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Sarah (7799 KP) rated The Bone Clocks in Books
Dec 29, 2017
This is a very unusual book. Not quite in the realms of Cloud Atlas, but it’s still a strange and interesting read.
This is unusual because it starts off as a character driven life story, and a very good one at that, with a few odd snippets of a underlying fantasy subplot that create quite a lot of intrigue. Even when the focus of a chapter shifts to a different main character, it doesn’t lose the interest and great writing. It shows a great take on a dystopian future and it’s almost disturbing to read as it’s a future most of us could imagine coming true.
It’s also unusual as the main fantasy subplot isn’t fully revealed until well over two thirds of the way through the book. But for me, this is where the problem starts as the fantasy strands turn out to be the main plot and it’s a bit of a letdown. It isn’t complete nonsense, it just seems very overcomplicated and out of place with the rest of the novel. Parts of it could have worked well, but it has perhaps been a little overthought.
This is unusual because it starts off as a character driven life story, and a very good one at that, with a few odd snippets of a underlying fantasy subplot that create quite a lot of intrigue. Even when the focus of a chapter shifts to a different main character, it doesn’t lose the interest and great writing. It shows a great take on a dystopian future and it’s almost disturbing to read as it’s a future most of us could imagine coming true.
It’s also unusual as the main fantasy subplot isn’t fully revealed until well over two thirds of the way through the book. But for me, this is where the problem starts as the fantasy strands turn out to be the main plot and it’s a bit of a letdown. It isn’t complete nonsense, it just seems very overcomplicated and out of place with the rest of the novel. Parts of it could have worked well, but it has perhaps been a little overthought.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2275 KP) rated A Deadly Éclair (A French Bistro Mystery, #1) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Mimi Rousseau is just months into her new venture of a French bistro and hotel in the heart of Napa County. This weekend, she is hosting her first event, the wedding of Angelica Edmonton, noted TV talk show host and the niece of Bryan Baker, Mimi’s benefactor and mentor. However, when tension at the pre-wedding dinner on Friday night leads to a dead body on Saturday morning, Mimi finds herself looking into the murder. What is going on?
It’s fun to find a series set in Napa County that doesn’t focus on wine, although wine is certainly present. The French food will definitely leave your mouth watering as you work your way through this good first mystery. The initial chapter has a bit of a data dump in it, but once beyond that, the mystery picks up and the pace never slows down again. The characters are outstanding, and the relationships between the series regulars is already strong. I’m looking forward to seeing that grow as the series progresses.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/11/book-review-deadly-eclair-by-daryl-wood.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
It’s fun to find a series set in Napa County that doesn’t focus on wine, although wine is certainly present. The French food will definitely leave your mouth watering as you work your way through this good first mystery. The initial chapter has a bit of a data dump in it, but once beyond that, the mystery picks up and the pace never slows down again. The characters are outstanding, and the relationships between the series regulars is already strong. I’m looking forward to seeing that grow as the series progresses.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/11/book-review-deadly-eclair-by-daryl-wood.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2275 KP) rated Blown Away in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Emmy Adler is living her dream, opening a kite shop called Strings Attached in Rock Point, Oregon, and living with her best friend Avery right on the beach. However, the morning her shop is due to open, Emmy discovers a dead body, that of Avery’s ex on the beach. With the police certain that Avery is the killer and the evidence mounting against her, Emmy jumps in to find the real killer. Can she do it?
I fell in love with the setting in the first chapter even with the discovery of the dead body by the end of it. The pace was off a couple of times, but everything did come together for the climax, and we got some good twists along the way. Emmy seemed to get angry easily, sometimes I understood and sometimes it seemed over the top. The other characters were a varied bunch and I enjoyed them. Overall, this was a good debut, and I look forward to visiting again soon.
NOTE: I received a copy of this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/04/book-review-blown-away-by-clover-tate.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
I fell in love with the setting in the first chapter even with the discovery of the dead body by the end of it. The pace was off a couple of times, but everything did come together for the climax, and we got some good twists along the way. Emmy seemed to get angry easily, sometimes I understood and sometimes it seemed over the top. The other characters were a varied bunch and I enjoyed them. Overall, this was a good debut, and I look forward to visiting again soon.
NOTE: I received a copy of this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/04/book-review-blown-away-by-clover-tate.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Sue (5 KP) rated The Art of Keeping Secrets in Books
Aug 13, 2018
The Art of Keeping Secrets is an intertwining story of 3 women (Emma, Flick, and Neve) who share a friendship and close bond. You soon find out that they each is hiding a different secret, one which they are struggling to come to terms with. A mother who never shared with her child the truth about his father. Another who fears losing her children to her ex & his new wife, while hiding a health issue. While the third lives in a picture-perfect marriage, all the while hiding the fact that her husband is not who everyone thinks he is.
Each chapter is from the point of view from one of the characters and you get a peek at their inner turmoil as they must face their secrets and the destruction it could cause to their families, friendships, and the lives that they are living.
If you want a book that is hard to put down and makes you go through every emotion (I laughed, cried, yelled, and more than once was in shock), then this is definitely a book you want to read.
Each chapter is from the point of view from one of the characters and you get a peek at their inner turmoil as they must face their secrets and the destruction it could cause to their families, friendships, and the lives that they are living.
If you want a book that is hard to put down and makes you go through every emotion (I laughed, cried, yelled, and more than once was in shock), then this is definitely a book you want to read.
David McK (3505 KP) rated The Blooding (Matthew Hawkwood, #5) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
The most recent book (at the time of writing) in [a:James McGee|223959|James McGee|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1389430491p2/223959.jpg] Matthew Hawkwood series, this is primarily set during the 'forgotten war' of 1812 between Great Britain and the fledgling USA, with Hawkwood newly arrived in the country while trying to get home to London from his escapades in France in the previous novel ([b:Rebellion|11254850|Seeds of Rebellion (Beyonders, #2)|Brandon Mull|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388247992s/11254850.jpg|16181497]).
I say mostly as, for approximately the first half, the novel actually flits back and forth - almost chapter about - between current events and those of Hawkwood's childhood (also in the States).
I also have to say that, as the series has progressed, it has seemingly moved further and further away from it's original Bow Street Runner in the Regency period: moving closer, perhaps, in mold (IMO) to the classic Sharpe stories of Bernard Cornwell, and - as a consequence - becoming in danger of losing it's own flavour that originally made it stand out.
Having said that, however, this - I felt - was an improvement on the previous book, which I personally struggled somewhat to connect with.
I say mostly as, for approximately the first half, the novel actually flits back and forth - almost chapter about - between current events and those of Hawkwood's childhood (also in the States).
I also have to say that, as the series has progressed, it has seemingly moved further and further away from it's original Bow Street Runner in the Regency period: moving closer, perhaps, in mold (IMO) to the classic Sharpe stories of Bernard Cornwell, and - as a consequence - becoming in danger of losing it's own flavour that originally made it stand out.
Having said that, however, this - I felt - was an improvement on the previous book, which I personally struggled somewhat to connect with.
I really thought this sounded like the kind of book that would be right up my street, but unfortunately I found it didn't meet my expectation and was, in all in all, a bit of a disappointment.
It's the story of a country house, built in the Palladian style, and the people who live in it. To be honest, I found it rather dreary and depressing and the house never really seems properly loved and seen in all its glory. Each chapter is a separate short story or vignette, often trying to link characters from one to the other to try and keep a sense of continuity, but not always working. So many of the character were just plain unpleasant and if there was someone you did want to know something more about, well you are bound to be disappointed. Life isn't all roses, but this just seemed to have too much unhappiness and misfortune in it. also, some of the architecture of the house is described in great detail, but I never felt it strong enough to be a 'character' in the book as I expected.
It's the story of a country house, built in the Palladian style, and the people who live in it. To be honest, I found it rather dreary and depressing and the house never really seems properly loved and seen in all its glory. Each chapter is a separate short story or vignette, often trying to link characters from one to the other to try and keep a sense of continuity, but not always working. So many of the character were just plain unpleasant and if there was someone you did want to know something more about, well you are bound to be disappointed. Life isn't all roses, but this just seemed to have too much unhappiness and misfortune in it. also, some of the architecture of the house is described in great detail, but I never felt it strong enough to be a 'character' in the book as I expected.
Sarah (7799 KP) rated The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo in Books
Dec 3, 2019
Better than a biography
Until seeing Trainwreck, I didn't really rate Amy Schumer as she's made some other pretty poor films. But Trainwreck was great and I'm pleased to say her book is along the same lines.
This is an autobiography but not. Amy tells us humorous anecdotes and sometimes serious and emotional stories about different aspects of her life. Each chapter has a subject or topic of interest, but it is in no way a linear life story. Instead they're rather jumbled but it all makes sense. Amy has a rather laid back conversation style, which for the most part works as it fits in with the stories she's telling although there are times when it gets too conversational - there are just some things that dont come across as well in writing as they would do on stage. Theres a lot of good heartwarming messages in this book, but of course with a decent amount of humour too. I enjoyed reading this a lot more than I expected and it was nice to find out more about a comedian I knew little about. It womt win any writing awards, but it's definitely entertaining.
This is an autobiography but not. Amy tells us humorous anecdotes and sometimes serious and emotional stories about different aspects of her life. Each chapter has a subject or topic of interest, but it is in no way a linear life story. Instead they're rather jumbled but it all makes sense. Amy has a rather laid back conversation style, which for the most part works as it fits in with the stories she's telling although there are times when it gets too conversational - there are just some things that dont come across as well in writing as they would do on stage. Theres a lot of good heartwarming messages in this book, but of course with a decent amount of humour too. I enjoyed reading this a lot more than I expected and it was nice to find out more about a comedian I knew little about. It womt win any writing awards, but it's definitely entertaining.
AJaneClark (3975 KP) rated Lord of Misrule (The Morganville Vampires, #5) in Books
Dec 13, 2019
In the college town of Morganville, vampires and humans coexist in (relatively) bloodless harmony. Then comes Bishop, a master vampire who threatens to abolish all order, revive the forces of the evil undead, and let chaos rule. But Bishop isn’t the only threat.
Violent black clouds promise a storm of devastating proportions. As student Claire Danvers and her friends prepare to defend Morganville against the elements - both natural and unnatural- the unexpected happens; Morganville’s vampires start to vanish one by one. Discovering why leads Claire to one last choice: swear allegiance to Bishop... or die.
As the fifth book in the Morganville series by Rachel Caine, the main characters and their relationships are well and truly established. True to form Lord of Misrule is well written, the storyline flows from point to point and continues to surprise and encourage you to want more. I always find these books to be an easy and enjoyable read, not too taxing or time consuming, but still give the reader what they need. I did find there were perhaps too many things going on in this chapter of the series, but perhaps all will be revealed in book 6.
Violent black clouds promise a storm of devastating proportions. As student Claire Danvers and her friends prepare to defend Morganville against the elements - both natural and unnatural- the unexpected happens; Morganville’s vampires start to vanish one by one. Discovering why leads Claire to one last choice: swear allegiance to Bishop... or die.
As the fifth book in the Morganville series by Rachel Caine, the main characters and their relationships are well and truly established. True to form Lord of Misrule is well written, the storyline flows from point to point and continues to surprise and encourage you to want more. I always find these books to be an easy and enjoyable read, not too taxing or time consuming, but still give the reader what they need. I did find there were perhaps too many things going on in this chapter of the series, but perhaps all will be revealed in book 6.
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