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Information Fusion and Intelligent Geographic Information Systems (If&Igis'17): New Frontiers in Information Fusion and Intelligent GIS: from Maritime to Land-Based Research
Vasily Popovich, Manfred Schrenk, Jean-Claude Thill and Christophe Claramunt
Book
This book presents the proceedings of the 8th international Symposium "Information Fusion and...
The Kish Cypher: The Story of Kljn for Unconditional Security: Introduction, History, the Big Picture, Details, and Design
Book
Designed to offer a thorough account of the KLJN key exchange system (also known as the Kish Cypher,...
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.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Missing in Books
May 10, 2018
Blake Stanley needs a new housekeeper. Terry Johnson isn't exactly what he expected when he picked her up from the airport. Terry, along with her son Dale have come to help Blake and his son, Brad with the day to day operations around their home in the outback of Australia. From the moment Blake first lays eyes on Terry, he can tell there is something different about her and her son Dale is unlike any other little boy he has ever met. When Blake gets a frantic call from Dale while out on a muster, he hurries back to the homestead to find Terry lying on the ground in a pool of blood with Dale no where to be found. What is this lady into and where is Dale? Sent on a wild chase all throughout Australia, and finding out things about the past he should never know, Blake is determined to find out who Terry is and where Dale is.
Missing is a good book based in Australia. With so many twists and turns, you are never sure where you are headed next. This book keeps you on the edge of your seat and wondering what is going to happen next. There are a few parts of the book that get confusing at times and I had to read over these a couple of times. There are a lot of components to keep track of which adds to the confusion. Overall, though, this is a book that is a good read.
**I was given this book by the author in exchange for my honest review.**
Missing is a good book based in Australia. With so many twists and turns, you are never sure where you are headed next. This book keeps you on the edge of your seat and wondering what is going to happen next. There are a few parts of the book that get confusing at times and I had to read over these a couple of times. There are a lot of components to keep track of which adds to the confusion. Overall, though, this is a book that is a good read.
**I was given this book by the author in exchange for my honest review.**
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated While You Sleep in Books
May 20, 2019
If you’re looking for something in the flavor of gothic horror with a little bit of romance and an unreliable narrator to thrown in, While You Sleep by Stephanie Merritt is the perfect choice. Reading it during a thunderstorm (which takes place quite often in the book) is even better. While I don’t tend to like romance, this book plays it off in a manner that even I can enjoy.
Set on a small island off the coast of Scotland, Merritt immediately creates an atmospherically gloomy environment. The main character, Zoe Adams, is an introverted artist who’s taking some much needed time away from her family in a lovely Victorian Era house in a town where she knows no one. Unbeknownst to her, the house has a reputation. Soon, things start to get a little rough, and the vacation turns into a nightmare. The question is, is there a phantom lending truth to the house’s status, or is there more than meets the eye?
When it comes to characters, Merritt’s ability to write dynamic and three-dimensional characters is spot on. I found myself becoming attached to a few while loathing others. The small town feel is replicated in the behaviors and actions of several characters, which tends to be something I’m wary of, being from a small town myself.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It’s one I’d like to own, and one I’ll definitely recommend to fellow horror fiends. I’d like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
http://theghastlygrimoire.com/2019/05/10/book-review-while-you-sleep-by-stephanie-merritt/
Set on a small island off the coast of Scotland, Merritt immediately creates an atmospherically gloomy environment. The main character, Zoe Adams, is an introverted artist who’s taking some much needed time away from her family in a lovely Victorian Era house in a town where she knows no one. Unbeknownst to her, the house has a reputation. Soon, things start to get a little rough, and the vacation turns into a nightmare. The question is, is there a phantom lending truth to the house’s status, or is there more than meets the eye?
When it comes to characters, Merritt’s ability to write dynamic and three-dimensional characters is spot on. I found myself becoming attached to a few while loathing others. The small town feel is replicated in the behaviors and actions of several characters, which tends to be something I’m wary of, being from a small town myself.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It’s one I’d like to own, and one I’ll definitely recommend to fellow horror fiends. I’d like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
http://theghastlygrimoire.com/2019/05/10/book-review-while-you-sleep-by-stephanie-merritt/
Kristin (149 KP) rated 'Til Death Do Us Part (Fearless, #1) in Books
Dec 7, 2018
Disclaimer: I received an e-book copy of this book from the editor in exchange for an honest review.
When I read the synopsis for this book, I was intrigued by the prospect of "modernized mythology." The idea that the Greek gods and goddesses are around right now, during our time, working to change humans into immortals through a competition was extremely interesting, and I couldn't wait to see how it played out.
I wasn't disappointed, as the story held my interest throughout, and I found myself trying to figure out which character was which Green god/goddess before it was actually stated. I've always been a fan of mythology, and this brought it to a new level, especially with the competition for immortality. Mary Jane's backstory is extremely sad, but her and Lucas seem to make a great couple, and I look forward to reading more of their story as they move on at the end of the book.
The only criticism I have is I wish it was longer. I thought it was over 280 pages, according to the count on my Kindle app, but the story actually ended around 220, with chapters from two future works at the end. Although the plot is thoroughly developed, I wanted more of it, whether it was more of Lucas and Mary Jane, or information about her parents, or even more with her and her aunt, Eden. However, I know this is only the first in a series, so I'm sure those things will be carried into the next book, which I hope comes out soon. =)
When I read the synopsis for this book, I was intrigued by the prospect of "modernized mythology." The idea that the Greek gods and goddesses are around right now, during our time, working to change humans into immortals through a competition was extremely interesting, and I couldn't wait to see how it played out.
I wasn't disappointed, as the story held my interest throughout, and I found myself trying to figure out which character was which Green god/goddess before it was actually stated. I've always been a fan of mythology, and this brought it to a new level, especially with the competition for immortality. Mary Jane's backstory is extremely sad, but her and Lucas seem to make a great couple, and I look forward to reading more of their story as they move on at the end of the book.
The only criticism I have is I wish it was longer. I thought it was over 280 pages, according to the count on my Kindle app, but the story actually ended around 220, with chapters from two future works at the end. Although the plot is thoroughly developed, I wanted more of it, whether it was more of Lucas and Mary Jane, or information about her parents, or even more with her and her aunt, Eden. However, I know this is only the first in a series, so I'm sure those things will be carried into the next book, which I hope comes out soon. =)
Jessica - Where the Book Ends (15 KP) rated Left Drowning (Left Drowning, #1) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
*I received this book via Net Galley as an ARC in exchange for an honest review*
This book was PHE-NOM-ENAL!!!! I couldn't put it down. It took me a bit to read because I was on vacation and was busy, but I loved this book and read it every chance I could. I actually finished it on the plane yesterday and the end had me in tears...I felt so bad for the poor guy sitting next to me.
Chris, Blythe, Sabin, Eric, Estelle, James, and Zach are absolutely amazing characters!!!! I couldn't get enough of them. The more of the book I read the more I felt like these characters were real people that I knew. I fell in love with them all! I cried for the Shepard kids, and I cried for Blythe and James and the shitty hands that were dealt to them all. These kids were so strong and persevered through so much!
The story was amazing, and the way their lives were so entwined even though they didn't know about it was absolutely amazing. I kind of figured out early on how their lives were entwined but I was still enthralled by the story and I couldn't wait to see it all unfold.
The author did an amazing story, and I felt she covered the subject of death, abuse, and relationships very well. The author eloquently covered these hard topics with grace and tact.
This is the first book of this authors that I have read, and I absolutely loved it! I can't wait to read more of her books!
This book was PHE-NOM-ENAL!!!! I couldn't put it down. It took me a bit to read because I was on vacation and was busy, but I loved this book and read it every chance I could. I actually finished it on the plane yesterday and the end had me in tears...I felt so bad for the poor guy sitting next to me.
Chris, Blythe, Sabin, Eric, Estelle, James, and Zach are absolutely amazing characters!!!! I couldn't get enough of them. The more of the book I read the more I felt like these characters were real people that I knew. I fell in love with them all! I cried for the Shepard kids, and I cried for Blythe and James and the shitty hands that were dealt to them all. These kids were so strong and persevered through so much!
The story was amazing, and the way their lives were so entwined even though they didn't know about it was absolutely amazing. I kind of figured out early on how their lives were entwined but I was still enthralled by the story and I couldn't wait to see it all unfold.
The author did an amazing story, and I felt she covered the subject of death, abuse, and relationships very well. The author eloquently covered these hard topics with grace and tact.
This is the first book of this authors that I have read, and I absolutely loved it! I can't wait to read more of her books!