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Ross (3284 KP) rated Red Country in Books

Nov 29, 2017  
Red Country
Red Country
Joe Abercrombie | 2012 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Hinted at returns of previous main characters (0 more)
The Western setting (0 more)
This book is the third standalone set in the world of the First Law trilogy and sees farm girl Shy (with a dark secret history) and her 9-fingered step-father return from market to find their farm burned and Shy's siblings abducted.
They duly follow the trail of the kidnappers and end up embroiled in a journey through the "wild west" of this world with groups of travellers seeking their fortune and without exception ending destitute in grubby town Crease.
A number of familiar faces (or hands) return in this book, as well as a number of new characters. I didn't really like the western setting, being totally incongruous with the rest of the books set in the same world, and the mysticism implied near the end was not very well explored (a similar gripe about the first trilogy).
A good read, but really for completists, not to be read as a standalone book.
  
AR
Always Remembered
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I received an ARC when I signed up and was selected to host the book tour. I made no guarantee of a favorable review and the opinions expressed are solely my own.

I loved this final installment of the Never Forgotten series. The book picks up where the last one left off. This beautiful and well detailed story will leave you in its grip as the surprises just keep coming and we find ourselves dealing with many emotional moments throughout this book.. The relationship between Meara and Kieran continues to deepen and Evan learns the truth about himself. Kelly Risser did an amazing job in creating and weaving this mystical series and you will not be disappointed with how this story ends. Please note that all three books in the series must be read in order. Make sure that you add this entire series to your MUST read list and I look forward to reading more by this very creative author.
  
AT
After the End (After the End, #1)
Amy Plum | 2014 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
[After The End] by [Amy Plum] has a deceptive tile because it leads you to think it is an dystopian novel. Although I love those books this was a welcomed surprise. It turned into more of an action/adventure with a little coming of age thrown in for good measure.

[Plum] did an excellent job of developing a creative, fearless, intelligent character in Juneau. Although she is naive do to lack of exposure she know how to survive. Her loyalty to family even though they hurt her is endearing.

Miles, on the other hand, is a spoiled rotten brat who has had the easy life. He starts out for his own gain but what he really gains is a new insight about life and love.

This story has some supernatural aspects but over all is more of an exciting journey of discovery for two young people who have a lot to learn from each other.
  
Dragonfly in Amber
Dragonfly in Amber
Diana Gabaldon | 2015 | Fiction & Poetry
10
9.2 (17 Ratings)
Book Rating
Wow! Just wow! Talk about a cliffhanger. As I said when I read Outlander, I am by no means a fan of the "romance" novel. That's why I waited so long to dive into the series. But let me tell you, these books are so much more than that. Just like the first installment DiA has its typical romance novel elements but it has much, much more than that too. This book delves much deeper into the history of the time period that Clare falls in to. It took me awhile to really get hooked on this book, but I did. Gabaldon is a wonderful storyteller! She writes with so much detail & passion, not to mention what must be a HUGE amount of painstaking research. I am very much looking forward to reading the next book. Hopefully it won't be as far between the 2nd & 3rd as it was between the 1st & 2nd!!
  
Six Moon Summer (Seasons of the Moon #1)
Six Moon Summer (Seasons of the Moon #1)
S.M. Reine | 2011 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Six Moon Summer (Seasons of the Moon #1) by S.M. Reine
Yet another book about werewolves (but no vampires to be seen of yet!) but this one is very good. It holds your interest from the beginning and takes you on a journey with the main character as she progresses through each New and Full Moon to become closer to being a fully-fledged werewolf. The "history" into the werewolf that is given is very well written and done in such a way that you don't feel like it is just something that needed to be done! There is a slight spark of romance in this but nothing that goes beyond the boundaries of Young Adult!

The pace of this book is continuous, not jerky, and the characters are well-written. Very few grammatical or editorial errors so it was a pleasure to read and I already have the second one to start.

Recommended.

* Verified Purchase ~ January 2013 *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
A Monster Calls
A Monster Calls
Patrick Ness | 2016 | Children
10
8.6 (40 Ratings)
Book Rating
Beautiful story (2 more)
Relateable characters
Absolutely gorgeous illistrations
Personally, it hurt to read (0 more)
No matter your age this book will affect you in some way.
A Monster Calls is one of those books that really stuck with me after reading it and I can really see it sticking with me for years to come because at its bare bones it is a book about grief and just how unfair life can seem to be.

I will admit that this book did make me cry like a freaking baby even though I was reading it on the train on the way home from work, and the thing was that it wasn't really the ending( I pretty much figured where the story was going from the beginning) but it was that it brought up so many not only memories but the feelings I went through under a similar event.

Even though this book is listed as a children's book it really is a book for a person of any age.
  
The Dark Tower (2017)
The Dark Tower (2017)
2017 | Horror, Sci-Fi, Western
Average
Hollywood seems to be going for a Stephen King binge at the moment, and this one isn't great. I haven't yet read the books and even though this doesn't do anything to promote them it hasn't put me off.

There was so much potential for this film to be amazing but it felt so rushed, as if they weren't confident it would be good enough to get a sequel so they crammed as much as they could to get the story properly resolved (like Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children). None of the characters developed beyond your initial impression of them, almost as if that was all sacrificed at the expense of fitting too much into the film. I'm sure there were also little details about the world that would have made it much more interesting, if the few bits that made the final cut were any indication.

An easy film to watch that doesn't ask you to engage your brain but very disappointing.
  
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Sarah (7800 KP) rated Moving Pictures in Books

Aug 11, 2017  
Moving Pictures
Moving Pictures
Terry Pratchett | 2005 | Fiction & Poetry
7
8.0 (9 Ratings)
Book Rating
Discworld Spin on the Birth of Film
I'm a massive film geek, so I love this purely on the fact that it's about the introduction of Film and cinema - with a uniquely Discworld take of course. Like Going Postal, it's always great to read Terry Pratchett's take on a revolution or invention as it's always funny and unique. My main issue however with this book is that I think the characters may be a little weak. In most of the Discworld books, there is usually a loveable and strong main character or supporting character but Moving Pictures appears to be lacking in this area. Victor isn't a bad character, he just isn't strong or interesting enough to be the main protagonist. Gaspode and the Librarian were my favourite supporting characters although they sadly weren't around enough. Fortunately the story was good enough to carry itself, but you do notice the lack of strong characters.
  
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Merissa (13828 KP) rated Cross in Books

May 11, 2018  
Cross
Cross
D.A. Roach | 2018 | Paranormal, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
8
7.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Cross by D.A. Roach
Cross is a young adult contemporary fantasy that not only deals with our main character having vEDS, but also we find out about magic, and barriers, and witches, and dragons. Trust me, there is never a dull moment. Ray is an excellent character, being charming but not cocky. He reacts to his parents' news in a completely understandable way without overreacting. He also sees people as they are, and doesn't prejudge them at all. With an action-packed story, this fantasy is one to enjoy.

With a solid story-line, great world-building, and excellent characters, this story was a delight to read. There were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow, making this a very smooth read. Absolutely recommended by me.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
The Neverending Story
The Neverending Story
Michael Ende | 1979 | Fiction & Poetry
9
8.3 (19 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Neverending Story by Michael Ende is hands down one of the most physically beautiful books I have ever read. The illustrations at the beginning of each chapter are gorgeous, and the different colored words depending on what world you're reading about is beautiful. The edition shown above is the one I read and own. It was published in 1983, so I don't know what other editions look like.

I loved all the fantastical creatures introduced in the world of Fantastica. It is like walking into the imagination of a child, which is the point. I love the story of strength, courage, and knowing who you are.

My only regret with this book is having not read it as a child. I enjoyed it immensely but would have so much more if I were younger.

Overall, I give The Neverending Story by Michael Ende 5 out of 5 stars. I recommend this book to anyone, especially children.