WWW Wednesday, 8-March-2023

Welcome to WWW Wednesday! This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived here on Taking on a World of Words. Just answer the three questions below and leave a link to your post in the comments for others to look at. No blog? No problem! Just leave a comment with your responses. Please, take some time to visit the other participants and see what others are reading. So, let’s get to it!

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Note: For users of Blogspot blogs, I’m unable to comment on your posts as a WordPress blogger unless you’ve enabled Name/URL comments. This is a known WordPress/Blogspot issue. Please consider enabling this to participate more fully in the community.

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Currently reading: Not a lot of movement this week. I’ve been really exhausted from work so I’ve forsaken The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss in exchange for the quick endorphin burst of Instagram. Hopefully I can find my footing this week.
I’ve gotten through the second stopping point in Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir and will be meeting with my Reading Buddy soon to debrief. This one is good. I’m really enjoying it and finding it hard to stop when I hit our stopping points. We even made our sections longer so I wouldn’t speed through so fast. It’s not working.
There have been a few drives into the office (I know, weird) for me that have given me time to enjoy The Evening and the Morning by Ken Follett in larger chunks. I’m loving it so much and remembering why I will read anything with Kingsbridge on the cover. What amazing writing.
The short chapters in Lágrimas en el mar (Salt to the Sea) by Ruta Sepetys are keeping me moving along well! Enjoying this story and learning more about the characters one short chapter at a time.

Recently finished: Nothing new finished this week. However, I finished my review of The Invisible Guardian by Dolores Redondo and posted it on Monday. I had some really mixed feelings about this one and after reading some other reviews, wasn’t alone. I did learn that it’s a Netflix movie so I’m looking forward to enjoying that and see how it was adopted!

Reading next: It still seems hard to think ahead, but I should make sure I have a plan. My ebook is so long I’m not going to worry about that yet. I think a physical book is likely to be where I see turnover next, though I’m making good progress with my audiobook so I’ll need a plan there, too. For a physical book, I need to do an Interlibrary Loan and grab Scene & Structure by Jack Bickham. It’s been a little bit since I read a book about writing. Maybe I’ll be motivated?
For an audiobook, I’ll pick up The Rebel Wife by Taylor Polites. I’ve had this on my list for a while and I need some more historical fiction in my life!

Leave a comment with your link and comment (if you’re so inclined). Take a look at the other participant links in the comments and look at what others are reading.

Have any opinions on these choices?

Until next time, write on.

You can follow me on Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’m available via email at SamAStevensWriter@gmail.com. And as always, feel free to leave a comment!

Some of the links on this post may be affiliate links. Taking on a World of Words is a participant in affiliate programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to products. If you purchase a product or service through an affiliate link, your cost will be the same but Sam will automatically receive a small commission. Your support is greatly appreciated.

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Book Review: The Invisible Guardian by Dolores Redondo (3/5)

Each year for Christmas, my sister-in-law gets us books. This is one she got me a few years ago and I’ve been working down my TBR until I got to it. She picked it for me because of the setting, I’m sure. I have a Spanish language degree and I did my thesis on Basque National Identity. So a book set in Basque Country piqued my interest immediately!

Cover image via Amazon

The Invisible Guardian by Dolores Redondo

Summary from Amazon:

When the body of a teenaged girl is found on a riverbank in a remote area, the crime appears all too similar to a murder committed only months prior, igniting the worst fears of the small community of Elizondo. Homicide inspector Amaia Salazar, a strong, borderline-obsessive investigator, is assigned to the case. After all, this beautiful, peculiar backwater steeped in the blood of the Spanish Inquisition, where pagan beliefs still flourish under a thin veneer of modernity, is a space she knows better than anyone. Forced to return to Elizondo, a town she has always sought to escape, Amaia is tasked with finding a serial killer on the loose.

As the murders in the area grow increasingly violent, the locals come to believe only one creature could possibly be responsible: a creature of Basque mythology known as the basajaun, or Invisible Guardian. But Amaia is logical—a professional—and she refuses to let local superstitions distract her from her careful detective work. As the investigation deepens, a troubling secret from Amaia’s past plagues her with nightmares and soon her findings seem to transform myth into reality. Everything she believes to be rational and verifiable is called into question. Now Amaia must fight her demons and determine if these murders are the work of a ritualistic killer or something even darker.

I was back and forth on this book most of the time I was reading it. I liked the mystery, but at times the plot seemed to get away from it and focus a lot on Amaia. I had mixed feelings about the incorporation of mythology and science here as well. I liked learning about the regional folklore, but wasn’t ready for it to play such a role in the plot. The story was fun and I can see why it’s sold so well. I wonder how much the other elements are typical of stories in that region and how much is uniquely Redondo.

I loved the characters in this book. The family relationships were complicated and dynamic. They felt very real and you could tell how deep-seeded some of the feelings these characters shared really were. I was glad to hear that this was the beginning of a series because there’s a lot left to explore in this family.

Flora was my favorite character. This might be a spoilers so skip this paragraph if you want to avoid that. I knew she was up to something but I had no idea what. I had no idea how she might get pulled into the plot or what she knew. I loved the complications her personal relationship with Amaia was adding to the plot and while Amaia’s ghosts seemed to take over the story at times, Flora’s addition to that plotline was always dynamic and fun to follow.

There wasn’t a character I particularly identified with, but having Amaia’s husband be an American helped me some. He was lost and confused about some of the same things I was so it gave a reason for Amaia to explain parts of Basque culture and folklore for someone who might not be familiar with it. James helped make something very regional accessible to those outside of it.

Dolores Redondo. Image via Wikipedia

I thought the ending of the book was really well done. I thought I knew what was going to happen, but I was still caught off guard and was surprised. I thought the ending was satisfying and riveting. I’m trying hard not to give away any spoilers here so I’ll only say it kept me guessing until the very end!

I felt like the basajaun was pretty unnecessary to the plot. It seemed obvious to me when he was described that there was no way a basajaun, if they were real, would have been murdering young girls. All the stories about it being real and people encountering one were fun, but didn’t seem to align with either Amaia’s personal journey or the mystery. Involving it more and more seemed oddly distracting and confused me. The book had been so grounded in fact and science and then dipping into folklore seemed a bit odd.

It’s hard to escape our past. Amaia’s past and her family history caught up to her in a very real way. She had to face the trauma she blocked out of her childhood and share it with her sisters who had no idea and didn’t know how to react to it. Her aunt had to help facilitate a lot of healing and we have to assume she’ll continue to do so as this family moves on. I thought the mystery and the Salazar family were wound well together and appreciate how it was complicated, like real life can be.

Writer’s Takeaway: Looking back, the clues in this book were very well spaced apart. I wouldn’t have realized it at the time though one or two things stuck out. I enjoyed watching all the pieces fall into place when they did. I liked how Amaia’s personal and professional lives ran together in this book and how it was hart to separate one from the other at times. It made for a very character-driven mystery, which doesn’t always happen.

Overall, enjoyable but a lot of elements didn’t sit well with me. Three out of Five Stars.

Until next time, write on.

You can follow me on Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’m available via email at SamAStevensWriter@gmail.com. And as always, feel free to leave a comment!

Some of the links on this post may be affiliate links. Taking on a World of Words is a participant in affiliate programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to products. If you purchase a product or service through an affiliate link, your cost will be the same but Sam will automatically receive a small commission. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Related Posts:
THE INVISIBLE GUARDIAN by Dolores Redondo | What Has Been Read Cannot Be Unread
About Time I Read It: The Invisible Guardian by Dolores Redondo | Maphead’s Book Blog
The Invisible Guardian by Dolores Redondo | Reader Dad
“The Invisible Guardian – The Baztan Trilogy, Book 1” by Dolores Redondo | Mike Finn’s Fiction

WWW Wednesday, 1-March-2023

Welcome to WWW Wednesday! This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived here on Taking on a World of Words. Just answer the three questions below and leave a link to your post in the comments for others to look at. No blog? No problem! Just leave a comment with your responses. Please, take some time to visit the other participants and see what others are reading. So, let’s get to it!

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Note: For users of Blogspot blogs, I’m unable to comment on your posts as a WordPress blogger unless you’ve enabled Name/URL comments. This is a known WordPress/Blogspot issue. Please consider enabling this to participate more fully in the community.

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Currently reading: I keep finding a few minutes here and there to move forward in The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. It’s not a great pace forward, but it’s working for me. I’ll get through this eventually and I’m not in a hurry.
My reading buddy and I got started on Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir! We were planning 70 page chunks, but with how fast we flew through the first one, I’m thinking we might have to make them longer. Maybe we should go 100 pages at a time. We’ll be starting the second chunk soon!
I’m going all in on a long audiobook. I started The Evening and the Morning by Ken Follett late last week. I’m over an hour in already and the writing is absolutely wonderful, again. Follett has blown me away over and over. I really enjoy his books.
I needed to start my Spanish read of the year and picked up Lágrimas en el mar (Salt to the Sea) by Ruta Sepetys. My sister in law recommended this one to me and I know it’s a tear jerker. I like the short chapter style which will make it a lot easier for me to pick up and put down.

Recently finished: This was a great week for finishing books! I finished the audio for Mexican White Boy by Matt de la Peña and found the time to write a review! It went up on Monday. The book was a little disappointing to me because it felt like it was going to try to tackle so many topics only to leave a lot of them unfinished. I gave it Three out of Five Stars.
On Friday, I wrapped up The Invisible Guardian by Dolores Redondo. This one surprised me a lot. I loved the racing finish that I expected from a crime novel. I thought I had it figured out but I was off by a little bit and couldn’t figure it out until the big reveal. The style wasn’t my favorite, but it was still enjoyable. I’m unsure how I feel about the mix of folklore into the story, but I’ll sort that out when I do a review over the weekend.

Reading next: It seems hard to think about a ‘next’ book when I’m at the beginning of so many books! I’ll skip this for a week and enjoy the books I’m reading instead of thinking about what’s coming up.

Leave a comment with your link and comment (if you’re so inclined). Take a look at the other participant links in the comments and look at what others are reading.

Have any opinions on these choices?

Until next time, write on.

You can follow me on Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’m available via email at SamAStevensWriter@gmail.com. And as always, feel free to leave a comment!

Some of the links on this post may be affiliate links. Taking on a World of Words is a participant in affiliate programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to products. If you purchase a product or service through an affiliate link, your cost will be the same but Sam will automatically receive a small commission. Your support is greatly appreciated.

WWW Wednesday, 22-February-2023

Welcome to WWW Wednesday! This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived here on Taking on a World of Words. Just answer the three questions below and leave a link to your post in the comments for others to look at. No blog? No problem! Just leave a comment with your responses. Please, take some time to visit the other participants and see what others are reading. So, let’s get to it!

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Note: For users of Blogspot blogs, I’m unable to comment on your posts as a WordPress blogger unless you’ve enabled Name/URL comments. This is a known WordPress/Blogspot issue. Please consider enabling this to participate more fully in the community.

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Currently reading: I had a work event on the other side of town over the weekend which gave me some good time with Mexican White Boy by Matt de la Peña. I’m still not loving this one, honestly, but I’ll get through it pretty soon here.
I’ve continued to move well through The Invisible Guardian by Dolores Redondo and I suspect I’ll finish it by next week. It’s an interesting story, even if I don’t love it. I do like how fast it’s moving and the combination of crime investigation and the supernatural is fun.
I’ve tried to find time for The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss but it’s been a struggle. I know this one will be a long read and I’m really OK with that. It’s fun to pick up and I’ve enjoyed it when I’ve been able to.

Recently finished: Nothing again this week, though I suspect I’ll have some news next week if I keep pushing through books as I’ve been doing. I did get caught up on book reviews finally! My review of Why We Swim by Bonnie Tsui went up on Monday. Here’s to being caught up! I hope it doesn’t last long.

Reading next: I got my copy of Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir from my reading buddy so that’s sitting on my bedside waiting for me. I’m excited to read something that should be pretty fast paced. That’s always a welcome change every once in a while.
I’ll likely need an audiobook soon, too. I think I’m going to bite a big bullet I’ve been avoiding and go for The Evening and the Morning by Ken Follett. I’ve adored the other Kingsbridge books so I know I’ll love this. But 24 hours on audio can be a bit intimidating!

Leave a comment with your link and comment (if you’re so inclined). Take a look at the other participant links in the comments and look at what others are reading.

Have any opinions on these choices?

Until next time, write on.

You can follow me on Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’m available via email at SamAStevensWriter@gmail.com. And as always, feel free to leave a comment!

Some of the links on this post may be affiliate links. Taking on a World of Words is a participant in affiliate programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to products. If you purchase a product or service through an affiliate link, your cost will be the same but Sam will automatically receive a small commission. Your support is greatly appreciated.

WWW Wednesday, 15-February-2023

Welcome to WWW Wednesday! This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived here on Taking on a World of Words. Just answer the three questions below and leave a link to your post in the comments for others to look at. No blog? No problem! Just leave a comment with your responses. Please, take some time to visit the other participants and see what others are reading. So, let’s get to it!

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Note: For users of Blogspot blogs, I’m unable to comment on your posts as a WordPress blogger unless you’ve enabled Name/URL comments. This is a known WordPress/Blogspot issue. Please consider enabling this to participate more fully in the community.

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Currently reading: I haven’t moved much in Mexican White Boy by Matt de la Peña. I did start running again, though, and that is some solid listening time for me. As it gets warmer, I’m hoping I can keep moving through this one at a good pace.
Surprisingly, I’ve moved well through The Invisible Guardian by Dolores Redondo. I’m well over half way through and I’m getting intrigued by the way Amaia’s life is intertwined with the crime and I’ve made time to read this before bed more and more often.
There hasn’t been much progress in The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. Work has been really busy lately and the last thing I want to do when I log off is look at a screen again. It’s kept me focused on my print books, but this has suffered.

Recently finished: Nothing new finished this week. I did manage to get a review up! After long last, I finished and reviewed Sophie’s Choice by William Styron. I had a lot of issues with this book despite having a great ending. I gave it Three out of Five Stars and posted my review on Monday.

Reading next: Good news! My reading buddy and I are picking up our Buddy Reads again! We’ve both had kiddos so we took a pause but now that they’re both officially toddlers, we’re going to see how this goes. Our first read is going to be Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. I think we’re both hoping for something that’s fast paced as we read it between midnight wake-ups, messy dinner times, and snuggles. Wish us luck!

Leave a comment with your link and comment (if you’re so inclined). Take a look at the other participant links in the comments and look at what others are reading.

Have any opinions on these choices?

Until next time, write on.

You can follow me on Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’m available via email at SamAStevensWriter@gmail.com. And as always, feel free to leave a comment!

Some of the links on this post may be affiliate links. Taking on a World of Words is a participant in affiliate programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to products. If you purchase a product or service through an affiliate link, your cost will be the same but Sam will automatically receive a small commission. Your support is greatly appreciated.

WWW Wednesday, 8-February-2023

Welcome to WWW Wednesday! This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived here on Taking on a World of Words. Just answer the three questions below and leave a link to your post in the comments for others to look at. No blog? No problem! Just leave a comment with your responses. Please, take some time to visit the other participants and see what others are reading. So, let’s get to it!

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Note: For users of Blogspot blogs, I’m unable to comment on your posts as a WordPress blogger unless you’ve enabled Name/URL comments. This is a known WordPress/Blogspot issue. Please consider enabling this to participate more fully in the community.

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Currently reading: I’m moving slowly through Mexican White Boy by Matt de la Peña. It hasn’t really grabbed my attention yet so it’s a slow journey. I’m hoping something in it picks up soon and helps me move through it faster.
I’ve made good progress in The Invisible Guardian by Dolores Redondo. Some of the chapters are really short which helps me move fast. Some are longer and give some good story development. I like having a mystery going because they’re so fast paced so I’m enjoying this one!
I changed my mind about an ebook. I picked up The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. An old coworker of mine had recommended this to me a ways back when we were talking books. I’m enjoying the story so far and hoping to make decent progress on it!

Recently finished: I didn’t expect to finish Why We Swim by Bonnis Tsui last week but wrapped it up! The last ten percent of the book was notes and references. I liked the book, but was a little confused about the structure of it. I have to think through it more when I go to write the review, but for now I’m giving it Three out of Five Stars.

I got one more book review done! (I’m trying to do one per week.) My review of Any Way the Wind Blows by Rainbow Rowell went up on Monday. I’m sticking with my Three out of Five Star review for this one. I could see another book in the series, but I do think it’s the end.

Reading next: I feel like I should stop guessing- I’m always so far off! I’m very early on in all my books this week so it feels safe to say I won’t need a new book before next Wednesday. I’ll leave this blank for now.

Leave a comment with your link and comment (if you’re so inclined). Take a look at the other participant links in the comments and look at what others are reading.

Have any opinions on these choices?

Until next time, write on.

You can follow me on Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’m available via email at SamAStevensWriter@gmail.com. And as always, feel free to leave a comment!

Some of the links on this post may be affiliate links. Taking on a World of Words is a participant in affiliate programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to products. If you purchase a product or service through an affiliate link, your cost will be the same but Sam will automatically receive a small commission. Your support is greatly appreciated.

WWW Wednesday, 1-February-2023

Welcome to WWW Wednesday! This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived here on Taking on a World of Words. Just answer the three questions below and leave a link to your post in the comments for others to look at. No blog? No problem! Just leave a comment with your responses. Please, take some time to visit the other participants and see what others are reading. So, let’s get to it!

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Note: For users of Blogspot blogs, I’m unable to comment on your posts as a WordPress blogger unless you’ve enabled Name/URL comments. This is a known WordPress/Blogspot issue. Please consider enabling this to participate more fully in the community.

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Currently reading: I read a chapter in Why We Swim by Bonnis Tsui but not much more than that. I’ve been trying to get as much time away from screens as possible while work is crazy so I’ve prioritized physical books. And the kiddo has a bundle of energy and is keeping me on my toes so I’m struggling to find a few spare minutes to squeeze it in.
I started Mexican White Boy by Matt de la Peña but I’m not too far into it. The beginning has been alright, nothing too exciting, so I’m hoping it picks up a little bit for me as I get more into it.
It’s about time I knocked some of my own books off of my shelf. I’m grabbing The Invisible Guardian by Dolores Redondo. My sister in law gave this to me for Christmas a few years ago and I’ve been waiting for a good time to pick it up.

Recently finished: Can you believe it? I finished Sophie’s Choice by William Styron! I was so close on Friday that I decided to push through during the weekend and was able to wrap it up! I’ll be watching the movie soon but I hope to write my review first.
I also finished Any Way the Wind Blows (Simon Snow #3) by Rainbow Rowell! What a good week. I have some mixed feelings on this one and I’m a bit conflicted about how to rate it. I’m also not sure if I want there to be a fourth book in this series, or if I’m okay leaving these characters behind and hoping Rowell will start something new. Probably the later, honestly.

I was able to post my review of Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline! Please check it out and let me know what you thought of the book. Do we want to see this one on the big screen, too?

Reading next: It’s likely I’ll need an ebook next. I think I’ll try and grab Broken (in the Best Possible Way) by Jenny Lawson. I’ve loved Lawson’s funny books in the past and the short-story format of these will be easy to digest in my short reading bursts.

Leave a comment with your link and comment (if you’re so inclined). Take a look at the other participant links in the comments and look at what others are reading.

Have any opinions on these choices?

Until next time, write on.

You can follow me on Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’m available via email at SamAStevensWriter@gmail.com. And as always, feel free to leave a comment!

Some of the links on this post may be affiliate links. Taking on a World of Words is a participant in affiliate programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to products. If you purchase a product or service through an affiliate link, your cost will be the same but Sam will automatically receive a small commission. Your support is greatly appreciated.

A Bookworm’s Christmas

Santa knew just what I would like! Well, my husband and future sister-in-law did for sure. It was modest this year with three books gifted to me. I’m excited to read them all!

View this post on Instagram

Writing my blog post about my bookish Christmas. Did anyone else get some great titles from Santa? #amreading #bookishchristmas

A post shared by Sam Ann Elizabeth (@samannelizabeth) on Jan 1, 2018 at 11:51am PST

A staple gift from my husband, I got the new illustrated Harry Potter, Prisoner of Azkeban. I haven’t finished reading the second one yet so the new book will go to my Harry Potter shelf (yes, I have one) while I keep picking away at Chamber of Secrets. I told myself I wouldn’t look at the beautiful pictures, but I may have cheated a bit!

I got two other books this year, too. The first is The Invisible Guardian by Dolores Redondo. My sister-in-law-to-be has cemented a new family tradition in place by buying us books for Christmas every year. I love this. My selection this year was based on my Spanish degree. The book is originally published in Spanish and takes places in Basque Country, Spain. I’m excited to see if there are cultural elements in the book that I’ll recognize from my research.

The final book was a second book from my husband. I’ve been reading more and more running books as I get more involved in distance running and triathlon. This one is about a dog who follows an ultra-marathoner and becomes a training partner. It looks like a really sweet story and I’m excited to read it and find out more.

Did Santa bring you any books? What about friends or family? I hope you enjoy your Christmas reads. Happy new year and happy reading!

You can follow me on Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’m available via email at SamAStevensWriter@gmail.com. And as always, feel free to leave a comment!