Category Archives: On Reading

Red Rising, Golden Son, Morning Star AMAZING by Pierce Brown

On Reading

I reviewed Red Rising as soon as it came out, and because I loved it so much I was so happy when Golden Son followed so quickly. Then I reread both of them in anticipation of Morning Star, the final book in the trilogy, and then basically stalked my library until my request was fulfilled. I can’t really think of a time when I’ve been this satisfied by the conclusion of a trilogy/series. Robin Hobb’s books have transported me, certainly, but Fitz’s story isn’t over…

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The Queen’s Thief Series by Megan Whalen Turner

On Reading

What a delicious series! I was hooked from the very beginning of The Thief, when we meet Gen, a thief hired by a magus to steal a precious gem. The tightness of the POV clued me in that I was in for a surprise, but kept me so well-controlled that I didn’t guess the secret at all. The next two books, The Queen of Attolia and The King of Attolia do a masterful job at world-building and character development while not getting too bogged down…

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Close Reach by Jonathan Moore

On Reading

Synopsis: Kelly and her husband Dean have sold everything to live at sea, but their dreams of repairing their broken marriage are shattered when their radio signal is jammed after hearing a terrifying cry for help and a battered fishing vessel comes alongside them–with no intention of helping. Review: Close Reach scared me to death, and I loved every minute of it. It’s a tightly crafted thriller set in a fabulously spooky world (in the middle of the ocean near the Drake Passage to Antarctica),…

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A Game of Thrones by George RR Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire)

On Reading

Synopsis: When honorable Ned Stark goes to court to serve as the Hand of the King, he places his family into danger at the hands of the Lannisters, who will stop at nothing to stay on top, even as zombie-like White Walkers are killing people in the north, and across the Narrow Sea a deposed princess is amassing an army for an invasion. Review: What struck me most on this reread of Game of Thrones (I think this is #4 or #5, I can’t be…

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The Silent Wife by ASA Harrison

On Reading

Synopsis: When her common law husband gets his mistress pregnant, a woman comes face to face with the choices she has made to keep silent about his infidelities, and as her anger surfaces, so does her desire for revenge. Review: The Silent Wife was a slow creep of a thriller. In some ways, it lacked a classic hook, but proved that suspense doesn’t need to be plot-driven. It reminded me a lot of Patricia Highsmith’s non-Ripley books, particularly This Sweet Sickness. I’m not sure I…

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The Working Writer’s Screenplay by Jim Makichuk

On Reading

Synopsis: Subtitled: “Breaking In, Hanging On, and Getting It Made.” Review: Whenever I get interested in a topic, either personally or professionally, I go a little berserk and read everything I can get my hands on that can teach me anything about the subject. As a working screenwriter, former development exec, professional book analyst, and erstwhile screenwriting teacher/coach, I have read just about every screenwriting book that’s out there looking for anything that can help me in any of those roles. Jim Makichuck’s The Working…

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The Spirit Ring by Lois McMaster Bujold

On Reading

Synopsis: In a magical version of Renaissance Italy, the daughter of a sculptor/mage finds herself embroiled in a deadly political dispute as she struggles to free her father’s soul, which a wicked lord wants to imprison in a magic ring. Review: Lois McMaster Bujold crafts a suspenseful tale of intrigue, sorcery, and politics that really satisfied me. The Spirit Ring is grounded in the kinds of real squabblings that mark territorial disputes, and the magic serves that story, rather than being the sole purpose of…

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