Audiobook Review: Winter's Heart by Robert Jordan

Title: Winter's Heart (The Wheel of Time #9)
Author: Robert Jordan
Publication Date: November 7, 2000
Publisher: Tor Fantasy
Pages: 668
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Reviews for book 5, book 6, & book 7

Rand is on the run with Min, and in Cairhein, Cadsuane is trying to figure out where he is headed. Rand's destination is, in fact, one she has never considered.

Mazrim Taim, leader of the Black Tower, is revealed to be a liar. But what is he up to?

Faile, with the Aiel Maidens, Bain and Chiad, and her companions, Queen Alliandre and Morgase, is prisoner of Savanna's sept.

Perrin is desperately searching for Faile. With Elyas Machera, Berelain, the Prophet and a very mixed "army" of disparate forces, he is moving through country rife with bandits and roving Seanchan. The Forsaken are ever more present, and united, and the man called Slayer stalks Tel'aran'rhiod and the wolfdream.

In Ebou Dar, the Seanchan princess known as Daughter of the Nine Moons arrives--and Mat, who had been recuperating in the Tarasin Palace, is introduced to her. Will the marriage that has been foretold come about?

There are neither beginnings or endings to the turning of the Wheel of Time. But it is a beginning....

I have finally read book nine of The Wheel of Time. The farther I delve into this series the harder the books get to review, mostly because it seems like less and less happens in each one. (I just noticed I skipped reviewing book 8.) I'm going to be upfront here - it took me five months to read this even with listening to the audiobook. It's just so damn long and convoluted. I love this series, I do! Which is why I'm sticking it out. But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to Brandon Sanderson coming on board.

Rand and Min are by far my favorite parts of The Wheel of Time at this point. Rand is absolutely the best part of this book. I loved seeing him continue to evolve as the Dragon Reborn and I'm excited to see what happens between now and the end of the series. I love his relationship with Min, although I wish all the various other women around him would disappear. I am also really enjoying following Elayne on her journey in Andor! I'm looking forward to seeing whether she achieves her goals and how certain other developments unfold. That's about where my enjoyment of these characters ends.

I am so invested in the original characters that I find myself becoming annoyed when a chapter strays to yet another new character that I have no interest in. I understand that this is a never ending extremely long series and there are tons of pages to pad with filler, but I really wish that, since Robert Jordan insisted on making each book 700 pages, he could've at least spent more time on main characters and less introducing us to the millionth unlikeable female character. To be honest, I'm even losing interest in some of the other originals, namely Perrin, Nynaeve, and Egwene. At this point, they're just in the way of the parts of the story that are actually interesting.

The storyline(s) in Winter's Heart are as convoluted as the characters. There's no reason why several of them even need to exist to move forward the main story, and the others really don't need to be as long as they are. This is a nearly 700 page book that could easily lose 300 pages and still get the point across. I truly hate complaining about this series because I love it overall, but it seems as if Robert Jordan didn't even know where the end was by book nine. (Wasn't this originally supposed to be a trilogy?) Once again, Robert Jordan spends an entire book meandering around a whole lot of nothing, only to end with a big burst of action that's supposed to have me hooked for the next installment.

As always, the world is amazing, but does it honestly need to be described in this much detail this far into the series? So much time is spent on description that it becomes tedious to read. I was happy to return to some previous settings, however.

Will I read book ten? Absolutely. I'm going to go into books ten and eleven expecting them to be more of the same (hopefully it isn't worse!), but knowing that book twelve is where the series makes a turn for the better. I love Rand, I loved the first half of this series! I definitely want to know how it ends and I'm going to stick it out! It may take me a few more years to make it through the last four, but I'll get there eventually!

Weekly Recap: 12/31 - 1/6

TRACY'S HAPPENINGS OFF THE BLOG

Happy weekend, everyone! It has been a couple weeks since I've done a recap and I've missed you guys! This week I made a ton of candles, walked a new dog, saw some new movies, and finally took down my Christmas decorations. This year is off to a good start and I feel like I'm making decent progress on the goals I've set for myself. Although I haven't finished a book yet this year, I'm making my way through two at the moment and I feel confident that I'll get through them soon. I'm determined to bring my reading numbers back up in 2018!

NEW BOOKS THIS WEEK

 

THIS WEEK I READ

Nothing read this week!

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MC'S HAPPENINGS OFF THE BLOG
Man, it's been quite a week. First of all, it was really hard going back to work after having some time off for the holiday. And the temperatures here have been absolutely frigid. Then we were hit with a huge snowstorm on Thursday. I got the day off from work, which was nice, but now there is all this stupid snow to deal with. I threw my back out shoveling (it happens literally every time) and I have been dealing with back pain and a giant migraine ever since. Needless to say, I am grumpy. But I am going to have a nice, relaxing weekend and hopefully that will help. I am mostly in between books right now and I can't figure out what I'm in the mood for at all. Woe is me. Hopefully I can get my act together this weekend and figure myself out. I don't like this start to 2018 so far. At least it's supposed to get a little warmer next week!

NEW BOOKS THIS WEEK

Nothing read this week!

THIS WEEK I READ

 

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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

The topic was new-to-me authors in 2017 for Top Ten Tuesday
On Wednesday I posted my New Year's reading goals & resolutions
Thursday ARC review of The Afterlife of Holly Chase
I loved all the movies I watched for Saturday Screen Time


UPCOMING REVIEWS

 

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We're linking up to Stacking the Shelves & The Sunday Post!

Saturday Screen Time #7: I loved everything

Happy Saturday, everyone! This week I watched quite the variety of movies, from fish man romance to  a cappella. Usually there's at least one movie on the list that I didn't really like, but today I'm sharing three movies that I really did enjoy and kind of can't wait to watch again!

THIS WEEK IN FILM

The Shape of Water - The Shape of Water has been on my radar ever since I first heard about it. I've never met a Guillermo del Toro movie I didn't enjoy and, after absolutely ADORING Crimson Peak, I knew I would never miss another of his films in theaters. I had to wait forever to see this since it had a limited release prior to the wide release, but I definitely dragged my husband to the theater as soon as I could! This really is a movie that I think deserves multiple viewings. When I first saw it, I wasn't sure how I felt. I started it off at 3.5 stars, but the more and more I've thought about it, the more I realized I loved it. There were some really strange moments that I'm still not quite sold on. There's so much to unpack here, I definitely plan to go see it again as soon as possible! (4.5/5 stars)

Pitch Perfect 3 - This franchise is a guilty pleasure. I'll admit they're a totally different direction than most of the movies I enjoy, but I could really watch them over and over. I was nervous to see Pitch Perfect 3 since the reviews weren't super favorable, but I really liked it! Was it perfect? No. But I wasn't bored for a second. I think you really have to embrace how ridiculous this movie is to fully enjoy it. I'm sad that the series is coming to an end. (4/5 stars)

Wuthering Heights - Wuthering Heights was my absolute favorite book in high school, but this was the first film adaptation I've ever watched. I wasn't too sure about watching it (I figured there might be some major cheese), but it's consistently rated as one of the best adaptations out there. I'm happy to report that I really ended up loving it and it made me want to reread the book! I think it captured the atmosphere of the book and I definitely ended up having a love/hate relationship with all the characters. Speaking of which, Rick from The Walking Dead is in this. Am I the only one who didn't know he was British? (4/5 stars)

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Have you seen any of these? What did you think?

What movies have you watched lately?

Let me know in the comments!

ARC Review: The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand

Title: The Afterlife of Holly Chase
Author: Cynthia Hand
Publication Date: October 24, 2017
Publisher: Harper Teen
Pages: 400
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Before I Fall meets “bah, humbug” in this contemporary YA reimagining of A Christmas Carol from New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Hand.

On Christmas Eve five years ago, seventeen-year-old Holly Chase was visited by three Ghosts who showed her how selfish and spoiled she’d become. They tried to convince her to mend her ways. She didn’t. And then she died.

Now she’s stuck working for the top-secret company Project Scrooge—as their latest Ghost of Christmas Past. So far, Holly’s afterlife has been miserable. But this year’s Scrooge is different. This year’s Scrooge might change everything…

The Afterlife of Holly Chase is a witty, poignant, and insightful novel about life, love, and seizing second (or third) chances, perfect for readers who loved Before I Fall or Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares. 

Holly Chase is a Scrooge. She is pretty awful to everyone, completely self-absorbed, and living in the lap of luxury. Until one night when she is visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. Holly thinks she is having an intense dream about Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, and doesn’t take any of it seriously. Unfortunately, she should have listened to the Ghosts, because she soon finds herself dead - and working for Project Scrooge, the same company that tried to help her change her ways.

This turned out to be such a cute holiday read. It was light, entertaining, and not your typical YA story. I hadn't even heard of it until the ARC showed up on my doorstep, but the cover intrigued me and I decided to give it a try. I'm so glad I did. It is mainly classified as fantasy, but it definitely reads more like a contemporary story. It touched on a bunch of YA contemporary tropes (e.g., girl getting "saved" by an oh-so-hunky guy), but it turned them all on their head. It was such a refreshing read for someone like me, who can often struggle with contemporary novels.

The plot was cute and fluffy. There weren't many twists and turns (and most of them were predictable), but it was still a lot of fun. And every character was so lovely. Even though Holly was a total brat, I found that I could frequently sympathize with her. And I really felt her character grow throughout the book. Many of the other characters were OBSESSED with the spirit of Christmas, so they were chipper throughout the whole book and didn't change very much. But they were so much fun and added a lot of humor to the story.

I have found that I really like stories that are retellings of older books, but that acknowledge the original in the newer tale. This was a Christmas Carol retelling, but the entire premise of the book was based on recreating the original story. (I hope these descriptions make sense. I feel a bit like I’m talking in circles.) The Dickens book is the whole basis of Project Scrooge, and all of the characters have Dickensian code names. I really loved the throwback to classic literature because it was handled in such a lighthearted way. If you like the story of A Christmas Carol at all, you will probably love this book.

I think The Afterlife of Holly Chase is a great read for a lot of different readers. If you love contemporary, you will like this. Even if you don't love contemporary, you will appreciate the fact that it changes the typical YA story. If you love Christmas or classic literature, this is a must-read. But even if you don't celebrate Christmas and you want to read something about learning to appreciate life, this is a wonderful book.

2018 Challenges & Resolutions

Welcome to the New Year, everyone! 2017 was quite the rough year for me. My Goodreads challenge was cut in half from the year before, I didn't complete all of my blog challenges, and the amount of blog posts I wrote also went down. It's easy to let the world bog you down and feel as if you've failed when things don't go as well as you want them to, but this year I'm vowing to do better. I love reading and I love blogging and I'm refusing to let anything convince me that I don't enjoy them.

Today I'm going to write down my resolutions, on and off blog, something I've never done before. I have never been one for making New Year's resolutions, but this seems like an important year to start. In 2018 I'm committing to 4 reading challenges and 5 off-blog resolutions!

READING CHALLENGES

This year I'm joining the Audiobook Challenge for the fifth year in a row! Audiobooks are one of the ways I stay ahead on the blog and they're also how I read most of my backlist/huge books. My goal for the year will be 30+ books, the same as last year.

Top 3 TBR: Crossroads of Twilight, The Magician King, Eragon

Graphic Novels are one of the reason that I actually read more than 50 books last year. It was slow going with a constant reading slump (note: it was beyond a slump, honestly) and I found that graphic novels were a nice change of pace. This year I'm going to see what awesome books I'm able to find, starting with the rest of Buffy season 8! My goal is to read 12 graphic novels - the minimum, but I figure I'll start small.

Top 3 TBR: Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 8 Vol. 3, Monstress Vol. 2, Uzumaki Vol. 2

For the first time, I'm going to try the Pop Sugar reading challenge! I see it every year and think it looks like fun, but I've never committed to it. I figure that since I'm trying to start fresh in 2018, I might as well try out a challenge that I've always wanted to do but never have. My goal is to check all the boxes!

Top 3 TBR: Unearthed, The Golden Compass, Alone

2018 Reading Challenge

Tracy (Cornerfolds) has read 0 books toward her goal of 75 books.

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Last but not least is my Goodreads challenge. This year I'm scaling it back from what I would usually pledge and setting a goal of 75 books. I'm hoping that combined with my off-blog goals, I'll be able to meet this one and get back on track with the things that I love!

OFF-BLOG RESOLUTIONS

1. Actually read - Obviously, this is something I struggled with in 2017. Sometime around February I lost all motivation and only kept reading because I KNOW it's something I love to do, even if haven't felt like it lately. I'm setting a goal of reading for 30 minutes a day, a number that 2016 me would have balked at, but something that has seemed unattainable recently. If I have to, I'll set a timer for myself every day. I feel confident that if I can make myself get back to reading consistently, I'll fall back into old habits.
2. Run(ish) a 5k - More accurately, join the Hogwarts Running Club and complete a 5k. I used to run A LOT when I was in the military, but my knees are kind of iffy these days. Luckily, this running club doesn't care how you complete a race or even if it takes a few days. It seems like the perfect way to motivate myself to be more active while also raising money for charity.
3. Give more to charity - While the HRC is a great way to help give back, I'd actually like to give more to charity in general. I don't really know what that looks like yet, but here's a pretty good website I've found to decide how you might want to help. 
4. Meditate consistently - Call it hokey all you want, but meditation has scientifically proven benefits. I can tell you from personal experience that I feel less anxious on days that I actually take the time to do a guided meditation. Why don't I do it regularly? I haven't a clue, but I'm going to make an effort to incorporate meditation into my daily schedule in 2018. 
5. (Try to) learn a language - It's embarrassing, but I've taken a total of four years (semesters) of Spanish between high school and college and I can barely even read it. My trip to Europe really made me realize how far behind most Americans are in the language game, so in 2018 I'm going to pick a language and try to stick to using Duolingo for at least a few minutes each day. 

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So there you have it! My 2018 reading challenges and first ever real, written down New Year's resolutions. I'm planning to do a monthly update on each of these to help keep myself accountable. Are you a resolution person? What are you resolving to do this year? Any fun reading challenges? Let me know in the comments!

Top Ten Tuesday #168: New to me in 2017

Today's Topic: 

Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read In 2017

Welcome to 2018, let's talk about 2017! I didn't do a ton of reading last year, but I did find some great new authors that I can't wait to read more from! 

Peternelle van Arsdale - The Beast is an Animal

Lee Kelly - City of Savages

Morgan Rhodes - Falling Kingdoms

Mackenzi Lee - The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue

Ryan Graudin - Invictus

Lev Grossman - The Magicians

Lexa Hillyer - Spindle Fire

Roshani Chokshi - The Star-Touched Queen

Alexandra Christo - To Kill a Kingdom

Kami Garcia - The X Files Origins: Agent of Chaos

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Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.