Last Week I get a text from my Mom to say that she is sending me a book. This book. What can I say, she knows me. I love Little Golden Books. I think like most people, Little Golden Books were some of the first books I read or were read too. The Poky Little Puppy is my Mom’s favorite. Every Christmas there is a book drive at Barnes and Noble and I donate The Poky Little Puppy in her honor. The other thing from our childhood is Star Wars. I distinctly remember our parents taking Kate and I out of school so we could go to the first showing at the local theaters for the re-release of A New Hope. So Star Wars and The Little Golden Books together is just the perfect gift. This is such a cute book. I wouldn’t say it’s a kids book. I have a feeling it’s shelved in the Humor or even the self help section of Barnes and Noble but if wanted to read it to your kids it wanted too. It’s a simple book that uses scenes from all the movies to talk you up. Not everything is going to happen as you plan. There are going to be dark times. The dark side of the Force at the times may seem more appealing but in the long run it isn’t. Friends will always find you under Cloud City or rescue you when you have been frozen in carbonate. So don’t let the bad out weigh the good. And just like Yoda says “Do or Do not. There is no Try” so go read this book and relive the magic that is Star Wars and Little Golden Book and be inspired.
Quick Review: Everything I Need to Know I Learned From A Star Wars Little Golden Book
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The series The Book of Spirit of Thieves is both a prequel and a sequel to Morgan Rhodes other series Falling Kingdoms. With it’s dueling narratives that take place centuries before and after and in the same realm as the action of her previous books and also in our own world in present time. In some ways, it fills the origin holes of some the mysteries and prophecies but stands on it own. The switching POV of Maddox, Becca, Crystal and Farrell are kind of a mix bag. I like Maddox as his is different from the others. It’s the prequel part of the story and takes place in Mytica. Becca, Crystal and Farrell are all in present day Toronto. The sisters Becca and Crystal are fine. There is a genuine love between them but a little bit of distance. Since the events of the last book, they both have learned a lot about themselves and each other and they are not sure what to do about this new knowledge. Farrell, I could do without, sort of. I understand why he is a POV but I just don’t really care that much about him as I do the others. He’s a privilege rich white boy who drinks and acts out because he didn’t get the love at home. He uses people to make him feel better and people keep giving his boorish behavior a pass because he’s just a good kid inside. He’s just hasn’t gotten over the loss of his brother. He’s being controlled by an ancient cult leader. Ok those are both true but still. I’ve over it. This series is fine and okay. I think Falling Kingdoms is a far more interesting series with more compelling characters and more twists and turns. That being said, it’s still kinda fun to read and it does fill in some wholes of the other series so it’s worth checking out if you’ve read the other series.
It’s been awhile since I did one of these. In fact it’s been 5 months. Oops. I think it’s about time I did another one, don’t you think? I can’t think of a better series to welcome back this column then Necromancer and Firebug series’ by Lish McBride. Really, I can’t believe I have waited this long to write about them. It’s actually two different series but they take place in the same world, just on opposite coasts. Necromancer consists of Hold Me Closer, Necromancer and Necromancing the Stone. Two of the best book titles in history of literature. I decided to read the first book based on the title alone. With a title like Hold Me Closer, Necromancer it had to be good right? Firebug at the moment is the only book in it’s series but the sequel, Pyromantic, another great title, comes out in March of next year. (I hope, I’m pretty sure. It’s released date has been pushed back more then once to my chagrin) They both take place in the underground world of the supernaturals. Sam, our hero in Necromancer is a necromancer. When he is discovered by another Necromancer he brought into a world of werewolves and other supernaturals creatures that he didn’t even know exist but now is in the thick of it. You’ll think about Seattle in a different way after reading this book. Ava, our little firebug from Firebug, is forced to work for the Coterie, a magical mafia. She along with her friends, Lock and Ezra, she must track down creatures of all kinds who are behind in their payments or doing something they are not supposed to.
So why do I like these books so much? For one thing they are hilarious! Like laugh out loud funny you just can’t help yourself. The situations the characters get in are at times so ridiculous and absurd it’s just too funny. They are also very original. Sure, there are a lot of other books that feature werewolves, ghosts, nymphs and other supernatural beings but nothing is like this. I’m not sure how to describe the weirdness of these books but they just work. There is also a realness to them as well. Sam and Ava are both great protagonists. They both find themselves in situations that are out of their control but with the help of their friends and their own gumption they find ways out of them. They both have a little sassiness to them that I love in my characters. The supporting characters are more then just comic relief or filler but true characters in their own right.
Firebug came out two years ago and I have been waiting (mostly) patiently for Pyromantic to come out. Like I said earlier, publication has been pushed back a few times because well life I guess. Lish Mcbride is not just an author but also a bookseller as well. The biggest secret of the publication world is that just because you have a book published doesn’t mean you are set for life. Most authors don’t live off of their writing. They have to have day jobs to make ends meet. Recently Lish started 
***Spoilers***
A world without books sounds terrible. Who would ever want to live like that. I know there are people in this world who can read but choose not and it’s baffling but that has nothing to do with this book. Books can really change a life. For Sefia, her life was simple until her father is murdered and she is forced to go on the run with her Aunt Nin. For years, her parents have been hiding a mysteriously item and people are hunting down Sefia and Nin for it. When Nin gets kidnapped, Sefia finally decides it’s time to find out what she’s carrying and why people murdered her father and how she can get Nin back. It is a book. It tells her. In Sefia’s journey she is joined by another orphan, Archer and pirates. Meanwhile there are dual narratives of Lon, an apprentice to the Master Librarian. A secret society that is tasked with gathering all the knowledge of the world and controlling it. They spend their time recopying texts from one manuscript to another and learning to see people’s pasts in vision. Lon proves to be a fast learner and with the help of the Second, a assassin apprentice he begins to see things are not as they seem. We also meet Captain Reed and his crew first in Sefia’s book and then for real. At first it was confusing with all these story lines going on at the same time. I could tell that they were all meant to tie together but it just didn’t jive. I started to guess that one of the story lines wasn’t happening at the same time as the others and then things started to make sense for me. It was an exciting first book to a new series. Sefia is strong and resourceful. She is resolute in finding the ones she loves. She teaches herself how to read and discovers the secret of the book. Archer has an equally tragic backstory. Taken from his family at a young age, he is raised in violence and forced to fight to the death. It’s all mixed with tension and intrigued. I can’t wait to read the next one.
2 Women, So Many Books 