Search
Search results
ashezbookz (32 KP) rated Hex Hall (Hex Hall, #1) in Books
Jul 5, 2018
The review ... oh the review. I was going to rate this book 3 stars, but it gets a bump due to the hilarity of it. When your husband, who you forced to listen to the audiobook during car excursions, laughs hysterically at a book .. I mean, that gets points.
The start of this book felt very, very young adult, very funny, super funny and entertaining and the audiobook version of this I think made it so fun to read. I think maybe my favourite character was ms vamp - I love it when secondary characters just jump out of a page and just catch your interest like that.
Overall the story was cute and entertaining, the end of the book took on a more serious, but yet still funny note (how is that even possible!) but that is so good, I'm interested to see where the story ends up and will definitely pick up book 2 in the series.
The start of this book felt very, very young adult, very funny, super funny and entertaining and the audiobook version of this I think made it so fun to read. I think maybe my favourite character was ms vamp - I love it when secondary characters just jump out of a page and just catch your interest like that.
Overall the story was cute and entertaining, the end of the book took on a more serious, but yet still funny note (how is that even possible!) but that is so good, I'm interested to see where the story ends up and will definitely pick up book 2 in the series.
Cori June (3033 KP) rated Zodiac (Zodiac, #1) in Books
Dec 3, 2018
It was an interesting read. Does it contain a love triangle? Yes. Does it have a heroine that is in over her head? Yes. Does it some times want you to take said heroine and shake her? Sometimes. Is it complete fantasy that has little to nothing to do with real science? Yes. Does it have anything to do with the Zodiac? No???? Sorta????? Does it have space travel? Yes.
I really liked the book. it is loosely based on the zodiac meaning it has all the 12 signs plus the 13th one no one talks about. And like astrology would have it each sign is aligned with an element and personality trait. And the leader or at least a very important political office is given to someone who can read he stars and predict the near future. Our heroine is unfortunate in that she is not only young and new at her job she is cursed to know that she will never be believed.
I really liked the book. it is loosely based on the zodiac meaning it has all the 12 signs plus the 13th one no one talks about. And like astrology would have it each sign is aligned with an element and personality trait. And the leader or at least a very important political office is given to someone who can read he stars and predict the near future. Our heroine is unfortunate in that she is not only young and new at her job she is cursed to know that she will never be believed.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Grace Doll 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).
Wow, wow, wow! I finished this book in less than 12 hours!! Yes, it was so good. Okay, yeah, I had won this book from a blog comp some time last year, and it had just been sitting on my shelf for awhile. I'm so glad that I decided to read it.
Grace Doll is Rufus Solomon's creation. He is a big movie director who has made her what she is. She should be thankful, right? Not so because Rufus has taken away her freedom. She has no family to turn to. One night, Rufus decides to give Grace the gift of immortality, a gift that Grace doesn't want. Luckily, Grace's friends help her escape from the clutches of Rufus, but Rufus is always just around the corner.
I think the title of Grace Doll is a cute one. I would say it more than suits the book because it's about Grace.
The cover of Grace Doll is what first caught my attention when I saw this book. I liked the way it was designed. Plus, it fits in with the book as the chair Grace is sitting in is mentioned in the book. I also like the way the photo of Grace is within a film strip.
The world building was a little bit weak. I found it hard to believe that a side effect of the whole eternal youth thing was that Grace would go crazy sexually from the touch of a man she was attracted to. That was what really bothered me. Also, I like the way there are photographs of Grace throughout the book, but, the girl in the photos is not drop dead gorgeous like as described in the book. Apparently, wherever Grace went, men and women alike would stare at her because of her beauty. The photos of the girl in the book look just like a plain looking girl. There's nothing special. I mean, the girl is cute, but she's not drop dead beautiful. Another thing that annoyed me about the world building was the fact that Grace kept saying how she was stuck in the mind set of a 17 year old girl. However, the treatment she had allowed her to keep her beautiful, youthful appearance. It didn't mess with her mind. You would think that after she's been alive for over 80 years, she'd act a bit more grown up than a 17 year old girl. There's also the dreaded insta-love happening. It's called lust, not love!!! You can't just instantly fall in love with someone you've just met. You have to get to know them first!
I absolutely thought the pacing was fantabulous! I would've read the book in one sitting if I wouldn't have had to cook dinner. I totally devoured this book, and I found myself wanting to know what was going to happen in the next chapter even before I finished the chapter I was on.
I did love all the characters in this book! I felt so bad for how Rufus treated Grace. I was constantly wishing bad things to happen to Rufus. I did like how Grace and Brenden didn't trust each other to begin with and how the author played that out between them. I did wish we got to know a bit more about Jonathon though.
The dialogue was interesting and worked for the ages of the characters for the most part. There were some times that I was thinking that Brenden spoke like an older person, not like someone who is 18 years old. However, the dialogue between the characters did flow quite well. I did enjoy reading the book from both Grace's and Brenden's point of view. It was interesting to see what each character was thinking and feeling. As for swear words, I only counted one, and it wasn't a bad one either.
Grace Doll by Jennifer Laurens is a fun and fast read that will leave its readers feeling breathless and wanting more but in a good way. The world building does take away some from the book, but overall, this book is highly enjoyable.
I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 15+ that's looking for something lighthearted and interesting to read.
Wow, wow, wow! I finished this book in less than 12 hours!! Yes, it was so good. Okay, yeah, I had won this book from a blog comp some time last year, and it had just been sitting on my shelf for awhile. I'm so glad that I decided to read it.
Grace Doll is Rufus Solomon's creation. He is a big movie director who has made her what she is. She should be thankful, right? Not so because Rufus has taken away her freedom. She has no family to turn to. One night, Rufus decides to give Grace the gift of immortality, a gift that Grace doesn't want. Luckily, Grace's friends help her escape from the clutches of Rufus, but Rufus is always just around the corner.
I think the title of Grace Doll is a cute one. I would say it more than suits the book because it's about Grace.
The cover of Grace Doll is what first caught my attention when I saw this book. I liked the way it was designed. Plus, it fits in with the book as the chair Grace is sitting in is mentioned in the book. I also like the way the photo of Grace is within a film strip.
The world building was a little bit weak. I found it hard to believe that a side effect of the whole eternal youth thing was that Grace would go crazy sexually from the touch of a man she was attracted to. That was what really bothered me. Also, I like the way there are photographs of Grace throughout the book, but, the girl in the photos is not drop dead gorgeous like as described in the book. Apparently, wherever Grace went, men and women alike would stare at her because of her beauty. The photos of the girl in the book look just like a plain looking girl. There's nothing special. I mean, the girl is cute, but she's not drop dead beautiful. Another thing that annoyed me about the world building was the fact that Grace kept saying how she was stuck in the mind set of a 17 year old girl. However, the treatment she had allowed her to keep her beautiful, youthful appearance. It didn't mess with her mind. You would think that after she's been alive for over 80 years, she'd act a bit more grown up than a 17 year old girl. There's also the dreaded insta-love happening. It's called lust, not love!!! You can't just instantly fall in love with someone you've just met. You have to get to know them first!
I absolutely thought the pacing was fantabulous! I would've read the book in one sitting if I wouldn't have had to cook dinner. I totally devoured this book, and I found myself wanting to know what was going to happen in the next chapter even before I finished the chapter I was on.
I did love all the characters in this book! I felt so bad for how Rufus treated Grace. I was constantly wishing bad things to happen to Rufus. I did like how Grace and Brenden didn't trust each other to begin with and how the author played that out between them. I did wish we got to know a bit more about Jonathon though.
The dialogue was interesting and worked for the ages of the characters for the most part. There were some times that I was thinking that Brenden spoke like an older person, not like someone who is 18 years old. However, the dialogue between the characters did flow quite well. I did enjoy reading the book from both Grace's and Brenden's point of view. It was interesting to see what each character was thinking and feeling. As for swear words, I only counted one, and it wasn't a bad one either.
Grace Doll by Jennifer Laurens is a fun and fast read that will leave its readers feeling breathless and wanting more but in a good way. The world building does take away some from the book, but overall, this book is highly enjoyable.
I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 15+ that's looking for something lighthearted and interesting to read.
Smashed, Mashed, Boiled, Baked - and Fried, Too! by Ragavan Iyer is a beautiful. It has wonderful pictures, beautiful fonts. It has section at the end that lists the recipes out by categories including entrees vs sides, apps etc as well as by allergens.
This cookbook outlines potato appetizers, soup, main entrees, side dishes, and desserts from a full spectrum of cuisines and cultures, plus each recipe is beset with 'Tater Tips' or details pertinent to the history, procurement, variety, storage, and perishability of the potato being used. Iyer is cheeky, yet endearing and incredibly informative, like a friend that you adore grocery shopping with after a hearty cafe lunch.
Overall, I want to make everything in this cookbook, and I also think that by making Iyer's, "ultimate mashed potatoes" I will become everyone's favourite person over the holiday season (they look SO yummy!). Unfortunately, I worry that with so many people on strict diets, or low-carb diets, this cookbook may not sell as as much as it should. However, if you have a potato lover or carb queen in your life, get this cookbook for them - they will love you for it!
I received this book from Workman Publishing Company via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This cookbook outlines potato appetizers, soup, main entrees, side dishes, and desserts from a full spectrum of cuisines and cultures, plus each recipe is beset with 'Tater Tips' or details pertinent to the history, procurement, variety, storage, and perishability of the potato being used. Iyer is cheeky, yet endearing and incredibly informative, like a friend that you adore grocery shopping with after a hearty cafe lunch.
Overall, I want to make everything in this cookbook, and I also think that by making Iyer's, "ultimate mashed potatoes" I will become everyone's favourite person over the holiday season (they look SO yummy!). Unfortunately, I worry that with so many people on strict diets, or low-carb diets, this cookbook may not sell as as much as it should. However, if you have a potato lover or carb queen in your life, get this cookbook for them - they will love you for it!
I received this book from Workman Publishing Company via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Chris Parnell recommended You Only Live Twice (1967) in Movies (curated)
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated In His Command (Don't Tell, #1) in Books
Sep 6, 2019
**I received this copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
I read books for the romance and I'll tell you now, this was full of it, which is why I liked it so much. Normally when I read a MM book, it's more concentrating on the sex, whereas this one concentrated on the relationship and how it grew from mistrust into love. It was so sweet in places and I was bawling for a while near the end.
I liked both of the main characters and how they acted around each other. They were both great guys who'd had to put up with a lot of crap in the past and when they finally got it together I was almost cheering.
Liz, Caspar's best friend and one of his Lieutenants, was also a cool character and though I thought we'd never see her again after they left Alpha, she makes another appearance near the end, which also had me smiling.
I should probably point out that it does concentrate more on the romance and it's progression that the dystopian world but it's still a good tale if you don't mind that minor detail.
If you like MM Romances that actually focus on the romance, then this shouldn't be missed. I recommend it.
I read books for the romance and I'll tell you now, this was full of it, which is why I liked it so much. Normally when I read a MM book, it's more concentrating on the sex, whereas this one concentrated on the relationship and how it grew from mistrust into love. It was so sweet in places and I was bawling for a while near the end.
I liked both of the main characters and how they acted around each other. They were both great guys who'd had to put up with a lot of crap in the past and when they finally got it together I was almost cheering.
Liz, Caspar's best friend and one of his Lieutenants, was also a cool character and though I thought we'd never see her again after they left Alpha, she makes another appearance near the end, which also had me smiling.
I should probably point out that it does concentrate more on the romance and it's progression that the dystopian world but it's still a good tale if you don't mind that minor detail.
If you like MM Romances that actually focus on the romance, then this shouldn't be missed. I recommend it.
Jeff Lynne recommended Full Moon Fever by Tom Petty in Music (curated)
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated The Cruel Prince in Books
Oct 25, 2018
The Cruel Prince - Holly Black [BOOK REVIEW]
I asked you guys on a Goodreads poll to decide what should be my next read. And a huge number of you have decided that The Cruel Prince should be the one! And here I am, one week later, saying THANK YOU, for giving me a reason to read this book now!
Now, before I say anything else, I want you to know that I don’t have much experience living and reading about the Faerie world. I know fairies exist, and I know about that world, but I wasn’t too involved when I grabbed this book.
And I am glad for that, because…
The Cruel Prince is a great book to start your experience in this magical world. It starts with a great statement that there won’t be any fish sticks, or ketchup or TV Shows (believe me, that is Chapter 1), and it gives you a wonderful introduction to what turns out to be a beautiful place.
We follow the story through Jude’s eyes. Jude and her two sisters witness the murder of their parents. And not just that, but they also get dragged into the Faerie world because the person that kills their parents is the father of Jude’s oldest sister.
And living in the Faerie world as a human is not easy at all. At school, Jude and her sister Taryn are constantly being bullied, and the biggest bully of them all is Cardan. He is the prince, the last son of the king, and he is so evil and self-assured. *gasps* And I love him!
‘’The odd thing about ambition is this: You can acquire it like a fever, but it is not so easy to shed.’’
While Taryn is calm and tries to avoid trouble, Jude is restless and keeps talking back to Cardan. She won’t let him win, and she won’t let him humiliate her. And that brings her a hell of a trouble.
And one day, she had enough. She decides to be even more fierceless and brutal, because that is the only way of survival…
‘’If I cannot be better than them, I will become so much worse.’’
I love Jude, with all my heart. I loved her bravery and the way she never gives up, and keeps going for what she wants, even if people think she is being silly. I strongly agree with Jude - we should all strive towards our goals, no matter how difficult or ridiculous they may seem.
I also love Cardan. He is not a mean person,even though he is really cruel, but the background story is so harsh, and the reasons behind it are so strong. I could understand where he came from, but I am not in any way encouraging his bullying. I think that’s not acceptable under any circumstances. He was amazingly described, and there is the fight between good and evil going inside him.
‘’Love is a noble cause. How can anything done in the service of a noble cause be wrong?’’
The love and hate between Jude and Cardan is something you need to read about. Only Holly Black is able to describe the way they are towards each other. But this is the best love-hate game I have read in a while.
When we enter this world, we also see it from the eyes of her sisters Taryn and Vivi, and what I loved was that we get told the pro’s and con’s of the world, and why Taryn would decide to marry a faerie and get her place in the Court, or why Vivi would leave and go back to the human world. And sometimes, when you are a human in a world so beautiful, but so cruel, you realise that you can’t live with it (all that have read the book will know exactly to which scene I am referring to…).
If you haven’t picked up this book yet, please do so. I could not recommend it enough! It is filled with a lovely scenery of an amazing world, great adventure, great characters and stories around them. I read it in almost one go, as I couldn’t put it down!
A masterpiece, where faeries would give up their immortality to have this on their bookshelves, I am sure!
‘’And no matter how eager you are for it, you cannot make the moon set nor rise any faster.’’
Now, before I say anything else, I want you to know that I don’t have much experience living and reading about the Faerie world. I know fairies exist, and I know about that world, but I wasn’t too involved when I grabbed this book.
And I am glad for that, because…
The Cruel Prince is a great book to start your experience in this magical world. It starts with a great statement that there won’t be any fish sticks, or ketchup or TV Shows (believe me, that is Chapter 1), and it gives you a wonderful introduction to what turns out to be a beautiful place.
We follow the story through Jude’s eyes. Jude and her two sisters witness the murder of their parents. And not just that, but they also get dragged into the Faerie world because the person that kills their parents is the father of Jude’s oldest sister.
And living in the Faerie world as a human is not easy at all. At school, Jude and her sister Taryn are constantly being bullied, and the biggest bully of them all is Cardan. He is the prince, the last son of the king, and he is so evil and self-assured. *gasps* And I love him!
‘’The odd thing about ambition is this: You can acquire it like a fever, but it is not so easy to shed.’’
While Taryn is calm and tries to avoid trouble, Jude is restless and keeps talking back to Cardan. She won’t let him win, and she won’t let him humiliate her. And that brings her a hell of a trouble.
And one day, she had enough. She decides to be even more fierceless and brutal, because that is the only way of survival…
‘’If I cannot be better than them, I will become so much worse.’’
I love Jude, with all my heart. I loved her bravery and the way she never gives up, and keeps going for what she wants, even if people think she is being silly. I strongly agree with Jude - we should all strive towards our goals, no matter how difficult or ridiculous they may seem.
I also love Cardan. He is not a mean person,even though he is really cruel, but the background story is so harsh, and the reasons behind it are so strong. I could understand where he came from, but I am not in any way encouraging his bullying. I think that’s not acceptable under any circumstances. He was amazingly described, and there is the fight between good and evil going inside him.
‘’Love is a noble cause. How can anything done in the service of a noble cause be wrong?’’
The love and hate between Jude and Cardan is something you need to read about. Only Holly Black is able to describe the way they are towards each other. But this is the best love-hate game I have read in a while.
When we enter this world, we also see it from the eyes of her sisters Taryn and Vivi, and what I loved was that we get told the pro’s and con’s of the world, and why Taryn would decide to marry a faerie and get her place in the Court, or why Vivi would leave and go back to the human world. And sometimes, when you are a human in a world so beautiful, but so cruel, you realise that you can’t live with it (all that have read the book will know exactly to which scene I am referring to…).
If you haven’t picked up this book yet, please do so. I could not recommend it enough! It is filled with a lovely scenery of an amazing world, great adventure, great characters and stories around them. I read it in almost one go, as I couldn’t put it down!
A masterpiece, where faeries would give up their immortality to have this on their bookshelves, I am sure!
‘’And no matter how eager you are for it, you cannot make the moon set nor rise any faster.’’
Debbiereadsbook (1478 KP) rated Bite Me (Kitchen Gods #1) in Books
Mar 5, 2018
a great, easy read, with some food porn thrown in!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is, as far as I can see, the first I've read of Bolden's work, I sure hope it isn't the last! She has a way of not giving you the full picture about something and you aren't quite sure if you missed that bit, or it wasn't mentioned yet, or what?? And I really LOVED that!
Evan and Miles butt heads, right from the start, but equally, they have attraction, powerful attraction. And I loved watching them both ( because we hear from both guys) fight that attraction. Right til they both realize that their jobs are on the line, and they could lose each other too. THEN??? All bets are off and these guys give in to the inevitable.
It's amazing watching Evan come out of himself, watching Miles peel back the layers of Evan's outer casing, to the man inside.
It's not a complicated plot line, nor is it a difficult read. It's very well written and flows beautifully from the butting heads to the but...well....you get the picture. It's not very explicit though, and I really REALLY liked that it wasn't. There is no break up/make up. It's just a really great read!
Back to that not getting the full picture thing. It's about a certain thing that Miles does when he is drunk. Which I found hilarious, but when we get the full story of what was contained within?? You understand why the hints are there, you put the pieces together. Can't say anything else, cos of spoilers, but I really did enjoy not having the full picture thrown at me all at once!
Oh! You'll probably put on about ten pounds just reading this, cos, food porn or what! Miles is, after all, a pastry chef! But, love that the recipes in the book are give as links at the end. Might have to make myself some alcoholic macaroons!
This is billed as book one in the Kitchen Gods series. But some characters pop up who already had their stories written. I'd like to both go back, and forward, with these guys. I love the way Bolden spins her yarns.
so, a perfect Sunday morning read, that kept me fully engaged and I read it in one sitting.
5 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is, as far as I can see, the first I've read of Bolden's work, I sure hope it isn't the last! She has a way of not giving you the full picture about something and you aren't quite sure if you missed that bit, or it wasn't mentioned yet, or what?? And I really LOVED that!
Evan and Miles butt heads, right from the start, but equally, they have attraction, powerful attraction. And I loved watching them both ( because we hear from both guys) fight that attraction. Right til they both realize that their jobs are on the line, and they could lose each other too. THEN??? All bets are off and these guys give in to the inevitable.
It's amazing watching Evan come out of himself, watching Miles peel back the layers of Evan's outer casing, to the man inside.
It's not a complicated plot line, nor is it a difficult read. It's very well written and flows beautifully from the butting heads to the but...well....you get the picture. It's not very explicit though, and I really REALLY liked that it wasn't. There is no break up/make up. It's just a really great read!
Back to that not getting the full picture thing. It's about a certain thing that Miles does when he is drunk. Which I found hilarious, but when we get the full story of what was contained within?? You understand why the hints are there, you put the pieces together. Can't say anything else, cos of spoilers, but I really did enjoy not having the full picture thrown at me all at once!
Oh! You'll probably put on about ten pounds just reading this, cos, food porn or what! Miles is, after all, a pastry chef! But, love that the recipes in the book are give as links at the end. Might have to make myself some alcoholic macaroons!
This is billed as book one in the Kitchen Gods series. But some characters pop up who already had their stories written. I'd like to both go back, and forward, with these guys. I love the way Bolden spins her yarns.
so, a perfect Sunday morning read, that kept me fully engaged and I read it in one sitting.
5 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Awix (3310 KP) rated Alita: Battle Angel (2019) in Movies
Feb 8, 2019
Another case of 'visionary film-makers' getting together to produce something visually lavish but also very derivative and hobbled by a goosey-goosey-gander plot. Cyber-surgeon and part-time bounty hunter (you can tell it's a comic book movie) finds a brain in a can and installs it in his dead daughter's robotic body; she turns out to be Alita, who looks like Gollum's better groomed little sister but fights like a CGI'd version of Bruce Lee. Alita tries bounty hunting, also has a go at roller-boogie, falls in love (somewhat unconvincingly). Some good actors are saddled with unrewarding parts.
Looks good (as you would expect) and the action sequences are impressive (ditto) but it's not especially involving and the shapeless story in particular is a problem. It all feels a bit cool and mechanical, without much of a sense of humour - the one really funny moment is unintentional. Not an outright bad movie but spending $200 million on an adaptation of a relatively obscure comic book with someone equally little-known in the title role is a mistake, unless you end up with a film that people are really going to get excited about. Alita is not that movie: it's just another good-looking but vacuous comic-book film.
Looks good (as you would expect) and the action sequences are impressive (ditto) but it's not especially involving and the shapeless story in particular is a problem. It all feels a bit cool and mechanical, without much of a sense of humour - the one really funny moment is unintentional. Not an outright bad movie but spending $200 million on an adaptation of a relatively obscure comic book with someone equally little-known in the title role is a mistake, unless you end up with a film that people are really going to get excited about. Alita is not that movie: it's just another good-looking but vacuous comic-book film.