Monthly Wanderings: May 2020

May has been a much brighter month than the last two. Things are feeling almost normal here in Georgia and hopefully, by Fall we'll be past this thing. 

Book Review and Writing Lessons: Firstborn by Tosca Lee

Face-to-face with her past, Audra Ellison now knows the secret she gave up everything—including her memory—to protect. A secret made vulnerable by her rediscovery, and so powerful neither the Historian nor the traitor Prince Nikola will ever let her live to keep it.

With Luka in the Historian’s custody and the clock ticking down on his life, Audra only has one impossible chance: find and kill the Historian and end the centuries-old war between the Progeny and Scions at last—all while running from the law and struggling to control her growing powers.

With the help of a heretic monk and her Progeny friends Claudia, Piotrek, and Jester, Audra will risk all she holds dear in a final bid to save them all and put her powers to the ultimate test. Love, action, and stunning revelation reign in this thrilling conclusion to The Progeny.

Series: Descents of the House of Bathory (Book 2)
Genre: Adult Thriller
Publisher: Howard Books; Reprint edition (May 2, 2017)
Page Count: 337 pages

I'm gonna be honest, it was a little hard reading this book lately. Reading characters being able to do all the things I want to do like go to restaurants, festivals, and travel was kinda tough with this day in age, but I pushed through it and ended up enjoying it. Ironically, it feels easier to relate to characters who are in more fantastical circumstances right now. 

Also warning this review has a lot of spoilers about the first book just cause of secrets revealed. Read at your own risk.

Writing Lessons from Video Games: Ori and the Will of the Wisps

I played the first game a few years ago and fell in love and I played the sequel as soon as I could download it in March! One of my many corona coping mechanisms. This one completes Ori’s story and brings a satisfying conclusion to the series. The writing for these games is just fantastic.

Ori and the Will of the Wisps is about a forest spirit who helps raise a young owlet named Ku. After Ku learns to fly, she and Ori fly to another land far from their home, but a terrible storm thrusts them out of the sky and damages Ku's wing. Ori must find a way to reunite with the owlet while evading the evil entity Shriek and find a way to heal the land before they can go home. 

Warning: Spoilers about the first game and spoilers in points 2-5.

Book Review and Writing Lessons: The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan

Percy is confused. When he awoke after his long sleep, he didn't know much more than his name. His brain-fuzz is lingering, even after the wolf Lupa told him he is a demigod and trained him to fight. Somehow Percy managed to make it to the camp for half-bloods, despite the fact that he had to continually kill monsters that, annoyingly, would not stay dead. But the camp doesn't ring any bells with him. Hazel is supposed to be dead. When she lived before, she didn't do a very good job of it. When the Voice took over her mother and commanded Hazel to use her "gift" for an evil purpose, Hazel couldn't say no. Now, because of her mistake, the future of the world is at risk.

Series: Heroes of Olympus (Book 2)
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Disney Hyperion (October 4, 2011)
Page Count: 540 pages

I'm so happy to be back in the world of Percy Jackson! It's been a while, but from the first page, I was back to a happy place. This book was such a breath of fresh air for me during this time in my life.