Search
Mekkin B. (122 KP) rated Sorcerer to the Crown (Sorcerer Royal #1) in Books
Sep 13, 2017
Fabulous Magical Regency Romp
Sorcerer to the Crown is a Regency era fantasy novel packed with romance, mystery, and adventure. Fans of historial fiction and gaslamp fantasy like Jonathan Strange & Mister Norell, the Chrestomanci series, or A Great and Terrible Beauty will enjoy this romantic romp through an alternative London where magic is a gentleman's sport and issues of race, class, and gender are as worrying as the general decline of magic in England.
Zacharias Wythe charms as the stoic Sorcerer Royal and Prunella Gentleman, the snarky orphan with a troubling amount of magical talent, is easily his match. The relationship between the two has a Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet quality that still manages to feel fresh and unique.
Cho has crafted a wonderful fantasy world replete with interesting characters and intriguing mysteries, it's easy to see why this book gained a nomination for 2016's Locus Award for Best First Novel.
Zacharias Wythe charms as the stoic Sorcerer Royal and Prunella Gentleman, the snarky orphan with a troubling amount of magical talent, is easily his match. The relationship between the two has a Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet quality that still manages to feel fresh and unique.
Cho has crafted a wonderful fantasy world replete with interesting characters and intriguing mysteries, it's easy to see why this book gained a nomination for 2016's Locus Award for Best First Novel.
Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated Entangled Lives in Books
Jun 5, 2019
In Entangled Lives by Imran Omer we meet orphan Raza, and his pregnant girlfriend who are forced apart when Raza is sent to Afghanistan to join the Taliban. Growing up his life was hard, and it seems it’s not getting any easier with age. As the story unfolds, reporter Rachel Brown gets first hand experience of the horrors of war, and through her point of view were are given her part of the story, and what happens when their paths cross, not just once, but twice.
My heart went out to Raza, as we see the extreme extent of the cause; a poor and vulnerable Pakistani boy fighting not only western society and their prejudices, but a tragic fate that’s controlled by money and power.
I enjoyed reading this, sometimes harrowing, tale that’s realistic and very topical for the current climate. The stark contrast between Raza’s life, and the entitled American reporter, Rachel, is portrayed well, and reveals the depth of this story with compassion and humanity.
My heart went out to Raza, as we see the extreme extent of the cause; a poor and vulnerable Pakistani boy fighting not only western society and their prejudices, but a tragic fate that’s controlled by money and power.
I enjoyed reading this, sometimes harrowing, tale that’s realistic and very topical for the current climate. The stark contrast between Raza’s life, and the entitled American reporter, Rachel, is portrayed well, and reveals the depth of this story with compassion and humanity.
Mark Halpern (153 KP) rated Annie (1982) in Movies
Jan 21, 2018
Everyones favorite redhead
The story or a orphan who believes that her parents are going to be coming back to her ends living with the richest man in the world (Daddy Warbucks) who just happens to despise kids and dogs. The woman who runs the orphanage Mrs Hannagain treats the girls worst than endangered slaves is only housing them for the money she gets from the state and ususes it to buy booze.
Warbucks offers an insane amount of money if someone can prove they are Annie's long lost parents and the only way that can be done is by having the other half of a locket that annie has. Miss Hannigan has the other piece because (well not going to tell ya that part) and trys to hatch a plan to get Annie and all of the money.
The movies based off the musical that is filled song, dance and great cast.
Warbucks offers an insane amount of money if someone can prove they are Annie's long lost parents and the only way that can be done is by having the other half of a locket that annie has. Miss Hannigan has the other piece because (well not going to tell ya that part) and trys to hatch a plan to get Annie and all of the money.
The movies based off the musical that is filled song, dance and great cast.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2165 KP) rated The Bungalow Mystery (Nancy Drew, #3) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
While out of town, Nancy meets Laura, a recent orphan who is about to meet her new guardians. However, when Nancy meets them, she thinks that something is off about these adults. Meanwhile, Mr. Drew asks Nancy to help him figure out how bearer bonds have disappeared from a bank in town. Can Nancy juggle these two cases? Or is there a connection?
I can’t remember if I read this one as a kid or not, but I quickly got caught up in the fun as an adult. There is plenty of action. Some of the twists were a little obvious, but I couldn’t figure out how everything quite fit together until the end. We still haven’t met Nancy’s usual friends, but with the emphasis on plot and action, the characters are thin anyway.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/08/book-review-bungalow-mystery-by-carolyn.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
I can’t remember if I read this one as a kid or not, but I quickly got caught up in the fun as an adult. There is plenty of action. Some of the twists were a little obvious, but I couldn’t figure out how everything quite fit together until the end. We still haven’t met Nancy’s usual friends, but with the emphasis on plot and action, the characters are thin anyway.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/08/book-review-bungalow-mystery-by-carolyn.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
CKD (37 KP) rated Before We Were Yours in Books
Dec 7, 2018
This book tells the stories of Rill Foss and Avery Stafford. Rill is a young girl growing up on the Mississippi River in 1939. Through an unfortunate series of events, she and her siblings are placed in the Tennessee Children's Home orphanage. Avery Stafford is a privileged young woman who has recently moved back to Aiken, SC to help her parents out. She stumbles across a mystery involving her grandmother on her paternal side which leads her to uncover Rill's story.
This book is based on actual events. The stories of Rill and Avery are fiction but some of the facts around the Tennessee Children's Home are factual. The kidnapping and eventual adoption of these "orphan" children was organized by Georgia Tann, Director. She had lots of influential people that looked the other way until she was eventually closed the center down after a state investigation into numerous instances of adoption fraud.
This book is based on actual events. The stories of Rill and Avery are fiction but some of the facts around the Tennessee Children's Home are factual. The kidnapping and eventual adoption of these "orphan" children was organized by Georgia Tann, Director. She had lots of influential people that looked the other way until she was eventually closed the center down after a state investigation into numerous instances of adoption fraud.
Originally published as a series of five novellas, this - as such, and very much like the previous collaboration of these two authors (Invader - is a distinct multi-part book, made up of the following five parts:
Pirata: The Black Flag
Pirata: The Gates of Stone
Pirata: Hunters of the Sea
Pirata: Sea of Blood
Pirata: The Pirate Chief
As such, each of the five parts have their own distinct start, middle and end, with the series - as a whole -following the orphan Telemachus as he initially joins a merchant vessel before becoming a pirate and (perhaps too) swiftly rising through the ranks - I say perhaps too swiftly as that is my main criticism of the novel, with Telemachus - despite having lived his life on the streets of Piraeus - suddenly, and in a very short time, taking to the life of a pirate at sea.
An enjoyable enough diversion, but not as good - IMO - as Scarrow's Macro and Cato series of novels
Pirata: The Black Flag
Pirata: The Gates of Stone
Pirata: Hunters of the Sea
Pirata: Sea of Blood
Pirata: The Pirate Chief
As such, each of the five parts have their own distinct start, middle and end, with the series - as a whole -following the orphan Telemachus as he initially joins a merchant vessel before becoming a pirate and (perhaps too) swiftly rising through the ranks - I say perhaps too swiftly as that is my main criticism of the novel, with Telemachus - despite having lived his life on the streets of Piraeus - suddenly, and in a very short time, taking to the life of a pirate at sea.
An enjoyable enough diversion, but not as good - IMO - as Scarrow's Macro and Cato series of novels
Ice Wolves: Elementals, Book 1
8.0
Rate It
Book
From New York Times bestselling author Amie Kaufman comes an electrifying new series about a brother...
children fantasy
Alexander Hamilton
10.0
Rate It
Book
Alexander Hamilton was an illegitimate, largely self-taught orphan from the Caribbean who overcame...
The Nowhere Emporium
Book
Winner of the Blue Peter Best Story Award 2016 and the Scottish Children's Book Award 2016, and the...