under_the_silk_tree | More Books

The first half of this month has been a bit on the rough side but I have gotten a fair amount of reading done.

After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her family memories or childhood home. A residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC–Chapel Hill seems like the perfect escape—until Bree witnesses a magical attack her very first night on campus. A flying demon feeding on human energies. A secret society of so called “Legendborn” students that hunt the creatures down. And a mysterious teenage mage who calls himself a “Merlin” and who attempts—and fails—to wipe Bree’s memory of everything she saw.

The mage’s failure unlocks Bree’s own unique magic and a buried memory with a hidden connection: the night her mother died, another Merlin was at the hospital. Now that Bree knows there’s more to her mother’s death than what’s on the police report, she’ll do whatever it takes to find out the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn as one of their initiates.

She recruits Nick, a self-exiled Legendborn with his own grudge against the group, and their reluctant partnership pulls them deeper into the society’s secrets—and closer to each other. But when the Legendborn reveal themselves as the descendants of King Arthur’s knights and explain that a magical war is coming, Bree has to decide how far she’ll go for the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down—or join the fight. ~Goodreads Description

This book was so so so good. I really loved this story. The protagonist Bree was such an intriguing well written character, who is also going through so much not only with the loss of her mother but also with learning about a past that has been hidden from her until now. The plot has depth and hooks you almost right away. I loved the way the author weaved the Arthurian legend in surprising and new ways into Bree's story. I can't wait for the next book in the series!

1936 in the Crown Colony of Singapore, and the British abdication crisis and rising Japanese threat seem very far away. When the Irish nanny looking after Acting Governor Palin's daughter dies suddenly - and in mysterious circumstances - mission school-educated local girl SuLin - an aspiring journalist trying to escape an arranged marriage - is invited to take her place. But then another murder at the residence occurs and it seems very likely that a killer is stalking the corridors of Government House. It now takes all SuLin's traditional skills and intelligence to help British-born Chief Inspector Thomas LeFroy solve the murders - and escape with her own life. ~Goodreads Description

I enjoyed this book. The main protagonist Su Lin was well written and I loved getting to read about 1930's Singapore. The mystery was well done and I hadn't worked it out until near the end. The only negative would be sometimes the writing felt uneven but other then that it was good. Warnings for ableism/racism from some of the characters.

In this revelatory and moving memoir, a former NASA astronaut and NFL wide receiver shares his personal journey from the gridiron to the stars, examining the intersecting roles of community, perseverance and grace that align to create the opportunities for success.

Leland Melvin is the only person in human history to catch a pass in the National Football League and in space. Though his path to the heavens was riddled with setbacks and injury, Leland persevered to reach the stars.

While training with NASA, Melvin suffered a severe injury that left him deaf. Leland was relegated to earthbound assignments, but chose to remain and support his astronaut family. His loyalty paid off. Recovering partial hearing, he earned his eligibility for space travel. He served as mission specialist for two flights aboard the shuttle Atlantis, working on the International Space Station. ~Goodreads Description

I enjoyed reading about Leland Melvin's journey to space. He has lead a very interesting life and he writes about it in a very easy to read way. I liked getting to read about the ins and outs of NASA, and the ups and downs and second chances the author went though. All in all a good read.

Shay Remby arrives in Hollywood with $58 and a handmade knife, searching for her brother, Odin. Odin’s a brilliant hacker but a bit of a loose cannon. He and a group of radical animal-rights activists hit a Singular Corp. research lab in Eugene, Oregon. The raid was a disaster, but Odin escaped with a set of highly encrypted flash drives and a post-surgical dog.

When Shay gets a frantic 3 a.m. phone call from Odin—talking about evidence of unspeakable experiments, and a ruthless corporation, and how he must hide—she’s concerned. When she gets a menacing visit from Singular’s security team, she knows: her brother’s a dead man walking. What Singular doesn’t know—yet—is that 16-year-old Shay is every bit as ruthless as their security force, and she will burn Singular to the ground, if that’s what it takes to save her brother. ~Goodreads Description

I enjoyed this book. The plot was fast paced and kept moving at a pretty good clip. I liked Shay and her brother Odin. As well as the other people who eventually helped them. I had hard time suspending some of my disbelief in how much good luck Shay had falling in with the people she did but other then that it was a good book. I will probably be continuing on with the series.

Reading challenges:
Mount TBR: N/A
Reading Writer's of Color 2021, Feburary: By a Scientist: Chasing Space
Cloak and Dagger Challenge: The Frangipani Tree Mystery, Uncaged
LJ Book Bingo Jan-Mar: Fiction, Non-Fiction