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Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth in Books
Sep 7, 2017
Amazing, easy-to-read memoir
Wow. Just wow. I woke up far earlier than I wanted to this morning, so I picked up one of the nonfiction books I had from the library, expecting it to put me back to sleep. Three hours later I was still awake, nearly done with the book, and absolutely enthralled. I’m not sure why I thought it would be otherwise – I’d been one of the millions fascinated with Hadfield’s videos and tweets when he was Commander of the ISS. His particular voice is very clear throughout this book. In 284 pages he takes us from his childhood, through his career path to becoming an astronaut, to his 5 months in the International Space Station, and back home. Nothing felt rushed, nothing felt like it didn’t get the attention it deserved. I’m pretty sure this is going to be one of my favorite books of 2017 – I have several months to read more things, but this book just absolutely blew me away.
It does appeal to how I like to read about science, though. I love reading about scientists. How they worked, how they made their discoveries, the paths they took. Who they were. I’m less interested in the actual science. This is part of why I loved A Short History of Nearly Everything, by Bill Bryson, so much. I borrowed that book from the library and read it cover to cover, fascinated. Finally had to buy my own copy.
Hadfield took space exploration and made it accessible to everyone. According to the book, he didn’t even quite realize how big of an impact he was making at first. But between tweeting pictures from the ISS, making videos of how different life was in space, and making music videos, he really did become the most well-known astronaut of our generation. I remember putting his video of I.S.S. (Is Somebody Singing) on repeat when it came out – and it STILL gives me chills today.
He only briefly talked about Is Somebody Singing in the book, which I found surprising, given it was the one that hit me the hardest. He spent more time talking about filming and recording Space Oddity – which does have 36 million views, to I.S.S.’s 2 million. So I suppose that makes sense! (I'm going to attach both videos to the book page.)
One thing he keeps coming back to in his book is his philosophy of trying to be a zero. That doesn’t sound very ambitious on the surface – but what he means is you can be one of three things in a group. You can be a negative impact (a -1) a neutral impact (a zero) or a positive impact (a +1). If you try to be a +1, it’s far likelier that you’ll try too hard, fuck up, and instead become a negative impact. So aim to be a zero. And most of the time you’ll wind up as a positive impact. I thought that was a very unique philosophy.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
It does appeal to how I like to read about science, though. I love reading about scientists. How they worked, how they made their discoveries, the paths they took. Who they were. I’m less interested in the actual science. This is part of why I loved A Short History of Nearly Everything, by Bill Bryson, so much. I borrowed that book from the library and read it cover to cover, fascinated. Finally had to buy my own copy.
Hadfield took space exploration and made it accessible to everyone. According to the book, he didn’t even quite realize how big of an impact he was making at first. But between tweeting pictures from the ISS, making videos of how different life was in space, and making music videos, he really did become the most well-known astronaut of our generation. I remember putting his video of I.S.S. (Is Somebody Singing) on repeat when it came out – and it STILL gives me chills today.
He only briefly talked about Is Somebody Singing in the book, which I found surprising, given it was the one that hit me the hardest. He spent more time talking about filming and recording Space Oddity – which does have 36 million views, to I.S.S.’s 2 million. So I suppose that makes sense! (I'm going to attach both videos to the book page.)
One thing he keeps coming back to in his book is his philosophy of trying to be a zero. That doesn’t sound very ambitious on the surface – but what he means is you can be one of three things in a group. You can be a negative impact (a -1) a neutral impact (a zero) or a positive impact (a +1). If you try to be a +1, it’s far likelier that you’ll try too hard, fuck up, and instead become a negative impact. So aim to be a zero. And most of the time you’ll wind up as a positive impact. I thought that was a very unique philosophy.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Where the Crawdads Sing in Books
Feb 3, 2019
The beautiful prose (2 more)
The interesting plot
The well written characters
A Beautifully Written Novel
I have to admit that when I first heard about Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, it didn't sound like a book I'd want to read. However, as I kept seeing rave reviews for it, I decided to take a chance on it, and I am so glad I did because this book was amazing!
The plot for Where the Crawdads Sing was an interesting one. I found myself immersed in it throughout, even the parts about nature and poetry which I'm not into. Delia Owens wrote this book beautifully where ever piece fit together perfectly. Where the Crawdads Sing felt so realistic and like I was there every step on the way. The prose was amazing, and I can honestly say that I have not read a more beautifully written book. There are a few plot twists, and I didn't see them coming! I didn't even get the death of Chase right! There are no cliff hangers in this book, and all of my questions where answered.
I thought each and every character in Where the Crawdads Sing were written superbly. I loved the main character of Kya. It was so interesting watching her grow up without a family and turn into a beautiful, intelligent, and kind young lady. Her innocence was reassuring even if did get her in trouble. The character of Kya was such a breath of fresh air. It was amazing how she was able to look after herself when she had no one else even at a young age. Jumpin' was another one of my favorite characters. He was such a larger than life character, and he always seemed so optimistic was was fantastic! I loved how caring Tate was and how patient he was with Kya. I was always hoping those two would end up together. I didn't trust Chase from the get go, but even he was written really well. I loved how the author, Delia Owens, even included what happened to most of the characters years in the future. The only minor thing that bothered me was that when the characters spoke, they spoke in their own dialect which could be annoying at times, but it did not ruin this book for me at all.
The pacing in Where the Crawdads Sing was done so well. I was hooked from the very first page. Never once did the pacing slow down where I found myself bored. I was constantly enthralled by every page in this book. I could not get enough! The words flowed beautifully.
Trigger warnings for Where the Crawdads Sing include profanity, child neglect and abandonment, child abuse, attempted rape, violence, possible murder, sexual situations, alcoholism, racial slurs, and overly judgmental people.
All in all, Where the Crawdads Sing is a beautifully written book through and through. The writing was brilliant, and the characters were written beautifully. The plot is just as fantastic and very interesting. I would definitely recommend Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens to everyone aged 16+. This is one of those books that needs to be read!
The plot for Where the Crawdads Sing was an interesting one. I found myself immersed in it throughout, even the parts about nature and poetry which I'm not into. Delia Owens wrote this book beautifully where ever piece fit together perfectly. Where the Crawdads Sing felt so realistic and like I was there every step on the way. The prose was amazing, and I can honestly say that I have not read a more beautifully written book. There are a few plot twists, and I didn't see them coming! I didn't even get the death of Chase right! There are no cliff hangers in this book, and all of my questions where answered.
I thought each and every character in Where the Crawdads Sing were written superbly. I loved the main character of Kya. It was so interesting watching her grow up without a family and turn into a beautiful, intelligent, and kind young lady. Her innocence was reassuring even if did get her in trouble. The character of Kya was such a breath of fresh air. It was amazing how she was able to look after herself when she had no one else even at a young age. Jumpin' was another one of my favorite characters. He was such a larger than life character, and he always seemed so optimistic was was fantastic! I loved how caring Tate was and how patient he was with Kya. I was always hoping those two would end up together. I didn't trust Chase from the get go, but even he was written really well. I loved how the author, Delia Owens, even included what happened to most of the characters years in the future. The only minor thing that bothered me was that when the characters spoke, they spoke in their own dialect which could be annoying at times, but it did not ruin this book for me at all.
The pacing in Where the Crawdads Sing was done so well. I was hooked from the very first page. Never once did the pacing slow down where I found myself bored. I was constantly enthralled by every page in this book. I could not get enough! The words flowed beautifully.
Trigger warnings for Where the Crawdads Sing include profanity, child neglect and abandonment, child abuse, attempted rape, violence, possible murder, sexual situations, alcoholism, racial slurs, and overly judgmental people.
All in all, Where the Crawdads Sing is a beautifully written book through and through. The writing was brilliant, and the characters were written beautifully. The plot is just as fantastic and very interesting. I would definitely recommend Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens to everyone aged 16+. This is one of those books that needs to be read!
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Meadows (Legacy of Darkness Book 1) in Books
Nov 3, 2018
Spooky Plot (1 more)
Very Realistic Characters
A Chilling Read!
I loved London Clarke's first book, Wildfell, so I was definitely looking forward to her next book, The Meadows. I loved this book! It was so spooky and creepy which are my favorite types of books.
The pacing for The Meadows was perfect. Not once did I feel like this book slowed down where I was becoming bored. It is definitely a fast paced thriller, but it's not too fast paced in the sense that you have no clue what just happened.
The world building and plot are done extremely well. London Clarke does such an excellent job of describing what's going on, that I actually felt like I was staying at Asphodel House, the spooky house where all the paranormal things happen. The Meadows felt so real, I would actually stay awake a little longer after reading some of it because I was so spooked! It was easy to envision a cult like The Colony (as named in The Meadows) that believe themselves to be vampires who use willing and unwilling sacrifices. I would be more surprised if a cult like that didn't exist!
I loved all the characters in The Meadows! Each character was written exceptionally well. I loved how real and raw Scarlett was. It was nice to read about a character who was flawed. Scarlett suffered with a drug and alcohol problem in the past, and it was interesting to read about her struggle with it in present day and the choices she made. Yes, she did fall off the wagon after coming to Asphodel House, but I couldn't blame her. I'd be stressed out and scared too! Scarlett isn't perfect, and that's what I loved about her. She feels like a real human being, not some happily ever after book character. She's a little selfish, but who isn't in real life? Scarlett was such a great character. Even the supporting characters were great. I would have liked Stella, Scarlett's best friend, to be featured more, but that's only a minor thing. Stella was such a great friend to Scarlett, and I admired her loyalty to Scarlett. I loved Ryan, and it was interesting to read the back story between him and Scarlett. Hunter was also a very interesting character. I enjoyed his back story. I don't want to go into detail with him because I feel like there's a minor plot twist with that.
Trigger warnings for The Meadows include demons, the occult, cults, violence, murder, death, alcohol use, prescription pill abuse, ghosts, some swearing (although nothing too bad), and sex scenes (nothing graphic though).
Overall, The Meadows is a very chilling, dark, and spooky read. It is such a great book though. The characters, the setting, the plot were all written very well. I am definitely looking forward to the next book in the Legacy of Darkness series. I would recommend The Meadows by London Clarke to everyone aged 17+ especially if you love being creeped out. This one definitely kept me awake with how creepy it was, and if a book can do that, it is definitely a good one!
The pacing for The Meadows was perfect. Not once did I feel like this book slowed down where I was becoming bored. It is definitely a fast paced thriller, but it's not too fast paced in the sense that you have no clue what just happened.
The world building and plot are done extremely well. London Clarke does such an excellent job of describing what's going on, that I actually felt like I was staying at Asphodel House, the spooky house where all the paranormal things happen. The Meadows felt so real, I would actually stay awake a little longer after reading some of it because I was so spooked! It was easy to envision a cult like The Colony (as named in The Meadows) that believe themselves to be vampires who use willing and unwilling sacrifices. I would be more surprised if a cult like that didn't exist!
I loved all the characters in The Meadows! Each character was written exceptionally well. I loved how real and raw Scarlett was. It was nice to read about a character who was flawed. Scarlett suffered with a drug and alcohol problem in the past, and it was interesting to read about her struggle with it in present day and the choices she made. Yes, she did fall off the wagon after coming to Asphodel House, but I couldn't blame her. I'd be stressed out and scared too! Scarlett isn't perfect, and that's what I loved about her. She feels like a real human being, not some happily ever after book character. She's a little selfish, but who isn't in real life? Scarlett was such a great character. Even the supporting characters were great. I would have liked Stella, Scarlett's best friend, to be featured more, but that's only a minor thing. Stella was such a great friend to Scarlett, and I admired her loyalty to Scarlett. I loved Ryan, and it was interesting to read the back story between him and Scarlett. Hunter was also a very interesting character. I enjoyed his back story. I don't want to go into detail with him because I feel like there's a minor plot twist with that.
Trigger warnings for The Meadows include demons, the occult, cults, violence, murder, death, alcohol use, prescription pill abuse, ghosts, some swearing (although nothing too bad), and sex scenes (nothing graphic though).
Overall, The Meadows is a very chilling, dark, and spooky read. It is such a great book though. The characters, the setting, the plot were all written very well. I am definitely looking forward to the next book in the Legacy of Darkness series. I would recommend The Meadows by London Clarke to everyone aged 17+ especially if you love being creeped out. This one definitely kept me awake with how creepy it was, and if a book can do that, it is definitely a good one!
I am not really sure where to start with this review. There are so many great aspects to this book. I loved the characters, the plot, and even the heartbreak.
The story that crosses the pages of this book is one of heart break, loss, love, and inspiration. These characters are so realistic they fly off the page and into your heart. The story of Bright Side and all her friends is moving, raw, and emotional and literature at its finest. I don���t want to say too much and ruin the book for anyone who hasn���t read it. So with that all I will say is that this book is best served with a hot cup of tea and a box of Kleenex.
Kate, Gus, and Keller were PHENOMENAL main characters! I absolutely adored them all for their own reasons. Let���s start with the fellas shall we?
Keller is a great character with so many different levels. He���s sweet, sensitive, doting, and absolutely genuine. He meets Kate when they are both completely vulnerable. Kate drops a bomb on him and he doesn���t miss a beat. He just rolls with it. He is her rock, and everything she needs at this point in her life. He has his own life, but the way he molds his life around Kate is impressive. He changes completely from the moment you meet him until the end of the book. He grows in leaps and bounds.
Kate, well, she���s just amazing. ���She doesn���t just look on the Bright Side, she lives there.��� This is a perfect description of Kate and the way she lives her life. She changes the lives of every person she meets regardless of the battle she is fighting. She���s led a horrible life, but because of all of that she���s managed to become an absolutely resilient, astoundingly well rounded, and extremely brave individual. I cried a lot with Kate. Not so much for her but with her. She is by far my favorite book heroine ever.
Gus���Swoon! I absolutely loved Gus! If I had to choose between him and Keller, I would be team Gus all the way. I didn���t necessarily want him to be a love interest for Kate, but I just found myself cheering for him throughout the whole book. I felt like he was alone. Though he was surrounded by his band and the new friends he made through Kate, I felt like he was incredibly alone. I���ve been in that position and I think that���s why I gravitated so much toward his character.
These three characters together make for one magical story. This is a story that forced me to look at my life a little differently, and made me want to live on the Bright Side.
Kim is a dear friend, and a masterful storyteller who weaves the lines of this book together to create alluring, evocative, and inspiring characters that will change the way you look at life, and experience the written word. I hope that I can one day be half the writer she is, I could only be so lucky! Phenomenal job my friend!
The story that crosses the pages of this book is one of heart break, loss, love, and inspiration. These characters are so realistic they fly off the page and into your heart. The story of Bright Side and all her friends is moving, raw, and emotional and literature at its finest. I don���t want to say too much and ruin the book for anyone who hasn���t read it. So with that all I will say is that this book is best served with a hot cup of tea and a box of Kleenex.
Kate, Gus, and Keller were PHENOMENAL main characters! I absolutely adored them all for their own reasons. Let���s start with the fellas shall we?
Keller is a great character with so many different levels. He���s sweet, sensitive, doting, and absolutely genuine. He meets Kate when they are both completely vulnerable. Kate drops a bomb on him and he doesn���t miss a beat. He just rolls with it. He is her rock, and everything she needs at this point in her life. He has his own life, but the way he molds his life around Kate is impressive. He changes completely from the moment you meet him until the end of the book. He grows in leaps and bounds.
Kate, well, she���s just amazing. ���She doesn���t just look on the Bright Side, she lives there.��� This is a perfect description of Kate and the way she lives her life. She changes the lives of every person she meets regardless of the battle she is fighting. She���s led a horrible life, but because of all of that she���s managed to become an absolutely resilient, astoundingly well rounded, and extremely brave individual. I cried a lot with Kate. Not so much for her but with her. She is by far my favorite book heroine ever.
Gus���Swoon! I absolutely loved Gus! If I had to choose between him and Keller, I would be team Gus all the way. I didn���t necessarily want him to be a love interest for Kate, but I just found myself cheering for him throughout the whole book. I felt like he was alone. Though he was surrounded by his band and the new friends he made through Kate, I felt like he was incredibly alone. I���ve been in that position and I think that���s why I gravitated so much toward his character.
These three characters together make for one magical story. This is a story that forced me to look at my life a little differently, and made me want to live on the Bright Side.
Kim is a dear friend, and a masterful storyteller who weaves the lines of this book together to create alluring, evocative, and inspiring characters that will change the way you look at life, and experience the written word. I hope that I can one day be half the writer she is, I could only be so lucky! Phenomenal job my friend!
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Girls Are All So Nice Here in Books
Jun 30, 2021
I love a good psychological thriller. In fact, that's one of my favorite genres. When I read the synopsis of The Girls Are All So Nice Here by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn, I knew it was a book I had to read. It was giving me Pretty Little Liars vibes in a way. I ended up really liking this book.
I really enjoyed the plot of The Girls Are All So Nice Here, and the pacing was perfect. To say I devoured this book is an understatement. I had to know more. I had to know more about Amb, Sully, and Flora. I was totally invested in this story. I will say that most of the book is predictable with a few unpredictable plot twists. It's quite obvious, for the most part, how the story will end and who the guilty party is. However, the execution was done very well that knowing what was going to happen didn't put me off reading the book. I wanted more backstory for my theories, and the author did not disappoint. I enjoyed that the story alternated between Amb in college and Amb in the present time. One thing I didn't predict was what happened to Sully and Amb at the end of the book. I will say the ending was a tad rushed and a bit unbelievable with how easy it was for one such character to get away with what they did. However, this book does try to convey the lesson of be careful how you treat people.
I found the characters in The Girls Are All So Nice Here to be fleshed out enough to feel more like real people instead of just some random characters in a book. I really, really did not like Sully and Amb, not because they weren't written very well (which they are written amazingly), but because they were just so mean and selfish. They were the total mean girls at college. I think everyone knew at least one mean girl at some point in their life. I enjoyed reading about Sully and Amb then and now. It was fun to learn how much they had (or hadn't in some cases) matured. I really loved Flora and how much she genuinely seemed to care about everyone even those she never met. I wanted to be friends with Flora, and when I read about how mean Amb and Sully were to her, it broke my heart. Flora did not deserve any hate.
Trigger warnings for The Girls Are All So Nice Here include profanity, promiscuity, many sex references though not super graphic, rape, murder, mentions of suicide, underage drinking, drugs, and gaslighting.
Overall, The Girls Are So Nice Here is an intriguing read that will pull its readers in from the very first page. With characters the reader will love to hate and a story line that sucks you in, this is one novel that you won't soon forget. I would definitely recommend The Girls Are All So Nice Here by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn to those aged 18+ who are after a well developed story that will leave you gasping by the last page.
I really enjoyed the plot of The Girls Are All So Nice Here, and the pacing was perfect. To say I devoured this book is an understatement. I had to know more. I had to know more about Amb, Sully, and Flora. I was totally invested in this story. I will say that most of the book is predictable with a few unpredictable plot twists. It's quite obvious, for the most part, how the story will end and who the guilty party is. However, the execution was done very well that knowing what was going to happen didn't put me off reading the book. I wanted more backstory for my theories, and the author did not disappoint. I enjoyed that the story alternated between Amb in college and Amb in the present time. One thing I didn't predict was what happened to Sully and Amb at the end of the book. I will say the ending was a tad rushed and a bit unbelievable with how easy it was for one such character to get away with what they did. However, this book does try to convey the lesson of be careful how you treat people.
I found the characters in The Girls Are All So Nice Here to be fleshed out enough to feel more like real people instead of just some random characters in a book. I really, really did not like Sully and Amb, not because they weren't written very well (which they are written amazingly), but because they were just so mean and selfish. They were the total mean girls at college. I think everyone knew at least one mean girl at some point in their life. I enjoyed reading about Sully and Amb then and now. It was fun to learn how much they had (or hadn't in some cases) matured. I really loved Flora and how much she genuinely seemed to care about everyone even those she never met. I wanted to be friends with Flora, and when I read about how mean Amb and Sully were to her, it broke my heart. Flora did not deserve any hate.
Trigger warnings for The Girls Are All So Nice Here include profanity, promiscuity, many sex references though not super graphic, rape, murder, mentions of suicide, underage drinking, drugs, and gaslighting.
Overall, The Girls Are So Nice Here is an intriguing read that will pull its readers in from the very first page. With characters the reader will love to hate and a story line that sucks you in, this is one novel that you won't soon forget. I would definitely recommend The Girls Are All So Nice Here by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn to those aged 18+ who are after a well developed story that will leave you gasping by the last page.
Jamie (131 KP) rated The Bazaar of Bad Dreams in Books
Aug 15, 2017
Author commentary (2 more)
Plenty of dark humor
The handful of good stories were really great
Much of the collection simply fell flat (1 more)
Mix of genres was sometimes disjointing
An underwhelming collection from the King
The Bazaar of Bad Dreams is a large collection of novellas and short stories that include a wide variety of genres. Each time I turned the page to the next story it would be kind of a wild card and I never knew what to expect which was both good and bad. While it was nice that the variety keeps things fresh, it also made the collection feel disorganized. The stories in the anthology don’t fit any particular theme, instead they just seemed like odds and ends thrown into a master volume. This will probably not be a big deal to many, but for me it just broke the flow.
On a more positive note, one of my favorite aspects of King’s writing is the incredibly dark humor that is present in much of his work. I think the addition of comedy helps to break some of the tension from the otherwise horrific stories and I found myself chuckling several times while reading. The anecdotes before each story were fun to read and gave some interesting insight into King’s writing processes and the things that inspire him. These personal little notes were one of the major highlights of the collection since it serves as a way of connecting the reader to the writer. King to me just has a likable voice and I enjoy reading or listening to his talks.
My favorite story out of the entire collection was no contest, there was one story that stood out to me more than the others: Under the Weather. The short is just so well paced and filled me with so much dread from start to finish that I was in awe. It really showcased King’s mastery of the technical aspects of writing and how to build tension and suspense. Other notable stories were Mile 81, Batman and Robin Have an Altercation, The Dune, Under the Weather, The Little Green God of Agony, and Summer Thunder.
Despite all of my praise, it was difficult for me to decide how I wanted to rate this collection. The stories are decent, there are even a few really good ones in the collection, but overall it was nowhere near King’s best. When I closed the book I felt relieved to finally be done, which is not the best feeling to have after finishing a book. Many of the stories seemed to be either love or hate to me and so it was really a mixed bag. Even after I’d finish a story I enjoyed and put the book down for the night, I’d find that I had no motivation to pick the book back up again the next day. Because of this I ended up taking a full month to read this collection which is slower than my average. I had actually been thinking of rating this book lower but the strong final stories drove me to push my rating up a little higher.
On a more positive note, one of my favorite aspects of King’s writing is the incredibly dark humor that is present in much of his work. I think the addition of comedy helps to break some of the tension from the otherwise horrific stories and I found myself chuckling several times while reading. The anecdotes before each story were fun to read and gave some interesting insight into King’s writing processes and the things that inspire him. These personal little notes were one of the major highlights of the collection since it serves as a way of connecting the reader to the writer. King to me just has a likable voice and I enjoy reading or listening to his talks.
My favorite story out of the entire collection was no contest, there was one story that stood out to me more than the others: Under the Weather. The short is just so well paced and filled me with so much dread from start to finish that I was in awe. It really showcased King’s mastery of the technical aspects of writing and how to build tension and suspense. Other notable stories were Mile 81, Batman and Robin Have an Altercation, The Dune, Under the Weather, The Little Green God of Agony, and Summer Thunder.
Despite all of my praise, it was difficult for me to decide how I wanted to rate this collection. The stories are decent, there are even a few really good ones in the collection, but overall it was nowhere near King’s best. When I closed the book I felt relieved to finally be done, which is not the best feeling to have after finishing a book. Many of the stories seemed to be either love or hate to me and so it was really a mixed bag. Even after I’d finish a story I enjoyed and put the book down for the night, I’d find that I had no motivation to pick the book back up again the next day. Because of this I ended up taking a full month to read this collection which is slower than my average. I had actually been thinking of rating this book lower but the strong final stories drove me to push my rating up a little higher.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Hitchin' Post and the Tornado Twistin' 4th of July Celebration in Books
May 25, 2019 (Updated May 25, 2019)
I love children's books. I love reading them to my 4 year old son to help instill the love of reading I had as a child and still have now. When I heard about Hitchin' Post and the Tornado Twistin' 4th of July Celebration by Julie Barker, it was a book that I wanted to read with my son. We both ended up loving this book!
The plot is pretty straightforward although there are subplots like a bull destroying a fence and everyone coming together to fix the fence and Hitch's smaller brother trying to ride a bull for 8 seconds. The lessons are all the same and teach the lesson of coming together to solve a problem as well as no matter how big, small, or different you are, if you persevere, the end result will be worthwhile. Both are fantastic lessons for children and adults alike! Even though this book is part of a series, there are no cliffhangers, and it could be read as a standalone. There's also a happily ever after. My 4 year old was enthralled the entire time with this story and couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen next!
The dialogue and writing in Hitchin' Post and the Tornado Twistin' 4th of July Celebration is easy enough for children to understand for the most part. I love how each problem is solved and the next problem is presented, yet everything still flows smoothly. I did notice a couple of grammar mistakes, but they were only minor and easily overlooked. I wouldn't say they took away from the story though.
I thought the characters were lovable for children. For those that have never read a Hitchin' Post story, Hitch is a jackrabbit who talks and acts just like a human. He's very adorable and such a fun loving character! We get to meet all of Hitch's brothers in this book. Mitch was mine and my son's favorite character perhaps because he is the smallest.
My son and I loved the illustrations. They were beautifully drawn as well as being drawn in a fun way to hold a child's attention (which we all know is no easy feat). The illustrations are so lively and very colorful. I loved all the country and western pictures especially. My favorite being the barn after it's patched up. My son loved the jackrabbits and the 4-wheeler the best.
Overall, Hitchin' Post and the Tornado Twistin' 4th of July Celebration is such an adorable book that's sure to bring a smile to anyone, young or old alike! With fantastic illustrations and an unforgettable main character, children will be begging their parents to buy them the rest of the books in the series. (I already know what my son will be getting for his birthday - more Hitchin' Post books!) I would definitely recommend Hitchin' Post and the Tornado Twistin' 4th of July Celebration by Julie Barker to everyone aged 3+.
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(A special thank you to Julie Barker for providing me with a paperback copy of Hitchin' Post and the Tornado Twistin' 4th of July Celebration in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
The plot is pretty straightforward although there are subplots like a bull destroying a fence and everyone coming together to fix the fence and Hitch's smaller brother trying to ride a bull for 8 seconds. The lessons are all the same and teach the lesson of coming together to solve a problem as well as no matter how big, small, or different you are, if you persevere, the end result will be worthwhile. Both are fantastic lessons for children and adults alike! Even though this book is part of a series, there are no cliffhangers, and it could be read as a standalone. There's also a happily ever after. My 4 year old was enthralled the entire time with this story and couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen next!
The dialogue and writing in Hitchin' Post and the Tornado Twistin' 4th of July Celebration is easy enough for children to understand for the most part. I love how each problem is solved and the next problem is presented, yet everything still flows smoothly. I did notice a couple of grammar mistakes, but they were only minor and easily overlooked. I wouldn't say they took away from the story though.
I thought the characters were lovable for children. For those that have never read a Hitchin' Post story, Hitch is a jackrabbit who talks and acts just like a human. He's very adorable and such a fun loving character! We get to meet all of Hitch's brothers in this book. Mitch was mine and my son's favorite character perhaps because he is the smallest.
My son and I loved the illustrations. They were beautifully drawn as well as being drawn in a fun way to hold a child's attention (which we all know is no easy feat). The illustrations are so lively and very colorful. I loved all the country and western pictures especially. My favorite being the barn after it's patched up. My son loved the jackrabbits and the 4-wheeler the best.
Overall, Hitchin' Post and the Tornado Twistin' 4th of July Celebration is such an adorable book that's sure to bring a smile to anyone, young or old alike! With fantastic illustrations and an unforgettable main character, children will be begging their parents to buy them the rest of the books in the series. (I already know what my son will be getting for his birthday - more Hitchin' Post books!) I would definitely recommend Hitchin' Post and the Tornado Twistin' 4th of July Celebration by Julie Barker to everyone aged 3+.
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(A special thank you to Julie Barker for providing me with a paperback copy of Hitchin' Post and the Tornado Twistin' 4th of July Celebration in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated The Wolf Next Door (Westfield Wolves, #3) in Books
Apr 27, 2018
The Wolf Next Door by Lydia Dare
Genre: Paranormal werewolf romance, historical fiction
ISBN:9781402236969
Published: June 1st 2010 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
Rating:
Years ago, William Westfield and Pricia Hawthorne were in love—but Pricia's heart was broken and she refuses to let the scoundrel forget it. She knows now that he never committed the accused crime… but she can't bare to give her heart to him again. Even though she wants to.
Will has established his reputation as the best lover in six centuries. And he knows he did it to get Pricia out of his head. He still loves and adores her, snotty remarks and spirited personality and rule-breaking attitude and all. But when he is forced to visit the Hawthorne house to escort his sisters-in-law, he discovers that another man—another Lycan man—is pursuing her hand in marriage. Will doesn't think: The games are over. He decides that he will do anything and everything to keep the other werewolf away, and claim her forever.
This was, out of the three Westfield stories, my favorite. From the time I started reading, I couldn't put it down. It was fast-paced, exciting, and romantic. Although can I say that the covers—for this one and the others—could have been better? Still, I loved the story.
Will has always been my favorite Westfield, because of his happy, funny, warm, laid-back personality… and I loved seeing him desperately in love, trying his hardest to charm Pricia's socks off. Pricia is my favorite kind of heroine: the kind that can hold her own, especially with five brothers. Put Will and Pricia together, and you have an epic couple: They love each other, they hate each other. But they only hate each other because they love each other… a never-ending circle, a never-ending conversation, and a never-ending story… but a very satisfying ending to the book.
The plot was a lot more exciting than Dare's other werewolf stories—not to say the others aren't exciting. But this one surpassed the others. The other Lycan threatening Will's happiness added a good conflict to the story. Pricia's execution of torture on poor Will was both pitiful and hilarious. There was a war going on between the two wolves, and a war going on between the lovers, and it made for a stay-up-until-3-AM kind of book.
One of the reasons this one was probably my favorite, was because it wasn't sappy. I'm not saying the others are: but there was this running theme of the woman telling the man she was in love with him, and the man not admitting it until way too late, and causing problems because of it. There was none of that in The Wolf Next Door. Will straight up told Pricia that he loved her. He told her father he loved her. He told his brothers, and her brothers, that he loved her. And it made their romance much better and much more believable.
Magic, romance, heart-break, rivals, witches, and true love…all tied together with a sweet, naive, innocent little devil, and a very handsome werewolf. This one is begging to be re-read.
Content/recommendation: Little language, some sex. Ages 18+
Genre: Paranormal werewolf romance, historical fiction
ISBN:9781402236969
Published: June 1st 2010 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
Rating:
Years ago, William Westfield and Pricia Hawthorne were in love—but Pricia's heart was broken and she refuses to let the scoundrel forget it. She knows now that he never committed the accused crime… but she can't bare to give her heart to him again. Even though she wants to.
Will has established his reputation as the best lover in six centuries. And he knows he did it to get Pricia out of his head. He still loves and adores her, snotty remarks and spirited personality and rule-breaking attitude and all. But when he is forced to visit the Hawthorne house to escort his sisters-in-law, he discovers that another man—another Lycan man—is pursuing her hand in marriage. Will doesn't think: The games are over. He decides that he will do anything and everything to keep the other werewolf away, and claim her forever.
This was, out of the three Westfield stories, my favorite. From the time I started reading, I couldn't put it down. It was fast-paced, exciting, and romantic. Although can I say that the covers—for this one and the others—could have been better? Still, I loved the story.
Will has always been my favorite Westfield, because of his happy, funny, warm, laid-back personality… and I loved seeing him desperately in love, trying his hardest to charm Pricia's socks off. Pricia is my favorite kind of heroine: the kind that can hold her own, especially with five brothers. Put Will and Pricia together, and you have an epic couple: They love each other, they hate each other. But they only hate each other because they love each other… a never-ending circle, a never-ending conversation, and a never-ending story… but a very satisfying ending to the book.
The plot was a lot more exciting than Dare's other werewolf stories—not to say the others aren't exciting. But this one surpassed the others. The other Lycan threatening Will's happiness added a good conflict to the story. Pricia's execution of torture on poor Will was both pitiful and hilarious. There was a war going on between the two wolves, and a war going on between the lovers, and it made for a stay-up-until-3-AM kind of book.
One of the reasons this one was probably my favorite, was because it wasn't sappy. I'm not saying the others are: but there was this running theme of the woman telling the man she was in love with him, and the man not admitting it until way too late, and causing problems because of it. There was none of that in The Wolf Next Door. Will straight up told Pricia that he loved her. He told her father he loved her. He told his brothers, and her brothers, that he loved her. And it made their romance much better and much more believable.
Magic, romance, heart-break, rivals, witches, and true love…all tied together with a sweet, naive, innocent little devil, and a very handsome werewolf. This one is begging to be re-read.
Content/recommendation: Little language, some sex. Ages 18+
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Marionette (Dark Carousel #3) in Books
Nov 15, 2020
I have definitely taken a shine to the Dark Carousel series by Anya Allyn. There's something about it that has definitely reeled me in. As soon as I finished reading Paper Dolls, I dove right into reading Marionette, the third book in the Dark Carousel series. This one definitely had a lot of action going on!
Cassie and Molly are prisoners in Balthazar's castle as its inhabitants try to find the second book of The Mirrored Tree. Cassie and Molly desperately search for a way to leave the castle so she can be reunited with her family and with Ethan. However, things take a turn for the worst when Cassie learns her fate of which she can not escape if she wants to save her world and all of its occupants.
I find that the plot of each book in the Dark Carousel series gets weirder and weirder. The plot in Marionette so much different to the one that first started it all in Dollhouse. However, Marionette was a fast paced read, in fact, in some parts, it was a little too fast paced. There were times I was left feeling confused about what was going on. Luckily, that only happened a few times, and the rest of the plot felt solid. Marionette was quite a page turner, and I kept wanting to know what would happen next. Marionette definitely has more action in it than Paper Dolls did. It seemed like there was always something happening in Marionette. This book focused more on Cassie and somewhat on Ethan. We learn more about the different worlds (which has me confused) and more about the ice world which Cassie is from. We also learn more about Zack, Viola, Emerson, and Parker as well as the castle itself. I do wish the worlds weren't as confusing. It's hard to keep up with all the different worlds and what happens when you see your copy on that world. I wish it was better explained or that there was some kind of appendix or something in the book to help explain it. I also don't understand why the bad people need Molly. I sort of understand why they want Cassie, but I don't see what use Molly is to them as she has no powers or anything of the sort. There were a few plot twists that I didn't see coming. This book didn't really end in a cliffhanger, but I will still read the last book in the series to complete the story.
As always, Anya Allyn did a fantastic job with her characters. Cassie puts up a good fight and tries to protect everyone. I was really routing for her throughout Marionette. Molly is written well, but I feel like she's sort of a useless character. I wish I knew more about why Aisha decided to just give in to the Batistes, so more backstory there would have been nice. I am hoping there will be more backstory on Lacey as well so I can know why she sometimes speaks in third person. I know it was sort of explained that she went crazy after everything went down at the end of Dollhouse, but I'd like to know a bit more. Perhaps all of these things will be explained in the last book of the series. One character I felt bad for was Zack. I felt like he was sort of a prisoner in all of this too, yet he's very protective and sweet towards Cassie. I get why Cassie was angry at him, but he had no choice. I really wished Cassie was a bit nicer towards him in the book. I was saddened that there was hardly any Jessamine in Marionette. Jessamine is my favorite character, yet she's only in the book for the beginning for a little bit. I'm hoping she'll be featured more in the next book.
Trigger warnings for Marionette include death, murder, rape and attempted rape of a minor (not graphic), mentions of sex (not graphic), the occult, violence, alcohol, and imprisonment.
Despite the fast pacing in places, Marionette is still a great read. With great characters and lots of action, this book definitely holds one's attention throughout. I would definitely recommend Marionette by Anya Allyn to those aged 16+ who like a bit of science fiction with their supernatural horror. Now on to the next and final book in the Dark Carousel series entitled Music Box.
Cassie and Molly are prisoners in Balthazar's castle as its inhabitants try to find the second book of The Mirrored Tree. Cassie and Molly desperately search for a way to leave the castle so she can be reunited with her family and with Ethan. However, things take a turn for the worst when Cassie learns her fate of which she can not escape if she wants to save her world and all of its occupants.
I find that the plot of each book in the Dark Carousel series gets weirder and weirder. The plot in Marionette so much different to the one that first started it all in Dollhouse. However, Marionette was a fast paced read, in fact, in some parts, it was a little too fast paced. There were times I was left feeling confused about what was going on. Luckily, that only happened a few times, and the rest of the plot felt solid. Marionette was quite a page turner, and I kept wanting to know what would happen next. Marionette definitely has more action in it than Paper Dolls did. It seemed like there was always something happening in Marionette. This book focused more on Cassie and somewhat on Ethan. We learn more about the different worlds (which has me confused) and more about the ice world which Cassie is from. We also learn more about Zack, Viola, Emerson, and Parker as well as the castle itself. I do wish the worlds weren't as confusing. It's hard to keep up with all the different worlds and what happens when you see your copy on that world. I wish it was better explained or that there was some kind of appendix or something in the book to help explain it. I also don't understand why the bad people need Molly. I sort of understand why they want Cassie, but I don't see what use Molly is to them as she has no powers or anything of the sort. There were a few plot twists that I didn't see coming. This book didn't really end in a cliffhanger, but I will still read the last book in the series to complete the story.
As always, Anya Allyn did a fantastic job with her characters. Cassie puts up a good fight and tries to protect everyone. I was really routing for her throughout Marionette. Molly is written well, but I feel like she's sort of a useless character. I wish I knew more about why Aisha decided to just give in to the Batistes, so more backstory there would have been nice. I am hoping there will be more backstory on Lacey as well so I can know why she sometimes speaks in third person. I know it was sort of explained that she went crazy after everything went down at the end of Dollhouse, but I'd like to know a bit more. Perhaps all of these things will be explained in the last book of the series. One character I felt bad for was Zack. I felt like he was sort of a prisoner in all of this too, yet he's very protective and sweet towards Cassie. I get why Cassie was angry at him, but he had no choice. I really wished Cassie was a bit nicer towards him in the book. I was saddened that there was hardly any Jessamine in Marionette. Jessamine is my favorite character, yet she's only in the book for the beginning for a little bit. I'm hoping she'll be featured more in the next book.
Trigger warnings for Marionette include death, murder, rape and attempted rape of a minor (not graphic), mentions of sex (not graphic), the occult, violence, alcohol, and imprisonment.
Despite the fast pacing in places, Marionette is still a great read. With great characters and lots of action, this book definitely holds one's attention throughout. I would definitely recommend Marionette by Anya Allyn to those aged 16+ who like a bit of science fiction with their supernatural horror. Now on to the next and final book in the Dark Carousel series entitled Music Box.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Gingerbread House in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review can also be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
I didn't know what to expect with The Gingerbread House by Nell Carson. I'm not really a big romance reader because I'm not really one for all that mushy stuff. In fact, I try to stay away from strictly romance books (unless they are YA). However, after reading this book, I've been swayed. I loved this book, and I think it may be my favorite adult romance that I've read. Okay, I haven't read many, but this one is definitely one of the best I've read.
Greta runs a bridal shop out of her historic home. It's just not the history that Greta loves about it, but it's also her mother's home since her childhood and the source of many great memories. So when Stephanie Harwood of Harwood Development wants to tear it down to make way for a mall, Greta is devastated. Enter Gray Daniels. Greta finds him extremely attractive. Too bad he's engaged to Stephanie. Will Greta be able to save her workplace and her mother's home? What will happen with Gray?
I think the title of this book is incredibly cute (just like the story)! I love the uniqueness of the title, yet it describes a major plot point in the story. I'm super thrilled the author decided to call her book The Gingerbread House. I must admit that the title is what definitely caught my attention.
I'm not really a fan of the cover. For me, it's just too plain. I felt like the cover is very underwhelming which is a shame because the story is so good. When I first saw the cover, I was a little put off thinking it'd be a really boring story. How wrong was I!?! I felt that maybe an actual photo/picture of the house itself on the cover would've caught my eye. All I can say is please don't judge this book by its cover. Otherwise, you'll be missing out on a little gem of a book.
The world building was fantastic as was the setting. This story is set in a small town just outside of Aspen, Colorado. Being from a small town, I tend to be critical when authors use small towns as their setting. However, Carson definitely hit the nail on the head with her descriptions of life in a small town. I liked how there was no insta-love. The characters took their time falling in love with each other. In other words, the relationship between the main character and her love interest just felt natural instead of forced.
The pacing was brilliant in this book! In fact, I breezed through this in less than 3 hours. (It would've been less than that, but I had a few things to do in the mean time). Yes, it is a short read, but it's definitely a book that holds your attention right up until the very end. Not once did I become bored while reading The Gingerbread House.
I felt that the characters were very well written to the point that they could actually be someone you know. I was feeling what Greta was feeling all throughout the book. I loved how determined she was when it came to saving her home. I loved how she seemed very real and how her emotions related well to what was going on. Gray was definitely an interesting character. I loved the moral battle he was fighting. I could actually feel how torn up inside he was about what was going on. I thought the author did an excellent job portraying Stephanie. We want to hate Stephanie, and there were times I did, but the author reminds us that Stephanie is fighting her own battle as well and has her reasons for being the way she is. I just wish we would've heard a bit more about Stephanie. I'd go into more detail, but I don't want to spoil anything. I absolutely adored Adele. I loved this sweet woman and just wanted to hug her every time she was mentioned in the book.
The dialogue was perfect and fit each scene perfect. The dialogue between the characters was interesting to read and never felt forced or dull. Even though this is an adult book, there are no swear words and no sexual situations which I was extremely happy about, so if you're after a clean romance adult book, this is perfect.
Overall, I definitely enjoyed reading The Gingerbread House by Nell Carson. I would've liked to hear more about Stephanie and the mall (again, not going into detail as not to ruin anything), but those are just little minor annoyances. I enjoyed what a sweet, fun and cute read this was. Almost everything about this book was written perfectly. One thing I also loved a lot was how tastefully this book was written.
I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 18+ (or any age really as it's a really clean read) who is after a light and sweet romantic read.
The Gingerbread House by Nell Carson gets a 4.75 out of 5 from me.
~~~
I'd like to thank the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I didn't know what to expect with The Gingerbread House by Nell Carson. I'm not really a big romance reader because I'm not really one for all that mushy stuff. In fact, I try to stay away from strictly romance books (unless they are YA). However, after reading this book, I've been swayed. I loved this book, and I think it may be my favorite adult romance that I've read. Okay, I haven't read many, but this one is definitely one of the best I've read.
Greta runs a bridal shop out of her historic home. It's just not the history that Greta loves about it, but it's also her mother's home since her childhood and the source of many great memories. So when Stephanie Harwood of Harwood Development wants to tear it down to make way for a mall, Greta is devastated. Enter Gray Daniels. Greta finds him extremely attractive. Too bad he's engaged to Stephanie. Will Greta be able to save her workplace and her mother's home? What will happen with Gray?
I think the title of this book is incredibly cute (just like the story)! I love the uniqueness of the title, yet it describes a major plot point in the story. I'm super thrilled the author decided to call her book The Gingerbread House. I must admit that the title is what definitely caught my attention.
I'm not really a fan of the cover. For me, it's just too plain. I felt like the cover is very underwhelming which is a shame because the story is so good. When I first saw the cover, I was a little put off thinking it'd be a really boring story. How wrong was I!?! I felt that maybe an actual photo/picture of the house itself on the cover would've caught my eye. All I can say is please don't judge this book by its cover. Otherwise, you'll be missing out on a little gem of a book.
The world building was fantastic as was the setting. This story is set in a small town just outside of Aspen, Colorado. Being from a small town, I tend to be critical when authors use small towns as their setting. However, Carson definitely hit the nail on the head with her descriptions of life in a small town. I liked how there was no insta-love. The characters took their time falling in love with each other. In other words, the relationship between the main character and her love interest just felt natural instead of forced.
The pacing was brilliant in this book! In fact, I breezed through this in less than 3 hours. (It would've been less than that, but I had a few things to do in the mean time). Yes, it is a short read, but it's definitely a book that holds your attention right up until the very end. Not once did I become bored while reading The Gingerbread House.
I felt that the characters were very well written to the point that they could actually be someone you know. I was feeling what Greta was feeling all throughout the book. I loved how determined she was when it came to saving her home. I loved how she seemed very real and how her emotions related well to what was going on. Gray was definitely an interesting character. I loved the moral battle he was fighting. I could actually feel how torn up inside he was about what was going on. I thought the author did an excellent job portraying Stephanie. We want to hate Stephanie, and there were times I did, but the author reminds us that Stephanie is fighting her own battle as well and has her reasons for being the way she is. I just wish we would've heard a bit more about Stephanie. I'd go into more detail, but I don't want to spoil anything. I absolutely adored Adele. I loved this sweet woman and just wanted to hug her every time she was mentioned in the book.
The dialogue was perfect and fit each scene perfect. The dialogue between the characters was interesting to read and never felt forced or dull. Even though this is an adult book, there are no swear words and no sexual situations which I was extremely happy about, so if you're after a clean romance adult book, this is perfect.
Overall, I definitely enjoyed reading The Gingerbread House by Nell Carson. I would've liked to hear more about Stephanie and the mall (again, not going into detail as not to ruin anything), but those are just little minor annoyances. I enjoyed what a sweet, fun and cute read this was. Almost everything about this book was written perfectly. One thing I also loved a lot was how tastefully this book was written.
I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 18+ (or any age really as it's a really clean read) who is after a light and sweet romantic read.
The Gingerbread House by Nell Carson gets a 4.75 out of 5 from me.
~~~
I'd like to thank the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.