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Sleeping Beauties: The Gripping New Serial-Killer Thriller
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The Irish Bestselling author of With Our Blessing and Beneath the Surface The inspector frowned and...
Louise (64 KP) rated Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal in Books
Jul 2, 2018
WARNING!!! There is going to be a lot of fangirling in this review.
To say I loved this graphic novel is an understatement. This is my favourite graphic novel that I have read so far ( I am fairly new to them) If I could rate this more than 5 stars I would.I read this for a few different reasons,first being that it has some pretty great reviews, second it's short but entertaining and I love myself some superheroes and third for a boost so I can hit my Goodreads challenge.
So....on to the actual review. Khamala Khan is our protagonist, she's a muslim-american who manages to mysteriously get super powers and becomes the new Ms Marvel. This should be Khamala's dream come true as she is obsessed with superheroes, however it's not as easy as anticipated when she is put in situations where she has to start saving people lives and learning how to control these powers that have been bestowed upon her.
Khamala is a fantastic protagonist, her character has so much depth! What with her religious beliefs, strict parents and trying to find her true identity. It was great to read about a Teenage Muslim girl whose life was run around her family's beliefs, the struggles that she come across, such as friends and parties and not having the freedom that she craves.
I enjoyed all the side characters to the story, the Jock, the cool girl and Khamala's family were all written in really well and each had their own.
It was also funny as Khamala realises that being a superhero is not all it's cracked up to be, especially when she feels very exposed in her skintight outfit and high heel boots. (Obviously not practical for defeating bad guys)
The artwork in this novel was stunning and very much suited the storyline. This would make an excellent start for anyone that has never read a graphic novel before. The characters are fleshed out, the story line is very straight forward and no jumping back and forth and it also touches upon relative topics.
I cannot wait to get my hands on the second volume of this series and is definitely on my wish list for Xmas.
I rated this 5 out of 5 stars
To say I loved this graphic novel is an understatement. This is my favourite graphic novel that I have read so far ( I am fairly new to them) If I could rate this more than 5 stars I would.I read this for a few different reasons,first being that it has some pretty great reviews, second it's short but entertaining and I love myself some superheroes and third for a boost so I can hit my Goodreads challenge.
So....on to the actual review. Khamala Khan is our protagonist, she's a muslim-american who manages to mysteriously get super powers and becomes the new Ms Marvel. This should be Khamala's dream come true as she is obsessed with superheroes, however it's not as easy as anticipated when she is put in situations where she has to start saving people lives and learning how to control these powers that have been bestowed upon her.
Khamala is a fantastic protagonist, her character has so much depth! What with her religious beliefs, strict parents and trying to find her true identity. It was great to read about a Teenage Muslim girl whose life was run around her family's beliefs, the struggles that she come across, such as friends and parties and not having the freedom that she craves.
I enjoyed all the side characters to the story, the Jock, the cool girl and Khamala's family were all written in really well and each had their own.
It was also funny as Khamala realises that being a superhero is not all it's cracked up to be, especially when she feels very exposed in her skintight outfit and high heel boots. (Obviously not practical for defeating bad guys)
The artwork in this novel was stunning and very much suited the storyline. This would make an excellent start for anyone that has never read a graphic novel before. The characters are fleshed out, the story line is very straight forward and no jumping back and forth and it also touches upon relative topics.
I cannot wait to get my hands on the second volume of this series and is definitely on my wish list for Xmas.
I rated this 5 out of 5 stars
Merissa (13100 KP) rated The Outsider (A Broken World #5) in Books
Jan 21, 2019
The Outsider (A Broken World #5) by Dean Murray
The Outsider sees Skye reunite with Brennan, Jax, and the rest. However, things have changed - not just between Skye and Brennan, but the whole situation. There is a lot that needs to be said before the air can be cleared between them all. Skye still has her own secrets, and now it looks like she is carrying one inside her that no one knew about! Brennan has changed in the time that Skye hasn't been there, he's made decisions that are not easy, and has had to live with the consequences that he has hidden from others, so they don't have to have it on their conscience. Jax has been carrying a lot of the weight and it is starting to wear him down. Add in the fact that Skye is his daughter, and there is a whole minefield between them.
I have to say that the flow of this story was better for me. Although I thoroughly enjoyed The Founder, this one I could disappear in. Whether or not it's the relationship that Skye and Brennan have, or that Jax and Brennan have, or Jax and the soldiers, or what, I honestly couldn't say. All I can say is that once I started this book, I was hard-pressed to put it down. The time flew and I was lost once again in this dystopian world, wanting and hoping for Skye to get her HEA.
This is a long book that will draw you in, although I would recommend that you read this as a series, otherwise you just won't understand all the nuances that have occurred up to this point. That being said, it doesn't read like a long book. I did not realise how long I'd been reading until I had to put it down! There were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow, and the characters continue to grow. With their own problems and circumstances, this is an intricate story full of characters to enjoy or despise. Either way, you'll never be bored. Highly recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
I have to say that the flow of this story was better for me. Although I thoroughly enjoyed The Founder, this one I could disappear in. Whether or not it's the relationship that Skye and Brennan have, or that Jax and Brennan have, or Jax and the soldiers, or what, I honestly couldn't say. All I can say is that once I started this book, I was hard-pressed to put it down. The time flew and I was lost once again in this dystopian world, wanting and hoping for Skye to get her HEA.
This is a long book that will draw you in, although I would recommend that you read this as a series, otherwise you just won't understand all the nuances that have occurred up to this point. That being said, it doesn't read like a long book. I did not realise how long I'd been reading until I had to put it down! There were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow, and the characters continue to grow. With their own problems and circumstances, this is an intricate story full of characters to enjoy or despise. Either way, you'll never be bored. Highly recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Merissa (13100 KP) rated Stalkers: True Stories of Deadly Obsessions (Dark Webs True Crime #3) in Books
Oct 9, 2020
Stalkers is the third book in the Dark Webs series and, trust me, it beggars belief. It reads like it is straight out of Hollywood, the scene of the first telling of stalker behaviour. In here, we have two stories from America and two from the U.K. They are all horrible in their own way and yet show how easy it is, if you are that way inclined, to become a stalker.
The book itself is well-written with each story almost have a fiction-like quality to it. There are facts and figures, police reports, and verdicts given though, just to prove this actually happened. They will all twist your mind but the Craigslist one is just unbelievable! I felt sorry for all the 'victims' in this book but, mostly, I feel sorry for 'Mark'.
This is the first book by this author I have read but it will not be the last. If you like #TrueCrime then this is one I definitely recommend you don't miss.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
The book itself is well-written with each story almost have a fiction-like quality to it. There are facts and figures, police reports, and verdicts given though, just to prove this actually happened. They will all twist your mind but the Craigslist one is just unbelievable! I felt sorry for all the 'victims' in this book but, mostly, I feel sorry for 'Mark'.
This is the first book by this author I have read but it will not be the last. If you like #TrueCrime then this is one I definitely recommend you don't miss.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Beyond Broadhall in Books
Aug 24, 2020
A fitting sequel
I was that excited to read this book that I’ve read and finished it across the space of 2 evenings, and that was purely because I made myself put it down on the first evening!
Like the first book, i struggled to put this down. It’s full of humour and heartwarming relationships, whilst Craig Pelling again tries to repair his damaged and broken life. I actually nearly shed a tear or two on more than one occasion. After the ending of the first book there’s really only a limited number of ways this sequel can pan out and this is the only real negative - unlike the first book which shocked me with how it ended, Beyond Broadhall is a tad predictable. That said, it’s the journey that matters in this book. Not everything pans out the way you’d expect and the entertainment stems from the investment you have in Craig. He really is a lovable and endearing character. I will admit that the ending of this book is making a tad cheesy and overly sweet and schmaltzy, but it’s nice to read how it turns out for Craig in the end. It’s been a while since I’ve enjoyed reading a book series as much as this one!
Like the first book, i struggled to put this down. It’s full of humour and heartwarming relationships, whilst Craig Pelling again tries to repair his damaged and broken life. I actually nearly shed a tear or two on more than one occasion. After the ending of the first book there’s really only a limited number of ways this sequel can pan out and this is the only real negative - unlike the first book which shocked me with how it ended, Beyond Broadhall is a tad predictable. That said, it’s the journey that matters in this book. Not everything pans out the way you’d expect and the entertainment stems from the investment you have in Craig. He really is a lovable and endearing character. I will admit that the ending of this book is making a tad cheesy and overly sweet and schmaltzy, but it’s nice to read how it turns out for Craig in the end. It’s been a while since I’ve enjoyed reading a book series as much as this one!
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Police (Harry Hole #10) (Oslo Sequence #8) in Books
Sep 5, 2020
A gripping thriller
I've really messed up the reading order of the Harry Hole books. I first read this 5 years ago, and it was only earlier this year that I read the following sequel book 11 (The Thirst) and then after that the previous book 9 Phantom. Aside from my idiocy at messing up the order of these books, I really enjoyed reading this again now i finally understand better what's going on thanks to Phantom.
This is a thrilling read. I could barely put it down and just wanted to get to the end to find out how it all ended (as I couldn't remember from the first time round). The plot is complicated but not so far-fetched that it gets ridiculous and there's lots of twists and turns to keep you hooked. I like the Harry in this book a lot more than in previous books, although there is still some of the old good character we know and love still there. After reading so many of Jo Nesbo's books recently I've noticed he really does like his tropes and cliffhangers a lot and this can get a bit predictable after a while. However this is still one of the best books in the series - definitely on par with The Snowman.
This is a thrilling read. I could barely put it down and just wanted to get to the end to find out how it all ended (as I couldn't remember from the first time round). The plot is complicated but not so far-fetched that it gets ridiculous and there's lots of twists and turns to keep you hooked. I like the Harry in this book a lot more than in previous books, although there is still some of the old good character we know and love still there. After reading so many of Jo Nesbo's books recently I've noticed he really does like his tropes and cliffhangers a lot and this can get a bit predictable after a while. However this is still one of the best books in the series - definitely on par with The Snowman.
David McK (3576 KP) rated Aftermath (Star Wars: Aftermath, #1) in Books
Jan 28, 2019
It must be strange being in [a: Chuck Wendig|17152|Chuck Wendig|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1294919586p2/17152.jpg]'s shoes when he was given the green-light to write this novel.
Not so much for what the novel is (a Star Wars book), but for what it isn't (the first in the 'new' non-EU canon).
I imagine there would have been both a feeling of freedom in that he is no longer tied down to making sure everything 'fits', as well as a feeling of responsibility as some of that old EU stuff was quite well regarded.
Regardless, this is set after the events of 'Return of the Jedi', but before the new 'The Force Awakens', and is the first in a series of novels leading up to that movie that should (hopefully) fill in the gaps in that movie. While Luke didn't make an appearance in this, there are some old returning characters: most noticeably Wedge Antilles, who provides the MacGuffin that gets the whole plot rolling!
It may not be the best Star Wars book I've read (sorry), but it does do a serviceable job in getting the ball rolling again.
Not so much for what the novel is (a Star Wars book), but for what it isn't (the first in the 'new' non-EU canon).
I imagine there would have been both a feeling of freedom in that he is no longer tied down to making sure everything 'fits', as well as a feeling of responsibility as some of that old EU stuff was quite well regarded.
Regardless, this is set after the events of 'Return of the Jedi', but before the new 'The Force Awakens', and is the first in a series of novels leading up to that movie that should (hopefully) fill in the gaps in that movie. While Luke didn't make an appearance in this, there are some old returning characters: most noticeably Wedge Antilles, who provides the MacGuffin that gets the whole plot rolling!
It may not be the best Star Wars book I've read (sorry), but it does do a serviceable job in getting the ball rolling again.
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated Sprout Mask Replica in Books
Nov 26, 2019
I always use this book to illustrate just how off the wall Rankin's writing is. Purportedly his autobiography, he gets run over by a bus and killed halfway through. That really ought to give the reader some some of idea that this is not entirely serious.
Telling the "stories" of various family members then moving onto his own life this is less a coherent novel with a plot than the literary equivalent of an episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus; a series of sketches with some recurring characters and ideas which don't behave according any of the accepted standards of story telling.
The result is an absolute hoot as a stream of consciousness experience, especially as Rankin re-uses his well-tested recurring gags. However it is by no means his best work; the lack of a plot means that the book just sort of ends and it does rely a little too much on knowing nods to previous works.
Not a bad read, and certainly worth a go if you like something that's unusual and bursting with odd ideas but there are better Rankin books to read.
Telling the "stories" of various family members then moving onto his own life this is less a coherent novel with a plot than the literary equivalent of an episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus; a series of sketches with some recurring characters and ideas which don't behave according any of the accepted standards of story telling.
The result is an absolute hoot as a stream of consciousness experience, especially as Rankin re-uses his well-tested recurring gags. However it is by no means his best work; the lack of a plot means that the book just sort of ends and it does rely a little too much on knowing nods to previous works.
Not a bad read, and certainly worth a go if you like something that's unusual and bursting with odd ideas but there are better Rankin books to read.