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Samantha (67 KP) rated Another Day in the Death of America in Books
Jul 10, 2017
How many more days before things change?
This book is incredibly valuable. Whilst focusing on the lives of ten young individuals whose lives were tragically cut short Younge also focuses on the history of gun violence in those communities as well as research on this dilemma. Together, these elements create a compelling novel which open the eyes of the reader to the injustices that occur due to gun violence, whilst also ensuring that common assumptions and misconceptions are brought into the limelight. Due to the nature of this novel it is my belief that it should be read a chapter at a time to allow for contemplation and reflection on the disastrous events contained within its pages.
Gisell Middleton (189 KP) rated After the Fire in Books
Mar 18, 2019
This novel was amazing! I might venture to say it is one of my favorites this year. The setting and plot are very original and interesting. The characters are very well thought out and written realistically from a teenage girl, to a charismatic cult leader to a sympathetic FBI agent. While the alternating timeline is popular, it seems entirely necessary in this context since we would not get the full force of the trauma endured without the current sense of relief and uncertainty and damage. While it is a harrowing story, it is not as gruesome or graphic as it could have been which is a good thing for readers who might not have picked up this novel since it is a must read!
Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated Quiet Girl in a Noisy World: An Introvert's Story in Books
Jul 12, 2018
I think this book should be required reading for everyone. I would have given this book a 4.5 star rating so I rounded up to 5.
Debbie Tung was able to explain introversion better than any other book I have read. The stories were accurate and relatable. They showed the anxiety and the thought processes that I have gone through. I really appreciated the honesty in this book.
The drawings were well done, and they enhanced this graphic novel a lot. All in all, this is a good graphic novel that can show introverts that they're not alone and show extroverts that there is nothing wrong with being quite. Seriously, just read this.
*I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Debbie Tung was able to explain introversion better than any other book I have read. The stories were accurate and relatable. They showed the anxiety and the thought processes that I have gone through. I really appreciated the honesty in this book.
The drawings were well done, and they enhanced this graphic novel a lot. All in all, this is a good graphic novel that can show introverts that they're not alone and show extroverts that there is nothing wrong with being quite. Seriously, just read this.
*I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated Inferno (The Campbells #1) in Books
Jul 12, 2018
I received this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.
I was scrolling through NetGalley looking for something quick and easy to read which brought me to Inferno. The cover is really well done and the rest of the artwork is just as good. The storyline was cute and kept my attention as well. Parts of the story even tugged on my heart strings.
I wish there was more to this book though. The ending left me wanting more and more so I really hope that there is a next in the series.
All in all, this was a cute graphic novel that was able to tug on my heart strings. I will definitely continue on in this series when available.
I was scrolling through NetGalley looking for something quick and easy to read which brought me to Inferno. The cover is really well done and the rest of the artwork is just as good. The storyline was cute and kept my attention as well. Parts of the story even tugged on my heart strings.
I wish there was more to this book though. The ending left me wanting more and more so I really hope that there is a next in the series.
All in all, this was a cute graphic novel that was able to tug on my heart strings. I will definitely continue on in this series when available.
Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated Tempting the Beast (Breeds, #1; Feline Breeds, #1) in Books
Jul 12, 2018
Hmmm... How many times can a book say the C word... I am not a prude but using the C word over 10 times in a chapter is just...different.
I thought that the basic consept of this novel was interesting. This was a quick read. The characters were interesting yet unrealistic. The main girl character made me want to scream half the time. The sex was a little too much, most of the time I had to just turn my brain off and try not to think that it was sexually assault. I understand that at the moments of passion the brain turns off and they are animalistic but seriously, it read like a woman's wet dream and not like a thought out novel.
I thought that the basic consept of this novel was interesting. This was a quick read. The characters were interesting yet unrealistic. The main girl character made me want to scream half the time. The sex was a little too much, most of the time I had to just turn my brain off and try not to think that it was sexually assault. I understand that at the moments of passion the brain turns off and they are animalistic but seriously, it read like a woman's wet dream and not like a thought out novel.
Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated A Spell for Chameleon in Books
Jul 12, 2018
I really wish that I loved this book as much as I loved it in middle school. I guess science fiction/fantasy really is not my favorite type of book. I found that I was bored quite a lot with this book.
I have realized that I struggle with books when they are logical. I like my emotional books. The logical nature of this novel seemed dull to me. I did like the plot line, I just did not enjoy the writing style.
All in all, this book kept me entertained. It is a good mix between science fiction and fantasy, however, it falls too much to the science fiction side that I had a hard time enjoying the novel.
I have realized that I struggle with books when they are logical. I like my emotional books. The logical nature of this novel seemed dull to me. I did like the plot line, I just did not enjoy the writing style.
All in all, this book kept me entertained. It is a good mix between science fiction and fantasy, however, it falls too much to the science fiction side that I had a hard time enjoying the novel.
Milleen (47 KP) rated All the Light We Cannot See in Books
Nov 14, 2018
This is another novel from 2015 that just keeps gaining popularity. During World War II a blind, french girl, Marie-Laure is forced to flee Paris for Saint-Malo hiding a jewel from her father’s museum. At the same time we learn about a german orphan Werner Pfennig, naturally adept at fixing radios and enlisted to use his skills to fight and find the French Resistance. Doerr interweaves the two characters lives with skill and attention to detail. His prose is beautifully crafted, drawing you into the past with flair and aplomb. This book took ten years to write and every page shows that not a word was wasted, Doerr rightfully received the Pulitzer Prize for this tome. A beautiful novel that deserves your full attention.
Milleen (47 KP) rated You Me Everything in Books
Nov 14, 2018 (Updated Nov 14, 2018)
Anyone who needs a dose of warm sunshine will enjoy this novel set over a long hot summer in the French countryside. Jess and her ten-year-old son William set off to spend a summer in a chateau restored by Adam, his father and Jess' ex-partner. Jess wants William and Adam to form a closer bond and finds herself impressed with Adam's successful hotel venture. Friends arrive and the summer rolls on, secrets and stories unfold. This novel emerges you in the lavender scented warmth of France, the dynamics of family, old friends and new acquaintances and heart wrenching decisions. Isaac' scharacters are believable and pull you into their world. This could be equally appreciated on a sun-lounger or curled up by the fire.
Finished by Richard Preston, this is the novel that Michael Crichton was working on at the time of his death in 2008.
I have to say that, of late, I have actually been disappointed by most of Crichton's more recent novels, with the possible exception of <i>Prey</i>. Unfortunately, I was also pretty disappointed by this: I felt that I was never really engaged with any of the characters, so their plight never really had any impact on me - without giving too much away, and in a pretty superficial sense, I think this novel could be pretty much described as <i>The Borrowers</i>, set in nature.
For me, <i>Jurassic Park</i> (by far) still remains Crichton's seminal work.
I have to say that, of late, I have actually been disappointed by most of Crichton's more recent novels, with the possible exception of <i>Prey</i>. Unfortunately, I was also pretty disappointed by this: I felt that I was never really engaged with any of the characters, so their plight never really had any impact on me - without giving too much away, and in a pretty superficial sense, I think this novel could be pretty much described as <i>The Borrowers</i>, set in nature.
For me, <i>Jurassic Park</i> (by far) still remains Crichton's seminal work.
David McK (3377 KP) rated Blackout (Cal Leandros, #6) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
At the beginning of this novel, Cal Leandros wakes up on a deserted beach, surrounded by the carcasses of giant spiders, with no memory of who he is, how he got there, or where the spiders have come from. In other words, the novel goes down the good old amnesia route.
While, perhaps, this would have been a good opportunity for Rob Thurman to hit the 'reset' button on the world she's created, I have to say that I found this book to be a bit of a wasted opportunity - concentrating (in my opinion) far far too much on the brotherly bond between Cal and Niko (who, initialyy, he can't even remember) and nowhere near enough on the monsters or action scenes!
While, perhaps, this would have been a good opportunity for Rob Thurman to hit the 'reset' button on the world she's created, I have to say that I found this book to be a bit of a wasted opportunity - concentrating (in my opinion) far far too much on the brotherly bond between Cal and Niko (who, initialyy, he can't even remember) and nowhere near enough on the monsters or action scenes!