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Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated NOS4A2 in Books
Mar 15, 2018
<i>I read this novel as my BookBum Club book for January! Check out <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/297482-the-bookbum-club">The BookBum Club on Goodreads!</a></i>
A darkly disturbing thrill ride of a book! I was expecting it to spook me out a little more than it did, but it was super enjoyable even still.
I’ve never read a Joe Hill book before this one, but now I know I want to read more of his work. I don’t think there’s any denying that his writing style really sucks you into the story and he’s a genius as describing things. How can one man come up with so many different Christmas similes? I also loved how this book was set up, where sometimes the end of sentence in a paragraph wouldn’t end because the title of the next paragraph completed the sentence. I thought this was a really unique aspect of the novel, as well as several illustrations dotted throughout.
One thing I really loved about this novel was the characters. I’ve seen some less that glowing reviews whinging about Vic, and while I can understand some people’s frustration at how frustrating she was, I think the whole point of her character to be frustrating. I personally found her troubled but sweet. Lou was equally sweet, a nice human being through-and-through, but at the end of the day, I don’t think he brought an awful lot to the story.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, of course, was Charlie Manx. What a genuinely terrifying character. I’ve read through several books with horrifying characters (Annie Wilkes springs to mind immediately) and Charlie Manx is definitely up there with the worst of them. What made him so chilling, for me, was how I imagined his voice. Every sentence of his speech was lifted at the end by an exclamation mark! He was always so cheery! Always so sinister! And then, of course, we have Bing Partridge who may just be the most repulsive character I’ve ever read about.
I loved the story of this novel, but I’m not going to explain what happened because this novel needs to be experienced, not told, in order to reach its full potential. My only issue was I though maybe 700 pages was a bit long. Chapter after chapter was a new dip and dive in this roller-coaster of a story, but sometimes it just felt like stalling time.
Another thing that disappointed me about this book, and this is what brought it down to 4 stars, is that I was expecting this to be scarier than it turned out to be. Don’t get me wrong, it’s seriously sinister and has some really creepy moments, but I wanted to get to “I can’t sleep” scared. Though saying that, when I was driving home in the dark one day, an old classic black British car (we have a lot of old car conventions around where I live) pulled up behind me and followed me nearly all the way home and I did get the heebie-geebies (don’t worry, I didn’t break the speed limit though).
Overall, this novel is well worth the read if you’re into dark, sinister novels filled with the really weird and the really wonderful. I’m so happy I’ve finally read this novel and have been opened up to the world of Joe Hill’s writing. I will definitely be reading more of his stuff.
A darkly disturbing thrill ride of a book! I was expecting it to spook me out a little more than it did, but it was super enjoyable even still.
I’ve never read a Joe Hill book before this one, but now I know I want to read more of his work. I don’t think there’s any denying that his writing style really sucks you into the story and he’s a genius as describing things. How can one man come up with so many different Christmas similes? I also loved how this book was set up, where sometimes the end of sentence in a paragraph wouldn’t end because the title of the next paragraph completed the sentence. I thought this was a really unique aspect of the novel, as well as several illustrations dotted throughout.
One thing I really loved about this novel was the characters. I’ve seen some less that glowing reviews whinging about Vic, and while I can understand some people’s frustration at how frustrating she was, I think the whole point of her character to be frustrating. I personally found her troubled but sweet. Lou was equally sweet, a nice human being through-and-through, but at the end of the day, I don’t think he brought an awful lot to the story.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, of course, was Charlie Manx. What a genuinely terrifying character. I’ve read through several books with horrifying characters (Annie Wilkes springs to mind immediately) and Charlie Manx is definitely up there with the worst of them. What made him so chilling, for me, was how I imagined his voice. Every sentence of his speech was lifted at the end by an exclamation mark! He was always so cheery! Always so sinister! And then, of course, we have Bing Partridge who may just be the most repulsive character I’ve ever read about.
I loved the story of this novel, but I’m not going to explain what happened because this novel needs to be experienced, not told, in order to reach its full potential. My only issue was I though maybe 700 pages was a bit long. Chapter after chapter was a new dip and dive in this roller-coaster of a story, but sometimes it just felt like stalling time.
Another thing that disappointed me about this book, and this is what brought it down to 4 stars, is that I was expecting this to be scarier than it turned out to be. Don’t get me wrong, it’s seriously sinister and has some really creepy moments, but I wanted to get to “I can’t sleep” scared. Though saying that, when I was driving home in the dark one day, an old classic black British car (we have a lot of old car conventions around where I live) pulled up behind me and followed me nearly all the way home and I did get the heebie-geebies (don’t worry, I didn’t break the speed limit though).
Overall, this novel is well worth the read if you’re into dark, sinister novels filled with the really weird and the really wonderful. I’m so happy I’ve finally read this novel and have been opened up to the world of Joe Hill’s writing. I will definitely be reading more of his stuff.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated Rosemary's Baby (Rosemary's Baby, #1) in Books
Mar 15, 2018
<b><i>This is no dream, she thought. This is real, this is happening.</i></b>
<b>Note to self and others:</b> beware of overly friendly neighbours.
This is amazing. At just over 200 pages, this novel takes you on a hell (excuse the pun) of a journey that you wont forget anytime soon. Levin has managed to make a novel so witty, and at the same time, so terrifying. In a way, the tone of this book is reminiscent of American Psycho (or rather American Psycho is reminiscent of this as it came out afterwards), but rather than in-your-face vulgar gore, this is far more psychologically disturbing. Never has such a mundane life, as Rosemarys and Guys, ever been so horrifying.
Id already watched the movie when I picked this up, so I knew what this novel was about and what happened, and I think, maybe, that made me enjoy this <i>more.</i> When you know how the story plays out, the tension in this really grips you and you find yourself angry and empathetic towards Rosemarys naivety. I think if I went into this novel not knowing, Rosemary would have simply pissed me off, shes that sort of weak and dependant woman I oh-so hate in books, but it was a different experience for me, knowing what I know. Thats not to say you wont like this going into it blind, Im sure the tension and horror of this will affect you just the same way <i>and</i>_ you'll get the pleasure of the pure shock of the discovery, something I didn't.
Ive said previously that I find it hard to really <i>hate</i> a character in a book, as I often find things to like about them, despite all their bad ways, but thats not the case in this one. Lets just say there is one specific character in this I hate more than anyone (in any other book ever, so far) for their betrayal, all for their own selfish gain.
The ending of this novel is one of the hardest, if not <i>the</i> hardest to swallow. Its <i>so</i> distressing and <i>so</i> upsetting. I cant say anything more than that, but its truly awful.
Im really trying not to give too much away with this review, its hard not to say so many things, but I think its OK to mention the fact this book is about devilry (its written on the book as a quote from Capote so it cant exactly be ignored)! This is a truly terrifying novel, and if you had qualms about having children before, youll definitely have more after reading this book.
This is a one-sitting read for me and Im actually excited to re-read it sometime in the future. This work is a masterpiece. Levin is an incredible writer and Im now aiming to read the rest of his work by the end of the year (yes, even <i>Son of Rosemary</i>, even though it has the worst ratings ever).
P.S. Even if you dont like horror, youll most likely enjoy this book as its not openly trying to freak you out. Its far more a suspense novel that gets in your head.
<b>Note to self and others:</b> beware of overly friendly neighbours.
This is amazing. At just over 200 pages, this novel takes you on a hell (excuse the pun) of a journey that you wont forget anytime soon. Levin has managed to make a novel so witty, and at the same time, so terrifying. In a way, the tone of this book is reminiscent of American Psycho (or rather American Psycho is reminiscent of this as it came out afterwards), but rather than in-your-face vulgar gore, this is far more psychologically disturbing. Never has such a mundane life, as Rosemarys and Guys, ever been so horrifying.
Id already watched the movie when I picked this up, so I knew what this novel was about and what happened, and I think, maybe, that made me enjoy this <i>more.</i> When you know how the story plays out, the tension in this really grips you and you find yourself angry and empathetic towards Rosemarys naivety. I think if I went into this novel not knowing, Rosemary would have simply pissed me off, shes that sort of weak and dependant woman I oh-so hate in books, but it was a different experience for me, knowing what I know. Thats not to say you wont like this going into it blind, Im sure the tension and horror of this will affect you just the same way <i>and</i>_ you'll get the pleasure of the pure shock of the discovery, something I didn't.
Ive said previously that I find it hard to really <i>hate</i> a character in a book, as I often find things to like about them, despite all their bad ways, but thats not the case in this one. Lets just say there is one specific character in this I hate more than anyone (in any other book ever, so far) for their betrayal, all for their own selfish gain.
The ending of this novel is one of the hardest, if not <i>the</i> hardest to swallow. Its <i>so</i> distressing and <i>so</i> upsetting. I cant say anything more than that, but its truly awful.
Im really trying not to give too much away with this review, its hard not to say so many things, but I think its OK to mention the fact this book is about devilry (its written on the book as a quote from Capote so it cant exactly be ignored)! This is a truly terrifying novel, and if you had qualms about having children before, youll definitely have more after reading this book.
This is a one-sitting read for me and Im actually excited to re-read it sometime in the future. This work is a masterpiece. Levin is an incredible writer and Im now aiming to read the rest of his work by the end of the year (yes, even <i>Son of Rosemary</i>, even though it has the worst ratings ever).
P.S. Even if you dont like horror, youll most likely enjoy this book as its not openly trying to freak you out. Its far more a suspense novel that gets in your head.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated Three Days and a Life in Books
Mar 15, 2018
I'm having a little bit of a struggle coming up with the words to describe how I feel about this one. Clearly, I enjoyed it, but I can't quite work out what it was about it that I liked so much, and then how I can get that across in my review. Let's go through this one step at a time...
This book is very much about neighbourly relationships. It's based in the small village of Beauval where everyone knows everyone, there are friends in the village and there are enemies. They live everyday surrounded by people who know everything about them. There are a load of books about the small-town-mentality at the moment, it's clearly a very "in" thing for authors at the moment. Some of them I like, others I find boring or distressing. This one was just perfect for me!
We begin the novel in 1999 and this is where we get most of the small-town vibes. We meet Antoine and his mother, whose only worry is to keep up with appearances. We meet the neighbours, the Desmedt's and Mouchottes. We meet the town butcher, Monsieur Kowalski. We meet the Weiser's - the mayor and his son Theo. We meet a lot of different people, but they all have a very important role to play within the story.
It's the 23rd December 1999 and little Remi Desmedt has gone missing. There are plenty of the theories as to his disappearance, but we know what's happened to him, and we know where he is. What follows is a slow paced novel about the effects of Remi's disappearance on the town and the theories and judgments each villager makes on anyone suspected of having taken the young boy.
The majority of this novel is set in the few days after Remi's disappearance in 1999. This was definitely my favourite part of the novel. It was enjoyable to follow the story through Antoine's mind-set, who is 12 at the time. But as we move through the story, we meet Antoine again in 2011 and then again in 2015, but these parts of the book aren't as enjoyable to read.
As we progress through the novel, Antoine keeps coming up against challenges he needs to overcome. Will he do the right thing, or will he do anything to keep his secrets close?
Like I said before, this novel is slow paced, but I quite like that in a books sometimes. This is advertised as a thriller but I wouldn't think of is like that, this feels more like a general fiction novel to be honest. This was also described as "suspenseful", but again, I'm going to disagree with that. See what I mean about not being able to describe my feelings on it? I'm at a loss for words on what I feel this books was like! What I can say is that I love Lemaitre's way of writing. It really sucked me into the story and for this reason, I'm definitely checking out his other stuff!
Something I also know is that I enjoyed this book, for the most part. If it hadn't been for the 2011 and 2015 chapters, and the direction they took, this could have been a 5 star read for me.
This book is very much about neighbourly relationships. It's based in the small village of Beauval where everyone knows everyone, there are friends in the village and there are enemies. They live everyday surrounded by people who know everything about them. There are a load of books about the small-town-mentality at the moment, it's clearly a very "in" thing for authors at the moment. Some of them I like, others I find boring or distressing. This one was just perfect for me!
We begin the novel in 1999 and this is where we get most of the small-town vibes. We meet Antoine and his mother, whose only worry is to keep up with appearances. We meet the neighbours, the Desmedt's and Mouchottes. We meet the town butcher, Monsieur Kowalski. We meet the Weiser's - the mayor and his son Theo. We meet a lot of different people, but they all have a very important role to play within the story.
It's the 23rd December 1999 and little Remi Desmedt has gone missing. There are plenty of the theories as to his disappearance, but we know what's happened to him, and we know where he is. What follows is a slow paced novel about the effects of Remi's disappearance on the town and the theories and judgments each villager makes on anyone suspected of having taken the young boy.
The majority of this novel is set in the few days after Remi's disappearance in 1999. This was definitely my favourite part of the novel. It was enjoyable to follow the story through Antoine's mind-set, who is 12 at the time. But as we move through the story, we meet Antoine again in 2011 and then again in 2015, but these parts of the book aren't as enjoyable to read.
As we progress through the novel, Antoine keeps coming up against challenges he needs to overcome. Will he do the right thing, or will he do anything to keep his secrets close?
Like I said before, this novel is slow paced, but I quite like that in a books sometimes. This is advertised as a thriller but I wouldn't think of is like that, this feels more like a general fiction novel to be honest. This was also described as "suspenseful", but again, I'm going to disagree with that. See what I mean about not being able to describe my feelings on it? I'm at a loss for words on what I feel this books was like! What I can say is that I love Lemaitre's way of writing. It really sucked me into the story and for this reason, I'm definitely checking out his other stuff!
Something I also know is that I enjoyed this book, for the most part. If it hadn't been for the 2011 and 2015 chapters, and the direction they took, this could have been a 5 star read for me.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Girl Made of Stars in Books
Jun 5, 2018
Gorgeous, powerful, heartbreaking novel
Owen and his twin sister, Mara, have been close for their entire life--bonded by their twinhood, joint storytelling, and love of the stars--particularly their "own" constellation. But that all changes when Mara's good friend, Hannah, accuses Owen of rape. Suddenly Mara finds herself torn between her friendships and her family. Even worse, she has no one to talk to, after breaking up with her girlfriend/best friend, Charlie. Everything feels unknown and confusing. How will Mara navigate this new world--and what will she do about Owen and Hannah?
This novel. Oh my goodness. It will break your heart and yet leave you speechless with wonder. It's so beautiful. It started off with a quote from Virginia Woolf (The Waves), so I knew it was going to be good. And it certainly was.
The book is so achingly gorgeous and real, with its realistic look at high school. It portrays how both amazing and awful kids can be at this age. Mara is such a lovely character. The Owen/Hannah situation leaves her conflicted and forces her to face something terrible in her own past. By placing Mara in such a difficult situation, Herring Blake also does a good job of showing how hard it is being the female in this situation and how so few people believe the girl. It's such a timely commentary (albeit a sad one). It may not always be easy to read, as we see how hard things are for Hannah (and Mara), but it's so well-done.
I mean, really, this book is just heartbreaking at times. And yet I was riveted. These kids, with their big problems, so many of them living other people's dreams. It was so poignant, so true to so many of my own experiences. And the relationships here--well, wow. I mean, for one thing, we get a truly bisexual character in Mara, which is so refreshing. And then Charlie is genderqueer/nonbinary. It was so wonderful to have these characters in this novel, as a positive representation for teens--living real lives, with real problems, but in no way serving as the villain or maligned character. I was incredibly impressed. I wish this novel was on the shelf of every high school (well, on the shelves everywhere, honestly).
The girls in this book are in a group called Empower, which stands up for females--how they are portrayed, the double standards they face, and more. They are so strong, despite all the hurdles they face on a daily basis. Honestly, despite so much sadness in this novel, there is so much hope. So much strength. I adored Mara. She is wonderful -- such a strong, amazing, and lovely character. I found myself rooting for her as if she was my own kid.
I loved this one. I don't even remember how or why I stumbled across it and requested it, but I'm so glad I did. This is a beautiful, powerful book about the strength of human existence. The girls in this novel will make you cry, make you laugh, and make you both despair for and have faith in humanity. I will be tracking down the rest of Herring Blake's books for sure.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
This novel. Oh my goodness. It will break your heart and yet leave you speechless with wonder. It's so beautiful. It started off with a quote from Virginia Woolf (The Waves), so I knew it was going to be good. And it certainly was.
The book is so achingly gorgeous and real, with its realistic look at high school. It portrays how both amazing and awful kids can be at this age. Mara is such a lovely character. The Owen/Hannah situation leaves her conflicted and forces her to face something terrible in her own past. By placing Mara in such a difficult situation, Herring Blake also does a good job of showing how hard it is being the female in this situation and how so few people believe the girl. It's such a timely commentary (albeit a sad one). It may not always be easy to read, as we see how hard things are for Hannah (and Mara), but it's so well-done.
I mean, really, this book is just heartbreaking at times. And yet I was riveted. These kids, with their big problems, so many of them living other people's dreams. It was so poignant, so true to so many of my own experiences. And the relationships here--well, wow. I mean, for one thing, we get a truly bisexual character in Mara, which is so refreshing. And then Charlie is genderqueer/nonbinary. It was so wonderful to have these characters in this novel, as a positive representation for teens--living real lives, with real problems, but in no way serving as the villain or maligned character. I was incredibly impressed. I wish this novel was on the shelf of every high school (well, on the shelves everywhere, honestly).
The girls in this book are in a group called Empower, which stands up for females--how they are portrayed, the double standards they face, and more. They are so strong, despite all the hurdles they face on a daily basis. Honestly, despite so much sadness in this novel, there is so much hope. So much strength. I adored Mara. She is wonderful -- such a strong, amazing, and lovely character. I found myself rooting for her as if she was my own kid.
I loved this one. I don't even remember how or why I stumbled across it and requested it, but I'm so glad I did. This is a beautiful, powerful book about the strength of human existence. The girls in this novel will make you cry, make you laugh, and make you both despair for and have faith in humanity. I will be tracking down the rest of Herring Blake's books for sure.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
Books Editor (673 KP) shared own list
Nov 2, 2017
Whether you need a pulse-pounding page-turner to keep you awake, or you're looking for a memoir to curl up with, here are some books at the top of Entertainment Weekly's November must-read list.
Renegades
8.3
Rate It
Book
From #1 New York Times-bestselling author Marissa Meyer, comes a high-stakes world of adventure,...
Fantasy Young Adult
Catalina: A Novel
3.0
Rate It
Book
A magnetic, provocative debut novel chronicling a young woman’s downward spiral following the end...
mystery fiction
Mrs Osmond
Book
'What was freedom, she thought, other than the right to exercise one's choices?' Isabel Osmond, a...
The Revolution of Marina M.
Book
From the mega-bestselling author of White Oleander and Paint It Black, a sweeping historical saga of...
historical fiction
and 9 other items
Erika (17788 KP) rated The Night Manager - Season 1 in TV
Nov 26, 2017
This mini-series was one of the best things that premiered in 2016. I actually liked the updates, and the changes that were made from the original le Carre novel. I loved that Burr's character ended up being female, and played by Olivia Coleman. Tom Hiddleston did fantastic as Pine, and Hugh Laurie was pitch-perfect. It also holds up through multiple viewings, which is a good thing.
Rachel P (2 KP) rated The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo in Books
Jan 4, 2018
This is not a hilarious book... Sure, I laughed out loud at parts, but it's a serious novel touching on serious issues. I was hooked by chapter one and seriously loved Amy Schumer more and more as I read on (I am NOT a fan of her show or comedy). She seriously stole my heart. I cried more than once and am touched by how genuine she is.
BookCritics (259 KP) rated The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn in Books
Jun 2, 2017
I may not have fallen in love with the characters of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, but I was mesmerized by the story. Taylor Jenkins Reid is a talented writer capable of weaving a multifaceted tale. I loved her writing style
Critic- A Novel Glimpse
Original Score: 4.5 out of 5
Read Review: http://anovelglimpse.com/2017/05/18/review-the-seven-husbands-of-evelyn-hugo-by-taylor-jenkins-reid/
Original Score: 4.5 out of 5
Read Review: http://anovelglimpse.com/2017/05/18/review-the-seven-husbands-of-evelyn-hugo-by-taylor-jenkins-reid/
BookCritics (259 KP) rated Magpie Murders in Books
Jun 12, 2017
I recommend this to you if you’ve read quite some Agatha Christie and appreciate a crime novel inspired by her work. She is mentioned quite a lot in the book, so if you don’t know the author or don’t like her books, I think you’ll find this irritating.
Critic- Naty
Original Score: 3 out of 5
Read Review: https://natysbookshelf.wordpress.com/2017/06/11/review-magpie-murders-by-anthony-horowitz/#more-1687
Original Score: 3 out of 5
Read Review: https://natysbookshelf.wordpress.com/2017/06/11/review-magpie-murders-by-anthony-horowitz/#more-1687
Dave P. (9 KP) rated Westworld - Season 1 in TV
Jul 20, 2017
Slow and Go that is the tempo
This new take on the Michael Crichton novel rings the HBO show to a better futuristic reality that the old movie. There's drama and romance and all the stuff you would expect in a western themes virtual world to go out and play in. Some twists and turns along the way. I enjoyed watching the first season but it had some slow spots.