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Lindsay (1717 KP) rated Otherworld Nights (Otherworld Stories, #3) in Books

Feb 15, 2018 (Updated Apr 9, 2019)  
This is a book about all kinds of supernaturals. Though you get to read about the American Pack. It falls more on Clay and Elena then the others. Though you get a piece each part of the stories. You get to learn a bit about Adam and though not all of it. You get parts of all eight stories list or at least part of it.

Though most of the book talks more on Elena and Clay and his family and adventures. You read all about what Adam mother find out about her son. You get to read about Clay an Elena Honeymoon story and Hidden/ Twilight though I do not know how that fits in much. Chivalrous you learn about Reese's back story. Lucifer Daughter comes in but not much is about either of them. From Russia with Love is a sweet story about Elena. Vanishing Act is the newest story about Savannah and Adam when he is older.

I know it a collection of stories not all them in a lot of detail. I was a little confused going from one story to the next I understood Elena and Clay story better and Savannah and Adam. That is all I understoood. The ohers I would not understand how it went from Adam being four years old to him being an adult. Why most of the stories where about Elena and Clay and American Pack when it started out with Demons and ending with Demons or half demons.
  
Thirteen Reasons Why: (TV Tie-in)
Thirteen Reasons Why: (TV Tie-in)
Jay Asher | 2017 | Young Adult (YA)
8
7.8 (108 Ratings)
Book Rating
The story (1 more)
How clay felt about Hannah
That they didn’t get happy ending. (0 more)
I really enjoyed this, I have been wanting to read it for a while now ad glad to have finally read it. It was sad and horrible, and it showed that people can be bullied and commit suicide from bully alone - it doesn't just have to be because something horrible happened to them. I felt sorry for Hannah and Clay because they were both damaged and hurt.

This book is worth reading, it will pull at your feelings, but it is worth it

Happy reading :)
  
Thirteen Reasons Why: (TV Tie-in)
Thirteen Reasons Why: (TV Tie-in)
Jay Asher | 2017 | Young Adult (YA)
6
7.8 (108 Ratings)
Book Rating
A sad story. You never know how your actions effect other people. Could you be the reason or part of the reason someone decides to take their life. Clay founds out he is one of the Thirteen Reasons Why Hannah Baker commits suicide. In some way she was over reacting, but every little things adds up. How much weight is a teenage girl suppose to handle?
  
You'd Be Mine
You'd Be Mine
Erin Hahn | 2019 | Romance, Young Adult (YA)
7
7.7 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Clay Coolidge and Annie Mathers are country singers. Clay is kind of a bad boy and the only way his record label has agreed to keep him on, is if Annie agrees to go on tour with him for the summer. Annie is a great singer, but her parents were in the business and she's not sure if she wants to follow in their footsteps. But when Clay shows up on her doorstep, she feels like she has no choice but to join him. Being on tour the two learn things about each other, they don't like to share with the world. Will this tour help them to find the healing they are both needing, or will it just make things worse.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.

You'd Be Mine is a cute love story about two very young country singers. Annie is the daughter of a famous country couple who died. She doesn't want to be compared to her mother at all, which is why she has chosen to stay out of the spotlight for so long. Clay has his own demons in his closet and is a bad boy in the business. The fans swoon over his songs and his gorgeousness, but they don't know the person behind the music. Annie sees Clay and that scares him.

This is the first book I've read by Erin Hahn, and I look forward to reading more of her books. This one was cute. Since most of the characters in this book were under 21, I don't know if I would categorize this as a YA book. The underlying subject matter deals with drug overdose, suicide, and death through war.
  
I had downloaded these stories from Armstrong's web site, but never got around to reading them (I don't do much reading for pleasure on a screen). I'm sorry that I delayed doing so! Don't make the mistake of thinking of these pieces as second-rate or "throwaway" just because they were free at first. They are a delight, and do a lot to fill out Clay and Jeremy's backgrounds and motivations. The final story, which is completely new, is also marvelous. Jeremy has always been one of my favorite characters, and I really appreciate seeing him as the focal point of a story.
  
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Sue (5 KP) rated The Art of Healing in Books

Aug 13, 2018  
TA
The Art of Healing
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Julianne has been betrayed by the person she loved. She was in the dark that her husband Clay was no longer happy in the marriage and is blindsided to come home to a completely empty home. Because of her Catholic upbringing, she is in no hurry to divorce but after encountering the woman Clay left her for, she realizes she has no choice.

Jokob has lost the love of his life to cancer. He doesn’t know how to go on without her, so he spends his time immersed in his work as a photographer.

Julianne and Jokob meet at an exhibit of his photography and begin a friendship that starts to turn into much more.

The Art of Healing is a story of two individuals that have found love, encountered loss, and been dealt with great hardship. It is more than a love story or romance novel, but instead a look into the lives of Julianne and Jokob and how they work at healing deep wounds. Can they find love again?
  
Thirteen Reasons Why
Thirteen Reasons Why
Jay Asher | 2009 | Children
8
8.4 (49 Ratings)
Book Rating
The concept (0 more)
The inaccurate portrayal of depression (0 more)
Trigger Warning
This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Recently filmed as a thirteen-part Netflix drama executively produced by Selena Gomez, Thirteen Reasons Why was the first novel by the award-winning author, Jay Asher. It is the type of book readers will either love or hate, but it should definitely come with a warning. This story is NOT an accurate representation of depression and suicide.

Yes, suicide. A teenaged girl has committed suicide, shocking everyone who knew her. No one could understand why, but thirteen people are going to find out. Clay Jensen is the ninth person to receive a box of thirteen audiotapes from Hannah Baker. However, Hannah died two weeks ago. As she premeditated taking her life, Hannah recorded thirteen stories involving people from her school that caused her to snowball into deep depression and despair. Desperate to find out why his name features in Hannah’s story, Clay begins listening to the tapes in order, putting together the events that led to Hannah’s death.

What follows is a heart-breaking story showing the impact individuals have on other people’s lives, often without realising it. In some cases, the characters only played a minor role in Hannah’s life, whereas others caused significant damage. The saddest thing is, Clay could have helped Hannah, but she had pushed him away.

At times, Hannah seemed like the horrible person, calling all these people out on petty little things, but these things, along with the more horrible ones, all built up to create a life that did not feel worth living. It is eye opening how much a small action, comment or rumour can so drastically alter someone’s future.

Bearing in mind that depression affects everyone differently and has numerous causes, some readers may feel disgusted at Hannah’s extreme action, but this is the fault of the author. Jay Asher fails to completely describe the emotional torment that Hannah felt, and only someone who may have been through a similar situation, or worse, will fully be able to understand the impact everything has had on her mental health.

As Hannah beleaguers her listeners, the thirteen people start to feel like the victims rather than the “attackers”, which is most probably not what the author was intending. Now, these people will have to live their lives believing they caused a girl to commit suicide when really they were only 1/13th of the reason. Although, before criticising this novel, keep in mind it is a work of fiction.

What is most painful about Thirteen Reasons Why, is not Hannah’s plight, but the reaction Clay has to hearing Hannah’s story. Unlike the other people Hannah accuses, Clay is not one of her antagonists; all Hannah wants to do is to say sorry.

It is up to the reader to judge whether Thirteen Reasons Why is worthy of praise or not. Those without an understanding of depression may dislike it on account of misunderstanding Hannah’s reasons, whereas others may feel insulted that she killed herself over things that could have been eased had she told someone. Personally, I understand where Hannah is coming from, and although I would not go to the extremes Hannah did, I do not think she was selfish or stupid or any other insult that may befall her.

The reason I give this book a good rating lies in the quality of writing. Asher seamlessly alternates between two narratives – Hannah’s story and Clay’s reaction and reflection. Although the author may not have clearly expressed Hannah’s emotions, he successful emphasises the grief and despair Clay feels listening to the cassettes. My main concern is that Thirteen Reasons Why will only be short lived. Audiotapes were already obsolete when the book was published, but soon will there be any new readers who know what a tape is?
  
Thirteen Reasons Why
Thirteen Reasons Why
Jay Asher | 2009 | Children
6
8.4 (49 Ratings)
Book Rating
<i>This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>

Recently filmed as a thirteen-part Netflix drama executively produced by Selena Gomez, <i>Thirteen Reasons Why</i> was the first novel by the award-winning author, Jay Asher. It is the type of book readers will either love or hate, but it should definitely come with a warning. This story is NOT an accurate representation of depression and suicide.

Yes, suicide. A teenaged girl has committed suicide, shocking everyone who knew her. No one could understand why, but thirteen people are going to find out. Clay Jensen is the ninth person to receive a box of thirteen audiotapes from Hannah Baker. However, Hannah died two weeks ago. As she premeditated taking her life, Hannah recorded thirteen stories involving people from her school that caused her to snowball into deep depression and despair. Desperate to find out why his name features in Hannah’s story, Clay begins listening to the tapes in order, putting together the events that led to Hannah’s death.

What follows is a heart-breaking story showing the impact individuals have on other people’s lives, often without realising it. In some cases, the characters only played a minor role in Hannah’s life, whereas others caused significant damage. The saddest thing is, Clay could have helped Hannah, but she had pushed him away.

At times, Hannah seemed like the horrible person, calling all these people out on petty little things, but these things, along with the more horrible ones, all built up to create a life that did not feel worth living. It is eye opening how much a small action, comment or rumour can so drastically alter someone’s future.

Bearing in mind that depression affects everyone differently and has numerous causes, some readers may feel disgusted at Hannah’s extreme action, but this is the fault of the author. Jay Asher fails to completely describe the emotional torment that Hannah felt, and only someone who may have been through a similar situation, or worse, will fully be able to understand the impact everything has had on her mental health.

As Hannah beleaguers her listeners, the thirteen people start to feel like the victims rather than the “attackers”, which is most probably not what the author was intending. Now, these people will have to live their lives believing they caused a girl to commit suicide when really they were only 1/13th of the reason. Although, before criticising this novel, keep in mind it is a work of fiction.

What is most painful about <i>Thirteen Reasons Why</i>, is not Hannah’s plight, but the reaction Clay has to hearing Hannah’s story. Unlike the other people Hannah accuses, Clay is not one of her antagonists; all Hannah wants to do is to say sorry.

It is up to the reader to judge whether <i>Thirteen Reasons Why</i> is worthy of praise or not. Those without an understanding of depression may dislike it on account of misunderstanding Hannah’s reasons, whereas others may feel insulted that she killed herself over things that could have been eased had she told someone. Personally, I understand where Hannah is coming from, and although I would not go to the extremes Hannah did, I do not think she was selfish or stupid or any other insult that may befall her.

The reason I give this book a good rating lies in the quality of writing. Asher seamlessly alternates between two narratives – Hannah’s story and Clay’s reaction and reflection. Although the author may not have clearly expressed Hannah’s emotions, he successful emphasises the grief and despair Clay feels listening to the cassettes. My main concern is that <i>Thirteen Reasons Why</i> will only be short lived. Audiotapes were already obsolete when the book was published, but soon will there be any new readers who know what a tape is?
  
X-Men Legacy: Collision
X-Men Legacy: Collision
Mike Carey | 2011 | Comics & Graphic Novels, Young Adult (YA)
4
6.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Okay, so I was excited at discovering there was still one other story to feature the Children of the Vault! And Carey was at the helm? Kinda-sorta excited. Art by Clay Mann? I think he is a good artist, but I was indifferent at that. Unfortunately, I was not expecting to be as disappointed as I was with this collection!

The story seemed to be good in concept, but when it played out? Hmm.. not so much! I felt Rogue was far too angsty during this period, reminding of yet another reason of why I gave reading the X-books during Carey's run!

Besides the story disappointing (come on? Another Children of the Vault story? It should'a been better!), the art really bothered me! I felt the female characters were objectified, looking not unlike a fanboy's bootleg comic! And even worse? Other than Indra's parents, no one looked even <u>remotely</u> Indian? What the fuck?!? This was supposed to Mumbai, for crying out loud, not Miami Beach!!

Conclusion? You can skip on this one! Only reason I gave it 2 *'s was due to some textual backstory to the Children of the Vault!
  
The Ranch Hand and the Single Dad (Farthingdale Ranch #3)
The Ranch Hand and the Single Dad (Farthingdale Ranch #3)
Jackie North | 2021 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
THE RANCH HAND AND THE SINGLE DAD is the third book in the Farthingdale Ranch series, and I would recommend you read them as a series simply because of how wonderful these stories are.

Austin has been put through the wringer by his delight of an ex-wife, and he has to cope with not having full custody of his daughter. He is unsure of who he is or what he wants, but he finds peace at Farthingdale Ranch due to his friendship with Clay.

Clay thinks that one-night stands are all he needs and doesn't always say what he wants. With the help and encouragement of Austin, Clay realises that life could be so much more than just a hookup.

This was a brilliant low-angst read with a slow-burn romance that filled me to the brim with warm fuzzies. I loved seeing the previous couples and seeing how their romances were going whilst still enjoying the spotlight on the main pair. And, of course, using recycled wisdom is some of the best advice you can give or receive!

A fantastic addition to the series, I would still recommend you read this as a series to ensure you don't miss out on any of the previous couples. For now, though, I can highly recommend Austin and Clay's story.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

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

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jul 27, 2021