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Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated The Taking in Books
Apr 7, 2024
67 of 220
Book
The Taking
By Dean Koontz
⭐️⭐️
On the morning that will mark the end of the world they have known, Molly and Niel Sloan awaken to the drumbeat of rain. It has haunted their dreams through the night, and now they find an eerily luminous and golden downpour that drenches their small Californian mountain town. As hours pass they hear news of extreme weather phenomena across the globe. An obscuring fog turns once familiar streets into a ghostly labyrinth. By evening, the town has lost all communication with the outside world. First TV and radio go dead, then the Internet and phone lines. The young couple gathers together with some neighbours, sensing a threat they cannot identify or even imagine. The night brings strange noises, and mysterious lights drift among the trees. The rain diminishes with the dawn but a moody grey-purple twilight prevails. Within the misty gloom the small band will encounter something that reveals in a terrifying instant what is happening to the world -- something that is hunting them with ruthless efficiency.
I really liked how this started and it was doing ok then I got bored by the end I was glad it was ending. Someone told me this was one of his best books it kinda puts me off reading anymore if that’s the case.
Book
The Taking
By Dean Koontz
⭐️⭐️
On the morning that will mark the end of the world they have known, Molly and Niel Sloan awaken to the drumbeat of rain. It has haunted their dreams through the night, and now they find an eerily luminous and golden downpour that drenches their small Californian mountain town. As hours pass they hear news of extreme weather phenomena across the globe. An obscuring fog turns once familiar streets into a ghostly labyrinth. By evening, the town has lost all communication with the outside world. First TV and radio go dead, then the Internet and phone lines. The young couple gathers together with some neighbours, sensing a threat they cannot identify or even imagine. The night brings strange noises, and mysterious lights drift among the trees. The rain diminishes with the dawn but a moody grey-purple twilight prevails. Within the misty gloom the small band will encounter something that reveals in a terrifying instant what is happening to the world -- something that is hunting them with ruthless efficiency.
I really liked how this started and it was doing ok then I got bored by the end I was glad it was ending. Someone told me this was one of his best books it kinda puts me off reading anymore if that’s the case.
Marvin (Assassin's To Order #1)
JP Sayle and Lisa Oliver
9.0
Rate It
Book
Ajani is a shifter without a conscience. Stolen as a child, hidden from the world, trained to kill...
MM Paranormal Romance Spin-Off Series
BookInspector (124 KP) rated The Rules in Books
Sep 24, 2020
The protagonist of this book is Amber, a sarcastic teenager, who lost her mother and had to travel from one foster house to another. When her father contacts her, she knows she has to run… I really liked Amber, she is an absolute kickass, but she explained how much she had to go through to become one… I really admire her resilience and intelligence, she is a true fighter, even though very emotionally traumatised one. I really liked the variety of characters chosen for this book. Amber is raised by a control freak, so control and order is her safety blanket. Her travel companion Josh, on the other hand, is a free spirit, not very worried about life in general. I think he was a true ray of sunshine in this novel.
I really enjoyed the narrative of this book. The story has a single perspective but dual timeline, the events from the past portray Amber’s life when she was trained for survival, and her present journey, while she is trying to run away from her obsessive and controlling father. I really liked this combo, and I was able to learn so much from Amber and her survival skills. There are a lot of sensitive topics discussed in this novel, such as emotional and physical violence, homelessness, prepper and survivalist communities and their work, many mental health issues, psychological trauma, and many more. I really enjoyed the way this story was told, it was like a runaway story, but it was an adventure nevertheless.
I really liked the writing style, it is visible that the author has done a great job with the research for this novel, it offers such a wide variety of lessons for survival in general, that our screen-addicted youth could learn from. I enjoyed the constantly changing set of this novel, I found it pretty entertaining. The chapters are pretty short, and the pages just flew by to me. Even though this book left some unanswered questions for me, I really liked the ending of this book, I think it rounded up this story well.
So, to conclude, this is a very thought-provoking novel, filled with rules, discipline and really interesting and complex characters, that are different. I really liked the narrative and it was a true page-turner for me. If you are looking for an adventurous YA psychological thriller, I think this book is for you.
I really enjoyed the narrative of this book. The story has a single perspective but dual timeline, the events from the past portray Amber’s life when she was trained for survival, and her present journey, while she is trying to run away from her obsessive and controlling father. I really liked this combo, and I was able to learn so much from Amber and her survival skills. There are a lot of sensitive topics discussed in this novel, such as emotional and physical violence, homelessness, prepper and survivalist communities and their work, many mental health issues, psychological trauma, and many more. I really enjoyed the way this story was told, it was like a runaway story, but it was an adventure nevertheless.
I really liked the writing style, it is visible that the author has done a great job with the research for this novel, it offers such a wide variety of lessons for survival in general, that our screen-addicted youth could learn from. I enjoyed the constantly changing set of this novel, I found it pretty entertaining. The chapters are pretty short, and the pages just flew by to me. Even though this book left some unanswered questions for me, I really liked the ending of this book, I think it rounded up this story well.
So, to conclude, this is a very thought-provoking novel, filled with rules, discipline and really interesting and complex characters, that are different. I really liked the narrative and it was a true page-turner for me. If you are looking for an adventurous YA psychological thriller, I think this book is for you.
Debbiereadsbook (1475 KP) rated Little & Lethal (Little Paws Haven #2) in Books
Aug 4, 2024
Loved that Cosmo pushed, just to get punished.
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 2 in the Little Paws Haven series. I don't think it totally necessary to have read book one, Little Treasure He Hides, before this one. I loved that book.
And while I really enjoyed this one, I found this one a bit...disconnected.
Oh don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed it, I just found some bits went off and I lost my concentration.
Nomad and Harley have been mated for 20 years. Harley, though, is certain they should have a third. Meeting Cosmo, and all three of them knew they were mates but Cosmo was not letting them have it easy. Getting up close and personal with another Dom in the club, just to rile Nomad and Harley up. But Cosmo is more than a Little. He is deadly. And not incapable of looking after himself. Nomad and Harley need to get with the programme. Cosmo also needs to get with it, but he struggles. Having only himself to rely on for so long, it takes him time to let Nomad and Harley in.
I liked that all three men have a say. I loved that Cosmo gave the other two a run for their money. I loved that Cosmo, once settled into the relationship, pushed all the boundaries and then some, JUST so he could take the punishment.
I found the issue with The Council a bit confusing as to what was really going on, so reading about those bits, I kinda switched off. It all comes clear, I just took twice as long to get it!
Gabai and Asher from book one take part, but you don't need to have read their book to follow this one. The next book is laid here, well, I mean I hope it is! Looking forward to reading about hippos!
I liked this well enough, but something didn't quite click for me.
4 very good stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is book 2 in the Little Paws Haven series. I don't think it totally necessary to have read book one, Little Treasure He Hides, before this one. I loved that book.
And while I really enjoyed this one, I found this one a bit...disconnected.
Oh don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed it, I just found some bits went off and I lost my concentration.
Nomad and Harley have been mated for 20 years. Harley, though, is certain they should have a third. Meeting Cosmo, and all three of them knew they were mates but Cosmo was not letting them have it easy. Getting up close and personal with another Dom in the club, just to rile Nomad and Harley up. But Cosmo is more than a Little. He is deadly. And not incapable of looking after himself. Nomad and Harley need to get with the programme. Cosmo also needs to get with it, but he struggles. Having only himself to rely on for so long, it takes him time to let Nomad and Harley in.
I liked that all three men have a say. I loved that Cosmo gave the other two a run for their money. I loved that Cosmo, once settled into the relationship, pushed all the boundaries and then some, JUST so he could take the punishment.
I found the issue with The Council a bit confusing as to what was really going on, so reading about those bits, I kinda switched off. It all comes clear, I just took twice as long to get it!
Gabai and Asher from book one take part, but you don't need to have read their book to follow this one. The next book is laid here, well, I mean I hope it is! Looking forward to reading about hippos!
I liked this well enough, but something didn't quite click for me.
4 very good stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Lilyn G - Sci-Fi & Scary (91 KP) rated Dreamfall in Books
May 30, 2018
Great potential, poor follow-through
Dreamfall ticked me off, because it felt like the author ended the book on a massive cliff-hanger. I didn’t feel like I was given enough of the story to even faintly satisfy me. Look, I wasn’t expecting it to be a complete stand-alone, because I knew that there were more books in the series. A good series should have each book able to effectively function as a stand-alone. The author should be able to leave some threads dangling, but successfully resolve the story arc of the book while advancing the series story arc as a whole. If I had paid for this book instead of borrowing it from the library, I would be pissed. Maybe I’m being unfair. I’m willing to admit that’s a possibility, but this was just not a satisfying read. At all!
I had high hopes for Dreamfall, but the ending wasn’t the only way it disappointed me. The first couple chapters made it seem like it was going to be super creepy. Insomnia, sleep paralysis, promises of monsters, etc, are an awesome combination especially if you have experienced insomnia, sleep paralysis, and night terrors. You’re able to put yourself right there in the book with the characters. Except that, although the beginning promised great things, the fact that this is a YA book soon asserted itself. Horror-lite, except in the hands of a truly talented horror story-teller, waters down to a handful of creepy scenes and some mild tension on occasion. That’s what happened here in Dreamfall. The only stand-out scenes involved a coffin and a cave. (Though, to be fair, if you find lots of things scary, you might find more to be creeped out by in it.)
And the drama. Oh, the unnecessary drama. Now, to her credit, for once I’m not talking about a love triangle. Instead, it’s a case of the author simply trying way too hard to stretch out the drama. For non-spoiling, I’ll simply say that some of the dialogue made zero sense, and apparently no one besides Jaime ever apparently thinks to check the cameras.
The characters were okay, mostly. I’m out of the YA age range, so the chances I was going to connect with any of them were fairly small. However, I had kind of hoped that I would care about a few of them. I did mildly care about one and that was purely a circumstance of name and time of year more than anything else. Anyways, that one poofed, and thus ended my affection for any of the characters. (Though there was one twist associated with that particular character that made me grin.)
But, because I’m aware that I’ve ranted a good bit about the book, I need to balance this out a bit. Dreamfall has a very interesting plot idea. The pacing of the book is nice and quick. The dialogue between the characters is mostly believable, even if some of the ‘real’ situations are not. Even though the book swiftly lost pretty much all chance of scaring me, up until the end, I was interested – if not thrilled – by what I was reading. My main pick with this book really comes down to the fact that it feels like it was forced to be two (or more?) books instead of one. As fantastic as this plot idea is, it really is a ONE book idea. Oh, I liked the cover, too.
So disappointed because I had my hopes up, and they got thoroughly dashed.
I had high hopes for Dreamfall, but the ending wasn’t the only way it disappointed me. The first couple chapters made it seem like it was going to be super creepy. Insomnia, sleep paralysis, promises of monsters, etc, are an awesome combination especially if you have experienced insomnia, sleep paralysis, and night terrors. You’re able to put yourself right there in the book with the characters. Except that, although the beginning promised great things, the fact that this is a YA book soon asserted itself. Horror-lite, except in the hands of a truly talented horror story-teller, waters down to a handful of creepy scenes and some mild tension on occasion. That’s what happened here in Dreamfall. The only stand-out scenes involved a coffin and a cave. (Though, to be fair, if you find lots of things scary, you might find more to be creeped out by in it.)
And the drama. Oh, the unnecessary drama. Now, to her credit, for once I’m not talking about a love triangle. Instead, it’s a case of the author simply trying way too hard to stretch out the drama. For non-spoiling, I’ll simply say that some of the dialogue made zero sense, and apparently no one besides Jaime ever apparently thinks to check the cameras.
The characters were okay, mostly. I’m out of the YA age range, so the chances I was going to connect with any of them were fairly small. However, I had kind of hoped that I would care about a few of them. I did mildly care about one and that was purely a circumstance of name and time of year more than anything else. Anyways, that one poofed, and thus ended my affection for any of the characters. (Though there was one twist associated with that particular character that made me grin.)
But, because I’m aware that I’ve ranted a good bit about the book, I need to balance this out a bit. Dreamfall has a very interesting plot idea. The pacing of the book is nice and quick. The dialogue between the characters is mostly believable, even if some of the ‘real’ situations are not. Even though the book swiftly lost pretty much all chance of scaring me, up until the end, I was interested – if not thrilled – by what I was reading. My main pick with this book really comes down to the fact that it feels like it was forced to be two (or more?) books instead of one. As fantastic as this plot idea is, it really is a ONE book idea. Oh, I liked the cover, too.
So disappointed because I had my hopes up, and they got thoroughly dashed.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2379 KP) rated Lost and Fondue (A Cheese Shop Mystery, #2) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Charlotte is catering a fundraiser at the old winery on the outskirts of town. During the scavenger hunt, she finds the body of one of the guests in the basement. With the police looking at someone Charlotte cares about, she must spring into detective mode to find the real killer.
I'm not sure why I waited so long to read this second book in the series. The characters were a tad overwhelming at first by their number, but I quickly had them all figured out. The plot slow down a tad in the middle, but the end result was great. I'll definitely be back for the next slice.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2014/01/book-review-lost-and-fondue-by-avery.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
I'm not sure why I waited so long to read this second book in the series. The characters were a tad overwhelming at first by their number, but I quickly had them all figured out. The plot slow down a tad in the middle, but the end result was great. I'll definitely be back for the next slice.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2014/01/book-review-lost-and-fondue-by-avery.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
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