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Debbiereadsbook (1380 KP) rated Nightcrawler (Trackers #1) in Books
Nov 30, 2024
I liked the steam level was perfect for these two!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Miguel and raven find themselves crossing paths when Raven "steals" Miguel's bounty. Miguel is angry at him for that, but it doesn't stop him saving the man's life at another job. Raven calls to his soul.
I'm not really sure how I feel about this book, to be honest. It didn't really push my buttons but there were bits I liked.
I liked that both Raven and Miguel had a say, in the first person. Each change is clearly headed. But doesn't always come at the chapter change. Didn't bother me either way, but some might not like that, so needs mentioning.
I liked the steam level. Granted, it goes without saying I would have liked more steam but I'm not holding that against this book. I liked that the level was perfect for Miguel and Raven, given how Raven was injured early in the book!
I liked, to a point, the Nightcrawler reviews. They were funny, but I didn't read them all. Not sure why, but I skipped them after about half way through. I didn't really see what they added to the story, to be honest.
I LOVED the supporting cast. Miguel's mentor/friends were great, and add in their wider circle who came to help him with that last bounty, and my interest was well and truely piqued. I'm not sure if these guys have stories somewhere, but if they do, I wanna read them!
One last thing, I would have liked some closure on the boob heist 🙂 I'm not sure if I missed what happened to the porn star and her boyfriend, or we didn't find out, but I would have liked to have known what happened to them!
A quick look on shows me I've read a couple of Logan books and they weren't doing anything for me. This one, though, I think is one of the better ones.
3.5 stars but rounded up for the blog to 4 stars.
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Miguel and raven find themselves crossing paths when Raven "steals" Miguel's bounty. Miguel is angry at him for that, but it doesn't stop him saving the man's life at another job. Raven calls to his soul.
I'm not really sure how I feel about this book, to be honest. It didn't really push my buttons but there were bits I liked.
I liked that both Raven and Miguel had a say, in the first person. Each change is clearly headed. But doesn't always come at the chapter change. Didn't bother me either way, but some might not like that, so needs mentioning.
I liked the steam level. Granted, it goes without saying I would have liked more steam but I'm not holding that against this book. I liked that the level was perfect for Miguel and Raven, given how Raven was injured early in the book!
I liked, to a point, the Nightcrawler reviews. They were funny, but I didn't read them all. Not sure why, but I skipped them after about half way through. I didn't really see what they added to the story, to be honest.
I LOVED the supporting cast. Miguel's mentor/friends were great, and add in their wider circle who came to help him with that last bounty, and my interest was well and truely piqued. I'm not sure if these guys have stories somewhere, but if they do, I wanna read them!
One last thing, I would have liked some closure on the boob heist 🙂 I'm not sure if I missed what happened to the porn star and her boyfriend, or we didn't find out, but I would have liked to have known what happened to them!
A quick look on shows me I've read a couple of Logan books and they weren't doing anything for me. This one, though, I think is one of the better ones.
3.5 stars but rounded up for the blog to 4 stars.
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated After the Fall in Books
Dec 24, 2017
lovely (1 more)
poignant
There are all sorts of falls.
For Honor, it is an actual fall. An intelligent, proud woman, Honor raised her son, Stephen, alone. But Stephen married and then unexpectedly passed away, and Honor lives by herself. A fall down the stairs of her stately home lands her in the hospital with a broken hip and her pride deeply wounded. Suddenly, Honor is at the mercy of her former daughter-in-law, Jo, who was Stephen's wife, to help care for her.
For Jo, her fall may not be physical, but she feels as if she's always trying to catch up. Perpetually optimistic, Jo is constantly cheerful for those around her, but she cannot always hide her own doubts about where her life is headed, or if she's doing right by her three children. She's a busy mom to Lydia, Oscar, and Iris, and recently divorced from Oscar and Iris' father. She also fears she may be falling... for another man.
And for Lydia, she too has fallen in love. But she's also a teenager, who lost her father young, and she's dealing with the trials of school and exams. Lydia has a secret, as well: one that threatens her ability to blend in at school and home.
This book, oh this book. I adored this book so much. I fell for these characters (so sorry for that awful pun) hard. From the moment I started reading about feisty Honor, cheery Jo, and teenage Lydia, I loved them. I loved their problems, their sense of humor, and their family. This novel is beautifully written, achingly touching, and often laugh out loud funny.
It alternates between the points of view of our three main women: Honor, Jo, and Lydia. Honor and Jo have never been close, as Honor resented Jo marrying her son, and Jo felt intimidated by the intelligent and strong Honor. But after Honor's fall, she's forced to move in with Jo, her granddaughter Lydia, and Jo's young children with her second husband. The book slowly unfolds the details of how Stephen (Honor's son) passed away and the effect it had on all three women. The entire novel, really, is about little life details and how each they've impacted the three in various ways. In fact, you learn that while we are hearing these stories from three connected people, they really don't know each very well at all. Cohen captures so well how much they need each other, but can't admit it.
As such, there is a poignancy to the novel, as we watch the women navigate life and keep a variety of secrets and hidden sadness from each other. But unlike so many novels, where I want to just scream at the characters to communicate, or where it seems like the entire plot could have been avoided by someone simply talking to another character, this novel is real and true. For instance, Lydia's teen angst and the trials of her adolescence are also so beautifully (although heartbreakingly) portrayed.
It also captures the trials of having children so perfectly. There are some hilarious scenes as Jo navigates caring for her two younger children. Even better are the moments of prickly Honor interacting with young Iris and Oscar. You cannot help but laugh. There is a moment with Oscar and Honor that made me laugh and nearly cry; it was just so funny and touching. The novel is filled with many of these wonderful and witty moments.
I loved how these characters never failed to surprise me. Yes, there were some plot points you could see coming, but they didn't diminish my joy for the book or the depth of the characters. Nothing felt too cliche, and I remained captivated and intrigued. I felt a part of their story and lives. The novel really makes you think; its plot is not just "fluff."
By the end, I still loved all three so much, and my only disappointment was that the book ended.
For Honor, it is an actual fall. An intelligent, proud woman, Honor raised her son, Stephen, alone. But Stephen married and then unexpectedly passed away, and Honor lives by herself. A fall down the stairs of her stately home lands her in the hospital with a broken hip and her pride deeply wounded. Suddenly, Honor is at the mercy of her former daughter-in-law, Jo, who was Stephen's wife, to help care for her.
For Jo, her fall may not be physical, but she feels as if she's always trying to catch up. Perpetually optimistic, Jo is constantly cheerful for those around her, but she cannot always hide her own doubts about where her life is headed, or if she's doing right by her three children. She's a busy mom to Lydia, Oscar, and Iris, and recently divorced from Oscar and Iris' father. She also fears she may be falling... for another man.
And for Lydia, she too has fallen in love. But she's also a teenager, who lost her father young, and she's dealing with the trials of school and exams. Lydia has a secret, as well: one that threatens her ability to blend in at school and home.
This book, oh this book. I adored this book so much. I fell for these characters (so sorry for that awful pun) hard. From the moment I started reading about feisty Honor, cheery Jo, and teenage Lydia, I loved them. I loved their problems, their sense of humor, and their family. This novel is beautifully written, achingly touching, and often laugh out loud funny.
It alternates between the points of view of our three main women: Honor, Jo, and Lydia. Honor and Jo have never been close, as Honor resented Jo marrying her son, and Jo felt intimidated by the intelligent and strong Honor. But after Honor's fall, she's forced to move in with Jo, her granddaughter Lydia, and Jo's young children with her second husband. The book slowly unfolds the details of how Stephen (Honor's son) passed away and the effect it had on all three women. The entire novel, really, is about little life details and how each they've impacted the three in various ways. In fact, you learn that while we are hearing these stories from three connected people, they really don't know each very well at all. Cohen captures so well how much they need each other, but can't admit it.
As such, there is a poignancy to the novel, as we watch the women navigate life and keep a variety of secrets and hidden sadness from each other. But unlike so many novels, where I want to just scream at the characters to communicate, or where it seems like the entire plot could have been avoided by someone simply talking to another character, this novel is real and true. For instance, Lydia's teen angst and the trials of her adolescence are also so beautifully (although heartbreakingly) portrayed.
It also captures the trials of having children so perfectly. There are some hilarious scenes as Jo navigates caring for her two younger children. Even better are the moments of prickly Honor interacting with young Iris and Oscar. You cannot help but laugh. There is a moment with Oscar and Honor that made me laugh and nearly cry; it was just so funny and touching. The novel is filled with many of these wonderful and witty moments.
I loved how these characters never failed to surprise me. Yes, there were some plot points you could see coming, but they didn't diminish my joy for the book or the depth of the characters. Nothing felt too cliche, and I remained captivated and intrigued. I felt a part of their story and lives. The novel really makes you think; its plot is not just "fluff."
By the end, I still loved all three so much, and my only disappointment was that the book ended.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Cage of Destiny (Reign of Secrets, #3) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>The author/publisher provided a free copy of the book for review purposes - thank you! Receiving a review copy does not guarantee a positive review and therefore do not affect the opinion or content of the review.</i></b>
I honestly forgot about writing a review for <i>Cage of Destiny</i> after reading it, so I am now fashionably late in the reviewing scheme of things.
My excuse: I've been trying to get both of my co-bloggers into reading this and it has not happened yet. My mission will continue. (Also AneliseÂ’s library is cooler than mine because she says they have a copy of the first book.)
<b>I honestly live for DavisÂ’s introductions because they give me life</b>. It's one of the rare things that never happen in books but it happened and I always look forward to reading it. <b>Also it seems like there will be more books?</b> Which means I might get more of one of my favorite bad-ass princess? My heart is overjoyed. *rolls into abyss of happiness*
<i>Cage of Destiny</i> starts right off from <i><a href="http://www.bookwyrmingthoughts.com/blog-tour-cage-of-darkness-by-jennifer-anne-davis-arc-review"; target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Cage of Darkness</a></i>, when Allyssa is given the ultimate choice from her parents to walk away from her crown or continue the path of being empress of Emperion. This makes things a lot interesting since <i><a href="http://www.bookwyrmingthoughts.com/blog-tour-cage-of-deceit-by-jennifer-anne-davis-arc-review"; target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Cage of Deceit</a></i> revealed <b>Allyssa is a bad-ass princess who sneaks around the kingdom just to take down criminals in a disguise. </b>And now she has a decision while taking down evil queen interested in kingdom domination!
To be a ruler, or not to be a ruler, that is the question.
And of course, <b>there is a love triangle, which is kind of strange yet thrilling at the same time.</b> Unlike most love triangles where the poor girl is playing “Pick a Boy” and us poor readers are fighting around with teams, <b>there's only one side to this love triangle.</b> The other guy is just there hanging on hopelessly, and my heart is happy because <b>Davis isn't busy pulling around with my poor heartstrings and there is only one ship to this story.</b>
Which basically leads me into some of the characters of book three. All of the major characters have been introduced in either the first or second book, so a lot of those characters are returning. In addition to that, <b>there are some new characters as well, so maybe there's a book four? That is yet to be seen.</b>
But let me take a moment to appreciate Kerdan, who got introduced in the previous book and will be playing a larger role than floating around and plotting and being all around mysterious prince warrior. <b>Kerdan is basically the Kenji from <i>Shatter Me</i></b> - all funny personality with more page time than Kenji did, but also my favorite character other than Allyssa.
In fact, <b>Kerdan probably brings out the funny side of Allyssa, </b>which I will definitely not complain about.
<b>
</b> <b><i>Cage of Destiny </i>brings a satisfying conclusion to one story with an unknown promise of future books</b> - I'll be looking forward to future books regardless.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/cage-of-destiny-by-jennifer-anne-davis/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
I honestly forgot about writing a review for <i>Cage of Destiny</i> after reading it, so I am now fashionably late in the reviewing scheme of things.
My excuse: I've been trying to get both of my co-bloggers into reading this and it has not happened yet. My mission will continue. (Also AneliseÂ’s library is cooler than mine because she says they have a copy of the first book.)
<b>I honestly live for DavisÂ’s introductions because they give me life</b>. It's one of the rare things that never happen in books but it happened and I always look forward to reading it. <b>Also it seems like there will be more books?</b> Which means I might get more of one of my favorite bad-ass princess? My heart is overjoyed. *rolls into abyss of happiness*
<i>Cage of Destiny</i> starts right off from <i><a href="http://www.bookwyrmingthoughts.com/blog-tour-cage-of-darkness-by-jennifer-anne-davis-arc-review"; target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Cage of Darkness</a></i>, when Allyssa is given the ultimate choice from her parents to walk away from her crown or continue the path of being empress of Emperion. This makes things a lot interesting since <i><a href="http://www.bookwyrmingthoughts.com/blog-tour-cage-of-deceit-by-jennifer-anne-davis-arc-review"; target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Cage of Deceit</a></i> revealed <b>Allyssa is a bad-ass princess who sneaks around the kingdom just to take down criminals in a disguise. </b>And now she has a decision while taking down evil queen interested in kingdom domination!
To be a ruler, or not to be a ruler, that is the question.
And of course, <b>there is a love triangle, which is kind of strange yet thrilling at the same time.</b> Unlike most love triangles where the poor girl is playing “Pick a Boy” and us poor readers are fighting around with teams, <b>there's only one side to this love triangle.</b> The other guy is just there hanging on hopelessly, and my heart is happy because <b>Davis isn't busy pulling around with my poor heartstrings and there is only one ship to this story.</b>
Which basically leads me into some of the characters of book three. All of the major characters have been introduced in either the first or second book, so a lot of those characters are returning. In addition to that, <b>there are some new characters as well, so maybe there's a book four? That is yet to be seen.</b>
But let me take a moment to appreciate Kerdan, who got introduced in the previous book and will be playing a larger role than floating around and plotting and being all around mysterious prince warrior. <b>Kerdan is basically the Kenji from <i>Shatter Me</i></b> - all funny personality with more page time than Kenji did, but also my favorite character other than Allyssa.
In fact, <b>Kerdan probably brings out the funny side of Allyssa, </b>which I will definitely not complain about.
<b>
</b> <b><i>Cage of Destiny </i>brings a satisfying conclusion to one story with an unknown promise of future books</b> - I'll be looking forward to future books regardless.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/cage-of-destiny-by-jennifer-anne-davis/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Cool for the Summer in Books
May 13, 2021
A simply wonderful book about finding yourself and love
Larissa "Lara" Bogdan has had a crush on one person for her entirety of high school: Chase Harding, the handsome, beloved football quarterback. But it's not until she comes back from a summer at the Outer Banks that he seems to take real notice of Lara. Like, flirting, asking her out notice. Now, she suddenly has everything she's ever wanted. But Lara can't seem to shake her memories of that Outer Banks summer and the girl she spent it with: Jasmine. Those memories come back in full force when Jasmine unexpectedly shows up at Lara's school on the first day and sees Chase flirting with Lara. Lara finally has Chase now. So why can't she stop thinking about Jasmine?
"How do you tell people who've listened to you babble about your crush on a guy for a thousand years that whoops, you spent the summer fooling around with a girl?"
Oh goodness, this was a great book. I'm so jealous there are so many wonderful YA LGTBQIA books out there now, which I would have devoured as a teen, yet incredibly happy too. I absolutely loved Lara as a character. She's sweet and bookish (addicted to romances) and in that stage where she's finding herself and coming out. It's hard not to relate to that. Adler's characters pop onto the pages--Lara, her mother, Jasmine, and Lara's cast of funny, overbearing, and loving friends. And even Chase, who is truly a good guy. (I appreciated that it wasn't "bad guy" versus "good girl" but two good kids, with their own personalities and flaws, whom Lara had to choose from.)
The book is told in a then and now format, starting out with Lara in high school and then flashing back to her summer in the Outer Banks with Jasmine. As someone who has spent some time in the Outer Banks, I loved the beachy setting, and the book just felt fun, summery, and exciting. You could feel the thrill of Lara and Jasmine falling for each other. It's so rare that we get this in our literature, and it brought back memories of my own first love and that fun, scared, happy feeling, along with all that uncertainly of realizing you were feeling these things for another girl. Adler captures it all so perfectly.
"If I somehow got Jasmine back--if I even wanted her back--what would it mean losing when everyone else found out the truth?"
The premise for this book is fascinating and lovely. Lara suddenly has everything she wants: she has pined after Chase for THREE YEARS. She comes back from vacation with a tan, a new haircut, and a newfound confidence (which no one knows the source of) and he suddenly takes notice of her. She should be in heaven--her friends certainly think so. Faced with having to make all these monumental life decisions, to realize whom she loves, and what she is--it's a lot. The book does such an excellent job of portraying bisexuality and the journey of figuring out who who you are. It's very well done, but also funny and witty. All the characters seem real and, for the most part, true to their age.
Overall, I loved this one. It portrays the queer community very well and does an excellent job capturing teens. The story is fun, sweet, and captivating. I feel like it would speak well to teens and adults who remember that spark of falling in love. I have to go read everything else by Adler now... 4.5 stars.
"How do you tell people who've listened to you babble about your crush on a guy for a thousand years that whoops, you spent the summer fooling around with a girl?"
Oh goodness, this was a great book. I'm so jealous there are so many wonderful YA LGTBQIA books out there now, which I would have devoured as a teen, yet incredibly happy too. I absolutely loved Lara as a character. She's sweet and bookish (addicted to romances) and in that stage where she's finding herself and coming out. It's hard not to relate to that. Adler's characters pop onto the pages--Lara, her mother, Jasmine, and Lara's cast of funny, overbearing, and loving friends. And even Chase, who is truly a good guy. (I appreciated that it wasn't "bad guy" versus "good girl" but two good kids, with their own personalities and flaws, whom Lara had to choose from.)
The book is told in a then and now format, starting out with Lara in high school and then flashing back to her summer in the Outer Banks with Jasmine. As someone who has spent some time in the Outer Banks, I loved the beachy setting, and the book just felt fun, summery, and exciting. You could feel the thrill of Lara and Jasmine falling for each other. It's so rare that we get this in our literature, and it brought back memories of my own first love and that fun, scared, happy feeling, along with all that uncertainly of realizing you were feeling these things for another girl. Adler captures it all so perfectly.
"If I somehow got Jasmine back--if I even wanted her back--what would it mean losing when everyone else found out the truth?"
The premise for this book is fascinating and lovely. Lara suddenly has everything she wants: she has pined after Chase for THREE YEARS. She comes back from vacation with a tan, a new haircut, and a newfound confidence (which no one knows the source of) and he suddenly takes notice of her. She should be in heaven--her friends certainly think so. Faced with having to make all these monumental life decisions, to realize whom she loves, and what she is--it's a lot. The book does such an excellent job of portraying bisexuality and the journey of figuring out who who you are. It's very well done, but also funny and witty. All the characters seem real and, for the most part, true to their age.
Overall, I loved this one. It portrays the queer community very well and does an excellent job capturing teens. The story is fun, sweet, and captivating. I feel like it would speak well to teens and adults who remember that spark of falling in love. I have to go read everything else by Adler now... 4.5 stars.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated A Girl Named Willow Krimble (Willow Krimble, #1) in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review can also be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
Okay, so I'm addicted to blog book comps. That's no secret. When I came across a blog giving away a copy of a book entitled A Girl Named Willow Krimble, I was intrigued by the whole synopsis. It sounded super cool, and I definitely was not disappointed one bit after reading this book.
Willow Krimble is a 13 year old girl with a big heart. She tries to see the best in everyone and tries to help out in whatever she can. One day, when a neighbor falls ill, Willow realizes that she's got the unique ability to heal others. Not knowing where these powers came from, Willow must keep her ability from others lest they think she is crazy.
I love the simplicity of the title. The book is about exactly what it says in the title: A Girl Named Willow Krimble. Okay, I know it's not very original, but it definitely suits this book.
I love the cartoon style of the cover. I think a lot of middle graders would find this cover very appealing instead of just some photo of a random girl. The artwork on the cover is amazing even if Willow does appear to be older on the cover than just 13 years.
The world building is very much believable. Willow sees her world as I imagine a 13 year old girl would. The situations Willow found herself in seemed to be very real, and I had no problems imagining the scenes.
I thought the pacing in this novel was superb! Usually, when I read middle grade novels, I try to put myself in that sort of mind frame. However, as an adult, I still loved the pacing. Not one point in the book did I find myself becoming bored or wishing I hadn't started reading this book.
I loved all the characters and thought Mr. Biano did an excellent job bringing them to life. I loved the fact that Willow had a disability but didn't let that stop her. She had a big heart and wanted to share her happiness with the world. I found Razzel, Willow's best friend, to be quite the character. I loved her feistiness and the way she was very protective of Willow. Razzel was such a strong kick-butt character, and I fell in love with how funny and great she was. I'd say she was definitely my favorite character. Wyatt, Willow's older brother, made me chuckle a lot of the time as well. I love how he was constantly eating all the time...well, most of the time. Shayla was definitely an interesting character that I enjoyed. I won't go into too much detail though because I don't want to give anything away.
The dialogue between characters was fun to read. I loved the dialogue between Razzel and Willow the most though because of the chemistry between them. You could definitely tell how much they cared for each other. Do be aware that there are a couple of swear words but nothing major.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading A Girl Named Willow Krimble by Giuseppe Bianco. It is such a heartwarming read, and one I think everyone will enjoy. The only minor annoyance I had was most of the characters had such unusual names. But as I stated previously, that's just a minor thing that doesn't really take anything away from the book.
I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 13+ as it's such a lovely and warming read.
Overall, I'd give A Girl Named Willow Krimble (Willow Krimble #1) by Giuseppe Bianco a 4.75 out of 5.
Okay, so I'm addicted to blog book comps. That's no secret. When I came across a blog giving away a copy of a book entitled A Girl Named Willow Krimble, I was intrigued by the whole synopsis. It sounded super cool, and I definitely was not disappointed one bit after reading this book.
Willow Krimble is a 13 year old girl with a big heart. She tries to see the best in everyone and tries to help out in whatever she can. One day, when a neighbor falls ill, Willow realizes that she's got the unique ability to heal others. Not knowing where these powers came from, Willow must keep her ability from others lest they think she is crazy.
I love the simplicity of the title. The book is about exactly what it says in the title: A Girl Named Willow Krimble. Okay, I know it's not very original, but it definitely suits this book.
I love the cartoon style of the cover. I think a lot of middle graders would find this cover very appealing instead of just some photo of a random girl. The artwork on the cover is amazing even if Willow does appear to be older on the cover than just 13 years.
The world building is very much believable. Willow sees her world as I imagine a 13 year old girl would. The situations Willow found herself in seemed to be very real, and I had no problems imagining the scenes.
I thought the pacing in this novel was superb! Usually, when I read middle grade novels, I try to put myself in that sort of mind frame. However, as an adult, I still loved the pacing. Not one point in the book did I find myself becoming bored or wishing I hadn't started reading this book.
I loved all the characters and thought Mr. Biano did an excellent job bringing them to life. I loved the fact that Willow had a disability but didn't let that stop her. She had a big heart and wanted to share her happiness with the world. I found Razzel, Willow's best friend, to be quite the character. I loved her feistiness and the way she was very protective of Willow. Razzel was such a strong kick-butt character, and I fell in love with how funny and great she was. I'd say she was definitely my favorite character. Wyatt, Willow's older brother, made me chuckle a lot of the time as well. I love how he was constantly eating all the time...well, most of the time. Shayla was definitely an interesting character that I enjoyed. I won't go into too much detail though because I don't want to give anything away.
The dialogue between characters was fun to read. I loved the dialogue between Razzel and Willow the most though because of the chemistry between them. You could definitely tell how much they cared for each other. Do be aware that there are a couple of swear words but nothing major.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading A Girl Named Willow Krimble by Giuseppe Bianco. It is such a heartwarming read, and one I think everyone will enjoy. The only minor annoyance I had was most of the characters had such unusual names. But as I stated previously, that's just a minor thing that doesn't really take anything away from the book.
I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 13+ as it's such a lovely and warming read.
Overall, I'd give A Girl Named Willow Krimble (Willow Krimble #1) by Giuseppe Bianco a 4.75 out of 5.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Catastrophic History of You and Me in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review will be available on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Soemthing Year Old Girl</a> from the middle of August).
I'd been wanting to read The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg for awhile now. I had found it cheap on Amazon and decided to buy it. Although it was a kind of good book, I wish I had seen if my library had it to borrow.
I don't really need to explain the synopsis in my words because the official one seems to describe what the book is about quite well. If I explain it, I'd just be saying the same thing, but not as good.
The title is a mouthful, but I like it. It's one of the first things that made me want to pick up this book. I do believe that the title fits this book perfectly!
The cover is what caught my eye the most! It is absolutely gorgeous! It's also a scene that appears in the book a few times.
The world building was done quite well, and I loved the setting! I love how when Brie dies, she's transported by bus to a pizza place she frequented quite a bit. There's something about that that I just found funny! There's only one time that I felt confused, but I don't want to say anything due to spoilers. Oh, and one more thing. Brie says her family called her by cheese nicknames due to her name. However, Patrick as well as other people she sees in the afterlife due that as well. However, I just don't think everyone would associate her name with cheese, nor would they be so blatant to tease her about it. Other then that, the world building is easy to imagine.
For about half of the book, the pacing seemed a bit slow to me. In fact, I was thinking about giving up on the book altogether. However, the second half picks up the pacing, and it becomes quite an enjoyable read from there on out..
I've always been interested in plots where someone dies and gets to look at their friends and family. Brie wants to get back at Jacob in the afterlife for breaking her heart. She sees the consequences, and we are left to wonder what Brie will do. We also find out Jacob's big secret which I didn't see coming. I also didn't see the other plot twist. I love being surprised!!
I started off liking Brie. She seemed like a really insecure but nice girl. However, I soon found her to be annoying and mean. I understand wanting revenge on someone who has hurt you, but what she did was really uncalled for. I also found her thought pattern to be really vicious and spiteful. I didn't like how she treated Patrick either. She tries to make amends, but it's just too little, too late for me. I did like Patrick and found him to be a rather sweet and friendly guy. The way he spoke sometimes annoyed me, but overall, he was very likable.
The dialogue was very easy to understand and flowed very well. Like I said, there were times I didn't like the way Patrick spoke, but that wasn't very often. I found it interesting to see how Brie's family and friends carried on without her. There's also some swearing in this book.
Overall, The Catastrophic History of You and Me started out a bit boring, but it got better. It turns out to be a sweet story with a moral to it, I believe.
I'd recommend this book to those age 14+ who are looking for a sweet read with a great message attached to it.
I'd give The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg a 3.5 out of 5.
I'd been wanting to read The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg for awhile now. I had found it cheap on Amazon and decided to buy it. Although it was a kind of good book, I wish I had seen if my library had it to borrow.
I don't really need to explain the synopsis in my words because the official one seems to describe what the book is about quite well. If I explain it, I'd just be saying the same thing, but not as good.
The title is a mouthful, but I like it. It's one of the first things that made me want to pick up this book. I do believe that the title fits this book perfectly!
The cover is what caught my eye the most! It is absolutely gorgeous! It's also a scene that appears in the book a few times.
The world building was done quite well, and I loved the setting! I love how when Brie dies, she's transported by bus to a pizza place she frequented quite a bit. There's something about that that I just found funny! There's only one time that I felt confused, but I don't want to say anything due to spoilers. Oh, and one more thing. Brie says her family called her by cheese nicknames due to her name. However, Patrick as well as other people she sees in the afterlife due that as well. However, I just don't think everyone would associate her name with cheese, nor would they be so blatant to tease her about it. Other then that, the world building is easy to imagine.
For about half of the book, the pacing seemed a bit slow to me. In fact, I was thinking about giving up on the book altogether. However, the second half picks up the pacing, and it becomes quite an enjoyable read from there on out..
I've always been interested in plots where someone dies and gets to look at their friends and family. Brie wants to get back at Jacob in the afterlife for breaking her heart. She sees the consequences, and we are left to wonder what Brie will do. We also find out Jacob's big secret which I didn't see coming. I also didn't see the other plot twist. I love being surprised!!
I started off liking Brie. She seemed like a really insecure but nice girl. However, I soon found her to be annoying and mean. I understand wanting revenge on someone who has hurt you, but what she did was really uncalled for. I also found her thought pattern to be really vicious and spiteful. I didn't like how she treated Patrick either. She tries to make amends, but it's just too little, too late for me. I did like Patrick and found him to be a rather sweet and friendly guy. The way he spoke sometimes annoyed me, but overall, he was very likable.
The dialogue was very easy to understand and flowed very well. Like I said, there were times I didn't like the way Patrick spoke, but that wasn't very often. I found it interesting to see how Brie's family and friends carried on without her. There's also some swearing in this book.
Overall, The Catastrophic History of You and Me started out a bit boring, but it got better. It turns out to be a sweet story with a moral to it, I believe.
I'd recommend this book to those age 14+ who are looking for a sweet read with a great message attached to it.
I'd give The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg a 3.5 out of 5.
Molly J (Cover To Cover Cafe) (106 KP) rated A Memory Between Us (Wings of Glory, #2) in Books
Feb 27, 2019
Amazing! Sarah Sundin has done it again…….she has created another story and made it come to life before the reader and captures the reader with the love and mercy that flows through out! I love an author like that. She pulled me instantly with the characters and the storyline, and held me til the last page. It was EXTREMELY hard to put this book down. I wanted to read through the whole book in one setting to see what finally would happen at the end!
A Memory Between Us continues the Novak brothers’ story, this time, with middle brother Jack. Much like A Distant Melody, Sarah continues with a message of over coming the past and moving forward in your life, while relying on God for the redemption and love. A well created message by a super talented author. Reading Ruth and Jack’s stories was both funny, and serious. I loved all the quirkiness that Sarah threw into the story to keep the reader smiling, but I also loved the seriousness that she gave to Ruth. Ruth was a character I could relate with in many different ways. I saw myself in a lot of what Ruth did or said. She really tugged at my heart!
And let’s not forget about the handsome and charming Jack Novak! After all, this is his story. He is determined that Ruth is the girl for him, but there’s a secret from her past that’s holding her back and he’s determined to find out what it is! I loved his charming ways and his humbling attitude. If only I could find a guy as sweet and handsome as Air Corps pilot, Jack Novak…..*sigh*. His character was chiseled wonderfully and added so much to Ruth’s part of the story, as he was working his charm and getting her to like and trust him. He really captured my heart in this well written story!
This is a book that is definitely worth 5 stars, along with high recommendations to all who love a tender historical romance story…..it’s a perfect addition to the Wings of Glory series. While it is always my recommendation to read a series in order, this could easily be read as a stand alone title. If you’ve never read a Sarah Sundin novel, this is a good place to start, along with A Distant Melody, book 1 in this awesome series. I look forward to book 3, Blues Skies Tomorrow, releasing in August of 2011, and following oldest brother, Ray Novak’s story.
A Memory Between Us continues the Novak brothers’ story, this time, with middle brother Jack. Much like A Distant Melody, Sarah continues with a message of over coming the past and moving forward in your life, while relying on God for the redemption and love. A well created message by a super talented author. Reading Ruth and Jack’s stories was both funny, and serious. I loved all the quirkiness that Sarah threw into the story to keep the reader smiling, but I also loved the seriousness that she gave to Ruth. Ruth was a character I could relate with in many different ways. I saw myself in a lot of what Ruth did or said. She really tugged at my heart!
And let’s not forget about the handsome and charming Jack Novak! After all, this is his story. He is determined that Ruth is the girl for him, but there’s a secret from her past that’s holding her back and he’s determined to find out what it is! I loved his charming ways and his humbling attitude. If only I could find a guy as sweet and handsome as Air Corps pilot, Jack Novak…..*sigh*. His character was chiseled wonderfully and added so much to Ruth’s part of the story, as he was working his charm and getting her to like and trust him. He really captured my heart in this well written story!
This is a book that is definitely worth 5 stars, along with high recommendations to all who love a tender historical romance story…..it’s a perfect addition to the Wings of Glory series. While it is always my recommendation to read a series in order, this could easily be read as a stand alone title. If you’ve never read a Sarah Sundin novel, this is a good place to start, along with A Distant Melody, book 1 in this awesome series. I look forward to book 3, Blues Skies Tomorrow, releasing in August of 2011, and following oldest brother, Ray Novak’s story.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated Lullaby in Books
Mar 15, 2018
IÂ’ve never read a Palahniuk books before but I actually really enjoyed this one. I can understand why some people find his writing annoying, but personally I like itÂ’s wit, brutality and shockingness.
Palahniuk is always trying to make a point in his writing… I know this from reading other people’s reviews… but if it’s not right there in front of me, and instead hidden behind cryptic messages, I usually miss the whole point. Which is what I feel happened with this book. I mean I got it thanks to self explanatory lines like “Power, money, food, sex, love. Can we ever get enough, or will getting some make us crave even more?” but I also feel like a lot of it went over my head, so excuse my bland review!
This book is definitely difficult reading at some points, with itÂ’s grotesque descriptions and imagery, but for the most part itÂ’s quite a quick read. I found the story easy enough to follow, although at moments there are whole chapters that appear out of nowhere and make no sense until the end, which threw me off a little! I wasnÂ’t expecting this novel to have a kind of twisty-turny outcome, but it does and I loved that about it! How the story joins up and concludes is very clever. It exceeded my expectations in that aspect.
I really enjoyed getting to know the characters in this story. There are 4 main characters, and itÂ’s been a long time since IÂ’ve read a book where we get to know each one of them really well. Palahniuk has done well to make them all their own individual beings with completely different personalities that are both fun and annoying. Carl is our main, main character and heÂ’s a strange individual to follow around. We learn so much about him, including a shocking secret that makes us look at him in a different light. Helen Hoover Boyle is a fun character to accompany Carl and itÂ’s interesting to see how their relationship grows as each chapter passes.
Overall, I really liked this book. It’s been a while since I’ve read a book that’s been both disturbing and funny at the same time. I have always been hesitant to read Palahniuk because everyone says his stuff is so like Marmite, but just like I am with the controversial spread, I’m on the love it side – at least for now!
Palahniuk is always trying to make a point in his writing… I know this from reading other people’s reviews… but if it’s not right there in front of me, and instead hidden behind cryptic messages, I usually miss the whole point. Which is what I feel happened with this book. I mean I got it thanks to self explanatory lines like “Power, money, food, sex, love. Can we ever get enough, or will getting some make us crave even more?” but I also feel like a lot of it went over my head, so excuse my bland review!
This book is definitely difficult reading at some points, with itÂ’s grotesque descriptions and imagery, but for the most part itÂ’s quite a quick read. I found the story easy enough to follow, although at moments there are whole chapters that appear out of nowhere and make no sense until the end, which threw me off a little! I wasnÂ’t expecting this novel to have a kind of twisty-turny outcome, but it does and I loved that about it! How the story joins up and concludes is very clever. It exceeded my expectations in that aspect.
I really enjoyed getting to know the characters in this story. There are 4 main characters, and itÂ’s been a long time since IÂ’ve read a book where we get to know each one of them really well. Palahniuk has done well to make them all their own individual beings with completely different personalities that are both fun and annoying. Carl is our main, main character and heÂ’s a strange individual to follow around. We learn so much about him, including a shocking secret that makes us look at him in a different light. Helen Hoover Boyle is a fun character to accompany Carl and itÂ’s interesting to see how their relationship grows as each chapter passes.
Overall, I really liked this book. It’s been a while since I’ve read a book that’s been both disturbing and funny at the same time. I have always been hesitant to read Palahniuk because everyone says his stuff is so like Marmite, but just like I am with the controversial spread, I’m on the love it side – at least for now!
Cyn Armistead (14 KP) rated Changes (The Dresden Files, #12) in Books
Mar 1, 2018
I do not give out many 5-star ratings, but for this book I couldn't do anything else. That is despite the fact that [a:Jim Butcher|10746|Jim Butcher|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1400640324p2/10746.jpg] did something I honestly didn't think he would do to his legions of loyal readers, something that I absolutely detest. Something that I will not tell you about, because I loathe spoilers.
If you know anything about me, though, it means a great deal to say that even though I would drop most authors who use that particular technique like not just hot, but rotten hot potatoes, I cannot even consider not getting the next Dresden Files book and devouring it the very first millisecond I am able to do so.
My family can attest to the fact that I didn't just laugh out loud while reading <i>Changes</i>. (Anybody who doesn't laugh out loud at least once while reading the Dresden Files should be checked for rigor mortis.) This time I laughed so loud and so long at one point that Sam got up and came into the room where I was to make sure that I was okay and getting enough air. There was absolutely no way for me to explain what was so funny, of course, without spoilers.
While there is a great deal of humor, there is also darkness. A lot of darkness. The blurb for the book makes that clear. Susan, the love of Harry's life, kidnapped years ago by a Red Court vampire and half-turned in a plot to get at Dresden, is back with big, bad news: she had a daughter by him, and the child has been kidnapped by someone. As usual, things go downhill from there.
Many series start out with a bang, have maybe two or three strong volumes, then devolve into more and more and more contract fulfillment books that I occasionally think might be written by clever shell scripts. The Dresden Files is one of the few, beautiful exceptions, as volume twelve proves. I honestly thought that Butcher was winding things up to move on to other projects, due to some of the events in the book, but I will say that he surprised the bejesus out of me. This is definitely not a series-ending book!
I anxiously await number thirteen. I might even do something I've never done before, and pre-order it. Yes, Jim, you've got me hooked, and how.
If you know anything about me, though, it means a great deal to say that even though I would drop most authors who use that particular technique like not just hot, but rotten hot potatoes, I cannot even consider not getting the next Dresden Files book and devouring it the very first millisecond I am able to do so.
My family can attest to the fact that I didn't just laugh out loud while reading <i>Changes</i>. (Anybody who doesn't laugh out loud at least once while reading the Dresden Files should be checked for rigor mortis.) This time I laughed so loud and so long at one point that Sam got up and came into the room where I was to make sure that I was okay and getting enough air. There was absolutely no way for me to explain what was so funny, of course, without spoilers.
While there is a great deal of humor, there is also darkness. A lot of darkness. The blurb for the book makes that clear. Susan, the love of Harry's life, kidnapped years ago by a Red Court vampire and half-turned in a plot to get at Dresden, is back with big, bad news: she had a daughter by him, and the child has been kidnapped by someone. As usual, things go downhill from there.
Many series start out with a bang, have maybe two or three strong volumes, then devolve into more and more and more contract fulfillment books that I occasionally think might be written by clever shell scripts. The Dresden Files is one of the few, beautiful exceptions, as volume twelve proves. I honestly thought that Butcher was winding things up to move on to other projects, due to some of the events in the book, but I will say that he surprised the bejesus out of me. This is definitely not a series-ending book!
I anxiously await number thirteen. I might even do something I've never done before, and pre-order it. Yes, Jim, you've got me hooked, and how.
Alice (12 KP) rated For Better or Worse (The Wedding Belles, #2) in Books
Jul 3, 2018
For Better or Worse is the second of three in the Wedding Belles series and so far has been my favourite (though only 2 have been released) I loved Josh Tanner from the get go – as soon as his character popped up he was the one for me.
We meet Heather Fowler briefly in To Have and To Hold and her character in that book appears to be very blasé about love – she’s all about the wedding planning – which isn’t a bad thing until For Better or Worse.
Heather is a one track mind kinda gal and wedding planning is it. Her big dream and her reasoning behind that is due to the endless string of “The One” from her mother; I don’t – in all honesty the first few times we hear from Heather’s mother – like her, she gives me a bad vibe. But my opinion of her improves greatly the further the story progresses.
My all time favourite character in this book was Josh Tanner. He had the YOLO kind of attitude and the way he spent his life before Heather moved in next door was a “what I want when I want” mentality. He was very funny and kept me smiling throughout the book even when things were getting hard for him he still managed to retain his sense of humour.
It also felt a little like Josh was going through a mid – life crisis and wasn’t 100% sure on where he was going in life. After a battle with cancer he’d taken to the “what I want when I want” mentality quite quickly but had also begun to feel like it wasn’t enough.
His friendship with Heather was awesome – 4c and 4a were the nicknames floating around during almost every conversation – and their friendship didn’t start off all that well but it turned into a budding friendship with benefits that ultimately (despite their refusals) led to love.
The book had just the right amount of seriousness and was – in my opinion – overpowered the great humourous relationship between Heather and Josh; despite their differences and the difficult times they managed to retain the great sense of humour throughout the story.
I really enjoy Lauren Layne’s writing style and she’s definitely my favourite “chicklit ” author which considering I don’t really like it an amazing feat. Her books have always got humour and great characters with witty banter and good back stories. The plots are quite unique as well and I can’t wait until the next Wedding Belles book is out and the next Oxford one for that matter.
We meet Heather Fowler briefly in To Have and To Hold and her character in that book appears to be very blasé about love – she’s all about the wedding planning – which isn’t a bad thing until For Better or Worse.
Heather is a one track mind kinda gal and wedding planning is it. Her big dream and her reasoning behind that is due to the endless string of “The One” from her mother; I don’t – in all honesty the first few times we hear from Heather’s mother – like her, she gives me a bad vibe. But my opinion of her improves greatly the further the story progresses.
My all time favourite character in this book was Josh Tanner. He had the YOLO kind of attitude and the way he spent his life before Heather moved in next door was a “what I want when I want” mentality. He was very funny and kept me smiling throughout the book even when things were getting hard for him he still managed to retain his sense of humour.
It also felt a little like Josh was going through a mid – life crisis and wasn’t 100% sure on where he was going in life. After a battle with cancer he’d taken to the “what I want when I want” mentality quite quickly but had also begun to feel like it wasn’t enough.
His friendship with Heather was awesome – 4c and 4a were the nicknames floating around during almost every conversation – and their friendship didn’t start off all that well but it turned into a budding friendship with benefits that ultimately (despite their refusals) led to love.
The book had just the right amount of seriousness and was – in my opinion – overpowered the great humourous relationship between Heather and Josh; despite their differences and the difficult times they managed to retain the great sense of humour throughout the story.
I really enjoy Lauren Layne’s writing style and she’s definitely my favourite “chicklit ” author which considering I don’t really like it an amazing feat. Her books have always got humour and great characters with witty banter and good back stories. The plots are quite unique as well and I can’t wait until the next Wedding Belles book is out and the next Oxford one for that matter.