#ramblinggypsy

[ramblinggypsyrose]

GYPSY ROSE was an incredibly fun shoot I did, where my friend decided to play with the idea of my gypsy essence.

PC: The talented @breakthebasic AKA @Aishwaryaravi.tumblr.com

[ramblingypsy]

When live gives you lemons. #grins #ramblinggypsy

[ramblingypsy]

Waylaid, another Peri Reed short, by Kim Harrison

From the author's website:

The magic of the Hollows runs full force into the technological sophistication of The Drafter when a device capable of carrying a city’s data stream pulls Rachel, the bounty hunter witch of the Hollows, between realities, marooning her in a world where the supernatural holds no sway.

My Notes:

Turns out, being sick has some of its perks. I spent most of Tuesday reading this short. Most because I kept trying to prolong the reading but failed.

As Ms. Harrison mentions in her intro, this short was sort of like a fanfiction...and it did start out feeling that way. But as most of Ms. Harrison's works, everything always blends so well.

I don't want to give any spoilers as to how they end up being in the same place. But how the characters start out and end up being "friends" was definitely well done. I also have to admit that I read this novella highly skeptical. I really couldn't understand how these two worlds could "mash up," but it really worked. And...I feel like this brings an opportunity for another "collision" in the future.

As much as I enjoy Peri's world, I do miss The Hollows and wish Ms. Harrison would bring it back or just a book, or a trilogy, or continue the series.

Next up is William Ritter's Beastly Bones. Started it yesterday. Reading speed is really slow though. Blame it on Zyrtec.

[ramblingypsy]

A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn

From the author's website:

London, 1887. As the city prepares to celebrate Queen Victoria's golden jubilee, Veronica Speedwell is marking a milestone of her own. After burying her spinster aunt, the orphaned Veronica is free to resume her world travels in pursuit of scientific inquiry—and the occasional romantic dalliance. As familiar with hunting butterflies as she is fending off admirers, Veronica wields her butterfly net and a sharpened hatpin with equal aplomb, and with her last connection to England now gone, she intends to embark upon the journey of a lifetime. But fate has other plans, as Veronica discovers when she thwarts her own abduction with the help of an enigmatic German baron with ties to her mysterious past. Promising to reveal in time what he knows of the plot against her, the baron offers her temporary sanctuary in the care of his friend Stoker—a reclusive natural historian as intriguing as he is bad-tempered. But before the baron can deliver on his tantalizing vow to reveal the secrets he has concealed for decades, he is found murdered. Suddenly Veronica and Stoker are forced to go on the run from an elusive assailant, wary partners in search of the villainous truth.

Read an excerpt, here

My Notes:

It doesn't happen often enough, but I finished this book in less than a week. It was definitely a "fast read," and a good recommendation.

Before I get into the details, I wanted to point out that I have not read any of Ms. Raybourn's other books. After this, I just might.

Ok let's go back to the story where a biased lepidopterist goes on the run with an ex-surgeon who fashions himself a taxidermist. Huh?

I have to admit that this unlikely alliance was quite enjoyable. The dialogue between Veronica and Stoker was so entertaining that it made me wish for more in the end.

Characterwise, the heroine is not your typical Victorian lady. She has a much modern approach to her ways and needs that it somehow makes you want to be around her during her adventures. She completely ignores the norm and goes about whatever she wants no matter what.

Plotwise, I thought the mystery was simple but interesting. It wasn't predictable (well maybe, to a certain point). The story opens on her Aunt's burial, a trivial encounter with the town pastor and his overbearing wife, and her home getting ransacked by a complete stranger. She is somewhat rescued by a baron who tells her that her life is in danger and also promises to tell her about her parents in due time. The baron takes her to a friend, asking him to protect her with his life, just until he could come back for her. That never happens when she later finds out that the baron is murdered. What's worse is that the person protecting her is a prime suspect. From there, they decide to become "partners in crime," hoping to solve the mystery behind the baron's murder, as well as the threat to her life. While on the run, they encounter intriguing characters.

If you love historical lit, specifically that of the Victorian era, this is definitely worth the read. The storyline is light yet mysterious. The characters are very likeable and witty. That, and throw in a stuffed elephant somewhere in the middle, I'm pretty sure you'll finish reading this book sooner than expected.

Excelsior!

P.S. I still don't know what's next in line. I have a few hours to decide.

[ramblingypsy]

The Drafter, Book 1 of the Peri Reed Chronicles, by Kim Harrison

From the author's website:

Detroit 2030.

Double-crossed by the person she loved and betrayed by the covert government organization that trained her, Peri Reed is a renegade on the run.

Her motto has always been only to kill those who kill her first. But when Peri discovers her name on a list of corrupt operatives, she realizes that her own life has been manipulated by the agency. With nothing but intuition to guide her, will she have to break her own rule to survive?

My Notes:

[I started writing this when I was 1/3 into the book. HUGE SPOILERS AHEAD. Do NOT continue reading if you haven't finished reading the book.]

I love time travel. I love that it gives us and the author "hope" or a chance to reboot (to a certain extent). I know that not everyone likes that, but I do. [I love DW.]

The Peri Reed Chronicles is set in 2030 alterverse Detroit. I would classify this as "light- accelerated-syfy" versus it being billed as suspense/thriller.

As I mentioned in my prequel posting: The world of Peri Reed deals with time travel. But not in a wibbly wobbly way. Drafters are a small group in society who have the ability to "draft" or move backwards in time. The amount of time they can travel back to depends on the drafter, but they are typically a small fragment. Each Drafter is assigned an Anchor. And as the name would suggest, grounds the Drafter back into the new reality.

Drafters and Anchors are monitored/sanctioned by a group called OPTI. The existence of drafters is kept secret by OPTI and a few other agencies that "use" their service. Then, there's the Alliance who plans to wipe out OPTI.

Now, let me say that there are loopholes in the story. BUT, I am looking forward to the rest of the book because:

[1] The prequel was written well. [2] The first third of the book was highly engaging. [3] It's written by Kim Harrison. I LOVE her books.

Going back to the storyline, and characters....

In the first third of the book, we meet "main characters" we've encountered in Sideswiped. You can read my notes from that link.

[Then, at this point I stopped writing. A week ago, I finished the book.]

Do you know how it feels when a bomb (of information) is dropped on you unexpectedly? Two minutes later, a bigger bomb is dropped and you burst into a million little pieces. Then, your little pieces start crawling towards eachother trying to be whole again and then another bomb is dropped. And, when you're finally less like Humpty Dumpty slowly finding your way out of that "bombed space," someone from behind decides to sweep kick you and you land head first.

Yes, the struggle is real. It didn't disappoint.

Ok, but...did I love the book? Hmmm. I enjoyed reading it and will most likely read it again. I'm also eagerly waiting for the next one to arrive.

As the story, rather stories, unfold, you find yourself unable to trust anyone. Anyone. This book has more twists, turns, and knots than my Aunt Rosy. You feel somewhat empathetic to the heroine, who is mostly in the dark about so many things. Her memories are distorted. Her anchors are cryptic. Her choices are expectedly reactionary and impulsive. Yet I couldn't sympathize. Because I knew and expected her to deal with situations the best way she can.

Somehow, the story reminds me of the TV series Blindspot. Concept-wise + the time traveling part. Overall, this is highly recommended.

I'm about to pick up my copy of Waylaid. But meantime, I am reading this.

[ramblingypsy]

Because sometimes I like to scare myself | #ramblinggypsy #grins

[ramblingypsy]

#mateotomato

[ramblingypsy]

😁🙄🙃🙃🙃🙄😁 #mateotomato