Author: Emilie

February 2019

A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Outlander #6) by Diana Gabaldon – 3 of 5 stars
This is another good work of fiction/fantasy/romance/historical fiction by Gabaldon. Characters that had been fairly ancillary in the past are slowly becoming more prominent, which seems to be a good way to prepare for Claire and Jamie (who are getting on in years) to die and still allow for additional books.

The American Miracle: Divine Providence in the Rise of the Republic by Michael Medved – 2 of 5 stars
I was very disappointed with this book. Medved sticks by his premise that America could never have existed without God’s direct influence. He didn’t dispel any of the arguments critics have made against that premise. I found his reasoning flawed and his hypothesis unproven, despite his very biased attempts at pointing only to facts that could support his position. That being said, there were some interesting bits of American history included, so as a history lover, I enjoyed those.

How to Get Started as a Technical Writer by James Gill – 3 of 5 stars
Gill created a nice little handbook for aspiring technical writers. He provided a lot of good advice and some great resources. Many things he discussed could apply to anyone trying to create their own freelance businesses.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling – 5 of 5 stars
It could be that I’m just sentimental, but I love this series every time I read it just as much as I did the first time. You’re a winner, Rowling.

In the Shade of Spring Leaves by Higuchi Ichiyo – 4 of 5 stars
This collection of stories is fantastic. Higuchi Ichiyo made an enormous impact on Japanese literature, and you can see why by reading this collection. She managed to create lively, well-developed characters in just a few pages in a way that many authors can’t achieve in full-length novels.

January 2019

In addition to Batwoman 2 and The Fiery Cross, I read the following in January:

White Houses by Amy Bloom – 4 of 5 stars
This was a fun, fictionalized telling of the relationship between Eleanor Roosevelt and Lorena Hickok.

A Thousand Years of Good Prayers by Yiyun Li – 5 of 5 stars
A phenomenal collection of short stories based in China or around Chinese Americans. I highly recommend this to anyone, especially those who are interested in Eastern writers.

Did you read anything awesome in January 2019?

The Fiery Cross

The Fiery Cross (Outlander 5)

Title: The Fiery Cross (Outlander #5)
Author: Diana Gabaldon
# Pages: 1,443
Published: November 2001 (published mass market 2005)
Rating: 2.5 stars

Diana Gabaldon continues her masterful narrative of Jamie and Claire Fraser in the 5th main novel, The Fiery Cross. This novel is set in 1771, in and around North Carolina. The Frasers work on setting up their land and preparing for the war they know is coming. Jamie continues his role as the strong leader that everyone comes to for help with their problems, and Claire tries to cultivate penicillin and set up her surgery.

Roger and Brianna try to find their place in the new time period and struggle to put their strengths to use in the rugged mountainside of Fraser’s Ridge. The main plot point for the MacKenzies is the parentage of Jemmy, and they dwell on this A LOT. Brianna begins to be an inventor, and Roger continually tries to prove himself to Jamie.

Gabaldon’s ability to infuse her narrative with historical details is unmatched. However, these details often don’t do a lot to move the story along, so while I enjoyed the 1,400+ pages as a fan of history, there weren’t any of the fast-paced, action-filled moments that sucked me in while reading the previous books. A lot happened, but it was quite slow.

I have never been much of a fan of the romance portions of Gabaldon’s novels, and The Fiery Cross is filled with those scenes. For anyone who enjoys the Outlander franchise because of those sections, you’re in luck!

This 5th book in the series seems to be more of a bridge between the 4th and 6th books than anything else. Gabaldon is clearly trying to set up her characters for the Revolutionary War, but there isn’t a lot for them to do while they prepare. I’m a big fan of her writing, so I can’t say I’m disappointed to have read this, but I do wish it contained a little more action.

Batwoman, Volume 2: Wonderland

Title: Batwoman, Vol. 2: Wonderland
Authors/Creators/Illustrators: Marguerite Bennett, James Tynion IV, Steve Epting, Ben Oliver
# Pages: 128
Published: June 2018
Rating: 4 stars

Once again, I was completely pulled in and captivated by the writing of Marguerite Bennet and James Tynion IV. The dialogue is witty and fresh, and Kane’s character continues to intrigue me. The illustrations by Steve Epting and Ben Oliver are beautiful, and they keep the story flowing smoothly while setting the background of Kane’s world.

In this volume, Batwoman continues hunting the Many Hands of Death and chasing the elusive ghosts of her past. She becomes trapped in the desert with a Colony soldier. The unlikely pair has to work together to withstand the psychedelic weapon of one of Batman’s most twisted supervillains.

Kane then has to switch gears immediately to solve a mystery involving missing tourists while also performing a mission to rescue one of her few remaining friends. Throughout her journey in this volume, Kane remains the strong, aloof, vulnerable, and damaged Batwoman that strikes fear into the hearts of the DC supervillains and love into the hearts of the readers.

Batwoman, volume 3, is scheduled to be released on January 22nd. Get your copy here, and join me in discovering what’s next for my new favorite superhero!