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2017 Summoners War World Arena Championship! Who will be the strongest Summoner of all? Sep. 16th...
Nadya R (9 KP) rated The Handmaid's Tale in Books
Jul 2, 2018
"Nolite te bastardes carborundorum"
Strange book.
I really wanted to like it and I kinda do.
Its way too biblical for me. With all these references to different Books connected with the Bible - the Bible stories are not really my thing. Yeah, I know that this is the point - the Religious takes over the world. But the author brings it too far than needed.
The story doesn’t have any logical order. It sounds like a diary of somebody who lost their common sense. All this illogical sentences. Like a flashes of memory in between the current situation. Lack of direct speech - there is no distinction between the narrator and the different characters. It’s so senseless in some points that I have to go back and to read the past couple of pages all over again so I can get the line out.
It's is situated in not-so-far future and it’s told by a woman with no name. All women are named after the family who owns them. In this case our narrator is OfFred - owned by a commander Fred’s family. The new government, that had risen, is proclaiming no rights for the women. Their only purpose is to give birth to a healthy babies. They don’t need money, jobs, books, pens or other things that we are taking for granted in our lives. They don’t need them to deliver babies, so they don’t need them at all.
"Tell, rather than write, because I have nothing to write with and writing is in any case forbidden.
But if it's a story, even in my head.
I must be telling it to someone. You don't tell a story only to yourself. There's always someone else.
Even when there is no one."
The Republic of Gilead, as I said, uses religion to control their lives. Every atrocity they do is justified by the Bible. The Bible has all the answers.
The story line is going around OfFred’s inner fights, her struggle to make the right choices, her dreams to be free again and to be with her child and her husband again. Along with her thoughts she shows us what is like to be a Handmaid. Her daily routine, the Rituals and all these small things that distract her from the reality.
"You can only be jealous of someone who has something you think you ought to have yourself"
Personaly, I don’t like the book that much. It’s senseless and not that easy to read. Not because of the topic, but the way it’s written. The shortage of direct speech took away the movement of the book. I know it should look like a diary, but even in the diaries, the difference between the narrator and others is shown in proper way. Probably I will need a second read to fully understand it. But for now the book left a big mess in my head.
"A man is just a woman's strategy for making other women."
Strange book.
I really wanted to like it and I kinda do.
Its way too biblical for me. With all these references to different Books connected with the Bible - the Bible stories are not really my thing. Yeah, I know that this is the point - the Religious takes over the world. But the author brings it too far than needed.
The story doesn’t have any logical order. It sounds like a diary of somebody who lost their common sense. All this illogical sentences. Like a flashes of memory in between the current situation. Lack of direct speech - there is no distinction between the narrator and the different characters. It’s so senseless in some points that I have to go back and to read the past couple of pages all over again so I can get the line out.
It's is situated in not-so-far future and it’s told by a woman with no name. All women are named after the family who owns them. In this case our narrator is OfFred - owned by a commander Fred’s family. The new government, that had risen, is proclaiming no rights for the women. Their only purpose is to give birth to a healthy babies. They don’t need money, jobs, books, pens or other things that we are taking for granted in our lives. They don’t need them to deliver babies, so they don’t need them at all.
"Tell, rather than write, because I have nothing to write with and writing is in any case forbidden.
But if it's a story, even in my head.
I must be telling it to someone. You don't tell a story only to yourself. There's always someone else.
Even when there is no one."
The Republic of Gilead, as I said, uses religion to control their lives. Every atrocity they do is justified by the Bible. The Bible has all the answers.
The story line is going around OfFred’s inner fights, her struggle to make the right choices, her dreams to be free again and to be with her child and her husband again. Along with her thoughts she shows us what is like to be a Handmaid. Her daily routine, the Rituals and all these small things that distract her from the reality.
"You can only be jealous of someone who has something you think you ought to have yourself"
Personaly, I don’t like the book that much. It’s senseless and not that easy to read. Not because of the topic, but the way it’s written. The shortage of direct speech took away the movement of the book. I know it should look like a diary, but even in the diaries, the difference between the narrator and others is shown in proper way. Probably I will need a second read to fully understand it. But for now the book left a big mess in my head.
"A man is just a woman's strategy for making other women."
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Queen of Air and Darkness: The Dark Artifices in Books
Feb 3, 2020
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<img src="https://i0.wp.com/diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Lady-Midnight.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1"/>;
I was lucky enough to be approached by LoveReading to review and join the blog tour for The Dark Artifices series by Cassandra Clare. Starting today, and posting every Wednesday, you will get to see what I thought about this series.
<b><i>Series: The Dark Artifices</i></b>
#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2843390110">Lady Midnight</a> - ★★★★
#2 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2865130437">Lord of Shadows</a> - ★★★★★
#3 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2865131320">Queen of Air and Darkness</a> - ★★★★★
<img src="https://i2.wp.com/diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Book-Review-Banner-6.png?ssl=1&w=510"/>;
We made it to the finish line. After three weeks of me into the shadowhunter world, I am now back in reality, wishing I could never leave from that amazing world. Queen of Air and Darkness was the lovely desert after such a tasty appetiser and main course. A perfect way to leave a restaurant.
The finale of The Dark Artifices was everything I was hoping for. Full of adventure, emotions and wisdom from a lot of characters. Development like I have never seen before... I found myself attached to so many characters, genuinely feeling for them and being with them in all their adventures.
Don't get me wrong, I do get attached to characters quite easily, but it's usually two at best in one book. This book had me loving so many characters in different ways, with different strengths and such strong emotion.
Queen of Air and Darkness finishes off where it starts, and without spoilers it's quite hard to say what goes on in this book. A forbidden love, unexplainable sadness and the best romance I have read in quite some time. Danger and faerie battles all over again. Love and betrayal, love and loyalty...
During the first couple pages, I was a complete wreck. I cried so hard and felt so sad. And after that, I had my favourites in this book and they didn't disappoint. I loved every moment of this book and I can't recommend this series enough.
Read this series, get into the world of power, magic, angels, beauty and danger. Get into a world of adventure, love, betrayal and excellent character development. The series was so satisfying, even though the ending didn't seem like a proper ending and I am sure there are many new books coming.
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<img src="https://i0.wp.com/diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Lady-Midnight.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1"/>;
I was lucky enough to be approached by LoveReading to review and join the blog tour for The Dark Artifices series by Cassandra Clare. Starting today, and posting every Wednesday, you will get to see what I thought about this series.
<b><i>Series: The Dark Artifices</i></b>
#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2843390110">Lady Midnight</a> - ★★★★
#2 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2865130437">Lord of Shadows</a> - ★★★★★
#3 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2865131320">Queen of Air and Darkness</a> - ★★★★★
<img src="https://i2.wp.com/diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Book-Review-Banner-6.png?ssl=1&w=510"/>;
We made it to the finish line. After three weeks of me into the shadowhunter world, I am now back in reality, wishing I could never leave from that amazing world. Queen of Air and Darkness was the lovely desert after such a tasty appetiser and main course. A perfect way to leave a restaurant.
The finale of The Dark Artifices was everything I was hoping for. Full of adventure, emotions and wisdom from a lot of characters. Development like I have never seen before... I found myself attached to so many characters, genuinely feeling for them and being with them in all their adventures.
Don't get me wrong, I do get attached to characters quite easily, but it's usually two at best in one book. This book had me loving so many characters in different ways, with different strengths and such strong emotion.
Queen of Air and Darkness finishes off where it starts, and without spoilers it's quite hard to say what goes on in this book. A forbidden love, unexplainable sadness and the best romance I have read in quite some time. Danger and faerie battles all over again. Love and betrayal, love and loyalty...
During the first couple pages, I was a complete wreck. I cried so hard and felt so sad. And after that, I had my favourites in this book and they didn't disappoint. I loved every moment of this book and I can't recommend this series enough.
Read this series, get into the world of power, magic, angels, beauty and danger. Get into a world of adventure, love, betrayal and excellent character development. The series was so satisfying, even though the ending didn't seem like a proper ending and I am sure there are many new books coming.
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50 Museums to Blow Your Mind
Lonely Planet and Ben Handicott
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Thank the stars for the world's eccentric collectors; hoarders of objects beautiful, strange or...
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Grace Year in Books
Sep 26, 2019
For Tierney and the other girls in Garner County, their sixteenth year is when they are banished from the county. Their grace year. In the county, women have magic, and the girls are sent away to rid themselves of it. While away, they could supposedly be nabbed by poachers any chance they get, who sell their parts on the black market. Many don't return home, or if they do, they are missing body parts (ugh, I know). Tierney has always wanted a different life. Not an arranged marriage, nor a world where women are inferior to men. But she realizes as the grace year nears, her fellow girls may pose the greatest threat of all.
"No one speaks of the grace year. It's forbidden."
I really liked the premise of this book. I'm sure you've heard all the comparisons by now. This is "The Handmaid's Tale" plus "Lord of the Flies." Throw a little "Hunger Games" in. Sold, right? The idea that society sends girls away at sixteen to rid themselves of their "magic"--it sounds really cool. A society that fears women and takes away their status, yet relies on their parts (literally) as medicine. Yes. So much of this book is really amazing. I highlighted so many powerful lines.
But, I don't know, guys... I am still wrapping my brain around this one. I just couldn't get into it. I never wanted to pick it up--I should have cared deeply for Trinity, and I did. Sometimes. Part of the reason I had problems going back to the book was because it stressed me out. These girls were mean. Sometimes I was confused. We were thrown into the story without any backstory--what time period, why they think women have magic, why medicine consists of body parts, who are the poachers, what are the outskirts, why is the original language flowers, etc. I guess that adds to the mystique, but I don't like reading when I can't figure anything out.
"But not all of us will make it home... not in one piece."
It seemed like this was going to be a power anthem. The girls rise against society. Or maybe just Trinity escapes and the outskirts rise against society. Someone should be revolting, right? And yes, Trinity definitely had her awesome moments. But it also seemed like there were lots of moments that involved rescue--by men. There's also a really convenient insta-romance in here. Everything just seemed a little jumbled and crazy for my taste. There's some amazing, underlining worthy lines and then some that just make you cringe a bit.
So, overall, I'm not totally sold, though there's potential here. I rate based on my enjoyment, so this is a 3-star read for me. But it's getting lots of rave reviews from others, so don't let my review necessarily hold you back.
"No one speaks of the grace year. It's forbidden."
I really liked the premise of this book. I'm sure you've heard all the comparisons by now. This is "The Handmaid's Tale" plus "Lord of the Flies." Throw a little "Hunger Games" in. Sold, right? The idea that society sends girls away at sixteen to rid themselves of their "magic"--it sounds really cool. A society that fears women and takes away their status, yet relies on their parts (literally) as medicine. Yes. So much of this book is really amazing. I highlighted so many powerful lines.
But, I don't know, guys... I am still wrapping my brain around this one. I just couldn't get into it. I never wanted to pick it up--I should have cared deeply for Trinity, and I did. Sometimes. Part of the reason I had problems going back to the book was because it stressed me out. These girls were mean. Sometimes I was confused. We were thrown into the story without any backstory--what time period, why they think women have magic, why medicine consists of body parts, who are the poachers, what are the outskirts, why is the original language flowers, etc. I guess that adds to the mystique, but I don't like reading when I can't figure anything out.
"But not all of us will make it home... not in one piece."
It seemed like this was going to be a power anthem. The girls rise against society. Or maybe just Trinity escapes and the outskirts rise against society. Someone should be revolting, right? And yes, Trinity definitely had her awesome moments. But it also seemed like there were lots of moments that involved rescue--by men. There's also a really convenient insta-romance in here. Everything just seemed a little jumbled and crazy for my taste. There's some amazing, underlining worthy lines and then some that just make you cringe a bit.
So, overall, I'm not totally sold, though there's potential here. I rate based on my enjoyment, so this is a 3-star read for me. But it's getting lots of rave reviews from others, so don't let my review necessarily hold you back.
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Ignite (Midnight Fire, #1) in Books
Oct 2, 2020
Kira Dawson has the power to burn vampires to a crisp. The problem is, she doesn't know it yet. The even bigger problem is, she's dating one.
When Kira Dawson moves to South Carolina, she meets Luke, a blond goofball who quickly becomes her best friend, and Tristan, a mysterious bad boy who sends shivers down her spine. Kira knows they're keeping secrets, but when she discovers Tristan's lust for blood and her own dormant mystical powers, Kira is forced to fight for her life and make the heart-breaking decision between the familiar comfort of friendship and the fiery passion of love.
Ignite was another book from Tea's Wishlist challenge. I did enjoy this book, even though I found it slow at first. We have a familiar setting of a girl that moves to a new place, makes friends and enemies right away, and discovers secrets. And, it turns out the boy she loves is a vampire.
The first though I have in the first chapters, and I believe you did too, was - Twilight much? But, no. Once you get to read further into the book, you realise that Kira is nothing like Bella. And Tristan is nothing like Edward either...
This book is so different, and somewhat refreshing from all vampire books I have read so far. It isn't even a book about vampires. It's a book about this girl that can mirror the sun's light and heat from her hands, and is able to hurt only vampires. With her friend, Luke, Kira will discover that she has this ability, and so much more, she will discover secrets about her past that will change her life forever, and she will have to choose between her best friend or the love of her life.
I thought that this book might have used more action, as I felt a bit bored, especially at the beginning, and sometimes during some parts of the book.
I loved Kira's character - she is the typical girl that moves and tries her best to fit in.
I loved Tristan - he proves that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, and sometimes people aren't what everyone thinks they are, and your environment doesn't define you as a person.
I didn't like Luke - I know he was there with a mission to tell Kira her secrets and protect her - but what friend would make you feel guilty about every single choice you have to make in your life. He is like, the very attached and overprotective boyfriend, that isn't her boyfriend.
Overall, it was a great refreshing read, and I look forward to reading the rest of the series. If you love vampire high-school stories, women that discover they have powers, a lot of forbidden love and paranormal fantasy - you will really enjoy this book. Solid 4 stars from me!
When Kira Dawson moves to South Carolina, she meets Luke, a blond goofball who quickly becomes her best friend, and Tristan, a mysterious bad boy who sends shivers down her spine. Kira knows they're keeping secrets, but when she discovers Tristan's lust for blood and her own dormant mystical powers, Kira is forced to fight for her life and make the heart-breaking decision between the familiar comfort of friendship and the fiery passion of love.
Ignite was another book from Tea's Wishlist challenge. I did enjoy this book, even though I found it slow at first. We have a familiar setting of a girl that moves to a new place, makes friends and enemies right away, and discovers secrets. And, it turns out the boy she loves is a vampire.
The first though I have in the first chapters, and I believe you did too, was - Twilight much? But, no. Once you get to read further into the book, you realise that Kira is nothing like Bella. And Tristan is nothing like Edward either...
This book is so different, and somewhat refreshing from all vampire books I have read so far. It isn't even a book about vampires. It's a book about this girl that can mirror the sun's light and heat from her hands, and is able to hurt only vampires. With her friend, Luke, Kira will discover that she has this ability, and so much more, she will discover secrets about her past that will change her life forever, and she will have to choose between her best friend or the love of her life.
I thought that this book might have used more action, as I felt a bit bored, especially at the beginning, and sometimes during some parts of the book.
I loved Kira's character - she is the typical girl that moves and tries her best to fit in.
I loved Tristan - he proves that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, and sometimes people aren't what everyone thinks they are, and your environment doesn't define you as a person.
I didn't like Luke - I know he was there with a mission to tell Kira her secrets and protect her - but what friend would make you feel guilty about every single choice you have to make in your life. He is like, the very attached and overprotective boyfriend, that isn't her boyfriend.
Overall, it was a great refreshing read, and I look forward to reading the rest of the series. If you love vampire high-school stories, women that discover they have powers, a lot of forbidden love and paranormal fantasy - you will really enjoy this book. Solid 4 stars from me!
Ski Safari: Adventure Time
Games and Entertainment
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Adventure Time meets Ski Safari! Shred the slopes of Ooo with Finn or BMO in this endlessly fun...
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Children of Blood and Bone: Book 1 in Books
Feb 18, 2018
Fantastic debut novel
Have you ever reached the end of a book and yelled "NOOOOO!!!"? Because I just did. Children of Blood and Bone ends on a HUGE cliffhanger, and I'm even more upset about that than I would be normally - I got this book as an advanced reader's copy through Goodreads. So not only do I have to wait for the sequel to come out, THIS BOOK ISN'T EVEN OUT YET. *screams internally*
That massive frustration aside, I LOVED THIS BOOK. African-inspired fantasy novels are starting to crop up, along with other non-European based fantasy, and I'm loving it. (You can find Russian inspired fantasy that I've read previously here and here, and Jewish/Arab fantasy here.) Adeyemi is a Nigerian-American author, and this is her debut novel. It definitely shows some hallmarks of a debut novel - the dialogue is a bit stilted in places, and it's a little bit formulaic - but the world building is excellent.
Children of Blood and Bone is a story of oppression, and the sparks of a rebellion. I assume the rest of the trilogy will deal with the actual rebellion, but given the cliffhanger it ends on, I'm not actually sure of that. When Zélie, the main character, was very young, magic failed, and the king, who was afraid of maji, took the opportunity to kill every maji in his kingdom before they could find a way to regain their powers. Since then, every person who could have become a maji as they grew (they're marked by their white hair) has been treated as a second-class citizen. They're forced into slums, used as slave labor, kicked around by nobility and guards, made to pay higher taxes, and forbidden to breed with the other classes. They don't have magic - and they have no way to get it - but they're treated as trash by the king that hates them, and accordingly by the rest of his subjects.
At the beginning of the book, a magical artifact resurfaces that restores magic to any diviner (potential maji) that touches it. This, of course, is not okay with the king, and most of the book is about the race to use the magical artifact while being chased by the king's son and his guards who are trying to destroy it. The conflicted prince has secrets of his own, though, and as the book weaves through jungles, mountains, and seas, he wavers in his mission.
It's always difficult to review books without giving too much away about the plot, so I won't say much more about the events. I really enjoyed that they rode giant cats - leopanaires. Zélie and her allies ride a lion leopanaire, which is apparently somewhat unusual. Most of the guards ride leopards or cheetahs, while the royal family rides snow leopanaires. The magic is unique, the gods and religion are beautifully fleshed out, and overall I just really loved this world, and I'm very sad it will be so long before I can dive back into it.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
That massive frustration aside, I LOVED THIS BOOK. African-inspired fantasy novels are starting to crop up, along with other non-European based fantasy, and I'm loving it. (You can find Russian inspired fantasy that I've read previously here and here, and Jewish/Arab fantasy here.) Adeyemi is a Nigerian-American author, and this is her debut novel. It definitely shows some hallmarks of a debut novel - the dialogue is a bit stilted in places, and it's a little bit formulaic - but the world building is excellent.
Children of Blood and Bone is a story of oppression, and the sparks of a rebellion. I assume the rest of the trilogy will deal with the actual rebellion, but given the cliffhanger it ends on, I'm not actually sure of that. When Zélie, the main character, was very young, magic failed, and the king, who was afraid of maji, took the opportunity to kill every maji in his kingdom before they could find a way to regain their powers. Since then, every person who could have become a maji as they grew (they're marked by their white hair) has been treated as a second-class citizen. They're forced into slums, used as slave labor, kicked around by nobility and guards, made to pay higher taxes, and forbidden to breed with the other classes. They don't have magic - and they have no way to get it - but they're treated as trash by the king that hates them, and accordingly by the rest of his subjects.
At the beginning of the book, a magical artifact resurfaces that restores magic to any diviner (potential maji) that touches it. This, of course, is not okay with the king, and most of the book is about the race to use the magical artifact while being chased by the king's son and his guards who are trying to destroy it. The conflicted prince has secrets of his own, though, and as the book weaves through jungles, mountains, and seas, he wavers in his mission.
It's always difficult to review books without giving too much away about the plot, so I won't say much more about the events. I really enjoyed that they rode giant cats - leopanaires. Zélie and her allies ride a lion leopanaire, which is apparently somewhat unusual. Most of the guards ride leopards or cheetahs, while the royal family rides snow leopanaires. The magic is unique, the gods and religion are beautifully fleshed out, and overall I just really loved this world, and I'm very sad it will be so long before I can dive back into it.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated My Name Is Anna in Books
Nov 9, 2018
Two women – desperate to unlock the truth.
How far will they go to lay the past to rest?
My name is Anna is one of those books that captures your attention from the moment you look at its cover. Then, it drags you into a story, makes you bite your nails throughout, lifts you up in the air with the amazing writing and than smashes you back into the ground with the incredible twist at the end. Exactly what you want and need from a thriller.
The story is being told by two girls:
Anna, a girl raised with a religious mother, where everything is forbidden and everything is a sin. And when on her 18th Birthday, Anna decides to disobey her mum and go to a theme park, she feels like she has been here before. And then random events lead to her realising that she was taken away when she was a little girl. And her real name is not Anna at all…
Rosie, a girl whose big sister has been missing for fifteen years. And when the media is ready to let the story go after the fifteen years anniversary, Rosie is determined to do whatever it takes to discover the truth of what actually happened on that day at the theme park.
The first thing I noticed in this book, that makes it different than all the stories about the kidnapping is – that the plot is being revealed in the first chapters. I was not expecting to immediately know that Anna and Rosie are sisters and Anna was kidnapped as a girl, but this was stated in the first chapters in the book. I personally thought that this would be the big twist, but the twist came to be so much better than that.
I loved how you could relate to both girls, for different reasons, and how even though they were sisters, how one little moment changed their lives completely. How Anna was raised with different beliefs than Rosie, and how they grew up to be so different, but the same…
This was a great story that give you thoughts about ‘’what could’ve been…’’ and it makes you wonder – if certain things didn’t happen, would our lives be the same?
The end for me, was particularly meaningful. The last moments, the realisation, the conclusion, the story that ended, or the one that never begun, all the things we could’ve been, but are not, and all the things that we wish we could have changed, but we can’t.
If you, like me, are into kidnapping stories, amazing twists and thriller stories that take your breath away, this will definitely be the perfect book for you. This will be a hit at the beginning of 2019, and it will hit the top shelves. I know it hits my favourite shelf – for sure!
A huge thanks to Penguin Random House UK, for providing me with a hardback copy, in exchange for an honest review of this book. The opinions in this review are entirely my own, and completely unbiased.
How far will they go to lay the past to rest?
My name is Anna is one of those books that captures your attention from the moment you look at its cover. Then, it drags you into a story, makes you bite your nails throughout, lifts you up in the air with the amazing writing and than smashes you back into the ground with the incredible twist at the end. Exactly what you want and need from a thriller.
The story is being told by two girls:
Anna, a girl raised with a religious mother, where everything is forbidden and everything is a sin. And when on her 18th Birthday, Anna decides to disobey her mum and go to a theme park, she feels like she has been here before. And then random events lead to her realising that she was taken away when she was a little girl. And her real name is not Anna at all…
Rosie, a girl whose big sister has been missing for fifteen years. And when the media is ready to let the story go after the fifteen years anniversary, Rosie is determined to do whatever it takes to discover the truth of what actually happened on that day at the theme park.
The first thing I noticed in this book, that makes it different than all the stories about the kidnapping is – that the plot is being revealed in the first chapters. I was not expecting to immediately know that Anna and Rosie are sisters and Anna was kidnapped as a girl, but this was stated in the first chapters in the book. I personally thought that this would be the big twist, but the twist came to be so much better than that.
I loved how you could relate to both girls, for different reasons, and how even though they were sisters, how one little moment changed their lives completely. How Anna was raised with different beliefs than Rosie, and how they grew up to be so different, but the same…
This was a great story that give you thoughts about ‘’what could’ve been…’’ and it makes you wonder – if certain things didn’t happen, would our lives be the same?
The end for me, was particularly meaningful. The last moments, the realisation, the conclusion, the story that ended, or the one that never begun, all the things we could’ve been, but are not, and all the things that we wish we could have changed, but we can’t.
If you, like me, are into kidnapping stories, amazing twists and thriller stories that take your breath away, this will definitely be the perfect book for you. This will be a hit at the beginning of 2019, and it will hit the top shelves. I know it hits my favourite shelf – for sure!
A huge thanks to Penguin Random House UK, for providing me with a hardback copy, in exchange for an honest review of this book. The opinions in this review are entirely my own, and completely unbiased.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Alice Takes Back Wonderland in Books
Dec 14, 2018
<i>This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>
When a book starts with “‘Do you know fairy tales are real’ asked the cat,” you know you are in for a magical ride. Nearly everyone knows the tale of the seven-year-old girl from nineteenth century London who falls down a rabbit hole and spends a day of madness in the magical world of Wonderland. In David D. Hammons version, however, Alice was a young girl from twenty-first century Missouri. On her return to the real world she was diagnosed with ADHD and Schizophrenia and forced to believe that the Cheshire Cat and the Mad Hatter were figments of her imagination. But ten years later a white rabbit appears and leads Alice back to the world where nothing makes sense.
All is not well in Wonderland. The Cheshire Cat is dead and the Ace of Spades is in charge. Barely anything is the way Alice remembers. Everything looks far too “normal” and similar to the world she comes from. Ace is determined to remove the wonder from Wonderland and create a place where madness is forbidden. Alice has a big fight on her hands as she tries to end this former playing card’s tyrannous reign and restore Wonderland back to its original insanity.
<i>Alice Takes Back Wonderland</i> is not purely a retelling of Lewis Carrols famous story. Although many of the well known and loved characters appear in this book, so do others from a variety of different fairytales: <i>Peter Pan, Pinocchio</i>, and various tales from the <i>Brothers Grimm</i>. As readers will discover, all is not exactly as it should be for these characters either. Despite them being contrasting, magical stories, Hammons has successfully merged them all together in an imaginative manner resulting in a humorous young adult novel.
Although mostly focused on the goings on in Wonderland and the other fictional locations, it is also a subtle metaphor to describe what Alice’s life had been like back in present day America. For a decade Alice was forced to take medication to help her understand the difference between reality and fantasy. It got rid of most of the nonsense thoughts she picked up during her first visit to Wonderland. In a way, that is what the Ace of Spades is doing to characters he believes are mad. He is taking the wonder out of them, just like the pills to the wonder out of Alice.
Lovers of fairytales will definitely love this book, especially those who grew up loving <i>Alice in Wonderland</i> and <i>Peter Pan</i>. In some ways it is a continuation of the original tale, yet in other ways it could be viewed as an alternative way the story could have gone. Primarily targeted at young adults, <i>Alice Takes Back Wonderland</i> is much darker than Carrols version and combines a mix of real life with fantasy. It also goes to show that no one is too old for fairytales!
When a book starts with “‘Do you know fairy tales are real’ asked the cat,” you know you are in for a magical ride. Nearly everyone knows the tale of the seven-year-old girl from nineteenth century London who falls down a rabbit hole and spends a day of madness in the magical world of Wonderland. In David D. Hammons version, however, Alice was a young girl from twenty-first century Missouri. On her return to the real world she was diagnosed with ADHD and Schizophrenia and forced to believe that the Cheshire Cat and the Mad Hatter were figments of her imagination. But ten years later a white rabbit appears and leads Alice back to the world where nothing makes sense.
All is not well in Wonderland. The Cheshire Cat is dead and the Ace of Spades is in charge. Barely anything is the way Alice remembers. Everything looks far too “normal” and similar to the world she comes from. Ace is determined to remove the wonder from Wonderland and create a place where madness is forbidden. Alice has a big fight on her hands as she tries to end this former playing card’s tyrannous reign and restore Wonderland back to its original insanity.
<i>Alice Takes Back Wonderland</i> is not purely a retelling of Lewis Carrols famous story. Although many of the well known and loved characters appear in this book, so do others from a variety of different fairytales: <i>Peter Pan, Pinocchio</i>, and various tales from the <i>Brothers Grimm</i>. As readers will discover, all is not exactly as it should be for these characters either. Despite them being contrasting, magical stories, Hammons has successfully merged them all together in an imaginative manner resulting in a humorous young adult novel.
Although mostly focused on the goings on in Wonderland and the other fictional locations, it is also a subtle metaphor to describe what Alice’s life had been like back in present day America. For a decade Alice was forced to take medication to help her understand the difference between reality and fantasy. It got rid of most of the nonsense thoughts she picked up during her first visit to Wonderland. In a way, that is what the Ace of Spades is doing to characters he believes are mad. He is taking the wonder out of them, just like the pills to the wonder out of Alice.
Lovers of fairytales will definitely love this book, especially those who grew up loving <i>Alice in Wonderland</i> and <i>Peter Pan</i>. In some ways it is a continuation of the original tale, yet in other ways it could be viewed as an alternative way the story could have gone. Primarily targeted at young adults, <i>Alice Takes Back Wonderland</i> is much darker than Carrols version and combines a mix of real life with fantasy. It also goes to show that no one is too old for fairytales!