Reviews

Review: The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm: Eragon by Christopher Paolini

February 15, 2019February 14, 2019 sophrilreadsLeave a comment

Review

The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm: Eragon
by Christopher Paolini
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Synopsis
A wanderer and a cursed child. Spells and magic. And dragons, of course. Welcome back to the world of Alagaësia.

It’s been a year since Eragon departed Alagaësia in search of the perfect home to train a new generation of Dragon Riders. Now he is struggling with an endless sea of tasks: constructing a vast dragonhold, wrangling with suppliers, guarding dragon eggs, and dealing with belligerent Urgals and haughty elves. Then a vision from the Eldunarí, unexpected visitors, and an exciting Urgal legend offer a much-needed distraction and a new perspective.

This volume features three original stories set in Alagaësia, interspersed with scenes from Eragon’s own unfolding adventure. Included is an excerpt from the memoir of the unforgettable witch and fortune-teller Angela the herbalist . . . penned by Angela Paolini, the inspiration for the character, herself!

Relish the incomparable imagination of Christopher Paolini in this thrilling new collection of stories based in the world of the Inheritance Cycle. Includes four new pieces of original art by the author.

What I thought
Okay, guys, this is going to be short and sweet. First Yes you need to have read The Inheritance Cycle series before you pick up this book. Your knowledge does not need to be recent but you will be lost if you do not know who the main characters were.

In this book, you get three short stories that all take place after Inheritance. One involves Murtagh, the next is about Angela and Elva and the last is an old story told from one of the races. Haha, you have to read it to find out, I can’t give everything away.

All in all, I feel that this was a bridge book to the next series that he writes in this world. The ending set that up very nicely for that. If you enjoyed the series and want to see what is going on with those characters you should definitely pick this up. I do warn you I thought that the last story was too long but that is just me.

My Rating: /5 4 Stars

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Waiting On Wednesday: Once & Future by Amy Rose Capetta and Cori McCarthy

February 13, 2019January 31, 2019 sophrilreadsLeave a comment

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting On Wednesday was a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. Each Wednesday you got to highlight a book that you were really looking forward to. Unfortunately, the original creator is no longer able to host the meme and it has now linked up with Can’t Wait Wednesday over at Wishful Endings.

This week I’ve chosen: Once & Future by Amy Rose Capetta and Cori McCarthy

Once & Future
by Amy Rose Capetta and Cori McCarthy
Fantasy, Retelling, Young Adult

I’ve been chased my whole life. As an illegal immigrant in the territory controlled by the tyrannical Mercer corporation, I’ve always had to hide who I am. Until I found Excalibur.

Now I’m done hiding.

My name is Ari Helix. I have a magic sword, a cranky wizard, and a revolution to start.

When Ari crash-lands on Old Earth and pulls a magic sword from its ancient resting place, she is revealed to be the newest reincarnation of King Arthur. Then she meets Merlin, who has aged backward over the centuries into a teenager, and together they must break the curse that keeps Arthur coming back. Their quest? Defeat the cruel, oppressive government and bring peace and equality to all humankind.

No pressure.

Expected publication: March 26th, 2019 by Little, Brown and Company
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Memes · TBR

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? February 11, 2019

February 11, 2019 sophrilreadsLeave a comment

It's Monday What are you reading.png

Good Evening,

So I failed at getting this to you this morning, but better late than never right? Well, I was able to finish out the two books that I wanted to read. Huge win for me! My first week at my job went really well but this week will feel very long since I worked last week and then over the weekend. That is not the norm at all it just happened to be me starting at the worst possible time but it all worked out wonderfully.

So my original blog schedule was just three days a week MWF. Overtime somehow I began putting up posts almost every day, and this has gone on for months now. But I’m tired and I am not going to kill myself to get one up every day so for this week you will see one today (so very late sorry again) Wednesday and Friday. I am sorry if this bothers anyone but right now I just want to go to bed.

Last Weeks Books

A Discovery of Witches
by Deborah Harkness
3.5 Stars (I couldn’t decide between 3 and 4)
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Deborah Harkness’s sparkling debut, A Discovery of Witches, has brought her into the spotlight and galvanized fans around the world. In this tale of passion and obsession, Diana Bishop, a young scholar and a descendant of witches, discovers a long-lost and enchanted alchemical manuscript, Ashmole 782, deep in Oxford’s Bodleian Library. Its reappearance summons a fantastical underworld, which she navigates with her leading man, vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont.

Harkness has created a universe to rival those of Anne Rice, Diana Gabaldon, and Elizabeth Kostova, and she adds a scholar’s depth to this riveting tale of magic and suspense. The story continues in book two, Shadow of Night, and concludes with The Book of Life, coming from Viking in July 2014.

Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies about Who You Are So You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be
by Rachel Hollis
5 Stars
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Do you ever suspect that everyone else has life figured out and you don’t have a clue? If so, Rachel Hollis has something to tell you: that’s a lie.

As the founder of the lifestyle website TheChicSite.com and CEO of her own media company, Rachel Hollis developed an immense online community by sharing tips for better living while fearlessly revealing the messiness of her own life. Now, in this challenging and inspiring new book, Rachel exposes the twenty lies and misconceptions that too often hold us back from living joyfully and productively, lies we’ve told ourselves so often we don’t even hear them anymore.

With painful honesty and fearless humor, Rachel unpacks and examines the falsehoods that once left her feeling overwhelmed and unworthy, and reveals the specific practical strategies that helped her move past them. In the process, she encourages, entertains, and even kicks a little butt, all to convince you to do whatever it takes to get real and become the joyous, confident woman you were meant to be.

With unflinching faith and rock-hard tenacity, Girl, Wash Your Face shows you how to live with passion and hustle–and how to give yourself grace without giving up.

Current Reads:

Okay, to be honest, I have no idea what I am going to be reading over this week. One thing that I have started this year is to read each morning from a book that I feel will further me in some way. I am hoping to start the first book in this list this week and read it over the next few weeks. Now for the rest of the books, I am not sure what they will be but I know they will be short. So here are some of my possibilities.

The Minimalist Home: A Room-By-Room Guide to a Decluttered, Refocused Life
by Joshua Becker
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One of today’s most influential minimalist advocates takes us on a decluttering tour of our own houses and apartments, showing us how to decide what to get rid of and what to keep. He both offers practical guidelines for simplifying our lifestyle at home and addresses underlying issues that contribute to over-accumulation in the first place. The purpose is not just to create a more inviting living space. It’s also to turn our life’s HQ–our home–into a launching pad for a more fulfilling and productive life in the world.

Wolves and Daggers by Melanie Karsak
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Who’s afraid of the big, bad werewolf?

When London’s brightest tinkers and alchemists come up missing, Red Cape Society Agent Clemeny Louvel is on the case.

To help her get the problem in hand, Queen Victoria assigns her a temporary partner—a werewolf with a knightly history and a tendency to be far too flirtatious for either of their good. Can she trust him to help her chase down the monsters they’re hunting?

Wolves and Daggers is a retelling of the Little Red Riding Hood fairy tale set in Melanie Karsak’s bestselling steampunk universe.

Our Frail Disordered Lives by Mary M. Schmidt
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Larry Kavanaugh is an ordinary kind of guy. He’s got a nagging wife and two kids, both annoyingly gifted. No matter what he does, there is no end to what his family needs. What’s a regular, everyday guy to do? Well, he cuts a few corners, obviously – one very big corner. He sells his soul to the Devil.

Maybe it’s not the actual Devil, but Larry is ready to make a deal with one of the Devil’s minions. He meets some demon whose name he can’t remember. Funny, it was right on the tip of his tongue, a name of something you step on. Roach the Demon has sort of good intentions. He just wants a re-write of Dante’s Inferno with himself as the star.

Roach goes after Larry as a rogue operation. He needs to make a point to his boss, Satan, so he uses the body of a human to follow Larry around and stir up trouble. He offers Larry an airtight guarantee that nothing could possibly go wrong. After all, Larry does not feel like he has much to lose – or does he? Even Roach might be in over his head this time.

Monstress, Vol. 3: Haven
by Marjorie M. Liu and Sana Takeda
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Maika has spent most of her life learning how to fight, but how will she fare when the only way to save her life…is to make friends?

Collects issues 13-18 of the Hugo Award and British Fantasy Award series.

What are your reading plans this week?

Let’s chat in the comments below!

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Wrap Up

January 2019 Wrap Up

February 9, 2019February 5, 2019 sophrilreads9 Comments

Good Morning Everyone,

This is the first wrap up of 2019. I feel like I started the year off pretty good I mean 9 books isn’t bad. So let’s see how this month went. So I thought I would change things up a bit and add in some stats (this also makes it easier for me in the end).

Books Read: 9
Total Pages Read: 2,301
Total Audio Hours: 24:47

Now to break that down a little more

Backlist Books: 6
Added to my TBR in 2019: 1
Borrowed: 2

2019 Goals (only this months numbers)
Finish or catch up on 3 Series: 0
10 Books I want to read in 2019: 0
Read 3 Tomes: 1
Read more backlist books: Yes

Year-end 2019 Goals
Finish or catch up on 3 Series: 0/3
10 Books I want to read in 2019: 0/10
Read 3 Tomes: 1/3
Read more backlist books: 6/9

The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski |3 Stars | Add to Goodreads
The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm: Eragon by Christopher Paolini |4 Stars |
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Lagom: Not Too Little, Not Too Much, Just Right: The Swedish Guide to Creating Balance in Your Life by Niki Brantmark |3 Stars | Add to Goodreads

All in all, I am very happy with what I accomplished in January. I expect February to have much less on it due to starting a new job and how tired I am while doing this post.

So how did January go for all of you? Are you happy with what you read? Talk to me in the comments below.

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New Releases

Cover Reveal: Flower Power Trip by James J. Cudney

February 8, 2019February 7, 2019 sophrilreads4 Comments

Flower Power Trip
by James J. Cudney
Braxton Campus Mysteries #3
Mystery
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Braxton College is throwing the Heroes & Villains Costume Extravaganza to raise money for renovations to the antiquated Memorial Library. While attending, Kellan stumbles upon a close family friend standing over a dead body that’s dressed as Dr. Evil. Did one of Maggie’s sisters kill an annoying guest at the Roarke and Daughters Inn or does the victim have a more intimate connection to someone else on campus?

As Kellan helps the school’s president, Ursula, bury a scandalous secret from her past and unearth the identity of her stalker, he unexpectedly encounters a missing member of his own family who’s reappeared after a lengthy absence. When all of the peculiar events around town trace back to the Stoddards, a new family who recently moved to Wharton County, the explosive discovery only offers more confusion.

Between the special flower exhibit that’s made an unplanned stop on campus and strange postcards arriving each week from all around the world, Kellan can’t decide which mystery in his life should take priority. Unfortunately, the biggest one of all has yet to arrive at his doorstep. When it does, Kellan won’t know what hit him.

Flower-Power-Trip-Promo-Paperback
At a masquerade ball to raise money for renovations to Memorial Library, Kellan finds a dead body dressed in a Dr. Evil costume.

Did one of Maggie’s sisters kill the annoying guest who’d been staying at the Roarke and Daughters Inn, or does the victim have a closer connection to someone else at Braxton College?

As Kellan helps school president Ursula bury a secret from her past and discover the identity of her stalker, he unexpectedly encounters a missing member of his family. Everything seems to trace back to the Stoddards: a new family who recently moved in.

Between the murder, a special flower exhibit and strange postcards arriving each week, Kellan can’t decide which mystery in his life should take priority. But unfortunately, the biggest one of all has yet to be exposed – and when it is, Kellan won’t know what hit him.

Purchase on Amazon

Author Bio Blue James J. Cudney
James is my given name; most call me Jay. I grew up on Long Island and currently live in New York City, but I’ve traveled all across the US (and various parts of the world). After college, I spent 15 years working in technology and business operations in the sports, entertainment and media industries. Although I enjoyed my job, I left in 2016 to focus on my passion: telling stories and connecting people through words. My debut novel is ‘Watching Glass Shatter,’ a contemporary fiction family drama with elements of mystery, suspense, humor and romance. To see samples or receive news from my current and upcoming books, please subscribe with your email address at my website: https://jamesjcudney.com

What do I do outside of writing: I’m an avid genealogist (discovered 2K family members going back about 250 years) and cook (I find it so hard to follow a recipe). I love to read; between Goodreads and my blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, I have over 500 book reviews which will give you a full flavor for my voice and style. On my blog, I started the 365 Daily Challenge, where I post a word each day that has some meaning to me, then converse with everyone about life. There is humor, tears, love, friendship, advice and bloopers. Lots of bloopers where I poke fun at myself all the time. Even my dogs have segments where they complain about me. All these things make up who I am; none of them are very fancy or magnanimous, but they are real and show how I live every day.

A bit of humor: Everything doubles as something else when you live in NYC. For me, it’s the dining room, my favorite space in the apartment, where more than just my cooking is on display! As I look out the windows onto a 12th-floor terrace, various parts of nature (trees, bushes, flowers, bugs & animals) inspire me to write. How else can you pen the best story possible without these things by your side?

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Reviews

Review: Fire Falling by Elise Kova

February 7, 2019February 3, 2019 sophrilreads3 Comments

Review

Fire Falling by Elise Kova
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Synopsis
Soldier… Sorcerer… Savior… Who is Vhalla Yarl?

Vhalla Yarl marches to war as property of the Solaris Empire. The Emperor counts on her to bring victory, the Senate counts on her death, and the only thing Vhalla can count on is the fight of her life. As she grapples with the ghosts of her past, new challenges in the present threaten to shatter the remnants of her fragile sanity. Will she maintain her humanity? Or will she truly become the Empire’s monster?

What I thought
This is the second book in the Air Awakens series. This book begins just 5 days after the trial in the first book. I really like how the author handles the emotional trauma is from the first book, it is not glossed over like nothing ever happened. I love how Vhalla comes out so much stronger in the end. As a whole, this book was an emotional rollercoaster ride with an angst level of 10. I spent the majority of the book in this state.

No character is safe the author has no issues toying/destroying them all in one way or another. As much as it wrecks me I have to say I love the way she does it.

I can’t wait to pick up the next book in this series and I promised myself that I would get to read it in February. I waited way too many months between the first and the second one and I just can not do that to myself after that ending.

I know that this is a very vague review, but that is because I want to say so many things that I have thoughts on and they are all spoilers and I think that you just need to pick this up yourself without knowing how this begins coming together.

If you enjoy angst, having your emotions toyed with. or your heart ripped out you should read this series.

My Rating: /5

5 Stars

Elise Kova is the USA Today bestselling author of fantasy stories filled with magic and romance.

In her past lives, she has graduated from an MBA program, lived in Japan for a bit, and worked for a Fortune 500 technology company. However, she finds herself much happier in her current reincarnation as a full-time author. When not writing, she can usually be found playing video games, drawing, watching anime, or talking with readers on social media. She’s happy to call Saint Petersburg, Florida, her home, but is always looking forward to her next trip.

Her debut series was Air Awakens. Since then she’s penned the dark fantasy, the Loom Saga. As well as a co-authored paranormal romance, the Wish Quartet.

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Memes · New Releases

Waiting On Wednesday: The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

February 6, 2019January 31, 2019 sophrilreads2 Comments

Waiting on Wednesday

This week I’ve chosen: The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

The Priory of the Orange Tree
by Samantha Shannon
Fantasy (Stand-alone)

A world divided.
A queendom without an heir.
An ancient enemy awakens.

The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction—but assassins are getting closer to her door.

Ead Duryan is an outsider at court. Though she has risen to the position of lady-in-waiting, she is loyal to a hidden society of mages. Ead keeps a watchful eye on Sabran, secretly protecting her with forbidden magic.

Across the dark sea, Tané has trained all her life to be a dragonrider, but is forced to make a choice that could see her life unravel.

Meanwhile, the divided East and West refuse to parley, and forces of chaos are rising from their sleep.

Expected publication: February 26th, 2019 by Bloomsbury Publishing
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