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Dutch (59 KP) rated The Burning Soul in Books

Feb 22, 2019  
The Burning Soul
The Burning Soul
John Connolly | 2011 | Crime
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
What's the worst thing you have ever done?
The worse thing Randall Haight has ever done was killing a 14-year-old girl when he was only a child himself. Now someone seems to have discovered his secret and is tormenting him anonymously, and, to further complicate things a 14-year-old girl has gone missing in the same town that Randall lives in.
Charlie Parker takes on the case against his better judgement as it brings back painful memories of the death of his own daughter and he also finds himself up against a mobster by the name of Tommy Morris, the FBI and a police chief who may have secrets of his own.
As a rule I generally navigate towards horror but in the Charlie Parker series John Connolly has crafted a multi-layered world that mixes in supernatural elements and a superb supporting cast (Louis, Angel, the Collector) as well as great writing, a flawed (but likeable) main character and most importantly stories that draw me in totally. In fact I would put John Connolly up there with Stephen King as one of my favourite authors and I absolutely cannot get enough of the Charlie Parker series. If you have a love for the crime or horror genres there is no excuse for not diving into this series.
The next book in the series is The Wrath of Angels and it marks the return of the Collecter and promises to bring back the more supernatural/horror elements of the series and that is certainly not a bad thing.
  
The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events #1)
The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events #1)
Lemony Snicket | 1999 | Children
8
8.2 (35 Ratings)
Book Rating
I had watched the Unfortunate Events film, and now I’m addicted to the Netflix series. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve rewatched the series, so I had been wanting to start reading the series for ages. It’s another one of those books that I haven’t gotten around to reading because I always found something I wanted to read more.

I’m glad I finally got The Bad Beginning though. It’s hilarious and some of the best children’s fiction I’ve read in ages. I’ve got a feeling I read it once when I was younger but I was never that into it. I definitely feel that some of the jokes are aimed more towards the readers my sort of age than kids, which is what makes it even better.

I absolutely love Justice Strauss and her library – it reminds me of something straight out of a fairytale.

The Bad Beginning is a hilarious start to the Unfortunate Events series and I can’t wait for my book ban to be over so I can buy the rest of the series and read them all over the stretch of a few weeks. They make the perfect quick read (I read this one in a couple of days around working, picking it up whenever I got a little bit of spare time).

Season two of Unfortunate Events comes out on Netflix in March, and it can’t come soon enough. Neil Patrick Harris makes the perfect Count Olaf and when I was reading this all I heard was his voice.
  
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Kyera (8 KP) rated Mockingjay in Books

Jan 31, 2018  
Mockingjay
Mockingjay
Suzanne Collins | 2012 | Young Adult (YA)
8
8.1 (174 Ratings)
Book Rating
A re-read of Mockingjay (and really the entire series) was long overdue. I haven't read the series since it came out and wanted to re=familiarize myself with it before watching the movie. I remember being Team Gale rather than Peeta (but that may have just been after the casting of Liam Hemsworth). Upon re-reading, I found myself not having a strong opinion about either suitor. Gale is much angrier than I recall him being, Peeta doesn't have much of an impression (after being jacked) and I just don't care what Katniss decides. That is certainly not how I felt in the first book. She becomes decidedly less relatable to me as the books progress. Hunger Games was definitely the strongest in the series and as a result, the finale felt like a bit of a letdown. The death toll was realistic, as they were embroiled in a war but not emotional. There were only a few deaths that I really felt, while the rest you could just immediately move on from. Perhaps that's terrible to say, but I believe they would have meant more if the reader was able to connect to the characters more. If you haven't read the series ye3t, what has taken you so long? Definitely read the series. The world building is wonderful, even if the ensemble cast can come across a bit flat at times. You will enjoy it if you're a fan of YA, dystopian fiction or want to read the books before you see their film adaptations.
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2534 KP) rated Death in the Stacks in Books

Sep 17, 2020 (Updated Sep 17, 2020)  
Death in the Stacks
Death in the Stacks
Jenn McKinlay | 2017 | Mystery
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Cameos and Murder
It’s time for the annual Dinner in the Stacks fundraiser at the Briar Creek Public Library, but this year, Lindsey Norris is facing an extra challenge in putting it on. Olive Boyle has just become president of the library’s board, and she is determined to make trouble, even threatening Lindsey’s job. Despite all of this, the fundraiser goes well, until Olive’s body is found in the fiction section just after the event ends. Even though Lindsey swore she’d stop investigating murders, she still finds herself drawn into this case. Olive made enemies everywhere she went. With so many suspects, can Lindsey figure out what happened?

While the mystery has some good twists in it, I did feel the pacing was off overall. Instead, the character’s antics take over at times. As a fan of the series, I can’t complain too much about that, especially since I was laughing at those scenes. Plus, we got some character development that fans of the series will love. Fans of Jenn’s other two mystery series will have fun with the cameos those characters make in this book, although you won’t miss much of you aren’t up to date on those series. The usual assortment of extras at the end will give you something to enjoy after you’ve turned the last page. While the plot pacing does bother me, I was smiling so much while I was reading, it is hard to complain. Other fans of the series will love every page as well.
  
Raven's Fall (World on Fire, #2)
Raven's Fall (World on Fire, #2)
Lincoln Cole | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry, Horror
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Raven’s Fall, the second book in Lincoln Cole’s World on Fire trilogy, picks up shortly after the ending of Raven’s Peak. Bristling with action, the book delves right into the heart of a new dilemma: the trial of Abigail Dressler for treason against the Council – a top-secret organization whose purpose is to protect the world from the supernatural forces that exist in the shadows.

I don’t have a whole lot to say about the characters that I didn’t say before. Although, there is a new diverse aspect of this book which makes me love Cole all the more: a gay main character. The best part? He’s not an embodiment of the flamboyant stereotype that we see so many homophobic individuals mocking. It simply exists, and that’s perfectly alright – the way things should be.

The plot is still pretty fast-paced. Coming in at a little bit shorter than the first big, Raven’s Fall is a quick read. It took me two sittings and that’s only because I fell asleep halfway through the book when I first sat down to devour it.

Naturally, I’ve already delved into the third book in this trilogy and I definitely look forward to reading more. My rating for this one is the same as the first book. If you’re interested, the series is available on Kindle Unlimited.