Author: Greig

Professional Librarian from Fife who likes books and music.

claremont?

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The Collapsing Empire

John Scalzi

This is easily Scalzi’s best book since Zoe’s Tale.
The story is set in the Interdependency which is a collective of planets controlled by aristocrats and guilds and connected by a FTL network called the Flow. We arrive to find this fictional world in the midst of political upheaval and finding itself on the brink of disaster. Unusually for a book with many point-of-view characters I enjoyed spending time with all of them. It has to be said, though, that Kiva Lagos is my favourite. I definitely want more of her in the rest of the series.
Indeed the only real flaw of the book is that it feels very much like the set up for a series. I can’t wait for the next one to come out so Scalzi’s got me hooked already.

I should note that I read an advance copy of this book provided by NetGalley

Rating: B+

webfence?

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Attachments

Rainbow Rowell

I’ve not made the quickest start to my reading this year. A health issue has meant that I really couldn’t concentrate on story for any length of time for the past few weeks.
To get me started I decided to pick out an easy read, something that I’ve read before.
Attachments is a novel about people working for a newspaper in 1999 and early 2000. It’s a sweet tale of female friendship between a film critic and a subeditor told epistolary style through emails which are read by the poor IT guy who has to check for abuse of the Internet by employees. There’s a believable but always fundamentally creepy romantic relationship that develops between the IT guy and the film columnist. After all he’s read all sorts of things about her life without her knowledge or consent.
It’s not as good as later books by the author but it is enjoyable and as I say it’s an easy read.

Rating: B+

2016 Books

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Not my most prolific reading year but I did listen to a record number of audiobooks

  1. Johnny and the Dead by Terry Pratchett, rated A-
  2. Star Wars: The Force Awakens by Alan Dean Foster, rated B+
  3. The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan, rated C+
  4. Johnny and the Bomb by Terry Pratchett, rated A-
  5. You’re Never Weird On The Internet, Almost by Felicia Day, rated B
  6. Justice Calling by Annie Bellet, rated B-
  7. Murder Of Crows by Annie Bellet, rated B-
  8. Pack Of Lies by Annie Bellet, rated B-
  9. Hunting Season by Annie Bellet, rated B-
  10. Heartache by Annie Bellet, rated B-
  11. Thicker Than Blood by Annie Bellet, rated B-
  12. Magic To The Bone by Annie Bellet, rated B-
  13. Me, Earl & The Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews, rated A-
  14. Chaos Choreography by Seanan McGuire, rated B+
  15. Stiletto by Daniel O’Malley, rated B+
  16. Country of the Blind by Christopher Brookmyre, rated B+
  17. Uprooted by Naomi Novik, rated A
  18. Some Kind of Wonderful by Sarah Morgan, rated C+
  19. Christmas Ever After by Sarah Morgan, rated B-
  20. First Time In Forever by Sarah Morgan, rated C+
  21. Wife By Wednesday by Catherine Bybee, rated C
  22. The Boss’s Fake Fiancee by Inara Scott, rated C-
  23. One Con Glory by Sarah Kuhn, rated B
  24. Heroine Complex by Sarah Kuhn, rated B+
  25. Goodnight and Good Riddance by David Cavanagh, rated A
  26. Maskerade by Terry Pratchett, rated B
  27. Must Love Mistletoe by Christie Ridgway, rated C
  28. Superheroes Anonymous by Lexie Dunne, rated B
  29. Supervillains Anonymous by Lexie Dunne, rated B+
  30. How To Save The World by Lexie Dunne, rated B
  31. Miss Kane’s Christmas by Caroline Mickelson, rated C

2016 Audiobooks

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  1. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline read by Wil Wheaton
  2. Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk read by Paul Garcia
  3. The Rook by Daniel O’Malley read by Katy Carmichael
  4. Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling read by Stephen Fry
  5. Bellwether by Connie Willis read by Kate Reading
  6. Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling read by Stephen Fry
  7. Going Postal by Terry Pratchett read by Stephen Briggs
  8. Making Money by Terry Pratchett read by Stephen Briggs
  9. The Truth by Terry Pratchett read by Stephen Briggs
  10. Night Watch by Terry Pratchett read by Stephen Briggs
  11. Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett read by Stephen Briggs
  12. The Fifth Elephant by Terry Pratchett read by Stephen Briggs
  13. Feet of Clay by Terry Pratchett read by Nigel Planer
  14. Thief of Time by Terry Pratchett read by Stephen Briggs
  15. Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett read by Stephen Briggs

eggnog?

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Miss Kane’s Christmas

Caroline Mickelson

This novella is basically the kind of premise that would you find in a Hallmark Christmas movie.
Santa Claus’ daughter is tasked to bring back the Christmas spirit to a widower by posing as his kid’s new nanny.
Short, super fluffy and free from all major e-book retailers.
Since I’m a Hallmark christmas movie junkie this suited me as a momentary diversion.

Rating: C

raptor?

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How To Save The World

Lexie Dunne

The latest in Dunne’s superhero series finds our protagonist estranged from the Davenport corporation and attempting to go back to her normal life. Of course a crazed supervillain puts a spanner in the works…
This one is clearly designed to take the premise of the series into a direction that can continue for more volumes. It’s still entertaining and well worth your time but just that little bit less satisfying than the previous volume.

Rating: B

luxury?

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Supervillains Anonymous

Lexie Dunne

In super-max supervillain prison after the events of the previous novel our heroine finds herself caught up in plot masterminded by one of the greatest supervillains of them all.
This one is just as much fun as the first book in the series with the added bonus of an actual ending with a resolution and everything.

Rating: B+

mobium?

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Superheroes Anonymous

Lexie Dunne

This is a highly enjoyable contemporary superhero tale about Hostage Girl (that is – the girl always kidnapped by the supervillains) when she’s kidnapped and ends up with superpowers of her own.
Great characters, moves a great pace and it draws you right in. The only problem is the cliffhanger ending. I’m docking a half point for that one.

Rating: B

glitter?

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Must Love Mistletoe

Christie Ridgway

51b-wizjd5lA freebie from iBooks, this is a competent if formulaic contemporary Christmas romance.
High powered attorney Bailey comes home to bail out the family Christmas store at the busiest time of the year.
Who does she find next door? Her high school sweetheart of course. Former bad boy Finn is home looking after his terminally ill Grandmother while recovering from injuries acquired in the line of duty as a Secret Service agent.
Will sparks fly? What do you think?
Worth reading if you like a serviceable contemporary romance and like the price of free!

Rating: C