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My rating: 3.5
<i>This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review</i>
Before beginning this book readers need to be aware, particularly those of a more fragile nature, that it contains themes of mental illness, sexual abuse and suicidal tendencies; but that does not mean this is not a great book. The strap line on the cover of <i>Black Box</i> by Cassia Leo says “Not just another love story” implying that whilst it does fall under the romantic genre there is something more to the novel.
The book begins, in a way, with a cliffhanger. The date is January 8th and the narrator appears to be about to experience, and possibly die, in a plane crash. Before the author reveals the outcome she back tracks to January 3rd where the story, <i>Black Box</i>, genuinely begins.
There are two main characters and the narrative constantly changes from one point of view to the other. This helps the reader to understand both characters’ experiences: past and present. Nineteen-year old Mikki wants to kill herself. She has tried more than once in the past but this time she has a more detailed plan, one that her family would be unable to interfere with. By lying about her real intentions she books a flight to Los Angeles to get as far away from Boston as she can, however she does not anticipate the severe snowy weather which cancels all flights for the next few days.
Stranded at the airport she meets Crush, a guitar playing Harvard student who was meant to be on the same flight as her. With the niggling feeling that he has met her before, Crush convinces Mikki to go to a coffee shop with him and later, sensing her reluctance to return home, offers to share a double bedroom suite with her at a local hotel until the flights can be rescheduled. During this time together Crush works out why he recognizes Mikki. He once saved her life after she was physically abused and can prove this as he left the only copy of a book his grandpa wrote, titled <i>Black Box</i>, with her that night; a book she still possesses.
The few days they spend in each other’s company helps Mikki more than the years of therapy she has endured since being diagnosed with bipolar. It also helps Crush deal with his own demons and both of them begin to realize they want to live. They also have fallen in love for the first time in their lives and begin to believe they were meant to be together.
It always seems unrealistic that characters in novels fall in love so quickly but their devastating pasts make the reader yearn for them to stay together; they both deserve some happiness and a life worth living. The first person narratives are written so well it is like reading a true story rather than fiction, which makes their experiences even more distressing. Sadly there are people in the world that would be able to relate to either Mikki or Crush, and depending on their current situation may prefer not to read this book. However, Leo has mentioned in her acknowledgments that readers have contacted her to share their own personal experiences.
The downside of this novel was the use of foul language. That may not bother some people, and it is evident that the world today is less shocked by swear words, but it is not necessary to include so much of it. The language was probably intended to make it more realistic and emphasize the pain the two characters feel. If it had only been during the dialogue that these words were used it would have been better than reading them throughout the narrative.
Although shocking and dark in nature, <i>Black Box</i> gets very gripping, especially as life seems to be looking up for Mikki, yet the reader has already read about the upcoming plane crash. With breath held in hope that everything will turn out okay, it is easy to rush through the final chapters. Whether or not there is a happy ending is something you will have to find out by reading it…
<i>This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review</i>
Before beginning this book readers need to be aware, particularly those of a more fragile nature, that it contains themes of mental illness, sexual abuse and suicidal tendencies; but that does not mean this is not a great book. The strap line on the cover of <i>Black Box</i> by Cassia Leo says “Not just another love story” implying that whilst it does fall under the romantic genre there is something more to the novel.
The book begins, in a way, with a cliffhanger. The date is January 8th and the narrator appears to be about to experience, and possibly die, in a plane crash. Before the author reveals the outcome she back tracks to January 3rd where the story, <i>Black Box</i>, genuinely begins.
There are two main characters and the narrative constantly changes from one point of view to the other. This helps the reader to understand both characters’ experiences: past and present. Nineteen-year old Mikki wants to kill herself. She has tried more than once in the past but this time she has a more detailed plan, one that her family would be unable to interfere with. By lying about her real intentions she books a flight to Los Angeles to get as far away from Boston as she can, however she does not anticipate the severe snowy weather which cancels all flights for the next few days.
Stranded at the airport she meets Crush, a guitar playing Harvard student who was meant to be on the same flight as her. With the niggling feeling that he has met her before, Crush convinces Mikki to go to a coffee shop with him and later, sensing her reluctance to return home, offers to share a double bedroom suite with her at a local hotel until the flights can be rescheduled. During this time together Crush works out why he recognizes Mikki. He once saved her life after she was physically abused and can prove this as he left the only copy of a book his grandpa wrote, titled <i>Black Box</i>, with her that night; a book she still possesses.
The few days they spend in each other’s company helps Mikki more than the years of therapy she has endured since being diagnosed with bipolar. It also helps Crush deal with his own demons and both of them begin to realize they want to live. They also have fallen in love for the first time in their lives and begin to believe they were meant to be together.
It always seems unrealistic that characters in novels fall in love so quickly but their devastating pasts make the reader yearn for them to stay together; they both deserve some happiness and a life worth living. The first person narratives are written so well it is like reading a true story rather than fiction, which makes their experiences even more distressing. Sadly there are people in the world that would be able to relate to either Mikki or Crush, and depending on their current situation may prefer not to read this book. However, Leo has mentioned in her acknowledgments that readers have contacted her to share their own personal experiences.
The downside of this novel was the use of foul language. That may not bother some people, and it is evident that the world today is less shocked by swear words, but it is not necessary to include so much of it. The language was probably intended to make it more realistic and emphasize the pain the two characters feel. If it had only been during the dialogue that these words were used it would have been better than reading them throughout the narrative.
Although shocking and dark in nature, <i>Black Box</i> gets very gripping, especially as life seems to be looking up for Mikki, yet the reader has already read about the upcoming plane crash. With breath held in hope that everything will turn out okay, it is easy to rush through the final chapters. Whether or not there is a happy ending is something you will have to find out by reading it…
Hazel (1853 KP) rated A Library of Lemons in Books
Dec 17, 2018
<i>This ebook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
A Library of Lemons</i> is the most recent novel by children’s author Jo Cotterill. It is a moving story about a child’s perception of a life heavily affected by loss and grief, and the impact a positive friendship can bring. Calypso is only ten years old but has the reading age of someone much older. In fact she loves books so much that she prefers them to interacting with other people. Since her mother’s death five years previously, Calypso’s father has distanced himself from the world, focusing on writing and reading in his study, and has encouraged his only daughter to do the same: “be your own best friend.” However, a new girl at school causes Calypso to question and change the way she views the world.
Despite never having had a friend at school, Calypso quickly develops a strong friendship with Mae who also has a passion for reading. The difference is Mae lets herself feel emotion and is happy to let other people into her life, a concept that is initially alien to Calypso. As time goes on Calypso realizes she is the happiest she has ever been and that Mae has filled a gap she did not know was there. Regrettably, her newfound contentment is shattered on discovering that something is wrong with her father, and that he has developed an unhealthy obsession with lemons…
From the very beginning the reader is shown how difficult Calypso’s life is. She often comes home to a cold, dark house where she has to fix herself her own dinner from a very limited supply of food. Yet until Calypso meets Mae, she does not realize that there is anything wrong with this. Once Calypso learns that her father is suffering with depression – something that older readers will already have guessed – she sees how unfair life is for her and notices that she is very different from other children her age. This is a heartbreaking situation for readers to imagine, but Calypso’s strength as a young carer is admirable – similarly to characters in some of her favourite books, such as<i> Anne of Green Gables</i>.
There are so many well-known novels referenced in <i>A Library of Lemons</i>, which emphasizes Calypso’s love of literature. Although Cotterill has included children’s classics amongst these titles, it is doubtful that young readers will be familiar with them all. This poses the problem that certain allusions to characters or storylines will be lost, however if the youngsters are just as passionate about reading as Calypso is, they may be inspired to seek out these famous works.
I was initially drawn to <i>A Library of Lemons</i> because I had loved Cotterill’s previous novel, <i>Looking at the Stars</i>. I was not aware at first that this novel tackled mental illness – which was not a problem as I often read books of that genre – but I was expecting something powerful and moving. And that is what I got. I much preferred <i>Looking at the Stars</i>, which I thought was a lot more emotional and shocking – a refugee camp in a third world country – however <i>A Library of Lemons</i> is still a beautiful story with deep and quotable prose.
Before I finish this review I would like to praise Cotterill for the way she dealt with the taboo subject of mental illness. Often illnesses of this nature are either glamourized or stigmatized, neither of which occurred in this novel. Cotterill’s portrayal of depression and its affects on both sufferer and child are extremely realistic. The way that the book ends is also true-to-life. There is no happy ever after, no amazing cure – but there is hope, a glimpse of recovery and a better future.
Although Calypso is ten, her advanced reading age and the difficult subject matter result in a book that is more suitable for young teenagers. Young and old adults will also enjoy it too, especially those who can relate to certain situations Calypso has to deal with. <i>A Library of Lemons</i> is definitely a story to read if you are a lover of books - a bookworm. You will not be disappointed.
A Library of Lemons</i> is the most recent novel by children’s author Jo Cotterill. It is a moving story about a child’s perception of a life heavily affected by loss and grief, and the impact a positive friendship can bring. Calypso is only ten years old but has the reading age of someone much older. In fact she loves books so much that she prefers them to interacting with other people. Since her mother’s death five years previously, Calypso’s father has distanced himself from the world, focusing on writing and reading in his study, and has encouraged his only daughter to do the same: “be your own best friend.” However, a new girl at school causes Calypso to question and change the way she views the world.
Despite never having had a friend at school, Calypso quickly develops a strong friendship with Mae who also has a passion for reading. The difference is Mae lets herself feel emotion and is happy to let other people into her life, a concept that is initially alien to Calypso. As time goes on Calypso realizes she is the happiest she has ever been and that Mae has filled a gap she did not know was there. Regrettably, her newfound contentment is shattered on discovering that something is wrong with her father, and that he has developed an unhealthy obsession with lemons…
From the very beginning the reader is shown how difficult Calypso’s life is. She often comes home to a cold, dark house where she has to fix herself her own dinner from a very limited supply of food. Yet until Calypso meets Mae, she does not realize that there is anything wrong with this. Once Calypso learns that her father is suffering with depression – something that older readers will already have guessed – she sees how unfair life is for her and notices that she is very different from other children her age. This is a heartbreaking situation for readers to imagine, but Calypso’s strength as a young carer is admirable – similarly to characters in some of her favourite books, such as<i> Anne of Green Gables</i>.
There are so many well-known novels referenced in <i>A Library of Lemons</i>, which emphasizes Calypso’s love of literature. Although Cotterill has included children’s classics amongst these titles, it is doubtful that young readers will be familiar with them all. This poses the problem that certain allusions to characters or storylines will be lost, however if the youngsters are just as passionate about reading as Calypso is, they may be inspired to seek out these famous works.
I was initially drawn to <i>A Library of Lemons</i> because I had loved Cotterill’s previous novel, <i>Looking at the Stars</i>. I was not aware at first that this novel tackled mental illness – which was not a problem as I often read books of that genre – but I was expecting something powerful and moving. And that is what I got. I much preferred <i>Looking at the Stars</i>, which I thought was a lot more emotional and shocking – a refugee camp in a third world country – however <i>A Library of Lemons</i> is still a beautiful story with deep and quotable prose.
Before I finish this review I would like to praise Cotterill for the way she dealt with the taboo subject of mental illness. Often illnesses of this nature are either glamourized or stigmatized, neither of which occurred in this novel. Cotterill’s portrayal of depression and its affects on both sufferer and child are extremely realistic. The way that the book ends is also true-to-life. There is no happy ever after, no amazing cure – but there is hope, a glimpse of recovery and a better future.
Although Calypso is ten, her advanced reading age and the difficult subject matter result in a book that is more suitable for young teenagers. Young and old adults will also enjoy it too, especially those who can relate to certain situations Calypso has to deal with. <i>A Library of Lemons</i> is definitely a story to read if you are a lover of books - a bookworm. You will not be disappointed.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Who Runs the World? in Books
Dec 17, 2018
3.5 stars
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>
What would the world be like if there were no men, only women? Would it be an idyllic, peaceful planet, where compassion and courtesy are more important than money and owning commodities? A world without war, without crime, without weapons? Global agreements with everyone working together and not for personal gain? Endangered animals suddenly thriving in a landscape no longer inhabited by poachers? Perfect, perhaps? <i>Welcome to the Matriarchy.</i>
<i>Who Runs the World?</i> by Virigina Bergin explores the concept of growing up in a world with no men. Sixty years previously, a virus wiped out anyone with a Y chromosome (i.e. men), leaving women to pull together to survive in a dystopian world. River, aged fourteen, has never met a boy, and never expects to – they are as rare as unicorns. Conditioned to believe that men used to be monsters whose only aims were to rape, harm and kill, River believes the world is a faultless society. But, then she meets Mason.
Mason is a similar age to River, but has a distinct difference – he’s a boy. After escaping from a sanctuary – something River never knew existed – Mason has been on the run, seriously ill, but, amazingly, not dying. Despite the initial antagonism between the two characters – after all, they have both been conditioned to believe the opposite sexes are dangerous predators - River and Mason quickly discover that the older women in power have been hiding secrets from the rest of the world.
For six decades, men have lived in sterile sanctuaries, isolated from the deadly virus and the rest of the world. Their purpose is to produce sperm to be used in IVF in order to keep the human population going – obvious when you think about it. Yet, there is clearly an ulterior motive amongst the women in charge, for why else would they keep the male existence secret and teach young girls that men were monsters?
As River and Mason try to come to terms with the hidden truth, events begin to unravel the harmony of the Matriarchy. Perhaps an all female world would not be so perfect after all.
Initially, the tranquil civilisation Bergin creates feels false, a mockery of today’s politics. It is almost like feminism gone too far, claiming that men are the reason for the suffering in today’s world. True, women are still oppressed by their male counterparts, but the generalization that this is a result of ALL men, is a stretch too far. Once the truth about the situation begins to break through, it becomes more acceptable, more realistic even, given the corrupt society we are used to.
But Bergin has a point, how would the world survive if there were no men? For all we know, a deadly virus could rid the world of XYs, leaving women to piece everything back together. What the author is trying to point out is that women CAN be as powerful as men. Women deserve to be part of politics, of decision making, to have equal rights. Despite the initial suggested perfection, Bergin is showing that women are as capable as men, not better or worse.
Targeted at young adults, <i>Who Runs the World?</i> is written in a way that current readers can relate to, but not in ways one may expect. References made by or about the older generation are much more significant than the life and experiences of River, for it is these women that were alive at the beginning of the 21st century. These women were us.
An innovative novel from an up-and-coming British author, <i>Who Runs the World? </i>will make you think about the future as well as open your eyes to the discrimination of the present. It is a very interesting concept with the potential to be followed up with further novels, or left to the reader’s imagination.
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>
What would the world be like if there were no men, only women? Would it be an idyllic, peaceful planet, where compassion and courtesy are more important than money and owning commodities? A world without war, without crime, without weapons? Global agreements with everyone working together and not for personal gain? Endangered animals suddenly thriving in a landscape no longer inhabited by poachers? Perfect, perhaps? <i>Welcome to the Matriarchy.</i>
<i>Who Runs the World?</i> by Virigina Bergin explores the concept of growing up in a world with no men. Sixty years previously, a virus wiped out anyone with a Y chromosome (i.e. men), leaving women to pull together to survive in a dystopian world. River, aged fourteen, has never met a boy, and never expects to – they are as rare as unicorns. Conditioned to believe that men used to be monsters whose only aims were to rape, harm and kill, River believes the world is a faultless society. But, then she meets Mason.
Mason is a similar age to River, but has a distinct difference – he’s a boy. After escaping from a sanctuary – something River never knew existed – Mason has been on the run, seriously ill, but, amazingly, not dying. Despite the initial antagonism between the two characters – after all, they have both been conditioned to believe the opposite sexes are dangerous predators - River and Mason quickly discover that the older women in power have been hiding secrets from the rest of the world.
For six decades, men have lived in sterile sanctuaries, isolated from the deadly virus and the rest of the world. Their purpose is to produce sperm to be used in IVF in order to keep the human population going – obvious when you think about it. Yet, there is clearly an ulterior motive amongst the women in charge, for why else would they keep the male existence secret and teach young girls that men were monsters?
As River and Mason try to come to terms with the hidden truth, events begin to unravel the harmony of the Matriarchy. Perhaps an all female world would not be so perfect after all.
Initially, the tranquil civilisation Bergin creates feels false, a mockery of today’s politics. It is almost like feminism gone too far, claiming that men are the reason for the suffering in today’s world. True, women are still oppressed by their male counterparts, but the generalization that this is a result of ALL men, is a stretch too far. Once the truth about the situation begins to break through, it becomes more acceptable, more realistic even, given the corrupt society we are used to.
But Bergin has a point, how would the world survive if there were no men? For all we know, a deadly virus could rid the world of XYs, leaving women to piece everything back together. What the author is trying to point out is that women CAN be as powerful as men. Women deserve to be part of politics, of decision making, to have equal rights. Despite the initial suggested perfection, Bergin is showing that women are as capable as men, not better or worse.
Targeted at young adults, <i>Who Runs the World?</i> is written in a way that current readers can relate to, but not in ways one may expect. References made by or about the older generation are much more significant than the life and experiences of River, for it is these women that were alive at the beginning of the 21st century. These women were us.
An innovative novel from an up-and-coming British author, <i>Who Runs the World? </i>will make you think about the future as well as open your eyes to the discrimination of the present. It is a very interesting concept with the potential to be followed up with further novels, or left to the reader’s imagination.
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated Cruise the Storm (John McBride #2) in Books
Nov 12, 2019
A group of terrorist hijackers on board a cruise ship. An ex SAS soldier on board teaching watercolour painting. A huge storm bearing down on the ship.
This might sound like the plot of some Hollywood blockbuster full of explosions and witty one liners from the hero but Chilcott delivers something a lot more cerebral than that. The story and characters have a sense of reality and this is more like a game of chess between the chief hijacker and the crew, a game where the ship is the board and the pawns the passengers which the terrorists are only too willing to dispose of to meet their aims.
Keith Bourne is the founder and leader of the White Christian League, an extreme right wing terrorist organisation who specialise in violent demonstration and the odd mosque burning. Bourne wants cash to further his rather nasty aims and decides that hijacking a cruise liner will fit the bill nicely. MI5 have been watching him and manage to get one of their agents onto the boat in an attempt to thwart Bourne and his cronies.
John McBride is a watercolour artist of some renown who is drafted onto the cruise to teach any interested passengers how to paint in watercolours, the scenes in the various Mediterranean ports they will be visitng being ideal subjects. McBride also happens to be a former member of the elite SAS and when he is made aware of the plot to hijack the ship is able to advise the captain and MI5.
The tension cranks up nicely through the first half of the book, seen mostly from the point of view of Bourne and McBride as each becomes aware of each other and both their plans have to be changed by circumstance. Everything comes to a head on the night the storm hits the ship.
At this point, with everything poised on a knife edge of success or failure for both sides, Chilcott pulls a deft narrative twist and goes back and tells the story again from the point of view of the chairman of the cruise line and one of the passengers, once again building up to the crisis point. This has the nice effect of filling in details that were previously only mentioned but also did lose the momentum which took a while to get going again. It may have been better to tell the story purely sequentially but seeing events from different perspectives again was interesting.
The characters and situations are written with a real authenticity. There are no miraculous escapes, no amazing feats of marksmanship and this is a very real strength of Chilcott's writing. Everthing happens in a way that seems very authentic - and in the case of the actions of the hijackers, worryingly so. Every action and reaction of the characters is plausible and there are frequent points where the story could go one way or another just on a chance encounter or random event.
This realism also felt a little like a weakness to me. Some things happen which provide some dramatic tension at the time but ultimately don't really have a bearing on the eventual outcome. Although this is very much like real life, perhaps it is not what is expected in a thriller of this type. In particlar (and these aren't really spoilers) the ship is damaged in the storm but this doesn't really affect anything, and also what happens when events are told from the point of view of one of the passengers looks to be building to something interesting but ultimately fizzles away. I would have liked to see more of these sub plots carried forward to the end of the story.
Despite this, the book was a good and interesting read and I am looking forward to reading more of Chilcott's McBride novels. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes their thrillers character driven and cerebral rather than all action. Plus you will pick up some excellent tips on painting in watercolours as a bonus.
Rated: Some violence, language and sexual references
This might sound like the plot of some Hollywood blockbuster full of explosions and witty one liners from the hero but Chilcott delivers something a lot more cerebral than that. The story and characters have a sense of reality and this is more like a game of chess between the chief hijacker and the crew, a game where the ship is the board and the pawns the passengers which the terrorists are only too willing to dispose of to meet their aims.
Keith Bourne is the founder and leader of the White Christian League, an extreme right wing terrorist organisation who specialise in violent demonstration and the odd mosque burning. Bourne wants cash to further his rather nasty aims and decides that hijacking a cruise liner will fit the bill nicely. MI5 have been watching him and manage to get one of their agents onto the boat in an attempt to thwart Bourne and his cronies.
John McBride is a watercolour artist of some renown who is drafted onto the cruise to teach any interested passengers how to paint in watercolours, the scenes in the various Mediterranean ports they will be visitng being ideal subjects. McBride also happens to be a former member of the elite SAS and when he is made aware of the plot to hijack the ship is able to advise the captain and MI5.
The tension cranks up nicely through the first half of the book, seen mostly from the point of view of Bourne and McBride as each becomes aware of each other and both their plans have to be changed by circumstance. Everything comes to a head on the night the storm hits the ship.
At this point, with everything poised on a knife edge of success or failure for both sides, Chilcott pulls a deft narrative twist and goes back and tells the story again from the point of view of the chairman of the cruise line and one of the passengers, once again building up to the crisis point. This has the nice effect of filling in details that were previously only mentioned but also did lose the momentum which took a while to get going again. It may have been better to tell the story purely sequentially but seeing events from different perspectives again was interesting.
The characters and situations are written with a real authenticity. There are no miraculous escapes, no amazing feats of marksmanship and this is a very real strength of Chilcott's writing. Everthing happens in a way that seems very authentic - and in the case of the actions of the hijackers, worryingly so. Every action and reaction of the characters is plausible and there are frequent points where the story could go one way or another just on a chance encounter or random event.
This realism also felt a little like a weakness to me. Some things happen which provide some dramatic tension at the time but ultimately don't really have a bearing on the eventual outcome. Although this is very much like real life, perhaps it is not what is expected in a thriller of this type. In particlar (and these aren't really spoilers) the ship is damaged in the storm but this doesn't really affect anything, and also what happens when events are told from the point of view of one of the passengers looks to be building to something interesting but ultimately fizzles away. I would have liked to see more of these sub plots carried forward to the end of the story.
Despite this, the book was a good and interesting read and I am looking forward to reading more of Chilcott's McBride novels. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes their thrillers character driven and cerebral rather than all action. Plus you will pick up some excellent tips on painting in watercolours as a bonus.
Rated: Some violence, language and sexual references
Bad writing (1 more)
Mostly romance
Drowning is one of the top fears in the world, and it's also one of the top ways to cover up a murder. In Lie to Me, Ward's fourth YA novel, she uses drowning as the basis of the story. Yet, this book fell very short in the thriller/mystery genre: Ward gives away too many hints at the beginning of the book, that most readers will have the murderer figured out by chapter 7; she also focuses too much on romance, something that should have caused this story to be filed under a different category other than mystery/thriller. But luckily she didn't bring in a wide circle of characters to cause confusion, using only one view point from the main character of Lie to Me: Amelia- - - a teen girl who believes she was pushed down a ravine to be left for dead in the raging water below.
Besides her 'accident,' Amelia leads a normal life with her mother, father and brother, Hunter - - - she also has a small group of friends. After her 'fall,' a body of a teen girl from the same town is found in a nearby river, but the town gossips, and makes it seem that this girl committed suicide, leaving Amelia worried that her family would think the same thing about her. Depression is something that Amelia's family has had to deal with before, but the talk of depression is candid and not very enlightening; her brother, Hunter, who is in therapy for such doesn't even talk about it, instead he's usually seen playing soccer or Fortnite, this seems to be a broad attempt to bring mental health into the story,but without going into that subject, it failed as a story line. Yet, one of the main causes of depression today is social media, which we find Amelia stalking one of her best friends/love interest on- - -if Ward was trying to reach the YA community about depression, she went the wrong way about it.
Another mistake that Ward made was when Amelia receives an anonymous text message from someone telling her to 'Just let it go,Amelia,' this occurs after she has started investigating whether her 'accident' was an accident. Amelia tells us that she is always suspicious of everyone, but when this text message comes around, it's as if she could care less. She even tries to take the anonymous message as advice: " 'Or it's advice.' I feel backed into a corner. It's one thing to believe someone hurt me and another thing to have proof of it. I don't want this to be proof. 'I mean, Sky's always telling me I should let my life get back to normal, and she doesn't even know I'm thinking any of this. Maybe someone else feels that way,too.' " In reality, if you believed that someone attempted to murder you, and suddenly you are receiving a cryptic message about letting it go, wouldn't the logic thing to do is go to the police?? Amelia doesn't!
Ward has written three other YA novels, 'Lie to Me' being her fourth. The writing in this story is bad in some places, for example, a scene with Amelia and her best friend, Sky, meeting up at the 'screen' (technically a giant drive-in movie theater screen); Amelia thinks about how this town is a haven for her, that everyone feels safe, but the very next paragraph, she's stating she doesn't feel safe anymore. This makes sense if you haven't read it, but the way it's written could have been in a much better and concise way. This and most scenes makes the story read like a sloppy diary entry. That, and the killer being predictable so early on in the story made me very disappointed with this book. 'Lie to Me' had great potential from the synopsis, but it lacked story, mystery, suspense and diverse characters.
I can't recommend this book to people who love horror stories, like I do. I think the only ones who would enjoy this story are the die-hard YA fans. It has everything that YA is known for: romance and teen drama, but it's lacking in everything else. Other than that, I don't think I'll read another book by Ward, but as far as Point horror books go, I will still give them a shot.
Besides her 'accident,' Amelia leads a normal life with her mother, father and brother, Hunter - - - she also has a small group of friends. After her 'fall,' a body of a teen girl from the same town is found in a nearby river, but the town gossips, and makes it seem that this girl committed suicide, leaving Amelia worried that her family would think the same thing about her. Depression is something that Amelia's family has had to deal with before, but the talk of depression is candid and not very enlightening; her brother, Hunter, who is in therapy for such doesn't even talk about it, instead he's usually seen playing soccer or Fortnite, this seems to be a broad attempt to bring mental health into the story,but without going into that subject, it failed as a story line. Yet, one of the main causes of depression today is social media, which we find Amelia stalking one of her best friends/love interest on- - -if Ward was trying to reach the YA community about depression, she went the wrong way about it.
Another mistake that Ward made was when Amelia receives an anonymous text message from someone telling her to 'Just let it go,Amelia,' this occurs after she has started investigating whether her 'accident' was an accident. Amelia tells us that she is always suspicious of everyone, but when this text message comes around, it's as if she could care less. She even tries to take the anonymous message as advice: " 'Or it's advice.' I feel backed into a corner. It's one thing to believe someone hurt me and another thing to have proof of it. I don't want this to be proof. 'I mean, Sky's always telling me I should let my life get back to normal, and she doesn't even know I'm thinking any of this. Maybe someone else feels that way,too.' " In reality, if you believed that someone attempted to murder you, and suddenly you are receiving a cryptic message about letting it go, wouldn't the logic thing to do is go to the police?? Amelia doesn't!
Ward has written three other YA novels, 'Lie to Me' being her fourth. The writing in this story is bad in some places, for example, a scene with Amelia and her best friend, Sky, meeting up at the 'screen' (technically a giant drive-in movie theater screen); Amelia thinks about how this town is a haven for her, that everyone feels safe, but the very next paragraph, she's stating she doesn't feel safe anymore. This makes sense if you haven't read it, but the way it's written could have been in a much better and concise way. This and most scenes makes the story read like a sloppy diary entry. That, and the killer being predictable so early on in the story made me very disappointed with this book. 'Lie to Me' had great potential from the synopsis, but it lacked story, mystery, suspense and diverse characters.
I can't recommend this book to people who love horror stories, like I do. I think the only ones who would enjoy this story are the die-hard YA fans. It has everything that YA is known for: romance and teen drama, but it's lacking in everything else. Other than that, I don't think I'll read another book by Ward, but as far as Point horror books go, I will still give them a shot.
EmersonRose (320 KP) rated The Eye of the World (Wheel of Time, #1) in Books
Nov 20, 2019
“As the Wheel of Time turns, places wear many names. Men wear many names, many faces. Different faces, but always the same man. Yet no one knows the Great Pattern the Wheel weaves, or even the Pattern of an Age. We can only watch, and study, and hope.”
― Robert Jordan, The Eye of the World
There is perhaps nothing more magical than finding yourself fully immersed in a story. The first book in The Wheel of Time series, The Eye of the World, creates a full world of places, histories, species, religions, and myths. Robert Jordan first introduces you to the simple town of Emonds Field and the characters that live there. Then he takes us with those characters to explore a vast and more complex world. We are taken on a journey through different cities and meet a variety of people including meeting strange creatures and beings with strange, magical powers. Including Trollocs, Aes Sedai, Warders, and Myddraal. Jordan has an extraordinary ability to create intriguing mythologies for his world and creating species that have fully formed cultures and politics.
But before I get too far ahead of myself let us start with Robert Jordan. He is an American 31ulybtb-yl-_ux250_author from South Carolina, whose real name is James Oliver Rigney, JR. He lived from 1948 to 2007. He wrote books in many genres including fantasy, historical fiction, western and dance criticism each under a different pen name. The first book in his The Wheel of Time series was published in 1990. He was able to finish eleven books in the series before he passed, leaving his extensive notes to renowned novelist Brandon Sanderson who wrote the last three books of the series, finishing in 2013.
Personally, when reading a book, the most important thing for me is to become invested in at least one of the characters. Once I am, I’m completely dedicated to the book. Robert Jordan has a large group of main characters and switches perspective between them throughout their journey. Picking out a single main character is very difficult, Rand al’Thor might be the closest but Matrim (Mat) Cauthon and Perrin Aybara and possibly Egwene al’vere and Nynaeve al’Meara create the central cast. They are the natives of Emonds Field before their adventures take them journeying to places unknown. Each of them is special and through the course of the book, you uncover the power each has. What is amazing is how Jordan is able to make you care deeply for each character and while he is switching perspective you never find yourself, bored. This is impressive for often in novels that switch perspective there is that one storyline you do not care about. Upon finishing the first book I can honestly say that I do not have a single favorite out of the group but love them all and care about what will happen to them next.
My one issue with the book came with frustration at what I call Tolkien Naming Syndrome. With such a mass of characters it is not surprising that some names start to sound similar but like Arwen and Eowyn there are two females with feelings for one of the boys whose names are oddly similar Elayne and Egwene with other female names rhyming such as Moiraine and Morgase while the male names tend to sound different and are thus easier to keep apart and remember. Depending on what you want in a story, the other thing that keeps this book from being unique is the black and white stance on good vs. evil. The two sides are clear and do not leave much room for the morally grey.
The book offers a great mix of solved mysteries while leaving you with an abundance of questions to make you need to continue reading the story. It truly is an epic adventure story. Fulfilling the good vs. evil battling and grand adventures and meeting strange creatures and discovering new magic. While it might not have the grand battles of Lord of the Rings it has the magical journey and strange adventures that create the amazing epic fantasy novel. I plan on reading the next book soon and highly recommend this book to fantasy readers as it offers great characters, an amazing world and interesting rules on magic.
― Robert Jordan, The Eye of the World
There is perhaps nothing more magical than finding yourself fully immersed in a story. The first book in The Wheel of Time series, The Eye of the World, creates a full world of places, histories, species, religions, and myths. Robert Jordan first introduces you to the simple town of Emonds Field and the characters that live there. Then he takes us with those characters to explore a vast and more complex world. We are taken on a journey through different cities and meet a variety of people including meeting strange creatures and beings with strange, magical powers. Including Trollocs, Aes Sedai, Warders, and Myddraal. Jordan has an extraordinary ability to create intriguing mythologies for his world and creating species that have fully formed cultures and politics.
But before I get too far ahead of myself let us start with Robert Jordan. He is an American 31ulybtb-yl-_ux250_author from South Carolina, whose real name is James Oliver Rigney, JR. He lived from 1948 to 2007. He wrote books in many genres including fantasy, historical fiction, western and dance criticism each under a different pen name. The first book in his The Wheel of Time series was published in 1990. He was able to finish eleven books in the series before he passed, leaving his extensive notes to renowned novelist Brandon Sanderson who wrote the last three books of the series, finishing in 2013.
Personally, when reading a book, the most important thing for me is to become invested in at least one of the characters. Once I am, I’m completely dedicated to the book. Robert Jordan has a large group of main characters and switches perspective between them throughout their journey. Picking out a single main character is very difficult, Rand al’Thor might be the closest but Matrim (Mat) Cauthon and Perrin Aybara and possibly Egwene al’vere and Nynaeve al’Meara create the central cast. They are the natives of Emonds Field before their adventures take them journeying to places unknown. Each of them is special and through the course of the book, you uncover the power each has. What is amazing is how Jordan is able to make you care deeply for each character and while he is switching perspective you never find yourself, bored. This is impressive for often in novels that switch perspective there is that one storyline you do not care about. Upon finishing the first book I can honestly say that I do not have a single favorite out of the group but love them all and care about what will happen to them next.
My one issue with the book came with frustration at what I call Tolkien Naming Syndrome. With such a mass of characters it is not surprising that some names start to sound similar but like Arwen and Eowyn there are two females with feelings for one of the boys whose names are oddly similar Elayne and Egwene with other female names rhyming such as Moiraine and Morgase while the male names tend to sound different and are thus easier to keep apart and remember. Depending on what you want in a story, the other thing that keeps this book from being unique is the black and white stance on good vs. evil. The two sides are clear and do not leave much room for the morally grey.
The book offers a great mix of solved mysteries while leaving you with an abundance of questions to make you need to continue reading the story. It truly is an epic adventure story. Fulfilling the good vs. evil battling and grand adventures and meeting strange creatures and discovering new magic. While it might not have the grand battles of Lord of the Rings it has the magical journey and strange adventures that create the amazing epic fantasy novel. I plan on reading the next book soon and highly recommend this book to fantasy readers as it offers great characters, an amazing world and interesting rules on magic.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Almost Just Friends (Wildstone #4) in Books
Jan 21, 2020
Usually I don't read romance novels since they really aren't my thing. However, there was something about the synopsis of Almost Just Friends by Jill Shalvis that caught my attention. Perhaps it was the fact that there were family secrets involved! Luckily, I really really enjoyed Almost Just Friends.
Piper is a young woman who has always been in control, so much so that she even has a bullet journal to help her through life. She's raised her siblings since she was 13, and when they return home, Piper eventually learns what secrets her brother and sister are keeping from her. During this, she is falling head over heels for her next door neighbor's son, Cam, who is home from the military. These feelings for Cam might just be her undoing!
I will say that I loved the plot for Almost Just Friends. Everything about it felt very realistic and like something that happens almost every day in small town America. I enjoyed the love story between Cam and Piper and how it took its time developing instead of just being instalove. I also enjoyed the narrative between Piper and her siblings. I could picture every single scene in my mind quite clearly thanks to Jill Shalvis' fantastic story telling! Almost Just Friends answered all my questions by the end of the book, and there were no cliffhangers which I was thankful for.
I enjoyed every single character in Almost Just Friends. They all brought their own personality to the table, and they were each very interesting to read about. All of the characters in this novel felt like they could be someone I could relate to as well as making fantastic friends. Piper starts off being too self reliant. It was nice to see her start letting others help her. She was forced to grow up at a young age after the death of her parents, so I could understand why she was scared of losing control and putting faith in other people. I loved how patient Cam was with Piper. He was so loving and helpful. It was also nice to see him blending in so well with Piper's siblings and wanting to help out. Cam was such a charming man with such a larger than life personality. Gavin, Piper's brother, had been fighting his own demons. I kept wondering if he'd go back to his own ways or not. I loved his relationship with CJ and how he wasn't going to let CJ walk away from him so easily. Gavin always was great at relieving tense and awkward situations which one thing I really loved about him! Winnie, Piper's sister, was the youngest out of Piper, Gavin, and herself. Winnie decided it was time for her to start being more adult like instead of child like. Her news was the biggest, in my opinion, and while I could understand why she wanted to keep it from Piper, I wish she would have told Piper from the get go. However, Winnie had me smiling whenever I read about her. I admired her tenacity to want to be Miss Fix It. Emmit, Cam's dad, was ever the comedian! I loved how happy go lucky he was and his sunny disposition on life was. It was as if nothing ever bothered him, and I admired that about him. Every single character in Almost Just Friends made it such a fantastic read!
Trigger warnings for Almost Just Friends include profanity, some sexual situations (although nothing too graphic), death, and mentions of prescription drug abuse.
All in all, Almost Just Friends is such a heartwarming read with a fantastic set of characters and a solid plot. This was my first book I read by Jill Shalvis, but it certainly won't be my last! I would definitely recommend Almost Just Friends by Jill Shalvis to those aged 17+ who are after an uplifting novel that deals with family with a sweet romance thrown in.
--
(A special thank you to William Morrow with a paperback of Almost Just Friends by Jill Shalvis in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
Piper is a young woman who has always been in control, so much so that she even has a bullet journal to help her through life. She's raised her siblings since she was 13, and when they return home, Piper eventually learns what secrets her brother and sister are keeping from her. During this, she is falling head over heels for her next door neighbor's son, Cam, who is home from the military. These feelings for Cam might just be her undoing!
I will say that I loved the plot for Almost Just Friends. Everything about it felt very realistic and like something that happens almost every day in small town America. I enjoyed the love story between Cam and Piper and how it took its time developing instead of just being instalove. I also enjoyed the narrative between Piper and her siblings. I could picture every single scene in my mind quite clearly thanks to Jill Shalvis' fantastic story telling! Almost Just Friends answered all my questions by the end of the book, and there were no cliffhangers which I was thankful for.
I enjoyed every single character in Almost Just Friends. They all brought their own personality to the table, and they were each very interesting to read about. All of the characters in this novel felt like they could be someone I could relate to as well as making fantastic friends. Piper starts off being too self reliant. It was nice to see her start letting others help her. She was forced to grow up at a young age after the death of her parents, so I could understand why she was scared of losing control and putting faith in other people. I loved how patient Cam was with Piper. He was so loving and helpful. It was also nice to see him blending in so well with Piper's siblings and wanting to help out. Cam was such a charming man with such a larger than life personality. Gavin, Piper's brother, had been fighting his own demons. I kept wondering if he'd go back to his own ways or not. I loved his relationship with CJ and how he wasn't going to let CJ walk away from him so easily. Gavin always was great at relieving tense and awkward situations which one thing I really loved about him! Winnie, Piper's sister, was the youngest out of Piper, Gavin, and herself. Winnie decided it was time for her to start being more adult like instead of child like. Her news was the biggest, in my opinion, and while I could understand why she wanted to keep it from Piper, I wish she would have told Piper from the get go. However, Winnie had me smiling whenever I read about her. I admired her tenacity to want to be Miss Fix It. Emmit, Cam's dad, was ever the comedian! I loved how happy go lucky he was and his sunny disposition on life was. It was as if nothing ever bothered him, and I admired that about him. Every single character in Almost Just Friends made it such a fantastic read!
Trigger warnings for Almost Just Friends include profanity, some sexual situations (although nothing too graphic), death, and mentions of prescription drug abuse.
All in all, Almost Just Friends is such a heartwarming read with a fantastic set of characters and a solid plot. This was my first book I read by Jill Shalvis, but it certainly won't be my last! I would definitely recommend Almost Just Friends by Jill Shalvis to those aged 17+ who are after an uplifting novel that deals with family with a sweet romance thrown in.
--
(A special thank you to William Morrow with a paperback of Almost Just Friends by Jill Shalvis in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated A Thousand Pieces of You (Firebird, #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<i>A Thousand Pieces of You</i> was an absolute pain in the butt to listen to – that's probably an exaggeration.
The book is one of those novels that needs quite a bit of scientific background for you to fully grasp the entire meaning behind it. There is just <i>so</i> much physics and scientific varbage just purely explaining the concept parallel universes, dimension traveling, and the like throughout the first fifth of the book that I, a high school girl who only finished Chemistry, can only get a teeny grasp on because I was bored enough to do some research on the existence of parallel universes years ago. Still, I was as absolutely confused as a newborn baby.
But back then, I was in middle school. My curiosity might have been insatiable (it still is... in a way) and it annoyed the noodles out of my parents. Well, my mother was annoyed and wondered if I got switched at birth. Congrats, mom. You got a grammar Nazi and not a walking calculator. How does it feel to have someone younger than you correcting your grammar?
Still, getting bombarded with physics varbage isn't exactly my thing – my mind went from, "Whoa, this is cool!" to "Wait... why do I think this is cool again?" to "What is this? Physics class? I'M NOT DONE WITH CHEMISTRY YET." to "I don't understand. I'm reading this, absorbing this, digesting this, but I can't understand or comprehend or grasp this fully."
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="http://bookwyrmingthoughts.bookblog.io/wp-content/uploads/sites/317/2015/06/TookMySkull.gif"; width="320" height="180" border="0" /></div>
The whole varbage thing might have been helpful with the world building and better understanding of how the whole dimension traveling worked – if you know enough science. No offense, but I swear, tPhone is the most ridiculous creation ever – a complete carbon copy of the iPhone with a different letter replacing the "i." The Triad here is quite literally the Apple of this book – I'm not too impressed.
There is also A LOT of flashbacks to Marguerite's life – helpful in learning about Marguerite, her family, Theo, Paul, and all the other characters, but only a few were actually helpful later on in the story. The whole physics varbage and the flashbacks felt like a conversation I would be having with a long time friend visiting after many years, or a potential class reunion ten years after I graduate and Lupe talks about this hair salon she opened in Mexico and Rundus talks about a gruesomely bloody game he programmed recently while finally keeping his fingers to himself unless he wants his girlfriend/fiancée/wife to go after my head in envy.
<i>A Thousand Pieces of You</i> was just that – a story told many years after it happened and the characters look back and reflect on themselves, possibly laughing at how stupid they might have acted. At the romantic notions they each had of each other – Marguerite thinking about never having a chance with Paul or Theo, Theo thinking about maybe he <i>does</i> have a chance with Marguerite, and Paul thinking he has no chance with Marguerite whatsoever. At how reckless Marguerite was with her thinking – jumping the gun and going after Paul right from the start, because one of the first things I hear is, "Kill Paul Markov." Whoa, gruesome much?
Then I get thrust into a flurry of confusion where Marguerite's emotions are on high tide and a dumpster of information is quite literally dumped upon my ears from the very next chapter about how this whole dimension travel works here, among other things.
While I enjoyed the whole "story around a fire" vibe, I feel like I would have enjoyed this so much better and grasped this so much more fully if I took a physics class before reading this.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/audiobook-review-a-thousand-pieces-of-you-by-claudia-gray/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
The book is one of those novels that needs quite a bit of scientific background for you to fully grasp the entire meaning behind it. There is just <i>so</i> much physics and scientific varbage just purely explaining the concept parallel universes, dimension traveling, and the like throughout the first fifth of the book that I, a high school girl who only finished Chemistry, can only get a teeny grasp on because I was bored enough to do some research on the existence of parallel universes years ago. Still, I was as absolutely confused as a newborn baby.
But back then, I was in middle school. My curiosity might have been insatiable (it still is... in a way) and it annoyed the noodles out of my parents. Well, my mother was annoyed and wondered if I got switched at birth. Congrats, mom. You got a grammar Nazi and not a walking calculator. How does it feel to have someone younger than you correcting your grammar?
Still, getting bombarded with physics varbage isn't exactly my thing – my mind went from, "Whoa, this is cool!" to "Wait... why do I think this is cool again?" to "What is this? Physics class? I'M NOT DONE WITH CHEMISTRY YET." to "I don't understand. I'm reading this, absorbing this, digesting this, but I can't understand or comprehend or grasp this fully."
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="http://bookwyrmingthoughts.bookblog.io/wp-content/uploads/sites/317/2015/06/TookMySkull.gif"; width="320" height="180" border="0" /></div>
The whole varbage thing might have been helpful with the world building and better understanding of how the whole dimension traveling worked – if you know enough science. No offense, but I swear, tPhone is the most ridiculous creation ever – a complete carbon copy of the iPhone with a different letter replacing the "i." The Triad here is quite literally the Apple of this book – I'm not too impressed.
There is also A LOT of flashbacks to Marguerite's life – helpful in learning about Marguerite, her family, Theo, Paul, and all the other characters, but only a few were actually helpful later on in the story. The whole physics varbage and the flashbacks felt like a conversation I would be having with a long time friend visiting after many years, or a potential class reunion ten years after I graduate and Lupe talks about this hair salon she opened in Mexico and Rundus talks about a gruesomely bloody game he programmed recently while finally keeping his fingers to himself unless he wants his girlfriend/fiancée/wife to go after my head in envy.
<i>A Thousand Pieces of You</i> was just that – a story told many years after it happened and the characters look back and reflect on themselves, possibly laughing at how stupid they might have acted. At the romantic notions they each had of each other – Marguerite thinking about never having a chance with Paul or Theo, Theo thinking about maybe he <i>does</i> have a chance with Marguerite, and Paul thinking he has no chance with Marguerite whatsoever. At how reckless Marguerite was with her thinking – jumping the gun and going after Paul right from the start, because one of the first things I hear is, "Kill Paul Markov." Whoa, gruesome much?
Then I get thrust into a flurry of confusion where Marguerite's emotions are on high tide and a dumpster of information is quite literally dumped upon my ears from the very next chapter about how this whole dimension travel works here, among other things.
While I enjoyed the whole "story around a fire" vibe, I feel like I would have enjoyed this so much better and grasped this so much more fully if I took a physics class before reading this.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/audiobook-review-a-thousand-pieces-of-you-by-claudia-gray/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Chandrea: The Return of the Avatar Queen (Averill, #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
I was overly excited to review Marlene Wynn's The Return of the Avatar Queen when I heard what genre it fell in the New Adult world: fantasy. NOT Contemporary or Romance (or both!) like most seem to be these days. Really, the only New Adult book I've come across that's something other than Contemporary is the Everlast Trilogy by Juliana Haygert (among a few others).
The first in the Averill series is just another step towards some more diversity in the ever growing pool of New Adult books. But here are a few reasons why you should take a moment and read Marlene Wynn's debut novel:
Character Development and World Building Here's what is probably one of the most difficult things in fantasy and paranormal novels: developing the world the entire world, because in a fantasy book, most worlds are fictional and completely made up! Wynn has it patted down nicely enough within the book that it's not necessary to have a separate dictionary. I definitely feel as though I know enough about the world of Itova as Chandrea does, and the characters don't feel as though they're miles away from me.
<img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NQ6pA2Tm_Sk/VIi50dboa_I/AAAAAAAAEEg/IQqffnS_y1w/s1600/awesome.gif"; height="180" width="320">
It's Funny I had the highlight of my book week while reading Wynn's novel, but whenever there are flying raccoons, I can't really help but find it hilarious. It definitely helps when Shawn becomes a major character and lightens things up. He's just a fantastic edition to the book and he seems to make the lighter side of Chandrea come out as well I certainly hope the author won't kill him off anytime soon. Not that I actually have a say, of course.
<blockquote>If you dont, I wont bathe, and Ill sleep curled up right next to you, in all my stinky glory.</blockquote>
Of course, it's definitely not as hilarious as something I saw in a NCRA magazine about a month ago, or finding out what "bae" really means in another language.
No Surprises This is more of something I really disliked about The Return of the Avatar Queen rather than something I liked. As much as I love knowing all the side characters' history, I really think I would have enjoyed my reading experience more if there were less views. With the amount of views (which, by the way, is quite a lot), I feel as though I'm one step ahead and the author loses the element of surprise. Whatever seems likely to happen in the future to a character or two is already expected by the reader.
Last time I checked, not being surprised does not dwell well. But credit to Wynn for not making me feel like Hansel and Gretel with bread baked by Peeta, to which I turn into crumbs (the bread, not Peeta). Two facts: 1) I like surprises in books. 2) I don't necessarily like surprises in real life.
Here's a little elaboration on #2: A good friend of mine I call him Mr. Pokey and yes, he's probably related to Lupe. AKA Miss. Pokey. volunteered to take me to chess tournaments. A few days later, his mom said she could take both of us, but said friend told our coach that I could go without telling me about it first. As a result, I'm have been plotting his demise. Would I really do it? No, but sometimes I want to throw something at his infuriatingly overconfident face.
So here's a word of advice: Don't try to make decisions for others without telling them about it first. At least, don't make decisions for me unless you're my mom. You could regret it dearly.
Basically, you won't really regret reading The Return of the Avatar Queen. Marlene Wynn's debut novel shows a lot of promise in the future and I'm curious as to where the storyline goes from here on out.
-------------------
Review copy provided by the author for the blog tour
Original Rating: 3.5
Original review posted on <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/12/blog-tour-chandrea-the-return-of-the-avatar-queen-by-marlene-wynn-review-and-giveaway.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cG5gfBqJVzk/VA5BIojjZ9I/AAAAAAAAD1g/7srLUfpAGEU/s1600/banner.png"; /></a>
The first in the Averill series is just another step towards some more diversity in the ever growing pool of New Adult books. But here are a few reasons why you should take a moment and read Marlene Wynn's debut novel:
Character Development and World Building Here's what is probably one of the most difficult things in fantasy and paranormal novels: developing the world the entire world, because in a fantasy book, most worlds are fictional and completely made up! Wynn has it patted down nicely enough within the book that it's not necessary to have a separate dictionary. I definitely feel as though I know enough about the world of Itova as Chandrea does, and the characters don't feel as though they're miles away from me.
<img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NQ6pA2Tm_Sk/VIi50dboa_I/AAAAAAAAEEg/IQqffnS_y1w/s1600/awesome.gif"; height="180" width="320">
It's Funny I had the highlight of my book week while reading Wynn's novel, but whenever there are flying raccoons, I can't really help but find it hilarious. It definitely helps when Shawn becomes a major character and lightens things up. He's just a fantastic edition to the book and he seems to make the lighter side of Chandrea come out as well I certainly hope the author won't kill him off anytime soon. Not that I actually have a say, of course.
<blockquote>If you dont, I wont bathe, and Ill sleep curled up right next to you, in all my stinky glory.</blockquote>
Of course, it's definitely not as hilarious as something I saw in a NCRA magazine about a month ago, or finding out what "bae" really means in another language.
No Surprises This is more of something I really disliked about The Return of the Avatar Queen rather than something I liked. As much as I love knowing all the side characters' history, I really think I would have enjoyed my reading experience more if there were less views. With the amount of views (which, by the way, is quite a lot), I feel as though I'm one step ahead and the author loses the element of surprise. Whatever seems likely to happen in the future to a character or two is already expected by the reader.
Last time I checked, not being surprised does not dwell well. But credit to Wynn for not making me feel like Hansel and Gretel with bread baked by Peeta, to which I turn into crumbs (the bread, not Peeta). Two facts: 1) I like surprises in books. 2) I don't necessarily like surprises in real life.
Here's a little elaboration on #2: A good friend of mine I call him Mr. Pokey and yes, he's probably related to Lupe. AKA Miss. Pokey. volunteered to take me to chess tournaments. A few days later, his mom said she could take both of us, but said friend told our coach that I could go without telling me about it first. As a result, I'm have been plotting his demise. Would I really do it? No, but sometimes I want to throw something at his infuriatingly overconfident face.
So here's a word of advice: Don't try to make decisions for others without telling them about it first. At least, don't make decisions for me unless you're my mom. You could regret it dearly.
Basically, you won't really regret reading The Return of the Avatar Queen. Marlene Wynn's debut novel shows a lot of promise in the future and I'm curious as to where the storyline goes from here on out.
-------------------
Review copy provided by the author for the blog tour
Original Rating: 3.5
Original review posted on <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/12/blog-tour-chandrea-the-return-of-the-avatar-queen-by-marlene-wynn-review-and-giveaway.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated These Nameless Things in Books
Jul 2, 2020
When I read the synopsis for These Nameless Things by Shawn Smucker, I knew it was a book I had to read. It ticked all the right boxes for me. Luckily, this book did not disappoint!
The plot was very interesting. Dan lives in an idyllic small village. Everyone is happy and friendly until a beautiful woman arrives at Dan's door on the verge of death. Dan doesn't tell anyone about her as he nurses her back to health. However, strange things start happening. The crops don't grow right, and people are regaining painful memories they had long forgotten. When the mysterious woman convinces Dan to go back through the mountain, a place he had been tormented at and had escaped, to fetch his brother who is stuck there, Dan is torn. He misses his brother like crazy. All the while Dan is left wondering who this strange woman is who has a strong pull over him, and why does she want him to go back to the horrible place he came from to save his brother so badly.
How amazing does that plot sound!?! The plot for These Nameless Things was solid, and it helps very much that Shawn Smucker is a very talented writer. Smucker has a way with words. The way he wrote and described everything really helped make it easy to envision everything that was unfolding second by second. He was able to put so much description into everything, but Smucker doesn't overdo it to the point where it becomes boring to read. He creates a very nice balance. I will say that the first third of the book is fairly slow pacing, but I kept reading because I did want to know more about Dan's brother and how the mysterious woman was connected to everything. For my perseverance, I was richly rewarded. The last two thirds of the book really took off! I found myself hooked on every single word, hungry for as much as I could get. I did not want to put this book down at all. I had to know what was going to happen to everyone. Yes, some of it was predictable, but it was a fantastic read nonetheless. While I would have liked to read some sort of epilogue or had more knowledge in what happened to everyone some time later, I think These Nameless Things ends well enough, and everything is explained leading up to the ending.
I felt that every character in These Nameless Things was fleshed out very well. By the middle of the book (perhaps even sooner than that), I felt like I had become friends with everyone mentioned in the book. It was easy to picture each and every character as a real life person (mostly thanks to Shawn Smucker's excellent writing again). I did feel that although the character of Dan was written superbly, he came across as a bit selfish for the most part. I felt like he put people in so much danger by keeping secrets. I did love Miho and Lucia very much. Miho seemed to be the biggest voice of reason throughout the book. I just loved Lucia because she made me feel hopeful and happy. Abe was my favorite character though. I loved how optimistic he could become and how much he cared for everyone. He was the leader of the village, and I admired how seriously he took this title. It was obvious how much love he had for all of his village. I would love an Abe in my life. He had such a soothing presence.
Trigger warnings for These Nameless Things include minor violence, death, a mention of rape, and alcoholism.
Overall, These Nameless Things is a highly interesting read that makes you reflect on your own feelings and how you react to them. With Shawn Smucker's fantastic prose, this book makes it easy to get hooked. I would definitely recommend These Nameless Things by Shawn Smucker to those aged 17+ who are after well written novels with a touch of philosophy.
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(A special thank you to the publisher for sending me a paperback of These Nameless Things by Shawn Smucker in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
The plot was very interesting. Dan lives in an idyllic small village. Everyone is happy and friendly until a beautiful woman arrives at Dan's door on the verge of death. Dan doesn't tell anyone about her as he nurses her back to health. However, strange things start happening. The crops don't grow right, and people are regaining painful memories they had long forgotten. When the mysterious woman convinces Dan to go back through the mountain, a place he had been tormented at and had escaped, to fetch his brother who is stuck there, Dan is torn. He misses his brother like crazy. All the while Dan is left wondering who this strange woman is who has a strong pull over him, and why does she want him to go back to the horrible place he came from to save his brother so badly.
How amazing does that plot sound!?! The plot for These Nameless Things was solid, and it helps very much that Shawn Smucker is a very talented writer. Smucker has a way with words. The way he wrote and described everything really helped make it easy to envision everything that was unfolding second by second. He was able to put so much description into everything, but Smucker doesn't overdo it to the point where it becomes boring to read. He creates a very nice balance. I will say that the first third of the book is fairly slow pacing, but I kept reading because I did want to know more about Dan's brother and how the mysterious woman was connected to everything. For my perseverance, I was richly rewarded. The last two thirds of the book really took off! I found myself hooked on every single word, hungry for as much as I could get. I did not want to put this book down at all. I had to know what was going to happen to everyone. Yes, some of it was predictable, but it was a fantastic read nonetheless. While I would have liked to read some sort of epilogue or had more knowledge in what happened to everyone some time later, I think These Nameless Things ends well enough, and everything is explained leading up to the ending.
I felt that every character in These Nameless Things was fleshed out very well. By the middle of the book (perhaps even sooner than that), I felt like I had become friends with everyone mentioned in the book. It was easy to picture each and every character as a real life person (mostly thanks to Shawn Smucker's excellent writing again). I did feel that although the character of Dan was written superbly, he came across as a bit selfish for the most part. I felt like he put people in so much danger by keeping secrets. I did love Miho and Lucia very much. Miho seemed to be the biggest voice of reason throughout the book. I just loved Lucia because she made me feel hopeful and happy. Abe was my favorite character though. I loved how optimistic he could become and how much he cared for everyone. He was the leader of the village, and I admired how seriously he took this title. It was obvious how much love he had for all of his village. I would love an Abe in my life. He had such a soothing presence.
Trigger warnings for These Nameless Things include minor violence, death, a mention of rape, and alcoholism.
Overall, These Nameless Things is a highly interesting read that makes you reflect on your own feelings and how you react to them. With Shawn Smucker's fantastic prose, this book makes it easy to get hooked. I would definitely recommend These Nameless Things by Shawn Smucker to those aged 17+ who are after well written novels with a touch of philosophy.
--
(A special thank you to the publisher for sending me a paperback of These Nameless Things by Shawn Smucker in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)