A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab This refreshingly original novel helped restore my faith in high fantasy after so many D&D McFantasyland adventures. It’s set in London and London and London, three different Londons in parallel universes with differing amounts of magic in each, the most familiar of which being “Grey London” which …
Tag: London
Aug 09
Book Review: A Far Cry from Kensington
A Far Cry from Kensington by Muriel Spark I’d never read anything or heard anything about this author, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I don’t always like to read stories about female protagonists set in historical periods, because it often fills me with feminist rage, but Mrs. Hawkins manages to live in the …
Apr 23
Book Review: After You
After You by Jojo Moyes If every novel aims to tell an interesting story about believable, likable characters, this novel succeeds admirably. I’d listened to the first more than a year ago, and this audiobook has the same fantastic narrator. Louisa Clark can be quite infuriating, as she is her own worst enemy, but she’s …
Oct 25
Book Review: Fated
Fated by Benedict Jacka This fantasy novel has a great premise. Alex Verus is a mage whose main power is that he can see the future. He can’t throw fireballs, he can’t make wards, he can’t turn people into stone, but with divination, he can hold his own among people who do. He runs a …
Jun 25
Book Review: I Capture the Castle
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith I didn’t realize until I was halfway done with this book that the author also wrote 101 Dalmatians, which I read as a child. It was mentioned in The Billfold, a blog about personal finance, which has a recurring spot where they discuss the finance of children’s literature. …