The Dwarves

This book does not count towards my Read Books for 2017 because after 427 of 733 pages (or 59%) and 7 months elapsed in which I read 30 other books, I am throwing in the towel. This is not a book that I can finish.

As a typical Tolkien fan, the blurb for this book appealed greatly. Reviews were good and even the D&D community were stoked at the series. I kept wanting to buy it but refused to pay the $40ish price tag that is the norm for 7-800 pagers.

I plowed through about 200 pages before it became monotonous and predictable. Chapter after chapter was the same and nothing made me want to persist other than my insistence on finishing what I start.

Alas, not this time.

This is not a good book and is one I will give one star too. I do not recommend it.

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet

Book 25 of 2017 is The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet from the Wayfarers series by Becky Chambers.

Everyone I know is reading this and loving it so I could not avoid it much longer. Only reason for avoidance is to stop starting new series when I have so many on the go.

This is a brilliant series about race, ethics and space. There is nothing I did not enjoy about this book so yeah, I recommend it to any sci-fi fan.

There are a lot of characters introduced in this first book. This can be done badly with too much to take in while adjusting to a new Universe and mythology. Chambers does it brilliantly.

The affection is not just boy and girl falling in love but many different kinds of friendship and interaction. All of it executed brilliantly. I put this down to a female author. My quest to read more female authors has paid off well.

This is Blade Runner crossed with Fifth Element and Star Trek with very few creases.

4 races out of 5.

Should I read this? Yes to absolutely everyone. This is sci-fi for the masses since it is written so well.

What did I learn? In the spirit of Pride, love is love.

The Bat: The First Inspector Harry Hole Novel

Book 24 of 2017 is The Bat: The First Inspector Harry Hole Novel by Jo Nesbo.

In my quest to start reading some Nordic Noir, I started with the second most famous series after The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.

With great surprise and matching glee, I found this book was set in Sydney and was very well placed in situation and time. It was a good adjustment to this genre. The only thing that did annoy me was the slow part towards the end where the detective goes on an alcoholic bender. It bored me and then all of a sudden wound up. I may read the next book just to see if it isn't all sex, drugs and violence.

3 Darlinghurst whores out of 5.

Should I read this? Maybe. I wouldn't go out of my way too. Let me read another book before I recommend the series.
What did I learn? Blondes have all the fun.

The Girl Who Drank the Moon

Book 12 of 2017 is The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill.

This was such an odd book about magic but I loved every single second of it.

I have nothing to really compare it to except maybe Night Circus for the phantasmagorical storyline.

5 stolen babies out of 5.

Should I read this? Yes. Absolutely, yes.
What did I learn? Your magic is only a curse when at first you don't know how to control it.

The Chimes

Book 30 of 2016 is The Chimes by Charles Dickens.

It can't be Christmas without a lesson for the soul from Dickens.

This isn't A Christmas Carol but it runs along the same tracks. The Chimes however does not cross the times and resonate as its more famous sibling does. It is lost in class and superstition and old sexist ideas. Maybe a modern day rewrite would work.

Still, this book has brought the Christmas spirit out in me. Since it is an easy read, it is worth the moment it takes to listen to the ever present chimes.

Three chimes out of five.

Should I read this? Only if you need some Christmas reading.
What did I learn? Dickens sometimes wrote the same story twice, even the good ones.

Island Home

Book 28 of 2016 is Island Home by Tim Winton.

This book made me cry. This book made me homesick. This book made me proud.

Those are not things that I often feel and certainly not from a book. Maybe I read too much fiction or a kind of book that is abstract to me. Island Home was not abstract to me in any way. It was quite the opposite.

The way Winton describes Australia is so vivid that I found myself imagining the Northern Territory were I grew up, even while he was describing Western Australia.

Every part of this book broke me down and built me up simultaneously. I'm not even exactly sure why. It could be the visual he projects or the honesty with which he loves and sometimes doesn't love my home country.

This book confirms for me that we must travel far from home and see other places in order to truly appreciate the beauty of our own place. And for a nomad like me, it is hard to accept that I am so connected to a piece of land that it makes up most of who I am no matter how I sometimes fight it.

A book for all expatriates, even if Australia isn't your piece of dirt.

Five wide open spaces out of five.

Should I read this? If you aren't living where you grew up then yes.
What did I learn? I can fight it some days but Australia will always be my home.

Zer0es

Book 29 of 2016 is Zer0es by Chuck Wendig.

I picked up this book at The Elliot Bay Book Company on their shelf with recommendations from staff. They said this would be a book that would spark thought and conversation.

They weren't wrong but they weren't right either. The story is interesting enough but the characters are predictable, stereotypical... boring.

The premise is interesting. In an age of technophobia, it is right for us to stop and ask the question about how much technology is intertwined in our lives and what would happen if that was used against us.

Imagine if the Internet of Things was not controlled by us. Imagine if it isn't right now.

This is still a book I would recommend but more for the thought provoking ideas that drive it and not the characters.

Three intelligences out of five.

Should I read this? If you're at least open to the thinking behind a lot of technophobic literature, TV and movies now then sure. If not, this will bore you and seem paranoid.
What did I learn? Just because we can build it, doesn't mean we should.

Slaughterhouse Five

Book 27 of 2016 is Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut.

This book is original. It follows no cadence I know and chooses to tell it's story how it feels fit. You have to respect that. Or, so it goes.

It has been a very long time since I have read a book and felt every chapter was an easy breeze carrying so much weight. Actually, I'm not sure I can say it has ever been quite like this.

This is a war novel, a sci fi novel and a travel journal rolled in to one.

Five time travels out of five.

Should I read this? Yes. No buts about it. Just read this.
What did I learn? There is hope that life in not sequential.

Fairest

Book 24 of 2016 is the fourth in the Lunar Chronicles, Fairest by Marissa Meyer.

My least favourite of the series is one of the .5 books. Yes, authors are writing middle books conjoining major titles in the series. Fairest sits between book 3 (Cress) and book 4 (Winter).

It did make me rightfully dislike the evil queen and give insight in to her insanity but I could have gleaned this having skipped this book. Read it or not, it won't make that big a difference.

This story is of the evil queen from Snow White.

Three my-parents-made-me-an-evil-queens out of five.

Should I read this? You can read this series without touching this book. It's short so read it if you read fast. Otherwise, skip it.
What did I learn? I have a good reason for disliking middle books. It's a money making venture.

Cress

Book 23 of 2016 is the third in the Lunar Chronicles, Cress by Marissa Meyer.

This is taken from the story of Rapunzel. When I say taken, I do mean that it starts there but goes off in the adventurous way that all the books in this series have.

The main series arc is rising to a crescendo with this third book of five. As they introduce a new character, the tension builds. I really like the characters. I like that they are not hopeless damsels in distress. I like that they fly spaceships and raid castles. I like that the prince charmings are supporting characters around these strong women.

Now I'm on to Fairest without hesitation.

Four space princesses out of five.

Should I read this? It's a fun series. I'd recommend you do.

What did I learn? Rapunzel is much more likeable than Disney would let us believe.

Ice Station

Book 22 of 2016 is Ice Station by Matthew Reilly.

I've only read one other book by this author and it was a good airport book. It is very Indiana Jones mixed with Chris Ryan. This is not the best writing you'll ever read but it is engaging.

The details around wildlife and most of the science stuff was pretty cool. The action was non-stop and so entertaining. He is worth the read.

Four marines out of five.

Should I read this? If you're in an airport and have a long flight ahead then, yes.

What did I learn? Lots about orcas.

Scarlet

Book 21 of 2016 is Scarlet by Marissa Meyer.

This is book two of the Lunar Chronicles. This is a series I am thoroughly enjoying and can not fault at all. This is a re-write of the classic fairy tales with a feminist and technological twist. How could I not like them? Now to read the rest.

Four princesses out of five.

Should I read this? Yes. Just do.

What did I learn? Some trilogies are different.

Cyber Storm

Book 20 of 2016 is Cyber Storm by Matthew Mather.

Another Kindle Unlimited book that disappointed me beyond belief. Despite the 3.7 star rating on GoodReads, this book failed miserably.

The whole story is quite a good version of a technical apocalypse that is completely negated in the last couple of chapters. I was going to give this a 3.5/5 before the final play. It was shockingly bad.

One lazy ending out of five.

Should I read this? Do not read this book. Ever.

What did I learn? A bad author doesn't know how to end a story and can ruin it at summation.

Modern Romance

Book 15 of 2016 is Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari.

This book made me laugh. It is supposed to be a self help book based in psychology but feels more like a elf help book written by an academic and edited by a comedian to add funny stuff.

A lot of the studies used to argue hypotheses are interesting but some seem to be stretches to justify the point being made, The odd mix of humour and quasi-science left me giggling but unconvinced.

This book wasn't written for me though. It was written for single men who are terrified of commitment.

This book was not worth the reviews it received, in my eyes. Luckily I was gifted this audio book.

Three giggles about the scary commitment monster out of five.

Should I read this? If you are a single male who isn't sure whether monogamy is for you then yeah.
What did I learn? Some stereotypes are painfully accurate.

Good Omens

Book 14 of 2016 is Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett.

If you've heard my Gaiman (or as I know him, Amanda Palmer's husband) rants then you will know that I love him as a person and have read many of his books. I loved Neverwhere but have not enjoyed much since. Yes, I even diss American Gods.

This book was recommended to me by so many people that I had to give in and read it.

I stand corrected. This is brilliant. That may be due to Pratchett though :p

The idea that the world isn't perfect but it is imperfectly wonderful, is one that I truly share. The pop culture references and hilarious British humour won me over within the first couple of chapters.

This is so good that I didn't want to finish. I am sad it is over.

Five cute hounds of hell out of five.

Should I read this? Yes. Even if you don't like Gaiman's other stories.
What did I learn? Good and evil are relative. I knew that but now more so.

Night Circus

Book 13 of 2016 is The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.

"The circus arrives without warning."

This book was recommended to me a couple of years ago when I was still in Australia. Pretty much every book story employee that I asked to recommend me their favourite phantasmagorical book recommended this one.

I was looking for Gaimenesque fantastical drama and this was the book to answer it, over and over again.

It is hard to describe this book as more than magical without ruining the story. Do what I did and don't read anything about it before you devour this book.

Four illusions out of five.

Should I read this? Absolutely, yes. It is a book for everyone.
What did I learn? Be good at what you do and always believe in the best of all outcomes.

The Master Magician

Book 12 of 2016 is The Master Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg.

This is the third book in The Paper Magician series.

If I had stopped at the first book, I would have missed the quality of books two and three. This series improved exponentially in time.

There are much better feminist protagonists but placing this in a historical setting helps justify her behaviour. Thing is, Jane Austin would have slapped her silly.

The second book is the peak of this series and I'm not stoked with how this went but it was ok.

Three teenage girls in love with their teachers out of five.

Should I read this? Only if like me, you have Kindle Unlimited. I'd not have read this series if it wasn't free to me, thanks to a Prime subscription.
What did I learn? Women can undermine themselves far too easily by dating colleagues. In all eloquence, I stick with the idea that you shouldn't shit where you eat.

The Glass Magician

Book 11 of 2016 is The Glass Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg. This is the second book in The Paper Magician series which I read last September.

The first book annoyed at how teenager whiney the first book was that I didn't want to finish the series. It was the reviews from Good Reads users who made me want to read the second book.

The second book is much better than the first and I went straight in to the third. This is mainly due to the female lead becoming less teenage infatuated girl and more grown up. Instead of courting her teacher, she goes out on missions to slay great magicians. This makes me happy.

Three broke mirrors and 14 years bad luck out of five.

Should I read this? Probably not. The first book is not easy to get through.
What did I learn? Competent woman are amazing.

Seveneves

Book 10 of 2016 is Seveneves by Neil Stephenson.

This book has been a reading project for the last 4 months. At Christmas time, I bought four copes and distributed to my reading friends. One took it up and demolished it in no time while the others, I must chase to complete this 880 page tome.

What I can tell you is that this book is worth every second I got the pleasure to spend on it. There were no slow moments. Every part lead to the next. Every challenge felt uncomfortable but absolutely necessary. Each word and page and chapter and plot and play was well played and entirely satisfying.

I won't ruin anything for you except to say that if there were seven Eves then this is the way the nine should end.

In the words of the recently departed Prince of purple...
All seven and we'll watch them fall
They stand in the way of love
And we will smoke them all
With an intellect and a savior-faire
No one in the whole universe
Will ever compare

5 evolutions out of 5.

Should I read this? This is a sci-fi must. A must. Like, read it NOW.
What did I learn? Who runs the world? Girls.

Timebound

Book 9 of 2016 is Timebound by Rysa Walker.

This was another Kindle Unlimited book that I chose because it was free. Again, this was a great recommendation that I didn't expect much from. When will I learn that the one thing you can trust on Amazon is a book rating?

Another strong female lead who I want to read more about. In fact, all the important characters are women or respectful supportive males. Obviously written by another female. I didn't know that for sure until I checked while writing this. Female sci-fi fantasy authors are owning the genre in these modern times and thank goodness for that.

These are not only written for women but for everyone and quite well. Well worth the read.

4 disappearing photo IDs out of 5.

Should I read this?  Yes and possibly the whole series. It is so promising.
What did I learn? Recessive genes can really count against you.