DB Books and Reviews

The family that was lost and the family that was found... HELIOTROPE by Palmer Pickering is one that I've heard rather high praise for by a small selection of BookTubers. After winning a giveaway for the Audio edition, I was excited to give this one a try. HOW I RATED IT  4/5  I found my personal enjoyment of this to be a little all over the place during my reading experience for a variety of reasons. Ultimately though, I've decided that this is a really worthwhile read for the right audience.  CHARACTERS To the character-driven readers out there, this one is for you. In the absence of a clear narrative through-line, a lot of weight is placed upon the characters and while I don't love books that do that, I think the characters largely rose up to the challenge of carrying the book on their shoulders. The story is mostly told through the perspective of Teleo, a former soldier who now makes a living as a stone mason. His artistry brings him to work a project for the royal fami

Wizard for hire... After years of resistance, I finally decided to dive into the wild world of THE DRESDEN FILES to see what I think of this famous/infamous series.  HOW I RATED IT  3/5  While there is an enjoyable detective story being told here that's infused with fun, magical hijinks, the overemphasis on sexual content, nudity, and a, um, appreciation... for the the female form kept this from being the hit that I wanted it to be. CHARACTERS Our titular Harry Dresden serves as both the main character and the narrator of this story. He introduces himself as a private detective who specializes in the arcane. Lending out his wizardry skills serves as his primary source of income, but he finds it hard to pay his bills given that this is a world in which magic is not a commonly known element. Many people think his ads are a joke or that he is simply a quack. We immediately find out that he has rather old fashioned ideas about women and a checkered past of some kind which will only par

I didn't get to everything that I meant to, partly because one of the books I read didn't work as well for me as I wanted it to, but I still had a nice month with some good reads.  1. Tress of the Emerald Sea This was a  4/5  romp with lots of heart I won't pretend that this is the best Sanderson book I've ever read, I had a lot of fun with this nautical adventure, it's strange world, and the endearing protagonist that we follow. Yes, Wit's narration can be a bit much, but I didn't mind the story's silliness and I rather enjoyed getting to know Hoid a bit better.    Full review here 2. Bone Shroud 4/5  for a worthwhile sequel to Deathless Beast Fans of the first book are sure to enjoy this one as well. While I still prefer more narrative-focused books, I just love the characters in this series, the way faith is handled, and the subtle plotting that Meredith juggles with all the character moments and sprinkled-in action scenes.  Full review here 3. Skybor

Born for the skies.. This was a "cover buy" that I'd picked up from Barnes and Noble years ago. It's been taunting me for so long, but finally I decided to give this a read.  HOW I RATED IT  3/5  While I really enjoyed the concepts presented in this book as well as the exciting battle scenes, the meandering plot and characters I couldn't really connect with ultimately made this one a mixed bag for me.  SETTING/WORLD To begin my thoughts on a high note, I think the setting of this story is one of the things that really kept me reading. The world is in what seems to be a sort of post-apocalyptic scenario where all that remains of the planet are a collective of independent floating islands who are ultimately beholden to a central one which is aptly named "Center." I loved the setup of these islands suspended in the sky. Lots of fantasy and sci fi stories will have these types of locations as window dressing, but it was so much fun to have a story that deepl

A schism in the faith... After reading the first book in  THE KALLATIAN SAGA , I was left wondering what would come next for these characters and this world, so I figured I would continue with the second book this month to find out.  HOW I RATED IT  4/5  This still doesn't click with me in exactly the same way that the author's  NEEDLE AND LEAF  series does, but I enjoy it a great deal even though other epic fantasies have been hit or miss for me.    CHARACTERS As with book one, a huge amount of this story's appeal comes from the in-depth character work. Jined finds himself wrapped up in a conspiratorial schism within his order. Hanen and Ralia work to build up the Black Sentinels in a city where their reputation has been sullied. Katiam's journey takes her down a rather mystical path and  Seriah  gets caught up in a godly affair. I found the expanded role that Seriah plays to be an interesting addition. I wasn't initially sure how her parts would ultimately connect

A sea quite unlike the one you might imagine... As the first of "Brando Sando's" Secret Projects and a beautiful hardcover edition, I impulse-bought this one pretty much as soon as it became available through Dragonsteel's website (I did not back the Kickstarter). As the summer came to a close, I thought a seafaring fantasy would be the perfect way to say farewell to the season, so I finally gave this a read.   HOW I RATED IT  4/5  I wouldn't say that " TRESS " is Sanderson's best or deepest piece of fiction, but I did find it to be a rather enjoyable voyage through an inventive world with vibrant characters and some fun narrative turns.  CHARACTERS Our story starts with Tress, who's a girl that might not meet your expectations in that she really is like other girls, as long as those girls care deeply for their family, want to find that special someone who completes them, and have a fondness for collecting cups. Although her origins are humble an