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Love, Magic and Computers

24/9/2024

The Silicon Mage (Windrose Chronicles #2)
by Barbara Hambly

Joanna is stranded in our universe after betraying Antryg, but she was a way back - if she follows the dark mage Suraklin through the Void. This means risking her life (and life as we know it in at least two universes). But she must do it. And she must know if Antryg still lives. If he isn't... well, Joanna desperately needs him whole (if not sane) in order to defeat Suraklin once and for all.

Even better than the first book! And this time I did my best to skim over the problematic stuff (cue a Bluey quote - "it was the eighties!"), because I really wanted to absorb every word and enjoy every minute. Some fantasy novels feel like a chore due to rambling middle sections. Not so here. Sure, we did get that rambling middle section, but the world Hambly created here is so interesting that I never once grew bored. Joanna is obviously my favourite. Caris is a close second, though, and I love his character journey. I should probably like Antryg more... but his obvious Sherlockisms grate on me a bit.

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One Wedding & Some Drama

21/9/2024

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Arya Khanna's Bollywood Moment by Arushi Avachat

Arya should be happy - her sister is back and planning a wedding to really nice guy. But the more time they spend together under one roof, the more the tension rises. Meanwhile, Arya is trying to get ready for college and fulfil her student government responsibilities, but the boy who won the role of president over her is so annoying. How could he be anything but an enemy?

This book's main strength is how it explores and handles female relationships, particularly familial ones. I always like to see this kind of thing done well. It also helps that the plot is engaging, perfect for YA readers who want spades of character growth alongside the expected romance. There is no absolutely no need for familiarity with Bollywood movies to enjoy Arya Khanna's Bollywood Moment (I think the only one I've seen all the way through is Lagaan!). And enjoy it I did.

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Tropetastic

20/9/2024

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The Perfect Guy Doesn't Exist by Sophie Gonzales

Ivy is a huge fan of a fantasy TV series but she doesn't expect to wake up with one of the characters in her bed. Weston is somehow real - and he thinks they're soulmates! Now Ivy has to find a way to hide his presence from everyone, especially her neighbour and ex-BFF, Mack. But maybe this isn't a story about soulmates. Maybe it's a story about mutual pining...and maybe Mack is Ivy's costar instead.

Gosh, this was cute. And I love seeing another bi girl with a similar haircut to mine on a book cover! As for the story, it's fun and amusing. The teen angst and drama ring true and you can't help but like every character. I did feel that this could have been something more, but sometimes you just want an uncomplicated YA novel to breeze through. As a bonus - I've discovered another Australian author!

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Mages Run Amok

20/9/2024

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The Silent Tower (Windrose Chronicles #1)
by Barbara Hambly

Caris witnesses the murder of a mage right before the perpetrator disappears. In our world, Joanna is a programmer who can't shake the feeling that she is being stalked - and this culprit also leaves no trace of themselves. Caris accompanies his grandfather to the Silent Tower, where Antryg (the student of an infamous dark mage) resides. But instead of answers, Caris will only find more questions.

I'm not usually one for cliffhangers, but it was so well done and this book was so well written that I was excited instead of annoyed when I reached the end (but I do have the benefit of possessing the next 2 books...). Hambly certainly has a way with words. I really loved this... and was delighted by the offhanded mention of a female guard having "a girlfriend of her own". What's this? Queer rep in the 1980s? Sweet! But uh oh. Of course the other queer rep arrived in the form of a gay man being portrayed as a sinful "pervert". Typical for the era but le sigh.

Anyway, I am so weak for retro fantasy and I'm fast becoming a Barbara Hambly fan.

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Road Trip!

16/9/2024

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The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa
Translated by Philip Gabriel

Nana is travelling in a van with his master, Satoru, who rescued Nana from the streets, perhaps because of Nana's similarity to a cat he owned as a child. But for some reason he cannot keep Nana anymore, so he must find someone who will take his beloved cat in. Nana has some very strong opinions about these supposed masters!

What a lovely read this was... poignant and emotional, which are the hallmarks of great healing fiction. Nana is a wonderful narrator and I love his personality, along with his disdain of humans and other animals. Though I knew what was coming, the ending still wrenched tears from me. And Nana, being Nana, always made sure things were done on his terms, which was what made it all so brilliant.

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Back to the 1990s

16/9/2024

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Tiger Burning Bright
by Marion Zimmer Bradley, Andre Norton & Mercedes Lackey

Emperor Balthazar has ruthlessly added many lands to his empire and now he has set his sights on Merina. The women of the House of the Tiger, who rule Merina, know they cannot win a siege - and the city would be ransacked. The safest option is to surrender and vanish. But Merina is soon full of agents of a dark mage and the city is ruled by fear. The time for hiding might be over.

I found this book at a charity sale and the cover alone sent me into paroxysms of nostalgia. I really miss 1990s heroic fantasy. Tiger Burning Bright would have been a favourite of mine if I'd found it as a child - this is a book about the strengths of three different women and the way they defend their city is a refreshing alternate to the usual battles found in other fantasy works (though there are indeed battles to be found). Heroines rule these pages as surely as women rule Merina. I will say it's not perfect... but it's exactly what I wanted.

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The Force and the Restless

8/9/2024

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Temptation of the Force (Star Wars: High Republic)
by Tessa Gratton

The Stormwall has been breached and the Republic can begin operations in the Nihil's Occlusion Zone. Avar Kriss and Elzar Mann both have their parts to play - and if they can avoid attachment, perhaps their love can make them better Jedi. Meanwhile, a blight is spreading throughout the galaxy and Marchion Ro is quietly studying it, to see if he can make another fearsome weapon.

Gratton is one of the stronger authors of the High Republic project and her exceptional writing is once again on display here (a relief after Defy the Storm). I want to say this is my favourite adult novel so far, but it definitely has issues - for example, the climax occurs in the middle of the book, which is really strange and causes the second half to drag. And Marchion Ro is the most uninteresting villain ever; he just roams around and you wonder how anyone is actually afraid of him lol. But I'm weak for Avar and Elzar content... so that was a nice distraction from my bemusement.

Still, I really enjoyed reading this book. I mean, I shouldn't give it my love... it doesn't deserve it haha... anyway, it's better than a lot of the other adult novels in the High Republic project.

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Book Reviews

Love, Magic and Computers

The Silicon Mage (Windrose Chronicles #2)
by Barbara Hambly

One Wedding & Some Drama

Arya Khanna's Bollywood Moment by Arushi Avachat

Tropetastic

The Perfect Guy Doesn't Exist by Sophie Gonzales

Mages Run Amok

The Silent Tower (Windrose Chronicles #1)
by Barbara Hambly

Road Trip!

The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa
Translated by Philip Gabriel

Back to the 1990s

Tiger Burning Bright
by Marion Zimmer Bradley, Andre Norton & Mercedes Lackey

The Force and the Restless

Temptation of the Force (Star Wars: High Republic)
by Tessa Gratton

About

Archives

Categories

Book Reviews

Love, Magic and Computers

The Silicon Mage (Windrose Chronicles #2)​by Barbara Hambly

One Wedding & Some Drama

Arya Khanna's Bollywood Moment by Arushi Avachat

Tropetastic

The Perfect Guy Doesn't Exist by Sophie Gonzales

Mages Run Amok

The Silent Tower (Windrose Chronicles #1)by Barbara Hambly

Road Trip!

The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro ArikawaTranslated by Philip Gabriel

Back to the 1990s

Tiger Burning Bright​by Marion Zimmer Bradley, Andre Norton & Mercedes Lackey

The Force and the Restless

Temptation of the Force (Star Wars: High Republic)by Tessa Gratton

About

Archives

Categories

The Silicon Mage (Windrose Chronicles #2)
by Barbara Hambly

The Silent Tower (Windrose Chronicles #1)
by Barbara Hambly

The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa
Translated by Philip Gabriel

Tiger Burning Bright
by Marion Zimmer Bradley, Andre Norton & Mercedes Lackey

Temptation of the Force (Star Wars: High Republic)
by Tessa Gratton