Magician: Apprentice - Raymond E. Feist

On a forest shore of the Kingdom of Isles, an orphaned named Pug lives. His story begins with this book and spans his whole life, through strange worlds and vast empires.  Pug is taken as an apprentice by the magician Kulgan but cannot seem to master the most basic of magics however complex, unknown magic comes easy.  His life takes a turn when a rift opens between worlds and he is taken far from home.  He learns and is taken in by the world and it changes the course of not only his life but the world he comes from and the world he's adopted into

Pug's story is one of growth, discovery and the ultimate fight of good and evil and the grey area in between.  This character's life currently spans 31 novels and touches on various characters, all rich and well rounded.

It's a deep dive, and all encompassing series but a great escape and so different from any other series.  I appreciate Raymond D. Feist writing and have read quite a few of  books.  He has a new series out and while that's a review for another time, he's definitely an author I would recommend.

The Berlin Apartment - Bryn Turnbull

Berlin 1961: When Uli Neumann proposes to Lise Bauer, she has every reason to accept. He offers her love, respect, and a life beyond the strict bounds of the East German society in which she was raised — which she longs to leave more than anything. But only two short days after their engagement, Lise and Uli are torn violently apart when barbed wire is rolled across Berlin, splitting the city into two hostile halves: capitalist West Berlin, an island of western influence isolated far beyond the iron curtain; and the socialist East, a country determined to control its citizens by any means necessary. Soon, Uli and his friends in West Berlin hatch a plan to get Lise and her unborn child out of East Germany, but as distance and suspicion bleed into their lives and as weeks turn to months, how long can true love survive in the divided city?

This book was a roller coaster and a history lesson.  Now this will date me but I was a child when the wall came down and I live in Canada so living through it's tumult wasn't something I experienced.  History in school doesn't completely cover it, only touches on it and as a teenager lets face it, do any of us truly or fully comprehend or understand the effects something like this would have of people or nations?  Reading this book has prompted me to look further into it and read more about it.  Horrible and life altering aren't even the best words to describe it.  But this book does a very good job in capturing the helpless, trapped and stuck between a rock and a hard place decisions that some had to make in those years.  This book is heartbreaking and had me aghast at some of the decisions Lise made but finishing the book and reading up on the history, I am beginning to understand that East Berliners had no choices.  No freedom.  No chance to decide anything and had to live in conformity to where they ended up.  

Would 1000% recommend but it's an emotional roller coster so buckle up.

The Henna Artist - Alka Joshi

1950s, a 17 year old Lakshmi escapes an abusive marriage and makes her way to Jaipur.  Over time she becomes the most highly respected henna artist but not just that to the wealthy women of the upper class, a confidante and secret keeper. She dreams of nothing more than an independent life and a home of her own but her past comes back to haunt her in the form of not only her husband but also a sister who she never knew she had.  Suddenly everything in her carefully cultivated world is threatened, and she will have to tread carefully.

Beautifully written and rich characters.  So much confusion and misunderstand when communication isn't there and the author captures these intricate feelings and interactions very well.  I appreciated the rich beauty of Jaipur and the cultural conveyances that I never knew about. I felt that I was drawn in to this special woman's world and went through and felt everything Lakshmi experienced and at the same time could understand not only where she was coming from but also the other women.

Would absolutely recommend!

One Month Boyfriend - Roxie Noir

Faking dating my sworn enemy to make my ex so jealous he can't see right.  What could possibly go wrong what with social anxiety, new-in-town status and my sworn enemies golden boy status...

This was a short, lite read with the typical troupe enemies to lovers.  There was a little post war PTSD glimpse for the guy and a social anxiety glimpse for the girl.  Very modern, very typical.  Alright read, something I would say better for a beach read.

All the Ugly and Wonderful Things - Bryn Greenwood

 A beautiful and provocative love story between two unlikely people and the hard-won relationship that elevates them above the Midwestern meth lab backdrop of their lives.

As the daughter of a drug dealer, Wavy knows not to trust people, not even her own parents. It's safer to keep her mouth shut and stay out of sight. Struggling to raise her little brother, Donal, eight-year-old Wavy is the only responsible adult around. Obsessed with the constellations, she finds peace in the starry night sky above the fields behind her house, until one night her star gazing causes an accident. After witnessing his motorcycle wreck, she forms an unusual friendship with one of her father's thugs, Kellen, a tattooed ex-con with a heart of gold.

By the time Wavy is a teenager, her relationship with Kellen is the only tender thing in a brutal world of addicts and debauchery. When tragedy rips Wavy's family apart, a well-meaning aunt steps in, and what is beautiful to Wavy looks ugly under the scrutiny of the outside world. A powerful novel you wont soon forget, Bryn Greenwood's All the Ugly and Wonderful Things challenges all we know and believe about love. 

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

 

Book 3 or five of the Empyrean series.  18 months at the Basigiath War Colloge finds Violet Sorrengail with no more time.  War is upon them and enemies are closing in.  She must solve the mystery of the other dragon race and travel beyond the wards to do so, seeking allies in unfamiliar lands, testing her strength, will and luck.

Well this was...a bit of a slog.  Not sure if it's because I found out after I started reading that this is only book 3 or because it was...a lot of rise and repeat. I mean how long can you drag out the slow demise of a way of life.  Oh right we are slowly living it in real life.  And how many times will people continue to lie and then put their life in each others hands once that trust will be broken.  Or how many times can you repeat a sex scene after two books.  I didn't feel like there was character movement, it felt static and like this was just filling pages.  Sure there were some "surprises" or twists that weren't completely out of character or weren't foreshadowed.

All in all if your already invested and read the first two, well it's up to you if you want to continue on.  I'm most likely going to finish the series at some point. 

Pax by Sara Pennypacker

Peter rescues a kit fox, Pax, after his family is killed.  When war approaches, Peter's father voluntarily enlists, forcing Peter to move in with his grandfather and thus forcing Peter to give Pax up in the wilds again.  But Peter knows his made an error and sets out to reunite with Pax on a journey against all odds for both.

This has got to be one of the most sweetest, well written books I have read in awhile.  The story jumps back and forth between Pax & Peter's viewpoints and their journeys/adventures finding each other and what they go through.  The beginning is heartbreaking and the end is no less so but the love and connection these two have for each other is the best part of the story.  Making this my most recommended book of this year.