[43] Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
Fiction / Fantasy / Romance, #2 in The Empyrean series, graphic audio
Synopsis: It’s impossible to synopsize this book without giving away what happens in the first one. Basically, it’s Violet’s second year in the war college, the new commandant is out to get her, her (spoiler?) boyfriend graduated last year and they hardly see each other, Violet is trying to figure out what happened at the end of the first book and keeping that all to herself and suffering, blah blah.
Review: And it’s really hard to review this because I listened to part 1 of the graphic audio in May then had to wait until mid July for part 2. The two parts read like two separate books, but it made me feel a bit disjointed as I had forgotten a bit of part 1 by the time I got to part 2. I had a hard time following some of this book. There was so much going on, and some storylines that felt unnecessary (like the “other woman” plot with Xaden’s ex, Kat). All that being said, I LOVE the graphic audio for this series. It adds SO much to it and really gets me invested. Next time I just need to wait and listen to it sequentially.
Recommend: Yes
[44] Great and Precious Things by Rebecca Yarros
Fiction / Romance / Contemporary, saw on Kindle Unlimited, Kindle
Synopsis: After being gone for 10 years, Camden is returning to his hometown of Alba, Colorado to help care for his father. The town is tiny and gossipy, and Camden has a horrible reputation for being a troublemaker, and it doesn’t help that his little brother followed him off to war then Camden brought him home in a casket. And that the one woman he loves, Willow, still lives in Alba, but was dating his younger brother when he died.
Review: This is a slow burn second chance romance and neither of those are really for me. Parts of the story were interesting – all of Camden’s family history/drama and his relationship with Willow, but I didn’t care about certain parts at all – like the historic parts of this mining town, the historical committee and its politics, blah blah. And there was not enough there for Camden and Willow’s relationship – showing me why they both loved each other, and then after they got together. I need to stay away from second chance romances!
Recommend? No
[45] The Anomaly by Hervé Le Tellier
Fiction / Thrillers / Technological, saw on The Popcast‘s 21 Best Books of the 21st Century List, Audio
Synopsis: A plane from Paris to New York City encounters crazy turbulence and unforeseen circumstances that affect all its passengers. I’m not gonna say more! Don’t want to spoil it! Seriously, the descriptions of this book give away a major plot twist you don’t find out about until the end of the part 1. I’m glad I don’t remember the description that I read of this that made me want to listen to it, because it came to me as a surprise when it was revealed at the end of the first part. Seriously, why do book descriptions do that? Give the twist away? GRR. Anyway.
Review: I could not remember what this book was about or why I downloaded it. In fact, it was not the audiobook I wanted to listen to – I didn’t find the cover appealing – but then I realized the other one I had never downloaded (and I was driving and couldn’t download it), so this one it was. The book starts off describing a hitman, and I’m thinking “why did I download this book?” that is NOT my genre! Then each chapter goes over different characters and you realize they were all on the same flight with the horrible turbulence. Each character is wonderfully developed, but I was still wondering, when are we going to talk about this turbulence? What is the point of all this? The book barely mentions the flight at all, just the lives and personalities of the people on it. Then the twists drops and it gets pretty interesting. Then peters out a bit at the end, but still, such an interesting premise. I wish they would have said more about they why of it all, but eh, not everything is explainable.
Recommend? Yes
