The Onyx Hourglass by Kristy Nicolle

Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 5/5 stars




Hades and Xion travel the world in an attempt to find the book of the dead to resurrect Sephy. Luce agrees to help them attempt a resurrection, though Thane and others warn them that what they are attempting is dangerous. Pandora and Anubis hatch up a plan to use Luce to resurrect Ra, and Luce is drawn deeper and deeper into the darkness.




I always enjoy reading Kristy Nicolle's books, and this one was wonderful just like the rest. This world is easy to get sucked into. One of the things I like about these books is the way the POV is done. Sephy is the "main character," but Luce, Xion, and Pandora might as well be considered main characters as well. I am not a huge fan Sephy even still, but I often find myself thinking about things she has done and said, and I realize that the "imperfect/disliked" character is often the one you learn the most from. I like relating to the main character, but it's a nice change of pace to not relate to her. One of the things that upsets me the most about her is how she is handling her relationship with Xion--it seems very unfair to him. I can see, though, the conflict that Sephy has about it. I am hoping that they can get their happily ever after (though from what Hades has said, that seems unlikely.)




SPOILERS:

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I found it very sad when Hades was killed, and I think he is my favorite character! I love the sass and the wit so much! I am interested to find out what, if anything, he can do from the Higher Plains to help Sephy and the others. I'm hoping we get to see more of what happens in that realm in the next book -- and maybe even see Zeus himself, the big loser.

I was less sad about Thane's "death" because I was getting so frustrated with her while reading this book. I realize that we see inside Luce's mind, and thus we judge her on her motivations, but honestly, Thane really disappointed me with the way she handled Luce's issues.

I am also interested to see how afterlife will be run now that the Mortarian sun has gone out. Can it even exist for long without Hades? Does Sephy have to take over? I think it's possible Pandora has bitten off more than she can chew. And Anubis just needs to die already.

There were some very well-written scenes in this book that elicited some great emotions. I was practically crying when Luce had to sacrifice a goat. I also really felt Luce's pain when she found Thane dead on the chair.

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END SPOILERS




I'm definitely heavily invested in the story now and will be snapping up the last of this trilogy as soon as it is available.

Dead Beat (Dresden Files #7) by Jim Butcher

Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

In this seventh installment of the Dresden Files series, the White Council is still at war with the Red Court vampires. Thomas, Harry's brother, is living with Harry in his dinky apartment after his sister disowned him. Mavra comes to Harry with a demand: Bring her the Word of Kemmler or she will hurt Murphy. As Harry begins to look for the Word of Kemmler and the book about the famous Erlking of the Fae, Die Lied de Erlking, he uncovers something that's going to go down on Samhain and meets several people who are Kemmler's followers... the same Kemmler who happened to own his very own friend Bob the skull. Harry is still dealing with the aftermath of burning the living daylights out of his hand, and he is having dreams of Lasciel, the demon whose coin he picked up and then buried. The shade of her is enough to impart a significant influence over him, and she is quite convincing as she tells him of her desire to help him survive all he has to deal with. He has a difficult time standing firm and resisting her.
Can Harry somehow find the Word of Kemmler, stop Kemmler's disciples, and get it to Mavra in time without the White Court finding out and summarily executing him?

A common theme in these books is Harry constantly taking a beating and being near death's door. This book was no different, but I'm really enjoying the Lasciel aspect. She is manipulative, of course, but also SO incredibly believable, and we are watching as Harry is slipping more and more into her grasp despite that he knows objectively that NO good can come from letting her have more power over him. This book almost makes the reader fall in love with her at the same time! She seems so sincere and gentle! I don't blame Harry one bit for his feelings toward her. He is becoming more and more conflicted. It will be interesting to see where that storyline goes.
One thing I really enjoy about these books is the thorough explanation/exploration of the supernatural aspects. The Erlking in particular is a well-known figure in Faerie lore, and it was interesting to see how he was dealt with in this book. Necromancy in general is explained in a fascinating way - such that it sort of makes sense. Really, Jim Butcher always does a good job of presenting supernatural things in a really logical way -- as in, they are just believable enough. I appreciate that, and it makes the books enjoyable to read. Harry's sarcasm is, as always, fun and entertaining, but is it just me or is he getting darker? Less fun? It's inevitable, but I kind of miss his casual playfulness and positivity. He is losing a little more of that in every book. 

I am definitely looking forward to continuing on with the series. 

Buy this book on Amazon here. 

Noah's Lament by Jim Ody

Noah is a young man in love. But he's ripped away from his beloved when it is revealed that his father and his girlfriend's mother are having an affair. He and his mother move across the world from England to Escape, Colorado, where he is forced to start a new life. He realizes that he has to make good choices about which groups of kids he spends time with. After finding a few friends, things start to get worse and worse. He is trying the long-distance relationship thing. Relationships are tested, and friends are not always who they claim to be. This coming of age book will keep you at the edge of your seat and then leave you gaping at the end. This is one of those books that will be memorable.


I am a fan of Jim Ody's books because they always carry you along on eddies of emotions, surprising you, shocking you, and taking you somewhere you might never have anticipated.

This book began in a sort of sweet if sad place. Young Noah has just had to leave his girlfriend and move thousands of miles away. It moves into what you might describe as a typical teen high-school drama. Then it gets a little horrifying! The emotions in this book are so raw, and Ody just has that way of making you feel the things the main character is feeling. This book is an experience.

It's certainly not for the faint of heart. It explores many dark themes, so if you are one who is picky about disturbing, harsh, course, or "immoral" content, you will want to steer clear.

After I read this, I had to put on a happy TV show in order to go to sleep!







This book is published by Crazy Ink and is #28 in the Escape to Reality series!




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Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

I got this book on Audible because I saw the movie and loved it so much- the movie was beautifully done and very enjoyable to watch. I am totally blown away at how much more I like the book. It's radically different from the movie. (As in, NONE of the quests are the same at all. There is no race, so "Shining" scene, and there are additional quests that make the book so much more incredible). The book is MUCH more in-depth about all aspects of the contest and the Oasis, and it is all wildly interesting. I shouldn't have been surprised at that. I want to LIVE in this book! It's one I will definitely be listening to or reading again soon. Wil Wheaton is a wonderful narrator, and I think his narration made the experience that much better.



Despite that I disagreed with some of the religious/political/social commentary thrown in here and there, this book was one of the most enjoyable I have read this year. I was not alive in the 80s, so I don't have the same nostalgia for the period as Halladay or other (older) readers of this book. However, I came away wanting to watch many of the movies and play the games mentioned in the book.

The passion and commitment displayed in this book often made me feel like a slacker. The main character devoted so much time to immersing himself in all things Halladay and all things 80s. At certain points, it was a tad unrealistic -- he somehow was the expert of all these video games and knew the lines of all these movies by heart. For example, there is one part where he has to play a perfect game of Pac Man, and that is one I actually have played before. I could never even get past level 4, so it kind of blows my mind to hear the main character talking about getting through hundreds of levels. This contest became the actual every waking minute obsession of the Gunters. Once you get past how sad that is, it's a really interesting storyline.

The discussion of Easter eggs in videogames is really fascinating - like how there were extra points to be won at the end of Pac Man and how you could get 40 extra lives in Tempest by dying at a certain point.

The technology is, of course, one of the main highlights of this book. Despite how drastically it changed humanity, I really do think people would jump at the chance to have VR this amazing. The unlimited possibilities make this a dream. I feel like VR like this will be available someday but not anytime soon (probably not in my lifetime). The technology was explained in much greater detail in the book than in the movie, and it made me appreciate it more.

Many scenes in the book in such a way that it elicits great emotions. I knew the outcome, but I was on the edge of my seat during many scenes, my heart pounding. Especially when the first key was obtained -- it was SO exciting!



Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who likes exciting adventures regardless of whether or not they know much about video games or the 80s. Knowing about some of the 80s pop culture will certainly make this book more enjoyable, but it can be enjoyed by almost anyone!

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Death Masks Jim Butcher

Genre: Paranormal/Urban Fantasy
Rating: 4.5/5

Harry is hired by a priest from Italy to find a very special artifact that has been stolen. The thief plans to sell it to a wealthy person in Chicago. Harry soon learns that the artifact is none other than the Shroud of Turin and he strongly suspects that the wealthy businessman is John Marcone. Harry meets two other sword-wielding men of God like Michael who help him track down the shroud. They learn of a plan to unleash a deadly curse and have to work to stop that from happening. In the meantime, Harry is challenged to a dual by a vampire named Ortega. The vampires want Dresden's blood for what he did to the Red Court vampire Bianca. Ortega promises that Chicago will be made neutral ground in the vampire/White Council war if Harry wins.
To top it all off, Susan, Harry's half-vampire ex girlfriend has returned (albeit temporarily) and they reconnect.

There were a lot of things happening in this book as usual, although the plot was a little more doomsday than some of the books have been. The villains who would unleash a deadly plague (slightly more cartoonish/comic book-esque than the regular Dresden Files villains) are controlled by demons, and the possession happens by picking up a coin. Harry picks up one such coin at the beginning of the book, and they spend a little time trying to get him to open himself up to it. Harry has no interest of course, but the lure is there, and he has to figure out how to handle the coin. The vampire dual is over fairly quickly in the book, and we get to see Thomas of the White Court appear in all his sass and allure as Ortega's second. We meet an important character, Kinkaid, who is acting as a bodyguard to the mediator of the dual. My absolute favorite part of this whole book concerns Marcone. It is very clear the Harry DESPISES Marcone, and of course the crime boss is not particularly on the up and up. However, he is SMART and you can tell that he isn't cruel and spiteful. He is very powerful because he has made calculating decisions. He doesn't kill without reason. I find his character extremely fascinating, and we learn more about him at the end of this book -- it makes his character make a lot more sense!

This was a solid installment in the Dresden File series. I enjoyed it!

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Blood Rites by Jim Butcher

Genre: Paranormal/Urban Fantasy
Rating: 5/5

In the midst of the war between the vampires and the White Council, Harry is asked to do a favor for Thomas, a shifty sort-of-ally from the White Court of vampires. Thomas wants Harry to help his friend Arturo Genosa stay safe from a Malocchio curse (a type of entropy curse). It seems to be targeting the women in Arturo's life. So Harry is hired on in Genosa's adult film studio as a production assistant. On the first day, two people nearly die, and Harry meets some of the major players and starts to piece things together. Throughout this story, he meets other members of Thomas's family. Meanwhile, he is also on a mission to hunt down a Black Court Vampire named Mavra and exterminate some of her scourge in a preemptive strike. He hires Kinkaid and also enlists the help of his mentor, Ebenezer. Karrin Murphy rounds out the group.

As with the other books in the Dresden Files series, Harry runs around getting himself nearly killed at almost every turn. His wit is charming (and he seems a little happier in this book compared to the last couple). He struggles to pay his bills, and he learns a few very important and surprising things about his mother. I have honestly loved every single book in this series, but this one has been my favorite so far. The characters are well developed, and I am digging the relationships between Harry and Karrin and Harry and Thomas in particular. Every book is a delightful experience.

I was trying to pace myself/savor the series, but I had to start book seven right away. I love this series!

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Grain Brain by Dr. David Perlmutter

Genre: Nutrition and Wellness
Rating 4.5/5

How many times have we heard over the years that eggs are bad for us because they raise our cholesterol? How many people do you know who are on Statins? What about saturated fats? Aren't they artery-clogging nightmares? This book debunks some myths about fats and carbohydrates and has one major message: Your brain thrives on fats! While the focus is in on wheat and gluten, the book also talks about the effect of the American high-carb diet on the body and brain.

I began looking into the Paleo lifestyle after I had my first child, and it helped me lose weight. I read The Paleo Approach by Sarah Ballantyne and learned a lot about how grains can cause inflammation. Grain Brain explains in greater detail how that happens and also posits that many people may have gluten sensitivity even if they don't have full-blown celiac disease. There is inflammation going in the brain that cannot be felt when we consume gluten (there are no pain receptors in the brain!) Grain affects not only the gut but also the brain in many ways. The correlations between grain consumption and Alzheimer's and other brain disorders is fairly shocking. I was impressed by the success stories he shared about patients with a wide variety of issues who regained their health by cutting gluten. It's not just about weight loss -- that seems to be just a nice perk. Cutting gluten seems to really help lots of people with ADHD, depression, autism, diabetes, and more. In the case of diabetes, Perlmutter believes it is in fact a brain disorder rather than anything else.

One of the main reasons he gives for cutting grains is that, because of selective breeding and GMOs (although he never says the word "GMO"), the amount of gluten in our grains has increased dramatically over the past century or so. We are consuming WAY more gluten than people hundreds or thousands of years ago. Our food, very simply, is different in many ways. He gives good explanations for why he believes we would be better off without grains (and, in fact, most carbs) and better off consuming more fat.

I recently read Spark by John Ratey, which is about how exercise affects the brain, so there was a little overlap. Grain Brain has a chapter about exercise and the brain. Even though exercise doesn't deal directly with gluten, it does have a lot to do with brain health in general, so I was glad this section was included.

Although he is a doctor, he doesn't recommend all kinds of medications. This is very much a holistic, nutrition-and-lifestyle-based book. He does, however, recommend certain supplements. Americans tend to be deficient in Vitamin D, for example. He recommends other things like turmeric since we don't get as much of that in our food as people from other countries. He gives great explanations for the supplements, and they are in no way "required" in the plan, just recommended for better overall health.

At the end of the book, Dr. Perlmutter outlines a four-week plan for cutting gluten and implementing an exercise regimen (or if you already exercise, increasing your exercise regimen). There are also recipes included in the print version. He provides examples for substitutions as well.

There was only one major thing I disliked about this book. One is the "hype" aspect of it. The author kept saying things like: "I'll prove it to you." "This will change your life." "You can solve your problems by following this plan." Although I do believe in the concepts and philosophy of this book, I feel like the book and the research should speak for themselves. I know a lot of people bristle at the thought of cutting "an entire food group," but his explanations are so thorough and convincing, that I hope people will give this book a chance.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is serious about changing their health and skeptical of the USDA high-carb recommendations. Those following the Atkins diet, a keto diet, or the Paleo diet will gain a deeper understanding of the concepts of their diet.

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