Bloodmage - Stephen Aryan

Paperback, 528 pages

Published April 12th 2016 by Orbit

Series: The Age of Darkness Trilogy #2

Fantasy

Own

My Thoughts:

The last book was all about war, while this one have spies, "cops" and criminals.

Byrne and Fray are guardians who are investigating horrible murders. I liked them and their hunt for the killer.

Choss is trying to find what happened at a recent fight and that brings us the underworld. I was not that keen on Choss or his investigations. The best part was when Butcher showed up

A character from book 1 is hanging about and I so wanted more about him, but alas.

Katja is a spy who is sent to infiltrate bad guys who are trying to assassinate two queens. I think I like what she did during the daytime more than her spying, her daytime was interesting. Everything these characters are doing will come together at the end one way or another.

I enjoy this series. It is light (in the way written!) I know I say that a lot and everyone thinks ohh light, no no, not the actual story. I mean people are butchered. But who it is written cos the story flows and I read it fast. And now I want book 3! Which again will be about new character! Arghh, I so want the Gods stuff! Please just give that to me.

Anyway, I guess I know what I am telling SO to give me for my birthday! Book 3 and the next series ;)

Conclusion:

Enjoyable and fun!

Synopsis

The people of Perizzi have survived the battlemage war, but their future is looking darker than ever.

BYRNE is a Guardian of the Peace, investigating a series of murders in which the corpse was drained entirely of life.

FRAY's expertise with magic is needed to catch the killer, but working with the Guardians destroyed his father, years before.

CHOSS is a champion fighter, trying to diffuse a war in the underworld that threatens to turn the streets red with rivers of blood.

KATJA is a spy from a foreign land, attempting to prevent a massacre that will topple two dynasties and destroy the fragile peace in the city for ever.

Guardians and spies, assassins and criminals will clash on the streets in this magic-fuelled adventure from the author of Battlemage.

Audio: All I want for Christmas is a Cowboy - Jessica Clare

Narrated by: Abby Craden

Length: 8 hrs and 2 mins

Release date: 01-22-19

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Contemporary romance

Thank you Tantor for this copy!

My Thoughts

Snowed in for Christmas, oh that makes for the perfect winter book!

Cass is an assistant (and oh my, she should quit, she can not see how much she is used, not to mention her boss' fiance keeps hitting on her, creep!) But she is a nice hardworking woman (that should take a chance). So she goes away for the holidays to be alone. Boom car accident, stuck int he mountains with a cowboy!

Eli was omg the sweetest. All he does is work work and no time for a woman. He is just too sweet and has let go of all of that. He might be a bit grumpy since he wanted alonetime too, but alas no.

They get to know each other. She is a complete mess at things. They start to fall in love and the snow keeps on piling up. 

There will be drama as she starts to remember things, and there she does something so silly. I mean just talk with him woman! But I guess we need drama. Still, talk to him!

And then they lie happily ever after! Awwww.

Sweet and a great book this winter.

Abby Craden: narration
I liked her Cass voice, it showed sweetness and innocence. While I totally saw the grumpy Eli before me too. She did well with setting the scene.

Synopsis

Christmas may be coming, but it's just another day at the ranch as far as Eli Pickett is concerned. Someone has to take care of the herd and that means no holiday vacation for him. But that's just the way he likes it--it’s not like he has a woman to spend time with anyways. Most women don't want the ranch life, or the surly, silent cowboy that comes with it. Fine with him. He'd rather have the quiet of a roaring fire and the company of his dogs.

Cassandra Horn is trying to make it to her parents' winter cabin in Wyoming before the blizzard hits. She desperately needs a vacation from the chaos of Manhattan...and her boss’s boyfriend, who is making her life miserable. But Cass never makes it to the cabin. 

A raging snowstorm causes her car to crash, where she's found unconscious by Eli. When Cass wakes, she has no memories of who she is. Eli takes one look at Cass's big blue eyes and dark curls, and like a Christmas miracle, falls head over heels in love. But while the attraction is mutual, can she give her heart to this cowboy if she’s not sure it’s hers to give?

Carole's Sunday Review: Lady of the Eternal City - Kate Quinn

Author: Kate Quinn

Narrator: Elizabeth Wiley

Title: Lady of the Eternal City (The Empress of Rome #4)

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: Audiobook

Published: March 3rd 2015

Where I Got It: My shelf (Audible)

Elegant, secretive Sabina may be Empress of Rome, but she still stands poised on a knife’s edge. She must keep the peace between two deadly enemies: her husband Hadrian, Rome’s brilliant and sinister Emperor; and battered warrior Vix, who is her first love. But Sabina is guardian of a deadly secret: Vix’s beautiful son Antinous has become the Emperor’s latest obsession.

Empress and Emperor, father and son will spin in a deadly dance of passion, betrayal, conspiracy, and war. As tragedy sends Hadrian spiraling into madness, Vix and Sabina form a last desperate pact to save the Empire. But ultimately, the fate of Rome lies with an untried girl, a spirited redhead who may just be the next Lady of the Eternal City . . . 

Oh no! The last book in the series. I have been dreading this day but also really excited to see everything come to a conclusion. 

Sabina and Vix are back. So much has happened. So many years. Sabina is now the empress and her husband, Hadrian, is not all sane. Smart and brilliant, but the man has a lot of demons. Especially after a certain event occurs. Vix just wants to live a simple life but his fate seems tied to the empress and emperor.  The fate of the empire may rest on the shoulders of a young girl. 

This was loooonnnnngggggg. Super long, but I didn't mind it really. I actually enjoyed it. I didn't want it to end tbh. I love Sabina and Vix. I also grew to adore Annia. There are even bits of me that like Hadrian. The man needed serious therapy. He is so smart, but he lacks normal human emotion. I do really encourage you to read the others of the series. I felt like they all built up to this one. I would at least read book 3 in order to really appreciate Vix and Sabina. 

The format was still a little odd for me. Everyone's POVs were in one format, but Vix was 1st person. I forgive this and understand it especially when we learn that Vix is writing his memoirs SOOO it does give a reason why the author did what she did. 

Other than that, I adored this book. I think it was one of my favorites of the series. It made me cry. It made me cheer. It gave me all the feels! 

I did listen to the audio of this and I really loved it. The narrator really did a good job. I think she was the same from the last book. But yes, I loved her voices. Every character (and mind you...there are a LOT of characters) had their own voices. Kuddos there. 

Overall, this was really good. It's hard not to give away some spoilers. But this made me feel! This ended perfectly and I can't wait to read more by this author. She is one of my favorites. She really knows how to get you hooked and absorbed. Worth the read. I'll give this 5 stars since the ending gave a good reason why the format was the way it was. 

Got it, thanks!Thanks, I'll check them out.Thank you!

Saturday Movie: A star is born

Happy 2019! 

We'll be discussing 'A Star is Born'

I am in red and Carole in black.

Title: A Star is Born
Genre: Drama, Music, Romance 
Running Time: 2 hr & 16 mins
Rating: R
Released: 2018

A musician helps a young singer find fame, even as age and alcoholism send his own career into a downward spiral.

TRAILER:

DISCUSSION: 

I went to watch this one and afterwards and sent Carole a message asking if she had seen it, and if not then she had to see it!

Yesss, I had been curious about it, but after what you told me I had no choice but to check it out. I dragged BF with me and he even liked it.

I do think BF would have liked it too since there was lots of music, now he have to watch it on his own! ;) I am sure we would have seen it anyway, but MIL wanted to go with me so I went with her.

I did like the music. I was a little unsure at the beginning. I like musicals and all that...but I felt like it was going to be cheesy (the first couple were), but I ended up enjoying it and tapping my foot along with the music.

Those riffs at the beginning and end, damn, they struck a cord on my soul. There was a lot of foot tapping going on. Truly awesome music, except for that which she does in the middle and end. That was meh.

I liked the song Jack wrote, but I prefer him singing it over her. I love the Gaga and she is an amazing singer, but the ending song would have been better if he just sung it. Just to give more of an emotional impact. Like if he recorded it for her and for her alone.

Oh yes she is amazing and when she sings her song with him, damn, they are great! But that last song of his, yes I would have wanted him to sing it too. I felt that that one did not have as much an impact on me. And that was the one that should have moved you the most.

I think if he sang it instead of her, I think it would’ve. That last couple lines he did sing made me cry. Ooooo Jackson. I loved him. Ally was okay too, but I really loved Jackson.

I adored Jackson! I went all I want to read a romance about a rockstar...minus the alcohol abuse and drug abuse and you know all the neg stuff ;)

Which I bet it is hard to find one without some of that stuff. Rockstars tend to be rough ones to date lol.

That’s sad :/ And omg this movie, ugh I sat there with tears streaming down my face. I noticed the corner of my eye how the stranger next to me was crying. I am pretty sure a lot of those there cried.

I cried too. I could see a couple tears on BF’s face too. I was worried this was going to be an overly happy romance movie. But it does showcase real issues especially in the Music world. There was a lot of love and happiness between the two, but there was also a lot of sadness. Like addiction and jealousy and so forth. I was upset that Ally did become more HipHop over the country of what made her famous. She sold out.

I felt that too. She became sugar pop. I do not know if we were supposed to be all oh he is just jealous. No, I felt he was right. He wanted her to be as he had seen her, and it was glorious. But she wanted stardom and this was the road she was given. So I felt with him and thought she sold out too. I liked her much more as she was first. But hey if it made her happy.

And yes it shows the real stuff and the darkness. That made it so good. It was just that great of a movie. Truly amazing work that moved me,

I think there was a touch of jealousy after he was told they just wanted him to play the guitar and not sing and then she won. I think that caused him to spiral out of country. He was losing it all. His stage, his voice, his hearing, and the wife he knew. Poor guy. He had so many issues. The actor did an amazing job. I think it helped because the actor used to be an alcoholic eons ago so he was able to portray that well.

Who wouldn’t be jelly then. Poor guy. Cooper did a great job with him, I was impressed. He made me feel so much. Ack, how it hurt.

I know. If I let myself think about it too much I get sad. Gaga did awesome too. I haven’t seen any of her previous acting gigs so I pleasantly surprised at how well she did. She was so awkward at the beginning and it was cute.

She was great too, and what a voice :D I am glad they picked her. She was perfect for the role. I loved all that nose stuff ;D

Me too! The nose bits were hilarious. It showed them being a real couple. He teases her but always ends up loving her nose. It was adorable. It hurt my little heart who cute they were.

They were perfect for each other! Yes this movie broke my heart and I demand that everyone go and watch it! I am sure it will be out on DVD any day soon too.

Or Netflix. I do want to rewatch it even though I know I will cry again and again. It was that good. The music, the acting...fantastic.

Yes maybe I will watch it with BF again and see if it can make me cry again. I think not, but we will see!Anything else you want to add?

Girl. You know that ONE scene will make you at least tear up. ;) It was just so sad and I wanted to scream and throw stuff at the screen. BF was so distressed too! Buuut I don’t think I have anything else. I do not want to give away any spoilers...mmm….I loved the drag queens. I wanted that manager dude to get hit by a truck. What a JERK!!!!!!

The manager needs to diiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiie!

And yes I might cry again, I want to see it again! There you go, everyone, listen now, go see it. I promise you that you will love it.

Yessss it worth the watch!!!!!!

The end