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The second book in [a:Veronica Roth|4039811|Veronica Roth|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1363910238p2/4039811.jpg]'s 'Divergent' series, this picks up almost exactly - like, exactly exactly - after the climax of [b:Divergent|13335037|Divergent (Divergent, #1)|Veronica Roth|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328559506s/13335037.jpg|13155899], with Beatrice ('Tris') on a train about to leave the desolate future city of Chicago following the 'Simulation' attack by the Erudite faction.
I can't stress this enough: when I say exactly, I really do mean exactly: almost as if the first sentence of this book is the second half of the last sentence of the previous.
Anyway, it's not too much longer until Tris is heading back to Chicago, in company with some old friends and enemies-who-later-prove-not-to-be, in order to find a way to deal with the consequences of that attack, and to prevent further mistakes being made by members of both her own and other factions.
For a large portion of this, she is still struggling with guilt over some of her actions in the previous novel - in particular, over one that she (was forced to) carry out during the Erudite attack. This one also ends with a(n attempted) cliffhanger ending, in which we may yet find out how and why the faction system came about if we read the next in the series ([b:Allegiant|18710190|Allegiant (Divergent, #3)|Veronica Roth|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1395582745s/18710190.jpg|15524549])
While I did feel that this had its own identity maybe a bit more than [b:Divergent|13335037|Divergent (Divergent, #1)|Veronica Roth|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328559506s/13335037.jpg|13155899] (which, at times, felt to me almost like it was trying too hard to be another 'Hunger Games'), there is still a strong resemblance between the two series', in particular in their choice of leading characters, and in the theme of sacrifices.
I've come this far, so I probably will read the next (and, like The Hunger Games, maybe the whole will prove to be more than the sum of its parts).
I can't stress this enough: when I say exactly, I really do mean exactly: almost as if the first sentence of this book is the second half of the last sentence of the previous.
Anyway, it's not too much longer until Tris is heading back to Chicago, in company with some old friends and enemies-who-later-prove-not-to-be, in order to find a way to deal with the consequences of that attack, and to prevent further mistakes being made by members of both her own and other factions.
For a large portion of this, she is still struggling with guilt over some of her actions in the previous novel - in particular, over one that she (was forced to) carry out during the Erudite attack. This one also ends with a(n attempted) cliffhanger ending, in which we may yet find out how and why the faction system came about if we read the next in the series ([b:Allegiant|18710190|Allegiant (Divergent, #3)|Veronica Roth|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1395582745s/18710190.jpg|15524549])
While I did feel that this had its own identity maybe a bit more than [b:Divergent|13335037|Divergent (Divergent, #1)|Veronica Roth|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328559506s/13335037.jpg|13155899] (which, at times, felt to me almost like it was trying too hard to be another 'Hunger Games'), there is still a strong resemblance between the two series', in particular in their choice of leading characters, and in the theme of sacrifices.
I've come this far, so I probably will read the next (and, like The Hunger Games, maybe the whole will prove to be more than the sum of its parts).
Marylegs (44 KP) rated Beautiful Creatures (Caster Chronicles, #1) in Books
Aug 14, 2019
So I felt the story started fairly slowly wasn’t sure what to make of it. I went along with it because it feel like I book/story I should like. And it wasn’t that I disliked it I just, I don’t know, I could commit to it. Additionally I found it quite annoying how often author says “in a town like Gaitlin…” I get it. It’s a small town nothing unusual happens. There must be ways that that meaning could be but across without literally saying it every other paragraph. It was one of those things once I noticed it I couldn’t, not notice it.
I felt the story took a long time to get going, I enjoyed a good portion of the book towards the end, but I just felt like the story could have been ironed out better. I can almost see where it was meant to go and what I was meant to feel about characters but I never whole-heartedly did. There just wasn’t enough ‘real’ conversation between characters and it just felt a bit…. Forced, I can’t really think of a better way of describing it. Sometimes whilst I was reading I was thinking there is no way, in reality you’d be in that situation and react that way. If someone is threatening the person you love, you wouldn’t then wonder off and just carry on with what you were doing like the bady wasn’t even there. Even some of arguments between characters seemed lacking in purpose or just seemed to end. I also thought it just sort of ended, I know it is part of a series but normally I feel like I have to know what happens straightaway. I just didn’t get that with this book.
I will read the next book at some point but I’m not in a rush to get to it, but hopefully the story becomes more ironed out and purposeful as even though I may have seemed negative about the book. I could see where it could go and there were times in the book when I was compelled and fully invested. I guess I shall wait and see.
I felt the story took a long time to get going, I enjoyed a good portion of the book towards the end, but I just felt like the story could have been ironed out better. I can almost see where it was meant to go and what I was meant to feel about characters but I never whole-heartedly did. There just wasn’t enough ‘real’ conversation between characters and it just felt a bit…. Forced, I can’t really think of a better way of describing it. Sometimes whilst I was reading I was thinking there is no way, in reality you’d be in that situation and react that way. If someone is threatening the person you love, you wouldn’t then wonder off and just carry on with what you were doing like the bady wasn’t even there. Even some of arguments between characters seemed lacking in purpose or just seemed to end. I also thought it just sort of ended, I know it is part of a series but normally I feel like I have to know what happens straightaway. I just didn’t get that with this book.
I will read the next book at some point but I’m not in a rush to get to it, but hopefully the story becomes more ironed out and purposeful as even though I may have seemed negative about the book. I could see where it could go and there were times in the book when I was compelled and fully invested. I guess I shall wait and see.
ClareR (6106 KP) rated The End of the Ocean in Books
Nov 6, 2019
The End of the Ocean by Maja Lunde is Climate Fiction (Cli-Fi) at its best and most stark. At its best, because everything that happens feels as though they are the reasonable consequences of what we are predicted now; most stark, because this is truly a terrible version of the future.
In the present day(2019), 69 year old environmental activist Signe discovers that her home town, and in particular her ex-boyfriend, is responsible for cutting up and shipping off ice from their glacier to sell to the rich, so that they can have glacial ice in their expensive cocktails. She decides to sabotage the shipment, and steals some of it - or what she can carry in her boat. She sails her ship through a terrible storm with the intention of taking it to the person responsible.
In 2041, David and his daughter Lou, arrive at a refugee camp after escaping from war and fire in their French home. There is little water and food, but David is hopeful that his wife and infant son (who they’ve been separated from) will be there or arrive soon.
The two stories are linked when David and Lou find Signe’s boat in the garden of one of the abandoned houses.
This is such a powerful book. It takes current scientific research and arrives at the extreme end of its prediction: drought, famine and war. I had to read it in short chunks, because I found the story so moving and intensely depressing, to be honest. It doesn’t feel exaggerated: I didn’t read it thinking “Well that would NEVER happen”. It’s all too plausible, in fact. I really liked how the two stories ran parallel to one another and joined up in the latter half of the book, with the boat as some sort of symbol of hope.
It’s not all depressing though. There is an element of hope, and we see the enduring strength of the human spirit. I have The History of Bees on my bookshelf, which I will read now - and I’ll definitely look out for the third in this quartet of books.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster UK for my copy of this book.
In the present day(2019), 69 year old environmental activist Signe discovers that her home town, and in particular her ex-boyfriend, is responsible for cutting up and shipping off ice from their glacier to sell to the rich, so that they can have glacial ice in their expensive cocktails. She decides to sabotage the shipment, and steals some of it - or what she can carry in her boat. She sails her ship through a terrible storm with the intention of taking it to the person responsible.
In 2041, David and his daughter Lou, arrive at a refugee camp after escaping from war and fire in their French home. There is little water and food, but David is hopeful that his wife and infant son (who they’ve been separated from) will be there or arrive soon.
The two stories are linked when David and Lou find Signe’s boat in the garden of one of the abandoned houses.
This is such a powerful book. It takes current scientific research and arrives at the extreme end of its prediction: drought, famine and war. I had to read it in short chunks, because I found the story so moving and intensely depressing, to be honest. It doesn’t feel exaggerated: I didn’t read it thinking “Well that would NEVER happen”. It’s all too plausible, in fact. I really liked how the two stories ran parallel to one another and joined up in the latter half of the book, with the boat as some sort of symbol of hope.
It’s not all depressing though. There is an element of hope, and we see the enduring strength of the human spirit. I have The History of Bees on my bookshelf, which I will read now - and I’ll definitely look out for the third in this quartet of books.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster UK for my copy of this book.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Hell or High Water (2016) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
There are numerous films about bank robbers, loveable villains who we find
ourselves cheering for throughout their escapades. Something was always
missing, though. The actions always seemed simple, shallow, and, at times,
comical in their approach. Hell or High Water breaks from many of the
tropes that we are accustomed to with reality-based crime movies. The film
follows two brothers as they rob a chain of banks in the attempt to save
their home and land from foreclosure.
Hell or High Water demonstrates to the audience the complexity with the
story in which this film is based. Marcus (Ben Foster), who is a career
criminal, returns to a life of crime in order to help his brother Toby
(Chris Pine) create a stable future for his children. He has been pushed
to his limits by the banks who have taken advantage of his dying mother
and sees robbing them as the only possible path. They must be quick,
proficient, and calculated in their actions as they are being pursued by a
Texas Ranger (Jeff Bridges) who sees this case as his chance to achieve
some peace as it keeps him further from retirement.
The film is phenomenal in being able to carry several different
storylines, issues, and directions. The film is about Americans with bank
robbing as the backdrop. It demonstrates how working people feel taken
advantage of by the banks and have no sympathy for them as they argue that
the banks are the real criminals in shady deals that result in people
losing their homes. It is an ideal modern western with “the law” hot on
the tail of the bandits. There is no clear bad guy with the brothers, just
a flawed antiheroes that several in the community will not turn against
because they understand that the boys are “one of them” and applaud them
for taking action against the banks.
Audiences will find themselves engrossed in the storyline, expansive views
of Texas, relating to the anger towards financial institutions, and
rooting for these brothers as they try to save their land and legacy.
ourselves cheering for throughout their escapades. Something was always
missing, though. The actions always seemed simple, shallow, and, at times,
comical in their approach. Hell or High Water breaks from many of the
tropes that we are accustomed to with reality-based crime movies. The film
follows two brothers as they rob a chain of banks in the attempt to save
their home and land from foreclosure.
Hell or High Water demonstrates to the audience the complexity with the
story in which this film is based. Marcus (Ben Foster), who is a career
criminal, returns to a life of crime in order to help his brother Toby
(Chris Pine) create a stable future for his children. He has been pushed
to his limits by the banks who have taken advantage of his dying mother
and sees robbing them as the only possible path. They must be quick,
proficient, and calculated in their actions as they are being pursued by a
Texas Ranger (Jeff Bridges) who sees this case as his chance to achieve
some peace as it keeps him further from retirement.
The film is phenomenal in being able to carry several different
storylines, issues, and directions. The film is about Americans with bank
robbing as the backdrop. It demonstrates how working people feel taken
advantage of by the banks and have no sympathy for them as they argue that
the banks are the real criminals in shady deals that result in people
losing their homes. It is an ideal modern western with “the law” hot on
the tail of the bandits. There is no clear bad guy with the brothers, just
a flawed antiheroes that several in the community will not turn against
because they understand that the boys are “one of them” and applaud them
for taking action against the banks.
Audiences will find themselves engrossed in the storyline, expansive views
of Texas, relating to the anger towards financial institutions, and
rooting for these brothers as they try to save their land and legacy.
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Debbiereadsbook (1678 KP) rated Game Changer (Vancouver Orcas #2) in Books
Jul 19, 2023
delightful rad that hits a spot I didn't know needed hitting!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This Is book 2 in the Vancouver Orcas series, I have not read book one, Game Plan. I didn't think I was missing anything, but I WANT to read that book now, i don't need to, you know? So this can be read as a stand alone book, but be prepared to feel the same as I did after reading this one.
Blair has a self inflicted deadline, and he needs help to sort himself out so he can meet it. Charlie needs the extra cash, so steps up as general assistant and food prep person. Falling in love was not on the agenda for either of them.
I've read a couple by Amy Aislin, and they seem to carry a common theme, for me: warm and fuzzies and a whole lotta cute, and this book is no exception to that!
It really is a wonderful read, one that made me chuckle in places, it's emotional in places, it's steamy at some points, and hella smexy in others (and yes, steamy and smexy ARE different, but don't ask my book brain to explain it!) and it really is an all round great read.
There is no break up, no nutty ex, no real drama save for Charlie's cash flow problem, but that got fixed anyway. There are some family issues, but they get sorted once people see what they are doing.
I loved that once Charlie and Blair decide to be together, they go all in and Blair's team mates take Charlie in as one of their own.
It took me a wee while to place all of Charlie's cousins, and even longer to get that Matt Shore, Blair's coach, is one of those cousins! There is a clue to Matt's story here: his is the first book. And cousin Dorian, who plays a large part here, has the third book in the trilogy. I need that book too!
A delightful read, that really hit the spot I didn't know needed hitting.
4 very VERY good stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This Is book 2 in the Vancouver Orcas series, I have not read book one, Game Plan. I didn't think I was missing anything, but I WANT to read that book now, i don't need to, you know? So this can be read as a stand alone book, but be prepared to feel the same as I did after reading this one.
Blair has a self inflicted deadline, and he needs help to sort himself out so he can meet it. Charlie needs the extra cash, so steps up as general assistant and food prep person. Falling in love was not on the agenda for either of them.
I've read a couple by Amy Aislin, and they seem to carry a common theme, for me: warm and fuzzies and a whole lotta cute, and this book is no exception to that!
It really is a wonderful read, one that made me chuckle in places, it's emotional in places, it's steamy at some points, and hella smexy in others (and yes, steamy and smexy ARE different, but don't ask my book brain to explain it!) and it really is an all round great read.
There is no break up, no nutty ex, no real drama save for Charlie's cash flow problem, but that got fixed anyway. There are some family issues, but they get sorted once people see what they are doing.
I loved that once Charlie and Blair decide to be together, they go all in and Blair's team mates take Charlie in as one of their own.
It took me a wee while to place all of Charlie's cousins, and even longer to get that Matt Shore, Blair's coach, is one of those cousins! There is a clue to Matt's story here: his is the first book. And cousin Dorian, who plays a large part here, has the third book in the trilogy. I need that book too!
A delightful read, that really hit the spot I didn't know needed hitting.
4 very VERY good stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Debbiereadsbook (1678 KP) rated Velvet in Books
Aug 2, 2025
I cannot stress the point highly enough: I LOVED THIS BOOK!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Forgive me, if this review runs away with itself! I loved this book, and it might get said a time or three!!
AJ runs Velvet, a cocktail lounge. He meets Blake when he spills drinks all down him! A very amusing meet cute, I tell ya. And then?? They get together, and fall in love and THAT, peeps, is the most simplest blurb you ever did get!
But this book? It is not simple, no ma'am.
It's deep: both men carry some baggage, but AJ's is a little more emotional. Blake seems to have it all, but all he wants is someone to love him. The fact that he'd been dating women for so long meant he never put a man in that position, though. AJ's heart was broken, and he trusted slowly.
It's smexy: While AJ is openly gay, Blake is not. So Blake sets the pace of their relationship and once he gets a taste of AJ, he is smitten!
It's a lot of fun: I found this, while emotional in places, a lot of fun in others and it meant I was able to catch my breath from the deeper bits, and laugh and these two, and their group of friends.
I loved that there was no make-up/breakup/ These two really are perfect for each other and they fit into each other's lives and hearts perfectly!
The friends made me chuckle. They all knew something was going on, but since AJ and Blake were both quiet about it at first, neither knew exactly what. I also enjoyed catching up with the owners of The V Lounge, too!
Did I say?? I bloody loved this book!
No?? Maybe I should say it again for those at the back!
It really was a delightful read and I cannot stress the point highly enough: I LOVED THIS BOOK!
5 full and shiny stars! (if I didn't make myself clear enough!)
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Forgive me, if this review runs away with itself! I loved this book, and it might get said a time or three!!
AJ runs Velvet, a cocktail lounge. He meets Blake when he spills drinks all down him! A very amusing meet cute, I tell ya. And then?? They get together, and fall in love and THAT, peeps, is the most simplest blurb you ever did get!
But this book? It is not simple, no ma'am.
It's deep: both men carry some baggage, but AJ's is a little more emotional. Blake seems to have it all, but all he wants is someone to love him. The fact that he'd been dating women for so long meant he never put a man in that position, though. AJ's heart was broken, and he trusted slowly.
It's smexy: While AJ is openly gay, Blake is not. So Blake sets the pace of their relationship and once he gets a taste of AJ, he is smitten!
It's a lot of fun: I found this, while emotional in places, a lot of fun in others and it meant I was able to catch my breath from the deeper bits, and laugh and these two, and their group of friends.
I loved that there was no make-up/breakup/ These two really are perfect for each other and they fit into each other's lives and hearts perfectly!
The friends made me chuckle. They all knew something was going on, but since AJ and Blake were both quiet about it at first, neither knew exactly what. I also enjoyed catching up with the owners of The V Lounge, too!
Did I say?? I bloody loved this book!
No?? Maybe I should say it again for those at the back!
It really was a delightful read and I cannot stress the point highly enough: I LOVED THIS BOOK!
5 full and shiny stars! (if I didn't make myself clear enough!)
*same worded review will appear elsewhere