Written in My Own Heart's Blood

Written in My Own Heart's Blood

Diana Gabaldon

For some reason, I enjoyed this one a lot more than I thought I would.

An Echo in the Bone

An Echo in the Bone

Diana Gabaldon

I did feel like this one was a bit more fast-paced than the last few, but it's starting to get a bit annoying/repetitive in plot and characters. How are there that many travelers and how many times do people have to go back and forth?

A Breath of Snow and Ashes

A Breath of Snow and Ashes

Diana Gabaldon

Ugh, I forgot how exhausting reading these books can be.

*SPOILERS BELOW*

The Fiery Cross

The Fiery Cross

Diana Gabaldon

Oh no! I never thought after reading the first book in this series that I would give any of Diana Gabaldon's writing less than three starts, but this was just painful. I mean, you know it's bad when it takes me about a month to finish a book (even if it is almost 1000 pages). However, I will be continuing the series. I just can't help but love the descriptive writing, even if the plot gets boring and the books have pacing issues. Also, I received one of the later books in the series for Christmas, so I guess I have to at least reach that one.

Drums of Autumn

Drums of Autumn

Diana Gabaldon

 

Unfortunately, this series is starting to lose its hold on me. Book number four in the Outlander series was a bit different than what I had in mind. With the addition of a few characters, it's almost starting to read like a soap opera full of unnecessary and almost unrealistic drama.

Voyager

Voyager

Diana Gabaldon

#3 in the Outlander series was quite different from the first two books. We left off with Claire going back to her own time to save her unborn child and for Jamie to meet his death at the battle of Culloden. Well we know that the only way the series is continuing is if...

*Spoilers Below*

Dragonfly in Amber

Dragonfly in Amber

Diana Gabaldon

""For I have lied, and killed, and stolen; betrayed and broken trust. But there is the one thing that shall lie in the balance. When I shall stand before God, I shall have one thing to say, to weigh against the rest." His voice dropped, nearly to a whisper, and his arms tightened around me. "Lord, ye gave me a rare woman, and God! I loved her well.""

Oh, this one killed me.

The second installment in the Outlander series was definitely a rollercoaster ride for me. Not so much a continuation of the story, it certainly gave the details of what happened where we left off with Claire and Jamie in the Scottish Highlands. At the end of Outlander, we learn that Claire is pregnant but still very much stuck in 1700s Scotland (mostly by choice). This book starts by informing us that Claire travelled back to her time twenty years ago and gave birth to a girl, Brianna and reconciled with her first husband, Frank Randall. What we don't know is what happened between now and then, and Claire tells the story throughout the book.

Outlander

Outlander

Diana Gabaldon

I've been putting this one off for a while, due to the length and the fact that there are currently 7 more books in the series (at this time) that are just as long if not longer. I figured it was time to dive in since I've heard great things about this series, and I wasn't disappointed.

As usual, before I start my review I just want to make something clear. I was in no way 'okay' with and/or recommend the beating of any person. With that said, I know a lot of people could not get over that fact and resent this book for exactly that reason, but I forced myself through the rough spots with the perception that it was historically accurate. What would happen when someone needed to be punished for their actions in Scotland during the 1700s? They would most likely be flogged or belted or whatever was deemed fit. With everything that happened in this story, I don't believe that the author would have gotten away without at least one instance of this type of situation. I'm not saying that I just 'got over it', I'm saying that I tried to look past it in order to see the story clearly but it still affected me negatively to read these types of scenes.

Now, on to the good stuff.