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Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Two From the Heart in Books
May 10, 2018
This book is divided into two short stories. The first is about Anne McWilliams. She lives on the beach in North Carolina, where she has lived for the past few years following a divorce from her husband. She is an old school photographer, so when a hurricane moves through and takes out half of her house that includes her darkroom, she is beyond devastated. Instead of dealing with the mess, she decides to travel the country and take new pictures and hear the stories of the people that go with those stories. How will this journey change the rest of her life?
In the second story, Tyler Bron is a millionaire, who, on paper, appears to have it all. But in reality, he has never had a life. Always focused on himself and getting to the top of his career field. He has no friends, only work colleagues who he really knows nothing about. So he hires a writer, Damian Crane to write a new life for him. But will Tyler be able to handle all that life has to offer?
This is a newer James Patterson novel released earlier this year. On my quest to read all of his stand alone books, I'm giving this on 3.5 stars. I enjoyed the stories and the one about Tyler was the most interesting to me. Each main character is at a point in their lives, where they need to make some changes in order to continue to live. I think that Tyler makes the most extreme change of all.
Even though James Patterson pumps out several books a year, he is still one of my favorites and I enjoy reading his books. I always know I can finish one of his books in 2-3 days and it will hold my attention.
In the second story, Tyler Bron is a millionaire, who, on paper, appears to have it all. But in reality, he has never had a life. Always focused on himself and getting to the top of his career field. He has no friends, only work colleagues who he really knows nothing about. So he hires a writer, Damian Crane to write a new life for him. But will Tyler be able to handle all that life has to offer?
This is a newer James Patterson novel released earlier this year. On my quest to read all of his stand alone books, I'm giving this on 3.5 stars. I enjoyed the stories and the one about Tyler was the most interesting to me. Each main character is at a point in their lives, where they need to make some changes in order to continue to live. I think that Tyler makes the most extreme change of all.
Even though James Patterson pumps out several books a year, he is still one of my favorites and I enjoy reading his books. I always know I can finish one of his books in 2-3 days and it will hold my attention.
Mothergamer (1568 KP) rated The Hunger Games in Books
Apr 3, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
I gave The Hunger Games trilogy a chance, I really did, but I found myself so frustrated with these books. I know all about the comparison to Battle Royale and here and there I do see where Suzanne Collins was influenced by it, but the books are different. For one thing Koushun Takami's book is better.
The problem for me, mainly was with the heroine Katniss. I wanted to like her, but I found I could not care about her at all, even after she did the noble sacrifice of taking her sister's place in The Hunger Games. She seems very cold, apathetic, and just drifting along. For a main character there isn't any depth to her and that's sorely disappointing considering the theme of these books. Then we have this pointless love story that is completely unnecessary to the book and it just seems awkward and forced. The only character who seems real to me at all is Peeta while the other characters seem one dimensional. I also found myself frustrated with Katniss because at so many intervals in the story she just gives up so easily like it's as simple as changing her hair color. Are you kidding me with this nonsense?
I had to keep reminding myself that these were books for young adults and while the writing wasn't bad, the story was not great. If the writing is so poor that you find you can not even care about the characters especially the main one, that's a serious problem. This didn't feel like a dystopian novel at all, sure it was dark and depressing, but that's pretty much it. I need more from something claiming to be a dystopian story. This was more like Dystopia with training wheels. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go read Fahrenheit 451 and Battle Royale again.
The problem for me, mainly was with the heroine Katniss. I wanted to like her, but I found I could not care about her at all, even after she did the noble sacrifice of taking her sister's place in The Hunger Games. She seems very cold, apathetic, and just drifting along. For a main character there isn't any depth to her and that's sorely disappointing considering the theme of these books. Then we have this pointless love story that is completely unnecessary to the book and it just seems awkward and forced. The only character who seems real to me at all is Peeta while the other characters seem one dimensional. I also found myself frustrated with Katniss because at so many intervals in the story she just gives up so easily like it's as simple as changing her hair color. Are you kidding me with this nonsense?
I had to keep reminding myself that these were books for young adults and while the writing wasn't bad, the story was not great. If the writing is so poor that you find you can not even care about the characters especially the main one, that's a serious problem. This didn't feel like a dystopian novel at all, sure it was dark and depressing, but that's pretty much it. I need more from something claiming to be a dystopian story. This was more like Dystopia with training wheels. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go read Fahrenheit 451 and Battle Royale again.
Dear Reader
Paul Fournel, David Bellos and Jean Jullien
Book
Old-school publisher meets e-reader: chaos ensues There's a lot of good to be said about publishing,...
KatieLouCreate (162 KP) rated Goodreads: Book Reviews in Apps
Jan 10, 2018
Although I hear many people talking great things about Goodreads, I feel there isn't as much to offer as much as others suggest. I have Goodreads and I have been using it for nearly three years now but the only thing I use it for is tracking what books I read in the year. You can create a reading challenge where you set yourself a target of how many books you want to read in the year and Goodreads will track it and let you know whether you are in schedule or not.
As useful as that is, I can't say I use Goodreads for much else. I have a few friends on there who recommended it to me in the first place and a few Facebook friends. But that's it. No one really adds me and I don't really know how to find other people.
There a supposedly groups that you can join but my app will not let me do it. I have tried reinstalling the app and contacting Goodreads about the issue but they never got back to me.
It is also different on the internet as it is in the app so it would be wise getting the app if you want the full benefit off Goodreads.
As useful as that is, I can't say I use Goodreads for much else. I have a few friends on there who recommended it to me in the first place and a few Facebook friends. But that's it. No one really adds me and I don't really know how to find other people.
There a supposedly groups that you can join but my app will not let me do it. I have tried reinstalling the app and contacting Goodreads about the issue but they never got back to me.
It is also different on the internet as it is in the app so it would be wise getting the app if you want the full benefit off Goodreads.
ClareR (5874 KP) rated The Pigeonhole in Apps
May 10, 2019
Exciting new books (4 more)
Find new authors
Some older, more established authors
Read with other people
Read along with the author!
A book club in your pocket - I love this app!!
I’m a huge fan of this app. I’ve read loads of great books on it (and I’ll admit that I’ve read a few that I didn’t enjoy, but them’s the breaks sometimes!). You choose a book, and it’s then serialised into 10-12 parts for that many days.
You’re also able to highlight and comment on parts of the book that interest you, and other readers who are reading along with you, can comment on those parts as well! It’s a real group experience. Like a book club in your pocket!
The really interesting part for me, is the opportunity to read an authors book along with them! You can ask them questions about their motivations, where the ideas come from - pretty much anything (about the book, obviously!) really.
It’s a free app, the books are free too - I think the ‘payment’ are your opinions and comments. I can’t recommend this app enough!
You’re also able to highlight and comment on parts of the book that interest you, and other readers who are reading along with you, can comment on those parts as well! It’s a real group experience. Like a book club in your pocket!
The really interesting part for me, is the opportunity to read an authors book along with them! You can ask them questions about their motivations, where the ideas come from - pretty much anything (about the book, obviously!) really.
It’s a free app, the books are free too - I think the ‘payment’ are your opinions and comments. I can’t recommend this app enough!
Lou Grande (148 KP) rated It Looks Like This in Books
Jun 22, 2018
Hoo boy. I went into this book expecting to hate it. It's teen fiction, which can be okay, and I knew from the blurbs on the front cover and back that it was probably not a happy ending. I hate books like that, especially LGBT-themed books aimed at that audience. BUT!
This is the first book to make me cry in ages. I'm not a crier by nature. There's something very effective and hard-hitting about Mittlefehldt's style. It's spare and haunting and leaves a lot of room to read between the lines. It reminded me a lot of books I had to read growing up like Bridge to Terebithia and Where the Red Fern Grows. You have the vague notion that something is going to go wrong, but it still takes your breath away when it does.
It Looks Like This is a story about small towns, religion, young love, and tragedy. In many ways, it has universal appeal: we all remember our first love and how gut-wrenching it is when it's over. But it also describes a story that many queer people know very well: what it feels like to know that this will always be harder for you than the people who "hate the sin but love the sinner."
This is the first book to make me cry in ages. I'm not a crier by nature. There's something very effective and hard-hitting about Mittlefehldt's style. It's spare and haunting and leaves a lot of room to read between the lines. It reminded me a lot of books I had to read growing up like Bridge to Terebithia and Where the Red Fern Grows. You have the vague notion that something is going to go wrong, but it still takes your breath away when it does.
It Looks Like This is a story about small towns, religion, young love, and tragedy. In many ways, it has universal appeal: we all remember our first love and how gut-wrenching it is when it's over. But it also describes a story that many queer people know very well: what it feels like to know that this will always be harder for you than the people who "hate the sin but love the sinner."
BT
Books to Die for
John Connolly and Declan Burke
Book
Winner of the 2013 Agatha, Anthony and the Macavity Awards for Best Crime Non-Fiction. With so many...
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated The Dark Divine (The Dark Divine, #1) in Books
Jan 6, 2021
This has taken me a long time to read because it didn't grab my interest in the slightest. I can't be doing with any sort of religious people in books. They just drive me a little crazy. So with her having a pastor for a father and being all good with church related stuff, I just had to roll my eyes a little.
Nothing about this pulled me in, not the characters, not the plot...I was bored for all of it but considering the last few YA books I've read have been DNF's I decided to stick with it. I read books for the romance mainly and I had no idea where that bit came into it but by the end they loved each other.
There was a bit of a high point at the end where everything started to make sense which pushed my rating up an entire star, simply because the pace picked up finally ands something actually happened beside school and dates and dances.
Shapeshifters are not my favourite paranormal creatures to read about and although I have the next book in the series I dont think I'll be reading it.
Not for me at all.
Nothing about this pulled me in, not the characters, not the plot...I was bored for all of it but considering the last few YA books I've read have been DNF's I decided to stick with it. I read books for the romance mainly and I had no idea where that bit came into it but by the end they loved each other.
There was a bit of a high point at the end where everything started to make sense which pushed my rating up an entire star, simply because the pace picked up finally ands something actually happened beside school and dates and dances.
Shapeshifters are not my favourite paranormal creatures to read about and although I have the next book in the series I dont think I'll be reading it.
Not for me at all.
Merissa (12854 KP) rated The Ballad of Aramei (The Darkwoods Trilogy #3) in Books
Mar 31, 2023 (Updated Apr 10, 2023)
Exhausting; Exhilarating; Shocking; Satisfying; Breathtaking; Epic - just some of the words I would use to describe this book and the series as a whole.
In this book you sort of get two stories overlapping, one concluding and then one starting - both of which will pull you in and keep you reading. I loved how this book rounded things off and tied them all together. There are still twists and turns aplenty so you will definitely not be bored. And one thing that I will say about the ending is that are little "mini" epilogues for the main characters which somehow just seem to fit better than one big one.
I won't write about the storyline as that has already been covered by others. What I will say is that the whole series is one of the best that I have read in a long time - 3 books in 3 days! This series is definitely a keeper and although I have read the Kindle versions, I will be buying the "real" books too! There is a new series coming out this year called The Darksouls Trilogy which I'm hoping will have a couple of familiar faces in there somewhere.
ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT!
* Verified Purchase ~ April 2013 *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
August 14, 2016
In this book you sort of get two stories overlapping, one concluding and then one starting - both of which will pull you in and keep you reading. I loved how this book rounded things off and tied them all together. There are still twists and turns aplenty so you will definitely not be bored. And one thing that I will say about the ending is that are little "mini" epilogues for the main characters which somehow just seem to fit better than one big one.
I won't write about the storyline as that has already been covered by others. What I will say is that the whole series is one of the best that I have read in a long time - 3 books in 3 days! This series is definitely a keeper and although I have read the Kindle versions, I will be buying the "real" books too! There is a new series coming out this year called The Darksouls Trilogy which I'm hoping will have a couple of familiar faces in there somewhere.
ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT!
* Verified Purchase ~ April 2013 *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
August 14, 2016
Hazel (2934 KP) rated Zombie (The Cursed Manuscripts) in Books
Jan 16, 2022
I have loved reading horror books since I was a wee teenager and whilst I don't read as many nowadays, I do enjoy a Zombie-fest every now and again and here we have yet another cracker from Iain Rob Wright, who is quickly becoming one of my go-to authors to satisfy my horror fix.
What I like about Iain's books is that it's not just about the blood and gore, there is a good story behind it and interesting and believable characters and although they may not always react logically, it does make things interesting.
Zombie is a quick read but there's a lot packed into it. It's full of tension and heart-in-the-mouth moments as you would expect in this genre and if you don't like violence, I would give this a miss but for me, I am looking forward to more instalments in this story to see where it goes.
Well written and a great pace, this is a book that will appeal to lovers of the Zombie stories and horror books in general.
My thanks must go to Iain for accepting me into his "street team" and for providing me with an advance copy in return for comments and an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
What I like about Iain's books is that it's not just about the blood and gore, there is a good story behind it and interesting and believable characters and although they may not always react logically, it does make things interesting.
Zombie is a quick read but there's a lot packed into it. It's full of tension and heart-in-the-mouth moments as you would expect in this genre and if you don't like violence, I would give this a miss but for me, I am looking forward to more instalments in this story to see where it goes.
Well written and a great pace, this is a book that will appeal to lovers of the Zombie stories and horror books in general.
My thanks must go to Iain for accepting me into his "street team" and for providing me with an advance copy in return for comments and an honest, unbiased and unedited review.