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Hazel (1853 KP) rated Spilt Milk in Books
May 30, 2017
Not about milk
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
Spilt Milk is the second historical novel by Amanda Hodgkinson, award-winning British author of 22 Britannia Road. Split into two parts it follows the lives of two sisters over several decades during the first half of the twentieth century. Set in Britain, this is a novel about relationships, family, secrets… and illegitimate pregnancies. Lots of illegitimate pregnancies.
The first part spans from 1913 until 1917 thus covering the First World War period. The second part picks up the storyline in 1939 and continues until the novel’s final pages set in 1965. So yet another world war is included, although it has little impact on the plot. The first chapter is almost like the calm before the storm. Everything appears peaceful and happy until everything spirals out of control. Vivian and Nellie Marsh (aged twenty three and twenty two) have been raised by their older sister Rose in a small farmhouse since the death of their parents when Nellie was a baby. We first meet Nellie rinsing chamber pots outside where she has a feeling that something is going to happen; something good, she hopes. Alas, it turns out it was a bad feeling after all as floodwaters rise and Rose dies. The only apparent good thing is the arrival of a hired farm hand, Joe Ferier. But no, that is also a bad occurrence that leaves one sister pregnant and the other temporarily homeless.
Over the years we see how the sisters deal with the way in which their lives have drastically changed up until Nellie has a child with her husbands brother. Luckily her husband is willing to pass the child off as his own, and so Nellie, unlike the other secret pregnancies in this story, actually gets to keep her love child.
At the start of part two, Nellie’s daughter Bertha (commonly known as Birdie) is eighteen years old and finds herself – can you guess? – pregnant after a one night stand. So that it can remain secret she goes to live with her Aunt Vivian until the baby is born and adopted. Vivian ends up housing many girls including a couple of minor characters who have got themselves in a similar way. I did say there were a lot of illegitimate pregnancies! It also comes to light that supposedly innocent, spinster Rose had not one but two babies during her teenage years.
The remainder of the novel shows us how the girls: Nellie, Vivian and Birdie; get on with their lives under the burden of their personal secrets and emotions. It is Birdie who struggles the most with the knowledge that her daughter is growing up without her but to talk to anyone about it would have deep consequences.
The size of the time period means that the reader can become attached to certain key characters and feel their pain as they struggle with their emotional afflictions, however each scene passes quickly as time goes on which means we do not really get to appreciate the minor characters.
Overall it is a good, reasonably quick read which many women would enjoy, particularly those who appreciate historical fiction and may have sisters of their own and therefore understand what the power of keeping secrets can result in.
Spilt Milk is the second historical novel by Amanda Hodgkinson, award-winning British author of 22 Britannia Road. Split into two parts it follows the lives of two sisters over several decades during the first half of the twentieth century. Set in Britain, this is a novel about relationships, family, secrets… and illegitimate pregnancies. Lots of illegitimate pregnancies.
The first part spans from 1913 until 1917 thus covering the First World War period. The second part picks up the storyline in 1939 and continues until the novel’s final pages set in 1965. So yet another world war is included, although it has little impact on the plot. The first chapter is almost like the calm before the storm. Everything appears peaceful and happy until everything spirals out of control. Vivian and Nellie Marsh (aged twenty three and twenty two) have been raised by their older sister Rose in a small farmhouse since the death of their parents when Nellie was a baby. We first meet Nellie rinsing chamber pots outside where she has a feeling that something is going to happen; something good, she hopes. Alas, it turns out it was a bad feeling after all as floodwaters rise and Rose dies. The only apparent good thing is the arrival of a hired farm hand, Joe Ferier. But no, that is also a bad occurrence that leaves one sister pregnant and the other temporarily homeless.
Over the years we see how the sisters deal with the way in which their lives have drastically changed up until Nellie has a child with her husbands brother. Luckily her husband is willing to pass the child off as his own, and so Nellie, unlike the other secret pregnancies in this story, actually gets to keep her love child.
At the start of part two, Nellie’s daughter Bertha (commonly known as Birdie) is eighteen years old and finds herself – can you guess? – pregnant after a one night stand. So that it can remain secret she goes to live with her Aunt Vivian until the baby is born and adopted. Vivian ends up housing many girls including a couple of minor characters who have got themselves in a similar way. I did say there were a lot of illegitimate pregnancies! It also comes to light that supposedly innocent, spinster Rose had not one but two babies during her teenage years.
The remainder of the novel shows us how the girls: Nellie, Vivian and Birdie; get on with their lives under the burden of their personal secrets and emotions. It is Birdie who struggles the most with the knowledge that her daughter is growing up without her but to talk to anyone about it would have deep consequences.
The size of the time period means that the reader can become attached to certain key characters and feel their pain as they struggle with their emotional afflictions, however each scene passes quickly as time goes on which means we do not really get to appreciate the minor characters.
Overall it is a good, reasonably quick read which many women would enjoy, particularly those who appreciate historical fiction and may have sisters of their own and therefore understand what the power of keeping secrets can result in.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated You Think It, I'll Say It in Books
Apr 19, 2018
Great, satisfying set of stories
This short story collection features ten short stories from author Sittenfeld, featuring a cast of diverse, real characters. Told from a variety of point of views--a bored housewife, a wealthy bachelor, a new mom, and more--they offer pointed and humorous insight into current society.
I typically am not a huge fan of short stories because they don't give me enough information about the characters, and I'm a very character-driven person. But when I saw that Curtis Sittenfeld had a short story collection coming out, I knew I wouldn't be able to resist. She gets a lot of press for Prep, but I feel like American Wife and Eligible are both still so fully ingrained in my brain. I loved them both so much, and they are go-to recommendations when I get the standard, "oh you like to read, what should I read?" question.
But, I digress. Sittenfeld. Short stories. I shouldn't have been surprised, honestly, that her collection would be above the typical fare. I probably enjoyed this set of short stories more than any other I've read in ages. It's so well-written and engaging. As with Sittenfeld's other work, the stories are so wonderfully descriptive, so you can immediately picture the characters and their situations. I felt like I was quickly transported to the setting of each story as soon as it began.
The stories are similar but not repetitive, which was also refreshing, and seem to be real, instead of striving to reach some sort of literary bar that makes them tedious and therefore unreadable. They are about real, relatable characters struggling with misinformed impressions, lingering resentments, and different types of relationships. But - oh hooray - even better, the majority of the stories didn't leave me with that unfinished feeling. They are honestly fascinating, and I enjoyed how they all start (I enjoyed them all the way through too, of course, but it seemed like each had a bit of a common thread in its beginning). I could have read more about each story's characters, sure, but I didn't feel frustrated when they ended, which was so amazing and different for me.
I really liked each and every story. For instance, there's "Vox Clamantis in Deserto" which begins with a woman (girl?) who idolizes a fellow college student from afar in line at the post office. Two of the stories, "Plausible Deniability" and "The Prairie Wife," had actual twists and surprises, which was so much fun. And some of the longing that came across in these characters was very touching and heartfelt. I have a soft spot for slightly nerdy high school/college kids, even once they're all grown up, and for slightly fatigued moms, so these stories were my cup of tea.
Overall, this was a great set of short stories. They are filled with real people set in complicated yet enjoyable and interesting situations. They are easy-to-read and don't leave you wanting for more--except maybe more stories. This only cements my feeling that I'll continue to read (and adore) anything Ms. Sittenfeld writes.
I received a copy of this story collection from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
I typically am not a huge fan of short stories because they don't give me enough information about the characters, and I'm a very character-driven person. But when I saw that Curtis Sittenfeld had a short story collection coming out, I knew I wouldn't be able to resist. She gets a lot of press for Prep, but I feel like American Wife and Eligible are both still so fully ingrained in my brain. I loved them both so much, and they are go-to recommendations when I get the standard, "oh you like to read, what should I read?" question.
But, I digress. Sittenfeld. Short stories. I shouldn't have been surprised, honestly, that her collection would be above the typical fare. I probably enjoyed this set of short stories more than any other I've read in ages. It's so well-written and engaging. As with Sittenfeld's other work, the stories are so wonderfully descriptive, so you can immediately picture the characters and their situations. I felt like I was quickly transported to the setting of each story as soon as it began.
The stories are similar but not repetitive, which was also refreshing, and seem to be real, instead of striving to reach some sort of literary bar that makes them tedious and therefore unreadable. They are about real, relatable characters struggling with misinformed impressions, lingering resentments, and different types of relationships. But - oh hooray - even better, the majority of the stories didn't leave me with that unfinished feeling. They are honestly fascinating, and I enjoyed how they all start (I enjoyed them all the way through too, of course, but it seemed like each had a bit of a common thread in its beginning). I could have read more about each story's characters, sure, but I didn't feel frustrated when they ended, which was so amazing and different for me.
I really liked each and every story. For instance, there's "Vox Clamantis in Deserto" which begins with a woman (girl?) who idolizes a fellow college student from afar in line at the post office. Two of the stories, "Plausible Deniability" and "The Prairie Wife," had actual twists and surprises, which was so much fun. And some of the longing that came across in these characters was very touching and heartfelt. I have a soft spot for slightly nerdy high school/college kids, even once they're all grown up, and for slightly fatigued moms, so these stories were my cup of tea.
Overall, this was a great set of short stories. They are filled with real people set in complicated yet enjoyable and interesting situations. They are easy-to-read and don't leave you wanting for more--except maybe more stories. This only cements my feeling that I'll continue to read (and adore) anything Ms. Sittenfeld writes.
I received a copy of this story collection from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Into the Night in Books
Mar 6, 2019
Intriguing and refreshing mystery
Detective Sergeant Gemma Woodstock is working in Melbourne now, trying to negotiate relationships with her new boss, Chief Inspector Toby Isaacs, and her partner, Detective Sergeant Fleet. She has been in Melbourne for three months; this has meant leaving behind her five-year-old son, Ben, and his father, Scott. She's keeping busy with a series of cases, including that of a homeless man, Walter Miller, who was brutally killed and one with the famous actor, Sterling Wade, who was stabbed while filming a high-profile zombie film. Alone and away from her son, Gemma throws herself into her work, but will these difficult cases prove too much for her and her emotional well-being?
"I was high-functioning but deeply broken and eventually something had to give. When the opportunity to transfer to Melbourne arose, I needed to take it. Living in Smithson was slowly killing me."
This novel picks up a few years after the first Gemma book. Gemma has been haunted by the Rosalind Rose case featured in Bailey's superb first novel, The Dark Lake, as well as her affair with her former partner, Felix. We find her lost and floundering. This serves a dual-purpose for us, the reader. We get to read a novel with a complicated, realistic character in Gemma. She's true to herself. On the other hand, she's not always the easiest to like or even empathize with. This is a woman who has left her child behind, after all. I have to congratulate Bailey on having Gemma not make the easy/safe choices in life, or the ones you typically see in detective novels. Not only do we get a strong yet vulnerable female character, we get one who is flawed, real, and struggling to find her way in the world. I certainly didn't always agree with her choices, but I do enjoy reading about them.
Even better, Gemma features in an excellent complicated and captivating mystery, with several cases that keep you guessing. The prominent one is the Sterling Wade case. Bailey brings in various Hollywood elements, and there are a lot of characters to suspect and pieces to put together. I quite liked not knowing who had killed Sterling. Even the detectives were flummoxed at times: how refreshing. Throughout all her cases, Gemma is working out where she fits in her new department and how she relates to her new partner, Fleet. There's a lot going on, but Bailey handles it all quite deftly. The excellent writing I enjoyed so much in her first novel is on display again here; you'll be impressed at the way she can pull together her story and bring out her characters.
"'Or maybe this case is just fucking with my mind,' I say, 'and making me think that Agatha Christie plots are coming to life.'"
Overall, I found this book intriguing and refreshing. Gemma is a complicated and complex character who is matched by the intricate cases she attempts to solve. Those who enjoy a character-driven mystery will be drawn to Gemma's prickly exterior, while those who simply enjoy a hard-to-solve case will find plenty to like here as well. Sarah Bailey is certainly a go-to author for me.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).
"I was high-functioning but deeply broken and eventually something had to give. When the opportunity to transfer to Melbourne arose, I needed to take it. Living in Smithson was slowly killing me."
This novel picks up a few years after the first Gemma book. Gemma has been haunted by the Rosalind Rose case featured in Bailey's superb first novel, The Dark Lake, as well as her affair with her former partner, Felix. We find her lost and floundering. This serves a dual-purpose for us, the reader. We get to read a novel with a complicated, realistic character in Gemma. She's true to herself. On the other hand, she's not always the easiest to like or even empathize with. This is a woman who has left her child behind, after all. I have to congratulate Bailey on having Gemma not make the easy/safe choices in life, or the ones you typically see in detective novels. Not only do we get a strong yet vulnerable female character, we get one who is flawed, real, and struggling to find her way in the world. I certainly didn't always agree with her choices, but I do enjoy reading about them.
Even better, Gemma features in an excellent complicated and captivating mystery, with several cases that keep you guessing. The prominent one is the Sterling Wade case. Bailey brings in various Hollywood elements, and there are a lot of characters to suspect and pieces to put together. I quite liked not knowing who had killed Sterling. Even the detectives were flummoxed at times: how refreshing. Throughout all her cases, Gemma is working out where she fits in her new department and how she relates to her new partner, Fleet. There's a lot going on, but Bailey handles it all quite deftly. The excellent writing I enjoyed so much in her first novel is on display again here; you'll be impressed at the way she can pull together her story and bring out her characters.
"'Or maybe this case is just fucking with my mind,' I say, 'and making me think that Agatha Christie plots are coming to life.'"
Overall, I found this book intriguing and refreshing. Gemma is a complicated and complex character who is matched by the intricate cases she attempts to solve. Those who enjoy a character-driven mystery will be drawn to Gemma's prickly exterior, while those who simply enjoy a hard-to-solve case will find plenty to like here as well. Sarah Bailey is certainly a go-to author for me.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).
Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated Tear Me Apart in Books
Jun 5, 2019
Tear Me Apart by J.T. Ellison is a “why done it,” instead of a “who done it.” She explores how one lie can build upon another as the resulting betrayal rips two families apart.
Originally known for her two series she has now switched to writing stand-alones. One series main character is Lt. Taylor Jackson a Nashville homicide detective who hunts down serial killers. The other series featured Dr. Samantha Owen, a medical examiner who came into prominence as the conscience of the Taylor Jackson series, and eventually morphed into her own series. Ellison noted, “Currently I will continue writing the stand-alones because the publisher loves them and they are doing better. With that said, I have already started the Samantha book and will eventually get to it. But for now, I will continue to write these psychological thrillers.”
While writing the series books, Ellison actually had an idea for this plot, back in 2011. “I had a guy at the funeral of his wife and baby. He dreamed of this little girl who became a professional ice skater. I then added layers including to have a story about committing suicide. I also had the letters originally as AOL chats, but after my mom read it, I changed the correspondence to letters. She did not know what an AOL chat was and I realized I would have a bunch of readers, both young and older, who would not know. Another change I made was to have Mindy as a professional skier, not skater. I based her on Lindsey Vonn, someone who had made multiple comebacks from injuries. I think of her as an incredible hero.”
This story begins with an Olympic downhill skier, Mindy Wright, crashing and severely breaking her leg. During the surgery, it’s discovered she has leukemia and will eventually need a stem cell transplant. In need of a bone marrow transplant both her parents are tested, where it is discovered that they are not a genetic match to Mindy. Questions arise as to what happened: was she switched at birth, or was there something more sinister, such as a baby farm? Her mother Lauren is hiding secrets, while her aunt Juliet is determined to find answers and a match to save Mindy’s life. As the story unravels so does Lauren’s life and mental state. She will go to almost any length to prevent people from knowing the truth about what happened.
Mindy is strong, determined, driven, and unemotional. “I wanted to write her as someone who takes control of every aspect of her life and mind. She is the 1% of the 1% of the 1%. She will do anything to achieve her goal, training very hard.”
Her mother Lauren is someone who created a life for herself. Once she became a mother she made a loving life for her daughter Mindy. She is the direct opposite of her sister, Juliet. While growing up, Lauren was her mother’s favorite, Juliet was the outsider. These siblings are eleven years apart, but were thick as thieves. Although both are devastated by the diagnosis, Ellison explores how a parent would react in that situation, seeing a child suffer and unable to fix it. “I wanted to write the essence of what a parent does, trying to make everything better.”
The plot examines the relationships between mothers and daughters as well as sisters. It sheds light on mental health problems and the terrible consequences that result when the emotional balance is neglected.
Originally known for her two series she has now switched to writing stand-alones. One series main character is Lt. Taylor Jackson a Nashville homicide detective who hunts down serial killers. The other series featured Dr. Samantha Owen, a medical examiner who came into prominence as the conscience of the Taylor Jackson series, and eventually morphed into her own series. Ellison noted, “Currently I will continue writing the stand-alones because the publisher loves them and they are doing better. With that said, I have already started the Samantha book and will eventually get to it. But for now, I will continue to write these psychological thrillers.”
While writing the series books, Ellison actually had an idea for this plot, back in 2011. “I had a guy at the funeral of his wife and baby. He dreamed of this little girl who became a professional ice skater. I then added layers including to have a story about committing suicide. I also had the letters originally as AOL chats, but after my mom read it, I changed the correspondence to letters. She did not know what an AOL chat was and I realized I would have a bunch of readers, both young and older, who would not know. Another change I made was to have Mindy as a professional skier, not skater. I based her on Lindsey Vonn, someone who had made multiple comebacks from injuries. I think of her as an incredible hero.”
This story begins with an Olympic downhill skier, Mindy Wright, crashing and severely breaking her leg. During the surgery, it’s discovered she has leukemia and will eventually need a stem cell transplant. In need of a bone marrow transplant both her parents are tested, where it is discovered that they are not a genetic match to Mindy. Questions arise as to what happened: was she switched at birth, or was there something more sinister, such as a baby farm? Her mother Lauren is hiding secrets, while her aunt Juliet is determined to find answers and a match to save Mindy’s life. As the story unravels so does Lauren’s life and mental state. She will go to almost any length to prevent people from knowing the truth about what happened.
Mindy is strong, determined, driven, and unemotional. “I wanted to write her as someone who takes control of every aspect of her life and mind. She is the 1% of the 1% of the 1%. She will do anything to achieve her goal, training very hard.”
Her mother Lauren is someone who created a life for herself. Once she became a mother she made a loving life for her daughter Mindy. She is the direct opposite of her sister, Juliet. While growing up, Lauren was her mother’s favorite, Juliet was the outsider. These siblings are eleven years apart, but were thick as thieves. Although both are devastated by the diagnosis, Ellison explores how a parent would react in that situation, seeing a child suffer and unable to fix it. “I wanted to write the essence of what a parent does, trying to make everything better.”
The plot examines the relationships between mothers and daughters as well as sisters. It sheds light on mental health problems and the terrible consequences that result when the emotional balance is neglected.
Re-Read Update:
I am in love with this series, all over again. I have been wanting to re-read this series for a while and my recent-ish read of Wires and Nerve reignited my love of this series. It had been a while since I was in the world and I had forgotten how much I loved these books.
I love fairytales and Marissa Meyer’s retellings of the classic tales we’ve all grown up with are fantastic. She turns the mousey girl from the original fairytale into a relatable character that we fall in love with. Cinderella is not one of my favourite fairytales because I prefer my heroines to have a little more spunk and backbone, but Cinder is just perfect.
Kai is one of those characters that is just so good. He is incredibly kind to Cinder, even when he believes that she is just a mechanic with a grease mark on her forehead, despite his station in life generally lending itself to an air of superiority. Prince Kai only wants what is best for his people and the Commonwealth, willing to sacrifice himself for their well-being if need be. He is definitely one of my favourite male characters, although if I’m being honest I probably have a lot of those.
Most importantly, we meet Iko the droid with the faulty personality chip that we couldn’t fall in love with more. Her loyalty and pure desire to just be a person are heartwarming. (And also sad, because she is a droid and not treated like a person by anyone but Cinder.)
We don’t see much of the world that Cinder lives in beyond New Beijing aside from small, throwaway comments. The world building that is done though is vivid and allows the reader to see the city grow in their mind. As this is a re-read, I am also aware that the world building is expanded extensively over the course of the novels and can understand the more rudimentary foundation being laid here.
I appreciated the effortless melding of elements from the classic fairytale into this unique science fiction world. It is wonderfully done and the story is well written. I would highly recommend this series to young adult/teen readers who enjoy fairytale retellings, science fiction, and intricate, interconnected stories.
_
This is one of the books that I saw on display at my local library and completely judged the book by its cover. I didn't know what it was about, but it looked interesting and I put it on my mental TBR list. Many years later, I have finally gotten a chance to read it (and the rest of the series.) This book was completely worth the wait. As a fan of fairytale retellings, like Beastly by Alex Flinn, I had high hopes for this book. It gave the reader wonderful little homages to the classic fairytale while weaving the story through a world and characters all its own.
The world building in this novel, while not expansive was wonderfully done. As a reader, I could imagine Cinder meandering down the dingy, packed streets of New Beijing while Kai fretted over his father in the ornate, sprawling palace. There were a number of important characters and none of them were overlooked. You were able to learn about their personalities, histories, or relationships in a way that gave each depth.
Recommended for anyone who liked YA, romance, fairytales, sci-fi, or good books.
I am in love with this series, all over again. I have been wanting to re-read this series for a while and my recent-ish read of Wires and Nerve reignited my love of this series. It had been a while since I was in the world and I had forgotten how much I loved these books.
I love fairytales and Marissa Meyer’s retellings of the classic tales we’ve all grown up with are fantastic. She turns the mousey girl from the original fairytale into a relatable character that we fall in love with. Cinderella is not one of my favourite fairytales because I prefer my heroines to have a little more spunk and backbone, but Cinder is just perfect.
Kai is one of those characters that is just so good. He is incredibly kind to Cinder, even when he believes that she is just a mechanic with a grease mark on her forehead, despite his station in life generally lending itself to an air of superiority. Prince Kai only wants what is best for his people and the Commonwealth, willing to sacrifice himself for their well-being if need be. He is definitely one of my favourite male characters, although if I’m being honest I probably have a lot of those.
Most importantly, we meet Iko the droid with the faulty personality chip that we couldn’t fall in love with more. Her loyalty and pure desire to just be a person are heartwarming. (And also sad, because she is a droid and not treated like a person by anyone but Cinder.)
We don’t see much of the world that Cinder lives in beyond New Beijing aside from small, throwaway comments. The world building that is done though is vivid and allows the reader to see the city grow in their mind. As this is a re-read, I am also aware that the world building is expanded extensively over the course of the novels and can understand the more rudimentary foundation being laid here.
I appreciated the effortless melding of elements from the classic fairytale into this unique science fiction world. It is wonderfully done and the story is well written. I would highly recommend this series to young adult/teen readers who enjoy fairytale retellings, science fiction, and intricate, interconnected stories.
_
This is one of the books that I saw on display at my local library and completely judged the book by its cover. I didn't know what it was about, but it looked interesting and I put it on my mental TBR list. Many years later, I have finally gotten a chance to read it (and the rest of the series.) This book was completely worth the wait. As a fan of fairytale retellings, like Beastly by Alex Flinn, I had high hopes for this book. It gave the reader wonderful little homages to the classic fairytale while weaving the story through a world and characters all its own.
The world building in this novel, while not expansive was wonderfully done. As a reader, I could imagine Cinder meandering down the dingy, packed streets of New Beijing while Kai fretted over his father in the ornate, sprawling palace. There were a number of important characters and none of them were overlooked. You were able to learn about their personalities, histories, or relationships in a way that gave each depth.
Recommended for anyone who liked YA, romance, fairytales, sci-fi, or good books.
Kyera (8 KP) rated The Progeny (Descendants of the House of Bathory #1) in Books
Feb 1, 2018
What do you do when an ancestor's actions threaten your very existence? You disappear. Emily, or at least that's what her name is now, must begin a quiet, hidden, new life in Maine. It's one of those small towns with a couple of hundred residents, some shops/eating establishments, an unexplained interest to tourists and not much else. The sign must say Greenville, population: a handful of moose.
The beginning just reminds me of home, with the gorgeous trees, lake, the phrase "wicked cool" and Emily's Red Sox cap. The action quickly takes over the plot, as Emily must flee Maine with a man she doesn't know if she can trust.... from a guy who had been following her for years with one goal - to kill her. With her memories gone Emily, or Audra as she finds out, doesn't know who she can trust. Is Luka the one who wants her dead? Or did Rolan lie and he's the real threat?
The unique plot is intriguing and the mystery won't let you put the book down. Danger lurks around every corner and Audra must rediscover what she forced herself to forget, at all costs.
The characters are intriguing and develop over the course of the novel. The Progeny are secretive and with good reason, any knowledge they have of their brethren can be taken upon their deaths. Their minds put countless others at risk unless they keep themselves isolated. While her comrades are decently well described, they don't quite feel like fully realized people. We need to now more of their dreams and fears, history, relationships and motivation.
The "big-bads" are sort of a generic evil villain type that I wished was developed more. What turned him into a zealot? What <i>is</i> his history with Audra's mother? How did he rise in the Court? I know Audra lost her memories, so we're in the dark like her but it just makes the novel feel less realized than it could.
The one relationship that feels authentic is between Audra and Luka. Even though she's not initially sure she can trust him and questions herlself throughout the novel - she still can't imagine going through everything without him/ I'm glad to learn that it isn't one long-running deception. The end of the novel is still completely unexpected in regards to the two of them.
Claudia and Piotrek are so close but he feels like such a mystery. We get to experience some of Claudia's emotions, like her confusion and hurt at being left or her anger about Ivan's death. Piotrek just seems flat in comparison. He's very protective of Claudia and painted a picture once. For all we know, he could have been an artist and it was just one of his many works. Its just as likely that it was the one and only time he attempted to be creative. I wish Piotrek was more develop as I"m very interested to learn more about him.
Audra travels to a number of foreign locations and they are described well enough that you can imagine them beautifully. They may not be the most glamorous villas or rich cities but you want to learn more about them nonetheless.
The book ends with a lot of revelations and so many more questions. Traitors are unmasked. Confessed or accused killers may not have been the murderers after all. Lovers are in peril. And time is running out. I know I can't wait to read the next book and find out what happens.
The beginning just reminds me of home, with the gorgeous trees, lake, the phrase "wicked cool" and Emily's Red Sox cap. The action quickly takes over the plot, as Emily must flee Maine with a man she doesn't know if she can trust.... from a guy who had been following her for years with one goal - to kill her. With her memories gone Emily, or Audra as she finds out, doesn't know who she can trust. Is Luka the one who wants her dead? Or did Rolan lie and he's the real threat?
The unique plot is intriguing and the mystery won't let you put the book down. Danger lurks around every corner and Audra must rediscover what she forced herself to forget, at all costs.
The characters are intriguing and develop over the course of the novel. The Progeny are secretive and with good reason, any knowledge they have of their brethren can be taken upon their deaths. Their minds put countless others at risk unless they keep themselves isolated. While her comrades are decently well described, they don't quite feel like fully realized people. We need to now more of their dreams and fears, history, relationships and motivation.
The "big-bads" are sort of a generic evil villain type that I wished was developed more. What turned him into a zealot? What <i>is</i> his history with Audra's mother? How did he rise in the Court? I know Audra lost her memories, so we're in the dark like her but it just makes the novel feel less realized than it could.
The one relationship that feels authentic is between Audra and Luka. Even though she's not initially sure she can trust him and questions herlself throughout the novel - she still can't imagine going through everything without him/ I'm glad to learn that it isn't one long-running deception. The end of the novel is still completely unexpected in regards to the two of them.
Claudia and Piotrek are so close but he feels like such a mystery. We get to experience some of Claudia's emotions, like her confusion and hurt at being left or her anger about Ivan's death. Piotrek just seems flat in comparison. He's very protective of Claudia and painted a picture once. For all we know, he could have been an artist and it was just one of his many works. Its just as likely that it was the one and only time he attempted to be creative. I wish Piotrek was more develop as I"m very interested to learn more about him.
Audra travels to a number of foreign locations and they are described well enough that you can imagine them beautifully. They may not be the most glamorous villas or rich cities but you want to learn more about them nonetheless.
The book ends with a lot of revelations and so many more questions. Traitors are unmasked. Confessed or accused killers may not have been the murderers after all. Lovers are in peril. And time is running out. I know I can't wait to read the next book and find out what happens.
Becca Major (96 KP) rated The Irregular at Magic High School: Vol. 1: Enrollment Arc, Part 1 in Books
Feb 5, 2018
Interesting premise (3 more)
Tatsuya
Mystery surrounding the Shiba siblings
Most of the side-characters
Information dumps (3 more)
General editing mistakes
Miyuki
Lack of male characters (that aren’t antagonists)
The Setup
The Irregular at Magic High School
Book by Tsutomu Sato
Review by Rip Major
The Irregular at Magic High School is about siblings Tatsuya and Miyuki and their experiences at First High. The school is split into two main groups, the Blooms, who are gifted with the ability to use and control magic, and Weeds, who can use magic, but aren’t as strong with it as the Blooms are. Miyuki, who is a prodigy with magic and has the brains to back it up, is placed with the Blooms. Tatsuya, on the other hand, is not as gifted with magic, so he is placed with the Weeds.
The plot is pretty anime-standard. Boy and girl go to a new school and participate in shenanigans. The majority of the book follows the day to day misadventures of Tatsuya and Miyuki as they deal with the fact that, while they are extremely close, they are essentially in different hierarchical classes. This culminates in Miyuki joining the Student Council and Tatsuya joining the Disciplinary Committee, even though both are reluctant about the whole thing.
Tatsuya is a very interesting character because he is constantly annoyed by his classmates and their shenanigans, most of which he gets drawn into. He seems like the type of character that would prefer to be in the background and be left to his own devices, but his status as main character simply won’t let him. It is actually quite amusing to read his inner monologue while things happen to and around him. He is actually quite smart, being able to work on CADs (the in-universe way to cast magic) with exceptional skill and speed. He is also a skilled martial artist, apparently knowing ninjutsu, or something similar. Additionally, he also has a very mechanical way of thinking, which includes shutting down parts of himself that would ordinarily be considered normal. For instance, there is a scene where he realizes his older classmate is arousing him, and he shuts it down. Basically, in a book where the POV changes often and usually without meaning, Tatsuya is a very interesting character to be in the head of.
Unfortunately, Miyuki isn’t nearly as interesting as her brother. She is beautiful, smart, and gifted; all of which makes her a little too perfect for me to really connect with. Her major flaw is that she has an unusual and uncomfortable obsession with her brother. Also, she just feels a lot flatter than most of the side characters. And I officially have nothing else to say about her.
In all honesty, most of what I found interesting about this book was certain aspects of Sato’s world-building, specifically the pseudo-science/magic marriage and how it is explained. I also like how mysterious the history of the siblings is. Very little about their relationships with their parents is revealed, or why they are living alone in their apartment. In fact, other than the basic setup of the plot and characteristics of the two, not much else is explored in this book. I am curious to see if the next book will reveal more.
Book by Tsutomu Sato
Review by Rip Major
The Irregular at Magic High School is about siblings Tatsuya and Miyuki and their experiences at First High. The school is split into two main groups, the Blooms, who are gifted with the ability to use and control magic, and Weeds, who can use magic, but aren’t as strong with it as the Blooms are. Miyuki, who is a prodigy with magic and has the brains to back it up, is placed with the Blooms. Tatsuya, on the other hand, is not as gifted with magic, so he is placed with the Weeds.
The plot is pretty anime-standard. Boy and girl go to a new school and participate in shenanigans. The majority of the book follows the day to day misadventures of Tatsuya and Miyuki as they deal with the fact that, while they are extremely close, they are essentially in different hierarchical classes. This culminates in Miyuki joining the Student Council and Tatsuya joining the Disciplinary Committee, even though both are reluctant about the whole thing.
Tatsuya is a very interesting character because he is constantly annoyed by his classmates and their shenanigans, most of which he gets drawn into. He seems like the type of character that would prefer to be in the background and be left to his own devices, but his status as main character simply won’t let him. It is actually quite amusing to read his inner monologue while things happen to and around him. He is actually quite smart, being able to work on CADs (the in-universe way to cast magic) with exceptional skill and speed. He is also a skilled martial artist, apparently knowing ninjutsu, or something similar. Additionally, he also has a very mechanical way of thinking, which includes shutting down parts of himself that would ordinarily be considered normal. For instance, there is a scene where he realizes his older classmate is arousing him, and he shuts it down. Basically, in a book where the POV changes often and usually without meaning, Tatsuya is a very interesting character to be in the head of.
Unfortunately, Miyuki isn’t nearly as interesting as her brother. She is beautiful, smart, and gifted; all of which makes her a little too perfect for me to really connect with. Her major flaw is that she has an unusual and uncomfortable obsession with her brother. Also, she just feels a lot flatter than most of the side characters. And I officially have nothing else to say about her.
In all honesty, most of what I found interesting about this book was certain aspects of Sato’s world-building, specifically the pseudo-science/magic marriage and how it is explained. I also like how mysterious the history of the siblings is. Very little about their relationships with their parents is revealed, or why they are living alone in their apartment. In fact, other than the basic setup of the plot and characteristics of the two, not much else is explored in this book. I am curious to see if the next book will reveal more.
Kyera (8 KP) rated Of Fire and Stars (Of Fire and Stars #1) in Books
Feb 1, 2018
Of Fire and Stars is a tale of magic, romance, and treachery. The story is told through alternating points of view, Mare is the princess of Mynaria and sister to Thandi the future King while Denna is a princess of Havemont and future wife of Thandi. Although Mare is royalty, she does not enjoy her crown choosing to spend her time in the stables and wishing she could live her own life. Denna has been trained and taught her entire life to be worthy of the arranged marriage that is her future. That is what is expected of her and all she knows.
Forced to adjust to a life at court, Denna finds herself in riding lessons with Mare in preparation for her wedding. Having never ridden a horse before she is concerned but puts her all into learning, which impresses the recalcitrant Mare. Their interactions and friendship grow over the course of the novel in a believable way, from the initial opinions of dislike to a true, bonded friendship. Although Denna is betrothed, her feelings only grow for Mare until her every thought is of the princess rather than the prince. Mare dismays each time she thinks about her brother marrying Denna, as he doesn't realize her best qualities. Each fears that her feelings are not reciprocated and keep everything bottled up. Whether their tale has a happy ending or not, you won't know unless you read the book. I really enjoyed the relationships and interactions in this book, particularly a romance that is more diverse than we normally get to see.
The world-building could have been better in this novel, but it is not non-existent. There are a variety of different lands and people mentioned, unfortunately, we only receive the barest of information. Even though one of our main characters is from another land, we learn about little more than their harsh winters. The magic system and other lands like Zumorda were so fascinating, but not explored. While some of this can be explained by the fact that our characters also seem to be ill-informed about their neighbors, we don't receive much more information about Mynaria and that's where this book takes place.
I found the main characters to be relatable but didn't connect deeply with some of the secondary ones. That was disappointing because it meant when there was an emotional scene or death, as a reader you weren't torn apart by it. To be honest, I didn't have opinions or feelings about it at all and I wish that were not the case. I love when books sweep you up, heart and soul, making you a part of the story and tearing out your emotions with every line.
Magic is feared and punished in Mynaria, so we sadly don't get to experience much of it. When we see experienced practitioners perform, it is fascinating and varied. Someone with an air affinity might be able to create a breeze but they also may be able to transform into a bird. I wish this magic system was more developed and/or explained more because I just want to know more.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to young adult/teen readers who enjoy magic, fantasy, romance, or more diverse books.
Forced to adjust to a life at court, Denna finds herself in riding lessons with Mare in preparation for her wedding. Having never ridden a horse before she is concerned but puts her all into learning, which impresses the recalcitrant Mare. Their interactions and friendship grow over the course of the novel in a believable way, from the initial opinions of dislike to a true, bonded friendship. Although Denna is betrothed, her feelings only grow for Mare until her every thought is of the princess rather than the prince. Mare dismays each time she thinks about her brother marrying Denna, as he doesn't realize her best qualities. Each fears that her feelings are not reciprocated and keep everything bottled up. Whether their tale has a happy ending or not, you won't know unless you read the book. I really enjoyed the relationships and interactions in this book, particularly a romance that is more diverse than we normally get to see.
The world-building could have been better in this novel, but it is not non-existent. There are a variety of different lands and people mentioned, unfortunately, we only receive the barest of information. Even though one of our main characters is from another land, we learn about little more than their harsh winters. The magic system and other lands like Zumorda were so fascinating, but not explored. While some of this can be explained by the fact that our characters also seem to be ill-informed about their neighbors, we don't receive much more information about Mynaria and that's where this book takes place.
I found the main characters to be relatable but didn't connect deeply with some of the secondary ones. That was disappointing because it meant when there was an emotional scene or death, as a reader you weren't torn apart by it. To be honest, I didn't have opinions or feelings about it at all and I wish that were not the case. I love when books sweep you up, heart and soul, making you a part of the story and tearing out your emotions with every line.
Magic is feared and punished in Mynaria, so we sadly don't get to experience much of it. When we see experienced practitioners perform, it is fascinating and varied. Someone with an air affinity might be able to create a breeze but they also may be able to transform into a bird. I wish this magic system was more developed and/or explained more because I just want to know more.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to young adult/teen readers who enjoy magic, fantasy, romance, or more diverse books.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Thaw (Seasons of Love, #2) in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Abby is an introverted librarian happily living a regular life in Brooklyn. But things change when she attends a charity gala with a friend and meets Gabrielle, a famous actress and model. The two connect on the dance floor, and Abby is immediately taken by this lovely woman known in modeling circles as the Ice Queen. And while she can see how Gabrielle has earned this nickname, she also senses a softer side to her. Gabrielle asks Abby on a date, and the two begin to get to know each other, discovering they have a lot of similar interests. But even though Gabrielle seems to let her guard down around Abby, she also has problems opening up about her past. Meanwhile, while Abby finds Gabrielle fascinating, she's worried what will happen to their relationship when she admits she's asexual. She's also dealing with issues in her own personal life related to her library position. Can these two women overcome a variety of obstacles to find love?
This novel definitely follows the trope of a regular gal falling for the rich, remote, often angry lesbian: you have to surrender yourself to that and you'll enjoy the book more (much like watching a romantic comedy). There is a little too much focus at times on the fact that Gabrielle runs hot and cold, and her personal dynamics can be slightly weird at points. Still, even while occasionally annoyed, I found myself intrigued and interested at her reticence and wondering at its cause.
However, the real star of this show isn't Gabrielle, but Abby. Abby is just a real sweetheart. She's truly the force of the book. I personally identified with her and adored her love of books, avoidance of makeup, and general introverted self. She was a well-written character, and I found myself wanting to protect her. The fact she's asexual is interesting, and it really cast a light on a sexual orientation that I knew very little about. It was a good learning experience, honestly.
Much like said romantic comedies I mentioned earlier, a lot of this plot is predictable, but the book was written well-enough that I didn't mind: it's what I had signed up for, after all, and I was happy to be along for the ride. I still was really excited for the outcome and read the entire thing in about 24 hours. Besides, the novel has a hidden depth to it, giving us an interesting commentary on society's expectations about sex and relationships. Plus, Springer inserts some hidden inside jokes about books, literary series, and such. A lot of the novel just made me smile, between Abby, the asides, and the overall resolution. It was surprising and for the most part, very enjoyable. Probably a 3.75 stars, but bumped up to 4 stars due to the way it made me feel. I will definitely seek out the other novels in Springer's Season of Love series (this was actually #2, but it seemed to stand-alone just fine).
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!) in return for an unbiased review; it is available everywhere as of 04/24/2017.
<center><a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">Blog</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/mwcmoto">Twitter</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+KristyHamiltonbooks">Google+</a></center>;
This novel definitely follows the trope of a regular gal falling for the rich, remote, often angry lesbian: you have to surrender yourself to that and you'll enjoy the book more (much like watching a romantic comedy). There is a little too much focus at times on the fact that Gabrielle runs hot and cold, and her personal dynamics can be slightly weird at points. Still, even while occasionally annoyed, I found myself intrigued and interested at her reticence and wondering at its cause.
However, the real star of this show isn't Gabrielle, but Abby. Abby is just a real sweetheart. She's truly the force of the book. I personally identified with her and adored her love of books, avoidance of makeup, and general introverted self. She was a well-written character, and I found myself wanting to protect her. The fact she's asexual is interesting, and it really cast a light on a sexual orientation that I knew very little about. It was a good learning experience, honestly.
Much like said romantic comedies I mentioned earlier, a lot of this plot is predictable, but the book was written well-enough that I didn't mind: it's what I had signed up for, after all, and I was happy to be along for the ride. I still was really excited for the outcome and read the entire thing in about 24 hours. Besides, the novel has a hidden depth to it, giving us an interesting commentary on society's expectations about sex and relationships. Plus, Springer inserts some hidden inside jokes about books, literary series, and such. A lot of the novel just made me smile, between Abby, the asides, and the overall resolution. It was surprising and for the most part, very enjoyable. Probably a 3.75 stars, but bumped up to 4 stars due to the way it made me feel. I will definitely seek out the other novels in Springer's Season of Love series (this was actually #2, but it seemed to stand-alone just fine).
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!) in return for an unbiased review; it is available everywhere as of 04/24/2017.
<center><a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">Blog</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/mwcmoto">Twitter</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+KristyHamiltonbooks">Google+</a></center>;
Dana (24 KP) rated Annihilation, Book One in Books
Mar 23, 2018
So this was my first time being introduced to some of these characters, others, such as Drax, Ronan, Thanos and Gamora I was a bit more familiar with, but only their basic story lines from Guardians of the Galaxy.
My dad gave me these three books to borrow and read because I had told him I wanted to read more graphic novels. I quite enjoyed this series! I loved getting to know the lesser known characters, well, lesser known to me.
The overarching plot wasn't clear at the beginning, but I was okay with that. It kept me guessing what the hell was happening, which I am almost always happy with!
In this book, we get three different comics in the bound book.
The first comic we get is with Drax. We get to see part of his origin story, and his new beginning in this universe. He meets a girl, Cassie, who is honestly one of my favorite (if not my top) character in this series. She is so great! As a combination of sass, bravery, kick-ass-ness, and just an all around badass, she is what more girls need to see in what they are reading. This girl is about eleven years old or so and she is strong. She wears beanies and skirts, but has to deal with problems at home and, spoiler alert, being introduced to an alien race and not batting an eyelash! I just loved this girl.
As for the Drax story, it was mainly setting up the issue of the series and giving a background on why it matters. But that is a good thing. Without this introduction, there would have been no reason to care about the story or the characters in it.
Now, onto the next story: following Richard Rider, a member of the Nova Corps! Now, here is another character/set of characters we are briefly introduced to in the Guardians of the Galaxy movie, but I loved getting to know more about it and their role in the universe and a little into their culture and relationships to the rest of the universe. I think Richard is a compelling character and I I enjoyed getting to see him have to deal with adversity from the beginning.
We are also introduced to Super Skrull. I have to be honest, I had no idea who this guy was when I picked up these comics, but I really like this character. His whole culture he comes from is cool to get to explore, but I just loved seeing him do his thing. I am stoked to see what else he has to bring to the table!
Getting the cut ins from the Nova Corps intelligence bank on each of the new characters was both a brilliant way to give new readers like me a brief introduction as to why these characters matter as well as a great way to refresh the memories of those who have known about these characters, but do not necessarily remember their significance to this story. This aspect was expertly done!
Overall, this was a really good beginning to what I think will be a pretty cool set of comics! I can't wait to read the next one!
My dad gave me these three books to borrow and read because I had told him I wanted to read more graphic novels. I quite enjoyed this series! I loved getting to know the lesser known characters, well, lesser known to me.
The overarching plot wasn't clear at the beginning, but I was okay with that. It kept me guessing what the hell was happening, which I am almost always happy with!
In this book, we get three different comics in the bound book.
The first comic we get is with Drax. We get to see part of his origin story, and his new beginning in this universe. He meets a girl, Cassie, who is honestly one of my favorite (if not my top) character in this series. She is so great! As a combination of sass, bravery, kick-ass-ness, and just an all around badass, she is what more girls need to see in what they are reading. This girl is about eleven years old or so and she is strong. She wears beanies and skirts, but has to deal with problems at home and, spoiler alert, being introduced to an alien race and not batting an eyelash! I just loved this girl.
As for the Drax story, it was mainly setting up the issue of the series and giving a background on why it matters. But that is a good thing. Without this introduction, there would have been no reason to care about the story or the characters in it.
Now, onto the next story: following Richard Rider, a member of the Nova Corps! Now, here is another character/set of characters we are briefly introduced to in the Guardians of the Galaxy movie, but I loved getting to know more about it and their role in the universe and a little into their culture and relationships to the rest of the universe. I think Richard is a compelling character and I I enjoyed getting to see him have to deal with adversity from the beginning.
We are also introduced to Super Skrull. I have to be honest, I had no idea who this guy was when I picked up these comics, but I really like this character. His whole culture he comes from is cool to get to explore, but I just loved seeing him do his thing. I am stoked to see what else he has to bring to the table!
Getting the cut ins from the Nova Corps intelligence bank on each of the new characters was both a brilliant way to give new readers like me a brief introduction as to why these characters matter as well as a great way to refresh the memories of those who have known about these characters, but do not necessarily remember their significance to this story. This aspect was expertly done!
Overall, this was a really good beginning to what I think will be a pretty cool set of comics! I can't wait to read the next one!