Search

Search only in certain items:

40x40

Beckie Shelton (40 KP) rated Close To Me in Books

Oct 6, 2017 (Updated Oct 31, 2017)  
Close To Me
Close To Me
Amanda Reynolds | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry, Mystery, Thriller
7
6.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Really enjoyed Close To Me by Amanda Reynolds, wasn't sure what to expect this being a debut author but I certainly wasn't disappointed.


Close To Me tells the story of Jo Harding after she falls down stairs hitting her head and losing her memory of the past year.


On coming home things feel different and disjointed, Jo feels there is an undercurrent of deceit, secrets being kept from her by her husband and children and as she unravels the mysteries of the past year things escalate to a shocking conclusion.


So this was a great psychological read, it kept my interest and pulled me in, the writing was superb, and the storyline very easy to follow.


Close to me is told in two parts, real-time and snippets of the past year, though it has a slow build this is not a bad thing as you get to understand Jo's life and how she is the person she is.


The characters here felt real and human, some you could sympathise with others not so much.


If I had to pick my least favourite person in this, it would have to be the daughter I found her very self-centred and immature, but she's a product of her overindulged upbringing.


I myself have grown up children there is no way on this planet I would be paying for their accommodation.
what a right spoilt brat Sash is.


Close to me delves into the dynamics of family and the resulting aftermath when things ultimately implode.
I did kind of guess where this was going but it didn't detract from my overall enjoyment reading this.


Would I recommend this? Hell Yeah!!!
It was an engaging read.


Thank you to NetGalley, publisher and the author for providing me with an arc of Close to me


This is my own honest unbiased opinion.


Arc Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/9460945-bex-beckie-bookworm
  
The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic
The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic
Emily Croy Barker | 2014 | Fiction & Poetry
9
7.7 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
This book is FANTASTIC. I was enthralled from start to finish, and frantically looked up the author to make sure she is writing a sequel. (She is, thank goodness!) I absolutely loved the main character, Nora, and the acerbic magician Aruendiel. Even while cheering for the opposite side, I even enjoyed reading about Raclin and Ilissa, the villains of the novel.

In Nora Fischer, we have a modern, independent, feminist woman transported to a place and time where women are inferior (by nature, most think.) There are even linguistic influences that make them inferior; women speak with a lot of "um" and "well" type words in their speech, while men don't. When Nora protests that this makes women's speech sound weaker, she's told that that's "just how women speak." Seeing her confronted with the sexism ingrained within the medieval style culture, and seeing her confront Aruendiel with how sexist it actually is, was a wonderful sub-plot of the book.

The main plot was well-paced and interesting - after being kidnapped by Ilissa at the beginning of the book, and enchanted into being a beautiful, love-struck little ninny, Nora recovers herself with the help of Aruendiel, and spends the rest of the book evading re-capture and finding her place in this new world. The descriptions are colorful, the characters are deep and fascinating, and the land and culture itself shows just how much thought went into creating this world. This is an absolutely spectacular debut novel, in my opinion, and I cannot WAIT for the sequel, since Barker did leave a few questions unanswered at the end of the book. I really can't rave about this book enough. If you like fantasy, (or Pride and Prejudice, since this book, while not attempting to be a retelling or anything, had a lot of the same feel) you should really pick this one up.

You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
  
The Queen of the Night
The Queen of the Night
Alexander Chee | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry
9
8.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
I'm not really sure what to say about Alexander Chee's novel The Queen of the Night other than it is magnificent. A sprawling, epic tale that put me in mind of Arthur Golden's Memoirs of a Geisha, we follow Paris Opera sensation Lilliet Berne as she recounts her life from her humble beginnings as an orphaned American child, who tried to make her way to Europe to the only family she new of after the death of her family and ended up being swept up by one circumstance after another into the spectacle that was the Second French Empire. We follow her life from her time with a traveling circus, to becoming a prostitute in one of Paris' more prestigious whorehouses, to her time as a dresser for Empress Eugénie de Montijo at the Tuileries, until she finally makes her debut at the French Opera. Through this tale, she is trying to discover who might know of her secrets, as each time she took on a new role, she also cast off her old life and name and reinvented herself at each turn, trying to finally free herself from her own past and come into the life that she wants for herself.

Chee seems to have thoroughly researched his setting for Lillet's journey, and his writing is strong and precise. Lilliet's life is quite an adventure, but it never seems to be dull, and I never felt like I was wishing that her tale would hurry along. I listened to the audio version, and Lisa Flanagan's narration is spot on; she truly became the voice of Lilliet for me. The only thing that I added to my own listening of the book that I think could possibly benefit other readers is that I listened to selections of the operas and other musical pieces that are mentioned in the book, to add that next level of enjoyment to the story.

Chee is an extraordinary storyteller and I'll definitely be reading more by him in the future.
  
Truth or Dare (2013)
Truth or Dare (2013)
2013 | Horror
Plot (3 more)
Awesome Special Effects
A great indie horror film
Ryan Kiser rocks!!!
Gory, disturbing and a helluva good time
I waited five years to see this movie, and it was totally worth it.
Jessica Cameron co-wrote and directed a worth wile addition to the horror genre.
It's hard to believe this was her first stab at directing. Pardon the pun folks, but stab is exactly what happens in this movie.
I had never heard of Ryan Kiser before this film, but he portrays an obsessed fan with psychotic gusto only equivalent to that of veteran horror actors.
Cameron, Dorff and the rest of the cast envelop them selves in their characters so much, and the camera work is so simple that it makes the disgusting game of Truth or Dare seem realistic and unstaged.
After reading the reviews for this splatterfest I can see how some people who are not horror hounds would be repulsed by this movie.
Myself, I brought an open mind and honestly didn't expect what I saw. But as a horror fanatic and self proclaimed horror movie GOD, I am in love with the concept of this film.
It brought obsession to a new height. It makes the viewer see that people can become so enthralled in other people's lives, that they can become obsessed with what they view.
Jessica Cameron deserves the spoils she received for her debut movie.
In this writers opinion this movie is the beginning of an amazing career for her as both a writer and director.
Big Studios take notice. This indie Queen is coming at you all with her nails out. I hope this is the first of many movie from her disturbed mind.
Buy this film people... Support the horror underground. You won't be disappointed.
Here's a link to the Amazon page where you can purchase this movie. Support indie film people...
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B01N963DXN/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1503580613&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=truth+or+dare&dpPl=1&dpID=51tSWEEbQ7L&ref=plSrch
  
Throne of Glass
Throne of Glass
Sarah J. Maas | 2012 | Children, Fiction & Poetry
6
8.7 (91 Ratings)
Book Rating
Throne of Glass is the first book of Sarah J. Maas’s debut series, and that much is obvious when reading it. In a way, opening its pages has enlightened me to her growth as a writer. And while Throne of Glass is far more difficult to get into than Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses, I can definitely see where its fandom comes from – now if only my library had book two!

One of the things I was most excited to learn by reading this book is that Maas isn’t one of those authors that fall victim to making all their characters the same. In fact, I was thrilled to learn that Celaena is nothing like Feyre from A Court of Thorns and Roses (or should it be the other way around since this was published first?). Her love interests are vastly different, and so realistic that I couldn’t decide who I wanted to cheer for. Usually I’m pretty decided on what characters I like/don’t like, but even this early work from Maas shows she makes it difficult to simply pick and choose.

The plot of Throne of Glass is a bit Hunger Games-ish, what with a competition to find out who will be the King’s assassin meaning that it gets narrowed down to one. I will admit that I wish I’d read this book before I read Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller, as this one was published first and the plot is a bit too similar for my taste. Both books center around a competition to become the ruler’s assassin, so I couldn’t help but think of Miller’s book the entire time I was reading this one. That, and Sal and Celaena have similar attitudes. It makes me wonder if this book inspired Miller. I do like the idea of magic only just returning to the world of Throne of Glass, though – if you can call it that.

That said, I really, truly cannot wait for the opportunity to read the next book.
  
NC
Ninth City Burning
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
J. Patrick Black’s debut novel, Ninth City Burning, is an incredibly intense ride alongside humanity’s bid for survival against an alien race seeking Earth’s destruction. Complete with a wide cast of unique characters with their own voices, this novel has earned its place among my favorites.

More often than not, I’m wary of books with shifting first-person. In this case, readers meet seven different points of view – and every single one of those characters have their own voices. I find this impressive, considering the frequency with which Black switches between his cast. (Actually, I find myself wondering how he approached writing the different views, as they are so starkly different.)

For the most part, all but two of these characters feel real. Jax and Naomi are the exception, as they both appear extremely mature for their age. While Jax does have a military upbringing, Naomi is a bit too advanced for a child of a nomadic lifestyle. There’s also a dash of romance in this book that feels a bit too forced.

Ninth City Burning also manages to blur the line between science-fiction and epic fantasy, which is an oddly unique feeling to encounter while reading. Magic and science both play heavy roles in this novel, and I imagine the former of those two, coupled with the camaraderie between the main characters, is precisely why this book is recommended for fans of Harry Potter.

The agonizingly slow build-up to action further lends to the epic fantasy feel of this book, a feat that I remain unsure of presently. While it leads to less action and battle in the meat of the book, it also serves as an opportunity for Black to further unravel this beautiful world he has created.

Ninth City Burning is definitely a book I’ll be recommending to my friends and readers who prefer science-fiction. I would like to thank Blogging for Books for providing me with a copy of this book for the purpose of unbiased review.
  
The Mothers: A Novel
The Mothers: A Novel
Brit Bennett | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry
8
6.8 (5 Ratings)
Book Rating
Nadia Turner, Aubrey Evans, and Luke Sheppard are young adults living in Oceanside, CA. They are each going through their lives trying to overcome their individual struggles. One summer they are all joined together by unforeseen events and these events will help to mold them into the people they will be for the rest of their lives.

We all have people in our lives who know everything think that is going on in our lives or think they do whether we want them to or not. In this book, a few ladies at Upper Room Church fill this spot. They narrate the scene for most of the chapters in this book and give their honest opinion on how the story will unfold. They have known these young people most of their lives and have been in their position many years before.

I have been looking forward to reading this book or a long time. I will say that even though I read this book rather quickly it wasn't quite what I was expecting. I would have liked to seen more of a voice from "The Mothers". Other than that, this was an enjoyable read for me.

Nadia, Aubrey and Luke are all around the same age and live in Oceanside. Luke and Nadia date briefly the summer before she leaves for college. Then Luke suddenly cuts her out of his life like a bad habit. She takes a job working as the First Lady's assistant at Upper Room. There she meets Aubrey. Aubrey is quiet and shy, but is instantly drawn to Nadia. Both of them having lost their mothers, although in very different ways, have a connection that no one would have seen. The story follows the trio as they move through life and deal with their pasts in order to move forward with their futures.

This was a very good debut novel and I look forward to more books by Brit Bennett.
  
Good Me, Bad Me
Good Me, Bad Me
Ali Land | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
6
8.0 (21 Ratings)
Book Rating
Milly is 15 years old. She has just been placed with a foster family because she has just turned her mother in to the police. Why would a 15 year old need to turn their parent in to the police? Her mother is a serial killer who kills children. Milly is afraid that she may turn out just like her mother. Does she have it in her to be good, or is she bad like her mother? How much of our make up is nature and how much is nurture?

Thank you to Flatiron Books and Ali Land for an advanced reader's copy of this book.

I was so excited to read this book. I couldn't wait. The description alone is enough to get you intrigued. While reading the book, I kept waiting for something to happen. Something big, something major!!! It never happened. Milly did a few little things to "test" her limits on the side of good or bad, but nothing I don't think a typical teenager who was being bullied would have done in her same situation.

After turning in her mother to the police, Milly is sent to live with a foster family. The father is her psychiatrist, the mother is in need of one, and the daughter is jealous and a bully from the time Milly moves in. Milly tells the story as if she is talking to her mother. It covers a span of a few months, while Milly is waiting to give her testimony in her mother's trial. Overall it's a good story. I don't think I would put it in a category of psychological thriller, because it didn't leave me on the edge of my seat and there wasn't a major WOW moment.

This is a debut novel from author Ali Land, and I will see what her next book will be.

You can see all my reviews at http://whatchatreadin.blogspot.com
  
The Revenge of Magic
The Revenge of Magic
James Riley | Children, Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Intriguing Series Debut
It’s been six months since the attack on Washington, D.C. Six months since Forsythe “Fort” Fitzgerald’s world was turned upside down when a giant creature comes up from the ground and destroys many of the monuments there, killing his father in the process. In that time, one thought has kept Fort moving forward – the desire for revenge.

One day, Fort is surprised to be visited by the representatives of a school for magic. Thirteen years ago, four magic books were found and only those born after they were discovered can read and use them. When Fort is offered a chance to study at this school, he jumps on it, figuring this is a chance to learn something to help him extract his revenge. However, not everything at the school is what it seems. Can Fort learn what people are hiding from him? Or will he be kicked out before that happens?

Since this is the first in the series, there is some world building that happens here. However, it is mixed into the story so well that it never really slows things down. It borrows a few fantasy tropes, but it mixes them up in such a way that it makes you forget where you might have seen them before. The characters have layers to them, and, while they feel developed for a first book in a new series, I suspect we will be seeing much more depth to them as the series progresses. The story moves forward quickly, and I never wanted to put it down. This is a little darker and has less humor than James Riley’s earlier series, but it isn’t really that dark. I’m intrigued by the threads left dangling at the end of this book and can’t wait to see where things go next. Pick this book up today so you won’t be left behind on this magical ride.
  
Bright Lines
Bright Lines
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Ella is the adopted daughter of Anwar and Hashi Saleem. The Saleem's took her in when her parents were murdered. They also have a daughter of their own named Chauru. They all live together in Brooklyn, New York, where Anwar is the owner of an apothecary(Pharmacy) and Hashi has a salon in their home. This is the only family that Ella has ever known. Although she has never really felt as a part of them, she was never treated as an outcast and never referred to as niece or cousin. The summer after her first year at college, Ella returns home to find things in a bit of disarray. There is a strange girl in her bed, her cousin/sister, Chauru, is sneaking boys into her room, her uncle is distant and her aunt, is constantly busy with customers during the wedding season. When a devastating event takes place, the family travels back to their home country of Bangladesh and they all learn important lessons about themselves and family.

This book took me through a lot of different emotions. First the story started off slowly and I wasn't sure if I was going to like it. There were parts that had me confused and parts that had me shocked. Once I made it to the halfway point, it was hard to put it down.

This is a debut novel by Tanwi Nandini Islam. I love books that take me to a place I have never been. This book gave me a look into a world that I may not have ever discovered. Spanning the globe to help the Saleem's to learn to love one another and others. To learn about their history so they aren't doomed to repeat it in their future. Learning about family and loss and how to pull together when you have to. How to survive when you think it's impossible. This is a novel about discovery and family and learning to find yourself through your history.