Fox Downs (Kitsunetachi)

Boy I have a few books to catch up on for the book list! I haven’t updated my reading since April! (eep.)

Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch – Thieves, treachery and intrigue!  Oh my!  The story kept us guessing all the way through.  Very much an adult book – gory violence and adult themes at times.  That aside – it’s hard not to really like Locke the master thief and cheer him on.  We really wanted him to turn to be a good guy in the end.  But Locke and his world just aren’t made that way.  Unsure if we’ll read the next book because of the gore factor.

Ranger’s Apprentice Series by John Flanagan – We’ve read the first three books – so far they are superb!

• Ruins of Gorlan – We were able to listen to this one as a family (with children under 10).  Very enjoyable.  My son was so taken by the story – he’s been pretending to be a ranger since!
• The Burning Bridge – This is the last one we listened to as a family.  Mr. Flanagan handled the battles with taste.  But it was still a bit too much for my smallest one (in preschool).  I was unprepared for the ending at this one and was yelling “NOOOOOO!” at the recording (out of “I have to find out what happens next” anticipation).
• The Icebound Land – Hubby and I listened to this to see if our children were old enough, and they aren’t.  My son will be soon.  But my littlest isn’t.  Good story.  I felt it was mostly character setup and a focus on Halt and Horace.  Anxious to see where the author goes for book 4.

Strong Bow Saga by Judson Roberts – My favorite series so far this year.

• Dragons from the Sea – For some reason I started this series in book 2.  Still I was able to keep up with the story and enjoy it.  Mr. Roberts has done an excellent job in his research and wove history well into the story of Halfdan.  Couldn’t wait to read the next book.
• Road to Vengance – Halfdan really proves himself and his character in this book.  I loved how honorable he is and how he makes his choices.  You get to know (and like) Jarl Hastein better and learn just how cunning he is.   Wish I knew when the next book was coming out!