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Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Circe in Books
Aug 21, 2018
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<b><i>WHEN I WAS BORN, the name for what I was did not exist.<i/></b>
<img src="https://gipostcards.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/maxresdefault.jpg?w=636"/>;
I was waiting for two whole months to get this book from the library. And I finally had a chance to read Circe from Madeline Miller. A book that everyone was talking about. The only thing you were gonna see on Instagram. Well, here I am – sitting with the cool kids now, I’ve read this book.
The reason I wanted to read this book wasn’t because I wanted to be part of the cool kids. Actually, it was because Greek Mythology has a special place in my heart. See, I was born in Macedonia, a country full of history, and so very close to Greece, where histories and cultures and traditions match and mix.
When I was in school, our teachers focused hard on history. Especially Roman and Greek Mythology. So yes, I grew up with Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey and yes, I know all the gods out there, what they do, who they married, who their children are.
I have read about Circe, but I have never given her any meaning, as she is not mentioned a lot in Homer’s works, as you might already know. And then suddenly, there is a book about her life. I had to read it!!!
<b><i>AND I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT! FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART!</i></b>
This might be my favorite book of 2018!
<img src="https://gipostcards.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/img_20180625_200755_238.jpg?w=636"/>;
I enjoyed Madeline’s writing style. It was so explanatory and calm, and soothing, like swimming in nice calm waters. You would just gulp her words as you read, and before you know it, you have read 200 pages.
Circe, oh Circe! Her character was so well described – such a strong powerful woman. We start with her childhood, to her growing up, and we follow the process of how she learned things the hard way, how she is naive, and then suddenly isn’t, how she discovers the power she holds within, despite everyone else mocking her and saying otherwise. We see how she decides to say no, how she is not afraid to be a rebel, and how she suffers, and loves, and protects, and cares, and survives, and lives!
You will read a story about the love a mother has toward her child, the love a woman has toward her man, the love a son has towards her mother, the love for freedom, the love for glory…
If you love Greek Mythology, you will get the chance to say hi to some of your favourite gods, nymphs, titans, monsters – Zeus, Athena, Poseidon, Prometheus, Odysseus and many more which I will fail to reveal.
I hardly believe that this is a great book for introducing Greek Mythology to new young readers. I also hardly believe that this book will change the thoughts of many people, the way they see things, the way they live, the way they think.
It was one of my favorite things about him: how he always fought for his chance.
There are a lot of side characters that give their own meaning to the story as well, and there is also Odysseus, and at times it feels as this is his story, but in the end you realized that this story belongs to Circe only.
<b><i>Do not listen to your enemy, Odysseus had once told me. Look at them. It will tell you everything.
I looked. Armed and armored, she was (Athena), from head to foot, helmet, spear, aegis, greaves. A terrifying vision: the goddess of war, ready for battle. But why had she assembled such a panoply against me, who knew nothing of combat? Unless there was something else she feared, something that made her feel somehow stripped and weak.
Instinct carried me forward, the thousand hours I had spent in my father’s halls, and with Odysseus polymetis, man of so many wiles.</i></b>
To all of you out there – please take your time to read this book! It will leave you breathless, inspired, motivated and it will change your life forever. It changed my life – that’s for certain!
<b><i>WHEN I WAS BORN, the name for what I was did not exist.<i/></b>
<img src="https://gipostcards.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/maxresdefault.jpg?w=636"/>;
I was waiting for two whole months to get this book from the library. And I finally had a chance to read Circe from Madeline Miller. A book that everyone was talking about. The only thing you were gonna see on Instagram. Well, here I am – sitting with the cool kids now, I’ve read this book.
The reason I wanted to read this book wasn’t because I wanted to be part of the cool kids. Actually, it was because Greek Mythology has a special place in my heart. See, I was born in Macedonia, a country full of history, and so very close to Greece, where histories and cultures and traditions match and mix.
When I was in school, our teachers focused hard on history. Especially Roman and Greek Mythology. So yes, I grew up with Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey and yes, I know all the gods out there, what they do, who they married, who their children are.
I have read about Circe, but I have never given her any meaning, as she is not mentioned a lot in Homer’s works, as you might already know. And then suddenly, there is a book about her life. I had to read it!!!
<b><i>AND I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT! FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART!</i></b>
This might be my favorite book of 2018!
<img src="https://gipostcards.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/img_20180625_200755_238.jpg?w=636"/>;
I enjoyed Madeline’s writing style. It was so explanatory and calm, and soothing, like swimming in nice calm waters. You would just gulp her words as you read, and before you know it, you have read 200 pages.
Circe, oh Circe! Her character was so well described – such a strong powerful woman. We start with her childhood, to her growing up, and we follow the process of how she learned things the hard way, how she is naive, and then suddenly isn’t, how she discovers the power she holds within, despite everyone else mocking her and saying otherwise. We see how she decides to say no, how she is not afraid to be a rebel, and how she suffers, and loves, and protects, and cares, and survives, and lives!
You will read a story about the love a mother has toward her child, the love a woman has toward her man, the love a son has towards her mother, the love for freedom, the love for glory…
If you love Greek Mythology, you will get the chance to say hi to some of your favourite gods, nymphs, titans, monsters – Zeus, Athena, Poseidon, Prometheus, Odysseus and many more which I will fail to reveal.
I hardly believe that this is a great book for introducing Greek Mythology to new young readers. I also hardly believe that this book will change the thoughts of many people, the way they see things, the way they live, the way they think.
It was one of my favorite things about him: how he always fought for his chance.
There are a lot of side characters that give their own meaning to the story as well, and there is also Odysseus, and at times it feels as this is his story, but in the end you realized that this story belongs to Circe only.
<b><i>Do not listen to your enemy, Odysseus had once told me. Look at them. It will tell you everything.
I looked. Armed and armored, she was (Athena), from head to foot, helmet, spear, aegis, greaves. A terrifying vision: the goddess of war, ready for battle. But why had she assembled such a panoply against me, who knew nothing of combat? Unless there was something else she feared, something that made her feel somehow stripped and weak.
Instinct carried me forward, the thousand hours I had spent in my father’s halls, and with Odysseus polymetis, man of so many wiles.</i></b>
To all of you out there – please take your time to read this book! It will leave you breathless, inspired, motivated and it will change your life forever. It changed my life – that’s for certain!
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated The Guilty Party in Books
Feb 3, 2020
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<img src="https://gipostcards.files.wordpress.com/2019/03/guilty-party-bannerbluefinal.png?w=636"/>;
<b><i>A mystery that left me curious until the very end. A psychological paradise of a thriller that captures people at their very worst, right when they realise their lives are at stake. These people did nothing. But that doesn’t mean they’re innocent…</i></b>
Four friends are returning from a festival, and they see a woman being raped in the forest. They all decide to do nothing about it. A few days later, her body is found in the river. Are they guilty for not doing anything? If it was you, what would you have done?
The story begins with the event mentioned above. The plot opens straight ahead, and I loved that fact. We witness the story through the eyes of all these four friends. They have always been together and stood for one another, but after so many years, their friendship has turned into a group of frenemies, a group of proving to each other, lying all the time and negative emotions.
Because nothing is straightforward, least of all the human heart. At some point or other, we all become mysteries to ourselves.
Even though we get to see through the lives of Anna, Bo and Dex, Cassie is the one member of this group that gets the most exposure in this book. She is the one that seems to feel the most guilty about not doing anything to intervene that night, and she is the one that keeps bringing this subject to her friends, even though they refuse to listen. Cassie is the most reasonable one, but this seems to bring her into more trouble. The more she pushes the group, the more she realises how capable they are of stopping her from sharing their secret
Anna is the person that leads the group. She seems to control everyone and everything, and they all seem to obey her and be fine with this. She comes out as this controlling and annoying person, the one hard to ignore or say no to. But when she feels threatened and scared, she is prepared to do anything.
Bo and Dex, for me, didn’t have much direct impact to the story, except one of them right at the very end. They seem to have snuck out throughout the book quietly, without any direct noice, but leaving a mess behind them.
We have four characters, all different and unique, all really complicated, with their own thoughts and lives. And we have one evening, and all their actions indirectly result in this girl’s death. None of them killed her, but all of them are guilty. They all have their own secrets, that they don’t tell to anyone, and they all are ready to go until the very end, keeping their secrets safe.
I loved how the plot and what actually happened on the nights slowly reveals itself, where we have two parallels happening – one from the night of the incident, and from everyone’s perspective, and one from around a month later, when they gather around together for a weekend. The chapters were so well made that made you keep going, and right when you think you know something, you get another point of view with a bit more information and another plot twist. Very smart and enjoyable to read.
And even though a mystery, and a thriller, this book was also hilarious and made me laugh out loud at times. Needless to say anything, I will let you read the quote below and judge for yourselves. This quote was so unexpected and I think it highlighted my year so far… Amazing!
Ink Man’s real name is Jake but for the purposes of sex he likes to be called Gandalf. Really. Being Gandalf is what turns him on. That and the ink of Middle Earth on his back.
I really enjoyed this book, and I am looking forward to reading more books from Mel McGrath. A huge thank you to HQ Publishers, and Joe Thomas for sending me a hardback copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
<b>Follew the #AreYouGuilty Blog Tour</b>
<img src="https://gipostcards.files.wordpress.com/2019/03/guiltypartypb_blogtour.jpg?w=636"/>;
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
<img src="https://gipostcards.files.wordpress.com/2019/03/guilty-party-bannerbluefinal.png?w=636"/>;
<b><i>A mystery that left me curious until the very end. A psychological paradise of a thriller that captures people at their very worst, right when they realise their lives are at stake. These people did nothing. But that doesn’t mean they’re innocent…</i></b>
Four friends are returning from a festival, and they see a woman being raped in the forest. They all decide to do nothing about it. A few days later, her body is found in the river. Are they guilty for not doing anything? If it was you, what would you have done?
The story begins with the event mentioned above. The plot opens straight ahead, and I loved that fact. We witness the story through the eyes of all these four friends. They have always been together and stood for one another, but after so many years, their friendship has turned into a group of frenemies, a group of proving to each other, lying all the time and negative emotions.
Because nothing is straightforward, least of all the human heart. At some point or other, we all become mysteries to ourselves.
Even though we get to see through the lives of Anna, Bo and Dex, Cassie is the one member of this group that gets the most exposure in this book. She is the one that seems to feel the most guilty about not doing anything to intervene that night, and she is the one that keeps bringing this subject to her friends, even though they refuse to listen. Cassie is the most reasonable one, but this seems to bring her into more trouble. The more she pushes the group, the more she realises how capable they are of stopping her from sharing their secret
Anna is the person that leads the group. She seems to control everyone and everything, and they all seem to obey her and be fine with this. She comes out as this controlling and annoying person, the one hard to ignore or say no to. But when she feels threatened and scared, she is prepared to do anything.
Bo and Dex, for me, didn’t have much direct impact to the story, except one of them right at the very end. They seem to have snuck out throughout the book quietly, without any direct noice, but leaving a mess behind them.
We have four characters, all different and unique, all really complicated, with their own thoughts and lives. And we have one evening, and all their actions indirectly result in this girl’s death. None of them killed her, but all of them are guilty. They all have their own secrets, that they don’t tell to anyone, and they all are ready to go until the very end, keeping their secrets safe.
I loved how the plot and what actually happened on the nights slowly reveals itself, where we have two parallels happening – one from the night of the incident, and from everyone’s perspective, and one from around a month later, when they gather around together for a weekend. The chapters were so well made that made you keep going, and right when you think you know something, you get another point of view with a bit more information and another plot twist. Very smart and enjoyable to read.
And even though a mystery, and a thriller, this book was also hilarious and made me laugh out loud at times. Needless to say anything, I will let you read the quote below and judge for yourselves. This quote was so unexpected and I think it highlighted my year so far… Amazing!
Ink Man’s real name is Jake but for the purposes of sex he likes to be called Gandalf. Really. Being Gandalf is what turns him on. That and the ink of Middle Earth on his back.
I really enjoyed this book, and I am looking forward to reading more books from Mel McGrath. A huge thank you to HQ Publishers, and Joe Thomas for sending me a hardback copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
<b>Follew the #AreYouGuilty Blog Tour</b>
<img src="https://gipostcards.files.wordpress.com/2019/03/guiltypartypb_blogtour.jpg?w=636"/>;
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Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated The Temple House Vanishing in Books
Feb 3, 2020
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<b><i>Twenty-five years ago, a sixteen-year-old schoolgirl and her charismatic teacher disappeared without trace…</i></b>
The Temple House Vanishing left me with a tiny scar in my soul after reading it. It is intriguing and mysterious, it is real and delusional. The next time when I mention a special mystery, with a cruel end – this will be the first book that pops in my mind.
Louisa and Victoria are two friends that study in a Catholic girls’ boarding school. Both of them have something unique about themselves. They can both see the world in a different light and disobey the rules slightly.
They both also manage to become intrigued with their young, bohemian teacher and act in silly ways when they are around him. Until, one night, he and Louisa suddenly disappear.
Twenty-five years later, one journalist dives into the story again, hoping to finally find out the truth. The search for truth will uncover many buried secrets and a suppressed desire. It will break hearts and lay a lost soul to rest.
This novel might be the most intense novel I have read in 2019, right next to The Silent Patient. And The Devil Aspect. To witness the life of Louisa, and be aware of what is happening around her is quite intense. As soon as she meets Victoria, they click, and they both know they will become best friends. But even Louisa can feel that there is something odd about Victoria. After all, her last best friend left the school and no one knows what happened.
<b><i>On that subject – why didn’t we find out what happened to this girl?</i></b>
One friendship, and a very interestingly weird love triangle. I felt so bad for Louisa, because all she ever cared about was Victoria. And all she ever wanted to do is to help in any way. She loved Victoria, but she should’ve said something. If she spoke – everything would now be different.
The teacher reminded me of one of my high-school teachers. The type of person that will show you that the world isn’t how you’ve always known it. There is a meaning behind it all, and there is a purpose for everything. My teacher, she could make me feel like I was able to achieve everything. Anything was possible, if we only followed the right path. Mr Lavelle made all the girls feel like this, and counting his beautiful face as well, it’s no surprise that most of them fell in love with him. But he encouraged them, in his own subtle way. Sweet look in the eyes, gentle touch on the shoulder, and that is all it takes to confuse a teenage girl.
What I loved most in this book was the fact that I had so many theories whilst reading it. I was certain I knew how it all ended. But I was wrong. I didn’t have a clue on what was actually happening until the very end, and I was still surprised. After finishing the book and having a little think, as I always do with books that amaze me – I realised something. The clues were there from the very beginning. But unless you already know the ending I doubt you will notice them. And that is the great masterpiece of writing. And for that, I salute you, Rachel Donohue.
<b><i>If you love mysteries, thrillers, disappearances and unpredictable endings – I will guarantee you will love this book. And not only that, but you will also devour it in a day!</i></b>
<img src="https://i0.wp.com/diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/The-Temple-House-Vanishing.jpg?resize=768%2C432&ssl=1"/>;
<b><i>Thank you to the team at LoveReading UK, for letting me part of the Ambassador Book Buzz and sending me an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Check out the other amazing bloggers too! </i></b>
<a href="https://amzn.to/2Wi7amb">Wishlist</a>; | <a
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<b><i>Twenty-five years ago, a sixteen-year-old schoolgirl and her charismatic teacher disappeared without trace…</i></b>
The Temple House Vanishing left me with a tiny scar in my soul after reading it. It is intriguing and mysterious, it is real and delusional. The next time when I mention a special mystery, with a cruel end – this will be the first book that pops in my mind.
Louisa and Victoria are two friends that study in a Catholic girls’ boarding school. Both of them have something unique about themselves. They can both see the world in a different light and disobey the rules slightly.
They both also manage to become intrigued with their young, bohemian teacher and act in silly ways when they are around him. Until, one night, he and Louisa suddenly disappear.
Twenty-five years later, one journalist dives into the story again, hoping to finally find out the truth. The search for truth will uncover many buried secrets and a suppressed desire. It will break hearts and lay a lost soul to rest.
This novel might be the most intense novel I have read in 2019, right next to The Silent Patient. And The Devil Aspect. To witness the life of Louisa, and be aware of what is happening around her is quite intense. As soon as she meets Victoria, they click, and they both know they will become best friends. But even Louisa can feel that there is something odd about Victoria. After all, her last best friend left the school and no one knows what happened.
<b><i>On that subject – why didn’t we find out what happened to this girl?</i></b>
One friendship, and a very interestingly weird love triangle. I felt so bad for Louisa, because all she ever cared about was Victoria. And all she ever wanted to do is to help in any way. She loved Victoria, but she should’ve said something. If she spoke – everything would now be different.
The teacher reminded me of one of my high-school teachers. The type of person that will show you that the world isn’t how you’ve always known it. There is a meaning behind it all, and there is a purpose for everything. My teacher, she could make me feel like I was able to achieve everything. Anything was possible, if we only followed the right path. Mr Lavelle made all the girls feel like this, and counting his beautiful face as well, it’s no surprise that most of them fell in love with him. But he encouraged them, in his own subtle way. Sweet look in the eyes, gentle touch on the shoulder, and that is all it takes to confuse a teenage girl.
What I loved most in this book was the fact that I had so many theories whilst reading it. I was certain I knew how it all ended. But I was wrong. I didn’t have a clue on what was actually happening until the very end, and I was still surprised. After finishing the book and having a little think, as I always do with books that amaze me – I realised something. The clues were there from the very beginning. But unless you already know the ending I doubt you will notice them. And that is the great masterpiece of writing. And for that, I salute you, Rachel Donohue.
<b><i>If you love mysteries, thrillers, disappearances and unpredictable endings – I will guarantee you will love this book. And not only that, but you will also devour it in a day!</i></b>
<img src="https://i0.wp.com/diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/The-Temple-House-Vanishing.jpg?resize=768%2C432&ssl=1"/>;
<b><i>Thank you to the team at LoveReading UK, for letting me part of the Ambassador Book Buzz and sending me an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Check out the other amazing bloggers too! </i></b>
<a href="https://amzn.to/2Wi7amb">Wishlist</a>; | <a
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Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse, #1) in Books
Aug 3, 2020
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#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3262782990">Dead Until Dark</a> - ★★★★
<img src="https://i0.wp.com/diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Book-Review-Banner-36.png?w=663&ssl=1"/>;
<b><i>Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris is the first book in the Sookie Stackhouse series. We follow the life of Sookie, a waitress in Louisiana, who also has the ability to read people’s minds. </i></b>
When a vampire enters the bar and Sookie can’t read his mind – she is intrigued and wants to know this mysterious man better. But vampires usually mean trouble, and maybe Sookie is not really for all the troubles to start coming her way.
After watching the TV show “True Blood” and finding out that there is a book series, I had to read the books. I am usually a person that reads the books before watching the adaptations. The first book was great and I also loved the TV Show.
<b><i>I liked everyone, apart from Sookie. </i></b>
Possibly because she acts very immature at all times and behaves like a spoilt child, when others tell her no. Maybe it is the lack of fear, empathy and emotion she feels. Or maybe, it is just the fact that she feels entitled because of her special ability, and likes to talk about how people always treat her badly because she is different. I just didn’t like her at all. And given the fact that she is the main character in this series, I am wondering how I like this book. Sookie – if you don’t behave in the next books, we’re going to have some problems!
I loved this book because of the side characters. In Dead Until Dark, we meen many amazing characters that I loved who have their own stories to tell. This was something I really enjoyed, and considering I watched the TV Shows and knew some of these stories, I was actually excited to read the book version of them. It felt like I was meeting them again for the very first time. I was really hoping to meet Tara though, but she is not in the first book… Oh well. Maybe she’ll appear after? Don’t tell me if you know.
Charlaine Harris has an interesting writing style that kept me engaged. I was invested and curious throughout the whole book. I loved the adventures and the plot twists that kept coming up. The ending was meh, but considering the fact that it is a build-up for the second book, I wasn’t too surprised. It definitely gives you something to think about until you read the next book though.
<b><i>Vampire Bill was the character that intrigued me the most.</i></b>
I was so glad that he was not the usual vampire type we are used to, of the likes of Edward Cullen or the Salvatore brothers. Bill seemed more mature, more mysterious and I loved it.
I actually enjoyed the whole vampire world in this book. The rules and the hierarchy model was pleasantly surprising. It is interesting to dive in more in how the vampires respect each other depending on their ranks and age. Even though I do wish that the mythology was more followed through, it was nice to read a book where vampires are living in the society, and are more or less accepted. We could see how people still have their prejudice though, as is the example that the women who tend to hang out with vampires are called “fangbangers”, and they tend to be frowned upon by society.
<b><i>Overall, I believe Dead Until Dark is a great first book, and a promising beginning of the Sookie Stackhouse series. I will definitely be continuing the series!
Highly recommended if you are a fan of vampires, fantasy, romance and a bit of mystery, followed by many different side characters that you will instantly adore.</i></b>
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#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3262782990">Dead Until Dark</a> - ★★★★
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<b><i>Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris is the first book in the Sookie Stackhouse series. We follow the life of Sookie, a waitress in Louisiana, who also has the ability to read people’s minds. </i></b>
When a vampire enters the bar and Sookie can’t read his mind – she is intrigued and wants to know this mysterious man better. But vampires usually mean trouble, and maybe Sookie is not really for all the troubles to start coming her way.
After watching the TV show “True Blood” and finding out that there is a book series, I had to read the books. I am usually a person that reads the books before watching the adaptations. The first book was great and I also loved the TV Show.
<b><i>I liked everyone, apart from Sookie. </i></b>
Possibly because she acts very immature at all times and behaves like a spoilt child, when others tell her no. Maybe it is the lack of fear, empathy and emotion she feels. Or maybe, it is just the fact that she feels entitled because of her special ability, and likes to talk about how people always treat her badly because she is different. I just didn’t like her at all. And given the fact that she is the main character in this series, I am wondering how I like this book. Sookie – if you don’t behave in the next books, we’re going to have some problems!
I loved this book because of the side characters. In Dead Until Dark, we meen many amazing characters that I loved who have their own stories to tell. This was something I really enjoyed, and considering I watched the TV Shows and knew some of these stories, I was actually excited to read the book version of them. It felt like I was meeting them again for the very first time. I was really hoping to meet Tara though, but she is not in the first book… Oh well. Maybe she’ll appear after? Don’t tell me if you know.
Charlaine Harris has an interesting writing style that kept me engaged. I was invested and curious throughout the whole book. I loved the adventures and the plot twists that kept coming up. The ending was meh, but considering the fact that it is a build-up for the second book, I wasn’t too surprised. It definitely gives you something to think about until you read the next book though.
<b><i>Vampire Bill was the character that intrigued me the most.</i></b>
I was so glad that he was not the usual vampire type we are used to, of the likes of Edward Cullen or the Salvatore brothers. Bill seemed more mature, more mysterious and I loved it.
I actually enjoyed the whole vampire world in this book. The rules and the hierarchy model was pleasantly surprising. It is interesting to dive in more in how the vampires respect each other depending on their ranks and age. Even though I do wish that the mythology was more followed through, it was nice to read a book where vampires are living in the society, and are more or less accepted. We could see how people still have their prejudice though, as is the example that the women who tend to hang out with vampires are called “fangbangers”, and they tend to be frowned upon by society.
<b><i>Overall, I believe Dead Until Dark is a great first book, and a promising beginning of the Sookie Stackhouse series. I will definitely be continuing the series!
Highly recommended if you are a fan of vampires, fantasy, romance and a bit of mystery, followed by many different side characters that you will instantly adore.</i></b>
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Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated The Die-Fi Experiment in Books
May 16, 2018
After a run of several disappointing books, I decided to take a hot bath last night and delve into M. R. Tapia’s novella, The Die-Fi Experiment. Like most books I read, I set a high expectation for this one in terms of gory horror. While it isn’t quite as grotesque as I might like, I find it to be a rather amusing read. On the same page in which Tapia scribes the fears many couples face, he makes a mockery of today’s society.
As a fan of horror movies, it’s hard to find this piece of work original. Many elements within the novella are reminiscent of the Saw franchise – all the way down to the marshmallow eye scene (which you’ll encounter if you choose to read The Die-Fi Experiment). Although a few of the other scenes are cringe-worthy if you imagine yourself as the victim.
The Die-Fi Experiment goes back and forth between the not-so-distant past and present, and my largest issue therein is the fact that sometimes the tenses switch. I am aware that the present parts of the story are meant to be present tense and vice versa; however, I think it works best to choose one tense and stick with it. Otherwise things can quickly become confusing.
On Goodreads, this novella is tagged humor. Personally, I find the term “black comedy” more fitting. After all, viewers appear comically oblivious to the fact that what they watch live is truly torture (or perhaps they’re particularly disturbed individuals). For a little extra splash of humor, Tapia throws in a few hashtags that serve as a parody of the tweets and instagram posts that show up throughout the novella.
Overall, I liked The Die-Fi Experiment. I don’t find it exceptional by any means, but it serves its purpose fairly well. The ending falls a bit short of my expectations, but Tapia manages to produce a piece of work that ensnares my short attention span. In fact, I read this novella in one sitting. While I likely will not read it again, this is definitely a short book for fans of Saw and other torture films.
I would like to thank M. R. Tapia for providing me with a copy of his novella free of charge in exchange for an honest review.
As a fan of horror movies, it’s hard to find this piece of work original. Many elements within the novella are reminiscent of the Saw franchise – all the way down to the marshmallow eye scene (which you’ll encounter if you choose to read The Die-Fi Experiment). Although a few of the other scenes are cringe-worthy if you imagine yourself as the victim.
The Die-Fi Experiment goes back and forth between the not-so-distant past and present, and my largest issue therein is the fact that sometimes the tenses switch. I am aware that the present parts of the story are meant to be present tense and vice versa; however, I think it works best to choose one tense and stick with it. Otherwise things can quickly become confusing.
On Goodreads, this novella is tagged humor. Personally, I find the term “black comedy” more fitting. After all, viewers appear comically oblivious to the fact that what they watch live is truly torture (or perhaps they’re particularly disturbed individuals). For a little extra splash of humor, Tapia throws in a few hashtags that serve as a parody of the tweets and instagram posts that show up throughout the novella.
Overall, I liked The Die-Fi Experiment. I don’t find it exceptional by any means, but it serves its purpose fairly well. The ending falls a bit short of my expectations, but Tapia manages to produce a piece of work that ensnares my short attention span. In fact, I read this novella in one sitting. While I likely will not read it again, this is definitely a short book for fans of Saw and other torture films.
I would like to thank M. R. Tapia for providing me with a copy of his novella free of charge in exchange for an honest review.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Once And For All in Books
Feb 1, 2018
Louna is the daughter of a single mother, Natalie Barrett. Natalie runs a famous wedding planning business with her friend William. Together--often with Louna's assistance--they help frantic brides have the perfect day. But Louna, Natalie, and William are a cynical trio: so much that they even take bets on the success of each wedding after every affair is over and they're cleaning up. Louna has another reason to be cynical: she met her true love the previous summer, but it ended tragically. After graduating high school, she's just trying to get through her last summer and head off to college. Standing in her way: charming Ambrose, the brother of one of her mother's clients. Natalie takes on Ambrose as an employee to appease her client, so Louna is stuck with cheery, serial-dater Ambrose. But the more time she spends with him, the less he starts to bother her...
<i>I was surprisingly charmed by this novel.</i> It's predictable, but in a good way. You know what you get with a Dessen novel, and this book came along at a good time for me. It's more serious than expected (I won't spoil that plot twist for you) but also <i>breezy and sweet at times.</i> Louna is a likeable heroine--flawed, complicated, real. The supporting cast of characters is humorous and realistic: Louna's best friend Jilly, whose parents have a food truck business and saddle Jilly with her many younger siblings; William, with his bride-whisperer tendencies; Natalie, and her rigid obsession with her business; and girl-crazy Ambrose, who verges on stereotype, but manages not to. The book also gives you a fun look into the wedding business, which is sort of enjoyable and lets you see how most of our characters deal with stress.
Overall, <i>this is an engaging novel, with serious undertones.</i> It's a quick read, powered by an enjoyable cast of characters. While there are some dark moments that may surprise you, the romance probably won't. But there's nothing necessarily wrong with that sometimes. :)
You can find my review of Dessen's novel SAINT ANYTHING <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1267324399?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1">here</a>;.
<center><a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">Blog</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/mwcmoto">Twitter</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+KristyHamiltonbooks">Google+</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.instagram.com/justacatandabook/">Instagram</a>; </center>
<i>I was surprisingly charmed by this novel.</i> It's predictable, but in a good way. You know what you get with a Dessen novel, and this book came along at a good time for me. It's more serious than expected (I won't spoil that plot twist for you) but also <i>breezy and sweet at times.</i> Louna is a likeable heroine--flawed, complicated, real. The supporting cast of characters is humorous and realistic: Louna's best friend Jilly, whose parents have a food truck business and saddle Jilly with her many younger siblings; William, with his bride-whisperer tendencies; Natalie, and her rigid obsession with her business; and girl-crazy Ambrose, who verges on stereotype, but manages not to. The book also gives you a fun look into the wedding business, which is sort of enjoyable and lets you see how most of our characters deal with stress.
Overall, <i>this is an engaging novel, with serious undertones.</i> It's a quick read, powered by an enjoyable cast of characters. While there are some dark moments that may surprise you, the romance probably won't. But there's nothing necessarily wrong with that sometimes. :)
You can find my review of Dessen's novel SAINT ANYTHING <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1267324399?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1">here</a>;.
<center><a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">Blog</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/mwcmoto">Twitter</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+KristyHamiltonbooks">Google+</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.instagram.com/justacatandabook/">Instagram</a>; </center>
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