I've started doing a thing in October of last year, where I roll a twenty-sided die and that determines the number of books I'm allowed to acquire during the month. For January the number I came up with was 14. So be it library, second-hand, major store, whatever....I was only allowed to get 14 books. I think I managed to accomplish staying within the target.
Book #1: Empress Dowager Cixi by Jung Chang
In 1852, at age sixteen, Cixi was chosen as one
of Emperor Xianfeng’s numerous concubines. When he died in 1861,
their five-year-old son succeeded to the throne. Cixi at once
launched a coup against her son’s regents and placed herself as the
true source of power—governing through a silk screen that separated
her from her male officials. Drawing on newly available sources, Jung
Chang comprehensively overturns Cixi’s reputation as a conservative
despot. Cixi’s extraordinary reign saw the birth of modern China.
Under her, the ancient country attained industries, railways,
electricity, and a military with up-to-date weaponry. She abolished
foot-binding, inaugurated women’s liberation, and embarked on a
path to introduce voting rights. Packed with drama, this
groundbreaking biography powerfully reforms our view of a crucial
period in China’s—and the world’s—history.
My name is Kvothe. I have stolen princesses
back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I
have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and
my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than
most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others
fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and
written songs that make the minstrels weep. You may have heard of me.
So begins the tale of a hero told from his own point of view — a
story unequaled in fantasy literature. Now in The
Wise Man's Fear, an escalating rivalry with a powerful
member of the nobility forces Kvothe to leave the University and seek
his fortune abroad. Adrift, penniless, and alone, he travels to
Vintas, where he quickly becomes entangled in the politics of courtly
society. While attempting to curry favor with a powerful noble,
Kvothe uncovers an assassination attempt, comes into conflict with a
rival arcanist, and leads a group of mercenaries into the wild, in an
attempt to solve the mystery of who (or what) is waylaying travelers
on the King's Road. All the while, Kvothe searches for answers,
attempting to uncover the truth about the mysterious Amyr, the
Chandrian, and the death of his parents. Along the way, Kvothe is put
on trial by the legendary Adem mercenaries, is forced to reclaim the
honor of the Edema Ruh, and travels into the Fae realm. There he
meets Felurian, the faerie woman no man can resist, and who no man
has ever survived...until Kvothe.
Young lawyer Holly Park is hired to defend
teenager Naomi Linser — charged with murder in the stabbing death
of the local Councilman. The crime takes place in a gritty Koreatown
‘room salon' with Naomi holding the murder weapon. The case is
tried in the L.A. media and everyone takes sides. The deeper Holly
digs, the darker the secrets become. Holly risks everything to find
the truth, only to learn that if she reveals it, Naomi goes to prison
for life. If Holly keeps the secret, then Naomi may walk, but Holly
will have betrayed her lover. No one will guess the plot twists in
K-Town Confidential.
It’s been two hundred years since the Trauma, a
catastrophic event of a now forgotten origin, wreaked havoc upon the
Earth, reducing the human population from billions to thousands, and
leaving the survivors as prey to humanoid hunters. Vrana of the Raven
is one of these hunters. Her tribe has made killing humans, now known
as the Corrupted, its purpose—to “keep the balance”—to ensure
that the Corrupted do not rise to power and lay the Earth to ruin
once more. But, one night, in the great northern city-state of
Geharra, over ten thousand Corrupted disappear. And if so
many can disappear so quickly, what’s to stop it from happening
again elsewhere, or to Vrana’s own? Geharra, however, is not the
only place to suffer from strange happenings. In Caldera, Vrana
sleeps fitfully, dreaming of a Void and the Witch trapped within.
When she is called upon to travel with Serra, Lucan, and Deimos to
the abandoned city, she accepts, but only to get away from Caldera,
because the Witch that haunts her nightmares has begun to haunt her
days.
In 1852, at age sixteen, Cixi was chosen as one
of Emperor Xianfeng’s numerous concubines. When he died in 1861,
their five-year-old son succeeded to the throne. Cixi at once
launched a coup against her son’s regents and placed herself as the
true source of power—governing through a silk screen that separated
her from her male officials. Drawing on newly available sources, Jung
Chang comprehensively overturns Cixi’s reputation as a conservative
despot. Cixi’s extraordinary reign saw the birth of modern China.
Under her, the ancient country attained industries, railways,
electricity, and a military with up-to-date weaponry. She abolished
foot-binding, inaugurated women’s liberation, and embarked on a
path to introduce voting rights. Packed with drama, this
groundbreaking biography powerfully reforms our view of a crucial
period in China’s—and the world’s—history.
I've been very into Chinese mythology, history, and culture recently. Not quite as bad as the Greek or WWII history kick I had a while ago, but still bad. I had received a gift card for Barnes & Noble from my grandmother for the holidays and I figured I would spend it on one of the books that I wanted. There actually was a list written on the back of a receipt from the local dollar store. This was one of the books that I have been interested in for a bit and it was actually within my price range. I'm reading it now.
Book #2: The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
My name is Kvothe. I have stolen princesses
back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I
have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and
my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than
most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others
fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and
written songs that make the minstrels weep. You may have heard of me.
So begins the tale of a hero told from his own point of view — a
story unequaled in fantasy literature. Now in The
Wise Man's Fear, an escalating rivalry with a powerful
member of the nobility forces Kvothe to leave the University and seek
his fortune abroad. Adrift, penniless, and alone, he travels to
Vintas, where he quickly becomes entangled in the politics of courtly
society. While attempting to curry favor with a powerful noble,
Kvothe uncovers an assassination attempt, comes into conflict with a
rival arcanist, and leads a group of mercenaries into the wild, in an
attempt to solve the mystery of who (or what) is waylaying travelers
on the King's Road. All the while, Kvothe searches for answers,
attempting to uncover the truth about the mysterious Amyr, the
Chandrian, and the death of his parents. Along the way, Kvothe is put
on trial by the legendary Adem mercenaries, is forced to reclaim the
honor of the Edema Ruh, and travels into the Fae realm. There he
meets Felurian, the faerie woman no man can resist, and who no man
has ever survived...until Kvothe.
I haven't actually read the first one yet, it's sitting on my night table at home. However! I do have it. I figured since I had exactly enough left on the card, I'd buy this and use it to spur myself to actually read the first volume in the series. I technically bought this for a friend as the first one is hers and I'm simply borrowing it (along with another book of hers that I paid for....I sense a theme). I'll be happy to get to this one when she finishes it.
Book #3: Dark Cotillion by Hadena James
Brenna Strachan is
half-Demon, half-Witch and its the eve of her 30th birthday. This
means that she will stop aging and come into all her Demon powers.
But there are forces at work hoping to keep her from Maturing. They
must kill her in the short time that she is mortal. If they fail, she
will take her place among the most powerful beings on Earth. While
Brenna struggles to stay alive, she must also struggle to find out
exactly who she is and come out of her parents' shadows.
The first of January's digital books. It looked interesting. Demons, witches, some weird prophecy thing. I couldn't pass it up. I have to know what's going on. I love witch books. I'll probably not get to this one quickly, as I have a ton of things on my reading list as it is. I will definitely be reading it as soon as I can.
Book #4: K-Town Confidential by Brad Chrisholm and Claire Kim
Young lawyer Holly Park is hired to defend
teenager Naomi Linser — charged with murder in the stabbing death
of the local Councilman. The crime takes place in a gritty Koreatown
‘room salon' with Naomi holding the murder weapon. The case is
tried in the L.A. media and everyone takes sides. The deeper Holly
digs, the darker the secrets become. Holly risks everything to find
the truth, only to learn that if she reveals it, Naomi goes to prison
for life. If Holly keeps the secret, then Naomi may walk, but Holly
will have betrayed her lover. No one will guess the plot twists in
K-Town Confidential.
I'm definitely intrigued by this one. I like mysteries and crime thrillers and the characters here seem to be lovers? I'm making a guess at that. Because why would it mention Holly betraying her lover and then the only other person even in the synopsis is Naomi Linser. I'm assuming then that Naomi is Holly's lover and that makes this even better. It's one of those books that looks right up my alley as far as tastes goes and I am excited to read it.
Book #5: Temple of Indra's Jewel by Rachael Stapleton
Sophia Marcil loves her grandmother’s twisted
tales almost as much as the sapphire ring passed down to her. Wearing
it, however, could be her downfall. After slipping the jewel onto her
finger she is pushed from a cliff—landing splat in the middle of
19th Century Monaco, where a killer plot to seize the throne could
consume her entire future—past and present. Sophia believes she’s
being forced into an eccentric millionaire’s dinner theatre but a
hidden diary, a secret passage and a whispered conversation reveal to
her that the role of a princess is not all fun and games. With the
help of a man from outside the palace walls, Sophia undertakes a
spellbinding journey straight out of a Grimm tale. Learning the gem’s
secrets and the powerful curse behind it are only the beginning. With
time and the constant threat of death hanging over her, she must take
a page out of her own history to hunt down someone who isn't killing
by the book. Can she do it before she’s checked out for good?
It was interesting to me. It's about a librarian who goes back in time or something? I don't even rightly know. I know that it involves books, apparently Sumatra, and adventure. Bonus: It was free. How can I say no to free?
Book #6: The Bones of the Earth by Scott Hale
It’s been two hundred years since the Trauma, a
catastrophic event of a now forgotten origin, wreaked havoc upon the
Earth, reducing the human population from billions to thousands, and
leaving the survivors as prey to humanoid hunters. Vrana of the Raven
is one of these hunters. Her tribe has made killing humans, now known
as the Corrupted, its purpose—to “keep the balance”—to ensure
that the Corrupted do not rise to power and lay the Earth to ruin
once more. But, one night, in the great northern city-state of
Geharra, over ten thousand Corrupted disappear. And if so
many can disappear so quickly, what’s to stop it from happening
again elsewhere, or to Vrana’s own? Geharra, however, is not the
only place to suffer from strange happenings. In Caldera, Vrana
sleeps fitfully, dreaming of a Void and the Witch trapped within.
When she is called upon to travel with Serra, Lucan, and Deimos to
the abandoned city, she accepts, but only to get away from Caldera,
because the Witch that haunts her nightmares has begun to haunt her
days.
I have no idea. I liked the cover and the concept behind the story. Survivors and things not human at all. I will read this soon.
