6/30/2023 0 Comments Garth nix abhorsen series![]() Some fantasy authors have created magic systems based on music, while others have taken a religious slant to their characters’ magical practices, having them work closely with gods to cast spells in their worlds. ![]() ![]() Some magic systems are based around maths, while others draw on crafts such as sewing or weaving. The wizards of Discworld devote years at university to learning spells from ancient tomes (or, in later years, simply enjoying big dinners and doing very little real magic). Many magic systems are based around concepts or ideas that exist in the real world. But what makes for the best magic systems in fantasy, while others are disappointing? Throughout the years of fantasy dominating as a genre, there have been many different types of magic systems, some well-explained, with strong structures, while others fall into the “no rules, just vibes” category. What do we remember about our favourite fantasy stories? Apart from the compelling plots and characters, we’re most likely to fall in love with a fantasy novel because of strong worldbuilding, whether that’s the creation of a fascinating fictional society, the inclusion of fun legendary creatures, or, in many cases, the construction of an interesting and thought-provoking magic system. ![]()
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6/30/2023 0 Comments Incendiary amy bartol![]() ![]() I had been hoping that once I had arrived on Crestwood’s campus, the nightmare that I’ve been having would go away. My name is Evie Claremont and this was to be the making of me–my freshman year of college. This is the synopsis of book 1, Inescapable. Angels, vampires, love, mystery, action… these book have it all!!! One more book is left in the series - Iniquity - and will be out early 2014. AND… on top of the riveting action and the suspense, I feel the story has one of the most memorable romances… and for the record, I’m talking about Evie and Reed. ![]() Just when you think the story needs to come down from such a high, Amy expertly takes us through yet another moment that would have my heart and pulse pumping at maximum velocity. Absolutely action-packed, it delivers unexpected plot twists at what seems to be every turn. And it wasn’t just me… all my friends and I were crazy over it! It’s all-consuming and a 6-star series for me. ![]() ![]() This is the kind of series that makes you ignore your family, read at stoplights and even dream about the story. When I read these books, I was completely floored. I’m so excited to kick-off the 2013 Paranormal Week with one of my favorite people and one of my favorite all-time series: Premonition. ![]() 6/30/2023 0 Comments Being a dog by alexandra horowitz![]() ![]() Her latest book is, The Year of the Puppy: How Dogs Become Themselves. Alexandra Horowitz ( is a Senior Research Fellow and Principal Investigator at The Horowitz Dog Cognition Lab at Barnard College. This hour, we’ll talk about Horowitz’s investigation into the early life of dogs and what she found out about Quid while writing The Year of the Puppy: How Dogs Become Themselves. This rambunctious dog tested her patience and taught her some important lessons about herself. Through her weekly observations, Horowitz reveals how puppies begin to understand the world around them, how they develop their own personalities, and bond with the people in their lives. ![]() In her latest book, Barnard College dog researcher Alexandra Horowitz tracks her puppy, Quid, from the moment she opens her eyes until her first birthday. A healthy dog’s first year of life is a fun, curious, adventurous time full of important milestones. ![]() 6/30/2023 0 Comments Cho nam joo born 1982![]() ![]() ![]() A thirtysomething-year-old "millennial everywoman," she has recently left her white-collar desk job-in order to care for her newborn daughter full-time-as so many Korean women are expected to do.īut she quickly begins to exhibit strange symptoms that alarm her husband, parents, and in-laws: Jiyoung impersonates the voices of other women-alive and even dead, both known and unknown to her. In a small, tidy apartment on the outskirts of the frenzied metropolis of Seoul lives Kim Jiyoung. Truly, flawlessly, completely, she became that person. ![]() Cho Nam-Joo transl., Jamie Chang, 2016 (2020, U.S.)Ī fierce international bestseller that launched Korea’s new feminist movement, Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 follows one woman’s psychic deterioration in the face of rigid misogyny. ![]() 6/30/2023 0 Comments To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara![]() ![]() ![]() What unites these characters, and these Americas, are their reckonings with the qualities that make us human – fear, love, shame, need, loneliness – and the longing to find a place in an earthly paradise. In 2093, in a world riven by plagues and governed by totalitarian rule, a powerful scientist’s damaged granddaughter tries to navigate life without him – and solve the mystery of her husband’s disappearance. In a 1993 Manhattan besieged by the AIDS epidemic, a young Hawaiian man lives with his much older, wealthier partner, hiding his troubled childhood and the fate of his father. In an alternate version of 1893 America, New York is part of the Free States, where people may live and love as they please (or so it seems). To Paradise is a bold, brilliant novel spanning three centuries and three different versions of the elusive idea of utopia driven by Hanya Yanagihara’s understanding of our desire to protect those we love – lovers, children, friends, family and even our fellow citizens – and the pain that ensues when we cannot. The No.1 Sunday Times bestseller from the author of A Little Life. ![]() |