All About Books | The Damsel in the Library

The Library has Moved

I have returned! Just not to this particular version of my library. It's been...let's see...about two years since I quit blogging. And I...

All Things Must End

I always knew I wouldn’t be blogging forever. I guess I just didn’t think the end would arrive quite so suddenly. One day I intended to...

ARC Review: The Justice of Kings by Richard Swan

Genre: Fantasy Series: Empire of the Wolf #1 Page Count: 432 Publication Year: 2022 Publisher: Orbit Special Notes: I received an early...

Review: Retribution Falls by Chris Wooding

Genre: Fantasy, Sci-fi, Steampunk Series: Tales of the Ketty Jay #1 Page Count: 380 Publication Year: 2009 Publisher: Gollancz Summary:...

I Tried Starting Six More Fantasy Series

The last time I gave six fantasy books fifty pages to impress me it went quite well. For me, if not for most of the books. So here I am...

Review: The Two Mrs. Abbotts by D. E. Stevenson

Genre: Classic Series: Barbara Buncle #3, final Page Count: 276 Publication Year: 1943 Publisher: republished by Sourcebooks Landmark...

The Highs, the Lows and the Other Ones: Books of 2021 in Retrospect

The Tippy Top The Day of Atonement by David Liss I love the Benjamin Weaver series and this is a wonderful conclusion. I even gave it...

Review: The Lady in the Lake by Raymond Chandler

Genre: Mystery, Noir Series: Philip Marlowe #4 Page Count: 216 Publication Year: 1943 Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Special Notes: I...

I Tried Starting Six Different Fantasy Series

Over the years, I’ve built-up a substantial list of books I want to try reading. In the interest of saving time, I decided to pick six...

ReReading Harry Potter for the First Time: The Deathly Hallows

Genre: Fantasy Series: Harry Potter #7 (final) Page Count: 759 Publication Year: 2007 Publisher: Scholastic Inc. Summary: After all this...

Two Reviews: Double Indemnity & Mildred Pierce by James M. Cain

Genre: Crime, Noir Series: Both are standalone Page Count: DI 115 and MP 298 Publication Year: DI 1936 and MP 1941 Publisher: Alfred A....

Review: Miss Buncle’s Book & Miss Buncle Married by D. E. Stevenson

Genre: Fiction Series: Barbara Buncle #1 and #2 Page Count: 335 and 323 Publication Year: 1934 and 1936 Publisher: Holt, Rinehart and...

The Perfect Stories for Fall

Fall. The time of colorful leaves, fading sunlight, brisk mornings, and soft sweaters. Your tastes are changing with the season and as...

Review: Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

Genre: Classic Series: Standalone Page Count: 408 Publication Year: 1847 Publisher: Originally published by Thomas Cautley Newby Summary:...

ReReading Harry Potter for the First Time: The Half-Blood Prince

Genre: Fantasy Series: Harry Potter #6 Page Count: 652 Publication Year: 2005 Publisher: Scholastic Inc. Summary: Harry walks the...

ARC Review: The Peculiarities by David Liss

Genre: Historical fiction, fantasy Series: Standalone Page Count: 336 Publication Year: 2021 Publisher: Tachyon Publications Special...

Favorite Female Authors

I struggled a bit with this list; it turns out I do think men are kinda better writers. (In broad terms, men focus on the story and women...

ARC Review: The Pariah by Anthony Ryan

Genre: Fantasy Series: The Covenant of Steel #1 Page Count: 600 Publication Year: 2021 Publisher: Orbit Special Notes: I received a free...

Why I Will Not Finish The Wheel of Time Series &, a review for The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan

Genre: Fantasy Series: The Wheel of Time #1 Page Count: 750 (30hrs) Publication Year: 1990 Publisher: Tor Books Summary: The longest...

Favorite Male Authors

I have read books from over 230 authors. I’d guess that I’ve only read one book from about half of them and for most of those, I don’t...

Review: The Day of Atonement by David Liss

Genre: Historical fiction Series: Benjamin Weaver #4 Page Count: 369 Publication Year: 2014 Publisher: Random House Summary: The Spanish...

Review: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Geirmund’s Saga by Matthew J. Kirby

Genre: Historical fiction Series: Standalone Page Count: 480 Publication Year: 2020 Publisher: Penguin Special Notes: I received an early...

Books That Should’ve Been Written by Other Authors

You ever think a book could’ve been so much better if someone else wrote it? I have, so let’s take a look at my reimagined stories. I’m...

Review: A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

Genre: Fiction Series: Standalone Page Count: 337 Publication Year: 2014 (first published in 2012) Publisher: Atria Books Special Notes:...

Review: Katharine Parr: The Sixth Wife by Alison Weir

Genre: Historical fiction Series: Six Tudor Queens #6 Page Count: 544 Publication Year: 2021 Publisher: Ballantine Books Special Notes: I...

Rereading Harry Potter for the First Time: The Order of the Phoenix

Genre: Fantasy Series: Harry Potter #5 Page Count: 870 Publication Year: 2004 Publisher: Scholastic Inc. Summary: Harry needs a hug. Some...

Review: The Devil’s Company by David Liss

Genre: Historical fiction, mystery Series: Benjamin Weaver #3 Page Count: 369 Publication Year: 2009 Publisher: Random House Summary:...

Review: The Robe by Lloyd C. Douglas

Genre: Classic, Historical fiction Series: Standalone Page Count: 612 Publication Year: 1942 Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Summary: A Roman...

How to Criticize Famous Books

I have encountered my fair share of famous books that failed to reach their supposed greatness. I might be disappointed or confused as to...

ReReading Harry Potter for the First Time: The Goblet of Fire

Genre: Fantasy Series: Harry Potter #4 Page Count: 734 Publication Year: 2000 Publisher: Scholastic Inc. Summary: Harry participates in a...

Review: Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

Genre: Thriller/Mystery Series: Standalone Page Count: 460 Publication Year: 2014 Publisher: Penguin Publishing Summary: In which...

Review: Anne of Avonlea by L. M. Montgomery

Genre: Classic Series: Anne of Green Gables #2 Page Count: 336 Publication Year: 1909 Publisher: L. C. Page & Co. Special Notes: I...

Reading Goals for 2021

I’m absolutely rubbish at staying on top of goals. I tried last year and then the library went dark, so I blithely ignored the list and...

Best and Worst Books of 2020

I had a decent reading year; let's take a look. Total books: 39 E-book/ARCs: 19 Audiobooks: 5 TOP TWO BOOKS OF 2020 The Mirror & the...

ReReading Harry Potter for the First Time: The Prisoner of Azkaban

Genre: Fantasy Series: Harry Potter #3 Page Count: 435 Publication Year: 1999 Publisher: Scholastic Inc. Summary: Harry’s third school...

Review: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

Genre: Classic Series: Standalone Page Count: 500 Publication Year: 1847 Publisher: Smith, Elder & Co. Summary: A woman becomes a...

Review: Carry On, Jeeves & Very Good, Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse

Genre: Classics Series: Jeeves #3 and #4 Page Count: Carry On 273, Very Good 270 Publication Year: 1925 and 1930 Publisher: Carry On...

Favorite Movie and TV Soundtracks for Writing

Every writer has their own routine. Whether it involves a certain chair, drink, view, font, or time of day, some things are sacred and...

Review: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie

Genre: Mystery, Classic Series: Hercule Poirot #3 Page Count: 255 Publication Year: 1926 Publisher: Originally published in the USA by...

Rereading Harry Potter for the First Time: The Chamber of Secrets

Genre: Fantasy Series: Harry Potter #2 Page Count: 341 Publication Year: 1999 Publisher: Scholastic Inc. Summary: A boy goes back to...

ARC Review: The Tower of Fools by Andrzej Sapkowski

Genre: Historical fiction, Fantasy Series: Hussite Trilogy #1 Page Count: 560 (It did not feel that long.) Publication Year: Originally...

Review: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

Genre: Classic, mystery/suspense Series: Standalone (there is a sequel written by someone else, but based on the Goodreads rating of...

ReReading Harry Potter for the First Time: The Sorcerer’s Stone

Genre: Fantasy Series: Harry Potter #1 Page Count: 309 Publication Year: 1997 Publisher: Scholastic Inc. Summary: A boy goes to magic...

Review: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and other stories by Washington Irving

Genre: Classic Series: Standalone Page Count: 170 Publication Year: The stories were written from 1819-1824. My edition was published...

Pet Peeves in Fantasy Books

Even though fantasy is one of my top genres, certain elements bother me. Whether it’s a matter of style or the foundations it’s built on,...

ARC Review: Lionhearts by Nathan Makaryk

Genre: Historical fiction Series: Nottingham #2 Page Count: 560 Publication Year: 2020 Publisher: Tor/Forge Books Special Notes: *Thank...

Review: The Mirror & the Light by Hilary Mantel

Genre: Historical fiction Series: Thomas Cromwell #3 (final) Page Count: 757 Publication Year: 2020 Publisher: Henry Holt and Company...

The Damsel in the Library

with the quill of judgment

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