Tome Thursday: Virgins

Hello everyone!

Yes, I'm on a sort of Outlander binge, and not just with the television show.

I've been re-reading the books (although in random order since I went with The Fiery Cross, then doubled back to Outlander, and now I'm chewing through Dragonfly in Amber while contemplating starting Voyager instead) and of course the series includes the massive chonks as well as the shorter novellas, and Lord John Grey stories.

I'm telling you, people: you have not lived until you've witnessed the chaos that is Grey's life on a daily basis. I HIGHLY recommend that series.

I still have to review them all on here, and I swear I will!

Meanwhile, I sat down to a prequel yesterday.

I'd known that Diana Gabaldon had written a sort of story-before-the-story covering Jamie's time in France, or part of it at least, and I'd been dying to read it for a while now but never got the chance.

Of course we're in quarantine now, so what else is there to do but catch up?

And you're definitely catching up with Virgins.

Outlander: Mercy Shall Follow Me

"You can't make someone love you."

Hello everyone!

With only two more episodes left in the season, it's becoming clear that there will be a bunch of plotlines jammed into them, as presented on episode ten of Outlander's season five this past Sunday.

I'm not exactly complaining - the books are vast, and while a lot of stuff has to be dropped by necessity, there are things that, also by necessity, have to be snuck in.

To be clear, however, I will say that I disliked the Bonnet storyline in the books themselves.

This has absolutely nothing to do with how the show portrayed him (brilliantly, might I add, Ed Speleers is AMAZING in the role!) or how they went about with the entire thing, but mostly just that I wasn't overly fond of the whole she-bang in the novels, which means I could have done without in the show, and not really batted an eye.

So I'm actually happy with how the episode went, in terms of its conclusion! It's just that it was a 'meh' for me, as a whole, and therefore I'll freely admit to fast-forwarding through some.

Mercy Shall Follow Me kind of allows for it.

Saturday Snippet: Lord John Grey

xx

*video not mine

Tome Thursday: The Last Erdane

Hello everyone!

For book choice this week, I'm once again going with one I picked up from BookSirens.

I know, I know, I probably keep harping about this site a lot on the blog, but honestly, it's just so fantastic. You have ARCs (or published copies) of books from pretty much any and all genres, and you can ask for them and you get them FOR FREE, the only thing you have to do in return is read the book and write an honest review.

I think I've picked up a bunch of books from them so far and 3/4 of them have been absolutely fantastic.

Of course you'll occasionally run into one or two that, as any other reader, you might not like quite so much, and that's fine! That's also a review to leave; I try to finish every single book because it gives them feedback and also ... I don't like not finishing books. It has to be a really, REALLY bad book for me not to finish it.

ANYWAY.

I went a bit off the beaten path and took the road less travelled by, so to speak, because I picked up something Star Wars-related in the sense the plot was fairly similar in a way. A galaxy, planets connected in some sort of regime, rebellions ... read all that, and more, in The Last Erdane!

Outlander: Monsters and Heroes

"Lord, have mercy."

Hello everyone!

Back at it on Fraser's Ridge this week, we discover a great many things, such as locking doors might not have been a big thing back in the 18th century wilderness but it sure does help when your in-laws live just up the hill, babies, especially those that aren't firstborns come at a very high speed, and above all else, you need to watch where you're going.

I feel like that's a theme that's generally repeated today as well whenever you're in the woods, or at the very least it is where I live.

Granted, they usually explain you have to be wary about other little critters that could potentially give you some sort of disease. Snakes, as a rule, aren't that much of a danger here, but still ...

Meeting one in the middle of nothing would be scary even in the 21st century!

I'm trying to imagine the whole scene in my head and I'm failing miserably.

Meanwhile, you're probably wondering whether I've lost it. What's this about snakes, you say?

Well, wonder no longer, clan, though you probably already know.

On this week's Outlander, Monsters and Heroes, we get to meet a slithery kind of monster.

Saturday Snippet: More AC

xx

*video not mine

Tome Thursday: Morrighan

Hello everyone!

I'm reviewing something different this week, and something that I'm a little late to reading to begin with, based on the publication date. 

And while I'm still sitting on The Sinner from J. R. Ward (I'm getting there, I just ... I have to make myself do it, first), I picked up this novella at random because I'm OCD enough that if there's a book that's said to be happening BEFORE a main series, then I want to read it in chronological, not publication order.

From what I've managed to gather, a lot of people seem to think this novella should be read between some of the main books, but it's so short that I won't really have an issue picking it up again if need arises.

For the time being, I was just happy to be able to dive into a completely new world.

Mary E. Pearson is an author I haven't had the chance to read much of yet, but her Remnant Chronicles have been popping up on reviews from some of the Booktubers I follow, and it felt like sort of a sign.

If everyone else is talking about it, it deserves at least a look-see, right?

So here we go. Listen to the wind, everyone, and let's follow the Morrighan.

Outlander: Famous Last Words

"You are alive. You are whole. All is well."

Hello everyone!

This week, we are back at it in the wilderness of North Carolina, 18th century, with our favourite clan of Frasers and Mackenzies.

Starz knew what they were doing when they had a mini-break between the previous episode, The Ballad of Roger Mac, and the one that aired this weekend, because the anticipation and anxiety built and crested over the weekend we were bereft of the storyline, and I think some viewership might have even spiked.

If you recall, we were literally left hanging by the time it was all over for the Regulators and their ilk, and everyone and their mother wanted to throttle Graham McTavish's new character whenever he showed his face on screen.

You gotta love the man. He has such a talent, and adding a wig onto his bald pate was incredibly amusing given we're all so used to Dougal and the shiny orb of a head.

But I digress.

We basically all know what happened before. Now, we need to figure out what happens AFTER.

Outlander, and Famous Last Words, here we go.

Saturday Snippet: WE BACK!

We back baby! Season 2, here we go!

xx

*video not mine

Tome Thursday: One Dark and Stormy Knight

Hello everyone!

As promised last week, I'm returning with the actual first book in Serenity Woods' new series, The Avalon Café. She's publishing these under the name Hermione Moon, but if you've read any of her contemporary novels at all, you'll know the kind of writing you can anticipate!

Last week, we tuned in to this new, magical world of potential reincarnation and King Arthur, or, alright Arthur Dux Bellorum, since he doesn't like to be called 'king'.

We were introduced via a canine companion, because every witch needs her familiar, right? Right.

That said, it was only a novella and didn't give us much to sink our teeth into, but this one, ooooh this one is grand.

Have you ever read anything by Agatha Christie? This isn't quite as morbid as the Queen of Mystery can make it, but it's got the same general idea AND it's also happening in the UK, which is another nod to Ms Christie if you ask me.

And although there's no egg-shaped headed, mustachioed detective mincing about, I'm pretty sure Hercule Poirot would be quite proud of the sleuthing done in this one.

Without further ado, let's can my blabbering about, and go right into One Dark and Stormy Knight.

Talkie Tuesday: Jumanji The Next Level

"I swear man, if we survive, I am gonna kill you!"

Hello everyone!

Sadly, there was no Outlander this previous weekend as the show has apparently decided to leave us hanging (literally) to see the aftermath of the shocking revelation that was the end of The Ballad of Roger Mac.

Now, I'm a book reader, so I know what happens, and I've managed to gnaw my way through the re-read of The Fiery Cross as well, meaning I know which big points the series will attempt to hit going forward.

But STILL.

So while there is nothing to report on the Outlander front, I've been watching the occasional movie when time allowed.

Not much, you see, but just enough to keep interested in all the stuff happening on the big screen.

And while I may be behind on several more popular releases, I figured it couldn't hurt to cover one that had action, adventure, and a Jack Black-sized dollop of humour.

Jumanji: The Next Level awaits!

Saturday Snippet: FIN

Aloha, a hui hou.

xx

*image not mine

Tome Thursday: Every Dog Has His Day

Hello everyone!

I don't know about you guys, but the weather is definitely looking up on my end, which is SUCH a relief after all the insane dips back down below zero. It's April now, can it please start getting warmer?

Not that we can take full advantage of it yet - quarantine is still in effect, after all, and there will be a little something about it at the very tail end of this blog post, something fun, so stay tuned - but EVENTUALLY even this has to pass, right? And we'll be able to head out and actually soak up all the rays of sunshine, both real and the ones from our friends and family.

Until then, however, we have to keep entertained in different ways.

As you know, I tend to read pretty much anything and everything that I can get my hands on, with a couple notable exceptions that I won't be going into tonight. So if I get asked to come along on an exciting new adventure, you bet I'm going to say yes!

Serenity Woods being pretty much my favourite contemporary author of all time, it was a no-brainer to check out her new, witchy works.

Published under the name of 'Hermine Moon', these begin with Every Dog Has His Day.