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Beckie Shelton (40 KP) rated Close To Me in Books
Oct 6, 2017 (Updated Oct 31, 2017)
Really enjoyed Close To Me by Amanda Reynolds, wasn't sure what to expect this being a debut author but I certainly wasn't disappointed.
Close To Me tells the story of Jo Harding after she falls down stairs hitting her head and losing her memory of the past year.
On coming home things feel different and disjointed, Jo feels there is an undercurrent of deceit, secrets being kept from her by her husband and children and as she unravels the mysteries of the past year things escalate to a shocking conclusion.
So this was a great psychological read, it kept my interest and pulled me in, the writing was superb, and the storyline very easy to follow.
Close to me is told in two parts, real-time and snippets of the past year, though it has a slow build this is not a bad thing as you get to understand Jo's life and how she is the person she is.
The characters here felt real and human, some you could sympathise with others not so much.
If I had to pick my least favourite person in this, it would have to be the daughter I found her very self-centred and immature, but she's a product of her overindulged upbringing.
I myself have grown up children there is no way on this planet I would be paying for their accommodation.
what a right spoilt brat Sash is.
Close to me delves into the dynamics of family and the resulting aftermath when things ultimately implode.
I did kind of guess where this was going but it didn't detract from my overall enjoyment reading this.
Would I recommend this? Hell Yeah!!!
It was an engaging read.
Thank you to NetGalley, publisher and the author for providing me with an arc of Close to me
This is my own honest unbiased opinion.
Arc Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/9460945-bex-beckie-bookworm
Close To Me tells the story of Jo Harding after she falls down stairs hitting her head and losing her memory of the past year.
On coming home things feel different and disjointed, Jo feels there is an undercurrent of deceit, secrets being kept from her by her husband and children and as she unravels the mysteries of the past year things escalate to a shocking conclusion.
So this was a great psychological read, it kept my interest and pulled me in, the writing was superb, and the storyline very easy to follow.
Close to me is told in two parts, real-time and snippets of the past year, though it has a slow build this is not a bad thing as you get to understand Jo's life and how she is the person she is.
The characters here felt real and human, some you could sympathise with others not so much.
If I had to pick my least favourite person in this, it would have to be the daughter I found her very self-centred and immature, but she's a product of her overindulged upbringing.
I myself have grown up children there is no way on this planet I would be paying for their accommodation.
what a right spoilt brat Sash is.
Close to me delves into the dynamics of family and the resulting aftermath when things ultimately implode.
I did kind of guess where this was going but it didn't detract from my overall enjoyment reading this.
Would I recommend this? Hell Yeah!!!
It was an engaging read.
Thank you to NetGalley, publisher and the author for providing me with an arc of Close to me
This is my own honest unbiased opinion.
Arc Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/9460945-bex-beckie-bookworm
Merissa (13730 KP) rated A Sundered Moon (Legends of Elessia - Shadows Over Garm #3) in Books
Apr 7, 2023 (Updated Apr 10, 2023)
A SUNDERED MOON is the third book in the Legends of Elessia series and should be read in sequence as this one starts not long after the other finishes.
Lucius and Memphala are recovering from their battle with the Blood God. Oskar is looking for his crossbow. Hilda returns to Gotthilf. And Donata is helping heal the wounded, which just never ends.
Told from many perspectives (including a fruit fly!) you get a fully rounded picture of what is happening to all of the characters. I loved the interaction between Lucius and Memphala. The changes in both of them were brilliantly written. The rest of the characters, barring one, didn't change much, just continued to act as they had which was perfect.
Donata is the one character who changed the most and I was both thrilled and disappointed. Thrilled - because it showed that the Lady of the Pines wasn't uncaring about the war going on with her people. I loved the trials Donata went through and the strength her character had. Disappointed - because after everything, her story just fizzled out. I could understand her resentment towards both Lucius and the situation, but it became bitter. It seems even the Gods of Elessia can't overlook some things and get help from unusual quarters, even if their world is at risk.
A full-on action book that takes you from one crisis to another. I found this to be a wonderful addition to the series and loved the epilogue with Lucius, Memphala, and Silas. This definitely needs to be read as a series or you won't understand a single thing. Absolutely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
April 7, 2023
Lucius and Memphala are recovering from their battle with the Blood God. Oskar is looking for his crossbow. Hilda returns to Gotthilf. And Donata is helping heal the wounded, which just never ends.
Told from many perspectives (including a fruit fly!) you get a fully rounded picture of what is happening to all of the characters. I loved the interaction between Lucius and Memphala. The changes in both of them were brilliantly written. The rest of the characters, barring one, didn't change much, just continued to act as they had which was perfect.
Donata is the one character who changed the most and I was both thrilled and disappointed. Thrilled - because it showed that the Lady of the Pines wasn't uncaring about the war going on with her people. I loved the trials Donata went through and the strength her character had. Disappointed - because after everything, her story just fizzled out. I could understand her resentment towards both Lucius and the situation, but it became bitter. It seems even the Gods of Elessia can't overlook some things and get help from unusual quarters, even if their world is at risk.
A full-on action book that takes you from one crisis to another. I found this to be a wonderful addition to the series and loved the epilogue with Lucius, Memphala, and Silas. This definitely needs to be read as a series or you won't understand a single thing. Absolutely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
April 7, 2023
Merissa (13730 KP) rated The Third Veil in Books
Jun 21, 2023
THE THIRD VEIL is a historical fantasy romance that covers some touchy subjects, just so you know. If you have any triggers, check them first.
Seven is the unloved and abused daughter of the owner of a brothel and spends her days cleaning like a maid. She finds solace in Charlie, a young farmer who is her best friend and courting her quietly. But the heroine can't be happy at the beginning, now can they, so it came as no surprise when tragedy struck. Not only that but Seven is pushed into something she is wholly unprepared for. With both friends and foes looking for her, she needs to save the world. No pressure.
I found the beginning of this story to be a little slow although I understood it was doing the groundwork and building up to the big event. Once she was through the veil, it sped up and moved along nicely. There is a lot that goes on so you will need to concentrate on all the twists and turns. One thing that made this hard for me was listening to her constant monologue about how weak she was, how she couldn't do it, how she needed Draivus, etc. etc. I kept waiting for the moment when she would gain faith in herself and step up, but it never happened. I know she's supposed to be young but it just felt a little too much in the opposite direction for me.
There were parts of the story and the world that remain unclear to me but they didn't really affect my enjoyment.
A good read that I enjoyed and recommend.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 21, 2023
Seven is the unloved and abused daughter of the owner of a brothel and spends her days cleaning like a maid. She finds solace in Charlie, a young farmer who is her best friend and courting her quietly. But the heroine can't be happy at the beginning, now can they, so it came as no surprise when tragedy struck. Not only that but Seven is pushed into something she is wholly unprepared for. With both friends and foes looking for her, she needs to save the world. No pressure.
I found the beginning of this story to be a little slow although I understood it was doing the groundwork and building up to the big event. Once she was through the veil, it sped up and moved along nicely. There is a lot that goes on so you will need to concentrate on all the twists and turns. One thing that made this hard for me was listening to her constant monologue about how weak she was, how she couldn't do it, how she needed Draivus, etc. etc. I kept waiting for the moment when she would gain faith in herself and step up, but it never happened. I know she's supposed to be young but it just felt a little too much in the opposite direction for me.
There were parts of the story and the world that remain unclear to me but they didn't really affect my enjoyment.
A good read that I enjoyed and recommend.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 21, 2023
Striking The Match (Redwood Bay #3)
10.0
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Love will save the day TEDDY Everybody has celebrity crushes, right? You just don’t expect...
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated The Dark Path in Books
Mar 15, 2019
Merry, Sam and their baby, Connor. A perfect little family in the perfect little setting.
Sam who has the perfect little wife, Merry bakes blueberry pies, cooks well, cleans and sees to the garden.
The Mother who loves and adores her baby. Sam who wanted nothing else but to have a homely wife and a child of his own in the most idyllic of settings.
They have it all.
But is Merry all that she appears to be?
Then along comes Frank, she is a long standing friend of Merry's from her past. They used to be like sisters.
This was previously published under the name You Were Made for This.
This is a wonderful dark and twisted tale told from several different POV's.
This a dark and disturbing story which i very addictive. It digs into the relationship of the 3 main characters and all the emotions that come with this.
I found the pace to be just right for this novel and love the way the story is brought out to us.
This is a psychological domestic thriller which reminds us all that all is not what it appears to be and who can you really trust?
This maybe too dark for some to read but I think you should give this one a chance as I was totally hooked and gripped with the story.
A haunting ending to a superb well written story.
**********Many many thank to NetGalley and the publisher as well for making the ARC of this book available online.******
Sam who has the perfect little wife, Merry bakes blueberry pies, cooks well, cleans and sees to the garden.
The Mother who loves and adores her baby. Sam who wanted nothing else but to have a homely wife and a child of his own in the most idyllic of settings.
They have it all.
But is Merry all that she appears to be?
Then along comes Frank, she is a long standing friend of Merry's from her past. They used to be like sisters.
This was previously published under the name You Were Made for This.
This is a wonderful dark and twisted tale told from several different POV's.
This a dark and disturbing story which i very addictive. It digs into the relationship of the 3 main characters and all the emotions that come with this.
I found the pace to be just right for this novel and love the way the story is brought out to us.
This is a psychological domestic thriller which reminds us all that all is not what it appears to be and who can you really trust?
This maybe too dark for some to read but I think you should give this one a chance as I was totally hooked and gripped with the story.
A haunting ending to a superb well written story.
**********Many many thank to NetGalley and the publisher as well for making the ARC of this book available online.******
Joe Goodhart (27 KP) rated X-23 (2018-) #2 in Books
Nov 30, 2020
Gabby: "Why are you party pooper?"
Laura: "It's arguably in my DNA."
That quote comes only a couple pages or so into Issue 3. It is probably the most fun dialogue in a story arc that is anything light in nature. And honestly, that is one of the aspects that really wowed by Ms. Tamaki's opening arc: she can balance the dark and the light, the humor and the not so humorous. I liked Tom Taylor's initial beginnings on ANW, but that so became imbalanced, as he chose to focus more on humor, rather gritty plot elements.
Through this issue, as well as the first one, it is clear that we will truly be "inside" Laura Kinney's head. Tamaki provides us with Laura's thoughts and reflections, further adding to the character's complex inner workings. It aids in defining a character who is often underutilized and written poorly (*cough* Bendis *cough* Hopeless *cough cough*).
As fantastic as the writing is on Laura's new book, I really want to stress how AWESOME Juann Cabal's art is to the series! Prior to witnessing his art, I found David Lopez's art (re: ANW) to be all aces! And while it is still quite good, Cabal just builds off of that and gives us so much more! I truly, truly hope that Marvel is smart enough to pay him well and keep him on board for the run of the series.
Overall, this was another great issue, and if you are a fan of Ms. Kinney, you will not be disappointed!
Laura: "It's arguably in my DNA."
That quote comes only a couple pages or so into Issue 3. It is probably the most fun dialogue in a story arc that is anything light in nature. And honestly, that is one of the aspects that really wowed by Ms. Tamaki's opening arc: she can balance the dark and the light, the humor and the not so humorous. I liked Tom Taylor's initial beginnings on ANW, but that so became imbalanced, as he chose to focus more on humor, rather gritty plot elements.
Through this issue, as well as the first one, it is clear that we will truly be "inside" Laura Kinney's head. Tamaki provides us with Laura's thoughts and reflections, further adding to the character's complex inner workings. It aids in defining a character who is often underutilized and written poorly (*cough* Bendis *cough* Hopeless *cough cough*).
As fantastic as the writing is on Laura's new book, I really want to stress how AWESOME Juann Cabal's art is to the series! Prior to witnessing his art, I found David Lopez's art (re: ANW) to be all aces! And while it is still quite good, Cabal just builds off of that and gives us so much more! I truly, truly hope that Marvel is smart enough to pay him well and keep him on board for the run of the series.
Overall, this was another great issue, and if you are a fan of Ms. Kinney, you will not be disappointed!
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Jamie (131 KP) rated Men Explain Things to Me: And Other Essays in Books
Jul 26, 2017
Poorly written (2 more)
Not intersectional
Lack of sources in the physical version
Mediocre essays, I wish I could've liked this more
Disappointment and shallow is probably the most apt descriptions I can think of when describing this book which is really sad because I usually enjoy feminist essays.
The titular essay, Men Explain Things to Me, discusses the author’s experiences with men explaining things with the assumption that she couldn’t possibly know due to her gender. While I was nodding my head that yes, I have experienced this as well, there was not much else. There was little to no research into the history of why this might be or any additional insight into the topic which was really a let down, I didn’t feel like I got much out of it. I should have known that the rest of the essays in this collection would be the same but I was optimistic.
One of the better essays was In Praise of the Threat: What Marriage Equality Really Means which discussed how the fight for marriage equality, or same-sex marriage, has been redefining the traditional gendered views of marriage and I thought that this was really great. However in a later essay Solnit goes on to claim that gay marriage would never have been possible if it weren’t for feminists redefining marriage as a union between equals, which is a statement I found both bold and mildly insulting.
I also need to address a specific statement that became the basis the essay, The Longest War, which was the following:
“Violence doesn’t have a race, a class, a religion,
or a nationality, but it does have a gender.”
It is very apparent that Solnit doesn’t know a thing about intersectionality because any minority can tell you that the statement above is laughably false. Is it true, statistically, that more reported violent crimes are perpetrated by men? Yes. Do people in many societies have an issue with toxic masculinity? Yes. Does this mean, then, that violence has a gender, that it is purely a male problem? No. To say that it doesn’t have a specific race, class, religion, or nationality despite evidence to the contrary throughout history is naïve.
Solnit continues on to rant about how men are the almost exclusive source of violence and assault and how everyone should acknowledge this so we can go about finding solutions. She doesn’t go into much more depth than that or offer up much in the way of solutions herself. A large portion of the essay is just her fluffing up the piece with a literal list of vague examples which might not mean much to folks less knowledgeable about violent crimes. There are also quite a few statistics thrown in with absolutely no sources to back up the claims.
Not that I doubt the information provided, but in times where people cherry pick the news to fit their own narrative books like this become questionable. After flipping through the back of the book I eventually found a note in the acknowledgements section that Solnit chose to edit out her sources for the book version, but that they could be found on the online versions of her essays. It’s careless and lazy for an author that wants to be taken seriously.
Solnit also postulates at several points that because she has published several books that she is an authority and I found that sort of attitude to be self defeating. She talks about another author that she argued with about Virginia Woolfe and claims that she had “won” which just makes the author sound childish, and I wondered what the point of the essay was to begin with. It felt out of place for the rest of the collection and any connections she attempted to make were shaky at best.
I think that Solnit had some good ideas but the execution was extremely poor. Because she spends so much time listing examples and being over dramatic in her descriptions the actual point of discussion in her essays becomes muddled and unclear. There are far better essays out there that address the exact same topics. Men Explain Things to Me just wasn’t worth the time.
The titular essay, Men Explain Things to Me, discusses the author’s experiences with men explaining things with the assumption that she couldn’t possibly know due to her gender. While I was nodding my head that yes, I have experienced this as well, there was not much else. There was little to no research into the history of why this might be or any additional insight into the topic which was really a let down, I didn’t feel like I got much out of it. I should have known that the rest of the essays in this collection would be the same but I was optimistic.
One of the better essays was In Praise of the Threat: What Marriage Equality Really Means which discussed how the fight for marriage equality, or same-sex marriage, has been redefining the traditional gendered views of marriage and I thought that this was really great. However in a later essay Solnit goes on to claim that gay marriage would never have been possible if it weren’t for feminists redefining marriage as a union between equals, which is a statement I found both bold and mildly insulting.
I also need to address a specific statement that became the basis the essay, The Longest War, which was the following:
“Violence doesn’t have a race, a class, a religion,
or a nationality, but it does have a gender.”
It is very apparent that Solnit doesn’t know a thing about intersectionality because any minority can tell you that the statement above is laughably false. Is it true, statistically, that more reported violent crimes are perpetrated by men? Yes. Do people in many societies have an issue with toxic masculinity? Yes. Does this mean, then, that violence has a gender, that it is purely a male problem? No. To say that it doesn’t have a specific race, class, religion, or nationality despite evidence to the contrary throughout history is naïve.
Solnit continues on to rant about how men are the almost exclusive source of violence and assault and how everyone should acknowledge this so we can go about finding solutions. She doesn’t go into much more depth than that or offer up much in the way of solutions herself. A large portion of the essay is just her fluffing up the piece with a literal list of vague examples which might not mean much to folks less knowledgeable about violent crimes. There are also quite a few statistics thrown in with absolutely no sources to back up the claims.
Not that I doubt the information provided, but in times where people cherry pick the news to fit their own narrative books like this become questionable. After flipping through the back of the book I eventually found a note in the acknowledgements section that Solnit chose to edit out her sources for the book version, but that they could be found on the online versions of her essays. It’s careless and lazy for an author that wants to be taken seriously.
Solnit also postulates at several points that because she has published several books that she is an authority and I found that sort of attitude to be self defeating. She talks about another author that she argued with about Virginia Woolfe and claims that she had “won” which just makes the author sound childish, and I wondered what the point of the essay was to begin with. It felt out of place for the rest of the collection and any connections she attempted to make were shaky at best.
I think that Solnit had some good ideas but the execution was extremely poor. Because she spends so much time listing examples and being over dramatic in her descriptions the actual point of discussion in her essays becomes muddled and unclear. There are far better essays out there that address the exact same topics. Men Explain Things to Me just wasn’t worth the time.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Dead Woman Walking in Books
Nov 5, 2020 (Updated Nov 8, 2020)
Jessica Lane treats her sister, Isabel (known to most as Sister Mary Magdalena, as her sister has been serving in a convent for many years) to a hot air balloon ride for her 40th birthday. But things go awry when Jessica--from the balloon--sees a man murder a young woman. From the ground, he spots her face clearly. Then the balloon crashes, and there is only one survivor. The man knows she can identify him, and he won't stop until the threat to his safety is eliminated. So Jessica runs, unsure of who she can trust, or where she can go, all the while knowing that her beloved sister is dead.
Wow, what a book. I don't want to say more about the plot for risk of spoilers or ruining any of the awesome "whoa" moments you encounter while reading this one. The story flashes back and forth in time as Jessica tells us about the day of the accident and then various pieces of the past. It's a combination of suspenseful, confusing, and spellbinding that will grip you from the very beginning. You're immediately roped in as the balloon crashes and then left wondering about the sisters' past, which is only unveiled in small nuggets.
I found this book to be extremely tense. As in, my body was actually tight while reading. I was rigidly turning pages, wondering what was going to happen next and if Jessica was going to get to safety. Bolton made me suspicious of everything and everyone--I felt like our protagonist: I could trust no one.
One of the best parts of this novel is that in addition to our "Fugitive"-esque plot, we have a fascinating police case weaved in. This really keeps the book moving as the plot continues to thicken. Not only is Jessica being pursued, but we're learning more and more about the case she was researching in the years and months before the crash. In addition, the final layer is the snippets about the sisters and their tangled family past. Somehow, Bolton twists them all together nearly effortlessly. You have to be able to keep track of when everything occurs (the chapters are just marked as "XX amount of time before" the crash), but you get used to it.
I totally guessed one of the big shocking aspects of the novel early on, but I was still second guessing myself the whole time, and it didn't diminish my enjoyment of it whatsoever, plus there was still so much that completely surprised me. To the extent that I wish I had time to go back and read it again and figure out how I missed so many things! Seriously. This book made me go "wow!" multiple times. It captivated me the entire time I was reading it. There was one final twist too many for complete plausibility at the end to get 10 stars, but I still highly recommend this one. A wonderful, spellbinding thriller that cements for me how much I love Bolton's work.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!) in return for an unbiased review.
Wow, what a book. I don't want to say more about the plot for risk of spoilers or ruining any of the awesome "whoa" moments you encounter while reading this one. The story flashes back and forth in time as Jessica tells us about the day of the accident and then various pieces of the past. It's a combination of suspenseful, confusing, and spellbinding that will grip you from the very beginning. You're immediately roped in as the balloon crashes and then left wondering about the sisters' past, which is only unveiled in small nuggets.
I found this book to be extremely tense. As in, my body was actually tight while reading. I was rigidly turning pages, wondering what was going to happen next and if Jessica was going to get to safety. Bolton made me suspicious of everything and everyone--I felt like our protagonist: I could trust no one.
One of the best parts of this novel is that in addition to our "Fugitive"-esque plot, we have a fascinating police case weaved in. This really keeps the book moving as the plot continues to thicken. Not only is Jessica being pursued, but we're learning more and more about the case she was researching in the years and months before the crash. In addition, the final layer is the snippets about the sisters and their tangled family past. Somehow, Bolton twists them all together nearly effortlessly. You have to be able to keep track of when everything occurs (the chapters are just marked as "XX amount of time before" the crash), but you get used to it.
I totally guessed one of the big shocking aspects of the novel early on, but I was still second guessing myself the whole time, and it didn't diminish my enjoyment of it whatsoever, plus there was still so much that completely surprised me. To the extent that I wish I had time to go back and read it again and figure out how I missed so many things! Seriously. This book made me go "wow!" multiple times. It captivated me the entire time I was reading it. There was one final twist too many for complete plausibility at the end to get 10 stars, but I still highly recommend this one. A wonderful, spellbinding thriller that cements for me how much I love Bolton's work.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!) in return for an unbiased review.
BookwormLea (3034 KP) rated The New Mutants (2020) in Movies
Aug 29, 2020 (Updated Aug 29, 2020)
Probably the worst Marvel movie I've seen. And i watched Dark Pheonix
Contains spoilers, click to show
I was so hyped for this movie! Have you seen the trailer? Movie gold! Well. Only half the trailer is actually stuff that happens. And the parts that do are the worst ones. The lead actress who plays Dani, is the most amateur actress ever. Her portrayal of an angry girl who just lost her family is probably the weakest I've seen. She literally looks like she just dropped her sandwich. And it sort of got better in the middle when we found out how they all found their mutations but then the end felt so rushed. Oh suprise! The weird girl you brought in last minute is the cause of the problems that only started when she got here! And the Russian girl who seemed real kick ass, had the most boring fear and her mutation that seemed cool, is pretty much just her being crazy. I kind of liked that the dragon was real to only her but then they went and CGId the crap out of it at the end fight scene. Why???
Oh and why can't they have a movie with no romance?? And oh gosh its 2020 so we just had to have the first Marvel Lesbian couple. Which again was rushed, they literally knew each other all of 4 days or something. And for a little wolfy Catholic girl who repents her sins weekly, she commits a lot of sins weekly. *eye roll*. Clichéd and boring. The worst marvel movie/ xmen film to date. Good job its a different timeline and there isn't going to be another one.
Oh and why can't they have a movie with no romance?? And oh gosh its 2020 so we just had to have the first Marvel Lesbian couple. Which again was rushed, they literally knew each other all of 4 days or something. And for a little wolfy Catholic girl who repents her sins weekly, she commits a lot of sins weekly. *eye roll*. Clichéd and boring. The worst marvel movie/ xmen film to date. Good job its a different timeline and there isn't going to be another one.