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Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated The Plus One in Books
Oct 21, 2018
Did Not Finish it...
Full review can be found on my blog: www.diaryofdifference.com
I love romance, and chick-literature. I love fast reads, and enjoyable nonsense. The cover looked so cute, and when I got approved the ARC on The Plus One from Sophia Money-Coutts on Netgalley, I was excited to read it. And then, it all started going downhill…
The Plus One is a book about Polly Spencer. She is thirty, single and works for Posh! Magazine. I didn’t like the Poly Spencer of now, and I thought, this might be a book where the main character is a lady with no self-respect, gets dumped, doesn’t have any ambition in life, and that’s okay.
People learn, people change, or if people don’t change, they start to be happy in their own world, without bothering what others think about it.
But Polly - she is all of these things, and on top of that she is not a happy bunny. She keeps complaining about things without trying to act on it, and her day consists of her checking if the phone has a message of her ‘crush’, and asking herself eighty-six times whether to send a message first or not.
I usually love these types of books, but not in cases where the character is just so… I don’t even have the words to explain.
And the book is full of words used too often (Shenanigans is such a lovely word, and Sophia destroyed it for me), lame pick up lines (‘I carry farm animals. I can manage you.’ - WHO SAYS THAT?), dialogues and useless waste of pages with people deciding what to eat:
‘So let’s get some onion bhajis to start. And then I’m going to have a butter chicken. And it comes with popadoms, right?’
‘Yes’ - I said, taking the menu from him.
‘And I’ll get the chicken jalfrezi. And plain rice. Mums, do we have any chutney?’
And it goes on…
At 42%, I decided to store this is my DNF stack. I really wish I had loved it, and I am so sad I didn't.
But life is too short to read the books you don’t like...
I love romance, and chick-literature. I love fast reads, and enjoyable nonsense. The cover looked so cute, and when I got approved the ARC on The Plus One from Sophia Money-Coutts on Netgalley, I was excited to read it. And then, it all started going downhill…
The Plus One is a book about Polly Spencer. She is thirty, single and works for Posh! Magazine. I didn’t like the Poly Spencer of now, and I thought, this might be a book where the main character is a lady with no self-respect, gets dumped, doesn’t have any ambition in life, and that’s okay.
People learn, people change, or if people don’t change, they start to be happy in their own world, without bothering what others think about it.
But Polly - she is all of these things, and on top of that she is not a happy bunny. She keeps complaining about things without trying to act on it, and her day consists of her checking if the phone has a message of her ‘crush’, and asking herself eighty-six times whether to send a message first or not.
I usually love these types of books, but not in cases where the character is just so… I don’t even have the words to explain.
And the book is full of words used too often (Shenanigans is such a lovely word, and Sophia destroyed it for me), lame pick up lines (‘I carry farm animals. I can manage you.’ - WHO SAYS THAT?), dialogues and useless waste of pages with people deciding what to eat:
‘So let’s get some onion bhajis to start. And then I’m going to have a butter chicken. And it comes with popadoms, right?’
‘Yes’ - I said, taking the menu from him.
‘And I’ll get the chicken jalfrezi. And plain rice. Mums, do we have any chutney?’
And it goes on…
At 42%, I decided to store this is my DNF stack. I really wish I had loved it, and I am so sad I didn't.
But life is too short to read the books you don’t like...
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Ready Player One in Books
Oct 26, 2018
"Everyone my age remembers where they were and what they were doing when they first heard about the contest.’’
We are in the year 2045, where while Earth is deserted and almost destroyed, people don’t realise because they are too busy living in a virtual world - the Oasis!
The Oasis is a place where you can create an avatar for free, you can level up, you go to a school and you work inside the Oasis. This virtual world is filled with references from the 1980s. Cities are built in such a way, video games and books and movies still go on.
When the famous creator of the Oasis, James Halliday, dies, it turns out that there is a contest, and the person that will manage to find the ''Easter egg'' would inherit ownership of the Oasis.
We see the story from the point of view of the young Wade, that calls himself Parzival in the Oasis. He is in love with everything from the 1980’s, you name it - video games, pop culture, movies, shows, books. He is also amazed with Halliday’s work and life.
When five years from James Halliday’s death pass, people seem to have forgotten about the contest, and that’s when Parzival’s courage and knowledge will help him find the first key that unlocks the first of the three gates for the contest, putting him on the top of the scoreboard, and after five years, people start talking about Haliday’s ‘’egg’’ again.
Making friends along the way, and maybe finding the love of his life, Parzival faces millions of challenges, adventures, dangerous, funny and adorable moments. This is a book that will reveal a whole new world for you, and make you love Parzival while you follow his adventure into winning the contest.
With time running out, danger surrounding from all sides, and suddenly finding the ‘’egg’’ becoming a life or death game, Parzival and his friends have no choice but to win this contest. But will they make it, with the IOI Corporation behind their backs, following them both in the real and in the virtual world, endangering their lives?
We are in the year 2045, where while Earth is deserted and almost destroyed, people don’t realise because they are too busy living in a virtual world - the Oasis!
The Oasis is a place where you can create an avatar for free, you can level up, you go to a school and you work inside the Oasis. This virtual world is filled with references from the 1980s. Cities are built in such a way, video games and books and movies still go on.
When the famous creator of the Oasis, James Halliday, dies, it turns out that there is a contest, and the person that will manage to find the ''Easter egg'' would inherit ownership of the Oasis.
We see the story from the point of view of the young Wade, that calls himself Parzival in the Oasis. He is in love with everything from the 1980’s, you name it - video games, pop culture, movies, shows, books. He is also amazed with Halliday’s work and life.
When five years from James Halliday’s death pass, people seem to have forgotten about the contest, and that’s when Parzival’s courage and knowledge will help him find the first key that unlocks the first of the three gates for the contest, putting him on the top of the scoreboard, and after five years, people start talking about Haliday’s ‘’egg’’ again.
Making friends along the way, and maybe finding the love of his life, Parzival faces millions of challenges, adventures, dangerous, funny and adorable moments. This is a book that will reveal a whole new world for you, and make you love Parzival while you follow his adventure into winning the contest.
With time running out, danger surrounding from all sides, and suddenly finding the ‘’egg’’ becoming a life or death game, Parzival and his friends have no choice but to win this contest. But will they make it, with the IOI Corporation behind their backs, following them both in the real and in the virtual world, endangering their lives?
ClareR (5885 KP) rated The Atlas Paradox in Books
Jun 21, 2023
I should lead with the fact that everything I write about books is my own opinion, and you’ll see why.
The second instalment of anything creative seems to be the hard one: the difficult second album, and in this case, the second in a book trilogy.
When you’re building a new, different world, I should imagine that there’s so much to think about. Every aspect has a new perspective. People have different life choices, new rules, new laws, and I can see why in many books in this genre (fantasy, in this case) there’s a need for more than the average amount of description. As a reader though, I feel there needs to be a sweet spot, because I do enjoy the interactions between the characters as much as the more descriptive passages. For me, it’s a large part of what propels the story forward. I like to hear the characters.
Ok, I’ll just say it: I found The Atlas Paradox really hard work. It has taken me nearly three weeks to read, which is a long time for me. I would pick it up, start reading, find myself skipping pages and trying to find something to grab me, feel guilty and backtrack.
I still love the Libby/ Nico/ Gideon story arc, and Callum and Reina seem to be a bit of a revelation. I think Libby could be very interesting in the next book, in particular.
But I think that as a whole it felt like The Atlas Paradox had lost its way somewhat. There was a lot of sitting around and thinking, and not enough action related to the thinking. I actually believe that this book was killing time for book 3 - which incidentally, I will read.
I know that seems crazy after what I’ve just written, but I do believe this trilogy still has something interesting to say, and I really hope it says it in book 3 (The Atlas Complex). And really, the character Atlas did seem to building himself up to something - it’s just taken him about 900 pages to do it. There’s so much promise here, and ever the optimist (with a healthy dash of realism!) I want to see what happens in The Atlas Complex.
The second instalment of anything creative seems to be the hard one: the difficult second album, and in this case, the second in a book trilogy.
When you’re building a new, different world, I should imagine that there’s so much to think about. Every aspect has a new perspective. People have different life choices, new rules, new laws, and I can see why in many books in this genre (fantasy, in this case) there’s a need for more than the average amount of description. As a reader though, I feel there needs to be a sweet spot, because I do enjoy the interactions between the characters as much as the more descriptive passages. For me, it’s a large part of what propels the story forward. I like to hear the characters.
Ok, I’ll just say it: I found The Atlas Paradox really hard work. It has taken me nearly three weeks to read, which is a long time for me. I would pick it up, start reading, find myself skipping pages and trying to find something to grab me, feel guilty and backtrack.
I still love the Libby/ Nico/ Gideon story arc, and Callum and Reina seem to be a bit of a revelation. I think Libby could be very interesting in the next book, in particular.
But I think that as a whole it felt like The Atlas Paradox had lost its way somewhat. There was a lot of sitting around and thinking, and not enough action related to the thinking. I actually believe that this book was killing time for book 3 - which incidentally, I will read.
I know that seems crazy after what I’ve just written, but I do believe this trilogy still has something interesting to say, and I really hope it says it in book 3 (The Atlas Complex). And really, the character Atlas did seem to building himself up to something - it’s just taken him about 900 pages to do it. There’s so much promise here, and ever the optimist (with a healthy dash of realism!) I want to see what happens in The Atlas Complex.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Trespasser: Dublin Murder Squad in Books
Feb 1, 2018
We're up to the sixth installment in Tana French's Dublin Murder Squad series and she's still going strong. In this one, we hear from Antoinette Conway, the partner of Stephen Moran from French's previous novel, [b:The Secret Place|20821043|The Secret Place (Dublin Murder Squad, #5)|Tana French|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1396671263s/20821043.jpg|21598636]. Being a Detective on the Murder Squad isn't everything Antoinette hoped for. She isn't fitting in on the male squad--most of whom tease and prank her viciously--and she and Steve seem only to receive the most bland, boring cases. Not much bothers Antoinette, but she's about ready to leave the Squad behind for good. So when the latest case comes in--handed straight to Conway and Moran by their boss--it looks like much of the same: another domestic dispute. Beautiful, blond Aislinn Murray has been killed in her home. It looks like a typical lover's quarrel gone wrong. Aislinn's table is set for a romantic dinner, and she's dressed up for a beau. But as Antoinette and Steve investigate, they find things aren't exactly what they seem. Why is their colleague, Detective Breslin, so involved in their case? Why does Antoinette keep seeing someone following her home? And why is the local media out to get her? Antoinette knows the Squad doesn't like her, but now it seems like the hatred is wrapped up in her case, too. Who can she trust--and where will it end?
I'll say it up front: this was an excellent mystery. Just a wonderful read. I love all of French's novels, but thoroughly enjoyed this one. Antoinette was a refreshing voice and completely relatable. Her case was interesting and well-plotted, leaving you constantly guessing. As per a typical French novel, you don't receive just a simple mystery; each of her books comes with a backstory. In this one, we see Antoinette battling her demons and her inability to fit in with her Squad. Are they really out to get her, or is it all in her head? It's true that French's books probably aren't for everyone. There's a lot of talking, a lot of expounding, and a lot of knowing what her characters are thinking. But, in turn, you're presented with characters who are so complex, so rich and in-depth. It's amazing. I've said it in previous reviews, but I love that when I open one of French's novels, I know that I'll be completely transported into another world for a few days. Her writing is strong that you completely inhabit her characters and their environment.
Antoinette, as mentioned, is a complex female character -- strong yet vulnerable and just completely refreshing to find in a detective novel. Her relationship with Moran was very enjoyable to read about, especially after hearing about their initial early meeting in [b:The Secret Place|20821043|The Secret Place (Dublin Murder Squad, #5)|Tana French|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1396671263s/20821043.jpg|21598636] from Moran's point of view. There's a humor to Conway, lending levity when needed, but also a dark side. She's bitter with the world for a reason. Because the entire book is told from her perspective, we're figuring out the mystery with her, learning facts and alibis as she does, and unraveling the plot along with our detective. Of course, we're limited to seeing the case from her perspective, too. As Moran and Conway try to determine who they can trust, so do we. The book expertly leaves you guessing with the plot; it takes you in one direction early in an incredibly convincing matter. It also skillfully takes you inside the Squad, allowing us to see not only how a case is run, but the inner politics.
In this way, the novel is not just a well-crafted mystery but a lovely treatise on relationships and friendships and the lengths we go for both. I'm also left amazed at how much French can put into a novel. Her way with words is magical, and I just love her books, her stories, and her characters. I highly recommend this novel, or any of her earlier work. 4.5 stars.
I'll say it up front: this was an excellent mystery. Just a wonderful read. I love all of French's novels, but thoroughly enjoyed this one. Antoinette was a refreshing voice and completely relatable. Her case was interesting and well-plotted, leaving you constantly guessing. As per a typical French novel, you don't receive just a simple mystery; each of her books comes with a backstory. In this one, we see Antoinette battling her demons and her inability to fit in with her Squad. Are they really out to get her, or is it all in her head? It's true that French's books probably aren't for everyone. There's a lot of talking, a lot of expounding, and a lot of knowing what her characters are thinking. But, in turn, you're presented with characters who are so complex, so rich and in-depth. It's amazing. I've said it in previous reviews, but I love that when I open one of French's novels, I know that I'll be completely transported into another world for a few days. Her writing is strong that you completely inhabit her characters and their environment.
Antoinette, as mentioned, is a complex female character -- strong yet vulnerable and just completely refreshing to find in a detective novel. Her relationship with Moran was very enjoyable to read about, especially after hearing about their initial early meeting in [b:The Secret Place|20821043|The Secret Place (Dublin Murder Squad, #5)|Tana French|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1396671263s/20821043.jpg|21598636] from Moran's point of view. There's a humor to Conway, lending levity when needed, but also a dark side. She's bitter with the world for a reason. Because the entire book is told from her perspective, we're figuring out the mystery with her, learning facts and alibis as she does, and unraveling the plot along with our detective. Of course, we're limited to seeing the case from her perspective, too. As Moran and Conway try to determine who they can trust, so do we. The book expertly leaves you guessing with the plot; it takes you in one direction early in an incredibly convincing matter. It also skillfully takes you inside the Squad, allowing us to see not only how a case is run, but the inner politics.
In this way, the novel is not just a well-crafted mystery but a lovely treatise on relationships and friendships and the lengths we go for both. I'm also left amazed at how much French can put into a novel. Her way with words is magical, and I just love her books, her stories, and her characters. I highly recommend this novel, or any of her earlier work. 4.5 stars.
tonidavis (353 KP) rated Wonder (2017) in Movies
Dec 3, 2017
Plot (2 more)
Teaches kindness
Feel good movie
#choosekind
I was fortunate enough to see an early screening of this film thanks to lions gate world kindness day.
I had read the book of this when it was first published and couldn't wait to see the film however I was worried that the two media wouldn't be compatible. The book the image of auggie author is in ypur own head by his own physical description where as film you had that image implanted there for you.
The film itself is an ultimate feel good the writer directors and actors have obviously all though about the message of the book and conveyed it the best way they could. If you are looking for a feel good movie that makes you want to be kinder then this is most defibelty the film for you .
I had read the book of this when it was first published and couldn't wait to see the film however I was worried that the two media wouldn't be compatible. The book the image of auggie author is in ypur own head by his own physical description where as film you had that image implanted there for you.
The film itself is an ultimate feel good the writer directors and actors have obviously all though about the message of the book and conveyed it the best way they could. If you are looking for a feel good movie that makes you want to be kinder then this is most defibelty the film for you .
SpykDaBarstud (3 KP) rated John Dies at the End in Books
May 15, 2017
Loveable characters (1 more)
Fun, engaging story
Almost as weird as me!
There aren't many books that you can read from start to finish, every time you finish. This one is a rarity, with an story reminiscent of 80's horror, and with a nostalgic comedy feel, throughout. A book about supernatural sci-fi, with a very fresh style, John Dies At The End does a fantastic job at having you relate to its characters. There's a warmth to the descriptiveness of the book, that instantly nurtures your empathy for the colourful occupants of this mind-altering adventure.
The novel does twist and turn, with a number of surprises, and comes to a cataclysmic end, that leaves you wanting more, and ready for the sequel (also excellent), but entirely satisfied at the close of this story.
A must read for any horror or sci-fi fan.
The novel does twist and turn, with a number of surprises, and comes to a cataclysmic end, that leaves you wanting more, and ready for the sequel (also excellent), but entirely satisfied at the close of this story.
A must read for any horror or sci-fi fan.
Alison Pink (7 KP) rated Seven Up (Stephanie Plum, #7) in Books
Jan 15, 2018
So far this has been my least favorite book in the Stephanie Plum series...but that is NOT to say I didn't enjoy it. Grandma getting kidnapped, Stephanie buying a wedding dress, mud wrestling. How can you not enjoy that!?
This followed the same formula as the previous novels. The background gets explained at some point which is nice for people who haven't read all the books, but it gets a little tedious when you read that Stephanie was laid off from her lingerie buyer job for the 100th time. But I suppose that's just nit-picking.
That being said, I'm not sure what it was about this book that made it less likable than the previous 6. I guess ti boils down to the fact that I didn't feel quite as caught up in the plot of this as I did in the others.
This followed the same formula as the previous novels. The background gets explained at some point which is nice for people who haven't read all the books, but it gets a little tedious when you read that Stephanie was laid off from her lingerie buyer job for the 100th time. But I suppose that's just nit-picking.
That being said, I'm not sure what it was about this book that made it less likable than the previous 6. I guess ti boils down to the fact that I didn't feel quite as caught up in the plot of this as I did in the others.
Alison Pink (7 KP) rated Bodily Harm (David Sloane, #3) in Books
Jan 15, 2018
This is the second book I've read that was written by Robert Dugoni. I have to admit at first I wasn't a big fan of this book, but after getting about 50 pages in, the book did begin to pick up the pace a bit. Once the plot hit it's stride, it moved at breakneck speed with barely a second to let the reader catch his/her breath! (Just the way I like it!) So if you can forgive a slow start the payoff in the end is well worth it.
I also like the main character in Dugoni's books...David Sloane. He is a slightly misunderstood, foster care system raised, misfit attorney. But he is very easy to like, even if he does tend to be a bit lucky in verdicts & lost witnesses turning up at the last minute. You can't help but feel for him & want him to win.
I also like the main character in Dugoni's books...David Sloane. He is a slightly misunderstood, foster care system raised, misfit attorney. But he is very easy to like, even if he does tend to be a bit lucky in verdicts & lost witnesses turning up at the last minute. You can't help but feel for him & want him to win.
Sheridan (209 KP) rated The Martian in Books
Jul 9, 2017
Just Epic :)
[edit]
I loved everything about this book, Watney's sense of humour is golden and I love how he never reacts to a situation like you would expect a normal person to. Instead of breaking down and being dramatic (not every human reacts like this!!) he just accepts that s**t happens and moves on, that's a pretty admirable trate in a person. Not only did I enjoy the way the story was told through his logs but also through different points of view, I also enjoyed how incredibly scientific the book was, it's all reasonably accurate science too which is refreshing, most sci fi books drift into the realm of impossibly and become outright ridiculous but this kept the science pretty on point which is impressive. If you're a space nerd with a dry sense of humour (like me) I'd highly recommend reading this, it's an amazing book :)
I loved everything about this book, Watney's sense of humour is golden and I love how he never reacts to a situation like you would expect a normal person to. Instead of breaking down and being dramatic (not every human reacts like this!!) he just accepts that s**t happens and moves on, that's a pretty admirable trate in a person. Not only did I enjoy the way the story was told through his logs but also through different points of view, I also enjoyed how incredibly scientific the book was, it's all reasonably accurate science too which is refreshing, most sci fi books drift into the realm of impossibly and become outright ridiculous but this kept the science pretty on point which is impressive. If you're a space nerd with a dry sense of humour (like me) I'd highly recommend reading this, it's an amazing book :)
Sam (74 KP) rated The Vile Village (A Series of Unfortunate Events #7) in Books
Mar 27, 2019
I’m going to be honest, I didn’t really enjoy this one. It’s more of a plot filler to make the whole series 13 books long and it just seems a bit forced.
The Baudelaire’s travel to VFD, where the whole village plans to look after them. The town has recently lost its chief of police and a new one is brought in, who, quite shockingly, isn’t Count Olaf. He comes in later.
I don’t really know what to say about this one. It’s definitely not the most entertaining, and I only read it to get to the next book in the series. It was definitely more of a filler than an actual movement in the plot.
I didn’t give up on it though, even though I was close. I think the fact that I didn’t even enjoy it made me read it faster just to get it over with.
The Baudelaire’s travel to VFD, where the whole village plans to look after them. The town has recently lost its chief of police and a new one is brought in, who, quite shockingly, isn’t Count Olaf. He comes in later.
I don’t really know what to say about this one. It’s definitely not the most entertaining, and I only read it to get to the next book in the series. It was definitely more of a filler than an actual movement in the plot.
I didn’t give up on it though, even though I was close. I think the fact that I didn’t even enjoy it made me read it faster just to get it over with.