Book Check-In 11/11/20

 

`This week I finished 3 books! 2 audiobooks and one ebook. I read both of the books I mentioned I had started in my last check in: A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner (book 4 of the Queen’s Thief series) and Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery (as an audiobook). Then, I checked out the next book in the Anne series, Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery (also as an audiobook), and finished it too!

These are all middle books in series, so there will be spoilers for the previous books (and these ones) in my discussion.

Reviews below the cut! (mobile users look out for the cut!)

I didn’t like A Conspiracy of Kings as much as I liked the first three books. This one was focused on a different character besides Eugenides. This book tells the story of Sophos, heir to the throne of Sounis. After he disappears and the king is killed, his friends are left wondering if he’s alive, and his country falls into turmoil. This book just felt like it lacked a little bit of spark which was present in the first 3 books. That by itself would have been mostly okay, but then it also had some kind of yikies stuff in it. Sophos becomes a slave at one point, and his identity isn’t known, an experience that he looks on with fondness. He likes being a slave, he thinks the man who owns him is a good slave keeper, and there’s just a lot of general positivity for slavery which was a big yikes from me. This one had a little of the intrigue and trickery that was the big part of the first three books, but it was much lessened and not as exciting. It kind of dragged for me. I still want to read the next book, but if it’s like this one, I don’t think I’ll continue the series.

3/5 stars. I like the series, but this book itself wasn’t very good

Anne of Avonlea was so fun! I love these books that just show snapshots of quaint small town life. In this one, it’s the continuation of the first book, where Anne finished college and is planning to return to Avonlea and teach. She can’t go off to college because Marilla’s eyesight is failing, so she stays close to home. The stories were so cute that it made me want to be a teacher. I loved it! Also, Marilla’s cousin dies, leaving behind 6-year-old twins that Marilla (and Anne) take in. They’re very fun new characters. The family stuff, and the connections and friendships were beautifully fleshed out and felt real. It really made me wish for a simpler time, especially in this year of craziness. I still really love the varied age friendships. Anne befriends a new neighbor, and a lonely women in the next town, both of which are older adults (40s, while Anne is 16-18 in this book). She also befriends one of her students who is 10 at the start of the book. I really love how important having relationships with people of different ages is in these books, because it feels like currently, intergenerational friendships are looked upon extremely poorly, when in fact they’re really important.

5/5 stars. This book made me excited to go to work! (I only listen to audiobooks at work)

Anne of the Island was also very sweet. Things look up for Anne, and she’s able to go to university! She starts attracting attention, and boys start to propose to her, which is shocking to her most of the time - they’re not nearly as romantic as she had imagined! Gilbert Blythe even proposed, and she turns him down, which ruins their friendship! She has a two year romance with another man, but then when he proposes, she turns him down, to the surprise of both of them! Several of her friends from home also get married, and she’s worried and feeling lonely. Then when Gilbert gets typhoid fever and might die, Anne actually realizes how much she cares for him. But there are rumors he’s engaged to another girl! This book was a lot more dramatic than the previous books, things feel like they’re starting to get more serious as Anne grows up. I have the next book on hold at my library, and can’t wait to check it out!

4/5 stars. I can’t wait to see what happens with Anne next!

I also started a new book, Two Dark Reigns by Kendare Blake (3rd in the Three Dark Crowns series)

As always, you can see all the books I’ve read on my reading list.