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Sam (74 KP) rated The Woman Who Stole My Life in Books
Mar 27, 2019
She gets a publishing contract for One Blink At A Time and moves to America for a book tour and to write her second book.
The Woman Who Stole My Life opens with Stella’s return to Ireland, and the whole book focuses on her past and what happened when she was ill and then when she went to America. From breaking up with her husband to new friendships and relationships, Stella’s story is followed throughout the novel and left me wishing for her to get a happy ending.
I had wanted to start reading Marian Keyes for a while, especially since I’m so into Cecelia Ahern lately. And The Woman Who Stole My Life came up on the 3 for £10 offer on Amazon so I was more than happy to order it.
I’m not sure that if it hadn’t have been on that offer I would have bought it, but I was pleasantly surprised in the end. It’s a generally good book, with only a few parts that took me a while to get into. I’ve already bought another one of Marian Keyes’s books from a charity shop because I just find her writing style so interesting and easy to read.
The Woman Who Stole My Life opens with Stella’s return to Ireland, and the whole book focuses on her past and what happened when she was ill and then when she went to America. From breaking up with her husband to new friendships and relationships, Stella’s story is followed throughout the novel and left me wishing for her to get a happy ending.
I had wanted to start reading Marian Keyes for a while, especially since I’m so into Cecelia Ahern lately. And The Woman Who Stole My Life came up on the 3 for £10 offer on Amazon so I was more than happy to order it.
I’m not sure that if it hadn’t have been on that offer I would have bought it, but I was pleasantly surprised in the end. It’s a generally good book, with only a few parts that took me a while to get into. I’ve already bought another one of Marian Keyes’s books from a charity shop because I just find her writing style so interesting and easy to read.
Janeeny (200 KP) rated The Awakening in Books
May 9, 2019 (Updated Jun 10, 2019)
The Awakening Is a groundbreaking story about female infidelity in the Victorian Era.
I’ve come to the conclusion that some reviews are best for me to write ‘on reflection’ as my first thought after reading ‘The Awakening’ was ‘meh’, then I put some thought into it.
I can see how when this book was first released it did cause a bit of a furore, and I can even see that possibly even in this day and age if this had been one of the first books I had read on relationships how it would have affected me. However at the tender age of 40, with all that I have read and seen it just doesn’t have the intended impact on me, and that is a shame.
A similar thing happens with music, songs that were released in the sixties and considered ‘groundbreaking’ don’t move me as much as they did people back then because I’ve heard so much music that was ‘inspired by it’ that it doesn’t have the same wow factor as it did when it was first released.
Anyway, back to ‘The Awakening’ I think it really did have a strong ending though, and for that alone it will stick with me for a while.
I’ve come to the conclusion that some reviews are best for me to write ‘on reflection’ as my first thought after reading ‘The Awakening’ was ‘meh’, then I put some thought into it.
I can see how when this book was first released it did cause a bit of a furore, and I can even see that possibly even in this day and age if this had been one of the first books I had read on relationships how it would have affected me. However at the tender age of 40, with all that I have read and seen it just doesn’t have the intended impact on me, and that is a shame.
A similar thing happens with music, songs that were released in the sixties and considered ‘groundbreaking’ don’t move me as much as they did people back then because I’ve heard so much music that was ‘inspired by it’ that it doesn’t have the same wow factor as it did when it was first released.
Anyway, back to ‘The Awakening’ I think it really did have a strong ending though, and for that alone it will stick with me for a while.
Tamsin Clark (15 KP) rated La Belle Sauvage: The Book of Dust in Books
Jan 19, 2018
Storyline (5 more)
Characters
Setting
Writing standard
Depth of character relationships
Tie in with His Dark Materials
Worth the wait since His Dark Materials
I could honestly not put this book down at all. Of course we needed another His Dark Materials book! We need many, many more! There's still so much to understand about their world and The Book of Dust thrusts us right in at the crux of it.
We meet Malcolm (who, if anyone wants to check, is indeed in the Dark Materials trilogy) as a young boy, living life in his parent's inn and being generally as curious as a young child naturally is about his world. A world which, with the arrival of a baby at the local convent, will become entirely ripped apart at the seams.
I don't do spoilers but from the very first page, I was hooked. I bought this in hardback and even the cover is a pure delight to touch and hold (something important to my reading experience). Pullman is his usual, exceptional self with his writing, forcing us face first into some uncomfortable realities and even more uncomfortable impossibilities. This series will certainly be much darker than the last but I cannot wait for the second to come out!
We meet Malcolm (who, if anyone wants to check, is indeed in the Dark Materials trilogy) as a young boy, living life in his parent's inn and being generally as curious as a young child naturally is about his world. A world which, with the arrival of a baby at the local convent, will become entirely ripped apart at the seams.
I don't do spoilers but from the very first page, I was hooked. I bought this in hardback and even the cover is a pure delight to touch and hold (something important to my reading experience). Pullman is his usual, exceptional self with his writing, forcing us face first into some uncomfortable realities and even more uncomfortable impossibilities. This series will certainly be much darker than the last but I cannot wait for the second to come out!
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2346 KP) rated Custom Baked Murder in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Stan’s mother is engaged to Frog Ledge’s new mayor, and the pair are throwing a big engagement party. However, the groom to be isn’t there. Instead, Stan is running into several people she is less than happy to see again from her days in the corporate world, including her ex-boyfriend. The night gets worse when a body is found upstairs. The police quickly make an arrest, but something seems off. Are they trying to cover something up?
Since the last book took place out of town, it was wonderful to be back in Frog Ledge and spending time with our favorite characters. The author has really built a sense of community, and I love how she is growing Stan, the others characters, and their relationships. The downside of that is the murder moves slowly in the beginning as the sub-plots that help with the community building are front and center. But the mystery takes center stage in the second half, offering us several viable suspects and some great twists and surprises.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/12/book-review-custom-baked-murder-by-liz.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Since the last book took place out of town, it was wonderful to be back in Frog Ledge and spending time with our favorite characters. The author has really built a sense of community, and I love how she is growing Stan, the others characters, and their relationships. The downside of that is the murder moves slowly in the beginning as the sub-plots that help with the community building are front and center. But the mystery takes center stage in the second half, offering us several viable suspects and some great twists and surprises.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/12/book-review-custom-baked-murder-by-liz.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2346 KP) rated Snow Way Out (Snow Globe Shop Mystery, #1) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Cami Brooks is enjoying running her family’s curio shop and reconnecting with her friends. One night, after hosting a snow globe making class, she is walking how through the park when she finds a man asleep on the park bench. Only, he’s not sleeping, as she discovers when he falls over, revealing the knife in his back. The scene looks just like a strange snow globe she’d seen in her shop before she left, but when she goes back with the police, it’s gone. What is happening?
The characters in this book were wonderful. I could feel the basis for their friendships and the loving relationships with Cami’s family. They could have used a bit more development, but I would have been willing to revisit them if the plot were better. Sadly, the book is filled with events happening to Cami; she doesn’t do much to drive the plot at all. Worse yet, the climax is weak and the explanation for some of the events is adequate at best. And let’s not discuss a scene that would never happen involving Cami and the police.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/09/book-review-snow-way-out-by-christine.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
The characters in this book were wonderful. I could feel the basis for their friendships and the loving relationships with Cami’s family. They could have used a bit more development, but I would have been willing to revisit them if the plot were better. Sadly, the book is filled with events happening to Cami; she doesn’t do much to drive the plot at all. Worse yet, the climax is weak and the explanation for some of the events is adequate at best. And let’s not discuss a scene that would never happen involving Cami and the police.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/09/book-review-snow-way-out-by-christine.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
When Holly White calls off her wedding, she returns to her family’s tree farm in Maine just in time for the annual Reindeer Games, which take place in the twelve days leading up to Christmas. However, the night before the games are set to start, Margaret comes in causing problems in her quest to keep the town exactly historically accurate. When Holly finds Margaret dead among the trees a few hours later, the police start looking a little too close to home. Can Holly clear her family and friends before Christmas?
If you are looking for a Christmas cozy, this one is perfect. Each page oozes Christmas cheer, and the games sound like a ton of fun. I’d love to visit and play myself. Unfortunately, I did feel this got in the way of the mystery at times, and Holly spent quite a bit to time reacting to events rather than actually investigating at other points. Still, it held together well overall, and we got a great climax. The characters are already sharp, and their relationships help add to the Christmas cheer.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/10/book-review-twelve-slays-of-christmas.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
If you are looking for a Christmas cozy, this one is perfect. Each page oozes Christmas cheer, and the games sound like a ton of fun. I’d love to visit and play myself. Unfortunately, I did feel this got in the way of the mystery at times, and Holly spent quite a bit to time reacting to events rather than actually investigating at other points. Still, it held together well overall, and we got a great climax. The characters are already sharp, and their relationships help add to the Christmas cheer.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/10/book-review-twelve-slays-of-christmas.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2346 KP) rated The Ghost of Christmas Past (Molly Murphy #17) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
December of 1906 finds Molly Murphy Sullivan hoping that the new year will bring some changes and good news. When she, her husband Daniel, and their son Liam get invited to a house party for Christmas on the Hudson, Molly thinks this might help take her mind off everything going on in her life. However, she finds the household has a weird tension to it, with relationships she can’t quite read. Then she learns that a child disappeared from this house 10 years before right before Christmas. Molly is determined to figure out what happened, but has it been too long?
As is often the case, we start out with some updates on the series regulars before Molly fully plunges into the mystery, but once she does, I was hooked. In fact, as soon as I got off work, I sat down to finish. While I don’t feel like Daniel has grown, I love the rest of the cast, and the new characters are very strong. There is a more serious tone than you might expect from a Christmas mystery, but the contrast works well in this case.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/12/book-review-ghost-of-christmas-past-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
As is often the case, we start out with some updates on the series regulars before Molly fully plunges into the mystery, but once she does, I was hooked. In fact, as soon as I got off work, I sat down to finish. While I don’t feel like Daniel has grown, I love the rest of the cast, and the new characters are very strong. There is a more serious tone than you might expect from a Christmas mystery, but the contrast works well in this case.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/12/book-review-ghost-of-christmas-past-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Gail (4 KP) rated This is Me. in Books
Jun 4, 2018
The story is centered on Chloe and Rogan. A human girl and her assist. The gray area between appropriate and inappropriate. C.E. Wilson toed that line and said forget your right this is my world and love is love. This is Me was a great read. I enjoyed the way the author weaved in and out of the two relationships.
Rogan struggled through the whole book trying to understand emotions that were not programmed into his system. Things that only humans should feel. I know he isn’t real but he is HOT. The piercings the tattoos yummy. I wasn’t a big fan of Chloe. She was a little pushover. She let gossip and the voices of others sway her.
C.E. Wilson wrote about discrimination and it’s effects on all people. Just because someone is different from you doesn’t mean they should be treated with less respect. It’s 2016 and people still are discriminated against because of religion, sexual orientation, color and appearance. We are one and we just need to LOVE each other. Thank you C.E. Wilson for writing a story that showed that with love you could do anything. Well with the help of a lot of friends too.
Rogan struggled through the whole book trying to understand emotions that were not programmed into his system. Things that only humans should feel. I know he isn’t real but he is HOT. The piercings the tattoos yummy. I wasn’t a big fan of Chloe. She was a little pushover. She let gossip and the voices of others sway her.
C.E. Wilson wrote about discrimination and it’s effects on all people. Just because someone is different from you doesn’t mean they should be treated with less respect. It’s 2016 and people still are discriminated against because of religion, sexual orientation, color and appearance. We are one and we just need to LOVE each other. Thank you C.E. Wilson for writing a story that showed that with love you could do anything. Well with the help of a lot of friends too.
Kristin (149 KP) rated Flawed Perfection (Eve Sumptor, #2) in Books
Dec 7, 2018
Disclaimer: I received an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
We continue where we left off with Eve, Adam, and Lainey. This one is written more from Eve's perspective, which I greatly enjoyed, and we get to keep reading about Eve's new marriage to Adam and their sweet baby girl, Bella. Unfortunately, they don't stay happy-go-lucky for very long, as once again there's trouble afoot for Eve. It starts when some of her newly-acquired paintings go missing, and the ones that do make it to the gallery are forgeries! While trying to figure out this mystery, Eve gets pulled into yet another game of cat and mouse, one that she may not be able to win.
This is a great series, and the relationships are easy to identify with. Eve is in love with Adam, Lainey is in love with Jack, but Eve and Lainey both love each other. Now that it's been two years, we can see how they've changed, but we also get to go along with them as they try to cope with the feelings that still exist between them. How will they handle it while dealing with this new and dangerous conflict? You'll have to read that for yourself.
4 1/2 stars
We continue where we left off with Eve, Adam, and Lainey. This one is written more from Eve's perspective, which I greatly enjoyed, and we get to keep reading about Eve's new marriage to Adam and their sweet baby girl, Bella. Unfortunately, they don't stay happy-go-lucky for very long, as once again there's trouble afoot for Eve. It starts when some of her newly-acquired paintings go missing, and the ones that do make it to the gallery are forgeries! While trying to figure out this mystery, Eve gets pulled into yet another game of cat and mouse, one that she may not be able to win.
This is a great series, and the relationships are easy to identify with. Eve is in love with Adam, Lainey is in love with Jack, but Eve and Lainey both love each other. Now that it's been two years, we can see how they've changed, but we also get to go along with them as they try to cope with the feelings that still exist between them. How will they handle it while dealing with this new and dangerous conflict? You'll have to read that for yourself.
4 1/2 stars
Lizz Cook (11 KP) rated Practical Magic in Books
Jul 3, 2018
Good Witches based book!
I liked the book on a few different levels. Being a writer can be difficult, and she wrote in third person which to me can be very difficult.
The mother is the main character because she overshadowed her daughter's actions (lives). It's about the Owen's family, mainly the sisters who resided in Massachusetts with their aunts. I love the themes of a family bond, they have to learn to appreciate each other and for who they are but also highlights the differences in the sisters. Learning that magic doesn't always fix everything. They use magic sparingly, only when they needed it.
Alice made Fate a real and breathing thing, the secondary theme. If you haven't read the book, prepare yourself to have an open mind because the story is a bit darker than you would expect. It can be entirely entertaining towards the right audience.
The mother is the main character because she overshadowed her daughter's actions (lives). It's about the Owen's family, mainly the sisters who resided in Massachusetts with their aunts. I love the themes of a family bond, they have to learn to appreciate each other and for who they are but also highlights the differences in the sisters. Learning that magic doesn't always fix everything. They use magic sparingly, only when they needed it.
Alice made Fate a real and breathing thing, the secondary theme. If you haven't read the book, prepare yourself to have an open mind because the story is a bit darker than you would expect. It can be entirely entertaining towards the right audience.