Book Club Friday...

Happy Friday everyone...I hope you have all had a great week with great books!

This week:  I am so excited to talk about...

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

This book just grabbed me and I felt like it was written for me.  My favorite aspect of this story is the blending of science and mythology.  The main characters are a witch and a vampire, living in a modern world that also includes daemons and humans.  The witch, Diana, has chosen not to use her powers in order to excel in her career on her own merits.  She's a Scientific Historian with an emphasis on Alchemists.  The background on alchemy and early alchemists that the author brings to this story is fascinating.  The vampire, Matthew, is 1500 years old and a doctor several times over.  He's currently studying the DNA of vampires, witches and daemons in order to understand their evolution.  The references to Darwin along with Newton and other scientists are perfectly intwined with the notion of vampiric evolution.

The heart of this story is Diana and Matthew's introduction and thier journey to learn about a book, about each other and, of course, to save their world.  The story has all the best elements of a good, well-told story...believable, rich characters, romance, heroism, a secret capable of destroying their world and a rush to save the world.  There is nothing trite or 2-dimensional about this story...it's an epic told in the best way.

The only disappointing thing about this book is the fact that it is the first in a trilogy...there is no conclusion, merely the end of a chapter and when a reader turns the page there is no more.  I hope Deborah Harkness is writing quickly!

I also read & enjoyed:

Room by Emma Donoghue ...trust me on this one!  It came highly recommended from a good friend of mine and I nearly gave up on the first chapter.  Keep reading...it's worth it!

Magic Hour by Kristin Hannah...it was interesting that I read these two in this order.  Magic Hour has some similarities to Room, that make them an intriguing pair.

Next Week: I will be sharing my thoughts on Sing Me Home by Jodi Picoult...actually I will be curling up with that as soon as I post this to my blog!

Now it's your turn...what have you been reading?  Have you read this book?  I would love to hear about all the amazing books on your end table!

Disclaimer:  I get no compensation from the author's, publishers or Amazon.  The links are merely to make it easier for you to visualize the book.  I have purchased and read all the mentioned books on my own, and the opinions are all mine.