power. Stepmothers should never be trusted. And bad things come to those who break with Tradition....

 

But when Rosa is pursued by a murderous huntsman and then captured by dwarves, her beliefs go up in smoke. Determined to escape and save her kingdom from imminent invasion, she agrees to become the guinea pig in one of her stepmother's risky incantations--thus falling into a deep, deep sleep.

 

When awakened by a touchy-feely stranger, Rosa must choose between Tradition and her future...between a host of eligible princes and a handsome, fair-haired outsider. And learn the difference between being a princess and ruling as a queen.

 

The moral of the story? Sometimes a princess has to create her own happy endings....

 

Buy Now | +Goodreads

Disclosure: GMB uses affiliate links, clicking and making a purchase may result in a small commission for me.

BOOK DETAILS:

The Sleeping Beauty by Mercedes Lackey, read by Gabra Zackman, published by Audible Studios (2013) / Length: 11 hrs 5 min

 

SERIES INFO:

This is Book #5 of 6 in the "Five Hundred Kingdoms" series. These books can easily be read as standalones.

 

SUMMARY:

Although I feel that Ms Lackey's newer books lack the narrative tightness & emotional punch of her earlier work, this one is the one I like the most. I enjoy the characters, even the disreputable ones, and find more of the story to be interesting.

 

Note: it is not necessary to be familiar with "The Ring Cycle" at all. Ms. Lackey does an excellent job of presenting the slightly altered details she has based this on.

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gmb-adult gmb-10to20hrs gmb-fantasy gmb-retelling gmb-audiblestudios gmb-historical gmb-magic
6 2

10 Book Related Halloween Costume Ideas | Top Ten Tuesday

12:01 am 24 October 2016

**Today's List: (Halloween related freebie)**

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, “was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!”

Disclosure: GMB uses affiliate links, clicking and making a purchase may result in a small commission for me.

 

This week's Top Ten Tuesday topic is: "Halloween related freebie: ten scary books, favorite horror novels, non-scary books to get you in the Halloween/fall mood, bookish halloween costumes, scariest covers), scary books on my TBR, etc." I am doing bookish Halloween costumes, specifically potential costumes from books I've reviewed so far this year. Some of these characters have several different costumes I could have chosen, I mostly chose the first one they are described as wearing.

 

(Alphabetical by Character Name / For Series, I've only linked to the first book)

 

Buy | +GR

My Review

Buy | +GR

My Review

 1) Alain (Mage) from "The Pillars of Reality" series

A robe, "which bore symbols and ornaments to mark their ranks and special skills in a form only other Mages could read" and includes a face hiding cowl.

 

2) Alias (Sell-sword) from the "Forgotten Realms: Finder's Stone" series

Leather leggings, tunic, light chain shirt, knee high boots, and an eagle shaped barrette. (NOT the outfit on the cover)

 

Buy | +GR

My Review

Buy | +GR

My Review

 

3) Blue ("trashy chic") from "The Raven Cycle"

Multiple thin layering shirts, at least one that is "shredded" OR a dress that looks like a lampshade.

 

4) Johnny (Classic 1950's) from the "Purgatory" duology

Jeans, boots, white tee and black leather jacket; hair swooped high off his forehead.

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gmb-list
2 10

I Had to Work Extra Shifts | Sunday Summary #25

12:01 am 23 October 2016
We were very busy at work this week, so I had to work several extra shifts and didn't get much blog stuff done.

The Sunday Post, hosted by Kimba @Caffeinated Book Reviewer, is a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

Caution: Her site has sidebar ads that sometimes contain cover images which may be offensive to some.

I'm not actually very concerned about the fact that I got so little done towards my goals this week. I am going to have both Monday & Tuesday off next week, so I should be able to catch up.

Blog Ahead (October 2016)

(hover over image for details / click to go to sign-up)

  Reviews    Other
Started with: 3 
2
Goals (for Oct | for Later):  
8 | 26 5 | 4
Progress:  8 | 10 4 | 0
 

On GMB: Last week

-read more-
gmb-sunsum
3 12

I Couldn't Forget it: The City of Ember | Review

9:47 am 22 October 2016
The City of Ember - Jeanne DuPrau, Wendy Dillon

A Post-Apocalyptic MG book that refused to disappear into the back of my brain.

 

Many hundreds of years ago, the city of Ember was created by the Builders to contain everything needed for human survival. It worked…but now the storerooms are almost out of food, crops are blighted, corruption is spreading through the city and worst of all—the lights are failing. Soon Ember could be engulfed by darkness…

 

But when two children, Lina and Doon, discover fragments of an ancient parchment, they begin to wonder if there could be a way out of Ember. Can they decipher the words from long ago and find a new future for everyone? Will the people of Ember listen to them?

 

Buy Now | +Goodreads

Disclosure: GMB uses affiliate links, clicking and making a purchase may result in a small commission for me.

BOOK DETAILS:

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau, read by Wendy Dillon, published by Listening Library (2004) / Length: 7 hrs 6 min

 

SERIES INFO:

This is Book #1 in the completed "Book of Ember" trilogy, all of which are available on audio.

 

SUMMARY:

The first time I listened to this book, I enjoyed it but wasn't really that impressed. I did not add it to the list of books I was considering buying. However, after the second time I re-borrowed it from the library and listened again, I realized that there was just something about the characters and their story that appealed to me. The next time a deal was available, I snapped it up.

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gmb-5to10hrs gmb-fantasy gmb-postapoc gmb-mg gmb-listeninglibrary gmb-future gmb-nonromance
1

Freakiness in Florida: The Amazing Wolf Boy | Review

11:10 am 20 October 2016
The Amazing Wolf Boy - Roxanne Smolen, Danny Randerson, Inc. moonRox

A sympathetic protagonist & sweet love story make this YA Fantasy shine.

 

Cody Forester plans to become a doctor. Instead, he becomes a werewolf. The first time Cody shows fang and fur, his parents ship him off to podunkville to live with his black sheep uncle. His revised career choice is social hermit. As the new kid, he makes more enemies than friends. His high school teachers label him a troublemaker. The whole town hates him. Except Brittany. She's beautiful, with her eyes painted black and her lips dark purple.

 

 

Buy Now | +Goodreads

Disclosure: GMB uses affiliate links, clicking and making a purchase may result in a small commission for me.

Source: I received this book for free from the author. My opinions are my own.

 

BOOK DETAILS:

The Amazing Wolf Boy by Roxanne Smolen, read by Danny Randerson, published 2016 / Length: 10 hrs 13 min

 

SERIES INFO:

This is Book #1 of 4 in the "Amazing Wolf Boy" series. So far it is the only one on audio.

 

SUMMARY:

Although there were a number of things I didn't like in this book (it starts off with one of my most disliked tropes, see below), I was nevertheless drawn in from the beginning and really enjoyed it. It was well written, with characters I liked, and I especially enjoyed the realistic progression of the teenage romance. I am looking forward to when the next book becomes available on audio.

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gmb-selfpub gmb-10to20hrs gmb-ya gmb-contemporary gmb-fantasy gmb-shifters
9

Wicked, Warsworn, Whisperer | New Audiobook Releases

12:01 am 19 October 2016

New Releases

Each week there are dozens of SciFi/Fantasy audiobooks released; I highlight the most talked about and/or interesting looking ones. The first person to correctly identify which 3 books below I took the key words in the title from will get a virtual shout-out in next week's post & tweet. (I'm doing this to try and make it more fun for me to improve my titles.)

 

Disclosure: GMB uses affiliate links, clicking and making a purchase may result in a small commission for me.

Disclaimer: Unless otherwise noted, I have not read these books and thus can't give content warnings.

Buzzed About

The Illuminae Files, Book #1: Gemina

By: Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff / Narrator: A Full Cast / Pub: Listening Library / Length: 12:34

"Hanna is the station captain’s pampered daughter; Nik the reluctant member of a notorious crime family. But while the pair are struggling with the realities of life aboard the galaxy's most boring space station, little do they know that Kady Grant and the Hypatia are headed right toward Heimdall, carrying news of the Kerenza invasion.

 

When an elite BeiTech strike team invades the station, Hanna and Nik are thrown together to defend their home. But alien predators are picking off the station residents one by one, and a malfunction in the station's wormhole means the space-time continuum might be ripped in two before dinner. Soon Hanna and Nik aren’t just fighting for their own survival; the fate of everyone on the Hypatia—and possibly the known universe—is in their hands."

Buy Now | +Goodreads

Haven't started this series yet? Check out Book #1

It's About Time

(Popular books that are now available on Audio)

The Aliomenti Saga, Book #7: Convergence

By: Alex Albrinck / Narrator: Todd McLaren / Pub: Tantor Audio / Length: 11:34

"Hostility has formed over the centuries. It's grown with each Hunt, each capture, each death. It's been magnified at each effort to thwart global dominion over those unable to defend against the advance of a ruthless tyrant who won't rest until the entire world is full of those who exist solely to do his will.

 

Circumstances have prevented outright warfare.

 

Until now."

Whispersync Deal Alert*: Kindle + Audible = $8.48.

Buy Now | +Goodreads

Haven't started this series yet? Check out Book #1

Class 5, Book #2: Dark Deeds

By: Michelle Diener / Narrator: Christina Delaine / Pub: Podium Publishing / Length: 12:06

"Far from home… Fiona Russell has been snatched from Earth, imprisoned and used as slave labor, but nothing about her abduction makes sense. When she’s rescued by the Grih, she realizes there’s a much bigger game in play than she could ever have imagined, and she’s right in the middle of it.

 

Far from safe…Battleship captain Hal Vakeri is chasing down pirates when he stumbles across a woman abducted from Earth. She’s the second one the Grih have found in two months, and her presence is potentially explosive in the Grih’s ongoing negotiations with their enemies, the Tecran. The Tecran and the Grih are on the cusp of war, and Fiona might just tip the balance.

 

Far from done… Fiona has had to bide her time while she’s been a prisoner, pretending to be less than she is, but when the chance comes for her to forge her own destiny in this new world, she grabs it with both hands. After all, actions speak louder than words."

Whispersync Deal Alert*: Kindle + Audible = $8.48.

Buy Now | +Goodreads

Haven't started this series yet? Check out Book #1

Dragon's Breath, Book #2: Dancing with Flames

By: Susan Illene / Narrator: Marguerite Gavin / Pub: Tantor Audio / Length: 10:22

"Four months ago, fire-breathing dragons invaded Earth from an alternate dimension, wreaking havoc on modern civilization. Bailey Monzac has been training to kill them ever since discovering she was impervious to their flames, but when some of the beasts begin targeting children, she can’t hold back any longer and must hunt them down.

 

Her ally, Aidan, would help, except the shape-shifter has his own troubles. His clan is battling for territory against the pure dragons and his father—their leader—is dying. As the shifters fight for the pendragon position, fierce rivalry takes over. Aidan’s own brothers aren’t above blackmail and murder if it will get them to the top. He must stay one step ahead if he is to survive and keep his clan safe from the pure dragons who threaten them all."

Whispersync Deal Alert*: Kindle + Audible = $6.98.

Buy Now | +Goodreads

Haven't started this series yet? Check out Book #1

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gmb-newrel

What Do You Do When Your Hero is the Villain?: Calamity | Review

10:01 am 18 October 2016
Calamity: The Reckoners, Book 3 - Brandon Sanderson, MacLeod Andrews, Audible Studios

A very satisfying finale to a favorite YA Superhero/villain Fantasy.

 

When Calamity lit up the sky, the Epics were born. David's fate has been tied to their villainy ever since that historic night. Steelheart killed his father. Firefight stole his heart. And now Regalia has turned his closest ally into a dangerous enemy.

 

David knew Prof's secret and kept it even when Prof struggled to control the effects of his Epic powers. But facing Obliteration in Babilar was too much. Once the Reckoners' leader, Prof has now embraced his Epic destiny. He's disappeared into those murky shadows of menace Epics are infamous for the world over, and everyone knows there's no turning back....

 

But everyone is wrong. Redemption is possible for Epics - Megan proved it. They're not lost. Not completely. And David is just about crazy enough to face down the most powerful High Epic of all to get his friend back. Or die trying.

 

Buy Now | +Goodreads

Whispersync Deal Alert*: Audible = $4.49 (must purchase Kindle first, prices may change)

Disclosure: GMB uses affiliate links, clicking and making a purchase may result in a small commission for me.

Source: I purchased this book myself from Audible. It is available only from them or on mp3 CD from Amazon.

 

BOOK DETAILS:

Calamity by Brandon Sanderson, read by MacLeod Andrews, published by Audible Studios (2016) / Length: 11 hrs 51 min

 

SERIES INFO:

This is the third & final book in "The Reckoners" trilogy. A spin-off series called "Apocalypse Guard," taking place in a parallel world, has been announced but won't begin until 2018.

 

**This review contains spoilers for the previous books.**

 

SUMMARY:

I know that quite a few people were disappointed with the resolution/revelations in this book, feeling that they were anti-climactic. I can definitely understand where they are coming from. However, since I have been reading this series for the characters, I was completely satisfied with the way things progressed and how they turned out. Note: there were some deaths, which made me sad.

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gmb-10to20hrs gmb-ya gmb-fantasy gmb-superpowers gmb-audiblestudios gmb-future gmb-geekpower
1 2

Website Navigation Bar with Dropdown Menu | Tutorial

1:00 pm 17 October 2016

Tutorial

 

 

On months that there is a 5th Monday, I will be publishing a Tutorial in place of one of "My Musings." Topics will include things I learned how to do while redesigning my blog. I will also include other topics of interest to bloggers and readers.

 

How To: Create or Improve a Menu Bar

 

I would like to thank Marylou @ As the page turns for helpful comments on my post Introducing GMB 1.0. She also asked for some tutorials on my design upgrades. As I told her, it will take a bit of time to prepare something about the sidebar (since my code is still very messy) but here is the one for the Menu bar above. (Note: the Indexes & Cybils buttons are the ones with the drop-downs.)

 

I must start with: I am NOT a programmer. I took an HTML class during the time of the dinosaurs, but haven't done much with it since that time. And although I had heard of CSS & had a vague idea of its purpose, I knew nothing concrete about it before starting this blog.

 

This means that I get by through Googling and LOTS of trial and error. It also means that my code is by no means clean or optimized. So, if you actually know what you are doing, feel free to comment with additions or corrections.

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gmb-tutorial
7 1

I'm Finally Fed Up | Sunday Summary #24

10:01 am 16 October 2016
The last straw has landed on this camel's back. I will be changing blog hosts once the Cybils are over.

The Sunday Post, hosted by Kimba @Caffeinated Book Reviewer, is a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

Caution: Her site has sidebar ads that sometimes contain cover images which may be offensive to some.

I'm not going to bore you all with the many problems I've been having with Booklikes, but I've made up my mind to move my blog to a different platform next year. I didn't want to have to do it, since the community here is really wonderful & supportive; and migrating will surely set me back. 

 

But last Sunday was the final straw. I was supposed to be hosting a post in the Virtual Fantasy Con's Blog Hop Hunt that day, but Booklikes went down in the middle of the day and stayed down for over 12 hours. On top of everything else, it's just become too unreliable.

 

I would really like to the go the self-hosted Wordpress route, but I'm only working half time right now and can't afford it. Since I'm currently a Round 1 Cybil's judge, I will be choosing a new platform & migrating after the beginning of the year. If you love your free blog platform, be sure let me know why in the comments.

 

Still Seeking: Tips for using Bloglovin' for discovering new blogs. Plus tips on Facebook & Google+ for bloggers.

Blog Ahead (October 2016)

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Started with: 3 
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Goals (for Oct | for Later):  
8 | 26 5 | 4
Progress:  7 | 10
 4 | 0
 

On GMB: Last week

On GMB: Coming Up

Note: Due to technical difficulties, I missed a review last week. I will be posting it on Tuesday instead, which means two YA reviews this week.

 

  • MON: Website Navigation Bar with Dropdown Menu | Tutorial
  • TUE: Calamity | Review - ★★★★ YA Superhero Fantasy
  • WED: New Audiobook Releases
  • THU: The Amazing Wolf Boy | Review - ★★★★ YA Fantasy
  • SAT: The City of Ember | Review - ★★★★ Post-Apocalyptic MG
  • SUN: Sunday Summary #25

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4 16

Lampshading Metafiction: Alcatraz vs the Evil Librarians | Review

10:00 am 15 October 2016
Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians - Brandon Sanderson, Ramon De Ocampo

Some twisted MG Contemporary Fantasy fun.

 

A hero with an incredible talent...for breaking things. A life-or-death mission...to rescue a bag of sand. A fearsome threat from a powerful secret network...the evil Librarians.

 

Alcatraz Smedry doesn't seem destined for anything but disaster. On his 13th birthday he receives a bag of sand, which is quickly stolen by the cult of evil Librarians plotting to take over the world. The sand will give the Librarians the edge they need to achieve world domination. Alcatraz must stop them!...by infiltrating the local library, armed with nothing but eyeglasses and a talent for klutziness.

 

Buy Now | +Goodreads

Whispersync Deal Alert*: Audible = $3.99 (must purchase Kindle first, prices may change)

Disclosure: GMB uses affiliate links, clicking and making a purchase may result in a small commission for me.

Source Note: The specific version I am reviewing here is no longer available. When they changed narrators for the second book, they went back and re-recorded this one. All links go to the new version.

 

BOOK DETAILS:

Alcatraz vs the Evil Librarian by Brandon Sanderson, read by Charlie McWade / Length: 6 hrs 15 min

 

SERIES INFO:

This is Book #1 of 5 in the fictional autobiography written by "Alcatraz Smedry."

 

SUMMARY:

My pre-blog review of this book: If you come to this book expecting what you have read in other Brandon Sanderson books, you may be disappointed. If you come expecting a very funny example of "lampshading," you'll should be quite satisfied. Lampshading is the act of shining a light on the customs and tropes of literature and media (think Galaxy Quest).

 

It is also a clear example of Metafiction: a literary device used self-consciously and systematically to draw attention to a work's status as an artifact. It poses questions about the relationship between fiction and reality, usually using irony and self-reflection.

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I am a middle-aged female who lives in the U.S. Southwest.

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