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40x40

Blake Anderson recommended In a Major Way by E-40 in Music (curated)

 
In a Major Way by E-40
In a Major Way by E-40
1995 | Rock
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"It’s a throwback, but I grew up in the East Bay in Northern California. That was pretty much my first exposure to Bay area rap and I’ve just been in love with it ever since. I’ve always had love for the Bay and all that. I think that’s what started me on the tip of looking into other stuff like Mac Dre. Even Tupac is on that album. Even though E-40 is kind of mainstream, he’s always kept it underground, too. I just have fun memories of that tape with me and Kyle driving home from working at the movie theater in the middle of the night just letting that album slap in his tape deck"

Source
  
40x40

Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated The Fire Artist in Books

Jan 23, 2020  
TF
The Fire Artist
Daisy Whitney | 2014
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The cover and the synopsis for <i>The Fire Artist</i> looked so pretty, I had cover fever for a few seconds while trying to decide between 5 plus other books (I planned on walking away with 3 books for 4 weeks, not 100 books).

And the fact it was one of the newest residents at the library and when you own nearly zilch books (two), getting your hands on a shiny copy of a book is a wondrous feeling and a rarity.

<i>The Fire Artist</i> gets <b>straight to the point from the very beginning – there's really no stalling going on here.</b> Whitney reveals early on that Aria has problems as a fire artist, and that it needs to be replenished often if she wants to keep her control and not face her father's wrath. But then Aria is recruited by the M.E. Leagues, the highest honor an elemental artist can get, and she has to find another way to continue keeping her fire powers.

<b>The world building here is amazing – the peace in the Middle East isn't just "there"</b> simply because someone in a prestigious family did something while everyone else went down to rock bottom, said someone succeeded and as a result, everyone respects the person and bows down to them. The history of how the Middle East came to be – in accordance to the book – seems to be <b>based off current events in the Middle East, making the book seem a little realistic rather than utmost fantasy</b>. The granters Whitney portrays throughout <i>The Fire Artist</i> aren't just "there" (though they are just "there") for everyone's beck and call – <b>the granters seemed to be unified with rules and whatnot rather than each granter working individually on their own.</b>

<b>The romance between Taj and Aria also isn't one that rushes quickly – it's slowly developing as the book progresses and it doesn't overshadow the overall plot</b> (a huge peeve of mine). The conversations between the two are entertaining enough that despite the fact Aria takes her time in making her wish, I personally don't mind because I'm too busy enjoying the book to even care.

I do, however, have a little peeve against Aria for stalking the dude before they even met. Surely that never goes well if the dude actually finds out.

Though to be honest, if Aria <i>had</i> made her wish too early in the book instead of stalling awhile, the book would have ended much too quickly. The world building and character development would have been terrible – no one (aside from the author) would ever know precisely how the peace in the Middle East really came to be (oh, so everyone just whipped up a treaty?) or gotten the chance to really know Aria and Taj as characters.

There are no regrets in reading this – <i>The Fire Artist</i> is as pretty on the inside as it is on the outside.

<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-the-fire-artist-by-daisy-whitney/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
  
40x40

Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated Ahriman: The Spirit of Destruction in Books

May 22, 2019  
AT
Ahriman: The Spirit of Destruction
Puja Guha
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Espionage. Assassins.Middle East.
Homeland meets Syriana in the near future.
When the CIA intercepts intelligence on a terrorist attack in Kuwait, Petra Shirazi, a former field agent, comes face to face with the Ahriman, one of Iran's deadliest assassins.
The story is led by a strong female protagonist who is pitted against her nemesis. To stop him, Petra must confront her past and the traumatic experience that took her out of the field.

This was a well thought out, well written intricate international thriller. The main character, Petra, is an intelligent and independent woman who is forced to overcome her fears and PTSD from a failed field op in order to prevent a massive terrorist attack.
Ms. Guha does a great job weaving the political landscape of the today’s Middle East with a future (2021) that she’s created. It’s a refreshing change from the majority of spy thrillers in that the author stays away from all the typical clichés that can slow a fast paced thriller down. A great first novel.
Very good strong characters and loved the plot.
Really enjoyed this and highly recommend!

This book was provided to me for free for an honest and unbiased review