Book Review: A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying by Kelley Armstrong

I was hoping to get this review up several weeks ago, but unfortunately, due to a lack of Internet and just an incredibly busy schedule it just didn't get done.  I have now started a new permanent position at my work with more hours, but no set schedule, so it will be more difficult to get these done.  Anyway...
I really enjoyed this book!  It was so well written and engaging I couldn't put it down.  The characters are very fleshed out and they have real motivations for doing things, rather than because the plot requires them to do so.
The plot is so well written that it will keep you on the edge of your seat.  I really liked that there was a good mix of action and regular life, if you will.  I'm already looking forward to the next book (although there is no hint of a date)!
This is a tween book.  It is a bit old for children around 10 (depending on maturity level, etc).  I certainly wouldn't read it to my 5 year old niece!

Suggested Reads
I couldn't think of any off the top of my head that I haven't suggested already, so I turned to Novelist for some assistance!
Here are the 9 titles that Novelist suggested with spunky female leads:

               

               

A "Serie"ous Review: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

      

    

This review covers the main series as I have not read any of the prequel materials.  Normally, I would review each of the individual books, then the series as a whole.  In this case, to prevent spoilers, I will be reviewing the entire series.  When Celaena is rescued from the slave mines in order to take part of a competition, by the crown prince Dorian, she is thankful.  All of her opponents are men - thieves, assassins, brutes.  However, something dark is lurking in the castle and killing off the fighters one by one.  She must kill in order to survive, while also avoiding what is killing her competitors.  In the final fight of the competition, it brands her and sets her on the path to her destiny.   

I loved this series!  I would finish one, then try to get the next one as quickly as possibly.  They are very fast paced and difficult to put down.  I spent more than a few nights staying up on my Kobo reading in the dark, much to the frustration of my husband.  The author is a master of the cliffhanger, so you just HAVE to read the next book in order to see what happens next.  Celaena is a very independent woman who knows what she wants and she'll do what she must in order to get it.  On the path to her destiny, she makes a number of unusual friends and allies who will assist her in the ultimate and final confrontation.  LGBTQ+ friendly.

Similar Books:
Graceling Realm Series by Kristin Cashore

    

The main character from Graceling reminds me of Celaena.

The Ascendance Trilogy by Jennifer A. Nielson

    

Although the main character is male, the cutthroat competition is very similar to Throne of Glass.

Rule Series by Ellen Goodlett

 

The politics of the kingdom remind me of the politics that occur in the Throne of Glass series.  Bonus points for LGBTQ+ normalization of relationships.

Tech Tips and Tricks: Android Collections

I have a migraine today, so I decided to do a super quick post today rather than a review with which I really want to take my time.

On my phone, Google gives me an option to save pages in a different section than bookmarks called Collections.  I was hoping to integrate all of these pages into my regular bookmarks, especially the recipes.  I was having a devil of a time figuring out how to do this until I stumbled across the fact that Collections used to be called Saved Pages.  The way to get to all of these pages, which I have sorted into different categories, is to go to the old Saved Pages website.  Although you can share these collections with different people, there doesn't seem to be a way to export all of the links so that it can be integrated with your current bookmarks.  Looks like I'll have to do it the old fashioned way where I open all the pages and add them to my bookmarks.  Don't forget to export your bookmarks when you're done otherwise you could lose all your hard work!

A "Serie"-ous Review: Song of the Lioness by Tamora Pierce

Tortall:  The Song of the Lioness by Tamora Pierce

A coworker at the library suggested this book for my Adult Summer Reading Club Bingo.  She said she didn't like Harry Potter because she read this series first.  To me, this is still fantasy, but it is a different sort of fantasy than Harry Potter.  I would put this more in a "classic" fantasy where it is set in a completely different world.

I'd review each book individually, but this is better off reviewed as a whole.  The basic plot is that Alanna is far better suited to be a knight than her twin brother Thom, who wants to be a sorcerer.  Alanna and Thom switch spots with Thom being trained in magic and Alanna being trained as Alan of Trebond as a knight.

The series follows Alanna as she learns to control her magic and use it for good.  She must learn who to trust, including herself, as she goes on many wild adventures and grows from Alan of Trebond into Alanna, the Lioness Rampant.  She faces and defeats many foes until she is ready for the penultimate confrontation.

She is a strong, confidant girl who grows into an amazing woman.  Although she hides and denies her femininity at first as part of her disguise, she learns to embrace it.  Her growth in this area reminds me of this part from Avatar:  The Last Airbender:  

I would definitely suggest this to older teens and adults as there is some sensitive topics (puberty, birth control, implied sex) who are more emotionally capable to handle these implications.

Similar Series (Strong Independent Woman Protagonist)

The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede (Ages 8+)

Princess Pulverizer by Nancy E. Krulik (Ages 5+)

The Princess in Black by Shannon Hale (Ages 5+)

The Belgariad by David Eddings (Ages 13+)

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas (Ages 18+)

Wonder Woman (All Ages)

Book Review: Every Tool's A Hammer by Adam Savage

Oh wow!  This was so amazing!  As a cosplayer, I found this book so inspirational and helpful.  It was so great that I found that we share some of the same traits.  I will also pause the movie and make screenshots and try to figure out the dimensions from surroundings.  I always thought that made me obsessive and annoying, but apparently this is a great trait to have if you are a cosplayer.  After all, the attention is in the details!

He also talks about his history, how he and Jamie met and how Mythbusters was created.  I really enjoyed his discussion of workshop layout and how it is a very personal thing.  This is also a philosophy book which talks about different maker mindsets and how different opportunities can take you places you didn't expect, but needed to go.

Every maker, no matter what stage, should read this book!

A "Serie"ous Review: The Mapmaker's Trilogy by S.E. Grove

          

The Mapmaker's Trilogy by S.E. Grove

In The Glass Sentence, we travel with Sophia on an adventure where she follows the directions of a mysterious glass map.  She finds and makes new allies along the way including a new companion named Theo.  The politics of the time echo our own.

In The Golden Specific, she sets out on a mission to find her parents after being given a hint to their whereabouts by a mysterious benefactor at the Nihilism archives.  We also meet some interesting new characters and find out more about the different Ages across the globe.

In The Crimson Skew, Sophia and her companions arrive back in North America only to find everything in disarray.  She continues onward to find her parents and along the way gathers the necessary allies as they all head towards their shared destiny.

I honestly picked up the first book on a whim from the library.  I wasn't really reading anything at the time and wanted something interesting.  The cover captured my eye and the description on the back clinched the deal.  Sophia is a strong, independent female character who accepts her companions as they are.  The plots are compelling and, once the world building is out of the way, very fast paced.  You will read the entire trilogy just to see what happens next.  This is a wonderful fantasy series!

Other similar series:

His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman


Northern Lights is the adult edition of The Golden Compass.

Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede



Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

Book Review: Cosplay Crash Course by Mina Petrović: A Complete Guide to Designing Cosplay Wigs, Makeup and Accessories

Cosplay Crash Course: A Complete Guide to Designing Cosplay Wigs, Makeup and Accessories by Mina Petrović

As an amateur cosplayer myself, it showed me how easy it can be to create all the necessary details to complete an outfit. While I'm not particularly interested in making armour, I really appreciated the instructions to make boot covers. Although I do end up online looking for tips, this book laid out instructions in precise detail and doesn't require an internet connection. I read this on my Kobo and as a result they were black and white. Despite this, the photos were very clear and helpful. I can only imagine that they look much better in colour and on a larger screen! A great reference book for any cosplayer!

#netgalley #cosplaycrashcourse