An Echo in the Bone

Title: An Echo in the Bone
Author: Diana Gabaldon
Series: Outlander (Book 7)
Genre: Historical Romance/Time Travel



Jamie and Claire continue to try and walk the line through a very dangerous America. The duo (and sometimes Ian) bounce all over America and try to navigate battles to the best of Claire's knowledge. They decide at one point to go back to Scotland and return "Young" Ian to his family. Unfortunately, that homecoming is not as sweet as it should have been. When all is said and done they are again in America at the end of Echo.

Brianna and Roger are having an interesting time adjusting to the times. They buy Lallybroch in present day and there is something lurking about that is terrifying Mandy. Jem gets in trouble for yelling at his teacher in Galic, and Roger finds a new calling.

A fair amount of the story also follows William, Jamie's son. I wasn't impressed with most of his passages because they told mostly of the war. One thing I've mentioned before, is that I dislike the books that are centered more on the war and happenings then the relationships. I understand that they are an essential part to the stories, but sometimes I wish there was a little less battle description.

I felt like the last 100 pages or so were just amazing. Fast paced and full of action. I cried again this book, and hate when a beloved character is killed off in a less than peaceful way.

I think that this book seems like the climax of their stories. So much happened and so many things are left open. I never felt like any of the other books were too much of cliffhangers, but this book is definitely a cliff hanger.

Time to wait for book 8.

A Breath of Snow and Ashes

Title: A Breath of Snow and Ashes
Author: Diana Gabaldon
Series: Outlander (Book 6)
Genre: Historical Romance/Time Travel


The families on Fraser's Ridge are still in full swing. There is the impending doom of the Civil War, and Jamie's ability to walk the line and needing the learn when to change sides. The Civil War doesn't completely break out in this book, I'm thinking that's the next installment.

I loved the way that Claire, Brianna and Roger try to make things around the Ridge a little more "modern." Brianna's "invention" of matches, Roger making little toy Vrooms (cars) and Claire's continued research with Penicillin and her newest - ether. I really felt like this helped to connect to the characters, because they're going through the same thing that I would be thinking about it I found myself in the 1700's in America.

As with all the Outlander books, there is death, marriage, new babies and skirmishes. All following the lives of this group of people following somewhat of a story line, but not completely. We finally come to the fated day of Claire and Jamie's death as "foretold" by the newspaper.

I thought this was another fantastic addition to the series. I feel like the books have been either hit or miss, but this one was mostly another hit. I was a little disappointed in the events that led up to the ending, but depending on what happens in the next book it could work out okay.

The Fiery Cross

Title: The Fiery Cross
Author: Diana Gabaldon
Series: Outlander (Book 5)
Genre: Historical Romance/Time Travel



Jamie, Claire and everyone else on Fraser's Ridge are living out their lives fairly normally. There are a few marriages, a few new babies and of course a few deaths. There is another war/skirmish that doesn't really amount to much in the way of wars.

I had a very hard time getting through this book. Not as hard as I did the first time I read Dragonfly, but pretty close. The only thing that kept me going was already knowing the characters and being invested in what happened to them.

I felt like there was little plot line in this book and was just a little of this and a little of that. There were parts that went VERY slowly, yet a few short parts that I loved as well. I think my biggest issue with this series is I don't really want to read about the war. I much rather hear the love stories and stories of families.

There is a big surprise, well it was big to me - I cried. But I don't want to share it and ruin the story.

Aside from the few parts that warmed my heart, this was a disappointment in the Outlander series. I hope that she can redeem herself in the next book.

Drums of Autumn

Title: Drums of Autumn
Author: Diana Gabaldon
Series: Outlander (Book 4)
Genre: Historical Romance/Time Travel



Jamie and Claire make their way north and carve out a little part of the wilderness for themselves calling it Fraser's Ridge. Their story of learning to live off the land in a new place reminds me of reading Little House in the Big Woods when I was younger. I loved hearing about how they built their new home and all of the trials that went along with it.

Even though it didn't happen until halfway through the book - the meat of it to me was Brianna. She finds out that Jamie and Claire die in a house fire and decides to go through the stones and tell them. She meets everyone at Lollybroch and eventually meets her father and is reunited with her mother. I thought that it was beautiful and felt a little misty-eyed at her moments with Jamie.

Roger realizes what she's done and hops through the stones after her. His journey to Clair/Jamie/Brianna isn't nearly as easy as Brianna's. Again there seems to be problem after problem, although this time mostly in regards to Brianna and Roger. It was nice to see the story slightly shift focus to them without loosing the focus on Jamie and Claire.

I did feel, however, that something was left out. Brianna went back because of the fire, yet I feel like that date never came around in this book. It left it a little open ended for me. Hopefully that will be rectified in the next book. Perhaps it was mentioned and I just missed it?

Voyager

Title: Voyager
Author: Diana Gabaldon
Series: Outlander (Book 3)
Genre: Historical Romance/Time Travel



Claire has returned to Scottland (present day) after the death of Frank with Brianna. Claire wants to finally share with Brianna who her real father is. Before she does so, Claire seeks out Roger and asks him to find some information on the men of Lollybroch.

Roger looks into it and notices that every man that Claire has given him the name of was on the under the command of the same man. Thinking it odd that Claire didn't ask about him, Roger asks her if she wants to know about Jamie. Claire, assuming Jamie is dead (well, I guess he really is in her time) didn't want to know, but Roger tells her he didn't die at Colloden as she assumed.

Claire finally spills the beans to Brianna, who is upset and thinks her mother a little nuts. Little by little Brianna seems to start to accept it and the final straw is when they watch Gillian/Geillis Duncan go through the stones.

The three start a hunt to find out where Jamie ended up. Eventually Claire decides that she is going to go back through the stones. She finds a more acceptable dress then the "shift" that she wore last time, and finds some old coins so she has money from the time.

Claire and Jamie reunite. It was beautiful. But their lives are never easy. They are again on the run from just about everyone. Their nephew Ian is kidnapped by pirates and the couple takes to the high seas to find him in the Caribbean.

Another wonderful story full of adventure and love. I laughed out loud and cried numerous times. The "suffering" I did to get through Dragonfly in Amber was well worth it. I think that Voyager tops Outlander. It was simply amazing.

Waiting (again) for the person who is reading the books ahead of me to finish it so I can get my book off of hold at the library.

Dragonfly In Amber

Title: Dragonfly In Amber
Author: Diana Gabaldon
Series: Outlander (Book 2)
Genre: Historical Romance/Time Travel



Claire has made it back to her present day. We don't know why, we don't know when - that is what we learn throughout the book. She lived her life with Frank, now deceased, and her daughter Brianna. Brianna seems to be a dead ringer for Jamie, with many of the same habits and looks.

Claire has brought Brianna to Scotland to show her where she came from and to tell her the truth. We read the story as Claire tells it to Brianna.

Claire knew that there was going to be a bloodshed in a battle of the Highlanders vs. the English. She and Jamie have decided to do all that they can to stop the battle from ever occurring. Of course they can't change fate - and Jamie leads her to the stones to go home so that he may meet his fate alone and Claire can live with their unborn child.

Brianna is angry and doesn't believe Claire. Fortunately, Gilly (from Outlander) hasn't yet left for the past and Brianna, Claire and Roger (who Claire also decides to tell) managed to get there just in time to see her pass through.

I tried to read this book after the first time that I read Outlander. I couldn't get through the beginning of it. This time the beginning didn't give me much trouble, but I did have an issue with some of the middle and end. There was a lot of political and war talk. These people joining and fighting, many different royals. To me it was too confusing and I had a hard time muddling through it. The rest of the story I loved - the interaction between the characters I already knew, and seeing them live their lives.

The last 60 pages or so of the book had to have been my favorite. I cried and just had to stay up that extra time to finish the story.

Now that the war has happened - I hope that Voyager will be a little less war centered.

Outlander

Title: Outlander
Author: Diana Gabaldon
Series: Outlander (Book 1)
Genre: Historical Romance/Time Travel



Exactly 11 months ago I read Outlander, and reviewed it here. I have decided to try and read the entire Outlander series based on a Reading Challenge I joined here. I've always heard such good things about this series and decided to give it another go.

Instead of recapping again what it was about - I noticed a few different things this time around.

I don't recall crying the first time through. I may have and don't remember, but I definitely cried a few times and felt much more connected to the characters. I don't know why that is, perhaps because I already knew the characters and was able to get more into their story.

Last time I read Outlander, I read it in a hardcover. This time around I read a digital edition (from the library) on my Sony Reader. It was amazing. I loved not having to lug around the huge book, and get sore wrists from holding the weight up as I was reading. Even better? The dictionary function. Every so often when reading books that are set far into the past, or in a different country I run across words that I'm not entirely sure what they mean.

For example, in Outlander at some point they referred to an oxter. Not a clue as to what that was, but I double clicked and up came the definition: armpit. Fantastic! It didn't have every word that I looked for, since some are quite obscure, but it definitely helped.

One thing I loved about Outlander is that you really get to see the characters mature and grow. I feel like most Romance Novels end when the two characters realize that they are in love, getting married or what not. You never get to see the "real life" part of it, where they have to test their love by going through many difficulties. You may get one or two that are part of bringing them together, but never the bombardment that we get with Outlander.

I tried reading Dragonfly in Amber last time and just didn't get very far. I feel quite refreshed by Outlander this time around, however, and feel like I am ready for Dragonfly. Bring it on :)

Outlander

Title: Outlander
Author: Diana Gabaldon
Series: Outlander (Book 1)
Genre: Romance



I have been reading Outlander by Diana Gabaldon since my last post. It wasn't that I didn't like the book, or didn't have time to read it, at 850 big pages with small print it simply was a long book.

Outlander follows Claire, a woman who is living in the 1940's. She and her husband, Frank, are in Scotland on vacation. One day she takes a trip to see some stones, similar to Stonehenge. She finds herself transported to another time - the 1700's.

Here she marries another man, Jamie, to save herself from being taken by the English. She and Jamie end up with a beautiful relationship that changes and grows throughout the story. We see the two of them run into trouble after trouble, yet always they seem to come out on top.

I highly enjoyed this story and especially the relationship between Claire and Jamie. It had lots of action, movement and growth. Maybe a long read, but one I enjoyed the whole way through.

This is the beginning of a series, next inline is another huge book - Dragonfly in Amber.