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Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated Ancestral (The Many #2) in Books
Dec 5, 2018
RIVETING
Thank you to net gallery for the ARC.
Ancestral was a good book that moved nicely; at first I was not sure about it as I had not read the first one. I love a good cult story and its concept was unique. The characters were well developed and I found myself rooting for them all along the way. I was pleasantly surprised by the ending and look forward to reading the next installment. I am also going to go back and read the first one as well. You can read this one without doing that but you may find yourself lost sometimes in the story due to that but it does not deter from this one.
Ancestral was a good book that moved nicely; at first I was not sure about it as I had not read the first one. I love a good cult story and its concept was unique. The characters were well developed and I found myself rooting for them all along the way. I was pleasantly surprised by the ending and look forward to reading the next installment. I am also going to go back and read the first one as well. You can read this one without doing that but you may find yourself lost sometimes in the story due to that but it does not deter from this one.
KatyShubo (75 KP) rated Happy: Finding Joy in Every Day and Letting Go of Perfect in Books
Jan 4, 2019
Disappointingly not Happy
I’m glad I picked this up at a Charity Shop and didn’t pay full price (I now understand why I see this a lot in Charity Shops though)
I found this to be full of surface anecdotal bites filled with colourful pages.
I was expecting a journal, with spaces for the reader to explore notes within the texts but they were few and far between.
If you are genuinely looking for a guide on how to find or discover happiness then this is not the read for you.
I’m saddened that I had bought this for many people before I read this
I found this to be full of surface anecdotal bites filled with colourful pages.
I was expecting a journal, with spaces for the reader to explore notes within the texts but they were few and far between.
If you are genuinely looking for a guide on how to find or discover happiness then this is not the read for you.
I’m saddened that I had bought this for many people before I read this
Moke J Dupman (12 KP) rated Wolfwater (Travelers #3) in Books
Jan 6, 2019
Imaginative, well written story
Once again, Alia Hess knocks one outta the park. Wolfwater follows all the Travelers characters as they find themselves on more harrowing and suspenseful adventures. The story flows nicely from one book to the next, and the characters evolve as the life they once knew changes. Several times I found myself wishing I could meet the people of Nis, especially Sasha & Trav, and Owl, and well, Dewbell, Dusty & Corvin too! Ms. Hess’ does an superb job making them all feel so real!
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all the books in this series and am looking forward to reading the next! I received an advanced reader copy of the book and leave this review of my own volition. Wolfwater gets a 4.9/5? from me.
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all the books in this series and am looking forward to reading the next! I received an advanced reader copy of the book and leave this review of my own volition. Wolfwater gets a 4.9/5? from me.
A short while ago (my book read before last) I wrote a review of James Rollin's novel 'Altar of Eden'. In it, I stated that I found Rollins to be a bit hit and miss, with that particular novel falling somewhere between the two camps. If that was the case, then 'Ice Hunt' also belongs alongside 'Altar of Eden': alongside, but closer to the 'hit' side of things than to the 'miss'.
A bit predictable in parts, this one maintains a faster pace right from the off than the previously mentioned novel. I also read another review on GR that states that this is a pre Sigma novel: if that is the case, it is easy to see the influences this one has on those later(?) works.
A bit predictable in parts, this one maintains a faster pace right from the off than the previously mentioned novel. I also read another review on GR that states that this is a pre Sigma novel: if that is the case, it is easy to see the influences this one has on those later(?) works.
David McK (3425 KP) rated Honour and the Sword in Books
Jan 30, 2019
Presented as a series of transcripted interviews and extracts from memoirs or diaries rather than as a straight narrated story, and set in France during the time of the 30 years war (so, roughly the same timeas 'The Three Musketeers'), I can see why this novel has been described as a mix of Alexandre Dumas and Bernard Cornwell.
An enjoyable enough read, but not really a pick-up-and-read type of book: this one, I found, could be quite heavy going at times, mainly as it does require some serious commitment instead of my usual 10 minutes here, 1/2 an hour there (which meant, that by the time I was beginning to get back into it, it was time to put it down again!) ...
An enjoyable enough read, but not really a pick-up-and-read type of book: this one, I found, could be quite heavy going at times, mainly as it does require some serious commitment instead of my usual 10 minutes here, 1/2 an hour there (which meant, that by the time I was beginning to get back into it, it was time to put it down again!) ...
David McK (3425 KP) rated Lion in the Valley (Amelia Peabody, #4) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
The fourth of Elizabeth Peter's Amelia Peabody series of books, this again sees the Victorian archaeologist return to Egypt, in the company of her husband and precocious son.
As before, they are then caught up in a mystery surrounding a murder as well as the usual romantic entanglements for these novels. This also sees the return of the 'Master Criminal' from the previous books, who is both named (obviously not his real name) and looks like becoming a recurring character in the series as a whole.
I found this to be a diverting enough read, but not up to the standards of the first novel, perhaps due to the fact that I am now familiar with the type of story it is.
As before, they are then caught up in a mystery surrounding a murder as well as the usual romantic entanglements for these novels. This also sees the return of the 'Master Criminal' from the previous books, who is both named (obviously not his real name) and looks like becoming a recurring character in the series as a whole.
I found this to be a diverting enough read, but not up to the standards of the first novel, perhaps due to the fact that I am now familiar with the type of story it is.
David McK (3425 KP) rated Blackout (Cal Leandros, #6) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
At the beginning of this novel, Cal Leandros wakes up on a deserted beach, surrounded by the carcasses of giant spiders, with no memory of who he is, how he got there, or where the spiders have come from. In other words, the novel goes down the good old amnesia route.
While, perhaps, this would have been a good opportunity for Rob Thurman to hit the 'reset' button on the world she's created, I have to say that I found this book to be a bit of a wasted opportunity - concentrating (in my opinion) far far too much on the brotherly bond between Cal and Niko (who, initialyy, he can't even remember) and nowhere near enough on the monsters or action scenes!
While, perhaps, this would have been a good opportunity for Rob Thurman to hit the 'reset' button on the world she's created, I have to say that I found this book to be a bit of a wasted opportunity - concentrating (in my opinion) far far too much on the brotherly bond between Cal and Niko (who, initialyy, he can't even remember) and nowhere near enough on the monsters or action scenes!
Micky Barnard (542 KP) rated Shadow of Night in Books
Dec 24, 2018
Great story overall but pacing issues
This was a great story affected by some pacing issues in my opinion, thus the rating which might surprise some people. Overall, I feel good about the storyline, the character development and the gut-punching emotions. I do think it could have been a little shorter and more dynamically paced. I wasn’t sure if I was going to settle into Tudor England, it took some time but I did settle.
Matthew and Diana’s relationship dynamic was rather different in past times, I found it inevitable, interesting and sometimes annoying. I loved the band of waifs and strays that became part of their family.
Great narration and I’m already lamenting that Times Convert won’t have Ikeda.
Matthew and Diana’s relationship dynamic was rather different in past times, I found it inevitable, interesting and sometimes annoying. I loved the band of waifs and strays that became part of their family.
Great narration and I’m already lamenting that Times Convert won’t have Ikeda.
Erika (17788 KP) rated Zombieland: Double Tap (2019) in Movies
Oct 23, 2019
I have mixed feelings at the unnecessary Zombieland sequel. I loved the original Zombieland. It was smart to take a lot from the original for this sequel, so, it was very much the same. I can't decide if that was a good or a bad thing.
Zoey Deutch's character was super annoying, and reminded me of all the basic b*s in 2009. I also found the doppleganger thing, and relentless repeating of the rules similarly annoying.
The zombie kills were cool, and I did like the way they were explaining the different sorts of zombies.
Overall, I liked it, but it was much of the same. I guess if it ain't* broke, don't fix it.
* I do not use ain't IRL, but it's the saying.
Zoey Deutch's character was super annoying, and reminded me of all the basic b*s in 2009. I also found the doppleganger thing, and relentless repeating of the rules similarly annoying.
The zombie kills were cool, and I did like the way they were explaining the different sorts of zombies.
Overall, I liked it, but it was much of the same. I guess if it ain't* broke, don't fix it.
* I do not use ain't IRL, but it's the saying.
EmersonRose (320 KP) rated A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man in Books
Nov 20, 2019
I read this book as a precursor to reading Ulysses and it was recommended to me by a professor. I enjoyed reading this book a great deal. James Joyce has an amazing sense of voice in his work and his writing is beautiful. Knowing a little bit about Ulysses made it interesting to go back and read about the character’s beginnings. I also thought it was really interesting that this book was written first, although often called a prequel because of the success of Ulysses. I at times found it hard to connect to the main character and his struggles which in turn would pull me out fo the story but the writing is so magnificent that I couldn’t put the book down.