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Amy Curtis (49 KP) rated The Hobbit in Books

Jan 11, 2019 (Updated Jan 12, 2019)

The Hobbit

J.R.R. Tolkien | 1937 | Children

8.4

(144 Ratings)

Book Rating

Plot (1 more)

Description

Child-like (0 more)

Regret not reading earlier

Now I love a fantasy novel as much as the next person and I'm not saying that I didn't enjoy this novel. I just wish I had read it when I was younger. Tolkien's description is elegant and beautiful. However, the only thing I found was that sometimes a bit of information is just thrown in there at a convenient time. Such as when Bilbo needs to do something, he suddenly has the necessary skill for the task. I know this is going to be an unpopular opinion but some of the language was also a bit childish for me. Of course, it is aimed at a younger audience which is why I wish I had read this earlier. I loved the story-line and found that it flowed well. I'm now going to try Lord of the Rings.

Kudos

Sam (74 KP) rated Joe and Clara’s Christmas Countdown in Books

Dec 10, 2018

Joe and Clara’s Christmas Countdown

Katey Lovell | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry, Romance

9.5

(2 Ratings)

Book Rating

Lovable characters (1 more)

Perfect for reading through advent

THE festive romance

This is one of my absolute favourite festive books out there. It’s warm and snuggly and it is so cheerful that it makes me smile as soon as I open the book.

Joe and Clara are both wonderfully developed characters who steal your heart from their first introductions. There were little moments that got me giggling, and plenty of times where the novel was just purely heartwarming.

To me, this is what every festive novel should be. It is so feel-good and I love the way that every chapter counts down until Christmas. If I had the self-control, I would read a chapter a day through December but I know I would never be able to restrain myself that much!

This is definitely a Christmas book you have to experience.

Read the full review at:
Https://ohbookit.blog/

Kudos

David McK (3600 KP) rated The Postman in Books

Jan 28, 2019

1986's winner of the 'Locus Award for Best Science-fiction novel' (same year as Orson Scott's Card's Ender's Game), this is also the basis for the Kevin Costner film of the same name.

Set in a post-apocalyptic America, this starts with Brin's central character of Gordon Krantz being robbed, and seeking to ambush his robbers. Losing his way when tracking them, he stumbles across a crashed post-van, with the uniform of the driver still intact, as is the mail to be delivered. Originally taking the mail to read for entertainment (and the uniform for warmth!), Krantz soon finds himself living the lie of being an actual postman for 'The Restored United States', heralding the (re)spread of civilization. The novel also hints that it might just be Krantz's actions that brings about that spread, acting as the catalyst for the reunification of several disparate communities.

Kudos

David McK (3600 KP) rated T2: The Future War (Gollancz) in Books

Jan 30, 2019 (Updated Dec 13, 2020)

T2: The Future War (Gollancz)

S.M. Stirling | 2004 | Science Fiction/Fantasy

5.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

Final part of S.M. Stirling's trilogy of books that present an alternate story than that told in T3: Rise of the Machines and Terminator: Salvation.

Unlike the previous two entries (T2: Infiltrator and T2: Rising Storm), this is not so much the one-on-one of the Connors versus a single Terminator, but is rather humanity versus Skynet which, remember, had become sentient at the end of the last novel. While the beginning of the novel does take place pre-Judgement day, the bulk of it actually takes place during the war itself: a war only hinted at in the first two films.

I quite enjoyed this read, and how it tied into both the films and earlier novels. In short, one of the better expanded universe novels out there (though you would have to read the first two first).

Kudos

ClareR (5950 KP) rated Elizabeth is Missing in Books

Jun 23, 2019

Elizabeth is Missing

Emma Healey | 2015 | Fiction & Poetry

8.1

(8 Ratings)

Book Rating

I really enjoyed this book - in a heart in mouth, trying not to cry kind of way. It was rather close to home for me. My grandmother had dementia, and I can clearly remember her slide into it. Like Maud, she would be able to reminisce about her formative years, but the present day was a mystery to her. This book was so sympathetically written, and the frustration of family members was so well put across too. The story running alongside that of the present day Maud, that of the disappearance of her sister, was well slotted in to the narrative.
I can see that this novel has has some very mixed reviews, and I can understand some of the reasons, but I'm a great believer in trying something out for yourself. And I'm glad that I did in this case. A lovely, sad, bittersweet novel.