Audio Book Review: The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook by Matt Dinniman

The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook by Matt Dinniman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

#1 I'm really enjoying this world.
#2... Hold on. Back to #1. There's SO MUCH to this world that's available to play with. There is just so much there! It can make for humor. It can make for sad. It can make for friendships. It can make for ALL the worse things that could happen. Just so much potential. And I'm really liking this.

#2 I'm going to repeat this with every book. The Narrator. The Narrator. THE NARRATOR! I've loved Jeff's work for years. This is the one he shines like a huge dimond in. (Really, all his work is amazing.) Everyone he brings in with him is amazing. (This book has 1 guest voice join him. He does all the rest of the voices!)

I enjoyed this book. But...I struggled with this book at the same time. I did the audiobook, which I HIGHLY recommend, but maybe reading it would have given me a chance to see and try to grasp what was happening with the trains... or maybe not. I'm thinking this was intentionally made to be confusing, even for readers. I was trying really hard to visualize the train track system. It's confusing! Even Carl in the book's confused about it. And a few others too. At least one or two got it and solved it. At one point in the book, I was like don't worry about the train system, the author will get it all worked out. I put my faith in Matt Dinniman for this.

This then opened up my mind to focus on all the other things happening in the book. Katia becomes important as to how she plays into their team and battles. Which then ties in other characters in their path... Hekla, Donut, and other teams. So much.

This is a must listen/read. Must. Must.
Onward to the next book!

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Book Review: The Merge by Grace Walker

The Merge by Grace Walker


I DNF-ed this book. I just couldn't get into their lives. I made it to page 88 and had no interest, so stopped.

It's a scifi about merging spirits or minds between people. They didn't give me anything to go on with what was to happen with the characters in the process. I had no connection to the world in why it was doing what it was doing and pushing this process. The story felt very one dimensional for me. No depth to it. It was just the characters and I felt I wasn't connecting with them or their personal lives.

The main character's mother's story felt more interesting than our FMC. I'm sorry. I know they are the same story, but experiences and views were more interesting from the mom for me.

There were memories they did together and the writing style didn't seem to separate them out from the current story for me, so left me a little unsure where we were and what doing.

Even though this isn't for me, I did read this with the book club and many of them did enjoy this book. A couple wanted more from the ending, but enjoyed the book.

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Book Review: Alchemy of Secrets by Stephanie Garber

Alchemy of Secrets by Stephanie Garber
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've had this on the shelf for a little while and finally got to reading it.

I really did enjoy it.

It had a more noir, old time magic feel to the story told.

Holland figures out there's a secret society and it's full of magic! She is take with the legends and stories that are told. With these in mind, she searches through Los Angelos to find and learn more and more and prove that these stories are true. And there's a deeper reason for this search with her family history.

As she's looking for the truth and proof, Holland gets tied up into something she never imagined and dangerous.

The ending had me curious and interested as I wanted to see how it all ended.

I found it neat in how the circle comes back around to explain how and why things happened as they did in the story. I was thinking there were hazy pieces in the story or a plot hole. The ending explains why these events happened with this hazy and holes.

A bit of mystery with magic with what's happening and figuring out who to trust. I was flip flopping back and forth on who was the "bad" guy and I'm still not 100% sure. lol. The way the story ended, I'm hoping there will be book two with these characters. I want to see more with her sister and I'm interested in hearing more about who we meet in the end.

So pretty good book with secret magic and legends.

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