I loved this book as I’ve loved every Hiyodori book I’ve read. It’s long and I pushed to finish it today so that I can focus on work and whatever elseI loved this book as I’ve loved every Hiyodori book I’ve read. It’s long and I pushed to finish it today so that I can focus on work and whatever else I need to tomorrow. In some ways I wish I could have savored it more. It’s a companion novel to the Clematis and Wist books I’ve read, with a small overlap, and it explores something I’ve believed ever since reading my first Clem and Wist book, which is that it would have been so easy to have a country that flipped things so that the mages had little to no power while the healers (or operators) have most of the power.
Separate of that specific detail, I love that these books show some of how differences among people and power differentials are set up and carried out through the culture one is raised in, which supports various beliefs continuing in various ways. I love that in all of these countries the idea of a woman loving and marrying another woman isn’t even blinked at; the differences and power differentials explored are fantasy things and sexual orientation and skin color for that matter, are just random things each culture accepts as normal variances in the population.
Above and beyond all that heavy stuff, first and foremost these are just great stories and I have enjoyed every one that I’ve read so far....more
I liked this book…some parts were more exciting than others. I was really happy to finally meet Zoya’s and Natalya’s families, or at least the most imI liked this book…some parts were more exciting than others. I was really happy to finally meet Zoya’s and Natalya’s families, or at least the most important-to-each-of-them family members, and I liked the resolution. I read this entire trilogy perhaps a bit more quickly than I would have liked because I wanted to finish it so that I could finish the final 8% of the third Seekers trilogy book.
I still don’t really understand the point of how the series began. Maybe someday I’ll reread the first book and it will make more sense. I just feel it was a lot of underhanded work on someone’s part to make something happen that could have been accomplished in an easier way. And like the mystery of it was never fully or truly resolved.
I also don’t really know that Zoya and Natalya are distinct characters to me. They each have their chosen areas of expertise, so are given different tasks and interactions based on those. But otherwise they seem like the same person for the most part. I think I didn’t mind it too much because the plots and interactions they have with other characters are interesting, and because it is always refreshing to see women portrayed as intelligent and competent and respected for those qualities. Lowell is good about that....more
Oops! Finished this last weekend, I think, but forgot to update Goodreads. Now I’m closing in on finishing its sequel. I read this quickly. I was hookOops! Finished this last weekend, I think, but forgot to update Goodreads. Now I’m closing in on finishing its sequel. I read this quickly. I was hooked into the end of one of the Ishmael trilogies that was about to intersect with this series and stopped completely on that to catch myself up. It made me want to rush this series when my usual style with Lowell is to savor the ride. So, I definitely rushed this book, probably to its and/or my own detriment. Now 70% plus through the sequel it still feels like the entire beginning to this book -and series - was just a plot device that makes characters I’d been inclined to trust and like look bad (looking at you, martial arts teacher with all the teacups).
About 92% into this, I paused to read the entire Smuggler’s trilogy, which does chronologically take place before this trilogy, but which hadn’t interAbout 92% into this, I paused to read the entire Smuggler’s trilogy, which does chronologically take place before this trilogy, but which hadn’t intersected in any real way until this book. An unfortunate side effect of that is that I’m not remembering this book as well as I might have otherwise. I do think I enjoyed the last several chapters a bit more because I know Natalya and Zoya. I think I like the Ishmael books better overall perhaps because they are in first person and I have a real sense of who Ishmael is, what his worries and concerns are, and how his character is learning and growing. He’s very intelligent and a capable leader, but he does make mistakes and he does grow and change. It’s possible he’s easier for Mr. Lowell to write being a male character, or perhaps it’s just the first person difference. I’m looking forward to the next trilogy, but I think I will probably take a break first to read other things....more
**spoiler alert** I didn’t enjoy this as much as some of the others in this series. Partly because Ishmael is depressed and a little bit lost, so isn’**spoiler alert** I didn’t enjoy this as much as some of the others in this series. Partly because Ishmael is depressed and a little bit lost, so isn’t interacting with other characters or coming up with ideas the same way he is in other books. Also at times I felt like there was more sci-fi-techno-babble than Lowell usually subjects his readers to and it made it more difficult to maintain interest through those sections. Also Brill gets floated as a sort of teaser almost but we never actually see her which just seemed odd. I’m honestly not completely sure what happened at the end of the book or why Brill was suddenly coming back to meet old friends after being gone for two decades, but if it was happening I certainly wanted some interaction to occur.
I do like the portrayal of therapy in the last book and in this one. It’s not stigmatized and it’s not romanticized. Most of the work happens in Ishmael’s thought between sessions....more
Probably 2.5 stars. I didn’t especially care for this story, mainly because the hero kidnaps the heroine at the beginning, and it’s quickly clear thatProbably 2.5 stars. I didn’t especially care for this story, mainly because the hero kidnaps the heroine at the beginning, and it’s quickly clear that the kidnapper is going to be the love interest, and everything in 2024-me just went “bleach” over that. It’s not like I haven’t read that trope before. I’ve even really gotten into it. Either because it was actually 1992 or because there was some explanation for the kidnapping that made sense. There is not sense to what happens in this book. There was no reason the hero couldn’t have spoken directly to the heroine and her family about what he’s looking for, why he thinks the heroine can help him, what the stakes are, how he’ll work to keep her safe if she comes with him. Perhaps, if she’d been approached that way and had refused to help, and then he’d kidnapped her, I would have done better with this. As it was, he aggravated me and at around 40%-ish she makes a decision and I thought, “here’s where she becomes complicit in her own kidnapping.”
So, I skimmed a lot. Also, while I haven’t read the sequel, I did read the blurb for it, and having read the end of this book, I can see why one of the other reviewers (who really loved this book) said they didn’t have any desire to read the next one. Actually, it’s speculation. I’m not entirely sure why that reviewer didn’t want to read the next book. For me it was because the premise seems to undo some major elements of this book and the blurb’s report of Solace’s reaction indicates that her character undergoes something of a change. Anyway, I had enough difficulty with the main plot premise of this book to sign on for another one.
That said, the story flowed and was easy to read. I didn’t love the hero, but others definitely seem to....more
I read this in a massive, mostly one day splurge, partly because I happened to start it right before having a full day in which I planned to relax andI read this in a massive, mostly one day splurge, partly because I happened to start it right before having a full day in which I planned to relax and do absolutely nothing productive all day long, and partly because I needed to know what would happen next and how it would all come out. This book is significantly longer than its prequel, Bound by Ravens. It’s also more angst/higher stakes, in my opinion. Thinking back, the stakes were pretty high in Bound By Ravens in terms of the plot and the impossibility of the situation, and I was sure throughout Night Market that there would be a good outcome and ending. I’m sure Night Market’s length and the amount of time for twists and things to go wrong relative to Bound by Ravens had something to do with the increase in angst. Also, possibly the setup just made it feel more that way to me personally. I think I would have struggled some if I’d started this one mid-workweek, and I’m very glad I had the time to devote to it without losing massive amounts of sleep. I loved the love story. I loved the queer representation in side characters that will be getting their own novella according to the author. It was such a great pleasure to root for the underdog throughout this story, against unlikeable people in power. The story was complex, but who to be in sympathy with was clear and easy, making it a delight as an escapist read.
Sundin, I suspect, has quite the wit and enjoys playing with language. She gives that joy to her characters, and it is a pleasure to read them “riddling” with one another, teasing one another, or in this case, to sit with Filena’s internal monologue (and sometimes her spoken threats) as she comes up with the most unbelievably creative and horrific curses she would like to visit upon those who are oppressing her, and sometimes those who are simply annoying her. I also enjoyed the simple and profound ways various characters in this book took care of and showed love for one another.
There were some odd sentences that might be how someone would speak, but that aren’t grammatically correct, however the author did discontinue periodically addressing the readers directly, which I appreciated....more
Can’t remember exactly how I came across this one, but something about it caught my attention, so I read the blurb and it sounded interesting enough tCan’t remember exactly how I came across this one, but something about it caught my attention, so I read the blurb and it sounded interesting enough to pursue a bit…in truth its sequel sounded even better, and this one is shorter, so I decided to read in order. And it was just what I was looking for in the moment. Completely escapist, largely low angst in terms of will the characters succeed and be happy, yet even still the deck seemed stacked against their success so that I was invested in the plot for the most part, and (where it really succeeded for me) I was completely and totally invested in the love story.
Some of the world’s rules and magic confused me. I’m not clear on whether this is a flaw in the writing, a first-in-series thing where the author needs more space to fully show what can only be glimpsed in the first book, or one of those disadvantages of reading on a Kindle, where it’s next to impossible to skim back to double check something provided earlier in the text. In this case it was certain rules of thieving? Followed by all the thieves? Followed by those who dwell in Seren? It didn’t enter my long term memory, but those three rules are laid out once and then referred to multiple times later on … by NUMBER! So, I was out of luck in catching those references. That’s a reading-on-Kindle issue, though the author could have mitigated it by including a list of the rules somewhere that could be accessed by going to the table of contents.
My bigger issue on the down side was the affectation of having the heroine periodically break the fourth wall and address the readers directly as “Friends” sort of like Charlotte Brontë has Jane Eyre occasionally address her readers directly as “Reader”. This does not bother me in Jane Eyre. Jane Eyre was written ages ago, and that affectation seems to fit with the rest of the narrative, I suppose. It threw me out of this story every time it happened. Initially I’d be confused as to what was meant or who was being addressed. Then I’d realize. Then I’d wonder why it was only the heroine addressing the “audience” and not both protagonists. Then I’d shake my head and go back to reading.
However, though I think addressing the audience was a mistake, and there were sentences here and there that didn’t make grammatical sense, I did delight in the author’s use of language in other ways. Her fae characters are tricksy with words and bargains. They tie their words up into riddles and simultaneously are tricky wordsmiths with bargains, and are also weak to bargaining. Mostly they are unable to resist bargaining. Sundin makes writing the wordplay and riddling look easy and fun. And reading it is definitely fun. Her banter is a joy to read, and the entanglement of insults and endearments is delightful. There is a list at the very end of all the endearments one character uses for the other. They are all in the text throughout the book. I appreciated them as I came across them. But having them all gathered together at the end gave me an even greater appreciation for the sheer fertility of imagination and sweet silliness that went into developing them and the character who uses them. So much fun, and joy.
Also, swoony romance. I love swoony romance....more
I had real difficulty putting this down, even though I could put it down if I had to, and for a lot of the time I was reading it, I just wanted it to I had real difficulty putting this down, even though I could put it down if I had to, and for a lot of the time I was reading it, I just wanted it to keep going and I was glad it was long and there was a lot left to read. I've read the blurb on the book in the next series, so I knew when a certain character was introduced last book, that certain things would happen and there would be a certain outcome, and I'm really not sure why I'm being cagey writing this - it's hardly a spoiler since the outcome in in the blurb on the next book. In any case, the final third of the book still took my by surprise multiple times - I guess I didn't expect things to play out the way they did? And I'm sad. I don't know if I'm sad for the thing that I knew would happen happening, or if I'm sad that the book is done and I can never read it for the first time not knowing what happens again, or if I'm sad because I was sad last night and haven't fully shaken it off. Though typing this very random review seems to be helping with that a little as I'm laughing at myself for the vagaries and self importance I've got going into this. Anyway, I've loved everything I've read by Nathan Lowell. This is no exception. This probably wouldn't be the first one I'd read for to reread though.
Possible spoilers here (not sure because I haven't written them yet):
Basically, it's sad. Not just because of the think I knew was going to happen, but because it left me feeling very in touch with the futility of stuff. That's not really what the author's overall message is, I don't think, in his works overall, or even in this book necessarily. But this book did put me in touch with that feeling. Or maybe I was already feeling it and this book did not alleviate the feeling. Something like that. ...more
I loved this book. I have loved this entire series. I guess you either love this series or it isn't for you based on reviews I've read. It's, I supposI loved this book. I have loved this entire series. I guess you either love this series or it isn't for you based on reviews I've read. It's, I supposed, what people are now calling "slice of life" so if that isn't your thing, you won't like either the series or the author, because I'd say that's what he does based on everything I've read by him so far. But that's part of what I love. The day to day life and interactions and events. (I wonder if "slice of life" is peculiar to the science fiction/fantasy communities? It's in these genres that one expects monsters, aliens, vampires or zombies, etc. to come along and change things up...oh, or being discovered as a lost chosen one with untold magical powers. I think in most contemporary fiction, characters go about living their lives and that's the story. I don't know. Anyway, I'm not sure how I feel about the label, but I do love these books).
This one returns us to the lighter feeling I remember from the first three books. Where the last book jumped us 4 years in time, skipping Ishmael's years at school, this one skips us ahead another 20-ish years, I think...so that he's much further along in his career. It was a bit odd to me, not just that he was still aboard the Tinker, but that so many of the crew from Double Share were also still aboard the Tinker. I'm pretty sure events that happen at the beginning of this book lay the groundwork for another trilogy or series of books in this world, so maybe it was done so that the reader wouldn't have to learn so many new characters.
I enjoyed seeing how Ishmael handled his first command and the people he was dealing with. I'm sure when I finish writing this I'll read reviews about how the problems they brought were resolved too easily or were presented too simplistically, and yes, there's probably some truth to that. There's also truth to giving people set expectations, and then the freedom to manage them and respect lessening a lot of problems and creating an environment of good will and cooperation. So, for me it was a hit. I'm looking forward to the next one and I'm not. I suspect a jump forward in time again, and it's also the last one of this series. I know Ishmael features large in at least one future series, but I'm not sure about the others in this same universe....more
Fourth in the series, however there is a natural break at the end of the first 3, and I took a bunch of time off, mostly because I will do that to draFourth in the series, however there is a natural break at the end of the first 3, and I took a bunch of time off, mostly because I will do that to drag out an author or series I'm really enjoying so I don't "run out" of the new stuff too quickly. I decided to go for this one because 1. these books really put me in touch with the feelings of being on a Navy (for me - the author apparently used to be Coast Guard) ship and I wanted to visit that feeling, and 2. the first three of these books were really nice, I'm-enjoying-but-can-put-it-down slice of life stories and I thought this would be that way too. Was I ever wrong on the second front! There is a dark, brooding feeling that hangs over this whole book. I sensed it from the beginning even before Ishmael gets on his new ship, and delayed myself diving deeper in until I had a bit more time. Once I truly got into it yesterday though, I couldn't stop until I was done. Whew!
It still followed the author's stated philosophy of capturing everyday life and events, etc. But the reality is Ishmael did so well in his early days sailing on Clipper ships because he was lucky enough to have an excellent command from Captain downward. He was in a supportive environment where he was respected and treated well. This book gives the reader glimpses of what it might have been like if he hadn't been so lucky in his initial command. By the time he gets to this command, he has a lot more knowledge and wherewithal, and it's still not easy for him to do what he does and it's not possible for him to fix his situation on his own. I have worked with the military for most of my career and frequently the difference between someone who succeeds and stays in and someone who gets out whether by choice or not has little to nothing to do with that person and everything to do with their leadership and how supportive the command environment it. And I've been in enough crazy civilian work situations to know that there's only so much you can do when the situation at the top is bad.
Anyway, I really enjoyed this. I'm guessing from the titles of each of the next two that significant time passes, and each is perhaps more of a standalone than the first three books, which really read like more of a trilogy....more
I went "fishing" through my Kindle library last weekend for things that have been there forever that I haven't read yet, and found this one, which is I went "fishing" through my Kindle library last weekend for things that have been there forever that I haven't read yet, and found this one, which is the start of a lengthy stand-alone romance series in the town of Lost Harbor, Alaska where each book features a different couple. I was looking for something fun and light and fluffy and this suited very well. Engaging story and writing and I read it in two or three big gulps.
I read this last week - probably May 19 through May 21. However, this ridiculous website won't let me post those dates. It's annoying and honestly I don't care enough to keep fighting with it....more
**spoiler alert** This is an interesting one. I've really enjoyed the two books of this series. I don't think they're the best written books I've ever**spoiler alert** This is an interesting one. I've really enjoyed the two books of this series. I don't think they're the best written books I've ever read, but there's something about this story that held my interest. Both books, I guess, would be considered "slice of life" and as I've gotten older and my job/life are sometimes insane, I find I really appreciate slice of life stories. I put this one on my Kindle Paperwhite and read a couple chapters before bed each night for much of the week and found myself really looking forward to getting in bed and curling up with this story.
Did I think the main character has understanding beyond her years and life experience of people and why they act the way they do? Probably, even though she's older than her immediate cohort/friend group, she's still not terribly old and she spends a lot of time explaining Lexa and Lexa's relationships and reactions to various people. Did I think it a bit odd that Lexa in particular never objects to getting these long talks about why she is the way she is and does the things she does - definitely. But I still went with it.
I did find the magic world even more interesting than in the last book - it broadens in this book and we get more denizens than just the "human" type. So, I liked that, and I liked the descriptions of some of the college classes...the Focus one in particular.
And I sort of liked the way the relationship between Emily and Ted seems very mature and so on, and then it just goes off the rails...because some of that rang true for me. I think lots of times there are red flags, but I think sometimes there really aren't, and then things just sort of fall apart. But at the same time, even as I was reading it and thinking that, I was also thinking that I had no idea what was going on or why it was happening or how it had happened or what caused it. And honestly, that didn't really change. And I was sad for Emily, a little, because she was sad. And I was sad because I liked the idea of Emily and Ted. But I wasn't heartbroken. Which, in my case of wanting a nice peaceful end of day book to read during the crazy work week, was terrific. And I'm looking forward to what happens and develops between these two in the next book.
I did enjoy the council. Totally and completely enjoyed the chaos and insanity and stickers. Not sure whether or how they get anything done, but maybe we need more stickers in our highest levels of government. I also appreciated that while Emily and Lexa make a formidable team near the end, they are not invincible. Either of them. They are young and new to their powers and aren't backed up by the rest of Lexa's team or anyone else, and they cannot prevail on their own against either endless numbers or super old, experienced magic users. That felt believable to me.
Anyway, looking forward to the next book and if it ends up taking four books for Nulton to finish out the story, I'll be fine with that as well....more
I guess this is going to be a series about one witch. For some reason I thought it was going to be one of those three or so book series where each feaI guess this is going to be a series about one witch. For some reason I thought it was going to be one of those three or so book series where each features a different witch. No matter. It was fine and I enjoyed it. It was fluffy. But if you are looking for romance, it's really not in this book. I guess it will come in the next book? This book is more about the witch business and magic and the female friendships, I guess....more
I’ve had a great time reading this series straight through. Not sure whether they were written all together or over many years. I know I read one of tI’ve had a great time reading this series straight through. Not sure whether they were written all together or over many years. I know I read one of them ages ago, but some of them seem to have been written later. In any case, I really enjoyed most of them as light, fluffy escape romances where I really appreciated the relationship between the partners; this one included. ...more
I really enjoyed this one. I feel like Carina’s character and role changed a bit from book one to book 3 or 4 in the set up for this book…also the whoI really enjoyed this one. I feel like Carina’s character and role changed a bit from book one to book 3 or 4 in the set up for this book…also the whole thing about how there’s only one woman for each Salvatore man, blah, blah…but I could set both those things aside and enjoy this book. In part because “only one true love” is already suspend-disbelief romance novel fare, and in part because something was going to have to change if Brand was to get a story of his own. Not sure about the name “Brand” as a name at all, let alone an Italian name - even in the world of one-syllable romance hero “grunt” names, it’s an odd choice, but set that aside as well. Brand and Mia’s story is actually quite sweet and romantic. Unexpected to have the final brother as the bad guy of the story, and it didn’t really do anything to make me want to read his story, except I’m on a roll at this point, so I will....more
Once past the first few chapters I found myself really enjoying this. I didn't dislike the first few chapters, exactly...just found them a bit jumpy? Once past the first few chapters I found myself really enjoying this. I didn't dislike the first few chapters, exactly...just found them a bit jumpy? To me, it felt like the story found its pace and settled in better once Emily got to the school. I really enjoyed her perspective as a 25 year old, masquerading as a high school student, observing high school students and high school drama. She's never condescending because she's older. She treats everyone as her equal. But she is more mature than many of the other characters and her reactions and observations are fun. I also enjoyed the little bunny and battery images at the beginning of each chapter. I didn't see the romantic interest coming at all, but when it did begin to develop, I enjoyed the refreshing honesty and respect. I'm planning on reading the sequel, and I'm curious about it because the first book definitely had an ending, and so the sequel isn't obvious, and could go in various directions....more
I liked this overall. My only issue really was with the pacing. I found myself wanting a bit less of some sections and a bit more in other places. I fI liked this overall. My only issue really was with the pacing. I found myself wanting a bit less of some sections and a bit more in other places. I figured out the plot ahead of the reveal, which is probably why I wanted less reveal and more aftermath. I enjoyed the world. ...more
I really enjoyed this. Light, funny, good banter, great hero, some wonderful interactions between the female characters, none of whom were stereotypicI really enjoyed this. Light, funny, good banter, great hero, some wonderful interactions between the female characters, none of whom were stereotypical, even if they initially seemed that way....more
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