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Laura Doe (1350 KP) rated Mirrorland in Books
Jul 1, 2021
This book was not at all what I expected, but in the best way.
We start off with Cat flying back from America to Edinburgh after her twin sister El has gone missing. Cat goes back to Edinburgh to find that her twin and her husband, Ross, have moved back into El and Cat’s childhood home. Whilst there, memories of their shared past start to come back to Cat but she spends most of the time trying to work out if they’re real memories or memories of the fantasies that the girls made up and played out. The main part of the girls’ childhood was a place that they called Mirrorland, a hidden tunnel that led to a locked wash house that they used to play in most of their childhood. As more and more memories come back, Cat has to deal with the trauma that occurred during their childhood. At the same time, she also has to deal with her sister missing and presumed dead. Cat is adamant the whole time that El isn’t dead and that she would know if she was as she would “feel” it, being identical twins she could always feel her sister’s pain. Cat also has to deal with her feelings for Ross resurfacing as he was also a large part of their childhood and she has never got over her feelings for him.
There were so many twists and turns in this book, that I had a hard time telling what was real from what was fantasy and it really put me in the mindset of Cat and her struggle to separate the two. I thought for the last part of the book that I had it all figured out, but in the last couple of chapters Carole Johnstone really threw a spanner in the works and changed everything again. Whilst a little confusing at times, it was good because it did make you empathise with Cat and how she was remembering things that had happened in her past.
Thank you to Carole Johnstone and Pigeonhole for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review, I loved it!
We start off with Cat flying back from America to Edinburgh after her twin sister El has gone missing. Cat goes back to Edinburgh to find that her twin and her husband, Ross, have moved back into El and Cat’s childhood home. Whilst there, memories of their shared past start to come back to Cat but she spends most of the time trying to work out if they’re real memories or memories of the fantasies that the girls made up and played out. The main part of the girls’ childhood was a place that they called Mirrorland, a hidden tunnel that led to a locked wash house that they used to play in most of their childhood. As more and more memories come back, Cat has to deal with the trauma that occurred during their childhood. At the same time, she also has to deal with her sister missing and presumed dead. Cat is adamant the whole time that El isn’t dead and that she would know if she was as she would “feel” it, being identical twins she could always feel her sister’s pain. Cat also has to deal with her feelings for Ross resurfacing as he was also a large part of their childhood and she has never got over her feelings for him.
There were so many twists and turns in this book, that I had a hard time telling what was real from what was fantasy and it really put me in the mindset of Cat and her struggle to separate the two. I thought for the last part of the book that I had it all figured out, but in the last couple of chapters Carole Johnstone really threw a spanner in the works and changed everything again. Whilst a little confusing at times, it was good because it did make you empathise with Cat and how she was remembering things that had happened in her past.
Thank you to Carole Johnstone and Pigeonhole for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review, I loved it!
Eleanor Luhar (47 KP) rated I'll Give You the Sun in Books
Jun 24, 2019
Read the original review: https://bookmarkedreading.wordpress.com/2015/10/08/book-review-ill-give-you-the-sun/
(Self-portrait: Book Remakes Girl)
Oh my Clark Gable. I'll Give You the Sun is simply amazing. It's a piece or artwork in itself, a definite new favourite of mine.
Alternating between twins Noah and Jude, I'll Give You the Sun is two alternating stories that twist together in ways so unexpected and so perfect that you'll undoubtedly want to read to the end without putting the book down. The Invisible Museum of Noah, aged 13 to 14, and The History of Luck, 16-year-old's Jude's story, are amazing on their own, but then they start to fit together so tremendously, and every little thing makes so much sense... I can't describe how amazing I found this book.
Jude and Noah were close; Noah was always painting, inside his head and out, and Jude was out being a badass daredevil, and building her flying women in the sand. But a horrific accident involving their mother sends them both tumbling, and the relationship between them is ruined.
But although all hope seems lost, the now-boycotting Jude finds the answer in such an unexpected way and suddenly everything falls back into place.
And Noah, after having his heart ripped out by his own actions, has to decide between telling the truth about his mother or keeping her secrets hidden beneath lies.
I love the style and layout of this book. The cover alone is wonderful, but the pages themselves are all so unique and interesting, I loved it at soon as I turned to the first page. It's not too busy or intricate, just simple little doodles and such giving each page a bit of character. And every cover I've seen is nice and minimalistic too. (If you want to look the book up and see the over editions and covers you can look at it on Goodreads.)
A story of family struggles, individual troubles, love and heartbreak, I'll Give You the Sun is simply beautiful. I'm dying to read it again, even after finishing it just ten minutes ago! A full 5 stars for this gorgeous book.
(Self-portrait: Book Remakes Girl)
Oh my Clark Gable. I'll Give You the Sun is simply amazing. It's a piece or artwork in itself, a definite new favourite of mine.
Alternating between twins Noah and Jude, I'll Give You the Sun is two alternating stories that twist together in ways so unexpected and so perfect that you'll undoubtedly want to read to the end without putting the book down. The Invisible Museum of Noah, aged 13 to 14, and The History of Luck, 16-year-old's Jude's story, are amazing on their own, but then they start to fit together so tremendously, and every little thing makes so much sense... I can't describe how amazing I found this book.
Jude and Noah were close; Noah was always painting, inside his head and out, and Jude was out being a badass daredevil, and building her flying women in the sand. But a horrific accident involving their mother sends them both tumbling, and the relationship between them is ruined.
But although all hope seems lost, the now-boycotting Jude finds the answer in such an unexpected way and suddenly everything falls back into place.
And Noah, after having his heart ripped out by his own actions, has to decide between telling the truth about his mother or keeping her secrets hidden beneath lies.
I love the style and layout of this book. The cover alone is wonderful, but the pages themselves are all so unique and interesting, I loved it at soon as I turned to the first page. It's not too busy or intricate, just simple little doodles and such giving each page a bit of character. And every cover I've seen is nice and minimalistic too. (If you want to look the book up and see the over editions and covers you can look at it on Goodreads.)
A story of family struggles, individual troubles, love and heartbreak, I'll Give You the Sun is simply beautiful. I'm dying to read it again, even after finishing it just ten minutes ago! A full 5 stars for this gorgeous book.
Merissa (11938 KP) rated Renovating the Model (Forestville Silver Foxes #1) in Books
Apr 28, 2023
RENOVATING THE MODEL is the first book in a new contemporary series, Forestville Silver Foxes.
Forestville is a small town with five young friends, their lives still ahead of them. In the prologue, you get a flash-in-the-pan moment with them, which is still enough to give you a general feeling. Then we fast-forward to the present and the High School Reunion. There we catch up with what they've each been up to.
Tiago and Tomas are the twins who became world-famous models. Tomas still loves it. Tiago... not so much. Cas is the local handyman who walks in on Tiago, not knowing the room was occupied. And BOOM! There we go.
Let me say ALL the characters in here are fantastic in their own ways and I really can't wait to read more in this series. I was playing matchmaker in my mind as I read! But, back to this one. Cas is the charmer in here for me. He is confident in his work, although not as confident in his appearance due to scars on his face from a car accident. He will help anyone with anything if he can. He is also the younger of the two. And that is where my problem lay. I just couldn't believe that Tiago was that detached from the world! I understand his dyslexia. It runs in my family, so I know how hard it can be. Tiago had an innocence, a naivety, that just didn't hold true for me. I'm glad for both Tiago and Tomas that they are out of that unhealthy sibling relationship. It's past time for them both to spread their wings.
Saying all of the above though, and I still thoroughly enjoyed the story and the characters. A great start to a series that I will be continuing. Definitely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 28, 2023
Forestville is a small town with five young friends, their lives still ahead of them. In the prologue, you get a flash-in-the-pan moment with them, which is still enough to give you a general feeling. Then we fast-forward to the present and the High School Reunion. There we catch up with what they've each been up to.
Tiago and Tomas are the twins who became world-famous models. Tomas still loves it. Tiago... not so much. Cas is the local handyman who walks in on Tiago, not knowing the room was occupied. And BOOM! There we go.
Let me say ALL the characters in here are fantastic in their own ways and I really can't wait to read more in this series. I was playing matchmaker in my mind as I read! But, back to this one. Cas is the charmer in here for me. He is confident in his work, although not as confident in his appearance due to scars on his face from a car accident. He will help anyone with anything if he can. He is also the younger of the two. And that is where my problem lay. I just couldn't believe that Tiago was that detached from the world! I understand his dyslexia. It runs in my family, so I know how hard it can be. Tiago had an innocence, a naivety, that just didn't hold true for me. I'm glad for both Tiago and Tomas that they are out of that unhealthy sibling relationship. It's past time for them both to spread their wings.
Saying all of the above though, and I still thoroughly enjoyed the story and the characters. A great start to a series that I will be continuing. Definitely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 28, 2023
Merissa (11938 KP) rated Insight (The Community #1) in Books
Jul 24, 2017
Insight (The Community #1) by Santino Hassell
Insight is the first book in The Community series, and we start off with Nate. He lives in a dead-end town, works a dead-end job, comes from a dead-beat family, and is going nowhere fast. However, his life changes when his twin dies. Now, don't get me wrong, there is no big lovefest with these twins - far from it. Theo is a drama queen of the nth degree and isn't above 'playing' for what he wants, no matter the cost to anyone, not even his brother. However, when Theo's death is ruled a suicide, Nate knows something is wrong. How does he know? Because he keeps getting visions in which he IS Theo and even shares his death. That's how he knows. With family drama nipping at his heels, he packs up and heads out to New York. Trent has already spoken with Nate, although Nate can't remember. When he drives past Nate hitchhiking, he can't just leave him, so he doesn't. This leads on to the romance part of the story, although it doesn't over run it. Once they get to NYC, it's full on and fast paced as the story progresses and Nate finds himself in the same danger as Theo.
This is the first book by Santino Hassell that I have read and I was thoroughly engrossed from the very beginning. I really felt for Nate and everything he was, and had been, going through. Trent is the perfect foil for him, and provides back up and sanity as and when Nate needs it. This isn't a romance book, although it has elements of romance within it. Primarily I would say this is a Paranormal Suspense. Either way, the story is gripping, the characters are well rounded (even those you don't particularly like), and you will keep turning those pages. I loved the epilogue that we got, right up until the major cliffhanger that you are left with. For something that is definitely different, I would have no hesitation in recommending this.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
This is the first book by Santino Hassell that I have read and I was thoroughly engrossed from the very beginning. I really felt for Nate and everything he was, and had been, going through. Trent is the perfect foil for him, and provides back up and sanity as and when Nate needs it. This isn't a romance book, although it has elements of romance within it. Primarily I would say this is a Paranormal Suspense. Either way, the story is gripping, the characters are well rounded (even those you don't particularly like), and you will keep turning those pages. I loved the epilogue that we got, right up until the major cliffhanger that you are left with. For something that is definitely different, I would have no hesitation in recommending this.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Sisterland in Books
Dec 14, 2018
I enjoyed this book much more than I expected to - I had been slightly wary of reading Curtis Sittenfeld’s <i>Sisterland</i> after seeing that it has been listed as Chick Lit on <i>Goodreads</i>. It is a story about two sisters (the title sort of gives that away) – twins in fact: Violet and Daisy. Although for the majority of the novel the narrator, Daisy, is known as Kate.
The chapters alternate between past and present, which helps the reader to understand the characters and their developments whilst the main story line is being played out. I say present but you later discover that Kate is actually narrating these events a couple of years after although this was not clear and the beginning.
Vi and Kate both have ESP or “senses” meaning that they occasionally experience visions, thoughts, or feelings about certain people or events that are yet to occur. When Vi receives a message about an earthquake due to occur in their hometown, the media ends up getting involved, speculating how much truth there is behind this prediction.
As the supposed “doomsday” date approaches, Vi and Kate’s relationship has its ups and down – something which seems to have been the case throughout most of their lives. But the main question is will there be an earthquake or is it, perhaps, a metaphor for events taking place in Kate’s own home and family?
While reading I felt as though I was - I am not really sure how to word it – perhaps growing close to the narrator as she recounted her tale. Learning about Kate as a person and understand and relating to how she felt and acted. This meant, however, that I became disappointed in Kate for making a certain bad decision – or more like giving in to an impulse. I will not reveal what that is as I do not want to spoil the book for anyone who has not yet read it.
As I have already said, I did enjoy this book. Personally I would not label it as Chick Lit, although I will not deny that it is intended for women to read. It is a contemporary, fictional novel with a hint of fantasy or the paranormal about it. I would recommend it to readers who appreciate other novels of a similar genre.
The chapters alternate between past and present, which helps the reader to understand the characters and their developments whilst the main story line is being played out. I say present but you later discover that Kate is actually narrating these events a couple of years after although this was not clear and the beginning.
Vi and Kate both have ESP or “senses” meaning that they occasionally experience visions, thoughts, or feelings about certain people or events that are yet to occur. When Vi receives a message about an earthquake due to occur in their hometown, the media ends up getting involved, speculating how much truth there is behind this prediction.
As the supposed “doomsday” date approaches, Vi and Kate’s relationship has its ups and down – something which seems to have been the case throughout most of their lives. But the main question is will there be an earthquake or is it, perhaps, a metaphor for events taking place in Kate’s own home and family?
While reading I felt as though I was - I am not really sure how to word it – perhaps growing close to the narrator as she recounted her tale. Learning about Kate as a person and understand and relating to how she felt and acted. This meant, however, that I became disappointed in Kate for making a certain bad decision – or more like giving in to an impulse. I will not reveal what that is as I do not want to spoil the book for anyone who has not yet read it.
As I have already said, I did enjoy this book. Personally I would not label it as Chick Lit, although I will not deny that it is intended for women to read. It is a contemporary, fictional novel with a hint of fantasy or the paranormal about it. I would recommend it to readers who appreciate other novels of a similar genre.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Born of Vengeance in Books
Jul 17, 2019
Another fab installment
Contains spoilers, click to show
A fate worse than death . . .
Bastien Cabarro survived the brutal slaughter of his entire family only to have his wife pin their murders on him. Made Ravin by The League, he is now a target for their assassins-in-training to hunt and kill. The average life expectancy for such beings is six weeks. But defying the odds is what this Gyron Force officer does best, and Bastien won’t rest until he lays his betrayers in their graves.
Ten years later, he has one chance to balance the scales of justice, provided he relies on his former wingman— the very sister of the woman who testified against him.
Major Ember Wyldestarrin joined the outlaw Tavali the day Kirovar fell into the hands of a tyrant, and she and her team were left on an outpost to die under a barrage of enemy fire. The last thing she wants is to be involved in politics again. But if she doesn’t bring Bastien in, her sister will pay the ultimate price. Now she has to find some way to betray her former wingman (and fiance) before he catches on and kills her. Even so, treachery doesn’t come easy to a woman who took a loyalty oath to protect her homeworld and comrades-in-arms.
Yet as she tries to do right by her family, she learns that Bastien doesn’t just hold the key to the fate of Kirovar, he is vital to The Sentella-League war, and to the entire Tavali nation. If she hands him over, three nations fall. If she doesn’t, her entire family dies. Their fates are all in her hands, and time for all of them is quickly running out.
This is one of my favourite series. I enjoyed the book from the first word to the last! Finally getting to hear Bastien's story aswell as picking up and linking the other books too. Have to admit my favourite part was catching up with Julliens twins. From the first book to this one the characters all hold a special place for me each book marks a certain part of my life I can relate too. I now have to wait till October for the new book which may start a reread!

Bastien Cabarro survived the brutal slaughter of his entire family only to have his wife pin their murders on him. Made Ravin by The League, he is now a target for their assassins-in-training to hunt and kill. The average life expectancy for such beings is six weeks. But defying the odds is what this Gyron Force officer does best, and Bastien won’t rest until he lays his betrayers in their graves.
Ten years later, he has one chance to balance the scales of justice, provided he relies on his former wingman— the very sister of the woman who testified against him.
Major Ember Wyldestarrin joined the outlaw Tavali the day Kirovar fell into the hands of a tyrant, and she and her team were left on an outpost to die under a barrage of enemy fire. The last thing she wants is to be involved in politics again. But if she doesn’t bring Bastien in, her sister will pay the ultimate price. Now she has to find some way to betray her former wingman (and fiance) before he catches on and kills her. Even so, treachery doesn’t come easy to a woman who took a loyalty oath to protect her homeworld and comrades-in-arms.
Yet as she tries to do right by her family, she learns that Bastien doesn’t just hold the key to the fate of Kirovar, he is vital to The Sentella-League war, and to the entire Tavali nation. If she hands him over, three nations fall. If she doesn’t, her entire family dies. Their fates are all in her hands, and time for all of them is quickly running out.
This is one of my favourite series. I enjoyed the book from the first word to the last! Finally getting to hear Bastien's story aswell as picking up and linking the other books too. Have to admit my favourite part was catching up with Julliens twins. From the first book to this one the characters all hold a special place for me each book marks a certain part of my life I can relate too. I now have to wait till October for the new book which may start a reread!

MaryAnn (14 KP) rated No Ocean Too Wide (McAlister Family #1) in Books
Nov 4, 2019
Between the years of 1869 to 1939 more than 100,000 poor British children were sent across the ocean to Canada with the promise of a better life. Those who took them in to work as farm laborers or household servants were told they were orphansbut was that the truth?
After the tragic loss of their father, the McAlister family is living at the edge of the poorhouse in London in 1908, leaving their mother to scrape by for her three younger children, while oldest daughter, Laura, works on a large estate more than an hour away. When Edna McAlister falls gravely ill and is hospitalized, twins Katie and Garth and eight-year-old Grace are forced into an orphans home before Laura is notified about her familys unfortunate turn of events in London. With hundreds of British children sent on ships to Canada, whether truly orphans or not, Laura knows she must act quickly. But finding her siblings and taking care of her family may cost her everything.
Andrew Fraser, a wealthy young British lawyer and heir to the estate where Laura is in service, discovers that this common practice of finding new homes for penniless children might not be all that it seems. Together Laura and Andrew form an unlikely partnership. Will they arrive in time? Will their friendship blossom into something more?
Inspired by true events, this moving novel follows Laura as she seeks to reunite her family and her siblings who, in their darkest hours, must cling to the words from Isaiah: Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God
My Thoughts: This was an interesting compelling book to read. It is honestly hard to read about children being taken away from their families by those who feel they are making the children's lives better when in fact the children are treated like slaves. This is the hard part of the book to read, but the fact is, is that this was actually happening during this time period. The author has done a tremendous job of bringing the truth out in this novel. Like every story that has hardship in it, this one does have a little hope. I certainly look forward to reading the second book in this series.
After the tragic loss of their father, the McAlister family is living at the edge of the poorhouse in London in 1908, leaving their mother to scrape by for her three younger children, while oldest daughter, Laura, works on a large estate more than an hour away. When Edna McAlister falls gravely ill and is hospitalized, twins Katie and Garth and eight-year-old Grace are forced into an orphans home before Laura is notified about her familys unfortunate turn of events in London. With hundreds of British children sent on ships to Canada, whether truly orphans or not, Laura knows she must act quickly. But finding her siblings and taking care of her family may cost her everything.
Andrew Fraser, a wealthy young British lawyer and heir to the estate where Laura is in service, discovers that this common practice of finding new homes for penniless children might not be all that it seems. Together Laura and Andrew form an unlikely partnership. Will they arrive in time? Will their friendship blossom into something more?
Inspired by true events, this moving novel follows Laura as she seeks to reunite her family and her siblings who, in their darkest hours, must cling to the words from Isaiah: Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God
My Thoughts: This was an interesting compelling book to read. It is honestly hard to read about children being taken away from their families by those who feel they are making the children's lives better when in fact the children are treated like slaves. This is the hard part of the book to read, but the fact is, is that this was actually happening during this time period. The author has done a tremendous job of bringing the truth out in this novel. Like every story that has hardship in it, this one does have a little hope. I certainly look forward to reading the second book in this series.
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Stolen Songbird (The Malediction Trilogy, #1) in Books
Sep 6, 2019
*Copy received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
4.5 stars
I love the cover of this; its very eye catching. Ill admit that covers attract me to books and this drew my attention straight away. Then I saw the name and I said to myself, I have to read this. But then theres the fact that Im rather picky with my fantasy books (loving the Throne of Glass series but not liking Daughter of Smoke and Bone). Nevertheless I jumped straight into the book.
This is only my second ever troll book but considering the other was just a short story, I was looking forward to learning more about them. And I wasnt disappointed. They sound equally enchanting and terrifying depending on who you meet. And I like the thought of there being handsome troll princes very much :D
Cécile is quite a tough girl. She doesnt mind giving as good as she gets verbally which I like about her. As for Prince Tristan, I liked his sarcasm at the start, even if it was directed at Cécile. And then I just sort of grew to like him. Some of the secondary characters were just as likeable, such as Marc and the twins.
There was an interesting storyline to this; almost a good versus evil plot but much more complicated. It was all very political and about who should rule Trollus and how. I wish I could go into detail but that would ruin the plot.
Then comes the romance aspect. I loved the progression of Cécile and Tristans relationship. They might not have liked each other in the beginning but as they got to know each other better it was very sweet reading and I was cheering them on from fairly early in the book.
To go back to my pickiness with fantasy. I have to say I loved a lot of what this book had going for it. The lights that are created by magic (especially Céciles own) are genius and the Glass Garden sounded amazing. I bet it looks lovely lit up!
I laughed, I ranted, I cried twice. It was a bit of an emotional rollercoaster for me but I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to reading the next book in the trilogy.
4.5 stars
I love the cover of this; its very eye catching. Ill admit that covers attract me to books and this drew my attention straight away. Then I saw the name and I said to myself, I have to read this. But then theres the fact that Im rather picky with my fantasy books (loving the Throne of Glass series but not liking Daughter of Smoke and Bone). Nevertheless I jumped straight into the book.
This is only my second ever troll book but considering the other was just a short story, I was looking forward to learning more about them. And I wasnt disappointed. They sound equally enchanting and terrifying depending on who you meet. And I like the thought of there being handsome troll princes very much :D
Cécile is quite a tough girl. She doesnt mind giving as good as she gets verbally which I like about her. As for Prince Tristan, I liked his sarcasm at the start, even if it was directed at Cécile. And then I just sort of grew to like him. Some of the secondary characters were just as likeable, such as Marc and the twins.
There was an interesting storyline to this; almost a good versus evil plot but much more complicated. It was all very political and about who should rule Trollus and how. I wish I could go into detail but that would ruin the plot.
Then comes the romance aspect. I loved the progression of Cécile and Tristans relationship. They might not have liked each other in the beginning but as they got to know each other better it was very sweet reading and I was cheering them on from fairly early in the book.
To go back to my pickiness with fantasy. I have to say I loved a lot of what this book had going for it. The lights that are created by magic (especially Céciles own) are genius and the Glass Garden sounded amazing. I bet it looks lovely lit up!
I laughed, I ranted, I cried twice. It was a bit of an emotional rollercoaster for me but I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to reading the next book in the trilogy.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated He Gets That From Me in Books
Sep 30, 2021
Maggie is a young mom who dreams of going to college. But her current life--toiling at a grocery store while her boyfriend works as a chef--can't support her dreams. When she sees an ad about becoming a surrogate, and sees how much it could pay, Maggie wonders if this could solve all her problems. Her boyfriend, Nick, is reluctant, but Maggie decides to go for it. She winds up being selected by a loving gay couple, Chip and Donovan, from New York. Maggie delivers their beautiful twin boys, and everyone is happy. But ten years later, she gets a call from the fertility clinic that will change her life.
This is a mesmerizing book that pulls you in from the beginning. It's extremely easy-to-read, and the story basically tells itself. I was immediately attached to Chip and Donovan and their family. The story is told from Donovan's POV and Maggie's. Through Donovan, we learn about their family, their pasts, and how much they love their boys. When they end up having DNA tests done on the twins, it upends things and forces Donovan, especially, to rethink so much of what he took for granted. I wanted to like Maggie more than I did; she didn't come across as a consistent character, which was frustrating for me.
DNA stories are certainly the fad the right now. My biggest issue with this book, was, paradoxically, the part I also liked the most, and that was the inclusion of Donovan and Chip's story. As best I can tell, Friedland is a straight woman, and, as a member of the LGBTQIA community, I'm not sure I felt fully comfortable with her including a gay couple in her story. We have enough problems with our families being accepted without them being told in such a "Lifetime movie" fashion--especially by someone who isn't part of our community. This story could have been told just as easily without including a gay couple. It's probably something that wouldn't occur to most readers, but it just rubbed me the wrong way.
Otherwise, this book does make you think and it makes some good points about the meaning of family. It's a fast read, but I just felt a little off overall when I finished it. 3 stars.
I received a copy of this book from SparkPress and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
This is a mesmerizing book that pulls you in from the beginning. It's extremely easy-to-read, and the story basically tells itself. I was immediately attached to Chip and Donovan and their family. The story is told from Donovan's POV and Maggie's. Through Donovan, we learn about their family, their pasts, and how much they love their boys. When they end up having DNA tests done on the twins, it upends things and forces Donovan, especially, to rethink so much of what he took for granted. I wanted to like Maggie more than I did; she didn't come across as a consistent character, which was frustrating for me.
DNA stories are certainly the fad the right now. My biggest issue with this book, was, paradoxically, the part I also liked the most, and that was the inclusion of Donovan and Chip's story. As best I can tell, Friedland is a straight woman, and, as a member of the LGBTQIA community, I'm not sure I felt fully comfortable with her including a gay couple in her story. We have enough problems with our families being accepted without them being told in such a "Lifetime movie" fashion--especially by someone who isn't part of our community. This story could have been told just as easily without including a gay couple. It's probably something that wouldn't occur to most readers, but it just rubbed me the wrong way.
Otherwise, this book does make you think and it makes some good points about the meaning of family. It's a fast read, but I just felt a little off overall when I finished it. 3 stars.
I received a copy of this book from SparkPress and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
Hadley (567 KP) rated Cigarette Teeth in Books
Dec 4, 2020
Great writing (1 more)
Amazing descriptions
In this day-and-age, everyone is willing to do anything to get what they want. People leave their morals and values behind at the drop of a hat. Partly, because of this, mental illness is at an all-time high and happiness is at an all-time low.
What if I told you there was a phone number you could call that would give you whatever you wanted...for a simple favor in return? Enter : Cigarette Teeth. The horror novel concerns two different places that exist in our world: the Pleasure Palace, where the Magician resides in an overcast of red light where he helps make peoples' 'dreams' come true, and our reality - - - the world as we've grown to know it.
Our main character, Mike Hadley, can't remember his past or how he ended up working for the Magician, but he's more than happy to do what he's told in Cigarette Teeth. Some things seem familiar to him, like his working partner, Tommy; but if you asked him what he did last night for the Magician, he wouldn't be able to tell you or remember it himself. Harper, a man Hadley meets early on in the story, who is the stereo-typical hardened detective, tells Hadley that he knows that the Pleasure Palace has been the cause of hundreds of disappearances - - - including Harper's own brother and sister- - - and demands that Hadley help him get into the Palace to find them.
Hadley is kidnapped by Harper while people working for the Pleasure Palace begin to come after them, trying to kill them. Unlike Hadley, Harper has done a lot of detective work on the Pleasure Palace and knows much more than he does. For Hadley, a lot of things begin to make sense and no sense at the same time, like people who work for the Pleasure Palace can't die, instead they regenerate in a very gruesome way- - - something he had never seen happen before. Now, being away from the Palace, whenever Hadley falls asleep, memories start to come back to him in the form of dreams; most of them take place in metaphorical places that slowly unwrap his tragic past to the reader.
I often found myself fascinated by the characters Hewish came up with that live in the Pleasure Palace. One being the Zipper Sisters: "Kela and and Lua Von Zipper. Conjoined twins; connected at the hip and zipped into the one gigantic pinched- leather corset. Two heads, two arms, and four legs, all sealed in an ornate, Victorian-style leather dress hemmed with black lace.
Their makeup was corpse-white, their lipstick blood red. Their eyes were shadowed with a weeping pastel green, like something from a carnival sideshow. Their 18th-century dress continued with ruffles and lacy stockings, all the colour of snow. The two pairs of shoes they wore- - - shiny little school shoes, the ones with the clasps over the top- - - completed the look. It gave these sinister twins a suggested air of innocence- - - the filthiest of lies. "
When the pair meet with the Architect of the Pleasure Palace (Horitoshi Li), the story really begins to take off. The information given to them by Li about the Magician is the real start to their journey to stop the Palace and find Harper's missing siblings, as long as they include Li in the plan.
As expected, a friend of Harper's, named Sophie, gets caught up in their journey- - - saving their lives more than once, thanks to her nursing background. Sophie felt like a filler character at first, but in the end, I think she was needed to make the story well-rounded, like her insight of psychology: "...But...it's just interesting. Did you know the second most common dream people have is about their teeth? After the 'being chased' phenomenon that usually coincides with a hallway and a door. Most notable psychologists don't really offer insight on dreams- - - the most popular consensus is that they're nothing more than cerebral static, just garbled images and words that occasionally form to make something that seems to have weight..."
Though I want to say so much more about the novel, it would give away a lot of the surprises that are hidden inside. Hewish's writing is gold; the way he describes scenes is beautifully done, but he did waste some of this talent on places where the characters weren't even there for more than a scene (and nothing really came of it). Also, Harper states one time early in the book that he has killed Hadley before... this is never explained or spoken of again. I think that was a very important part to this story, especially with how things turn out between Harper and Hadley.
There were only a few inconsistencies that are completely able to be looked over and don't ruin the novel. This is master storytelling, and I am looking very forward to more work by Hewish! I would recommend this book to fans of the show "Twin Peaks," and the video game (because I love horror video games) "Evil Within." Highly recommend!
What if I told you there was a phone number you could call that would give you whatever you wanted...for a simple favor in return? Enter : Cigarette Teeth. The horror novel concerns two different places that exist in our world: the Pleasure Palace, where the Magician resides in an overcast of red light where he helps make peoples' 'dreams' come true, and our reality - - - the world as we've grown to know it.
Our main character, Mike Hadley, can't remember his past or how he ended up working for the Magician, but he's more than happy to do what he's told in Cigarette Teeth. Some things seem familiar to him, like his working partner, Tommy; but if you asked him what he did last night for the Magician, he wouldn't be able to tell you or remember it himself. Harper, a man Hadley meets early on in the story, who is the stereo-typical hardened detective, tells Hadley that he knows that the Pleasure Palace has been the cause of hundreds of disappearances - - - including Harper's own brother and sister- - - and demands that Hadley help him get into the Palace to find them.
Hadley is kidnapped by Harper while people working for the Pleasure Palace begin to come after them, trying to kill them. Unlike Hadley, Harper has done a lot of detective work on the Pleasure Palace and knows much more than he does. For Hadley, a lot of things begin to make sense and no sense at the same time, like people who work for the Pleasure Palace can't die, instead they regenerate in a very gruesome way- - - something he had never seen happen before. Now, being away from the Palace, whenever Hadley falls asleep, memories start to come back to him in the form of dreams; most of them take place in metaphorical places that slowly unwrap his tragic past to the reader.
I often found myself fascinated by the characters Hewish came up with that live in the Pleasure Palace. One being the Zipper Sisters: "Kela and and Lua Von Zipper. Conjoined twins; connected at the hip and zipped into the one gigantic pinched- leather corset. Two heads, two arms, and four legs, all sealed in an ornate, Victorian-style leather dress hemmed with black lace.
Their makeup was corpse-white, their lipstick blood red. Their eyes were shadowed with a weeping pastel green, like something from a carnival sideshow. Their 18th-century dress continued with ruffles and lacy stockings, all the colour of snow. The two pairs of shoes they wore- - - shiny little school shoes, the ones with the clasps over the top- - - completed the look. It gave these sinister twins a suggested air of innocence- - - the filthiest of lies. "
When the pair meet with the Architect of the Pleasure Palace (Horitoshi Li), the story really begins to take off. The information given to them by Li about the Magician is the real start to their journey to stop the Palace and find Harper's missing siblings, as long as they include Li in the plan.
As expected, a friend of Harper's, named Sophie, gets caught up in their journey- - - saving their lives more than once, thanks to her nursing background. Sophie felt like a filler character at first, but in the end, I think she was needed to make the story well-rounded, like her insight of psychology: "...But...it's just interesting. Did you know the second most common dream people have is about their teeth? After the 'being chased' phenomenon that usually coincides with a hallway and a door. Most notable psychologists don't really offer insight on dreams- - - the most popular consensus is that they're nothing more than cerebral static, just garbled images and words that occasionally form to make something that seems to have weight..."
Though I want to say so much more about the novel, it would give away a lot of the surprises that are hidden inside. Hewish's writing is gold; the way he describes scenes is beautifully done, but he did waste some of this talent on places where the characters weren't even there for more than a scene (and nothing really came of it). Also, Harper states one time early in the book that he has killed Hadley before... this is never explained or spoken of again. I think that was a very important part to this story, especially with how things turn out between Harper and Hadley.
There were only a few inconsistencies that are completely able to be looked over and don't ruin the novel. This is master storytelling, and I am looking very forward to more work by Hewish! I would recommend this book to fans of the show "Twin Peaks," and the video game (because I love horror video games) "Evil Within." Highly recommend!