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Merissa (11961 KP) created a post

Apr 29, 2022  
"A novel of love, loss, war, and survival against all odds."

Tour: The Lake Pagoda by Ann Bennett - @Archaeolibrary, @maryanneyarde, @annbennett71, #CoffeePotBookClub, #BlogTour, #WomensFiction, #HistoricalFiction,

https://archaeolibrarian.wixsite.com/website/post/thelakepagodabyannbennett
     
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ArecRain (8 KP) rated Angelmonster in Books

Jan 18, 2018  
A
Angelmonster
4
4.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I am just going to come out and say that I though this novel was terrible. Not because it was written poorly or because it was unbelievable, but because it just made one feel depressed and dark reading it.

After reading the description, I was excited to read a fictional novel about how Mary and Percy Shelley cam e together, and how Mary received her inspiration for Frankenstein. From page one, however, it was hard to push through the pages. It wasn’t until Percy came in around the second chapter that there was any real reason to be interested. At first, their relationship starts out romantic and ideal for any woman searching for love. However, the novel quickly turns sour after that. Everything turns so dark and negative, that reading the novel actually put me in a dark mood.

Mary and Percy were constantly at odds, stuck with each other and pining for the love they once had, but not actually loving each other. They only seemed to care for each other like old friends who are stuck with each other. It was very depressing to read.

Not to mention, the only straight forth explanation for Frankenstein’s inspiration lasts only a couple of sentences. Of course, the entire novel explains how Mary came to write the novel, but one does not necessarily pick up on that until the end, which is probably the darkest part of the novel.

No happy ending for Angelmonster. I will admit that it was a new and different take on the Shelley’s life, for me anyway, and was interesting to read. As long as you do not expect any optimism or positivity.
  
<b>First Time Rating:</b> 5 out of 5 (Give me a break, I was a kid.)

<b>Second Time Rating:</b> Ya girl is debating between a 2 or a 3, but I'm feeling nice, so 3 it is.

Adapted from the novel by Rick Riordan, The Lightning Thief: The Graphic Novel by Robert Venditti follows Percy Jackson as he journeys with Annabeth Chase and Grover Underwood across the US to retrieve Zeus’ lightning bolt before the summer solstice.

As an avid fan of the novels in middle school when the movie was in production, I was curious about the graphic novel version. When I first read The Lightning Thief: The Graphic Novel shortly after it came out, I just enjoyed myself. Reading it now with a more critical eye, I still enjoyed the adaptation, considering how poor the movies were. The graphic novel remains faithful to Riordan’s book and while most of the main storyline is still included, it does cut out some scenes and the story would have been better if it were longer.

In addition to the briefness of the graphic novel, I also noticed during my second read that the characters appear to be much older than they really are. There were moments in the story where if I didn’t read the original novels or knew the plot really well, I would have forgotten that Percy and many of the other characters are around 12 years old.

Overall, The Lightning Thief: The Graphic Novel is perfect for those who are avid fans of Riordan’s original series and want a recap, but not the greatest intro for those who want to read the graphic version before the novels.

<a href="https://60secondsmag.com/the-lightning-thief-review/">This review is originally posted on 60 Seconds Online Magazine</a>
  
Q: The Novel
Q: The Novel
Christina Dalcher | 2020 | Mystery, Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
The protagonist in this book is Elena, and the book is told from her perspective. Elena is a teacher at a high-level school, she is married to a man, who holds a very high position when it comes to education. She has two daughters, eldest is a little miss perfect, she is smart and her daddy loves her, the younger one was struggling all her life. Elena hates her husband, and she is ready to do anything when her little girl is sent away to the lowest grade school. I really liked all the characters chosen for this book, they all are intriguing, different and they have unique stories to tell. I really loved to see different generations displayed in this book, their stories entwined beautifully.

I loved the narrative of this book. The whole concept of this novel intrigued me. I liked the topics discussed in this novel, such as partner and family relationship issues, WWII, perfectionism, political propaganda and brainwashing, children abuse, people segregation and many more. I really enjoyed the research done for this novel, I like history, and I loved real historical stories incorporated in this novel. I think this novel is quite fast-paced, and the pages just flew by for me, I was really engrossed in this story.

I really enjoy C. Dalcher’s writing style, she creatively uses political situations, to create these amazing dystopian countries and rules, that leaves me gobsmacked every time. The chapters are really short, and it is an absolute pleasure to read this novel. The ending of this book left me a little confused, I liked the way the author decided to conclude this novel, but it didn’t leave me fully satisfied with the outcome.
  
Swimming Lessons
Swimming Lessons
Claire Fuller | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
10
6.8 (9 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is definitely a book you can read in one day. The writing was beautiful and story was absolutely compelling! I woke up in the middle of the night after reading this novel and began analyzing the characters. I seriously can't express how much this novel stuck with me. This is a beautiful portrayal of a family and how past events have shaped each of them into who they are in present day.
  
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
Mark Haddon | 2014 | Children
8
8.1 (31 Ratings)
Book Rating
Under the advisement of a counselor, a 15-year-old boy with Asperger's Syndrome writes a novel about his experiences, thoughts, and feelings. He novel shows how his mind works and how he deals with everyday situations. It also shows how his family struggles and adapts to his certain habits, dislikes, and passions.
I listened to the audiobook version, which has been highly recommended, and it didn't disappoint. The narrator was phenomenal!
  
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Sarah (7798 KP) rated Wool in Books

Jul 25, 2017  
Wool
Wool
Hugh Howey | 2013 | Fiction & Poetry
9
8.5 (6 Ratings)
Book Rating
A highly original dystopian novel
It's a sign of good book when you can't bring yourself to put it down, and Wool certainly fulfills this.

It's a fantastic and a different take on the dystopian future novel. It's claustrophobic and one of the few books I love that I'd actually like to see made into a (decent) film. There are some great characters, an intriguing premise and it just keeps you reading.
  
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Chris Hooker (419 KP) rated Toychest in Books

Jan 12, 2018  
T
Toychest
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
[Toychest] by [Lance Milham] is an excellent debut novel from a young author. The characters are the main part of the story and they keep the plot moving at a good pace. The way he shows that evil people exist everywhere and even good can become evil is subtle. The idea that everything as consequences is throughout this novel. [Milham] has a very creative mind and I look forward to reading more from him.