Day 6 ~ 400+ Pages ~ Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy b y Cassandra Clare

Its time for day 6 of the Great New Reads Challenge, books that are 400 pages are more. 
This one makes the grade with 655 pages! I had mixed feelings about this book. First off 
it is more of a collection of stories that are tied together by the fact that Simon is at the 
Shadowhunter Academy and hearing the stories for the first time. I've actually had 
this one sitting in my TBR pile for a while but didn't pick it up until I finished Chains of Gold. 
I'm not sure if I would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't just read the other novel. 
Which was the best from the series I've read in a while.

Summary:

Simon Lewis has been a human and a vampire, and now he is becoming a Shadowhunter. 
But the events of City of Heavenly Fire left him stripped of his memories, and Simon
 isn’t sure who he is anymore. He knows he was friends with Clary, and that 
he convinced the total goddess Isabelle Lightwood to go out with him…but 
he doesn’t know how. And when Clary and Isabelle look at him, expecting 
him to be a man he doesn’t remember…Simon can’t take it.

My Take:
This novel meets us up with Simon who has lost his memory of the 
shadow world. Magnus has helped him out the best he could but
 Simon is still pretty clueless about everything, and everyone. In a
 quest to get his old memories back and prove himself he enrolls in 
the Shadowhunter Academy. Each chapter starts with Simon and
 what is going on with him but then delves into some type of 
flashback storyline. Each chapter could almost be read as 
individual pieces. Some of the stories were interesting. 
It was nice to get some back story on characters like the Inquisitor or

 meet James for the first time. Other chapters were just ok and I 
felt like the Simon plot line dragged a little bit. I still enjoyed 
the book but as far as a collection of stories I enjoyed the 
Magnus Bane Chronicles more. But I do love Magnus so I might be biased.

#bookblogchallenge #greatnewreads

Day 5 Blog Challenge ~ Rebel~ The Demons Song by Kendra Leigh Castle

The Demon's Song by Kendra Leigh Castle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


If you enjoy a fallen angel with a bit of the wild side than this one is for you. I typically don't venture into angel fiction but I guess since these guys are fallen I can make an exception. A fallen Angel is the ultimate Rebel so the perfect choice for the day 5 challenge for the Great New Reads blog Challenge.

Summary:
The road to Hell is paved with good intentions. At least, that's how it seems to Sofia Rivera when her attempt to help a friend ends in a blood-soaked confrontation with creatures that aren't even supposed to exist. With a group of rogue vampires determined not to leave a single witness to their violence hot on her heels, Sofia finds herself saddled with an immortal bodyguard—Phenex, the fallen Angel of Song.

While the vampire king roots out the corruption threatening to take down his underworld kingdom, Sofia will have to deal with a fallen angel whose dark beauty is often at odds with his ornery nature. Slowly, Sofia and Phenex give in to the strange attraction neither can deny. And as the darkness closes in around them, Phenex begins to wonder whether even the wickedest Fallen might find his own happy ending...and his heart. 
My Take:
I enjoyed the world That the author has created and it is an excellent set up for a continuing series. I liked the club being the gateway to a supernatural underground community. I also enjoyed that Sofia is a strong character. We meet her as she sneaks into an exclusive club to help find her friend and then runs to her aid when she is truly in need of help. Maybe because shes a nurse she feels like shes seen everything and that why she handles everything in stride. Phenex makes for an intriguing leading man. He is the fallen angel of music who got himself kicked in, and out, of hell. He seems a little afraid of making a real connection but thats half the fun. Overall the characters had interesting back stories and some steamy connections. Truly a fun read.

Blog Challenge day 5

Day 04- Blog Challenge ~ Family ~ An Alternative History of Britian

An Alternative History of Britain: The Tudors by Timothy Venning
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

For all of you following along today is day 4 of the Blog Challenge and todays theme was Family. A novel that makes you think of strong family ties. I know this may seem a little out of the box but nothing says family ties to me like the Royal family.

Summary:
Continuing his exploration of the pathways of British history, Timothy Venning examines the turning points of the Tudor period, though he also strays over into the early Stuart period. As always, he discusses the crucial junctions at which History could easily have taken a different turn and analyses the possible and likely results. While necessarily speculative to a degree, the scenarios are all highly plausible and rooted in a firm understanding of actually events and their context. In so doing, Timothy Venning gives the reader a clearer understanding of the factors at play and why things happened the way they did, as well as a tantalizing view of what might so easily have been different. Key scenarios discussed in this volume include: Did the pretenders Lambert Simnel and Perkin Warbeck ever have a realistic chance of a successful invsasion/coup? If Henry Fitzroy, Henry VIII s illegitimate son, had not died young, might he have been a suitable King or at least Regent on the King s death? What if Edward VI had not died at 15 but reigned into the 1560s and 70s? How might the Spanish Armada have succeeded in landing an army in England, and with what likely outcome?

My Take:

Anyone who knows me personally knows that I have a deep fascination with the Tudor Dynasty. This novel takes an interesting twist. Timothy Venning goes through and step by step explores what might have happened if fate had fallen a different way. Every possible time line is explored. From what would have happened if Arthur Tudor had lived to possible suitors for Henry's daughters. Essentially we get a glance at alternate time lines. For those readers who are not up on their Tudor history this was a great way to learn some history. To explore alternate possibilities you have to have a basic understanding of what really happened.
This was a nice break from all the crime serials and an enjoyably educational time travel experience. I'm really enjoying the Blog Challenge by Great New Reads. What a fun way to keep Quarantine interesting!

Blog Challenge Day 02 Travel/Vacation - Wild Card ~ Rachel Vincent

Wild Card by Rachel Vincent
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When I found out today's Blog Challenge theme was Vacation and Travel I knew I needed to get this review ready! Wild Card follows Kaci and Justus as they make an exciting trip to Las Vegas, to out run a murder charge. The road trip almost ends up as a long time Island vacation but of course there are a few detours and a murder trial to attend..

Summary:

Kaci Dillon is a man-eater.

She’s grown up on the fringes of shifter society, hearing the whispers. One desperate act as a starving, terrified child has made her the first tabby in history with no romantic prospects. But whatever. Eighteen is too young to get married anyway. Still, when she stumbles upon an opportunity to get away for a few days, who could blame her for seizing it?

Justus Alexander is screwed.

Confined to the South-Central territory, awaiting trial for crimes he committed as a traumatized, newly infected stray, Justus has discovered that the tribunal already intends to vote for the death penalty. He has no choice but to run. Too young to touch the trust fund that could finance his escape, he’s betting on a big win at the poker tables—until Kaci, his secret crush, catches him sneaking out and demands that he take her with him to Las Vegas

My Take:

This is the third novel in Rachel Vincent's spin off series. For those of us who are fans of the original series this novel gives us a chance to check in with some old favorites and see how they are doing. I also enjoyed how these three novels are linked allowing us to have contact with some of the newer characters as well. You could read this book as a stand alone but I did reread the original series before starting this new one. Just to refresh my memory. The shifter society Vincent has created is expertly done. I've always enjoyed the way she pushes the society to equality but in a believable way. It would make sense that a society of shifters would have strict codes of secrecy or they wouldn't have survived this long. It also begs to reason the whole group would be a little sexist, sense female equality has been a battle for a long time.
To balance that we have some strong willed modern female leads. Each book in this series follows one tabby in her search for love, respect and independence. This novel follows Kaci who has spent the last few years being raise by Faythe and Marc since being found alone and in cat form in the Montana
Wilderness.
Kaci is all grown up but unable to escape the stigma that comes with being a Man Eater. Feeling alone and pretty down on herself she decides to hitch a ride with Justus who is headed to Las Vegas for a little pre-trial Vacation. Little does Kaci know this is going to be the trip of a lifetime!
I really enjoyed this novel. It was fun and exciting with a dash of romance. A perfect read to keep you up late into the night.

#BookReviewBlogChallenge

Check out Great New Reads for info on the blog challenge and to check out some other great books.

Blog Challenge Day 01~ Dreams and Ambitions ~ Dressage for the Not-So-Perfect Horse

Book Review Blog Challenge Day 01- Dreams and Ambitions
Alright here we go. For today's installment in the blog challenge I've decided to go with an equestrian self help book. Since I am still recovering from a broken ankle this is the perfect time to expand my craft through reading.

Dressage for the Not-So-Perfect Horse: Riding Through the Levels on the Peculiar, Opinionated, Complicated Mounts We All Love by Janet Foy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary:
Thousands of riders pursue the sport of dressage across the globe, and the majority do so on a budget and with the horse they already have, or quite simply, the one they can afford. This means riders daily face the challenge of mastering one of the world’s most esteemed equestrian pursuits on horses that may not be bred specifically for the task, or even if they have been, may not be top prospects for any number of reasons—behavioral quirks, conformational impediments, age or soundness issues, you name it.
International dressage judge, clinician, and riding coach Janet Foy has ridden many different horses in the course of her riding and horse training career—different sizes, shapes, colors, and breeds—to the highest levels of dressage competition. Now she has compiled her best tips for training and showing the horse you have (or the horse you love, despite his “faults”) through the levels. With lists of the common “imperfections and evasions” experienced when riding movements—from simple transitions and leg-yield to zig-zags, tempi changes, and piaffe— followed by training tips and creative ways to “perfect” the “imperfections,” riders are bound to discover countless ways to apply Janet’s advice in their dressage pursuits.

My Take:
Easy to understand and logically broken down this book de-mistifies some of the more confusing "basics" that many people struggle from. Myself included.
 I chose this book beacause the title really grabbed me. As an equestrian I am always trying to do things better. With more feel, or more accuracy, more impulsion or more control. Since my own horse would often prefer a lesiorly trail ride to flat work in the ring, finding new ways to engage his brain (and body) is of the utmost improtance. Just like people horses have diffrent learning styles and behaviours. Understanding your horse and diffrent methods to help your horse understand you can make all the difffrence in training.
I'll be honest with you. I have often found Equestrian non fiction to be kind of dry. Not nesecarily hard to understand but just hard to relate to. That is really where this one stands out. Each step is broken down and explained in an informative but relatable way. If you start at the begining and work your way through you can easily see the building blocks to each movement . If you are a more experienced rider or if you are thinkong of resolving just a certaian problem you can quickly find the chapter that interests you. I often enjoy learning how other instructors teach the basis since I teach beginners. Either way I'm sure you will learn a lot and be ready to put it into practice. Once we all get out of quarentine.

There is also a second book that focuses on training which I hope to pick up in the near future.

Special Thanks to Great New Reads for picking such a good topic for today!

#bookreviewblogchallenge

Blog Challenge~ Day 00

Today is the opening day of the Great New Reads Blog Challenge. Today's challenge was to find a book that brought you joy. I grew up with a deep love for Arthurian Legend. After watching almost every movie about King Arthur a friend recommended this book. Once I started it I honestly could not put it down. This is one of the only books I have found myself rereading over and over again.
Special thanks to Great New Reads for picking such a fun topic to start.


The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Amazingly written, makes you feel like this is the true story of King Arthur. This is one of my all time favorite books. Coming from me that is saying a lot. The characters are vibrant and well written. The story-line makes sense of the old legends. If you enjoy a fractured fairy-tale this one is well worth the read.