Season of Yellow Leaf - Book Review

Season of Yellow Leaf

by Douglas C. Jones

What is it about:

Captured by the Comanche in the 1830s, 10-year-old "Chosen", is reared by the tribe and becomes strong enough to survive the pain of losing her whole world. A unique witness to a vanishing way of life, Chosen becomes one of the Comanche and suffers with them as the white man destroys their ranks.

What did I think of it:

I read this book ages ago in Dutch before I started reading in English and absolutely loved it back then. I didn't remember the author, so it took me forever to find it again for a reread in English. I finally stumbled upon it by accident when I saw a list with books based on the life of Cynthia Ann Parker. 

I must have been a glutton for punishment back then, or more focused on the setting and the lifestyle of the Comanches than the story, because what a depressing read this is!

Don't get me wrong: it's a really good book, but there's so much suffering, heartache, and other negativity going on. And yes: the period in time this story is set in, isn't a happy one for the Comanches, but if I compare this book to Ride the Wind by Lucia St. Clair Robson, which is also based on the life of Cynthia Ann Parker, and also has some seriously sad moments, it seems like this book doesn't even try to bring some levity, but instead piles drama upon drama upon desperation.

So this was a very emotionally tiring read. I did still love reading about the Comanches and their way of life, but I really would have liked a few more happy moments.

Before this reread I was contemplating tracking down the sequel Gone the Dreams and Dancing which I've not read yet, but I'm hesitant now. I think I'll either reread the romanticized novel about Quanah Parker I already have in my collection, or finally get myself a copy of Empire of the Summer Moon by S.C. Gwynne

Why should you read it:

It is a beautiful if depressing read.

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Teaser Tuesdays - Dune

 

Because the emperor ordered it. And because there's hope in spite of what that witch-spy said.

(page 33, Dune by Frank Herbert)

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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

The Empress Game - Book Review

 

The Empress Game (The Empress Game Trilogy #1)

by Rhonda Mason

What is it about:

One seat on the intergalactic Sakien Empire’s supreme ruling body, the Council of Seven, remains unfilled, that of the Empress Apparent. The seat isn’t won by votes or marriage. It’s won in a tournament of ritualized combat in the ancient tradition. Now that tournament, the Empress Game, has been called and the females of the empire will stop at nothing to secure political domination for their homeworlds. Kayla Reinumon, a supreme fighter, is called by a mysterious stranger to battle it out in the arena.

The battle for political power isn’t contained by the tournament’s ring, however. The empire’s elite gather to forge, strengthen or betray alliances in a dance that will determine the fate of the empire for a generation. With the empire wracked by a rising nanovirus plague and stretched thin by an ill-advised planet-wide occupation of Ordoch in enemy territory, everything rests on the woman who rises to the top.

What did I think of it:

The premise of this book is cool, but it fell flat for me.

I didn't really connect with Kayla and found the love interest boring as heck. Some of the side characters were the most interesting people in the book, but they got not enough screen time by far.

I kept reading, hoping that once the game began I might be gripped by the story, but with no real connection to any of the main players it didn't happen.

All in all not a bad read, but not one I'll revisit. I do have the second book in my TBR, but I don't think I'll pick it up.

Why should you read it:

It's a nice enough SF read.  

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Back Next Week

I've been busy with other things, so no new books to review this week.

Contemporary Holiday Mixology - Book Rant by Voodoo Bride

 

Contemporary Holiday Mixology (Chemistry Lessons #3.5?)

by Susannah Nix

What is it about:

After she’s jilted at a holiday ball, Gen hits it off with a handsome stranger. But what she intends as a casual hookup leaves her inexplicably wanting more. Will she ever find her Prince Charming again, or is he lost to her forever?

This story was originally published in the 2020 Jingle Balls Anthology under a different name, and is only available to subscriber's of the author's newsletter.

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:

The other two books I read in this series were not brilliant, but enjoyable enough.

This one however is absolutely not for me.

Gen meets a guy at a charity event and introduces herself as 'Gen with a G'. So of course the jerk keeps calling her 'Gen-with-a-G' for the rest of the novella. I know it's meant to be witty and/or funny, but stuff like that just seriously pisses me off. So I was totally not into this story and romance, I just hoped Gen would punch the jerk.

I don't think I'll read more by Nix, the previous books were entertaining enough for freebies, but I don't see myself paying for the other books in the series.

Why should you read it:

Maybe you don't mind jerks who think they're witty, but aren't.

Remedial Rocket Science - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

 

Remedial Rocket Science (Chemistry Lessons #1)

by Susannah Nix

What is it about:

Opposites attract when a computer geek meets billionaire bad boy.

The last thing Melody expects when she accepts a dream job offer is to run into her college one-night stand again. Not only does the hunky blast from her past work at the same aerospace company where she's just started in the IT department, he's the CEO's son.

Jeremy's got a girlfriend and a reputation as a bad boy, so Melody resolves to keep her distance and focus on building a new life for herself in Los Angeles. But despite her good intentions, she can't seem to stay away from the heavenly-smelling paragon of hotness.

As the two begin to forge an unlikely friendship, Melody's attraction to Jeremy grows deeper than she's ready to admit. Can the woman who always plays it safe take a risk on the man who's all wrong for her in all the right ways?

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:

After I read Advanced Physical Chemistry, which is book 3 in this series, I discovered I had book 1 lingering on my kindle app as well.

And I liked this book slightly better than Advanced Physical Chemistry. I liked Melody and didn't dislike Jeremy, even though he's a bit of a douche for part of the story. I actually liked Jeremy's girlfriend the most, to be honest.

Still this is an enjoyable read that even has some fake dating, so I had fun with it. The women in STEM was at least a bit more prominent in this book as well.

I did get the opportunity to download a novella in this series as I receive the author's newsletter, so I decided to give that a try next.

Why should you read it:

It's an enjoyable Contemporary Romance

Buy from Amazon

Eat the Rich #4 - Comic Book Review

 

Eat the Rich #4

by Sarah Gailey

What is it about:

Even as Joey struggles to make sense of everything she's seen, what role her beloved Astor has in it, and what it means for her relationship with him, Crestfall Bluffs is a flurry of activity preparing for the Thistleburn Unveiling Gala Party. When Joey intervenes in a situation she doesn't fully understand, it will bring everything to a head in the most unexpected way!

What did I think of it:

Things are getting absurd in this issue.

I liked the start, the story seemed to take a turn I was hoping for, but then things got weird... Maybe it's just me, and others might find it suspenseful or scary, but it felt almost like slapstick to me at times.

Still I'm curious how this all will end, so I'll get my trotters on the last issue for sure.

Why should you read it:

It's a fun horroresque comic

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