#seafire arc

[spitefulcrepechan]

I was thinking about this either today or yesterday but the SeaMoon shippers that bash the SeaFire shippers because of Sea Fairy’s relationship chart says trust with Moonlight forgets that Sea Fairy also has a positive relationship with Fire Spirit

It also feels like those kind of toxic shippers ignore valid points against their ship like some StarPom shippers will say that LicoPom is a toxic ship but ignore that Pomegranate Cookie manipulated Starfruit Cookie and that StarPom will most likely not happen without getting a redemption arc in game which ha a small chance of happening

Its kinda hypocritical tbh like-

They say that Seafire is toxic but then go off and say Starpom is like the best ship ever-

Now I'm neutral about Starpom, I can understand why people would dislike it but Im also in support of Starpom because like- People writing good AUs about Pom getting redeemed to be with her Starwife is amazing (my fae mom literally does that)

But yeah this just kinda oddly boils down to just

These people acting somewhat misandryous and oddly more lesbophobic then it needs to be-

Like to me at least it comes off as like them saying "straight ships are automatically AWFUL AND TOXIC but lesbian ships are perfectly healthy even if one of is straight up acting abusive!"

Like if you want to ship something like Dark Enchantress x Sea Fairy? That's whatever, that's fine, you do you, but if you're gonna do that maybe don't whine and bitch when someone ships Sea Fairy with Fire Spirit-

We shouldn't ship cookies because they're gay or whatever, we should ship them because we legitimately think they're a good couple together, good god this hurts.

Basically if you're gonna cry wolf, you better not be wearing a wolf costume, otherwise the gunsmen will shoot you down too.

[caitsbooks]

BooksForThoughts Photo Challenge, Day 20 - Going On A Trip ft. Seafire by Natalie C. Parker

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[zakiyanjamal]

IG: toborroworbuy

[libraryinthecountry]

★ Have you read any of the trilogies in this picture? If so, which were your favorites?    Happy Wednesday, all! I hope you’re getting a lot done this week, while also finding time to relax!    This book cart features a few of my favorite trilogies! I still need to read the last Seafire book, Kingdom of Copper and Empire of Gold, as well as the Arc of of Scythe trilogy, but the others are all ones I’ve read and loved! I am planning to read the others soon, too.     ★ CURRENTLY //  🎧 Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn   📚 Scars of Cereba by Rachel Emma Shaw    ★ HASHTAGS //  #bookstagram #bookworm #bookphotography #bibliophile #booklover #bookaddict #instareads #bookblogger #bookobsessed #readersofinstagram #bookish #booksbooksbooks #beautifulbooks #booktag #prettybooks #goodreads #bookdragon #bookstack #fantasybooks #ofquietmoments #stillography #yabooks #aestheticpost #bookhoarder #bookcart #homelibrary #shelfie https://www.instagram.com/p/COOfbAzLnRV/?igshid=rck9d1j5eee

[nerdynatreads]

☆☆YouTube | Tumblr | Instagram | Storygraph ☆☆

book review || So We Meet Again by Suzanne Park 

24 hour readathon -- So We Meet Again, Seafire, Brothersong

~Thanks to Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of So We Meet Again in exchange for an honest review. ~

After reading Park's last romance, which had all the girl power and empowering women feels, but not much romance, I was hoping she'd learned and lean more on the romance this time around. While she did do that! I was still disappointed in the results, however.

Although the title, summary, and marketing around this book calls it romance, this is more 50/50 with a contemporary about women in the entrepreneurial world. That's a fine space to be in, I'm all for shattering the glass ceiling, but don't promise me one thing and then not deliver it.

Not to be completely negative, I do enjoy Park's writing. This story did have me chuckling quite a bit. I loved the descriptions of food and watching Jessie create her own business (although, as someone with a business degree, I think it was a bit unrealistic, but that's a me problem). Watching Jessie stick it to her old company for underestimating her? Fantastic. Seeing her relationship with her mom improve was also so precious. I loved seeing the shift in Jessie's perception of her mom as the story went on. Also, the main romantic trope was enemies to lovers and we all know I love that.

While the enemies to friends shift was pretty smooth, the switch to lovers felt much more abrupt and caught me off guard. There was fantastic sexual tension between the two leads, but it was never followed through with, which annoyed me to no end. Every time it seemed like we were heading in that direction, something would interrupt them.

The drama that took place between the two halfway through the book actually made sense, even if it was based on miscommunication, so I couldn't be too angry about that. Even once they come back together though, we were still left hanging, as there's only a fade to black scene. (I'm learning that I really don't like clean romance books, apparently)

The synopsis of this book, also! It literally details everything that happens! Maybe don't do that moving forward, because it made for a very predictable story!

In the end, my issue with this book was the same as Park's first Adult Romance, which is it shouldn't be marketed as a romance because it's totally misleading to what the main story is about. The main focus of this book isn't Jessie finding love, it's in her creating a career she enjoys and improving herself.

3 / 5 stars

[awkward-pics-of-john]

🌻

books are awesome and here’s a list to check out!

Keeper of the Lost cities series

Septimus heap series

Story thieves series

The sisters Grimm series

A tale of dark and Grimm series

The grimm legacy series (Grimm legacy and the wells bequest)

Legend series

Divergent series

The mirror visitor series

Shattered realms series

Arc of a Scythe series

Valiant series

October daye series

Renegades series

Turtles all the way down

The belles series

Seafire 

His majesty's dragon

The kingdom

Girl of fire and thorns

Shadowshaper series

American fairy trilogy 

Merlin series by T.A. Barron

Heart seeker series

Maximum Ride series

Wicked like a wildfire series

The bone witch series 

Fairy tale reform school series

The woodcutter sisters series

Heartless  

The Raven boys

Savvy series

The land of stories series

The sand warrior series (comic)

Fish girl (comic)

Sky without stars series

Unwind series

The unwanteds series

All four stars series

Jake and Lily

Rapunzel revenge series (comic)

Slated series

Girls paper and fire series 

The girl who drank the moon

Awkward, brave and crush series (comic) 

Save me a seat

Paper things

The squire his knight and his lady

The Egypt game

Bridge to terabithia

As simple as it seems

Where the mountain meets the moon (and the corresponding other books: starry river of the sky and when the sea turned to silver)

Four dead queens

The house in the cerulean sea 

The extraordinaries series 

Dodger 

Kent state  

i read a lot okay laskjd 

thanks for the ask!!!

[emilybeemartin]

2009 vs 2019, my art a decade apart. I often of think of my work in 2009 as the start of my professional portfolio, especially with the St. George and the Dragon piece---that was the most technically advanced piece I'd ever done, with a lot of study on the composition and rendering. For years afterward, it was my favorite piece in my portfolio. The image of Gemma that I did earlier this year was similar in how I pushed some new techniques, aiming for a "feel" rather than a rote illustration.

I tried some other new stuff in 2009, like a scrubby painted look in the Peter Pan piece and a stylized background in the Legolas piece. I was growing more confident in my linework and pushing my shapes a bit more in the sketch of Ron, Hagrid, and Hermione watching Quidditch. 

To parallel that in 2019, because I always have to find some kind of story arc, the pieces of Lark and Seafire also stretched me stylistically, aiming for a more realistic look with the former and a monochromatic ligne-claire look with the latter. The image of Remus Lupin doesn't have any real parallels except that I'm still drawing Harry Potter art, of course.

[cauldronoflove]

any book recs? ive been reading a tooooon of childrens lit for class but haven't had much luck with anything I've picked out for myself 💕

ooh yes!! ty for asking 💓

evvie drake starts over _ linda holmes

• a 30-something widow rents the apartment attached to her too-big-for-her house to a professional pitcher that has lost his talent for pitching and needs to get away from the new york spotlight.

- oh what abt this book did i NOT love!! small town maine, baseball, a believable romance w actual communication, a romcom where the comedy actually hit and made me laugh, genuine character arcs outside of the romance. its been a couple weeks since i read this one and i still catch myself thinking abt it like i borrowed the ebook to read it but im genuinely considering buying a copy for myself if tht says anything

seafire _ natalie c. parker

• an all-girl pirate crew sail the seas with the sole purpose of taking down the evil warlord that has taken everything from them

- its the first book in a trilogy and while ive only read this one i am SO obsessed w these characters and their stories holy fuck. the cast is so well juggled tht i cared abt everyone so thoroughly and immensely like the found family is impeccable, the action is probably some of my favorite ive ever read, and the writing in general just sucked me right in like i read this in one straight shot

quite literally anything elizabeth acevedo has written esp if it's the audiobook

• i listened to the poet x last year and fell in LOVE so this year i made it a priority to listen to with the fire on high and clap when you land which have been some of the highlights of my reading this year honest to god. with the fire on high stands out to me particularly bc i listened to the majority of it while i was in the kitchen and it just. took it to a whole other level like everything she writes blows me away but it was just so fucking good and definitely made me cry at some points

[vampire-himbos-of-santa-perdita]

I just started Seafire, and it’s already reminding me of how fantastic the lady pirates arc in Haunt Your Murderers is. I miss Andrina SO MUCH.

[noctem-novelle]

2018 was a strange year for me when it came to reading. I wasn't as interested in new publications, and many of last year’s YA and middle grade novels wound up on my DNF pile. In fact, I quit reading more novels in 2018 than I have quit in the previous 24 years of my life. Combined. So here are my top picks for the new releases that I did find myself drawn to:

Runaways Vol. 5 - Rainbow Rowell (Writer) & Kris Anka (Illustrator)

Why I love it:

diverse cast of characters with POC, LGBT, and QPOC representation

queer girls who aren’t sexualised for the male gaze

plus-sized Jewish girl who isn’t the butt of a joke, gets the guy, and is just as cool as her more “conventionally attractive” counterparts

psychic dinosaur pal

Rainbow Rowell’s Runaways is a continuation of one of my all-time favourite comic book series. It follows a group of teenage runaways whose parents secretly control the criminal underground of LA while also serving a bunch of elder gods who want to eliminate humanity. The original series saw the kids taking down their parents, striking out on their own, and attempting to do the superteam thing. In the revived series, the team is back—including a few members who we thought were lost forever—and trying to pick up the pieces. It’s mostly slice-of-life and family/relationship drama, tying up loose ends, and occasionally dealing with the remaining consequences of their parents’ involvement with the Gibborim. After everything this group went through in volumes I-IV, it’s nice to see them getting to be a relatively normal family. I don’t think their peace and quiet will last, but we’ll see where it goes.

Vengeful (Villains: Book 2) - V.E. Schwab

Why I love it:

Fresh take on the superhero genre

Amazing characters

I’m a sucker for a good anti-hero

Dol is the best dog

This much anticipated sequel to Vicious sees anti-hero Victor Vale coping with the side effects of being resurrected by Sydney, an EO with the ability to raise the dead. As he hunts for a cure, an old frenemy is hunting for him, leading to a (possibly) final showdown. One of my favourite things about this book was Marcella. As Queen V said earlier this year, Vicious was all about male power and toxicity, but Vengeful is more about female power. And let me tell you, Marcella is a badass. She is the embodiment of 2018’s fury about toxic masculinity and sexism, and every woman who’s had enough of men running everything should read this series.

Sweep - Jonathan Auxier

Why I love it:

Beautiful writing

Historical fiction/magical realism mash-up

Explores mythology that is neither Greek nor Roman

If you enjoy any of Kate DiCamillo’s novels, you will love Sweep, a melancholy tale about a young chimney sweep’s assistant who gets caught in a fire and is rescued by a soot golem. She befriends and raises the golem, even teaching him to read, and together they help give other indentured children a voice. The author perfectly captures the quiet misery of a climber’s life, and definitely made me cry; these are not the same kind of chimney sweeps you might find in Mary Poppins. Read this one if you need a sad winter book, or if you just really need to feel things.

Seafire - Natalie C. Parker

Why I love it:

Steampunk pirate ladies

POC, queer, QPOC, and Deaf representation

This was, by far, my favourite YA book of the year. The first in a new trilogy, Seafire is all about a ragtag crew of pirate girls plotting to take down a naval warlord. It’s packed with girl power, futuristic solar-powered ships, diverse characters, and complex relationships. Seafire was a fresh take on the dystopian trope, and I really hope that it will help to rejuvenate a genre that has become somewhat stagnant.

Emergency Contact - Mary H.K. Choi

Why I like it:

Sam

Humour that actually made me laugh instead of roll my eyes

Relatable awkward love story

Mary H.K. Choi’s debut novel is a new adult romance about an awkward freshman English major and an anxiety-ridden barista. You may have noticed that I listed reasons to like it, rather than love it, and that’s because this book had to grow on me. When I first reviewed Emergency Contact, I think I gave it three stars, but I have since realised that I liked it more than I thought I did. For the first sixty pages, I wanted to give up and call it a lost cause. I found the writing style condescending, and I really didn’t like Penny, but I did love Sam. He really saved this one for me. I read specifically for his chapters and genuinely enjoyed the book once he became more of a central character.

Undead Girl Gang - Lily Anderson

Why I love it:

Wicca gone wrong

Latina teen witch

New take on zombies

When I first got my ARC of Undead Girl Gang, I instantly fell in love with the cover because I, like every other sane person in 2018, appreciate a good girl gang and a good enamel pin. That being said, I thought it would be an okay read, maybe kind of cheesy, but not something that I would find myself recommending over and over again. I was wrong. This book was great, and I couldn't put it down. It has murder mysteries, magic mix-ups, zombie teens, and a twist that I didn't expect at the end. It’s perfect for anyone looking for a fantasy/magical realism stand-alone in the endless sea of six-volume series.

IG: the_lit_witch

[caitsbooks]

Caitsbooks Reviews: Seafire by Natalie C. Parker

* I received an ARC at BookExpo 2018, all quotes included here may not reflect the finished edition *

Overall: 4.5/5 Stars Characters: 5/5 Setting: 4/5 Writing: 5/5 Plot and Themes: 4/5 Awesomeness Factor: 4.5/5 Review in a Nutshell: Seafire is a thrilling, epic adventure with badass female pirates set on revenge.

“Take your ship, take your crew, and prove to that man that he has not quelled all of us. Prove that there is a fire on these seas that he cannot contain.”

Blog || Goodreads || Bookstagram || Twitter  || Reviews 

- Premise - Seafire follows Caledonia Styx, the captain of Mors Navis. After making a mistake that led to the deaths of her family at the hands of the ruthless warlord Aric Athair and his army of Bullets, she is set on getting her revenge. When a Bullet saves her best friends life and offers them information that can give Cala the edge she needs, she must decide if she can trust him. 

“Never underestimate the girls of this world.”

- Setting - The setting of Seafire is really interesting, yet very vague. Set in a dystopian world where a warlord rules the seas and drugs children so they can serve his army, this book has a lot of compelling factors. While not entirely a fantasy setting, this book does have the fantasy/pirate feel despite the scifi-esque technology sometimes used. My only complaint is how little we're told about the world. There are plenty of new words used in this book that are never really explained well enough, and despite inferring the meaning, several of them still aren't clear. 

“'I am not made for just surviving.' 'What are you made for then?' 'Fighting back.'”

- Writing - 

The writing style is amazing. Natalie C. Parker's prose perfectly fits this genre-bending novel with great descriptions and intriguing internal dialogue. Plus some great banter too (Oran and Redtooth bring me so much joy, you have no idea).

"Just because there are bad things behind someone doesn't mean they only have bad things inside them."

- Plot- The beginning of the book can feel a little slow because, despite the many action scenes, the world can be a little hard to jump into. While the exposition is balanced well, what hasn't been explained in exposition slows down the plot. Not to mention, a large part of the first half of the book focuses more on the characters than the overall arc of the plot. However, by the 50% mark, the book really does pick up and is almost impossible to put down!

"Caledonia Styx, I suspect your regrets are few and legendary."

- Characters - The crew of the Mors Navis is one of my absolute favorite parts of the book. A fierce, all-female group of over fifty pirates hell-bent on getting revenge? It's awesome. I will say, this book is definitely not as gay as it sounds (there is a side romance between some crew members, but it isn't really explicitly stated in this book, but hopefully the next book will be gayer!). The main romance isn't gay, and honestly isn't at all a focus of this book (it is very much a slow-burn). The main character, Caledonia, is such a complex and fascinating protagonist. I absolutely loved her journey throughout this book. The Bullet (Oran) doesn't really get to shine until the last quarter of the novel, but he absolutely stole every scene for me. I can't wait to learn more about him in the sequel! The majority of the crew doesn't get much focus, with the exception of Pisces, Lace, Lovely Hime, Amina, Tin, and Redtooth. They each have very distinct personalities and really do stand out in this book.

“There's a storm on our tail, ladies. Not a small one. But we're fire on water.”

- Conclusion - Pros- Great writing, fascinating characters Cons- A little slow at the start, the setting can be too vague at times Overall- 4.5/5 stars. Seafire is an epic adventurous novel that will blow you out of the water.

[allthingsgene]

PH Blog Tour: Seafire by Natalie C. Parker

PH Blog Tour: Seafire by Natalie C. Parker | Prepare to meet the fierce crew of Mors Navis! Thank you so much @prhglobal for the free book! #PRHpartner

Title: Seafire

Author/s: Natalie C. Parker

ISBN: 9780451481290

Publication Date: August 28th 2018

Publisher: Razorbill

Format: ARC Paperback

Number of Pages: 384

Purchase Links

 Amazon | Kobo | iBooks | Book Depository

** The book is also available at National Book Store **

“After her family is killed by corrupt warlord Aric Athair and his bloodthirsty army of Bullets, Caledonia Styx is left to…

[wellredlibrarian]

Three on a Theme: Badass Lady Pirates

I know it’s been a (long) while since I’ve posted anything, but I’m back! (In my defense, toddlers, and motherhood in general, are exhausting and extremely time consuming).

I seem to be reading lots of books about Badass Lady Pirates lately. I’m am so not sad about this.

Alexandra Christo’s To Kill a Kingdom is the retelling of The Little Mermaid I never knew I needed. Instead of some lonely mermaid, pining after some prince she saved who doesn’t even know she exists, Princess Lira, spends her time hunting humans, specifically Royal humans. She has a boat-load of princes hearts, in jars, under her bedroom floor, one for every year of her life. After she accidentally ends up killing one of her sister Sirens, she’s cursed with human form and tasked with bringing back the heart of Prince Elian by the Winter Solstice if she wants to make it back into her mother’s (the sea witch’s) good graces - such as they are. Unfortunately for Lira, Elian is also a hunter, and he’s been trying to track Lira for ages, to take her life as revenge for her picking off humans, and he’s gotten in quite a bit of practice picking of other sirens he comes across in the meantime.

Raven the Pirate Princess Book One: Captain Raven and the All-Girl Pirate Crew is the first volume in the spin-off from the Princeless graphic novel series by Jeremy Whitley and Rosy Higgins. I love both this and the original series for their feminism, the way they challenge traditional gender rolls, the cheeky humor, and diverse cast. This is a great series for kids ages 9 and up.

And finally, we have Seafire by Natalie C. Parker, set to come out tomorrow. I received the ARC for this from NetGalley and read it in two sittings (it would have been one, but for the aforementioned toddler). If you haven’t already pre-ordered this, go do it NOW! (No seriously, go ahead...I’ll wait...). Caledonia Styx (is that not THE MOST badass lady pirate name you’ve ever heard?) is the captain of the Mors Navis and its all-female crew, which sail the seas in search of ways to thwart of the tyrant Aric Athair, who’s deadly Bullet crews are responsible for the death of Caledonia’s family. When Pisces, Caledonia’s second in command and only friend from before the murder of her family, is captured by one of Athair’s ships, and then rescued by a Bullet, Caledonia is forced to make some hard decisions, including whether to throw the Bullet overboard, pretty much assuring his death, or does she keep him on board and use what he knows to take down more of Athair’s ships. 

I feel like this was a really well-balanced story. The plot was action-packed and fast-paced (think Mad Max: Fury Road), but also had some really nuanced themes that readers will be able to mull over long after they’ve turned the last page (how far can you go in seeking justice for the downtrodden before you turn into your enemy?) Definitely recommend for grades 7+, especially your reluctant readers. This would also make a great book club selection.

[cromulentbookreview]

Weaponized Jaws

Or: Seafire by Natalie C. Parker!

Action on the seas featuring badass female protagonists? Yeah, I’m definitely going to read that. Very little needed in the way of convincing me to read this book.

Seafire had been advertised before as Fury Road meets Wonder Woman meets the ocean, which makes sense. Though with much less Wonder Woman and way more of Kevin Costner's Waterworld.

Alright, children, gather around while I explain to you what Waterworld was.

Yeah, Waterworld. Not a video game, it was a movie starring Kevin Costner, the world’s only American-accented Robin Hood (hey, I like that movie, Alan Rickman was a treasure and I’ll fight anyone who says otherwise). Waterworld came out in 1995 and was massive flop, now a bit of a cult-classic. I remember 1995, somewhat vaguely. God I’m an Old now, aren’t I?

I’ll never be as cool as Steve Buscemi, though.

For those of you who enjoy both Fury Road and Waterworld, then you’ll definitely like Seafire. I love anything that takes place on the ocean - a side effect of my strange Dudes on Boats fixation that I’ve mentioned previously (my apologies to For a Muse of Fire, . Sea stories are kind of my thing. So is post-apocalyptic YA fiction. So this book ticked all the “I need entertainment and want to forget the news exists right now” boxes and worked out perfectly.

Caledonia Styx lives in Crapsack Waterworld, a post-apocalyptic flooded version of our world (referenced occasionally as the “old world”, flooded/destroyed as a result of some unknown calamity). Caledonia has the misfortune to live in an area controlled by Aric Athair, a vicious warlord and sir-not-appearing-in-this-book (since Seafire is the first in a planned trilogy, I’m sure we’ll meet him eventually). Anyway, Athair controls his war boys, called Bullets, by drugging them with something called Silt, made from some sort of weird hybrid poppy-flower-thing. Life in Athair’s territory sucks, so Caledonia’s mom, Rhona, and a bunch of other families have gotten together on the Styx family’s ship, the Ghost, to break through Athair’s blockade and head off to freedom elsewhere.

Unfortunately, the night the Ghost intends to escape, Caledonia and her best friend Pisces (they’re really big on the names from Greco Roman mythology in crapsack Waterworld) are sent ashore to gather some last minute supplies. Caledonia comes across a bullet called Lir, who asks for her help. It’s all bullshit, though - the second Caledonia gives away the location of the Ghost, Lir and his fellow bullets attack, slaughtering Caledonia and Pisces’s families and sinking the Ghost.

Pisces didn’t witness Lir’s treachery, though, and Caledonia, feeling responsible for the deaths of all those onboard the Ghost, keeps that bit where she gave away the position of the ship to herself. That makes sense, considering how guilty it feels, but later, as Caledonia refers to Pisces as her “sister”, the fact that she kept this bit of intel under wraps does become a tad annoying. Especially when Caledonia refuses, multiple times, to clarify why it is she does’t trust Bullets. She’s just like “nope, can’t trust Bullets” instead of “no, that one time I trusted a Bullet, he slaughtered our families.”

Anyway!

Four years after the deaths of their families, Caledonia and Pisces have raised and repaired the Ghost, renaming it the Mors Navis.

(Language nerd sidebar: Mors Navis, by the way, is Latin for Death Ship. Thank you Google translate! No thanks to my 10+ years of German education. Why couldn’t I have picked a Latin language? Noo, I had to go with the Germanics. Mors Navis does sound way more menacing than Totenschiff. Eat it, B. Traven).

Over those four years, Caledonia, acting as captain, and Pisces, her first mate, have collected a crew composed entirely of girls and women, all of whom have no love for Aric Athair and his Bullet army. Caledonia and her crew basically go around the Bullet seas, making life hell for Athair’s people. During one such mission, Pisces is wounded and then captured, only to be rescued and returned to the Mors Navis by a Bullet who claims he wants to escape. Caledonia, who has literally zero reasons to trust Bullets, doesn’t trust him. Pisces points out, reasonably, that he saved her life when he could have left her to die. But Caledonia simply repeats her mantra of “no trusting Bullets” while refusing to elaborate.

Until the Bullet lets it slip that Donnally and Ares, Caledonia and Pisces’s brothers, respectively, survived the massacre on board the Ghost and were pressed into Athair’s drug-addled Bullet army. He knows what ship Donnally and Ares are on, and the route it takes to bring in conscripts (read: children stolen from their families, drugged, and forced into Athair’s army, refusal to comply met with extreme violence, in the usual fashion of a murderous tyrant).

Suddenly, Caledonia has reason to question her strict “don’t trust Bullets” policy. But it’s one of those Meek’s Cutoff situations: the Bullet could be a lying sack of shit and leading the Mors Navis into a trap. Or he could be telling the truth, leading Caledonia and Pisces to their long-lost brothers. What to do?

Well, it’d be a pretty short book if they just shot the Bullet, dumped his body in the ocean and moved on, wouldn’t it?

It took me a little longer to read Seafire than I intended - I’m a slow reader anyway, but while I was reading Seafire, I was also binging on Scott Lynch’s Gentleman Bastard series (which are fantastic by the way - highly recommend the audiobooks, Michael Page is an amazing audiobook narrator) so my focus may have been just a wee bit divided. My biggest complaint is now we have yet another seafaring heroine with red hair. How come all the seafaring heroines have to have red hair? Also, it’s funny you should bring up red hair, because in the world of the Gentleman Bastards, bad things happen to girls with red hair. Seriously, how come all the fiery heroine types have to have red hair? I mean, it’s not like I’m jealous or anything. I mean, it’s not like I should have been born with red hair, but no, it ended up a dull, boring blonde, and hair dye is expensive and smells terrible...

Uhm.

I mean.

Seriously, though, red hair is a rare thing - if Caledonia’s father had dark hair and her mother had red hair, the most likely outcome would be a bunch of kids with...dark hair. Though if her father did have a recessive red-hair gene, then it’s entirely possible for him to have produced red-headed children... So I guess it’s possible. 

Not that I’m annoyed that my hair didn’t turn out red. Even though it should have, goddamn it! I know those recessive genes are in there somewhere!

Stupid lousy blonde hair grumble grumble grumble...

Ok, back to Seafire - it is definitely a highly enjoyable book, lots of nonstop action, but not a lot of resolution because it’s the first in an intended series. I highly recommend breezing through the book in one go, rather than endlessly picking it up and then putting it down in order to find out whether or not Locke and Jean finally kiss (they don’t). 

But yes, jealousy over fictional characters’ red hair aside, the only major complaint I have about Seafire rests with a single line. The thing about reading ARCs, which I think I’ve mentioned before but, again, nobody reads these, so I might as well: ARCs are not finished copies. The final copy of Seafire might not even feature this line, so it seems silly to complain about it, but complaining is fun so I’ll do it anyway.

So the secondary-boss villain, Lir, Caledonia’s sworn enemy as he killed her whole goddamn family, is described as having a “long face with a jaw that looked sharp enough to be a weapon of its own.”

From that line onward I found I was unable to focus on anything except how a man’s jaw could be sharp enough to constitute a weapon. It’s a question that’s been driving me to distraction for weeks now. Is Lir’s jawline sharp enough that it comes to a point, like a knife? What would that look like on a three-dimensional human person? How would one wield their weaponized jaws? Like a battering ram? Or would you just like, wave your head around like a sword? Does this mean his chin comes to a point, too? That one line of the galley proof of Seafire has caused me more consternation than anything else in the book - and this is a book that features lots of violence. Lots and lots of it. And here I am contemplating a man with a weaponized jawbone. 

I mean, of the whole book it’s one line and it doesn’t even matter but...but...gah, I can’t help but picture a guy with knives for a jaw. 

RECOMMENDED FOR: Fans of badass female protagonists kicking ass on the high seas, fans of YA lit who also happen to be fans of Kevin Costner’s Waterworld.

NOT RECOMMENDED FOR: Anyone who takes physical descriptions of fictional far too literally.

RELEASE DATE: August 28, 2018

RATING: 4/5

ANTICIPATION LEVEL FOR SEQUEL: Lhotse

OBLIGATORY STYX REFERENCE:

[libraryinthecountry]

I love fantasy worlds and today’s fantasy is my #JulyTBR 😂 ⠀ I never stick to my TBR and this is an ambitious one, but I think I can get it done! I actually just finished #TheGlassSpare today, am about halfway through through the audiobook of #Warcross (listening with husband) and am staring a buddy read of #TheFalconer series with @corymareads tonight (it’s all for you, @beverageandbook 🤣). ⠀ In addition to these books I have a few e-ARCs I’d like to read this month. I’m already about 30% of the way through #StrangeGrace (I am ALIVE for its weirdness, so good) and plan to read and review #TheRagingOnes and possibly #Seafire too. ⠀ That said, if you could choose two books to have read and enjoyed (to their full potential) in the time it takes to watch a movie, what books would you choose? ⠀ Mine would be #TheNameoftheWind and #Mistborn. I -need- to read both and want to jump into the hype but adult high fantasy can be a little daunting at times too. That said, I’ve been told neither read that way at all. 😌 I’m a terrible straggler. ⠀ #bookstagram #bookworm #booknerd #bookphotography #bibliophile #booklover #bookaddict #instareads #bookblogger #bookish #beautifulbooks #booktag #prettybooks #bookstack #shelfie #bookshelves #allthebooksjuly18 #julyinbooks18 #bookstagramtogetherjuly #readwinjuly18 (at Nevada)

[willreadforbooze]

Hello!

Here’s our weekly wrap up from the WRFB crew =)

Linz’s Updates

Got drunk Friday. Got less drunk Saturday. Celery and sadness the rest of the week.

What Linz read:

This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone: Two figures, Red and Blue, fight for opposite teams in a war to change the course of time, and they start to fall in love. REALLY cool concept, but there’s a lot that was left to be explained–and I suspect they could have done so if this weren’t just a novella.

It All Comes Back to You by Beth Duke: I’ve been trying to make use of my Kindle Unlimited trial, so I read this novel that bounces between a nursing home aide writing a book about a now-dead patient’s life, and the actual events of the patient’s life. Meh–unhealthy relationships, questionable motivations, and a major fail of the Bechdel Test.

Now Entering Addamsville by Francesca Zappia: A rebel girl tries to prove she didn’t commit a string of arsons without telling the truth, because that would mean telling people she sees ghosts and fights demons. Review tk, but I really enjoyed reading this book.

Cursed by Thomas Wheeler (illustrated by Frank Miller): You’ve all seen the very catchy Netflix-toned ARC cover, you’ve all seen this at every book festival this year. Review tk, but…yikes.

What Linz is reading:

Recursion by Blake Crouch: I literally have no idea what this is about, I picked it up because I really liked Dark Matter and everyone else on our team has loved this book. I’m 2.5 chapters in and goddamn I may finish this today.

Ginny’s Updates:

Whatsup! I’ve had a great week. Went to see a Cirque du Soleil show for my Birthday on Tuesday with some of my amazing friends, and as always my mind was BLOWN! I tried to branch out this week and read a little more things outside of my norm. I’ll let you know how that went, but first:

Currently reading:

Breathless by Beverly Jenkins: This is the second book in a series, the first book was Forbidden which I covered in a previous weekly wrap up. This book focuses on one of Eddy’s nieces and one of the other minor characters. This series is charming and does a really nice job of creating the atmosphere of the old west. I’m really enjoying Portia’s personality and the way Kent is so laid back.

After the Flood by Kassandra Montag: This is one of the ARC’s we got from somewhere and it takes place in a flooded world. It’s pretty damn heavy on the dystopian. I’m about 70 pages in and I get the feeling this might get DNF’d, not because the book is bad, but just because I’m not sure I’m in the right place to read something like this. Myra is traveling with her 8 year old daughter and finds out that her 12 year old daughter (who had been kidnapped by her shitty shitty husband) might have been sold basically to slavers… It’ll be interesting to see which list this ends up on for me next week.

Finished:

Half-Off Ragnarok by Seanan McGuire: This is the third book in the InCryptid series and it switches focus from Verity, to her older brother Alex. Alex lives in Ohio with his grandparents working at a zoo which is a great cover for his interest in cryptozoology. I’m planning on writing a review for this one, so no more info here.

Lord Dashwood Missed Out by Tessa Dare: I think I’ve read other things by Tessa Dare and picked this one out because of a twitter thread about the “enemies to lovers” trope which I occasionally find delightful. As a note, this was a novella, so pretty damn short. But they were childhood friends and he was a bit of an ass to her before disappearing for years. She wrote a book about it and when he comes back she’s right pissed at him. Obviously it works out in the end. But a quick fun read. 3.5/5

My Best Friend’s Mardi Gras Wedding by Erin Nicholas: I have this book club where I read free romance novels from Amazon with a few of my friends. This one was a lot better than the ones that we usually read. Definitely had a few issues (starting out with the leads have painfully cringey flirtations at the beginning of the book and ending with the wrong person uprooting their entire life plus the addition of a probably too bitchy fiance of the heroines best friend). Regardless, the cast of this was pretty fun. 3/5

Trouble in Lafayette Square: Assassination, Protest Murder at the White House by Gil Klein: This book takes snapshot looks at pieces of history in one small square of the nations capital. The book follows a fairly linear timeline and especially early on there’s a fair amount of overlap. It was a good reminder for a local about the amount of history that is steeped in the vast majority of the city I walk through on a daily basis. 4.5/5

How to Lose a Bride in One Night by Sophie Jordan: This book had it’s moments but there was definitely a certain amount of sexual assault and I’m kind of in the camp of offering warnings for that somewhere.

The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards: This book starts in the mid-60s when a doctor and his wife has twins. The girl has downs syndrome and the doctor gives the baby away before his wife wakes up form the gas they used to give women who gave birth (gonna be honest, the “twilight” births sound kind of great. Wish they still did those) and tells his wife the baby died instead. The book follows the lives of the Dr, wife, and son, to be compared with the life of the nurse who took the baby and raised her as her own. It’s an interesting look at grief and the ways a single decision can ripple out. That being said I’m very conflicted about the way that I feel about this book and the way that the people with Downs Syndrome are treated. I think it could be a realistic portrayal, but I’ can’t tell whether or not it’s also infantalizing. 2.5/5

Sam’s Updates

It was a fun week! Ginny’s and Mama’s birthday, went to the show, it was awesome. Got drunk on Friday, and then also last night. I am hurting pretty bad this morning (she says, at 4:39 in the afternoon).

What I read this week:

Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte: In this story, the country is divided into four quadrants each with their own specialty, run by their own queen. Enter our everyday thief and she finds out about a plot to kill the queens. Off we go on our adventure. I listened to this on audio, and it was fine. not great, but not bad either. Insta-love was a thing and so was the “plot twist”.

Only Human by Sylvain Neuvel: This is the third book in the Themis Files. I was talking about this with Parker this week, while I LOVED book 1, and book 2 was alright, this one has shifted tone drastically. I didn’t mind the end at all. But I sorta wanted more from it.

What I’m currently reading:

Steeltide by Natalie C. Parker: This is the second book in the Seafire series, which I didn’t enjoy as much as I wanted to, but THIS book. THIS BOOK is significantly better than the first. I love it when that happens.

The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heilig: This story is about a girl on a pirate ship that can travel through time. Her dad, the captain, is tryna get back to Hawaii so he can save his wife, but it may mean that our lady may cease to exist. I’m doin ok with this. I think, like Linz, I struggle with this author. Audiobook format is helping though. Idk what the plot is supposed to be yet.

Minda’s Updates

What Minda is reading now:

On Swift Horses by Shannon Pufahl – Based in the post-war American west, this woman and her brother-in-law are living a restless and divergent life on the road. Haven’t gotten very far yet.

Mrs. Everything by Jennifer Weiner – This story is about two sisters growing up in the suburbs of Detroit in the 1950s. As we follow them through their lives, things don’t go according to plan. Enjoying so far!

Weekly Wrap Up: September 16-22, 2019 Hello! Here’s our weekly wrap up from the WRFB crew =) Linz's Updates Got drunk Friday. Got less drunk Saturday.