Max's bookshelf: all en-US Tue, 02 Jul 2024 09:43:13 -0700 60 Max's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg <![CDATA[A Court of Frost and Starlight (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #3.5)]]> 31076583 229 Sarah J. Maas 168119631X Max 3 3.77 2019 A Court of Frost and Starlight (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #3.5)
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Max
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2018/06/08
date added: 2024/07/02
shelves:
review:

]]> Origin (Robert Langdon, #5) 32307358 This an alternate cover for B01LY7FD0D

Robert Langdon, Harvard professor of symbology and religious iconology, arrives at the ultramodern Guggenheim Museum Bilbao to attend a major announcement--the unveiling of a discovery that "will change the face of science forever." The evening's host is Edmond Kirsch, a forty-year-old billionaire and futurist whose dazzling high-tech inventions and audacious predictions have made him a renowned global figure. Kirsch, who was one of Langdon's first students at Harvard two decades earlier, is about to reveal an astonishing breakthrough . . . one that will answer two of the fundamental questions of human existence.

As the event begins, Langdon and several hundred guests find themselves captivated by an utterly original presentation, which Langdon realizes will be far more controversial than he ever imagined. But the meticulously orchestrated evening suddenly erupts into chaos, and Kirsch's precious discovery teeters on the brink of being lost forever. Reeling and facing an imminent threat, Langdon is forced into a desperate bid to escape Bilbao. With him is Ambra Vidal, the elegant museum director who worked with Kirsch to stage the provocative event. Together they flee to Barcelona on a perilous quest to locate a cryptic password that will unlock Kirsch's secret.

Navigating the dark corridors of hidden history and extreme religion, Langdon and Vidal must evade a tormented enemy whose all-knowing power seems to emanate from Spain's Royal Palace itself . . . and who will stop at nothing to silence Edmond Kirsch. On a trail marked by modern art and enigmatic symbols, Langdon and Vidal uncover clues that ultimately bring them face-to-face with Kirsch's shocking discovery . . . and the breathtaking truth that has long eluded us. Origin is stunningly inventive--Dan Brown's most brilliant and entertaining novel to date]]> 482 Dan Brown Max 4 3.87 2017 Origin (Robert Langdon, #5)
author: Dan Brown
name: Max
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2018/04/27
date added: 2024/04/24
shelves:
review:

]]> Starsight (Skyward, #2) 42769202
Spensa is sure there's more to the story. And she's sure that whatever happened to her father in his starship could happen to her. When she made it outside the protective shell of her planet, she heard the stars--and it was terrifying. Everything Spensa has been taught about her world is a lie.

But Spensa also discovered a few other things about herself--and she'll travel to the end of the galaxy to save humankind if she needs to.]]> 461 Brandon Sanderson 1473217903 Max 5 Rating-4.5 4.33 2019 Starsight (Skyward, #2)
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: Max
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2020/10/16
date added: 2020/10/16
shelves:
review:
Rating-4.5
]]> Skyward (Skyward, #1) 36642458 513 Brandon Sanderson 1473217857 Max 5 Review-4.5 4.45 2018 Skyward (Skyward, #1)
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: Max
average rating: 4.45
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2020/10/04
date added: 2020/10/04
shelves:
review:
Review-4.5
]]> <![CDATA[Darkdawn (The Nevernight Chronicle, #3)]]> 23264672
The Nevernight Chronicle is a complex fantasy series about Mia Corvere, a kick-butt, flawed heroine who trains as an assassin as part of her mission for personal revenge. Her tale takes place in the immersive world of Godsgrave which, although based on ancient Rome and Venice, is imaginative with many original details provided by a beloved snarky narrator.

The Republic of Itreya is in chaos. Mia has assassinated Cardinal Duomo and rumors of Consul Scaeva¡¯s death ripple through the street of Godsgrave like wildfire. But buried beneath those same streets, deep in the ancient city¡¯s bones, lies a secret that will change the Republic forever.

Mia and her brother Jonnen must journey through the depths of the ancient metropolis. Their quest will take them through the Godsgrave underdark, back to the library of the Quiet Mountain and the poisoned blades of Mia¡¯s old mentors, and at last the fabled Crown of the Moon. There, Mia will at last discover the origins of the darkin, and learn the destiny that lies in store for her and her world. But with the three suns now in descent, and Truedark on the horizon, will she survive?]]> 491 Jay Kristoff 146688505X Max 4 Rating-4 4.30 2019 Darkdawn (The Nevernight Chronicle, #3)
author: Jay Kristoff
name: Max
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2020/09/06
date added: 2020/09/06
shelves:
review:
Rating-4
]]> <![CDATA[The Hazel Wood (The Hazel Wood, #1)]]> 34275232
Alice has long steered clear of her grandmother¡¯s cultish fans. But now she has no choice but to ally with classmate Ellery Finch, a Hinterland superfan who may have his own reasons for wanting to help her. To retrieve her mother, Alice must venture first to the Hazel Wood, then into the world where her grandmother's tales began¨Dand where she might find out how her own story went so wrong.]]> 359 Melissa Albert 1250147905 Max 4 Rating-3.5 3.55 2018 The Hazel Wood (The Hazel Wood, #1)
author: Melissa Albert
name: Max
average rating: 3.55
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2020/08/22
date added: 2020/08/22
shelves:
review:
Rating-3.5
]]> Recursion 42046112 Memory makes reality.

That's what NYC cop Barry Sutton is learning, as he investigates the devastating phenomenon the media has dubbed False Memory Syndrome¡ªa mysterious affliction that drives its victims mad with memories of a life they never lived.

That's what neuroscientist Helena Smith believes. It's why she's dedicated her life to creating a technology that will let us preserve our most precious memories. If she succeeds, anyone will be able to re-experience a first kiss, the birth of a child, the final moment with a dying parent.

As Barry searches for the truth, he comes face to face with an opponent more terrifying than any disease¡ªa force that attacks not just our minds, but the very fabric of the past. And as its effects begin to unmake the world as we know it, only he and Helena, working together, will stand a chance at defeating it.

But how can they make a stand when reality itself is shifting and crumbling all around them?

At once a relentless pageturner and an intricate science-fiction puzzlebox about time, identity, and memory, Recursion is a thriller as only Blake Crouch could imagine it¡ªand his most ambitious, mind-boggling, irresistible work to date.]]> 326 Blake Crouch 1524759783 Max 0 to-read 4.15 2019 Recursion
author: Blake Crouch
name: Max
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/08/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo]]> 32620332
Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career.

Summoned to Evelyn¡¯s luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the ¡®80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn¡¯s story nears its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique¡¯s own in tragic and irreversible ways.]]> 389 Taylor Jenkins Reid 1501139231 Max 0 to-read 4.39 2017 The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
name: Max
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/08/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[We Hunt the Flame (Sands of Arawiya, #1)]]> 36492488 People lived because she killed. People died because he lived.

Zafira is the Hunter, disguising herself as a man when she braves the cursed forest of the Arz to feed her people. Nasir is the Prince of Death, assassinating those foolish enough to defy his autocratic father, the sultan. If Zafira was exposed as a girl, all of her achievements would be rejected; if Nasir displayed his compassion, his father would punish him in the most brutal of ways. Both Zafira and Nasir are legends in the kingdom of Arawiya--but neither wants to be.

War is brewing, and the Arz sweeps closer with each passing day, engulfing the land in shadow. When Zafira embarks on a quest to uncover a lost artifact that can restore magic to her suffering world and stop the Arz, Nasir is sent by the sultan on a similar mission: retrieve the artifact and kill the Hunter. But an ancient evil stirs as their journey unfolds--and the prize they seek may pose a threat greater than either can imagine.]]> 472 Hafsah Faizal 0374311544 Max 1 This book is so obvious and has so many flaws that I'm struggling to read every page. Amateurish writing from every angle.]]> 3.87 2019 We Hunt the Flame (Sands of Arawiya, #1)
author: Hafsah Faizal
name: Max
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2019
rating: 1
read at: 2020/08/16
date added: 2020/08/16
shelves:
review:
Rating-1
This book is so obvious and has so many flaws that I'm struggling to read every page. Amateurish writing from every angle.
]]> <![CDATA[Spin the Dawn (The Blood of Stars, #1)]]> 42815556 A gifted tailor in disguise.
Three legendary dresses.
The competition of a lifetime.

On the fringes of the Great Spice Road, Maia Tamarin works as a seamstress in the shop of her father, once a tailor of renown. She dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land, but as a girl, the best she can hope for is to marry well.

When a royal messenger summons her ailing father to court, Maia poses as his son and travels to the Summer Palace in his place. She knows her life is forfeit if her secret is discovered, but she'll take that risk to save her family from ruin and achieve her dream of becoming the imperial tailor. There's just one catch: Maia is one of twelve tailors vying for the job.

The competition is cutthroat, and Maia's job is further complicated by the unwelcome attention of the court enchanter, Edan, who seems to see straight through her disguise. But nothing could have prepared her for the final challenge: to sew three gowns so dangerously beautiful, it will take a quest to the ends of the earth to complete them . . .

Book 1 in the Blood of Stars duology]]> 392 Elizabeth Lim Max 4 Rating-4 3.97 2019 Spin the Dawn (The Blood of Stars, #1)
author: Elizabeth Lim
name: Max
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2020/08/02
date added: 2020/08/02
shelves:
review:
Rating-4
]]> <![CDATA[The Poppy War (The Poppy War, #1)]]> 35068705
When Rin aced the Keju¡ªthe Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies¡ªit was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn¡¯t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin¡¯s guardians, who believed they¡¯d finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free of the servitude and despair that had made up her daily existence. That she got into Sinegard¡ªthe most elite military school in Nikan¡ªwas even more surprising.

But surprises aren¡¯t always good.

Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power¡ªan aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive¡ªand that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school.

For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The militarily advanced Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most of the people are complacent to go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away . . .

Rin¡¯s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. But as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity . . . and that it may already be too late.]]> 545 R.F. Kuang 0062662597 Max 4 Rating-4 4.16 2018 The Poppy War (The Poppy War, #1)
author: R.F. Kuang
name: Max
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2020/07/12
date added: 2020/08/02
shelves:
review:
Rating-4
]]> <![CDATA[The Last Magician (The Last Magician, #1)]]> 30312855 Stop the Magician. Steal the book. Save the future.

In modern-day New York, magic is all but extinct. The remaining few who have an affinity for magic¡ªthe Mageus¡ªlive in the shadows, hiding who they are. Any Mageus who enters Manhattan becomes trapped by the Brink, a dark energy barrier that confines them to the island. Crossing it means losing their power¡ªand often their lives.

Esta is a talented thief, and she¡¯s been raised to steal magical artifacts from the sinister Order that created the Brink. With her innate ability to manipulate time, Esta can pilfer from the past, collecting these artifacts before the Order even realizes she¡¯s there. And all of Esta¡¯s training has been for one final job: traveling back to 1902 to steal an ancient book containing the secrets of the Order¡ªand the Brink¡ªbefore the Magician can destroy it and doom the Mageus to a hopeless future.

But Old New York is a dangerous world ruled by ruthless gangs and secret societies, a world where the very air crackles with magic. Nothing is as it seems, including the Magician himself. And for Esta to save her future, she may have to betray everyone in the past.]]> 500 Lisa Maxwell 1481432079 Max 4 Rating-3.5 4.02 2017 The Last Magician (The Last Magician, #1)
author: Lisa Maxwell
name: Max
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2020/07/29
date added: 2020/08/02
shelves:
review:
Rating-3.5
]]> War Storm (Red Queen, #4) 27188596 Victory comes at a price.

Mare Barrow learned this all too well when Cal¡¯s betrayal nearly destroyed her. Now determined to protect her heart¡ªand secure freedom for Reds and newbloods like her¡ªMare resolves to overthrow the kingdom of Norta once and for all¡­ starting with the crown on Maven¡¯s head.

But no battle is won alone, and before the Reds may rise as one, Mare must side with the boy who broke her heart in order to defeat the boy who almost broke her. Cal¡¯s powerful Silver allies, alongside Mare and the Scarlet Guard, prove a formidable force. But Maven is driven by an obsession so deep, he will stop at nothing to have Mare as his own again, even if it means demolishing everything¡ªand everyone¡ªin his path.

War is coming, and all Mare has fought for hangs in the balance. Will victory be enough to topple the Silver kingdoms? Or will the little lightning girl be forever silenced?

In the epic conclusion to Victoria Aveyard¡¯s stunning series, Mare must embrace her fate and summon all her power¡­ for all will be tested, but not all will survive.]]> 662 Victoria Aveyard 0062422995 Max 3 Rating-3 3.80 2018 War Storm (Red Queen, #4)
author: Victoria Aveyard
name: Max
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2020/05/16
date added: 2020/08/02
shelves:
review:
Rating-3
]]> The Starless Sea 43575115 From the New York Times bestselling author of The Night Circus, a timeless love story set in a secret underground world¡ªa place of pirates, painters, lovers, liars, and ships that sail upon a starless sea.

Zachary Ezra Rawlins is a graduate student in Vermont when he discovers a mysterious book hidden in the stacks. As he turns the pages, entranced by tales of lovelorn prisoners, key collectors, and nameless acolytes, he reads something strange: a story from his own childhood. Bewildered by this inexplicable book and desperate to make sense of how his own life came to be recorded, Zachary uncovers a series of clues¡ªa bee, a key, and a sword¡ªthat lead him to a masquerade party in New York, to a secret club, and through a doorway to an ancient library hidden far below the surface of the earth. What Zachary finds in this curious place is more than just a buried home for books and their guardians¡ªit is a place of lost cities and seas, lovers who pass notes under doors and across time, and of stories whispered by the dead. Zachary learns of those who have sacrificed much to protect this realm, relinquishing their sight and their tongues to preserve this archive, and also of those who are intent on its destruction. Together with Mirabel, a fierce, pink-haired protector of the place, and Dorian, a handsome, barefoot man with shifting alliances, Zachary travels the twisting tunnels, darkened stairwells, crowded ballrooms, and sweetly soaked shores of this magical world, discovering his purpose¡ªin both the mysterious book and in his own life.]]> 498 Erin Morgenstern 038554121X Max 0 to-read 3.82 2019 The Starless Sea
author: Erin Morgenstern
name: Max
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/08/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Ninth House (Alex Stern, #1) 43263680
Still searching for answers to this herself, Alex arrives in New Haven tasked by her mysterious benefactors with monitoring the activities of Yale¡¯s secret societies. These eight windowless ¡°tombs¡± are well-known to be haunts of the future rich and powerful, from high-ranking politicos to Wall Street and Hollywood¡¯s biggest players. But their occult activities are revealed to be more sinister and more extraordinary than any paranoid imagination might conceive.]]> 461 Leigh Bardugo 1250313074 Max 0 to-read 4.00 2019 Ninth House (Alex Stern, #1)
author: Leigh Bardugo
name: Max
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/08/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Daisy Jones & The Six 40597810 Everyone knows DAISY JONES & THE SIX, but nobody knows the reason behind their split at the absolute height of their popularity . . . until now.

Daisy is a girl coming of age in L.A. in the late sixties, sneaking into clubs on the Sunset Strip, sleeping with rock stars, and dreaming of singing at the Whisky a Go Go. The sex and drugs are thrilling, but it¡¯s the rock ¡¯n¡¯ roll she loves most. By the time she¡¯s twenty, her voice is getting noticed, and she has the kind of heedless beauty that makes people do crazy things.

Also getting noticed is The Six, a band led by the brooding Billy Dunne. On the eve of their first tour, his girlfriend Camila finds out she¡¯s pregnant, and with the pressure of impending fatherhood and fame, Billy goes a little wild on the road.

Daisy and Billy cross paths when a producer realizes that the key to supercharged success is to put the two together. What happens next will become the stuff of legend.

The making of that legend is chronicled in this riveting and unforgettable novel, written as an oral history of one of the biggest bands of the seventies. Taylor Jenkins Reid is a talented writer who takes her work to a new level with Daisy Jones & The Six, brilliantly capturing a place and time in an utterly distinctive voice.]]> 368 Taylor Jenkins Reid 1524798622 Max 0 to-read 4.20 2019 Daisy Jones & The Six
author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
name: Max
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/08/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Fifth Season (The Broken Earth, #1)]]> 19161852
Three terrible things happen in a single day. Essun, a woman living an ordinary life in a small town, comes home to find that her husband has brutally murdered their son and kidnapped their daughter. Meanwhile, mighty Sanze -- the world-spanning empire whose innovations have been civilization's bedrock for a thousand years -- collapses as most of its citizens are murdered to serve a madman's vengeance. And worst of all, across the heart of the vast continent known as the Stillness, a great red rift has been torn into the heart of the earth, spewing ash enough to darken the sky for years. Or centuries.

Now Essun must pursue the wreckage of her family through a deadly, dying land. Without sunlight, clean water, or arable land, and with limited stockpiles of supplies, there will be war all across the Stillness: a battle royale of nations not for power or territory, but simply for the basic resources necessary to get through the long dark night. Essun does not care if the world falls apart around her. She'll break it herself, if she must, to save her daughter.]]> 468 N.K. Jemisin Max 0 to-read 4.29 2015 The Fifth Season (The Broken Earth, #1)
author: N.K. Jemisin
name: Max
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/07/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Priory of the Orange Tree (The Roots of Chaos, #1)]]> 29774026 A world divided.
A queendom without an heir.
An ancient enemy awakens.

The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction¡ªbut assassins are getting closer to her door.

Ead Duryan is an outsider at court. Though she has risen to the position of lady-in-waiting, she is loyal to a hidden society of mages. Ead keeps a watchful eye on Sabran, secretly protecting her with forbidden magic.

Across the dark sea, Tan¨¦ has trained all her life to be a dragonrider, but is forced to make a choice that could see her life unravel.

Meanwhile, the divided East and West refuse to parley, and forces of chaos are rising from their sleep.]]> 848 Samantha Shannon Max 4 4.15 2019 The Priory of the Orange Tree (The Roots of Chaos, #1)
author: Samantha Shannon
name: Max
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2020/06/11
date added: 2020/06/11
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Mistborn: The Final Empire (Mistborn, #1)]]> 68428 What if the whole world were a dead, blasted wasteland?

Mistborn
For a thousand years the ash fell and no flowers bloomed. For a thousand years the Skaa slaved in misery and lived in fear. For a thousand years the Lord Ruler, the "Sliver of Infinity," reigned with absolute power and ultimate terror, divinely invincible. Then, when hope was so long lost that not even its memory remained, a terribly scarred, heart-broken half-Skaa rediscovered it in the depths of the Lord Ruler's most hellish prison. Kelsier "snapped" and found in himself the powers of a Mistborn. A brilliant thief and natural leader, he turned his talents to the ultimate caper, with the Lord Ruler himself as the mark.

Kelsier recruited the underworld's elite, the smartest and most trustworthy allomancers, each of whom shares one of his many powers, and all of whom relish a high-stakes challenge. Then Kelsier reveals his ultimate dream, not just the greatest heist in history, but the downfall of the divine despot.

But even with the best criminal crew ever assembled, Kel's plan looks more like the ultimate long shot, until luck brings a ragged girl named Vin into his life. Like him, she's a half-Skaa orphan, but she's lived a much harsher life. Vin has learned to expect betrayal from everyone she meets. She will have to learn trust if Kel is to help her master powers of which she never dreamed.

Brandon Sanderson, fantasy's newest master tale-spinner and author of the acclaimed debut Elantris, dares to turn a genre on its head by asking a simple question: What if the prophesied hero failed to defeat the Dark Lord? The answer will be found in the Mistborn Trilogy, a saga of surprises that begins with the book in your hands. Fantasy will never be the same again.]]> 541 Brandon Sanderson Max 5 5 all the way 4.48 2006 Mistborn: The Final Empire (Mistborn, #1)
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: Max
average rating: 4.48
book published: 2006
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2019/12/28
shelves:
review:
5 all the way
]]> <![CDATA[The Kingdom of Copper (The Daevabad Trilogy, #2)]]> 39988431 Return to Daevabad in the spellbinding sequel to THE CITY OF BRASS.

Nahri¡¯s life changed forever the moment she accidentally summoned Dara, a formidable, mysterious djinn, during one of her schemes. Whisked from her home in Cairo, she was thrust into the dazzling royal court of Daevabad and quickly discovered she would need all her grifter instincts to survive there.

Now, with Daevabad entrenched in the dark aftermath of the battle that saw Dara slain at Prince Ali¡¯s hand, Nahri must forge a new path for herself, without the protection of the guardian who stole her heart or the counsel of the prince she considered a friend. But even as she embraces her heritage and the power it holds, she knows she¡¯s been trapped in a gilded cage, watched by a king who rules from the throne that once belonged to her familyand one misstep will doom her tribe.

Meanwhile, Ali has been exiled for daring to defy his father. Hunted by assassins, adrift on the unforgiving copper sands of his ancestral land, he is forced to rely on the frightening abilities the marid, the unpredictable water spirits, have gifted him. But in doing so, he threatens to unearth a terrible secret his family has long kept buried.

And as a new century approaches and the djinn gather within Daevabad's towering brass walls for celebrations, a threat brews unseen in the desolate north. It¡¯s a force that would bring a storm of fire straight to the city¡¯s gates . . . and one that seeks the aid of a warrior trapped between worlds, torn between a violent duty he can never escape and a peace he fears he will never deserve.]]> 625 S.A. Chakraborty 0008239444 Max 5 4.5 4.37 2019 The Kingdom of Copper (The Daevabad Trilogy, #2)
author: S.A. Chakraborty
name: Max
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2019/12/28
date added: 2019/12/28
shelves:
review:
4.5
]]> The Last Namsara (Iskari, #1) 32667458
These are the legends that Asha, daughter of the king of Firgaard, has grown up learning in hushed whispers, drawn to the forbidden figures of the past. But it isn¡¯t until she becomes the fiercest, most feared dragon slayer in the land that she takes on the role of the next Iskari¡ªa lonely destiny that leaves her feeling more like a weapon than a girl.

Asha conquers each dragon and brings its head to the king, but no kill can free her from the shackles that await at home: her betrothal to the cruel commandant, a man who holds the truth about her nature in his palm. When she¡¯s offered the chance to gain her freedom in exchange for the life of the most powerful dragon in Firgaard, she finds that there may be more truth to the ancient stories than she ever could have expected. With the help of a secret friend¡ªa slave boy from her betrothed¡¯s household¡ªAsha must shed the layers of her Iskari bondage and open her heart to love, light, and a truth that has been kept from her.]]> 421 Kristen Ciccarelli 0062567985 Max 3 4.05 2017 The Last Namsara (Iskari, #1)
author: Kristen Ciccarelli
name: Max
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2019/06/24
date added: 2019/06/24
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Cuckoo's Calling (Cormoran Strike, #1)]]> 16160797 456 Robert Galbraith 0316206849 Max 5 3.88 2013 The Cuckoo's Calling (Cormoran Strike, #1)
author: Robert Galbraith
name: Max
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2013
rating: 5
read at: 2019/06/24
date added: 2019/06/24
shelves:
review:

]]> Turtles All the Way Down 35504431
Aza Holmes never intended to pursue the disappearance of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett, but there¡¯s a hundred-thousand-dollar reward at stake and her Best and Most Fearless Friend, Daisy, is eager to investigate. So together, they navigate the short distance and broad divides that separate them from Pickett¡¯s son Davis.

Aza is trying. She is trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, a good student, and maybe even a good detective, while also living within the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts.]]> 290 John Green 0525555366 Max 4 3.88 2017 Turtles All the Way Down
author: John Green
name: Max
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2019/06/10
date added: 2019/06/13
shelves:
review:

]]> All the Light We Cannot See 18143977
In a mining town in Germany, Werner Pfennig, an orphan, grows up with his younger sister, enchanted by a crude radio they find that brings them news and stories from places they have never seen or imagined. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing these crucial new instruments and is enlisted to use his talent to track down the resistance. Deftly interweaving the lives of Marie-Laure and Werner, Doerr illuminates the ways, against all odds, people try to be good to one another.

From the highly acclaimed, multiple award-winning Anthony Doerr, the stunningly beautiful instant New York Times bestseller about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II.

An alternate cover for this ISBN can be found here]]> 544 Anthony Doerr 1476746583 Max 5 4.31 2014 All the Light We Cannot See
author: Anthony Doerr
name: Max
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2014
rating: 5
read at: 2019/05/14
date added: 2019/05/14
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Godsgrave (The Nevernight Chronicle, #2)]]> 23264671 419 Jay Kristoff 1250073030 Max 4 4.44 2017 Godsgrave (The Nevernight Chronicle, #2)
author: Jay Kristoff
name: Max
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2019/01/01
date added: 2019/04/12
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows, #2)]]> 22299763
Kaz Brekker and his crew of deadly outcasts have just pulled off a heist so daring even they didn't think they'd survive. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they're right back to fighting for their lives.

Double-crossed and badly weakened, the crew is low on resources, allies, and hope. As powerful forces from around the world descend on Ketterdam to root out the secrets of the dangerous drug known as jurda parem, old rivals and new enemies emerge to challenge Kaz's cunning and test the team's fragile loyalties.

A war will be waged on the city's dark and twisting streets - a battle for revenge and redemption that will decide the fate of the Grisha world.]]> 561 Leigh Bardugo Max 5 Way better than its prequel]]> 4.58 2016 Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows, #2)
author: Leigh Bardugo
name: Max
average rating: 4.58
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at: 2019/03/03
date added: 2019/03/03
shelves:
review:
Rating 4.5
Way better than its prequel
]]> Norse Mythology 37903770 This is an alternate cover edition for ISBN 9780393356182

Neil Gaiman, long inspired by ancient mythology in creating the fantastical realms of his fiction, presents a bravura rendition of the Norse gods and their world from their origin though their upheaval in Ragnarok.

In Norse Mythology, Gaiman stays true to the myths in envisioning the major Norse pantheon: Odin, the highest of the high, wise, daring, and cunning; Thor, Odin¡¯s son, incredibly strong yet not the wisest of gods; and Loki¡ªson of a giant¡ªblood brother to Odin and a trickster and unsurpassable manipulator.

Gaiman fashions these primeval stories into a novelistic arc that begins with the genesis of the legendary nine worlds and delves into the exploits of deities, dwarfs, and giants. Through Gaiman¡¯s deft and witty prose, these gods emerge with their fiercely competitive natures, their susceptibility to being duped and to duping others, and their tendency to let passion ignite their actions, making these long-ago myths breathe pungent life again.]]> 301 Neil Gaiman Max 3 4.11 2017 Norse Mythology
author: Neil Gaiman
name: Max
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2019/01/22
date added: 2019/01/22
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[¿Õ¤í¤ÎÏä¤ÈÁã¤Î¥Þ¥ê¥¢ 1 [Utsuro no Hako to Zero no Maria 1]]]> 25934976 331 Eiji Mikage Max 3 4.03 2009 ¿Õ¤í¤ÎÏä¤ÈÁã¤Î¥Þ¥ê¥¢ 1 [Utsuro no Hako to Zero no Maria 1]
author: Eiji Mikage
name: Max
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2009
rating: 3
read at: 2018/12/18
date added: 2018/12/18
shelves:
review:

]]> Little Fires Everywhere 34273236
In Shaker Heights, a placid, progressive suburb of Cleveland, everything is meticulously planned ¨C from the layout of the winding roads, to the colours of the houses, to the successful lives its residents will go on to lead. And no one embodies this spirit more than Elena Richardson, whose guiding principle is playing by the rules.

Enter Mia Warren ¨C an enigmatic artist and single mother ¨C who arrives in this idyllic bubble with her teenage daughter Pearl, and rents a house from the Richardsons. Soon Mia and Pearl become more than just tenants: all four Richardson children are drawn to the mother¨Cdaughter pair. But Mia carries with her a mysterious past, and a disregard for the rules that threatens to upend this carefully ordered community.

When old family friends attempt to adopt a Chinese-American baby, a custody battle erupts that dramatically divides the town ¨C and puts Mia and Elena on opposing sides. Suspicious of Mia and her motives, Elena is determined to uncover the secrets in Mia's past. But her obsession will come at an unexpected and devastating cost . . .]]> 338 Celeste Ng 0735224293 Max 4 4.05 2017 Little Fires Everywhere
author: Celeste Ng
name: Max
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2018/12/16
date added: 2018/12/16
shelves:
review:

]]> Fool's Fate (Tawny Man, #3) 45108 914 Robin Hobb 0553582461 Max 0 to-read 4.45 2003 Fool's Fate (Tawny Man, #3)
author: Robin Hobb
name: Max
average rating: 4.45
book published: 2003
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2018/11/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Princeps' Fury (Codex Alera, #5)]]> 2903736 From the New York Times bestselling author of Captain's Fury and the Dresden Files novels.

Tavi of Calderon, now recognized as Princeps Gaius Octavian and heir to the crown, has achieved a fragile alliance with Alera's oldest foes, the savage Canim. But when Tavi and his legions guide the Canim safely to their lands, his worst fears are realized.

The dreaded Vord - the enemy of Aleran and Cane alike - have spent the last three years laying waste to the Canim homeland. And when the Alerans are cut off from their ships, they find themselves with no choice but to fight shoulder to shoulder if they are to survive.

For a thousand years, Alera and her furies have withstood every enemy, and survived every foe.

The thousand years are over¡­]]> 386 Jim Butcher 0441016383 Max 0 to-read 4.37 2008 Princeps' Fury (Codex Alera, #5)
author: Jim Butcher
name: Max
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2018/11/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Last Argument of Kings (The First Law #3)]]> 944076
Logen Ninefingers might only have one more fight in him, but it's going to be a big one. Battle rages across the North, the King of the Northmen still stands firm, and there's only one man who can stop him. His oldest friend, and his oldest enemy: it's time for the Bloody-Nine to come home.

With too many masters and too little time, Superior Glokta is fighting a different kind of war. A secret struggle in which no-one is safe, and no-one can be trusted. And, as his days with a sword are far behind him, it's fortunate that he's deadly with his remaining weapons: threats, blackmail and torture.

Jezal dan Luthar has decided that winning glory is too painful an undertaking and turned his back on soldiering for a simple life with the woman he loves. But love can be painful too ¨C and glory has a nasty habit of creeping up on a man when he least expects it.

While the King of the Union lies on his deathbead, the peasants revolt and the nobles scramble to steal his crown. No-one believes that the shadow of war is about to fall across the heart of the Union. Only the First of the Magi has a plan to save the world ¨C as he always does ¨C but this time there are risks. There is no risk more terrible, after all, than to break the First Law...]]> 536 Joe Abercrombie 0575077905 Max 0 to-read 4.35 2008 Last Argument of Kings (The First Law #3)
author: Joe Abercrombie
name: Max
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2018/11/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Memories of Ice (Malazan Book of the Fallen, #3)]]> 175983 925 Steven Erikson 0765348802 Max 0 to-read 4.46 2001 Memories of Ice (Malazan Book of the Fallen, #3)
author: Steven Erikson
name: Max
average rating: 4.46
book published: 2001
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2018/11/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Tyrant's Law (The Dagger and the Coin, #3)]]> 15790816 The great war cannot be stopped.

The tyrant Geder Palliako had led his nation to war, but every victory has called forth another conflict. Now the greater war spreads out before him, and he is bent on bringing peace. No matter how many people he has to kill to do it.

Cithrin bel Sarcour, rogue banker of the Medean Bank, has returned to the fold. Her apprenticeship has placed her in the path of war, but the greater dangers are the ones in her past and in her soul.

Widowed and disgraced at the heart of the Empire, Clara Kalliam has become a loyal traitor, defending her nation against itself. And in the shadows of the world, Captain Marcus Wester tracks an ancient secret that will change the war in ways not even he can forsee.

Return to the critically acclaimed epic by master storyteller Daniel Abraham, The Dagger and the Coin.

The Dagger and the Coin
The Dragon's Path
The King's Blood
The Tyrant's Law
The Widow's House
The Spider's War



Writing as James S. A. Corey (with Ty Franck)

The Expanse (soon to be a major SyFy Channel television series)
Leviathan Wakes
Caliban's War
Abaddon's Gate
Cibola Burn
Nemesis Games]]> 497 Daniel Abraham 0316080705 Max 0 to-read 4.06 2013 The Tyrant's Law (The Dagger and the Coin, #3)
author: Daniel Abraham
name: Max
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2018/11/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Hero of Ages (Mistborn, #3)]]> 2767793
Who is the Hero of Ages?

To end the Final Empire and restore freedom, Vin killed the Lord Ruler. But as a result, the Deepness¡ªthe lethal form of the ubiquitous mists¡ªis back, along with increasingly heavy ashfalls and ever more powerful earthquakes. Humanity appears to be doomed.

Having escaped death at the climax of The Well of Ascension only by becoming a Mistborn himself, Emperor Elend Venture hopes to find clues left behind by the Lord Ruler that will allow him to save the world. Vin is consumed with guilt at having been tricked into releasing the mystic force known as Ruin from the Well. Ruin wants to end the world, and its near omniscience and ability to warp reality make stopping it seem impossible. Vin can't even discuss it with Elend lest Ruin learn their plans!]]> 572 Brandon Sanderson 0765316897 Max 0 to-read 4.54 2008 The Hero of Ages (Mistborn, #3)
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: Max
average rating: 4.54
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2018/11/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Shadow's Edge (Night Angel, #2)]]> 3754016
Kylar Stern has rejected the assassin's life. The Godking's successful coup has left Kylar's master, Durzo, and his best friend, Logan, dead. He is starting over: new city, new friends, and new profession.

But when he learns that Logan might actually be alive and in hiding, Kylar is faced with an agonizing choice: will he give up the way of shadows forever and live in peace with his new family, or will he risk everything by taking on the ultimate hit?

Devour this blockbuster tale of assassination and magic by Brent Weeks, which has delighted readers all over the world--with over one million copies in print!]]> 636 Brent Weeks 0316033650 Max 0 to-read 4.25 2008 Shadow's Edge (Night Angel, #2)
author: Brent Weeks
name: Max
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2018/11/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Warded Man (The Demon Cycle, #1)]]> 3428935 416 Peter V. Brett 0345503805 Max 0 to-read 4.25 2008 The Warded Man (The Demon Cycle, #1)
author: Peter V. Brett
name: Max
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2018/11/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Republic of Thieves (Gentleman Bastard, #3)]]> 2890090
Magi political elections are imminent, and the factions are in need of a pawn. If Locke agrees to play the role, sorcery will be used to purge the venom from his body - though the process will be so excruciating he may well wish for death. Locke is opposed, but two factors cause his will to crumble: Jean's imploring - and the Bondsmage's mention of a woman from Locke's past: Sabetha. She is the love of his life, his equal in skill and wit, and now, his greatest rival.

Locke was smitten with Sabetha from his first glimpse of her as a young fellow orphan and thief-in-training. But after a tumultuous courtship, Sabetha broke away. Now they will reunite in yet another clash of wills. For faced with his one and only match in both love and trickery, Locke must choose whether to fight Sabetha - or to woo her. It is a decision on which both their lives may depend.

]]> 650 Scott Lynch 0553804693 Max 0 to-read 4.21 2013 The Republic of Thieves (Gentleman Bastard, #3)
author: Scott Lynch
name: Max
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2018/11/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Rise of Empire (The Riyria Revelations, #3-4)]]> 10790277 A PUPPET IS CROWNED. THE TRUE HEIR REMAINS HIDDEN. A ROGUE'S SECRET COULD CHANGE EVERYTHING.

War has come to Melengar and once more Royce and Hadrian are hired to make a desperate gamble and form an alliance with the Nationalists whom are fighting the Imperialists in the south. As the power of the Nyphron Empire grows, so does Royce's suspicion that the wizard Esrahaddon is using the thieves as pawns in his own grab for power. To find the truth, he must unravel the secret of Hadrian's past--what he discovers may end their friendship and break Riyria in two.]]> 786 Michael J. Sullivan 0316187704 Max 0 to-read 4.37 2010 Rise of Empire (The Riyria Revelations, #3-4)
author: Michael J. Sullivan
name: Max
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2010
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2018/11/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Wise Man's Fear (The Kingkiller Chronicle, #2)]]> 1215032 There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in storm, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man.¡±

My name is Kvothe.
I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep.
You may have heard of me.

So begins the tale of a hero told from his own point of view ¡ª a story unequaled in fantasy literature. Now in The Wise Man's Fear, an escalating rivalry with a powerful member of the nobility forces Kvothe to leave the University and seek his fortune abroad. Adrift, penniless, and alone, he travels to Vintas, where he quickly becomes entangled in the politics of courtly society. While attempting to curry favor with a powerful noble, Kvothe uncovers an assassination attempt, comes into conflict with a rival arcanist, and leads a group of mercenaries into the wild, in an attempt to solve the mystery of who (or what) is waylaying travelers on the King's Road.

All the while, Kvothe searches for answers, attempting to uncover the truth about the mysterious Amyr, the Chandrian, and the death of his parents. Along the way, Kvothe is put on trial by the legendary Adem mercenaries, is forced to reclaim the honor of the Edema Ruh, and travels into the Fae realm. There he meets Felurian, the faerie woman no man can resist, and who no man has ever survived ... until Kvothe.

In The Wise Man's Fear, Kvothe takes his first steps on the path of the hero and learns how difficult life can be when a man becomes a legend in his own time.

]]> 994 Patrick Rothfuss 0756404738 Max 5 favorites Rating=4.5* 4.55 2011 The Wise Man's Fear (The Kingkiller Chronicle, #2)
author: Patrick Rothfuss
name: Max
average rating: 4.55
book published: 2011
rating: 5
read at: 2018/11/11
date added: 2018/11/11
shelves: favorites
review:
Rating=4.5*
]]> <![CDATA[Nevernight (The Nevernight Chronicle, #1)]]> 26114463
Daughter of an executed traitor, Mia Corvere is barely able to escape her father¡¯s failed rebellion with her life. Alone and friendless, she hides in a city built from the bones of a dead god, hunted by the Senate and her father¡¯s former comrades. But her gift for speaking with the shadows leads her to the door of a retired killer, and a future she never imagined.

Now, Mia is apprenticed to the deadliest flock of assassins in the entire Republic¡ªthe Red Church. If she bests her fellow students in contests of steel, poison and the subtle arts, she¡¯ll be inducted among the Blades of the Lady of Blessed Murder, and one step closer to the vengeance she desires. But a killer is loose within the Church¡¯s halls, the bloody secrets of Mia¡¯s past return to haunt her, and a plot to bring down the entire congregation is unfolding in the shadows she so loves.

Will she even survive to initiation, let alone have her revenge?]]> 427 Jay Kristoff 1250073022 Max 4 4.19 2016 Nevernight (The Nevernight Chronicle, #1)
author: Jay Kristoff
name: Max
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2018/10/10
date added: 2018/10/24
shelves:
review:

]]> King's Cage (Red Queen, #3) 30226723
Mare Barrow is a prisoner, powerless without her lightning, tormented by her lethal mistakes. She lives at the mercy of a boy she once loved, a boy made of lies and betrayal. Now a king, Maven Calore continues weaving his dead mother's web in an attempt to maintain control over his country¡ªand his prisoner.

As Mare bears the weight of Silent Stone in the palace, her once-ragtag band of newbloods and Reds continue organizing, training, and expanding. They prepare for war, no longer able to linger in the shadows. And Cal, the exiled prince with his own claim on Mare's heart, will stop at nothing to bring her back.

When blood turns on blood, and ability on ability, there may be no one left to put out the fire¡ªleaving Norta as Mare knows it to burn all the way down.]]> 520 Victoria Aveyard 0062310712 Max 3
I'm giving it 3 stars because whatever, an author put much effort into writing books even if it is come out garbage. But what unsettled me is the thought that there are so many YA authors these days but do less research and put less effort in their book and that people are accepting mediocrity. Everyone has their own taste so I can't say anything about that even though I can't fathom the fact why this book is loved by so many. Anyways, lemme pick up the final book and see where it goes.
]]> 3.91 2017 King's Cage (Red Queen, #3)
author: Victoria Aveyard
name: Max
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2018/09/20
date added: 2018/09/20
shelves:
review:
Why is this book so long? It can be wrapped up in 200-300 pages and make it a whole lot better. Why not, where she uses 200 pages to describe how to survive in prison and 70-80 pages how to fight in the war. Am I watching escape plan or Avengers infinity war? Even in a film one hour of repeating event without a major event is boring, but in this book the struggle is real. This book is so slow paced like all other red queen books with less twist and turns it leaves my reading experience with bad taste. Except for the major events others can be skimmable which makes it dull and uninteresting at many points. Characters are unenjoyable because no major development is going on and she introduces characters like disposable material which you can't keep track of and top of that her superfluous writing. Didn't like her writing at all. It is so redundant that makes me sick. I was carving for some action which you'll hardly find in this book but when I get it was more like a clich¨¦d quarrel and exaggerated events. Which is mostly due to her writing and half-baked manipulation.

I'm giving it 3 stars because whatever, an author put much effort into writing books even if it is come out garbage. But what unsettled me is the thought that there are so many YA authors these days but do less research and put less effort in their book and that people are accepting mediocrity. Everyone has their own taste so I can't say anything about that even though I can't fathom the fact why this book is loved by so many. Anyways, lemme pick up the final book and see where it goes.

]]> Renegades (Renegades, #1) 28421168 Secret Identities. Extraordinary Powers. She wants vengeance. He wants justice.

The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies ¡ª humans with extraordinary abilities ¡ª who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned. As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone... except the villains they once overthrew.

Nova has a reason to hate the Renegades, and she is on a mission for vengeance. As she gets closer to her target, she meets Adrian, a Renegade boy who believes in justice ¡ª and in Nova. But Nova's allegiance is to a villain who has the power to end them both.]]> 552 Marissa Meyer 1250044669 Max 2 X-Men and a popular manga called My Hero Academia(Note: Though My Hero Academia is a manga from Japan, but it is widely popular in West too) or maybe both. (Full Review Coming)]]> 4.12 2017 Renegades (Renegades, #1)
author: Marissa Meyer
name: Max
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2017
rating: 2
read at: 2018/07/03
date added: 2018/09/12
shelves:
review:
In this world of overwhelming knowledge, there is hardly any room for creativity and new ideas. Most of the time when we stumble upon some media, they are either seem like a different element because it is different due to the creator's careful manipulation or remaking of the same thing with different toppings to make it looks different. Though we can't find a new approach to storytelling because as I said earlier it is rather impossible to come up with a new idea but rearranging bits and pieces to make a good story is not a bad thing even though it is not original. But what Marissa Meyer did in "Renegades" is not some epic representation of old good guys vs bad guys, bad guy falling in love with a good guy, bad guys getting revenge on good guys kind of story but more like a retelling of X-Men and a popular manga called My Hero Academia(Note: Though My Hero Academia is a manga from Japan, but it is widely popular in West too) or maybe both. (Full Review Coming)
]]> Red Queen (Red Queen, #1) 22328546 This is a world divided by blood¡ªred or silver.

The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change.

That is until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power.

Fearful of Mare's potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime.

But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance¡ªReds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart.]]> 388 Victoria Aveyard 0062310631 Max 3
Since not so long ago when I picked up my first YA fantasy book, I'm already swallowing the fact that YA fantasy has to be "fast-paced, not much description needed, something starts at some point in young-adult age and follows through, throw as much YA troupe as needed". This is also happened to be the case for our protagonist Mare Barrow, who lives in a world where society is divided upon which colour they bleed. Silver means "command, power, nobility" and red means "poor, weak, who lives in slums". Reds are destined to go to war regardless of their gender when they become adults and this red army is commanded by Silvers. They are at a war with the neighbours for thousands of years and this will not be ending anytime soon. Mare, being a red-blooded breed, her only option is thiefting because she is not excelled in any. Somewhere along the line while saving her best friend from going to war, she stumbled upon a young man who she was trying to steal from. Luckily that young man named Cal is happened to be the future king of their land(which I forgot sorry). So, instead of executing her he offered her a job in the palace. But, one thing leads to another. Something goes downhill inside the palace and she found her power. To hide the fact that red with power is an anomaly, Queen Elara betrothed her to second prince Maven and that's how story progress.

As much as I like the beginning of the story I hate it for it being slow paced. Though I'm not a big fan of the fast-paced book because not many of it comes up good but being slow paced with repeating events is a disgrace. Here, Mare is repeating the same drill, again and again, every day in her life and also in the book. So, nothing happened half-way through besides Mare-Cal danced with each other in the moonlight,smh. I was struggling to go through pages because nothing piqued my interest because nothing interesting is happening at this point. But that's not all.

When I'm reminded of fantasy I dream something mythical, mystical not only superpowers. Not everything can happen as I wanted, so I'm fine with that. But here, the author doesn't provide much information about their world only some vague information here and there which is not adequate. Yes, there is a map though but when she talked about slums, the lower part of the society, radiation, graveyard should I think of dystopia or something else, I'm confused.

Another thing I noticed was her superfluous writing. Like she writes "... With my new pale skin and darkened eyes and lips, I look cold, cruel, a living razor. I look Silver. I look beautiful. And I hate it." See there the way she uses several sentences to describe something. I like her fluid writing and her use of words. I'm a big fan of poetic writing. But as much as I like it I hate it when an author tries to do the same thing, again and again, each and every paragraph. Sometimes more than once in a paragraph, it makes the writing redundant and looks intended in readers eyes and I felt the same. Because it should not be intended.

Also, the Scarlet Guard thing going on, it's more like a gimmick to me than an actual threat. Well, the first book doesn't provide any insight about how vast or well-rooted this organisation is, so when they tried to threaten Silvers with their limited number it looks like a child play to me and it shows how half-bakingly she introduced Scarlet Guard in her first book.

Thus I can conclude from the first book is that it is more of a drama and less action. Actually, this book is more about the crown then the kingdom. There is not much of a world-building going on, but character building is wonderful. The subtle romance going on between Mare and Cal, the way they fancy each other at some point is delightful. The way Maven cared about Mare and how he tried to vouch for her in every dire situation and how he eventually betrayed her with a smirk on his face, was done quite well. Truthfully, the way Maven betrayed them I didn't see it coming. Though why he still looks her with the corner of his eye with such pain and agony is still yet to be discovered. If you ask me, it is not an obnoxious read by any means. Hopefully, I can see the bitterness between them when they collide with each with every intention of killing in her next book.]]> 3.98 2015 Red Queen (Red Queen, #1)
author: Victoria Aveyard
name: Max
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2015
rating: 3
read at: 2018/09/06
date added: 2018/09/12
shelves:
review:
Red Queen, very first book of Red Queen series by Victoria Aveyard, which was an eye-candy to many YA lovers in 2015 and also received the best book title for YA category in Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ, was actually a delight to me excluding some facts which I came across while reading this book that I thought I should let out of my chest while the irons are hot since I've just finished this book.

Since not so long ago when I picked up my first YA fantasy book, I'm already swallowing the fact that YA fantasy has to be "fast-paced, not much description needed, something starts at some point in young-adult age and follows through, throw as much YA troupe as needed". This is also happened to be the case for our protagonist Mare Barrow, who lives in a world where society is divided upon which colour they bleed. Silver means "command, power, nobility" and red means "poor, weak, who lives in slums". Reds are destined to go to war regardless of their gender when they become adults and this red army is commanded by Silvers. They are at a war with the neighbours for thousands of years and this will not be ending anytime soon. Mare, being a red-blooded breed, her only option is thiefting because she is not excelled in any. Somewhere along the line while saving her best friend from going to war, she stumbled upon a young man who she was trying to steal from. Luckily that young man named Cal is happened to be the future king of their land(which I forgot sorry). So, instead of executing her he offered her a job in the palace. But, one thing leads to another. Something goes downhill inside the palace and she found her power. To hide the fact that red with power is an anomaly, Queen Elara betrothed her to second prince Maven and that's how story progress.

As much as I like the beginning of the story I hate it for it being slow paced. Though I'm not a big fan of the fast-paced book because not many of it comes up good but being slow paced with repeating events is a disgrace. Here, Mare is repeating the same drill, again and again, every day in her life and also in the book. So, nothing happened half-way through besides Mare-Cal danced with each other in the moonlight,smh. I was struggling to go through pages because nothing piqued my interest because nothing interesting is happening at this point. But that's not all.

When I'm reminded of fantasy I dream something mythical, mystical not only superpowers. Not everything can happen as I wanted, so I'm fine with that. But here, the author doesn't provide much information about their world only some vague information here and there which is not adequate. Yes, there is a map though but when she talked about slums, the lower part of the society, radiation, graveyard should I think of dystopia or something else, I'm confused.

Another thing I noticed was her superfluous writing. Like she writes "... With my new pale skin and darkened eyes and lips, I look cold, cruel, a living razor. I look Silver. I look beautiful. And I hate it." See there the way she uses several sentences to describe something. I like her fluid writing and her use of words. I'm a big fan of poetic writing. But as much as I like it I hate it when an author tries to do the same thing, again and again, each and every paragraph. Sometimes more than once in a paragraph, it makes the writing redundant and looks intended in readers eyes and I felt the same. Because it should not be intended.

Also, the Scarlet Guard thing going on, it's more like a gimmick to me than an actual threat. Well, the first book doesn't provide any insight about how vast or well-rooted this organisation is, so when they tried to threaten Silvers with their limited number it looks like a child play to me and it shows how half-bakingly she introduced Scarlet Guard in her first book.

Thus I can conclude from the first book is that it is more of a drama and less action. Actually, this book is more about the crown then the kingdom. There is not much of a world-building going on, but character building is wonderful. The subtle romance going on between Mare and Cal, the way they fancy each other at some point is delightful. The way Maven cared about Mare and how he tried to vouch for her in every dire situation and how he eventually betrayed her with a smirk on his face, was done quite well. Truthfully, the way Maven betrayed them I didn't see it coming. Though why he still looks her with the corner of his eye with such pain and agony is still yet to be discovered. If you ask me, it is not an obnoxious read by any means. Hopefully, I can see the bitterness between them when they collide with each with every intention of killing in her next book.
]]> <![CDATA[Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Or?sha, #1)]]> 34728667 They killed my mother.
They took our magic.
They tried to bury us.

Now we rise.

Z¨¦lie Adebola remembers when the soil of Or?sha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Z¨¦lie¡¯s Reaper mother summoned forth souls.

But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Z¨¦lie without a mother and her people without hope.

Now Z¨¦lie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Z¨¦lie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.

Danger lurks in Or?sha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Z¨¦lie herself as she struggles to control her powers and her growing feelings for an enemy.]]> 544 Tomi Adeyemi 1250170974 Max 2
Bought for the hype... yeah it's good but not the best. As you can read from the synopsis, story circles around some part of Africa where people can control elements such as fire, wind, mind et cetera. But their tribe was massacred by the King who was brutal himself and thought magis(those who has control over different elements) will bring downfall to the kingdom. The story begins after the massacre where all the magis who ever lived were wiped out and their children whom were dormant with magic power but couldn't bring forth and those without magic were forced to live in a taxed, racially threatened society where they have to live in fear from the king. This is a story about how a young girl named Zelia was trying to bring a revolution with his brother and an exiled princess by reviving magic and to bring down the emperor.

I'll not go around spreading more spoilers, but I can say for sure that story is pretty average. "Average" is not the correct word to say, what I'd like to say that the story was rushed with the writer trying to incorporate many different elements to suit the reader's taste. I've no problem with the story being rushed if its something new, something authentic. But it is not. These days when people are consuming media back and forth, feeling something original is very difficult. We are also not expecting originality, but what we are pleased with is when a story is provided with the good surrounding, careful building up of characters and story and telling it like you can feel it. But this is not happening in this novel. The story was far from being original. Like someone has a very messed up upbringing, he/she will bring justice to the people and overthrow the current system is not something we haven't seen already. This is not the only flaw of this novel. "Feelings" forced into characters is something very hard for me to comprehend. The way story was described you can safely assume it didn't take a month to come to conclusion from the time story actually starts rolling. But in this short span of time our main character Zelia fall in love with the enemy main character, Inan, who was the brother of exiled princes Amari, and also betrayed by him was quite a ride for me. You see it's not that no one ever fell in love and been betrayed within the same month, lol, but the way they fell in love. An enemy who has every motive of killing her, burning her kind, just fell in love by seeing some pictures of her in his memory, because of course how beautiful she looks and that is within one month period. No, they also meet up with each other, wanted to f**k each other and also betrayed by the later(oops spoilers). All within one month, so you can calculate the rest. But when I think deeply it's not only romance which I find full of mediocrity but most of the epic/peak/adrenaline rush scenes didn't able to provide me any thrill at all. It's like I can easily predict what is going to happen. But it's not because I'm able to predict what happens next makes me lost interest or thrill, but because of how that scene was built from zero to peak. An artist's biggest goal is to capture all the senses of their audience because if it's not then they've room for improvement. Because without all senses concentrating at one place, one can't connect to that element. When you can't connect to the story you can't feel the emotion, thrill of it. That's what happened to me with this novel. Due to her superficial explaining, I can't grasp the situation to feel joy or sorrow of it. Some great authors are better at explaining things that makes you easily dive into it, some have their way with words to diminish this anomaly. But Tomi Adeyemi lacks in both. One, her superficial explaining, other, her writing style was nothing out of ordinary.

I'm not going to pry much into characters because characters are merely puppets of the story. But still, I'm quite pleased with their internal build up(one they build personally to overcome a difficult situation). Zelia's path of revenge, Tenzin's brotherhood, Amari's path of revolution and Inan's obsession with Zelia and his conflict of interest was depicted quite well. Compared to Zelia and Inan's rushed, crappy romance, I find Amari and Tenzin's subtle romance is very soothing for the story and it was leading in a good direction. Other characters are just icing on the cake, holding not much impact on the story. But what I didn't like was their external build up like the way they interact with other characters, with the surroundings or surroundings with the characters, their timing of interaction et cetera.

That being said, If she would have explained the story with little in depth, would try to build characters externally more soundly, subtly I wouldn't mind if it was thousand page long. Because the story has potential and with the African setting, it gives us a very fresh vibe. What I would like if the author gives us more insight into African diversity, their culture and how deeply racism has affected them. Ya, I know, she had incorporated it all or tried to. But she has to try harder. This is a book you'll find very thrilling if you read in one fell swoop. So try to read it in one or two sitting. Maybe with her next book she gives us I needed in a book.]]> 4.10 2018 Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Or?sha, #1)
author: Tomi Adeyemi
name: Max
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2018
rating: 2
read at: 2018/07/19
date added: 2018/09/11
shelves:
review:


Bought for the hype... yeah it's good but not the best. As you can read from the synopsis, story circles around some part of Africa where people can control elements such as fire, wind, mind et cetera. But their tribe was massacred by the King who was brutal himself and thought magis(those who has control over different elements) will bring downfall to the kingdom. The story begins after the massacre where all the magis who ever lived were wiped out and their children whom were dormant with magic power but couldn't bring forth and those without magic were forced to live in a taxed, racially threatened society where they have to live in fear from the king. This is a story about how a young girl named Zelia was trying to bring a revolution with his brother and an exiled princess by reviving magic and to bring down the emperor.

I'll not go around spreading more spoilers, but I can say for sure that story is pretty average. "Average" is not the correct word to say, what I'd like to say that the story was rushed with the writer trying to incorporate many different elements to suit the reader's taste. I've no problem with the story being rushed if its something new, something authentic. But it is not. These days when people are consuming media back and forth, feeling something original is very difficult. We are also not expecting originality, but what we are pleased with is when a story is provided with the good surrounding, careful building up of characters and story and telling it like you can feel it. But this is not happening in this novel. The story was far from being original. Like someone has a very messed up upbringing, he/she will bring justice to the people and overthrow the current system is not something we haven't seen already. This is not the only flaw of this novel. "Feelings" forced into characters is something very hard for me to comprehend. The way story was described you can safely assume it didn't take a month to come to conclusion from the time story actually starts rolling. But in this short span of time our main character Zelia fall in love with the enemy main character, Inan, who was the brother of exiled princes Amari, and also betrayed by him was quite a ride for me. You see it's not that no one ever fell in love and been betrayed within the same month, lol, but the way they fell in love. An enemy who has every motive of killing her, burning her kind, just fell in love by seeing some pictures of her in his memory, because of course how beautiful she looks and that is within one month period. No, they also meet up with each other, wanted to f**k each other and also betrayed by the later(oops spoilers). All within one month, so you can calculate the rest. But when I think deeply it's not only romance which I find full of mediocrity but most of the epic/peak/adrenaline rush scenes didn't able to provide me any thrill at all. It's like I can easily predict what is going to happen. But it's not because I'm able to predict what happens next makes me lost interest or thrill, but because of how that scene was built from zero to peak. An artist's biggest goal is to capture all the senses of their audience because if it's not then they've room for improvement. Because without all senses concentrating at one place, one can't connect to that element. When you can't connect to the story you can't feel the emotion, thrill of it. That's what happened to me with this novel. Due to her superficial explaining, I can't grasp the situation to feel joy or sorrow of it. Some great authors are better at explaining things that makes you easily dive into it, some have their way with words to diminish this anomaly. But Tomi Adeyemi lacks in both. One, her superficial explaining, other, her writing style was nothing out of ordinary.

I'm not going to pry much into characters because characters are merely puppets of the story. But still, I'm quite pleased with their internal build up(one they build personally to overcome a difficult situation). Zelia's path of revenge, Tenzin's brotherhood, Amari's path of revolution and Inan's obsession with Zelia and his conflict of interest was depicted quite well. Compared to Zelia and Inan's rushed, crappy romance, I find Amari and Tenzin's subtle romance is very soothing for the story and it was leading in a good direction. Other characters are just icing on the cake, holding not much impact on the story. But what I didn't like was their external build up like the way they interact with other characters, with the surroundings or surroundings with the characters, their timing of interaction et cetera.

That being said, If she would have explained the story with little in depth, would try to build characters externally more soundly, subtly I wouldn't mind if it was thousand page long. Because the story has potential and with the African setting, it gives us a very fresh vibe. What I would like if the author gives us more insight into African diversity, their culture and how deeply racism has affected them. Ya, I know, she had incorporated it all or tried to. But she has to try harder. This is a book you'll find very thrilling if you read in one fell swoop. So try to read it in one or two sitting. Maybe with her next book she gives us I needed in a book.
]]> Glass Sword (Red Queen, #2) 23174274 If there¡¯s one thing Mare Barrow knows, it¡¯s that she¡¯s different.

Mare Barrow¡¯s blood is red¡ªthe color of common folk¡ªbut her Silver ability, the power to control lightning, has turned her into a weapon that the royal court tries to control.

The crown calls her an impossibility, a fake, but as she makes her escape from Maven, the prince¡ªthe friend¡ªwho betrayed her, Mare uncovers something startling: she is not the only one of her kind.

Pursued by Maven, now a vindictive king, Mare sets out to find and recruit other Red-and-Silver fighters to join in the struggle against her oppressors.

But Mare finds herself on a deadly path, at risk of becoming exactly the kind of monster she is trying to defeat.

Will she shatter under the weight of the lives that are the cost of rebellion? Or have treachery and betrayal hardened her forever?

The electrifying next installment in the Red Queen series escalates the struggle between the growing rebel army and the blood-segregated world they¡¯ve always known¡ªand pits Mare against the darkness that has grown in her soul.]]> 444 Victoria Aveyard 0062310666 Max 3 3.79 2016 Glass Sword (Red Queen, #2)
author: Victoria Aveyard
name: Max
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2016
rating: 3
read at: 2018/09/11
date added: 2018/09/11
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #3)]]> 23766634
She has left the Night Court - and her High Lord - and is playing a deadly game of deceit. In the Spring Court, Tamlin is making deals with the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees, and Feyre is determined to uncover his plans. But to do so she must weave a web of lies, and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well.

As mighty armies grapple for power, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the dazzling and lethal High Lords - and hunt for allies in unexpected places.

BUT WHILE WAR RAGES, IT IS HER HEART THAT WILL FACE THE GREATEST BATTLE.

THE THRILLING THIRD BOOK IN #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING FANTASY SERIES FROM SARAH J. MAAS.]]> 705 Sarah J. Maas 1408857901 Max 3 4.41 2017 A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #3)
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Max
average rating: 4.41
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2018/02/28
date added: 2018/09/03
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Six of Crows (Six of Crows, #1)]]> 23437156 Alternate cover of ISBN 9781627792127

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price¡ªand no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can¡¯t pull it off alone...

A convict with a thirst for revenge

A sharpshooter who can¡¯t walk away from a wager

A runaway with a privileged past

A spy known as the Wraith

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes

Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz¡¯s crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction¡ªif they don¡¯t kill each other first.]]> 480 Leigh Bardugo 1627792120 Max 3 4.47 2015 Six of Crows (Six of Crows, #1)
author: Leigh Bardugo
name: Max
average rating: 4.47
book published: 2015
rating: 3
read at: 2018/08/20
date added: 2018/08/30
shelves:
review:
This book is obvious and looks like Ocean Eleven's rip-off to me.why? Because like how they were planning on infiltrating the jail with several members and came out like a walk in the park, almost like Ocean Eleven. I like it being fast-paced rather than dragging along everything from the start and how she conveys character description relating to the event. But I don't like her over exaggerating of character's reputation and how she built up a ridiculous reputation on a whim. Like we are open to any shorts of ridiculousness which is funny to me at some point. Their master plan of capturing the scientist was not much of a master plan to me. Well, it was prone to fail, so maybe the author didn't heed much to it. So I was not much surprised by it when it failed. Other than that I find everything acceptable and some scenes and settings are very good at some point. Nonetheless, I like the character development and the characters themselves
]]> The Song of Achilles 11250317
Profoundly moving and breathtakingly original, this rendering of the epic Trojan War is a dazzling feat of the imagination, a devastating love story, and an almighty battle between gods and kings, peace and glory, immortal fame and the human heart.]]> 352 Madeline Miller 1408816032 Max 5 favorites Masterpiece 4.38 2011 The Song of Achilles
author: Madeline Miller
name: Max
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2011
rating: 5
read at: 2018/08/26
date added: 2018/08/26
shelves: favorites
review:
Masterpiece
]]> Circe 35959740
Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts, and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology, including the Minotaur, Daedalus and his doomed son Icarus, the murderous Medea, and, of course, wily Odysseus.

But there is danger, too, for a woman who stands alone, and Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians. To protect what she loves most, Circe must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods she is born from or with the mortals she has come to love.]]> 393 Madeline Miller 0316556343 Max 5 favorites 4.22 2018 Circe
author: Madeline Miller
name: Max
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2018/07/11
date added: 2018/08/26
shelves: favorites
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archive, #1)]]> 7235533 From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings, book one of The Stormlight Archive begins an incredible new saga of epic proportion.

Roshar is a world of stone and storms. Uncanny tempests of incredible power sweep across the rocky terrain so frequently that they have shaped ecology and civilization alike. Animals hide in shells, trees pull in branches, and grass retracts into the soilless ground. Cities are built only where the topography offers shelter.

It has been centuries since the fall of the ten consecrated orders known as the Knights Radiant, but their Shardblades and Shardplate remain: mystical swords and suits of armor that transform ordinary men into near-invincible warriors. Men trade kingdoms for Shardblades. Wars were fought for them, and won by them.

One such war rages on a ruined landscape called the Shattered Plains. There, Kaladin, who traded his medical apprenticeship for a spear to protect his little brother, has been reduced to slavery. In a war that makes no sense, where ten armies fight separately against a single foe, he struggles to save his men and to fathom the leaders who consider them expendable.

Brightlord Dalinar Kholin commands one of those other armies. Like his brother, the late king, he is fascinated by an ancient text called The Way of Kings. Troubled by over-powering visions of ancient times and the Knights Radiant, he has begun to doubt his own sanity.

Across the ocean, an untried young woman named Shallan seeks to train under an eminent scholar and notorious heretic, Dalinar's niece, Jasnah. Though she genuinely loves learning, Shallan's motives are less than pure. As she plans a daring theft, her research for Jasnah hints at secrets of the Knights Radiant and the true cause of the war.

The result of over ten years of planning, writing, and world-building, The Way of Kings is but the opening movement of the Stormlight Archive, a bold masterpiece in the making.

Speak again the ancient oaths:

Life before death.
Strength before weakness.
Journey before Destination.

and return to men the Shards they once bore.

The Knights Radiant must stand again.]]> 1007 Brandon Sanderson 0765326353 Max 0 to-read 4.66 2010 The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archive, #1)
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: Max
average rating: 4.66
book published: 2010
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2018/08/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Uprooted 22544764 ¡°Our Dragon doesn¡¯t eat the girls he takes, no matter what stories they tell outside our valley. We hear them sometimes, from travelers passing through. They talk as though we were doing human sacrifice, and he were a real dragon. Of course that¡¯s not true: he may be a wizard and immortal, but he¡¯s still a man, and our fathers would band together and kill him if he wanted to eat one of us every ten years. He protects us against the Wood, and we¡¯re grateful, but not that grateful.¡±

Agnieszka loves her valley home, her quiet village, the forests and the bright shining river. But the corrupted Wood stands on the border, full of malevolent power, and its shadow lies over her life.

Her people rely on the cold, driven wizard known only as the Dragon to keep its powers at bay. But he demands a terrible price for his help: one young woman handed over to serve him for ten years, a fate almost as terrible as falling to the Wood.

The next choosing is fast approaching, and Agnieszka is afraid. She knows¡ªeveryone knows¡ªthat the Dragon will take Kasia: beautiful, graceful, brave Kasia, all the things Agnieszka isn¡¯t, and her dearest friend in the world. And there is no way to save her.

But Agnieszka fears the wrong things. For when the Dragon comes, it is not Kasia he will choose.]]> 438 Naomi Novik 0804179034 Max 0 to-read 4.02 2015 Uprooted
author: Naomi Novik
name: Max
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2018/08/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Dead Witch Walking (The Hollows, #1)]]> 30264 Alternative cover edition of ISBN 9780060572969. Another edition can be found here

All the creatures of the night gather in "the Hollows" of Cincinnati, to hide, to prowl, to party... and to feed.

Vampires rule the darkness in a predator-eat-predator world rife with dangers beyond imagining - and it's Rachel Morgan's job to keep that world civilized.

A bounty hunter and witch with serious sex appeal and an attitude, she'll bring 'em back alive, dead... or undead.]]> 416 Kim Harrison Max 0 to-read 4.05 2004 Dead Witch Walking (The Hollows, #1)
author: Kim Harrison
name: Max
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2004
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2018/08/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic, #1)]]> 22055262
Kell was raised in Arnes¡ªRed London¡ªand officially serves the Maresh Empire as an ambassador, traveling between the frequent bloody regime changes in White London and the court of George III in the dullest of Londons, the one without any magic left to see.

Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they'll never see. It's a defiant hobby with dangerous consequences, which Kell is now seeing firsthand.

After an exchange goes awry, Kell escapes to Grey London and runs into Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She first robs him, then saves him from a deadly enemy, and finally forces Kell to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure.

Now perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, they'll first need to stay alive.]]> 400 Victoria E. Schwab 0765376458 Max 0 to-read 4.04 2015 A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic, #1)
author: Victoria E. Schwab
name: Max
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2018/08/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicle, #1)]]> 186074
The intimate narrative of his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, his years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-ridden city, his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a legendary school of magic, and his life as a fugitive after the murder of a king form a gripping coming-of-age story unrivaled in recent literature.

A high-action story written with a poet's hand, The Name of the Wind is a masterpiece that will transport readers into the body and mind of a wizard.]]> 662 Patrick Rothfuss 075640407X Max 5 *4.5 4.52 2007 The Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicle, #1)
author: Patrick Rothfuss
name: Max
average rating: 4.52
book published: 2007
rating: 5
read at: 2018/08/04
date added: 2018/08/20
shelves:
review:
*4.5
]]> <![CDATA[The Doors of Stone (The Kingkiller Chronicle, #3)]]> 21032488 896 Patrick Rothfuss 0575081449 Max 0 to-read 3.51 The Doors of Stone (The Kingkiller Chronicle, #3)
author: Patrick Rothfuss
name: Max
average rating: 3.51
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2018/08/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The City of Brass (The Daevabad Trilogy, #1)]]> 32718027
But when Nahri accidentally summons an equally sly, darkly mysterious djinn warrior to her side during one of her cons, she¡¯s forced to accept that the magical world she thought only existed in childhood stories is real. For the warrior tells her a new tale: across hot, windswept sands teeming with creatures of fire, and rivers where the mythical marid sleep; past ruins of once-magnificent human metropolises, and mountains where the circling hawks are not what they seem, lies Daevabad, the legendary city of brass, a city to which Nahri is irrevocably bound.

In that city, behind gilded brass walls laced with enchantments, behind the six gates of the six djinn tribes, old resentments are simmering. And when Nahri decides to enter this world, she learns that true power is fierce and brutal. That magic cannot shield her from the dangerous web of court politics. That even the cleverest of schemes can have deadly consequences.

After all, there is a reason they say be careful what you wish for...]]> 532 S.A. Chakraborty 0062678108 Max 4 4.12 2017 The City of Brass (The Daevabad Trilogy, #1)
author: S.A. Chakraborty
name: Max
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2018/06/24
date added: 2018/07/17
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #2)]]> 17927395
Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms¡ªand she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future¡ªand the future of a world cleaved in two.

With more than a million copies sold of her beloved Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas's masterful storytelling brings this second book in her seductive and action-packed series to new heights.]]> 626 Sarah J. Maas Max 3 4.60 2016 A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #2)
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Max
average rating: 4.60
book published: 2016
rating: 3
read at: 2018/02/10
date added: 2018/06/24
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #1)]]> 16096824
Dragged to a magical kingdom for the murder of a faerie, Feyre discovers that her captor, his face obscured by a jewelled mask, is hiding far more than his piercing green eyes would suggest. Feyre's presence at the court is closely guarded, and as she begins to learn why, her feelings for him turn from hostility to passion and the faerie lands become an even more dangerous place. Feyre must fight to break an ancient curse, or she will lose him forever.]]> 419 Sarah J. Maas 1619634449 Max 4 4.17 2015 A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #1)
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Max
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2018/01/25
date added: 2018/06/24
shelves:
review:

]]> Keepers of the Kalachakra 36982571 412 Ashwin Sanghi Max 2 3.78 Keepers of the Kalachakra
author: Ashwin Sanghi
name: Max
average rating: 3.78
book published:
rating: 2
read at: 2018/04/14
date added: 2018/06/24
shelves:
review:

]]> To Kill a Mockingbird 2657
Compassionate, dramatic, and deeply moving, "To Kill A Mockingbird" takes readers to the roots of human behavior - to innocence and experience, kindness and cruelty, love and hatred, humor and pathos. Now with over 18 million copies in print and translated into forty languages, this regional story by a young Alabama woman claims universal appeal. Harper Lee always considered her book to be a simple love story. Today it is regarded as a masterpiece of American literature.]]> 323 Harper Lee 0060935464 Max 4 4.25 1960 To Kill a Mockingbird
author: Harper Lee
name: Max
average rating: 4.25
book published: 1960
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2018/06/24
shelves:
review:

]]> The Rozabal Line 9471031 278 Ashwin Sanghi 0615384501 Max 2 3.34 2007 The Rozabal Line
author: Ashwin Sanghi
name: Max
average rating: 3.34
book published: 2007
rating: 2
read at:
date added: 2018/06/14
shelves:
review:

]]> Inferno (Robert Langdon, #4) 17212231 ¡®Seek and ye shall find.¡¯

With these words echoing in his head, eminent Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon awakes in a hospital bed with no recollection of where he is or how he got there. Nor can he explain the origin of the macabre object that is found hidden in his belongings.

A threat to his life will propel him and a young doctor, Sienna Brooks, into a breakneck chase across the city of Florence. Only Langdon¡¯s knowledge of hidden passageways and ancient secrets that lie behind its historic facade can save them from the clutches of their unknown pursuers.

With only a few lines from Dante¡¯s dark and epic masterpiece, The Inferno, to guide them, they must decipher a sequence of codes buried deep within some of the most celebrated artefacts of the Renaissance ¨C sculptures, paintings, buildings ¨C to find the answers to a puzzle which may, or may not, help them save the world from a terrifying threat¡­

Set against an extraordinary landscape inspired by one of history¡¯s most ominous literary classics, Inferno is Dan Brown¡¯s most compelling and thought-provoking novel yet, a breathless race-against-time thriller that will grab you from page one and not let you go until you close the book.]]> 463 Dan Brown 0385537859 Max 4 3.87 2013 Inferno (Robert Langdon, #4)
author: Dan Brown
name: Max
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2013
rating: 4
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]]> <![CDATA[The da Vinci Code (Robert Langdon, #2)]]> 968 The da Vinci Code, The da Vinci Code, The da Vinci Code, and The da Vinci Code

While in Paris on business, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon receives an urgent late-night phone call: the elderly curator of the Louvre has been murdered inside the museum. Near the body, police have found a baffling cipher. While working to solve the enigmatic riddle, Langdon is stunned to discover it leads to a trail of clues hidden in the works of Da Vinci -- clues visible for all to see -- yet ingeniously disguised by the painter.

Langdon joins forces with a gifted French cryptologist, Sophie Neveu, and learns the late curator was involved in the Priory of Sion -- an actual secret society whose members included Sir Isaac Newton, Botticelli, Victor Hugo, and Da Vinci, among others.

In a breathless race through Paris, London, and beyond, Langdon and Neveu match wits with a faceless powerbroker who seems to anticipate their every move. Unless Langdon and Neveu can decipher the labyrinthine puzzle in time, the Priory's ancient secret -- and an explosive historical truth -- will be lost forever.

The Da Vinci Code heralds the arrival of a new breed of lightning-paced, intelligent thriller utterly unpredictable right up to its stunning conclusion.]]> 489 Dan Brown Max 4 3.92 2003 The da Vinci Code (Robert Langdon, #2)
author: Dan Brown
name: Max
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2003
rating: 4
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]]> The Kite Runner 77203 371 Khaled Hosseini 159463193X Max 5 4.34 2003 The Kite Runner
author: Khaled Hosseini
name: Max
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2003
rating: 5
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]]> The Krishna Key 15733523
In modern times, a poor little rich boy grows up believing that he is that final avatar.

Only, he is a serial killer.

In this heart-stopping tale, the arrival of a murderer who executes his gruesome and brilliantly thought-out schemes in the name of God is the first clue to a sinister conspiracy to expose an ancient secret¡ªKrishna¡¯s priceless legacy to mankind.

Historian Ravi Mohan Saini must breathlessly dash from the submerged remains of Dwarka and the mysterious lingam of Somnath to the icy heights of Mount Kailash, in a quest to discover the cryptic location of Krishna¡¯s most prized possession. From the sand-washed ruins of Kalibangan to a Vrindavan temple destroyed by Aurangzeb, Saini must also delve into antiquity to prevent a gross miscarriage of justice.

Ashwin Sanghi brings you yet another exhaustively researched whopper of a plot, while providing an incredible alternative interpretation of the Vedic Age that will be relished by conspiracy buffs and thriller-addicts alike.]]> 475 Ashwin Sanghi 9381626685 Max 3 3.56 2012 The Krishna Key
author: Ashwin Sanghi
name: Max
average rating: 3.56
book published: 2012
rating: 3
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]]> Chanakya's Chant 10098912
Pitting the weak edges of both forces against each other, he pulls off a wicked and astonishing victory and succeeds in installing Chandragupta on the throne of the mighty Mauryan empire. History knows him as the brilliant strategist Chanakya.

But history, which exults in repeating itself, revives Chanakya two and a half millennia later, in the avatar of Gangasagar Mishra, a Brahmin teacher in smalltown India who becomes puppeteer to a host of ambitious individuals--including a certain slumchild who grows up into a beautiful and powerful woman.

Modern India happens to be just as riven as ancient Bharat by class hatred, corruption and divisive politics and this landscape is Gangasagar's feasting ground. Can this wily pandit--who preys on greed, venality and sexual deviance--bring about another miracle of a united India?

Will Chanakya's chant work again? Ashwin Sanghi, the bestselling author of The Rozabal Line, brings you yet another spinechiller.]]> 448 Ashwin Sanghi 9380658672 Max 3 3.73 2010 Chanakya's Chant
author: Ashwin Sanghi
name: Max
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2010
rating: 3
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]]> 20000 Leagues Under the Sea 834333 406 Jules Verne 0679602534 Max 4 3.70 1869 20000 Leagues Under the Sea
author: Jules Verne
name: Max
average rating: 3.70
book published: 1869
rating: 4
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]]> <![CDATA[Revolution 2020: Love, Corruption, Ambition]]> 12615008 296 Chetan Bhagat 8129118807 Max 3 3.07 2011 Revolution 2020: Love, Corruption, Ambition
author: Chetan Bhagat
name: Max
average rating: 3.07
book published: 2011
rating: 3
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]]> <![CDATA[Five Point Someone: What Not to Do at IIT]]> 105576
The book starts with a disclaimer, ¡°This is not a book to teach you how to get into IIT or even how to live in college. In fact, it describes how screwed up things can get if you don¡¯t think straight.¡±

Three hostelmates ¨C Alok, Hari and Ryan get off to a bad start in IIT ¨C they screw up the first class quiz. And while they try to make amends, things only get worse. It takes them a while to realize: If you try and screw with the IIT system, it comes back to double screw you. Before they know it, they are at the lowest echelons of IIT society. They have a five-point-something GPA out of ten, ranking near the end of their class. This GPA is a tattoo that will remain with them, and come in the way of anything else that matters ¨C their friendship, their future, their love life. While the world expects IITians to conquer the world, these guys are struggling to survive.

Will they make it? Do under performers have a right to live? Can they show that they are not just a five-point-somebody but a five-point-someone?]]> 267 Chetan Bhagat 8129104598 Max 3 3.41 2004 Five Point Someone: What Not to Do at IIT
author: Chetan Bhagat
name: Max
average rating: 3.41
book published: 2004
rating: 3
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]]> The 3 Mistakes of My Life 3320520 258 Chetan Bhagat 8129113724 Max 3 3.04 2008 The 3 Mistakes of My Life
author: Chetan Bhagat
name: Max
average rating: 3.04
book published: 2008
rating: 3
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]]> Half Girlfriend 22874559 260 Chetan Bhagat 8129135728 Max 2 3.01 2014 Half Girlfriend
author: Chetan Bhagat
name: Max
average rating: 3.01
book published: 2014
rating: 2
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]]> Manuscript Found in Accra 16054811 The Alchemist.

There is nothing wrong with anxiety.
Although we cannot control God's time, it is part of the human condition to want to receive the thing we are waiting for as quickly as possible.
Or to drive away whatever is causing our fear....
Anxiety was born in the very same moment as mankind. And since we will never be able to master it, we will have to learn to live with it-just as we have learned to live with storms.

* * *

July 14, 1099. Jerusalem awaits the invasion of the crusaders who have surrounded the city's gates. There, inside the ancient city's walls, men and women of every age and every faith have gathered to hear the wise words of a mysterious man known only as the Copt. He has summoned the townspeople to address their fears with truth:

"Tomorrow, harmony will become discord. Joy will be replaced by grief. Peace will give way to war.... None of us can know what tomorrow will hold, because each day has its good and its bad moments. So, when you ask your questions, forget about the troops outside and the fear inside. Our task is not to leave a record of what happened on this date for those who will inherit the Earth; history will take care of that. Therefore, we will speak about our daily lives, about the difficulties we have had to face."

The people begin with questions about defeat, struggle, and the nature of their enemies; they contemplate the will to change and the virtues of loyalty and solitude; and they ultimately turn to questions of beauty, love, wisdom, sex, elegance, and what the future holds. "What is success?" poses the Copt. "It is being able to go to bed each night with your soul at peace."

* * *

Now, these many centuries later, the wise man's answers are a record of the human values that have endured throughout time. And, in Paulo Coelho's hands, The Manuscript Found in Accra reveals that who we are, what we fear, and what we hope for the future come from the knowledge and belief that can be found within us, and not from the adversity that surrounds us.]]> 190 Paulo Coelho 0385349831 Max 3 3.85 2012 Manuscript Found in Accra
author: Paulo Coelho
name: Max
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2012
rating: 3
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]]> The Alchemist 865 197 Paulo Coelho 0061122416 Max 3 3.85 1988 The Alchemist
author: Paulo Coelho
name: Max
average rating: 3.85
book published: 1988
rating: 3
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]]> And Then There Were None 16299
"Ten little boys went out to dine; One choked his little self and then there were nine. Nine little boys sat up very late; One overslept himself and then there were eight. Eight little boys traveling in Devon; One said he'd stay there then there were seven. Seven little boys chopping up sticks; One chopped himself in half and then there were six. Six little boys playing with a hive; A bumblebee stung one and then there were five. Five little boys going in for law; One got in Chancery and then there were four. Four little boys going out to sea; A red herring swallowed one and then there were three. Three little boys walking in the zoo; A big bear hugged one and then there were two. Two little boys sitting in the sun; One got frizzled up and then there was one. One little boy left all alone; He went out and hanged himself and then there were none."

When they realize that murders are occurring as described in the rhyme, terror mounts. One by one they fall prey. Before the weekend is out, there will be none. Who has choreographed this dastardly scheme? And who will be left to tell the tale? Only the dead are above suspicion.]]> 264 Agatha Christie 0312330871 Max 4 4.28 1939 And Then There Were None
author: Agatha Christie
name: Max
average rating: 4.28
book published: 1939
rating: 4
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]]> <![CDATA[The Secret of the Nagas (Shiva Trilogy #2)]]> 11827808
4000 years ago, He was just a man.

The hunt is on. The sinister Naga warrior has killed his friend Brahaspati and now stalks his wife Sati. Shiva, the Tibetan immigrant who is the prophesied destroyer of evil, will not rest till he finds his demonic adversary. His vengeance and the path to evil will lead him to the door of the Nagas, the serpent people. Of that he is certain.

The evidence of the malevolent rise of evil is everywhere. A kingdom is dying as it is held to ransom for a miracle drug. A crown prince is murdered. The Vasudevs Shivas philosopher guides betray his unquestioning faith as they take the aid of the dark side. Even the perfect empire, Meluha is riddled with a terrible secret in Maika, the city of births. Unknown to Shiva, a master puppeteer is playing a grand game.

In a journey that will take him across the length and breadth of ancient India, Shiva searches for the truth in a land of deadly mysteries only to find that nothing is what it seems.

Fierce battles will be fought. Surprising alliances will be forged. Unbelievable secrets will be revealed in this second book of the Shiva Trilogy, the sequel to the #1 national bestseller, The Immortals of Meluha.]]> 371 Amish Tripathi Max 3 3.98 2011 The Secret of the Nagas (Shiva Trilogy #2)
author: Amish Tripathi
name: Max
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2011
rating: 3
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]]> <![CDATA[The Immortals of Meluha (Shiva Trilogy, #1)]]> 7913305 The only hope for the Suryavanshis is an ancient legend: When evil reaches epic proportions, when all seems lost, when it appears that your enemies have triumphed, a hero will emerge.

Is the rough-hewn Tibetan immigrant Shiva, really that hero? And does he want to be that hero at all? Drawn suddenly to his destiny, by duty as well as by love, will Shiva lead the Suryavanshi vengeance and destroy evil?

]]> 436 Amish Tripathi Max 3 4.11 2010 The Immortals of Meluha (Shiva Trilogy, #1)
author: Amish Tripathi
name: Max
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2010
rating: 3
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]]> Midnight¡¯s Children 14836 An alternative cover edition for this ISBN can be found here.

Saleem Sinai is born at the stroke of midnight on August 15, 1947, the very moment of India¡¯s independence. Greeted by fireworks displays, cheering crowds, and Prime Minister Nehru himself, Saleem grows up to learn the ominous consequences of this coincidence. His every act is mirrored and magnified in events that sway the course of national affairs; his health and well-being are inextricably bound to those of his nation; his life is inseparable, at times indistinguishable, from the history of his country. Perhaps most remarkable are the telepathic powers linking him with India¡¯s 1,000 other ¡°midnight¡¯s children,¡± all born in that initial hour and endowed with magical gifts.

This novel is at once a fascinating family saga and an astonishing evocation of a vast land and its people¨Ca brilliant incarnation of the universal human comedy. Twenty-five years after its publication, Midnight¡¯ s Children stands apart as both an epochal work of fiction and a brilliant performance by one of the great literary voices of our time.]]> 647 Salman Rushdie 0099578514 Max 4 3.98 1981 Midnight¡¯s Children
author: Salman Rushdie
name: Max
average rating: 3.98
book published: 1981
rating: 4
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]]> The Lowland 17262100
From Subhash's earliest memories, at every point, his brother was there. In the suburban streets of Calcutta where they wandered before dusk and in the hyacinth-strewn ponds where they played for hours on end, Udayan was always in his older brother's sight. So close in age, they were inseparable in childhood and yet, as the years pass - as U.S tanks roll into Vietnam and riots sweep across India - their brotherly bond can do nothing to forestall the tragedy that will upend their lives.

Udayan - charismatic and impulsive - finds himself drawn to the Naxalite movement, a rebellion waged to eradicate inequity and poverty. He will give everything, risk all, for what he believes, and in doing so will transform the futures of those dearest to him: his newly married, pregnant wife, his brother and their parents. For all of them, the repercussions of his actions will reverberate across continents and seep through the generations that follow.

Epic in its canvas and intimate in its portrayal of lives undone and forged anew, The Lowland is a deeply felt novel of family ties that entangle and fray in ways unforeseen and unrevealed, of ties that ineluctably define who we are. With all the hallmarks of Jhumpa Lahiri's achingly poignant, exquisitely empathetic story-telling, this is her most devastating work of fiction to date.]]> 340 Jhumpa Lahiri 0307265749 Max 4 3.86 2013 The Lowland
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name: Max
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2013
rating: 4
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]]> The White Tiger 1768603
Balram Halwai is a complicated man. Servant. Philosopher. Entrepreneur. Murderer. Over the course of seven nights, by the scattered light of a preposterous chandelier, Balram tells us the terrible and transfixing story of how he came to be a success in life¡ªhaving nothing but his own wits to help him along.

Born in the dark heart of India, Balram gets a break when he is hired as a driver for his village's wealthiest man, two house Pomeranians (Puddles and Cuddles), and the rich man's (very unlucky) son. From behind the wheel of their Honda City car, Balram's new world is a revelation. While his peers flip through the pages of Murder Weekly ("Love -- Rape -- Revenge!"), barter for girls, drink liquor (Thunderbolt), and perpetuate the Great Rooster Coop of Indian society, Balram watches his employers bribe foreign ministers for tax breaks, barter for girls, drink liquor (single-malt whiskey), and play their own role in the Rooster Coop. Balram learns how to siphon gas, deal with corrupt mechanics, and refill and resell Johnnie Walker Black Label bottles (all but one). He also finds a way out of the Coop that no one else inside it can perceive.

Balram's eyes penetrate India as few outsiders can: the cockroaches and the call centers; the prostitutes and the worshippers; the ancient and Internet cultures; the water buffalo and, trapped in so many kinds of cages that escape is (almost) impossible, the white tiger. And with a charisma as undeniable as it is unexpected, Balram teaches us that religion doesn't create virtue, and money doesn't solve every problem -- but decency can still be found in a corrupt world, and you can get what you want out of life if you eavesdrop on the right conversations.

The White Tiger recalls The Death of Vishnu and Bangkok 8 in ambition, scope, and narrative genius, with a mischief and personality all its own. Amoral, irreverent, deeply endearing, and utterly contemporary, this novel is an international publishing sensation ¡ªand a startling, provocative debut.]]> 276 Aravind Adiga 1416562591 Max 4 3.76 2008 The White Tiger
author: Aravind Adiga
name: Max
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2008
rating: 4
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]]> The Naked Face 300226
Two people close to Dr. Stevens have already been killed. Is one of his patients responsible? Someone overwhelmed by problems? A neurotic driven by compulsion? A madman? Before the murderer strikes again, Stevens must strip away the mask of innocence the criminal wears, uncover his or her inner emotions, fears, and desires, and expose the naked face beneath. But who could it be?]]> 316 Sidney Sheldon 0446321214 Max 3 3.57 1970 The Naked Face
author: Sidney Sheldon
name: Max
average rating: 3.57
book published: 1970
rating: 3
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]]> Memories of Midnight 106648
Now, in MEMORIES OF MIDNIGHT, the survivors meet to play one last time...

Shadowed by tragedy and burdened by amnesia, a beautiful woman desperately tries to return to reality. She is Catherine Douglas, destined to once again challenge the cruel, charismatic power of Constantin Demiris, the Greek shipping tycoon who murdered Catherine's husband. Now, in the glittering capitals and carefree playgrounds of post-war Europe, Demiris sets his deadly sights on Catherine -- and the single, treacherous secret whose shattering truth is known to her alone...]]> 404 Sidney Sheldon 0446354678 Max 3 3.73 1990 Memories of Midnight
author: Sidney Sheldon
name: Max
average rating: 3.73
book published: 1990
rating: 3
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]]> Nothing Lasts Forever 43325 Librarian's note: There is an Alternate Cover Edition for this edition of this book here.

Three young doctors-their hopes, their dreams, their unexpected desires...

Dr. Paige Taylor: She swore it was euthanasia, but when Paige inherited a million dollars from a patient, the D.A. called it murder.

Dr. Kat Hunter: She vowed never to let another man too close again-until she accepted the challenge of a deadly bet.

Dr. Honey Taft: To make it in medicine, she knew she'd need something more than the brains God gave her.

Racing from the life-and-death decisions of a big major hospital to the tension-packed fireworks of a murder trial, Nothing Lasts Forever lays bare the ambitions and fears of healers and killers, lovers and betrayers.]]> 384 Sidney Sheldon 0446354732 Max 3 3.87 1994 Nothing Lasts Forever
author: Sidney Sheldon
name: Max
average rating: 3.87
book published: 1994
rating: 3
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]]> <![CDATA[Chasing Tomorrow (Tracy Whitney #2)]]> 20604371 New York Times bestselling author Sidney Sheldon's most popular and enduring heroine¡ªTracy Whitney of If Tomorrow Comes¡ªreturns in a sensational sequel full of passion, suspense, and breathtaking twists

Once upon a time, Tracy Whitney made the people who destroyed her family account for their sins. Now someone is looking for payback . . .

Tracy Whitney never thought she wanted to settle down. With her suave and handsome partner, Jeff Stevens, she'd been responsible for some of the world's most astounding heists, relishing the danger and intensity of life on the wild side. Together, she and Jeff have made enough money for several lifetimes conning the rich, corrupt, and greedy out of their ill-gotten fortunes. But there is still one thing missing from Tracy's perfect life: a baby.

At first, "going straight" feels like a new adventure. Tracy makes plans for a family, while Jeff indulges his passion for antiquities working at the British Museum. But as the months pass and Tracy's longed-for pregnancy doesn't happen, she finds herself yearning for the adrenaline rush of the old days. When a mysterious and beautiful stranger enters their lives, Tracy and Jeff's once unbreakable partnership is suddenly blown wide open. Jeff wakes one morning to find Tracy gone, vanished without a trace.

For more than a decade, a broken Jeff struggles to carry on knowing Tracy is out there somewhere. But the rest of the world believes Tracy Whitney is dead . . . until a series of murders leads a tenacious French detective to her doorstep. Eleven victims, in ten different cities, over nine years¡ªall bearing the hallmarks of the same killer. Madrid, Lima, London, Chicago, Buenos Aires, Hong Kong, New York, Mumbai . . . all the cities where Tracy pulled off some of her most brilliant capers. Someone is targeting her, manipulating a series of disturbing events and raising terrifying ghosts she thought were dead and buried. Once again, this clever woman finds herself out on the edge, playing the odds in a desperate game of roulette. But this time she's got everything to lose¡ªincluding the man she cannot forget.

Jeff Stevens saved Tracy's life once. Now it's her chance to return the favor. To stop a devious enemy hidden in the shadows, she will need to dig deeper than she's ever gone before, to put her trust in some unlikely allies, and to find the strength and courage to defeat her rivals and protect everything she loves.

Tomorrow has come at last. But it isn't the future Tracy bargained for. . . .]]> 400 Tilly Bagshawe 006230402X Max 3 3.71 2014 Chasing Tomorrow (Tracy Whitney #2)
author: Tilly Bagshawe
name: Max
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2014
rating: 3
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]]> <![CDATA[Sidney Sheldon's The Tides of Memory]]> 15818163 New York Times bestselling author Tilly Bagshawe, who delivered the late beloved author¡¯s brilliance in Sidney Sheldon¡¯s After the Darkness, is back with a stunning tale of duplicity and vengeance in Sidney Sheldon¡¯s The Tides of Memory.

The members of the formidable and captivating De Vere family of London live enviable lives in the world¡¯s most powerful and desirable places, from London¡¯s poshest neighborhoods to influential boardrooms. But when old secrets begin to unravel and threaten everything the De Veres have worked for, the ramifications are deadly.

Bagshawe upholds Sheldon¡¯s legacy with a blistering story of revenge, passion, and betrayal in a book that is quintessential Sheldon.]]> 393 Tilly Bagshawe 0062073427 Max 3 3.80 2013 Sidney Sheldon's The Tides of Memory
author: Tilly Bagshawe
name: Max
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2013
rating: 3
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]]> <![CDATA[Mightier Than the Sword (The Clifton Chronicles, #5)]]> 21853645
A bomb goes off, but how many passengers on the MV Buckingham have lost their lives? You will find out only if you read the opening chapter of Mightier than the Sword.
When Harry arrives in New York, his publisher Harold Guinzberg tells him he has been elected as the next president of English PEN, which will give him the opportunity to launch a campaign for the release of a fellow author, Anatoly Babakov, who is languishing in a Russian Gulag in Siberia. His crime, writing a book Uncle Joe, which gives an insight into what it was like to work for Josef Stalin. So determined is he to see Babakov released, Harry puts his own life in danger.

Emma Clifton, now Chairman of Barrington Shipping, is having to face the repercussions of the IRA bombing her ship.
Some board members feel she should resign while others, including Sebastian Clifton, newly elected to the board, are determined to see she remains as Chairman.

Giles Barrington is now a Minister of the Crown, and looks set for high office, but a trip to East Germany does not end as a diplomatic success, and once again Giles' political career is thrown off balance by none other than Major Alex Fisher. Fisher decides to stand against Giles at the forthcoming general election. But this time who wins?

Sebastian Clifton asks his girlfriend Samantha to marry him. She happily accepts, but then later changes her mind after she discovers what Seb has been up to behind her back.

The book ends with two court trials: one at the high court in London, a libel case pitting Emma Clifton against Lady Virginia Fenwick; while another, a show trial, takes place in Russia after Harry has been arrested as a spy. Thus continues book five of the Clifton Chronicles, Jeffrey Archer's most accomplished work to date, with all the trademark twists and turns that have made him one of the most successful authors in the world.

]]> 400 Jeffrey Archer 1250034515 Max 3 4.09 2015 Mightier Than the Sword (The Clifton Chronicles, #5)
author: Jeffrey Archer
name: Max
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2015
rating: 3
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]]> <![CDATA[Be Careful What You Wish For (The Clifton Chronicles, #4)]]> 18404285
Bestselling author Jeffrey Archer's Be Careful What You Wish For opens with Harry Clifton and his wife Emma rushing to hospital to learn the fate of their son Sebastian, who has been involved in a fatal car accident. But who died, Sebastian or his best friend Bruno?
When Ross Buchanan is forced to resign as chairman of the Barrington Shipping Company, Emma Clifton wants to replace him. But Don Pedro Martinez intends to install his puppet, the egregious Major Alex Fisher, in order to destroy the Barrington family firm just as the company plans to build its new luxury liner, the MV Buckingham.

Back in London, Harry and Emma's adopted daughter wins a scholarship to the Slade Academy of Art where she falls in love with a fellow student, Clive Bingham, who asks her to marry him. Both families are delighted until Priscilla Bingham, Jessica's future mother-in-law, has a visit from an old friend, Lady Virginia Fenwick, who drops her particular brand of poison into the wedding chalice.

Then, without warning, Cedric Hardcastle, a bluff Yorkshireman who no one has come across before, takes his place on the board of Barringtons. This causes an upheaval that none of them could have anticipated, and will change the lives of every member of the Clifton and Barrington families. Hardcastle's first decision is who to support to become the next chairman of the board: Emma Clifton or Major Alex Fisher? And with that decision, the story takes yet another twist that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Be Careful What You Wish For showcases the master storyteller's talent as never before ¨C when the Clifton and Barrington families march forward into the sixties, in this epic tale of love, revenge, ambition and betrayal.

]]> 387 Jeffrey Archer 1250034485 Max 3 4.03 2014 Be Careful What You Wish For (The Clifton Chronicles, #4)
author: Jeffrey Archer
name: Max
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2014
rating: 3
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]]> <![CDATA[Best Kept Secret (The Clifton Chronicles, #3)]]> 15793074
1945. The vote in the House of Lords as to who should inherit the Barrington family fortune has ended in a tie. The Lord Chancellor¡¯s deciding vote will cast a long shadow on the lives of Harry Clifton and Giles Barrington.

Harry returns to America to promote his latest novel, while his beloved Emma goes in search of the little girl who was found abandoned in her father¡¯s office on the night he was killed.

When the General Election is called, Giles Barrington has to defend his seat in the House of Commons and is horrified to discover who the Conservatives select to stand against him. But it is Sebastian Clifton, Harry and Emma¡¯s son, who ultimately influences his uncle¡¯s fate.

In 1957, Sebastian wins a scholarship to Cambridge, and a new generation of the Clifton family march onto the page. After Sebastian is expelled from school, he unwittingly becomes caught up in an international art fraud involving a Rodin statue that is worth far more than the sum it raises at auction. Does he become a millionaire? Does he go to Cambridge? Is his life in danger?]]> 373 Jeffrey Archer 125000098X Max 3 3.94 2013 Best Kept Secret (The Clifton Chronicles, #3)
author: Jeffrey Archer
name: Max
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2013
rating: 3
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]]> <![CDATA[The Sins of the Father (The Clifton Chronicles, #2)]]> 12160906 Only Time Will Tell, Jeffrey Archer picks up the sweeping story of the Clifton Chronicles.

Only days before Britain declares war on Germany, Harry Clifton, hoping to escape the consequences of long-buried family secrets, and forced to accept that his desire to marry Emma Barrington will never be fulfilled, has joined the Merchant Navy.
But his ship is sunk in the Atlantic by a German U-boat, drowning almost the entire crew.? An American cruise liner, the SS Kansas Star, rescues a handful of sailors, among them Harry and the third officer, an American named Tom Bradshaw. ?When Bradshaw dies in the night, Harry seizes on the chance to escape his tangled past and assumes his identity.

But on landing in America, he quickly learns the mistake he has made, when he discovers what is awaiting Bradshaw in New York.? Without any way of proving his true identity, Harry Clifton is now chained to a past that could be far worse than the one he had hoped to escape.

]]> 352 Jeffrey Archer 1250000971 Max 3 4.04 2012 The Sins of the Father (The Clifton Chronicles, #2)
author: Jeffrey Archer
name: Max
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2012
rating: 3
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date added: 2018/06/14
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]]> <![CDATA[Only Time Will Tell (The Clifton Chronicles, #1)]]> 10872085
From the internationally bestselling author of Kane and Abel and A Prisoner of Birth comes Only Time Will Tell, the first in an ambitious new series that tells the story of one family across generations, across oceans, from heartbreak to triumph.
The epic tale of Harry Clifton¡¯s life begins in 1920, with the words ¡°I was told that my father was killed in the war.¡± A dock worker in Bristol, Harry never knew his father, but he learns about life on the docks from his uncle, who expects Harry to join him at the shipyard once he¡¯s left school. But then an unexpected gift wins him a scholarship to an exclusive boys¡¯ school, and his life will never be the same again.

As he enters into adulthood, Harry finally learns how his father really died, but the awful truth only leads him to question, was he even his father? Is he the son of Arthur Clifton, a stevedore who spent his whole life on the docks, or the firstborn son of a scion of West Country society, whose family owns a shipping line?

This introductory novel in Archer¡¯s ambitious series The Clifton Chronicles includes a cast of colorful characters and takes us from the ravages of the Great War to the outbreak of the Second World War, when Harry must decide whether to take up a place at Oxford or join the navy and go to war with Hitler¡¯s Germany. From the docks of working-class England to the bustling streets of 1940 New York City, Only Time Will Tell takes readers on a journey through to future volumes, which will bring to life one hundred years of recent history to reveal a family story that neither the reader nor Harry Clifton himself could ever have imagined.

]]> 400 Jeffrey Archer 031253955X Max 3 4.07 2011 Only Time Will Tell (The Clifton Chronicles, #1)
author: Jeffrey Archer
name: Max
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2011
rating: 3
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date added: 2018/06/14
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]]> <![CDATA[Doctor Sleep (The Shining, #2)]]> 16130549
On highways across America, a tribe of people called The True Knot travel in search of sustenance. They look harmless - mostly old, lots of polyester, and married to their RVs. But as Dan Torrance knows, and spunky 12-year-old Abra Stone learns, The True Knot are quasi-immortal, living off the "steam" that children with the "shining" produce when they are slowly tortured to death.

Haunted by the inhabitants of the Overlook Hotel where he spent one horrific childhood year, Dan has been drifting for decades, desperate to shed his father's legacy of despair, alcoholism, and violence. Finally, he settles in a New Hampshire town, an AA community that sustains him, and a job at a nursing home where his remnant "shining" power provides the crucial final comfort to the dying. Aided by a prescient cat, he becomes "Doctor Sleep."

Then Dan meets the evanescent Abra Stone, and it is her spectacular gift, the brightest shining ever seen, that reignites Dan's own demons and summons him to a battle for Abra's soul and survival. This is an epic war between good and evil, a gory, glorious story that will thrill the millions of hyper-devoted fans of The Shining and wildly satisfy anyone new to the territory of this icon in the King canon.]]> 531 Stephen King 1476727651 Max 3 4.11 2013 Doctor Sleep (The Shining, #2)
author: Stephen King
name: Max
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2013
rating: 3
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date added: 2018/06/14
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]]> The Shining (The Shining, #1) 11588 497 Stephen King 0450040186 Max 3 4.28 1977 The Shining (The Shining, #1)
author: Stephen King
name: Max
average rating: 4.28
book published: 1977
rating: 3
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date added: 2018/06/14
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