Hopefully February will be a re-building month. Not just for my bones but for the blog as well. I hope I’ll have the money to get some things improved and if not well I’m still planning a little early spring cleaning.
1) Get ahead on posts.
Ideally I’d like to be a month ahead but I’d settle for 2 weeks.
2) Do some kind of Ace Awareness thing for Valentine’s Day
3)Find a read-a-thon I like.
4) More interaction, book tour maybe?
It’s been a pretty good week. I’m healing and I go back to the doctor’s first of next week to see how I’m doing. Hopefully things will move along at a timely pace. I can tell I SHOULD NOT be on my foot yet but I’m hoping I can put some pressure on it soon so I can be on crutches.
I finished a few books this week just graphic novels
I’m also playing Skyrim, but I recently had to start over to get a few characters and things that I wanted. I’m playing as a female Imperial. I’m going to be a Mage type sticking with my normal standard of gameplay. If you have any tips feel free to drop them in the comments, I can always use the help.
So I’ve been on a bit of a Katie O’Neil kick. So when I found out she illustrated a comic I had to give it a read. Her art start style is a bit different here but still recognizeable.
Crystal Cadets
Zoe has always felt out of place. Not that her foster parents aren’t nice enough, but all her life she’s felt like something was missing. Its only on her birthday when she recieves some things from her birth mother that the universe gets flipped on it’s head.
Her mother has left her a mysterious gem along with a letter talking about powers and protection? What was she talking about? The crystal grant her the power of light but she doesn’t use it much trying not to think about it.
It’s not until she meets other girls who can shoot flames and one who can shoot glowing green arrows that she learns that she’s not the only one with these powers and they are fighting against something called the Darkness. The leader is trying to find all the cadets so they’ll have a chance against this enemy.
At first Zoe isn’t intrested, until her parents are overtaken by the Darkness leaving her to go adventuring with this group of intreped heroines, as they try to find all the cadets, stop the Darkness, and try and find the true meaning to an old prophecy.
I feel like this comic was meant to be longer and got canceled. Of course there are some Sailor Moon tropes that anything with magical girls can’t avoid. But I appricate the more diverse cast and the fact that by the end there is a boy cadet. I feel like had it been given some more time it would have really evolved into something unique.
I love the magical creatures they can summon, its super helpful for the plot, and also the creatures are just generally cool. Even the unicorn, which the cadet who has it doesn’t care for.
So yes, in some ways it’s sticks to a formula, but I think it gives it a little twists.
That’s why I’m giving it 4 stars.
When I was writing at the beginning of the year I forgot to set monthly goals. So I’m getting back to that. But I’ll wrap up January anyway with some idea of what my goals were for it even if I didn’t write them down here.
1) Equal December’s views.
While I didn’t do this, I have done pretty well especially considering I had to take two times out for injury.
2) Read 10 books
I’m at 9 and almost finished with 2 more.
3)More interaction
Well I did an author interview with one of my favorite authors so I’m doing better about interacting with authors.
4) Planning ahead
I did this pretty well until it got ahead of me due to breaking my ankle but I’m trying to get back on track.
![The Tea Dragon Festival (The Tea Dragon Series Book 2) by [Katie O'Neill]](https://i0.wp.com/m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51iWtgEVY1L.jpg?w=840&ssl=1)
Rinn is used to life around tea dragons, their village is full of them, but when they stumble across a real dragron, that seem to be a different matter! Aedhan is a young dragon who was supposed to protect Rinn’s village but somehow fell asleep in the forest eighty years ago.
With the support of Rinn’s adventuring uncle Erik and his partner Hesekiel, they look into the mystery of Aedhen’s enchanted sleep. But while Aedhan is enjoying life in the village, Rinn real challenge is to help Aedhan come to term with feeling he can’t he can’t get back the time he lost
But when the people of the village find the a way to share the things Aedhen has missed, he might just find a way to feel like a true part of the village.
I loved so many things about this book. Rinn and Aedhan had great chemistry which made the book a good read. I also loved the use of sign language throughout the book I personally thought the way it was rendered was very well done, but of course any Deaf or Hard of Hearing reviewer is free correct me.
I especially loved seeing a slice of Erik and Hesekiel history, this is obviously before his disbility but I wonder where it fits.
Then finally the art, as always anything by Katie O’Neil is lovely and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series coming out in the summer.
That’s right my followers, the author of the Unwanteds and Unwanteds Quests series was kind enough to speak with me despite her many responsibilities she only had time for a few questions but here they are just for you.
Both sets of twins had moments of difficulty for me: Alex floundering early in the first series, and Aaron’s big redemption arc later in that series. Aaron again in Quests—he’s the most complex character to write. Thisbe feeling alone and abandoned early in Quests in the catacombs. Fifer’s struggle to find herself and her place after the end of Quests book 2 and beyond when she’s faced with so much.
2.) Who (or what?!) is your favorite Artiméan creation?
Several characters were favorites at different times throughout the years. Florence is one of my consistent favorites. Aaron is my all-time favorite. Dev became a recent favorite as his story unfolded. I also adored Mr. Appleblossom. Kitten and Fox were stand-outs.
3) The volcano system is ingenious! Did you get the idea from anywhere in particular?
When I was doing research on the Dragon’s Triangle, I saw a note in a Wikipedia entry about how undersea volcanos that appeared and disappeared randomly were sometimes blamed for missing ships. That gave me the idea for the Island of Fire. The volcanos being a transportation system evolved from there.
4) If you’ve read my reviews you know I’m an Aaron fan, how far ahead was his arc planned?
Almost from the beginning. Aaron has tiny moments of uncertainty about his choices throughout. I couldn’t wait to write Island of Graves to fulfill his arc—it was such a slow build. I’ve never said this before publicly, but I feel like Aaron is the true main character and heart of the story, not Alex. (Please people, don’t be mad at me—I love Alex too).
5) I love the way you treated disability when it came to speaking with Sky, and Lani’s issues with walking, Alex on the other hand I wanted to slap off the page, which I guess as a reader means you did your job. Did you worry about sending a negative message with Alex and his disability in the last book of Unwanteds and the first book of Quests?
Thank you for asking this question. Yes, I worried a great deal about that.
Not many people know this, but I had planned for Alex to die at the end of book 7 of Unwanteds at Eagala’s hand. When it came down to it, though, it didn’t feel right to me, so I didn’t do it. It also didn’t feel right for him to make it through all of those battles unscathed.
Alex faced a lot of struggles as a result of surviving that last battle. His disability affected his creativity, in which he’d invested so much of his identity (to a fault. Creative people are so much more than their art). Added to that, Alex was forced into parenting his twin sisters as a teenager, and it was extra difficult for him because of Thisbe and Fifer’s destructive, uncontrollable magic. The community he’d fought so hard to protect were now turning on him—because of their fear of his dangerous sisters. I couldn’t picture Alex, or anyone, not having a chip on their shoulder about it all. He needed to work through several tough issues, and I didn’t want that to happen off screen, so they carried across the gap to the first book in Quests, where he could begin to figure out who he was after all of these changes.
I never want to cause harm to people with disabilities. I continue to learn and grow as a writer and as a human being in this regard and others. For those who feel like I messed this up, I am so sorry.
6) Love that the Islands are LGBTQ friendly, Henry and Thatcher’s little family is so sweet. Fifer seems like she’s not interested in anyone or romance at all. Is she asexual or aromantic?
I hesitate to label Fifer, partly because I don’t want to spoil anything, but also because she’s in the early stages of questioning. Determining one’s sexuality can be a lengthy, sometimes-changing process for some people, right? A process that can take a person many years to define. I know people in their fifties who are still trying to figure it out.
As Fifer witnesses her twin—someone she feels is so much a part of her—having romantic feelings for Rohan when she doesn’t have them at all for anyone, that’s the beginning of the questions for Fifer, but it’s definitely not the end.
That said, I can confirm that Fifer fits under the ace umbrella.
7) Is this really the last we’re going to see of everyone in the Unwanteds universe?
I believe this is the last of it. I never say never, but I don’t foresee anything else happening in this world. I hope you enjoy Dragon Fury, and thank you for being so wonderful and supportive.
And if I may, I’d like to take a moment to mention that I have more books coming. This fall (2021) marks the arrival of Clarice the Brave. It’s a stand-alone middle grade book about two mice siblings who are separated in a ship mutiny, and vow to find each other again. It’s a book that I’ve been working on for many years, and every time I think about it I cry a little bit for happy. I can’t wait for people to read it.
After that, next spring (2022), a new fantasy series begins. More on that when we get closer – keep an eye on my Twitter and Instagram feeds @lisa_mcmann.
Just because I can’t get this far and not talk about spoiler so SPOILER AHEAD!
![Dragon Slayers (The Unwanteds Quests Book 6) by [Lisa McMann]](https://i0.wp.com/m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51I6-mXjSSL.jpg?w=840&ssl=1)
The people of Artimé have the Revinir with her back against the wall, but when people get desperate, they do strange things.
The Revinir made a desprate attempt when she captured both to capture Fifer and Thisbe. and now she trapped them in an isolated, crumbling castle with four killer dragons on all side to try and coerce them into joining her side
Things start to look up when Dev sneaks into the castle the the of them have reunion then start to plan a way out. The plan is so devious, so horrifying that it just might work. But when it comes time to act, Thisbe struggles to confront her deepest fears about her own inner levels of good and evil, and question if she’s really been on right side all along?
In Artimé, Rohan and Queen Maiven join forces with Aaron, Florence and the others to discover the truth of what happened to the twins. But when Fifer sends a message that challenges everything they believe in Rohan attempts to handle the situation… with horrible results.
I love their plan, I also love Evil Thisbe. She’s kind of hilarious, but watching her take the Revinir to task is really great. I also love learning more about the Revinir’s history which I hope we learn more about in the final book.
Rohan, oh why are so in love, I mean of course you know Thisbe’s lying, but boy did you pick a bad time to call her it.
Then, that moment for Aaron, ouch, McMann just tore my heart out, again. But this one was particularly bad.
Photo by Brody Childs on Unsplash
So I’m back and sooner than expected, I’m still in a good deal of pain, but working will help distract from it. I got several books read while I was recovering.
![Princess Princess Ever After by [Katie O'Neill]](https://i0.wp.com/m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51NLuZwGFJL.jpg?w=840&ssl=1)
I’m also reading a Thousand Questions and reviews for the other two books should be up soon!
And because I literally can’t talk about these later books without spoilers. SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!
![Dragon Fire (The Unwanteds Quests Book 5) by [Lisa McMann]](https://i0.wp.com/m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51Tc84nBOfL.jpg?w=840&ssl=1)
The book opens and Artime finds itself in the middle of a civil war, those loyal to the Stowes vs those following reckless new head mage Frieda Stubbs.
Stubbs has now turn most of the people of Artime turned against the Stowe she uses the people’s fear of the Revinir returning and the idea that she stopped her ,(as opposed to Thisbe and Drock) that to keep the people under her sway.
Aaron and his allies are captured while Fifer is left exposed to mortal danger.
Thisibe and the team of black-eyed children from Grimere journey to Artime to, but doing this leaves one of their own behind to fend for himself against the Revinir. Thisbe grapples with worry and guilt from multiple directions as the bond between the two youngest Stowe feels more streched than even.
When things are at their most desperate and everything is on the line. Fifer is forced to make a choice that will change her and Artime forever.
I don’t know if any political figures were involved but Frida Stubbs sure does remind me of some current (soon to be former ones). Also did she really hate her life as Unwanted that much or was it just personal revenge. It seems like just personal revenge to me, but even then it’s scary that some of the Unwanteds were willing to send their fellow Unwanteds to places they new there would be no food or watter. I like the system they set up for who they decide to let back into the community. Then again I also just like Mavien Taveer.
While important Thisbe stuff happens, such as her and Rohan getting pretty close to being a serious item.
But this is very much a Fifer book, Fifer has to figure things out, Fifter has to find her destiny. I like what her destiny is, I also appriciate that the girls finally talk.
One final thing Mavien and Aaron lunch are just so sweet an idea
So I broke and dislocated my ankle by missing a step on my stairs last week. So I had the dislocation set last week. but we’ve had to wait till my muscles and tissue was ready to set the breaks. I didn’t know this was a thing. My surgery to set my bones, I broke one on either side of my ankle so my lower leg is basically a noodle. I also may have a few more broken bones not super sure but those are the two I know about.
Anyways, this surgery is tomorrow. So you may not see me for few days after, I’m thinking long term maybe two weeks but honestly it depends on how much pain I’m in.
BUT! I have few suprises that will come up while I’m gone. I hope you enjoy them. I’ll miss you while I’m gone and I can’t wait to be back to posting every day.
