Kiwiria's July Reads
Aug. 1st, 2025 12:39 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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christianreaderLots of rereads this month! But at least it got me back into reading again :-)
Shaman - Noah Gordon*, 5/5, 652 pages
I've read this book several times by now and still enjoy it. I've always liked historical novels, and this is one of the better ones I've come across. It incredibly detailed, but the slow pace makes sense, and allows the reader to fully immerse themselves in the setting and atmosphere.
As always, when I read this kind of book, I'm appalled at how Native Americans (or native anyone really) were treated by the colonizers. It's a hard few chapters to get through.
My favourite parts were still the descriptions of the actual doctoring - both by Rob J. and by Shaman.
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches - Sangu Mandanna*, 4.5/5, Audiobook ~10hrs
I would definitely characterize this as "cozy fantasy". Take your stereotypical British fiction and add a magical element, and you've nailed the atmosphere of this book to a tee. And it seems to be a stand-alone novel, which is a pleasant surprise.
It's a comfort read with (mostly) likeable and quirky characters. I loved the kids and felt they actually acted like kids rather than "small grown-ups". There are few surprises to be found here (although not none! There were some twists I hadn't seen coming), but in this type of book, I didn't really expect there to be either. I had guessed the final resolution ahead of time, but not - as it turned out - the twist it took to get there.
A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping - Sangu Mandanna, 4.5/5, Audiobook ~10hrs
I'm so glad that Sangu Mandanna is sticking to writing stand-alone novels rather than series. So rare for fantasy authors these days!
I had very high hopes for this novel as I absolutely adored "The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches", and fortunately it completely lived up to my expectations. To the point that I listened to the entire thing in just three days!!!
Once again found family plays a big role in the novel, and I actually think that part was even better done here than in TVSSoIW. I loved all (almost all, anyways) the inhabitants of the inn (Posy especially), and was really taken by Sera's quest to find the magic spell needed to restore her magic.
Certain aspects of the ending I had seen a mile off - others did take me somewhat by surprise. It wasn't quite as satisfying as I had hoped, but on the other hand, I can't quite see how else it could have ended.
The Search - Nora Roberts, 3.5/5, 488 pages
Not one of Nora Roberts' best books, but still very enjoyable. Fiona's and Simon's relationship was a lot more "tell rather than show", but on the other hand I LOVED reading about Fiona's work with the dogs - both the training and the search & rescue. Wouldn't have minded a lot more focus on that.
The suspense part was very predictable, but then it usually is.
Shelter in Place - Nora Roberts*, 4/5, audiobook ~15 hours
I by far prefer Nora Roberts' suspense novels to her romance novels. Sure, there's an element of romance in all of them, but she understands how to balance it properly, and writes suspense really, really well. I thought this a fascinating account of the aftermath of a mass-shooting - how different people handle the experience differently, and how people employ more or less healthy coping-mechanisms in order to move on.
There was less of a twist in this book than in some of the others I've read, but I didn't mind that part. And I loved reading about Simone's art as well as life on the island. Cici was just amazing, and Barney not half-bad either. Simone's fall-out with her family seemed slightly unrealistic, but their way of making up didn't, which really appealed to me. It's seldom reconciliation is written well.
Mr. Mercedes - Stephen King*, 4/5, audiobook ~14hrs
I love how Stephen King doesn't stick to just one or two genres, but seems to write a little bit of just about everything. This is his first foray into crime fiction (that I've read), and I thought he did it really, really well! Especially the last few chapters had me sitting on the edge of my seat and biting my nails (figuratively, anyway). A definite page-turner! And fortunately one with a proper ending, despite it being the first in a trilogy... although I'm still going to go straight ahead with the next book anyway.
I really liked Bill, Janey, Holly and Jerome and am pleased that we'll get to see at least most of them in the next books as well.
The Fault in Our Stars - John Green*, 4/5, 315 pages
I'd been warned by just about everybody that this book would made me cry. People kept saying that it was the saddest book they'd ever read, and to be prepared for a sob-fest. I don't know if I was perhaps too prepared, because while certainly sad, I didn't think it was nearly as bad as they had made it out to be. Certain parts did bring tears to my eyes, but cry? No, not this time. Of course, it might have helped that I'd guessed the ending already in Amsterdam, so it didn't come as the shock to me as it might have to others.
But it's an amazingly beautiful book. John Green really knows how to write characters to the point where the plot is of lesser importance. I couldn't put it down, but kept wanting to know more about Hazel, Gus, Isaac and the rest of them.
Books Read: 51
Shaman - Noah Gordon*, 5/5, 652 pages
I've read this book several times by now and still enjoy it. I've always liked historical novels, and this is one of the better ones I've come across. It incredibly detailed, but the slow pace makes sense, and allows the reader to fully immerse themselves in the setting and atmosphere.
As always, when I read this kind of book, I'm appalled at how Native Americans (or native anyone really) were treated by the colonizers. It's a hard few chapters to get through.
My favourite parts were still the descriptions of the actual doctoring - both by Rob J. and by Shaman.
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches - Sangu Mandanna*, 4.5/5, Audiobook ~10hrs
I would definitely characterize this as "cozy fantasy". Take your stereotypical British fiction and add a magical element, and you've nailed the atmosphere of this book to a tee. And it seems to be a stand-alone novel, which is a pleasant surprise.
It's a comfort read with (mostly) likeable and quirky characters. I loved the kids and felt they actually acted like kids rather than "small grown-ups". There are few surprises to be found here (although not none! There were some twists I hadn't seen coming), but in this type of book, I didn't really expect there to be either. I had guessed the final resolution ahead of time, but not - as it turned out - the twist it took to get there.
A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping - Sangu Mandanna, 4.5/5, Audiobook ~10hrs
I'm so glad that Sangu Mandanna is sticking to writing stand-alone novels rather than series. So rare for fantasy authors these days!
I had very high hopes for this novel as I absolutely adored "The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches", and fortunately it completely lived up to my expectations. To the point that I listened to the entire thing in just three days!!!
Once again found family plays a big role in the novel, and I actually think that part was even better done here than in TVSSoIW. I loved all (almost all, anyways) the inhabitants of the inn (Posy especially), and was really taken by Sera's quest to find the magic spell needed to restore her magic.
Certain aspects of the ending I had seen a mile off - others did take me somewhat by surprise. It wasn't quite as satisfying as I had hoped, but on the other hand, I can't quite see how else it could have ended.
The Search - Nora Roberts, 3.5/5, 488 pages
Not one of Nora Roberts' best books, but still very enjoyable. Fiona's and Simon's relationship was a lot more "tell rather than show", but on the other hand I LOVED reading about Fiona's work with the dogs - both the training and the search & rescue. Wouldn't have minded a lot more focus on that.
The suspense part was very predictable, but then it usually is.
Shelter in Place - Nora Roberts*, 4/5, audiobook ~15 hours
I by far prefer Nora Roberts' suspense novels to her romance novels. Sure, there's an element of romance in all of them, but she understands how to balance it properly, and writes suspense really, really well. I thought this a fascinating account of the aftermath of a mass-shooting - how different people handle the experience differently, and how people employ more or less healthy coping-mechanisms in order to move on.
There was less of a twist in this book than in some of the others I've read, but I didn't mind that part. And I loved reading about Simone's art as well as life on the island. Cici was just amazing, and Barney not half-bad either. Simone's fall-out with her family seemed slightly unrealistic, but their way of making up didn't, which really appealed to me. It's seldom reconciliation is written well.
Mr. Mercedes - Stephen King*, 4/5, audiobook ~14hrs
I love how Stephen King doesn't stick to just one or two genres, but seems to write a little bit of just about everything. This is his first foray into crime fiction (that I've read), and I thought he did it really, really well! Especially the last few chapters had me sitting on the edge of my seat and biting my nails (figuratively, anyway). A definite page-turner! And fortunately one with a proper ending, despite it being the first in a trilogy... although I'm still going to go straight ahead with the next book anyway.
I really liked Bill, Janey, Holly and Jerome and am pleased that we'll get to see at least most of them in the next books as well.
The Fault in Our Stars - John Green*, 4/5, 315 pages
I'd been warned by just about everybody that this book would made me cry. People kept saying that it was the saddest book they'd ever read, and to be prepared for a sob-fest. I don't know if I was perhaps too prepared, because while certainly sad, I didn't think it was nearly as bad as they had made it out to be. Certain parts did bring tears to my eyes, but cry? No, not this time. Of course, it might have helped that I'd guessed the ending already in Amsterdam, so it didn't come as the shock to me as it might have to others.
But it's an amazingly beautiful book. John Green really knows how to write characters to the point where the plot is of lesser importance. I couldn't put it down, but kept wanting to know more about Hazel, Gus, Isaac and the rest of them.
Books Read: 51
