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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Best Intentions in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Marti Trailor is a beleaguered mother of three young children, struggling to hold on to any pieces of her own self as she takes care of her household and family while her husband, Elliot, works endless hours as an obstetrician. When her youngest daughter starts kindergarten, Marti, a former social worker, decides to go back to work. She gets a job, which, coincidentally happens to be in her husband's hospital--something he doesn't seem too thrilled about. Once there, Marti realizes just how overworked many of the doctors are. She also can't help but get a little too involved in the lives of her clients. It's while helping a client--and skirting that precarious line between social worker and friend--that Marti sees something horrible happen at the hospital. This event will change the course of her life forever and threaten everything she holds dear.
<i>This was an interesting novel, to say the least.</i> I was immediately drawn to it, as the author apparently lives in Charlottesville, my hometown. This book is set in Richmond, VA, and she certainly captures the area and the state quite well.
The book is told entirely from Marti's perspective and it takes a little while to fall into the pattern of reading, as present-tense and past-tense are presented together in the chapters without any break (at least they were in my ARC), leaving you a bit confused at first. The back and forth can be a little awkward and jarring in the beginning, though once you get used to it, it's a pretty compelling device. The novel isn't exactly exciting in a thriller-type way, but there's <i>a fascinating element to it that keeps you reading.</i>
There's a lot going on in this book--marital issues, a discussion on hospital policies, Marti juggling work and motherhood, investigative journalism, discussion into Richmond politics, etc. Sometimes it seems a little too much: did Marti really need to be the daughter of a Congressman, for instance?
Still, Raskin is a descriptive writer, and her prose is fairly easy to read, and again, as I mentioned, it's a hard-to-put down book. She had me from nearly the beginning, when she described one of the characters as "Tommy Lee Jones in his heyday cute." (She gets me, she really gets me, I thought!)
As the novel progresses, I found it almost Jodi Picoult-esque. There's a strong emphasis on character development, courtroom drama, and plot elements designed to make you think. Sure, the characters are drawn a bit black and white--Elliot bad, Marti good, but it works: Elliot is just so awful you cannot help but like Marti even more. Did I find the novel quite as persuasive and enjoyable as Picoult in her heyday? No. But that's pretty hard to do.
Overall, I enjoyed this one. It's descriptive, oddly compelling, and was a nice change of pace from the thrillers I've been reading lately. Definitely worth a read. I'd go with around 3.75 stars, rounded up to 4 here.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 08/15/2017.
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<i>This was an interesting novel, to say the least.</i> I was immediately drawn to it, as the author apparently lives in Charlottesville, my hometown. This book is set in Richmond, VA, and she certainly captures the area and the state quite well.
The book is told entirely from Marti's perspective and it takes a little while to fall into the pattern of reading, as present-tense and past-tense are presented together in the chapters without any break (at least they were in my ARC), leaving you a bit confused at first. The back and forth can be a little awkward and jarring in the beginning, though once you get used to it, it's a pretty compelling device. The novel isn't exactly exciting in a thriller-type way, but there's <i>a fascinating element to it that keeps you reading.</i>
There's a lot going on in this book--marital issues, a discussion on hospital policies, Marti juggling work and motherhood, investigative journalism, discussion into Richmond politics, etc. Sometimes it seems a little too much: did Marti really need to be the daughter of a Congressman, for instance?
Still, Raskin is a descriptive writer, and her prose is fairly easy to read, and again, as I mentioned, it's a hard-to-put down book. She had me from nearly the beginning, when she described one of the characters as "Tommy Lee Jones in his heyday cute." (She gets me, she really gets me, I thought!)
As the novel progresses, I found it almost Jodi Picoult-esque. There's a strong emphasis on character development, courtroom drama, and plot elements designed to make you think. Sure, the characters are drawn a bit black and white--Elliot bad, Marti good, but it works: Elliot is just so awful you cannot help but like Marti even more. Did I find the novel quite as persuasive and enjoyable as Picoult in her heyday? No. But that's pretty hard to do.
Overall, I enjoyed this one. It's descriptive, oddly compelling, and was a nice change of pace from the thrillers I've been reading lately. Definitely worth a read. I'd go with around 3.75 stars, rounded up to 4 here.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 08/15/2017.
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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Brotherhood of Olympus and the Deadliest Game (Book 1) in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review can be found on my blog at <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.co.uk">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
I really, really thought the synopsis of The Brotherhood of Olympus and the Deadliest Game by Guy T. Simpson Jr. sounded very interesting. This was a book that I knew I would have to read. Luckily, I was able to read it, and it was very interesting!
The Fraiser boys lose their favourite uncle in car crash on Friday the thirteenth. After the accident, weird things start happening so the boys consult a spirit board. Is the spirit board helping the boys or is it actually evil? Also, Drake learns through a dream that he is destined to be a king and a leader. Will Drake live long enough to see that day?
I think the author picked a fantastic title for his book!! A lot of people consider a spirit board a game, so I believe this is where the deadliest game bit comes in.
I'm not overly keen on the cover of this book. I mean, it fits the book as it's a photo of the Fraiser boys wither their uncle Wally, but it's just too plain for my liking. However, this could just be a personal thing since I'm a harsh judge of covers.
The world building was done fantastically well!! The setting (1978-1979) was quite believable. I wasn't around at that time, but although there's not really many references about it being the late 70's besides the chapter telling you. I could imagine myself being part of this whole story!
The pacing was really good. Each chapter was full of action and suspense, and I couldn't wait to find out what would happen next. The chapters flow into each other, and not once did I find myself bored whilst reading this story.
For a middle grade read, I'd say that there were some words that might be hard for younger kids to understand, and to be honest, there were some big words I didn't understand. Context clues are important sometimes to figure out what words mean in the story. I did feel that the two younger brothers spoke as if they were much older than eight and ten. There is mild swearing so it's not bad at all when it comes to bad language.
All the characters were well formed and each had their own unique personality which definitely shown through during the story. Martin is the oldest boy, and it's obvious by how much he looks after his younger brothers. Mark is the second oldest, followed by Drake who is the brainy one in the family. Dennis is ten and Albert is 8. As I said in the previous paragraph, the two youngest boys came across as being older then they actually were especially Dennis. However, besides that, they were all believable characters, and I'm sure we all have at least one friend who has one of the boys' personality.
I did feel that the last chapter in the book was a bit repetitive of what the story already told us. I didn't really learn anything I didn't know from the last chapter besides a mention of Wally. However, overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this story as it is very well-written. Oh, and I must say that I really enjoyed enjoy individual drawing at the beginning of each chapter!
I'd recommend this book to those aged 12+.
(I was provided a free ebook copy of this title from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review).
I really, really thought the synopsis of The Brotherhood of Olympus and the Deadliest Game by Guy T. Simpson Jr. sounded very interesting. This was a book that I knew I would have to read. Luckily, I was able to read it, and it was very interesting!
The Fraiser boys lose their favourite uncle in car crash on Friday the thirteenth. After the accident, weird things start happening so the boys consult a spirit board. Is the spirit board helping the boys or is it actually evil? Also, Drake learns through a dream that he is destined to be a king and a leader. Will Drake live long enough to see that day?
I think the author picked a fantastic title for his book!! A lot of people consider a spirit board a game, so I believe this is where the deadliest game bit comes in.
I'm not overly keen on the cover of this book. I mean, it fits the book as it's a photo of the Fraiser boys wither their uncle Wally, but it's just too plain for my liking. However, this could just be a personal thing since I'm a harsh judge of covers.
The world building was done fantastically well!! The setting (1978-1979) was quite believable. I wasn't around at that time, but although there's not really many references about it being the late 70's besides the chapter telling you. I could imagine myself being part of this whole story!
The pacing was really good. Each chapter was full of action and suspense, and I couldn't wait to find out what would happen next. The chapters flow into each other, and not once did I find myself bored whilst reading this story.
For a middle grade read, I'd say that there were some words that might be hard for younger kids to understand, and to be honest, there were some big words I didn't understand. Context clues are important sometimes to figure out what words mean in the story. I did feel that the two younger brothers spoke as if they were much older than eight and ten. There is mild swearing so it's not bad at all when it comes to bad language.
All the characters were well formed and each had their own unique personality which definitely shown through during the story. Martin is the oldest boy, and it's obvious by how much he looks after his younger brothers. Mark is the second oldest, followed by Drake who is the brainy one in the family. Dennis is ten and Albert is 8. As I said in the previous paragraph, the two youngest boys came across as being older then they actually were especially Dennis. However, besides that, they were all believable characters, and I'm sure we all have at least one friend who has one of the boys' personality.
I did feel that the last chapter in the book was a bit repetitive of what the story already told us. I didn't really learn anything I didn't know from the last chapter besides a mention of Wally. However, overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this story as it is very well-written. Oh, and I must say that I really enjoyed enjoy individual drawing at the beginning of each chapter!
I'd recommend this book to those aged 12+.
(I was provided a free ebook copy of this title from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review).
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Girl Made of Stars in Books
Jun 5, 2018
Gorgeous, powerful, heartbreaking novel
Owen and his twin sister, Mara, have been close for their entire life--bonded by their twinhood, joint storytelling, and love of the stars--particularly their "own" constellation. But that all changes when Mara's good friend, Hannah, accuses Owen of rape. Suddenly Mara finds herself torn between her friendships and her family. Even worse, she has no one to talk to, after breaking up with her girlfriend/best friend, Charlie. Everything feels unknown and confusing. How will Mara navigate this new world--and what will she do about Owen and Hannah?
This novel. Oh my goodness. It will break your heart and yet leave you speechless with wonder. It's so beautiful. It started off with a quote from Virginia Woolf (The Waves), so I knew it was going to be good. And it certainly was.
The book is so achingly gorgeous and real, with its realistic look at high school. It portrays how both amazing and awful kids can be at this age. Mara is such a lovely character. The Owen/Hannah situation leaves her conflicted and forces her to face something terrible in her own past. By placing Mara in such a difficult situation, Herring Blake also does a good job of showing how hard it is being the female in this situation and how so few people believe the girl. It's such a timely commentary (albeit a sad one). It may not always be easy to read, as we see how hard things are for Hannah (and Mara), but it's so well-done.
I mean, really, this book is just heartbreaking at times. And yet I was riveted. These kids, with their big problems, so many of them living other people's dreams. It was so poignant, so true to so many of my own experiences. And the relationships here--well, wow. I mean, for one thing, we get a truly bisexual character in Mara, which is so refreshing. And then Charlie is genderqueer/nonbinary. It was so wonderful to have these characters in this novel, as a positive representation for teens--living real lives, with real problems, but in no way serving as the villain or maligned character. I was incredibly impressed. I wish this novel was on the shelf of every high school (well, on the shelves everywhere, honestly).
The girls in this book are in a group called Empower, which stands up for females--how they are portrayed, the double standards they face, and more. They are so strong, despite all the hurdles they face on a daily basis. Honestly, despite so much sadness in this novel, there is so much hope. So much strength. I adored Mara. She is wonderful -- such a strong, amazing, and lovely character. I found myself rooting for her as if she was my own kid.
I loved this one. I don't even remember how or why I stumbled across it and requested it, but I'm so glad I did. This is a beautiful, powerful book about the strength of human existence. The girls in this novel will make you cry, make you laugh, and make you both despair for and have faith in humanity. I will be tracking down the rest of Herring Blake's books for sure.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
This novel. Oh my goodness. It will break your heart and yet leave you speechless with wonder. It's so beautiful. It started off with a quote from Virginia Woolf (The Waves), so I knew it was going to be good. And it certainly was.
The book is so achingly gorgeous and real, with its realistic look at high school. It portrays how both amazing and awful kids can be at this age. Mara is such a lovely character. The Owen/Hannah situation leaves her conflicted and forces her to face something terrible in her own past. By placing Mara in such a difficult situation, Herring Blake also does a good job of showing how hard it is being the female in this situation and how so few people believe the girl. It's such a timely commentary (albeit a sad one). It may not always be easy to read, as we see how hard things are for Hannah (and Mara), but it's so well-done.
I mean, really, this book is just heartbreaking at times. And yet I was riveted. These kids, with their big problems, so many of them living other people's dreams. It was so poignant, so true to so many of my own experiences. And the relationships here--well, wow. I mean, for one thing, we get a truly bisexual character in Mara, which is so refreshing. And then Charlie is genderqueer/nonbinary. It was so wonderful to have these characters in this novel, as a positive representation for teens--living real lives, with real problems, but in no way serving as the villain or maligned character. I was incredibly impressed. I wish this novel was on the shelf of every high school (well, on the shelves everywhere, honestly).
The girls in this book are in a group called Empower, which stands up for females--how they are portrayed, the double standards they face, and more. They are so strong, despite all the hurdles they face on a daily basis. Honestly, despite so much sadness in this novel, there is so much hope. So much strength. I adored Mara. She is wonderful -- such a strong, amazing, and lovely character. I found myself rooting for her as if she was my own kid.
I loved this one. I don't even remember how or why I stumbled across it and requested it, but I'm so glad I did. This is a beautiful, powerful book about the strength of human existence. The girls in this novel will make you cry, make you laugh, and make you both despair for and have faith in humanity. I will be tracking down the rest of Herring Blake's books for sure.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
Louise (64 KP) rated Sunflowers in February in Books
Jun 28, 2018
First and foremost thank you to readers first for supplying me a copy of this book, it truly looks better in the flesh.
This is a UK YA debut novel by Phyllida Shrimpton and very reminiscent of the lovely bones by Alice Sebold. When I read the synopsis of this book I knew that I was going to have to read it. The exploration of life after death fascinates me, are there spirits? is there really life after death? This book had depth to it and has some very important messages, it covers a lot on grief and guilt.
Our story starts out pretty much as the synopsis states…Lily is 15 years old and is on a bank of grass and has no idea how she got there. The first thing she notices is her purple converse laying in a puddle, her mum is going to be so mad that she has ruined them especially as she begged and pleaded with her for them. Thankfully the Police turn up just in time, hopefully they will be able to take her home, It’s only when they ignore her that she starts becoming alarmed, she can’t seem to touch them or communicate with them. One of the policemen radio in that they have found her, but it can’t be her as they keep ignoring her, when she looks in the same direction as the Police she sees herself lying in a ditch DEAD! For some reason Lily is still around in spirit, she stands next to her mother and father when they identify her body, she even attends her funeral. Being a spirit is pretty lonely, watching everyone grieving for her not being able to console them but worst of all is being emotionally numb, it’s only one evening when her twin brother has an out-of-body experience in the night that she finds she can actually communicate to the outside world. She wants one chance to say goodbye to everyone properly and then maybe she will finally rest in peace.
This was a very ambitious concept to try to pull off for a debut novel and I think she might have just done it. There were some aspects of this book that I was sceptical of, but other than that it was an enjoyable read. I liked how much grief was tackled and the ways in which people cope.The way she was drawn to people when they were thinking about her was a nice touch which meant we got to see several characters which broke any monotony up. This did delve in the stages of grief. We had Denial, anger,guilt,depression and acceptance and you could see each of these stages in the characters throughout the book. I also liked the message of not taking things for granted because you never know when your life might end and you wish you could have done things differently. Lily could see her family falling apart and her mission was to stop that from happening – they needed to be together and move on with their lives but she also need to learn to forgive so she too could move on.
Overall I enjoyed this book it had a lot of important messages and dealt with a delicate subject pretty well. I would say this is the YA of ‘The Lovely Bones’.
This is a UK YA debut novel by Phyllida Shrimpton and very reminiscent of the lovely bones by Alice Sebold. When I read the synopsis of this book I knew that I was going to have to read it. The exploration of life after death fascinates me, are there spirits? is there really life after death? This book had depth to it and has some very important messages, it covers a lot on grief and guilt.
Our story starts out pretty much as the synopsis states…Lily is 15 years old and is on a bank of grass and has no idea how she got there. The first thing she notices is her purple converse laying in a puddle, her mum is going to be so mad that she has ruined them especially as she begged and pleaded with her for them. Thankfully the Police turn up just in time, hopefully they will be able to take her home, It’s only when they ignore her that she starts becoming alarmed, she can’t seem to touch them or communicate with them. One of the policemen radio in that they have found her, but it can’t be her as they keep ignoring her, when she looks in the same direction as the Police she sees herself lying in a ditch DEAD! For some reason Lily is still around in spirit, she stands next to her mother and father when they identify her body, she even attends her funeral. Being a spirit is pretty lonely, watching everyone grieving for her not being able to console them but worst of all is being emotionally numb, it’s only one evening when her twin brother has an out-of-body experience in the night that she finds she can actually communicate to the outside world. She wants one chance to say goodbye to everyone properly and then maybe she will finally rest in peace.
This was a very ambitious concept to try to pull off for a debut novel and I think she might have just done it. There were some aspects of this book that I was sceptical of, but other than that it was an enjoyable read. I liked how much grief was tackled and the ways in which people cope.The way she was drawn to people when they were thinking about her was a nice touch which meant we got to see several characters which broke any monotony up. This did delve in the stages of grief. We had Denial, anger,guilt,depression and acceptance and you could see each of these stages in the characters throughout the book. I also liked the message of not taking things for granted because you never know when your life might end and you wish you could have done things differently. Lily could see her family falling apart and her mission was to stop that from happening – they needed to be together and move on with their lives but she also need to learn to forgive so she too could move on.
Overall I enjoyed this book it had a lot of important messages and dealt with a delicate subject pretty well. I would say this is the YA of ‘The Lovely Bones’.
Louise (64 KP) rated Anna and the French Kiss in Books
Jul 2, 2018
I was pretty late on this band wagon, so late that I almost missed it. I found the delights of booktube this year!( I have been hiding under a rock!) and whenever some one mentioned a book to re read or one that gets you out of slumps etcetera etcetera, This was the one that popped up most of the time or Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell.
I really loved this book, I probably could have read it in one sitting but the fact I had to go to work the next morning made me put it down (I was late for work). I was reading this well into the night as I was unable to put it down, I needed to read more and find out what happened without having a break, to say I was fully invested was an understatement.
Anna is enrolled to go to a College/school in Paris for Americans, she totally doesn't want to be there, but because her dad is a high regarded author in the book world, he wants his daughter to reap the benefits or in Anna's terms... to show off. Being in a foreign country is daunting when there are no familiar people around you and the fact that you have no understanding of the language - Luckily Anna befriends a group of people very quickly, they take her under their wing and help Anna with her French and her way around the city. Among the group is Etienne St Clair, one of the hottest guys at the school - there is an instant mutual attraction, however there is a problem.....HIS GIRLFRIEND!
Anna is a great female protagonist, she starts off naive, shy and comes across as a bit whiney but the great thing as the story goes on you see her develop and act more grown up. I felt sorry for her being forced to school in Paris where she is all alone, when all she wants to do is be at home in Atlanta with her Mum, Seany (brother), Bridgette(best friend) and Toph (Potential love interest).
Etienne St Clair! Well what can I say? He was a complicated character he had so much emotional baggage. He is the heart-throb of the school, everyone wants to be hanging off his arm and there is a lot of bitchiness towards Anna as people notice their closeness. He has this certain aura about him, he has amazing hair, teeth, skin, dresses like a Parisian and not too tall (for some reason this was mentioned a lot) He has a British accent but lives in America and his father is french! He is swoon worthy in short, he blushes, he gets anxious and he isn't a complete douche-bag. He is mature for his age. However his family life is complicated, he's got a girlfriend but he wants Anna.
This book is cute, sweet , fluffy and all the adjectives. The fact that it is set in the City of Love also makes it more romantic. I totally recommend this book if you are a fan of Romance and YA. It is definitely a book you can reread, the writing is so easy to follow and a fast read.
I will be continuing with the trilogy.
I rated this book 5 out of 5 stars
I really loved this book, I probably could have read it in one sitting but the fact I had to go to work the next morning made me put it down (I was late for work). I was reading this well into the night as I was unable to put it down, I needed to read more and find out what happened without having a break, to say I was fully invested was an understatement.
Anna is enrolled to go to a College/school in Paris for Americans, she totally doesn't want to be there, but because her dad is a high regarded author in the book world, he wants his daughter to reap the benefits or in Anna's terms... to show off. Being in a foreign country is daunting when there are no familiar people around you and the fact that you have no understanding of the language - Luckily Anna befriends a group of people very quickly, they take her under their wing and help Anna with her French and her way around the city. Among the group is Etienne St Clair, one of the hottest guys at the school - there is an instant mutual attraction, however there is a problem.....HIS GIRLFRIEND!
Anna is a great female protagonist, she starts off naive, shy and comes across as a bit whiney but the great thing as the story goes on you see her develop and act more grown up. I felt sorry for her being forced to school in Paris where she is all alone, when all she wants to do is be at home in Atlanta with her Mum, Seany (brother), Bridgette(best friend) and Toph (Potential love interest).
Etienne St Clair! Well what can I say? He was a complicated character he had so much emotional baggage. He is the heart-throb of the school, everyone wants to be hanging off his arm and there is a lot of bitchiness towards Anna as people notice their closeness. He has this certain aura about him, he has amazing hair, teeth, skin, dresses like a Parisian and not too tall (for some reason this was mentioned a lot) He has a British accent but lives in America and his father is french! He is swoon worthy in short, he blushes, he gets anxious and he isn't a complete douche-bag. He is mature for his age. However his family life is complicated, he's got a girlfriend but he wants Anna.
This book is cute, sweet , fluffy and all the adjectives. The fact that it is set in the City of Love also makes it more romantic. I totally recommend this book if you are a fan of Romance and YA. It is definitely a book you can reread, the writing is so easy to follow and a fast read.
I will be continuing with the trilogy.
I rated this book 5 out of 5 stars
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated After Always in Books
Sep 22, 2018
Interesting Plot (3 more)
Beautiful Prose
Likable Characters
Held my Attention Throughout
Pacing all over the place (2 more)
Ending was too easy
Needed more character background story info
A Decent Spooky Read
There was something about the synopsis about After Always by Barbara J. Hancock that caught my attention, so when the opportunity came about to review it, I jumped at the chance. I'm glad I did.
I felt like the pacing was a little all over the place in After Always. There were some places where the pacing dragged, and in other places, the pacing sped up too quickly where I was lost about what was going on. However, there were also some places where the pacing was perfect. Regardless, After Always held my attention throughout.
I enjoyed the plot. Lydia gets sent to an old inn for music lessons after her boyfriend dies in a tragic accident in the hopes she will start to heal. Lydia had been to the inn before with her mother when she was three. However, there is something sinister afoot at the inn. Lydia, alone with the intriguing Michael, must figure out what it is before it claims them both as well as the inn. Along the way, we learn more about Lydia's relationship with Tristan which isn't exactly what it appeared to be. I didn't feel that there were any major plot twists. Perhaps there are a few minor ones. This doesn't make the plot any less enjoyable though. I had many questions, but they were all answered towards the end of the book. I did feel like the ending was a bit too easy. I won't elaborate because I don't want to give any spoilers away.
The world building was written very well. The author, Barbara J. Hancock, is a master with words. I enjoyed reading about the world Miss Hancock had created for her characters. It was easy to imagine myself as a character in After Always. I could easily imagine the inn where all the action takes place.
I liked the characters in After Always. However, I would have enjoyed reading more about the background of Lydia. I would have liked to see how she was right before her relationship with Tristan. I would have also liked to read more about her relationship with Tristan. Lydia does speak about their relationship, but I found myself craving more information about it. I would have also liked to read more about Octavia's and Jericho's relationship a bit more. It would have been interesting to read more about the courting days between them as well as how their marriage was at the beginning. We do get a glimpse at Michael's family history which was nice. My favorite character in After Always was Hannah. I just felt like I could relate to her the most even if she isn't mentioned as much throughout the book.
Trigger warnings include dating abuse, death, violence, ghostly possession, and very mild swearing in a few places throughout the book.
Overall, After Always is a decent spooky read. It is written beautifully and has an interesting plot as well as likable characters. I would recommend After Always by Barbara J. Hancock to those aged 15+
---
(Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an eBook of After Always by Barbara J. Hancock in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
I felt like the pacing was a little all over the place in After Always. There were some places where the pacing dragged, and in other places, the pacing sped up too quickly where I was lost about what was going on. However, there were also some places where the pacing was perfect. Regardless, After Always held my attention throughout.
I enjoyed the plot. Lydia gets sent to an old inn for music lessons after her boyfriend dies in a tragic accident in the hopes she will start to heal. Lydia had been to the inn before with her mother when she was three. However, there is something sinister afoot at the inn. Lydia, alone with the intriguing Michael, must figure out what it is before it claims them both as well as the inn. Along the way, we learn more about Lydia's relationship with Tristan which isn't exactly what it appeared to be. I didn't feel that there were any major plot twists. Perhaps there are a few minor ones. This doesn't make the plot any less enjoyable though. I had many questions, but they were all answered towards the end of the book. I did feel like the ending was a bit too easy. I won't elaborate because I don't want to give any spoilers away.
The world building was written very well. The author, Barbara J. Hancock, is a master with words. I enjoyed reading about the world Miss Hancock had created for her characters. It was easy to imagine myself as a character in After Always. I could easily imagine the inn where all the action takes place.
I liked the characters in After Always. However, I would have enjoyed reading more about the background of Lydia. I would have liked to see how she was right before her relationship with Tristan. I would have also liked to read more about her relationship with Tristan. Lydia does speak about their relationship, but I found myself craving more information about it. I would have also liked to read more about Octavia's and Jericho's relationship a bit more. It would have been interesting to read more about the courting days between them as well as how their marriage was at the beginning. We do get a glimpse at Michael's family history which was nice. My favorite character in After Always was Hannah. I just felt like I could relate to her the most even if she isn't mentioned as much throughout the book.
Trigger warnings include dating abuse, death, violence, ghostly possession, and very mild swearing in a few places throughout the book.
Overall, After Always is a decent spooky read. It is written beautifully and has an interesting plot as well as likable characters. I would recommend After Always by Barbara J. Hancock to those aged 15+
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(Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an eBook of After Always by Barbara J. Hancock in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
Lucy Buglass (45 KP) rated Russian Doll in TV
Jun 20, 2019
After the success of both Parks and Recreation and Orange is the New Black, I was intrigued by a new Netflix series created by Amy Poehler and Natasha Lyonne. Many fans know them as Leslie Knope and Nicky Nichols, and I’m sure we can all agree they’d make a very interesting duo.
Immediately after seeing the promos for Russian Doll, it was clear that this was going to be a very different tone to their previous work, and felt incredibly offbeat and quirky in nature. The series follows a woman named Nadia Vulvokov (Natasha Lyonne) as she finds herself in a time-loop after she is hit by a taxi and dies. Unfortunately for Nadia, she has to relive her 36th birthday party over and over again. It’s Groundhog Day on speed, which is an utterly delightful concept.
Whilst it may sound similar to Groundhog Day, it’s actually a very unique story. At first it’s easy to worry about the repetitive nature of the series, considering Nadia spends most of her time dying and reliving the same moment. Somehow it manages to stay funny, fresh and watchable throughout all eight episodes. The pacing is spot-on and keeps you guessing, as you follow Nadia’s journey into discovering why she’s found herself in this loop. On this journey, she’s joined by a number of characters including her ex-boyfriend John (Yul Vazquez), close family friend Ruth (Elizabeth Ashley) and a stranger named Alan (Charlie Barnett) who is closer to this situation than he originally realizes.
As the series progresses, we begin to delve into some pretty heavy stuff. Without giving away spoilers, the episodes start to question morality, ethics, the past, and the future. Each character is so well fleshed out and we want to know more about them. It’s easy to become sucked into the world of Russian Doll, and trust me when I say it’s a binge worthy series. You won’t want to stop until you have answers. It’s a show that knows how to balance comedy and drama effectively, delivering laugh out loud then heart-wrenching moments in quick succession. You feel sorry for various characters and loathe others, and it’s an incredibly well fleshed out series.
In terms of its visuals, Russian Doll is a gritty, psychedelic glimpse into the lives of various New York City residents. We see rich and poor, confident and timid, good and bad characters as they go about their daily lives. It’s fascinating to watch and each location has been crafted to give you more insight into the characters in this world. From quirky high-rise apartments to homeless shelters, this series shows it all. It’s the Big Apple in all its glory, whether that’s good or bad.
My advice would be to walk into Russian Doll knowing as little as possible, allowing yourself to approach the situation in a similar way to Nadia. It’s a comedy, thriller and mystery all rolled into one, with each genre complementing the other superbly. As far as Netflix Originals go, this is one of the strongest ones I’ve seen so far. Eight episodes is just enough to keep you entertained, whilst still giving enough backstory to make it a compelling tale. Just when you think you know a character, the tables are turned and your jaw is on the floor.
https://lucygoestohollywood.com/2019/03/07/tv-review-my-thoughts-on-russian-doll/
Immediately after seeing the promos for Russian Doll, it was clear that this was going to be a very different tone to their previous work, and felt incredibly offbeat and quirky in nature. The series follows a woman named Nadia Vulvokov (Natasha Lyonne) as she finds herself in a time-loop after she is hit by a taxi and dies. Unfortunately for Nadia, she has to relive her 36th birthday party over and over again. It’s Groundhog Day on speed, which is an utterly delightful concept.
Whilst it may sound similar to Groundhog Day, it’s actually a very unique story. At first it’s easy to worry about the repetitive nature of the series, considering Nadia spends most of her time dying and reliving the same moment. Somehow it manages to stay funny, fresh and watchable throughout all eight episodes. The pacing is spot-on and keeps you guessing, as you follow Nadia’s journey into discovering why she’s found herself in this loop. On this journey, she’s joined by a number of characters including her ex-boyfriend John (Yul Vazquez), close family friend Ruth (Elizabeth Ashley) and a stranger named Alan (Charlie Barnett) who is closer to this situation than he originally realizes.
As the series progresses, we begin to delve into some pretty heavy stuff. Without giving away spoilers, the episodes start to question morality, ethics, the past, and the future. Each character is so well fleshed out and we want to know more about them. It’s easy to become sucked into the world of Russian Doll, and trust me when I say it’s a binge worthy series. You won’t want to stop until you have answers. It’s a show that knows how to balance comedy and drama effectively, delivering laugh out loud then heart-wrenching moments in quick succession. You feel sorry for various characters and loathe others, and it’s an incredibly well fleshed out series.
In terms of its visuals, Russian Doll is a gritty, psychedelic glimpse into the lives of various New York City residents. We see rich and poor, confident and timid, good and bad characters as they go about their daily lives. It’s fascinating to watch and each location has been crafted to give you more insight into the characters in this world. From quirky high-rise apartments to homeless shelters, this series shows it all. It’s the Big Apple in all its glory, whether that’s good or bad.
My advice would be to walk into Russian Doll knowing as little as possible, allowing yourself to approach the situation in a similar way to Nadia. It’s a comedy, thriller and mystery all rolled into one, with each genre complementing the other superbly. As far as Netflix Originals go, this is one of the strongest ones I’ve seen so far. Eight episodes is just enough to keep you entertained, whilst still giving enough backstory to make it a compelling tale. Just when you think you know a character, the tables are turned and your jaw is on the floor.
https://lucygoestohollywood.com/2019/03/07/tv-review-my-thoughts-on-russian-doll/
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated The Ringmaster's Wife in Books
Jan 2, 2019
When that which that Lady Rosamund loves most is threatened to be taken away from her, she stepped on a train and changed the course of her life forever.
"You could never fit in, Rose. You were made to stand out."
The Ringmaster's Wife
(Location 1403)
With the family estate in financial difficulties, Lady Rosamund's father saw fit to sell that which was closest to her heart, Ingénue, her beautiful Arabian mare. Colin Keary set out to acquire the Arabian for the Ringling circus. Little did he know that he would find an incredible talent in the owner. Colin persuades Lady Rosamund to join them in America, to see Ingénue safely settled. With dreams as vast as the ocean, she agrees. Will Lady Rosamund give up a comfortable future for the thrills and magic of the circus, or will duty call her home in the end? Will she be able to put her trust in God to make her dreams come true? As the logical, organized "boss man", will Colin be able to protect Rose from the danger of the circus life? Open the pages of The Ringmaster's Wife and be transported back in time. Where prohibition is in full effect, the World's Fair of 1893 is beyond compare, and people everywhere flock to the Big Top to witness the wonders of the Ringling circus. All the while in the background you see Mable Ringling, the ringmaster's wife, with her gentle hand and kind words. A woman of strength and compassion. May her story live on...
Kristy Cambron has been a favorite of mine for some months now. But I have a confession, this is the first book of hers that I have read! I follow her blog, and I have never been so blessed! Kristy speaks truth with love and wisdom. Many times I am in tears before I even finish reading the post. So it is no surprise that the these elements can be found on the pages of The Ringmaster's Wife. I had very high expectations for this book, and Kristy did NOT disappoint! Her imagination and creativity completely blew me away! The depth of feeling and truth spoke volumes to my heart. Every page is filled with wonder and mystery. The emotions were so very real and intense. My heart pounded in rhythm with Rose's, my tears fell with Mable's and my anger rose with Colin's. All the time, with the message of trusting in our Heavenly Father to care for us and guide us through our journey. Halfway through, I was ready to run off with the circus myself! The story's timeline jumps back and forth quite a bit, but is easy to follow. The dates and locations are clearly marked. Kristy even used my hometown for one of the chapters! I was so tickled! She makes reference to Walt Disney and J.M. Barrie as well! Overall, I was thoroughly impressed and can not wait for The Illusionist's Apprentice, scheduled to release in March 2017. Thankfully, I have her other two books to read in the meantime, The Butterfly and the Violin and A Sparrow in Terezin. (I am already planning on reading this one again.) I would recommend this book to anyone who has ever had a dream and longs for a little adventure!
★★★★★ - "You have bewitched me, body and soul."
I received a free copy of The Ringmaster's Wife from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
"You could never fit in, Rose. You were made to stand out."
The Ringmaster's Wife
(Location 1403)
With the family estate in financial difficulties, Lady Rosamund's father saw fit to sell that which was closest to her heart, Ingénue, her beautiful Arabian mare. Colin Keary set out to acquire the Arabian for the Ringling circus. Little did he know that he would find an incredible talent in the owner. Colin persuades Lady Rosamund to join them in America, to see Ingénue safely settled. With dreams as vast as the ocean, she agrees. Will Lady Rosamund give up a comfortable future for the thrills and magic of the circus, or will duty call her home in the end? Will she be able to put her trust in God to make her dreams come true? As the logical, organized "boss man", will Colin be able to protect Rose from the danger of the circus life? Open the pages of The Ringmaster's Wife and be transported back in time. Where prohibition is in full effect, the World's Fair of 1893 is beyond compare, and people everywhere flock to the Big Top to witness the wonders of the Ringling circus. All the while in the background you see Mable Ringling, the ringmaster's wife, with her gentle hand and kind words. A woman of strength and compassion. May her story live on...
Kristy Cambron has been a favorite of mine for some months now. But I have a confession, this is the first book of hers that I have read! I follow her blog, and I have never been so blessed! Kristy speaks truth with love and wisdom. Many times I am in tears before I even finish reading the post. So it is no surprise that the these elements can be found on the pages of The Ringmaster's Wife. I had very high expectations for this book, and Kristy did NOT disappoint! Her imagination and creativity completely blew me away! The depth of feeling and truth spoke volumes to my heart. Every page is filled with wonder and mystery. The emotions were so very real and intense. My heart pounded in rhythm with Rose's, my tears fell with Mable's and my anger rose with Colin's. All the time, with the message of trusting in our Heavenly Father to care for us and guide us through our journey. Halfway through, I was ready to run off with the circus myself! The story's timeline jumps back and forth quite a bit, but is easy to follow. The dates and locations are clearly marked. Kristy even used my hometown for one of the chapters! I was so tickled! She makes reference to Walt Disney and J.M. Barrie as well! Overall, I was thoroughly impressed and can not wait for The Illusionist's Apprentice, scheduled to release in March 2017. Thankfully, I have her other two books to read in the meantime, The Butterfly and the Violin and A Sparrow in Terezin. (I am already planning on reading this one again.) I would recommend this book to anyone who has ever had a dream and longs for a little adventure!
★★★★★ - "You have bewitched me, body and soul."
I received a free copy of The Ringmaster's Wife from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Rocky Balboa (2006) in Movies
Jan 28, 2019
Surprisingly Good
I think I’ve stayed away from this movie for so long because I expected it to be garbage. I mean, let’s be adult about this, Rocky V was no picnic. I was done with Rocky. Until I saw the trailer for Creed. It was at that moment that I decided to give things another go. Yes, the boxer we all know and love Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) is back at it in Rocky Balboa facing off against his first (and hopefully last) opponent since Drago.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 9
Two things really grabbed me as the movie opens. I loved the beautiful shots of Philadelphia at the start. The city plays a huge role in Rocky’s character development and these shots helped get me in tune with the heart of what the city is all about. I also appreciated the first scene between Rocky and his son Rocky Jr. (Milo Ventimiglia) depicting their strained relationship since Adrian’s death. It’s an awkward scene that makes you sympathize with where Rocky is in his life.
How did he get to this point? It’s seem like he’s lost so much, yet he’s still that gentle character from the 70’s we fell in love with. Seeing this scene was enough to tell me this film would take a lot different approach than the previous movies.
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Conflict: 10
Rocky’s older and not at the top of his game like he was when he took on Clubber Lang (what a name!). Yet he still found a way to get me out of my chair as he did in previous movies. The main bout gets pretty intense in spots as you root for the Italian Stallion to knock some sense into the new kid on the block. The conflict extends beyond the ring as well as Rocky tries to help people from his neighborhood while maintaining close relationships with family members Paulie (Burt Young) and Rocky Jr. On the surface he’s a hero, but underneath his life is in shambles. As an audience, we find ourselves rallying behind Rocky as we’ve done in all the others movies past.
Genre: 10
Memorability: 7
Compared to other films, it doesn’t quite have the same memorability as classic ones I’ve seen, but succeeds in giving us a reason to cheer and a reason to feel. Rocky Balboa succeeds in being more than just a movie about trading punches. Rather than being hollow and fight-driven, it’s a movie with real heart.
Pace: 4
The “heart” portion, unfortunately, comes at a cost. When you watch the movie, you have to adjust your expectations as things move at a much slower pace. Rocky doesn’t even consider making a return until well into the movie. I kept watching waiting for a fight to finally happen and it was slow-going. However, even with a slower pace than the previous movies, Balboa still shines.
Plot: 8
Resolution: 9
Somewhat predictable but no less powerful. It ties up nicely what we see at the beginning. A fitting finale to Rocky’s in-the-ring saga.
Overall: 87
Heroes in movies come in many forms. What makes Rocky so special is his consistency of character throughout the decades. He swore in the beginning to never change who he was, but I think he lied to us. I think he became an even better man. Rocky Balboa. Hero for the generations.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 9
Two things really grabbed me as the movie opens. I loved the beautiful shots of Philadelphia at the start. The city plays a huge role in Rocky’s character development and these shots helped get me in tune with the heart of what the city is all about. I also appreciated the first scene between Rocky and his son Rocky Jr. (Milo Ventimiglia) depicting their strained relationship since Adrian’s death. It’s an awkward scene that makes you sympathize with where Rocky is in his life.
How did he get to this point? It’s seem like he’s lost so much, yet he’s still that gentle character from the 70’s we fell in love with. Seeing this scene was enough to tell me this film would take a lot different approach than the previous movies.
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Conflict: 10
Rocky’s older and not at the top of his game like he was when he took on Clubber Lang (what a name!). Yet he still found a way to get me out of my chair as he did in previous movies. The main bout gets pretty intense in spots as you root for the Italian Stallion to knock some sense into the new kid on the block. The conflict extends beyond the ring as well as Rocky tries to help people from his neighborhood while maintaining close relationships with family members Paulie (Burt Young) and Rocky Jr. On the surface he’s a hero, but underneath his life is in shambles. As an audience, we find ourselves rallying behind Rocky as we’ve done in all the others movies past.
Genre: 10
Memorability: 7
Compared to other films, it doesn’t quite have the same memorability as classic ones I’ve seen, but succeeds in giving us a reason to cheer and a reason to feel. Rocky Balboa succeeds in being more than just a movie about trading punches. Rather than being hollow and fight-driven, it’s a movie with real heart.
Pace: 4
The “heart” portion, unfortunately, comes at a cost. When you watch the movie, you have to adjust your expectations as things move at a much slower pace. Rocky doesn’t even consider making a return until well into the movie. I kept watching waiting for a fight to finally happen and it was slow-going. However, even with a slower pace than the previous movies, Balboa still shines.
Plot: 8
Resolution: 9
Somewhat predictable but no less powerful. It ties up nicely what we see at the beginning. A fitting finale to Rocky’s in-the-ring saga.
Overall: 87
Heroes in movies come in many forms. What makes Rocky so special is his consistency of character throughout the decades. He swore in the beginning to never change who he was, but I think he lied to us. I think he became an even better man. Rocky Balboa. Hero for the generations.
Debbiereadsbook (1487 KP) rated Enough in Books
Aug 14, 2019
Jesse was HARD work!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Jesse loves Ezra, he just can't say the words while he's waiting for Ezra to realise that Jesse isn't good enough for him. It takes an accident to make him see what Ezra does: that Jesses really is more than enough for him!
For the most part, I did enjoy this. Besides one glaring reason, which I will tell you shortly, the other reason is a little less glaring and might just be the reason other people love this book.
And it's Jesse himself!
You know the saying, if you hear it often enough, you'll start to believe it?? Well Jesse does not believe Ezra when he tells him he loves him. Jesse does not believe Ezra when he tells him he does NOT want his ex. He does not believe Ezra when Ezra tells Jesse that his family are homophobic and will hate Jesse on sight but that's only because Jesse is a MAN and not for Jesse himself.
And I found this bit hard to deal with! I mean Ezra tells him often enough, enough to get a little bored hearing Ezra repeat himself time and time again. Jesse talks himself down so much, I started to get negative feelings for him, and wanted to slap him upside the head and MAKE HIM SEE, but it's not until he realises he might actually LOSE Ezra, that Jesse takes stock, and finally, halle-flipping-luiah, prasie the God he doesn't belive in, Jesse FINALLY can see, that he really is what Ezra wants, WHO Ezra wants! It just took him far too long for my liking!
And the glaring thing?? Only Jesse has a say. Yes yes I know I say it often enough to be as annoying as Jesse is here, but come on! Ezra NEEDED a say, to balance out how negative Jesse was for most of this book. Ez is quite a chirpy soul, and I think this may well have been a 5 star read, had Ez been given a voice, and we got into HIS head, when he was telling Jesse over and over how much he loved him and wanted him.
It's heavy on steam and passion, but at one point I thought it might come out almost clean. It wasn't til it was clear it was NOT going to be clean, that I noticed it had been up to that point, and,to be honest, this book would have been great (previous points aside) had it been totally clean. I didn't dislike that it came out not clean, but I would have liked it just as much if it had, does that make sense? Does to me, so hope it does to you!
The after effects of the accident is described in great detail, graphically so, and that really IS needed, to get the full picture. Not easy reading, but you do need it.
This is the first I've read of this author, but another of his books is sitting on my "languishing on kindle" shelf. I might pull it forward!
So, because Jesse was a little grating on the nerves, adn because ez doesn't get a say. . . .
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Jesse loves Ezra, he just can't say the words while he's waiting for Ezra to realise that Jesse isn't good enough for him. It takes an accident to make him see what Ezra does: that Jesses really is more than enough for him!
For the most part, I did enjoy this. Besides one glaring reason, which I will tell you shortly, the other reason is a little less glaring and might just be the reason other people love this book.
And it's Jesse himself!
You know the saying, if you hear it often enough, you'll start to believe it?? Well Jesse does not believe Ezra when he tells him he loves him. Jesse does not believe Ezra when he tells him he does NOT want his ex. He does not believe Ezra when Ezra tells Jesse that his family are homophobic and will hate Jesse on sight but that's only because Jesse is a MAN and not for Jesse himself.
And I found this bit hard to deal with! I mean Ezra tells him often enough, enough to get a little bored hearing Ezra repeat himself time and time again. Jesse talks himself down so much, I started to get negative feelings for him, and wanted to slap him upside the head and MAKE HIM SEE, but it's not until he realises he might actually LOSE Ezra, that Jesse takes stock, and finally, halle-flipping-luiah, prasie the God he doesn't belive in, Jesse FINALLY can see, that he really is what Ezra wants, WHO Ezra wants! It just took him far too long for my liking!
And the glaring thing?? Only Jesse has a say. Yes yes I know I say it often enough to be as annoying as Jesse is here, but come on! Ezra NEEDED a say, to balance out how negative Jesse was for most of this book. Ez is quite a chirpy soul, and I think this may well have been a 5 star read, had Ez been given a voice, and we got into HIS head, when he was telling Jesse over and over how much he loved him and wanted him.
It's heavy on steam and passion, but at one point I thought it might come out almost clean. It wasn't til it was clear it was NOT going to be clean, that I noticed it had been up to that point, and,to be honest, this book would have been great (previous points aside) had it been totally clean. I didn't dislike that it came out not clean, but I would have liked it just as much if it had, does that make sense? Does to me, so hope it does to you!
The after effects of the accident is described in great detail, graphically so, and that really IS needed, to get the full picture. Not easy reading, but you do need it.
This is the first I've read of this author, but another of his books is sitting on my "languishing on kindle" shelf. I might pull it forward!
So, because Jesse was a little grating on the nerves, adn because ez doesn't get a say. . . .
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**