The sixth and last, and I have it waiting on my Kindle, a promised reward for finishing the project that is currently on my desk. I don't want this se...moreThe sixth and last, and I have it waiting on my Kindle, a promised reward for finishing the project that is currently on my desk. I don't want this series to end, but I'm also looking forward to reading it again, and this time following the twists and turns even better, seeing small characters and possibly (I say possibly, because it may not happen) even remembering how they will become important later.
Or else I'll read it all as "new" again, not remembering the details, because that often happens, too.
This series goes against the grain in one way. Instead of running out and buying the print editions to add to my favorites shelves (which I might do, mind you, if I find hardcovers that are nice)--I am instead blissful that it lives on my kindle. This is a series I know I will revisit again and again, and am very pleased it will be so easy to do.(less)
Bloody good read! Rollicking adventure, fantastic reader in the audiobook. I see why Katherine Kellgren has won so many awards for her reading. But it...moreBloody good read! Rollicking adventure, fantastic reader in the audiobook. I see why Katherine Kellgren has won so many awards for her reading. But it all starts on the page and LA Meyer created s fabulous character in Jacky Faber. I highly recommend!(less)
A list. That's the best I can do. A list of things I love about this series.
Deryn/Dylan One of the most delightful characters I've read in years. Sure...moreA list. That's the best I can do. A list of things I love about this series.
Deryn/Dylan One of the most delightful characters I've read in years. Sure, the girl-masquerading-as-boy has been done and done and done, but never have I read one who is more comfortable as a boy--complete with wonderful swearing (bum-rag! barking spiders!) and a fearlessness that is a joy to experience. I can't imagine her in a dress, and yet she truly is a girl. And her Scottish dialect is bliss. I adore her.
The Lilit/Deryn "relationship." Enough said about that, but it was great.
The beasties. Perspicacious Lorises! The Leviathan itself. Message lizards! Sniffers. The Tasmanian Tiger! I am definitely a Darwinist, not a Clanker!
Alternate History. In each book, I was surprised to discover through the author's note at the end that some of the more bizarre elements of the story were actually facts. I love that in a book.
This falls into spoilers and I really don't want to do that, but I'll just say that a couple of things I saw coming from a great distance--didn't happen. And that thrills me, that Westerfeld surprised me.
I'm sure other things will come to me, but for now, this is it. I've listened to all three books with Alan Cumming's fabulous narration, and all three hardcovers await a closer read. This is something I don't do. But for these books? I will. And I can't wait. (less)
I loved this book. Having grown up with the movie musical South Pacific as one of my favorites, I was thrilled to finally read the source material. Wr...moreI loved this book. Having grown up with the movie musical South Pacific as one of my favorites, I was thrilled to finally read the source material. Written before Michener decided to start every novel at the moment of creation, and before he started loading his books with all sorts of historical minutia as well as story.(less)
If your trip is all about London, with maybe a day trip to Stonehenge or elsewhere, you probably don't need this book. Stick to the typical guides tha...moreIf your trip is all about London, with maybe a day trip to Stonehenge or elsewhere, you probably don't need this book. Stick to the typical guides that hit the high spots and are filled with photos. I have 5 different editions and every time I start to discard the older ones, I find myself holding off. Those pages hold a lot of memories.
The Rough Guide is a thick, heavy book printed on thin paper with few photos and lots of written descriptions of everything from major city to cathedral city to tiny coastal fishing villages. It's rich and dense with the kind of information that can make your trip a delight if you travel by auto.
On my most recent trip to England I didn't take the current Rough Guide with me. I downloaded it to my Kindle. But I regretted it. On previous trips it was our constant companion, highlighted and bristling with post-it notes, and ready to delight us with lively information not only about London, but also about Looe, Lundy Island, Lyme Regis and Lynton. Not only about internationlly-famed museums and cathedrals but about book shops, village churches and smuggler's inns.
I still purchase other travel guides or comb the internet to see photos, but even if those options weren't available, I'd still make the Rough Guide my only resource. (And I daresay, even if your primary destination is London, it has far more information about London than most of the other guides, anyway!)(less)
I loved the Edward Eager books as a child. I'm clearly not alone because I was told a few years back that Stephen Spielberg has had them all optioned...moreI loved the Edward Eager books as a child. I'm clearly not alone because I was told a few years back that Stephen Spielberg has had them all optioned for years. Of all of them, this was my favorite. I do recommend that you read them in sequence, but I had to list this amongst my favorites.
Oh, what is it about? Well, it's about children who are staying where there is a thyme garden filled with all different kinds of time, only to discover that it's a time garden, that lets them travel through time.
Oh, the hours I spent reading and rereading this book. I need to reread it, I think!(less)
I loved this when I was a girl and read it several times. I recently bought a copy with this cover (old library copy) and tucked it onto the shelf wit...moreI loved this when I was a girl and read it several times. I recently bought a copy with this cover (old library copy) and tucked it onto the shelf with great affection. I haven't reread it so have no idea if it holds up to closer scrutiny.(less)
This book has changed forever the way I look at food. It also makes me wish I lived in a place where summers weren't so hot, where I had more land for...moreThis book has changed forever the way I look at food. It also makes me wish I lived in a place where summers weren't so hot, where I had more land for a garden, and oh yeah--that I weren't such a lazy cow!(less)
I really loved this the first time I read it, and just finished a reread so that I can dive into Cold Fire with the world and story fresh in my mind....moreI really loved this the first time I read it, and just finished a reread so that I can dive into Cold Fire with the world and story fresh in my mind. And guess what. On second read, this book went from four stars to five for me. (less)
Listened to this on audio. Alan Cummings is amazing. Then bought the hardcover for myself, because I wanted to own it and also see the illustrations....moreListened to this on audio. Alan Cummings is amazing. Then bought the hardcover for myself, because I wanted to own it and also see the illustrations. Gave it to a friend. Bought another for myself. Gave it to a friend. Now am listening to the audiobook again with my husband.
Will give more detailed review later, but in case you can't tell, I really love this book and series!(less)
Finally I got past the archaic language and just kept reading, and understand why my friends love this series. It's excellent, and the good news is th...moreFinally I got past the archaic language and just kept reading, and understand why my friends love this series. It's excellent, and the good news is that I have five more books to read in it.
Mary Queen of Scots is but five years old, Henry Viii is dead and the English are invading Scotland to capture the child queen and raise her to be their young King's bride and queen. It's a little-explored slice of history that is rife with drama.
This is like James Bond if he were even more suave, even sexier, even more dangerous, had more emotional depth and lived in the time of flounce and lace and dashing highwaymen on dark roads at midnight. Adventure, betrayal, and a story that twists and turns. As I said, now I understand.(less)
It's difficult to say whether this book became the most useful book on plotting to me because I had already read so many others, and this just put eve...moreIt's difficult to say whether this book became the most useful book on plotting to me because I had already read so many others, and this just put everything together in the most logical way for my approach, or if it would have been as enlightening and helpful if it had been the first I read. All I know is, this book pulls together the elements that reflect the way I think, and gives me tools to help me think better instead of harder. I love the index cards, storyboards, etc. The genres were helpful, not the least because he noted things about story that I had noted before, and took it much further. This book seems to have stuck--I first read it several years ago, and it still remains the most useful plotting tool I have, along with its sequel.
If you're a writer who has trouble with plot, I can't recommend this highly enough. It's aimed toward screenplays and movies but it's easy for a savvy writer to use it for novels. Practical and basic. (less)
Loading...
