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Ross (3284 KP) rated Myths and Mortals in Books
Apr 8, 2019
*** Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book from the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ***
The follow-up to Smoke and Summons continues straight on. Sandis is no longer connected to her demon of choice, but is safe and free from the (presumed dead) Kazen. Rone is still separated from his mother and running out of time to cross the border and escape the troubled country.
The story focuses more on the characters' feelings than before (where the first book was largely aimless wandering and fighting), with Sandis torn between staying with the only family she has (her estranged uncle) and knowing that he is using her for her powers, as her former master had done. Rone is desperate to escape the country but cannot bear to be parted from Sandis, and there is unspoken tension between them.
The book sees more of the underworld of the city explored as the main characters team up with some undesirables to try and overcome their main enemy.
There are some typical twists and turns along the way, most of which are fairly predictable. The action sequences are good, but I found myself speed-reading the final quarter just to get finished.
A decent story and even though short feels like it could have been edited a bit more. I think I will read the concluding part when it is released, as the ending of this book teased what could be some excited conflicts.
The follow-up to Smoke and Summons continues straight on. Sandis is no longer connected to her demon of choice, but is safe and free from the (presumed dead) Kazen. Rone is still separated from his mother and running out of time to cross the border and escape the troubled country.
The story focuses more on the characters' feelings than before (where the first book was largely aimless wandering and fighting), with Sandis torn between staying with the only family she has (her estranged uncle) and knowing that he is using her for her powers, as her former master had done. Rone is desperate to escape the country but cannot bear to be parted from Sandis, and there is unspoken tension between them.
The book sees more of the underworld of the city explored as the main characters team up with some undesirables to try and overcome their main enemy.
There are some typical twists and turns along the way, most of which are fairly predictable. The action sequences are good, but I found myself speed-reading the final quarter just to get finished.
A decent story and even though short feels like it could have been edited a bit more. I think I will read the concluding part when it is released, as the ending of this book teased what could be some excited conflicts.
ArecRain (8 KP) rated Knitlandia: A Knitter Sees the World in Books
Jan 18, 2018
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
I normally dont reading books like this nor have I read the authors book The Yarn Whisperers, so I wasnt surprised that this wasnt to my taste. I requested it because I am a knitter, but unfortunately, this story had less to do about knitting and more about travel. The writing is simple enough, having the conversationalist tone of a blog writer trying to entice a reader; and I enjoyed her easy style. It did take me a while to power through it, however, as I found I didnt particularly care about the subjects the author chose to write about. The most interesting part of the book, to me, was the opening where she describes her moms car being on fire. I didnt know any of the people the author name dropped so I felt their significance in the story was lost on me.
I really wanted to like this book although I feel I should have known better. I learned my lesson, I guess. Also, my copy randomly had images of As in giant gray boxes periodically throughout the book. I am not sure what they were supposed to be but they were distracting. I imagine they were supposed to be images that just didnt translate in my digital copy. If thats the case, I am deeply sorry I wasnt able to see them.
I normally dont reading books like this nor have I read the authors book The Yarn Whisperers, so I wasnt surprised that this wasnt to my taste. I requested it because I am a knitter, but unfortunately, this story had less to do about knitting and more about travel. The writing is simple enough, having the conversationalist tone of a blog writer trying to entice a reader; and I enjoyed her easy style. It did take me a while to power through it, however, as I found I didnt particularly care about the subjects the author chose to write about. The most interesting part of the book, to me, was the opening where she describes her moms car being on fire. I didnt know any of the people the author name dropped so I felt their significance in the story was lost on me.
I really wanted to like this book although I feel I should have known better. I learned my lesson, I guess. Also, my copy randomly had images of As in giant gray boxes periodically throughout the book. I am not sure what they were supposed to be but they were distracting. I imagine they were supposed to be images that just didnt translate in my digital copy. If thats the case, I am deeply sorry I wasnt able to see them.
Kristin (149 KP) rated The Golden Boy Returns in Books
Dec 7, 2018
Disclaimer: I received an e-copy from the author in exchange for an honest (and not necessarily positive) review.
Having read the novella which precedes this book, I was definitely excited to jump into this one with both feet. I love this series, with all its characters and twists and turns, and this one did not disappoint. While it focuses around a character who's not in the "main group" normally described in this series, everyone is still involved, and you get more insight into the craziness that is Boston, as well as a crash course in politics and all it entails.
I had just binged the 4th season of "House of Cards" right before I started reading this book, so I was in the perfect mindset for all the politicking involved. I love seeing all the backhanded deals, the wink-and-nudge promises, and the like in HoC, and this story is a great companion. I was pulled in right away, and it didn't let up until I read the final line. Especially considering how crazy the candidates and campaigns have been for this upcoming election, this is a perfect book to show that we've really only scratched the surface of just how insane and ruthless it actually is.
Recommended for everyone who likes politics, even as a passing fancy, and for everyone else, it's still an amazing book to further this series.
5 stars =)
Having read the novella which precedes this book, I was definitely excited to jump into this one with both feet. I love this series, with all its characters and twists and turns, and this one did not disappoint. While it focuses around a character who's not in the "main group" normally described in this series, everyone is still involved, and you get more insight into the craziness that is Boston, as well as a crash course in politics and all it entails.
I had just binged the 4th season of "House of Cards" right before I started reading this book, so I was in the perfect mindset for all the politicking involved. I love seeing all the backhanded deals, the wink-and-nudge promises, and the like in HoC, and this story is a great companion. I was pulled in right away, and it didn't let up until I read the final line. Especially considering how crazy the candidates and campaigns have been for this upcoming election, this is a perfect book to show that we've really only scratched the surface of just how insane and ruthless it actually is.
Recommended for everyone who likes politics, even as a passing fancy, and for everyone else, it's still an amazing book to further this series.
5 stars =)
Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated Sweet Revenge: Passive-Aggressive Desserts for Your Exes & Enemies in Books
Jul 12, 2018
So, it is always really had to write a review of a cookbook for me. One, I cannot consider it read without thinking that it is kind of cheating if I haven't made all of the recipes. So... I'm not marking this as fully read nor will I have it as a book read in 2017.
I really enjoyed the author of this book and her narration. It was quirky and fun. Honestly, I was laughing through the descriptions and her random graphics thrown in.
I loved the concept of this book but I have to wonder if the author knew her stuff when it comes to creating recipes. I cooked "You're a Total Monster" cookies and they were okay. The addition of Nacho Cheese Doritos was weird yet fun. My one complaint though was the fact that the cooking time was completely wrong and I mean completely wrong. Luckily, I was able to figure out that it should be 5 minutes and then turn for 5 more minutes. This reduced the cooking time by 8 minutes. My first batches were burnt to a crisp which annoyed me.
All in all, if you're looking for a cookbook with attitude, this is a fun one. The recipes are weird and will surely be the talk of the gathering you bring them too. Just make sure that you change cooking times if they come out burnt.
I received this book from Bookish First in Exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed the author of this book and her narration. It was quirky and fun. Honestly, I was laughing through the descriptions and her random graphics thrown in.
I loved the concept of this book but I have to wonder if the author knew her stuff when it comes to creating recipes. I cooked "You're a Total Monster" cookies and they were okay. The addition of Nacho Cheese Doritos was weird yet fun. My one complaint though was the fact that the cooking time was completely wrong and I mean completely wrong. Luckily, I was able to figure out that it should be 5 minutes and then turn for 5 more minutes. This reduced the cooking time by 8 minutes. My first batches were burnt to a crisp which annoyed me.
All in all, if you're looking for a cookbook with attitude, this is a fun one. The recipes are weird and will surely be the talk of the gathering you bring them too. Just make sure that you change cooking times if they come out burnt.
I received this book from Bookish First in Exchange for an honest review.
Gold and International Finance: The Gold Market Under the Internationalization of RMB in Hong Kong
Ming Wang, Kin Keung Lai and Haywood Cheung
Book
This book describes the history of gold as a financial instrument and discusses gold exchanges in...
IM
Islamic Macroeconomics: A Model for Efficient Government, Stability and Full Employment
Book
The economic model in many developed and developing countries is characterized by a 'Big Government'...
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Turning This Thing Around in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review can be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
As a former sufferer of depression and anxiety, this book was something I really wanted to read. While it wasn't the best memoir I've ever read, it was still alright.
I like the title of this book. It fits in well considering Keith turns his life around. It's super fitting.
The cover may be plain, but the one picture works well especially when it comes to any kind of disease whether mental or physical.
I found the pacing of this book started off at a decent pace. However, the second part of the book slowed way down, and I found myself skimming over some of the paragraphs and pages.
It was interesting to read about Keith's tumultuous relationship with Mary. My heart went out to both of them, and I found myself relating to a lot of what was happening. I wanted Keith and Mary's relationship to work, I really did. It was interesting to read about how Keith coped when he came to Mary.
The second half became a bit too spiritual for me, and I found my interest waning. When I say spiritual, I don't mean godly. To me, it focused a bit too much on meditation. Plus, it became too quote heavy. It seemed that Keith was quoting a book or movie on almost every page. I'd rather have just read Keith's words as he's quite a good writer judging by this book. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad Keith was able to mostly overcome all the negative in his life, and he made some really good points and gave good advice, but it just wasn't my cup of tea.
Overall, Turning This Thing Around is a decent read. I think those that are into spirituality and possibly those that are in the throes of depression and anxiety would benefit the most from this book.
(I received a free paperback copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review).
As a former sufferer of depression and anxiety, this book was something I really wanted to read. While it wasn't the best memoir I've ever read, it was still alright.
I like the title of this book. It fits in well considering Keith turns his life around. It's super fitting.
The cover may be plain, but the one picture works well especially when it comes to any kind of disease whether mental or physical.
I found the pacing of this book started off at a decent pace. However, the second part of the book slowed way down, and I found myself skimming over some of the paragraphs and pages.
It was interesting to read about Keith's tumultuous relationship with Mary. My heart went out to both of them, and I found myself relating to a lot of what was happening. I wanted Keith and Mary's relationship to work, I really did. It was interesting to read about how Keith coped when he came to Mary.
The second half became a bit too spiritual for me, and I found my interest waning. When I say spiritual, I don't mean godly. To me, it focused a bit too much on meditation. Plus, it became too quote heavy. It seemed that Keith was quoting a book or movie on almost every page. I'd rather have just read Keith's words as he's quite a good writer judging by this book. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad Keith was able to mostly overcome all the negative in his life, and he made some really good points and gave good advice, but it just wasn't my cup of tea.
Overall, Turning This Thing Around is a decent read. I think those that are into spirituality and possibly those that are in the throes of depression and anxiety would benefit the most from this book.
(I received a free paperback copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review).
Reiko LJ (126 KP) rated The Psychology of Time Travel in Books
Aug 13, 2018
Engaging, fully formed world (1 more)
Complex female characters
This book had my interest on the premise alone, enough to give it a shot - but I didn't expect it to be such an enjoyable ride.
Usually when fiction tackles time travel concepts you get glaring paradoxes, intentional blurring of details or overdone tropes but this book actually pulled it off well. Rather than focusing on the usual quandaries faced by time travelling instead we had a plethora of content I'd never even considered before!
From the humble beginnings of the four 'pioneers' in the '60s (which most books would have kept focus on) we jump forwards to the modern era and have what happened between was filled in through very natural exposition and character discovery. The result is a rich and vast world I wanted to know more and more about. What a fantastic concept to show modern day Britain with a history knocked off course by the creation of the conclave and decades of shared knowledge.
I was repeatedly impressed by the level of detail that Mascarenhas took things to (the time travel terminology/slang definitely being one of them!) and the areas she covered.
Over the course of reading this book I found myself bringing up the book in conversation at work and home. I couldn't help but talk about it. It was also at this point, in describing the book, that I suddenly realised there were no male characters of note in the book at all. This absolutely took nothing away from the story. The women in this story were fully formed and real enough to be flawed. Such a refreshing experience in sci-fi! I was pleasantly surprised by the romantic sub-plot between two women as well. This was such a natural progression of the story, with no fan-fare or overdue focus - it was just right and wonderfully depicted.
The themes covered by the book are equal parts beautiful and painful - just like life itself. What an incredible debut novel from a voice I am keen to hear more from.
----
Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for an ARC of this book in in exchange for an honest review
Usually when fiction tackles time travel concepts you get glaring paradoxes, intentional blurring of details or overdone tropes but this book actually pulled it off well. Rather than focusing on the usual quandaries faced by time travelling instead we had a plethora of content I'd never even considered before!
From the humble beginnings of the four 'pioneers' in the '60s (which most books would have kept focus on) we jump forwards to the modern era and have what happened between was filled in through very natural exposition and character discovery. The result is a rich and vast world I wanted to know more and more about. What a fantastic concept to show modern day Britain with a history knocked off course by the creation of the conclave and decades of shared knowledge.
I was repeatedly impressed by the level of detail that Mascarenhas took things to (the time travel terminology/slang definitely being one of them!) and the areas she covered.
Over the course of reading this book I found myself bringing up the book in conversation at work and home. I couldn't help but talk about it. It was also at this point, in describing the book, that I suddenly realised there were no male characters of note in the book at all. This absolutely took nothing away from the story. The women in this story were fully formed and real enough to be flawed. Such a refreshing experience in sci-fi! I was pleasantly surprised by the romantic sub-plot between two women as well. This was such a natural progression of the story, with no fan-fare or overdue focus - it was just right and wonderfully depicted.
The themes covered by the book are equal parts beautiful and painful - just like life itself. What an incredible debut novel from a voice I am keen to hear more from.
----
Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for an ARC of this book in in exchange for an honest review
Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated Hook in Books
Nov 11, 2019
Characters (1 more)
Action Packed
Heartbreaking & beautiful.
Trigger Warning: Sexual Assault, Child Abuse, Murder, Abuse, Angst, Drug Use
As many of you know, I've been waiting anxiously for Hook to come out! I was one of the lucky bloggers that Gina gave a copy to in exchange for an honest review. I read Pan earlier this year and fell completely head over heels for Gina's writing, and I've been shoving Pan down everyone's throats because it is that amazing! Now, full disclosure, I have only read one other M/M romance, so I wasn't sure what to expect. All I knew was that I couldn't wait to fly into Neverland again.
I built Hook up in my head so much that at times I was worried it wouldn't live up to the hype. Luckily, Hook was everything I wanted and more. This book follows Hook & John's story. The chemistry between them was out of this world. It was fun to see the anger, the angst, and the fire between the two of them. The characters as always were well written and thoroughly entertaining. I laughed, I cried, and I had to put my book down a few times, so I didn't throw my kindle.
The plotline was one of the shining stars of this book. It was action-packed, intense, and extremely engaging. I never wanted to put the book down, yet I enjoyed it so much I never wanted it to end. I loved the undercover aspect of the book, and it makes me want to reread some of my favorite romantic suspense. I was always on the edge of my seat and couldn't wait to see how everything unfolded.
All in all, I LOVED this book. It lived up to the hype that I had in my head, and I cannot wait to read the next book in this series when it comes out. If you enjoy angst-filled bad boys with a heart of gold, this is the book for you. Gina truly knows how to write angst in a way that everyone can enjoy.
As many of you know, I've been waiting anxiously for Hook to come out! I was one of the lucky bloggers that Gina gave a copy to in exchange for an honest review. I read Pan earlier this year and fell completely head over heels for Gina's writing, and I've been shoving Pan down everyone's throats because it is that amazing! Now, full disclosure, I have only read one other M/M romance, so I wasn't sure what to expect. All I knew was that I couldn't wait to fly into Neverland again.
I built Hook up in my head so much that at times I was worried it wouldn't live up to the hype. Luckily, Hook was everything I wanted and more. This book follows Hook & John's story. The chemistry between them was out of this world. It was fun to see the anger, the angst, and the fire between the two of them. The characters as always were well written and thoroughly entertaining. I laughed, I cried, and I had to put my book down a few times, so I didn't throw my kindle.
The plotline was one of the shining stars of this book. It was action-packed, intense, and extremely engaging. I never wanted to put the book down, yet I enjoyed it so much I never wanted it to end. I loved the undercover aspect of the book, and it makes me want to reread some of my favorite romantic suspense. I was always on the edge of my seat and couldn't wait to see how everything unfolded.
All in all, I LOVED this book. It lived up to the hype that I had in my head, and I cannot wait to read the next book in this series when it comes out. If you enjoy angst-filled bad boys with a heart of gold, this is the book for you. Gina truly knows how to write angst in a way that everyone can enjoy.
Ross (3284 KP) rated The Trouble With Peace in Books
Sep 28, 2020
Superb dialogue, plotting and war
I received an advance copy of this book from netgalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review.
This is the second book in Abercrombie's second proper trilogy in the world of The First Law. I will admit to having issues with the first book, A Little Hatred, but they were mainly a result of the book building on from the previous trilogy (and the standalone books) but being a significant amount of time later. I had felt the characters had been left as "so-and-so's son/daughter" with minimal introduction otherwise.
Those issues are now long-forgotten, as in this book all characters receive enough attention to embed themselves and find their voices (no longer are Vick and Savine the same in my head, likewise Leo and Orso, although I have to admit that Clover and Broad still cross over in my mind).
The plot follows some gentle political and social manipulations, both in the capital Adua, and also in the North. Things quickly develop into a much stronger and very possible uprising against the throne, and more importantly against the corrupt financier and magician controlling the throne.
There are some truly superb action sequences in this book, where the action flows seamlessly from one character's PoV to another, almost as if watching a film, where the camera follows an arrow and watches the intended target until they stab at someone, who the camera then follows. This allows the action to unfold across both sides of the conflict and give the story from multiple angles. One of these scenes was one of the best told battle scenes I think I have ever read.
The plot is strong, the characters similarly, and the dialogue and narration is Abercrombie at his best. The crossing, double-crossing and triple-crossing is a joy to read. It is rare in a "grimdark" book to see one of the nastiest characters getting their comeuppance but at the end this is delivered in a fairly shocking manner.
This may just be Abercrombie's best book yet, in my humble opinion.
This is the second book in Abercrombie's second proper trilogy in the world of The First Law. I will admit to having issues with the first book, A Little Hatred, but they were mainly a result of the book building on from the previous trilogy (and the standalone books) but being a significant amount of time later. I had felt the characters had been left as "so-and-so's son/daughter" with minimal introduction otherwise.
Those issues are now long-forgotten, as in this book all characters receive enough attention to embed themselves and find their voices (no longer are Vick and Savine the same in my head, likewise Leo and Orso, although I have to admit that Clover and Broad still cross over in my mind).
The plot follows some gentle political and social manipulations, both in the capital Adua, and also in the North. Things quickly develop into a much stronger and very possible uprising against the throne, and more importantly against the corrupt financier and magician controlling the throne.
There are some truly superb action sequences in this book, where the action flows seamlessly from one character's PoV to another, almost as if watching a film, where the camera follows an arrow and watches the intended target until they stab at someone, who the camera then follows. This allows the action to unfold across both sides of the conflict and give the story from multiple angles. One of these scenes was one of the best told battle scenes I think I have ever read.
The plot is strong, the characters similarly, and the dialogue and narration is Abercrombie at his best. The crossing, double-crossing and triple-crossing is a joy to read. It is rare in a "grimdark" book to see one of the nastiest characters getting their comeuppance but at the end this is delivered in a fairly shocking manner.
This may just be Abercrombie's best book yet, in my humble opinion.