I read a total of 33 books this month and DNF’d only one so I am extremely proud of smashing my reading goals this month and I am hoping that this thread carries over into August.
Nevernight by Jay Kristoff ***** - So, I have reviewed Nevernight and Godsgrave quite a few times now, but I have never read Darkdawn despite owning it since its release. This time I am going to re-read the series in order to finish the series. The opening line of Nevernight is going to continue to be one of my all-time favourite probably for the rest of my life but it does set the tone of the series really well. The opening scene is still utter perfection, the duality between Mia’s first sexual encounter and her first conscious assassination are beautiful and how she reacts to each tells us exactly the kind of person Mia is before we even really know her. The first ¼ of Nevernight is all set up as we are introduced to the world, the characters, their motivates and so on before Mia even gets to the Red Church. That being said her humour and wit are brilliant and the only people that really match her in this department are Mercurio and Ash. Reading this book for like the 5th or 6th times I realizes Mia isn’t actually as smart as I thought as she makes a lot of rash or downright stupid decisions.
First Flight by Sarah K. L. Wilson **** - So I have read the first 16 books in this 20 books series before but it was during the time where the books were being published so there were large gaps between books and I stopped reading after Dragon Piper but with Sarah Wilson’s new series, I decided I would re-read the series as the books are short. We are introduced to our protagonist, Amel, who has a disability but wants to become a Dragon Rider and become one of the Dominion Sky People and she is at her dragon choosing ceremony although she will be one of the last to go. The first people to choose their dragon is High Castelan Savette Leedris who ends up choosing a red dragon named Eeamdor and the next chooses a golden dragon. We learn that the colour of your dragon determines your position in society, Red dragons are war dragons while Golden ones are diplomats.
Initiate by Sarah K. L. Wilson ***** - After seeing Amel complete her first flight I was sucked straight back into the world I had come to love, so I couldn’t wait to jump into book 2 all over again. We re-join Amel s an Inducted meaning up a rank within he school but things are rapidly around them although we don’t know why just yet. Most students are excited about the Magikas coming to visit the school but if I remember correctly they are serving a much larger purpose and this is reinforced when Savette says she can’t be a dragon rider anymore because of something happening outside the school. Since their bonding, Amel and Raolcan, have already become extremely close and Amel sleeps by his side almost every night as she feels a lot safer with him than in the dorms, where Starie continue to berate her at every turn.
The Dark Prince by Sarah K. L. Wilson ***** - After the dramatic ending of Initiate I couldn’t wait to jump back into the Dark Prince as it introduces one of my favourite characters in the series. Leng hasn’t got much better from the last book by the time they rest on an island close to the Ruby Isles, it is also here they meet, Raktaran, the Prince of Baojang, who is sailing to the Dominion to meet his bride, Savette, although he mentions Starie also. The dragons are immediately on edge around the Prince but he seems alright to Amel, even given her a cure for Leng but his demeanour changes the instant she mentions that she isn’t from a noble house. Almost immediately he goes after the dragons claiming that they should be for Princes not low born people like her but Amel counters this by telling him the dragons will not follow him even if he frees them.
The Ruby Isles by Sarah K. L. Wilson ***** - After Savette’s kidnapping and Leng taking off after her at the end of The Dark Prince, I just had to pick up The Ruby Isles straight away. Amel is having a tough time being heard among those of a higher rank and it seems in terms of suspicion, more people are suspicious of her especially after the Prince mentions her by name and asks to speak with her as she has no ties to the Dominion unlike Starie and she is deliberately being kept apart from Amel. However, Raolcan can get inside Starie’s head if Amel can get her close to her dragon, but all the while she is aware that Starie will be offered as the chosen bride if Savette is not recovered which is exactly what she wants. On top of all this in less than a month, Amel is going to be moved up a rank despite not being ready for it as dragon riders will be needed if it comes to war.
Sworn by Sarah K. L. Wilson ***** - After Savette’s rescue I was excited to see what came after despite memories of my previous reading coming back to me as I read the books. With an injured Leng and Savette injured, Amel has no choice but to follow the riders who followed them as Leng said they were friends. The women that rescued them are Dashira and Ephretti who are members of the Lightbringers, a sect born to prevent the Dusk Covenant achieving what they want and Amel seems to be in the middle of it all. As the initiates have stumbled onto something they aren’t supposed to know about, Ephretti wants to find Lenora and bring her in before they put all of them before Hubric. However, Savette’s injuries are mental and while Raolcan is doing everything he can for her, it isn’t enough.
Dusk Covenant by Sarah K. L. Wilson ***** - After the explosive events that followed Amel’s ceremony to be sworn in as a dragon rider I couldn’t remember clearly what happened next but I had a vague idea. A small group of Lightbringers including Amel and Lenora escape the burning city along with Rakturan and Savette to a nearby safehouse. At the safehouse they try to decide on their next course of action as Savette can’t control the magic inside her, although Rakturan proves himself to be kind and caring with her. In the farmhouse the Dominar and some of his guards are waiting for them to take a message to Dominion City where the Lord of War is housed and that job falls to Hubric and Amel and they will take Savette with them and I have a feeling Rakturan isn’t going to leave her side while the others head on to a safer location.
Mayhem by Estelle Laure **** - Mayhem has been on my radar for a while as the synopsis really caught by eye and when I got the chance to review it, I jumped at it. The opening letter of Mayhem introduces us to the Brayburn family as Roxy leaves with her daughter after what seems like the suicide of her partner, Lucas but there seems to be something also going on with someone named Elle, who might be Roxy’s sister. Roxy is taken Mayhem and leaving Santa Maria despite her family’s wish for her to stay close because she feels it is the best thing she can do for her daughter at that moment in time. The opening to Mayhem certainly was gripping and made me ask a lot of questions and I can’t wait to find out what the answers are as the novel progresses.
First Message by Sarah K. L. Wilson ***** - After the really explosive ending off Dusk Covenant which ended with Savette destroying an Ifrit and sharing her power with Rakturan as the Dusk Covenant flee with a second Ifrit, so I was really excited to continue on with my re-read of the first 16 books to read the final four but I do want Leng to make a reappearance soon as I love every scene with him and Amel. The group aren’t having much luck as almost every time they stop to rest they are attacked by something but they eventually make it Dominion City. However, Amel is concerned about many things, she is worried about Savette and Rakturan, she has also received an offer to join the Lightbringers but she is unsure. However, things get worse as the city as they are greeted as enemies and Raolcan warns her something has changed that has made the city believe they are the enemies and I immediately knew this was Starie’s doing as she wanted Rakturan for herself.
Warring Promises by Sarah K. L. Wilson ***** - First Message ended with Amel joining the Lightbringers and another brief clash between them and the Dusk Covenant as Starie declares herself the chosen one from the prophecies which Amel doesn’t really believe in and I like how we are almost halfway through the series before the stakes were raised to this level. We pick the story up immediately where First Message ended as Hubric knocks Amel out to stop her going to rescue Leng, but the time she comes around they are hours away from Dominion City and Raolcan refuses to take her back. They eventually come across some Dusk Covenant agents carrying kidnapped Purple Riders to the Feet of the River. The riders tell them Baojang has invaded and the Magikas turned on them but their aim is rounding up the purple riders and they have Leng.
Prince of Dragons by Sarah K. L. Wilson ***** - After the hoard of dragons arrive to aid Amel and Raolcan and it is revealed that Raolcan is the Prince of Dragons, hence the title, I was super excited to see the conclusion of this first big battle. The dragons turned the tide of the battle and many prisoners are taken allowing our heroes to catch their breath and take stock of what has happened. Rakturan suggests going back to Baojang as he doesn’t want war with the Dominion and he could spread news of the true chosen one which Leng agrees with and before he sets off he marries Savette, making her his bride which was lovely, heartfelt moment after the chaos of the last book. Amel is also able to recover Hubric’s messages but after losing them once she feels they should read them so even if the physical message is lost, it can still be delivered but Leng tells her it is against tradition and shouldn’t do it. I also have to give Raolcan’s sense of humour a shout out here as he is hilarious and never fails to make me laugh.
Dark Night by Sarah K. L. Wilson ***** - After the dramatic ending of Prince of Dragons, I couldn’t believe I was already halfway through the series. Dark Night opens with the injured Dominar being brought into the mountain along with his personal guards before they lock themselves inside. Much like Hubric, the Dominar is suffering from an infection and Ashana has to remove the infected part of the arm to save his life but Amel suspects Iskaris of being the snake inside the Dominar’s court and Savette confirms this by telling Amel she believes he is working with the Ifrits and he wants Amel’s messages. Luckily, Hubric wakes up here and plays a game of cards with Ashana and it seems like they are playing a losing hand given their current situation and they have no way out at the moment as Savette isn’t strong enough to deal with the multiplying number of Ifrits outside.
Bright Hopes by Sarah K. L. Wilson ***** - After escaping from the warrens, the group are now scattered with Amel and Raolcan heading for his homeland, the Lands of Haz’drazen and I couldn’t wait to get into Bright Hopes. Amel was gravely injured in the escape from the warrens and for a time she slips in and out of consciousness but she is acutely aware of everything going on around her. After Savette’s dragon was killed, it means she is also dying and uses most of her remaining strength to heal Amel. After regaining consciousness again she learns that the Dominar is also with her, Savette and Hubric and they are heading to the Magika city on his orders despite the fact they should be heading for the Haz’drazen in order for Savette to be healed. However, Amel somehow knows that the man with them isn’t the Dominar but Iskaris in disguise and the real Dominar is out there somewhere and this might be due to the fact that Savette transferred some of her power into Amel to heal her as both Hubric and Raolcan comment on her eyes being brighter than they were before.
Mark of Loyalty by Sarah K. L. Wilson ***** - After seeing our heroes escape at the end of Bright Hopes, with the Dominar and the Chosen One, it really marks the turning point in the series where our heroes are going to begin fighting back against the darkness. As the group prepare to ride to the Haz’drazen, who has ordered all loyal dragons to return to their homeland, Leng takes the role of leader in dividing the Lightbringers up and sending them to collect the others and recruit as many powerful people as they can. However, the interesting thing he is we learn that Leng and Shonan are brothers and that they were separated when Shonan was chosen to become the Dominar. Unlike normal royalty, the Dominar title is given by birth right but rather by a Council who chosen a region, the city by random draw. From there, the name of all the families are written down and one is selected, then every unmarried member of that family between 15 and 75 is written out and one is selected and that person becomes the Dominar. It is strange to assume that Leng could have easily been chosen and he would never have meet Amel and fallen in love with her, although I wouldn’t have minded Shonan taking Leng’s place.
Dire Quest by Sarah K. L. Wilson ***** - After the revelations at the end of Mark of Loyalty I couldn’t wait to jump into Dire Quest. I am also nearing the point in the series where I left off last time, so I am excited to see how it ends before jumping into Sarah’s other series. Many escape the Ifrits and they briefly land to formulate a plan and surprisingly it is Savette who takes the lead here, she splits everyone up. She sends Hubric to gather the Lightbringers as they know him best, Shonan to the dragon gates to find the other and Leng north with messages but she gives Amel the most important job of flying to Baojang to find Rakturan and bring him back as she will need him while she and the remaining riders head to the healing arches in the north where they will face down the Ifrits.
Ancient Allies by Sarah K. L. Wilson **** - Seeing Amel help both Renn and Rakturan escape from the Ifrits at the end of Dire Quest, we can see Amel starting to grow into her position and gain more confidence as a dragon rider. After summoning the Trogs, ancient beings revered by even dragons, they choose Rakturan as their champion for dealing with the Ifrits but they also give Amel a part of their gift as she was the one who was able to summon them when they were needed. Rakturan asks Amel to deliver a message to his uncle in the north with Renn and stay for as long as she can in order to help him gather some allies before heading back to the Dominion. Amel is aware of how much is resting on her shoulders but the gift from the Trogs does ease her a little as it allows her to see her loved ones, Hubric, Savette, Shonan and Leng alive and still fighting.
Pipe of Wings by Sarah K. L. Wilson **** - After the ending of Ancient Allies, I had to rate it only 4 stars which is the only book apart from the first one that has a rating less than 5 stars and it is for one reason; Jalla. I hate Jalla as a character and if I remember correctly she also plays a large role in Pipe of Wings and Dragon Piper, which means these books probably won’t get 5 stars either. However, Dragon Piper was the last book I read in the series meaning after book 16, it is all new for me. After Jalla claims the title of Lord of War in Baojang, they march towards the Dominion to deal with the Ifrits and after that Jalla wants to concur the Dominion which Amel will not allow.
The Mall by Megan McCafferty ** - I didn’t know anything about The Mall when I was offered the chance to review it, so I knew this is going to be a journey for me and it wasn’t a great one. From the very beginning I didn’t like Cassie as a protagonist as she casually mentions using sex as a way to become closer to her boyfriend, Troy after battling mono for several weeks which put me off in the first couple of pages. I also knew something was going on with Troy as it was blatantly obvious in the way he treated Cassie and I had the suspicion that he had moved on with someone else because they are teenagers and I was right.
More than Alive by Fernando A. Torres **** - I didn’t know much about More than Alive, but it is set in Japan and I love anything about Japan, Memoirs of a Geisha, Glass Geisha, and Ink are some of my favourite novels set in Japan. We are introduced to Alice Suzuki as she confesses her love to her childhood friend, Keiji but he does not give her an answer right away. The next day they are going on a trip with Alice’s family when their automated car crashes and drives into river, killing Alice and her parents but it seems like Keiji survives. Alice arrives in a strange place where she meets Vegas Jack and Clement, these people remind me of Grim Reapers as they are collectors of souls but they are all people that have died and taken the opportunity to live again but in a different way. Alice takes this opportunity to see Keiji again but to also find out why she and her parents were killed. Jack is also supposed to be training her as his replacement, but he does not seem to have any intention of doing this. Jack also gets their next assignment or thread which is an idol band named the Genki Girls.
Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan *** - It is obvious I am behind in reading these books but I finally decided to get into this series. I will also give the warning about violence and sexual assault as these trigger warnings were given in the opening of the book. I didn’t know anything about Girls of Paper and Fire except that it features an F/F romance before getting into this book. Before we even get into the novel we are given some important information. The first piece of information you will need to remember is the caste system which is split into; the paper caste – these people are fully human, the steel caste – who are partially endowed with animal-demon qualities and finally the moon caste – who are fully demon. Our protagonist Lei, comes from the paper caste and is fully human, and that leads us to the second piece of information, the birth-blessing. This is a ceremony performed immediately after birth in which a shaman conjures a pendent and inside is a single character that determines that child’s fate but it only opens at 18 and in less than six month Lei’s will open. Lei is unique among the paper caste as she was born with unusually coloured eyes as they are golden, we also learn that her mother was taken by the Demon King’s men and they have returned yet again. They have returned this time to take Lei as a Paper Girl for the Demon King. The Paper Girls are well known in Ikhara as they are eight concubines for the Demon King chosen from the paper caste, her mother was taken seven years ago and now Lei is on her way to the Hidden Palace of Han and while she tries to escape and is caught, twice, Lei takes some small comfort in the fact she might be able to find out what has happened to her mother.
The Spinner of Dreams by K. A. Reynolds ***** - I didn’t know anything about The Spinner of Dreams before reading it but I did know that the author is own voices as she struggles with mental health issues and I was excited to see the portrayal of mental health in this book. We are introduced to Annalise Meriwether who was cursed at birth by the Fate Spinner which is shown by the black mark on her hand, which draws a strong comparison to Sleeping Beauty. Since the moment of Annalise’s birth anything bad has been blamed on her and the landscape around her home changed drastically as the sun disappeared from their town. To understand the impact of Annalise’s curse we have to look at the lore we have been given, the world beyond humans is split into two realms, Fate and Dreams. The twin elf Kings originally ruled over these realms until they died in the War of Fates. Centuries passed and eventually two new twins were born, princess this time, Kismet who rules over the realm of fate and Reverie who rules over the realm of dreams. However, Reverie is loved by all as she grants dreams and wishes while Kismet is hated and it is because of this hate, Kismet becomes a monster. When Annalise was born with the mark, it meant that the Spinner of Fate had marked this girl and much lie it did to Kismet, the loneliness and isolation begins to affect Annalise as she suffers with anxiety and panic attacks and rarely leaves her home. All Annalise has wished for in her life is a friend and she thinks she has found that in a cat her father isn’t allergic to who matches her identically, right down to one enlarged paw but he is torn away from her. In the aftermath, Annalise makes a new wish, she wishes to be rid of the curse of the Fate Spinner and be in control of her own destiny once more.
Dragon Piper by Sarah K. L. Wilson **** - After the ending of Pipe of Wings we re-join Amel in the aftermath of using the mysterious pipe to summon dragons, but she has also gravely injured her good leg in the process, leaving her all but lame. Amel has also been sick with a fever for days so others have had to deal with the dragons and the refugees fleeing from the war and Amel is trying to figure out what her next move is given her current situation. As her fever breaks and she recovers her strength, Ephretti asks Amel to accompany her and Dax to Vanika, with all these dragons they might be able to take back the sky city which is currently under the control of the Dusk Covenant.
Dust of Death by Sarah K. L. Wilson **** - So, I had some issues with pacing in Dragon Piper and the fact I hate Jalla as a character lowered my rating, but this is my first-time reading Dust of Death and the final 4 books in the series. IN the aftermath of the battle of Vanika, Ephretti, Dax and Lenora are going to stay behind and care for the people while Hubric, Amel and the Baojang army head into the warrens where there could be hundreds of Ifrits waiting for them. Since Amel has been healed of Silla’s effects she has been standing up to Jalla and I know she isn’t going to hand over the Pipe or bend to her will as she did before when she was less confident in her own abilities.
Troubled War by Sarah K. L. Wilson ***** - After the ending of Dust of Death we see Amel finally figure out what the enemy wants, and we see her growing into a truly capable leader which is going to be essential in the battles to come. Jalla agrees with Leng that now is the time to attack the enemy while they are on the run, although Amel wants to head to help Savette but in the end, she agrees with Leng. They are going to scout ahead and hold the Dusk Covenant’s forces if they can until Jalla arrives with her army. However, she is keeping Rakturan close to her and Amel knows she is planning something and Rakturan is the key to whatever it is and that has Amel worried about what is going to happen when they defeat the Dusk Covenant.
Starie Night by Sarah K. L. Wilson ***** - This is the last but one book in the series and after the dramatic ending on Troubled War, I couldn’t wait to get into the climax of this series. We left Amel after she had been captured by Starie, but she did learn that Raolcan wasn’t dead and on his way to help her. However, I have to mention that Starie has changed and matured as a character since we saw her last at the dragon trials and I really wish we had seen more of her during her journey even if it was only a chapter or two. During her first night as a prisoner, Amel learns that Starie can almost read her mind and she also knows if she is going to have any chance of getting her and Leng out alive, she will need to use her head and not allow her emotions to get in the way. The following day Starie attack forces is flying to meet up with the rest of their army and they are taking Amel with them as they have Leng as leverage, however, the first thing Starie asks for is for Amel to tell her everything she knows about Savette and for some reason I have a very bad feeling.
Ascendant Light by Sarah K. L. Wilson ***** - After the end of Starie Night and seeing the tide of the battle turning slightly in the favour of our heroes and I couldn’t wait to re-join Amel, her now husband, Leng and all their friends and allies in this final battle. Amel dives straight in help after getting the Pipe back from Starie and freeing the dragons from her magic but she isn’t fighting fair. Above the battle she sees Iskaris tying Leng to a device she had been attached to before when she offered her life for Jalla’s. Before she goes for him Rakturan tells her that Starie is controlling Iskaris and while he goes to help Savette, she needs to stop Iskaris and save her husband at the same time.
The Epic Crush of Genie Lo by F. C. Lee ***** - I have read Epic Crush before but when I was given the opportunity to read the sequel, I decided to reread this book and it also fits amazingly for one of the reading challenges for the Reading Rush so that was a bonus. Epic Crush opens with Genie seeing a boy being beaten up in the street and trying to help but it does not go according to plan and she ends up running away, losing her backpack in the process. She discusses it with her best friend, Yunie, at school when a new student is introduced, Quentin Sun, and it happens to be the same boy Genie saw being beaten and he has come to return her backpack. I immediately connected with Genie all over again as she laments the loss of her notes which are vital as an AP student and her sassy attitude perfectly reflects the inner me. We are immediately treated to Quentin telling Genie she is his, only to be met with violence in a manner I completely approve of, however, strange things happen when Quentin is around which Genie does notice but doesn’t think anything of at the time but I know there is something very strange about this boy.
Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco ***** - So, I read this book back in 2018 and I have also read Hunting Prince Dracula, but I haven’t finished the series and now is the perfect time with the Reading Rush happening right now. I decided to listen to the audiobook as well as reading along as I listen to both books previously and absolutely loved them. We are introduced to our protagonist Audrey Rose Wadsworth; whose uncle Jonathan is a well-known medical examiner and he has been secretly training Audrey Rose as his apprentice and she is to attend his forensic medicines class the following day when they are interrupted by a devilish stranger who will become quite important to this story later on. The opening chapter of Stalking Jack the Ripper really set the tone for the novel as it is dark and gritty, and it fills me with nostalgia to be following Audrey Rose again. In the class she meets Thomas Cresswell who she finds both intriguing and incredibly annoying, but he is also apprenticing with her uncle which means she is going to have to put up with him for a lot longer. We also learn her uncle’s true position in society as he is the medical examiner being consulted on the Ripper cases as he discusses with the class the death of Mary Ann Nichols and Thomas proves himself to be as intelligent and insightful as Audrey is.
Red Dragon by Thomas Harris ***** - I have read Red Dragon a few times but never continued with the series despite how much I love the movies and this year that is going to change since I am using this for a Reading Rush challenge. We are introduced to Will Graham, a forensic specialist as he is being asked to return to work by his old boss, Jack Crawford, despite not working for the F.B.I. since the notorious cannibal, Hannibal Lecter attempted to kill Will before his arrest. Anyone familiar with Will Graham knows he has a particular skill linked with empathy which allows him to get completely inside the mind of the killers and find them. Will doesn’t want to return but his mind is already made up and he visits the home of the Leeds family who were all killed. He inspects the house and gets a feel for the scene but that night he has his first breakthrough as he realises the killer did take his glove off to touch Mrs. Leeds and he also solve the riddle of the bloodstains as he realises he wanted the rest of the family to witness his actions even though he had already killed them, although he doesn’t know why yet. The Leeds aren’t the only family that has been murdered as the Jacobi family was killed before, while Will has stumbled on minor details like the posing of the bodies and the missing pets, he doesn’t know much about this killer yet other than he won’t stop until he is caught but he knows the killer is smart and won’t slip up easily.
Good Omens by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett ***** - I have watched parts of the Good Omens TV show and loved them; I don’t know how faithful the show is to the source material, but this is one of the last books I need to read for the Reading Rush. Good Omens opens with a conversation between an angel, Aziraphale and a demon, Crawley just after the exile of Adam and Eve from Eden as they debate whether or not it is possible for them to do right or wrong given their respective natures, which was interesting. millennia later, Crawley now called, Crowley has been entered to deliver the Antichrist to the right people, which he does but the Satanic nuns responsible for the switch with a human child give him to the wrong family. By this point I was already laughing due to the sheer stupidity of some of the characters and I can’t wait to see what comes as the novel progresses. The epic mistake made has just begun the countdown to the Armageddon but we also learn that Crowley and Aziraphale have an arrangement where they help each other so they can keep their respective masters happy without making any genuine progress towards the end of days because neither really wants to see it happen.
The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula K. Le Guin ***** - I read A Wizard of Earthsea quite a while ago and it was my first trip into so-called “classic” fantasy and while it did take me a while to get into the story and enjoy it, I found it to be a great read and decided since I have the quartet that I would read the remaining three books and maybe the other ones that were published later on. I wasn’t aware that The Tombs of Atuan would follow a different protagonist, Tenar, rather than Ged but I was excited to see what Ursula K. Le Guin had in store for me this time. Tenar is chosen as the Priestess at the Tombs of Atuan or rather they chose her. This is a ritual where upon the death of the previous Priestess, the lower Priestess’ go off in search of a girl child born on the same night as the previous Priestess’ death. If this child shows no sign of disease and illness in her first five year, then she is declared the reincarnation of the Priestess and taken to the Place to protect the tombs and Teran is this chosen child. By the time she is 12 she doesn’t remember the family she had before and doesn’t have many friends in this place, the person who comes closest is Manan, her guard but she always wondered about what she left behind but she also doesn’t see the sense in wondering as she has her own duty to fulfil and is seemingly content with that. During the ceremony to initiate her as the Priestess, Tenar’s name is taken from her and from then on, she is only known as Arha, the Eaten One.
The Farthest Shore by Ursula K. Le Guin ***** - I left quite a big gap between reading A Wizard of Earthsea and The Tombs of Atuan, but I decide to up straight into The Farthest Shore after finishing book 2. We are introduced to Arren, Prince of Enlad, who is going to be important to this story. He brings news of magic disappearing in his lands and seeks council from the Wise in the City of Roke, where Ged is now Archmage. Ged draws the council together as there have been several reports from different lands of the same thing happening and he is concerned they have been too focused on the peace that came with his return with Tenar and the Ring to see what was beginning to happen through the land. However, Ged doesn’t voice any ideas of what is causing this problem or how to fix it, even the Master Patterner says he is afraid by what is happening, and he has no council to offer Ged.
Tehanu by Ursula K. Le Guin DNF - The Farthest Shore was the end of the original trilogy, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to spend more time with Ged after falling in love with him and re-joining Tenar after we left her at the Tombs of Atuan. Tehanu takes place during the same time period as The Farthest Shore but it is set on Gont following the widow Goha, who is Tenar and for the sake of ease I will be referring to her as Tenar as that is her true name. Tenar is summoned by another wife who needs help healing a child who has been severely burned but there is little that can be done for her; however, the child survives and Tenar takes her in calling her Therru. One day, she is summoned to Ogion who is ill and she makes all haste to the Falcon’s nest but we can see that the land of Gont is also being affected by the blight as it has become quite a dangerous place to live especially if you are a woman.
Damsel by Elana K. Arnold ***** - I didn’t know anything about Damsel going into it, but the synopsis was interesting enough for me to pick it up. We are introduced to Prince Emory of Harding who is on a mission to slay a dragon in the grey lands although we don’t know why just yet, however, I don’t really like him as we learn he is a typical Prince, spoiled and pampered but he also likes to have his way with the female servants who serve his family. It seems that this is a test for the right to rule the Kingdom of Harding, when the King dies his son must go into the grey lands, slay the dragon and rescue the damsel that will become his bride and this has been the law of the lands for centuries but Emory is unprepared as his father died before he reached his 20th birthday when his father and grandfather before him were almost 30 before facing their dragons. As he faces the beast, Emory learns that some of the stories he heard as a child and a young man about dragons are true, their eyesight is poor and he wonders if one of his conquests, Maddie, was right about the dragon’s weak spot being beneath it’s arm. However, this memory is important for learning who Emory is as at the time he didn’t listen to Maddie’s words as he was preoccupied with “relieving her of her virginity”.
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