tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3845405338642825313Thu, 19 Sep 2024 17:46:19 +0000book reviewbooksfantasyromancescience fictionChina MievilleMaria V. Snyderhistorical novelsteampunkLaurie R. KingMary RussellOctavia ButlerSherlock HolmesUrban fantasymysterynovelshort storiesvampiresA.S. ByattChristmasChristmas booksChristmas storiesCryptonomiconDoc HollidayFledglingGail CarrigerJim C. HinesKindredLibriomancyLois McMaster BujoldLouise PennyMagicMagic ex librisMark TwainMary Doria RussellMontanaNK JemisinPoison studySamuel L. ClemensSir Arthur Conan DoyleSmokyThe English PatientWesternsWill Jamesalternate historyanimeapserger'sautismclassicsdfinndickensfablegothic novelgraphic novelhorrormangamental illnessneil gaimanparisreviewsrom-comshane oakleyslaveryspace operaspeculative fictionswashbucklerteatime traveltodd kleintuberculosisvorkosigan sagawerewolveswilliam gibsonA blog about books, by a book lover, for book lovers.http://bibliofilebk.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)Blogger145125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3845405338642825313.post-7154209019263749002Mon, 02 Oct 2017 23:46:00 +00002017-10-02T16:46:14.534-07:00book reviewbooksChina MievillefantasyhorrorsteampunkUrban fantasyPerdido Street Station by China Miéville My rating: 5 of 5 stars I've read this book twice, several years apart, and both times I was completely absorbed by the world created by Miéville. It's a dark, twisted, and complex world, inhabited by a myriad of races, human and otherwise. The book is part steampunk, part horror, part science fiction, and part just plain weird - but it all works together http://bibliofilebk.blogspot.com/2017/10/perdido-street-station.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3845405338642825313.post-7937439239045588161Sat, 15 Apr 2017 19:59:00 +00002017-04-15T12:59:05.040-07:00book reviewfantasyMaria V. SnyderromanceFire Study by Maria V. Snyder My rating: 3 of 5 stars 2.5 starsBook 3 in the series. It picks up right where book two left off. You definitely want to read the first two before reading this one. Fans of the first two novels will be very happy with this book.In this book, Yelena faces her toughest adversary, yet. Not only are the rogue magicians practicing blood magic, they are in league with a http://bibliofilebk.blogspot.com/2017/04/fire-study.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3845405338642825313.post-2236933585893365081Fri, 07 Apr 2017 22:22:00 +00002017-04-08T12:32:16.591-07:00book reviewfantasyMaria V. SnyderromanceMagic Study by Maria V. Snyder My rating: 3 of 5 stars Book two in the "Study" series continues where book one (Poison Study) left off, with Yelena heading to the Magician's Keep in the southern province of Sitia, where she will not only receive training in her magic skills, but she meets her long-lost family. We learn a lot about the different clans in Sitia, some living in the jungle as with http://bibliofilebk.blogspot.com/2017/04/magic-study.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3845405338642825313.post-5700730720104480023Thu, 06 Apr 2017 19:15:00 +00002017-04-06T12:15:25.251-07:00book reviewfantasyMaria V. SnyderPoison studyromancePoison Study by Maria V. Snyder My rating: 3 of 5 stars 3.5 starsThis is the first book in a fantasy series (now up to 6 books) that also has a bit of romance in it. The story follows Yelena, a young woman who was orphaned and who is scheduled to be executed for murder. She gets a stunning reprieve from death if she agrees to become the food taster for the "commander" - a military dictator of thehttp://bibliofilebk.blogspot.com/2017/04/poison-study.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3845405338642825313.post-5151157165131227953Sun, 02 Apr 2017 20:21:00 +00002017-04-02T13:21:58.580-07:00A.S. Byattbook reviewdfinnfablefantasyThe Djinn in the Nightingale's Eye: Five Fairy Stories by A.S. Byatt My rating: 2 of 5 stars This book contains five stories, all in the fairy tale vein. The first four read like your standard fables, and contain nothing really different than one would find in a collection of Grimm stories of Hans Christian Anderson. These stories would be suitable and understandable by kids. The last story, fromhttp://bibliofilebk.blogspot.com/2017/04/the-djinn-in-nightingales-eye-five.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3845405338642825313.post-3240661204058397185Sat, 01 Apr 2017 20:01:00 +00002017-04-01T13:01:48.632-07:00book reviewSmokyWill JamesSmoky the Cow Horse by Will James My rating: 2 of 5 stars This book is basically Black Beauty in the wild west. Like Black Beauty, it follows the life of a horse from birth to “retirement” highlighting the treatment - and abuse - the horse encounters throughout his life. Instead of being set in 19th century England, Smoky takes place in western America, in the early 20th century. But whereas the http://bibliofilebk.blogspot.com/2017/04/smoky-cow-horse-by-will-james-my-rating.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3845405338642825313.post-5985921215434644272Sat, 01 Apr 2017 19:38:00 +00002017-04-01T12:38:24.194-07:00book reviewLouise PennymysteryA Trick of the Light by Louise Penny My rating: 3 of 5 stars I read this out of order, and clearly there were events in previous books that played a major role in this one, but the author does a good job of recapping the event (without seeming obvious) so that I didn't feel like I missed out on too much. The book is another in the fine series, with Inspector Gamache using his mind, and http://bibliofilebk.blogspot.com/2017/04/a-trick-of-light.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3845405338642825313.post-5010538420250882391Fri, 10 Feb 2017 19:59:00 +00002017-02-10T11:59:45.108-08:00book reviewMark TwainSamuel L. ClemensThe Prince and the Pauper by Samuel L Clemons My rating: 3 of 5 stars The Prince and the PauperI don’t recall reading this as a child, which is too bad, as I think I would have loved it! I liked stories about knights and such, and while this isn’t specifically about knights, it does take place in “old England” and certainly transports the reader to that time and place.Most people know the generalhttp://bibliofilebk.blogspot.com/2017/02/the-prince-and-pauper.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3845405338642825313.post-1473124543183610530Sat, 04 Feb 2017 20:37:00 +00002017-02-04T12:37:55.591-08:00gothic novelgraphic novelneil gaimanshane oakleytodd kleinForbidden Brides of the Faceless Slaves in the Secret House of the Night of Dread Desire by Neil Gaiman My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is a graphic novel adaptation of the Neil Gaiman story of the same title, first appearing in a short story collection in 2004. I remember reading the short story, and thinking it was quite clever, and kind of a cute idea. I didn’t really think about it being adaptedhttp://bibliofilebk.blogspot.com/2017/02/forbidden-brides-of-faceless-slaves-in.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3845405338642825313.post-4885177637111476747Fri, 13 Jan 2017 19:15:00 +00002017-03-13T11:30:54.693-07:00fantasyNK JemisinThe Inheritance Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin My rating: 4 of 5 stars This review is for books one and two in this collection: The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms and The Broken Kingdoms. I will add the subsequent books as I finish them.BOOK ONE:In The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, NK Jemisin has created an amazing world and mythology. In the beginning, we are introduced to Yiene, a young woman who lives in a “http://bibliofilebk.blogspot.com/2017/01/the-inheritance-trilogy-book-one.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3845405338642825313.post-3325808459926883820Wed, 11 Jan 2017 19:58:00 +00002017-01-11T11:58:54.633-08:00ChristmasChristmas booksChristmas storiesshort storiesAn Alabama Christmas by Truman Capote My rating: 1 of 5 stars I’m a sucker for Christmas books and stories. It probably started in childhood with How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, and has just grown over the years. Every Christmas, I not only reread the Grinch Book, but also Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, The Chimes and The Cricket on the Hearth, and usually some other Christmas books and stories. http://bibliofilebk.blogspot.com/2017/01/an-alabama-christmas.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3845405338642825313.post-5823431156685986325Sat, 17 Dec 2016 19:40:00 +00002016-12-17T12:10:57.462-08:00Jim C. HinesLibriomancyMagicMagic ex librisUrban fantasyRevisionary by Jim C. Hines My rating: 3 of 5 stars This is book four in the “Magic Ex Libris” series. I would recommend that you read the first three books before reading this one, as events in those books have direct bearing on what is happening in this one. If you’ve not read them, some of the things in this review will be spoilers, but I will not spoil the plot of Revisionary.At the end of http://bibliofilebk.blogspot.com/2016/12/revisionary.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3845405338642825313.post-4099054755659562747Wed, 14 Dec 2016 19:27:00 +00002016-12-14T11:36:43.931-08:00Laurie R. KingMary RussellSherlock Holmesshort storiesMary Russell's War by Laurie R. King 3.5 stars - the stories range from 2.5-4 stars This is a collection of short stories that fill in the gaps and add more history to the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series of books by Laurie R. King (which begins with The Beekeeper's Apprentice.) All but one of these stories has been published elsewhere (including for free online) but it’s nice to have them http://bibliofilebk.blogspot.com/2016/12/the-marriage-of-mary-russell.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3845405338642825313.post-8916898279746346388Fri, 02 Dec 2016 19:50:00 +00002016-12-02T11:52:48.389-08:00alternate historyChina Mievilleparisspeculative fictionThe Last Days of New Paris by China Miéville My rating: 4 of 5 stars China Miéville has an imagination that runs in overdrive, seemingly fueled by LSD or other mind-altering drugs, because his books contain some of the weirdest and most bizarre (in a good sense) ideas and plots in any fiction I’ve read. (And since I’ve been reading for over 55 years, that’s a lot of fiction!) This latest novella http://bibliofilebk.blogspot.com/2016/12/the-last-days-of-new-paris.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3845405338642825313.post-4681216195187472465Thu, 01 Dec 2016 21:56:00 +00002016-12-01T13:56:32.182-08:00Doc Hollidayhistorical novelMary Doria RusselltuberculosisWesternsDoc by Mary Doria Russell My rating: 3 of 5 stars 3.5 starsDoc is a fictional retelling of the life of John Henry “Doc” Holliday, he of the gunfight at OK corral fame. It is based on family memoirs, and covers his life before the gunfight. We see his childhood in Georgia, as the son of a wealthy plantation owner, and follow him though his teens and twenties as his tuberculosis advances. This is http://bibliofilebk.blogspot.com/2016/12/doc.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3845405338642825313.post-4356021518276083987Mon, 14 Nov 2016 20:34:00 +00002016-11-14T12:34:30.974-08:00Gail CarrigerromancesteampunkteavampireswerewolvesImprudence by Gail Carriger My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is book two of the “Custard Protocol” series by Gail Carriger. The book is set in the same universe as the “Parasol Protectorate” series and the “Finishing School” series. You don’t need to have read any of those books to enjoy this one, though the PP series is pretty much the foundation for all the other series, and if you’ve read it, you http://bibliofilebk.blogspot.com/2016/11/imprudence.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3845405338642825313.post-9117300877099479227Fri, 04 Nov 2016 19:41:00 +00002016-11-04T12:41:22.960-07:00book reviewbookshistorical novelKindredOctavia Butlerscience fictionslaverytime travelKindred by Octavia E. Butler My rating: 4 of 5 stars Quick review summary: Part historical novel (antebellum South), part time travel mystery, Kindred is a powerful - sometimes painful - book about race, identity, and family. Masterfully written, highly recommended.Full review:In this book, Butler tackles slavery and race relations, cleverly woven into a time travel story. It follows the life of http://bibliofilebk.blogspot.com/2016/11/kindred.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3845405338642825313.post-2856341449312944109Wed, 02 Nov 2016 19:09:00 +00002016-11-02T12:09:52.290-07:00book reviewFledglingnovelOctavia ButlervampiresFledgling by Octavia E. Butler Quick review: A great addition to vampire lore, with a believable type of vampire, still very sexy. Great story, fascinating characters, but bogged down slightly toward the end, which dropped it from what would have been a 5 star rating. Nevertheless, highly recommended!Full review:This book tells the story of Shori, a 53- year old vampire (still considered a childhttp://bibliofilebk.blogspot.com/2016/11/fledgling.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3845405338642825313.post-4182167290859374493Tue, 13 Sep 2016 18:15:00 +00002016-09-13T11:15:15.264-07:00book reviewbooksThe English PatientThe English Patient by Michael Ondaatje My rating: 3 of 5 stars I finally got around to reading this book. I, of course, first heard about it because of the movie (which I haven’t seen.) I’ve been meaning to read it ever since, and finally picked up a used copy at a second hand store this summer. And it finally made it to the top of my “to-read” list, so here we are.First of all, I can see why sohttp://bibliofilebk.blogspot.com/2016/09/the-english-patient.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3845405338642825313.post-8078928644180098929Sun, 26 Jun 2016 17:46:00 +00002016-06-26T10:46:49.606-07:00fantasysteampunkThe Black Dream by Col Buchanan My rating: 3 of 5 stars This is the third book in the Farlander/Heart of the World series. (The previous two are Farlander and Stands a Shadow.) This is not the end of the series, FYI; I'm guessing there will be at least one more, but the author's website has no information on what's next.The series is set in a different world than ours, but one that has many http://bibliofilebk.blogspot.com/2016/06/the-black-dream.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3845405338642825313.post-8784059969830226298Thu, 26 May 2016 18:06:00 +00002016-05-26T11:06:30.820-07:00book reviewbooksMontanaWhite Crosses by Larry Watson My rating: 1 of 5 stars As a native Montanan, I know all about the white crosses that are placed by the side of the road to mark traffic fatalities. So I was intrigued by a book that uses these crosses and the fatalities thereof as the main plot device. I wish I could say that the book was as good as the premise, but it was not. The ending was horrible, and did not http://bibliofilebk.blogspot.com/2016/05/white-crosses.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3845405338642825313.post-5093794971373133514Sun, 15 May 2016 18:06:00 +00002016-05-15T11:06:59.026-07:00historical novelSir Arthur Conan DoyleswashbucklerThe White Company by Arthur Conan Doyle Most people are familiar with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle from his Sherlock Holmes mysteries, yet, according to the afterward of this edition, this book was his personal favorite. Nevertheless, I wouldn’t say it’s my favorite of his. While I enjoyed the tale, overall, it was just a bit too old-fashioned and stereotypically swashbuckling for my taste.The book ishttp://bibliofilebk.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-white-company.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3845405338642825313.post-8231659343358140086Sun, 15 May 2016 17:29:00 +00002016-05-15T10:29:09.503-07:00book reviewbooksLaurie R. KingMary RussellmysterySherlock Holmes The Murder of Mary Russell by Laurie R. King My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is a wonderful addition to the series! It was a real page-turner, keeping me engaged from the suspenseful opening scene through to the denouement and ending. It is something of a departure from the rest of the series, however, as only the very beginning and ending are told from Mary’s viewpoint. Most of the rest of the http://bibliofilebk.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-murder-of-mary-russell.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3845405338642825313.post-8291882058848102776Thu, 05 May 2016 18:20:00 +00002016-05-05T11:20:41.009-07:00book reviewChina MievilleThis Census-Taker by China Miéville My rating: 3 of 5 stars I am a huge fan of China Mieville’s work. I got hooked with Perido Street Station, and I think I’ve read everything that he’s written since. His books are always chock full of weirdly imaginative stuff, and they often veer off into unexpected places. This book is quite a bit simpler than most of his other books, and on the surface it’s http://bibliofilebk.blogspot.com/2016/05/this-census-taker.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3845405338642825313.post-6332125180747312388Tue, 26 Apr 2016 17:05:00 +00002016-04-26T10:05:15.740-07:00book reviewLois McMaster Bujoldromancescience fictionspace operavorkosigan sagaShards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is the first book in Bujold’s wildly popular Miles Vorkosigan series. In fact, it’s technically the 0th book in the series, because this is pre-Miles; it tells the story of how his parents met, and introduces us to pivotal characters and events that influence the entire series. It really should be read before any other books in http://bibliofilebk.blogspot.com/2016/04/shards-of-honor.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)0