Entries RSS Comments RSS

Posts Tagged ‘Wizard’

Book 17 in the 2014 booklist: Skin Game: A Novel of the Dresden Files, Book 15 by Jim Butcher

Thursday, March 30th, 2017

Finished: June 7
Rating: 5
Buy it on Audibile!

This book was long awaited, and it didn’t disappoint. Harry is now the winter knight and he’s got to handle a task that Mab has thrown at him. We meet some old characters in this book as well as some new ones. It’s a good mix I must say. It still left a lot of questions, but hopefully that’ll be answered in the next book. We don’t see much of Molly until the end, but she makes an appearance as the new winter lady. We experience Nicodemus and his daughter again, as well as Anna Valmonte from the Church Mice days in Blood Rites.
All in all, this was in the better end of the Dresden books and leaves the reader waiting for the next book!

Book 16 in the 2014 Booklist: Blood Rites: The Dresden Files, Book 6 by Jim Butcher

Wednesday, March 1st, 2017

Finished: May 30
Rating: 2
Buy it on Audible

This wasn’t the best Jim Butcher book, but it did introduce some interesting characters and some interesting facts. The end was a bit nail biting too which made up for the lack luster book content. I love books that Thomas makes an appearance, he’s so swoon worthy… which is what Jim Butcher was going for me thinks. If you are a fan of porn movies then you might enjoy this book since the majority takes place on a porn movie set. 🙂
Harry ends up wita new friend in this book and Thomas reveals an earth shattering secret. You end up cheering for Inari Raith and hating Tricia Scrump: AKA Trixie Vixen. You’ll never guess who Arturo Genosa’s new wife is going to be and who is really behind the entropy curses.

This is the last reread of the Dresden Files I did before the new book came out.

TaTa,
Amanda Ellen

Book 10 in the 2014 booklist: Grave Peril (The Dresden Files, Book 3) by Jim Butcher

Sunday, November 13th, 2016

Grave Peril (The Dresden Files, Book 3) by Jim Butcher
Finished: April 5

This is book 3 in the Dresden Files series. I like to play a game with the books in the Dresden Files series, and try to guess what the subject matter of the book will be by the title. This one was a bit difficult, and I got it wrong on my first guess.

Something is stirring up the ghosts in town, and now that something is targeting Harry’s friends. Harry has his handful in this book by finding what is stirring up the angry ghosts, to dealing with a vengeful noble of the vampire red court.

On our scale, I give this book a 3. Not my favorite book in the series, but it’s a building block for books to come. I also have to say that you see marginal improvements in James Marster’s narration in this book as well.

That’s all for now.

TaTa,
Amanda Ellen

Book 7 in the 2014 booklist: Full Moon (Dresden Files, Book 2) by Jim Butcher

Wednesday, October 19th, 2016

Book 7 in the 2014 booklist: Full Moon (Dresden Files, Book 3) by Jim Butcher
Finished: March 2
Remember, our ranking system? If not, here’s a reminder:
1 terrible, 3 ambivalent and 5 an all star must read book.

This was another comfort read, and for this book Mr. Marsters was much better in narration; not as good as future books, but he’s getting there.
This book is about, you guessed it, werewolves. Not just 1 kind either, that’s something you’ll learn more about when you read the book.

Shape shifting motorcycle gangs, gun happy FBI agents, a love story for the ages, and this book has a little bit of everything for everyone.

I give it a 3, not my favorite book; but I still enjoy it because it has my favorite cast of characters.
So check it out!

TaTa,
Amanda Ellen

Book 6 in the 2014 booklist: Storm Front, (Dresden Files Book 1), by Jim Butcher

Monday, October 17th, 2016

Storm Front, (Dresden Files Book 1), by Jim Butcher
Finished: February 18

Everyone has a comfort book or book series that they go back to whenever they need some familiarity. I have 2 such series, Harry Dresden and Harry Potter. I love Jim Butcher and the cast of characters he’s created in The Dresden Files series. The narrator helps too, James Marster is an amazing narrator for this series. I was in a little bit of a rut and needed some familiarity and pulled out the beginning of The Dresden Files again for a relisten. I remember hearing this book for the first time and how unsure I was of my ability to deal with the narrator’s obvious inexperience, but boy am I glad I stuck with it! This is perhaps my most favorite series of all time!

This book introduces you to Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden, the only wizard in the yellow pages in Chicago and perhaps the world. Harry Dresden is an all around good guy, chivalrous to the end and a sucker for a damsel in distress.

In need of work to pay the rent, Harry leaps at the chance to help a distraught wife and the Lieutenant of Chicago PD with someone who violates the first law of magic; “Thouh shall not kill.”

The murders are gruesome and magically super charged. The question is not if Harry can solve the crime, but can he prevent himself from becoming the next victim??

If you can deal with Mr. Marsters inexperience and unfamiliarity with reading, this is a great book and the start of an awesome series.

I think starting here, I’ll start giving starred ratings. 1-5.
1 veing terrible, 3 being ambivalent and 5 being an all star must read book.

This book, I give 4 stars. The plot is good (although a bit cheesey), but the narration makes it hard to get in to the book.

I say give it a shot, and join the Dresden fan club.

TaTa,
Amanda Ellen

Book28 in the 2013 booklist: Cold Days: The Dresden Files, Book 14 by Jim Butcher

Thursday, December 12th, 2013

Cold Days: The Dresden Files, Book 14 by Jim Butcher
Finished: October 11

Let’s cue the tears now, and the sense of being lost. I have reached book 14 of the Dresden Files series. There are no more published books in this series yet. Whatever shall I do, this has been my go to series when I want a new book!

Harry Dresden lives!
After being murdered by a mystery assailant, navigating his way through the realm between life and death, and being brought back to the mortal world, Harry realizes that maybe death wasn’t all that bad – because he is no longer Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard. He is now Harry Dresden, Winter Knight to Mab, the Queen of Air and Darkness.
After Harry had no choice but to swear his fealty, Mab wasn’t about to let something as petty as death steal away the prize she had sought for so long. And now, her word is his command, no matter what she wants him to do, no matter where she wants him to go, and no matter who she wants him to kill. Guess which one Mab wants first?
Of course, it won’t be an ordinary, everyday assassination. Mab wants her newest minion to pull off the impossible: kill an immortal. No problem there, right? And to make matters worse, there exists a growing threat to an unfathomable source of magic that could land Harry in the sort of trouble that will make death look like a holiday.
Beset by enemies new and old, Harry must gather his friends and allies, prevent the annihilation of countless innocents, and find a way out of his eternal subservience before his newfound powers claim the only thing he has left to call his own… his soul.

Now, that sounds really mellow dramatic, but it really is a good book. It was full of twists, turns, and a bunch of WTF moments!
I really enjoyed it, and it was left open for a book 15, and I researched and researched, followed Jim Butcher on Twitter… and found that there will be a book 15!
Oh happy day!
No word when it comes out, but I have seen that the editors have it, and publishing should happen soon!
I can’t wait, I have missed Harry Dresden and his gang of friends!
So glad to know the series isn’t over yet!

TaTa,
Amanda Ellen

Book 27 in the 2013 Booklist: Ghost Story: The Dresden Files, Book 13 by Jim Butcher

Thursday, December 12th, 2013

Ghost Story: The Dresden Files, Book 13 by Jim Butcher
Finished: September 22

This is book 13 of the Dresden Files series. When we reached this book I was filled with dread because I realized that currently there were only 14 Dresden books! I did not, and still do not, want this series to end! I love it so much; I might just be able to marry it!

When we last left the mighty wizard detective Harry Dresden, he wasn’t doing well. In fact, he had been murdered by an unknown assassin. But being dead doesn’t stop him when his friends are in danger. Except now he has no body and no magic to help him. And there are also several dark spirits roaming the Chicago shadows who owe Harry some payback of their own. To save his friends – and his own soul – Harry will have to pull off the ultimate trick without any magic….
Due to scheduling conflicts, there’s a new Dresden narrator in town. You may already know John Glover from Smallville, and we think he’s done a great job capturing Jim Butcher’s world. We hope you enjoy his performance.

Yeah, book 12 left in a cliff hanging, WTF kind of moment. I was a bit irked to see the short stories to be in between myself and book 13, but boy did things fall into place better thanks to the short stories.
Book 13 is interesting, as Harry is a ghost… but I liked it. I however was not pleased that this book has a different narrator then what I am accustomed to. I will say, despite my doubts, this narrator was not horrible… he gave it his own sound for sure… but it was tolerable.
So, yeah, next comes book 14… dun, dun, dun
TaTa,
Amanda Ellen

Book 26 in the 2013 Booklist: Side Jobs: Stories from the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher

Thursday, December 12th, 2013

Side Jobs: Stories from the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
Finished: September 4

This is a book of short stories that the author did that involved Dresden. Many of the different short stories were written for different occasions, but this book proves to be very important information when it comes to book 13 and the rest of the series, because circumstances from these shorts tories are mentioned and play a part in later books.

new Harry Dresden short stories!
This is a collection of cases that Harry and his group of allies managed to close in record time. The tales range from the deadly serious to the absurdly hilarious. Also included is a new, never-before-published novella that takes place after the cliff-hanger ending of Changes. This is a must-have collection for every devoted Harry Dresden fan, as well as a perfect introduction for readers ready to meet Chicago’s only professional wizard.
Good collection, and glad it was published!

TaTa,
Amanda Ellen

Book 14 in the 2013 Booklist: Proven Guilty: The Dresden Files, Book 8 by Jim Butcher

Thursday, June 6th, 2013

Proven Guilty: The Dresden Files, Book 8 by Jim Butcher
Finished: April 21

This was the 8th book in the Dresden series, and a very different one in my opinion.
This one had little to do with vampires, which have been center staged pretty much for the last few books. This one introduced some new points that changed the series from here on out. Someone Harry knows is revealed to be a wizard themselves, and more is revealed about a sort of side character. There is more and more involvement of the faerie courts, Lilly and Vix from the book Summer Knight are back. This book takes us in to Winter’s realm of Faerie, and I found it kind of interesting.This book deals with some horror movie villans, and I found it entertaining to try and match the book’s movie villans with the movie villans of reality. A character that was not very important up to this book, now becomes a staple character in the books that follow. I really enjoyed this book, although it probably wasn’t exactly my favorite book this far. I still highly suggest to anyone that they read the Dresden series, it is a lot of fun to read, and I get sucked in to every new book I start!
That’s all for now,
TaTa,
Amanda Ellen

Book 12 in the 2013 Book List: Dead Beat: The Dresden Files, Book 7 by Jim Butcher

Friday, April 12th, 2013

Dead Beat: The Dresden Files, Book 7 by Jim Butcher
Finished: April 8
With the conclusion of this book, I am officially half way through the Dresden Files series. Man, am I ever glad I decided to give this series a try. I really enjoy it, and I love the narrator, James Marsters. According to Audible, he is famous, but I’m not sure from where.
I will say that he embodies Harry Dresden, and I couldn’t imagine anyone else “being” Dresden. He does good voices for different characters, and makes the already funny wording, even more funny. I’ll say it again, if you haven’t tried to give this series a run, you must! It’s funny, magical, suspenseful, and has action too! In fact, Taylor is so wrapped up in the series that he has put aside Bosch in favor of continuing the Dresden series. Bosch now will become part of my “listen by myself” series. Man, now that I think of it, I got a few of those books piling up over in my library. I think that the author tries to touch on as many magical things as possible, throughout the series. I always have fun guessing from the title, what that book will be about. I think my favorite character has to be Bob though, and you have to read the series to find out who Bob is. 🙂
Well, I’m already in the next book of the Dresden Files series, and still finishing up my on my own book suggested by RO…
And of course, I was behind with this book posting, but that’s been partial laziness and partial health issues.
Anyways, go grab Storm Front: The Dresden Files, Book 1 and dive into 1 of my most favorite series I’ve ever read!
TaTa,
Amanda Ellen