The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa

Natsuki Books was a tiny second-hand bookshop on the edge of town. Inside, towering shelves reached the ceiling, every one crammed full of wonderful books. Rintaro Natsuki loved this space that his grandfather had created. He spent many happy hours there, reading whatever he liked. It was the perfect refuge for a boy who tended to be something of a recluse. After the death of his grandfather, Rintaro is devastated and alone. It seems he will have to close the shop. Then, a talking tabby cat called Tiger appears and asks Rintaro for help. The cat needs a book lover to join him on a mission. This odd couple will go on three magical adventures to save books from people who have imprisoned, mistreated and betrayed them. Finally, there is one last rescue that Rintaro must attempt alone . . .

This one seemed so adorable but it surprised me a bit.  For being such a narrow book (only 500 ish pages!) it was incredible deep and an interesting perspective of our modern day projection on printed books.  I've always enjoy Japanese literature and the way they view the world - you can see so much of their honor as a people and view on how they see things as valuable and always lessons.  This book was no exception to that and the translators captured that essence which I appreciated very much. This book is also a journey on grief and sorting out feelings of losing a loved one.  I would 1000% recommend this short read because of it's depth, journey and lessons.

Belgarath the Sorcerer - David Eddings

When the world was young and Gods still walked among their mortal children, a headstrong orphan boy set out to explore the world. Thus began the extraordinary adventures that would mold that youthful vagabond into a man, and the man into the finely honed instrument of Prophecy known to all the world as Belgarath the Sorcerer.

A continuing/history of Belgarath from David Eddings series The Belgariad & The Mallorean.  The story spans Belgarath's whole life until after the events of the Mallorean series told from his point of view, his thoughts, interactions and conversations.  

I've said it before, David Eddings creates a extremely rich and thoroughly developed world and people and this book encompasses all that he endevoured to created.  Love the book and would absolutely recommend.

Bride by Ali Hazelwood

A vampyre bride and a alpha wolf - can an alliance this far off base work in a world so torn between 3 factions?  Misery Lark is the only daughter of the most powerful vampyre councilman of the southwest.  She has spent her life as a sacrifice for her people - first as a trade to the human contingent during her child hood and now as an adult she is once again to be one for the weres.  But will it be enough?  And what of the human childhood "sister" who has gone missing and the only clues Misery can find point to the weres?

This is a far cry from her STEM novels and her first foray into fantasy.  You can feel Ali Hazelwoods touch here but it is such a delicious detachment from STEM.  Misery is a very dry character but it works as a soul sucking vampyre.  I'm used to her male characters being more...visceral and I don't get that here despite him being the alpha were.  But it also works with his upbringing and how he rules his pack.

All in all I did enjoy reading this one but was it because of my current obsession with Ali Hazelwood?  Would I have enjoyed it if it was by another author?  I honestly can't say.

The Secret Keeper of Jaipur - Alka Joshi

Second book from Alka Joshi.

Lakshmi is now married to Dr Jay Kumar and directs the Healing Garden in Shimla.  It's the spring of 1969 and Malik is a 20 year old young man, finished his schooling and sent to apprentice in the Pink City of his childhood as an apprentice to learn architecture with some old faces from the first book.  But he leaves behind a widow whom he has been stepping out with.  Political intrigue, money and old battles still roam the streets and Malik will have to navigate them all to sharpen his old skills.

I enjoyed this one, maybe not as much as the first one but enough that I could finish this one fairly quickly.  You do still read quite a bit of Lakshmi but the bulk of the story is from Malik and his love interests point of view. I will say I was very pleased that the author noted but did not go into great detail important points from the first book that related to this story.  They were short reminders to the reader on those points and if you haven't read the first book, then good little short points to bring you up to speed.

Recommend.  Can almost read as a stand alone.

Polgara the Sorceress - David Eddings

Daughter of Belgarath and Poledra, Polgara in her own right has lived for 3,000 years and has experience and gone through all that life has to offer. Here is the legendary life story of a woman of wit, passion, and complex emotions, a woman born of two majestic parents who could not have been more unlike one another. Ordained to make peace and make war, to gain love and lose love, Polgara lives out her family's rich prophecy in the ceaseless struggle between the Light and the Dark.

This book has been my penultimate pedestal I've held every fantasy book series too ever since I read it. I've revisited it repeatedly throughout different phases in my life and still find something enjoyable about it.  This book is in my top 3 if not the top spot and I will forever be in love with this character so a whole book from start to finish from her perspective...hell ya.

Recommend, recommend, recommend.  But I also would say to read the Belgariad & Mallorean series first.

Loathe to Love You - Ali Hazelwood

 STEMinist novella collection of 3 stories but all sort of interconnected as the women are all good friends. UNDER ONE ROOF is about environmental engineer Mara who after loosing a close friend/mentor was gifted a house.  Well half of a house.  The other half comes with a very tall, handsome and soul sucking lawyer who works for the worst company on the planet defending their oil refining ways. STUCK WITH YOU follows civil engineer Sadie who gets stuck in a elevator late on a Friday with brawny, blond Denmarkian Erik whose recently broke her heart. And BELOW ZERO follows NASA aerospace engineer Hannah who is injured and stranded at a remote Arctic research station and the only person willing to make the rescue journey is her longtime rival Ian.  

All of these stories are relatively short - a snapshot - quick build or your already tuning in half way through.  The reviews for these are brutal.  People do not like them.  In some ways I can see what/why they don't like them (honestly it says a lot about the intelligence level of the world) but I also enjoy this kind of relationship - banter, witty, sarcastic and hot.  I read each one and my only complaint was that they were short stories - I wanted more flushed out, dragged on story with the characters. I think my favorite of the three was the first one. I am still a stalwart Ali Hazelwood fan and really enjoyed these.

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.