Pages of Starlight: May 2016

Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Memorial Day (And Military Sci-Fi Books)

For those of you that don't know, here in the US, Memorial Day is a federal holiday that is for the remembrance of people that died while serving in our armed forces. It originated as 'Decoration Day' which was created after the American Civil War in 1868 as a day to place flowers on the graves of those that died during the war. While that was a Union holiday, eventually Union and Confederate holidays combined into what we now know as Memorial Day.

I would like to take a moment to voice my gratitude to the brave men and women, living and dead, that have served. Thank you.

I also decided that I wanted to share a few of the fictional books I've read either about the military or with character/s in the military. Then to my utter shame, I realized I've read very few.

Of these, my favorite is definitely the Confederation series by Tanya Huff. Which starts with Valor's Choice. (A military sci-fi heavy on the aliens.) I also enjoyed Trading in Danger by Elizabeth Moon - the rest of the series not being as good, I thought. For a more civilian look into a sci-fi military, the later books in the Earth Girl series by Janet Edwards is amazing.

I was really hoping I'd have some historical military books to add here but, while I know I've read them, they are completely escaping me at the moment.

What books with military personnel or setting have you enjoyed? Would you please leave me some suggestions? And they don't have to be just sci-fi - historical, contemporary and fantasy (seriously, I would love to find some military fantasy!) are all genre's I'd love suggestions from!

Image from here

Friday, May 27, 2016

May Wrap-Up

Another month another slew of books off my TBR!

I can't believe it's already the end of May. Where has my year gone?

Anyway, I've been really lazy this month - I think the Dog Days of Summer are setting in early - so all I've been wanting to do is read. Let's just say that this means I've read a crazy amount this month. So far this month, I've read more books than any other month this year and have also read more pages. Besides that, I have the highest average rating for the books I've read so far this year. (I love my spreadsheet, if you can't tell.)

Of the books I've read so far this month (as I know I'll read many, many more over the long weekend) only two of them were rated below three stars - and they were both series sequels. While I've gotten better about DNFing books, I still won't drop a series in the middle of a book.

(There've also been a lot of comics and manga this month.)

What I've been reading...

Loki: Agent of Asgard: I Cannot Tell A Lie by Al Ewing - ****

The Cassini Code by Dom Testa - ****

Earth Flight by Janet Edwards - *****

Karneval Omnibus #2 by Touya Mikanagi - *****

Stars Above by Marissa Meyer - *** - Review

Frozen Tides by Morgan Rhodes - ** - Review

Libriomancer by Jim C. Hines - ***

Improper Relations by Juliana Ross - **

Alice in the Country of Hearts: My Fanatic Rabbit: Vol.1 by Quinrose - ****

Alice in the Country of Hearts: My Fanatic Rabbit: Vol.2 by Quinrose - ****

Liberty by Lindsay Buroker - *****

The Night Parade by Kathryn Tanquary - ****

Untold by Sarah Rees Brennan - **** - My Thoughts

Hera 2781 by Janet Edwards - *****

The Scofflaw Magician by Honor Raconteur - *****

Heart of Ice by K.M. Shea - *****

Ms. Marvel: No Normal by G. Willow Wilson - ****

Arisa Vol. 11 by Natsumi Ando - ****

Arisa Vol. 12 by Natsumi Ando - *****

This Shattered World by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner - ** - Mini Review

Spark by Anthea Sharp - **** - My Thoughts

Once Upon a Scandal by Julie LeMense - ***** - Mini Review

Entreat Me by Grace Draven - ****

Buying ban information to date...

I can buy/get free 1 book for every 5 I read.

Series continuations are free.

Physical books read: 61

E-books read: 47

Physical books bought: 10

E-books bought: 18

What I've watched...

While I have a whole bunch of shows started and/or half-watched, this month has been mostly a little of this and a little of that and the only things I've finished have been a couple of rewatches.

I rewatched

Season 6 of Numb3rs

Season 2 of Elementary

Season 1 of Leverage

And there's my very boring month of May. How was yours? Has it started getting hot where you live, yet, or are you in the south and just getting started on winter? And does anyone else feel like all they want to do is curl up with a book and read?

Thursday, May 26, 2016

May Book Haul

Okay, I don't know what happened this month, but I went totally crazy buying books. Please bear with me.

This shall forever after be known as the manga month!